Aqua Lamps and Some Reality

First of all, make sure you check out my giveaway that is going on through Wednesday.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment.  For those of you who are really in love, there are some additional things you can do to increase your chances.  Good luck!

One of the reasons I chose Irish Cream for the wall color in my master bedroom is so I could paint some of the furniture and accessories in fun colors.  I've taken the "neutral furniture with colored walls approach" for a few years and I am ready for a change.  I had a pair of lamps on my dresser that my aunt gave me and they wanted to be aqua.  How could I say no?

They originally had a brass finish and she had sprayed them a...well, it might've been black, but it kind of looked like a very dark greenish color.  I purchased the shades from Wal-Mart and topped them with some light brown finials that I were no longer needed on my buffet lamps.

I painted them by hand in an aqua acrylic paint (Folk Art's 2486 Seamist.)  It took 3 coats to really get good coverage.  The color was a little bright and the finish was flat, so I added a dark walnut stain by Minwax.  It's just ordinary wood stain that I brushed into the the creases and rubbed off with a soft cloth. 

I am so pleased with how sophisticated and downright pretty these lamps turned out. I can't wait to get the room together, but there is still a LOT to do.   I stripped the top of my vanity...if you've read my blog for any amount of time, you might be able to guess what I'm going to do with it.

I also found a great solution to my floor plan woes (that my husband actually agreed to!)  This door goes to my office and is not necessary.  We're going to cover it up and pretend it's not there without any construction.  I'll give you a hint, it involves my hubby building a large headboard. 

I am really excited about the progress, but please don't hold your breath waiting for the final reveal.  I don't want any of my amazing readers passing out.  I'm working as quickly as my toddlers and schedule allows.

Speaking of my toddlers, I thought I would share a not-so-cute corner of my family room.  The only thing worse than the pile of toys is the beastly treadmill sitting next to it.  I'm going to put a cabinet or dresser where the rocking chair is sitting to get this mess under control, but this is the reality of life with little kids and that's ok. 

What's a family room if your family can't live in it?  So, lest you think every inch of my home is perfection, know that I have Cherrios in my sofa cushions, a full laundry basket on the floor in my bedroom, a tacky beach towel as my bath mat, and a creativity bomb has gone off in my office.  Just keepin' it real.