Renovation progress September

The garage is finally being framed. This will forever change the elevation of the house. 

The contractor called and said do you want Hardiboard siding (easier to care for) or do you want me to match the siding of the house? I most definitely want to match the house! 

Do you want a window on either side of the garage or both on the southern side? Do you want them spread apart or set together? 

Do you want the entry door to the left or in the center? 

Decisions were made. 

I am trying to transform this old builtin into a linen shelf for the master bath. 

It was sitting in the garage, collecting dirt for longer than we have been here. I asked the original owner about using it for our new house. They were quite agreeable, as they have no place for a lot of these old things. 

I've always known it was a builtin, as it abruptly ends on the left side, while the right side is wrapped with beautiful moldings. It will fit nicely in the new location.

Oops! I finally pull out the bottom portion and start scrubbing and sanding, and it is NOT FINISHED on the right end! What????

It seems, that the top is a left side built in and the bottom is a right side built in, and they must have been salvaged from a matching pair. 

Oh no! 

I measure. And study. And figure. 

I cannot afford to take any of the width from the left side bottom, so it will NOT sit flush on the wall like the top. Well, that's forgivable. I may add a piece of trim vertically down the side to avoid a gap. But, the right side is not finished. If I finish it, I run the risk of not matching it to the original piece. That is the side that will face the bathroom. It will be the most seen. 

Hmm. 

What if I use a small piece of the baseboard from the house? And I cut a piece of this faux tin to set in the unfinished part? Will it look tacky? Or Authentic? 

This will all have to be answered later. We will see! 

Meanwhile here are the sinks, set into the vanity and the shower now has a splash guard. 

Hoping for a solid date soon! 

First (well second) oil

Well, here is day 2. I don't know if I like it or not. It is not what I saw in my head, or what I planned. 

I did want gloppy, so I went and bought extra tubes of white, and a pallet knife. 

I do like this portion. The white and yellow and grey are sort of the goal I had in mind. 

The middle portion is where I left the road altogether! I think I worked it too much. Every time I took a photo I saw something else uncomfortable. Finally I just stopped. 

I like the bottom okay. It was what I painted first. I liked it immediately, moved on to other stuff, and resisted going back. 

Overall a "C", maybe a low "B"

Try, try again

HAHAHAHA! I need more 3 yo lessons! 

After royally screwing this up, I wiped and wiped until not much is left. We'll consider this the background for try number 2. 

Abstract oils

So, I need a couple of pieces of art to go in the new house. I love abstracts, but cannot loosen up enough to paint abstracts that I like. I looked up some interesting techniques online, bought some canvases, and a cheap set of oil paints. I have never painted with oil so this should be quite entertaining. A friend said, "I hope you blog it." So here it is! 

After hours of thumbing through Pinterest, here are the things I have isolated as inspiration...

These two represent the shape of things to come. Tall and skinny, abstract, greyish. 

Now these three are a little more than shape. They represent (loosely) the subject matter. The sun, the water with possibly an object in it, and the foreground shoreline. I like the colors of the top and bottom one.....and less of the colors in he center one. Keep it loose, Julie. You're starting to tighten up, and you haven't even unwrapped the canvas. 

The top one is serene and the bottom two show more movement....what else before I get started? I think I'll go back and watch the three year old paint with cardboard again before I get up the nerve. 

Not Better Homes and Gardens

I don't know if I mentioned this, but before this one, I have never attempted a major renovation. Even before we got married, Dear Hubby always vetoed any potential house that needed work. I always was attracted to the old, ragged houses with "great bones". I wonder now, if that's just not my personality type, always trying to save things, people...well, anything but money! 

Anyway...

How I imagined a Reno would happen and how it actually happens are somehow very far apart! When I met with the contractor, after his visiting the house and listening to my scheme, I mean plan, he listed out the estimated price for each item or job. We haggled a bit. I compromised several things, and he allowed me to DIY some others, so we took a good 10K off the estimate. Then I asked, when do I get to show you my design choices. He looked a me a bit funny. See, I thought we'd sit down and I could show him all the pretty things I wanted; faucets, tile, trim, light fixtures, doors, etc. and then he would just go magically put them in my house. Not how that works. Each different profession comes in on a schedule and as things are completed the contractor asks about specific choices. This relieves him of having to keep track. And, as I have also noticed, leaves me free to change my mind as the job progresses.  

I agreed to do project and construction cleanup and painting the interior of the the house, to save money. I know now, I should have just paid the man. In my limited little brain, I thought after everything was done we would spend a week cleaning up and painting. That is so not the case. The cleanup is continual, and moves from room to room in the house. Now don't get me wrong, these guys are very conscientious about what they do, but the volumn of stuff that can come out of one little house is HUGE! Also to save money, we are using our own hydraulic dump trailer instead of a construction dumpster. This means a weekly or biweekly trip to the dump with my Dad, brother or a nephew. It is not a clean job. Then the painting. Some of the painting has to be done pre-install of fixtures such as toilets and vanities, and some will have to wait for the wall to materialize first. This means a gob of painting supplies just hanging around in a pile somewhere. It gets moved around, along with the extra lumber for baseboard and trim, drywall, doors and other miscellaneous materials. 

