Sunday, May 16, 2010

Awards! and Tips! and FOOD! Oh My!


First of all to do my Plastic Joy Award that Lori @ Wildflowers gave me!

Thank you again Lori!

Now I have to name 5 sexy characters from either movies or TV.

Hmmm....



The first one I am going to break the rules a wee bit on. Who wouldn't think Sean Connery as yummy?! So pick any character that he has played. The man could make a troll sexy!

Excuse me while I have a hot flash!



Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs! You would figure someone named Leroy Jethro would be a total dork, but not him.

Whew, it's still a little warm in here!



David Boreanaz as Seeley Booth on Bones. I love shows like this and he just makes it so much nicer to watch. Why couldn't all cops be this handsome?



Rutger Hauer as Capt. Etienne Navarre in Ladyhawke. This has been one of my all time favorite movies since I was younger. How romantic to have someone love you so much that he will stay with you no matter what. Always together, forever apart. I guess it does help when someone as gorgeous as Michelle Pfieffer plays your love.

Is it hot in here to anyone else?



Alex O'Loughlin as Mick St John on Moonlight. Alright, so I got a thing for vampires. He loves Beth though and is always there for her.

Okay, so now to pass the joy onto 5 others!

Cher @ Cher Shots
Jackie @ Home

Have fun ladies! List your 5 sexy characters from film or tv. Then pass the joy onto 5 others!

Now for a quick cold shower and then onto those tips!

Just kidding about the shower thingy.

I'll wait....

Anyways, Debbie @ Dragonfly Treasures asked if I had stock in Sherwin Williams. Unfortunately, I don't. But.... I do have a cute story. My husband is a General Contractor. He does residential and lots of commercial jobs. Right before Christmas he had a customer that he remodeled her master bedroom. I was in charge of the painting. So we went up to SW (of course) to get some samples for her. We walked in the store and Matt the new manager said "Hey Maggie! How are ya doing? I just made fresh coffee so grab some!" My husband just looked at me. I shrugged. I told him we were there to grab some samples for a customer. He said not to bother, he just got in some new paint decks. My husband grumbled "how much?" He replied "For Maggie, free". Again he glared at me and I just stuck out my tongue at him.

I even get Christmas cards from the local store!

And a discount since I registered my husbands business with them.

Seems that I buy alot of paint....

So onto those tips!

I used to buy these. You know those cheap brushes. If you ruin it who cares?!


Then I got this! A Purdy brush! You would not believe the difference! I will never go back to those cheap brushes again!

You have to make that statement like Scarlett O'Hara though!

I also hate hate hate to clean up after painting. Even when I buy those liners I clean them to reuse them. The expainter guy that we hired told me to use tinfoil to line the pan!

Ingenious!


If your tin foil is not big enough to fit the pan, just put two sheets together, fold over one edge twice and press hard.

Voila! Instant pan liner!


See??? It won't leak either as long as you press the seam tight and don't rip the foil.



Clean up is easy peasy too! Just fold up and throw away!



See where my very unmanicured finger is pointing? That is a hole in the ridge of the paint can. You just poke a few holes with a flat screwdriver and a hammer. This helps the paint to drain from the ridge into the can. Saves some from painting your can of paint shut. The lid snaps into the ridge so your paint can is sealed and won't dry out.

As far as naps on rollers, you really don't need anything thicker than 1/2". You get into thicker roller covers and you get more splatters.

Also you don't want a cover 100% polyester. Get a cover with wool in it. The wool allows for more paint to be absorbed cutting down on how many times you have to dip your roller. Saves when you are up high painting on how many times you go up and down the ladder. You can get the sheepskin rollers that hold ALOT of paint, but since I cut in as I go I don't need them.

Now for painting....


I make a "Z" on the wall. Then I go back and fill it in with vertical strokes. This helps to get even coverage.


See?



I was lazy and just cut in around the floating shelf brackets.



You want to keep track of where you leave this pest. Seems that every time that I paint I manage to sit on the lid!

