Paint the blues away

After visiting Paris and touring northern Scotland with friends for a few days, we had just a few precious days at home, so I thought I would get a little bit active on some projects that have been in the wings for a while: (1) paint the rocking chair that my good friend R made for me for my 30th birthday, (2) paint the fugly 1980's varnished coffee table that acts as our bedside table, and (3) grow a herb garden on the window sil.

First up, the rocking chair. It was made from jigsaw cut particle board, which is quite fitting, because it is assembled jigsaw-style:

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I love this chair even though it's not something I would have typically chosen myself, but I love the frivolity of all those cutouts and its come-hither curves.  But to avoid going completely shabby chic, the colour choice was critical, so I thought I would use it as a tester for the colour that we may one day paint the cast iron girder holding up the ceiling in the living room.  

I love all kinds of green, but don't think this will work too well on the girder.  I am thinking maybe glossy black (um, not suitable for the chair really). I hate all shades of blue in general but love it when they turn an industrial grey. Anyway, it all came down to an impulse purchase based on the availability of the small tester pots in Homebase, so we ended up with something in the middle of green and blue... a bluey teal I guess... Here is the work in progress; it was somewhat of an intellectual challenge getting all these pieces to fit within the bounds of a folded double bed sheet.  Sorry for the messy background.

And the final product.  I ended up sanding back and doing another coat on the most visible surfaces.  Mental note to paint the edges first next time, before the flat surfaces - it was impossible to keep even the teensy brush under control, and off the good sides while applying enough paint - those edges were thirsty little devils. 

 

Anyway, now that she's all painted and pretty, its time to pull her apart and store her for a rainy day (or a day when we have a few extra visitors), because with the new kids in town there isn't as much space abounding.

Project number 2 was the hand-me-down coffee table which serves as my bedside table, undergoing a transformation from wobbly-legged, polystained ugliness to matt black gorgeousness (still wobbly-legged unfortunately).
Before:

And at this point you say, what's the difference again? And I say, you're right. Those photos look identical (apart from the fact that I added a Franz Marc print and a small ceramic pot I bought in Scotland). But in person there is a visually perceptible and tactile difference. Trust me.

Project 3 - indoor gardening.  These pots looked cute on purchase, but GG has had to make them usable by drilling holes in the bottom of them:

I'm still reeling from the fact that I bought a boxed set of pots WITH drip tray, and the pots don't have any drainage holes in them.  Admittedly they cost £3.99 a set, but what were they thinking!? I'm no fan of form without function.


Look at that windowsil. Yuk. Must paint this place one day.  After the bathroom extension. And the kitchen remodel. 


And here they are, at the ready for my culinary whim to take hold. Yeah right.

So now we have coriander, sage, parsley, red chilli and onion grass (I think).  No basil or oregano unfortunately. We were once again at the mercy of availability in the Homebase garden department. Still one last pot to fill - but I'm reluctant to go back for more until we've kept these alive for at least a month... little Coriander is already in ICU.  Will keep you posted on her progress.