tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73275275025144744342024-03-12T20:29:33.300-04:00Operation: Old Elm{ a DIY diary }Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-25562948387885913472015-12-12T15:37:00.000-05:002015-12-12T15:54:51.189-05:00DIY Bath Bombs<h2>
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Hi guys! </h2>
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Today we're making Bath Bombs.</h2>
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These are great for gifting AND personal use...because if you're anything like me, you love a nice warm bath in the winter months. If you're looking for a simple gift that's low cost but high impact, give these a try. <br />
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Let's get started with the list of supplies you'll need:<br />
<ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup citric acid*</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 cup baking soda</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup cornstarch</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup epsom salt</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">food coloring</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">essential oil of your choosing</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">small spray bottle</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">silicon ice cube tray</li>
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</ul>
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<i>*If you're having trouble finding citric acid, look in the spice section at your local health food store - it's granulated and comes in a shaker because some use it as a salt substitute. Who knew?!</i><br />
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<b>DIRECTIONS</b></h2>
<ol>
<li>Dump the citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch and epsom salt into a bowl and stir.</li>
<li>Fill your spray bottle with tap water and some drops of food coloring, as dark as you want it.</li>
<li>Spray the mixture in your bowl and stir. You want the mixture to get clumpy like wet sand. The more you spray the more color you'll get. And if your mixture fizzes a little bit right now, that's okay.</li>
<li>Now add drops of your essential oil - I used peppermint - as many as you like to reach desired smell.</li>
<li>Using a spoon and your hands, press the mixture into your mold. Pack it in hard so your bombs won't crumble upon removal. I used ice cube trays, but muffin tins would work also.</li>
<li>Let your bombs sit over night, then carefully pop them out and package them. Ta-da! This recipe will make 15 bombs using a 3x5 grid silicon ice cube tray. I doubled it to make two colors.</li>
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I packaged mine in clear cellophane wrap - if you use a jar, poke an air hole in the top because the bombs like a little bit of air. Another tip: Don't be too rough with them because they are fragile. You want to be sure these get to your bath in one piece for maximum enjoyment!<br />
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This year I gave these to my mom & sisters along with homemade body butter and a coffee scrub. I like using beauty products that are free from harmful <i>{or just plain hard to pronounce}</i> ingredients. By making your own, you control the mix-ins, and it's fun!<br />
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-46184635549656307302015-12-04T11:46:00.000-05:002015-12-04T11:46:54.500-05:00Paper Rose Garland<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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Hey everyone! I'm back with another installment of</h2>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Today's project is DIY Paper Rose Garland</span></div>
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<b style="text-align: left;">You'll need:</b><span style="text-align: left;"> 1) Paper 2) Twine 3) Scissors 4) Glue</span></div>
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<li>Start by drawing a spiral on your paper. If you have a good eye, you can skip this step and head right for your scissors to cut the spirals like I did. I'm using pages from an old books & dictionaries.</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72W-dg9ehYMjSRx0iHL_mpJsAZ8eyhRJSoBtnyM-MIPDKZ3e6cDyMpx0oNA5tQKg592cw-fOXaFGvA84-D3ra_Y8RUhwMGtD3TY-tnRU7Jt9Nitok0A7g9_NIO3OuIdvVphyphenhyphenwvEYbzkze/s1600/IMG_5136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72W-dg9ehYMjSRx0iHL_mpJsAZ8eyhRJSoBtnyM-MIPDKZ3e6cDyMpx0oNA5tQKg592cw-fOXaFGvA84-D3ra_Y8RUhwMGtD3TY-tnRU7Jt9Nitok0A7g9_NIO3OuIdvVphyphenhyphenwvEYbzkze/s200/IMG_5136.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l2gKsUFx5mG5P-ji4Uk36u_Wt98AGzeBIi0VAQyXWG4gPTWPgB99YS8zcGRHdNZRM_31Vk0uu1mB0D-BX_Twk7lklth-I_CWlnqyrkY4WY52-oGG2hLlZmAGMfhL4EqlZtHmpDlHvPtV/s1600/IMG_5135.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l2gKsUFx5mG5P-ji4Uk36u_Wt98AGzeBIi0VAQyXWG4gPTWPgB99YS8zcGRHdNZRM_31Vk0uu1mB0D-BX_Twk7lklth-I_CWlnqyrkY4WY52-oGG2hLlZmAGMfhL4EqlZtHmpDlHvPtV/s200/IMG_5135.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Now sit in front of the TV or turn on some good music as you do this repeatedly. Make as many as you want. More spirals = more roses = longer garland. So go to town!</li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym6Ja9qmfcdLwsAALKz01C382a4c2oI3mxuYHdfx9kLuz0n3kixTKrZoco4HAwXg49bDeeHQOE-n7-Rp5Z1S-i6oLwarq8sXPnDS-kNHDRGWOHhKcEa6BhHeClHEgx8xEBgaiDiLbRmQU/s1600/IMG_5137.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym6Ja9qmfcdLwsAALKz01C382a4c2oI3mxuYHdfx9kLuz0n3kixTKrZoco4HAwXg49bDeeHQOE-n7-Rp5Z1S-i6oLwarq8sXPnDS-kNHDRGWOHhKcEa6BhHeClHEgx8xEBgaiDiLbRmQU/s200/IMG_5137.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ynVM0EUHszzTPn99kHxZLqomSq8cYPnAchFqTDIn-_mSmQeUrfEgnqrUfaFsdpLrPblw57dfLWExJ1-0WoTj2Kk9iAkR5qp8MXmL76GXrG4XY6S0HAxdaeOmVOehXjRX0Tk27-yvxd9Q/s1600/IMG_5138.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ynVM0EUHszzTPn99kHxZLqomSq8cYPnAchFqTDIn-_mSmQeUrfEgnqrUfaFsdpLrPblw57dfLWExJ1-0WoTj2Kk9iAkR5qp8MXmL76GXrG4XY6S0HAxdaeOmVOehXjRX0Tk27-yvxd9Q/s200/IMG_5138.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNQrIlUpZ0QQdYuYk-bWmzuX0pVqfszv28AJucAbNQFw8I78P1XTd_gfNdIchSAL-2mv2A0WZOYG19Ee_9oHu6vPL6EVBsFhHtG7nqhV5pHhQuzCz8t-EoxmxyGUUCqtvhVxUuqzA6DLj/s1600/IMG_5143.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNQrIlUpZ0QQdYuYk-bWmzuX0pVqfszv28AJucAbNQFw8I78P1XTd_gfNdIchSAL-2mv2A0WZOYG19Ee_9oHu6vPL6EVBsFhHtG7nqhV5pHhQuzCz8t-EoxmxyGUUCqtvhVxUuqzA6DLj/s200/IMG_5143.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>Once you've cut all your spirals, start rolling! Take one sheet. Begin from the outside of the spiral and tightly coil until you get to the end. Now release it. Don't be afraid to do this part - this is how your paper will expand & allow your rose to look more realistic. Using a glue gun, add a dollop of glue and press the flower part into it - once dry, this is how your rose will be held secure. </li>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs_vUciZBYmLpuWdEZ-uQPVUQ1Yw44e2G_cUR7y4laq1sl2syyWX2UyyKiof38KJX3GnI68roSAh24IFf9atx4cYocTFWI5q82qaqmOpVqz-mCoeS_1YxsIOOj7sr-p-LgGci9vox43dX/s1600/IMG_5139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvs_vUciZBYmLpuWdEZ-uQPVUQ1Yw44e2G_cUR7y4laq1sl2syyWX2UyyKiof38KJX3GnI68roSAh24IFf9atx4cYocTFWI5q82qaqmOpVqz-mCoeS_1YxsIOOj7sr-p-LgGci9vox43dX/s320/IMG_5139.jpg" width="320" /> </a>
<li>As you go along, realize that these are meant to be imperfect. Don't be alarmed to notice that your roses are turning out differently each time. No two are the same, just like real flowers. Another tip? Sometimes to speed things up I wind all of my flowers, then get out the glue and secure them all at once. You really can't go wrong with whatever system you adopt.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Once you have a pile of roses, unwind a length of twine. Add your roses by turning them upside down, putting another dollop of glue on the backside, then pressing the twine into place. Hold each one for a few seconds before moving on to the next to ensure a snug bond.</li>
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You can make your garland as long as you wish. And now that you are an expert at paper rose making, get creative with adding flowers to other projects - picture frames, present toppers, or even a bunch wired to sticks in a vase. I put my garland on a Christmas tree in our dining room, but I like it so much I might keep it out all year long :) Thanks for stopping over today. If you try this project, I wish you success!</div>
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></h2>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-62221243385033284392015-12-02T16:22:00.001-05:002015-12-02T16:22:46.338-05:00Old Elm Christmas Decor<div style="text-align: center;">
Season's greetings! Here are a few snapshots of our house all decked out for the holidays. Enjoy!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-49691897277916241292015-11-09T16:29:00.003-05:002015-11-09T20:06:47.675-05:00October Run-downWell guys, whole month has gone by with no posts from me. It's true - I never blogged <i>once</i> in October. Whoops. We did tackle some stuff around the house & enjoyed the first official month of Fall in Ohio. Now we're looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, which we all know will be here in no time. But before I get ahead of myself, here's a run-down of the things we did last month:<br />
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Andrew turned 30 and we had everyone over for cake, pumpkin pie, and ice cream:<br />
