We have a new friend hanging out in our kitchen. I found this guy at Hobby Lobby during one of their all-the-time 50% off sales for $12. You know me and faux animals. Faux sho they’re mine.
Then he sat in our playroom for a while (a while = 6+ months) and I recently walked in there and had this moment where I said to myself “Self: you have got to stop hoarding things in this room. Use them or lose them.” Which led to an initiative I like to call “Dude, Get On That Already.” The dude being me. Naturally. So I’ll probably revisit this initiative over the next few weeks and months (at least I hope I will) as I systematically pare down the hoarded playroom clutter and decide whether I’m going to keep things and actually use/hang/enjoy them or craigslist/donate/yard sale ’em. A lot of things end up in there for one of two reasons:
- I’m not quite sure where to hang them (so I stick them there and say “I’ll get to it later” and later turns into never)
- I plan to somehow alter things by painting or staining them (so I stick them there and say “I’ll get to it later” and later turns into never)
Well not anymore, folks. I dug in and grabbed my horny little friend and marched his antlers all around the house, trying to find a spot to hang him up and actually enjoy him instead of hiding him away in The Room Of Chaos (yes, that’s its formal name these days, so it gets capital letters and everything). Anyway, after walking around for a while I decided it’d be fun in the kitchen next to the fridge, but the original black color (although very cool in its own right) wasn’t working there. So I dragged my buns outside with a piece of cardboard and some leftover white primer + spray paint.
You know my “thin thin thin and even coats” catchphrase when it comes to spray paint, so I snapped these three in-progress spraying shots to show you how each coat is a nice thin mist. You definitely don’t get full coverage with one thin coat of spray paint – which is a good thing. You’re doing it right if it takes about three of them to slowly accumulate. And always keep your hand moving and hold it 8-10″ away. No thank you drippies. Not on my watch.
Speaking of spray painting tips, this guy’s antlers were still looking dark on the underside, which I knew would be seen when we hung him up, so I waited a full day for his front to cure and then flipped him over to give him a nice deep tissue massage with spray paint on the back.
John and I actually considered a few crazier colors (plum, navy, yellow) but thought that the white would look nice on our grellow walls- especially with the gold mirror in the laundry room so close by (it’s on the other side of the doorway, so we didn’t want it to have to fight for attention). But I have big plans for some of the other things lurking in the playroom. Oh yes, plum, navy, and beyond…
Don’t mind the paint touch ups we have been meaning to do for over a month. I’ll get to it sometime. Unless I’m too busy spray painting various faux animals.
Work it, antlers. Work it.
As for how I hung it on our paneled walls, anchors are a gal’s best friend.
Here’s the box we’ve had… oh… maybe a year?
They seem to last, which is nice because it’s so annoying to run to the store for little hanging stuff. Boo to that. Anyway, for those who might not know how they work, this might sound like “health class” in 5th grade, but the anchor is the white thing and the screw is the silver thing you know what a screw looks like. So you drill a tiny pilot hole into the wall, hammer (or push) the anchor into the hole, and then screw the screw into the anchor.
A into B, baby. Oh but just leave a little bit of the screw sticking out for hanging whatever it is you’re hanging on it (the anchor should be flush with the wall, but the screw might stick out half an inch). Das it.
I gotta tell ya, it took less than an hour of actual time (drying time doesn’t count because you don’t have to stand there and watch it). And that not only includes my little spraying trips in and out for those thin coats but also the whole hanging shebang after he was fully dry. So I have high hopes for my little “Dude, Get On That Already” project. I might just keep this up! And if I ever want to pop it off the wall for a fabulous royal wedding, it makes for a great fascinator.
So are you guys with me on this weird little self-imposed challenge? Any items (or an entire room full of stuff) that you’ve been putting off? Wanna tackle it with me as I go? I’d love to get to at least one thing a week but with kitchen/kid/book stuff I’m not sure if I can stick to that, but it’s definitely the goal! Oh and what should I name this guy? Or is naming white faux animals weird when they don’t have faces? Malcolm? I keep getting Malcolm.
And speaking of projects… surprise!
My apologies for the crazy lighting (oh yeah and the ladders and the dropcloths) but we’re in the midst of getting new lighting! Hah. So there’s just one floor lamp illuminating the back corner of our windowless interior room. Which explains why it looks like a glowing Katy Perry alien is hiding back there or something. But as crazy as it looks… wahoo, it’s progress! More details about the whole process as soon as it’s a wrap (and it’s all cleaned up, photographed, and written out) on Monday!
