I live life on the edge when it comes to DIY.
I paint signs in dresses wearing red lipstick.
I stain frames in a ruffled shirt and chandelier earrings.
I laugh in the face of spilled paint or a runaway river of stain or splotches of splattered glue or glittered fingertips or layers of dripping glaze.
You’ve got this, I tell myself as I throw my head back and laugh with abandon. Show that DIY you’re the boss. Don’t ever let a few drops of paint get the best of you.
And then.
Last week it happened.
Along came a DIY project that stood up and took names and put me in my do-it-yourself place.
It all started with a door.
Not this door.
This door is much cuter.
It’s painted and decorated and all springed up flowers and boxwood spheres and planters and a cute wreath.
I’m talking about the back door. The one that just got installed. It’s paintless and not decorated and isn’t really fit for flower company yet.
Last week I woke up, took the dogs outside, looked at the back door and decided it needed to be painted.
Right then.
Right there.
In my pajamas and robe.
I rounded up a can of black paint, put down the drop cloth, found a brush, located a small roller, taped off the handles and started the project.
Slowly and surely, I dipped my brush into that paint and applied it to the door.
(total aside: can we all agree that the first brush of paint can make your heart smile)
And so it was with this project.
The first brush of paint looked amazing.
This project held all the promise of a walk-down-the-catwalk makeover.
This was going to be THE door. The one I’d write poems about. The one I’d pass down to my children. The one I’d discuss in great detail in aisle 5 of Walmart.
I smiled to myself and mentally patted myself and my pajamas on the back. Pausing, I stepped back to admire my work. Somewhere along the way. Somewhere in the mix. Somewhere in the stepping, I got my foot caught up in the tie of the robe, stumbled, tripped backwards….
….and tipped over the open can of paint.
Time stood still.
In slow motion I watched in horror as the entire can of paint poured onto the floor in what I can only describe as a paint tsunami.
Noooooooooo I said to the empty hallway.
Stoooooop I told the paint.
Hellllllllpppppp I told my pajamas.
I sprung into action. I grabbed the drop cloth and formed a moat around the giant blob of ever-spreading paint on the floor. I ran and grabbed the trash can from the kitchen and started ineffectively sopping up the paint with paper towels.
As fast as I’d sop, more paint would spill out from the depths of that blob. Desperately, frustratingly, overwhelmingly I fought that paint with every fiber of my being.
The classic tale of man vs. paint.
And the paint was winning.
My floor was covered in paint.
My moldings were covered in paint.
My sleeves were covered in paint.
And then?
In the middle of all of that paint catastrophe, the ties of my robe somehow dipped themselves in the paint blob and flung droplets of paint all over the walls of the hallway.
*sigh*
I stared at the paint. I stared at the drops covering the walls. I stared at the floor and the ceiling and the molding and the hallway and the ruined sleeves and the ruined ties and made an executive decision….
….my robe had to take one for the team.
It worked.
I tossed the robe into the very center of the blob and all the terry cloth soaked up the paint and stopped the tsunami, leaving a thin layer of manageable paint to clean up.
The robe saved the day.
Four rolls of paper towels, the elbow grease of a small army and 548 q-tips later, I got most of the rest of the paint up from the floor.
Life lessons you discover mid-clean-up:
1. Wear painting clothes when you paint.
2. Have a healthy respect for the DIY.
3. Wrapping a wet paper towel around a q-tip helps get into the hard-to-reach places on your floor.
4. And I learned that into every life, sometimes a little spilled paint must fall, but it’s so much easier to deal with…
….if it’s not the entire can. 🙂
PS I have to go robe shopping now, if anyone has any suggestions. 🙂
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... "the robe took one for the team " seriously ?? ............ I am about to fall off this chair .. I am laughing so hard !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And that story is why I HATE TO PAINT!!! lolololololololololololol.................................... BUT OHHH THAT DOOR !!!!!! :)
I just love your writing style! I too laughed with "the robe took one for the team". We've all been there when those well intentioned and spontaneous DIYs we think can be done in minutes take a turn on their own and become monster chores instead. Hey, how does the door look? You will always look at that door with a story to tell.
Can you tell what brand and color is your Front door?
