Face lift stage - interior - Phase 3

Instead of starting and finishing one job at a time, I have started all 8. (Including the Big jobs - Phase 2) Yes, utter house chaos... Pieces of home debris littering the floors, tools scattered through out the house, at each task location.  My little camera displaced FOUND. Chaos continues.

Details, facelift, little jobs for the added touch:

1) Scrape paint off window glass from previous owners paint job. Yay for my new glass scrapping tool. Boo in discovering the outside of glass is covered in paint too.

 

2) Scrub, clean and paint vents. Old, chipped, painted vents that I had researched and planned to eventually replace with antique replicas...  for the time being functional vents that were acceptable to me, but definitely worth a paint job for listing.  Downstairs Completed!

3) re-Caulk, touch up grout, reseal tile in bathroom (3rd time I have stripped and replaced caulk, and I still suck and that)

4) Install and stain thresholds.

5) Scrap and touch up peeling paint on window sills and frames.

6) Wash curtains to freshen up the place. Darn holes and make a doily patch curtain

7) Fill in wall holes, large wall holes from super bolts. Touch up paint.


Phase 1 - Reality, Organize, round 1 of purging

Phase 2 - Big jobs

Big jobs - phase 2

We are well into phase 2 & 3 of prepping house for sale, tools scattered around the house at each task location, my contractor working on the wall, myself moving from one tedious task to the next accepting the chaos and mess and knowing that finished projects will start to be ticked off the list.

Here is Phase 2, the big job list. Most necessary items to do before listing, some not so big, but had been left undone for various reasons, mostly procrastination:

1) Make wall, compound wall, sand wall, and do it again - WIP

1b) Paint the other side of new wall, and rest of son's room. Paint my side of wall.

2a) Scrape old, chipped ceiling paint, fill light hole, paint ceiling in upstairs hallway - need a very long ladder and / or scaffolding. I have neither.

2b) Paint upstairs hallway walls

3a) Research replacement interior doors for bedrooms - 2 upstairs interior doors that had been hacked up by previous owner.  Found one salvaged door - two panel, already painted white, with door knobs. Mirror on back. Listed for 125.00. Not bad. but its an hour away. Home depot 118.00 for a two panel similar trimming, pine door for 118. Came up with a 3rd option - stay tuned!

3b) Fix or replace 3a) hallway doors - half the doors are painted white, so lots of painting to happen here as well.

4) Raise microwave off of counter - a nuisance,  now have a bid on ebay for microwave wall brackets, something that appears to be popular on other continents, but not here.

5) Install shelf and magnetic knife holder

6) Paint baseboards, door frames in kitchen

7) Attach gate to poles (exterior fence - kind of an exterior phase 4 list item, but one that has been avoided)

Phase 1 - organizing, donating, packing away excess stuff,

Yea, 30,000 dollars of fixes for things I was fine to live with and eventually get to, but now I  need to do it for a sale. Except its an old house and there are 5 more years worth of things to fix and then start to replace AGAIN.  Having a cutoff point is necessary, or else I will never be done. Having an agent to sell and buyers that understand ... that this is NOT a new house, this is the charm of an old house. If they want new new new, they need to go to a different neighbourhood.

Disclaimer: These are the things I want to fix for the house. I am sure the real estate agent will approve of these fixes but also suggest more things to do - along the lines of compounding around exteior brick, mortar around fireplace in attic - unsightly things, but not problematic. I want my items completed before I invite the agent in so their list isn't discouraging or extensive.

Summer, a moment past (Autumn DIY List)

Summer is a few weeks behind us, middle school well under way for the child. A bit of structure and routine is welcome, but missing the carefree days of spontaneity and aimlessness.  I'm still just working one day a week while we try to find a vehicle for the contract.   I have never had so much down time. Perhaps 20+ years ago, when I was a college student. I love it and fill my days with anything I desire yet also providing myself with a flexible routine; Im 3 weeks in to an online course which gives me perspective w/ time, direction (and even a certificate to add to the resume.). Training for a 5k. And working on indoor and out door projects at my leisure. And not to forget little Lucy, lots of time with the three year old.

