Monday, July 28, 2008

The Giant Pokemon Painting Challenge

I believe it was in the book "Cold Sassy Tree" where one of the characters is painting a mantle with a few pennies on it and he just paints over the coins, rather than removing them.

I was totally on board with that guy these past few days.

BoyChild declared the desire for his own bedroom and I was forced to give up my room that houses my vast array of art supplies along with the ancient computer designated only for doing "the books." My problem with this is that I don't really have another place to put the mountain of crap that had to be removed from that room, so the hallway has become an obstacle course of calligraphy pens, paint cans, mitre saws and foam board. Even sadder... I had to take down my fine, fine poster of Aragorn. *sigh*


Whenever I needed a little eye-candy-pick-me-upper, I'd just look his way and feel a little better. Or a lot better. There are only so many places in a house you can put something like that without folks stopping in and saying, "Oh my. And your husband is OK with that?"

The paint job took a lot longer than usual with all the crap-shifting and corner-joint-tape repair that once again involved me parked in front of the wall with a hair dryer. The shifting in our foundation has made most walls look like something from a fairground's Mad Hatter Fun House. Honestly, a doorway in my kitchen is trapezoidal.

By the time I actually got to the walls I was consciously painting over spiderwebs and smallish insects in the quest to be done.

Now doesn't this just look like he lives in a giant Pokeball?


Do me a favor and slap me the next time I say I'm going to work with red paint. Needs too many coats to look good and that stuff is a beeeyotch. Case in point:

My sister bought a house in Kennesaw, GA a few years back and I went down to help her spruce up a bit. I was in charge of painting her bathroom Raspberry. So I wiped down the walls and started in. After painting one wall, I stand back and notice that the entire wall is splotchy. Not in the this-needs-three-coats-of-paint way, but in the HOLY-S***-WTF-IS-ON-THE-WALLS? way.

See, I forgot the important part of that equation. She bought a house in KENNESAW - home of the Kennesaw Claw. Fifteen years worth of Aqua Net had been sprayed in that bathroom leaving a layer of residue over everything. My sister-in-law became my sole heir that day when she said, "Would you like me to help you wash down the walls?" *tearing up just thinking about it* This poor girl just offered to help me scrub down four walls, one of which had a layer of wet,red paint on top of it. Caroline - YOU ARE THE BOMB! MWAH!

Well, her bathroom is now a lovely Raspberry Red, it looks beautiful and D - you really should put a memorial plaque to Caroline and me in that bathroom.

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41 Comments :

Sue Wilkey said...

You painted that Pokeball design yourself? WOW!!! Does he know his mom totally rocks? And I did wonder if It would be inappropriate to hang a Josh Holloway poster in my office. probably, right?

Lucy Filet said...

That is an awesome paint job!

My biggest loss since moving my son's room is the paint color in his room. He will hate it eventually (for now he's thrilled that he has a room that he doesn't have to share with anyone, let alone 2 boys younger than him). It's this wonderful calming green and it's where my home gym used to be. Now my home gym is broken up with the elliptical in the TV/playroom and my treadmill in the boys' room.

for a different kind of girl said...

Do Viggo's eyes follow you when you walk around a room? That poster is all kinds of hot.

I'm with you on the painting thing. It took me four years of living in our house to put up something other than the contractor's paint, and even then, my Mom took pity on my poor skills and did most of the work. I totally owe her, but how do you make something like that up to your mom?

Bee said...

I have red walls in my house but I hired a man servant to paint them. He's also a part time husband/electrician. ;o)

Unknown said...

Excellent Pokeball walls-- indeed! You are the superest-coolest mom I've heard of, to make your kids' room a giant Pokeball.

In fact, if you weren't so darned close to my age, I think I would ask to be adopted.

Woo-hoo!

PS- the spiders LOVE a little color, they just don't get around to painting themselves as often as they'd like.

Meg said...

The room rocks. I just hope my Pokemon-obsessed son doesn't get wind of it--I'm not so good at straight lines.

Stephanie M said...

I LOVE that poster of Aragon - definate eye candy. I completely get what you're saying though about not putting it up where people see it. You could say it belongs to the kids?? And you did a really terrific job painting boychild's room with the stripes - it looks great!

Unknown said...

Oh, you are TOO good. I am waiting to see just what IS on the dark side of Alice. If there even is a dark side.

