tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61426154109898442972024-03-13T19:35:09.812-04:00Plain Jane VictorianAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-27672983686938931462014-01-04T18:20:00.001-05:002014-01-04T18:21:43.015-05:00Chambers Stove LoveI love the look of vintage appliances - and I've always been sad that I couldn't reasonably keep using my<a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2009/10/biggest-refrigerator-ever.html"> vintage refrigerator in my kitchen</a>. I don't even remember what started my Chambers obsession last year. But I decided I wanted one and I wanted one BAD. <br />
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Late last winter, and I had just gotten a bonus from work. I was going to use it to pay for a restored stove, but then had to use most of that money to pay for taxes. Boo. But every time I looked at information on the stoves, I kept thinking, that looks so uncomplicated - I could totally do it. And what I couldn't do, my hotrodding husband could help me do. A stove is WAY less complicated than a car.<br />
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So we purchased this one off Craigslist:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcH8j6pqVqHkzdFadul1eFgIyx-ZleiCYWJ8EBnMFpCa5YPfsfiyUtAMdcpVMgLN76zrIevSrDn55kD2qV6n54RG-x2IujXM4EXOAr7hxkN2e0TrYjdH1k1pMFCJjS4lgOJErzlLWfaI/s1600/chambers+reno+-+1st+stove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcH8j6pqVqHkzdFadul1eFgIyx-ZleiCYWJ8EBnMFpCa5YPfsfiyUtAMdcpVMgLN76zrIevSrDn55kD2qV6n54RG-x2IujXM4EXOAr7hxkN2e0TrYjdH1k1pMFCJjS4lgOJErzlLWfaI/s1600/chambers+reno+-+1st+stove.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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but it wasn't quite the one I wanted - I had to have a Chrome top (this one was a black porcelain)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5Ho0-in1pOecWtlJfc6eaEVEKfHDG2Bp1_FeevHfTiI7qCqpgQrLxM9dABSrIH-tqd5ST1kq3gXPd9iIT9ha1iRn6PskYMyiiPNgH1CiernOfoBrghF20msGK5hrWAWhvcSnv28IEmg/s1600/P3023931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5Ho0-in1pOecWtlJfc6eaEVEKfHDG2Bp1_FeevHfTiI7qCqpgQrLxM9dABSrIH-tqd5ST1kq3gXPd9iIT9ha1iRn6PskYMyiiPNgH1CiernOfoBrghF20msGK5hrWAWhvcSnv28IEmg/s1600/P3023931.JPG" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
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and I wasn't thrilled with the low back. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy_CAER8FHrrWxXYrL6mn0aAFo4c4-uaPTT-0cwiAZW3Tde5R0IugorayXlmy9APn7Af7YI4ypD2gP72WLwY6kD4YJbA-_EB1Wr8JoD4-iJmqrHPcCtXiHRosxBcvwoO3uWyjc4p_8Q0/s1600/P3023925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUy_CAER8FHrrWxXYrL6mn0aAFo4c4-uaPTT-0cwiAZW3Tde5R0IugorayXlmy9APn7Af7YI4ypD2gP72WLwY6kD4YJbA-_EB1Wr8JoD4-iJmqrHPcCtXiHRosxBcvwoO3uWyjc4p_8Q0/s1600/P3023925.JPG" height="235" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWKe9tlY967IWL5pTmHKbFXCSvadjCOlwyaNySqHFbdC6fZ86mkoOQYgQVa6xXkG2yhZPISxCfNIfJs6UCHJMSTS0Edx3V-YeFNIiYxNd_G9LigVKo6v5KWz-JdrS9NdfEFjFm_BjZaI/s1600/P3023926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWKe9tlY967IWL5pTmHKbFXCSvadjCOlwyaNySqHFbdC6fZ86mkoOQYgQVa6xXkG2yhZPISxCfNIfJs6UCHJMSTS0Edx3V-YeFNIiYxNd_G9LigVKo6v5KWz-JdrS9NdfEFjFm_BjZaI/s1600/P3023926.JPG" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
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And the griddle was a piece of work (apparently according to the previous owner, the woman he got it from was a bit of a drunk, and would forget when her stove was on)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Qnp7aRKEb8/UTQkN9cdYKI/AAAAAAAADSI/2Amscfx9fEE/s1600/P3023928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Qnp7aRKEb8/UTQkN9cdYKI/AAAAAAAADSI/2Amscfx9fEE/s1600/P3023928.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjR_ca5ZyhI/UTQkXZsE9YI/AAAAAAAADUI/q_hiXOzzg8I/s1600/P3023944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjR_ca5ZyhI/UTQkXZsE9YI/AAAAAAAADUI/q_hiXOzzg8I/s1600/P3023944.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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But the stove itself was in pretty good condition. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwljAQ1xmN4/UTQkKzOh5FI/AAAAAAAADRY/t8xiwFSYToY/s1600/P3023920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwljAQ1xmN4/UTQkKzOh5FI/AAAAAAAADRY/t8xiwFSYToY/s1600/P3023920.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I stewed about it a bit and kept checking Craigslist & eBay.<br />
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Then Jim found another one on Craigslist. It was super cheap ($50), but didn't include a picture. We found out it was a "Silverlight B" with a high back and went over to swipe it up that day.<br />
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This is what a restored Silverlight B looks like:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomEClWtkZ-92bSwjKUyUhRuPCfzbiaFBi-bafhpWyKK-OqN88i9FupQtu6OuvxilEmUzbFmmvNYpEr8UNmQSKRSEJYjmnlnchsD69qoMkMVieMglt_emQeXNecdCb84rKDYC7__iAbW0/s1600/chambers+B+restoration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomEClWtkZ-92bSwjKUyUhRuPCfzbiaFBi-bafhpWyKK-OqN88i9FupQtu6OuvxilEmUzbFmmvNYpEr8UNmQSKRSEJYjmnlnchsD69qoMkMVieMglt_emQeXNecdCb84rKDYC7__iAbW0/s1600/chambers+B+restoration.jpg" height="320" width="271" /></a></div>
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Source: <a data-element-type="27" href="http://chambers.mgbotanicals.com/chambers1.html" rel="nofollow" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #444444; display: inline !important; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, 'ヒラギノ角ゴ Pro W3', 'Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro', メイリオ, Meiryo, 'MS Pゴシック', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.329412) 1px 1px 0px;">chambers.mgbotanicals.com</a></div>
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Ironically, as a side note, we had spent the day watching the marathon as it runs a block away from our house, and it was while we were driving to pick up the stove that we found out about the marathon bombings. That is why I distinctly remember this stove was purchased in April.<br />
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For some reason, I failed to take any pictures of this purchase until I started taking it apart. Could have been the marathon bombing craziness.<br />
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But this stove had everything I wanted in a Silverlight B -<br />
-Chrome top<br />
-high back<br />
-Chrome top<br />
-thermowell<br />
-Chrome top<br />
Did I mention Chrome Top?<br />
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The stove even had the highly sought after red cloisonne knobs (just like the ones in the picture above), which in and of themselves were worth the $50. This stove was a little more rusty and beat up, but we should be able to combine the two to make one good one.<br />
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Most of the pictures I have of the stove are ones that I took while taking it apart so that I would remember how to put it together again. And those are thrilling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J3W2IAeGHAfaHTwWZ3ZtJv3allhbaHawRDIvtFfEvIRCraI1_Ty7DF9Rp2SHTC0RsLUV9-LVZd2fSDT0_5EzucRkJG-kqAS_VQnQN_LCA9SVpVGd3MknmKYmkUmWZsl4DRb0qfQNta0/s1600/P4294637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J3W2IAeGHAfaHTwWZ3ZtJv3allhbaHawRDIvtFfEvIRCraI1_Ty7DF9Rp2SHTC0RsLUV9-LVZd2fSDT0_5EzucRkJG-kqAS_VQnQN_LCA9SVpVGd3MknmKYmkUmWZsl4DRb0qfQNta0/s1600/P4294637.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzttbG_jIA0T5BAJ-3sPRygDpYjElQwKNZG-KjiFMEMx91ObXo1Pu8_Dwes-orSSeZmrIwwXDmYC5lQjw2b46NIMUj7_0CHS81Dg-s7f3oW0vmE77jaNUTdgShAemXWER0zjX-HpNr3A/s1600/P4294645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzttbG_jIA0T5BAJ-3sPRygDpYjElQwKNZG-KjiFMEMx91ObXo1Pu8_Dwes-orSSeZmrIwwXDmYC5lQjw2b46NIMUj7_0CHS81Dg-s7f3oW0vmE77jaNUTdgShAemXWER0zjX-HpNr3A/s1600/P4294645.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF82u8kcIEhq7C4sP9JH6N-yPDLAg3h9obxde7Xk3NX132IwIrrwIknhAUU4I0lo1wgbQCGTNEnfHSZRtMrAfLm6pHlZSQZN6ZJQol5cN0S79s97b61eoOrXWBGMNDJZlXLawzPcj2vE/s1600/P5264981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF82u8kcIEhq7C4sP9JH6N-yPDLAg3h9obxde7Xk3NX132IwIrrwIknhAUU4I0lo1wgbQCGTNEnfHSZRtMrAfLm6pHlZSQZN6ZJQol5cN0S79s97b61eoOrXWBGMNDJZlXLawzPcj2vE/s1600/P5264981.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjploQzHzRJcUMZHHB0rmB73qSrLi7GXfuDK3GYYW_yzhowPE_DMHOOhTeR8mLmdD2N0f4hOArW2DR5oqxjWeAYTcgeX7-g-Ds1JkcrPanqCBRoRiHnpkwWD-7mmhUxVttZS3_BGHKbs58/s1600/P5274993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjploQzHzRJcUMZHHB0rmB73qSrLi7GXfuDK3GYYW_yzhowPE_DMHOOhTeR8mLmdD2N0f4hOArW2DR5oqxjWeAYTcgeX7-g-Ds1JkcrPanqCBRoRiHnpkwWD-7mmhUxVttZS3_BGHKbs58/s1600/P5274993.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkhXpn_y5_jrVy1-652RVtsuUKFrFuu1AXXRZBiwwFvygh2sdBikebSUwxUIM-CI0eM4J100z__pIwJBS-9mrM__4YauqjINbbH-3jvl2yd0JWbKpi2_Bb5ky6xbyCkRcpDuIgf3o-nM/s1600/PA116203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkhXpn_y5_jrVy1-652RVtsuUKFrFuu1AXXRZBiwwFvygh2sdBikebSUwxUIM-CI0eM4J100z__pIwJBS-9mrM__4YauqjINbbH-3jvl2yd0JWbKpi2_Bb5ky6xbyCkRcpDuIgf3o-nM/s1600/PA116203.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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At this point, all of one stove and most of the other stove has been taken apart. I've cleaned up most of the 60 years of grease, the chrome parts have been replated (oh, it is pretty), the burners and gas valves have been all shined up, and I'm in process of repainting the body and reassembling the burner knob mechanism with all new stainless steel springs and screws.<br />
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I've been working on this at a snails pace. I am definitely as slow as molasses. I actually planned to work on it over Christmas break, but it's been below 10 degrees and the garage isn't heated, so forget it.<br />
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Here's the pretty chrome top:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4HIBXmev78GE3U8L_HmtX3eK-vT-jxQNAQy98T7vXW_dJ8g5leMZ3zscMJGLgSZESyDWkPP8dWUNZ7ayN60PBMCXbyGdwvuCMCBtxdw_tTBd29Cs_Vl-S8DdnsE6L73VJ14oTd4ORqY/s1600/P5244891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4HIBXmev78GE3U8L_HmtX3eK-vT-jxQNAQy98T7vXW_dJ8g5leMZ3zscMJGLgSZESyDWkPP8dWUNZ7ayN60PBMCXbyGdwvuCMCBtxdw_tTBd29Cs_Vl-S8DdnsE6L73VJ14oTd4ORqY/s1600/P5244891.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's the valve to the thermowell cooker - all shiny with the thermowell body and the bracket all cleaned up and painted.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-79oBugvYjVre48XcKRR0eZALapm_dxY_I2NZO_7aXxeiDp4PrpD6uXrt-hgDW7Mo9Euh1daEZQNotSnF7DkHa861Zw1aNIZCosH6j_VRg8nKqIkY25_HHW8vKDkfp4eCn-AR3gMJhHQ/s1600/P5254892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-79oBugvYjVre48XcKRR0eZALapm_dxY_I2NZO_7aXxeiDp4PrpD6uXrt-hgDW7Mo9Euh1daEZQNotSnF7DkHa861Zw1aNIZCosH6j_VRg8nKqIkY25_HHW8vKDkfp4eCn-AR3gMJhHQ/s1600/P5254892.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's the painted bottom of the stove. I'm planning to replace those carriage-type screws with some chrome metal feet. Unless it looks ridiculous, and then I'll just put new carriage screws on it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fyDpMpHMW0W8kVY2JcamEeKMfjSxVRrHqUT7PsRp7fdO5V47ZAc3yWrj3ysenNUVQ7Xai590XIwJ_bdc2utKhKOvpgul3gGfGBMbTRLZ1S3yh85aMibyJRHbYsYhQTsd_1ftQoyS8jg/s1600/PA116208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fyDpMpHMW0W8kVY2JcamEeKMfjSxVRrHqUT7PsRp7fdO5V47ZAc3yWrj3ysenNUVQ7Xai590XIwJ_bdc2utKhKOvpgul3gGfGBMbTRLZ1S3yh85aMibyJRHbYsYhQTsd_1ftQoyS8jg/s1600/PA116208.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the knob mechanism cleaned up, painted, and with the replacement springs<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JnUzIm0QpzQHz-PTwJMvwKEudodu2oJ7dPh5H1zfoPbo6II6N3JoVg80o8zCRMDhqeOL3tPlimqXj5-Tnu-X5pfi0pQf6WnwK2MQlQCWIyIKDiKw4AFZOrO_C1MW2AFwTPK7y7EHn6g/s1600/IMAG0429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JnUzIm0QpzQHz-PTwJMvwKEudodu2oJ7dPh5H1zfoPbo6II6N3JoVg80o8zCRMDhqeOL3tPlimqXj5-Tnu-X5pfi0pQf6WnwK2MQlQCWIyIKDiKw4AFZOrO_C1MW2AFwTPK7y7EHn6g/s1600/IMAG0429.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's a photo collage of some of the chromed and painted parts. It's looking pretty good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUl8LIQwzjci8XILdm2ZwkK6iIMZqZccNRpeiObnBnuz6JvJ6cKmdnclYJFWyY3RTcANj58K2-8GMGL_k11mkJP4jcwFOptuOPjhz4hfdIquNolEG4reSGh-gSqlcyia3NxUVSJxN25bw/s1600/chambers+reno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUl8LIQwzjci8XILdm2ZwkK6iIMZqZccNRpeiObnBnuz6JvJ6cKmdnclYJFWyY3RTcANj58K2-8GMGL_k11mkJP4jcwFOptuOPjhz4hfdIquNolEG4reSGh-gSqlcyia3NxUVSJxN25bw/s1600/chambers+reno.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some people think I'm absolutely out of my mind. But I love it. And this is about what I imagine the end product looking like in my new kitchen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ59pDBpyISyxWUjBG53b8f91anvfYRKWdam7pUe6Is_XGwGBk5XMa9YTh1rVQT6pDpPvh3J8oqj9i8UWxH8g1eqNfAKxBhuJli2l8RkSPtPF97jIBStQFNlRcZUUpcywfRKLCAgYvCi8/s1600/chambers+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ59pDBpyISyxWUjBG53b8f91anvfYRKWdam7pUe6Is_XGwGBk5XMa9YTh1rVQT6pDpPvh3J8oqj9i8UWxH8g1eqNfAKxBhuJli2l8RkSPtPF97jIBStQFNlRcZUUpcywfRKLCAgYvCi8/s1600/chambers+B.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.countryliving.com/homes/decor-ideas/marble-and-white-subway-tiles#slide-10">Country Living</a></div>
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But I have a lot of work to go - finish painting the body, reassemble all the mechanisms and gas lines, re-insulate the oven door, shine up the replacement griddle and broiler pan, clean up all the porcelain and send out some of the parts to get a new coat of porcelain. Probably some other things. Man, am I slow at it, but it's moving forward and will definitely be pretty in <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2013/04/kitchen.html">the new yet-to-be-started kitchen</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-6948785433513365322013-12-16T17:27:00.000-05:002013-12-16T17:27:23.319-05:00The Search for Floors that can take a BeatingOne of the first things I started thinking about with a remodel for accessibility was the flooring. This is what our kitchen floor looked like around 9 years ago when the kitchen floor was first installed:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ6nT9FNttc/Uq8iU6n_vDI/AAAAAAAAFb4/yzOt_YbKO-Q/s1600/kitchen+oak+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vQ6nT9FNttc/Uq8iU6n_vDI/AAAAAAAAFb4/yzOt_YbKO-Q/s1600/kitchen+oak+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And this is what they look like today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHjmC8BLffBhp-0kuTY1osY9OX_55wqKRaXNvS0-TE9xhYIrbQNSYxUNQpx8fM3Q5FYmqk8eC8kqPT7fE7JQeVLxpVYx_hqyDjIA0XnNibiz1JNh9awNo3h2croTfRH8a-ExYrm1Y6AY/s1600/IMAG0412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHjmC8BLffBhp-0kuTY1osY9OX_55wqKRaXNvS0-TE9xhYIrbQNSYxUNQpx8fM3Q5FYmqk8eC8kqPT7fE7JQeVLxpVYx_hqyDjIA0XnNibiz1JNh9awNo3h2croTfRH8a-ExYrm1Y6AY/s1600/IMAG0412.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Nice, huh? It's pretty sad really.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbxyLouohFIA_FQfuEnZ5F98h9WZ5M_3Z67RsF9oJ30U1nUu9EF_jrWYCm745vfzSsSmeStB-HrvOCHDRWdA1LO1Wd9fXOEoCfCQ4lmINYJYC09v0G7CI1nhih6qFSZGGLgd7tRJK1Lw/s1600/PC167008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbxyLouohFIA_FQfuEnZ5F98h9WZ5M_3Z67RsF9oJ30U1nUu9EF_jrWYCm745vfzSsSmeStB-HrvOCHDRWdA1LO1Wd9fXOEoCfCQ4lmINYJYC09v0G7CI1nhih6qFSZGGLgd7tRJK1Lw/s1600/PC167008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Oscar's launch pad to his food bowl)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbaq4RVIHbA/Uq8i8C5OgRI/AAAAAAAAFco/srow8ruP6MY/s1600/PC167010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbaq4RVIHbA/Uq8i8C5OgRI/AAAAAAAAFco/srow8ruP6MY/s1600/PC167010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Abbey's spot when she comes in wet from the rain or snow and lays down (can you see her outline?)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KwTf_U5dDJMOzbqGHsRnVcminPia5PiVivZJwCcOoPc6wyzlde-UNyl7184vT6KLnnfER0I78g5sOjMNjTs0lfV4jmr5PheMdxqQLxvdbHbEhzQxVlz6wlZBd679GQ1iaVN9fpLHJkw/s1600/P7101044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KwTf_U5dDJMOzbqGHsRnVcminPia5PiVivZJwCcOoPc6wyzlde-UNyl7184vT6KLnnfER0I78g5sOjMNjTs0lfV4jmr5PheMdxqQLxvdbHbEhzQxVlz6wlZBd679GQ1iaVN9fpLHJkw/s1600/P7101044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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What? I can't help it if my fur holds a lot of water!</div>
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<br />
But 2 big dogs and a kid in a wheelchair plus parents who can't seem to remember that wood floors need to be screened and re-polyed every... how many years is it?? Plus, I'm not entirely sure how reliable the guys were that installed them - sort of cheap, fly by the night with probably-not-legal workers - there's plenty of other low quality things about how they laid the floor. Anyway, we only put down some more poly about a year ago wtihOUT screening, and by that time, it was definitely too late.<br />
<br />
So what kind of floor would be durable enough for us? I'm in love with the look of hardwoods - and nothing else seems to fit with this little folk Victorian house. But in a search for durability, I've debated all sorts of floors.<br />
<br />
First it was laminate - I found out that you could buy commercial grade laminate, with super high durability - And if that stuff can withstand mall traffic, surely it would be ok. But then one excited Oscar (and he's always excited) would scratch right through it as he pounced for food putting all his weight into his doggy claw tips. Or perhaps a little piece of gravel or glass shard gets stuck in the wheelchair wheel. Then it would be obvious it was laminate and have ugly scratches in it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IxtzOSEsovE/Uq93f939NzI/AAAAAAAAFdU/F5GjPypM9ig/s1600/laminate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IxtzOSEsovE/Uq93f939NzI/AAAAAAAAFdU/F5GjPypM9ig/s1600/laminate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Then I thought pre-finished hardwood would be the way to go - with an aluminum oxide UV coating. That must be strong, right? And it would be true to the house. But then I couldn't stop being worried about the scratches on that too.<br />
