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Steffi Strips!

Last Saturday it was snowing, so we decided to make an amateur video of Steffi stripping! ENJOY!

[jwplayer mediaid=”2615″]

Our trusted paint stripping technique starts with the heat gun to remove the easy stuff. We then use a chemical stripper to get rid of the hard parts and the detail. Lastly, we sand the remaining stain off with 180 grit sandpaper. It’s a pretty involved process (that looks easy in the video), but the results are worth all the effort.

The music is by Jack Tuttle. He has some wonderful MP3s on his website, and he even gives lessons if you are in the San Francisco area. His website is www.jacktuttle.com. Thanks Jack!

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More Progress

Exterior:

Our little “garden bed” by the stairs had been overtaken by weeds (all that rain doesn’t only help the wanted plants after all!). A short while ago we had to remove the lavenders because they were drowning in that location. Lavender likes a dry, sunny location and based on the flooding in that area the earth was generally very moist. At first it flourished, then it wasn’t doing to well, so we moved it. In place the weeds grew ever so quickly…

Fountain grass

Since we knew better than to place dry-loving plants back into that spot we went on a hunt for moist-loving plants. We found a variety of Hostas and covered the general area with mulch…in hopes to keep some of those weeds from coming back so quickly.

Fountain grass

In the meanwhile we have also harvested our first batch of home grown veggies- all of two squashes and one green bell pepper! We proudly cooked a veggie pasta dish for one of our friends (with the aide of a store bough red bell pepper and zucchini).

Harvesting

Another area we tackled was by the shed. While purchasing the Hostas Patrick discovered another ornamental grass that he had to have.

Daylilly

So we moved what we assume to be wildly growing lilies (they never bloomed this year, so we’re not 100% sure) and extended the rose bed. In the fall (or spring?) I’d like to plant a few more roses to fill the open spaces.

Shed foundation planting

Interior:

In the meanwhile we’ve also gotten around to a little bit more interior work…

The kitchen built-in started looking out something like this…

Butler's Pantry Door

…progressed with the comfort of the dining room floor, starting out with the scraper/razor blade, getting frustrated and moving to the heat gun (which is dangerous in itself because it can make the glass break, but broken glass is easier to replace than damaged wood)…

Butler's Pantry Door

…and ending with something like this (for the moment).

Butler's Pantry Door

We then worked a little bit more on the dining room door. This is where we had left off January 6th. Wow, look at that floor too! Not quite refinished yet.

Dining room door

And this is where we got rid of the majority of the remaining paint. We are still struggling to find the best solution of getting the paint off the detail work – anybody have any suggestions? Pleeeeaaaase? :)

Dining room door

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Moving Week(s)

I’ve fallen behind on posting updates of our progress, but that should be understandable considering our moving chaos and stress! So here’s a long one to catch up on the past 2 weeks…

Monday, January 29th
We’ve assembled the majority of our furniture by the door in our loft.

Loft

Tuesday, January 30th

Our mess of a bedroom (in the house)!

Bedroom storage

Our gas meter is here to stay, woohoo.

Gas meter

A nice surprise on moving day was the “Herbie Curbie” (as the city calls them). I had called them numerous times to get it and they refused to bring us one until we were living there (“it may get stolen otherwise”). After somewhat bitching out a lady the previous week I didn’t anticipate it actually being here.

Herbie curbie trash can

Wednesday, January 31st

Our first morning at the house! Patrick looking very tired – but at least I managed to find the toaster to make us bagels.

First morning in house

Thursday, February 1st

Rain coming through our door into the laundry room.

Rain leaking

Water even coming out by the electrical switch – eek.

Electical switch leaking water

The floor is still wet from where a lake formed under our kitchen sink. We loooove our plumber!

Leaking kitchen sink

Our view from the toilet. I thought it was kind of amusing with no door and “brown carpet”. :)

Bathroom door molding

Friday, February 2nd

The kitchen built-in is coming back together.

Butler's pantry construction

In the process of my 7-hour journey of unpacking the kitchen.

Organizing kitchen

Patrick putting “fluff” (as Melisa calls it) in a ceiling hole by the chandelier.

Dining room chandelier patching

Our bathroom is looking a bit more usable.

Bathroom

Saturday, February 3rd

Cleaning the built-in bookshelf in the living room. Look how dirty it was!

Living room cleaning

We finally have a calm enough evening where we can celebrate our move into the house.

Celebrate with cava

Sunday, February 4th

Blinds have been hung up in the living room so we have some privacy from the street. (And the table has been moved from the living room into the dining room.)

Living room

Monday, February 5th

The contractors were supposed to remove an old eletrical outlet from the dining room bay window. Since they haven’t done it Patrick decided to take matters into his own hands. He also cleaned up the bay window, which was covered in dust and junk.

Old pipe

Our driveway is starting to look more inviting. Of course we already managed to fill up our “Herbie Curbie.”

Clean driveway

Our unfinished laundry room has turned into a chaotic storage room.

Messy laundry room

You know you live in an “under construction” house when the nail hole filler lies next to the facial cream in your bathroom!

Construction living

Our sink area is looking pretty nice.

Medicine cabinet

Tuesday, February 6th

Nothing to report, but we had a beautiful sunset from our office.

Westview sunset

Wednesday, February 7th

We’ve put up the bathroom door so our guest can have some privacy.

Bathroom opaque glass door

The range vent hood is being replaced.

Kitchen cabinet

The kitchen cabinet hardware has been put on.

Kitchen cabinet door handles

The laundry faucet box has been framed out – somewhat lacking if you ask me.

Washer hookup

Thursday, February 8th

We spent half the evening scrubbing and cleaning the living room fireplace.

Cleaning fireplace

And the other half partially cleaning the front bedroom windows and putting up the blinds (so our guest can have some privacy while he sleeps here!).

Parlor blinds

Saturday, February 10th

Volunteers from Trees Atlanta planting trees along our street.

Trees Atlanta Westview planting

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Lights and Bathroom

I’m starting to fall a little behind again, so I’m going to make a couple of entries.

I got so caught up with the ugliness of what’s behind the range vent hood that I completely forgot to document the actual hood! So here it is.

Stove vent hood

Ray was back this Saturday to install the lights. He also found that kitchen light that had gone missing during drywalling.

Recessed lights

Our beautiful, precious Rejuvenation light. Since it was our little gem we were breathing down Ray’s neck the entire time he was installing out baby, haha.

Dining room light

A fan/light combo we found at Lowe’s that I’m really happy with. We installed the same light in all 3 bedrooms. Also note the old steam pipe that has yet to be removed in the background.

Bedroom light

Special concrete sheetrock was installed on the bathroom floor and around the tub.

Bathroom Durock floor

Our custom shower shelf.

Bathroom Durock shower

We continued working on the bathroom door until it got dark.

Paint stripping door

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