HOME - Bathroom upheaval - almost there

We have put some serious energy into our bathroom. I am SO very happy with the results. Just a little reminder about what we started with. I had a hard time finding any before shots - I think we didn't want to admit this was our bathroom. 

We removed more than 1/2 of all the plaster walls (b/c they were crumbling) and replaced them with drywall; replaced the window, toilet, sink, light fixtures; installed a ceiling fan and light; put in a new sub-floor and tiles; removed the plastic shower insert and tiles the surround...  It's almost done here! Really we are just wrapping up the laundry chute closet area behind the shower (notice, there is no photo - hopefully it'll be done very soon). 

shower view - don't mind the unfinished wall

Close up of the honed river rocks - this was my favorite part to do. I posted a couple photos (bathroom work in progress post) of this task - it was harder than it looks! 

I fought for this dual flush toilet. Also notice the bathroom print above the toilet. It's from the Liberty Park Comfort Station (down the block from us) in 1913 (the year our house was built). We ordered the digital image from the Utah Historical Society - they have an amazing archive of photos.

Air vent and floor tiles. I wanted to create a vintage bathroom and Rob wanted an earthy one - so we met in the middle and came up with this design. We are both very happy with it.

HOME - Fireplace update

We officially said goodbye to Directv today and I am thrilled. Rob has talked me into buying a new computer that we have hooked up to the tv. It's really pretty great - we can watch shows on Hulu, the ones that come through our digital antennae, and we can surf the web - all from the comfort of the couch. Here are photos of the progress we've made on the fireplace.

BEFORE - 1980s Miami Vice


DURING

DURING

ALMOST THERE

OKAY - so it's almost done in this photo but really - it is completely done in real life - I just don't feel like taking a picture right now... The cables are hidden but we still need to get a shelf of some sort to store the computer on (the computer is that tiny box on the right side of the mantel).
Our newest project is one that scares me - ALOT! We are replacing the windows ourselves. Rob insists on wood windows and in order to afford them - we are going to do it ourselves. Here is what we have to work with...

This is the window in the spare bedroom with the molding removed. Notice the lovely powder blue house next door. IT IS FINALLY FOR SALE!!!! THANK GOODNESS!!!

HOME - Joys of home ownership

Rob and I are now officially the proud new owners of a home built in 1913. We knew it would be a lot of work and even though we are sore and tired of spending money - we are having a great time updating much of the house. We were hoping to salvage the original Douglas Fir flooring in the front room and bedrooms - but much to our chagrin - there were nails every 16 inches - likely to diminish the squeeky floor. We could not remove, pound down, or sand over the nails - so we had to go with Plan B - a new hardwood floor. We are using Acacia in the front room, pre-stained and all set to install. We went with this type b/c it is 3/4-inch real wood - rather than the engineered hardwood that is iffy to refinish. In the bedrooms, we are using bamboo - but it's a grass, not wood. Here are a series of photos of the front room and the work we have done so far. If you know of anyone looking for brass fixtures (lights, door knobs, hooks) - we have them from every room in the house that are yours for the taking. All of the new sub-floor is down, boxes of wood, and bamboo are open - tomorrow is a painting day.

I am pretty sure that the rhubarb raspberry jam is my number 2.5 favorite jam ever - right behind strawberry freezer jam and tied with apricot. I will be sure to hoard this jam, just like the apricot I still have in the basement. Speaking of which, I ought to pull that out and eat it before the apricots really start showing up at the market. The rhubarab did not breakdown as I hoped, instead I processed it for about 5 seconds, got it boiling, then added the pectin and raspberries. This jam has a really vibrant color.

We are closing on our new house in 7 days and are very excited. Our current rental, while a nice place to have called home for 8 months, is becoming a pain in the behind. It's up for sale, meaning we have to leave the house in the evenings - with dogs in tow - so that people can come see the house. I would be much happier about the whole thing if we got something out of it - like a decrease in rent... Instead, we have to deal with a young realtor that is awfully unprofessional - requesting that we leave the house open rather than putting out a lock box. Lock box is now up per our insistence.