The heavy popcorn ceiling in the guest bathroom had been painted over - heavily - with water-resistant paint. Probably Kilz, or something like it. The obnoxious concrete-like granules tore at my knuckles and refused to be scraped loose.

So, a few YouTube videos later, I decided to try my hand at coating over the popcorn with drywall compound. I was feeling pretty okay about my initial attempts. (See the smooth-ish area over the window?) Then life got in the way… and this is how it has looked ever since.

Then Rosemary showed me her beautiful newly popcorn-free ceiling. Knowing I could stare at this eyesore for a few more years, or throw a few hundred bucks at the problem and have it done in a couple days… done.

First coat… um… WAY better than my sorry attempt:

Coated, sanded, painted. Popcorn BE GONE!