1032

Mudroom - COMPLETE!

2010-08-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Before


After [slate tile, custom cabinet to hide hot water tank, insulation & drywall]

Before

After

Found some old school gym baskets at second use!

Still need to add the kitchen light switch and cover :(.


We fashioned-up this key board and scored two paintings from an art show!

I'm glad another project is done, but we just bought a new kitchen sink today! Will it ever end! :)

Backyard Patio - TABLE

2010-05-31T13:13:00.000-07:00

what could this turn in to? the possibilities are endless!

but we'll go with a table for our new backyard patio!

door jamb...fixed.

2010-05-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

before we moved in, it appears someone may have kicked open our back door.

i removed the mess with a chisel, and added a new piece of wood.

i think it turned out ok.

Backyard Patio - Townsend's "Help"

2010-05-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

townsend wanted us to let you know that he "helped."

Backyard Patio - QUASI-FINISHED

2010-04-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

we still have some work to do, but here is the patio
quasi-finished.

the back door still needs trim; andrea's coop
walkway needs the Baby's Tears to propagate more.

this path will soon lead to a door to the upstairs
of the garage.

we now have a strategic location for our fire pit!

we removed the step, and will soon build [and finish]
an outdoor dining table for our friends!

ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS
FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK IN MAKING THIS
A VERY HOSPITABLE SPOT! YOU SHOULD KNOW I'M
SERIOUS BECAUSE I NEVER USE CAPS! :)

WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE CHATS, FOOD,
DRINKS, AND LIFE WE SHARE WITH YOU BACK HERE!
ALL ARE WELCOME!

Backyard Patio - GRAVEL

2010-04-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

after we were done excavating the area,
we laid down landscape cloth and gravel.

we got 4 yards of gravel, it was quite a lot to rack out smooth.

rich knows how to water the gravel, with mike's margarita!

say it with me, ambidextrous.

"rich, it's like a mini-zamboni. feel the zamboni, be the zamboni."

rich is our hero! not to discount anyone esle,
but i think he did the lion's share of the work.
he didn't complain once and was always willing
to do whatever needed to be done!
we appreciate you greatly!

Backyard Patio - Demo/Friends

2010-04-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

this project would not have been possible without our friends!
here are a few:

rich - he'll go to the ends of the earth for us!
he also cooks some killer food!

carter - he rocks in more than one way!
he showed up, grabbed the jackhammer,
and went to town for an hour!

janine - despite getting hit in the head with a rock from andrea,
she loves us! we love her too!

stan - you have to have a middle schooler's mind
to get stan's sense of humor! although he had a
big date in the evening, he still gave up his
primp time for us!

sarah - the wheel-barrow-one.
she eggs andrea on; andrea eggs sarah on, all laugh!

see the video below:

john - navy shirt guy. although he had a big softball game,
he came to be on our "team" for the morning!

THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED! OUR PATIO WOULDN'T
BE AS AWESOME IF YOU DIDN'T PUT SOME SWEAT INTO IT!

Backyard Patio - BEFORE

2010-04-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

this spring's project was a back patio/entertaining area.
below are the before photos:

the notorious sidewalk that leads to nowhere [no joke about federal dollars :)]

the random rocks on top of a crap load of mulch on top of mud.
not friendly for our seattle rainy days. :(

slippery, mossy bricks with weeds between them.

random bricks with a random wood step and [bottom left]
crawlspace vent covered over by more random bricks.

Mud Room - Demo

2009-09-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

today marked demo day for the renovation of our mudroom. who would of guessed...cardboard for insulation! that's it! just cardboard.

although, it was pretty cool. we found an address label for something shipped to our home dated March 1962, so i'm guessing...

a 60's-ish cornflakes box...

and a 60's-ish marlboro box.

also a table an chair set box from...

that's right! ohio... akron, ohio.
we just can't get a way from it!

help from towno.

2009-08-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

as i sat on the kitchen floor during a hard day of work on the house, trying to find a solution to buying the wrong wood blade for my roto-zip, frustration mounted quickly. then, as if knowing my overwhelming frustration, my puppy took over me and used me for a bed.

it made me smile! :)

1032...Pesticide Free!

2009-08-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

our neigborhood is sprawled with "pesticide free" signs. we didn't know much about them, other then the obvious, until we stumbled upon an application at our local hardware store.

after reading the regulations, we decided to take the plunge and go pesticide free!

andrea took the honor of driving the stake that displays our stance!

if you'd like to know more, or apply, visit washington toxins coalition.

tool bag.

