One step at a time

Warning, if you're like me, before you get that list of incomplete projects and other irritants finished, you will be overtaken by this compulsion to finish some of them!

Today was one of those days. We got a slow start to the day because we had to wait for the sun to come up, since the power had been out since around five yesterday evening. Quite a blustery night, but at least we didn't have another thunderstorm like the night before! (In Maryland in January!) I held off on finishing the painting, but did pull down the masking tape from the ceiling since the walls have all the color they're going to get at this point. I pulled the paper and plastic off the steps before we carried the bookcase upstairs last night-by candlelight! The baseboard molding is finished, but I still need to finish doorframes and doors. It's looking much better already, and I'll finish it up in the morning.

Painting tip: When changing the color of molding or trim, if your new wall color is closer to the final trim color than the old trim color was, apply Kilz to block the old color (if necessary), and then use the wall color as the next layer. It generally takes a more than one coat to change the trim to a lighter color, and it goes faster when using a color that matches the walls, because you don't have to be so careful to avoid marring the walls. (Our old trim was painted teal by the previous owner. It's white now, or in the process of becoming white!)

James put up the trim around the doorway in the bathroom, so that remodeling project will finally be finished when I paint tomorrow!

I cut scarves out of fleece remnants for our family's "winter warmth" project, and will be taking them to a shelter this week. Then I tackled putting elastic in the waistbands and hemming three circle skirts that have been waiting patiently in my sewing basket-for months! That's two projects off my list!

After dinner, James and I put the shelves in the bookcase, and I put the books that have been stacked on the floor for the past couple of weeks away. We had to have a long day to get the bookcase painted, let it dry, set it in place, and then let the paint finish curing before we stuck the books to the shelves permanently. The schedule the last few weeks just hasn't had that space, and we weren't prepared to live with a bookcase laid out in the livingroom for a week. Warm as the winter has been this year, it still hasn't been warm enough for painting outside.

By bits & pieces, fits and spurts, we're really making progress in home improvements!

Aloha!