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We got new rugs! One is in the dining room under the table, the other is in the kitchen nook. They are both from World Market - we were grateful to take advantage of a big sale.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnuQrVd8S124Xhj_UgQhhY5sQNUCmF01oRjuAz4xJsa5wF4xPvswoj5b8_Kl6aT81Zjmt0Cv-o2bvl68bn7g5u4GLwuSoY_V_BwkcxyDZOXOg_faghqtzuP8B6TNwbc48yWTScqc6B4Wc/s1600/IMG_4810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnuQrVd8S124Xhj_UgQhhY5sQNUCmF01oRjuAz4xJsa5wF4xPvswoj5b8_Kl6aT81Zjmt0Cv-o2bvl68bn7g5u4GLwuSoY_V_BwkcxyDZOXOg_faghqtzuP8B6TNwbc48yWTScqc6B4Wc/s320/IMG_4810.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfANIpLxP48VEMfBfEaY6NLAPiTXqRwcBx4bNNf8dOqzLM_FL4v5p3mGO9ZNWrk4shyhqERY0cn15Ysp-reUqJXomSGLOeIlpvaPzF64GrVph_955PdlB9HxCo8P8YgkMV3M6vw84FaCnY/s1600/IMG_4811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfANIpLxP48VEMfBfEaY6NLAPiTXqRwcBx4bNNf8dOqzLM_FL4v5p3mGO9ZNWrk4shyhqERY0cn15Ysp-reUqJXomSGLOeIlpvaPzF64GrVph_955PdlB9HxCo8P8YgkMV3M6vw84FaCnY/s320/IMG_4811.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I painted the trim & cabinet in the guest bathroom. From oak to gray, I'd say it was a nice little upgrade (for the cabinet especially). I only have a few more rooms to do before all the trim in the house is white.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1z2NL_JPG96APr-YDBtboOm8SHgIcob5yGeijd4IpN9nCnJ1gjpw8gmS_QE_RcWoXR5lN-9zsnqNCEQ30IEycnrIBNkamXuOGfkxCBQYpxB61Rap9WczBYbkmB9Yl22EAdlI2vXC25kn/s1600/IMG_4798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1z2NL_JPG96APr-YDBtboOm8SHgIcob5yGeijd4IpN9nCnJ1gjpw8gmS_QE_RcWoXR5lN-9zsnqNCEQ30IEycnrIBNkamXuOGfkxCBQYpxB61Rap9WczBYbkmB9Yl22EAdlI2vXC25kn/s320/IMG_4798.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji76af4ytKGHpUqESoa_SrMk-8g-HOgQ1tkSpjtYzokYl5LO3xNmyTlgj9xEbHe6-5QyJgS2lsbZApz0aCkCqGqY3Ad0aoQbxkx7eXtri0J-IrEenQJRNM3F2ksY3xN8u4oL43F1tuOISx/s1600/IMG_4990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji76af4ytKGHpUqESoa_SrMk-8g-HOgQ1tkSpjtYzokYl5LO3xNmyTlgj9xEbHe6-5QyJgS2lsbZApz0aCkCqGqY3Ad0aoQbxkx7eXtri0J-IrEenQJRNM3F2ksY3xN8u4oL43F1tuOISx/s320/IMG_4990.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We passed out candy for trick-or-treaters the evening of October 31 <i>{so festive!}</i> then attended an annual costume party hosted by our friends. Check out our fun costumes!<br />
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Some of the greatest Halloween costumes we saw this year included a girl dressed as a Softball Trophy - entirely spray painted gold, complete with bat and little wooden stand; a toddler Fly Fisherman collecting candy in his net, and a Green Army Man that was the spitting image of the small plastic toys we all had growing up. People are so clever! What are some of the cool costumes you saw?<br />
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I'm not quite ready to decorate for Christmas - I like to wait until after Thanksgiving. So I packed the jack-o-lanterns and ghosts up, but left out the pumpkins & got a few turkey themed items out. I also made this canvas to put on our mantle:<br />
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Thanks for checking in with us over here at Old Elm... I hope you all had very pleasant Octobers. I hope to write again soon with tales of more projects conquered!<br />
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<b><i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-67167056720032481362015-09-23T17:35:00.003-04:002015-09-24T14:57:07.757-04:00Breakfast Nook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: start;">I really like the farmhouse style/JoAnna Gaines type kitchens. You know what I mean? Think wooden floors, white subway tile, farmhouse tables and </span><b style="text-align: start;"><i>lots</i></b><span style="text-align: start;"> of beadboard. But making a breakfast nook of our own was one thing that kept getting placed on the back burner. Probably because we're amateurs who have real day jobs and do not have ton of money to just toss around! But at a slow steady pace, Andrew & I have been working on transforming our house, and in a lot of ways we are getting closer to the "look" we like want… </span></div>
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<li><span style="text-align: start;">The kitchen cabinets were painted white. </span><i style="text-align: start;">Check</i><span style="text-align: start;">. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: start;">We added breadboard to them. </span><i style="text-align: start;">Check</i><span style="text-align: start;">. </span></li>
<li>The dining room got board & batten. <i>Check</i>. </li>
<li><span style="text-align: start;">The fireplace got a facelift. <i>Check</i>. </span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: start;">Flooring is done. </span><i style="text-align: start;">Check</i><span style="text-align: start;">. </span></li>
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It seemed that all we had remaining was to figure out how to make our nook bench. </div>
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<b>Well folks, we finally made it & here's how it all went down.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O6v_HMLR8DzScZNAtSf9rEjqCpqLiszZBC2TuaeNQo5AraE_pv3qmbSgoLrD6ECwfjNTEF9vgDCJj420xzzYekLtRrZujwzJfOzJcZ4vz9S5NT0QN-e_vkatm9FpieM1brsq-y3SSG0u/s1600/IMG_9266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4O6v_HMLR8DzScZNAtSf9rEjqCpqLiszZBC2TuaeNQo5AraE_pv3qmbSgoLrD6ECwfjNTEF9vgDCJj420xzzYekLtRrZujwzJfOzJcZ4vz9S5NT0QN-e_vkatm9FpieM1brsq-y3SSG0u/s400/IMG_9266.jpg" width="296" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDVoE2plwuDzXGdftOWNi7O6WapxT7hF_ha4p443Ahp81RLuQdjaLe95fMJcavKltRcNyeJpPN1RrZmmyyfqY40JiXSKy1zK5teHxPQNjrxC2fNN3KTSF2Ti4DqrqPh-P_-4cKjBNKfC5/s1600/IMG_4591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDVoE2plwuDzXGdftOWNi7O6WapxT7hF_ha4p443Ahp81RLuQdjaLe95fMJcavKltRcNyeJpPN1RrZmmyyfqY40JiXSKy1zK5teHxPQNjrxC2fNN3KTSF2Ti4DqrqPh-P_-4cKjBNKfC5/s400/IMG_4591.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>There are several ways to get the bench.</b> Build it from scratch, turn an Ikea bookshelf on its side, use old church pews, etc. I decided we would make ours out of kitchen cabinets. <i>{What can I say, I wanted the extra storage!}</i> So I bought two builder-grade oak cabinets from <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_581676-66150-22+W3014B_1z0x3hnZ2z8vn__?productId=50424004&pl=1" target="_blank">Lowe's</a>. For a long time, they just sat in our basement and we doubted if this was a project we would ever accomplish. Then earlier this month, Andrew had a night where he was REALLY inspired, and he just started going to town on it. Turns out this one wasn't the headache we feared it would be. We had everything built in 2 nights, I took 3 days to paint it, and then all we had to do was order cushions & charrs for the other side of the farmhouse table.</div>
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We removed the baseboards and measured where we wanted the bench to be on the wall. Then we added a frame to the back <i>{between the wall & cabinets}</i> so the bench wouldn't be so narrow. Next Andrew devised a way to attach the bench to the wall using L-brackets cleverly hidden under the baseboards. He's a gem! The last part of construction was securing a large piece of plywood to the top with the air nailer & putting the beadboard on the sides to match the kitchen cabinetry. Things were looking good!</div>
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<b>Then I painted.</b> I used my old stand-by Valspar Bonding Primer. Things were now looking super good! The end was in sight! After everything dried, I caulked the cracks and we accessorized.</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A sidenote about our "accessories"… The cushion is from Pottery Barn. Andrew found it online and we were jazzed because it had the same dimensions of our bench. Weirdly, the thing came and it was 2.5 inches narrower (is that a word?) than advertised. So PB sent me another just to be sure mine wasn't a defect… replacement cushion was wrong too. We decided to just keep it & added the board & batten to the back of our bench to compensate the missing inches. We're both in love with this detail now, so evidently it was all a blessing in disguise. Next fun challenge - the chairs are from Restoration Hardware, and we had to send several back because they kept arriving broken. So who even knows if they will be durable enough to stand the test of time. For now they look cute and hey, they were on sale. So whatta ya gonna do! </span></i></blockquote>
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<b>So with the bench built, board and batten add-on, cushion/pillows, table/chairs in place…</b>we are ready to use this bad boy! Icing on the cake will be to find a cool silver lantern to hang instead of the current light. We're in no rush. <span style="text-align: start;">Thanks so much for checking in to see what's new with us. I've been a bad blogger. I would say you should check back soon for more frequent posts, but who are we kidding!</span><br />
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<b><i>Keep creating out there, people!</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-76216099834136376642015-08-22T20:32:00.000-04:002015-08-22T20:32:30.307-04:00Better Late Than Never<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnYPy0eaqfFr7bprzxbR4tsTxrO0Xv4hmoFThYaT5aYY1sBtFHduScx8V3gixpuiXQYiigNger977phDHXfGBS8Xl7C-h3wAqC1zX0yvWIByu7fXxSFD7CTcF172CXmg9KED8v9dSIdCK/s1600/IMG_9592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnYPy0eaqfFr7bprzxbR4tsTxrO0Xv4hmoFThYaT5aYY1sBtFHduScx8V3gixpuiXQYiigNger977phDHXfGBS8Xl7C-h3wAqC1zX0yvWIByu7fXxSFD7CTcF172CXmg9KED8v9dSIdCK/s320/IMG_9592.JPG" width="320" /></a><b><i>Today we mulched. </i></b><br />
Which seems kind of silly considering the theme of my last post was how soon Fall is approaching.<br />