2009-08-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

i was finishing up a little project today, preparing for our new wall size wardrobe, and decided to clean out my tool bag. i read an article a long time ago from norm abram about keeping your most used hand tools together in a mobile bag. i implemented this practice about eight years ago and it's been a lifesaver!

for the bag, i choose a gatemouth jr. becareful, tool weight adds up quick! the jr has allowed me to carry all of the tools need, at a decent weight.

trusty leather gloves [i've gotten more cuts on my hands than i can count] and a small brush and pan. it makes andrea smile when i clean up after a project!

this is the same hammer my dad got me when i was 12 years old. i keep anticipating the handle breaking, but stanely make a good hammer. a trim pry bar and a cat's paw.

we've been working on rewiring our house; a little at a time. lineman pliers [blue handled] are a must! also, in the upper right is my greenline power tester...a MUST for any old-home-renovator!

drill bit set and drill driver bit set. not a fan of dewalt drill bits, as they are expensive and break easily. i've been trying hitachi "green label." they've been quite excellent...and cheaper!

my dad bought me the nail pullers [red handle]. they are awesome! they'll grab onto an tiny nail head!

flashlight with incorporated stand; i've used the heck out of this!

many screwdrivers have come and gone. i stick with this series of craftsman. i'm on my 3rd or 4th set. they last forever, however not when you seal them up in your walls!

measuring tools. the orange blob on the left is a carpenter pencil sharpner. i know i should use a utility knife, but i hate the point it gives.

over all glance. here's everything in my tool bag.

feel free to ask questions!

thrift store find

2009-05-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

I snatched this little table at a thrift store (on their 50% off day!), ran by the local hardware store on my way home to pick up some paint, and got to sanding.

I'm always so bad at remembering to take a 'before picture.' This is the best I could do (just picture it all the same color as the bottom.)

Brooke let me borrow his orbit hand sander...

It worked great!

Mmmm....mint green.

It took a few coats of paint.

and....ta-da!

This table really opened up our living room, and gives Townsend more room to romp!

An easy weekend project on a small budget:)

backyard fence, part 6

2009-05-25T14:19:00.000-07:00

all that's left on the backyard fence is to mount the gate and gate latch!

making sure the gate latch hits in the right place.

with the help of matt t., we mounted a sweet lantern that andrea found as a warm welcomer.

the backyard fence it finished! no back to the laundry room trim!

"treasures"

2009-05-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

one of my favortie parts of home renonvations is the hope to find some lost treasure. this afternoon was a treat! i was working on the backyard fence [adding some gravel drainage] and unearth the below: two photograph negatives [always my favortie and almost as good as money!], a poker chip, and bead.

backyard fence, part 5

2009-05-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

in order to maintain the style of fence panels, i need to assemble the gate with mortise and tenon joints. not my favorite task, but i'll try to be patient and do my best.

i like to use a spade drill bit to remove as much material as possible before using a hammer and chisle to square off the corners. your other option is to buy a mortise press.

if all is done right, your should get a nice smooth joint. if all is not done right, chisel more out and add more glue!

i was surprise at how much i got done in just a few hours. i'd say the mortise and tenon joints will be well worth the time i spent. now all i have to do is add the screen and mount the gate.

townsend's tape measure

2009-05-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

mom! dad! i wanna help you measure! just give me a second.

mom! dad! i don't have any thumbs!

there, i got it. will three inches do?!

favorite tools: ear plugs

2009-05-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

i've acquired a few favorite tools over the years. these are my most recent: ear plugs. i use to try to 'man up' and just deal with it, but recently i've noticed some hearing loss. maybe it's all of those loud guitar amps and saws! i've grown tired of always saying 'what?' and 'huh?' so i've 'manned up' and have started using ear plugs. the best $6 i've ever spent. no more ringing ears, imagine that!

backyard fence, part 4

2009-05-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

everything's done except for the gate!

backyard fence, part 3

2009-04-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

andrea and i spend many hours flipping thru various magazines and books to fine a fence design we liked. our criteria was: natural looking, fairly transparent, simple to build, and inexpensive. we found a design in this old house's magazine that we thought would work if we adapted it.

here's our design:

start with a wood frame. we choose pressure treated. each panel consists of one 2x4x8 ripped down the middle. each piece is mitered and then a 1/4 inch groove is ripped down the middle of the cut side. corners are assembled with glue and one fence/deck screw.

this wire fence material is used within the frame.

sometimes you have to do a little jig on it to flatten it out!

the wire is cut and end to fit in each panel.

sometimes it take a while to get a perfect snug fit!

even townsend lent his expertise; 'looser dad! it needs to pop out easily!'

close off the forth end.