Robin says
This year I would like to get new frames for our artwork. You know…. ones that match. I have black frames, gold frames, gold frames, strange bronze/copper frames. Nothing matches. Your wall of frames is a dream to me.
Heidi P. says
Surprise surprise! So exciting about the lighting! (pay no mind to the rhyming)
Still working on the THREE thin and even coats. It usually takes me 20 thin and somehow not even coats. I try so hard! One day I’ll conquer the spray painting beast.
Jessica Dixon says
It looks so great! Can’t wait to see the lighting all completed! It is so amazing the way you both have transformed so much of your home already! Can’t wait to see more. One quick question…what was the temp outside when you were spray painting? My husband has me do it in our garage but it isn’t heated and I worry that the paint will not bond…so I end up waiting until spring for all of the painting. (Garage is about 50 degrees in the winter). Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
It was 65 and sunny, but we have been really lucky to have a really mild winter here in Richmond. I think just read the can (so when it says you can do it in 50+ degrees you might be ok in the garage). Good luck!
xo,
s
Jessica Dixon says
Thanks Sherry, yeah I would say you are lucky. That is great weather.
Erin says
No rest for the “weary” -oops- I mean “Sherry” (& John)
crazy projects right now. I’m inspired.
Penny says
I love the antlers! Your kitchen is coming along so beautifully! My husband and I just closed on our first house the day before Christmas Eve and we joked to each other that our garage looks like a Hoarders episode. Then we talk in accents like Peter Walsh and say “we must get rid of 3 bins” haha so dorky. Luckily we’ve been putting rooms together slowly so hopefully whatever doesn’t end up in the house we can donate. Thanks for the inspiration!
Jackie says
The antlers are awesome! My parents bought us the ZGallerie Giant Moose Head for Christmas! He is awesome! We dubbed him Fhil with an “F” LOL.
jess says
Renovations are so excited! I went “yay” when I saw the drop cloths down over everything~ we fully renovated our house, and I am secretly dying to rip something else apart… new tiled shower/tub anyone?!
Jennifer says
Love the new addition to the faux animal family!! I always have at least one chaos room. It’s not always the same room. It depends on which room I’m working on at the time. I tell my husband it’s my “staging area”.
Sharon says
Could you tell me where your white trash can is from? I know, a post about decorative items in the kitchen and I want to know about…a trash can. But it’s the perfect color/height.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that is made by OXO and we found it at HomeGoods about a year ago. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sharon says
Thanks!
m @ random musings says
omg! I am so excited about the lighting reveal. please please please share all the deets (esp any holes besides for the cans themselves)….malcolm’s pretty cute too!
thanks for the source on those floating shelves!
Mahal says
Haha. I’ve been wandering about going “Operation 2012: CLEAN ALL THE THINGS”, much to my husband’s dismay! So far we have new laundry room shelving (not yet painted), a buncha stuff’s gone to Freecycle, my craft room has been reorganised and things thrown/given away, the wardrobe got pared down and donated… here’s hoping I keep it up through the rest of 2012!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love Clean All The Things.
xo,
s
Kat says
I love the “Dude get on that already” challenge. I have so many things to spray paint but it’s like 11 outside in Chicago today. I can’t wait to see the lighting!
trish says
Sherry, for some reason Clara looks just like you in the picture of you with the antlers on your head! Seriously I think she has alot of your goofiness!! So cute!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- someone else said that too! Love it.
xo,
s
Patti says
Very cool!
Angle says
Cracking up over the health class analogy. Hehehe
Carolyn says
Love the royal wedding reference :) As for naming…I don’t know, I kind of think he’s a Henry, not a Malcolm.
The self imposed use it or loose it challenge would be a very good idea for us at the moment. We are moving in two weeks to a house. A HOUSE! first time in our nine years of marriage (2 kids later..no room in our townhouse, going crazier by the day!) It’s a bit like Christmas when you rediscover stuff from five years ago!
Mandy S says
The fascinator pic is hilarious!!! You rock, $herdog :)
Jackie says
Oh, thank goodness. I was going to ask you if you were going to do something with those lights, but didn’t want to be rude. Looks much better now.
OMG Ponies says
Weird timing, literally just yesterday I was feeling bad about not having everything unpacked/situated in our new home. A bedroom upstairs is full of stuff. Then I remembered that $herdog has a room just like that in her house and that made me feel 100% better. This morning when I read your post I thought “oh no…I’m not ready to attack that monster” after lunch I realized I have quite a few months before I’ve been in my new home as long as you have been in yours.
Rationalization is awesome sometimes ;)
It’s inspiring tho what you do cheers!
