I Will Not Be Foiled Again!

My little title cracks me up!

I had a drama teacher in junior high that used to say (constantly to a couple boys in class) that the worst comedian is the one who laughs at his own jokes first.  Every time I laugh at myself first I think of him....

Ok back on point here.

We ended yesterday with this fiasco

After I failed at my first attempt (you can read about it here), I decided to go a more fail proof method.  SPRAY PAINT.  Like I said yesterday, I do not believe my first failure is due to the tutorial I followed. Problem was I didn't FOLLOW her tutorial.  I took her instructions as mere suggestions.  Yeah, not good.  Follow instructions people!

After laughing at my final product (well almost final, never actually finished), I pulled all the foil off and scrubbed the modge podge off as best as I could.  The next morning, I lightly sanded and prepared to start over.

I used this pin on Pinterest as my final inspiration.

Photo and Tutorial from The Homeless Finch

Using Rustoleum Metallic spray paint, I painted the entire nightstand.  The coverage was awesome.  Not even a whole can (I was prepared with 2 cans!).  Once the table was dry, I took a rag and wiped a Minwax Special Walnut stain I had on hand and wiped it all lightly with the stain.  I let the stain sit for just a couple of minutes and then with a clean rag, I wiped it off lightly.  I LOVE the final product and it was exactly as I originally hoped for!

In a pleasant turn of events, the original failure turned out to be a bit of success!!!  The modge podge left behind a slight texture that gave the stain somewhere to stick for a more antiqued finish.  Even failures can be successes.

Still have a lot left to do in the new room of J's:

1. Bedding
2. Throw pillows
3. Paint focal wall behind bed
4. Paint remaining 4 walls a soft gray
5. Nightstand redo
6. Cover lampshade for her Goodwill revamped lamp
7. DIY upholstered and tufted headboard (SO EXCITED about this project!)
8. Curtains
9. Refinish Vanity
10. Throw rug
11. Chandelier/New light fixture
12. Refinish her cabinet
13. LARGE bulletin board
14. Art work/Pictures up on the walls

This is turning out to be a very slow redo but I am sure we will LOVE it once it is finished!

I am playing along with some of bloggings best!

Linking up with 

Young House Love

Bower Power

Decor and The Dog

The Remodeled Life

DIY Gone Wrong

Alicia's brain:  "I think Jadyn's night stand in her new room should be metallic."

Pinterest: "Silver leaf is a good option!"

Alicia's brain: "Certainly you could do this cheaper..."

Pinterest: "Use aluminum foil in place of silver leaf!"

Alicia's brain: "Furniture wrapped in aluminum foil!  That sounds brilliant!!!

There is not a adjective out there capable of describing my laugh as I type this.  Seriously, people (all 5 of you dedicated Burress Home fans :), I cannot express how ridiculous this sounds to me right now.  Yet, it sounded like a descent plan a week ago.  

Let me paint this picture BEFORE I show you the picture....

Sunday morning.  I have a terrible cold.  The kind where I cannot sit next to people in church because they might think I have the plague.  So I stay home.  Rusty goes to church.  I am in the middle of a bedroom redo for my oldest.  I have contemplated metallic furniture (atleast one piece) for her new room.  

Enter this pin.

Recaptured Charm

And this pin.

Little Miss Penny Wenny

And this pin.

Red Hen Home

This last pin the blogger describes her method using aluminum foil.  

I HAVE aluminum foil!

She uses wallpaper paste.

I DO NOT have wallpaper paste.

Surely Modge Podge could do the same...

And Rusty is not here to stop me....

Here is the end result of my Sunday I AM SICK SO I'LL REDO SOMETHING mood.

Nailed it!  Ok I didn't.

WOW.   DIY GONE ALL WRONG!  

Stayed tuned for the remake of the remake....And it was successful the second time around.  Without using foil.

Let me explain that I am sure I did something very wrong.  Maybe ModgePodge....Either way, I didn't attempt the same method. This is not the original blogger's tutorial's fault.  All mine folks.

For the first time is 17 years....

I have not had a soda.

This is huge for me.  I am a soda addict.  Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi.  And if I am desperate, Dr Pepper.  At this point in my life, its part taste and part habit. I drink it as my coffee first thing in the morning.  By first thing I mean wake up, bathroom, Coke Zero.  If this were a once a day thing, it might not be such a hugely monumental feat for me. We are talking several sodas a day.  I have been working for a while now on getting fit and being healthier.  This is difficult on many levels for me.  I have never been a fan of working out (I am learning now to love it), I do not like fruits or veggies (trying to force myself to eat them in one form or another) and am obsessed with artificial sweeteners.

One of the areas I struggle with is belly fat.  I am a small person, very petite and my number on the scale isn't a huge issue for me, but belly fat is.  And we all know that belly fat is one the biggest factors in many, many health issues as we get older.

A girl I went to high school with is battling stage 2 breast cancer.  31 years old and it doesn't run in her family.  I realize there are so very many things we are not in control of, but I have decided it is time to gain control over the areas that I DO have control over.  What I put into my body is one of them.  I will not do this perfectly, I know me.   I am not saying I will never have a soda again.  I am saying it will no longer be a daily thing for me.

I am already excited just at watching myself accomplish something I never thought I had the willpower to do!  So far it has been 9 DAYS!!!

I have however replaced this with another habit...

This habit however only is coming with a tiny (1/4 teaspoon) sugar and just enough 1% milk to lighten the color.  No artificial sweeteners and no using this to replace water intake!

I'm Still Here....

And will blog again.  Eventually.

Thank God It's Only A Phase

As a just after Christmas present, my husband upgraded my Canon Rebel XS to the Rebel T4i.  Higher mega pixel and larger ISO range.  The ISO range is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.   These are the first pictures taken with it.  I have a long ways to go learning the new camera though!

I asked my 3 1/2 year old to pose for me.  This is what happened.  Boys.

I thought this was a good time to update this post from last summer ...

He has been a champ night sleeper since then!  No more problems.  He gave up naps (continued with quiet time in his room for about 1 1/2 hours) for several months, but has recently, within the last month, decided that it was time to nap again.  Thank you Jesus.  You mommies out there know there is nothing like nap time.  Quiet time isn't the same.  With quiet time I walk around thinking any moment he will be ready to come out of his room.  Nap time I know I have 2 solid, uninterrupted hours.  Glorious hours.  

We also are starting to see the end of the terrible 3's.  We flew past the two's like they were nothing.  Three's however have been a beast for this little guy.  Whiny and cranky.   Naps have chilled my boy out.  We are grateful.

Makes me look forward to this next year.  I have high hopes for a happy, content little 4 year old.  The same little man we had for his first two years.  Woohoo for phases.  While in them they SUCK, but phases means there is an END!