I am reminded of this comic about introverts and energy levels. I was well over due for recharging and enjoying every day.  IN fact last year I was trying to figure out how to take a career sabbatical and voila. Of course, I hope and need and want the contract to eventually start up.

We recently went to Boston to see an international soccer friendly game and visit (the closest) IKEA to purchase the last of my kitchen, the pantry. Yes, the very last piece of the longest kitchen renovation ever.  The 80 inch boxes are laying in my dining room ready to be built. 

So here it is, the fall list of things to accomplish.  Flagged items - *** - are priority and scheduled to happen soon. By scheduled I mean me getting mentally prepared to build pantry and fitting it in with a rainy day for contractor to come and help me install it. 

Kitchen
***Build pantry
***Install pantry
***Make rope handle for long door (iron handles were discontinued)
(The SVEP handles that I bought for the rest of the kitchen were discontinued and although I picked up a few knobs for the upper pantry, I was sure I had two handles at home for the doors. Nada.  Luckily I found a set on ebay; unfortunately she is charging 3 times the price.  This person is either brilliant or evil. Extortion I think. Rope handle it will be.)
~Purchase and install dishwasher
***Install shelves above sink

living room
~ hire stylist, or an architect to rebuild front of house, moving front door from center of house to north side, to enter sunporch. Getting rid of entrance into middle of living room allowing for more flexibility with furniture.
*** build L shaped book case east side of fireplace. wrap around.
*** install tv on wall above the L shaped book case. narrow shelves under tv, wider shelves beside fireplace for board games and books.
~ regular bookcase west side of fireplace
*** paint fireplace white
~ re purpose library shelf to my room
~ replace fan light with either two ceiling lights for room distinction
~ purchase studio upright ebony piano
~ purchase The STRANDMON wing chair in, Svanby gray.
~ large rug.

Peacock blue flex room
~ replace westelm tillary and move tillary to peacock room;
~ paint room wheatberry pink.


Bathroom
*** fix cracked grout in recessed shelf / bathroom
*** re seal.
*** install shelf over recessed shelf above toilet
*** install medicine cabinet

Half bathroom: 
*** deal with hideous medicine cabinet; perhaps the short gray metal cabinet @ Ikea and round mirror below

 Bedrooms
*** build wall to separate two bedrooms - waiting for a rain day.
*** paint the wall

Painting, if I get the urge to swap around colours
dining room - paint peacock blue
living room paint classic gray
peacock blue room to wheatberry.

Backyard
WIP Reseed patches of grass where the beans garden was.
*** dig out garden, prepare it for a vegetable garden. Plant garlic
*** huge project *** concrete steps to basement - cracking and breaking. that link was from three years ago, the concrete is getting worse and its time to commit to plan of hauling out the corner of the yard, removing concrete steps, leveling area and making a walkway.


That ought to do it. My camera broke, so thats on my list of things to replace too. Maybe next post will be about all the things I have accomplished over the past few months.

Creating a home

I wander to different projects, not actually completing one before starting the next.   Working in circles so it seems, moving from one project to the next as each one poses a road block. Naturally, these half done projects pile up.

Remember the slipcover I was making? Half done. One side sewn the other side left at the basting stage. (I put the project aside to do other things) Chair is in use. Good enough.

And my room? A pile of pictures on the floor, intended for a gallery wall. And I still have to paint the frame around the window. (Ho hum, when will I return to this)

And the tall stairway wall? Yeah, still debating the raisin paint colour. (Not really. Now that I know what I want it can wait until I'm in the mood to deal with it.)

In regular fashion, I start something else, the backyard. Hey, the sun came out, I had to. Worked on it more yesterday, digging up a garden preparing it for plants.  I move on, walk past the very last pile of leaves that need to be stuffed in a bag and put out front but instead of doing that I end up in between the two garages. An interesting, laborious task; cutting bad trees, tearing old vines off the building, raking out the leaves and dealing with rocks.