SW Tricorn Black is a great black color. :)
Omg I'm imagining this scene and it's too bad nobody caught it on video!!!!!!! Are you going to show us the back door, after all that??
Annette, I have to go buy more paint to finish it. I was just getting started and then my paint ended up all over the floor. I promise I'll post pictures when I'm done! k
OK, While I feel your pain and I don't want to make humor of your unfortunate event...that was funny! And truth be told, that could be me on any given day. My grandmother had a word for it...hoodlyfudly...I'm all hoodlyfudly when I have a project to do an it has bitten me in my hoodlyfudly butt more than once. Glad you go your paint cleaned up Lynn
Not.The.ROBE!!! HA...I have a purple silk robe I got from my sister, it is now over 20 years old, and the little appliques on the back are falling off, but yet I cling, not only to the robe, but to the memories of the gift and giver. That one could never go into a paint spill . However, I have a robe that I can send you for your next spilled paint need...It is like one of those heat blankets you see people with hypothermia getting from the people who rescued them from the water~ I put it on for .3 seconds and BANG~ I am so toasty, I am almost ready to fall into some ice water to cool down. Love your stories and your paint adventures!
I had the same question as Annette ... "Where's the picture of the door?" If you took after me, your robe would be an old, tacky, stained one anyway, so who cares about the robe! I'm waiting in painted door inspiration!?
So sorry for your misfortune. So glad you had that robe. Can't wait to see the door. Thanks for the story. I know it wasn't exactly funny to you but thanks for starting my day with a grin.
What a hoot!! You know where you went wrong...you started to do the paint dance before you finished! Thanks for the morning laugh....so sorry to hear about your robe! ;)
Love your story! I bet we all have a similar one! ? Thanks for all your posts, it's always a pleasure!
If it makes you feel any better, I have a paint spill on my driveway that is visible from outer space. Seriously...I can see it in the satellite photo of my house on Google maps.
And I was going to paint a cabinet in my bathroom this morning in my pajamas!! That would have been after I stopped laughing! Love you sweetie!
OMG…that is too funny!! Sorry…I know it was a disaster. I usually step in wet paint and have footprints everywhere. I have quite a few blobs of acrylic paint on the floor of my garage that I have to get up. I should have at the time but watching about 8 kids some mine and some from the neighbor at my house..I was pooped. Now to figure out how to get that paint up!! I can never paint clean!! Not happening no matter how much I try. LOL
Giggle-giggle! {clasping hand over moth so as not to guffaw!} Oh, dear KariAnne, your tales are so much fun...for the rest of us! Bless your heart. I don't know how you managed to get it all up. This is why I can't wait for your book! I know you will share not only oops tales but also all your other stories of life and DIY. You are my favorite! Hope your day is white and not black! :D ❤
LOL No, no, no! No moths around! Mouth! MOUTH! {sigh}
Lol!! Bless your heart!! I had a similar thing happen to me once, about 20 years ago, but the flounce of my favorite bedspread was the victim! (Don't tell anyone, but I kept using that stained bedspread as long as the stain was out of sight!)
Robes: if you have a Dillard's, or go on line, in the men's section, they have the most fabulous, softest robe known to man. BUT, they only have it during the winter, so my suggestion is to get a cheap one to make it until fall, then splurge. I'll look at the brand when I get home, but HOLY GUACAMOLE, is it worth it!!
So, umm yeah, that's me pretty much every time I paint!! Me no like to paint EVER!! : )
I think the cherry on top was when the robe belt assisted in getting just a few more flecks of paint in all the wrong places. Great writing on this one! And I'm like you in the "why stop to set up things right when I could just dive right into this project, Right Now." But your summation of having proper respect for the DIY is perfect.
I really don't care for paining! But I love a black door :) Where did you find your wooden planters?... I'm obsessed!
Well thank you...now I don't feel so bad with my DIY disasters...and I totally get the "let me tackle this job right this very moment" approach...shoot...it's pretty much how I run my life. So thanks, KariAnne, you're the bomb! Oh, as for robes, you could purchase 7 of your favorite terry towels and sew one...4 towels for the front and back, 2 for the sleeves (1 per sleeve), 1 to cut up for a tie. Easy Peasy...but pick thin terry, or the weight will overpower you. And yes, this was one of my many DIY creative projects...that almost worked. Giggle. :)
We've all been there sister!! My painting disaster happened in my one pair of "good" jeans (aka the only ones that didn't already have paint on them :) ). You are too funny. Thanks for sharing a smile today!
