IceCookies’ Neighborhood

Some things I've noticed lately. My foundation hasn't been looking so hot using the damp red cleansing sponge method. Just been looking not so fresh. I think part of it is that remnants of my tan are quickly fading but also drier skin. I am using honey/sugar scrub more frequently now and applying emu oil twice a day. I also think part of it is not drinking as much water- I just have such a hard time drinking water when it's cold. I am not alone with this because my middle son got a headache last week and said the same thing. I've been playing with other foundation application methods and liked the synthetic flat-top (Lumiere) damp application in the following look. 

Dayna Foundation with MMBB Grape mist- Lumiere flat top synthetic brush.

Tarte Dollface and Flush gel blushes. (I have plans to make more blushes in 2010 because of these colors)

Eyes- 

Gilded Beige (all over lid below crease) (this is such a neat color because it's like a drab gold-- not yellow, but a golden patina) Chocoholic outer V (this is a warmer (reddish) brown) Sable coat over Milan Gelle Drops (Sable Coat is an interesting "brown" because it's dark but has this olive cast) 

Lips- Cover Girl Mauve Shine-- it's this product that's in lipstick tube but a little more glossy and sheer than regular lipstick. I am loving this color because it's just enough "berry" to brighten my lips without making me feel self-conscious. 

This is our living room fireplace decorations. I made the stockings years ago. 

This is our entertainment center that is to the side of our couch- it houses the cable box, and other components since the house came with the flat screen TV you see above the fireplace and prewired such that all the other things plug in at this wall. The Steeler football is DH's gift from parents-  Yes, he's already opened. 

This is a book case opposite of the fireplace that I also decorated. The rest of the house isn't decorated much- like the den won't be fully decorated until the tree goes up. Outside I keep it pretty simple- two small lighted trees at the entrance with red bows on top. Red bows tied to outside lights. Lighted wreath on the door. I also have these large puffy bows that I put on the ends of the brick stair "railing" Now if only I could keep the dogs from peeing on the trees. GRRR

Here's two FOTD that I did this week. Once again I am shopping my stash and trying not to reuse eye shadows until I've gone through them all. I was kind of hating the photos because I was definitely in "mouth breather mode" due to my cold. Mouth breathing makes people look like they've lost IQ points in my opinion. 

Foundation change to Dayna this week. Applied with MMBB Grape spray and red cleansing sponge. Couldn't cover the raw nose/flakey skin under it. :-( Mascara is Loreal Extra Volume with collagen topped with Maybelline Full N Soft WP. 

Dec. 7- 

Pinch Me blush

Eyes- Rose Gold all over lid. Copperhead in crease. Green??? as liner over Milan Gelle Drops. Limeade as bottom liner. 

Lips- Hush, NSFW, and Fondue lip tars over clear gloss. 

Dec. 8-

Bronzed Goddess glow

Pretty In Peach Blush

Eyes- Lovey Dovey inner 1/2, Smokin' outer 1/2. Vanilla Cream as inner corner and brow highlight. In Color Fabuliner in black. 

Lips- NSFW and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss. 

Been busy with Christmas ramp up and fighting a cold. Started getting sore throat last week and it has progressed to nasal and chest congestion. My poor nose is raw. I took weekend off on working out but am forcing myself to do squats today- writing this in between sets-- think treadmill might be pushing it--- seeing I can't breathe so great. LOL  Did decorate the house (except tree which we put up about a week before) and need to do cards and baking yet. Only have 3 things to pick up and waiting for some deliveries- then wrap those few items and I am done with gift part of Christmas. 

I also need to make the dogs some cedar filled beds. It's turned colder here and Sully has dumped a flower pot and trying to burrow into this bit of dirt on the deck because there are no cedar beds to snuggle into when they are out during the day. I buy inexpensive fabric and make a pillowcase- fill with cedar chips (love how they smell like little hamsters LOL) and then sew end shut. I will make them some very large ones for outside and smaller ones for their cages. Have to go buy a big bag of cedar chips for this. 

So I am still "shopping my stash" trying not to reuse eye colors (except highlighter colors if I am wearing that.) All photos using Dayna Dark (may need to go to Dayna- it's crazy how fast color changes) and MMBB grape mist.  Brows are Just Browsing Brown. Mascara Loreal Extra Volume (non-WP)  with collagen with Maybelline Full N Soft WP over it. 

Dec. 1-- you'll see some blemishes-- my face went really crazy because I waxed my mustache before Thanksgiving (plus probably stress too) 

Mauving On Up Blush

Eyes- Rustic all over lid. Purple Haze in outer V. Better than Black as liner. 

