November 22, 2010

old man winter

How was your weekend?

Mine was good.

And cold.

And snowy.

And involved lots and lots of paint.


I'll address the weather first.

We've been in the single digits and there's a vicious rumor going around that we're headed well below zero by midweek.

I don't mind the cold and I love the snow, but it just so happens that our furnace has decided to be a bit temperamental.

Perfect timing.


On the painting front, I'm painting a dresser for the guest room. I'm painting it red. Have you ever painted anything red? I don't recommend it even one little bit. For reasons my paint store friend explained, but I quickly forgot, red doesn't cover well at all. I lost count, but I'm pretty sure it took at least eight coats of paint. I wish I was kidding.

I also painted my front room for the third time in as many weeks. I'm very, very picky about paint color and I'll keep repainting till I get it right. I painted my family room four times before I was happy, and I'm not talking about a few swatches on the wall. Every corner of a room has different lighting, and in my world, you have to find a color that makes all your corners sing a happy color song. In the case of my current project, I thought paint color number two could hold me for a while, but I just couldn't bring myself to leave well enough alone. I have a big bucket, several different gallons of paint and my biggest kitchen whisk and play mixologist till I get it right. I think there's a good chance that the third time is the charm, but I'll have to see what it looks like in the full light of day to know for sure.

Regardless, once the Christmas tree goes up, I'm done for a while. I'll do a lot of things for my walls, but maneuvering a ladder around a decorated Christmas tree while carrying a bucket of paint just seems like a bad idea.


The last item on my weekend list was vacuuming. After a month in the repair shop, I finally picked my vacuum up on Friday. You can only imagine what my floors look like right now.

But, instead of vacuuming, I played with photos and textures and more textures until I'd textured the poor pictures within an inch of their digital lives.


It's common knowledge that when you're actively shirking your vacuuming duties, it's hard to exercise texture restraint.

And just for fun, I'll leave you with this....


Have a great Monday!

46 comments:

  1. So jealous that old man winter has come to visit you. It's November in Indiana and still in the 60's - where's my cold, where's my snow!!

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  2. Yikes that forecast scares me. I dont want winter! I want sunshine not snow - but I know it is arriving. I love all your winter photos though. So pretty. Good luck with the paint - I agree red is horrendous.

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  3. Wow! The snow on that chain looks just like glitter!!! And you know what they say about glitter.....

    GT

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  4. Oh my...that is really Cold!! I do wish that we had just a little bit of it. I painted one of my rooms in an older house red. It was a nightmare times 100! Loved it when it was finished but would probably never do it again. By the way, your photographs are so absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing!! Have a blessed Thanksgiving.

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  5. Oh my goodness! And just a few weeks ago we were looking at your gorgeous garden! Hang in there! And if it gets to cold, you're welcome to come visit in NY! We're in the high 50's to low 60's this week! The photos are beautiful as always.
    Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. Brrrrrrr......okay that is waaaaay too cold for me! Stay inside where it is warm!!! Can't wait to see your paint projects complete! Happy Thanksgiving!
    Kristen

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  7. Well it's colder where you are than here in Alaska where I live. We haven't had any single digits as yet and get very few in the below zeros. We're expecting rain today and I would much rather have snow, rain turns into ice at night and makes nice skating rinks of roads and driveways. I agree about red, a very hard color to paint. Wall colors never come out like I think they will either.

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  8. Your snow photos are just gorgeous. Looks very inviting. We have had snow for the first time tis winter and it is very early for us. We aren't really "freezing", however. Stay warm,
    Annette

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  9. I was going to say these photos are amazing... and I agree - playing around and texturizing them within an inch of their lives is so way far above vacumming. I'd do that any day over cleaning. Who want's to do that when your all cozy indoors and there's all that beauty on the out side.

    I'm afraid I don't have much restraint either. Except I've got little ones who keep me "focused"... creating all the more need to vacuum.

    Seriously. Enjoy all that beautiful snow, for me. I'm sure our day is coming.

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  10. Brrrrrrr! It's cold here too, but not THAT cold.

    I can't wait to see your lately painting projects. My ears perked right up at the mention of red!

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  11. Oooh - pretty textures!

