Pumpkins, 200 Children, and CFL Trickery

Another Halloween come and gone. This year, the office had a potluck and pumpkin carving contest which was quite fun, I must say. I hadn't carved a pumpkin in like 20 years so I wasn't sure what to expect. It was messy but I loved it. Anything involving making something with my hands is right up my alley! What did I carve, you ask? Or you don't ask, but I will tell you anyway? A Barack O'Lantern! Yes, folks, I am certifiably insane with this election. I carved not one, but two. One with the campaign symbol and a white one with "Boo!" with the "o's" being the campaign symbol. My makeshift costume was supposed to be a First Aid dummy but as we were applying my black eye and bloody head wound (with 50% off Halloween makeup - score!), I thought of that girl that lied about being attacked by an Obama supporter and carved a backwards "B" on her own face. Figured why not go balls-out and be the crazy chick. All in good fun! Took some folks half the day to put 2 and 2 together on who I was with the backwards B on my cheek. I did, however, clean myself up before I left the office because I figured going to Home Depot like that might get me a real black-eye seeing as I live in a conservative county.

The evening rolled about and I spent the time sitting by the door in a dining chair with a magazine as there was little point to sitting down in front of the TV as the doorbell rang incessantly. By 8:15pm I was out of candy - I calculated that I had given candy to somewhere around 250 kids. Guess my Barack O' Lanterns didn't turn anyone off the whole "free candy" thing. It was kind of an experiment - I was wondering if I'd have fewer people but it didn't appear to make any difference. Which was cool. It's refreshing to know that people in my neighborhood are tolerant. Though I wonder about the guy down the street with the "No on 8" sign in his yard, if maybe he got fewer visits. Getting that information would actually involve talking to someone and introducing my self and I'm way to lazy/anti-social for those shenanigans.

The remainder of the weekend was spent texturing and painting the walls. The rolling of texture was an absolute mess. I was covered in orange peel texture by the end of it. But it worked - so I am pleased that again, we saved some $$$ by doing that ourselves. Sunday, however, was not messy but a much more frustrating day. The color I had picked which is currently in the adjoining family room - "Sand Fossil" - looks decidedly GREEN-ish under the glow of the CFL lighting.


I was not cool with this. After hemming and hawing over those little color pieces of paper I ended up getting a gallon of "Sensible Hue."


Can you say, YELLOW under CFL lights? Only painting a small area when we realized this had to go. I would have to find another room for it because I actually like it. I just don't want it all over the entire first floor of my house. Since the Husband was bitching about how he knew the Sensible Hue wouldn't work, I made him choose the next color from my plenthora of samples. He chose Oat Straw, and I figured this would work as it was on my list of potentials.


Yeah. Under CFL? Greenish baby poop. Painted the entire kitchen after realizing that it was SO NOT GOING TO WORK.

I am in Paint Hell, folks. I was up at 6:20am this morning at my least favorite yet closest to my house store (Wal-mart) buying more rollers and a can of primer. Primed it all up this morning - lovely way to start a Monday. You should try it sometime. If you're into that sort of masochistic behavior.

We have two new prospects, and I am going to buy only a QUART of each and throw it up on the wall for 24 hours so that we can see it in the different lighting throughout the day. I always thought this step was pointless and a waste to buy two itty-bitty cans of paint that cost as much as a whole gallon, but unless you are really familiar with the color you are choosing, it's a risk. I have wasted $50 on this debacle.

Parisian Taupe:

Antique White:

We are leaning towards the Parisian Taupe. We have decided to go light as that tends to be less offensive. Sure, less lively, but I can always add art and other decor items for punches of color. Anything with any palpable level of color I have thrown on those walls has looked like crapola, so boring neutrals, it'll have to be.

And VOTE tomorrow, even if you disagree with my Barack O'Lanterns!

Comments

  1. I know I am going against all decorating/construction rules when I say this...but wait until floor/cabinets/counter/backsplash is installed before you paint. I know it will be a pain to cut in everywhere, but I think it is way hard to pick a color to match all this without it actually in. Just my two cents. If you were still picking everything else, it might be different. Then you would be matching to wall color instead of the other way around. Ok...two cents and some change.

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  2. I agree, that color is great!! Post finished pics, I bet its going to look wonderful!! Yes, see ya at the poles!! LA

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