'enough of this fence stuff. let's go to the puppy park!'

this should hold the pup in.

once outside, the panels 'should' fit between the fence posts.

using the 1/4 inch groove, screw one fence/deck screw in and level and plumb the panel.

once level and plumb, screw in 3-4 screws on each side.

more updates to come!

backyard fence, part 2

2009-04-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

so after are fence was laid out, and a new day dawned, i swung by home depot for an auger. definetley rent one of these if you have 'a lot' of fence post holes to dig; we had 9. it was totally worth it. it only took about 40 minutes!

fill the bottom six inches with gravel.

andrea enjoyed using out awesome neighbors wheel barrow!

townsend had to approve first. he did; although in hindsight he feels guilty that he lent his own paw to the building of a fence to keep him in line!

only had to use one bag of concrete [on the gate posts]. all of the other fence posts are held up by about 22 inches worth of a tamped-down mixture of gravel and soil.

the other side of the house's fence posts.

backyard fence, part 1

2009-04-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

before you build a fence, you must rid the area of any obstacles. in our case, it would entail the deconstruction of this...'thing.'

we initially tried to dig 'it' out.

then we tried dismantling 'it.'

that worked to a certain extent.

then i reflected on my grandpa ehrhardt; and hooked my car up to 'it!'

not so much did this work. it broke the posts off at the ground. i had some grand illusions of the poles popping out of the ground. while this didn't work on the first post, it was fun to try on the other two!

andrea wielded a sledge hammer and went to town.

four hours later our fence was laid out.

numbers.

2009-04-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

sometimes ten dollars worth of numbers can make all the difference.

baby, it's cold outside.

2008-12-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

note to self: driveway etiquette

2008-12-24T23:50:00.000-08:00

winter, we love you...but please give us a break [read: more snow!]

2008-12-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

there's nothing i love more then a little snow during the holidays...even if it threatens to close the city!here's a little tip we picked up in a magazine: punch a few holes with your fist in the snow leading up to your entry. place tea lights in the holes for instant winter-walkway lighting!

here's the view down our street. so quiet; so nice.

tonight, andrea and i walked down to olde burien. i really wished it snowed here every winter; maybe with the climate shift we'll start getting snow!

i loved how the majority of the businesses kept their signs burning.

andrea was sad to see that the b-town scoop was closed. maybe we can get a scoop another time!

resting for the walk home.

the owner of this sweet old jeep came out of the tin room and told me to come by tomorrow with this photo and he'd give me some 'dough' for it. i'd rather have some 'dan the sausage-man' sausage. i might have to stop down and bargain!

wanting to draw out our walk, we opted for taking the alley home.

this. is. the. notorious. COOP.

2008-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

it seems that whenever i buildup a lot of steam on a project, something intercedes to slow me down. this project is no exception.

the laundry area is almost done. i just need to paint some wainscoting, finish up the trim, and buy/cut/stain/install the counter.

i'm happy to say, that the pantry-side is a little closer to being done. just a little trim and paint.

until the new year, we're on hold. :)

winter is here.

2008-12-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

the winter season is upon us. we just got a freak snow storm... three inches. and it's COLD.
here's our cottage laden with snow.

we pulled into the drive at quarter till two in the morning, ran inside to grab the camera, and headed around the corner to take some wintry photos. two am and on the lose with a camera taking photos of bakeries!

proof.

909. our coffee house.

i wonder if the ice cream shop is open?

monkey man/ reinstalling pantry cabinets

2008-12-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

why do i look like a monkey?

it's because i've spent the last month kneeling on a tile floor and crawling through our dark and dirty crawl space [that i haven't even mentioned on this weblog yet].

that's why i look like a monkey.

at some point i'll talk tools. this happens to be one of my favorites; and most used.
my dewalt xrp drill.

today i reinstall the pantry cabinets. the light, at the end of the tunnel.
me. a monkey man.

arrival of the w/d

2008-11-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

need we say more.

after buying our w/d in august, before we closed on our house, we pushed back our delivery date about six times...since we had no laundry room.

what a glorious sight! and need i say...clean clothes!

painting & wainscoting

2008-11-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

wanting to get this laundry room project done, we decided to double-team today. we will work in tandem like a...a tandem bike. andrea will paint, and i will put up the wainscoting.

the start.

look a that green color. awesome.

i had to break out the team tris shirt for today. we. will. conquer.

andrea was staring to pass me up. she painted all the walls and started in painting wainscoting before i had finished putting it up.

needing to finish up quickly, andrea said that desperate times call for desperate measures. then she handed me a paint brush. i'll try not to let her down.

she turned around and asked what in the world was i doing. i had no reply.

she does a way better job painting than i do. thankfully.

grout.