Lips- Melange and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss

Dec. 2-- taken with flash-- I hate how it gets so dark so early now. :-( 

Loca Mocha Blush

Violet Vesper Glow

Eyes- Sea Mist (inner 1/2) Winey crease, Sterling Violet outer "liner" In Color Fabuliner in Black

Lips- Pageant and Petty Beige lip tars over clear gloss

Dec. 4 (not feeling so great this day)

Pinch Me Blush

Eyes- Lav It Up inner 1/2, Chocolate Diamonds in crease. Vanilla Cream as highlight, Venerable Vert over Milan Gelle Drops as liner. 

Lips- Fondue, Anime and Feathered lip tars over clear gloss. 

Two more sets of 10 at 85 pounds left on my squats-- time to finish those up. 

The only true Cyber Monday purchases were at Zazzle-- I got some T-shirts for DD and friends for Christmas. There's a 10% off code and free shipping today- so I saved about $20 on my order. I got one shirt with "Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?" for DD's track friend. She's a huge fan of the movie Elf. For DD and another of her friends I got "Paper Street Soap Factory" t-shirts-- both are fans of Fight Club. I also bought DD another Fight Club themed shirt that has a photo of Ghandi and "I'd fight Ghandi" underneath. I think DD will like. I really wanted to get a "Project Mayhem" shirt with the burning smily face on back but just can't see paying $30 for a T-shirt. 

I also ordered from ihealthtree-- I ordered 2 types of Nature's Gate mineral sunblock SPF 20- one is like what LT uses and other is sports version without any scent. They were $6.99 for 4 oz- it's very hard to find SPF with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide these days and I find that I don't do well with the more chemically based SPF (at least on my face.) I also ordered 8 bars of Grandpa's Thylox Acne Treatment soap. Even though DD no longer uses this on her face, she found it excellent to control her "back-ne" plus my middle son does find this works to prevent blemishes for him. I also bought several different shampoos- ones that are botanical bases- trying to find a cheaper alternative to Wen for myself and DD. 

Last I ordered Melazepam cream that is 20% azeleic acid which is supposed to help with melasma- so I am going to try that for lightening. I did see a product that was hydroquinone, kojic acid and azeleic acid but it's like $58-- this cream is $12- worth a try since it may also help with acne- so DD could possibly use also. I'll let you know how that goes. 

As far as Christmas shopping goes- I have DD, DH and parents done (except for some wine for my mom and bottle of bourbon for her BF.) I need to get new skateboards for the boys, another guitar hero game w/ guitar, a skateboard ramp, the Simpsons version of Scene It and some band shirts. Then I am D-O-N-E. I gave youngest son an early gift of a new portable DVD player because old one would not play certain sections of DVD's. I also gave them Season 1 & 2 of "My Name Is Earl" to watch on our drive to the in-laws... heard LOL several times from all of them. 

Next on the list is Christmas baking-- trying not to start too early since I am still doing workouts and trying to lose weight- I am admittedly powerless against Christmas goodies so the longer I wait to start the better. Anyone else doing Cyber Monday stuff? 

My personal rules for the challenge- no repeat eye shadow colors until I've used every color with the exception of highlight colors-- sorry but a dark plum does not a good highlighter color make. LOL 

So here are 3 looks without using the same old stuff-- all looks are Dayna Dark Foundation applied damp with MMBB grape spray (my personal favorite.) Beach Bronzer in the 3/E technique to add a color boost. Mascara is combo- Loreal Extra Volume (non-WP) with Collagen topped with Maybelline Full N Soft Waterproof... this seems to correct the flaking that Extra Volume is prone to. Since Lili was so kind to send me lip tar samples I have been trying them out... even for a whimp like myself, lip tars are wearable. I use a clear gloss before applying a color to sheer it out and truly the amount needed is uber tiny... I put samples into paint pots I get from craft store-- 8 connected together-- so it's kind of like playing with watercolors or a box of crayons combining the many colors. 

Nov. 11- 

Perfect Pink Blush

Eyes- In The Flesh all over lid below crease. Steeler Black in outer V. 

Lips- clear gloss topped with Uber and Grandma lip tars. 

Nov. 12 (wearing new emerald earrings)

Raisin Rush Blush

Eyes- Red Planet all over lid below crease. Dragon scales outer V and topping Milan Gelle Drops as liner. 

Lips- clear gloss topped with NSFW/Fondue/Hush lip tars. 

Nov. 13

Pur-fection Blush

Eyes- Blink Bling inner half, Hazy in crease. Blacken Blue as liner

Lips- clear gloss topped with Hush and Katricia lip tars. 