As we get near a time that we can begin to move things in, I realize there will not be a Better Homes And Garden moment. You, know, on HGTV when the camera pans to the designer placing the last vase of fresh cut flowers in the center of the table and the owners come in and gush over the fantastical place that is now their home? Yea, no. That is not going to happen. 

We are going to trickle the furniture in, maybe room by room as we finish painting the trim. Piles of boxes are going to sit around for decades until I unpack them and find a place for each piece of unwanted, unused, ugly China. 

If I do float around in a flowy white gown, in my perfectly polished, recently renovated home, you can rest assured that I have had too much wine, and it's just a part of my fantasy. 

Renovation progress

I know, it seems I have been lazing around, watching soap operas and eating Bon bons. Nothing seemed to happen for so long, no changes to take pictures of, only boring stuff like plumbing and wiring. But NOW! Look at the this wall! 

Look at these door frames! And Doors! These doors are actually different from the original part of the house, but from the same general era. At this point I have to go back to my plans and  design from the beginning, and check myself. I am just picking what I like and ignoring the overall design plan. The problem with that is, I like MOST everything. In a warehouse full of old doors, I like them all. When asked what finish for fixtures, I like satin nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, chrome and some brass. Styles? Old fashioned, modern, rustic, sophisticated....yep. I like 'em all. 

Now the shower is almost done! I have spent too much money, so the beautiful glass panel will have to wait. I am patient. I will get creative and find a cool way to make a shower curtain look good in the meantime. 

The vanity is built! Yes, that is a very modern shower and about as rustic as you can get for the vanity! What the heck is she doing????

Well. There is a plan. I hope I can focus well and long enough to actually execute the plan. The *trend* right now is indeed "modern rustic" and I happen to like it. It speaks to what I have always seen as my split-brain personality. I am a country girl, born and bred. But I love and understand a small amount of sophistication, modernism, if you will. I am aiming at that style, but with a side of Julie, if you please. 

The floors are in! I have thought through and made sure that once I tire of that trend it will be easy enough to change. In the far, far future (I hope). So the basic color and style of the permanent things are pretty neutral and plain. The shower has very little "accent" tiles, the floors go well with most any color. And the rest, light fixtures, vanities, paint color can be changed out if and when necessary. 

Everything happened in a whirlwind, or so it seemed. Now I have to go clean and paint so they can put it all together. 

Of course, then we still have the garage, so can't get too excited yet. 

Also, next week my class schedule will TRIPLE. Let's see how we handle a little pressure. We will need the money, since the small bathroom is getting a surprise makeover. The floor was removed to replace plumbing and a partial joist. Rot was found in the walls as well, so....new walls, tile, flooring, and toilet. Yay! 

My Fair Lady

It's opening night! I can still see Kailin come on stage singing this song, in The Producers. The excitement builds, it's finally here! 

Tonight my little fair lady, Jessica, will be Eliza Doolittle. It's her first true leading role. Sure, she was Eponine in Les Miz and Johanna in Sweeney Todd, but....

She idolizes Julie Andrews. She has been watching My Fair Lady, the movie with Audrey Hepburn since she could talk. Along with other classic musicals from that era...Sound of Music, Music Man, etc. This is really a dream role for her. Plus, the costumes, oh my! Two extremely talented ladies have made custom gowns fit perfectly, just for her. Studio photography sessions, features in the local paper no less than THREE times. I'm gonna have to tie a string to her toe, to keep her on earth. 

Months of rehearsals, agonizing over forgotten lines and missed notes, she has worked quite hard for this. My absolute proudest moment was not when she flawlessly delivered that note at the end of "I Could've Danced All Night". No, it was actually a week or two ago, at the first dress rehearsal. 

The stage manager came to me and said how proud I must be. I said yes, of course I am. She then proceeded to tell me that Jessi was the most down to earth, humble leading lady she had worked with. She behaved as just another part of the team. When the director told me that her behavior and attitude were impeccable, well....that was the proudest moment. 

I have the job of making sure she gets zipped up into each gown as she goes from scene to lovely scene. Here are some shots from opening night, via her tiny dressing room. 

She received so many flowers she couldn't carry them all. 

LOVERLY. 

Every episode!

In EVERY home makeover episode, whether it be Propety Brothers, Love it or List it, Fixer Upper...every one, I tell you, has the set back. You know, "I'm gonna have to call the homeowner and they will have to spend more money on this." There is some unexpected expense and it's going to cut into the budget. It's the formula for the "reality TV" because in actual (I feel funny saying that) reality, this is what happens. 

