It all started with a simple trip to Lowes for some plantation blinds –I’ve wanted to replace the skinny metal blinds in the dining room for almost 5 years now – it was was always an “oh, that can wait” kind of thing.
But since DH is on holiday break from work until after New Years --- I think Mr Fix It has taken over his body once again, and we are off and running on projects I didn’t even know we had planned!
Here are the new blinds in place. The only issue – which isn’t an issue at all, really – is that they had to be mounted on the frame of the window, instead of inside the frame. There is not enough clearance inside the frame to mount blinds of this width, which is probably why there were still skinny metal blinds in place when we moved in.
I don’t mind that they are top-mounted ----and I could even add a fabric valance that would hide them completely, but the jury is still out on that. I don’t want anything that is going to obscure the view of our back acreage!
Oh, and pardon the drill on the dining room table. We aren’t done with it yet – the fun continues!
Next up? Front hall light!
The aliens are landing!!
The old light fixture was bright gold brass, and glass and 1970’s UGLY!
I like this one in aged bronze ---but those bulbs are SO BRIGHT!! I guess there will be no more complaining about how dark I feel our house is ---not with these bulbs! Dear Santa --- can I please have a dimmer switch for Christmas!? :cD
I had to open the front door...step out -- to get this shot. I really do have a small cozy house, and I like it this way.
I had to open the front door...step out -- to get this shot. I really do have a small cozy house, and I like it this way.
The next project came out of NOWHERE – except for the fact that we walked down the flooring aisle at Lowes and found what we had been wanting on sale:
YES!
2 layers of old ugly vinyl coming UP!
Baseboards coming OFF!
And there was a small accident with the water line to the freezer ice maker ----I had a shower falling through the ceiling into the basement below…..but we’ve got that handled. Luckily!
Top of the stairs that lead down to the studio ---baseboards gone!
Poor DH, I always seem to catch him at this angle! LOL!
DH removing the last of the two layers of vinyl that cover the original “Peel and stick” vinyl floor at the entry to the dining room. 3 layers of ugly. The peel and stick is going to stay there, and we will lay the new flooring on top of it.
Since this meant NO COOKING last night --- I stayed happily out of the way and got busy with some half-square triangles! No telling where these might end up ---I’ve got some ideas flowing!
Basket full of triangles!
What would YOU choose to do with these?
Have a great Saturday, everyone!
Gotta love Mr Fix It! He just jumps right on those projects, doesn't he? Could you send him over? I have a basement (the sweatshop!) that could use his help.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteILd use the triangles to start an Ocean Waves :)
Merry Christmas Brigitte
I'd make churn dash or shoofly blocks, both my favorite!!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs!!!!
it's been done i know, but ocean waves is a fave...
ReplyDeleteDoes he give lessons on how to do all these home improvement things??? Maybe he can start doing tutorial videos and putting them on youtube :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely ... two hands up to vote for an Ocean Waves ... love that design! House is looking nice. Be careful though ... whenever we've gotten our house fixed up the way we wanted it something happened that we had to move (job transfer, etc.). Just sayin.....
ReplyDeleteWhat small house!?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteYou've got at least 1 cubic yard added: about an inch in heigth all around! You could luckily start caroling X-mas around, and echo's will surround you! Angelic place 8^} don't you think so?
What's even better: no cracks on the floor to cripple the happiest sounds! It will feel better, I assure, we've had this over here some yrs ago as well. High ceilings in stead of low ones that is. More air to breathe, more oxigen =^} yeah!
Surprise us with the HST, bet we find those in next years' mystery!
btw, DH over here is trying to get us an additional bathroom ( and refurbishment into washing machine accomodation after that for the old one) during this wintertimes, tub, shower and all. Blessed are we with the men around us! I'll feed him chocolat candy bars for reward ( and have a knibble myself as well).
Have a nice weekend,
from a very rainy Amsterdam,
Love, Irene
Bonnie, I envy your husband's ability to do things like. Gord tries but he is not as handy with wood and vinyl as he is with steel. On another note, I will be picking up my christmas present to me in the new year - an approximately 1895-1903 Raymond Treadle machine, which has spent the last 25 years as a piece of furniture. It has a box with feet and three bobbins (I think they are called shuttle bobbins, long and thin and they fit in a case that is also long). The Raymond Sewing Machine Company was based in Guelph, ON Canada and I am tickled pink to know I will own a piece of Cdn sewing history. http://www.sewalot.com/charles_raymond.htm
ReplyDeleteHere is the link if you have time to check it out.
