Lessons Learned

I hesitate to write about some things because I think it makes me look stupid. But my sister, who may not always know best, tells me I should view my public mistakes as encouragement for other women tackling DIY jobs. So here goes.

Since we were unable to find appropriate cabinet handles to fit the current screw holes, we opted to spray paint the old ones with shiny brass paint. (This was, of course, after checking to be sure they weren't real brass. Just brass-plated.) We did the proper preparation: cleaning, sanding, cleaning again, drying, and priming. I donned a pair of big rubber gloves, shook the can appropriately, then began to spray. Almost immediately, the paint came out in sputters, all over the newspaper and the handles. I shook some more. Same problem. I turned the can upside down and cleared the nozzle before trying again. Sputters everywhere. I thought we had a bad can of paint and was getting very angry. But I finally figured it out--because the gloves were really too big for my hand, there was a small, floppy fingertip that apparently kept getting in the way of the nozzle each time I pressed down. I removed the glove, tried again, and voila! Success. Of course, the handles looked so spotted by this time that I had to sand and reprime. But at least we figured out the problem.

So, if you're ever spray-painting, and you think you're a sputtering idiot, check your fingertips.