Day 51: Haint Drawers

I forgot to take before photos, but I kind of have a couple on this older post. The above photos are some work in progress. Now, good for me! I sanded, primed, and painted all in one day! I even bought the materials today. This whole project costed about $32. $15 for the drawers from MCC Thrift Store, and $17 for painting supplies, sample size jar of Behr paint, and sample size of miss-tinted white paint. Ultimately, a good price for something that left me feeling really good, satisfied, and with a beautiful piece of furniture. 

I woke up this morning feeling really depressed, and it took me a while to get out of bed. Fortunately, I forced myself to get up before my husband left to go shoot some footage, otherwise I probably would have stayed in bed all day. Instead, I did get up, and then I played Skyrim, while drinking some tea and eating the second of two little dark chocolate bars that I got in my Christmas stocking (I was saving it for when I really needed it). When my husband got home, I kind of cried and then we went to Home Depot, and he bought me a hamburger. Such a good boy; he's learned to feed me when I'm not doing well. I like him. Home Depot was a successful trip. I'm really happy with the colour I chose (Balmy sea by Behr), and the result of the project is fantastic.

Isn't it lovely? Not to mention the benefit of doing something that was really productive. It made me feel a lot better. It's also a vast improvement from the wood grain. Which was okay... but this is much, much, better.

Now, to explain the colour. I learned recently that in the deep south (in the States), all those different blue-greens (particularly light ones) are called "Haint Blue". There's superstition that was passed down from African slaves during the 1800s, that there were ghosts called 'haints' (or haunts). These were the particularly nasty ones; definitely not the ones you want in your home. Now, like all ghosts, they had one weakness. They could not cross water. Those superstitious of these spirits would mix pigments of a watery shade and paint it over all of the entrances to their homes. Because the colour was so reminiscent of water, the haints would get confused and could not enter the home. This is why you see a lot of Victorian and historical homes in the south that have this colour painted over entrances and on shutters, and all about. While the colour I chose is not spot on, it still reminded me of it. Also, haint blue is what inspired me to paint my drawers in a shade other than black. Light greenish-blue is definitely a happier, calmer colour. And while it might not protect our home against malevolent spirits, it might do something for my textiles and art supplies. Now onto phase two. Organizing and narrowing down art supplies!