Saturday, May 31, 2008

Near The Beginning

So, once again I don't know how to properly post.
Please go to the very end of this post, read what I wanted to say at the beginning and then scroll back up to the below pictures. Sorry. Tired and I should have posted the pictures first. I know how to move pictures but not the type. Always something more to learn. Is alright. I am not going to keep my lack of knowledge from pursuing sharing!
Not the beginning but close. This shows the windows
already replaced.This shows the windows replaced and a new door outside of the new master bath.

This is the living area, with the sub flooring already replaced. In the beginning, there was nasty, nasty carpet, which smelled like critter urine many times over. I know it is gross. So gross the sub flooring even had to be replaced. But, after this most recent trip here, we now understand why the house was in such disrepair. The husband died of brain cancer about a year before we purchased the house. His wife, it seems, turned to alcohol in her loneliness. They were elderly and she was tender hearted. Seems she fed ALL the critters around. She was unable to tend to the many pets she had and so the story goes. We learned this from a neighbor we had not previously met.

Upstairs bathroom. Wall paper was on the walls. Kept the tub. Unfortunately the toilet broke when removed for flooring replacement. I refinished an antique buffet to match the tub. It is now used to house the sink. This is the bathroom for which I made the shower curtain from the vintage quilt posted in an earlier blog.

Looking down the stairs from the upstairs. Notice the hanging light fixture. Please, oh please, notice the ugly paneling half way down the wall and the uneven dry wall on the other half.


View from behind the stairs. Even in this picture you can see we have already had plumbing work done. Might I add the large black item on the left of the picture was moved to the right. It is for a new toilet, in a new powder room, downstairs. Of course I changed my mind about it's location. You will eventually see a darling vintage door leading to the under stairs space, for a storage area. I tried to use just about every inch of space I could muster.

Again, walls removed, sub flooring replaced. You can see the original kitchen wallpaper and stove.
The room at the back started as two very small bedrooms. We turned the two rooms into a master bedroom with two walk in closets. The area to the left of the stove was a large much wasted hallway. You will understand more later, with future pictures.

One of the bedrooms upstairs before we painted. We left the paneling that was oh so ugly but with oh so much cottage potential. Paint made it lovable.
Another kitchen view. The door out of the kitchen is now gone, as the kitchen was totally redesigned. Actually, the entire downstairs was gutted and reclaimed.
This is a picture of the living area in the very beginning. Well, almost. The carpet had been removed.You can see the stains on the sub flooring. You can see the wall heater that has been removed, along with the old gas fireplace. Also, the old stone has been covered with drywall and painted and tile installed on the hearth.I used the same tile as the back splash in the kitchen. The rooms are open to each other now. There will be an antique mantle installed on the fireplace, which is being removed from our present home in Gilbert. We are installing a pellet stove. It will be capable of heating the house in the winter and save on the gas bill and be better for the environment. I love the old fashioned wood burning fireplaces. It was our intent to restore this fireplace to wood burning. After listening to our daughter and countless others tell us how much more efficient it would be to go "green" we changed our minds and decided to be practical.

This is the section I wanted at the beginning!

Can I believe it? Yes. Found my camera and now my battery is dead. Do I have the charger with me? No, of course not .Am I happy about this? No, of course not. Is there anything I can do about it, at the moment? No, of course not. Will I live? Yes, of course! Going back to valley tomorrow for delivery of corporate packaging items and the all important hair appointment. Also, need to pack up another load of furniture, etc. to bring back to these cool pines. We have so many more things completed, to take pictures of to share, but----since I cannot do this, at the moment, I decided to post some pictures of the project beginnings. This should help you see the daunting task we took on over a year ago. Having said that, let me urge you to back up your photos and anything else of importance to you. My daughter's computer crashed.Our very beginning original pictures, of the entire house, are gone. Talk about bummed! Anyway, there are enough sort of originals saved to see what we faced in the restoration of this home. Happy rest of the weekend and in about a week I hope to be posting more of the after pictures-- smile.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Where To Begin

Where to begin? My honey went golfing in Pinetop, for the first time today. He has been working hard all this past week on many inside items. He put our closets in yesterday. The next time we come we can actually hang up our clothes. He also finished book shelves at the end of my kitchen counter tops, to hold my cookbooks. Will post these later. I am quite proud of him as he has never been much of a wood worker. We are now waiting on the butcher block counter tops. Once these arrive we can have the plumber come back and hook up farmhouse sink, other bathroom sinks, washer dryer, etc. So looking forward to actually being able to do wash! Did I really just say I want to do laundry???? I had the house all to myself today and what did I do? I cleaned. I meant to play on my computer all day long but I could not stand the total mess everywhere one more minute. This remodeling is so much messier than just plain ole living.
I have posted another lampshade along with the remaining stash from my eBay frenzy, for vintage rhinestone jewels. You will also find below some more gardening items. I am absolutely in love with the rose trees. The smell is like perfume, as I walk by. The hydrangea pot I posted earlier is close to the roses. I want to see how it fares, as now I want tons of hydrangeas in the front bed. There is much yard work to be done but first things first. Alright, it is time for a hop, skip, and jump to the local Mexican food restaurant for margaritas and nachos. Happy hour ends at six so I best get going. Talk again soon!



