Windows

Only one more window to install...for now...

Five windows in four days--one more to go! We will still need to replace the big picture windows eventually but for now it's paint time!

I scraped and primed all of the wood window trims AND a bit of the siding that has exposed wood today. I can't believe how much this house has been either neglected or cared for improperly. The caulk was "gunk-ed" on in layers. I don't believe it was ever smoothed out properly. Anyways, just a few photos tonight. I am getting horrible in my photo documenting lately--sorry. 

This window has a ton of weather damage all around it. After my husband got his hands on it, I doubt we will have any more issues. 

From the inside..during down time, I was raking and packing up pine needles for the trash on Thursday. Unfortunately there was way too many pieces of broken glass and trash (I'm assuming when they repossessed the home?) mixed in with the needles to use for compost. I have another 4 acres for that. 

One of the two windows from the boys' room.

A small example of what I dealt with today...

Step Stool Revived

Isn't she a cutie? I picked her up at a yard sale for $3. She was a sad pink. Now she brings life to my kitchen.

Plumbers at Work

This work was completed mid-May. I am just now getting around to posting...deepest apologies.

I have wonderful men in my life. My dad was my very first hero...

but then my husband Randy came into my life. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for this man. He goes to work, deals with impossible people then comes up to a house of screaming children, plays with them and goes right back to work on our home. His dedication is unbelievable. I couldn't breath with out him.

Sorry, I went off on a tangent. Below you will see the finished vanity/sink and the kitchen sink.

Woot! I have water in my kitchen!

Busy Busy Busy Bees...

We have been extremely busy. Mid May was filled with the following: the wood floor is down, I repaired the wall that was not masking the cat-pee smell & my counter top has been installed.

Mitigation

We have been mitigating. All of these branches have a new home at the "Slash and Mulch" off of Herring Road. 

This Mitigation was completed prior to the Black Forest Fire. It is a LATE update. 

The Floor is Done

Unfortunately I only have one photo as of right now, but Randy has officially laid the last piece of wood flooring!

My Shelves

I desperately needed shelves to place my harvest jars and bulk foods. I had a blast completing this project and hope you enjoy! I adapted an Ana-White.com barn beam pattern to fit my needs.
The adaptions..
My space was 20.5", I bought 1x4x8 boards and cut them to 19" sections--this gave me 4 pieces per 8 foot of board purchased. I also bought 1x6x8 boards for the shelf part of the shelves. My storage jars are 5 inches deep, so the 4 inches that Ana recommended just wouldn't work. Quite okay, it's an easy adjustment.
I needed deeper shelves to fit my jars. I used 1x4's for the front and back of the shelves and 1x6's for the top and bottom of the shelves.
I chose not to use key holes to hang my shelves, due to the location of the studs in the wall. Instead I screwed directly through the back of the shelf into the corner stud on the left side and into a located stud on the right side.
I also trimmed 1/2" off of the front of the shelves. This make sit easier to lift my jars off of the shelves.

This is the Ebony stain. It goes on JET black-scared me at first!

But once wiped off, they looked like weathered barn wood. Perfect!

 

Make sure to leave the knots and other rough spots on the front of the shelf. They really add character. 

Tyler and Windows

I wanted to start this blog off with a smile. I caught Tyler watching himself flex his "guns" on the side of the chili pot. Children definitely keep life interesting!

We decided to start on the windows. Specifically our master bedroom window. 

Isn't he a handsome handy-man to have around? 

And it's installed!

Here it is framed out. After we finish the other windows we will paint. 

Update: We have changed out one of the boys' bedroom windows since this installation was completed & are working on paint colors.

Vanity in the Works

We bought a brand new vanity. I stripped it down, primed it, painted it absurd bright blue and neon green colors, painted a dove gray over it and glazed it. I finally have the vanity I love. :) Final picture to come...

Bones!

This happened a while back, but my cousin was in charge of the Colorado One Million Bones Project. 

We met at a local park and started making bones! One June 7 & 8 she went to National Mall, Washington D.C. to help display bones from all over the nation.