At the end of the summer I had ordered DD a bunch of acne products and for a while they were working quite well and then she actually started breaking out worse than before. I had gotten her Grandpa's Sulfur soap, Home Health Blemish Treatment Lotion (Salicylic Acid treatment) and Rachel Perry Calendula Cucumber Oil Free moisturizer SPF 15. So I started buying ProActiv again (DH likes the lotion and toner)  but even that wasn't helping- so I decided to research acne options again.  I found this site  and decided to order the cleanser/benzoyl peroxide/moisturizer for DD to try out since this guy doesn't promote just his products- seems he really wants to help others since he too suffered from acne. DD has been using this exclusively for about 3-4 weeks. I definitely notice a clearing of her skin-- she was getting a lot of deep pimples on the sides of her cheeks and these are all gone except for the dark spots where they once were. She still has some bumps on forehead but they are super tiny and not erupting into whiteheads like before she started using the Acne Org products. What I found most interesting about this routine is how important it is to be gentle with skin-- cleansing less than 10 seconds, no wash clothes or exfoliators, gentle, gentle, gentle. The benzoyl peroxide is a lower percentage and you put it everywhere and then use moisturizer to prevent over-drying. Like I said, it seems to be working so far. The Grandpa's Sulfur Soap with 10% benzoyl peroxide has cleared up her "back-ne" so I may continue to purchase that for her- although I want to see how the Natural Soap Wholesale  peppermint tea tree and eucalyptus tea tree soaps work for her. 

I too had a recent breakout- nothing major like my reaction to squalane oil (deep, very painful pimples that never came to the surface but left dark spots) just tiny whiteheads that would go away in one spot but another would erupt elsewhere. I hadn't changed my skin care routine so I tried to figure out if there was another cause for it. I am pretty sure the culprit was the soy milk I was drinking. You may remember I started drinking soy milk because I had heard it helped prevent/fight belly fat storage. A little research into soy products after deducing that it could be the cause for my breakouts made me give up soy entirely. I try not to be too reactionary to every little thing I hear but when I saw how soy is not something people can digest without a lot of processing it made me leery of putting a lot of it in my body. I definitely noticed a change when I was drinking a lot of soy-- I was so gassy that it was embarrassing and I was getting Beano and other gas medications to fight this side effect. When I read about how 2 glasses of soy milk per day can actually change a woman's periods- it made convinced that it was probably the cause of my breakouts- as a teen the only time I ever had pimples was "that time of the month." So I gave up the soy milk experiment-- I'd rather have belly fat than never-ending pimples- and my face is back to normal not to mention that gas issue. LOL. I don't know everything about nutrition and chemicals but at least for me, soy isn't something I'm going to willingly add to my diet. I guess I'll just have to work out harder (and eat less) to fight the belly fat.

Along these lines-- I've found that exfoliation is somewhat counterintuitive thing. Most think oily skin needs lots of exfoliation but in reality it may cause more acne issues. I kept telling DD to stop with all the masques and scrubs and she kept saying that this or that beauty article said to do them-- but the reality is that the more she did, the worse her skin got. Dry skin tends to be more sensitive but it actually needs lots of exfoliation to get rid of the dry, dead layers. I definitely notice that once the cold weather comes around, I need to do my honey/sugar scrub several times a week whereas in the summer I don't have to do this. 

I have been really good about sticking with my workouts. Since Oct. 15 I have been pretty good about doing cardio workout every other day. Three weeks ago I started doing bench workouts again. Yesterday I did 2 sets of 8 reps with 85 pounds quite easily. I think I am seeing results- at the very least I am tightening up, if not "getting skinny." I am definitely feeling better and more energetic. A friend of mine also started on a weight-loss program and we are trying to keep the other one going. I am not a workout at the gym girl-- I actually hate anyone being around when I workout... I don't know if I'm embarrassed by the faces I may be making or what but I like working out alone- but having someone to talk about workouts with does seem to keep me motivated. 

Friday night we had dinner and then the adults went bowling. The men definitely got out of hand- especially my hubby (due to alcohol and long work week- he'd just gotten home from  work week in Chicago.) Saturday morning was typical chaos of Hoozey house with guests thrown in. I dropped DD off for local cross country meet. Then home to get hubby and then headed to tire shop -- he had peeled out the night before and gotten a flat-- due to his tires being so worn. So we dropped off the truck to get 4 new tires. BTW, that Ford Escape is still parked in our driveway-- I am sure his work has already forgotten about "taking care of it" when he informed them two weeks ago that it wouldn't move. They were supposed to get that one out of our drive and deliver a Dodge Journey, but I am sure it was forgotten minutes after the email was sent.  Seeing that the very same person who was going to "take care of it" is responsible for it taking over 2 months to get license plates. GRRR!!! I hate relying on others to take care of things like this-- especially since it's really annoying having that thing stuck in our driveway. It would have been handy Thursday evening when we were going out to eat-- had it been able to move- but instead I had to make two trips to and from Red Lobster because brother's truck was attached to trailer with a tractor on it. LOL 

