6.03.2011

His & Hers ...

In August, we'll have been in this house four years. It's taken that long to get some rooms, walls & furniture fully figured out. I am happy to say lots of progress has been made just in the last few weeks. Mine & Kyle's room has been low on the totem pole, but since the door is across from the main bathroom I finally decided it was time for its makeover. I painted our bedroom a year ago, but hadn't decided on what to put up on the walls.

When we did the construction in the basement, the painting I had done of the peony made its way upstairs [like everything else] & landed in our bedroom. I decided I liked it in there, I just needed to change the background color. Then, I got us an "R" & "K", but wasn't sure what to do with them [paint? cover with paper?] or how to hang them. Everything just sat on my dresser or end table for MONTHS. I was so proud of myself last week when I finally bit the bullet & got at least my side up on the wall. Not knowing what "Kyle's artwork" was going to be above his "K", I left his side alone. But my side was complete. I even thought I spaced it all knowing that eventually I wanted to get bigger / taller lamps. I've wanted new lamps FOREVER.

Wouldn't you know that 2 days later I finally found lamps that I liked. And. Well. The painting & "R" was not exactly where I would have put them had I gotten the lamps 1st. The shade kind of covers up part of the letter. But. Whatever. I'm still just happy I finally got them up on the wall. I'm not sure what we'll wind up putting in the lamps, if anything [they are jars]. I'm [obviously] not in that big of a rush. I might have it figured out in another few years. ;)

Next on the agenda was figuring out what "Kyle's artwork" would be. He is not artsy. Where he lacks, I more than make up for it. :) So it was kind of challenge coming up with something that was "him". I got to scratch off yet another "to-do", however, by coming up with a way to use one of his old flight maps. I had always wanted to do something with the flight maps from the places that had significance to us. I got out the one of the midwest & traced a big heart encompassing Kansas City [where he's from & where we live now], St. Louis [where I'm from], Columbia [where we went to college & met], & St. Joseph [where he is in the MO Air National Guard]. I cut out the heart, then traced it on to a painted 12x16 canvas. I painted the outline of the heart a little larger so that it would 'frame' the map. Then I took antiquing glaze & did a brush / blotting with paper towel thing to give the background a little more interest. Finally, I got out the mod podge to glue & seal the map onto the canvas.

Honestly. It is hard to knock Kyle's socks off, artistically speaking. But I surprised him by hanging it all up on his side [with his K] while he was on a trip. He had seen the big robin egg blue heart on the canvas & had his [serious!] doubts about what it was I was doing. For HIS SIDE. That involved a heart. :) HA! But despite his skepticism ... he truly hearts the heart. He even used the word "awesome". [I think it's what made him okay with the cost of the new lamps.] :)

P.S. Thanks Lindsay for showing me how to hang the letters! :) Brilliant. And TOO FUNNY. Look at my comment under your blog post. Apparently, I have you to thank for the nudge to complete our makeover, too!

5 comments:

Jaclyn Morgan said...

I <3 it!

Aunt Jane said...

Your room looks great! I was thinking tiny paper airplanes in one jar and a bouquet of paint brushes tied in a pretty pink bow in the other. How about angel wings in one and pilot wings in the other? Your Aunt Jane does get carried away. You have made it a special place, just for you two.

Lindsay - Pen and Paint said...

I LOVE THIS!
EVERYTHING!!!!

Your painting is amazing and Kyle's too. I just did a map heart for someone but it doesn't look half as awesome as yours.

Karah said...

looks great, rach!!!!! cant wait to see it in person! what to put in those lamps...the options are endless...how fun that you can change it up too when you get sick of one thing!:)

Dana said...

these are awesome rachel! i love what you did to one of kyle's old flight maps!!! soooo cool!!