Good-Bye Avacado

You want to know what I did this weekend???

Come on, I know you do....It's very exciting!!!!!!!

I spent my weekend turning this:

into this:

This is how I did it. I bought a kit from http://www.liquidstainlesssteel.com/giani/products.html

It was so easy, and inexpensive, I was cursing myself for not doing it sooner. I have only hated our lovely-avacodo-60's-green countertops for the 7 years we have had our house. So when I found the site during my blog hopping, I was literally giddy with excitement. Let me tell you, I ordered the kit & was counting the hours until it was in my hands! $39.95 + $10 shipping = $50 and I have brand spankin new counters that look FAB!!!! (Ok, I don't want to break my arm patting myself on the back...or maybe I do.) I just cannot get over the transformation. And all in 3 days & for $50. I am one happy lady!!!

It is so easy, even my non crafty BFF LAURA can do it!

*Sorry, Laura, I let the cat out of the bag for the whole world to see. I love you, but crafty you are not :)*

Here is how you do it. The kit comes with:

• primer
• 3 mineral color paints
• sealer/clear coat
• paint roller (the best roller I have ever used)
• sponge
• foam paint brush
• instructional DVD

additional things you will need:

• paint tray - check
• kitchen cleaner/degreaser - check
• muscles - check
• patience - (I usually lack this, but I made an exception)
• ugly countertops that are in excellent shape - check
  

STEP 1: Clean your counters!

This took a good bit of muscle on my part. Because, let's face it, I don't regularly move my microwave & clean behind it. I know, disgusting...but out of sight, out of mind.

Here they are clean & green in all their glory!

STEP 2: Primer!

I was really impressed with how well the primer covered the hideousness of the green. And that was just 1 coat. I contemplated leaving them as is (***rolling my eyes at the very thought***) and Jarrett actually thought this was it.

STEP 3: Sponge on your colors!

I did exactly what the DVD said to do. Work in 3 foot sections sponging on your first color (light brown), 2nd color (goldish-tan), & 3rd color (white). The paint cans are actually numbered, this is why I say it is fool-proof! I allowed it to dry for 2 hours & then decided I needed it to be a little lighter. That was easy enough, I just put some more white on!

Sorry I didn't take any pictures from this step (my hands were filthy with paint & I didn't want to ruin my new camera that my Mommy bought me for my b-day).

Here is what it looked like with all 3 colors

STEP 4: Clear Coat/Sealer!

This is where patience comes in. You have to wait for your colors to dry completely. Put on your first coat of sealer & then wait 8 hours to put on the 2nd coat. And you have to allow 24 hours for the 2nd clear coat to dry before you can use your countertops again.

I really don't think I could be more happy with how they turned out. We were going to redo the countertops anyway. We were going to buy new ones, but then they would have a seam & it would cost a couple hundred bucks. This way I have the look of brand new countertops at a FRACTION of the cost & there are no seams! WOOT WOOT!!!

(Let's ignore the fact that I have no backsplash & that I have tried painting a few colors on the lovely wallpaper. The backsplash will come in due time & I'm pretty excited about that too!)

Let me know what you think, or if you are planning on trying this. I'm not going to get any additional compensation/goodies from the company - because I am not by any means an "endorser" (is that a word?) I just LOVE the product. And I am quite proud of myself!