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However, we sort of did this on purpose. We're having around fifty people over in a month or so to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, so we wanted things to look presentable for that. We bought a bunch of colorful perennials for the bed near our garden, and planted a row of mums out front. The mulch makes even our existing plants look better. It was a long day spreading four yards, but it's a good feeling to see the pay-off of all our hard work.<br />
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Here's a shot of some of the new perennials, which are to the right of the deck.</div>
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In this picture you can see that we mulched around the new flowers, then added top soil and grass seed <i>{the blue specks} </i></div>
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It's been pretty hot and dry lately, so I'll have to focus on watering a bunch back here so it grows and the plants don't turn into burnt crisps.</div>
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Here are the existing host plants and hydrangea with new mulch surrounding.</div>
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The hydrangea blooms dried up, so I pruned them. I read that if you cut where the bloom was, the next year there will be two from that spot. So the bush will grow and blooms will increase. Hopefully that is the case! I also read you can put coffee grounds around the base of each plant to keep the soil acidic & help retain moisture.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by OE!</h2>
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Tomorrow we'll move things inside to finish quarter round in the kitchen. What are your plans?</div>
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<i><b>Happy Weekend!</b></i></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-11524674347010504562015-08-20T17:03:00.000-04:002015-08-20T17:03:08.219-04:00Fall is Just Around the CornerHard to believe there are only 30 more days of summer. Between cookouts, ballgames, ice cream runs, weekend trips & family vacations, it's definitely been a season jam-packed with fun. We've been able to conquer a decent amount of tasks on our <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/p/to-do-list.html" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><b>To-Do List</b></a> plus take time to enjoy our favorite aspect of warm sunny weather: recreation, rest, & relaxation <i>{when we aren't at work, that is!}</i> Although we have no children, when I heard it was time for kids to go back to school I thought to myself, "can't believe it's that time already!" Fall is just around the corner.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">Zipping through the Smokies on our summer vacation to Asheville, NC</span></td></tr>
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<br />Fall brings a lot to look forward to…bonfires, football, Halloween, changing leaves, boots, pumpkin flavored everything, and then Thanksgiving. It's nice to see how nature takes on a different look out in our yard. Andrew always loves Fall best because of football <i>{of course}</i> and he secretly also loves mums & sedum, two plants that stick around to look awesome while everything else withers away in preparation for snow. This Fall will be especially great because we'll be celebrating his 30th birthday in October. We both set aside a week off work to mark the occasion with a special trip for just the two of us. Can't wait!<br />
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From a decorating standpoint, I'm also getting excited to get Old Elm all decked out for the season. </div>
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Here are some of the seasonal things I like most:</h2>
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<b>From the top</b> // a great little spread + banner from <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/search/results.html?words=halloween&cm_sp=HeaderLinks-_-OnsiteSearch-_-MainSite&cm_type=OnsiteSearch" target="_blank"><b><i>Pottery Barn</i></b></a> // Jack O'Lantern shades from <a href="http://www.ballarddesigns.com/ProductSearch2#w=halloween" target="_blank"><b><i>Ballard Designs</i></b></a> // Did you know you can bleach pinecones?! Click <a href="http://www.handyandhomemade.com/2015/04/how-to-bleach-pine-cones.html" target="_blank"><b><i>here</i></b></a> for the must try tutorial // I don't know about you guys, but I never miss The Great Pumpkin! // And finally, two fun party ideas- <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/125889752060007582/" target="_blank"><b><i>candy</i></b></a> in vintage glass canisters & <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/1006802/halloween-pumpkins" target="_blank"><b><i>squash bowling</i></b></a> for your fall yard party fun!</div>
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What are your favorite Fall traditions & home decor items?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-57995986148825126592015-07-28T12:22:00.003-04:002015-08-05T20:48:50.295-04:00Farmhouse Table<div style="text-align: center;">
Here are a few photos of my latest project: </div>
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refinishing an antique farmhouse table in 5 steps</h2>
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(1) Here is the table as I bought it… a little rough & dry on top</div>
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(2) Using 220 grit paper, I lightly sanded the top surface + edges with the hand sander</div>
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(3) After wiping the dust off, I used an old cotton t-shirt to apply stain</div>
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(4) Here is a "during" photo - stain on the right, no stain on the left</div>
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(5) After the stain dried, I finished the project by applying 1 coat of polyurethane</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-90519294814320092232015-07-27T14:20:00.002-04:002015-07-27T15:30:45.910-04:00Nook Look BookHey neighbors, welcome to Old Elm! This week I have a string of days off, so I am working on refinishing the top of a great farmhouse table. Andrew & I went to a few antique places recently, and we found this gem of a steal at the last place we stopped <i>{Victory!}</i> It's going to fit in really well with my plan for the kitchen...<br />
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As you know, we've been slowly but surely working on renovating our kitchen. Most of the big stuff is out of the way. And until we scrounge up enough courage to fork over the cash for new countertops…I've been dreaming of a breakfast nook. Here are a few of my favorite pins on the subject:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw6hLXEgJR8x1QkxQGjP5haxhAUdEvYmqwUexUzTkeTVGXc1dCMXitvo4d9En-FC4VtFwW23Wy_waKxkTaySoOyuJ0VF-lkyrozhkZ4NUymb9cvudUUb0gCj8oRsV329XZHBnJ6E8Y8FD/s1600/ce160088159cb1bae6e49ad470eff728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEw6hLXEgJR8x1QkxQGjP5haxhAUdEvYmqwUexUzTkeTVGXc1dCMXitvo4d9En-FC4VtFwW23Wy_waKxkTaySoOyuJ0VF-lkyrozhkZ4NUymb9cvudUUb0gCj8oRsV329XZHBnJ6E8Y8FD/s320/ce160088159cb1bae6e49ad470eff728.jpg" width="228" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOt_SwTkc-_Bi42les89TbPbxFwbjKraEXdBpiTZ4dPiiaJc_DruN0K8_cjWwm61YIziC84UuFMIoZ9e8E3rcHEa4Rtl3OPY5xcpTKfptiX3c6HRPJxlVERPIbRYRkUIYlg2G2OMxaPZWr/s1600/d20134fd3101caac0845620aad048724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOt_SwTkc-_Bi42les89TbPbxFwbjKraEXdBpiTZ4dPiiaJc_DruN0K8_cjWwm61YIziC84UuFMIoZ9e8E3rcHEa4Rtl3OPY5xcpTKfptiX3c6HRPJxlVERPIbRYRkUIYlg2G2OMxaPZWr/s320/d20134fd3101caac0845620aad048724.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I love the idea of a cozy little laid-back spot where we'll enjoy weekend breakfasts with our kids someday. I've been devising a way for us to insert one into our kitchen. The area near the sliding glass door to our deck is the spot I have to work with. Previously, we had a little round table + chairs there that Andrew's grandma loaned us when we got the house. After considerable researching <i>{Pinterest has a TON of ideas} </i>we decided to build our nook from 2 kitchen cabinets I picked up at Lowe's for $99/each. It will be a straight bench that will match the rest of our kitchen & have the added bonus of storage! I plan on putting some of my larger weird items there…like the griddle, my cake/pie/casserole carriers. Because those things are <i><u>so</u></i> great and handy while you're using them...but when you aren't? #storageproblems<br />
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<b>So back to the table…</b> Here is what it looks like sitting in my garage:<br />
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Today I lightly sanded the top to remove some imperfections <i>{not all, they give it good character!}</i> then added some light stain.<br />
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I used the color "light walnut" by Varathane. It was hanging out in our basement, leftover from another project. Woo! I did 1 coat.<br />
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When the stain dries I plan on finishing up with a few coats of satin polyurethane to keep it durable and protect the finish.<br />
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I look forward to posting a finished photo of our very own breakfast nook someday!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-70332250947269574062015-07-16T17:59:00.000-04:002015-07-16T17:59:56.687-04:00Office Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><b>This room is dedicated to our "outdoorsy" side</b> // </i>Decorated with maps, globes & knick knacks from our travels, we keep Andrew's fishing poles and fly tying supplies in here along with our books & laptops. If you stopped by Old Elm and found us in the office, you'd probably see Andrew sitting at the desk paying bills and me curled up on the arm chair in the corner chatting with him.</div>
