Mom & Child DIY Home Improvements

This is where watching too much Lifestyle Network gets you. It makes you think you can DIY everything. So I've always fantasized about painting all the rooms in my house. I knew the guys on TV made it look easier than it is so I was up for the challenge. So FINALLY after a restful holiday break I just brought R to the hardware store and committed to repainting her room from lavander to her dream color, PINK (of course)!When Z was around 10 years old we tried painting a wooden toy chest together and I made a mistake of buying regular latex paint. We were so dizzy with the smell afterwards I never wanted to paint anything ever again. So I knew what to do this time around- I wanted to work with paint that was odorless and water-based. Normally I would order paint from Boysen and get their Virtuoso line which is not only odorless but makes dirt come off easily because it has Teflon® incorporated into the paint-- super child-proof right?This time though was sort of an impulse project so we went straight to the paints counter of Ace Hardware where they could mix paint in any color you wanted and even choose which type of paint and finish you want.  Here we are about to choose our paint color...This girl knew exactly what she wanted and chose Strawberry Hill A8-5. I liked the shade though clarified with the Ace staff if the paint gets darker when it dries up. He said there is a slight darkening but hardly noticeable. So we went for it...The paint gets measured by a computerized machine to ensure that they produce the exact shade indicated in the chosen swatch...high tech!Then they put the can into this machine, whose function, apparently is to shake the can to get the different colors combined well together.Shake, shake, shake it and shake it!(Warning: staring at this photo will make you want to go BRRRRRRRR, and makes your eyes go googly haha.)Pink power! At first I was worried the color R chose might look like Caladryl (the anti itch lotion haha) but Phew! We loved the shade! Yay!We chose the Ace Essences Semi Gloss paint for our Mom & Me DIY project! Once that was done, they made us sign a record book so that our exact paint color is on record and it will be easy for us to re-order the exact shade in case we needed more. They even spread some of the actual paint on the record book so that they would have a color reference. How organized!We also added the following items to our shopping list: Masking tape, Roller brush and tray, Paint Brush and sand paper (make sure to choose the right gauge of sandpaper depending on whether your wall is concrete or wood). Shopping done, now off we went to do our work...We dressed up in our house clothes (we decided to just go apron-free since the paint is water based anyway). We put on a hanky to cover our mouth and nose during the sanding.  I decided to keep R out of the room during the sanding because the dust might not be safe for her.After that was done went off to start painting. With the right choice of paint and materials, it was easy and fun for me and R!Painting is fun for mom and me!It was a fun mom and daughter bonding day, PLUS her room looks fab! (This was during our pre-painting Nestle Crunch break!)She sits in her pink room and for this little one, it was a dream come true!Here are some tips I learned from our DIY day:1) If it is a pre-painted wall, make sure to sand the wall thoroughly and evenly so that the old paint will come off and the new paint will apply smoothly and well. Best if you let the grown ups handle this part of the project.2) Apply a layer of tape on all edges you don't want to paint over such as cornices, corners, etc. Make sure to buy good quality tape otherwise it could give you more problems later on. We bought the Ace brand of masking tape and it was not of good quality (it kept peeling off while we were painting!) so we had some challenges getting clean edges afterwards.3) Apply just the right amount of paint on your roller or brush. It is better to add several thin coats than a thick layer at once. Thick coats will take longer to dry and will be harder to finish off evenly. This is something we need to remind our eager young kids:)4) Roller brushes make the job easier and faster. On tv I discovered a tip: Paint a letter W initially with your roller brush, then roll back to cover the spaces. This spreads out the paint onto a wider surface then makes it easier to get an even and thin layer of paint on the second pass. This was certainly a useful tip, I was happy I remembered it.5) If you are painting with kids or painting in an enclosed space, better to use odor-free water-based paint. Water-based paint means you won't need to buy thinner too, and that means we are exposed to less toxins! Also remember that even if the paint is odor free and water based, it is still best to work in a well ventilated area.*I'm not an expert so make sure to consult the hardware store personnel when you buy your materials. They will ask you what material your wall is made of and the measurement of your wall or room so it is best to have this info ready.6) Don't stop at painting! There are so many other options to personalize your space! You can use a lighting fixture, wall stickers, fabric boards, prints or artwork, even buntings! Check out our finished project: