Blog

  • Blerg

    Well, the one good thing about getting bad-house-news is that I drown my sorrows in house-design. So, while we ponder how to come up with the excruciating fees to hire out replacing the out-of-date, not-to-code, and under-powered electric panel in order to SIMPLY turn on our new oven, I spent some time working on something lovely like curb appeal to take my mind off the bad things.

    I’m seriously in love with the trend of the Austin modern farmhouse so, I’m playing with the idea of white house with black trim and a bright colored front door. We had a black fence at our last house and we loved it, so I’d like to bring that to Leo. The hacked photoshop mockup is way too heavy-handed on the trim… it wouldn’t be that heavy in real life at least as long as we get our pro painter over here to help. (Mom – you ready to paint outdoors?)

    And we like the look of pea gravel all along the front but, it is actually functional. The yard slopes toward the house and without gutters (before us) – there was basically a swamp up against the foundation anytime it rained (blerg again) so we’ll be installing french drains all along and pulling out most of the plants from in front to keep it nice and drained.

    So here you go… my happy thought for the day:

    leo-curb

  • Move-In Weekend

    We did it. We moved in. I can’t really believe it. We’re far from done, but, it is amazing to be living in the home that we bought over a month ago.

    This last weekend we completed some pretty big items, most importantly the removal of the gigantic oak branch / bug highway that was laying on the roof. Good riddance:

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    So many overgrown trees on the front and back. We trimmed and moved it all out to the street for brush pickup.

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    Mom’s still painting…and still amazing.

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    We got a PANTRY (doors still to come)! With fancy notched baseboards:

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    And Harrison got his bed! And found a few more boxes of toys.

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    And after a long day Harrison really needed some relaxation time:

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    We did purchase a new stove, but, of course – nothing is easy around here, before we can use it Marc will need to do some electrical work so we’re making do with our camp stove… not too shabby.

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    We were also able to put on a few other finishing touches, like baseboards in some of the hall:

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    And thanks to the help of Tony – we have a bed!

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    So, here we are – Monday the 20th of October – by no means are we done, but, we are living here – in our new home – we even had time to put a few pieces of art up on the mantel. A reminder of what we’re doing all of this for. For our little family.
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    I mean right!?

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  • Week 6

    We only worked a couple of nights during this week as we had BlaseDesign work and family to attend to. However, they were a couple of exciting evenings!

    Marc replaced the jenky back door with one that we bought at the Re-store.

    2014-10-15-13.40.512014-10-15-13.51.42 door

     

    We got Ikea Billy bookcases to make the pantry – I only started setting these up because Marc wanted to get all fancy and notch the backs to fit the trim perfectly. And we got the awesome Stenstorp island from Ikea.

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    And Marc installed the dining table chandelier that we’ve had in storage since we lived in the loft.

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    Mom installed blinds!

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    And we started to move in FURNITURE!!!

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  • Weekend 5

    What a weekend. Thanks to Mr. Columbus we had 3 days to work.
    FLOOR! WALLS! And that weird gas pipe that was sticking out in the middle of the floor…
    First thing’s first. More demo – the kitchen had tile that was installed on top of 60 year old linoleum – Kylie and I had attempted to remove some of the floor previously by hand which was an excruciating endeavor. Marc finally admitted that renting a demolition-hammer would make it easier – which it was even though he sustained an injury by flying tile shards.
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    Once the mudding from the sheetrock guys was dry, Marc textured the walls and ceiling.
    2014-10-11-21.44.342014-10-12-10.21.18Such a momentous occasion calls for celebration – good thing some friends stopped by that night to help us.

    2014-10-11-22.54.17 2014-10-11-23.55.58The next morning – ACK! – I discovered that we forgot a section of floor under the fridge and because we had already returned the demo-hammer so me and my brute strength removed it by hand.

    2014-10-12-10.20.58 2014-10-12-10.43.002014-10-12-11.04.56So the floor was ready for install… almost.

