Monday, November 7, 2011

Lesson Learned

I think one of the most valuable lessons I have learned in the last 10 months and 20 days (give or take a day or two) since I began writing Mission Decorate is to always get creative.  And I don't mean be an artsy creative type.  I mean when things don't go exactly how you want them, get creative.  Just take my most recent project for example...

It began with this frame.


My plan was to transform it to first be used in my holiday decor and then to later be used again in my easy guest room makeover (which we will talk more about later).  As you know my holiday theme is gold so my thought was to paint this frame white and then add some gold highlights.  So I got out the white spray paint.


I followed the basic rules of spray painting...do it outside, keep the can moving and do numerous thin coats rather then one heavy coat.  But there was one rule I sadly ignored - don't put the item on a trash bag which the wind is going to blow around and then stick to the side.  Ugh.  Easy project turned into a bubbly mess. 

I didn't snap a pic out of stupid embarrassment, but you can kinda see the lovely bubbles in this shot taken later in the process.


In the past this is where I would have given up.  Frustration would have led me to scrap the project and the frame would have probably ended up in the trash.  But instead I walked away.  I took a deep breath and told myself to just get creative. 

Not to say I wasn't frustrated.  I kept going into the garage and starring at it totally annoyed, but just told myself to let it dry because sandpaper can do wonderful things.  After it dried I pulled out the sandpaper and got to work on the lovely bubbles.  I figured I would sand away the screw-ups and then spray paint again.  But as I began to gently sand something great started to happen.  Not only did the bubbles begin to smooth but the dark finish that I had initially tried to get rid of started to peak through the white and actually look great.


So I kept going.  I even sanded some non-bubbly parts to even out the look.  Still wanting to add some gold I then lightly applied some gold spray paint and came out with a look I didn't expect when I began but actually really liked!  And I had taken this...


to this...


So although it didn't start out to smoothly a great lesson learned once again turned out to be true.  If at first you don't succeed, no wait, when the going gets tough, no that's not it, trust your instincts, well sort-of.  OK, I've got it...the worst thing that can happen is it doesn't work.  Ahhh, true words of brilliant DIY wisdom.  (I should put that on a pillow.)