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Then I thought pre-finished and pre-distressed floors would camouflage the crazy scratching. Ugh - but then the floors would always look kinda worn or "rustic", and I'm not sure I like that. Plus one of Jim's friends that's in the industry told us the floor companies love that product because they can use up all their crappy wood and sell it at a premium by calling it "distressed"<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jeKU4opULMc/Uq94SkfyH9I/AAAAAAAAFdk/tQmUcTHvrBI/s1600/distressed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jeKU4opULMc/Uq94SkfyH9I/AAAAAAAAFdk/tQmUcTHvrBI/s1600/distressed2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C5WsIaIfhio/Uq94DHP1PWI/AAAAAAAAFdc/44rvi3o7yuI/s1600/distressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C5WsIaIfhio/Uq94DHP1PWI/AAAAAAAAFdc/44rvi3o7yuI/s1600/distressed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Then I found out about bamboo strand flooring. It's a technique where they divide the bamboo into thin fibers and then glue it back together. But then your floor is really just glue encapsulating the fibers. And supposedly some of the bamboo floor glues have nasty stuff in them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffokrhEu8KjmpKz2TDBRSZfNOU-iTj6D2oTw6sNPFFx9O1k5gNX-7d0VZMh4pmqen9umC_bHxXl31W2D851x7eUNSLYgzZu3_pwfksoBgbUegfh-XAgimkQNiXqC1QNNk2jfJ-ukIDVM/s1600/bamboo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffokrhEu8KjmpKz2TDBRSZfNOU-iTj6D2oTw6sNPFFx9O1k5gNX-7d0VZMh4pmqen9umC_bHxXl31W2D851x7eUNSLYgzZu3_pwfksoBgbUegfh-XAgimkQNiXqC1QNNk2jfJ-ukIDVM/s1600/bamboo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I thought maybe engineered hardwood would be good because you could just swap out the high traffic floors every few years.<br />
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In all this searching, I started coming across wood-look tile. The first ones in the home centers that I saw were pretty interesting, but still looked pretty fake. And I said to myself, in 10 years, everyone is going to be saying, what were we thinking with the fake wood? But I continued looking into it. <br />
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While looking for inspiration on how to incorporate the giant farmhouse utility sink in our basement in a new kitchen, I came across this blog with a kitchen renovation. I pinned it in Pinterest and then learned months later googling wood look tile that the floor was actually tile. She talks about them <a href="http://thefarmchicks.com/2011/03/22/flooring-dreaming-and-spring/">here</a>, <a href="http://thefarmchicks.com/2011/03/23/flooring-part-2/">here</a>, and <a href="http://thefarmchicks.com/2011/11/15/my-kitchen-part-6-the-details/">here</a>.<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizn_JZYcd_pag88KP5xL4189y3Wn3PWSG6fVQoiBZAu472Hpf0WMr6gej5tkAwZFkbZqWES9A2e0YN6wE_XDPSabHt8a5IBvk1_ePh0-vcPpewGV6mB06tACXCBwl2ZxeEYnoagrDZvo/s1600/farm+chicks+kitchen.jpg" width="213" /></div>
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via <a href="http://thefarmchicks.com/2011/11/03/my-kitchen-part-1/">thefarmchicks</a></div>
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It was pretty impressive, and I thought it would be the perfect solution - especially if we installed radiant heat in the floors - we have it in our bathroom, and I absolutely love it. Then I told Jim and he considered it, but wasn't quite sold on the idea. I told a contractor friend and a few other people, and everyone poo-poo-ed me and said to just get real wood. OK, I thought. Fine. I'll continue searching for something that will be durable enough to withstand a 75 pound hyperactive dog balancing on 8 little claw tips just waiting to be released to eat his food. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEC6Xnp5KkUxHXZ9HnVWn8LU85NbYlnwrDQ33Kc7fnokWY9DEO64rC-TIFNQdl4lA1tzYW7PEjW-Yq8MoRDiKMiJCRWunfSNp_vjHWAVhMoDekLqKsMiZBVDOePstotJGOhPvPcBBiL0/s1600/P1010066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEC6Xnp5KkUxHXZ9HnVWn8LU85NbYlnwrDQ33Kc7fnokWY9DEO64rC-TIFNQdl4lA1tzYW7PEjW-Yq8MoRDiKMiJCRWunfSNp_vjHWAVhMoDekLqKsMiZBVDOePstotJGOhPvPcBBiL0/s1600/P1010066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Who me?</div>
<br />
But I couldn't stop thinking about the tile option. I brought it up with Jim again a couple of weeks ago - "I can't help thinking that the wood look tile would be the best for us - I want hardwood, but I just don't see how it would be practical" He agreed and said he had been thinking the same thing.<br />
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So last week I stopped into a local tile store to take a look at their options. They had a huge variety. I selected a few oak look ones (I just like the lighter wood better) and took them home. <br />
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The one I like the best is called <a href="http://www.blustyleceramica.it/prodotto.aspx?IDPRODOTTO=DANAE&IDLANG=2">"Danae" Arborea</a> - it had a lot of surface texture and variety, came in a 4" plank, which looks a lot more traditional than the 6" wide hardwood planks that seem to be popular right now, AND it was the more reasonably priced option.<br />
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Here's a marketing picture from BluStyle, the makers of the tile:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2r4OHWptIw0/Uq9160-_9pI/AAAAAAAAFdI/nZIpqHNTPEo/s1600/Danae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2r4OHWptIw0/Uq9160-_9pI/AAAAAAAAFdI/nZIpqHNTPEo/s1600/Danae.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And this guy in Florida (where wood look tiles seem to be popular) blogged about an installation they did with this same tile <a href="http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1253257&postcount=16004">here</a>.<br />
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Jim looked more into the radiant floor heat option, decided he thought it would work, work well, and be relatively easy to install. He even bought a high efficiency boiler off of Craigslist. So that was my cue - we were off to return to the tile store, and over the weekend we laid down a deposit for 800 sqft of Danae Arborea tile. Now we just have to finish the architectural plans and get the work started. Oh, and pay for construction. All of which will likely take quite a bit more time than my obsessive analysis paralysis.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-73816927066222114112013-12-14T21:46:00.002-05:002013-12-16T17:32:52.384-05:00First Drafts of the New FloorplanBack in October we got some first round floor plans from Michael Gelb. Here is the first floor:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFbAlW1E5YoNjqhc6eqJ9U7mjgssniuUm036QegR7g5xWG6QYzh2_L9IzhdTllaJoT9pTlCqbbLthzDKH9Ger-tr6ElTznlMJFYtQqd4b1jE8EigoN7PW-AdZNCYC-z-j3glCFhA0Yn0/s1600/0+Draft+1st+Floor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFbAlW1E5YoNjqhc6eqJ9U7mjgssniuUm036QegR7g5xWG6QYzh2_L9IzhdTllaJoT9pTlCqbbLthzDKH9Ger-tr6ElTznlMJFYtQqd4b1jE8EigoN7PW-AdZNCYC-z-j3glCFhA0Yn0/s640/0+Draft+1st+Floor.JPG" width="324" /></a></div>
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You'll notice first the front of the house stays as it currently exists.<br />
Then you walk back into the kitchen/dining. These plans also have only a half wall between the kitchen and the front living area.<br />
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Then you walk back into an area I will call the "back foyer". Here on the left is a door out to the driveway. And on the right is the elevator.<br />
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From there, you can either go down an interior ramp on the left, or head down a short, wide hallway to an accessible 1/2 bath on the right, and a play/therapy room at the end of the hallway.<br />
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If you go down the interior ramp, you end up in a mudroom with cubbies, storage, and a dog worthy shower. The stairs to the basement are also located in the mudroom, as well as a door directly into the garage.<br />
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And here is the second floor:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BlosDi985g/Uq0RmbhT9AI/AAAAAAAAFa0/U-XEAaNu1x8/s1600/0+Draft+2nd+Floor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7BlosDi985g/Uq0RmbhT9AI/AAAAAAAAFa0/U-XEAaNu1x8/s640/0+Draft+2nd+Floor.JPG" width="276" /></a></div>
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On the second floor, the front bedroom (currently our master bedroom) stays the same, and Morty's current bedroom stays the same. However, that's about all that's the same.<br />
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Where the bathroom is becomes a hallway that goes back and then turns to the right. From there you can go through a door into the accessible "Morty bath" or make a left to go down the hallway with the elevator on the right.<br />
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If you continue through the door at the end of that hallway, you enter into the new master suite. There on the left is a walk-in closet, and on the right is the master bath (notice this is the new home for our existing clawfoot tub)<br />
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Then past the bath and closet is the master bedroom. At the back of the bedroom is a french door that leads out onto a deck.<br />
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<br />
We have a bunch of changes that we want to make to this plan including the following layout items:<br />
- Kitchen - needs more room between the island and cabinets for accessibility - willing to take out the 1/2 wall and rearrange the island<br />
- Kitchen - include an area with an open lowered counter, so that Morty has his own kitchen prep space.<br />
- Kitchen - pantry can be moved to the understair hutch location (this is currently a poorly built hutch)<br />
- Playroom - close off the back wall to meet with the front of the closet. Then there is space for a stackable washer & dryer in the mudroom<br />
- Morty's Bath - the shower is too small and needs to be bigger to accommodate a bath chair and a care attendant<br />
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We met with Michael and went over some of these things. He has been working on round 2 draft, entering it into a CAD program, and doing elevations. We also had to get a plot plan re-done to add in the garage (we had plans made before the garage was built, but didn't have the garage in there at the time, obviously)<br />
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Meanwhile, Jim and I have begun a lot of thought on more of the details. Jim researches heating options and scours Craiglist to find windows and boilers. I obsess over things like flooring and tile and other finishes. More detail on these things to come...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-81482685220328117382013-04-11T16:28:00.000-04:002014-01-04T18:22:16.882-05:00Kitchen!I've been trolling on Pinterest and thumbing through This Old House magazines that are piled up in our house, trying to find an ideal kitchen layout to fit our house. The original plan that Michael Gelb drew up had the new kitchen in the new addition at the back of the house (same spot as the existing kitchen).<br />
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However, as I'm pretty sure I mentioned, we're thinking about moving the location to get more use out of our existing square footage (i.e. the dining room that is essentially a really big hallway from the family room to the kitchen) Well, I think I found a perfect layout:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhWLMlHnpU2D1tP_zbisu8BARiMIhyKvqQRqCYRnyVcu_HupL6OjhbrGcIQH8WKlAfF1WXIXkwyMmVwbuKkRcp2VN23nxVFBM4EwO2kqknYfz0mtG40MrW6LkkjgpaV6rbtbVS904yjE/s1600/03-open-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhWLMlHnpU2D1tP_zbisu8BARiMIhyKvqQRqCYRnyVcu_HupL6OjhbrGcIQH8WKlAfF1WXIXkwyMmVwbuKkRcp2VN23nxVFBM4EwO2kqknYfz0mtG40MrW6LkkjgpaV6rbtbVS904yjE/s320/03-open-kitchen.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
If you take out the wall between the sewing room and the dining room, the dimensions are just about the same. Doorways are in a slightly different location, but if you flip it, it's essentially the same... the kitchen would be in the existing sewing room and the eating nook would be in the existing dining room. And the "to new family room" would be to the existing family room.<br />
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Of course, we'd have to get rid of the chimney. But we don't have a real fireplace anyway... and the oil burner could be vented a different way.<br />
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Here's a couple other pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPGEKyNAO9L2FtObZt3XZAeuJMevNExlUTFEQ9EPmn4DDul5B9W0WW91YqGvvDioojTRKYfLRYnksLyDNmXJEjBnPfmljr7TE18Ykdlan544C7tc0b-Ti-DWrzjpVw18Cab3AqbWvS1s/s1600/00-open-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPGEKyNAO9L2FtObZt3XZAeuJMevNExlUTFEQ9EPmn4DDul5B9W0WW91YqGvvDioojTRKYfLRYnksLyDNmXJEjBnPfmljr7TE18Ykdlan544C7tc0b-Ti-DWrzjpVw18Cab3AqbWvS1s/s640/00-open-kitchen.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wy3CJx8Y6s717aHxf7FGaNFWMm-Kt3XrXJhuTEVv_WdiwIhT_9tI3tA035VZeYFJ7I1LyptY4QmVFM3vEwXeCOwJLfuAwUe2pgUaXxNcuPWqLMN0FpciPjDjP8FDqKbETiMiC2qNINg/s1600/04-open-kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wy3CJx8Y6s717aHxf7FGaNFWMm-Kt3XrXJhuTEVv_WdiwIhT_9tI3tA035VZeYFJ7I1LyptY4QmVFM3vEwXeCOwJLfuAwUe2pgUaXxNcuPWqLMN0FpciPjDjP8FDqKbETiMiC2qNINg/s640/04-open-kitchen.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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Drool, drool, drool. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off of my chin.<br />
<br />
Here's the link to the <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/thumbnails/0,,20544276,00.html">gallery</a> on This Old House.<br />
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Now, we're not sure exactly what we would do with the space between this and the mudroom, but there's got to be an elevator in there somewhere, and maybe it's a "Morty Suite" with a bedroom and big accessible bath... or maybe since there's an elevator, the Morty Suite can just be located upstairs and the downstairs is a therapy room/equipment garage and bathroom?? Maybe part of it is a hallway that is a big ramp from the mudroom to the existing house? (there's about a 2-3 step difference in the design from the house to the garage - was supposed to be a step down to the kitchen and 2? steps down to the mudroom) Still debating this one. Anyway, we meet with Michael Gelb this weekend to go over our needed changes to the design.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-36807965519400519252013-02-27T22:53:00.001-05:002013-02-27T22:55:45.088-05:00Thinking About What's NextWe've been thinking a lot lately about what we want to do with the house. We had some plans done up by <a href="http://www.mgzdesign.com/">MGZ</a> when we built the <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2010/06/mgz-done-back-to-diy.html">garage</a> - a "Phase 2" where we connected the house to the garage, added a mudroom, rebuilt the kitchen, and added a master suite above it. We loved the design and have been working at paying down the mortgage so that we can start our project (a 5 to 10 year plan).<br />
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However, things have changed significantly in the past 3 years. As it turned out, <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2010/03/im-back-little-guy-and-plans-for-garage.html">our son</a> has cerebral palsy - which, if you're not familiar with CP, basically is a non degenerative condition where his brain has difficulty sending messages to his muscles. The effects of CP can be on a broad spectrum, from mildly affected, where you might not even be able to tell, to severely affected, where the person has very little control of any muscles and must be assisted in a wheelchair. Our son falls somewhere in that spectrum closer to the severely affected. He is 3 and cannot independently walk. He does use a gait trainer (a walker for young children) for short periods of time, and has started to learn how to use a power chair at his new preschool, where they specialize in children with physical disabilities.<br />
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So where does this put us? Well, the design is now impractical for our situation. Most of the house now as it exists, is impractical for the situation. All the charm of a folk Victorian, with it's chopped up floorplan with doorway divided rooms (all with thresholds), multi stories, and narrow hallways just creates barrier after barrier for our son. We've lived with it so far, mostly carrying him from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor and back again, and wheeling him around the house ourselves, bumping into (and dinging up) all the door casings. And that's not even getting into how all the spare space in the house stores one piece of durable medical equipment or another (2 different chair/strollers, a gait trainer, a stander, various tri-wall cardboard seating & table setups)<br />
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But... we can't imagine moving. We've invested so much time in this house. And we love so many of our neighbors and friends here. And we're walking distance to all the things that our little town center offers, from the library to summer concerts on the Common. And we're halfway between Jim's work and my work. And there's a whole complicated school situation with our son that we have just recently settled, and a new town would mean going through that process all over again. And of course, the brand new garage.<br />
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So our little Plain Jane will have to change. It needs to be opened up. It needs to have a smooth floors with no transitions between rooms. It needs an accessible bathroom. And yes, I want a residential elevator. I've started looking around and trying to find ideas. "<a href="http://www.universaldesign.com/">Universal Desig</a>n" really appeals to me. I don't want our house to look medical, but I want it accessible. <br />
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Here's some things from <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-09-2009/what_is_universal_design.html">AARP</a> and <a href="http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=89934">NAHB</a> that help explain what it means to have a Universal Design<br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">
<li>No-step entry. No one needs to use stairs to get into a universal home or into the home's main rooms.</li>
<li>One-story living. Places to eat, use the bathroom and sleep are all located on one level, which is barrier-free.</li>
<li>Wide doorways. Doorways that are 32-36 inches wide let wheelchairs pass through. They also make it easy to move big things in and out of the house.</li>
<li>Wide hallways. Hallways should be 36-42 inches wide. That way, everyone and everything moves more easily from room to room.</li>
