Fast Fireplace Fix...Part 2

I hope you check out Part 1 to see what disgust I was dealing with.  Hello 1983! Updating the fireplace was so easy.  It was complete within a couple of hours.  The after pictures don't show how great it really looks.  It's a beautiful matte paint and will be very easy to touch up should any scratches happen.  I also sprayed the screens to make them look tip-top.  It looks brand new!

 

After posting this I can see some spots that need a touch up that were not visible otherwise.  Gee, thanks for the compliments camera!

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I used Rust-oleum's High-Heat spray paint.  The color used was Bar-B-Que Black.  It's safe up to 1200°.  Let's hope our fireplace doesn't reach anywhere near that temperature.  You will find that using a trigger attachment when spray painting will relieve the stress on your pointer finger.  I know you've abused your finger...what did it ever do to you?

What recent updates have you done that are quick and effective?

Linking to

Fast Fireplace Fix...Part 1

Since  Mr. Study is opposed to me taking a jackhammer to our fireplace (I can't see why), I had to get creative. While the fireplace has never been a top priority I knew I could change one thing real quick with a can of spray paint. Enter 1983 fireplace!
 

Holy yuck!  I've never liked this look, who does?!  The four vents on the sides are supposed to work as fans and blow out hot air when the fire place is going. Yes, the fans blow.  But they have about as much forced air as your whistler does.  Something was engineered all wrong! While there is no quick fix for that.  I did get rid of 1983.

First I covered the area with paper to avoid spraying the brick and glass. Thank you Martha for the great magazine.

Then I built a tent.  To avoid black overspray on everything in the vicinity I created a spray booth...kind of.  It worked for the first bit, but was tricky.  I had to cut some slits in the plastic to allow my hand to slip in and spray.  Let's just say I should have worn a glove.  Eventually I had to remove the tent and spray with wild abandon to get an even coat.

Stay tuned for the finished look!

My 9/11

The term 9/11 needs no explanation.  It needs no long story.  Everyone will remember something about that day.  For me, I was 17 years old and being homeschooled as a senior in high school.  My mom had started making a birthday breakfast for my younger sister.  I went to turn on the news.  The first image I saw was the first tower burning.  I thought it was a trailer for a new movie, until I saw the word "live" etched in the corner of the screen.  Our family gathered in the living room in disbelief.  I vividly remember my Pops saying, "that has to be the work of Osama bin Laden.  Remember his attack against the USS Cole?"  He could not have been more right. 

Our worlds changed after that day. Not only in the predictable ways, but in a sense that Americans have a greater pride for their country, for their flag, for their military. I can barely get through hearing the national anthem without my eyes welling with tears, I have a continual heart of thanksgiving for our service men and women who sacrifice everything they have, and my heart bursts with pride at the sight of the American flag.

Thank you to many friends and family in the military.  A special thank you to my sister who is currently serving in Saudi Arabia after a tour of duty in Afghanistan. I'm so proud of her!