    And I'm increasingly shocked that you and Marts allow me to be friends with you. I only vacuum once a week and I detest painting. Your story of the re-paintings gave put me into a dizzy spell.

    ps- Note to self: Don't go West in November. That is awful.

    pss- It is 63 degrees today. Sorry, but it's true.

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  12. Painting in cold weather, especially red does no do well. We always warm ours a little by bringing it into a nice warm room. It really helps but red is still a hard color.

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  13. Ahhhhh, life in the Northwest...isn't it lovely. We even have snow over in our neck of the woods. I feel your paint concerns. I reason with myself that it's only a little bit of work, and who's afraid of a little work...it never hurt anyone. My master bedroom gave me fits trying to find the right shade of bluey, greeny, aquayness that was just right. I ended up with mixing several shades to get the perfect color that I have labeled "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." And it's true...you walk into that room and feel over whelmed with the need to flop on the bed and let out a great big....ahhhhhhhhh. Good luck, be strong, and carry on.

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  14. Oh my, I'm in shock from that forecast and It's not even mine. I painted my dining room chairs red, I actually stopped at four coats, they aren't perfect, but I couldn't stand it anymore, good luck with that:) Love the photos.

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  15. Teresa, the photos are just amazing. They look like vintage photos from mid century agricultural magazines. They are perfect! I don't envy the temperatures but the snow is so pretty. Can't wait to see your new paint colors :)
    Amy

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  16. The photos are amazing~ especially the "snow chain!" It was 79 today here in southeastern OK! It was a fluke, because we are supposed to have a 27 degree Thanksgiving... but I sure enjoyed it!

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  17. Hello theresa - I think I'm glad I live in Texas... I don't do cold weather very well...

    As for all your textures - i think anything that takes you away from vacuuming and cleaning is time well spent! ( I love the one with red berries best!)

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  18. Beautiful pictures but that forecast...More than a little scary for this Southern California girl. I did some painting myself this weekend. It always amazing what a difference a little paint can make. The room looks like a whole different space. Makes me wonder why I put it off so long...Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Patty

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  19. Glad to hear you aren't crazy enough to try painting around your Christmas tree :).

    I also now know I should quit complaining about our cold snap we're having... right now it's about 19 degrees with a wind chill of zero...but at least around here that doesn't usually stick around until March!

    LOVE, LOVE the birdhouse picture with the pop of red.
    Chris

    PS, I think I'll try "taking my vacuum" into the shop just so I can get a vacation from the chore. It could need an annual tune up :)

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  20. I love to paint - there isn't much in my house that I haven't painted. Several times over. Including a bright red chair (spray paint).

    First snow here today -- kind of a wimpy one -- more slop than snow which means black ice tomorrow. Hope you're staying cozy! :-)

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  21. There is a chance that I might never visit you in a non summer month. I think I might go all Jack Nicholson in the Shining if I lived there.

    I can't believe you painted again! I'm impressed with your dedication. I prefer the word dedication to insanity, don't you?

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  22. Love your photos... especially those beautiful snowflakes on the chainling and the birdhouse!

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  23. Looks like you've got a pretty good chance of snow and cold weather! ;)

    Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  24. Brrrrrr, your photos are giving me frost bite! Lovely but they sure show how cold it is there.

    Red paint? I had always heard it was hard to get it right, but we painted our kitchen wall red in Arizona and it covered so easily that it surprised me. Don't know that I would ever take the chance of that happening twice in one lifetime though. :-)

    Di

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  25. Hi my name is Shaunna, and I'm a paint-aholic. Every single wall in my house (and a couple ceilings) are painted. We even painted the entire outside in the spring. I agree with you on the red front. It's a mess, yet it is such a beautiful color on furniture and walls. My kitchen is red with wine and martini glass decorations, it's beautiful for me. I also painted one wall in my bedroom red...I think it's called brick red. It was a HUGE headache getting it done, but it's the color I get the most compliments about. Good luck to you and your red. Become friends with your red, for she will never let you down in the end.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

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  26. Hi, I've been following your site for some time. You have a lovely property. Your pictures are stunning and I love the colours you've choosen for your rooms as well.
    Cold? Well it's all relative as they say. And while I don't want to add to the clichéd image of our Canadian weather (but I guees I am)...we are having an early cold spell. This morning it was -35C(Celsius) with windchill and now it's a "mild" -18C. Keep warm!
    Tanya, Prince George, BC

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  27. Ok - I'm in. I'll come and we'll simmer, and mix paint and keep the oven running constantly. I'm even in for a ride to town, and I'll keep the car running at the door whilst you run in for cheese or paint. I will. I'm good like that.