Lampshade with rhinestone earrings clipped to top.


Leftovers





New Rose Trees for each side of stairway to porch.



Yesterday's Work

Results of yesterday's work.








Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Cool Weather and Cool Work

I hear my honey rambling up stairs so I will be finishing this later. Maybe I should say I will be starting this later! Had a nice day yesterday. I bought two rose trees for each side of the steps leading up to the porch. Oops, he is here. Later-

Alright, it is much later, but my heart is not older. Posting today's pictures and just want you to know I am loving being in the Pines right now.

Well, Well, seems I took a movie instead of pictures. So, should I even bother to post? Probably not---but, on the other hand, why not? I like making every one else look good, when I am feeling confident, anyway! Mistakes are made by ALL. Smile. Have a happy evening and wake up on the mistake proof side of the bed tomorrow, although it does not exist.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Looks Like Spring To Me

First of all, let me apologize about my last posting. I thought I had deleted a couple of pictures AND their titles before posting. There is a side line story to this. My poor husband ( I say poor because he does not like this about himself but alas it is a part of his personality) has this "thing" with repeated noise. He cannot stand any kind of rattle in the car, clicking of knitting needles, (yeah, there are now wooden ones that do not click, so I can knit again!) my computer keys that click,etc. You get the picture. Unfortunately, my keys do indeed click. I have a laptop so it is not as easy as getting a new key board. We are in Pinetop and have not moved all our furniture here. There is only one room with comfortable chairs. I am trying to be on the computer when he is still asleep or somewhere else. Before I finished posting my last post he awoke and was down for coffee. Not wanting him to start his day with clicking, I quickly removed a couple of pictures that did not go with the title. I inadvertently posted with the titles still showing. Oops! Thank you, Sandy for letting me know. I do love how the lampshade with the earrings looks. I had some left over so I put them on the top of another shade. Yes, I will post a picture of it in the future. I also want to post a project picture I promised earlier. In the trip to Pinetop it got beaten up. Frown. I will have to make repairs before photographing.
Alright, my honey is now putting in our closet shelves, etc. and I am to prime some cookbook shelves he added to my kitchen cabinets. He is working hard so I guess I best go help! I hope you all have a lovely day. Till next time.
My first plantings at our cottage after the snow melted.
I love hydrangeas! This is my first ever to plant!

New mailbox my honey installed.

Lampshade with vintage rhinestone earrings.




Sunday, May 25, 2008

Looks Like Winter To Me



May 22,2008

Pinetop, AZ

Sometimes pictures speak for themselves.









































































Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Two Days Now

Well, let's see. We left yestersay morning and it is now late Tuesday evening. Does that count for two days. Much has happened.
  • Cat named Sammy made the trip for the first time. Oh boy, so much fun listening to his complaining all the way.
  • Cat named Sammy has adjusted well and is exploring and knows his home.
  • Watched Chandler play ball. His team got waht the coach called a good ole fashioned ass whipping. Everyone was happy to play and parents and grandparents happy to watch.
  • Within two hours of being here the clip earrings were on the shade and pictures taken. ( Found the camera) ( camera is now in bedroom, honey is now in bedroom, so I don't want to awake him looking. Maybe in the morn.
  • Hung more lace curtains today. YUM!
  • Unloaded rest of traier and positioned much of the furniture. Still have quite a heavy piece to get up the stairs. Oh MY. This 60 year old body is not as spry as it used to be.
  • I unpacked most of my Waterford Crystal and put it away. a Couple of boxes left to go.My mother has given me a great since of appreciation in the beauty of crystal Thank you mom.
  • I think we are now official. Randy has the mail box installed!
  • Hope you have all voted for your next American Idol.
  • Going to look at roofs tomorrow for our cottage.
  • I am fast falling asleep. Good Night----
  • Unloaded trailer

Friday, May 16, 2008

Inspired





  • I have much to say and write but am in the midst of other necessary responsibilities and--


  • I cannot find my camera. I cannot find my camera. I cannot find my camera. How am I supposed to learn if I cannot even find my camera? I actually was going to turn off the flash before taking pictures!


  • Worked today creating August product, for client, which was inspired by paper purchased yesterday at Mystic Paper and trim purchased at Sas. I will post a picture when I find my camera! What fun. I love my job. I no longer care what day of the week it is! No more TGIFS!!!


  • Packed up a lot more of my furniture today for moving to Pinetop. My dream house, of the last two decades, is starting to look like I am moving. I have very mixed feelings about this sentimental journey.


  • Purchased the summer blogging magazine at Mystic yesterday. I have not allowed myself to visit any of the sites,however do yourself a favor and visit one of the newest sites to blog land which is http://rosesonyourway.blogspot.com/. You will not be sorry you took the time to travel or the gas spent getting there.


  • My time is limited at the moment and I am tired. I normally like to post when I have a big block of time to dedicate to my writing----although one might not be able to tell this from my writing. Smile. I will be doing a blog about this very thing at some point. All of this to say, moving is in progress. Posting will be iffy. Reading will be enjoyed with coffee though, so all you other bloggers out there---I definitely need my coffee!!! Get blogging!

I will say good night as you can see above tomorrow I have to be Up N' Atom.