Thursday, September 30, 2010

Ah, Pair of New Knees Please


Which is how I felt yesterday after the marathon floor painting sessions starting Monday. It's been almost 10 years since I painted and stenciled floors in this house.
That means I was working on early 40's knees instead of early 50's knees. Guess I better get moving on those other floors that need to be redone before I have early 60's knees!

But, the bathroom project is now moved to the done column, normal activity has once again commenced and the treks to the upstairs bathroom dwindled. No one is happier than Rodger to have his food bowl back in place. I am sure he thought we were playing a mean joke on him moving it here and there.

I thought I had old pics of the bathroom floor with it's white base and scattered fall leaves stenciled on it, but alas, I didn't. I did get some in progress pics and here they are.

The muse for this color palette of soft putty and white came from a linen towel woven by my Dad. It's one of the towels visible hanging on the bar under the window.


I don't mind the soft modern palette of pale lemon yellow, putty grey and white for the bathroom. The floor color is also MUCH more practical for this hard working room. I hand cut the stencil myself using a clear plastic notebook divider and an Exacto knife. It isn't anywhere near perfect, but I was looking for hand painted charm more than technical perfection and I got it.


I also managed to get through an Exacto knife session without slicing a finger tip off. I have to laugh at the girls, Charlotte and Miss Bea checking out if the paint job might be edible. Imagine if they put cheese smell in paint. Hmm, well maybe not......


I'm sad to say there has been no weaving going on the past couple of days. A little spinning, a little knitting and ...drum roll please...the highlight of my week...finding my old hairdresser. Okay, laugh out loud. Melanie's salon went out of business and I, not being the kind of customer who would keep any beauty salon in business, didn't know until one day (after 8 months) I decided a hair cut was in order. Imagine my shock and horror when there was no more salon. After two terrible haircuts this summer with other "stylists" in the area I was thrilled to see a little ad for Melanie with a station at another salon. Don't think for a minute that I didn't drop to my old tired knees and give thanks. My appointment was Tuesday and I walked out of there a new woman. Gosh darn it's good to have a great haircut. It would also be good to have a Harvey. For those who haven't seen Harvey, here he is. I bet he could paint floors!;)

14 comments:

Hilary said...

Take care of your knees, girl. I ran for years, and ended up with a knee replacement that was a disaster.
I wish I had taken better care of mine.

LA said...

The floor looks great...and now you can give the knees a rest for a bit. I know what you mean about your stylist...I'd be lost without my Lori!!!

Cindie said...

I never saw the old floor but I love this one - so simple, fresh and sparkling clean looking!
Yes, Harvey would be great! Need to send that on to others, especially one who recently adopted two pups that are definitely not Harveys!

Judy said...

Wow, you hand stenciled that whole floor? You must have passed out at the end of the day! Your bathroom looks great and it looks like your doggie crew approves the change.

I love Harvey! I wish that I could train my Corgi to do the same.

bspinner said...

Bathroom floor looks great!!!!

I sure do admire you! I know between my legs and back I couldn't possibly do that to my floor.

Theresa said...

Hilary,
I do my best with the knees. Believe it or not going up and down a ladder seems harder than the floor work as far as knees. Over the years I've adjusted my riding form a bit for them too, so I hope to at least be riding horses well into my 70's even if I'm not stenciling floors!
LA, I may have to just get my hair trimmed a little more often. I don't ever want to lose her again!
Thank you for the kudos on the floor. You too Cindie,
thank you.
Isn't Harvey wonderful!!! Two adoptees at once. Now that's brave.
Judy, you might have an easier time getting a Harvey with that Corgi than I would have with one of the terriers, although, he looks like a Jack/Aussie or BC mix doesn't he? ;)
Bspinner, I hear you. I need to gear up the systems before doing anything like this anymore

Leigh said...

Theresa, it looks great! I'm really impressed. It really adds alot of charm to the bathroom in a very unique way.

Linda said...

The floor looks awesome!! Wow, what an undertaking. Take care of those knees. I had both mine replaced almost four months ago. It isn't fun.

Anonymous said...

What beautiful work - love the tone on tone. Hairdressers are far more important than they realize!

Sharon said...

I can see why you go to all that work - it's effective and unique! What on earth do you seal it with that lasts for ten years?!!

Theresa said...

Sharon, The first round on the floors was regular paint sealed with polyurathane. I didn't like it because over paint, it yellows a bit, especially where it doesn't get light. Like our stained wood floors, lasted in low traffic areas well and not so well in those high traffic areas. THIS time I used an outdoor/indoor porch paint, which also has the benefit of not being slippery, and regular high gloss trim white for the stencil. It may wear, it's okay, old painted floors wore too. Usually by the time they look crappy, I'm sick of them anyway and ready for a change. Maybe next time I'll paint and just freehand a rug or two....;)

Long Ridge Farm said...

Theresa! Beautiful floor work! I applaude you and your tired knees!

Peg said...

Holy cow!!! Stenciling a floor?! It never would have crossed my mind.

Next time -- buy a handpainted floor cloth - I love mine! Thought I'd blogged about it so you could see it, but apparently I didn't.

denise/deBRAT said...

theresa! your bathroom floor is just beautiful! and being early 50's myself I can identify with the knees thing. we put in our tile and engineered hardwood floors ourselves and guess who got to do all the crawling around on the floors for many many months of weekends? yup, me! I used to respond to people who'd ask "you did those yourself?" "sure did! I've been up close and personal with every square inch of these floors!" it took months of a support brace on my knees to lose what appeared to be water-on-the-knee swelling. and to this day anytime i get down on the floor (like for polishing those darn wood floors) I quickly recall being on my knees for months!

Now it is time for pics of the horses before riding time ends for the year again!

Have a grand and absolutely gorgeous day,
denise/deBRAT in tampa bay florida, where the Sun and the moon are showing it is Fall with their shortened/lengthened timing but oy, the heat of the day is still Hot hot hot!