A Birthday Mural Entrance

Welcome to our

Grand Entryway

  Living in an older home, the entryway happens to be the front door, so I thought I'd showcase the entryway you see after coming through our front door in the basement.

 

When my Farmer found out he would be shipping out to Iraq in a month after we bought this farm,

he tried to tackle the most essential projects.  I suggested that the stairway be given new steps so that I would not disappear beneath them one day when they gave out.  They were in BAD shape.

He did a beautiful job!

I then stained them to match; he used wood that his uncle had cut and made into boards at his wood mill.

A few of the steps were made from cherry wood.

While he was away, I decided that I would attempt to do something with the stairway for his birthday present.  What else can you give someone who is continents away?

The walls on this stairway were layered with different eras of wallpaper; 

the plaster was bulging and awkward.

  When I tried to remove the wallpaper from the ancient walls, the walls themselves just came off with the paper, so I had to find an alternative.

  I patched and then began the task of the mural.

I'd never done a mural before.  It was daunting,

but I knew I had lots of time,

and if I didn't like it, I could just paint over it and try again,

which I must admit that I had to do once...

or twice.

This table was bubblegum pink;

my aunt had rescued it from the dump, and it fit the spot at the bottom of the stairs perfectly,

so it got stripped, sanded, and repainted

when I needed a break from the mural.

It was good practice for the mural.

The floor,

which was just a cement one,

got a coat of off-white paint.

This proved a miserable mistake on a farm,

with scuffing boots,

the constant appearance of hay,

and that other dreaded thing that cows do.

So I tackled it with a sponge and now the "bricks" hide most of the 

farm stuff,

until I can get it cleaned up.

Going up the steps, this is what you see on the right side.

I guess you can tell which steps are cherry,

if you look for them.

The bridge.

I was going to give you some marriage metaphors,

but I'm too tired.

I can't think of any tonight.

So it's just,

"the bridge."

If you look at the backs of the stairs close enough,

you can see the decades of toe-kicking they have gotten as people have gone up them.

The realtor said the steps were original.  I'm not sure if it's true, but the condition of them when we bought the place sure made me believe it.

There's some kind of mess going on where the walls meet the ceilings.

I'm not a carpenter, so I grew a tree there instead...

and added some in the background

as well as a pasture.

Look at the old railing.  It looks like it could be original to the building date of 1850.

 

It's a neat one...

and REALLY long!

I spy a cherry stair

and the one above it still has bark on the outer edge.

I love touches of imperfection and occasional pieces of nature.

This mill was one I saw in a painting magazine and liked.

It took me some work.

I forget how many hours I spent on the whole mural.

It was alot.

Probably somewhere around 15.

My little sister was living with me while my Farmer was away,

and she watched movies in the evening while I painted.
Having her live with me made it bearable
and we had fun.

It still reminds me of that time when I look at it.

It was a fun project that I did when I had a lot of time

waiting for my Farmer to come home.

linked to Redoux: Linky Party
Coastal Charm: Thrifty Nifty Tuesday

also linked to Remodelaholic

and to Miss Mustard Seed
and to Finding Fabulous: Frugalicious Friday

House of Grace: Twice Owned Tuesday
Domestically Speaking
Kelly's Korner
Household 6 Diva: Foto-Friday - Stairs