Ohhhh nooooo! I could picture every slow-mo moment!! So sorry for your unfortunate mishap. But there you again...finding humor in a not-so-humorous moment and making us all laugh right along with you. One of my Christmas gifts every year was a brand new set of silk pjs and matching robe from my sweet honey. I ruined a beautiful jewel blue set painting one of the bedrooms. I didn't spill an entire can of paint -- just little droplets and one sleeve end that I didn't happen to notice until it was too late. Not so funny to honey. But this? He might have laughed too if it had been me in your shoes (I mean robe)! Hmmm...a new robe? I'm totally hooked on Amazon and Groupon for great products at great prices. Also, Sonoma is a little more pricey but has some beautiful robes and sometimes some great sales.
Again, thank you for a peek into your hilarious life. You are the best story teller and that is the reason I look forward to every post. Your readers smile along with you, laugh and yes we even cry. Have a blessed day and do not forget we want to see that beautiful door when you are done.
Oh, like everyone else, I am so sorry for your disaster, but I laughed so hard I ALMOST spilt my coffee! Thank you, once again, for brightening a day for me. Were you able to laugh at the time?
I'm cracking up as I'm reading this and can so relate. Why would anyone where paint clothes to paint. That is so overrated!! But I'm sure your door will be gorgeous when finished. I look forward to your posts because they always bring a smile to my face??
I love your "bring on life" attitude, your self-deprecating humor & your skill in communicating it to your audience! My DD bought a lovely robe for me from Victoria Secret a couple of yrs. ago & I LOVE it---it isn't heavy so easy to take a a trip too, but perfect!
Kari Anne, years ago I spilled a gallon of off white paint on rust colored carpet. Thank heavens for a wet dry vac! Sucked up all I could then started pouring hot water on it and sucking up more. Got every bit of paint out. Of course, when I pull the carpet out of that room no telling what I'll find!
Hi,Detra,same thing happened to a friend. Water and wet dry vac did the trick,can't even tell there was an oops.
Classic story! So sorry about the robe- it is hard to find a good quality terry cloth robe anymore. I had a ladder, full paint can incident, which turned my hair and body red. I can relate to the horror! It is good that you have a great attitude! :)
I seriously gasped reading this! Something I would have done, of the life of a DIYer.... looking forward to the finished photo. Have a great day!
Oh, I forgot to say that one of my favorite parts of this was "the red lipstick!" A girl can do anything she wants if she is wearing red lipstick!
Well, thank goodness for the robe. I'd been in trouble. I don't have a robe. It would be awkward to say the least. (laughs a little self-consciously). Oh my. A whole can of paint. Everywhere. Yikes. Worse thing ever. I'll keep all your advice in mind when I paint that studio door. :) Happy day to you, KariAnne!
Love the built in sign. What a wonderful way to honor the history of your beautiful home. It is a must have on my list!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing. Mary Alice Isham
Oh my goodness girl! I had something similar happen in my kitchen. My paint tray full of white paint fell off my ladder onto my wood floor, the dining room carpet, one of my dining chairs, all over the side of my new refrigerator and under the fridge, and splattered paint everywhere. I though it was the end of the world, I had ruined our nice wood flooring and no telling what else. What an ordeal, I feel your pain. So glad you were able to recover, sorry about your robe. I did have on my painting clothes on so no harm there. All of the thoughts and emotions going on at that very moment are so overwhelming. I thought I had ruined everything in that moment. I was sick of seeing white paint in the cracks of the flooring, it was down between the slats and appeared to be going under the flooring. Oh my it was such a horrible feeling. Fortunately, everything survived after many hours of cleaning, and know one would ever know by looking. Such an exhausting moment. :) Thanks for the memories!
Oh, my goodness! You are too funny! Love, love how you share your life with us!
Lol, I feel for you. I hardly have any clothes that don't have paint stains anymore and my tv trays are covered in paint splatters since I like to paint in the living room!