<li>Extra floor space. Everyone feel less cramped. And people in wheelchairs have more space to turn.</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Reachable controls and switches:<b style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </b>Anyone — even a person in a wheelchair — can reach <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-02-2004/house_lighting.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">light switches</a> that are from 42-48 inches above the floor, thermostats no higher than 48 inches off the floor, and<a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-02-2004/home_electrical_outlets.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">electrical outlets</a> 18-24 inches off the floor.</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Easy-to-use handles and switches: <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-11-2008/entrances_exits_checklist.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lever-style door handles</a> and<a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-05-2009/bathroom_checklist.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">faucets</a>, and <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-02-2004/house_lighting.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rocker light switches</a>, make opening doors, turning on water, and lighting a room easier for people of every age and ability.</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Low or no-threshold stall <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-02-2004/bathroom_showers.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">showers</a> with built-in benches or seats</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Non-slip <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-05-2009/bathroom_checklist.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">floors, bathtubs, and showers</a> </li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Raised, <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-02-2004/bathroom_toilet.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">comfort-level toilets</a> </li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; list-style: disc outside; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A <a href="http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/home-improvement/info-11-2008/entrances_exits_checklist.html" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #336699; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">covered entryway</a> to protect you and your visitors from rain and snow</li>
</ul>
The list could go on, but that's the idea. With the aging baby boom population, it's often also called "Age In Place" design.<br />
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How do we translate this to our house? I'm not entirely sure yet, but I'm searching for ideas, we have MGZ coming over in a couple months to review our current needs, and we have a contact for a friend of a friend that will give us a tour of their home that was recently remodeled for their son in a wheelchair.<br />
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Here's an architect that specializes in Universal Design. He set out to show that a 2 story urban <a href="http://www.seattlemet.com/home-and-garden/articles/0309-hab-grow">house</a> <a href="http://www.dev.ihcdstore.org/?q=node/129">could</a> be universal, and that this design is not destined only for a sprawling ranch.<br />
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And here's a <a href="http://houseplansandmore.com/homeplans/houseplan013D-0158.aspx">home plan</a> that is designed to be accessible. It's a lot bigger than our house, but I feel like some of this design could be applied to our house's layout. If you just look at the left side of the house, it's not *too* much different than ours (if you busted out all our walls)<br />
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Anyway, those are my first thoughts. I'll add more of my current ideas later...<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-79342258378590788082012-10-07T22:25:00.001-04:002012-10-07T22:25:33.437-04:00The Never-Ending Paint ProjectBack for my yearly+ update. Seriously, I should keep this at least a little more updated. Oh well, so much to do, so little time these days.<br />
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While I occupied our 2 1/2 year old this summer, Jim worked quite a bit on the front of the house, and his dad came over to help as well. Lots of scraping and sanding and painting. The trimwork had super thick layers of paint on it - all in horrible condition.</div>
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Jim, multitasking while working on the 2nd floor bay window. Look at how nice and smooth all that paint looks.</div>
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I love how the paint looks. And I love that we don't look like the crazy neighbors that can't finish what they started! <br />
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And here was my futile little project - the dog beds. I used up 2 days of vacation to make these boxes with casters on the bottoms (designed to have them roll under the bed when not in use). I bought shredded foam beds from <a href="http://www.foambymail.com/shredded-foam-pet-beds.html">here</a> and then made zippered pillow cases out of bonded leather from Fabric Place Basement. I was so excited about them. The dogs, on the other hand, didn't want anything to do with them. The wheels freaked Abbey out, and even when I put rubber cups on the casters, the damage was already done. And Oscar occasionally laid on them, but mostly only when I put him there. I even tossed the old ratty disgusting beds. Pretty much useless. Oh well. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-45237535874855577732011-07-03T09:38:00.000-04:002011-07-03T09:38:17.692-04:00Back to PaintingWe've been working on painting the outside of the house now for several years. See <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2008/04/obsessing-over-color.html">this post</a> from 2008, and that was even a year or two into the painting. When I first started, I did these color swatches on the back of the house to see what color I liked best. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkECP83pM7G-HhWOy2_nUcTuyfvZNpzlU_YFg10evUMxUZWaCRFunmldIiTACvFMrdSusC-l7FuDmxC17CWmv09y2uGUwwhjM8oSSMl8vwSYybYQWeIod4hzIh7z644fQhtBxeUOYx-U/s1600/IMG_3929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkECP83pM7G-HhWOy2_nUcTuyfvZNpzlU_YFg10evUMxUZWaCRFunmldIiTACvFMrdSusC-l7FuDmxC17CWmv09y2uGUwwhjM8oSSMl8vwSYybYQWeIod4hzIh7z644fQhtBxeUOYx-U/s320/IMG_3929.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>We noticed that those swatches are still holding up fairly well, even though there was no prep work done on them at all and the condition of the clapboards was/is pretty horrendous.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQPc-WZp6V6zgY6qKwDGyTtQZHM5-pYxKnAYRKS_g-8OGqpFINAZnxWT-SdTq8PWEzzmyjTU51l10ELyEktjX5wmE50OoRo25d0klHzcxuhXvy0i4OREGzyO-wAPBpJWE9H8UVB3hdQQ/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQPc-WZp6V6zgY6qKwDGyTtQZHM5-pYxKnAYRKS_g-8OGqpFINAZnxWT-SdTq8PWEzzmyjTU51l10ELyEktjX5wmE50OoRo25d0klHzcxuhXvy0i4OREGzyO-wAPBpJWE9H8UVB3hdQQ/s320/IMG_3930.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
Combine that with the fact that we have a 5 - 10 year plan to redo the back of the house - meaning that I don't want to put a whole lot of work into something that's going to be torn down. So we decided to just do a quick scrape of the loose stuff and paint right over it. Only missing or totally broken boards were replaced. Windows & trim were ignored for now. I certainly didn't bring out the Paint Shaver Pro or the IR heater!<br />
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Time is still very limited, so with my snail's pace, I did one wall of the bumpout-bumpout a couple weeks ago, and I did another wall yesterday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNqxd07dfkmbf1KVTCfcTfSFo221HhLfIRsk8UcMkkBjlkV2vTXi0zui_LKg0g0sAWLhnZ4BoIPhwV6oqG36MXVz43IYMuY0D_0i5OKn0WPFj-tv5oGrQZy9z5jGZcFnZsMpjRifbvMI/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNqxd07dfkmbf1KVTCfcTfSFo221HhLfIRsk8UcMkkBjlkV2vTXi0zui_LKg0g0sAWLhnZ4BoIPhwV6oqG36MXVz43IYMuY0D_0i5OKn0WPFj-tv5oGrQZy9z5jGZcFnZsMpjRifbvMI/s320/IMG_3931.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs8LeuN6eb9tCmFK1fGpj-aE8jQPH_Psp068jAs0_Z5eAf7NHmB_jWdFkKUdytHJ6rera4AhxZW5C-1t2xoZYwBsukLNww88buqVomlK8LzxyDpFUmJp4afBD4_JqeDRpEzjSqXOGGj4/s1600/IMG_3962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOs8LeuN6eb9tCmFK1fGpj-aE8jQPH_Psp068jAs0_Z5eAf7NHmB_jWdFkKUdytHJ6rera4AhxZW5C-1t2xoZYwBsukLNww88buqVomlK8LzxyDpFUmJp4afBD4_JqeDRpEzjSqXOGGj4/s320/IMG_3962.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Good enough, I say. In the past I've talked with my father - he says that I have the ability to know when something is good enough. His brother still hasn't put siding on his house 25 years later because he can't get something perfect - whatever that "something" is. Well, it may take me 10 years to finish painting the house, but the back will only be good enough to not annoy the neighbors before it gets torn down.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">In other house news, we also got a couple of sections of fence put up. The fence is mostly functional - so that our 2 big 70 lb doodle dogs can run around while we're out there doing things. Our next door neighbor, Joyce, took the chain link fence between our front yards down, and we put that one in the back, where all the weird hobbled together chicken wire fencing was. Then she had her contractor put up a cedar picket for the back half, </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCGIe8N4Fnn-J67AgZ0nZ4-eGQd4Dipvsx2Xqoxq6mnN0igILeor8kwWiPe6uIg6C1Yo3qd4W7VCRNz0jb0xgvCeqK3ymp36sEWL-ISLIllWiUcT-q9QCOVPXuLyuFF2y-c0blDHSxYs/s1600/IMG_3966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCGIe8N4Fnn-J67AgZ0nZ4-eGQd4Dipvsx2Xqoxq6mnN0igILeor8kwWiPe6uIg6C1Yo3qd4W7VCRNz0jb0xgvCeqK3ymp36sEWL-ISLIllWiUcT-q9QCOVPXuLyuFF2y-c0blDHSxYs/s320/IMG_3966.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">and we used him to put up a vinyl picket (we didn't need something ELSE to paint) with a gate going across our driveway,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpqKhMmwnwvwkR2QZ1V5XT0B5DXCLgbIp816QZrK2jjCchqfzUInGiC_6a0jhltW65VripM68CeLccIB9xur0wvdAxU8XkNYp6QLTFRltpkY2WJ2R7FEnN4xB6JkClvdhPzgw_erCCJw/s1600/IMG_3964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpqKhMmwnwvwkR2QZ1V5XT0B5DXCLgbIp816QZrK2jjCchqfzUInGiC_6a0jhltW65VripM68CeLccIB9xur0wvdAxU8XkNYp6QLTFRltpkY2WJ2R7FEnN4xB6JkClvdhPzgw_erCCJw/s320/IMG_3964.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">and a couple of sections in the back that are visible from the front.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisL7XgUqyIxYpOI6FmOHMxfCgKgZwxdvwEHV9n5ldNb4JUSCrqDV8_3mOFM1gNjsZb9Nal47d1XUn8nlwIcL7vjAfmzLcoyWR7Va1YTijbv1z5TpfjWWMMZB7CdTPKNe8jLYIqVu4o0Xk/s1600/IMG_3963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisL7XgUqyIxYpOI6FmOHMxfCgKgZwxdvwEHV9n5ldNb4JUSCrqDV8_3mOFM1gNjsZb9Nal47d1XUn8nlwIcL7vjAfmzLcoyWR7Va1YTijbv1z5TpfjWWMMZB7CdTPKNe8jLYIqVu4o0Xk/s320/IMG_3963.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">We wish we could have had the whole yard done, but we did what we could with our current budget.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You might have noticed in that picture with the gate, that the front of the garage is painted now. If you have good eyes, you also might have seen that <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2010/03/contract-signed-another-search-for.html">the lights I was drooling over in a previous post </a>are now up! Those were a gift from Jim. I love them every time I see them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5exlRxYTL5FC8AvIgQivXk_LV9_ZfYJ_BGojli1ryUeThWdWbiwGLL7nKBmGXx_trs4ZqvVwYiBQj3c3MuMs1_Hv3eOgMx_gRXUqEudJuqX17Yoqs5pZsKOt6-6Go98Vp2uGKa8_TM8/s1600/IMG_3967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5exlRxYTL5FC8AvIgQivXk_LV9_ZfYJ_BGojli1ryUeThWdWbiwGLL7nKBmGXx_trs4ZqvVwYiBQj3c3MuMs1_Hv3eOgMx_gRXUqEudJuqX17Yoqs5pZsKOt6-6Go98Vp2uGKa8_TM8/s320/IMG_3967.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And here's a picture of the house as it is now. Still work to do on the 2nd floor bay and the gables.... Aside from the garage being painted and the fence up, it doesn't look a whole lot different from last year. But the rose bush is going crazy and looking great again!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYBV-v2RXTT40nmFvuCvAKUcwX7o9dA8cGEGbirnw3ZxPdckRU7Ub-eUy3B4GX5ryk0l-4owJUfjkjizm9d59fFUjCBBX-GaV7BFJTXERsRmLj8AFSTAKrCPlnHzulaEvIgaqa-kSlaY/s1600/IMG_3965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYBV-v2RXTT40nmFvuCvAKUcwX7o9dA8cGEGbirnw3ZxPdckRU7Ub-eUy3B4GX5ryk0l-4owJUfjkjizm9d59fFUjCBBX-GaV7BFJTXERsRmLj8AFSTAKrCPlnHzulaEvIgaqa-kSlaY/s320/IMG_3965.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-37140466855931670472011-01-27T14:20:00.004-05:002011-01-27T15:05:06.200-05:00Finally... an update... and a finished project or twoI have occasionally been doing things around the house. Not nearly at the pace that I was pre-pregnancy (and I thought I was slow then...) But every once in a while, I get the chance to chip away at a project. Vacation days are pretty good for that - I have even a little more time on the vacation days that Morty still goes to daycare.<br />
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Right before I had Morty, I was sort of working on a little kitchen cabinet project that I blogged about <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html">here</a>. Well, now that the garage is up and partially wired, I braved the cold temperatures, wearing Jim's insulated Dickey overalls and breaking out a couple of those handwarmers and continued working on it over Thanksgiving and Christmas break.<br />
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Here's the left side cabinets with their fake shaker frames put together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZx1oeZogynjIgtjNH7fPAxjPW0EsgCTrYpIJifjjujMiySORDJS0xM_vW-YpaaYf3sngMbb9QkgYlIahPz3ZwPZDYqZ8gtMftVDDWvwoPsqBjKtQMtdONvVZRfu1dI6mo7v7QbjjREc/s1600/IMG_3737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZx1oeZogynjIgtjNH7fPAxjPW0EsgCTrYpIJifjjujMiySORDJS0xM_vW-YpaaYf3sngMbb9QkgYlIahPz3ZwPZDYqZ8gtMftVDDWvwoPsqBjKtQMtdONvVZRfu1dI6mo7v7QbjjREc/s320/IMG_3737.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div> And here's progress on the right side. As I sanded the door fronts down, I was trying to even out the horrible dents in the wood, that are just magnified by the glossy paint. I'm not sure if I made things better or worse, but definitely the frames help camoflauge the bad wood.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMsc2ZN8ZmHfKVzBOxnhsUO6JCVFIblvH6MOtGaWI2OUVxbkd67mU0DU0p_jVt1jxqNIIs66qYvTqGfPINy9YGHHtJxBZhpKIWXuxZxJXMZvzDrbOtMlblsKFxLs_k1nIeTUFkomeebA/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMsc2ZN8ZmHfKVzBOxnhsUO6JCVFIblvH6MOtGaWI2OUVxbkd67mU0DU0p_jVt1jxqNIIs66qYvTqGfPINy9YGHHtJxBZhpKIWXuxZxJXMZvzDrbOtMlblsKFxLs_k1nIeTUFkomeebA/s320/IMG_3738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's the right side, with all the frames up, and starting with a coat of primer. I think I was in a hurry to get things livable when I first moved in, because I used a roller to paint the cabinets. Definitely it was better than the hideous blue, but the roller pattern got on my nerves too after a while. This time I only used a brush. I have a friend (Peter) who can't stand the lines from brushes, so when he painted his cabinets, he only sprayed. I don't think my spray technique is good enough to leave things texture-free.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWtUw-zBTI_k8b76Jx83vVBLmDqSFvEFyVb9fye0hxBDOrjEr7HvbiugrJRAsaZIo3nkjdKc_gBsoTqL8KF9P5RgaGp_Wg0LFTV1IPtowOrYt2Wf1EjUUI5jjjBOuaSuBxz_YeJdFs0A/s1600/IMG_3788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWtUw-zBTI_k8b76Jx83vVBLmDqSFvEFyVb9fye0hxBDOrjEr7HvbiugrJRAsaZIo3nkjdKc_gBsoTqL8KF9P5RgaGp_Wg0LFTV1IPtowOrYt2Wf1EjUUI5jjjBOuaSuBxz_YeJdFs0A/s320/IMG_3788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this worked out! Of course, it's all just fake shaker, and the problems with the cabinets themselves and the kitchen still exist (especially on blustery winter days, which we've had a lot of lately), but I am so much more satisfied with the way these look - it just adds depth and interest and helps make thing look so much more... classy? I don't know what the word is, but I like it so much more!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvwiqFfZM5MguXPawjr7OJRmVPRkvuZhZrkQyXJuY2TPlpDhS1Huhr5p0W7d3vb447F5TPFIQNhJPWTE6-k1kNSNfkdKWGJimuz3nPfy3ZaAb2twTjm9rcc23qFPAM4dCq9rA5bnN4Q8/s1600/IMG_3806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvwiqFfZM5MguXPawjr7OJRmVPRkvuZhZrkQyXJuY2TPlpDhS1Huhr5p0W7d3vb447F5TPFIQNhJPWTE6-k1kNSNfkdKWGJimuz3nPfy3ZaAb2twTjm9rcc23qFPAM4dCq9rA5bnN4Q8/s320/IMG_3806.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE7K_RFykvMoqrj05-k9ZkH3p6noGIoliEuU8VTnpi_iNfHvUsE4G3VY848avIiuajoCIl9zHUYe-DLj31CkKyyAetuPxiPPZuEJFAk0NyKKupVMiGOM6NDoflBg0sdVjdw2ADQuvyZE/s1600/IMG_3807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE7K_RFykvMoqrj05-k9ZkH3p6noGIoliEuU8VTnpi_iNfHvUsE4G3VY848avIiuajoCIl9zHUYe-DLj31CkKyyAetuPxiPPZuEJFAk0NyKKupVMiGOM6NDoflBg0sdVjdw2ADQuvyZE/s320/IMG_3807.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGHbM_G2IeE2DATJZfQ7ljo_ci9SFoBbrfCpRDhNvjdw_fpMmPUkNseqHuT2GekJcf98fF_iKxw9PewGx4vcGzYAHBPyLnMia7zlx36PZLu9g-p9FqJVlMWRkZU1jHGaCUnhfAGSJHL8/s1600/IMG_3808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGHbM_G2IeE2DATJZfQ7ljo_ci9SFoBbrfCpRDhNvjdw_fpMmPUkNseqHuT2GekJcf98fF_iKxw9PewGx4vcGzYAHBPyLnMia7zlx36PZLu9g-p9FqJVlMWRkZU1jHGaCUnhfAGSJHL8/s320/IMG_3808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other project I worked on over Thanksgiving timeframe was a dog feeding station. I found the plan on <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20303339,00.html">This Old House website</a>. Before I made the project, Abbey's food bowls were a bit of a mismatched, dirty, ghetto mess. She's SO tall that we even put one bowl on top of another big bowl to get it in a better position for her. Goodbye ghetto mix of bowls! (green Pyrex bowl, you go back in the cupboard where you belong!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOLwn3hK0R-TAsPIOmx0ukGFJkDX9A0KmrnNnOd88pIEDOFyG6XeLPdj3j3rmjTHXRQU4NINlPOwv2VQ4QZFtF77J5lABflAbljSi0hoGOJjwL0nCfBru_L6QW4wpf70d88MlCZW8p38/s1600/IMG_3774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOLwn3hK0R-TAsPIOmx0ukGFJkDX9A0KmrnNnOd88pIEDOFyG6XeLPdj3j3rmjTHXRQU4NINlPOwv2VQ4QZFtF77J5lABflAbljSi0hoGOJjwL0nCfBru_L6QW4wpf70d88MlCZW8p38/s320/IMG_3774.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Hello feeding station! Two stainless bowls go in the holes. If I ever get around to making another one of these for Oscar (it's in "the plan", I'd make a few minor changes - like for some reason, the plans give measurements using the assumption that a 1x12 is actually 12". I don't know why they did it, and it didn't really end up being a big deal, but it was a little confusing) Notice the face frame on the feeding station now matches my cabinets? hmm? nice, huh?