Spring Break!?! More like Bring-it Break

Future Masterbath Countertop - yes - Go Buffs! 

We really can't complain about our working spring break, considering that only a few weekends before we had a 3-day break at the Broadmoor. So, I will temper my weary wining and callous complaints; and by callous, I mean literal callouses on my hands.

Oops! Couldn't find the floor tile before purchase of paint.
Went too dark with the gray kid's bath wall
had to re-paint the entire room. Lost another 1/2 day.

From my drive over the Continental Divide, I arrived to a cleaned-up work site with giddy contractors. They were excited to see my response to all that has been accomplished. It's good to have power.

The work crew consists of my husband, a good ol' friend who is both giving and gifted and a very petite day-laborer, who normally works local kitchens during the high season in Ouray. We are so thankful to have Dave and Emilio, and Emilio's wife who also washes my guy's laundry and makes some pretty incredible steak burritos.

Also decided to go with Platinum between 
our white subway tile walls in kids bath. 
Going too dark was a bit of a problem for me.

This motley crew has accomplished so much, unfortunately we still have a long way to go. My assignment was painting. Supposedly, my kids and I were supposed to paint the entire inside. I also had to run to Montrose (45min), twice, and pick out paint and grout and other random supplies that ended up costing me the better part of two days. Not to mention, prior to, I had to pick up panels and crown-moulding for the cabinetry, strap it to my roof and drive down to my future home. Thankfully, I still am a little cute and the young hands at the cabinet factory set me up. May have more to do with their job description than my good looks, but that's what I tell myself, anyways.

Update cabinets, beautiful! 

My son's "Cimmeron" wall, that required intense
concentration to make lines perfect! 
Only the headboard wall is red.

Day one of work I discover that one wall of wallpaper was missed by our wallpaper remover. I considered a sledgehammer. Thankfully, it was my daughter's bedroom, so she was unusually motivated and, to her credit, did at least half of the very dirty, messy, sticky, dusty job. Personally, I think wallpaper should be outlawed and anyone who thinks otherwise should be drawn-and-quartered.  Removal of the wallpaper resulted in removal of the previously unprepared wall of all it's mud. While I have troweled texture before, I have never had the pleasure of skip-troweling. There is an art and finesse and I did alright, after I removed my first layer and had dear Dave come in to re-advise.

There is not much that I am OCD about, but paint lines are my trigger. Not only were my kids only interested in painting their own rooms and only their own rooms. I pretty much had to take over when it was time for cutting-in. I have a very specific process.

Sunroom into kitchen. 

Materials needed: painting ladder (NOT an electrical ladder, I need the shelf and tool-holders), 1" paint brush, painters tape, paintable caulk, wet rag, roller, tray, both colors of paint, 2 small artist brushes.

Step 1: set ladder (when cutting in ceiling)
Step 2: tape an area as far as arms can comfortably reach
Step 3: use index finger to smush a thin line of caulk along said length of tape (but not window caulk, that shit is too sticky, this also required a second trip to Home Depot, as my well meaning husband got the wrong shit)
Step 4: cut in with paint the area with 1" angled paint brush.
Step 5: back-roller area to hide brush strokes (mind you, these are 8' ceilings)
Step 6: pull tape so as not to have wet parts of tape touch wall

Our fire place wall, the first color was called "bittersweet chocolate"
Should have been named "Baby Poop Green". 
This color was "authentic brown". Much more of what I wanted. 

Step 7: when you fail at tape removal or roller kisses past the tape on wall, use wet rag to wipe up area, including the area where the used rag paints splotches on the wall, end up wiping the whole damn wall.
Step 8: use small artist brushes to touch up line bleeding and the opposing color where rag just took over and you need to paint again.

I actually had a nightmare the night before we left because I knew I would not be able to get to painting the master bedroom and was crying in my sleep. One person just can't paint that much in a week properly.

Not finished yet but getting there! 

I also had the pleasure of refinishing a small students desk with varnish. I think I still have some clear coat on my elbow, three days later. But, so long as the desk-turned-sink-basin looks good that's all that matters. I painted it to match our guest bath and accommodate a Made In Mexico ceramic glazed sink. Our hand-painted bluebird sink was recycled from the previous owner's hacienda bathroom (which had to be completely torn-out due to wall rot). It always seems silly to me to need to freshly paint a piece of painted furniture only to distress it, but the color needed to match the walls and once the hole was cut for the sink, the wood area needed staining. Fun project and it does look more cohesive.

Our tile guy, brick-layout Master bath.
He really impressed me
considering he was a FB ISO

We did throw-in the towel and accepted the fact that tiling needed to be out-sourced. So, on a local Garage Sale FB page, I did an ISO and up-popped a name and a referral. Good enough. He can also paint, not sure as well as I can but, bless Emilio's heart, it's best to keep him in charge of primer and larger swatches of wall space, kind of like my kids.

We did manage to get to the Hot Springs twice. I also managed to drink 2 glasses of wine each night and lose 2 pounds. With that said, I do believe I will stick to hiking, less alcohol and general mommy responsibilities over day-labor. God Bless the hard working American.

Going with the Quartz. At least I had this tile at HD. 

When will the project be done?
Ready or not, movers coming June 5 and we move down on June 8th, 2015. I might still have some painting in my future in Ouray and definitely have to touch-up the Loveland home, and must admit have a small amount of wallpaper removal (but never fear, it's border and it's on painted walls).

Future blogs will have side-by-side comparables and the Loveland reno to prep for sale.