When Dad and I pulled the wood siding off where the garage will go, we found winged creatures and this! OH NO! And some more rotten wood and more winged creatures. The rest of my day was a see-saw. 

No worries- the seller provided a termite bond, I'll call them. 

Oh no! Those aren't termites, they're carpenter ants, we don't cover those. 

No worries-the manager will come over and take a look. 

Oh no! We won't cover damage.

Back and forth all day long....

Final answer, house is treated for termites and carpenter ants. I have to pull damaged areas and repair (I was gonna do that anyway), and you don't have a wooden house without pest control. It's just not smart. 

On to the next set back....

OH NO, it's the set back! Now, AFTER we called planning and zoning, after the contractor said yes, we can do that, after the bank loaned us money to do that, the surveyor says the set back (easement) on our particular property is further because we are on a corner lot. Our proposed garage will not fit! 

Well, that is a set back indeed. 

We are in the process of pleading our case with the planning and zoning committee. We have staked out the garage and took photos from the street to show that the garage would not impede vision of the intersection from a car. What does impede the vision is the giant, magnificent oak tree that is technically their property.

I wonder what they are going to do. 

Find out in the next episode of..."LOCO RENO" ! 

Coffee table

This is a butcher block that has been sitting on Mom and Dads porch since I don't know when. My Dads parents had a grocery store here at Crandall, many years ago. 

It was a Gulf station on US Highway 17, before there was an interstate 95. Here my grandad and his brother are standing out front. It was also a diner, general store, and smokehouse. They sold and bartered many things. 

Back to the table...

You can see from the photo it has been used, a bit. One of the legs was half the length of the others. Plus sitting at the edge of the porch as a catch all for at least 40 years, it has taken a toll. 

Dad showed me how to use his ancient grinder. I sanded and sanded. Then I pressure washed it. Then we flipped it over. I think it weighs about 300-350 pounds. 

Then I learned how to use his ancient circular saw. I measured and cut the legs off. I was going to replace them with some adorable little button feet I found. When I pulled the first leg off it was attached in such a cool way, I just left them. I wish I had taken a picture. There was a peg of sorts, about 3 inches wide at the end of the leg, that went into a hole, that I presume was exactly the same size as the peg. The peg, however, had a rim about halfway that was a tiny bit bigger. This is what holds them on so tightly. 

I have applied several coats of wax since this photo. But, here, for what it's worth, is my new coffee table. Dad thinks I have lost my mind. I like it. 

May 21

There will be much tylonol taken tonight. Demo day one is done. The bathroom is demolished with the exception of a few floor tiles. The carpets removed, and several trees also. The plants have been dug up where the garage will go. They will be transplanted tomorrow. There are many sore muscles.

Before

And

After...

Or after the before, as the actual after will come much later. 

I am tired. 

May 20

I helped my mom sand and stain her dining room set when I was somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 years old. Now, that table has been through a lot! We were a very small working farm, even though both parents worked full time, and my mom managed to also obtain a college degree in her spare time. When we butchered a hog or cow, all the meat would be wrapped and labeled on that table. It served as her pattern cutting table for sewing many, many garments and quilts. Many people gathered around it for regular meals, and for preparing said meals. Canning, crafts, drinking coffee, and conversations were carried out there in my parents dining room. We were a rough crowd. The chairs gave out before I was 10, my dad found a guy around Waldo that made some super sturdy ones to replace the originals. I missed the delicate curved feet and arms of the first ones. I forgot to mention, it was her mother's set, so it was old when she got it in 1971. 

After Mom passed I took the set home with me. I never had a thought that they look so worn. To me, they were just familiar. I could tell you what happened to cause most of the chinks, scratches, and worn spots. 

Now with the new house comes the irrististable urge to redefine our style to match the new house. Oh, Pinterest is just evil! It makes you want all things new and different! 

The new house is such a cute {{little}} cottage, that I'm not even sure how I'm going to fit everything in it! The dining room has that adorable builtin, that I cannot bring myself to pull out. So, the buffet or the china cabinet will almost have to go on a wall in the living room. 

This picture from Pinterest is my inspiration, though I want grey with a touch of yellow (more on that choice later). 

Here's what I have so far....

I sanded and sanded and sanded. Then I gave up and bought a chemical stripper. Then I sanded some more. I used a stain called weathered grey, the a coat of extra thick polyurethane with a Matt finish. 

I like it. I still have two pieces to go! 

The chairs I left at Dad's house. He likes them and I don't. Up until now I have had these giant rattan chairs that don't match, but are very comfortable. 

I found these are the Pickers Market in Fernandina, six chairs plus a table (just like mine, but painted light grey) for the amazing price of $95! Well, how cute are they? They also determined my zinger color. One of the ladies that works at the Market wanted the table, I sold it to her for $25. So six nice chairs for $70! Wow! This is gonna look great, you just wait!