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<i>"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished" - Lao Tzu</i></h4>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-78964509779929188392015-07-15T15:27:00.002-04:002015-07-15T15:27:55.783-04:00Dining Room Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>This room is dedicated to gathering around the table</i></b> // When Andrew first moved in, all I could talk about is how the dining room needed wooden floors and white board & batten. Fast forward 3 years and my dream is finally a reality. He thinks it's pretty neat, too. If you stopped by our house in the evening, you'd find us in here eating dinner or fixing ourselves some mixed drinks. We've also been known to host the occasional game night with friends in here.</div>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i>"The fondest memories are made gathered around a table" - Anonymous</i></h4>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-66627854183275655452015-07-01T12:52:00.002-04:002015-07-01T12:53:15.177-04:00Back with a Long PostAfter a 2 month hiatus <i>{whoops}</i> here I am! Do I find it easier to fit blogging into my schedule during the colder months when there is less to do outside? Maybe. Or maybe the fact that we have so many projects going on simultaneously is what has me tied up. That being said, lately we've been busy with some finishing touches around this place...<br />
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<li>As covered in another post, we finished the flooring installation & we started nailing in the quarter round - we decided to spend a little extra on the round that matches our Pergo and so far we are very pleased with that choice. Our first "completed" room is the office. It's <b><i><u>so</u></i></b> great to see it all put back together. Pictures to be posted very soon!</li>
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<li>In the kitchen, we decided to put up real wood for the toe kick under the cabinets <i>{rather than rubber kick that was previously there}</i>. It's hard to post a picture of this, but just trust me, it looks better this way than it did! Check it out:</li>
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<li>So far summer has been waaaaay RAINY, but we were able to stain the deck in-between downpours. We used Flood brand in cedar. It's cheap, durable, and I love it. Below you can see the deck before stain in the left photo, after stain in the right photo:</li>
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<li>We planted flowers, but haven't mulched. Not really sure when that will get done, but I'm not extra worried about it. Who knows, maybe we'll get a really spectacular indian summer this year and it will be done by then <i>{fingers crossed!} </i>So here we see one of the urns from the front stoop, my little potted English ivy, the veggie garden - we added cattle fencing to the corner for taller plants to climb, and one of the larger planters with pine/coleus/ivy/& a flower I can't recall that are on the back patio:</li>
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<i style="text-align: start;">PS: Today the dining room board & batten is being installed, tomorrow I can paint it white & then that room will be finished! <b>So. Excited. </b>Can't wait to share with you guys!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-553761517657758232015-05-12T19:31:00.000-04:002015-05-12T19:31:07.617-04:00Fresh Air Day!Hello out there! Is everyone enjoying Spring so far? I know I am. Today I had the windows open and immensely enjoyed the fresh air that filled the house.<br />
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I had absolutely nothing on my agenda <i>{well ok, </i><i>I had to make dinner at some point, but I digress…}</i> so I tackled a number of small projects that I've been meaning to cross off my to-do list… and still managed to cook up a good meal afterward!<br />
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First I taped off the trim in the upstairs landing, then I got to priming. It's amazing how much bigger a space seems once white is added into the mix. Next did some paint touch-ups downstairs in the laundry room. [Speaking of that room, I'm scheming up something really cool for the entrance. We took off the door - which never fully closed due to the dryer - so I'm thinking of doing a curtain instead…I'll have to blog it]<br />
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Anyways! Then I made an ironing board rack for my mom {want to make one? <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2015/04/diy-ironing-board-rack.html" target="_blank"><b><i>click here!</i></b></a>}<br />
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Last but not least I gave this end table some sprucing up. The end table sits between the rocking chair and couch in our living room. It's an antique I picked up somewhere along the way. Now that our <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2014/12/fireplace-facelift.html" target="_blank"><b><i>mantle</i></b></a> is all white, I thought this little guy could use some white elements. I'm toying with the idea of sanding the drawer & door corners for a distressed look. What do you think?<br />
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Thanks for stopping by the blog!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-59580905445738961192015-05-06T13:23:00.000-04:002015-05-06T13:32:59.633-04:00Hello Spring!Now that our flooring is <i>{for the most part}</i> finished, we're anxious to get outside & get our hands in the dirt. Today is my day off, so I tackled a few projects around the <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2014/11/our-new-deck.html" target="_blank">deck</a>. I transplanted hosta all around the perimeter of the deck, built a little path of 4 stepping stones from the deck to the <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2014/06/patio-reveal_16.html" target="_blank"><b><i>paver patio</i></b></a>, then planted my herb garden. I made the stakes for the garden by using steel alphabet stamps hammered into strips of brass <i>{found in the electrical section at Hartville Hardware}</i><br />
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The herbs are potted and resting on a little white plant stand that used to belong to my Grandma Rita. She was great at gardening, hopefully that brings me luck! After giving everything a thorough hosing down, I think now is the perfect time for lunch in the shade!<br />
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<i>Thanks for checking in!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-10364931703281937832015-05-06T13:14:00.004-04:002015-05-06T13:14:55.122-04:00It's Done!The Pergo is totally installed! Hallelujah! With help from Andrew's dad, we were able to rip out the rest of the carpet, prime & paint the trim, and lay the final floor boards. It was a long project, and there are still finishing touches to accomplish. But here are some pictures of our handiwork. Once things are back in their proper places and all decorated again I want to post some dramatic "Before & After" side-by-side comparisons. But for now enjoy these!<br />
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">Things were off to a great start once the guys were able to remove the ceramic tile from the foyer. It took them about 3 hours and made A TON of dust.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATJJ6XYRH0tTQPBvg966dvtejeurOsHvtxB1ZAdqBtzzK3TFEEKdfRb7G3YzSgxx0noE91aQD96c3E9goEmqRp5gLEdG-S10MGKWBhkFrH9aJHsF9K1WlYZig7pWxJeAGopw7Kt4TSlwh/s1600/IMG_9350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATJJ6XYRH0tTQPBvg966dvtejeurOsHvtxB1ZAdqBtzzK3TFEEKdfRb7G3YzSgxx0noE91aQD96c3E9goEmqRp5gLEdG-S10MGKWBhkFrH9aJHsF9K1WlYZig7pWxJeAGopw7Kt4TSlwh/s1600/IMG_9350.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFpxV2EXzQD1-tYAJstQf64CDCBzu064GvEBT9vNQMkC_tVIxHfV2Vpv1qYsaAkNFOfQ_I-okFF272b8OzM-XktqCM4rSmrKEIKCQNdzJzJR2Q-E4GeVDbptjrfyaciOqqa1XYUjiCgdU/s1600/IMG_9348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFpxV2EXzQD1-tYAJstQf64CDCBzu064GvEBT9vNQMkC_tVIxHfV2Vpv1qYsaAkNFOfQ_I-okFF272b8OzM-XktqCM4rSmrKEIKCQNdzJzJR2Q-E4GeVDbptjrfyaciOqqa1XYUjiCgdU/s1600/IMG_9348.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">After that, we were able to lay more boards in the dining room and remove the carpet <i>{and staples!}</i> in the office. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcTJ7iIvw2nlHufs17LXV4Tz3HzrCilNZ2wXvY3zyh6NiGlHX-dx1BS6qszzzPOQbskW_3brQpAD7VhzAPQDH836lQM8uG-4LxXjcGDynkMaDjs8r7YVIVX2oNii_XCW-pd-p7l2uX2NX/s1600/IMG_3595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcTJ7iIvw2nlHufs17LXV4Tz3HzrCilNZ2wXvY3zyh6NiGlHX-dx1BS6qszzzPOQbskW_3brQpAD7VhzAPQDH836lQM8uG-4LxXjcGDynkMaDjs8r7YVIVX2oNii_XCW-pd-p7l2uX2NX/s1600/IMG_3595.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNBa4VYpWNuCxLt3vIMPRhs0x05zOK2ylEj14lrAbXf8DH5o1H61OKPsK7muZXtIRG2CcHbMqONK20tSgB3ATQCxV_HUsulMupqNAg-C8X15Yw_8rEWCXKl7CW6KGO8_9YIF6F1OR5CIj/s1600/IMG_9352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNBa4VYpWNuCxLt3vIMPRhs0x05zOK2ylEj14lrAbXf8DH5o1H61OKPsK7muZXtIRG2CcHbMqONK20tSgB3ATQCxV_HUsulMupqNAg-C8X15Yw_8rEWCXKl7CW6KGO8_9YIF6F1OR5CIj/s1600/IMG_9352.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">The displaced furniture situation was REAL. Our entire home library made it's way to the steps, while all other tables, chairs, lamps, jars, flowers, fishing poles, world globes & extra tools <i>{I see you in that photo, bottom left corner junk table!}</i> got a temporary new home in the living room.