Hall floor

It's been such a long time since I've posted anything about the homestead.  Where has the time gone?  We've been working mostly on farmish sorts of things like fences, animals, fences, gardening, and fences.  I'm learning that on a farm fences are everything, especially if you have goats in your repertoire.  Speaking of goats, I recently learned how to milk one.  Not too long ago I never, ever would have imagined I would ever learn how to milk a goat or even own goats...or chickens or cows or five kids for that matter.

Anyway, we really haven't done much to the house over the past year, but a couple of weeks ago I got a wild hair and painted the subfloors.  I absolutely hated the way it turned out so I painted it again and I'm satisfied with it for now.  I rarely get paint right the first time.  Once I had Jeff spray and entire house (about a 3,000 square foot house) a color that turned out to look a little pinkish to me in the evening light so the next day he had to respray it all a new color.  He's surprisingly patient with me.  I once painted a kitchen seven times in one year.  SEVEN.  And I still wasn't happy with the color, but all the texture on the wall was beginning to disappear so I had to stop.

In the midst of all my most recent painting and repainting I decided to try a little free hand painting on the hall floor.  I usually regret the free spirited things I do but I figured it's just the subfloor so it's not our permanent plan and I can always paint over it if I don't like it.  Like with everything else I do I went overboard because I apparently live by the motto if a little is good, more is better. 

This kind of free for all paint party was right up Madison's alley so I invited her to jump in which she was more than happy to do.  She also believes more is better so she's partly to blame for the outcome.  She's also why I love it.  We worked out a plan together and spent the better part of three days crawling around on the floor in a little 7' by 7' area together only taking breaks occasionally to whine together about the pains and muscle spasms in our hands and backs.  My left hand is still crippled from the experience which is making it a little hard to type.

I started by rolling paint on the floor and let it dry for a few hours.   Then we picked out some acrylic craft paints and went to town painting.  I used a circular foam brush for the dots down the center in a repeating pattern.  (I accidentally repeated a row where I shouldn't have and messed up the pattern a little, but I'm not a perfectionist so I just went with it.) 

I didn't bother to seal it because I think as the acrylic paint wears it will only add to the look.  (The base color is interior wall paint that's zero VOC which I've used in other places like the girls bedroom floor and I'm pleased with how well it holds up over time.)

Now I'm in the middle of giving the living room a little makeover.  I've wanted to do it for a long time but always put it off thinking I should at least wait until the house is finished but then Jeff surprised me with this beautiful arrangement he made for me in his car while driving home from work on his birthday. You should never pot plants and drive, by the way, it just isn't safe.

He thought I might like something pretty to look at but this very sweet gesture backfired on him because I'm pretty sure it's what triggered the kick I'm on that's costing him time, energy, and money.  I've got him building things for me that require sanding, welding, painting, and staining.  I've also become best friends with Amazon, Overstock and Etsy and I'm fixing to tackle my first ever chair upholstery project.  (That's always intimidated me!) 

Maybe I'll remember to post pictures when I'm done but for now I just wanted to share some of my oldest babies handiwork.  Now it's time for school so I've got to run! ☺