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    There was an old pipe sticking out from the old pantry wall that we knew we’d need to remove. This was a daunting task because it meant digging up the cement foundation, it was likely gas, and we had no idea how deep the connection would be. We figured worse case we couldn’t reach the connection, he would have to cut the pipe and re-thread it in order to put a cap on it. Fearless and determined Marc set out to cut a hole around the pipe – first with a diamond blade around three sides – and don’t worry  I was there to hold the vacuum – we wouldn’t want to make a mess. Don’t mind the sparks. And yes, we are aware that these photos reveal some of our less proud moments – but, whatever – this is a record of it all so that when we’re old and gray we can look back with pride and laughter.

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    Then with the demo-hammer – just a bit scary – I had visions of extreme worst case scenarios running through my head, but, Marc handled it like a pro.

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    Next a cold chisel and wire brush:

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    And And as we vacuumed away the debris…

    We realized that we FINALLY CAUGHT A BREAK!

    2014-10-12-10.25.33The connection was just a few inches down so he cold chiseled out around the pipe and was able to remove the offending pipe and plug it. Then cover it with cement… turns out the box of cement wasn’t quite enough to fill – mom and I at the exact same time suggested rocks from the backyard to fill it in – to which Marc scoffed. However, non-carpenter ingenuity prevailed.
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    No one will ever know.

    It’s important to note that while the work is happening inside that the little sir is also very busy:

    2014-10-12-18.22.292014-10-11-14.33.50-1 2014-10-12-10.31.00Now we were ready for the floor – which is the last step before move-in and the last step to removing all memories of a poorly-designed entryway. Marc of course did it right and not fast – which is tough to do when you want to JUST GET IT DONE AND MOVE IN ALREADY! He pulled out alternating boards to feather in the new boards and had to router out new tongues and grooves so that the new pieces would join correctly. RAD I tell you.

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    That was a heck of a way to finish out your Sunday work day. And though it was still light outside we left for mom’s house for a home cooked meal and some down time with the kid.

    But, Monday morning we were back at it – mom was on painting duty – covering the walls and ceilings like a champ:

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    While Marc and I laid the floor late into the night – Marc cut and I glued and installed. And no – I cannot fully endorse installing glue-down-floor barefoot unless you are willing to live with blackened feet for 4-6 days after:

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    photo

    Fueled by junkfood, sauvignon blanc for me and beer for him, we finished about midnight.

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  • Week 5

    With the protruding pantry finally gone we were starting to see the light. But, this fifth week would see the most noticeable progress so far!

    The first thing on the list was finish the living room and kitchen walls – meaning fill all the holes! Marc had done a great job sheetrocking the master (with help from Chris and Johnny) but, the living room kitchen areas needed some serious work including floating .25″ sheetrock over the entire ceiling and re-taping the kitchen which was too much work for us. So, we hired it out to an excellent crew. But, before they could come out to make things pretty, we had to fill all the holes (around the recessed lights and the attic  holes.

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    The crew was amazing! They quoted us a price and even after caused a few extra holes after the

    quote – they fixed them for us for no extra charge. SO WORTH the additional expense that we weren’t expecting.

    TA-DA! Smooth, lovely walls:

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    With the crew working on the walls, Marc and I concentrated on other demo. Marc took out the absolutely hideous light peach

    colored backsplash and I took out the baseboards.

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    It was a productive albeit messy week.

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  • Weekend 4

    At this point (almost a month in) we figured we’d be hosting BBQs and drinking lemonade on the porch. Not so much. But, rejuvenated by a few days off, we were dead set on making major headway this, the forth weekend of our Leo.

    Friday night and into Saturday, Marc continued to work in the attic and I demo-ed the terrible second layer of thin plywood-textured crap that covered every wall of the kitchen. Taking it back to the sheetrock beneath so that we’d have a consistent new texture on the walls and ceiling.

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    While working in the kitchen I found a spot of old mold; and fueled by only peanut butter out of the jar I MAY HAVE gotten a little carried away – er, totally freaked out – and bashed the wall in eager to save myself and my family from the evil black spots that were surely lurking behind the walls.

