Saving the Vents (part 1)

Like all of the wood work, the previous owners painting the vents in bright colors with goupy paint. (Like seriously, at some point don't you think it is just silly, but I guess ya gotta use all the paint in the bucket...) here they are before:

To remove the paint I was hoping that sandblasting would be a quick method. The machine that I had access to cleaned up tarnished metal fine, but didn't take the paint off in any kind of hurry.

So Dad took them up to Uncle Don's metal shop and his sandblaster was much more effective! Here is a picture of them with the primer coat on:

I wanted them to be oil rubber bronze.  But hindsight is always 20/20.  If you are going this route I would recommend doing a base coat with a dark brown/black spray paint and do the final coat in the Oil rubbed bronze.  It is more expensive and one can didn't even fully cover these four vents.

Next step: buy more paint

Plant Buddies

After spending a bunch of time looking at plant charts, about what should and should not be planted next to each other, I had a layout plan. Such charts can be easily searched for.

But based on how some plants are purchased in multiples of 3 or 4 and this didn't necessary match with my plan it didn't really turn out exactly like the diagram. Here I put each plant in its approximate location to get a feel for the actual space.

And then dad helped my get them all planted.  Luckily we did this Sunday before more rain came.

Pallet planters

I acquired two pallets from work. I had hoped to get three but that didn't work, let's blame it on the weather, not me procrastinating.

I wanted to have four levels so I removed the center boards on each. These nails were pretty stubborn.  I tried out all on my favorite tools: the nail ripper, crow bars, a hammer. Eventually they came free.

I cut pieces of the black landscaping cloth and used a stapler to line each rung.

It is not a perfect thing as some of the front boards are higher than the back ones.

And then they got filled with dirt... I mean SOIL!

 

I got a few plants in fairly late on Sunday so I didn't take a picture due to bad light.  Since then it has been cloudy and raining. But that means the rain barrel is full! (and I don't have to water)

Lawn v food (Saturday morning)

Well the farmers market was kind of a bust, but I am back in the yard. The border is all in and I am filling the first bed.

Garden v Heather

I know, I know Rachel, sorry it has been rough.  One the whole garden things takes time, I only work on it when it is light out and then things happen, like helping Charlotte get her laser set up for sailing and then it rained one night this week. 

But the wobbly border is going up, Bryna and John are already talking about redoing it... with different materials, next year. The top soil got delivered.  

But I am still not done with the border.

SO there is lots of work left to do on it. And lots planned for this weekend, like going to the farmers market, building pallet planters, and so on.  

Lawn v Food (part 1)

I dug out the cement tiles that were in the back yard. According to the landscape experts in my life, they were not laid properly, this was not a surprise to any one.

I was left with a bare patch.

I staked out where the garden is going to be.  Realized there is a bit of sod to remove.

And I did a bit of experimenting with how to reuse the cement tiles.

Much, much more to come.

First Gallery Wall

On Saturday I needed a break from cleaning and mowing the lawn (after boat work) to do something fun.

So I hung up some pictures!

It was fun. But after looking at this picture, I probably should have just kept up the pick up and clean up.

Appeasing the Sister

Just for you Rachel.

And a view with the towel bar. This morning looking at it I am worried that despite my best efforts I am unsure if it is level.

But maybe the reason that I didn't do a close up of the left side is because I literally just cut some holes in it to make it work. When I make the real one I am hoping to get some grommets to make it have a more finished look.

But for now it is pretty awesome to have a real curtain in a very pretty bathroom.

Curtain and Light Fixture

I wanted a nautical shower curtain rod.  I am really excited for sailing season to start. So I whipped the ends of the rod with some poly line and installed horn cleats on the ceiling/wall to attach it.

To get the curtain to cover the angle I added two more cleats and tied loops on so that they can be moved for each shower.

Dad got the light fixture in the bathroom.  It is really starting to feel like a room!

New Page: Full Bath

it isn't complete.  But, 'complete,' what does that really mean?

Surprise Find

Last night John and I moved stuff around in the basement (Bryna was forced to work by herself on the bathroom). While moving scrap lumber, most to a new pile in the back yard, we made a great discovery:

not only do I have two mini 6-panel doors for the winter room there were two full sized 6-panel doors.  Now, I know one came off of the stairwell but I am not sure of where the other one came from....  It must have been on the kitchen?

and it gets better! 1. they do not have paint on them

2. they will fit on bedroom 1 and 2! (with minor modifications)

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prepare for Move In

I already live at my house, if that isn't apparent.  But by the end of the month John and Bryna are moving in. And Hugo, can’t forget the bunny.  They are already dropping stuff off!

So a lot of the work that is going to happen over the next two weeks is to get the house ready for three people to live there instead of just one, and boat work (Kellys ….). The basement needs to get organized, I need to get all of the stuff out of their bedroom, probably need to give it a good wipe down, need to drop a bunch of stuff at the Restore, make a Goodwill run, etc. So this stuff doesn’t make good pictures.

Grant it the toilet is in upstairs, and not leaking but I didn’t get a picture, maybe tonight.

I also need to figure some things out, like mowing my yard.

The next big project is to get the gardens in. Oh, and sailing season starts in like 10 days.

Medicine Cabinet

The old medicine cabinet that stuck out from the wall (so silly):

What we found during demolition: 

do you think that at one point there was a in wall medicine cabinet?

The contractor adjusted it so that a medicine cabinet could go into the wall, reducing the chance of bumping your head while brushing teeth.(yes this was a problem)

After dry wall it looked like this:

still a hole.  

As it would be easier to put the medicine cabinet in before the sink, I started the bathroom reassemble there. 

It went in fairly easy, though a bit awkward to hold and screw in.

and then the mirror just kind snaps in.

Poof! Now if only I was confident that the sink wasn't leaking...

Bamboo Floor

Apparently, I think that I tell everyone the plan, and then I don't.  In this case it was that the boards were all going to be at an angle, not square to the room.  In hind sight this is a lot more work. 

I roughed in part of the floor and then pulled it back out to put the underlayment down. 

And then, after many, many trips up and down the stairs, removing nails that didn't go all the way in and quite a few PBR's (between Bryna and I, not just me)  the floor was in. 

 

In other big news I showered in the new shower today, which is the first time I have shower in my house in the last 11 days. (don't worry I have been showering)