Oh my goodness. My new favorite word in the whole world is "hoodlyfudly"! (Thank you Lynn!) Just saying it cracks me up. Thanks for sharing your "hoodlyfundly" moment with us. It was a hoot.
Oh no, KariAnne! I watched that whole story in my head and have to admit, it was very funny. Have a suggestion for your next robe. How about making one out of drop cloth fabric? Then it would be multi-functional? ??
Hahaha! This has absolutely happened to me, however the paint was spilled all over my carpet. Too cute!
OMG! I would have screamed,cried and stared in horror at that site. Thank goodness you were wearing a terry cloth robe. Your storytelling makes everything come alive. Thanks for sharing KariAnne, it makes the rest of us feel like even fantastic, talented bloggers like yourself are one of us!
Oh Kari---we ARE soul sisters, (I always knew we were). I have ruined more clothing in a spur of the moment, no fear of paint, urethane, caulk; start my project because this is THE moment, consequences and calendar be damned! I'm impressed with your ingenuity.
Oh my gosh, I can so relate. Everytime I decide NOT to change out of a good pair of pants (I'll be really careful and wear my painting apron.), I get a splatter on them. If I decide to be really careful and not put on plastic gloves, I'll ruin a new manicure. You think we would learn. Once I spilled a just opened quart of chalk paint on our new hardwood floors. Fortunately, it all came up and it was 2 years before I told my husband about the almost disaster. Hope that robe was an old one!
I am telling you now...this made my day. I was in a gulch...now I am found. A few years ago I dropped a large water globe on the tile floor in my hallway. As I mourned the loss of my fav globe, I mopped it all up with kitchen towels. The next morning, as I walked through the hallway on my way out to work, the morning sun was shinning on the floor and the colorful glitter that survived the paper towel clean up the day before was sparkling up at me. So lovely looking I decided to leave it there to enjoy. It lasted a couple of days before it all wore away. So..sometimes spills turn out pretty nice!
Oh no, Friend! That is awful... I have always worried about that happening. Also... I would have to take a picture of the spilled paint just to show everyone later... (did you...?) SO sorry this happened... Big hug.
This totally sounds like something I would do. Happy I'm not the only one. Although I hate that you had to do all the tedious clean-up instead of spending time creating something wonderful like you always do. Nancy
The slow motion of that open paint can tipping off the ladder and -in my case-ending completely upside down on the wood floor. A sight you never forget. Fortunately for me a friend was there at the time and she grabbed a piece of thin cardboard, slid it under the paint can Voilà! Only a tiny mess. If I had gone with my instinct which was to grab the paint can and try to flip it back? Would have been a huuuugggeee mess.
Someday you'll find this funny. Time and terry cloth robes heal all wounds. Your attitude is wonderful and infectious. :)
Best. Post. Ever.
Lucille Ball couldn't have done it better. I painted a door in our house; it ran. I learned to take doors down and paint them horizontally.
You are a joy! Reminded me of the time that I was painting my front door black. I thought that I could hold a quart of black OIL based paint in my hand and easily paint the door. I was standing on a small stool painting the top of the door frame when I got a cramp in the hand holding the paint can. It started to fall and instinctively I tried to catch it with my chest. The full paint can flipped into my cleavage. It was 90 degrees outside so I was only wearing a white tank top (no bra) and shorts. Needless to say, I spent about 6 hours removing that oil based paint from my body with turpentine.
KariAnne, what the paint experience you had! Enjoyed reading your story this morning! Enjoy your day!
Oh, my goodness!! I was with you with every. single. drop. I ALWAYS love an excuse to shop for a new robe!!! And as for painting in pajamas and that robe...you were simply speaking to that door to remind it that it was the comfortable and casual door for entering. I get it. Remind me to enter through that door! happy shopping!
Oh my goodness! You are one of US after all! I have always thought of you as a mystical DIY creature, who could paint in satin and pearls and ALWAYS have perfect results!! I also believed that all of your projects were planned and well thought out. It is so refreshing to know that you are a person of impulse. That is so something that I would have done. Sorry for the tragedy with the paint can, but LOVED your story!
