Serene Green Stream

I love being around the water. A lake, a river, a stream--even a full bathtub relaxes me. I finally have my serene water wallpaper for my PC. I also have the high-res image posted on Flickr.

Can you find the fish? See the high-res image for more details.

I took this picture at Chartres, France. A gentle stream meanders through this ancient town. I enjoy this picture because it shows off my favorite features of water: the translucent colors, sunlight dancing through the bed and reflecting across the surface and deep, cool shadows. The swaying vegetation provides cover for small fish. The water invites us to slow down and take in this timeless scene.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Art Room Project - Begin the Finish

This is the eleventh post in my Art Room Project series. Find the Table of Contents at the first post, Getting Started.

The Finish

From my original plans, I knew I wanted a 2-tone look to my cabinets and desk. I stained all the doors, drawer fronts and desk top and painted the rest. The trick was finding the right 2 color stain/paint combo. I wanted it to be a classic style, but not too dark.

The big lesson learned with this step was patience. For a good finish, there are many steps, and each step is important.

Painting

Painting the shell

We chose a taupe color for the cabinets. The painting was fairly easy: 2 coats of primer, sanding between coats. 2 coats of paint. With the coats of primer and proper sanding, the final product was a smooth and durable finish.

Another extra step was to put a coat of Polyurethane inside the drawers and cabinets. Most skip this step, but since all sort of paint, glue and other things will be thrown around in this room, a little extra protection helps.