*Last week the license plates finally came for DH's company vehicle- they expired Aug. It's been parked in our drive waiting on the plates since then. So Thursday morning DH gets into vehicle to drive it after nearly 2 months-- won't budge. It's a 2008 Ford Escape-- so it's not very old. DH was so pissed off when he came back in to drive away in his own truck. So now we will have to wait on company to arrange to get that piece of shit towed out of our driveway. There are two vehicles available-- another Escape and a Dodge Journey. DH opted for the Journey- we are hoping it's not such a piece of crap like that Escape. Honestly after experiencing that Escape-- it's no wonder the American car companies are in such lousy shape. That vehicle was unbearably loud-- the road noise made it impossible to hold a conversation or listen to the radio- and was seriously the most uncomfortable ride. After a brief 10 minute ride in it, my feet would feel prickly from the floor vibration. It was also downright dangerous to drive-- you seriously couldn't see out the back-- it's like the entire rearview mirror was a blind spot. I would take my 1997 Bonneville everyday over that piece of garbage. 

*I've been doing some flu prevention techniques since I received a helpful email about this subject. Highlights-- #1 is washing your hands and not touching face. (I am reading "The Secret Life of Germs" and the author says that 80% of illness is through touching/contact.) The other point is doing some oral hygiene to prevent illness taking hold-- Gargling 2 times a day with warm salt water or Lysterine (I opted for this since I can't see my kids taking the time to do the salt water properly) and swabbing out the nose with warm salt water after blowing nose. Basically this removes them from your system so they can't take hold. I also couldn't see my kids doing the warm salt water so I bought saline spray for them to use for swabbing out their noses. Anyone interested in the flu email, I will gladly pass along. My other flu prevention is wiping down surfaces that get touched by everyone-- remote controls, door knobs, light switches, drawer pulls, phones, etc. I have been doing once a week with my normal cleaning routine. I've started using humidifiers because I notice that we tend to get less illness when they are in use during cold weather (not to mention my skin doesn't get so dried out.) Hopefully some of these will help prevent the flu taking hold here. 

* I've been working out routinely for the last few weeks. Every other day I do the treadmill for 1 minute intervals- one minute running/one minute rest for 10 times. May sound lame but I have some issues with my IT band (tendon that runs from hip to knee) and this seems to be the best way for me to actually get a whole workout in. If I keep running along, it tightens up and I am unable to proceed but I can get through the minute on the treadmill (times 10) without issue. I do set the treadmill at a higher incline and speed so that I am working more than what I would if I was trying to run for 10 minutes straight. After I finish up my reps for that, I hit the speedbag (I have my own platform and bag) for 10 minutes or more. This week I started bench pressing again... I was sore for days after but I lifted again yesterday and so far not too bad. Anyhoo, this weekend DH kept saying how I already looked skinnier-- so I shared my workout theory with him "If you let yourself go enough, a few weeks of working out makes you look like you've made a lot of progress." LOL I've already done my workout today. That may also be part of the reason I've had little time to blog... 

* My kids got their grades from 1st 9 weeks recently and they all got straight A's. The boys also got scores from state proficiency testing taken last spring. Both boys got "Distinguished" in all areas. My youngest got perfect score on 3 of the 4 areas (Reading, Math and Social Studies) while also scoring a distinguished in "Open Response Writing." (I remember when they were starting this testing, one teacher said that to get a distinguished on that part,one's just a natural writer, so they really only strive for proficient on that one.) My middle son got perfect scores on two of the three areas he was tested on- Math and Science- while getting a distinguished in Reading also. I knew they were smart kids but seriously didn't expect perfect scores on almost every area. DD will be taking ACT again in Dec. She thinks with taking Pre-Calculus now that she will do much better on the math- even though she already scored a 30 in June. She's trying to get a better score so she will get more scholarship money-- she is trying to get into Governor's Scholar Program which often means full tuition paid for at in state schools. It amazes me how fast it goes-- I don't remember really thinking about college until my senior year.

*I am researching cameras for my Christmas gift. My Kodak is getting sketchy to say the least-- definitely not taking sharp photos anymore. For example, Oct. 30 FOTD-- not a single one was very clear. I am leaning towards Panasonic Lumix because it's highly rated for photo quality-- I really want a good one for EOTD/FOTD photos.  