My husband told me that I look like I am losing weight cause the paint stain looks bigger now. I guess that was a compliment?

On that note, let's move onto food!

Yum! BBQ Shishkabobs!

You want to soak wooden skewers in water to help keep them from burning.

Unless you are like me and turn the grill on raging inferno and forget to turn it down before you put the food on!


Cut up chicken breasts and marinade them in Teriyaki. I used a bottled sauce.



Cut up some green peppers and wash the cherry tomatoes.



Take a skewer and chicken, pepper, chicken, tomato, chicken, pepper, chicken until all the chicken is used up.



Now for a little side salad. My kids LOVE this salad! It's so simple too. Fresh spinach, sliced strawberries and crumbled bacon. I used applewood smoked bacon. Toss with some raspberry vinaigrette and then top with crumbled gorgonzola cheese.

Yum!



A little brown rice with chopped broccoli thrown in for good measure and....

Bon appetit!



Dinner is served!

Now to get back to that painting....

12 comments:

Lisa@Pickles and Cheese said...

Plastic Joy Award? That is hilarious! I'll go with the Sean Connery and Mark Harmon picks. I don't really get the current vampire craze...I think that shows my age! Your posts are very "meaty" and always enjoyable!

Lori said...

Dinner looks yummy ~ I actually have kabobs on my radar to make this week! I laughed about going into SW ~ that is too funny when the manager knows you by name! Great tip on the paint tray liner too. You are so smart ~ will you be my friend.... lol I am ripping up carpet and taking out staples ~ so much fun!! Hope you are enjoying your Sunday as much as I am. xo

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Hi Maggie,
I love your 5 guys.... I remember Mark Harmon in Flamingo Road....that's going back a bit. You probably don't remember that. Come to think of it, you probably weren't even born !!!! Thanks so much for the award. I promise I'll do it but, bear with me....I'm so behind with my awards.
Then there's painting, and cooking and, I love the story of the visit to the store ! Your husband must be wondering what you get up to when you go shopping. haha
Great post, Maggie. I was very amused. XXXX

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Maggie, Not many men other than my husband make my heart beat a little faster, but Sean is #1. What a man! ANd that accent! My husband is Scotch so no wonder I would love that accent.

This post has it all! Beautiful men, humor, painting tips (fabulous), and a very yummy meal. Yummy on all accounts!
Yvonne

deb said...

Love your plastic picks...yummy!
I see it pays to become friendly with paint store employees! ;)
You little devil! Lol
*hugs*deb

Hildie said...

That idea about making drainage hole back into the paint can? Brilliant!

P.S. If you have really obnoxiously textured walls like I do, you really do need a roller with a deeper nap. I hate them because they are total paint hogs but it's the only way to get into all the nooks and crannies. Which I also hate.

Southern Lady said...

The salad sounds extra yummy. Thanks for the painting tips. I hate to paint, but once in a while I have no choice. Carla

Unknown said...

Great paint tips, a couple I wasn't aware of & I, like you, love to paint. TY for sharing.

I can smell dinner ....

Have a fabulous week.
TTFN ~Hugs, Marydon

Unknown said...

Oh, great post! Thank you so much for your painting tips, we are considering a few paint jobs here, and I truly have no idea what I'm doing, this was really, really helpful!

KM Studios said...

That Award is too funny! You got some good ones up there I gotta say.
hope you got all that painting done!

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

Great tip for the paint pan! I would have never thought of that.
You make the yummiest food!
Thanks for the sweet comment today:)

Anonymous said...

Hello Dear Maggie
Well Sean is just too hot and even as an old man makes me swoon...I think it is his slight Scottish brogue that makes him so charming.

Thank you also for paint tips...I love the lining the pan with foil...makes me not dread the rest of the painting we must do here.

I am fine, still not 100%, but since I have fibromyalgia it takes me forever to get well after being hit with such a nasty virus. Off to work today... have a great Tuesday!