A Little Spray Paint Goes a Long Way

Many times, I've purchased things with the intent of painting them. 

Sometimes I do, if I'm very desperate. For instance, the "etc" sign below and the blue frame, originally wooden and baby pink, respectively. But I used what I had, which was always acrylic craft paint - great, but not really great for the task.

It wasn't that I was scared of spray paint, but that I forgot to buy it and then didn't want to go back to the store. 

So when I made my gallery wall, I wanted the majority of the frames to be the same color, and decided on black. It seemed like a basic first color of spray paint, so I went to the store with one thing in mind: spray paint. I spent forever picking one out, because while I was there, I remembered a lamp base I bought three years ago with the intention to paint it, and three years was long enough.

So I got these - a basic matte black and a glossy light blue that was said to work on glass, which I needed for my lamp base.

Since it was my first time spray painting (on my own - I've helped people before), I took pictures.

While at the store, I didn't think to purchase painter's tape, or anything that would work, so I used what I had (see a pattern?) and taped off my lamp with scotch tape.

 I sprayed mostly even coats, but it looks drippy in the picture. It was difficult to get the paint even, because of the shape. the frames were a no-brainer and done really quickly but I didn't take their picture since they weren't a pretty blue.

Here's the finished product, which lives on my nighttable with this happy Target clearance lampshade. I didn't notice when I took this picture, but yep, the lampshade is lopsided.

I would say that my first spray painting adventure was a success, however I learned two things:
1- I didn't know that spray painting was a fever and that I'd want to paint everything in sight. I began to size up my dining room chairs and the rocking chair in the living room after this.

2 - my hand and forearm were strained because of painting! I don't know how I did it, but I feel like I pulled something or hit a nerve or something doing this - I was in so much pain for five days after this! (but I would still do it again)