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoTMbJBUtxYyK-4UbkUm58FxXF2KlYVggYn4DVJvc_AquUWxsUXktTq160WG06M9XUHp8t54rZsuPd48HfYkxMzoROQe9OHBgJQlAaJBMSPusV_sD4oifHnsNoiwbau-3-EBw39TKtExp/s1600/IMG_3592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoTMbJBUtxYyK-4UbkUm58FxXF2KlYVggYn4DVJvc_AquUWxsUXktTq160WG06M9XUHp8t54rZsuPd48HfYkxMzoROQe9OHBgJQlAaJBMSPusV_sD4oifHnsNoiwbau-3-EBw39TKtExp/s1600/IMG_3592.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b56-Zpv84k3rZKOn2WEjN8H8TlMMpcZi8QwiWOGeCbzwBpQzQHkhfvfDH1awGEjXmSeYDpKDPkXfs23oR1-ewlF2vQ8v-pHK2npQj0dqUSKs3F92i8E2cgGvo3jtC_75lpUzWw0Tw8IC/s1600/IMG_3593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b56-Zpv84k3rZKOn2WEjN8H8TlMMpcZi8QwiWOGeCbzwBpQzQHkhfvfDH1awGEjXmSeYDpKDPkXfs23oR1-ewlF2vQ8v-pHK2npQj0dqUSKs3F92i8E2cgGvo3jtC_75lpUzWw0Tw8IC/s1600/IMG_3593.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhBIZlDKgyJXszSzFi01-YTBNvQi4uB-TTC6J6dYK5jYz2FiohB2XBTJYVzN2wNsTqHcTU3mn3zi6B7OO41PqbZZSH_O6ooZi_AD4vbynenxVblEEFvlxNTqkA1ICkh4GtjpvwIIEHCNR/s1600/IMG_3594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhBIZlDKgyJXszSzFi01-YTBNvQi4uB-TTC6J6dYK5jYz2FiohB2XBTJYVzN2wNsTqHcTU3mn3zi6B7OO41PqbZZSH_O6ooZi_AD4vbynenxVblEEFvlxNTqkA1ICkh4GtjpvwIIEHCNR/s1600/IMG_3594.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">Next, Andrew continued with the flooring while I primed the trim. Then he went outside to mow the lawn while I continued on with the painting inside. We had the windows open and music blaring - it was a good Saturday!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIyEA_S2i9ZgJDJsuwosw2H7u8Ne0LSOQJSBfDKomV1Y0jE1zW3b8oanqISMmencCP3kwAf8Q8c41ZZujVUUcaqWFvTzLmVKYMEAVFI_gKAdOVG0pkErEiuU7OsZPGV7w92P3jI_WNo3Q/s1600/IMG_3601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIyEA_S2i9ZgJDJsuwosw2H7u8Ne0LSOQJSBfDKomV1Y0jE1zW3b8oanqISMmencCP3kwAf8Q8c41ZZujVUUcaqWFvTzLmVKYMEAVFI_gKAdOVG0pkErEiuU7OsZPGV7w92P3jI_WNo3Q/s1600/IMG_3601.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR4WqdQNKGHuHn_mIsEnaWmwrtWEH6Wpqw8klLwxiCZlBPUGG7eDsCIY3cBhKjWUPUbnUgNKrlWSUFqRgyKJBLxnjLak-oK7_HKncarhcvFStrd2RwXJ4LTqrOpTz1UIJemvgNiuwOkiP/s1600/IMG_3602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR4WqdQNKGHuHn_mIsEnaWmwrtWEH6Wpqw8klLwxiCZlBPUGG7eDsCIY3cBhKjWUPUbnUgNKrlWSUFqRgyKJBLxnjLak-oK7_HKncarhcvFStrd2RwXJ4LTqrOpTz1UIJemvgNiuwOkiP/s1600/IMG_3602.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nvpcW8pqsOKipyNKzEtoVlSrHIeJrlboQH25FQzt-fhzf-PxGAskAfWhLjgmY_etGLnCzsn5ZIYyLzsmdtn5WVISWilDmS7O9Ge0FvJ-746yT6MPETp77GCAO7uIGMyr53iKaTe6o0x9/s1600/IMG_3603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nvpcW8pqsOKipyNKzEtoVlSrHIeJrlboQH25FQzt-fhzf-PxGAskAfWhLjgmY_etGLnCzsn5ZIYyLzsmdtn5WVISWilDmS7O9Ge0FvJ-746yT6MPETp77GCAO7uIGMyr53iKaTe6o0x9/s1600/IMG_3603.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">When Sunday rolled around, we went to <a href="http://www.missionviewchurch.org/" target="_blank"><b><i>church</i></b></a>, came home & immediately got to work finishing things. As previously stated, the rooms aren't quite put back together 100%. But the floor sure does look amazing! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">L-to-R pictured is the Dining Room, Foyer, Office. </span></div>
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<b>HUGE</b> sigh of relief! Once we install quarter round, the project will be complete. Though it was trying at times and often stressful, we're pretty proud of the job. Plus, we saved ourselves a boatload of money by DIYing. Stay tuned for our final reveal of how everything looks!</div>
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-13008829941369005332015-04-21T12:18:00.001-04:002015-04-21T12:18:54.658-04:00Renovation UpdateHi everyone! We've been slowly but surely making progress on our new floor installation. So far we've finished the kitchen, laundry, pantry and half bath…and made it into the dining room! There is so much furniture displaced into our office we can barely stand going in there for anything. We just keep reminding ourselves that all the mess & shuffling are temporary and we'll be happy with the results.<br />
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One of the challenges we ran into in the dining room was the subfloor. For some weird reason, we discovered it is about 1/4 inch shorter than the kitchen. To fix this we were able to buy a roll of underlayment to help match the difference, but for a while we were freaking out! So now we have Pergo in the dining room. We moved my empty china hutch on top of it so we have room to lay more floor. Because of the way the floor boards run, we're now at a standstill until we remove the tile in the foyer. Once that is gone we can continue with the floor, running it across the foyer and on into the office. Andrew is pretty sure he's going to rent a machine to help chop the tile and cement board up this weekend.<br />
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I've also been painting the trim here and there. My goal is to have the woodwork throughout the whole house end up white <i>{eventually}</i>. I would say I roughly have 50% of the downstairs painted, and 10% done upstairs. Slow and steady wins the race.<br />
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Here are a few photos of our continued progress:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lYuIuKRqqfIjdAIzRkooqY5ghvYUZzV_gNzeXWV3bx3t7u_afFHT6FuKVmRvCtGgwzOuN0njbG8MUzF8YrXRBv-8EVmU9PkSbrr9n9dxUhIXBascHSd18wacRB49a0D__jjsp562UIlX/s1600/IMG_9332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lYuIuKRqqfIjdAIzRkooqY5ghvYUZzV_gNzeXWV3bx3t7u_afFHT6FuKVmRvCtGgwzOuN0njbG8MUzF8YrXRBv-8EVmU9PkSbrr9n9dxUhIXBascHSd18wacRB49a0D__jjsp562UIlX/s1600/IMG_9332.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25GOlSCgE18pUSFO0dpVVNXItbEkTN86ai7eD2YCWvwWOTsYHIKk-gECEAxwKHIV4SHL027NE9GBhzJ_Le5Zaq-ubWpAvc7yHr2r_I5hC9Y800XPAQo0jprxGdGAs-l9iI4Pa91cCMmr4/s1600/IMG_9336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25GOlSCgE18pUSFO0dpVVNXItbEkTN86ai7eD2YCWvwWOTsYHIKk-gECEAxwKHIV4SHL027NE9GBhzJ_Le5Zaq-ubWpAvc7yHr2r_I5hC9Y800XPAQo0jprxGdGAs-l9iI4Pa91cCMmr4/s1600/IMG_9336.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_PwILQ3HWYzbYe005EY7IxF6w7m0nFE1Gw6ky_PaaMy4ERceU7_DqLAj2j0eI8vUXwKwobitP8rGqJgyhRVBLILuNs4T3pZh1WWC606cNAUaAEzv-QZVwvOwL59b6dUg4-ZEi1f-nWrp/s1600/IMG_9338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_PwILQ3HWYzbYe005EY7IxF6w7m0nFE1Gw6ky_PaaMy4ERceU7_DqLAj2j0eI8vUXwKwobitP8rGqJgyhRVBLILuNs4T3pZh1WWC606cNAUaAEzv-QZVwvOwL59b6dUg4-ZEi1f-nWrp/s1600/IMG_9338.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCw37PlmvAk5ivP8ZSqcfpWx_sYj0hTzP4qDBbEeK-Q_XcUkBAZL0FZm6kAAtmfMipEeBImc25oLOBFsPt_z_U75Sdi9bKey_DAnfXHmouOqc9p1ZegXD6msibbvfm314pV9UAjNNmH29/s1600/IMG_9340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPCw37PlmvAk5ivP8ZSqcfpWx_sYj0hTzP4qDBbEeK-Q_XcUkBAZL0FZm6kAAtmfMipEeBImc25oLOBFsPt_z_U75Sdi9bKey_DAnfXHmouOqc9p1ZegXD6msibbvfm314pV9UAjNNmH29/s1600/IMG_9340.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thanks for checking on us!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-86176049769286122142015-04-09T12:53:00.002-04:002015-04-09T12:53:41.066-04:00DIY Ironing Board RackHello out there - long time, no post! Since you last checked in, we finished laying the flooring in the kitchen and I've been busy painting all the trim white. I also repainted the walls & cabinetry in the little bathroom across from the pantry. Pretty soon the kitchen zone will be finished, and we'll move on to the dining room…which will hopefully be a snap since it's a square room. Time will tell!<br />
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Today I'm going to share a quick little project I did to help keep organized in the laundry room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFQE08jrngr5aulekSIJ7Ab6O7YFGU0IVUsCQK2U2rKG4JV5LUgDWTvHjaiEdMLCvjqh1BAPt99wYjz37fi9ctk8Wq8MY0AfIif4fqtsbsOCtOMWMlQmfVa4bYXIdLLzRYDfGJOh_l7i3/s1600/IMG_3415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFQE08jrngr5aulekSIJ7Ab6O7YFGU0IVUsCQK2U2rKG4JV5LUgDWTvHjaiEdMLCvjqh1BAPt99wYjz37fi9ctk8Wq8MY0AfIif4fqtsbsOCtOMWMlQmfVa4bYXIdLLzRYDfGJOh_l7i3/s1600/IMG_3415.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<h2>
IRONING BOARD RACK</h2>
Supplies:<br />
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<ul>
<li>2 hooks</li>
<li>1 chunk of wood</li>
<li>paint</li>
<li>screws</li>
<li>stud finder</li>
<li>power drill</li>
<li>right angle/level</li>
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<h2>
STEPS</h2>
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I completed this project in 1 afternoon using a remnant piece of wood from a previous project & hooks from Lowe's that were $4/ea.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsxkC-aIeWWh4BxMf0jH1B9kMF-Kvi4sLyqkotWWnwpGAo6Xqwb3GagvwLaThpL6Ga00N3aRAhYebTebN-3tP6NWeYQ40CHs4Lin7QFhB0inYcTby0k3EMKlihopMil9WHOLgQ4XEm2Fc/s1600/IMG_3401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsxkC-aIeWWh4BxMf0jH1B9kMF-Kvi4sLyqkotWWnwpGAo6Xqwb3GagvwLaThpL6Ga00N3aRAhYebTebN-3tP6NWeYQ40CHs4Lin7QFhB0inYcTby0k3EMKlihopMil9WHOLgQ4XEm2Fc/s1600/IMG_3401.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pre-measure for hook placement. Use a right angle to make sure your marks are level.</div>
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Find the middle of your wood backing and mark holes top center and bottom center. These will screw into a stud in your wall. Drill your holes. Use a bit that is slightly smaller than the size of your screws.</div>
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Paint <i>{and prime if necessary}</i> your wood and let dry.</div>
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After locating a stud with the stud finder, draw a pencil line on the wall & line up your pre-drilled screw holes. Power drill into the stud, then screw the hooks into their pre-drilled holes.</div>
