Painting (un)Surprise.

Ashley got me a Thank You gift.

Actually she got me a few. 

 She didn't like the black mat I had, and kept telling me I needed a cuter one.

Doesn't it look cute at our side enterance. 

Ashley and Tyler went away on a little getaway...but more for an ikea baby shopping trip.

While they were away Kristy was nice enough to pet sit for them.

So I decided to surprise them with a painting project Ashley had started a few months ago, until everyone told her to stop as she shouldn't be doing any painting while she was pregnant. 

You know what is worse than looking at a project that needs to be done.....a project that is incomplete. Lol 

Here is the project.

The sides of her stairs. 

 Actually they don't look too bad here besides the yucky cream colour.

But just picture them with one blotchy coat of white paint. Ashley said it drives her crazy looking at it everyday.

Now doesn't this look nicer. 

As well as Sebastian who got in the paint twice. Black cat/white paint oh oh. 

I just need to caulk where the trim doesn't fit tight.... But that is for another day. 

 Not only did I paint the sides of their stairs, I also painted the baseboards that Oscar teethed  on when he was a puppy. 

Boy, was there a lot of teething marks. 

 The trim will need to be replaced, but this is a good cover up until that gets done.

This is oscars room...I know such a spoiled dog to not only have his own bedroom, but he also has his own double sized bed!!! 

I had to lock him out as I painted because he wanted to help, lol. 

I think he was confused that he was locked OUT of his room as opposed to inside his room. 

 As much as Ashley and Tyler love Oscar he is going to have to either give up or share his room with the baby.

My painting was suppose to be a surprise. 

I wanted to see how long it would take them to notice. 

When I asked Ashley how much I owed her for the stuff she bought me. 

She told me it was a thank you for painting 

I asked her. Who told you I painted. 

She replied. You painted?!? What did you paint?!?  Did you paint the stairs!!!! 

I asked her what painting did she mean 

The baby's dresser. 

So I ruined my own surprise. Lol. 

I also ruined my birthday gift she got me.  I helped them unpack and saw it....but at least they know I'll love it. Lol

We are at the cottage and it is drizzling.

I went for a short walk, but thinking it may be an organizing evening as it looks like rain all night. 

Hope you all have a wonderful and creative weekend :)

Tracy :). 

Laundry Room Project.

Projects. 

Like I shared with you yesterday...I have many. 

I also have many that I haven't shared with you yet.

Last month I worked on a project for Ashley's house. 

She has a sump pump in her unfinished laundry room.
There are 2 holes in the concrete floor and I wanted to cover them up somehow. 

Here is the finished project. 

Not only does this cover the holes, but it also is a nice folding table or just a place to store laundry products...and it looks pretty :)

Here is the before picture...blah.
See the high tech way the sump pump holes were hidden, teehee.

The first thing we had to make sure of is that the desk fit...it did!!

Which made me very happy as I didn't need to make a one, like I had planned.

Next thing, I had to do was cut a slot out of the desk top for the pipe.

Plus the desk had to be easy to pull out, just incase the sump pump needed quick access to.

 

Ashley had this desk from Ikea. 

Her dog, Oscar chewed on a couple of the legs when he was a puppy. 

The legs were still stable, just didn't look so pretty.  

Next, to disguise the ugliness, lol. 

See.... Not to pretty under there, and we are all about things being pretty as well as functional.

So I cut some lumber to size and nailed it to the desk 

Ashley was at work, so I was on my own with this job.
I needed another set of hands to hold the lumber while I nailed in the other side, but I'm pretty resourceful, especially since I didn't bring any claps with me, lol. 

I used a piece of my scrap wood for a spacer so the spaces would all be the same distance apart. 
Then I just kept on cutting and nailing, cutting and nailing.

Ugliness is slowly getting hidden.

I needed to rip the bottom board (cut the board the whole length down the centre). 

I inquired at Home Depot, but they don't do that :)

Remember I didn't bring my clamps...but luckily for me Tyler was home at this time, so I asked him to help me hold the board so I didn't saw off a finger or two. 

See how much thinner the bottom board is...I ripped it good ;) 

Now doesn't that look a lot better:). 

But now to make it prettier. 

Because the desk was white, I painted the boards white as well. 

So much prettier and more functional than the before picture. 

I was at Ashleys house working on a couple other projects today....but more on those tomorrow.

Whenever Ashley has a new idea for her house, she always coxes me with "This will make a good blog material". Honestly though, she doesn't need to cox me at all.
Actually these projects were my doing.....I just can't stop with the projects, lol.

I hope you all had a very creative day :)

Tracy :).