Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Putting the "You" in Do-it-Yourself

as in project. do-it-yourself projects. The premise behind the DIY, as we shall call it, industry is that handy people can really do just about anything with proper tools and materials. Fine. But what if you are not handy? What if you are the Barney Fife of home improvement?

This little vignette should say it all. I am painting the stairs up to the room over the garage, the guest quarters of the future. I am painting the risers black and the treads barn red. I carefully taped all edges but ... dang it... the paint just drips and the brush takes on a life of it's own. I was showing off the painted stairs (and I DO plan touch ups). Shawna said ---"so what's the tape for?" and doubled over laughing hysterically. OK. So there is lots of touch up in my future.

One day, I was swinging the new paint can out of the car.... the Home Depot guy had not firmly tamped down the lid and a wave of brand new oil based high gloss paint went sailing over the driveway. Sure is permanent. Several have proposed methods for cleaning this up. I am going to just draw chalk around it and call it a crime scene.

Do you know how hard it is to paint baseboards???? They are too close to the floor and painting like Venus on the Half Shell is just not comfortable. But, I have painted the floor... twice... it is done and there is a collage type feel to it as a few moths were permanently encased in paint when they lingered too long on the floor. Also, a dust bunny or two became entombed. My standards slip.

Next up? applying barn wood to the end walls. and this is NOT DIY.... I draw the line when table saws are required.
stay tuned.

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