From painting art to painting kitchens

As planned, the Painting of the Kitchen went forward this morning.  A couple of secrets about this:  I move everything the previous night, including stirring the paint.  I'll stir again before using, but it gets my mojo mojoing.  And I set out the old painting clothes and the various tools I'll use.  That's Secret One.  

Secret Two is that I never plan to paint more than one wall per session.  If there's paint in the tray, I use that up, but don't refill.  And I wrap my trusty roller up tight and don't wash it at all.  At the end of the room, I toss the roller sleeve.  

And you know to slide the tray into a garbage bag, which you shape around the tray and pour the paint on top of it? that way when it's used, you reverse the bag over the tray and toss that.  No cleaning of trays.  The only washing I do is the small brush I use to cut in at ceiling and floor and around awkward corners.  

I don't tape, either. I have a steady hand, and that and my trusty damp cloth at the ready takes care of any stray splashes on the cabinets.  And I don't throw sheets over the other furniture.  In fact I have a very lazy way of  proceeding.  Also cheap -- did I mention that the paint was a full unused gallon of this nice spring green color left at the dumpster?  probably somebody bought more than they needed. It looks quite a bit greener in rl, and very cheery. The previous paint had gone more grey than green and was looking a bit downhearted.

I also scored a gallon of white enamel, which will probably go into the laundry area.  So here's today's effort.

As you see, I didn't even take down the hanging plant, since it was out of the line of fire. I did take the clock off the wall I was painting, though, big concession.

here, where you can see the ceiling is not yet cut in, that  was to use up a bit of paint while I was up there anyway.  

And eagle eyed blogistas who can spot antiques and collectibles will see a few choice items in the kitchen...on the counter and the top shelf.  Try naming them!  fun quiz.  Prize is smugness at knowing your onions and your collectibles.  Clue: five nations represented.

Back to painting: I still have to do one full wall, the one you see started where the plant is, then one bitty one with the passthrough cut out of it, and cabinets everywhere.  Then there's the fascia above the cabinets, and that will be done. 

So happy that after last winter's illnesses and weakness for ages, that I'm really back and able to do this, yay.  This whole deal to date took half an hour of organizing last night, and about an hour and a half of painting today.  And I laundered the curtains, might as well seize the day, then when I put them back up, they'll fit the ambiance of new and clean.

I have two plant hangers coming, to suspend those begonias above the window, and off a needed surface, which is why I started on the window wall, so it would be ready.

I'm out tonight, so later this afternoon, I'm moving stuff around to get at the next wall.  The island is on casters, easy, the freezer a bit more tricky, and I have to unhook the aprons!  not too strenuous a prep.  And pushing back the shelves I moved out to paint today won't be too tough.  I do it without moving anything off them...has worked fine so far.

Now I'm going to sit and drink tea and read A Few Green Leaves, a Pym I scored at the used bookstore the other day.  An actual book not a CD this time.