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubhCshS2V9nP2H2SmFlypT-Jqkr4ypUts2RXwxU_-wJbOz0ETiwPoEsepQBwFUB4AIbiNZSmnd7xkJ_ZHKuLUAQRTaH7JAU52x3K2Rw3U0nr7LmbnP5OuoCzTijHCcVoE6Q26UbipReo/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubhCshS2V9nP2H2SmFlypT-Jqkr4ypUts2RXwxU_-wJbOz0ETiwPoEsepQBwFUB4AIbiNZSmnd7xkJ_ZHKuLUAQRTaH7JAU52x3K2Rw3U0nr7LmbnP5OuoCzTijHCcVoE6Q26UbipReo/s320/IMG_3773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Then over Christmas I worked on this Vegetable Bin Toybox. Somehow I found this blog by Ana White, where she has all sorts of furniture plans, broken down and simplified. I had been eyeing a similar toybox in the Land of Nod catalogue for Morty, but always felt it looked way to simple to spend the money to buy it. (that's the cheap, penny-pinching side of me coming out - thank you Dad). Ana had a plan for <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/05/furniture-plans-vegetable-bins-for-toys.html">this box</a>, and so I gave it a try. Turns out either it's way smaller than I thought it would be, or Morty has WAY more toys than I thought. Probably the latter. Again, it's in "the Plan" to make one or two more of these and stack them. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cp1339XHKNMZKMziodkRkAbXHJMCmh8FjUhyphenhyphenrcAstCgGsvmJMuZTTXc7gjqXVmePRhLuDmHxr7BE09iYWEZFtElq8HNoKcXtdJxGp_v2riiXJYjbN6MiJJ1RrBocl8d_wOPsZv2VRgg/s1600/IMG_3812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cp1339XHKNMZKMziodkRkAbXHJMCmh8FjUhyphenhyphenrcAstCgGsvmJMuZTTXc7gjqXVmePRhLuDmHxr7BE09iYWEZFtElq8HNoKcXtdJxGp_v2riiXJYjbN6MiJJ1RrBocl8d_wOPsZv2VRgg/s320/IMG_3812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then the final thing I worked on over Christmas was this "Vinage Industrial" cart. It was a combination of an <a href="http://ana-white.com/2010/05/yesterday-i-did-something-that-was.html">Ana White plan</a> and some other plan I found on the internet, that actually referenced the Ana White plan too.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4CwydJb6_41I2wQPtkvNu7oaeV1YggVmKCgDW29ip42_X-H3qpf4JdIvHsv79dT8cASKjAtukBUNWSsnBo6_iiHM5CYNMhvRYqNVB-UHi8NMIfwu3htWHLiGz46MlS1UPOQfodZXuFw/s1600/IMG_3810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4CwydJb6_41I2wQPtkvNu7oaeV1YggVmKCgDW29ip42_X-H3qpf4JdIvHsv79dT8cASKjAtukBUNWSsnBo6_iiHM5CYNMhvRYqNVB-UHi8NMIfwu3htWHLiGz46MlS1UPOQfodZXuFw/s320/IMG_3810.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I decided to personalize it a little bit by spray painting the "Natick, Mass" on it. I had a much more complex idea incorporating Jim & Morty's name into a fictional Manufacturing Co. - like a real manufuring factory might have had - but that was way too many letters to create a stencil. So I went with the simple.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The top of the table is actually made of slats from a couple of pallets. I think they were the pallets that the wood pellets came on. They were dirty and gross and needed a lot of sanding, but it sure gave a well-worn look that I was going for. I put a coating of amber shellac on the whole thing. I'm not sure whether or not I like the color. If I were to do it again, I'd probably just do it with clear shellac. But the amber is kind of growing on me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found the wheels on Amazon. I think they are Albion wheels. Since I used reclaimed pallet wood and scrap wood from the garage build, the wheels were the most expensive part of this piece!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEXHgbZQyB-hV1096R9RtvB5PgcSISgHZ9ferpJK1dVpBZqYZHT4V0SUWXYO_25PS7qg6j7wQsUGpcJ5tXA3bysxHW-E5E6rL4lN5XQMyMD7y_CjExiGc2RrJIXYVq8xZmbUzPQxTRU4/s1600/IMG_3811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEXHgbZQyB-hV1096R9RtvB5PgcSISgHZ9ferpJK1dVpBZqYZHT4V0SUWXYO_25PS7qg6j7wQsUGpcJ5tXA3bysxHW-E5E6rL4lN5XQMyMD7y_CjExiGc2RrJIXYVq8xZmbUzPQxTRU4/s320/IMG_3811.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It doesn't have all the cool hardware of the carts you can find all over at places like Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Barnhouse Electric and the like, but it is a WHOLE lot less expensive! (if you don't count my time - which IS very precious)</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-42771353234328965772010-06-27T15:28:00.002-04:002010-06-27T17:46:33.401-04:00MGZ done... back to DIY<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sf289NW9RvBryq9oSxOEjVcfCijxvS4uIeuNPJ2LuN9PCUwNcN-TnNSFcz7rLjBOFTagzd0wyBX_2YB2mZJCZb0taiMnfrZ3Tk0Uy9SmeIB8s5JL6TIiW3Dn11EcJCDo1eyN-jAluBs/s1600/IMG_3312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sf289NW9RvBryq9oSxOEjVcfCijxvS4uIeuNPJ2LuN9PCUwNcN-TnNSFcz7rLjBOFTagzd0wyBX_2YB2mZJCZb0taiMnfrZ3Tk0Uy9SmeIB8s5JL6TIiW3Dn11EcJCDo1eyN-jAluBs/s320/IMG_3312.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I should probably update this more than once a month... but working full time and being a mommy leaves precious little time for blog updates unfortunately!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, MGZ finished the contract work on the garage. It looks <strong>so fantastic!</strong> We're very very happy with it. We still have a few things to finish on it - we had to make some concessions to keep it all within a reasonable budget. So the garage doors and the driveway are coming separately next week. Then we have been working on the grass, and soon Jim will do the painting and lights. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYRs5dwCz1ZPc1-mQ0WYznBmCc6WhknT1JoULIpZVYwXOQu4G3hA0lLxvOlCumEl0lYWQTufOo0ThYVN_orwKuRvr7CnYkmqBLNi_z6S2gavN9F-rh21ihCRultk18aV66o7aAu8oaH8/s1600/IMG_3313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYRs5dwCz1ZPc1-mQ0WYznBmCc6WhknT1JoULIpZVYwXOQu4G3hA0lLxvOlCumEl0lYWQTufOo0ThYVN_orwKuRvr7CnYkmqBLNi_z6S2gavN9F-rh21ihCRultk18aV66o7aAu8oaH8/s320/IMG_3313.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the grass - it's coming in pretty nicely. Jim waters it faithfully every morning and night. He also put in the gravel to keep the topsoil from splashing back up onto the siding when it rains.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqmGBpMNLbQa1M409nO3wBzsTSYYPjBpKWanwarP0H3vmnsa-upXj4MdQWJS-0Io3m7Z74WMqE6tAHptv4sv2tqlBV5VPf2wZPaKxs-VW5hNhuXaV77X8Yg_VvHlVKMNdN_TDq61tgys/s1600/IMG_3315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqmGBpMNLbQa1M409nO3wBzsTSYYPjBpKWanwarP0H3vmnsa-upXj4MdQWJS-0Io3m7Z74WMqE6tAHptv4sv2tqlBV5VPf2wZPaKxs-VW5hNhuXaV77X8Yg_VvHlVKMNdN_TDq61tgys/s320/IMG_3315.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everything looks so nice and uniform now. No more big divets in the yard or random cement blocks.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Jim also got a truckload of mulch to help clean up the foundation plantings. And remember the <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2008/06/heat-wave.html">hated azaleas</a>? Well those have been pulled out now to make room for something better. Thank you Toyota truck and big chain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMymbH6jD9GLNEX5pUkN53tKGMsO5_pAtUDJGPg45MWsq4vySTWsei63SRpzaM_RbZOtJkY9z7Is_JaT4BHL5ScBZVoFzUEjixgy37B7sPcoItPqcSzQr61i2xgq578nVofZ0741TJCMA/s1600/IMG_3316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMymbH6jD9GLNEX5pUkN53tKGMsO5_pAtUDJGPg45MWsq4vySTWsei63SRpzaM_RbZOtJkY9z7Is_JaT4BHL5ScBZVoFzUEjixgy37B7sPcoItPqcSzQr61i2xgq578nVofZ0741TJCMA/s320/IMG_3316.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">This is my favorite time of the year for the front yard plantings. Everything is in bloom and the rose bushes are going crazy.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_eDRLJ3I3HWffVaBUDVnURYbxadzAVdMdFfQwDxepu3S0vwv_gwjIBu6FQlgdw0sunlsxCtmtCq-jRP-xAZL-tvuFukou_CGbnhYJu1KHnRORMV4Q0_2j8-R9Ej0CeVsojnRR8Yja1U/s1600/IMG_3317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_eDRLJ3I3HWffVaBUDVnURYbxadzAVdMdFfQwDxepu3S0vwv_gwjIBu6FQlgdw0sunlsxCtmtCq-jRP-xAZL-tvuFukou_CGbnhYJu1KHnRORMV4Q0_2j8-R9Ej0CeVsojnRR8Yja1U/s320/IMG_3317.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtS7OpA5Fp2XVqK7J86pJ9Fkydq9VIJHrwGa1ww7xpdOWLTZfkJRmQXzr25nbSB5znOjlKJGEpySMd3f39rnjAsV_u6qIz01TTMUhIbia1TQsd-eg4ipFHj8WxGIab9PDRdY7IBNV_6Y/s1600/IMG_3318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtS7OpA5Fp2XVqK7J86pJ9Fkydq9VIJHrwGa1ww7xpdOWLTZfkJRmQXzr25nbSB5znOjlKJGEpySMd3f39rnjAsV_u6qIz01TTMUhIbia1TQsd-eg4ipFHj8WxGIab9PDRdY7IBNV_6Y/s320/IMG_3318.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">And in the front, you can also see that MGZ added the shaped cedar shingles to the front peak. Jim has also been working to get some of the trim boards scraped for painting.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBc_7h14bB_NYpKb7eg-rmLfQ-hEuEOJY3azOTl6Dp0LImv2dFSy3P6Lx-ViwiL1VFEjk0XaD-3FmHCHNgMpMCksJO3GF8PvJvSsPmXGYBnPn81UU8_2Vgu-At_9ZXVKmsHN6ejpLxiBY/s1600/IMG_3319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBc_7h14bB_NYpKb7eg-rmLfQ-hEuEOJY3azOTl6Dp0LImv2dFSy3P6Lx-ViwiL1VFEjk0XaD-3FmHCHNgMpMCksJO3GF8PvJvSsPmXGYBnPn81UU8_2Vgu-At_9ZXVKmsHN6ejpLxiBY/s320/IMG_3319.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">On the north side of the house, Jim also dug out a shape for the foundation. We plan to extend the brick pavers that are in the front yard over to this side too. One day. For now, it's defined and has mulch.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFl8SNoQfdfyuloY85j-DyYY54-0k-y7urtnFmvQ9HULAXkE0jl5pTqIY3T_6LAS5H2-AxOPLytcHBQRL49ks6p_MGlySnnVwqyTcdWDA0Cnr7Jj3H2vuZmnJn261bTFZkWaUW-UutDk/s1600/IMG_3320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFl8SNoQfdfyuloY85j-DyYY54-0k-y7urtnFmvQ9HULAXkE0jl5pTqIY3T_6LAS5H2-AxOPLytcHBQRL49ks6p_MGlySnnVwqyTcdWDA0Cnr7Jj3H2vuZmnJn261bTFZkWaUW-UutDk/s320/IMG_3320.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">This coming week will bring the driveway and the garage doors. It's going to look pretty good when those are done...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFtOlTwLkM8sQ127ub29lWwLooO3c6Ok2uN9w5Sttk3P1ZS82KXofPCeFe-sVZW2K8vrSfRDi7g_DMOOhHEaRtlXU0cmDCQiRrGtMe7sfQCkiQbLE3KvM6Cau8yivBel9WHwxKT7sHdM/s1600/IMG_3321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFtOlTwLkM8sQ127ub29lWwLooO3c6Ok2uN9w5Sttk3P1ZS82KXofPCeFe-sVZW2K8vrSfRDi7g_DMOOhHEaRtlXU0cmDCQiRrGtMe7sfQCkiQbLE3KvM6Cau8yivBel9WHwxKT7sHdM/s320/IMG_3321.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's the little guy and me. As you can see, he's quite pleased with the new daddy-son hang out digs!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IFHOhuLFn_xlD0pyF2cx7rNa3syfMkzs5EO4YfDojQQxbCo5xjRsZvRbZifEfBJv_hir22wtW_jiune84JcAGmmH2DdJx2AQpR0YZKluHaYPXrP2HYEsbDR9IeszRn5_KLb29URtYa8/s1600/IMG_3325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0IFHOhuLFn_xlD0pyF2cx7rNa3syfMkzs5EO4YfDojQQxbCo5xjRsZvRbZifEfBJv_hir22wtW_jiune84JcAGmmH2DdJx2AQpR0YZKluHaYPXrP2HYEsbDR9IeszRn5_KLb29URtYa8/s320/IMG_3325.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-10588458293672746612010-05-27T16:36:00.001-04:002010-05-27T16:45:34.985-04:00On to the Siding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWmqm5RG48IpxFkvBvGabhE_F3C_lr-_imaVynwvKuqDzuXfdMGTk8-4lPqmlygbrxmnbnfJWUe6OabO_yEnpNiISX9kXdyuxviHTDQ7DJShsjgbeK3hsFe4bfKpZiEpSRaJicCMJgg8/s1600/IMG_3189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWmqm5RG48IpxFkvBvGabhE_F3C_lr-_imaVynwvKuqDzuXfdMGTk8-4lPqmlygbrxmnbnfJWUe6OabO_yEnpNiISX9kXdyuxviHTDQ7DJShsjgbeK3hsFe4bfKpZiEpSRaJicCMJgg8/s320/IMG_3189.JPG" /></a></div><br />
It's been a few weeks since my last post... I started back to work full time, so my blogging has had to suffer a bit. Normally in our DIY world, that wouldn't mean a whole lot. However, since we're having this work done by <a href="http://www.mgzdesign.com/">MGZ</a>, a lot has happened.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The framing is finished. (here's the second floor)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-caDuwrbMtYjrbmQsuw2swsNkoiTzuEtO9TrMTCDYG1wZc6hYe3RZwtC7KQTofLaOFxqxBUyaDNt4OMXCDiDBWLHgM74li4ZgtdAelomHKbKTKDrWPPPm5d3tOHXmdSFJSwyz4Lpi-tU/s1600/IMG_3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-caDuwrbMtYjrbmQsuw2swsNkoiTzuEtO9TrMTCDYG1wZc6hYe3RZwtC7KQTofLaOFxqxBUyaDNt4OMXCDiDBWLHgM74li4ZgtdAelomHKbKTKDrWPPPm5d3tOHXmdSFJSwyz4Lpi-tU/s320/IMG_3194.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The windows are in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNQ0Oia79bmkZ7A9DtRqKsmn9-64F91YxclomWIX14m7FomV98DT1vqcOfYUBouqLVhJsVvMy8hiVUWlYAuuMkdhDDgcE9rkv3TqiF1fiw3ErNIjt3yQh4WQNBWO8yhU16IrHPSl2hyo/s1600/IMG_3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNQ0Oia79bmkZ7A9DtRqKsmn9-64F91YxclomWIX14m7FomV98DT1vqcOfYUBouqLVhJsVvMy8hiVUWlYAuuMkdhDDgcE9rkv3TqiF1fiw3ErNIjt3yQh4WQNBWO8yhU16IrHPSl2hyo/s320/IMG_3192.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The roof is up.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The cornice returns are built & tiled.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXdveK4PRJh_MKxUNqgGtiYVylNSnP0i5CBE6DInaXqM7q1UmiGWzKZu3KdfWzeOfSPjKhvVT8LlL6BogTlSg_WMl11pLCARBIG6rwATXm5TwyxecgJYk1TnZaPpohWqB2JwtO7q_NtM/s1600/IMG_3182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXdveK4PRJh_MKxUNqgGtiYVylNSnP0i5CBE6DInaXqM7q1UmiGWzKZu3KdfWzeOfSPjKhvVT8LlL6BogTlSg_WMl11pLCARBIG6rwATXm5TwyxecgJYk1TnZaPpohWqB2JwtO7q_NtM/s320/IMG_3182.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The trim boards are up.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The cement floor is laid.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The siding is started.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGRPgnChEwO3jgYIeWA9-7mptJ3h-mCRcglDMtRTnONqtHCQgJa7sSGKuABLs24VdjU5Czeit_CK0HzbgiZvHC55uCc9tHIe8ZvB3ZEQZwePe_vOVqL1iXit-AZUgCOV1l7iRQiZai8o/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGRPgnChEwO3jgYIeWA9-7mptJ3h-mCRcglDMtRTnONqtHCQgJa7sSGKuABLs24VdjU5Czeit_CK0HzbgiZvHC55uCc9tHIe8ZvB3ZEQZwePe_vOVqL1iXit-AZUgCOV1l7iRQiZai8o/s320/IMG_3190.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The (custom) frame for the arched window is built. The epoxy I used to rebuild the sashes a few years back has not held up so great. That was just stuff I bought at Homer. I'm hoping/thinking the special Rot Doctor stuff I bought for the <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2008/08/hard-as-wood.html">porch posts</a> does better. At some point I may need to re-repair the sashes...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ytes4Ci29Mnc2Zsxlwe0G_Bgmrn8V3rdhQlqHCoPn9sgUPV-51R6HTl2heGGcwvdFM719carbQDjQzxF4d7Gg68NyZEue9t3vMowj3ywTHHeP3VR-XfQ-NxqKtqYD07ad3-JIT1sx6E/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ytes4Ci29Mnc2Zsxlwe0G_Bgmrn8V3rdhQlqHCoPn9sgUPV-51R6HTl2heGGcwvdFM719carbQDjQzxF4d7Gg68NyZEue9t3vMowj3ywTHHeP3VR-XfQ-NxqKtqYD07ad3-JIT1sx6E/s320/IMG_3191.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Makes me tired thinking about it! Luckily, that's all I have to do on this project!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-84005631330935046942010-05-01T14:52:00.000-04:002010-05-01T14:52:56.334-04:00Framing ContinuesThis past week was pretty exciting for the Plain Jane Carriage House. It started on Monday with the crane lifting the steel beam in place to support the second floor. Here's a video:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-hXD09DwV8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-hXD09DwV8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
With the beam in place, they finished the first floor ceiling/second floor floor. Here it is in progress:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD74FIcLprYzFbhsVsQldKzWnMCQGMAM0QNAvKNxiSr2okxz1orKTw6BDq4uPlkvv2UpmcPGy20lyK1u1M8OmbjvGf5nzh1oEbuiCCzBYwLJG_-klHwdr6NAKVPpI-iB6vPnR4wJmdUAY/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD74FIcLprYzFbhsVsQldKzWnMCQGMAM0QNAvKNxiSr2okxz1orKTw6BDq4uPlkvv2UpmcPGy20lyK1u1M8OmbjvGf5nzh1oEbuiCCzBYwLJG_-klHwdr6NAKVPpI-iB6vPnR4wJmdUAY/s320/IMG_3156.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And finished:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyx3OIRoPshYH9VwXsBXFljhQkZ1MFEOyYsfena_BNHE81s4ERvJlIQy_TQgHXb8Tlv9JnNOK7-dN5G8CAqg9ftNPp8ElbRBBUFG6uv-O5W2R6WJNOusoOyHKqflEeYkQ46NLbkn6TDBY/s1600/IMG_3163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyx3OIRoPshYH9VwXsBXFljhQkZ1MFEOyYsfena_BNHE81s4ERvJlIQy_TQgHXb8Tlv9JnNOK7-dN5G8CAqg9ftNPp8ElbRBBUFG6uv-O5W2R6WJNOusoOyHKqflEeYkQ46NLbkn6TDBY/s320/IMG_3163.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div>And started work on the stairs. Here's the opening for them and the parts being prepped. I think it's called the stringer...?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggb_UwpddMDsKJKV8-XX4WUY32R2TxrsnNufWq6ph8IOw0V28RcPH68TbW1P1leWazJPFPcDrLKEsX_AYOEtdKxtC993LUSd1fReWMY-kr2qTGcXcEj3LF-tigBPIZr6-Be3yS37ezsr8/s1600/IMG_3165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggb_UwpddMDsKJKV8-XX4WUY32R2TxrsnNufWq6ph8IOw0V28RcPH68TbW1P1leWazJPFPcDrLKEsX_AYOEtdKxtC993LUSd1fReWMY-kr2qTGcXcEj3LF-tigBPIZr6-Be3yS37ezsr8/s320/IMG_3165.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's the opening for the stairs:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBCYQT5SZFmtqPOg9gGC1lF99Kej3Fu52v_WOiP-_3OijvGfy0519xrAdsvDrHixAurum8-WTMQ6Ao7XtelhFOhMOq4l5F6k0moe9aZ64SKOgf2Hh1B3KC9UwW9UOnDNazIqwNKoKEJU/s1600/IMG_3164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBCYQT5SZFmtqPOg9gGC1lF99Kej3Fu52v_WOiP-_3OijvGfy0519xrAdsvDrHixAurum8-WTMQ6Ao7XtelhFOhMOq4l5F6k0moe9aZ64SKOgf2Hh1B3KC9UwW9UOnDNazIqwNKoKEJU/s320/IMG_3164.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><br />
Because the first floor ceiling is so high (12') to accomodate Jim's lift, the stairs have to turn. Here they are finished:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4oAQFhSUnpeWko8NEE4P-2legOKj2M78I0877RjypTx3zFKxlQb2Y0LwGItRmGvDI9KO-jh3XoktNSa-hwN1quqbMUlS27XZTiltGxZV9fgHzEmVXQYgUI5EibPbGRVcl_oyQ_nvV6E/s1600/IMG_3174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4oAQFhSUnpeWko8NEE4P-2legOKj2M78I0877RjypTx3zFKxlQb2Y0LwGItRmGvDI9KO-jh3XoktNSa-hwN1quqbMUlS27XZTiltGxZV9fgHzEmVXQYgUI5EibPbGRVcl_oyQ_nvV6E/s320/IMG_3174.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>With the floor and the stairs in place, they started framing out the gables for the second floor. They built these flat on the floor, and then lifted them up with a crane. They stayed late Friday to get the front and back lifted up and the beam put in place between the two.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE9WcIWQnCGivqjei8x7p4asNZt-J_yKZsV9pVeRT9g1y2wIVVVmj4DPS6yPickFutT8ZN9c2avI9L-dDtdBZ5V5Hc3YuXypVKtJQyaofoC28-e-UJQdGW737Ay6Wk5BqSZiZbGfxbvs/s1600/IMG_3168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE9WcIWQnCGivqjei8x7p4asNZt-J_yKZsV9pVeRT9g1y2wIVVVmj4DPS6yPickFutT8ZN9c2avI9L-dDtdBZ5V5Hc3YuXypVKtJQyaofoC28-e-UJQdGW737Ay6Wk5BqSZiZbGfxbvs/s320/IMG_3168.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><br />
Here's a video of them lifting up the front 2nd floor and gable:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZoD2RyV-uF4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZoD2RyV-uF4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
