Sunday, September 14, 2014

Our Most Ambitious Stair Project Yet

 
 
 
My husband is an incredible woodworker.  He can make just about anything!  He's put oak stairs in two of our last three houses and walnut stairs in this house.  Recently a good friend asked us to help her with her stairs.  She lives in a 100 year old house that she is redoing room by room.  Last year we helped her put in a mudroom.  This project again provided tight spaces for three adults, but we can honestly say, we're all still very good friends!  :)
 
She wanted the stairs made out of hickory to match what she's planning to use on her first floor.  It's the first time my husband has worked with the wood.  It's sure a beautiful wood!
 
 
 
We thought we had a true 'before' picture of the stairs with carpet on them, but none of us can locate the picture.  Instead, we have these, after she ripped out all of the carpet.  We are guessing by the way they came out, that they built the original stairs elsewhere and put in the whole set as one piece. 
 
 

 
 

 
After we removed all of the old stairs and old stuff that they were built with, there was only a center 2x4 with little 1x6's nailed to that.  Talk about being Billy Goats climbing up those 14 steps! Here she is cutting off the old nails that were put in from the other side.  Good balancing act!
 
 
We added three new stringers, then secured them to the walls, the center support and down to the floor at the bottom.
 
 
Several weeks of cutting, sanding, gluing, staining the hickory at home.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Once we had all three stringers in, we started from the bottom building the frame for each step.  We had to be very careful to make sure everything was level, even, etc.  After we built all of the support steps, we glued down the hickory.  We'd put one stair in, then the riser, then he'd precisely measure for the next stair, and on and on...


 
The first 13 stairs are in!

 
 
The landing is now securely built, ready for the hickory.
 
 
 
She wanted a similar landing to the one he made for our house.  Lots and lots of cutting, gluing and screwing the boards together.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 




 

 
The last four stairs were a bit out of square, etc., but that was fixed.
 
 
 
 
 
Woohoo!  The last tread is put in place.



 
 
And the project is about done!  She still needs to caulk the risers and touch up the drywall, but the bulk of the project is complete and she's thrilled!
 
 
Thanks for your visit!
 
Pam
 
 
 
I am linking to the following parties:
 
 
 

Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home


 
 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Inspiring Mud Rooms


Last year, we helped a friend redo her mud room.  I shouldn't really say 'redo'.  It was more of an empty shell made into a beautiful, functional space for her family.

 
The best thing about the finished room is that she loves it, her family loves it, and it is a perfect place to hang coats and leave wet shoes.

 
 


Here was the 'before'.  Very, very rough...
 
 
We added a pantry on one side.  Later we added bi-fold doors here.
 

From a very rough cement slab to great looking tile on the floor.
 
 
A year later and it still looks beautiful. 



Recently I found several other mudrooms that I loved on the Hometalk website.  There is a ton of inspiration on there and a great group of people supporting each other.  I  learned how to create a 'clipboard' on the site and love how I can go back and access all of the posts that I find inspiring. 
 
 
 
 I'd love for you to check out my Hometalk Clipboard here:



 
As you'll see on my clipboard, I am quite partial to board and batten or beadboard on the walls, and crisp, white paint.  :)
 
 
 
 
 
Thanks for your visit!
 
Pam
 
 
 
 

Friday, September 5, 2014

My New Hunter Fan and a Room Refresh Giveaway!

 
 
 
Last weekend we changed out our old light fixture in our dining room to a ceiling fan.  The room has three windows, but none of them open.  More than once, I've looked across the table at my son  and he's sweating!  Yes, we definitely needed a change!


 
 
 
 
 
 
We decided on the Hunter Fan Company's Claymore 54" ceiling fan with the light kit.  We ordered it on a Friday and it was here before the following weekend.  It took less than an hour from start to finish to take the old fixture down and install the new fixture. 
 








 The new fan looks amazing!  And with multiple speeds, it can create a little airflow or can cool the room really well!  It's quiet too!  And it has turned my son into a more relaxed man at the dinner table!  No more boiling as he eats...  :)
 
 




 

 






 
The Hunter Fan Company is having a great giveaway.  Go to Hunter's Facebook Page and enter to win.  The winner will receive one Room Refresh including a Hunter ceiling fan and a custom paint job for the room of their choice!  They have a great selection of indoor and outdoor ceiling fans.  This contest runs through September 18, 2014, so get over to their page and enter!
 
 
Thanks for your visit!
 
Pam
 
 
I was given a ceiling fan to review.  All opinions are my own.
 
 



Monday, September 1, 2014

Make Your Own Bottle Label with a Drop Cloth

 
My husband saved this neat scotch bottle for me.  I love the shape of it. 
 
 
 
I started by soaking it in soapy water to remove the labels.
 
 
 
 
 
A quick trip to The Graphics Fairy to get this very fun graphic. 

 
 
 

I needed a mirror image of it so it would come out correctly on the transfer paper.

 
 
 
I tried to print it off in color, but my printer wasn't cooperating.  Instead, I printed it in black and white on a piece of iron on transfer paper. 
 
 
 
 
 
I cut the transfer paper right along the edges of the graphic, ironed the drop cloth fabric so it was smooth where the transfer was going, then ironed it on there. 
 
 
 
 
It came out kind of light, which is ok with me.
 
 
 
 

 I applied a coat of ModPodge all over the back, and adhered it to the bottle. 
 

 


 
 Done!


 

 

 
 
 
 What a fun and easy project.
 
Thank you for your visit!
 
Pam
 
 
 
 
 
I am linking to the following parties:
 
 


Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home