Category: Projects

The Playroom Art Center

Sponsored by Mrs. Meyer’s

I’ve been working on the playroom on the third floor. We’ve all been feeling a little stir-crazy, waiting for spring to officially arrive (though we had a sneak-peek yesterday and today with temperatures in the fifties!), so it’s been great having a fun space inside the house setup for the kids. There are plenty of toys, plus a play kitchen on one side and an art station on the other. Lately, we’ve been going upstairs after breakfast to paint, work on arts and crafts, or color. Eleanor helps set everything up.

Why yes, we do always use a mug with a kitty and fireworks on it when we paint.

August likes to paint at the easel too, or use watercolors, but he wasn’t into it that day so he played with his cars while I helped Eleanor. After a while, he made some cupcakes in the play kitchen which we all agreed were the most delicious ever. They were made of eggs, chocolate and ketchup. Yum.

Eleanor painted a rainbow. For The Rainbow House, naturally.

I keep the tray of the easel lined with paper towels so that it doesn’t get too glopped over with paint, but I don’t stress about the kids being neat. They can do their thing, and then we clean up any errant paint spills and splatters when they’re done.

The paints are washable, so cleaning up is easy. I keep a bottle of Mrs. Meyer’s countertop spray in one of the art cubbies on the desk, and I try to enlist the kids’ help as often as I can. I spray, they wipe. I clean for real, they push a toy vacuum around. (You take the help you get, right?)

The light is so nice up there in the mornings, and the kids have such a good time. It’s one of our favorite places to be.

Sponsored by Mrs. Meyer’s

Mrs. Meyer’s is hosting a giveaway, and the Grand Prize Arts & Crafts winner will receive a custom-designed Craft Center, fully stocked with all of the art supplies and materials you need to enjoy fun, messy crafts in the comfort of your home. Once installed, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day will throw a party for your kids and up to thirty of their friends, hosted by Design Mom’s Gabrielle Blair.

Visit getmessycontest.com for more details, and to enter.

March 11, 2014
Black Beauty

I’d hoped to have a painted room to share today, but I underestimated the ability of my right arm to paint and paint and paint. I’ve primed, I’ve put a first coat on, and I’ve done half of the cutting in for the second (and final, I hope) coat of paint, but I still have a few hours of painting ahead of me before it’s done. Such tall ceilings! So many windows and doorways, and a fireplace to cut in! Such strong shoulders I will have! (On the right side, at least.) Luckily my legs are holding up just fine with having gone up and down the ladder all weekend, and I’ve finished all of the up-high work.

I liked the range of blacks that Benjamin Moore offered, so I stuck with them for my samples. I tried Soot (so close), Almost Black (too light), Polo Blue (pretty and nuanced, but too blue), and finally, Black Beauty (the winner!). It’s the warm black I had been looking for, and it makes the wood trim in the room look amazing. The three huge windows are South-facing, and the room is flooded with light, so it can take a dark, dramatic color. I can’t wait to see it with the furniture back in place!

Now, off to paint.

March 3, 2014
Almost Black

Hey, look, I did some painting this weekend! (My tiny assistant helped.)

I need to find a ladder (the step-ladder isn’t cutting it with 10′ high ceilings), and I need to decide on a final paint color. My friend sent me this video when I initially shared the Instagram photo above of the paint swatches, and yep.

The room is now painted with black-tinted primer, but the color is a near match for the first sample I tried, Almost Black. I also tried Soot, and Polo Blue, all Benjamin Moore colors.

I might pick up another sample or two, but I’m not sure yet. I do know that I want to go darker than the primer, which rules out Almost Black for sure. I’m happy with the direction the room is going in though! It’s a central room on the main floor, and I love the contrast those walls are bringing. I’m eager to bring all of the furniture back in, but I want to get the color just right without rushing it. Normally I wouldn’t be drawn to a green-based black, for example, but against all of the wood it might work. Otherwise, Soot?

February 24, 2014
A Paint Color Palette?

Maybe? It’s still very likely to change, but I’m thinking black (or nearly so), pale peachy pink, and olive green for the walls downstairs. I love when other people do the whole monochromatic thing, but I’m too into color.

I forever love pink, and as I was looking at black and pale pink swatches, I thought green would be a nice addition. Then I realized, oh right. I’ve seen this before.

I’m set on a dark color for the second parlor, so that will get painted first. We should be starting on the library soon, and I’ll paint in there (olive?) after the shelves have been built. Then pink for the dining room? The entryway? Like I said… still very likely to change.

February 17, 2014
Three Years Old (August’s Yearly Photo)

August is trying, with his hand, to show us that he’s three! (Three is the trickiest number to show with your fingers, you know.)

I took monthly photos of Eleanor until she turned two, and then switched to yearly pictures. Now I’m doing the same for August. New house, new setting, new messy-hair haircut (I tried to comb it), same awesome kid, same chair. August finished up his monthly photos on his birthday last year, so now we’re on to yearly shots!

I love having these to look back on.

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February 10, 2014
Giveaway! A Watercolor Palette and Sketchbook

I’ve been enjoying my new watercolor hobby, since posting to that time-lapse video I found so inspiring. It’s only been about a month since I started, during which I’ve probably painted four times, but I’m proud of how I’m progressing. I’ve missed making art, even if I’m just painting what amount to cute spot illustrations.

I’ve been experimenting with different paints (tubes vs. pans, student grade versus professional quality), and I’m still finding what I like. You know what turned out to be great though? The inexpensive 36-color watercolor palette I had initially picked up on a whim at Michael’s. I’ve heard from more seasoned watercolor artists that they love it too!

Want to give it a go for yourself? I went back and bought five more palettes, along with some better quality paintbrushes (don’t bother with the one it comes with) to give away to five readers. I also bought five Moleskine Watercolor Notebooks to include as part of the prize for each winner.

(I painted this illustration of the prize using only watercolors from that 36-color palette.)

This giveaway is open to everyone, worldwide. Just leave a comment below by midnight CST, Monday, January 27 to enter. After the giveaway ends, I’ll randomly draw five winners and ship off a palette, brush, and sketchbook to each. It’s a small way to share a little bit of what’s making me happy these days!

January 21, 2014