Neatly piling the rocks for use later on, until I am exasperated and wondering why this area is filled with rocks. A dumping station? Some kind of water irrigation system?  So I start tossing the rocks out and in front. But there are way to many rocks and I just don't want to move the issue from one place to another without a better idea of what to do later on.

Giving up on the rock space, I haphazardly start pulling vines off the back of the garage. Sticky little grippers, paint and all.

Until I discover this. A birds nest.  I'm so sorry bird. I hate disrupting life (although I think it was vacated and unused). (It was really high up, so when I went to photograph it, my arm up stretched as high as it can go, taking a chance on auto focus. Got the leaf and vine in stead. ha)

Saddened by disturbing the nest and perplexed by all the rocks, (yet somewhat impressed by the progress) I quit for the day.

When I return to gardening this morning, I stepped over the pea gravel edging fix up job I had started yesterday, (edging that was left half done a year ago because I ran out of narrow thick rocks, but luckily found some in the newly dug out rock pile).

Walk past the garden table and take note that I could squeeze a bunch of those rocks in to the patio I started last year but never finished (because I just didn't like how it was turning out).

But in the meantime, I really need to dig up another garden out front. Why? Because all I ever do to this area is mow over bumpy lumpy ground covered in weeds. It's a nuisance (my normal motivation for doing some kind of yard work in an effort to make life easier) so get rid of the problem and extend the front garden.

This time I manage to finish a task!  Almost. Still need the plants. And now I have found three areas to spread some of those rocks around and then hopefully I can clear out the rest of the ally. And another day too finish off the other half done projects. Perhaps not as long at it will take the birdie to build a new home ... that takes time.

Stuff, links and a list

I haven't posted for the past few days. Not sure why; I have a lot to say.  And it is autumn, the most beautiful time to take pictures.

Maybe because my Rebel broke. Luckily I still have a pocket sized camera.

Maybe because assembling the drawers and door fronts on the kitchen  cabinets have gotten the best of me. Or the worst of me.

Maybe because after the climatic kitchen renovation install, I made a list and discovered I still have a gazzillion things to do before I can officially close this renovation saga.

Maybe because I have done a 180 and am now focusing all my attention on relocating my work office by the end of the month.

I did manage to take care of a few kitchen decor details and am anxiously awaiting their arrival.

I can say I am thoroughly enjoying my new appliances, counter and lay out. Have baked banana bread, brownies, croissants and a birthday cake. Made some red lentil, spicy soup and aromatic brown rice and lentils. Some french toast, pancakes and more pancakes. And last night, pesto salmon. Yes cooking lots and loving my new space.

I can also say I took full advantage of the beautiful fall morning yesterday and tore down the dead climbing vines, plucked off all the green tomatoes and tore out the plants. Dug and turned some soil. And hopefully will get to plant something before the first frost.

I can also say I just won a giveaway on a lovely lifestyle blog. A very cool score of many items - a tea towel for my new kitchen and half my Christmas shopping now looked after :).  Mostly, it really made my day when I discovered the win and made me want to post again and share. Check out the blog which, besides hosting weekly giveaway's, she digs up and discusses many interesting topics from travel, home, work, day to day, fashion ...etc. And the store that provided the loot.

3 guys and a rock (aka soapstone counter)

And the counter is in!  Sink too!  Look at those beautiful edges and rounded corner.  The sink looks better installed then I imagined. The white and black contrast, great. One can plan and imagine, but never be sure that all will look good when its put together. At the permanent stage. Luckily/thankfully, I'm really excited about how its coming together, and secretly, phew!  12 hours later and the counter is still oily. Gotta wait a bit before I can hug it.

Two strapping  guys carried this large chunk of rock in, placed it on cabinets and fitted the cut out notch perfectly into that 5" "beam - not".  (Guy number three was my contractor. He installed the sink.)