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Check to make sure it's level, then hang your ironing board. Tad-da! All done and under $10!</div>
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Thanks for stopping by Old Elm today.</div>
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-5882817984977796432015-03-15T14:26:00.002-04:002015-03-15T15:02:47.763-04:00Switching It Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPYQDyJ-WHOjBXBx2Z5HGdMVEc6pSfKizyF8hN8MgQ9wmNmhF9rvd_32advobQzseXHsjumoHDFOY9J_xpdbd77qEoYYljIlCRPtACD6vk8C-rmG8DhPSdUoQK4b3tBznDWqay5zZCkFR/s1600/IMG_3263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPYQDyJ-WHOjBXBx2Z5HGdMVEc6pSfKizyF8hN8MgQ9wmNmhF9rvd_32advobQzseXHsjumoHDFOY9J_xpdbd77qEoYYljIlCRPtACD6vk8C-rmG8DhPSdUoQK4b3tBznDWqay5zZCkFR/s1600/IMG_3263.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Happy Sunday, readers!</b> This morning we tried out a new church and had a really nice time. Now we're home and back at DIYing! Andrew's dad came over to help him work on the Pergo. It's coming along so great! They work well together & I've been staying out of the way. I have some priming left to do in the half bathroom <i>{but I don't want to kill them with fumes}.</i> The paint I got is definitely not low-VOC. Whoops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-3_zQPxa8aH3UTqs8vhbI43DfGE8FqWDB_8u4GQ-V22O88N9lV_mfQ9X-gP7vuYdMSofl3BCaAEb6NNEi5ToZYPIhyphenhyphenojMQ_HEWjKsabLmR3Hr0ww5myTgjX0tVFSRGPleZHHdRhmRChK/s1600/IMG_3264.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-3_zQPxa8aH3UTqs8vhbI43DfGE8FqWDB_8u4GQ-V22O88N9lV_mfQ9X-gP7vuYdMSofl3BCaAEb6NNEi5ToZYPIhyphenhyphenojMQ_HEWjKsabLmR3Hr0ww5myTgjX0tVFSRGPleZHHdRhmRChK/s1600/IMG_3264.PNG" height="200" width="112" /></a></div>
<b>So what did I do?</b><br />
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<i>I walked around our house and made a list of the types of electrical outlets & switch plates in each room. </i>Yep. I realize this sounds incredibly lame - but hear me out!<br />
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<b>Outlets are often an overlooked detail along the reno process.</b><br />
In my opinion, if you spend time & money re-doing a space, you shouldn't forget to update your switch plates. Ours are sort of a creamy almond color, and they are looking pretty dingy. Some are even cracked, so it's time to replace them….no rush. Just room-by-room, over time. I made a list in Notes on my iPhone & organized it by room. Now the next time we're out an about and see some we like, we can knock one out!<br />
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<b>How do you guys keep yourselves organized during a renovation? </b><br />
Andrew is usually our details man & I have a better idea of "the big picture." Feel free to share your tips with us!<br />
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-9014775030173476132015-03-10T10:16:00.002-04:002015-03-10T10:16:31.494-04:00Floral Pallet ArtHi everyone! Last month's contest ended - thanks to everyone who participated!<br />
The "<a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2015/02/mystery-project-teaser.html" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Mystery Project</a>" was revealed to be pallet art, so our winner received a mini pallet of her own:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBR5CvKeEb7xyr9bxR2LJAJM9_mZDDhtHbKN5nLBvlBraw2XDJEXrRxS9DgBLGebaGaAuJt1B_9v5mj4kb3nNFBM5AFx0vI8zKobwAP0SBhzhOijOVV8WMp7c_2Ckx7VhdC1fNQA7mwLj/s1600/11037777_1787623071461936_1567714311235164333_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBR5CvKeEb7xyr9bxR2LJAJM9_mZDDhtHbKN5nLBvlBraw2XDJEXrRxS9DgBLGebaGaAuJt1B_9v5mj4kb3nNFBM5AFx0vI8zKobwAP0SBhzhOijOVV8WMp7c_2Ckx7VhdC1fNQA7mwLj/s1600/11037777_1787623071461936_1567714311235164333_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3>
I'm here today to teach you how to make it! You'll need:</h3>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0lWct5OiV3L_BUICwXWo9X_TgHj7s345CQns6mt5N6sJGbg6CQRNOGQkcsd7Iqcgaw2GY6jiyWxjsu0UKQjCwL8pKIy7iHwtvTOcBaTDFcjnazswYZepvmjBFca8H44tEl8W_e1Ne7Qw/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0lWct5OiV3L_BUICwXWo9X_TgHj7s345CQns6mt5N6sJGbg6CQRNOGQkcsd7Iqcgaw2GY6jiyWxjsu0UKQjCwL8pKIy7iHwtvTOcBaTDFcjnazswYZepvmjBFca8H44tEl8W_e1Ne7Qw/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a>
<li>wood planks</li>
<li>floral paper napkins</li>
<li>modpodge & brushes</li>
<li>sand paper or a power hand-sander</li>
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<i><b>{First}</b></i> Take your napkin. Carefully pull the back 2 layers off, leaving a thin sheet with the floral design on it. The middle layer might be tricky to get off, but I swear it does - so be patient.</div>
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<i><b>{Second}</b></i> Brush modpodge on the wood plank, and lay your napkin on top. Gently pat and smooth it with the pads of your fingers to remove air bubbles and wrinkles. It can tear really easily here so don't get crazy. This step takes the longest because now you need to let it dry completely. At this step, this is how your wood should appear:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6OjFs5a-qYhFEswhIJoo4kvOxQ8vg2v3nRS1XClFVFQuqQrqLA6v1q0tFx6RbEtpjHwNOvgzXb0LJZaxH4z9MDG3kLsCsyWRegG0r3DrK94SJcowUz2UKRF45mI6gpXS-zN0vfnojNQC/s1600/IMG_9313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6OjFs5a-qYhFEswhIJoo4kvOxQ8vg2v3nRS1XClFVFQuqQrqLA6v1q0tFx6RbEtpjHwNOvgzXb0LJZaxH4z9MDG3kLsCsyWRegG0r3DrK94SJcowUz2UKRF45mI6gpXS-zN0vfnojNQC/s1600/IMG_9313.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrjkfDSMPrJ88oXfsU6yPal8GCay1A8NOBmFQ4L_FzzZXhdKoDCA99zUyTM-nigqzkIYKp-lZXh1_qNyao-HtMmn7GVv6C9kwWnG0gZhq1nzWXK7FJkqjK7D_1ehu8OuXJobaHAgbNKmO/s1600/10680_1786955961528647_4117944724768367643_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrjkfDSMPrJ88oXfsU6yPal8GCay1A8NOBmFQ4L_FzzZXhdKoDCA99zUyTM-nigqzkIYKp-lZXh1_qNyao-HtMmn7GVv6C9kwWnG0gZhq1nzWXK7FJkqjK7D_1ehu8OuXJobaHAgbNKmO/s1600/10680_1786955961528647_4117944724768367643_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>{Third}</b></i> Now that things are all dried up, you will be sanding to distress your wood to perfection! This makes the floral design sort of "melt" into the grain of the wood and produces the look we want. After sanding, the floral images will be dulled with softer edges, and some of the wood may peek through. Here are some side-by-side comparisons of the same napkins before & after sanding:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQiw21NH9XQrGhUK_VGeUFae_y1GTxuZREfg-_P3ldhexyyFelAKY6WJ1VEWms6pJ5jyKudBFcGj2SJQgrxs9v9Ko25vfOk40tRsBiBbVt-J-6O-w8C78aha6pt1UT9OxOG3mXKXOiEfu/s1600/IMG_9327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQiw21NH9XQrGhUK_VGeUFae_y1GTxuZREfg-_P3ldhexyyFelAKY6WJ1VEWms6pJ5jyKudBFcGj2SJQgrxs9v9Ko25vfOk40tRsBiBbVt-J-6O-w8C78aha6pt1UT9OxOG3mXKXOiEfu/s1600/IMG_9327.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hjOoWfeOotT1nhkf5c6Nr4o-Yd6be-1nN-k3fKg7UIC1lSyafLEl7C6b788Hv-7e51d_8Mn4-EJx-irV-QsH72E8urYbNMQzIZLySFdBdE-fljLqJ3iUiqbogNqQ3pYO_tybrAN83iHS/s1600/IMG_9328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hjOoWfeOotT1nhkf5c6Nr4o-Yd6be-1nN-k3fKg7UIC1lSyafLEl7C6b788Hv-7e51d_8Mn4-EJx-irV-QsH72E8urYbNMQzIZLySFdBdE-fljLqJ3iUiqbogNqQ3pYO_tybrAN83iHS/s1600/IMG_9328.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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And that's it! The possibilities with this are endless. Picture frames, furniture, recipe boxes, wall art… you name it. I'm on the hunt for a bunch of old picture frames <i>{without the glass}</i> so I can cut a series of my planks to size & frame them. What would you do with yours?</div>
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Thanks for tuning in, and have a great Tuesday!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-39565170432990377262015-02-26T16:00:00.002-05:002015-02-26T16:18:22.221-05:00Mystery Project Teaser<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today my mom came over & we had a great time working on our special project. Mom deserves the credit for discovering this one, and we've been planning on making it for quite some time. We spontaneously decided to tackle it today because we both had free time. She got our supplies last night at JoAnns and I provided the pallet wood <i>{leftover from the <a href="http://operationoldelm.blogspot.com/2015/02/pallet-bookshelf.html" target="_blank"><b>bookcase</b></a> I made a few weeks back}</i>. Our first day of work at it was totally successful. We're so excited about this one that I couldn't resist posting a little teaser. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled to see the finished product, mystery revealed! Here are some photos of what we worked on... Can you guess? </div>