 

*I made some new eye shadows. I've been on a more natural eye kick so I came up with the "Natural-Eyes" collection- they are "almost matte"- ever so slightly pearlescent. Flaxen Light is the lightest of the three- a very golden  light brown. Brought To Light is a rather light taupe color. In Crease is a mid-tone tan that works beautifully "in (the) crease" to give just that little bit of definition. 

Oct. 13 FOTD using "Natural-Eyes" collection

Tanya Foundation

Raisin Rush Blush

Flaxen Light inner corner and brow highlight. Brought to Light middle 1/3. In Crease as crease color. Loreal Extra Volume with Collagen Mascara. 

Sally Hansen Natural Butter gloss in Bloom

Oct. 29- I've had to switch my foundation color-- it's funny how quickly it changes Tanya was just looking a little off so I went to my more winter shade of Dayna Dark

Beach as an all over skin perk up.

Perfect Pink Blush

Eyes- Just Browsing Brown for brow fill, Fiery inner 1/2, Copperhead in crease and along lash line. Flaxen Light as brow highlight. Loreal extra volume with Collagen mascara. 

Lips- Lili sent me some samples of Lip Tars and requested a "red" look. Here's my first attempt--- one thing I notice that's important for me to do with Lip Tars is put a clear gloss on first because I'm not a bold opaque lippie girl. NSFW/Grandma/Uber combo. 

Oct. 30-- not one of the FOTD shots turned out in focus- not even close-- even the EOTD are rather blurry-- I need a new camera. 

Eyes- 

Bonanza all over lid below crease, Red Blooded in middle 1/3 and crease. Enigma (why haven't I been using this one??? It's such a unique color-- green/purple/smoky) used as liner over Gelle Drops then applied dry to outer V.  

This is for LT- 

The Cover Girl Amaze Mint glosses I have-- they are sheer but also a bit opaque and little sparkle. 

Left to right-- Pink Positive, No Care Bare, Freedom of Peach   

I also made a new glow per H's suggestion that I make a "green" glow to counteract redness. I am thinking of calling it "Bewitching Glow." Here's a sample of it on bare skin-- 

A couple of photos of the dogs since I was outside taking photos for Bewitching and they were being silly.

Last photos of my kids pumpkins... DD did 3 carvings in one pumpkin-- members of Green Day from 21st Century Breakdown artwork

My youngest and his friend carved this one

Middle son and friend carved this one. 

This is my youngest being silly-- he dressed up as a "redneck" 

While watching a bit of news this morning, I saw a story on how physical activity actually makes you smarter. Just a brisk walk and other activity increases brain performance. Maybe we should all have stationary bikes as our seats and taller desks for our computers? LOL Makes sense seeing that more blood would be pumping all around. I do see that the cross country and track teams usually have the majority of kids on honor roll- almost every athlete that went to state last year also made all-state academic team from DD's high school. Of course running gives you plenty of time in your own head. Anyway, I'm off to test the theory by hitting the treadmill (this would have nothing to do with hubby's comment about jean size being the same-- OK, maybe it would LOL) and also the speedbag. I'm getting pretty good at  the speedbag but it's harder since hubby swapped my platform bracing with his old and broken one. Yes, the man actually broke the bracing that connects platform to wall-- stress fracture on one part of the bracing from repeated beating. Now my platform isn't as steady because of the broken brace, so the bag doesn't snap back as quickly because so much energy is absorbed by the broken brace-- meaning I have to hit a lot harder to keep things going. I feel like I'm losing IQ points-- better get going on that physical activity. LOL 