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    mold

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    So there was definitely some old mold, but, nothing recent and no moisture = no leaks = nothing causing current mold.
    MESS.
    OOPS! (Marc will fix that.)
    And while Marc helped me tear out one of the cabinets where we are going to put the stove hood. More mess.

    I also demo-ed the entry closet! It took me three weeks to convince Marc to let me do it. He was reluctant because we didn’t want to start any new, unnecessary projects… But, since we have a sheetrock crew coming the next week to install a layer over the way-old-fashion pop corn ceiling (the kind that you can’t scrape) and to mud and tape the old and new sheetrock, he relented and let me start the entry mudroom we’re going to build (check my inspiration here.) And see the before & after here:
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    All the while we were working inside, Harrison is starting to get the lay of the land – his new land and the hang of this new house. He spent much of the day wither outside with a closet dowel working on his ninja skills or reading in his room… in private than you very much.

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    Finally Saturday night… the stupid pantry FINALLY got taken out.


    Our friends Face and AJ came over to help/celebrate (beer and cheap champagne!) with us. This was a momentous occasion after all.
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  • Week 3

    We worked Monday at BlaseDesign then finished the floor of the master that night. We are matching the existing solid bamboo that is in the rest of the house to save money as well as to save on more demo. The previous bamboo was glued down and we knew without even trying that pulling it up would be horrendous.

    Installing was pretty back-breaking – I glued and placed boards on my derby-padded-knees or hunched over trying to tiptoe around glue drops on the cement floor behind me while Marc measured and cut boards. To be frank, the glue sucked. (The second time around – installing the kitchen floor was WAY easier thanks to learning what not to do in the master.)
    IMG_6803But, we did it — completed just after midnight. To celebrate I laid my ex-derby, almost-forty year old body down in the middle of the room… I literally could have slept right there.

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    But, after Monday night I lost some steam. The master floor was nice finish work, but, it needed to be shuttered closed to hide it from the dust from the rest of the house. I was getting a little down… doubting that we’d ever be done. And starting to doubt my vision for this house… The tedium of the repairs, the holes remaining gaped open, the insulation floating down on us randomly – tauntingly. What if the house didn’t have the bones I thought it did? What if I’m not an interior designer… oh wait — I’m not.

    I have no idea what I’m doing!

    This is crazy!

    We are crazy!

    And as if my thoughts needed another exclamation point…Tuesday night, while fixing some stuff in the attic, Marc’s posterior found it’s way through the ceiling.

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    After the unexpected hole in the ceiling we took a few days break to eat dinner with Harrison and watch mindless TV in preparation for the next weekend which involved making more messes.

  • Weekend 3

    We started the weekend with help from Coty (aka Notorious D.I.E) – she and I both retired from the Texas Rollergirls this year and even though she’s broken (from her last derby practice of the year) she has been so generous with her time in helping us try to get this house ready for us to move in!

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    DIE likes to clean… I credit that to a proper mid-western upbringing, so she and I set out to tackle the fireplace.

    BEFORE & AFTER:

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    after

    Nothing that five or six passes of a scrub brush, simple green, clorox bleach cleaner, water rinse, and a grinder couldn’t handle. That afternoon I had committed to skate in a for-fun derby scrimmage so I left my broken ex-teammate to go play while she stayed and kept cleaning the fireplace… Yes I felt incredibly guilty, but, that feeling dissipated and turned to astonishment and gratitude for that mid-western commitment to a clean house when I returned to find the fireplace in it’s AFTER state. I mean – seriously – that girl is AMAZING!

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    While Coty was cleaning up the place, Marc put on his Hazmat suit and made a mess. He cut holes into the ceiling for recessed lights and AC vents which is great for the long term, but, bad in the short, as it results in piles of blown-in insulation, gecko eggs, and 50 years of dust falling from the sky. (Yes, that’s right gecko eggs, hundreds and hundreds of hatched gecko eggs. But, that’s a story for another time.)