It's pretty cool right now because you can see the scale of the garage with the house.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPubDSrTmFlhttdYfJwA-FKgZKEDYgDDmz6F65eJQ2z328sYjAM1L_PpYqjJ7XC4dEOQPyYENPFtvCMEpalTf_4BFjaTc14DM2dFyNN-WbAPmEJeOXuISTI7oO3yBYToCPmOYGMYP7xw/s1600/IMG_3177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPubDSrTmFlhttdYfJwA-FKgZKEDYgDDmz6F65eJQ2z328sYjAM1L_PpYqjJ7XC4dEOQPyYENPFtvCMEpalTf_4BFjaTc14DM2dFyNN-WbAPmEJeOXuISTI7oO3yBYToCPmOYGMYP7xw/s320/IMG_3177.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>We're using one of the arched windows I reglazed a few years ago to put in the front of the garage so that it matches the front of the house. Here's Jim working that window out from the back of the attic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHgaC8E0-J_Fw_Jc8t36ZtFeaj3MlYtjY4SqoOKnM8ABcgz3zyf-TaNl31N67uDGWpowHKDJ0p2ii5zlrKIjuOqf_oXeZZeI2K8Tc3veK_7lVuT_SyvllxC-sCgbTXtINoQWlkiWvFOg/s1600/IMG_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHgaC8E0-J_Fw_Jc8t36ZtFeaj3MlYtjY4SqoOKnM8ABcgz3zyf-TaNl31N67uDGWpowHKDJ0p2ii5zlrKIjuOqf_oXeZZeI2K8Tc3veK_7lVuT_SyvllxC-sCgbTXtINoQWlkiWvFOg/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><br />
I think he's still trying to decide what to put in it's place. For now, the plastic will have to suffice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyY-YEm8x3cRr8v15XE7jXxpEaaMf5-qQrR_s3BNBtBSUpiA_OnsUW9bWksY2TfUFitRc1fCpgIetoripOrvvC5L2meLQI1razWNs8MwyKCdU3cWI-3ywmRBZ3n-oHegrKcCrtaOKLGM/s1600/IMG_3176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyY-YEm8x3cRr8v15XE7jXxpEaaMf5-qQrR_s3BNBtBSUpiA_OnsUW9bWksY2TfUFitRc1fCpgIetoripOrvvC5L2meLQI1razWNs8MwyKCdU3cWI-3ywmRBZ3n-oHegrKcCrtaOKLGM/s320/IMG_3176.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-5352320142002717792010-04-24T16:46:00.000-04:002010-04-24T16:46:11.658-04:00The Framing StartsThe little guy and I watched this past week in between appointments and errands as the framing began. Here's pictures that span from Wednesday through Friday...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17x_ehzjUHBp_jxWCpOUG7V9OaWyE2khdL7tzQKybbP1pkAKoqogQtKErGc4N4jUj-oD-V0YM1LLZmcZYUDnlgayBr4cZ5Lkrj-5hwhcmck3N2Wavwl1Mnn13xKPffK10n7CiEhOsgig/s1600/IMG_3121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17x_ehzjUHBp_jxWCpOUG7V9OaWyE2khdL7tzQKybbP1pkAKoqogQtKErGc4N4jUj-oD-V0YM1LLZmcZYUDnlgayBr4cZ5Lkrj-5hwhcmck3N2Wavwl1Mnn13xKPffK10n7CiEhOsgig/s320/IMG_3121.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjBNxv0APspixXsecAR-UR5CGKGFzGVdFAa010s7Cl7h-2i8MUQ4jkFiYrtV5i1GntRgV1eT64ieqlftZrHer278ZPi9LzXxUFo4NatZS6Fmdz-Vt0gBgsnPHs3kCVsjCj2iekabBYA4/s1600/IMG_3122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjBNxv0APspixXsecAR-UR5CGKGFzGVdFAa010s7Cl7h-2i8MUQ4jkFiYrtV5i1GntRgV1eT64ieqlftZrHer278ZPi9LzXxUFo4NatZS6Fmdz-Vt0gBgsnPHs3kCVsjCj2iekabBYA4/s320/IMG_3122.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzV4Ro-r1FdZAJaUIJCiCbOIZDEpqT0pm8pHWqZT4_U6TIgAIDPPIGbLlES19rgyGz15PZl4EZXCToZpKI75fF1QiI3wtBj0HDDe4AalnKwqKUqE34zM5BCHcVVnM7Zbvn59zie64iQ8/s1600/IMG_3123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzV4Ro-r1FdZAJaUIJCiCbOIZDEpqT0pm8pHWqZT4_U6TIgAIDPPIGbLlES19rgyGz15PZl4EZXCToZpKI75fF1QiI3wtBj0HDDe4AalnKwqKUqE34zM5BCHcVVnM7Zbvn59zie64iQ8/s320/IMG_3123.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thursday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Friday:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMpsAUCJVNzARIf_pcH7dVZg1t2CTqAOQSXmSaQjkzJRqJyu7U-o8IZWO0bpTKGX6K7Ak4aj7TOyc-Z9KVduf9mJ-N72UjbHU6gFd6Zt1kJcQRUhKi-pfKdwgOYSQ1nQmDLvryMEZCpo/s1600/IMG_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMpsAUCJVNzARIf_pcH7dVZg1t2CTqAOQSXmSaQjkzJRqJyu7U-o8IZWO0bpTKGX6K7Ak4aj7TOyc-Z9KVduf9mJ-N72UjbHU6gFd6Zt1kJcQRUhKi-pfKdwgOYSQ1nQmDLvryMEZCpo/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqlq1eKDK48uNzEHRATUi34P7QRrhwKhJc3YNwd7L8jpV_5C_sfd55-a1OaFh5PlznUUW8NT42gR3-emHqG-IHwpO1E1FSmGfn790nNkeWeIgmgsa0fur_rf7OD5V6Uj8YWAz85xCNgY/s1600/IMG_3129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqlq1eKDK48uNzEHRATUi34P7QRrhwKhJc3YNwd7L8jpV_5C_sfd55-a1OaFh5PlznUUW8NT42gR3-emHqG-IHwpO1E1FSmGfn790nNkeWeIgmgsa0fur_rf7OD5V6Uj8YWAz85xCNgY/s320/IMG_3129.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPLYKXUm2NbjH3jTfIXTA6PpMwBdlqV-ZII5-eviGyTC_HOyE5dMun3048sUfNJjhyRIrAd15L0PrO9vYF_0S3q9TEclZB8IQCl78f3Ao6EQ6W1ltQSAYoyCF6BpImdRLyhxsNdm445s/s1600/IMG_3130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPLYKXUm2NbjH3jTfIXTA6PpMwBdlqV-ZII5-eviGyTC_HOyE5dMun3048sUfNJjhyRIrAd15L0PrO9vYF_0S3q9TEclZB8IQCl78f3Ao6EQ6W1ltQSAYoyCF6BpImdRLyhxsNdm445s/s320/IMG_3130.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-63260789311050345512010-04-19T08:40:00.000-04:002010-04-19T08:40:32.420-04:00Foundation DoneThere was a whole flurry of activity this past week. Essentially the entire foundation is now done. After the little garage was demolished, they dug a huge hole in the backyard. Then the foundation guys came and poured the .... "footers" I think (not 100% sure on the terminology!). Then after those were dry, they came back and poured the foundation walls. Crazy how fast those went up.<br />
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Here they are bringing in the forms for the foundation with the truck that had this CRAZY big crane:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-q6cRck5L8hcil9HO6Z0nkU-t_0jGC3Osj76-z33Q9iwSPsNDSCF_w0qw_EG2oub4b5mHhFr-aXUJQxPZWNjg0YuISxSxGkiyc7_lZSCQglvt1nw98iWrCoH9HLRCF2ljTnoJIcA1bk/s1600/IMG_3090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-q6cRck5L8hcil9HO6Z0nkU-t_0jGC3Osj76-z33Q9iwSPsNDSCF_w0qw_EG2oub4b5mHhFr-aXUJQxPZWNjg0YuISxSxGkiyc7_lZSCQglvt1nw98iWrCoH9HLRCF2ljTnoJIcA1bk/s320/IMG_3090.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here they are setting everything up:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMFnZtlK36GhmAe8AfeeHmHjycgVu6hNwZ_y4Ru2oY_SGEIvUlBDt2MVqbCVkTp_RDXmJ_iKGKUBn_zkL5Ktf2yD0d2WM5o0OdjQI1eanTJh5bL474LFonOiuqeDm30m7reu5sIZ9P2Q/s1600/IMG_3093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqMFnZtlK36GhmAe8AfeeHmHjycgVu6hNwZ_y4Ru2oY_SGEIvUlBDt2MVqbCVkTp_RDXmJ_iKGKUBn_zkL5Ktf2yD0d2WM5o0OdjQI1eanTJh5bL474LFonOiuqeDm30m7reu5sIZ9P2Q/s320/IMG_3093.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And of course, here is the concrete being poured (I have this in video, but I'll spare you - it's like watching paint dry):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbCdtTPbRkUQ5cdJ375c2znf8T6xJriGgI5OujBpZnG6JW1LZfDHHvRvsngrX7FEG2VyGdBKr2OFSISSqsbVm4ozd0QHx93BwW2_tvOdJh095s7HwOCMD0iFVorZAZdKkADs-4fJpjak/s1600/MVI_3095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbCdtTPbRkUQ5cdJ375c2znf8T6xJriGgI5OujBpZnG6JW1LZfDHHvRvsngrX7FEG2VyGdBKr2OFSISSqsbVm4ozd0QHx93BwW2_tvOdJh095s7HwOCMD0iFVorZAZdKkADs-4fJpjak/s320/MVI_3095.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div>When everything was broken down and dry, the filling up of the hole began!<br />
Dumping Dirt into the foundation:<br />
<div align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q05X1zARC4A&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q05X1zARC4A&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Jim actually took a couple of days off of work so that he could watch the foundation being put in, but the guys were so fast, it was already done before he was off. But I think he enjoyed walking around and checking things out as they were happening anyway. Here he is chatting with Mike Z, the general contractor:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FpXjw9jUnhM5ryqnFycJv3TByH_aBzm5JL0Gg9ZvyptjaidXh5xXnNwREGjCq8n29HycTqfRkwbwpdyqA09_mdqPTJsCky-qAuXWwff-fhwtlQoMpP5EvR_s-8thVSKYp6xqI1mB5xQ/s1600/IMG_3102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FpXjw9jUnhM5ryqnFycJv3TByH_aBzm5JL0Gg9ZvyptjaidXh5xXnNwREGjCq8n29HycTqfRkwbwpdyqA09_mdqPTJsCky-qAuXWwff-fhwtlQoMpP5EvR_s-8thVSKYp6xqI1mB5xQ/s320/IMG_3102.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
But we cannot forget the water and electricity lines out to the garage! To do that, they had to dig a trench from our house foundation. The only weird thing is that there is a sort of 2-story gabeled bump out on the driveway side of the house. It seems to be newer than the rest of the house, and doesn't seem to actually have a foundation itself. The basement doesn't go out with it, and when we have looked at the "foundation wall" below it, it seems to just be bricks (which are actually loose) and hollow to the porch. A little scary. But I prefer to not think about it too hard. Anyway, they were digging the trench to that part of the house... I think they ended up getting the electric and water lines from the original basement-ed part of the house right next to it -- not really sure how that worked out - I wasn't paying enough attention. As you can see from the video below, we ended up a little bit trapped inside the house! We've never actually had a key for the front door (previous owner never gave us one), so it was a little bit tricky for a day or two until it got covered back up.<br />
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Digging the trench:<br />
<div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/49RmHByaDX4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/49RmHByaDX4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are having them re-grade our lawn as part of this project. We knew there was a slope and some bumps in it, but apparently it was 2 feet lower in the back. And even with that giant hole and filling it back up, to get things all even, they still had to bring in FIVE truckloads of dirt! That's right! - five truckloads! Seems like a lot to me... And here is a video of the dump truck (again - for the little guy that will be sad he missed out!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bringing in more dirt:</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E1thm7ScSjo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E1thm7ScSjo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And the only casualty of this work is my little garden gnome - you might not be able to see him, but the sunbleached guy is in the center of this picture. Now he is somewhere underneath the ground.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlZelzsKJudym-OMX3aD_hcLnScc3aK5G2WL9g3dcJrYXwFroAM06YFD-6SrvJwWzT_YLuK6JXh2eLL2CmpoXrm1IBYfFAKoEFY1HqJA0ljehZvzecCfo5nEf5uBP8MHhNqCIK5pVQao/s1600/IMG_3100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlZelzsKJudym-OMX3aD_hcLnScc3aK5G2WL9g3dcJrYXwFroAM06YFD-6SrvJwWzT_YLuK6JXh2eLL2CmpoXrm1IBYfFAKoEFY1HqJA0ljehZvzecCfo5nEf5uBP8MHhNqCIK5pVQao/s320/IMG_3100.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So foundation is complete, electric inspection is done, and I believe that the framing will start this week!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-36889319973084515822010-04-09T07:54:00.001-04:002010-04-09T07:57:07.418-04:00Demo DayWell, yesterday was the big day. The little garage was demolished. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcKo4d32JWLA5j-VluLw8yZ0-opmSELWx_3zNMvCwsvzokUpdhxUIJCHNBMu-MZuUNO_iRKAQeOMaMEcgXAGdgRKXq9xZnq50LsEXkLAcykzyaJwx8gfzg04DXBBMnT5FidFPYuoysBQ/s1600/IMG_3052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcKo4d32JWLA5j-VluLw8yZ0-opmSELWx_3zNMvCwsvzokUpdhxUIJCHNBMu-MZuUNO_iRKAQeOMaMEcgXAGdgRKXq9xZnq50LsEXkLAcykzyaJwx8gfzg04DXBBMnT5FidFPYuoysBQ/s320/IMG_3052.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div>When I replaced the shingles and siding, luckily I only did the front. Some might say I was lazy, but I like to think I had foresight to know it would have been futile.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLE5nmHur7qDI6S3qv4nqxiC8nX801e_T_6nPFmKncxbKeVZ1pWn4rEizx9MVGxe5BynEzh5TEuHihKQkjAXOUwl4FnSn-x0wF9f59UyjFahAu5glPctcH8VN1Oj-DQCJ-qMKGZk_2jk/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLE5nmHur7qDI6S3qv4nqxiC8nX801e_T_6nPFmKncxbKeVZ1pWn4rEizx9MVGxe5BynEzh5TEuHihKQkjAXOUwl4FnSn-x0wF9f59UyjFahAu5glPctcH8VN1Oj-DQCJ-qMKGZk_2jk/s320/IMG_3053.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
And here is Oscar enjoying his last romp in the open expanse of our backyard.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ9s1GgcS538f2oWt9X3R1RLEAhlkFtFIkP01HAJrjRih_nSOIk20IJJGCBcRFOD-nkgg_MHxA-kfLK5lDDjFa3VZ-jXY20meESlWYbGwYABbzj6kE4sya5QhrwYa7LIMu8SJ092B3Yo/s1600/IMG_3056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ9s1GgcS538f2oWt9X3R1RLEAhlkFtFIkP01HAJrjRih_nSOIk20IJJGCBcRFOD-nkgg_MHxA-kfLK5lDDjFa3VZ-jXY20meESlWYbGwYABbzj6kE4sya5QhrwYa7LIMu8SJ092B3Yo/s320/IMG_3056.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
It's always a little amazing how much faster a contractor with the right tools is...<br />
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He just pushed the dumpster in through the garage door and went at it with the back hoe. Here's a couple of videos capturing the event:<br />
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The start of the demo:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JRekvnvkbKQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JRekvnvkbKQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>And dumping the north side wall:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OETLRsYCtQ4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OETLRsYCtQ4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>These were captured mainly for Jim, who couldn't be home from work this morning... but also for Morty, who will one day be sad he wasn't old enough to care at the time! What little boy doesn't love a front loader and a backhoe?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nb5I4t4zEPCJQh3VHXE0TCLmAgU-aHjb0qM7MRKGB0ArcRgIWmg_WxzDvXPKCMZ6KUANpo9RMhgRTX2nDgv5AvUSCx5bJ88Nn5S_dcT7rx_HuX11fw8L-TucvWHZu59Sxu0yRATF4Nc/s1600/IMG_3086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nb5I4t4zEPCJQh3VHXE0TCLmAgU-aHjb0qM7MRKGB0ArcRgIWmg_WxzDvXPKCMZ6KUANpo9RMhgRTX2nDgv5AvUSCx5bJ88Nn5S_dcT7rx_HuX11fw8L-TucvWHZu59Sxu0yRATF4Nc/s320/IMG_3086.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Here's Oscar checking the whole thing out from inside the house. Abbey was a bit more sheepish and stayed in the background. Although she barked the loudest through the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRvLpnqu5BqbrW2sb-PjNCAjhJHGztA9UWut0LD3yCxfr4y9DBQi3EWl_kkYUSZMDNEKa0kk9wlIn8rFg6Sy4fGwf6wccloYG7tpksINgZ2OoTOGr7tvHBRHDpgk1YWjfUQyDEVF9X38/s1600/IMG_3072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRvLpnqu5BqbrW2sb-PjNCAjhJHGztA9UWut0LD3yCxfr4y9DBQi3EWl_kkYUSZMDNEKa0kk9wlIn8rFg6Sy4fGwf6wccloYG7tpksINgZ2OoTOGr7tvHBRHDpgk1YWjfUQyDEVF9X38/s320/IMG_3072.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
After all the garage was down, the digging commenced. Now there is a giant hole in our backyard. And what yard didn't get digged up, pretty much is piled up with dirt. So the dogs now only have a teeny tiny space to do their business.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5SibPTF_QrnQW0lmJ8jSxYpZvEvw2lvi1R3NYh7FVl8g5ilEa0K903O6Z6QjNhPoxWkPwDOQcw_bPTErQf3Q75Yx-1qsko7vYjwUrXDTFavpnXkdlgehtilgniyXGEygng47omN2n7E/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5SibPTF_QrnQW0lmJ8jSxYpZvEvw2lvi1R3NYh7FVl8g5ilEa0K903O6Z6QjNhPoxWkPwDOQcw_bPTErQf3Q75Yx-1qsko7vYjwUrXDTFavpnXkdlgehtilgniyXGEygng47omN2n7E/s320/IMG_3081.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWlSF2EmztHBfrY01Qq-I8SAxMjuTcDF_8FhHye5urP_0FcbpH77FRglsN_RRGQ0LptB0okF_4OX9yi8DrAvBp1fiUq14SMOKnETARXyuL3Zx1ONBuAJ8Hx3z9vRYNhHS59_sUpgq6Fc/s1600/IMG_3076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWlSF2EmztHBfrY01Qq-I8SAxMjuTcDF_8FhHye5urP_0FcbpH77FRglsN_RRGQ0LptB0okF_4OX9yi8DrAvBp1fiUq14SMOKnETARXyuL3Zx1ONBuAJ8Hx3z9vRYNhHS59_sUpgq6Fc/s320/IMG_3076.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DCYfDiVzVVQ5O5ak2CFSdZNuvWjQ3e-iM8otqMJoCbDkeuA8mjxzYw0GECeZxpRSM54spJoR2feBR3puVzj0OqFvbwjd1-VfKBxV_EM8qXIuj713C5NVQcd6rT16zWGgmiM1JdbzJs0/s1600/IMG_3087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DCYfDiVzVVQ5O5ak2CFSdZNuvWjQ3e-iM8otqMJoCbDkeuA8mjxzYw0GECeZxpRSM54spJoR2feBR3puVzj0OqFvbwjd1-VfKBxV_EM8qXIuj713C5NVQcd6rT16zWGgmiM1JdbzJs0/s320/IMG_3087.JPG" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
The contractor pulled out a few bottles from his digging. Jim and I went later last night to check the bottles out. It didn't look like there was anything particularly special, but we looked further at the location on the back right side of the hole. It looked like it must have been a fire hole, because it was blacker, sootier dirt than the rest of the dirt, and there was a lot of random garbage in there - like pieces of a bedframe and the bottom of a tiolet and some other unidentifiable stuff. Nice.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-68935510193697626312010-03-28T09:17:00.001-04:002010-03-28T09:19:29.627-04:00Contract Signed & Another Search for LightsWell, yesterday Jim and I finally signed the contract with the contractor! Turns out we're going with the design/build firm. We negotiated some things to keep it in the price range we needed, and turns out that we'll have to do the siding ourselves, but it will be a relief for Jim not to have to do the GC-ing.<br />
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Now I guess there's some permit approval by the town or something, and then they start the work. Michael, the architect/contractor, thought it would be within 3 weeks. Jim is not quite sure he will be able to stand the impending waiting! <br />
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Meanwhile, he has been condensing the basement to fit the garage stuff in there in preparation for demolition. The basement already has our regular basement stuff - laundry, pellet stove pellet bags, table saw and woodworking bench, assorted tools, and leftover project suppies. Then when he got out of his rented hobby shop, the basement also got packed with all that stuff - tires, car parts, ... well, frankly, I'm not exactly sure what all he put down there, but it is definitely PACKED. And now we'll have to fit all the garage stuff somewhere - bikes, gardening supplies... I think the lawnmower and the snowblower will just be put under a tarp outside. Yep, it's going to look a bit like shanty town at our house for the next few months. That's ok, though, it will just match our neighbor's assortment of carports.<br />