Today's rant- FRESH in my mind because I just found this letter from ALW Sourcing LLC in my mailbox this morning? Weird on two levels because I checked mail at about 4 pm yesterday and wonder how the heck I had mail between that time and 7 am this morning? Anyhoo-- this letter says that we have a balance of $118.09??? Seeing I've never heard of ALW Sourcing LLC I read on-- "This is an attempt to collect a debt." and then on the back is small type saying that the account they are trying to collect on is Cincinnati Bell. WTF?? We have not used Cincinnati Bell since Sept. 1998---at least I think? I couldn't even recognize the phone number associated with this account--- was it my cell before updating here in 2005? Was it actual Cinci number? I immediately call the number on the letter and ask about this matter. The rep couldn't tell me any more on the matter only that it would be "put in dispute." So my next order of business was to look up ALW Sourcing LLC on the internet and I see someone posted a complaint about how they were trying to collect a debt from her in her maiden name when she hadn't used in over 15 years- making her sure that it was fraud. Then someone else added to the complaint that they were being harassed by them because of someone with similar name. Finally a last person said they had to contact state attorney general to get these people to leave him/her alone. Next I looked up contact for Cincinnati Bell- thank goodness for internet--- they no longer had either hubby or myself in their system--- so no progress there- they couldn't even tell me if it was home or cell number account.  My next call was to state attorney general because this concerns me since I could get no information about this "debt." I am waiting for a callback from them concerning this. Then I spent a good chunk of time trying to locate old phone numbers... I save almost everything so I found box of old checks and the number was on it... associated with our Cincinnati address!! I have never received ANY kind of bill from Cincinnati Bell since 1998- but this leads me to believe that desperate times are upon us when debt collectors will bring up bogus debt from accounts not in use in 11 years. How is a consumer supposed to combat that kind of "out of thin air" debt? I mean how many people have financial records to combat this debt from an account that hasn't been in use in 11 years? For me, it's 3 bank accounts, 3 moves, (at least) 5 phone numbers (including cell) ago-- who would have proof that it was paid, that the bill is fraud? I am pretty sure the statutes of limitations are up on this even if it was legitimate- but I assure you, it is not, which concerns me even more. Are these debt collection agencies sending out these bogus debts hoping that consumers will panic and just pay it? Because we have impeccable credit, I KNOW this is a fraudulent debt, it would have shown up on credit reports on at least last two homes when we applied for mortgages- not to mention credit checks I do myself annually. It concerns me because those who may be in some financial uncertainty may just "go ahead and pay it" because they wouldn't know as I do that this is not legitimate. Now I'd like to send ALW Sourcing, LLC a bill for my time that I have had to waste on this matter of bogus debt--- how much should I charge for their bogus letter making me track down information to prove my "innocence" in this matter? I WILL be making a complaint with my state's attorney general and BBB. I would hate to see anyone be taken by this kind of thing because I didn't do my part to stop it. 

The most important thing is to have the right tools- it makes the job go much faster and better. I actually saw a painting expert say that it's more important to buy a good brush than it is to buy expensive paint. My tools of the trade.

 

1. Roller Pan- come in metal and plastic- doesn't matter which you use.

2. Roller Pan Liners- These can be purchased for between 50 cents and about $1-- so worth it when it comes to clean up time. Instead of having to wash out the roller pan, just toss this away after the remaining paint has dried. It also makes switching to another color quick and easy. 

3. Cup or container for "cutting in" paint. When edging and doing corners- it's much easier using a container like this instead of going to roller pan. Especially when on a ladder, one can hold this on one hand, brush in other and quickly edge without going up and down- unless you want the added exercise but that comes with more drips. 

4. Rollers- depending on the size of the painting job, you may want to spend a little extra on this item to get a handle that feels comfortable in your hand. The cheap handles often are skinnier and not very ergonomically correct- which can mean hand craps after a big job. I've purchased lengthening handles but find that these often malfunction- the handle collapses into itself and doesn't stay in position you wanted- thus why the one I own has tape. LOL If you need the additional length, it's probably better to just use a screw in extension pole IMHO. The roller covers I do not spend too much on- but I wouldn't recommend el cheapos (like bargain places like Dollar Tree) because these often shed a lot. The nap of the roller needed depends on the surface you are painting- smoother surfaces need less nap, whereas something like stucco needs a longer nap so the roller will get paint into the crevasses. Recently I bought a small skinny nap roller (about 4 inches in length and much smaller diameter) and have found this exceeding handy. I actually used just this to paint the single wall yesterday. Smaller rollers let you get into tight spaces like above the window in my own example and gives you better control around places like outlets. I also like this smaller roller because the one end is curved and napped- so it fills in tighter to corners than a traditional roller.

5. Paint pad- I don't use this for every paint job but find it very quick and easy to use (without taping) when edging crown moulding, baseboards and around windows and door jams. The trick with this item is never dip pad in paint, instead apply paint to pad with edging brush (still needed to get deep into corners) leaving about 1/4 inch from the guarded edge with no paint- this prevents seepage onto moulding and such. When using this technique- it's a quick back and forth motion along the moulding and it's edged. 

6. Brush- spend money on this. A good brush can be cleaned and used repeatedly. I like 1 1/2 inch slanted size brush for my edging. Cheap brushes have too stiff bristles that leave marks- and often bristles behind too. Get the brush recommended for the type of paint you are using. 