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    Throughout the weekend Marc taped and sanded and mudded and sanded and mudded some more then textured the sheetrock walls in the master bedroom. And by the time I got back from my derby scrimmage it was ready for me to PAINT!

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    A thing of beauty.

    After all of that master bedroom progress we headed to our local Mexican place for some food and research on how to run electrical for installing recessed lights over Negra Modelos.

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    Thanks again internets… it worked:

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    We woke up exhausted Sunday morning, but knowing that we needed to press on, we went to the house, coffee in hand and headed back to the master to install the floor… but, of course it wasn’t that easy.

    The clean-up of the floor in prep for laying the bamboo revealed more of the STINK. We isolated the smell to a few spots of soft concrete filler. (sidebar for a bit of a rant – seriously people, how on earth can you be a local celebrity lending your face to the public campaign for a pet organization and allow your own animals to live like this!? ARGH!!!!!) So, Marc and I worked on chiseling all of the cement filler out of the floor.

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    So much gross. This website really should come with a warning.

    So the floor had now been cleaned and etched and mopped and scraped and chiseled and swept and mopped again. It was the end of the day on Sunday and time to start laying some floor boards.

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    Marc did this much without me Sunday night, as I had promised to put our kid to bed at least once that week. Marc is pretty rad.

  • Week 2

    Or more specifically, days 11-15 (Monday-Friday, September 22-26)… fixing the little things in preparation for a big weekend ahead.

    The second weekend got us a pretty much finished office and a place to work at the house, Harrison’s room complete, and a bathroom that was usable.

    Speaking of a place to work, Harrison completed his first work of art in the new house… with pastels… I mean, it’s great that you’re being creative kid! But, did you need to choose the messiest medium that you own and work in the most complete, cleanest room in the house!?

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    The other big news of the week is that we had GUTTERS installed! So happy that rain won’t come sheeting off the metal roof, cause damage to the fascia, and puddle at the base of the house anymore! Yay for things that help the house not deteriorate and literally crumble to pieces!
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    The photo above highlights the damage from years of non-gutter drainage. Another fix that needs to happen… the real question is, when we fix the fascia should we keep the turquoise trim color?
    IMG_6706We also got a lawn mower! And used it!
    Seriously though, that front yard – that bit right there – is really pretty. It might be the only pretty part of the entire 1.2 acres, but, I’ll take it. Also – that area happens to light up with fireflies at twilight every evening. I literally squeal every time I see them.

    Finally what does one do after a long, sweaty, dirty night of working on the house… well, go out to the barn and set mouse traps of course.
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    I still find myself forgetting that we own over an acre of land. And that we own a barn.

    It’s kind of insane.

  • The End of the Hall

    Sometimes you’ve just got to take a break from the dirty stuff and do something pretty… something that reassures you that one day this will be a house that is A. clean and safe and B. a place that you will actually WANT to live in.

    Most of the whole house is painted in Toasty Gray but, one one wall in the master and at the end of the hall I wanted a bit of a darker color, so we painted those two walls with the color that was two shades darker on the paint chip from Home Depot, the name of which escapes me.

    Then I got all DIY-Pinterest-y on the end of the hall wall – using this tutorial (thanks internets):
    DIY Sharpie Wallpaper Tutorial @ Vintage Revivals[7]I found this idea before we closed on the house and so just as soon as I could I wanted to try it.

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    I ended up doing the work pretty late at night with very little light, since earlier in the week we had removed the hall light so that mom could paint. But, I persevered in the name of craftiness. Over the dark wall I measured and marked the dots, then drew lines with a metallic silver sharpie. It took a while and there are two spots that my straight edge wouldn’t reach leaving us with a couple of wiggly lines which we will lovingly refer to as areas that prove that it was handmade rather than errors  – but, really it came out pretty great.

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    And this concludes our small detour into anything fun. In all seriousness this little project recharged me so that I could go back to the tedium of the repair/rebuild projects.

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