I'm sorry but this episode made my day! This sounds like something I would certainly do, ha! When I want to something I don't think beforehand, a lot of times. I remember the time that I decided to take the handles off the faucet, I didn't know you were supposed to turn off the water under the sink? Some flooding happened. I learned that lesson. Good luck on getting that door painted! Thanks.
Been there, done that. I managed to drop a quart of paint from the top of my ladder down to my hardwood floors. Opening a quart of magnetic paint, I sloshed it all down the front of me. It just proves the old adage: Paint Happens.
We knocked over a full gallon onto high/low avocado green carpeting in our bedroom back in 1977 while still newlyweds! I know how you felt and it defiantly creates respect for paint that lasts a lifetime!
Stay at the Peabody in Memphis and buy one of their robes...it has a cute little duck on it...
This is the exact reason I don't paint! Ever. All I have to do is put out the paint equipment and state that a room needs a change...my Ron immediately calls our paint guy. Walking, stumbling paint disaster waiting to happen. That's me. For. Sure.
I just had a vision of Ricky all bug eyed walking in on Lucy. Eye,yie, yie yie...
Thank you! Thank you! You made my day! I've had my own mishaps with DIY but there is no way I could describe them as well as you do. Hopefully you are laughing with us KariAnne because this is really funny!
Oh my gosh...this is such a funny story! Your robe is a hero! Wish you had photos lol!
Nothing, I mean NOTHING, is worse than spilled paint. My husband thankfully was the culprit in our worst paint fail. Picture brand new house. Hubby to cheap, er frugal, to pay the extra $ to have bedrooms painted a different color. He could do it himself, he said.... So he did. Just two more feet of edging left and he would be DONE. Instead of the 'climb down, move the ladder, climb back up drill' ONE LAST TIME... he just knew he could scootch it over a bit without climbing down. Mid scootch the paint can came tumbling down. Paint all over the brand new carpet. Paint splashed all over the brand new trim. It even ended up on the brand new ceiling. Lord have mercy, that was a day. Man hasn't touched a paint brush since.
I love this story! I am always doing projects in the wrong attire, jewelry and all!! Thank you so much, for some strange reason this just inspired me to get busy on several projects❤
I'm really picky about robes, but I've found the perfect one- it's just right and I love wearing it. It's the Del Rossa Women's cotton robe (amazon)- and it comes in so many beautiful colors. And thank you for making me laugh today!
OMG! I thought I had a great painting mishap story but you, KariAnne, win. I was sitting on the floor painting baseboards, tried to stand up, fell on the paint tray and sent it flying end-over-end across the room where it landed right side up without spilling ANY paint. Problem was that my husband spilled paint scrambling down the ladder trying to get to the spill that never happened. To this day my kids love to tell the story of mom "falling up".
Thank you for sharing your story! It's a scream! I hope you find the comfiest, prettiest( and probably the same color as your door) robe ; just in case you need another paint rag ;). You seriously made me laugh (and snort!). Of course so did everybody else with their stories! Have a great paint free day!
Oh you poor thing!!!! It sounds just like me. I'm glad you were able to fix the mess without too many tears though. We just painted out front door in Coral Reef. :) And added a little "hello" door sticker from Amazon. My husband doesn't trust me with paint.... he had my son paint the door. :P
Hahahahaaaaa! This sounds EXACTLY like something I would do. I think you are the sister I never had ;)
You've got to love a lady who can live life in full color!!! Thanks for brightening my evening.
You gotta love someone who can take the lemons of life and make lemonade.....look at all the laughter you brought to our days today! You described my worst fear ever......read this AFTER washing paint out of a sweatshirt and my exercise pants tonight because I decided to spontaneously paint a huge picture frame and NOT put on my paint clothes! I should have read your post FIRST! Best line....."My robe had to take one for the team"! Hysterical!
I needed a laugh this morning. Thank you for starting my day with one. This was definitely one of your "Lucy and Ethel" moments.
What a funny story to start my day off. I can most certainly relate.
Oh my! What a morning you had. I'm glad you're able to look at it with humor. It sounds like it was quite a mess! Thanks for the laugh and the lighthearted look at life. Hope today you put that DIY boss back in his place. :)
Robe shopping where else this near Valentine Day but VICTORIA SECRETS great robes love mine PS Great web site if a store is not near!!!!
