Day 8 – Margo’s Handy Painting Gadgets!

It’s Day 8 of the Perfectly Reasonable Countdown!

Hi Everyone, Margo here! I’ve been painting for a few years now and thought I’d share some of my favourite gadgets. You can certainly paint without these (well, maybe not the brushes!) but they’ll make your painting job a little easier!

Paint can opener – such a small gadget but waaaaaay better than using a screw driver.

Green tape – if you’re not the cleanest of painters or a steady hand is not your strength, you can tape off the edge where you want to paint. Use green painters tape though so you don’t peel the paint off the surface and remove the tape before the paint dries or you’ll pull off the new paint with the tape. If you have too much paint on your brush the paint may still bleed under the edge of the tape so blot your brush before you paint.

Pour guard – handy, if I remember to use it!

Brushes – I buy 2 types of brushes – an angled brush for edging and a stubby one to paint the baseboards. I like a two inch angled brush made out of —–, but I usually paint with latex paint, not oil paint.

Tray liner – makes clean up sooooo much easier. And they’re pretty cheap (get them at the dollar store.)

Plastic edger – a long strip of plastic that you wiggle under the baseboard to protect the floor – much faster than taping it all.

Tarp – if you have a choice between plastic and canvas, choose canvas. It’s less slippery and reusable. Buy a big one so you don’t have to move it around as much.

Saran wrap – if you don’t quite get the job done or if you need a quick touch up the next day, it’s handy not to have to wash the brush. Just wrap it in saran and keep it in the fridge overnight. Pretty much an essential for busy parents too – cause you know as soon as you open the can of paint and dip the brush in, something will come up that needs your attention!

There you have it – paint like a pro! Join me tomorrow to meet Trace. He’ll be passing along interviewing tips!

If you’d like a chance to win beautiful cards from Cards by Karen (they are gorgeous!!), uniquely designed and LOC handcrafted earrings, a CPR keychain or a  4G USB flash drive sign up for my newsletter – Let’s e-talk – (or like my Author Facebook page) and your name will be entered to win!