Your house shaping up beautifully. It looks very homey,welcoming and comfy. Thanks for letting us see the progress on the house. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteGale/Oklahoma
Oh, I always get so excited about home improvement projects--even if they aren't mine (though I love those best)!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the plaids with black. That will look sharp no matter what you do with them. : )
lol we are doing similar things this 'holiday' hubby hit an auction and got 1500 sq feet of hard wood floor. Looks like I am going to be doing a LOT of cleaning/moving type stuff. Merry Christmas, enjoy your time together. Travel safely this new year!
ReplyDeleteCan you please send DH to me for a while. So many projects I want done, but no handy hubby to do them. He's an electrical engineer, so our wiring is awesome, but not the rest! Their names are the same, so maybe we could just switch????? Merry Christmas everyone
ReplyDeleteIsn't it nice when you don't need to come up with an excuse not to have to cook dinner....
ReplyDeletePerhaps very boring, but I'm dying to make a whole quilt of them. When you are done, can you send hubby to my house? I'll feed hime well, and return him in good condition.
ReplyDeleteI ditto Aliceart's suggestion. One whole quilt of HST's, maybe set so they radiate out from the center. BTW, wish you could clone your DH. You are very lucky to have a handy one around. Anything that needs doing here, I have to do (all four of my brothers are engineers and I think I have some of that talent) or pay someone to do.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie!
ReplyDeleteReno's are always great until near the very end when you feel it will never be done! Great giftie from DH!
The HST's? I think you could come up with a broken dishes design for a valance in your Dining Room? I"m not sure of your decor tho...
Have a Wonderful Christmas!
Take care, Leslie
Nice basket with the triangles. The black looks great with all the plaids & prints.
ReplyDeleteSince you don't have a dimmer, try replacing the bulbs, or some with a lower watt; 100 or 60, go to 40watt, soft light.
I'm thinking "Pinwheels in a Tornado" for the name of this quilt...but I do love me a pinwheel LOL
ReplyDeleteI've been eyeing Liz Porter's Barbed Wire pattern. I think those would look nice in there. So many ideas!
ReplyDeleteSo many options for HSTs. Hard to decide.
ReplyDeleteLucky you having Mr. Fix It on the job. Like the new plantations, and the new floor will be great.
Love the plaids Bonnie.
ReplyDeleteMercy, you must have a step ladder and a half to reach the ceiling in your foyer! Bless your Mr. Fix it - he's a wonderful guy to take on all this on his supposed holiday.
ReplyDeleteLove those HSTs too. The dark half makes the plaids pop.
Love your remodel posts - a thin wood valance made of trim would hide the top of those blinds and not obstruct the view. : )
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to have a hubby do all that for you and your home! I have the same ugly entry way light and it's been over 13 years. I think the next owners will change it, not us. Does hubby help with Christmas decorating?
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I love your choice of kitchen flooring. We put this same pergo flooring my our kitchen last year and wanna know the funny part....we had the same vinyl flooring 'white tiles' that you had also. What are the chances? The new floor does not show dirt or spills, so I don't have to mop it every day like the old white floor and now I have more time for quilting! ;->
ReplyDeleteGail in Verona
beautiful !! what a guy too !
ReplyDeleteJan
Yes, I agree, Pinwheels are it.
ReplyDeleteThat's the tile I have in kitchen, living room. Stepping on it now as I am at my sewing table that on one side of my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who had the same dilemma of not wanting to obstruct her view but wanted to keep the evening sun out in the summer. She made simple cornice boards from light weight wood, then covered them with tubes of fabric scrunched together to form sort of a ruffle. But it doesn't look ruffly if you don't have a hemmed edge sticking up from it. It looks very elegant. The good thing is you can make them the exact size that covers your blind header.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who had the same dilemma of not wanting to obstruct her view but wanted to keep the evening sun out in the summer. She made simple cornice boards from light weight wood, then covered them with tubes of fabric scrunched together to form sort of a ruffle. But it doesn't look ruffly if you don't have a hemmed edge sticking up from it. It looks very elegant. The good thing is you can make them the exact size that covers your blind header.
ReplyDeleteHey Bonnie, just wanted to say I love the new remodle. I have that same light only in 3 fixtures. It is over my table can you imagine 5? All so had to tell you this WONFERFUL news. My youngest son and his wife had a baby boy Thursday day. He was a little invitro baby, 7 pound 9 ounces. His name is Kord Waylon Henderson. They have been married 14 years and wanted a child so bad. They lost invitro twin baby boys last year but now they have a healthy son. We all are truly blessed. Thanks for listening to this very proud Nanny.
ReplyDeleteIt takes us at least a month to get done what you two did in a day was it? I envy you guys.
ReplyDeleteLooking good! Looks like you both are workaholics! Wish I had a fraction of your energy!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
Debbie T.