Robyn said...

I hope your boy knows just how much you gave up for him. It IS Viggo, after all. Just watch Eastern Promises a few times to make yourself feel better.

Marinka said...

That totally looks like a giant Pokeball. My son must never see this.

gadragonfly said...

My bathroom is actually Cherry Cobbler & I LOVE IT!! Everythime I look at the walls I think about you & Caroline. You two rock! BoyChild's room looks great. You are so talented.
PS I've saved one last room to paint for the next time you are down, my bedroom. :) Or you can at least give me ideas. Love you & your Bam.

Carissa(GoodnCrazy) said...

Funny. the penny thing. and cobwebs. been there.

for red paint, first paint tan then red. Ask me how I know this?

And my husband would totally be fine with me having that picture. I on the other hand would NOT let him have a sexy Jennifer Beals poster...hypocrite?

Queen Goob said...

Big V is hot! We (Spawnette and I) have life-sized cutouts of Captain Jack Sparrow. We can stand and hug him. Sometimes I cry.

Anywho, my dining room is a lovely shade of street walker red and yes it SUCKED painting the walls. I think, however, my dining room only took thirty-seven coats, a bit less than yours.

Lost In Splendor said...

The room looks awesome. I can't believe kids still like Pokemon though. I remember when that first came out.

I am now convinced that if I ever decide to paint something red I will hire someone else to do it. I don't have the patience.

Chat Blanc said...

red paint! you are soooo brave. stories like this make me glad I don't own a house. btw, the walls look great!

Anonymous said...

if Id only known, I could have saved you the trouble. I tried to paint my fireplace red once...after six coats I gave up and let everyone think it was some sort of butt ugly faux finish.

What you did looks great though...
I have to admire your patience.

wisewomencoffeechat.com said...

I can totally relate to the piles. But the paint job, however painful, looks awesome. I'm totally impressed! My three boys have connecting bedrooms - so you have to walk through the 14 year olds to get to the young ones room. My 14 year old wants to switch rooms, so he can have some privacy which I understand. But I'm overwhelmed by what it will take to get it done - stripping wallpaper, painting .... God help me!

Anonymous said...

I must say D's bathroom looks awesome! You and Caroline did a MUCH better job than when I attempted to help her scrape wallpaper in the kitchen.

Alice said...

Sue - As an authority on this, it would not be inappropriate at all.

Kylie - Ouch! It gets hard when you've accumulated so much. Where to put it all?!?!

FADKOG - Yeah, that poster is. It's OK to make out with a poster, right?

Bee - I'd be willing to fly him out here next time.

Jenn - I'd adopt you, but I'm not willing to give up another room just yet. And I'll give you a holler if I ever head towards Pittsburgh! You're cool with kids, right?

Alice said...

Meg - It's all about the tape.

Stephanie - Thanks! And folks would never buy the story. GirlChild's still a little young to appreciate Viggo's hotness. But she will in time.

Lou - The dark side is safely tucked away at the top of my closet. It comes complete with a voice synthesizer. And I'm not even kidding, I really do have a Darth Vader helmet.

Robyn - I haven't seen that movie yet, but know that I MUST see it for some full frontal action!

Marinka - Your time will come..heh heh heh...

D - Dammit. How could I mistake Cherry Cobbler for Raspberry. Grrr...

GoodNCrazy - I'm all about double standards too. Girl Power!

Alice said...

Queen G - ROFL. "Sometimes I cry." But then I might too if I had Jack Sparrow taped to my ceiling over my bed.

Sparklie - Pokemon has made a real comeback (or resurgence). And the key to red paint is GREY PRIMER!!

Chat Blanc - It's only bad when you get thwarted in your efforts by other menial repairs.

Vinyl - LOL. I like the faux finish cover-up.

Wisewoman - I'd be overwhelmed by stripping wallpaper too. I did that at my sister's and I believe we have more than a few pics with our middle fingers up.

TL - Did you ever see the pics from when we scraped her hallway?! It's ugly.

Adriane said...

Kennesaw Claw made me pee a little.

BTW- I tagged you for a meme!

http://fleadlure.blogspot.com/2008/07/6-random-things-meme.html

Anonymous said...

Wow! The paint job is amazing...good work!! Your son must be thrilled. What are you going to do with all your art supplies, etc. now, though?