7. Detail (from art store) brush. When doing the boys' room I was doing multiple colors and sometimes had only a few inches of wall that was exposed- so this kind of brush came in exceedingly handy since even my regular brush was too bulky in this situation. I also found it wonderful to use when painting their bathroom with the pedestal sink plumbing and the mirror (which is glued to wall) 

8. Painter's tape- this is a low adhesive tape, so it comes back off without tearing off paint. If I have both crown moulding and baseboards, I may not need tape but tight areas, like small space between door jam and corner, taping off the woodwork makes it easy to just slap paint into the corner. I also use to cover around wall light edges (like in bathrooms) and plumbing that you can't really remove. It's crucial for painting techniques like using multiple color- especially if doing sponging or other faux finishes because you can't get tight into corners without using the tape to protect the other walls. 

9. Screw driver- necessary to remove switch plate covers and outlet covers. Can also be used to open paint can. 

10. Outlet Safety Covers- like the ones you use to baby proof the house. After removing outlet covers, pop these into the outlets- the outlets will be covered and no "oops" of getting paint on the outlet. Worth it!! I actually still keep these around for all my painting jobs. 

11. Can opening tool- this is one I bought but you can use a screw driver or like yesterday, the paint store gave me a little can opener for free. 

12. Music-- paint is much more fun when you are rocking to songs you like

* Tarp for floor. I really recommend this paper on top, plastic on the bottom blue one like in this photo- The paper kind of absorbs small spills- so doesn't run right off- yet the plastic keeps from seeping through. This one also stays in place better than the thin plastic ones. 

*Ladder- size depends on job- I could reach the top of this wall with just a two step one. 

*A measuring cup is often handy to scoop out paint into edging container rather than taking the chance of pouring into it. 

*Plastic Zip Lock bag for outlet covers and switch plate covers and the screws while painting- nothing gets lost. 

*Plastic wrap- wrap brush and roller with it when taking a break or in between coats to prevent drying out. Cover roller pan to prevent drying out in between coats if doing multiple coats in one day. If stopping for the day, put the wrapped brush and roller cover in the freezer. Take out a little before starting the next day's work. 

*Rags- for the occasional "oops" 

*Paint clothes- I have old clothes that are my painting clothes- I have various paint colors, stain and other stuff on them but I don't care since I'm not ruining anything after the first spot. 

*Flip flops- I like to wear these while painting because if I should step in a drip, I can just carefully walk off the tarp in my bare feet rather than accidentally track paint all over. 

Once you've gotten your supplies together it's time to pick out the paint. Usually the more expensive paint isn't worth it- any reputable brand will do ( I wouldn't recommend Big Lots or bargain basement paints) The finish is important- flat is fine for a household of adults but is nearly impossible to clean- so anyone with kids- go for an eggshell. Trust me, kids touch the walls- even after years of yelling not to touch the walls and making my kids scrub the walls- I still found handprints in the boys' room after only a couple of months. Scrubbable paint is a must if you have kids. Also in high humidity areas (kitchen and bath) no flat paint. NEVER buy ceiling paint- it's like white chalk water= buy flat white paint base and ask them to add extra white to it- tell them you are using on ceiling. Ceiling paint sucks!!! 

Picking your color- believe it or not- ANY color (blue, red, yellow) etc will work IF you follow this tip- grab all the color swatches in the color category you want--- like all the blues- put them in order (usually the paint store has them numbered) and pick the color in the middle- it will be the neutral. If you look at the blue I picked out, it is definitely gray toned which makes it very livable even for those who are afraid of color. Also go a bit lighter- once the color is on all the walls, it starts bouncing off of itself and the color gets more vibrant- so going lighter usually combats this issue.  Flooring color will affect wall color- our Cincinnati home had "country blue" carpet and the living room was painted blue. We repainted and hubby kept thinking they had painted the ceiling blue- all because of the carpet- also when I learned that ceiling paint is garbage. So if flooring color is strong- consider how it will effect the paint color you want. To combat the blue carpet, I chose a slightly yellow off white color. The wall color in my master bedroom is a bit of a greenish yellow, so I opted for reds to counteract the green. It's kind of like concealer (makeup)- choose the color opposite of the color you are trying to combat.  

I used to watch Christopher Lowell's show all the time and he had the "layers" of decorating. Layer #1 & 2 were the most expensive things to change- flooring and large furniture- so he recommended going solid and more neutral there. Then you bring in trendy colors with paint and accessories like pillows- because they are less expensive to change. Painting dramatically changes a room for very little money if you do the painting yourself. 

Actually Painting-

1. Move all furniture away from walls. Remove from room if not too big of a PITA. Remove things hanging from walls. 

2. Patch any holes with spackle- sand when dry. 

3. Vacuum, baseboards especially, to prevent brush/roller from getting dust and trapping in paint. Wash walls with Sodium Tri-phosphate if they are really greasy and dirty. I usually only use Murphy's oil soap to remove the worst of the handprints. 