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<b><i>Contest // <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Old-Elm/1755741047983472?ref=aymt_homepage_panel" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a></i></b> to reach our Facebook page and comment with your guess. Winner will be chosen at random Friday March 6th and be awarded a {free prize} made by yours truly!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPzdCduiwiuXoFr1k3rbIc2TYNDAnn32mm0Pwnzy2BWTck2rVI_fiFGUvALANKxhdDbigQzbLlN2cgyjgyYJyYbl_46iTwpE5B7iol93ipslo0ih51XHZc8EJ63r-IY4WO0QJdqIsbFFG/s1600/IMG_9316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPzdCduiwiuXoFr1k3rbIc2TYNDAnn32mm0Pwnzy2BWTck2rVI_fiFGUvALANKxhdDbigQzbLlN2cgyjgyYJyYbl_46iTwpE5B7iol93ipslo0ih51XHZc8EJ63r-IY4WO0QJdqIsbFFG/s1600/IMG_9316.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-13831190421848787572015-02-24T20:20:00.001-05:002015-02-24T20:33:34.338-05:00Faux Mudroom How-To<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNskUOIpaS8D-I0vz9xMVfD_dtaAToRqwU0gRCCDkCyFyYeNQKccZj7wYqsbb7Ss5tq7-lVp5aHZKFRVWW3NmmOTTP8APZDuxr0Y5_OEUZjfON3FPNtijvo3dRrxU2H8HjSiWUjGcsWER/s1600/IMG_3187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNskUOIpaS8D-I0vz9xMVfD_dtaAToRqwU0gRCCDkCyFyYeNQKccZj7wYqsbb7Ss5tq7-lVp5aHZKFRVWW3NmmOTTP8APZDuxr0Y5_OEUZjfON3FPNtijvo3dRrxU2H8HjSiWUjGcsWER/s1600/IMG_3187.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Today was a really productive day! Using the beadboard we had leftover from refacing the sides of our kitchen cabinets, we created a "mudroom" across from our garage entry door. The space isn't big enough for a full on mudroom <i>{i.e. no bench for extra storage}</i> but I came up with this idea and we achieved a similar look. We'll still use the space the same way, but now it flows into the kitchen & matches really nicely. Here's how it came to be:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4jo-GN0aBu3-j3ZgPJ_uHqmJ0NaD99lTQoRVhKPnhXLto42abk7kYnOHiWFrNPITPOnoklabM02vJryo52mzxhyphenhyphenHLgBxr9w1A1B6_PBDq1GJzQSeFxh-VCwvQqWB1UgwhgiDuctiNbWZ/s1600/IMG_9301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4jo-GN0aBu3-j3ZgPJ_uHqmJ0NaD99lTQoRVhKPnhXLto42abk7kYnOHiWFrNPITPOnoklabM02vJryo52mzxhyphenhyphenHLgBxr9w1A1B6_PBDq1GJzQSeFxh-VCwvQqWB1UgwhgiDuctiNbWZ/s1600/IMG_9301.jpg" height="320" width="296" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">First we removed the old coat rack, cut the bead board to fit the space and nailed it into place. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This took a little extra work - Andrew used a Dremel with a sanding bit to get the fit just right.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQt7X81ksOL8d1VQ1dIkb-mcov8HWyouGELtUNJfVaZDS1BKq1lbjY30FHFXt9XDRgftKY-2Mi7dCQarXKIO1opvHOAfcsknNV_v-EuxInXMXx7a2JC3R8px2_79qTctKlRgYe_idKV5b/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQt7X81ksOL8d1VQ1dIkb-mcov8HWyouGELtUNJfVaZDS1BKq1lbjY30FHFXt9XDRgftKY-2Mi7dCQarXKIO1opvHOAfcsknNV_v-EuxInXMXx7a2JC3R8px2_79qTctKlRgYe_idKV5b/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Next we devised a three piece shelf, cut our wood to size, and nailed it into place. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i>{We used pine from Lowe's} </i>I wanted the shelf to be deep enough to withstand light-weight decorations.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFqOeGUDPaa4jv4X8Cxrvof27MLsPooMAoxlCz3jhK9fFelOk5ilKbCNxT1yXwhXSsN7kkIFEio2H0Yqn8nqQmR05jdeEtK1hXezibcJzPKSBW3UOixAUEIMtq1ZETd6bCrPMdWnbY_6I/s1600/IMG_9241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFqOeGUDPaa4jv4X8Cxrvof27MLsPooMAoxlCz3jhK9fFelOk5ilKbCNxT1yXwhXSsN7kkIFEio2H0Yqn8nqQmR05jdeEtK1hXezibcJzPKSBW3UOixAUEIMtq1ZETd6bCrPMdWnbY_6I/s1600/IMG_9241.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nixed9Un87I6r0o-pgbsSOJydB_FG1BGrLqivlQW78ckifC3K1yQ51gKm4Ml0ie5bGdw_fCl8eLcV1oBCKo60V8hwmUFSrn1bCECn2j7biiSiNl9PnLTFJNqkuaZC8Cj30FjHfbfWvCN/s1600/IMG_3184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nixed9Un87I6r0o-pgbsSOJydB_FG1BGrLqivlQW78ckifC3K1yQ51gKm4Ml0ie5bGdw_fCl8eLcV1oBCKo60V8hwmUFSrn1bCECn2j7biiSiNl9PnLTFJNqkuaZC8Cj30FjHfbfWvCN/s1600/IMG_3184.JPG" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Last, I primed/caulked/painted and reinstalled the hooks from the old rack. <i>Ta-da!</i> You can see the little transformation in the photos above. Notice the flooring <i>{or lack thereof}</i> in the righthand photo…We are <b><i>so</i></b> <b><i>close</i></b> to installing our new Pergo & can't wait to see how that unifies all of the rooms it flows throughout. Stay tuned!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></span></div>
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</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-71151845979796861192015-02-16T12:44:00.000-05:002015-02-16T12:44:31.028-05:00DaydreamingThe kitchen renovation is coming along slowly but surely. Since I last posted, we've hung a new light and continued to remove big amounts of the linoleum. We are really anxious to get that part of the project out of the way!<br />
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It's been very cold & very snowy around these parts, and I pulled a muscle in my back trying <i>{without success}</i> to start our snow blower. So today I'm taking it easy & researching DIY ideas. Here are a few that I really want to try:<br />
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Stripes in the Half Bath</h3>
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When we first moved in, we painted our half bathroom with some leftover coral paint that Andrew's parents gave us. Lately I have had the itch to tackle this sort of thing in there:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIOvLwbR44W8PZnNgqVb99WFzZEWVVRFaRbepge-o3l-5hx3ekL_kWuy1womLML_gpkwfiO73Pyzxeuc4mq_geH6sRCpVpx83VGkkYwGVIMPmx971dUsfWexAZOyXqAkbZl4nGYIy6xpo/s1600/ee87a867c10501e702f06392d6edacb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIOvLwbR44W8PZnNgqVb99WFzZEWVVRFaRbepge-o3l-5hx3ekL_kWuy1womLML_gpkwfiO73Pyzxeuc4mq_geH6sRCpVpx83VGkkYwGVIMPmx971dUsfWexAZOyXqAkbZl4nGYIy6xpo/s1600/ee87a867c10501e702f06392d6edacb3.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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A softer gray and white done by <b><i><a href="http://suburbsmama.blogspot.ca/search/label/House%20Tour" target="_blank">Suburbs Mama</a>.</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJh4mwANFUax1-jmWzoRjZDTKHvnfooO6FsGhZsyldYkmeqaad7G_Mxxu9hKG3zPLjEI6Ki3KfbttbzmDGF0cjxyWDzpnU0xPpsWDtcI4DlURzR1Zkgxv2JSJuQpwxN84hhsz5X8XVUKy/s1600/45546fb117a501b5794f34be24ecc822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJh4mwANFUax1-jmWzoRjZDTKHvnfooO6FsGhZsyldYkmeqaad7G_Mxxu9hKG3zPLjEI6Ki3KfbttbzmDGF0cjxyWDzpnU0xPpsWDtcI4DlURzR1Zkgxv2JSJuQpwxN84hhsz5X8XVUKy/s1600/45546fb117a501b5794f34be24ecc822.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Really bold and bright by <a href="http://hannahlowman.com/"><b><i>hannahlowman.com</i></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkk7vx3vLGz-RB3hMN-H5VF_oRXXjWDNaP-i9_Nac9rmjxdzygjZ4GOo9xarnnEJ4PqDDkFmgHPz0mq96vvz6xK_9mv_qVOA81Gi_i_x_dK-Ng8PgJ-R7zM7zLcT1J514FxA-o3W9UbGm/s1600/taping-off-stripes-on-the-w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkk7vx3vLGz-RB3hMN-H5VF_oRXXjWDNaP-i9_Nac9rmjxdzygjZ4GOo9xarnnEJ4PqDDkFmgHPz0mq96vvz6xK_9mv_qVOA81Gi_i_x_dK-Ng8PgJ-R7zM7zLcT1J514FxA-o3W9UbGm/s1600/taping-off-stripes-on-the-w.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/06/walking-the-line/" target="_blank"><b><i>Young House Love</i></b></a> has a good tutorial, which I will probably end up following.</div>
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Concrete Sink Makeover</h3>
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I've been wondering what to do in our half bath. It's going to get new flooring since it's connected to the kitchen, and I found these - never would have come up with this on my own!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif95ZLazPnVkHGLF2WFN1IQQ9_fDucdRCNj1mXBHafD9ecGb7-vZ0H7_jNxOm_ZTkOqkeXHpGuIS-1NXLO6azh9Z76cB4guE0zKvaHIshcqnrq9dCQp__gEzheIRDg7b9NLY7ZZMw1MuT5/s1600/91bd7aeb10832df38b695d7103ccad0b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif95ZLazPnVkHGLF2WFN1IQQ9_fDucdRCNj1mXBHafD9ecGb7-vZ0H7_jNxOm_ZTkOqkeXHpGuIS-1NXLO6azh9Z76cB4guE0zKvaHIshcqnrq9dCQp__gEzheIRDg7b9NLY7ZZMw1MuT5/s1600/91bd7aeb10832df38b695d7103ccad0b.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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Great tutorial by <a href="http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-concrete-countertops.html#more" target="_blank"><b><i>Little Green Notebook</i></b></a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocAYQ0PCbNuKkV6J_8JvrGRIc-4HCRyB84hSIekkGGkdjSeszaimUgv6w3EX_bOvnfW-r7rkCbFJwQIZ5RcgW6npgn1i2RBCXDvIRs-oxJVpe4UOiHHAkhoduVOwuDjTMylQ8t5t6B21i/s1600/Concrete-vanity-pinterest-474x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocAYQ0PCbNuKkV6J_8JvrGRIc-4HCRyB84hSIekkGGkdjSeszaimUgv6w3EX_bOvnfW-r7rkCbFJwQIZ5RcgW6npgn1i2RBCXDvIRs-oxJVpe4UOiHHAkhoduVOwuDjTMylQ8t5t6B21i/s1600/Concrete-vanity-pinterest-474x1024.jpg" height="400" width="185" /></a></div>
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Seriously contemplating this now! <a href="http://designertrapped.com/2014/10/diy-vanity-concrete-overlay.html#_a5y_p=2979910" target="_blank"><b><i>Here</i></b></a> is another step-by-step. </div>
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Plank Wall</h3>
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I want to do a plank accent wall in our guest bedroom behind the bed. Just one wall, floor to ceiling. And I would likely use pine, then seal & paint the wall white. Here are some ideas I like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6ER7tRBgXduVXKlCQW0p9OVc4qAVtgsuTGv150I32qn_oLLYR7umrpoEmvk9JT5fLdjLbOAfQ3vaFUZOZ7YqYnEfUi_UhFGKJto4Y7zfptIiqE-QXf8z5eV-9JcTVoQxF6JlhoDa9JjL/s1600/b2a18eeb77ccce2ba8957ca4c60a28ac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6ER7tRBgXduVXKlCQW0p9OVc4qAVtgsuTGv150I32qn_oLLYR7umrpoEmvk9JT5fLdjLbOAfQ3vaFUZOZ7YqYnEfUi_UhFGKJto4Y7zfptIiqE-QXf8z5eV-9JcTVoQxF6JlhoDa9JjL/s1600/b2a18eeb77ccce2ba8957ca4c60a28ac.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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A cool bedroom featured on <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/jamies-something-old-something-new-home-tour-174322#_" target="_blank"><b><i>Apartment Therapy</i></b></a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwXzV9A7fDykERbmMIqMo3alE2lsKEcvh1__ltzXbq1_bw0SaVZNiQr_CTJwHd1kIAl631OHaSbPPT0Ix7Hj18F81z7w-OraauXH2m1OmyA9UHMJq9evQCPiCkLi4jxkEiwG2AnxLzypw/s1600/schoolhouse+electric+inspired+bed+owen's%2Bolivia%2B1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwXzV9A7fDykERbmMIqMo3alE2lsKEcvh1__ltzXbq1_bw0SaVZNiQr_CTJwHd1kIAl631OHaSbPPT0Ix7Hj18F81z7w-OraauXH2m1OmyA9UHMJq9evQCPiCkLi4jxkEiwG2AnxLzypw/s1600/schoolhouse+electric+inspired+bed+owen's%2Bolivia%2B1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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This room by <a href="http://owensolivia.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-schoolhouse-electric-inspired-bed.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Owen's Olivia</i></b></a> is for a child, but has similar colors & a very similar bed to ours.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM3dIxLcy0I_124kVjYoRZ0JbuI17EQ9JIL0rgLIXehD_TBJhm0paZTxOEWrgxaL91uyhkAz-splgwAIgtdNPh3Z8DJySz9IPjSqvWnDzBqfssepD1laxhfz560qqITbxeBWOgAnraWV7/s1600/7ae793c8c65afd6071b7d69e784c6a3e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM3dIxLcy0I_124kVjYoRZ0JbuI17EQ9JIL0rgLIXehD_TBJhm0paZTxOEWrgxaL91uyhkAz-splgwAIgtdNPh3Z8DJySz9IPjSqvWnDzBqfssepD1laxhfz560qqITbxeBWOgAnraWV7/s1600/7ae793c8c65afd6071b7d69e784c6a3e.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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And the excellent how-to by <a href="http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/diy/diy-plank-wall-tongue-groove-tutorial-how-to.html" target="_blank"><b><i>Home Stories A to Z</i></b></a>.</div>