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  28. A few things- First,sorry it's so darn cold there!! I am about to paint my front door red- now I'm kind of nervous about it!! What color red are you using? I can't wait to see it when it's done.
    Oh, and I love that picture with the birdhouse, amazing! At least the snow makes for some pretty pictures!

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  29. love your photos--the snow is beautiful through your lens!

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  30. I am really not a winter person. I hate the cold! But the first snow is soo pretty, isn't it? I love the picture with the birdhouse. It looks like a piece of art that I would hang in my house!

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  31. Oh my! That forcast is terrible!!! And, I thought Michigan was bad! :) I hope your red dresser turns out the way you want it to...especially with 8 coats. And, you are right about paint for a room. Has to be right in ALL the light. I totally understand your plight! Have a lovely Thanksgiving and stay warm! :)

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  32. Personally, I'm ready for snow! I love having a fire going, a bubbly casserole or simmering soup to warm us up, and just looking out the window. And I hear Montana winters can keep you snowed in for days...hmmm, I think I'd like that! (lots of quiet time for painting...and repainting...and repainting!)

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  33. Oh how I envy your weather!! I love winter, love the snow, love the cold even more!! I could definitely live in Montana.

    I am trying to redeem myself in blogland so if you want to come by, I would truly be delighted.

    xo
    LeAnn

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  34. The weather outside is??????
    You live a such a beautiful area, what a lovely sight to behold. But, I don't know that I could go there, only in pictures. I know no seasons, good, bad, or indifferent, I guess it's what you know. I would like to join you for a couple days though. lol
    We are on the same page with the paint episodes. I did and entire room red, it took days to cover it,lived with it for about a month and had to redo it. Guess what color I covered it with? Yep..white. Now that was a chore as you can imagine. Once painted my bedroom a beautiful shade of yellow..it was wrong, got another color..it was wrong..got the third yellow and asked my grandaughter "what do you think"..she said looking at me like I was crazy... "it's the same as the first"...but it wasn't. So there you go. When you have a color issue...until it's right...well, you keep on painting. Been there done that so many times. I get YOU! Have a wonderful holiday. xoso SANDY

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  35. I painted a small cabinet red for the cabin- not fun! I feel your pain. But in the end, there is nothing like that pop of red. That piece of furniture is my favorite now and I would do it again in a heartbeat- well worth the effort. Also loving the pops of red in the berries and the texture -makes me want to touch the computer screen. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  36. Beautiful snowy pictures Teresa but BRRR, I'm glad it's you and not me! I can't wait to see pictures of that red dresser when you are finished. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Nan

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  37. oh, I could not survive in the cold. I would feel like a frozen popsicle! I love your birdhouse photo. Stay warm and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  38. I live in Hawaii, and I would kill to be in freezing weather, I miss it so much! I grew up in Michigan and we always had tons of snow. That birdhouse photo is so beautiful, you should sell prints. It absolutely moved me!

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  39. I love your farm but I think I want to visit in the summer! LOL. I know what you mean about the red. I did our bedroom red once. It was supposed to be a Ralph Lauren look but it was tooo red. It is tricky! Good luck getting it right. And, thanks for coming by.
    Have a great thanksgiving.

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  40. Oh, you are nuts! Living with those temps I mean - not the painting! I too have done 4 tries in my living room. Also lotsa red, but I used oil so it was much easier I think? Your textures are amazing! Wish I could come for one of your courses- in the summer! My pics are an embarrassment. If I didn't vacuum for a week the doors wouldn't open.
    Merry frozen Christmas!

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  41. Miss you! Please come back! Love your blog!

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  42. Are you still texturing? Love the birdhouse photo. So stark and lonely looking, makes the RED in the berries pop nicely. There's a price to pay for the awesome color of RED. And don't you think it's worth it to have a little around you? Come down from the ladder where ever you are.

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  43. Love red. My secret for painting red? Paint it white first! (I might have learned this the hard way.) The red covers beautifully over the white surface, fewer coats, nice glowy color.

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  44. I enjoy your blog so much, it is very up lifting to see all the time you spend on the important things in your life. thanks Scharie and Merry Christmas

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