Picture this...the middle of a narrow 1960's hallway at your mother in law's house....a ladder in the middle of the hall and a 5 gallon bucket of paint...guess who backed off the ladder and stepped into a full 5 gallon bucket of paint...yep..ME! Paint up to my knee as I am screaming for help. At least my girls had a good laugh. Thank goodness it only happened once...this woman learned her lesson and never repeated that incident. Have a good day!
You're a hoot, Karianne! Love your gift of story telling.
Oh my, I'm still laughing as I write this!! "The robe took one for the team" hahaha. Haven't we all been there on our projects!! Love your writing style. I'm a new follower from Stonegable. Looking forward to seeing your finished painted door!
Okay, here is my suggestion for a new robe. Get one with a zipper! I won't buy robes that tie. They never stay tied. I have problems with robes with big sleeves. I know I'm going to catch on fire when fixing breakfast on my gas stovemissions one of these days. I'm a faithful fan. Keep sharing your adventers.
Love the story....and completely identify! All of my pajamas and some of my nice clothes have paint on them!
Giggles, KariAnne! I have a whole coat closet full of paint clothes! How did they become "paint" clothes? Because, like you, I surrendered to a moment of inspiration. Again and again. And I'm a messy painter. But it's so much fun! You are right; the first stroke is the best when you see the color go on.
KariAnne, that must have been one mighty robe! I am slightly ashamed to admit that I laughed with the story, especially since this likens to those moments when someone trips and falls... you know what I mean, right? We run to help the person, but after we make sure they're fine we have to stifle the giggle... I didn't hold back though. I laughed. That being said, I am glad to hear that the cleaning came out fine, and you put that DIY door in its place. Way to take charge! I can't wait to see the actual new back door. Your home is beautiful, and you are incredibly talented.
Been there with a similar experience. Since I paint and do a myriad of other projects without changing into proper work clothes I suggest a very inexpensive robe. It is good to be ready with a handy clean up robe.
You are SO FUNNY!
This is the best! I have had other issues similar, but this one takes the cake...or in this case, the robe! Glad you got it all cleaned up and I'm sure your door looks perfect!
You should have warned me to put on a Depends before reading this Kari Anne! Why is it so much funnier when you spill the paint in your hallway than when I spilled a quart of bright red paint in my entryway? Believe me, I wasn't laughing then! I could have used thousands of Q-tips and I never would have gotten all that red paint cleaned up. Instead, I used it as an excuse to buy new flooring and remodel my entryway. :)
Omg...I just woke up, sat down to have my coffee and catch up on emails and just about spilled hot coffee on myself. My hubby looked at me and I told him what I was laughing about. This is so funny to me because the same darn thing just happened to me this past summer up at our cottage. I was painting our newly constructed wall on our new floor when it happened....I too stumbled (because I am a self proclaimed KLUTZ) tipped over an entire pail of paint, the window was open and the people on the other side of the lake heard this potty mouth SCREAM the mother of all sassy words. Yup, it's not a pretty sight spilling that paint on a floor, cleaning it up,but oh, the end result of a newly painted DIY will always make one's heart sing with happiness!
Well I still wear my "good" black dress socks, that go with my cute black patent loafers, even though they have Revere Pewter polka dots on them! Fortunately my shoes "just baaarely" cover up all the spots ?
You are just the best :) Your posts are inspiring, thought provoking, soft, whimsical, and just make my day! Every time! Thank you for being you and for sharing your thoughts with all of us.
The nice thing about this story is that you were able to take a very bad situation and turn it into a positive story for all of us. Not only did we learn a few tips but you also get to go robe shopping! A win-win!
I just read your door blog and had to write you. That is sooo me! I got up this morning and decided I should paint one wall, just one but thank goodness I'm still recovering from a severe cold and was still in the thinking process. I have painted in everything from a dress, lots of yoga pants to my nightshirt and ruined them all, perhaps it's my way of getting a new wardrobe. My doors are black and getting paint off the floor isn't easy as I can attest. I will probably always get an idea and run with it but I might slow down a bit as I think of you and your robe. Thanks for this mornings smile.