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Well, that's it for now. I hope everyone is having a good Monday & staying warm this winter! As for me... it's time to turn on my heating pad, put it on my sore shoulder and take a nap!</div>
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<i>Keep creating, DIYers!</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-29973967879385512492015-02-11T11:36:00.004-05:002015-02-11T11:38:03.280-05:00Valentine's Day-cor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWZP6M9ZTlqwcP87A1SxX7S7jVM2J-GNMoOPZY5-KFAoVqn1QgyeVriSI9IrPmoLyCqLL3nWH9Nv9ME6yG-hoO6VUDhqO9QLlkqT1vp0idDQ8ew_Olnt8RkFTI6ky6cSHlkmzpqmrHi_C/s1600/IMG_3125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWZP6M9ZTlqwcP87A1SxX7S7jVM2J-GNMoOPZY5-KFAoVqn1QgyeVriSI9IrPmoLyCqLL3nWH9Nv9ME6yG-hoO6VUDhqO9QLlkqT1vp0idDQ8ew_Olnt8RkFTI6ky6cSHlkmzpqmrHi_C/s1600/IMG_3125.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />
After a long and courageous hunt, we {<i>finally}</i> found a round mirror for our mantle! It's the <i><b><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60288089/" target="_blank">Stabekk mirror</a> </b></i>by IKEA and we purchased it in Charlotte, NC. The mirror is only $99 and the perfect size for our space - 29 1/2 inches. Andrew hung it up last night & I'm in <span style="color: red;"><b>love</b></span>.<br />
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Last week when I realized <i><span style="color: #e06666;">Valentine's Day</span></i> is this month, I got out a few decorations. I don't really know why it didn't cross my mind until the second week of the month, but it probably has something to do with the fact that I am not good at calendars.<br />
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For lesser holidays, decor is limited to our mantle. This year it has some photos of Andrew & me, a sparkly pink garland, assorted candles, and a hand-lettered print of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.<br />
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Oh, and a cardboard heart that I made after sifting through our recycling. It's true.<br />
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<i>Speaking of NC…</i> Shout out to my sister, Maris, who showed us a wonderful time this past weekend in Charlotte. We had a tremendous time. It's 30 degrees warmer there! No ice or snow!!! Grand weather, food and fellowship. The trip was good for my soul. To read more about our trip, check out her blog: <b><i><a href="http://flourandoil.com/2015/02/09/practice-hospitality/" target="_blank">flour & oil</a></i></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-30546018666295984392015-02-11T11:12:00.000-05:002015-02-11T11:12:18.703-05:00Pallet Bookshelf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqydfVhOygxnS0tNFB2kHGS26gWozV7bm9RXKssEHrXqziToifIyYxc0c90CqudeO_AH02yskkMl1AY2EmlMUUZv_kqRAGHV98_YlmZs7MtuQsG7eCl2kbRBl3ah4fSe0iGZK_aw0fmx/s1600/$0.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGqydfVhOygxnS0tNFB2kHGS26gWozV7bm9RXKssEHrXqziToifIyYxc0c90CqudeO_AH02yskkMl1AY2EmlMUUZv_kqRAGHV98_YlmZs7MtuQsG7eCl2kbRBl3ah4fSe0iGZK_aw0fmx/s1600/$0.PNG" /></a>Good morning! Today I want to share with you a {FREE} project that I tackled last week -<b> Adding pallet wood to the back of an old bookcase.</b> It turned out just as I envisioned and gave new life to two old things. Check it out!</div>
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First I disassembled my pallet. I wore gloves to avoid splinters and used a crowbar, hammer & my hands to pull it apart. Time consuming but worth it!</h2>
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Next I used the hammer to pull out the old rusty nails. Should you decide to do this too, the nurse in me wants to make sure you have an up-to-date tetanus shot.</h2>
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Be careful not to break your slats of wood. I had two that splintered apart, but plenty left over for my bookshelf. Work mindfully. Slow and steady wins the race.</h2>
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Last, I used our miter saw to cut the slats the same width as the bookshelf. Then I lined them up and nailed them into place. All finished and looking good!</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2LoIWLaan8UmIFuDBG4bjJCVdmmi8SXjZQxmlA3_5980FM6cuWbJMJHDr79-yZNkPtwSg_i9v4HLbGX4_xAZz5q_dpRpXceXmXECZXor_JqMqUmdZ7sLZEhJCObP27tmfhFCTwNp_ieT/s1600/IMG_3079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2LoIWLaan8UmIFuDBG4bjJCVdmmi8SXjZQxmlA3_5980FM6cuWbJMJHDr79-yZNkPtwSg_i9v4HLbGX4_xAZz5q_dpRpXceXmXECZXor_JqMqUmdZ7sLZEhJCObP27tmfhFCTwNp_ieT/s1600/IMG_3079.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>This was an excellent project. I'm not totally sure what we'll end up doing with the bookshelf, so for now it's un an empty spare room upstairs. Feel free to replicate my efforts! </div>
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<<< To see a more comprehensive shot of the finished product, click this photo to the left to enlarge.</div>
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<i>Thanks for reading the blog today & have a splendid Wednesday!</i></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7327527502514474434.post-68280732904253954632015-01-26T18:57:00.003-05:002015-01-26T19:06:05.527-05:00Fear, Possibility, and Great ExpectationsOn Monday I was painting and listening to the <a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/377515477/fearless?showDate=2015-01-16" target="_blank"><b><i>Invisibilia</i></b></a> podcast. The topic was fear. The show's hosts interviewed a woman who has a rare brain condition where her amygdala has been compromised by calcium deposits, resulting in the inability to feel fear. The podcast asked the question, <i>'What would you do if you had no fear?'</i> Limitless possibilities! The program went on to talk about snakes and social anxiety and trying to abolish fear by facing it head-on. Which brings me to my next point.<br />
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We are afraid to lay our flooring. Or maybe fear isn't the best term. We don't scream when we think of it. But we don't want to do it wrong, so we avoid it. The planks are sitting in the corner of our dining room in a pile. An organized mountain of limitless possibility. Sometimes I secretly hope to walk downstairs one morning and find it all magically self-installed.<br />
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<b>Due to the unlikelihood of <i>that</i> materializing… </b><br />
We began ripping the linoleum up a day or so ago. We saved our giant cardboard microwave box for all of the trash.<br />
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There are two layers of linoleum. It is sticky, gross & difficult to rip up. At one point, I was getting cocky because I got a big sheet to come off, then the next section I tried to pry up <i>{which must have had extra glue underneath}</i> took much more effort. It was coming up in tiny dollar bill sized pieces. Andrew double checked online to make sure there wasn't some fancy tool we'd overlooked that would help us out. But his search lead to one common thread/consensus: Removing linoleum is a by-hand job that is tedious & terrible.<br />
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<b>My dad would say this activity was "character building."</b><br />
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We didn't want to spend our <i>{entire}</i> Saturday doing that, and our arms & hands were sore. If you looked at our kitchen right now, you would probably think we worked on it for about 15 minutes and then got busy doing something else. In reality we worked on it for hours. We ripped up around 1/3 of the kitchen area, then called it a day. Taking a break from that fun, today I've been going around priming & painting the baseboards white. Baby steps.<br />
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Some parts of this project yield bigger results than others, but we're in it for the long haul. And now that the floor looks so crappy we have no choice but to continue with things and install the Pergo. At least that is the trick we are attempting to play on ourselves…<br />
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Expectations can predict a great deal about the success or failure of a DIY project* </h2>
*for more on that, check out <a href="http://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/" target="_blank"><b><i>this story</i></b></a> - another episode of that podcast I mentioned earlier. Fascinating!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06208967583542614127noreply@blogger.com0