Aimee says
I’ve been working my way through my room of STUFF…it’s a mom cave, or an office, or a craft room…or, actually, all three. Being snowed in has done wonders for it this week. Nothing fun or decorative yet, but lots of sorting, organizing, and piling (for Goodwill drop-off). Progress!
Jill-O says
Love the challenge, I definitely have a collection zone of that stuff!
Soooo excited about the lighting too! Are you guys thinking about any shelving lighting for your open shelves or under cabinet lighting?
YoungHouseLove says
We’re hoping to find a nice industrial range hood with awesome lights underneath (we had one in our last house and it illuminated the stuff nearby). Under-shelf lights would be fun too, but we’d want to really hide the wires (without having to bust up our new tile, haha).
xo,
s
Aimee says
Lets hope your get it done attitude will rub off on me. I have an entire downstairs of our new home full of these types of things. Its really bad when we have to let people come in thru our garage in poor weather cause they get to parade past it. Shame.
Jessica G in NN says
this is exactly the motivation i needed! we put all of our “randoms” in our “guest room” once we sold our extra bedroom furniture for some extra cash…then we decided to move the guest room downstairs and make the room-formerly-known-as-guest into a craft room with a cloffice. so we are SO on bored with coming one time per week and pulling something out of there to use! thanks for the challenge! :)
Rebecca says
Ooh, totally using that “three thin coats” method next time I spray paint. The last thing I sprayed was a Lowe’s bucket-turned-tomato-planter, and it’s full of drippies.
My attic is a total war zone; when I got married my husband indiscriminately moved ALL of his stuff from his parent’s house to our attic. Every few months I purge a couple more trash bags and consider it a victory. Maybe by the time we move it’ll be manageable!
jeannette says
here’s a heads up on a reasonably new cork kitchen floor getting some action.
http://chezerbey.com/2012/01/18/bailey-vs-felix/
YoungHouseLove says
Love that floor and that blog!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Ohhhh… we definitely need to take on this challenge. My brother is moving into our basement in a month, and it’s currently filled with boxes, frames, random furniture pieces, and who knows what else. We moved into our house in October and everything just sorta landed there.
Amanda says
Good luck with your goal! I’ve been slowly chipping away at my own accumulated ‘pile o’ stuff’ in my garage and spare room.
I was at Home Goods yesterday and thought of you when I saw a life-sized dog, similar to the one John broke ages ago. It was standing on all fours and gold, but very heavy and not actually ceramic. I live in AZ, but you might find one in your neck of the woods?
YoungHouseLove says
Nice! Thanks for the heads up! The funny thing is that we were at HomeGoods last night getting book stuff! Too funny!
xo,
s
Jenna at Homeslice says
I’m in a similar process around our house… trying to actually USE all my saved fabric, accessories, etc. Or else get rid of em! I like it though, it forces me to be a little extra creative, and it definitely helps out the budget to “shop” my own home. Love the antlers!
Nicholin says
I need a “Dude, Get On That Already” challenge. I’ve so many things around the house that need doing, and by the time I have a free moment I don’t remember what needed doing the most. *grin*
I commit myself to starting a list to keep track of those “I need to get that done.” projects. From that list I’ll be able to pick and choose projects by the amount of time involved. < yes, this sounds like a winner to me.
Anna says
Cute find! I always think you guys are incredible because you seem to go so much stuff done around the house, as well as all these fun extra projects. So it always provides me with great satisfaction when you say you have hoarded projects that are never finished, or paint touch ups from a month ago. I’m not the only one! Yay!
Jeff Sleight says
I love the pictures, the design is awesome, its unique
Lauren L says
Wow you were super feisty and sarcastic in this post. And I like it! Nice antlers, btw. I saw the rhino on the other wall and I thought of how funny it would be to have the head on one side of the wall and the body (booty?) on the other. Wait, has that been done already? Am I behind on the joke train? Probably.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I love that idea. I’ve seen it done for things like book ends, but going through a wall would be hilarious.
xo,
s
Tia says
Buahahaha!! ” Faux sho” Sorry I’m a dork…
Love it! I’m sort of obsessed with animal heads too. My husband is looking into a therapy group for it =D
allison says
I love watching the progress of your home remodel. It keeps me motivated knowing that change this big doesn’t happen overnight!!
Gaidig says
I’m with you. I’ve got to get to those things I’ve been putting off.