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I got put in charge of finding exterior lighting. Well, of course, I found some fantastic lights! I saw an ad in TOH magazine for a place called <a href="http://www.barnlightelectric.com/">Barn Light Electric</a>. I love, love, love their stuff!! Maybe it's the renovator in me combined with my factory working engineering side... but they have a great mix of vintage and industrial in their lighting. Heres a few of my favorites of their outdoor lanterns:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznXk138Z4yY8TkkAOUILXbbhTro8CenjdL4H29kaJwGBIjx4Gwi1tOXl9yYgUzUV4oB8nWqCGpjw6Z7VxE9MgBvglCKT5FyHumw0qivYxVWO78PIpkSrZRItdwNqAFDLMujAAPvSTfrE/s1600/BarnLightElectricB2021HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznXk138Z4yY8TkkAOUILXbbhTro8CenjdL4H29kaJwGBIjx4Gwi1tOXl9yYgUzUV4oB8nWqCGpjw6Z7VxE9MgBvglCKT5FyHumw0qivYxVWO78PIpkSrZRItdwNqAFDLMujAAPvSTfrE/s320/BarnLightElectricB2021HB.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mY6tXWwujsIWQJQqbSpx-cWwhaF28n85a2CKMBexUmTDD-c3JCrokNdvN7olj6Y1BjeEjQcqkxwukKEHVY05kLLkt81uI3AdnOq2adAfuhqqcMHTIphQOmVL69sGuHJuKPL1T5925oA/s1600/BarnLightElectricB9010OBZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mY6tXWwujsIWQJQqbSpx-cWwhaF28n85a2CKMBexUmTDD-c3JCrokNdvN7olj6Y1BjeEjQcqkxwukKEHVY05kLLkt81uI3AdnOq2adAfuhqqcMHTIphQOmVL69sGuHJuKPL1T5925oA/s320/BarnLightElectricB9010OBZ.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwtGEnjv9hOpYisS7TkSM614P_vPWTH7LDVAchTkDAKbuamPKLZIrNnCp_uU_SgGa-vjq_hmExBlDimV0Wdd2D3YP_X1yLwFqNCsjXZo-jlxqt2DzyVNdUds2AdNe4XeC3Imx5OvCMBs/s1600/BarnLightElectricB9361NB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwtGEnjv9hOpYisS7TkSM614P_vPWTH7LDVAchTkDAKbuamPKLZIrNnCp_uU_SgGa-vjq_hmExBlDimV0Wdd2D3YP_X1yLwFqNCsjXZo-jlxqt2DzyVNdUds2AdNe4XeC3Imx5OvCMBs/s320/BarnLightElectricB9361NB.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But take a look at this one (referred to as Owings Mill) - how perfect would this be?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2IvmHdDNLaZuKMK9Pr6v0_zD0pVovawax3pExP4AxhesR4P1FjY9S6iLZcRYwE6jaT8-7vH_MlsSeXNV7PI51NuFc9pp5nUkB4zpN_Mt-sZP_PBb7OFsd_OaFZFDcneCQyZAKg6YDlc/s1600/BarnLightElectricB9463NB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2IvmHdDNLaZuKMK9Pr6v0_zD0pVovawax3pExP4AxhesR4P1FjY9S6iLZcRYwE6jaT8-7vH_MlsSeXNV7PI51NuFc9pp5nUkB4zpN_Mt-sZP_PBb7OFsd_OaFZFDcneCQyZAKg6YDlc/s320/BarnLightElectricB9463NB.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILJp34m9wb7B15jbSKeZDhKvxrw8PQJu2EmenBk1mCJoeDqwGbzPJcMvZSKA8uqHrNsn9UQwLCxkjRyXkrH-EtSNf8Cvmr4fp169VmuSLJhBkQ2n1rTZMGUAaqKo8ozRVoi0OuXQKENI/s1600/BarnLightElectricOwings_Mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILJp34m9wb7B15jbSKeZDhKvxrw8PQJu2EmenBk1mCJoeDqwGbzPJcMvZSKA8uqHrNsn9UQwLCxkjRyXkrH-EtSNf8Cvmr4fp169VmuSLJhBkQ2n1rTZMGUAaqKo8ozRVoi0OuXQKENI/s320/BarnLightElectricOwings_Mill.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Mmmmmm nice! <br />
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Ah, but they are not cheap... And with all the cost cutting on the garage to get it within budget, it's not very likely these will be the first lights to go up, unfortunately. But they are my dream lights. We may have to go with a Homer special for the short term, but I REFUSE to put that black trapazoid lantern up. You know the one - it's the one everyone seems to have...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LooqVaeVHLubfwo1d5dsPxpJu1iJSMdyft6FEBjP9ppPOKfbAM7YcnI82m4OVcuX7wpSFRnC6g2DrHdn-9AjTAjqezczPe0hbMPxplIneIIx6eTp9SEa5nOcKytl20bbggV1LBeLcSw/s1600/LampsPlus+Yuck+82653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LooqVaeVHLubfwo1d5dsPxpJu1iJSMdyft6FEBjP9ppPOKfbAM7YcnI82m4OVcuX7wpSFRnC6g2DrHdn-9AjTAjqezczPe0hbMPxplIneIIx6eTp9SEa5nOcKytl20bbggV1LBeLcSw/s320/LampsPlus+Yuck+82653.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not sure why, but I just hate that light - and all the variations of it. Well, I'll probably have to find something I can live with... This one from Lamps Plus isn't too bad, and it's about a third the price. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8_249TS1MnhbnP7Xij6kGCkvRuurG8SAwY7Ennq3C4Q6pbmkfJ7zMei2IkPLeplkL13LPchr8xQtkwKpT6X8VYFx3go_1aIVhADvOuDkR5761UpGO9o47Lw1Vd9UzvkzkS_cq4yO9wE/s1600/LampsPlus+H6920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8_249TS1MnhbnP7Xij6kGCkvRuurG8SAwY7Ennq3C4Q6pbmkfJ7zMei2IkPLeplkL13LPchr8xQtkwKpT6X8VYFx3go_1aIVhADvOuDkR5761UpGO9o47Lw1Vd9UzvkzkS_cq4yO9wE/s320/LampsPlus+H6920.jpg" /></a></div><br />
But it is still not as nice as the Owings Mill...<br />
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Oh, and I salivate over these <a href="http://www.barnlightelectric.com/architectural-salvage/salvage-industrial-factory-carts/">carts</a> from Barn House Electric too:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGkro0XfzUqeCG845CSXdijCuYLkfzxjuxwUykZCOu4gg1qp8gxLWBc72r2CRrOkOAp6T5E7HCRtmd20u-dOFwzRZoCGaBnGjny_PVU9s4fLbAlPgN9W7OhrL8h9HqXJeMx2sl4kzoz8/s1600/factory_cart_lg_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGkro0XfzUqeCG845CSXdijCuYLkfzxjuxwUykZCOu4gg1qp8gxLWBc72r2CRrOkOAp6T5E7HCRtmd20u-dOFwzRZoCGaBnGjny_PVU9s4fLbAlPgN9W7OhrL8h9HqXJeMx2sl4kzoz8/s320/factory_cart_lg_500.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm pretty sure I've seen them elsewhere... maybe Restoration Hardware or something. But they are so great. Maybe we need one in the new garage?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-31672899750088541802010-03-21T12:52:00.000-04:002013-12-16T17:35:17.714-05:00I'm Back, the Little Guy, and plans for a GarageYes - I AM alive and well... and thankfully, the baby is also alive and well! The last post was when I went on strict bedrest, and it was definitely needed. The unfortunate news is that I actually delivered 8 weeks early, on the day after Thanksgiving. It was a little scary for us for a while, but Morten made it through, came home just before Christmas, and is surviving and thriving now! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8hGEOagE-X1kwbaYsfbvESZXQA7NWPhqW-6FO7Q0K6eV3tIHj0F2SchE3bPFGaAZbULmXnHbdhxGozZTrr5oN3_y0zRsU9ubJIQTIEbC4keM98yExzu5oxsx9puveyhDeFA5kr2GTrU/s1600-h/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8hGEOagE-X1kwbaYsfbvESZXQA7NWPhqW-6FO7Q0K6eV3tIHj0F2SchE3bPFGaAZbULmXnHbdhxGozZTrr5oN3_y0zRsU9ubJIQTIEbC4keM98yExzu5oxsx9puveyhDeFA5kr2GTrU/s320/4.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div>
I have been off work: 6 weeks of maternity leave (mostly spent while he was in the hospital), 4 weeks of vacation, and now I am in the middle of 12 weeks of FMLA. It is so awesome to be home with him. It's a little strange to me, however, to not actually have time to do any projects! I might be able to, if I can figure out how to do it in 15 minute spurts during naptimes... that must get better, right? Or maybe it gets worse? Any other home renovators with children out there have advice?<br />
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The big thing for us (and primarily for Jim) is still the garage project. It has changed and morphed quite a bit since my last entry. We had a design-build firm work up architectural drawings both of the current Phase 1 garage, and also of a Phase 2 that connects the garage with a mudroom, rebuilds the kitchen, and adds a master suite on the 2nd floor (beginnings of "the dream" coming to life). Here's their drawing for the Phase 1 garage:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3HG44tO0rXE6bWi4eKteFIwBmpVjzMKC_Kk1Y2UHBO4TRIxtSjufsggHeP8QzIVyD0O8BXV6SLa525t7N7WJpdSsvRbfFnRJ_UeDUepLQwauc3XkDD6GGwveydgmXpSStKUhWQnMBAU/s1600-h/garage+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3HG44tO0rXE6bWi4eKteFIwBmpVjzMKC_Kk1Y2UHBO4TRIxtSjufsggHeP8QzIVyD0O8BXV6SLa525t7N7WJpdSsvRbfFnRJ_UeDUepLQwauc3XkDD6GGwveydgmXpSStKUhWQnMBAU/s640/garage+drawing.jpg" vt="true" width="640" /></a></div>
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In past posts, we were debating on the location - straight at the end of the driveway, or behind the house, with a right turn at the end of the driveway. You can probably tell with the location of the garage doors, we chose to go straight at the end of the driveway.<br />
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And here's a section drawing, so you can see that there is a second floor:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB1C4RS96gKPFpNUK4oO9qbqzGooYcb3u1Hi9zC6U8BXCBytQjKnhsYfZaQjzCApH-NbaRFLEAHjZ49ELK_JnzQ_T32icv2935zhjpHPXv1mUT4gY2Q8PiMBmw5RUl7B843pblRdK4bs/s1600-h/Garage+section+A.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqB1C4RS96gKPFpNUK4oO9qbqzGooYcb3u1Hi9zC6U8BXCBytQjKnhsYfZaQjzCApH-NbaRFLEAHjZ49ELK_JnzQ_T32icv2935zhjpHPXv1mUT4gY2Q8PiMBmw5RUl7B843pblRdK4bs/s400/Garage+section+A.png" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first floor will hold our two "daily drivers", Jim's project car (currently a 36 Ford), a lift for working on the project car, and his toolbox and supplies. The second floor is planned to be a workshop area, so we can get the table saw and other woodworking tools out of the basement. I'm sure there will be car stuff up there too.</div>
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Jim is still doing some negotiating and pricing to determine if we're going to go with the design-build firm for the build, or if he's going to sub it out himself. We're on a pretty strict budget, but still want to make this look like it fits the house, and of course, be quality work. If we can get it into a reasonable price, and Jim thinks he's just about there, we should be able to start this project this spring.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-33076403291759860862009-11-14T17:05:00.000-05:002009-11-14T17:05:32.633-05:00Grand Plans - Thwarted AGAIN!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheM2lLfkwML78Z0XL1Zt121lq9WZUtsc5VUA81u1OoRGc_fRNZG7_Wv4Uo1faKpMjLU5AWm3S-rQNj8hHayTJp5UfXZuWAPctYgIoww-SJ7bkrYSpDfHXkuVXOkxae8WdSLHxTcIG7r0o/s1600-h/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <br />
Well, unfortunately my hopes of getting my modified bed rest eased up were dashed with the news that I was now to go onto STRICT bedrest. So much for sewing... and pretty much anything related to the house besides just looking at it from my horizontal position on the couch. The good news is that I will not be pregnant forever. Meanwhile, I'll do my best to keep the little guy in my belly baking for as long as possible! I was 30 weeks yesterday, so we're hoping to make it to the end of the year. <br />
Prior to going fully down, I did get a chance to also finish these curtains for the kitchen:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5KrFBVFsRLw5j-UISD9NOtfVyu664QhrwlOt3dzWvPpu1MCKOdCxlZ9FQsETWonOBvjrPzP1eir9TXTY2SfdiPVaKrkv4j-daWHNCXg6gm7yW0BpNLv8qkuVVCKypJp04r2FiX3DtvA/s1600-h/IMG_2575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5KrFBVFsRLw5j-UISD9NOtfVyu664QhrwlOt3dzWvPpu1MCKOdCxlZ9FQsETWonOBvjrPzP1eir9TXTY2SfdiPVaKrkv4j-daWHNCXg6gm7yW0BpNLv8qkuVVCKypJp04r2FiX3DtvA/s320/IMG_2575.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The inspiration came from some cafe curtains in the Pottery Barn catalogue:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV6vQAv837Gu4kkbmMwb8t6h0DuxNy8mfvOrYCePejFSctd4-gVWVf7hyphenhyphenxgqWN39L0ICTggwT5yW6VnqiwnVwWpfh64yofHTIHyVWrBXzd2CYBNosW-jocMIFmT6wwO3I8kJIQuwypW8/s1600-h/img83m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV6vQAv837Gu4kkbmMwb8t6h0DuxNy8mfvOrYCePejFSctd4-gVWVf7hyphenhyphenxgqWN39L0ICTggwT5yW6VnqiwnVwWpfh64yofHTIHyVWrBXzd2CYBNosW-jocMIFmT6wwO3I8kJIQuwypW8/s320/img83m.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Apologies for my poor photography skills... not quite the light and airy look of the catalogue, but you get the idea. I got the fabric last year at the closeout sale for Fabric Place, with the intention of making these curtains, but it looks like I underestimated the yardage, and only got enough for 3 of the 5 windows. Oh well - the other 2 windows are a different size and more in the kitchen prep area while the 3 that now have the coverings are in the eat-in area, so I think it all works.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then a few weeks ago I pulled up eBay (lots of spare internet time on my hands these days) and found this great metal sign. I figured it fit the bare wall space above the table pretty well (2' x 3'), so I went ahead and bid. I can't remember the exact price, but I got it for less than $130 - which isn't too bad, if you consider the price of an equivalent size of artwork, and definitely not too bad of a price for an authentic vintage metal sign. Here it is as Jim mounted it:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJcrecMy-b-Tm4qEI3kz-sCF5cFhpRnurMKATtPMkIzfHEyztF377BFmoyBnBXmr5_xidaKxFgpIkDySCPnIFKG_u7Fnb-bBjTXOyky2TNh2SrBFPhnwEMRyiZHiUNYt6iqtfWRhJxTQ/s1600-h/IMG_2636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJcrecMy-b-Tm4qEI3kz-sCF5cFhpRnurMKATtPMkIzfHEyztF377BFmoyBnBXmr5_xidaKxFgpIkDySCPnIFKG_u7Fnb-bBjTXOyky2TNh2SrBFPhnwEMRyiZHiUNYt6iqtfWRhJxTQ/s320/IMG_2636.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I was thumbing through the September issue of This Old House magazine a few months ago, I came across a Reader Remodel that had a similar kitchen issue as us... horrid flat cabinet doors. They ended up doing something I have always thought about doing, but never thought it would actually work - until I saw their <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20305661_20673705,00.html">picture</a>. They just added some stock molding in a frame to the outside of the cabinet doors:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2nDasGnrtH1eW_ITfxHnLL27W2z1KE8jFtQdkDkW9wKDJRFiCezd-Y5Dto0gWqCg03ONEPmcHPcIbTzvZU-Nx_Q9QqU99Vazfs1TQr3abWYpUWhTzHiYaYVel8AddnbSawBJSF_6QUI/s1600-h/09-bungalow-remodel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2nDasGnrtH1eW_ITfxHnLL27W2z1KE8jFtQdkDkW9wKDJRFiCezd-Y5Dto0gWqCg03ONEPmcHPcIbTzvZU-Nx_Q9QqU99Vazfs1TQr3abWYpUWhTzHiYaYVel8AddnbSawBJSF_6QUI/s320/09-bungalow-remodel.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
So I played around a little with what I had in the house, and checked at Homer to see what thicknesses and widths they had in stock, and found something I thought would work. I bought enough for a couple of cabinets and came home and played with my router a bit. <br />
<br />
This is the first time I've done anything besides just plain butt joints. Real joinery! I made half-lap joints on the corners. It took me the longest time to set the router up for the proper thickness of cut, but here's my joint - all glued up:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheM2lLfkwML78Z0XL1Zt121lq9WZUtsc5VUA81u1OoRGc_fRNZG7_Wv4Uo1faKpMjLU5AWm3S-rQNj8hHayTJp5UfXZuWAPctYgIoww-SJ7bkrYSpDfHXkuVXOkxae8WdSLHxTcIG7r0o/s1600-h/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheM2lLfkwML78Z0XL1Zt121lq9WZUtsc5VUA81u1OoRGc_fRNZG7_Wv4Uo1faKpMjLU5AWm3S-rQNj8hHayTJp5UfXZuWAPctYgIoww-SJ7bkrYSpDfHXkuVXOkxae8WdSLHxTcIG7r0o/s320/IMG_2633.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>And here's what the frame looks like all glued together:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGhA-0I5MVCUFtyuJvOXuOAAa9y5huJ08_Up45LMNVtGI0Eprqess_CaBB1Lg6-Nq6j7gQx41STqwYo9aHSWNciNN2-B8qAXuIrF7Vt_K9zn31FYBIkmpSZN_83jIytzPYb-DwERZueM/s1600-h/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGhA-0I5MVCUFtyuJvOXuOAAa9y5huJ08_Up45LMNVtGI0Eprqess_CaBB1Lg6-Nq6j7gQx41STqwYo9aHSWNciNN2-B8qAXuIrF7Vt_K9zn31FYBIkmpSZN_83jIytzPYb-DwERZueM/s320/IMG_2631.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>Since we don't have a lot of clamps or much space in the basement to glue things together, and I wasn't supposed to be on my feet very long, the plan was to do this slowly, one door frame at a time, and just kind of get through it bit by bit. Each door costs about $15 in materials, so to do the whole set of cabinet doors, it will only take about $200. The ultimate plan, of course, has us redo-ing the kitchen in 5 - 10 years, so we don't want to spend too much on temporary fixes anyway (i.e. totally new cabinets). It was a perfect plan. ugh - until strict bedrest. So my little frame is sitting in the basement, off to the side. Waiting for the day I can start my little projects again.... in between feedings and naps... (I fully realize I might be fooling myself here.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-27020443975094005622009-10-27T10:17:00.000-04:002009-10-27T10:17:43.914-04:00More Nursery Sewing - Crib SetI've been doing some more sewing for the nursery... slowly, and as I've felt up to it. Here's what I've finished in the last week or so. If you remember, here was the inspiration picture for the crib bedding:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSinByPkq9As4k9p-g4jlIFjgDtt4jP050bJ2_KrOL0Zz6tuGsDKZT3ZjjAmRBvhfcpxjicfXy7hdTQdsWeOrRHZuk0In3mrK50xEfKPhyphenhyphenXBqzkb5v256G8Vzw5yEMch6QYx9C5ZqqnIo/s1600-h/sock%20money%20vanilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSinByPkq9As4k9p-g4jlIFjgDtt4jP050bJ2_KrOL0Zz6tuGsDKZT3ZjjAmRBvhfcpxjicfXy7hdTQdsWeOrRHZuk0In3mrK50xEfKPhyphenhyphenXBqzkb5v256G8Vzw5yEMch6QYx9C5ZqqnIo/s320/sock%2520money%2520vanilla.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><br />
The crib that we have is one that Jim's mom found yard-saling. It has these kickbars on the bottom as a mechanism for dropping the crib sides. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHL7h9kOZlQnekeNcTD5VaUiA1uxx-ea47lzOLP5yDxG3TT-Oo5qFJIuHaxhScfubc1067C0ngNUrPYfUS1W9T33vpJJ0DNcDPbz3Wk-zhGrKw4gux9F0xSVnhsVEdduCBdljwnwPEro/s1600-h/IMG_2600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHL7h9kOZlQnekeNcTD5VaUiA1uxx-ea47lzOLP5yDxG3TT-Oo5qFJIuHaxhScfubc1067C0ngNUrPYfUS1W9T33vpJJ0DNcDPbz3Wk-zhGrKw4gux9F0xSVnhsVEdduCBdljwnwPEro/s320/IMG_2600.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>Useful, but kind of ugly - and the way that they are positioned pushes the bedskirt out of alignment. We were going to trade the crib for a different one that Jim's mom had also found, but I think that I figured out a way to make it work... I added another panel to the skirt, making it look like a box pleat. It covers most of the kickbar and makes it far less objectionable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmz3I6NxEqZmrIIzZR273mmDrW6J_ENc9fz9S5ESpkRlQtMwnjSr9yHOt2KE3mmZAZcchQ3Wmkmfv7DNjJkkq22ZNsI6-bNejDAEWQ46VjkOMwFu2FGEiimmjhyphenhyphenBFsBkEqX4x_VRGXWY/s1600-h/IMG_2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmz3I6NxEqZmrIIzZR273mmDrW6J_ENc9fz9S5ESpkRlQtMwnjSr9yHOt2KE3mmZAZcchQ3Wmkmfv7DNjJkkq22ZNsI6-bNejDAEWQ46VjkOMwFu2FGEiimmjhyphenhyphenBFsBkEqX4x_VRGXWY/s320/IMG_2599.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>I also made a cribsheet out of brown gingham. I'm not sure I like the gingham next to the ticking stripes of the skirt. It might grow on me. I'll probably make a few more fitted sheets out of off-white or dark brown fabric. It was super easy to make... I just followed <a href="http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/Blog/Fitted_Crib_Sheet_Tutorial.pdf">this tutorial</a>, except I sewed lastin elastic around the entire edge, instead of just the corners.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlcdh_bvCFHdrIYn-_UNTbnaBSrJO2_spg_FIqs0KTtW1XTRHApT2asqcdAm7h436gSy-ueXFt47T5FhO40l37sE5zpr88QVQM5bmFy3yEDb5tMC1YXOV80SOK8u6je3pTu8cAtWsUW8/s1600-h/IMG_2603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlcdh_bvCFHdrIYn-_UNTbnaBSrJO2_spg_FIqs0KTtW1XTRHApT2asqcdAm7h436gSy-ueXFt47T5FhO40l37sE5zpr88QVQM5bmFy3yEDb5tMC1YXOV80SOK8u6je3pTu8cAtWsUW8/s320/IMG_2603.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>The hardest piece was the bumper pads. Yes, I know there is debate on whether you should even actually have these due to SIDS concerns, but I kept the padding to a minimum, and it was just too cute to resist. If I were to make this again, I'd construct it a little differently to make the sewing come out cleaner, but an infant isn't going to know the difference, and most people won't even see what the issues are. The monkeys in the fabric I bought seem to be smaller than the ones in the inspiration picture. Maybe they came out with a different version of the print. It still looks fine to me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQWZ4rWujIGurev_WL2WJ5DsY3P8W-tjvqZPGr1_hOTGPEpfp7veDw8OhknRjXscxs20ejDld-zBJ3aO6Ex3zFoDyGy6MHtFRXu1bDZ8WboLlekc50m5elECFpzXMmzLMBoTKqKKXDJ4/s1600-h/IMG_2607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQWZ4rWujIGurev_WL2WJ5DsY3P8W-tjvqZPGr1_hOTGPEpfp7veDw8OhknRjXscxs20ejDld-zBJ3aO6Ex3zFoDyGy6MHtFRXu1bDZ8WboLlekc50m5elECFpzXMmzLMBoTKqKKXDJ4/s320/IMG_2607.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Here's the finished bedding. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRnXkrZHyBiHTWynCYX8cxSzUOqQAXs9w0E523V8v-TMZjzkdowWtmHK4PIMqoUcRiIfuh3RLeNazzmgkZzjECT5ZXjArN-gGQnL_55Wwkvb2brtERhONLuB7_AvSG0xQppCDzA6I_A4/s1600-h/IMG_2605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRnXkrZHyBiHTWynCYX8cxSzUOqQAXs9w0E523V8v-TMZjzkdowWtmHK4PIMqoUcRiIfuh3RLeNazzmgkZzjECT5ZXjArN-gGQnL_55Wwkvb2brtERhONLuB7_AvSG0xQppCDzA6I_A4/s640/IMG_2605.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div>I think it turned out cute. It was more work than buying a set, but I like the monkeys better than any of the sets I saw, and I was able to make it for far less than what the sock monkey bedding was priced anywhere I found it on-line.<br />
