Just saved myself A LOT of work!

Covering over a full wall mural. It can be done. It's a lot of work! To cover the Finding Nemo mural in my daughter's room I had this image of me in grubby clothes wearing a dust mask and eye protection, room cleared out, furniture covered - dust EVERYWHERE while I sanded the paint down to a smooth finish. It's winter. It's Canada. It's cold here! Having a window open while I do it means I need to add gloves and a toque to the image!

An entire weekend's work? Maybe. If I'm going to do wainscoting around the bottom half of the walls then that will cover the bottom half of the mural, all I need to worry about is the top half. Today I had a light bulb idea! I started thinking along the lines of wallpaper. But, as usual I had an image in my head and couldn't seem to find what I wanted online. Then I found this from Sears:



Textured, PAINTABLE wallpaper! It's perfect! IT won't be overpowering. No crazy pattern in a bunch of colors, just simple, classic and best of all! I can just put it right over the mural and not have to worry about any ridges from paint! I will paint it the same color as the rest of the room and voila! I just love the damask pattern, too!

Best of all - its very reasonably priced!

Not having to worry about the mural is what is really going to give me the motivation to start this room!

Has you every used a similar product? Do you like it?

Wainscoting - Yea or Nay?

Photo courtesy of Project Nursery

I'm in the process of coming up with a design for my daughter's room renovation and I'm contemplating putting up wainscoting. I love the look of it and can imagine it well with the design I have envisioned but I'm a little hesitant when it comes to function.

Will it make it difficult when it comes to furniture placement or any type of wall hangings? ie. growth chart, hair bow holder ect. Is it too limiting??

Do you have wainscoting in any rooms? Do you like it? Did you put it up yourself? Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?

I appreciate the feedback!

$100 Gift Certificate Giveaway!

**COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE DRAW**
I will take some time to enter everyone in and then I will contact the winner privately before announcing who they are.
Good luck!

_____________________________________________________________

I was originally going to just do a random draw off of my Bouncing Off The Walls Facebook Page, but as of December 1st, 2010, Facebook changed some of their promotional guidelines so I can no longer do it that way.

No big deal! I can roll with the punches! We'll do the draw here instead! So, HOW is it going to happen you ask? If you're reading this then you already know I posted the link to this blog on my Facebook Page. The next step? Simply comment below! I will do the draw from those that comment. Simple as that!

Now, for the bonus entries that I mentioned for those who's friends commented on the wall that they were sent by you - I recorded your names and how many times you were mentioned so you will still get your bonus entries!

From the time we reach 2,000 *LIKES* I will keep this blog post up for 5 days following and do the draw then. Hopefully that will give everyone sufficient time to see that it's here and be able to make their way over and comment.

If you have any questions you can email me directly: kristina@bouncingoffthewalls.ca

Good luck and thanks to all of you for your amazing support!

***PLEASE MAKE SURE IF YOU COMMENT AS "ANONYMOUS THAT YOU PUT YOUR NAME SOMEWHERE IN THE COMMENT SO I KNOW WHO YOU ARE IF YOU WIN!***

Time for a change!

People say to me all the time, "your kids must have the most fantastic rooms!" It's obvious why one would think such a thing but the reality brings back the old saying, "the cobbler's kids have no shoes."

Although I have spent time on their rooms and they both have wall letters spelling their names and a few other various items I've painted I've never really taken the time to really plan them and make them magazine worthy! Time is ALWAYS an issue for me!

My son who is the oldest did get a new "big boy" room when his little sister came along but it still needs a few finishing pieces that I just never get around to. But, for the most part, his room is pretty awesome and he does like to show it off.

Now, my poor daughter. That is what sparked this blog post! Her room was never made for her. It was my old office turned nursery. Before kids when I was still starting out in my mural business I painted a Finding Nemo mural on the wall in my office. When I got pregnant for the first time we didn't find out what we were having so we left the mural and turned the room into a nursery with gender-neutral colouring to match the Nemo theme.

My kids are only 19 months apart so my son wasn't long in the Nemo room before it was time for him to move. Again, we didn't find out what we were having and kept the fish for baby number two!

Well, my daughter is now 2 1/2 and it's time for a change! Nemo and his friends have got to go and we need to change this space into something a little more girlie, a little more "Devyn!" The letters I painted for her, although nice, were painted solely to match the colors in the room. Her growth chart I did because I needed a girl theme growth chart for a trade show! I did have a bow holder for her room but, bad mommy, I sold it to save myself time saying I would make her a new one soon.

So, I'm going to start from scratch! Get rid of the mural. Repaint. Begin with a blank canvas and document it here to share with you! (You'll all help hold me accountable for finishing!)

Here's a peak at the Before (right now) pictures:








I know what you're thinking! What kid wouldn't LOVE this room, right? And she does like it. But, It's been the same way for 6 years and I really do want to make a room just for her.

To give you a little sneak peak into the direction I'm headed, I bought these beautiful water colour prints from This Little Piggy Prints on Etsy and they are what we're starting with. The rest of the room will come together based on these.


Can't wait to get started!