Ashley Hind says
Oh, man… The Room Of Chaos. Do I ever understand. We have one of our own in our spare bedroom. I would love to convert this room into my daughter’s “big girl room” and move her out of the nursery before another baby comes (whenever that will be). I figure it will be an easier transition if she isn’t forced out by another baby. I was thinking we could decorate the room for her from her parents on Christmas (and have streamers in the door since she won’t actually be opening anything). This will give me a whole year to clear, paint, and situate. I’m trying to be realistic.
Now if I could only figure out where to keep all the other stuff. We’ll definitely have to be creative when it comes to storage. Please keep your wonderful ideas coming, as usual.
Diana says
random question, where did you get your trash can and what brand/type is it. we are looking for a good looking, dog proof trash can that isn’t $200.
thanks for your help!
diana
YoungHouseLove says
It’s OXO brand and we found it at HomeGoods for $60. You can see more of it here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/05/garbage-pail-kid/
-John
Jessica in ND says
You guys are so fun! Sherry I think we have been cut from the same cloth– only 2000 miles away. My 18 month old likes to “help” decorate, I struggle to make my sewing machine work, and I love to mess with spray paint too… Thanks for being a kindred spirit on the http://www... :)
Erica in SF says
I love you guys and love your taste and LOVE all your hard work on the kitchen…but I say no go to these horns. There’s somethings funky going on with the base, it’s just giving me heebie-jeebs! Doesn’t it seem off, like just not quite right? Ok, Lemme just say it looks balls-y and something else. Ask Katie B. ( Just maybe don’t accept this comment for posting!)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahaha. No worries, they’re definitely a personal preference thing. I love that the antlers aren’t perfect (a week bit crooked probably happens in nature too). Hah.
xo,
s
Andrea says
So glad I’m not the only one who puts off little projects like that. I have actually been trying to improve on that lately. I always feel so lame when I finally take care of one and it only takes fifteen minutes or so. I wonder why I didn’t do it earlier.
mp says
You sho do rock those animals, Sherry. I’m envious!
RVA Born and Raised says
Oh deer! Look at those antlers go!
YoungHouseLove says
Heehee. That’s what my laugh sounded like when I read your pun-tastic comment.
xo,
s
Jo says
Unrelated question….but where did you get that cute white kitchen bin from?
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jo! It’s from HomeGoods a while back and made by OXO.
xo,
s
Kim Dunn says
I have taken over our spare bedroom with potential craft materials: yarn, felt, acrylic paints and canvases. I’ve basically had to tell myself to STOP GOING TO MICHAEL’S. Because I always buy something and think ‘Oh, man! This will look great and looks to easy to do!’ But it ends up sitting in there. So I vow to try and clear out what I’m not gonna use and start making the things I said I would! Or at least organize it. Everything is pretty much still in its original bags. :)
tricia fike says
Ok, so I’m super horribly crazy irritated that you got that at Hobby Lobby for $12. I am a HObby Lobby stalker, and notice any new inventory the minute I walk in. It’s kind of crazy how I know exactly everything they have. UGGH, ok, I’ll be happy for you and the spray paint looks awesome! As I often say, never met a can of spray paint I didn’t like. It’s like magic fairy dust. Great job and have been on the edge of my seat daily for kitchen updates!
Trish
http://www.mash-upchic.blogspot.com
PAULA says
I love the royal wedding hat. I had to laugh out loud at that one. I keep showing my husband the before and after pictures of your kitchen. What an awesome job you’re doing.
Claire Jain says
The antlers are AWESOME!!! And the kitchen looks so good, the kitchen looks so good. Yay, yay, yay! Ok, I’m done.
Amy Knisely says
Your Room of Chaos should meet my Attic of Discord – they have a lot in common.
We’re getting new lighting in our kitchen soon too (next week I think) along with a dishwasher. We’re not too far behind you two – we’ll be doing countertop and backsplash (we chose to do pebble tile) here in a few weeks!
I think Garry would be thrilled if I started a challenge like that…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, Attic Of Discord = awesome.
xo,
s
Heidi P. says
p.s. Did you guys BUY a teal-colored ladder or did you spray paint it?? Either way, it kinda rocks.
And the stools under the plastic totally reminds me of the end of E.T. Do ya see it?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- that was the electricians. But I totally wanted to steal it. And haha about ET. Totally see it.
xo,
s
Reilly says
This very weekend, I am pulling all my hoarded artwork out (yep, there are 20×200 mailers and cardboard tubes hidden around my house) measuring it, and purchasing frames and mats. I’ve imposed a no purchase rule until all the art I already own is on the walls.
Btw, I think your confessional was clearly healthy–this is the most $herdog post I’ve read in a while.