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

You did a great job with his room! My girls are excited to be getting a new room when our addition is done and have been going over what colors and things they want in their room. I overheard one say this morning that on one wall there was going to be a field with fairies flying over the flowers. Um..yeah, I'm not that crafty. I hope they'll settle for pink walls with pictures of Tinker Bell.

And red is a b#tch! I painted our ourside doors that color and I must have put six layers on each one. They were only doors for crying out loud!

Unknown said...

I have that exact same poster of Aragorn, only it's hanging in our den where I can see it every day - along with one of Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack! Hubba hubba!

My 16 yo daughter went thru a Pokemon stage when she was younger and I painted her room puke - I mean Pikacu - yellow. Thankfully, she outgrew it. The only problem now is her room is black. I'm not sure which is worse!

MereCat said...

Hey! That looks really good! If I were to attempt that, it would most certainly look like shit. And I am envious of your Aragorn. MMM.. MM!

Hey It's Di said...

I am so impressed with your paint job! You really have a talent there! Nobody should question your eye candy. At least he has clothes on:)

I should have warned you about the red. I painted a wall in my upstairs red. Three coats later and enough cursing to bring around the Bishop, I finished swearing to NEVER do that again. Well, 6 months ago I decided to paint a large family/game room deep red. I must have that "child birth" memory and had forgotten the pain of the first time. This time, I had the kids put earplugs in:)

Anonymous said...

You've inspired me to write a post about my bathroom, which I foolishly painted CRANBERRY. Thanks.

Soccer Mom In Heels said...

I had to shield my son's eyes from the totally RAD, cool Pokeball room, he would have coveted living in a Pokeball. This past weekend was spent hatching Pokemon eggs on the Pokemon Diamond blessed game. Whatever that means.

JD at I Do Things said...

Your paint job looks pretty awesome to me. But not as awesome as the Aragorn (ARAGOOOOOORN!!!) poster.

I helped a friend paint an entire wall bright red. Then she glued records to it.


JD at I Do Things

Bijoux said...

Thank you for the new term - "crap shifting" is the story of my life!

And if you ever see a spot on the red walls, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT try to wipe it off with anything wet or you will have a much worse smear mark up there that will never go away.

Janet said...

My little eye=candy-pick-me-up is a cardboard standee of Captain Jack Sparrow...yes it is! YUM!

What is it with boys and red? When my brother was 13 or so, he painted his room red & purple!

Angie said...

I understand the whole painting the childs room... my son's room is dark blue and with a black ceiling ( the black was even brought down to the top of the windows ), on the walls he has star wars murals painted on them. I will have to post pictures on my blog to show. My son even painted his own murals on his door, he is 9 years old. Let them do it, enjoy the moment. Nice work!

Tink said...

It does look a bit like a pokeball! But I love the stripes. Hoop did a thick black stripe around our office walls (about eye level) so we could hang black and white pictures in it. We get more compliments on that room than our entire house combined. *Snort*

Unknown said...

Alice- yup, I'm entirely kid-friendly, largely because I think I'm about on the same mental level as they are. :) I'm about five on a good day. No worries.

Sully Sullivan said...

Tape the Aragorn poster the ceiling in your bedroom. Your husband would love that.

I like the color on the walls though.

Sully Sullivan said...

Tape the Aragorn poster the ceiling in your bedroom. Your husband would love that.

I like the color on the walls though.

Sully Sullivan said...

Tape the Aragorn poster the ceiling in your bedroom. Your husband would love that.

I like the color on the walls though.

Mary Witzl said...

Whoever painted in this house slapped it on over cobwebs, hairs, insects, and newspapers. We figured they used the newspapers to sort of paper-mache the crumbling plaster. Two of our windows were held up with paint too; they must have used a whole gallon to manage that one. I've never scraped or sanded off so much paint in all my life.

And I know how you must feel about your sister-in-law! If anyone had offered to give me a hand during the worst of it, I'd have put them in my will too.

Ashley. Unscripted... said...

Too funny, I just finished that book. And yeah, red paint is a bitch. Our home office is red. It took FOREVER.

Super B's Mom said...

I just ran across this blog post today while searching for ideas about Pokemon bedroom decorations and this is friggin awesome!! I must hide this from my son - I don't think I could pull that one off. Awesome job!

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