I am beginning to hate painting

That's right-I said it! GASP!  Is it  blasphemous for a DIYer to utter thise words?  But dang it- I am tired. And sore. And grumpy. The weather is actually nice and warm. All I wanna do is play in my garden. What have I been doing day in and out? Priming and painting...bahhhh

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Not my house. My hubbs BFF mobile home. Which was/ is an unmitigated disaster. Two weeks until he has to move in and I am not sure we're gonna make it. Walls still need patched, repaired or some need sanded. The walls which are fixed I have been painting. Pretty much all the plumbing had to be redone. The floors are repaired from all the access panels from the 20+ leaks. Yeah the hubbs was thrilled with that-- NOT!  The carpet (bedroom) and linoleum (bathroom) still need to be installed. Laminate for the kitchen. The doors need painted. Lighting fixtures installed. Hardware changed.And all the screens need replaced. That is just the inside work. Maybe I don't hate painting. Maybe I hate DIY right now

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Here's a pic of the over-sized living room. Sorry for all the junk, but it is a construction zone. The living room is HUGE! 23X20. 460 square feet! And lots of light. So that's a good thing.

Here's a sneak peak at the bathroom.The cabinet, vanity and tub are all in good shape. I found this moody blue mis-tint on clearance. (haha no pun intended towards the band The Moody Blue's) I still have a few area's to touch up. That will finished today. As soon as the light fixture and  linoleum is installed I can scrub everything down, hang the shower rod, shower curtain, the towel rod and hang the cheapo-o makeover  artwork . 

So that is kinda where I am at on this project. Even though I have a kazillion of my own house projects to do. But it is for a friend, so you do what you can to help.  Well wish me luck because I have to finish the bathroom, paint the 2nd coat in the 1st bedroom and get the 1st coat in the kitchen.  UUURRRRGH!!!!

So much going on

Things are about to get kicked into high gear around here. Or should I say I am about to get my rear in gear!

I have a HUGE number of garden related things to do (start all my seedlings, clean beds, make my plant markers, assemble a small green house, etc).

I have this

I bought one of these

Because I want this

http://jenniferchilds.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/05/backyard-buffet.html 

And I really, really want a potting bench (that will eventually go in my fabulous greenhouse)

Maybe something like this?

addicted2decorating.com 

 Hmmmm--Are you thinking what I am thinking?

I am beginning work on my stairwell (patching the plaster, painting the walls, refinishing the steps and eventually decorating)

I have this

But I want something like this

http://lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Stenciled_Stair_Risers.aspx 

 or maybe this because the carpet would help the stairwell (aka mineshaft) not be so echo-y.

loftandcottage.blogspot.com 

And the hubb's best friend just bought a mobile home that is a complete re-do. So guess who is nominated to do all the painting and decorating? Yup that's right--this girl! The hubbs BFF  is starting over from  scratch, he works constantly and asked me to take care of stuff.  TRANSLATED-- I get to pick out everything--which means SHOPPING!! It really means THRIFTING-- which is even better. And since he is a bachelor, I get to release my inner dude and decorate a man cave. Except it is gonna be better than just hats on a nail and beer in the fridge. Although my hubbs would argue beer in the fridge is important.

I am picturing cool blue-greys, rich chocolate browns, and chrome finishes. I think I am going to go  for a mid-century modern vibe (which falls in line with all the cool stuff I have seen thrifting!)

 I have a pair of lamps I am gonna paint and an old chair that I can slip cover/ re-upholster (hello nail-head trim!). I have already started thrifting for dishes. The tricky part will  be art and accessories. Most guys would tack up a poster of a babe, a buck or a pick-up truck (maybe all 3).  I just have to remember--no frou-frou stuff , guys only need/ want 1 mirror and only 2 pillows for the couch.

You think I can do this? I think I am gonna be kind of busy for a while!

What makes a home

Let's face it-- most people have a pre-conceived notion about mobile homes or trailers as they are sometimes called. Mobile Homes are NOT tin cans on wheels. No-one thinks twice about if someone mentions they live in an apartment, a condo, or  a duplex. Not sure why there is such a hang-up over mobile homes.

I spent a fair amount of my childhood living in trailers. Some of my family still live in them. As do some of our friends. I can tell you growing up I took a lot of abuse for living in a trailer. Trailer trash was the phrase most commonly launched at me. Well that and how I was no good and never amount to anything. Good memories, yeah. NOT. 

(I have been to therapy  I swear! It helped. sorta) 

This is what many people picture when you say trailer or mobile home

"The infamous Redneck mansion"

Instead of seeing this ( I would SO live here!)

Yup it's an "upwardly mobile" home

Some people live in mobile homes because is an affordable alternative to traditional homes. Because they put their money into buying land instead of a building. Because they are starting out. Because they are starting over. Because they downsized. Because they want to. Because there are a thousand reasons.  Living in a mobile home is a lot like living on a boat. Everything is streamline and compact, (unless you have a  BIG modular home).  I prefer to think they are cute and cozy. They have an efficient flow and work space. It has all your basic necessities. And shoot there isn't anything that a little paint and TLC can't fix right up!  I came across a great blog http://www.mobilehomeliving.org/ that celebrates living in a mobile home. I am telling you some most of these mobiles homes featured in her blog are a helluva lot nicer than my farmhouse. (And they probably got a lot cheaper electric bill than I do!)

I guess  the point I am trying to make. It's a HOME regardless if it is traditional stick and mortar build or a pre-fab. A home is where your heart is. Your happiness. Your loved ones. All anyone ever wants is a safe place to call home, share a warm meal and soft pillow to lay their head upon. So the next time you hear someone say trailer or mobile home don't automatically assume they are any less of ANYTHING.  Because everybody's got a story.

I said it was bad memories associated with my trailer living but that isn't completely true. It was bad memories of the narrow minded judgmental assholes I had to contend with at the time.  I had have some really good memories from when I was living in a trailer. My daughter learned her first words in a trailer. Took her first steps in a trailer.  I took my college entrance exam when I was living in a trailer. (That was the moment I realized I was GOOD,  my life was going somewhere and I WAS somebody.) I also have memories of my step-dad grilling out at 2 am because he worked second shift. Memories of sunbathing in the side-yard with my friends listening to the radio. Memories of sitting on the deck watching the kids ride their bikes up and down the streets. Memories of me and my sisters piling up on the couch on a cold wintry night drinking hot cocoa and watching holiday cartoons. I bet some of you are thinking---"hey! that's a lot like my memories" Except maybe the grilling out at 2 am thing--don't judge!

A persons true worth has nothing to do with the type of  HOUSE  in which they reside and everything to do with the connotation of HOME. So always fill your home with laughter. Be surrounded by love. And most of all--make it cozy.

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, 

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home."

John Howard Payne