<br />
I still have plans to re-stain or paint the crib. My plan was to paint it white like the inspiration photo, and to match the <a href="http://plainjanevictorian.blogspot.com/2009/10/refreshed-glider.html">glider</a>. But maybe a dark stain would look good too?...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-7139505130426579462009-10-23T17:26:00.000-04:002009-10-23T17:26:36.121-04:00Garage Plan UpdateJim was finally able to meet with the town building inspector this week. He was able to give Jim an idea on what would actually pass variances and what wouldn't. The outcome of that meeting was that while we could probably get a variance for the detached garage on the previous plan I posted, it would not ever be able to be attached.<br />
<br />
So the current plan is to try to fit something within all the requirements so that we don't actually have to get any variances and the inspector will go ahead and give us a permit. There's basically a couple of options:<br />
<br />
-Move the garage in the previous plan to the right a few feet (must be 12 feet from the property line for an attached garage) and back<br />
-Move the garage to the back of the house, slightly angle it so that it remains 12 feet from the property line and also makes it easier to pull into the garage.<br />
<br />
Our current thought is to do the second option. Here's Jim's plan for that:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaH8Ppp77I4OOaUN_TbW3QXQydqAN_5DCOD3PUn-M0TA7anZjoozElcM52dkbxFl9pBfcrTwYBqPkznNZ1NOHsgTMpW1Nap1Wk9mre-s7A0C7ivBcwjmYUAizV7nej-mRbIFMBHNCutI/s1600-h/Plot+Plan+Attached+to+rear[1].jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaH8Ppp77I4OOaUN_TbW3QXQydqAN_5DCOD3PUn-M0TA7anZjoozElcM52dkbxFl9pBfcrTwYBqPkznNZ1NOHsgTMpW1Nap1Wk9mre-s7A0C7ivBcwjmYUAizV7nej-mRbIFMBHNCutI/s640/Plot+Plan+Attached+to+rear%5B1%5D.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Jim has more thoroughly thought out the pros and cons of both options (I had to work on a midterm last night)<br />
But if I remember right, the pros for this option are<br />
-get a permit quickly<br />
-more streamlined look with the house<br />
<br />
cons<br />
-larger driveway to snowblow<br />
-have to find 3 carriage house doors now<br />
-might be a little tight getting into the garage (either option becomes difficult when meeting the set-back requirements)<br />
<br />
Anyway, this decision moves us along. Now Jim can go back to the architect and tell him what he wants drawn up. Then he can take the official drawings to the building inspector to get the permit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-82372298614984453602009-10-23T08:41:00.000-04:002009-10-23T08:41:13.870-04:00The Biggest Refrigerator EVER!!!OK, maybe not "EVER"... <br />
When I bought the house several years ago, I decided I had to have a true vintage refrigerator in the kitchen. I was in a time crunch to move in so I started my search locally. That came up empty, so I expanded my search on eBay and found my lovely little GE fridge I had shipped in from Wisconsin, of all places. I had been living in apartments and hardly eating in, so I usually only had about 3 things in a mostly empty apartment fridge. So my little vintage GE fridge suited me just fine.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to today... There's now 2 of us, and as I'm finishing up night school, we're trying to eat more home cooked meals. The little GE fridge doesn't quite cut it anymore. It doesn't even fit a whole gallon of milk. So we've been making runs to the store every couple of days for a new half gallon, which, by the way, sometimes costs MORE than a gallon. The thing is constantly jam packed. <br />
<br />
Then add in the little one on the way... I'd like to actually try to cook at least some of my own baby food. There's no space for that now.<br />
<br />
Out of curiosity the other day, I measured the inside space of the vintage GE fridge. 5.5 cubic feet. That includes the about 1-2 cubic feet that is wasted by the unusable and constantly frosted up freezer compartment. hmm. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPv-KlvN8qaGzlAdMqlISIo0qOayit2hAhimit6_Gp9RNqB_7dSW-qy23rtQJEej9pKK_l1e5fAVtvVVJjWLYr9DUVxOIr99P9iREH20QTCnE2SfxNVfEc8Fa2uicskmjYUc3_CLKt6Q/s1600-h/IMG_2573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPv-KlvN8qaGzlAdMqlISIo0qOayit2hAhimit6_Gp9RNqB_7dSW-qy23rtQJEej9pKK_l1e5fAVtvVVJjWLYr9DUVxOIr99P9iREH20QTCnE2SfxNVfEc8Fa2uicskmjYUc3_CLKt6Q/s320/IMG_2573.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Jim's has continued to troll Craigslist, and came across a lovely 4-year old Jenn-Air french door stainless steel number. It was even "counter depth" - so it wouldn't stick out too much from our less-than-standard-depth counters. Awesome. The price was pretty good, so we snapped it up. <br />
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20 cubic feet. Not the biggest EVER, but ridiculously big compared to a little vintage fridge!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUD3fr0bTxaSmdlz8HUDWa37CDdD9kFOM1FcNH78YjfODCdbR54OU3iMHqiTBiZRcUbKiGF4oEgw96olDMWbFl6iF3mojkTuzLIrnyfoT0UpSHCq2o_azsE2Eh2HbJLuob8nW7ceBTqo/s1600-h/IMG_2571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUD3fr0bTxaSmdlz8HUDWa37CDdD9kFOM1FcNH78YjfODCdbR54OU3iMHqiTBiZRcUbKiGF4oEgw96olDMWbFl6iF3mojkTuzLIrnyfoT0UpSHCq2o_azsE2Eh2HbJLuob8nW7ceBTqo/s320/IMG_2571.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
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</div>Even more amusing is what the new fridge looked like once we transfered all the jam packed food over to it (and bought our first gallon of milk in a long time):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW-rYhyphenhyphenqEm-Ha4R5wKPFHMDhb7c-vJn6mAQlzqGq_73RmjHw7ZyXwu-CrFXThySHriqQkv7bZSR9Q4ALbPkse07xhRoWFcOY-oDKBL1Rptkiu9PsTDpk17PB3Fx4z7DvmvFhWxc1u9FA/s1600-h/IMG_2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW-rYhyphenhyphenqEm-Ha4R5wKPFHMDhb7c-vJn6mAQlzqGq_73RmjHw7ZyXwu-CrFXThySHriqQkv7bZSR9Q4ALbPkse07xhRoWFcOY-oDKBL1Rptkiu9PsTDpk17PB3Fx4z7DvmvFhWxc1u9FA/s320/IMG_2572.JPG" vr="true" /></a><br />
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Just so you don't worry, I won't be throwing the little GE fridge out! and I won't be selling it - I couldn't bear to part with something so cute! It has a future in Jim's to-be-built garage...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-80441865704592153292009-10-13T22:12:00.001-04:002009-10-13T22:27:51.311-04:00Jim's Garage Plan<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugh_AfQ-T8xcD5ZOdwuk1TX-nJha9G-wfWJYHafWKMdYmyt4dcWmDo17qW93Wg5CUvTsucA20NChJyeF6gzCY7O7_mEgchuEKPsUXG6M2TlDVRUKkEpEkdJFajWIkPqePNQ1MdsNFkEg/s1600-h/3d+Plot+plan[1].jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugh_AfQ-T8xcD5ZOdwuk1TX-nJha9G-wfWJYHafWKMdYmyt4dcWmDo17qW93Wg5CUvTsucA20NChJyeF6gzCY7O7_mEgchuEKPsUXG6M2TlDVRUKkEpEkdJFajWIkPqePNQ1MdsNFkEg/s400/3d+Plot+plan%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a> <br />
</div><br />
Jim has been working on Google's Sketch Up to draft up ideas for the garage. We finally figured out how to format it to add to the blog. So here it is - this isn't an architectural drawing, it's just him playing around to see how it would look. <br />
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The size he's looking at is 24' x 36', large enough to fit 2 cars in the front, a project car or two in the back, and high enough to add a lift or two. Maybe more than a typical suburbanite would need, but what can we say, Jim's a car man.<br />
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We'd like to also make it big enough that we could finish the second floor one day if we like. Maybe a future workshop or playroom or something... But for now, it will be unfinished.<br />
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Then my favorite - The phase 2 of the plan will connect the garage to the back of the house via a *mudroom* and fix the back of the kitchen. (that's still the dream phase for now) <br />
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The actual drawings are in process. <br />
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So what still needs to be done?<br />
-submit the plans & plot plans to the building inspector for a permit<br />
-petition the zoning board for a variance to build closer to the property line & house than the code allows<br />
-rent a dumpster to put the old garage in<br />
-write a big giant check to the contractor<br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA_U94Ag6WjKy3GpRD8H4NtgZj4VifvwgIsnsx6WZtGVDooPja4HEo3KULD1bbkRYc5ZgasdDpdtjBPwUIZLwjrdOUcBCyL7RZMlx0hEt3s1TZ-WUr788AF-zwUnguoeqggNskMb0Sas/s1600-h/2d+garage[1].jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA_U94Ag6WjKy3GpRD8H4NtgZj4VifvwgIsnsx6WZtGVDooPja4HEo3KULD1bbkRYc5ZgasdDpdtjBPwUIZLwjrdOUcBCyL7RZMlx0hEt3s1TZ-WUr788AF-zwUnguoeqggNskMb0Sas/s320/2d+garage%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; moz-background-clip: initial; moz-background-inline-policy: initial; moz-background-origin: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-50642220657663580282009-10-10T07:53:00.000-04:002009-10-10T07:53:08.064-04:00Refreshed GliderSo about 2 weeks ago I went on "modified bedrest", so even the mild projects I planned on doing have been downscaled. Now, I really feel like the only project stuff I can do is sew. It drives me a little crazy - especially when I see something that should be done, and I can't do anything about it for the next 3 1/2 months... The curse of being a Type A!!! But I can deal with it for the little one.<br />
<br />
The good news is that I am now under doctor's orders to work from home, so that does give me a little *extra* time to sew - not to mention the money I save in gas (I normally commute 50 miles each way)<br />
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My<a href="http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=75dec731-bbc3-4c11-bf31-ef33b3f667f9"> fabric</a> came in Tuesday, so here's what I did the last couple of days. Remember this little Craiglist purchase:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1cOuV55rDj9p00ImesCzOBe9ZSEy-BzSxn6-7G7vzWVQWmh28VRbW7A1AgAEMPIRvl2LON7Djjcp3xOgx9_uEVSXeTd886HIKVcwx9dM05CKYQGgpeSw5XTl6Te5rBPsT5p98-Fb_4M/s1600-h/IMG_2554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1cOuV55rDj9p00ImesCzOBe9ZSEy-BzSxn6-7G7vzWVQWmh28VRbW7A1AgAEMPIRvl2LON7Djjcp3xOgx9_uEVSXeTd886HIKVcwx9dM05CKYQGgpeSw5XTl6Te5rBPsT5p98-Fb_4M/s320/IMG_2554.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Well, here it is now:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSqD9X98Te9ldPGWsyVEc3RjH4rMr8A5x6Y8k0Pm9GrqtPXehl_Ap_hyphenhyphenGlmYMSlYcuwFuIznfuQuCuJLl3u3J9c2UH2HygsUdHlL6BhERorC3YHkZ62YFr1u3l9u75GnMVpLEeWAw0XA/s1600-h/IMG_2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSqD9X98Te9ldPGWsyVEc3RjH4rMr8A5x6Y8k0Pm9GrqtPXehl_Ap_hyphenhyphenGlmYMSlYcuwFuIznfuQuCuJLl3u3J9c2UH2HygsUdHlL6BhERorC3YHkZ62YFr1u3l9u75GnMVpLEeWAw0XA/s320/IMG_2561.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
All ready to coordinate with sock monkey cribbing!<br />
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In brief, I didn't use a pattern. I just took the old covers off and cut out fabric in that shape, adding a seam allowance. Then I just kind of fit the fabric around the cushions, pin, and sew. I added welt cording because I think that makes it look more professional. And I made the seat bottom "box" style - because I think it's easier to fit the strange shape, it looks nicer, and that's the style I have experience making. The seat bottom uses a zipper in the back and the seat back opens at the bottom, so both can be thrown in the wash when they're dirty. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9TyKs0Wm7CbBed1atXX2FO3k-eVYV2m1QA3ira_F7qNmAa2LZIzrEz6jh0rb0Ung0UE6eG-LAg9HIcuCjqmG5xLP78rKHpNslFxVaLgjLTxh6rrHUh25eAgMs_cmu3Sg7YVQgJ_89eQ/s1600-h/IMG_2568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9TyKs0Wm7CbBed1atXX2FO3k-eVYV2m1QA3ira_F7qNmAa2LZIzrEz6jh0rb0Ung0UE6eG-LAg9HIcuCjqmG5xLP78rKHpNslFxVaLgjLTxh6rrHUh25eAgMs_cmu3Sg7YVQgJ_89eQ/s320/IMG_2568.JPG" /></a><br />
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And I also added some ties to the seat back to attach it to the glider. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHUirz_x7WJT5PVTfVxniP0uV4PP3G9eBgII-Le99AilZ2tF_pdcjiWA15Mn4XlGqFwy_lTlZbTfFPsrUl_9uj0L8DZ49W8jnbUXRQ4w6tuSqJW4ur6GJsZHO_b_9jytN2OlQbHm4K88/s1600-h/IMG_2569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHUirz_x7WJT5PVTfVxniP0uV4PP3G9eBgII-Le99AilZ2tF_pdcjiWA15Mn4XlGqFwy_lTlZbTfFPsrUl_9uj0L8DZ49W8jnbUXRQ4w6tuSqJW4ur6GJsZHO_b_9jytN2OlQbHm4K88/s320/IMG_2569.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
Luckily, I had some extra cording and an extra upholstery zipper from a past slipcover project... though it made me a little sad because it still had the <a href="http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x690583262/Fabric-Place-to-close-final-two-stores">Fabric Place</a> tag on it - just a reminder of how fabulous that store was, and how junky JoAnnes (or Ho-Annes, as my husband calls it) is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>But in true Tiffany form, the seat back is only 90% done - well, maybe 95%... I didn't use a zipper because it wouldn't construct quite right. My plan is to just put snaps in it to close it at the bottom, but I don't have snaps or a pair of snap pliers yet. I plan to get a nice pair & finish this, but we'll see how that actually turns out. No one sees that part, and safety pins do the job for now anyway!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-47275371570082674622009-09-27T02:34:00.000-04:002009-09-27T02:34:22.934-04:00Nursery MusingsIt's very late (or very early in the morning) and I'm still awake with projects rumbling through my head and a baby kicking in my belly. <br />
<br />
So, as I described in the last post, we are going to convert the guest bedroom into the nursery. A few things are starting to come together.<br />
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Jim's mom picked up a crib for us while yard-saling. She also got a changing station. Actually, she found 2 of both and let us pick. We sort of eenie-meenie-minie-mo-ed and chose the lighter of the 2. I'm thinking we'll paint it white.<br />
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We started trolling Craigslist and found this glider/rocker for $25. It's already white, and I should be able to recover the cushion fairly easily.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBjMC_AX1c0J9A8xDkSmHN4BzHaJHz3xJnbbeN0MncO7bjj-78wmNUyhbQ3_t6l-faFhRXrID1bw266xA8-_wYJU8OiUQoaLCeE_cXcvil298lxWeNKyNBQzYg_9IigYKc3XE5w-a3BY/s1600-h/IMG_2554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBjMC_AX1c0J9A8xDkSmHN4BzHaJHz3xJnbbeN0MncO7bjj-78wmNUyhbQ3_t6l-faFhRXrID1bw266xA8-_wYJU8OiUQoaLCeE_cXcvil298lxWeNKyNBQzYg_9IigYKc3XE5w-a3BY/s320/IMG_2554.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then I think we should move Jim's big dresser into our room and clear out the smaller white one that's currently in our room. It would probably look pretty good in the nursery also. It's functional, but a big pain in the butt to slide some of the drawers in and out. Maybe I can see if there's something from <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1493&TabSelect=Reviews">Rockler</a> to help remedy that situation.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWDnR2vNxtqAY2cSE4CVxFPtPGeIAqA-FBWEXqXdi5q8YU3pA4If7XsKv2gpcnhFWk-xnwUZ3DMPJa9Qu6ckKF0oDLP_xU3-d3SIH2wljx4XMgTKH5AfcuD8nFttNr3dvRQzBMsEURys/s1600-h/dresser.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWDnR2vNxtqAY2cSE4CVxFPtPGeIAqA-FBWEXqXdi5q8YU3pA4If7XsKv2gpcnhFWk-xnwUZ3DMPJa9Qu6ckKF0oDLP_xU3-d3SIH2wljx4XMgTKH5AfcuD8nFttNr3dvRQzBMsEURys/s320/dresser.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSKZKspbdWgb1dKxjD9bm0hTLBugpbopGFiThozEYIE6XX_nuAGAHbFnhuo3n9saRHkmN-BBw_v3ZZ0ZJSB03xgDdY_5OJ1ZL4OpwF3QlaZ-Kb2l3lz-qMIz-N5AFSKVmGAjfntyVmUk/s1600-h/32532-01-200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSKZKspbdWgb1dKxjD9bm0hTLBugpbopGFiThozEYIE6XX_nuAGAHbFnhuo3n9saRHkmN-BBw_v3ZZ0ZJSB03xgDdY_5OJ1ZL4OpwF3QlaZ-Kb2l3lz-qMIz-N5AFSKVmGAjfntyVmUk/s200/32532-01-200.jpg" /></a><br />
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As I was creating a baby registry/buying reminder list on Amazon, I came across <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019LX628/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p75_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1WZYJECED8CC3NTAA44Z&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">this bedding</a> and thought it was pretty cute. Plus, I love the way the really dark wood that is in the guest room now goes with the blue color of the walls, and this crib set brings that chocolate color back in. And who doesn't like monkeys???<br />
