Pages

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

paint it turquoise! paint it turquoise!

It wouldn't be fair to Martha to blame her for my recent spray painting spree, but I do just love this cover and since it has turquoise in it it seemed a fitting photo to kick off this post!

My husband recently bought me two cans of turquoise spray paint.  So far I have painted two lamps, two dinner plates, a glass bottle and lid, a few clothespins, a disposable diaper box with the flaps cut out (they make great storage bins, they even have handles!) and the lid to a kitchen canister.  :)

I had forgotten how relaxing it is to watch something transform with paint.

How refreshing it is to create something that will stay that way... unlike the good dinner or carefully made bed or folded laundry or clean dishes, all stacked in place.

Those things all have their own unique sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, but there is an added satisfaction, for me, in knowing that unlike many of my tasks which are done over and over and over, this will stay and look good (hopefully) and not revert to it's previous state.

 Although sometimes an undo button might not be such a bad thing, like when I accidentally did not cover quite enough of the sidewalk while painting the second lamp.  A friend suggested I spray paint it grey over the turquoise, but my husband objected that it might look as if I had covered up graffiti on our sidewalk.  I refrained from saying that technically he would be within reason to consider my spraying the sidewalk turquoise as graffiti, but I think he has enough reason to roll his eyes at my liberal use of spray paint without that, thankyouverymuch.

Anyway. Without further ado, here is one of my projects that I'm particularly pleased with.  I purchased a set of two of these lamps at a garage sale for $3 quite a while ago, and we've been using one as our office lamp.  I didn't like it, though, and I had originally planned on spray painting it all white... but then I had the turquoise... and I thought it would be really cheery and fun with it.

I have a quick tip for you if you're spray painting a lamp... if you have a dead light bulb (the one in our office lamp was dead - thank you procrastination!), then put it in/leave it in before painting.  It will save you the trouble of masking the round hole there to keep from gunking up the light bulb socket! I saved the turquoise bulb from the first lamp and used it on the second.


I love it.  :)  It makes me smile to see it, especially since I switched out the (rather staid) shade that had been on it with this funky one.  It seems to fit with the turquoise better.



Have you revamped anything lately?  :)  Do you think one can ever have too much turquoise?  And do you know of anything that needs sprayed turquoise?

'Cause I'm looking around my house persuading myself that everything I see does not need to be turquoise... or does it...



Also, if you haven't seen House of Turquoise... :)


9 comments:

fairymom aka Victorymama aka Rachel said...

Can you eat off the plate now? Or just for show? Just wondering as I know some paints are safe like that and it's a great idea to give your old ones a new look/feel, if you can use them again.

natalie said...

I don't plan on eating off of these because I don't know. That is a VERY interesting thought, though... hmm...

They were just old ugly flea market plates so I decided they'd better serve us as cute plates to use decoratively... I have one in a plate rack and one hung above my cook books using a wire plate hanger. :)

mandi@itscome2this said...

Oh I love that!! That is such a pretty color & looks pretty easy!

Unknown said...

Came across your blog. I like what I've seen so far.

Sophie La Belle
http://greennewssandiego.blogspot.com/

natalie said...

Thanks, Mandi! It was really easy. :) I was a little apprehensive when I looked at the color on the can, which looked kind of dustly and teal, but fortunately the paint itself really was a nice vibrant turquoise. :)

Thanks, Sophie! Glad you enjoyed your visit. :)

Betsy said...

I LOVE the lamp! Gorgeous!

natalie said...

Thank you! I love it too... I'm so glad I went with turquoise, my initial plan when I picked it up at the yard sale was cream. It would have been nice... but a little boring. :)

Peachtree said...

Wow, I'm so impressed with your fun, frugal, easy (reasonably) and beautiful painting spree!

I may have to brainstorm a bit with this new idea!

natalie said...

Thanks, Peachtree! :) It really is amazing how much transformation a can of spray paint is capable of! I want to get some other colors as well, like some black for an older, ugly brass lamp in the living room... but one thing at a time! ;)

If you do end up having a similar fun time you should post about it! I'd love to see what you come up with. :)