2008-11-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

since i was sore from laying tile yesterday and grouting this morning, andrea jumped in to wash down our newly lain grout.

we just noticed that we do not have any outside faucets. add that to the project list. i guess the bath tub will have to do.

grout? done.

happy thanksgiving day... tiling!

2008-11-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

that's right, what better way to give thanks then to wake up at 7am to tile your laundry room. this has to be quick, guests arrive at 2pm for dinner and i still have to cut the edge tiles.

i'm sure the neighbors love me! cutting tiles outside at 730 in the morning. i was going to cut them in the garage, but then remembered the mess we had when i cut tiles in the basement of our previous house.

breaking in the new rotozip!

i walked in to tell andrea that in order to be finished by dinner, i'd need help laying the tile. she asked if i had looked in the mirror lately. i had no idea.

three hours left until dinner and i'm just starting to lay tile.

almost done,

done!

10 minutes left for a shower.

selecting and dry-fitting tile

2008-11-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

andrea found an amazing deal on slate tiles: universal granite and marble in auburn, wa.
scored 12 x 12 slate tile for two bucks a square foot.

andrea selected each tile for their respective location on the floor.

we spent the evening dry fitting the tiles. i guess that's what happens when you turn 30. instead of going out to parties, you stay home and dry fit tiles. it's well worth the time, we'll have little time for error tomorrow.
if you need stone tiles or counter tops, head down to universal granite and marble and see sunny!

dry wall...sweet, dry wall.

2008-11-14T19:02:00.000-08:00

although i very much dislike sanding dry wall, i don't mind slapping the mud onto the wall.
progress.

please. i beg you please.

2008-11-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

don't ever do this.

don't be a cheapskate. buy a 89 cent junction box.

you.have.got.to.be.kidding.me.

raw.open.wires.

i'm glad i didn't try to cut the lath out with the sawsall!
i'd of joined the mouse in the crawl space.

2008-11-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

a new day has dawned. i feel like a new man. the sky's the limit and the day[night] is filled with all sorts of possibilities!

i shall crack open a stella and toast the beauty of plaster and lath.

truly, when it comes to old homes, love and hate, nothing takes the prize like good ole plaster and lath.

this is my picasso. who came up with this? who needs a zen garden; i shall gaze upon my lath.

progress: round 1

2008-11-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

i'm sure this is only the first inception of the wiring. it always takes me like three times to get it laid out right.

chew on this termites! this'll keep you busy for another eighty years!

laundry/pantry demo day!

2008-11-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

demo days get me excited for only one reason; the surprise of what you might find. i was hoping for something old and cool. it would have given me a charge, and distracted me, if i would have found an old random oddity. instead, i found just about everything that a home renovator hopes not to find. here's the run down:

knob and tube wiring. this was expected. but i didn't expect for the wires to run outside, be cut off, bare, not wire capped [heaven forbid a junction box] and i certainly didn't expect them to be hot! good thing i've been jolted before and wish never to repeat that experience again; i didn't touch them.

and old abandoned sink drain and vent pipe. ok, maybe i should have expected this when i was removing a sheet of plywood that had been used for drywall [sheetrock if you live in WA].

i certainly didn't expect to find a mouse nest! good thing i found the little sucker dead in my crawl space...although i think we both surprised each other.

so this sink drain/vent pipe is like the perfect storm. me being andrea gail, i tried to out run it, but it wasn't going to let me. read: leaking vent pipe, mold behind drywall and...and...AND termite damage!

i.am.thankful.i.had.a.few.beers.tonight.

good.night.

new laundry room

2008-11-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

after moving in, and ready to get a new stackable front load washer and dryer delivered, we realized that we should have measured the mudroom. seeing how we like clean clothes, we had to act fast. we quickly decided to make use of the random [huge] half cluttered half empty pantry.

this will become the side for our laundry room.

stay tuned...

1032

2008-11-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

home sweet home...for now.

here we sit on the steps of our 1920 cottage located in seattle, washington.

about two blocks away is an old downtown area filled with restaurants, a bakery, an ice cream shop, coffee house, and all the daily necessities.

it's a good house; well worn...feels lived in.
it needs a little work, but has good bones.

one of the best points of our house is the view from the front porch. see it?

look a little closer.

on a clear day mt rainer stands about 60 miles away; although you would swear it's closer.

you'll be seeing more of our home, it's progress and the community.

stay tune!

updates are being typed

2008-11-02T18:59:00.001-08:00

we'll be back very shortly...please be patient.