But then I was surfing around <a href="http://www.2littlemonkeys.com/">this site</a> today contemplating what I could do to cover the unattractive cushion for the car seat we recently got, and I found this sock monkey bedding. It also has the chocolate and the monkeys - but in a less "cutesy" way - probably more our style. A little more searching, and it looks like the <a href="http://www.fabric.com/quilting-fabric-shop-by-designer-moda-fabric-designer-cotton-prints-moda-funky-monkey-.aspx?cm_mmc=Google-_-Designer+Quilting+Fabric-_-Moda+Funky+Monkey-_-Sock+Monkey+Fabric%7C-%7C100000000000000010588&cm_guid=1-_-100000000000000010588-_-3142581932">sock monkey fabric</a> is easily available on line... it's a totally do-able project.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PIHTnQATtS5OATbnCsz4zVB0w2HFV7TIQg7u4zz5t-sb49CjZSdmmmdFXz0not3f2Mkxv68FNbTz8sgqZD8Ai_4yF5uGAc7c2w6mutzfApTiZZYAb6P0eY_-afikdZZ37MZF2WNmhCQ/s1600-h/sock%20money%20vanilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PIHTnQATtS5OATbnCsz4zVB0w2HFV7TIQg7u4zz5t-sb49CjZSdmmmdFXz0not3f2Mkxv68FNbTz8sgqZD8Ai_4yF5uGAc7c2w6mutzfApTiZZYAb6P0eY_-afikdZZ37MZF2WNmhCQ/s320/sock%2520money%2520vanilla.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew right now, but chances are pretty good, after a visit to the doctor this week, that I'll likely be on bedrest for some of the remaining period of this pregnancy. And definitely working reduced hours from home this week. Besides, it's sort of my normal mode to bite off more than I can chew...<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In other news, Jim seems to be getting closer to a garage addition. He spoke with a contractor who gave us a very reasonable bid. Lower than we were expecting. He said he could have it up before winter. We were originally planning to do it next spring, but with the lower bid, it's possible to consider for this fall. That would be nice for Jim. Then he can get back to working on his '36 here at home instead of keeping it in a rented shop that he no longer has time to get to.<br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-35050270509554990092009-08-21T07:40:00.017-04:002009-08-21T09:25:04.053-04:00The REAL reason I haven't done anything this summer... I'm PREGNANT!That's right, folks! 18 weeks now and counting... It's sort of at the point where I can't disguise it very well anymore, so the jig is up, so to speak. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDifRwyku9f2Y1fRho2QVMy_MPrErz5miI_x0pMbOVemQSfxgKM7f_C7b5kkA9T8CgkkTJ9ugzQujciUTHJIWca-B6Tw5l8xVbIeSbJI1ci35ndamRU48YmaYaGoh2KZl-GEIGaJABA0/s1600-h/week+17b.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDifRwyku9f2Y1fRho2QVMy_MPrErz5miI_x0pMbOVemQSfxgKM7f_C7b5kkA9T8CgkkTJ9ugzQujciUTHJIWca-B6Tw5l8xVbIeSbJI1ci35ndamRU48YmaYaGoh2KZl-GEIGaJABA0/s200/week+17b.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372391232123738162" /></a> As far as the house goes, it's like a curse and a blessing. A curse because it really bugs me to see all the exterior paint that still needs to be shaved, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14pnIZ-TuCHwiHnUaWJv0dTHXlOy3TC87yxeor_dpeQTEuNevZ3nXsP79-9pcR-XUx0KS9uE0P39GBS_EJ0zPFmx_axoxXag9cNjVGU6LEUwdtDc80xQtZRBSmVBieVeeUbuwkrKh9io/s1600-h/IMG_2286.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14pnIZ-TuCHwiHnUaWJv0dTHXlOy3TC87yxeor_dpeQTEuNevZ3nXsP79-9pcR-XUx0KS9uE0P39GBS_EJ0zPFmx_axoxXag9cNjVGU6LEUwdtDc80xQtZRBSmVBieVeeUbuwkrKh9io/s200/IMG_2286.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372392082440170530" /></a> but a blessing because I actually have to relax a little! I'm playing it safe because there is DEFINITELY lead in that peeling exterior paint, and it's best just to save that for another time. (ya, like when there's a baby crawling around getting his hands in the lead paint dust!... just kidding)<br /><br />I think when most people are pregnant, they get all excited about putting together a nursery. But to them, all that means is picking paint, spreading it on the walls, and buying some new baby furniture. Maybe add in a few decorative items. So simple and quaint! Well, it's just not quite like that for us. First, we have to figure out where the nursery will go. And then, depending on where we pick, it could mean some major work. Here's our options:<br /><br />1. Change the already mostly complete guest room over. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYzF4_HlI4XeVnyNO1rV-QtPuj9l8XaztN0TFZgZ9zlcGaVR0MnD8Wdv6VG5aswJLTJvbnCQlha2cl43FA9K3SDEeTBu7PMN-pM_cKaTNT2VfslZO79HkpaqjyMFclwErFPmidCvmXAY/s1600-h/IMG_2429.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYzF4_HlI4XeVnyNO1rV-QtPuj9l8XaztN0TFZgZ9zlcGaVR0MnD8Wdv6VG5aswJLTJvbnCQlha2cl43FA9K3SDEeTBu7PMN-pM_cKaTNT2VfslZO79HkpaqjyMFclwErFPmidCvmXAY/s400/IMG_2429.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372396936726602866" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAx6kMKG1yDh91cNVCAujlDJfLUCCHZDJuQReyFab_Tnd6aOtVw5Hj5L7V4zVcQx-BSU0jVmP8pZzZPW_NbQBueLqiILtSE3Fly400qzZic5_JfLocFluezO-DE7PsaVNExGWC57eSsNE/s1600-h/Floor+Plan+-+guest+bed.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 163px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAx6kMKG1yDh91cNVCAujlDJfLUCCHZDJuQReyFab_Tnd6aOtVw5Hj5L7V4zVcQx-BSU0jVmP8pZzZPW_NbQBueLqiILtSE3Fly400qzZic5_JfLocFluezO-DE7PsaVNExGWC57eSsNE/s200/Floor+Plan+-+guest+bed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372401869215081602" /></a><br />Advantages with this room - it's on the same floor as our bedroom and would be the simplest conversion, meaning walls, ceiling, floors, electric, and lights are already done - the most like a normal person's nursery project. Disadvantages - we can't fit a crib AND a guest bed in that room, so the guest bed needs a new location. Plus, there's no heat in that room, so we'd need to get some kind of space heater or other solution.<br /><br />2. Fix up the attic space above the kitchen. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsc3rh1hyphenhyphenN_XHXlFCCiaoSiIK5jszxlGr25iijtByDRR0Pi_gRCgtW4MWsEFKtWgWvZq3x7yLAUxFc3NC7tUS1BTu73qnDvRHdBrIIcVEz9vmGCxH6nobRMrlZrpEs3zqcobwuv8GypQ/s1600-h/IMG_2430.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsc3rh1hyphenhyphenN_XHXlFCCiaoSiIK5jszxlGr25iijtByDRR0Pi_gRCgtW4MWsEFKtWgWvZq3x7yLAUxFc3NC7tUS1BTu73qnDvRHdBrIIcVEz9vmGCxH6nobRMrlZrpEs3zqcobwuv8GypQ/s400/IMG_2430.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372397406511446050" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT1zGR1u9p0lkppA7gfElYMBwai3JC3uYGZSL5bER8RXeK9o_qhsQgudQMaCwA6tDJXT47anPMSgPXU5TLTWdwaGZ4TI8MF_CE83aUwlka0WPFV7-vEyTqB_Dlnvl5P-R0GAEJyYSIbI/s1600-h/Floor+Plan+-+2nd+floor+attic.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT1zGR1u9p0lkppA7gfElYMBwai3JC3uYGZSL5bER8RXeK9o_qhsQgudQMaCwA6tDJXT47anPMSgPXU5TLTWdwaGZ4TI8MF_CE83aUwlka0WPFV7-vEyTqB_Dlnvl5P-R0GAEJyYSIbI/s200/Floor+Plan+-+2nd+floor+attic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372405786224658562" /></a>Advantages with this room - it would be on the same floor as our bedroom (circled in yellow). Disadvantages - everything else. The room is poorly insulated, if insulated at all. All the walls would have to be demo-ed, electricity wiring and insulation added, new drywall put up, a new floor put in, the window would need to be repaired and have a storm window added, plus we would have to deal with the sloping ceiling. We thought about adding some cute cubbies or something to the kneewalls, but the time the built-ins would be put in, the room becomes very long and very narrow. Plus, as with option 1, there's no heat in this room. Not to mention the weird entry into this room. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64glOZpd2wIrdzFvGnkQ_PN6ml4ot_5SfawkrQagob2iabses1K7Wgg0gUfYDwh5V4gaZsHnIl7fBLS7l2oqFIU34_-CkL9de0n9bBGrjJzq5cbM9JUBTqw2ODAfjoK70Y_j0EtL5eys/s1600-h/IMG_2431.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64glOZpd2wIrdzFvGnkQ_PN6ml4ot_5SfawkrQagob2iabses1K7Wgg0gUfYDwh5V4gaZsHnIl7fBLS7l2oqFIU34_-CkL9de0n9bBGrjJzq5cbM9JUBTqw2ODAfjoK70Y_j0EtL5eys/s200/IMG_2431.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372397782422072034" /></a> You have to go through the bathroom, into the "closet room" and through another doorway (follow the blue arrows).<br /><br />3. Fix up the attic space above the main house. There are really 2 options within this option:<br /><br />3a. Create the attic space we actually want. Advantages - it would really improve the useable space of the house and up the resale value. We would knock out the walls between the 2 rooms:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvE1FWxoUg3bckYq1zMsmW4XDD_MPJWu1RibXqxZJ9iRBtFUPtPgcQZbwrpr9DjqdcquGLk4eHHI2ydkhoN46lncoJ8_FH790DFaw0xWL9c2kcEXj80XhyphenhyphenTUuttzSIclNML037bF0G4Cw/s1600-h/IMG_2433.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvE1FWxoUg3bckYq1zMsmW4XDD_MPJWu1RibXqxZJ9iRBtFUPtPgcQZbwrpr9DjqdcquGLk4eHHI2ydkhoN46lncoJ8_FH790DFaw0xWL9c2kcEXj80XhyphenhyphenTUuttzSIclNML037bF0G4Cw/s320/IMG_2433.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372398405650704498" /></a><br /><br />and<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI5gQHE_vIct9PaKrfn1SQaNxaneZJFXpnx4bxHp0H24qreFYVnlby2v63FkZ50AfGpa36xQ76Ly6dI9YDp013zSoFI4Y7W0Apj9kqHat6cqZ4FXX9kCQ68nSDtFwh1hQCsnlW8ddgEI/s1600-h/IMG_2434.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI5gQHE_vIct9PaKrfn1SQaNxaneZJFXpnx4bxHp0H24qreFYVnlby2v63FkZ50AfGpa36xQ76Ly6dI9YDp013zSoFI4Y7W0Apj9kqHat6cqZ4FXX9kCQ68nSDtFwh1hQCsnlW8ddgEI/s320/IMG_2434.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372398612180696578" /></a><br /><br />and create one bigger room.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXRzXNSCmErzixdqWNHTOB8_tW74m88QmCAt1tjlD0m-XmMi2qmRkngZ_8Fi5i3MlcjQGwdUvt6j2KCQaOpJ3R5zOISdz5JWa5IA7lv6QGuD5pKSS7r8Glxvi80pcf2uzDAhc47TIXDY/s1600-h/Floor+Plan+-+3rd+floor+attic.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXRzXNSCmErzixdqWNHTOB8_tW74m88QmCAt1tjlD0m-XmMi2qmRkngZ_8Fi5i3MlcjQGwdUvt6j2KCQaOpJ3R5zOISdz5JWa5IA7lv6QGuD5pKSS7r8Glxvi80pcf2uzDAhc47TIXDY/s200/Floor+Plan+-+3rd+floor+attic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372403144099832802" /></a> It could be a room that could actually become a child's room/playroom. There is a perfect space at the window to create the window seat/bookshelf unit I would love to have. Disadvantages - it would have to be some major work - demo some walls, repair and open up the stairway <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod4ElfzlDVW_IWwZ_0u-nRPYjFC7B4byNvNa90ac2hpjjVieXJHRMqOQXdOVkPWoHxAMI6soy9H3OLUIVROkyoLYZPkpWhY8UOlsnXRMv5o2gRqWz6_C0nyOKV9fL7jR176UzrAApcRo/s1600-h/IMG_2432.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod4ElfzlDVW_IWwZ_0u-nRPYjFC7B4byNvNa90ac2hpjjVieXJHRMqOQXdOVkPWoHxAMI6soy9H3OLUIVROkyoLYZPkpWhY8UOlsnXRMv5o2gRqWz6_C0nyOKV9fL7jR176UzrAApcRo/s320/IMG_2432.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372399006814143522" /></a>, add some electric and lighting, lay down a new floor, deal with a chimney smack in the middle of the room, actually make the window seat built-in. Then the major disadvantage is that we would have to walk up and down the stairs every time the baby wakes up.<br /><br />3b. Just fix up one of the attic rooms. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1hQ7KaSN6i4f1SEqSda99gKz0BvCGoM6I35UWl_BX8menoYmCnAig4EoVnyaZRNDgg06IXjfZllu96FfxbbtS8naeeOMFdbcOIOH5g-1KTdTn1ssmZ3JFQU7owxpOvBrFPXJGiNI8kY/s1600-h/IMG_2435.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1hQ7KaSN6i4f1SEqSda99gKz0BvCGoM6I35UWl_BX8menoYmCnAig4EoVnyaZRNDgg06IXjfZllu96FfxbbtS8naeeOMFdbcOIOH5g-1KTdTn1ssmZ3JFQU7owxpOvBrFPXJGiNI8kY/s400/IMG_2435.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372399294487750002" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZPDx-i6ab5iU11oj8OuKJgCxl_VzLhxQ8TZcZZ0W9Yj6_K2iacKhqiBE1fuCgVkxTMCLCmbn456tCerejQrj3rhJ7h1wGZuhHXziqcmpNfDOoNMD6G3DEvTujXSu2khxvBCTSUFOUw0/s1600-h/Floor+Plan+-+3rd+floor+attic+2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZPDx-i6ab5iU11oj8OuKJgCxl_VzLhxQ8TZcZZ0W9Yj6_K2iacKhqiBE1fuCgVkxTMCLCmbn456tCerejQrj3rhJ7h1wGZuhHXziqcmpNfDOoNMD6G3DEvTujXSu2khxvBCTSUFOUw0/s200/Floor+Plan+-+3rd+floor+attic+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372403631583111570" /></a>This could be fairly simple. Advantages - the walls are in decent shape, so it could just be some minor wall repair, painting, a couple of outlets, and a rug. This is also the best repaired original window in the house. Disadvantages - again, it would still be on a different floor. And with the knee walls, it's pretty small.<br /><br />After humming and hawing (as my father would say) over all these options, I think we have decided to do option 1 and move the guest room bed up to option 3b. That should be the simplest for us. <br /><br />It would be nice to have option 3a for the longer run, though. But that will probably have to give way to the future phase 1 garage addition and phase 2 garage/house connector with a mudroom (potentially including a kitchen and 2nd floor additions) Hey, it's nice to dream, at least!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142615410989844297.post-64721716395181397692009-07-29T16:58:00.012-04:002009-07-29T17:40:35.599-04:00I love CraigslistLiving in a part of the country with really well-off people definitely has its advantages. They often do crazy things like get rid of perfectly good expensive stuff to buy newer good expensive stuff. I guess because its newer. I'm not really sure. Crazy rich people.<br /><br />We've been looking for a dishwasher for quite some time. We haven't had one in this house, and I, in fact, have not had one since... um... must have been St. Paul over 10 years ago. Our kitchen cabinets are old and not standard size at all - in fact, they are not even full boxes, like cabinets today - they were built with the plaster wall as the back. This poses a bit of a problem when looking for "built in" appliances to add... It is REALLY HARD to find something that will fit! - well, fit without sticking out 3 inches or more. Turns out that the European cabinets must be a different standard size, because the only models I found to fit, depth-wise, were Miele, Boche, and Fisher-Paykel. <br /><br />For some reason, I fell in love with the Fisher-Paykel. What a genius idea - dish drawers! You don't have to have a full load to run a wash. Definitely an advantage to a small family without too many dishes. We almost got one last year for Christmas, as a gift to each other, but decided it would be better to focus on paying off the roof and Taya's vet bills. So in the meantime, Jim has regularly been trolling Craigslist. He has various things he looks for - one of which has been the Fisher-Paykel. Usually the double drawer shows up for about $1000, but last week, he found one listed for $550. We talked it over, and decided to jump on it.<br /><br />I went to the place to look at it and give a deposit as soon as she got back to Jim. They had this great beachside condo with a view of the ocean and the Boston skyline on the northshore. Not far, in fact, from this beach I visited with Abbey last April:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpA0Lu02lsHE42rlrGn5SmdxiqwkvkttvSnpFw3JUMBIn2QPVf11ILHY3x21kP9vQ0JHHqzkEdqDNWZtSbGKJkb733rCtqMFZ9d-HfJ9zIhGBJMsFCqhtAC1dw6ltDBFApbshy6DAoW0/s1600-h/IMG_2112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpA0Lu02lsHE42rlrGn5SmdxiqwkvkttvSnpFw3JUMBIn2QPVf11ILHY3x21kP9vQ0JHHqzkEdqDNWZtSbGKJkb733rCtqMFZ9d-HfJ9zIhGBJMsFCqhtAC1dw6ltDBFApbshy6DAoW0/s400/IMG_2112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363998085437580082" /></a><br /><br />Crazy rich people. We couldn't figure out why she wanted to get rid of it (and turns out, neither could her husband), but I'll happily buy things off of crazy rich people!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbaXAZAKWjhEuDTLc9IiS_kuM2SHrb6HlTwnl1Drrho9na89cs4LkC1Jar6rz7XvzNMXND022LfUfuR2VKMVyLNFhuqNA7TqKHYqZzRrKmaJXiCgEIj-BR14T38Qy401qfWT2uenEt6U/s1600-h/IMG_2374.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbaXAZAKWjhEuDTLc9IiS_kuM2SHrb6HlTwnl1Drrho9na89cs4LkC1Jar6rz7XvzNMXND022LfUfuR2VKMVyLNFhuqNA7TqKHYqZzRrKmaJXiCgEIj-BR14T38Qy401qfWT2uenEt6U/s400/IMG_2374.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363993080890140082" /></a><br /><br />Next we had to do a little demo work to cut the hole. Luckily, there is a spot just the right width where the previous owners had this strange peninsula bar sticking out. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotHTzuVqCs_HFKO0bUkTH2g1CQwIaizZgnOZQMU0nxqUFFkZGEedW-tx1n7C7X323QOSDvKuyO2CPQ3NVXbrUSMUwRMlvrbP3rWN7o9WujFAwgXmGgpHybGDsNrmZZxKdQtkTxzt-bV4/s1600-h/kitchen.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotHTzuVqCs_HFKO0bUkTH2g1CQwIaizZgnOZQMU0nxqUFFkZGEedW-tx1n7C7X323QOSDvKuyO2CPQ3NVXbrUSMUwRMlvrbP3rWN7o9WujFAwgXmGgpHybGDsNrmZZxKdQtkTxzt-bV4/s400/kitchen.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363999330041803058" /></a><br /><br />We tore off some of the wood:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA01fnSs8OlhE0UrGU6S9KF2-iDIZoL65UK00C65H5ZSAlW5UZ4vZq_eMlgiDKXvhpbSqqoSqQegP1UMl-LFzhF4ozDipHhyTkYBXKRibZKd4QJfALW0MOrHHJyxqb_x35AqoI3YMXdI/s1600-h/IMG_2363.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA01fnSs8OlhE0UrGU6S9KF2-iDIZoL65UK00C65H5ZSAlW5UZ4vZq_eMlgiDKXvhpbSqqoSqQegP1UMl-LFzhF4ozDipHhyTkYBXKRibZKd4QJfALW0MOrHHJyxqb_x35AqoI3YMXdI/s400/IMG_2363.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363993539828303730" /></a><br /><br />And then used a jig saw to cut the left side of the hole<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMJtG9l7AvXuyMNQPS7ocbNILn7Yzk5fo11veaJByu7JdCluEPr37Aln7k39YaPcI-I1P8bvY6A8p2SxjuhonzTFueUP19PSJFppXh6h9-TtTXH02v6bmpdYCvK9yKUPHqst56WDIebA/s1600-h/IMG_2370.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMJtG9l7AvXuyMNQPS7ocbNILn7Yzk5fo11veaJByu7JdCluEPr37Aln7k39YaPcI-I1P8bvY6A8p2SxjuhonzTFueUP19PSJFppXh6h9-TtTXH02v6bmpdYCvK9yKUPHqst56WDIebA/s400/IMG_2370.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363994037875028754" /></a><br /><br />Cleaned everything up and added some new plywood to section off the cabinet:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcBf0sX_H5HTkfyrWdu2rMWGhbqH_lN85raltQ3RzaA11VBqVAqJp9UA39fCHwKc3edp_q46grWL07iQfWagVb2UORrVv2n29-e3Lmj2kh38l7y2S4XZxHeR6T3VsI5YZm-EECG-EPd8/s1600-h/IMG_2372.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcBf0sX_H5HTkfyrWdu2rMWGhbqH_lN85raltQ3RzaA11VBqVAqJp9UA39fCHwKc3edp_q46grWL07iQfWagVb2UORrVv2n29-e3Lmj2kh38l7y2S4XZxHeR6T3VsI5YZm-EECG-EPd8/s400/IMG_2372.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363994309507338322" /></a><br /><br />We also went to Homer to pick up a garbage disposal (yes, we really are moving into the 21st century folks) and various electrical and plumbing items for the installation. <br /><br />Unfortunately, that was pretty much the end of the weekend, so to clean things up, Jim moved the dishwasher into the newly created hole, where I can now view it all week and fantasize about all the super clean and sterile dishes I will have next week........<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xHPm8IVq__xwFx9g6yaeDzdH6UOUffhKh7IijQSY9zR3iErYBAUkpSSYq44BBX974hrzschQbd1O4zne-VBpB_2bGY0h8y3yL6mb9eZCzYZJK_9rI9pZ5XSjyGaCGnNVPu9V6ughC54/s1600-h/IMG_2377.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xHPm8IVq__xwFx9g6yaeDzdH6UOUffhKh7IijQSY9zR3iErYBAUkpSSYq44BBX974hrzschQbd1O4zne-VBpB_2bGY0h8y3yL6mb9eZCzYZJK_9rI9pZ5XSjyGaCGnNVPu9V6ughC54/s400/IMG_2377.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363996041729831858" /></a><br /><br />The old fridge next to it may look a bit awkward now. I mean, eclectic - isn't that what they call it?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230387878463331527noreply@blogger.com9