4. Remove outlet and switch plate covers- put in ziplock bag so you don't lose screws. (If doing a bathroom- remove towel holders, TP holder, etc.)

5. Tape- if in a very tight space, tape door jam or other areas. If doing different colors on adjoining walls, tape at corner on wall that you aren't painting) tape along window casings, door jams, ceiling, and baseboard. If using the paint pad these aren't necessary unless there is no moulding at the ceiling. Try to really get the tape edges down flat- this will allow less seepage. I usually do 2-3 ft strips at a time, overlapping over the previous tape. 

6. Pour into roller pan- don't pour more than the sunken area full. Never paint right out of the can- you want to pour a little into another container rather than contaminate the paint. Plus the paint will get dried out- so a little into another container is the way to go. Pour (or scoop) some into edging container- once again a little is better so paint doesn't dry out and also prevents huge spills. 

7. Cut in with brush at corners, along taped in areas- do about 3-4 ft width at a time. If you haven't taped you can edge along baseboard and moulding quickly with a paint pad. Apply paint with a brush about 1/4 inch from guarded edge of paint pad. Put guarded edge up against the moulding/baseboard and slide along. The 1/4 inch gap keeps too much paint from seeping out beyond the guard. If you taped, apply paint with a brush into corners. If free edging (no tape) dip slanted brush into paint about 1/2 an inch. wipe off excess on side of container- trying to make brush edge more pointed- carefully place brush right at edge of area you want to paint and slowly drag along. This takes a steady hand so I recommend taping or a paint pad when possible. Only do about 3-4 ft widths so you can roll paint on still wet edges. 

8. Roll- saturate roller by dipping in paint and then rolling on angled area. Should be fairly evenly saturated without being dripping with paint. Apply to wall in a W, M, N motion.

 Then go back over to even out- starting at same edge (more paint there) and working back over. Don't over work the paint- you can actually start removing paint by overworking it. Reload and apply to area next to it. Try to keep a wet edge on the areas you are working on. Once you've filled in the area you've already edged, go back and edge another 3-4 ft. swatch. Work fast- this is where good music that gets you going is valuable. It's easier to do a second coat that try to get everything even the first time around- trust me, you'll have little missed spots no matter how well you think you covered everything. If roller is overloaded with paint, it will tend to slide along wall rather than roll- if this happens, roll onto a nearby area that doesn't have paint to take off some excess and roll over the "slide" again. Continue alternating edging and rolling until finished with first coat. 

9. Let dry- if you are going to do second coat soon or you just needed a break- wrap brushes and roller with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Cover roller pan (and edging container) with plastic wrap. 

10. Repeat process on 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) coat. I repainted this wall after sorting and organizing my boys' dressers-- it depends on the paint you used when you can recoat. 

When finished- 

*if you are just done for the day- place wrapped brushes and roller in freezer to further extend dry time. Let thaw about 1/2 hour before starting next painting session. Pour excess paint back into can. Toss roller pan liner once dry. (Replace with new one next session) 

*if you are done with painting. It's clean up time- pour excess paint back into can. Let remains dry in roller pan liner and then toss out (not worth cleaning.) Use plastic wrap to pull out roller cover- discard (again not worth time, effort, water necessary to clean) Clean off ends of roller handle- sometimes on next paint job this may bleed into new color. Clean brush (since you bought a quality one) with mild detergent and warm water. Let dry horizontally (or with bristles lower so ferrule doesn't rust) Clean out (or toss) edging container. Toss paint pad but clean off handle and guard for next time. Fold up tarp and save if paper/plastic combo. 

*Once paint is dry. Replace furniture, switch plate covers, etc. Enjoy your brand new room!!! 

Bathroom painting--- a little trick I figured out after getting that smaller napped skinny roller-- instead of removing toilet tank to paint behind it- encase toilet tank with a garbage bag (taping down at bottom)- the skinny roller usually fits between wall and tank- way less hassle than draining tank and removing!!!! Can't recommend this technique ENOUGH. LOL 

Painting new drywall- prime first! It will seal the drywall and joint compound- making paint go on more even (and you'll use less paint.) Have the paint store tint the primer to match the paint color you plan on using- it can save you additional coats needed to achieve the end results. 

Changing from one extreme to the other- like very light walls to dark saturated color- prime first (with primer tinted to match new wall color) primer gives better coverage and seals everything- so you'll have to do less coats of paint. 

I think that's it--- my brain is fried... I need a shower (worked out today-- yeah, me thinks I am putting on some weight because I haven't been exercising consistently.)