Unpolished soapstone:

 

A notch cut out for the sink:

The pattern, not really a pattern:

AH, the cook top counter. It arrived with just a few triangles cut out. He then taped it up and cut out the hole. I got to keep the chunk, in case I want to make a side table.  They bring the rock to the location this way, to avoid breakage.

They applied the first coat of mineral oil. Optional. One can leave it untreated, or cover it in mineral oil or almond oil. Almond oil gives it a waxy look, which I kind of like, but I chose mineral oil for now. They left the bottle for me. When it dries up, reapply. As desired.

Three guys at work.

The counter, oiled. And a comparison shot against the floor.

And a sink. 15 days going up and down stairs with either a handful of dirty dishes or a handful of clean dishes. I was using the laundry sink in the basement and the washing machine as a drying rack. Laundry piled up. All is copasetic now. 

The sink is a drop in and merely rests on the counter. The metal piece below the sink is to support the cabinet, not hold the sink. A bit of silicone was used underneath the edge of sink, to protect the cabinet and keep water from sitting and possibly molding. A garbage disposal was also installed.

Here is where we left off yesterday evening. The stove in the middle of the kitchen, on the rug that we use to lug it around.   The stove fits into its cabinet. The cooktop sort of fits into its cutout. And what I mean by sort of, it doesn't but it will.

Now, what are the chances I will be able to bake a cake and host a sleep over for a boys 10th birthday. This is important stuff, you know.  And the big 10th is this Friday.  


-------------------
The counters were a HUGE part of this kitchen reno, but here is a HUGE list of things still to do:

• paint walls & trim
• install trim (first, then paint).
• toe kick
• install drawers and fronts
• pick out hardware
• buy spice shelf, plate shelf
• sort out wee, little problem about cook top NOT fitting on top of oven.
• install panels (2)
• install main beehive light
• pick out and install task lighting
• pick out and install dishwasher
• install a couple of thresholds
• paint bathroom sliding door, and basement door
• eventually replace basement door with original historical type door.
• install upper cabinets above fridge and prep area.
• install microwave shelf above prep area.
• build pantry
• buy new camera. Rebel no longer working. (:

4 hour time slot

Well, the fridge arrived yesterday. On schedule, although a few hours after the scheduled time slot (love the fridge, didn't realize the sides would be black. That's o.k.)

My living room is full, half of it.

But this is not about kitchen appliances, its about ME. Its about the four hours I had all to myself, in my own house, waiting for the fridge.  4 hours to do leisurely, whatever, whenever. A little bit of weeding, a little bit of cleaning, a little bit of organizing, a few buckets of pea gravel. I tried, again, to put the bike carrier onto the bike. Gave up. A few times.  And then, realizing the delivery may not come at the beginning of the time slot, I aborted my other plans of going to fabric store, going for a jog, walking the dog and instead, I decided to embrace my time away from the office, forced to be at home.  I kicked back and watched a movie.

Happy, Happy. Indeed. Nothing better then an afternoon matinee in your own living room. I decided I should take off 4 hours every week in the middle of the day; Maintain the house. Feed my soul.

It will be a few weeks, actually a month, before the floor goes in. Met contractor a few days ago. Took  measurements for the radiant floor. Discussed a plan. Contractors main business is cutting grass and his fruit stand. Yes, he has a fruit stand! He uses Monday and Friday for other work. He is booked out for three weeks. Takes two weeks for the radiant floor to be ordered and delivered.

In the meantime, to keep me occupied, I've compiled a little list of other things to do:

~Update sleeping porch - curtains, rearrange furniture, move toys out, wash floor.
~Watch my tomatoes grow.
~Put cabinets together - which will fill up any unused space in the living room.
~Make a hair appointment.
~Collect all my picture frames, paint them black and display on mantel.
~Contemplate the benefits and satisfaction results of painting fireplace white. Again.
~Try again, to get that bike carrier onto bike. argh.