Category: Our Projects

To Do: Lattice Replacement

One of the items I listed on the To Do List is getting rid of that horrible lattice underneath the deck of our front entry.  We considered ripping it off right away, but the black hole that was underneath it actually looked worse…there are some unattractive parts of the stucco under there and it’s best to keep it tucked away.  Since we plan to use that area as additional storage for garage type items, we want to keep it enclosed with a door.

The look we’ll be going for is similar to the treehouse walls built over at a PreFab Project.  Very simple and easy to DIY, we’ll screen and add the stained strips as well as install a clear corrugated roof under the deck floor to keep water out.  Ideally, you’ll never see the roof…it will be a stealth roof.

photo by A PreFab Project

Much nicer look than this…no?

So with the hog panels as railings up top, and the slats as screening underneath, I think we may finally have a respectable entry…one day…soon I hope.

To Do List…2010 and Beyond

We are those people.  We have a thing I’ll call The annual list reconciliation.  Come January, in every house we’ve ever had, we pull out our To Do list and start marking off items accomplished throughout the year…it is sooooo satisfying.  The logical and higher functioning part of my brain edited the list on the computer one year, and it was SUCH a let down…no ceremony to it.  We gotta do it old school..print it out and mark off with a big fat pen.  We add new items throughout the year, but we never remove until January.  Yes, I warned you that we were dorks a looong time ago.  In keeping with that, I’ll have a new To Do List category this year so I can insanely point out all the flaws and problems that need attention.  So how’s the reconciled list looking for 2010 and beyond?  Here’s about an eighth of it:

Get wood steps built to front door

Remove lattice, re-frame deck and screen storage area under front door

Get outdoor lighting connected

Order fill dirt, topsoil, compost and gravel

Build back deck extension

Pantry area build out:  This is why there has never been a full on kitchen reveal, just small bits because this side of the room is unfinished.  I thought we’d have knocked it out by now, but we’ve been thwarted.  The last couple of trips planned to drive to IKEA fell through, so we have to pick up the cabs…AND remove the wall between the fridge and the pantry.  This is one of our most shameful and frustrating mistakes.  When demo-ing the kitchen, CC thought this was a load bearing wall and that it had to stay…turns out it isn’t, and to take it out means our hardwoods will have to be feathered in.  We considered just leaving it, but we think aesthetically, it will really bug us…not to mention the wasted space if we leave the wall there.

You can understand why we’ve been dragging our feet a little on this.  Living in a kitchen with sheetrock dust is still a very fresh memory for both of us and we’ve not been prioritizing it…but now..it’s time.  We need to get this room truly finished once and for all.

Clean out/organize basement (this never leaves the list, as soon as it’s done, we have a whirlwind project that trashes it again.)

Paint trim in Kids’ rooms (still never got to that)

Stain thresholds in LR/Kitchen (new doors were installed AFTER the floors were done)

Reupholster Plycraft chair/ottoman (this has been on the list for 6-7 years)

Dimmer on kitchen sputnik

Hang Capiz chandelier/get wiring run in MB ceiling….the list goes on for pages….more later…..

The Year (and a bit) in Review

I can’t believe it’s been almost a year for ModFruGal.  Craaazy!   This was always meant to be a simple renovation diary, not a design blog per se, since I’m certainly (and obviously) not a designer…but I’ve had a lot of fun sharing the ups and downs of the renovations…and some of the other cool stuff that inspires me…which often includes you, so thanks for hanging out and getting us here!

There’s so much work left to do…like the bathrooms….ugh, the bathrooms!!   I have a big visual “to do” list going that we’ll get to in early 2010….and will include the, as yet unfinished, landscaping. Just to cover a few highlights, what did we actually get done in the crumbling Regal Beagle this year..or so?

Even though I didn’t start the blog until January, I’ll include August-December of 2008, since that’s when we got started.  I like to think we got a fair way in a year and a half!

Kitchen Before and After

kitchen before

kitchen after

Dining Room Before and After

Playroom Before and After

These are just a handful of the things we were able to do all on our own…then there were the jobs we had to hire the big guns for.  Like the siding…..

….Not to mention all the cottage cheese scraping, hardwoods and carpet that got attended to before we moved in.

We love our new city and our evolving house…the family unanimously voted 2009 the best Christmas ever…because this year…we felt at home.  Last year, it was all new and we were not really settled yet.  We have new traditions now and instead of Christmas in the new house, it was Christmas at home..and it was, indeed, unforgettable.

I hope everyone is enjoying time off with family as much as I am..I’ll be easing back into things..albeit slowly, to savor the last bit of holiday fun.  Time to pack up the Christmas stuff….See ya around!

Handmade Hubby

To give a little background….the Crafty Counterpart has been making an ornament for the Things every Christmas since they each arrived.  He has posted the 2 most popular on Instructables.  They will be entered into the contest, but voting isn’t until January.  I’ll hit you up for votes then!  Go babe!

Airplane from cigar tube Instructable found here.

Helicopter Instructable found here.

Holiday Slices

It’s officially Holiday time…the boxes have come down from the attic.  No tree yet, but we’ll be ready when we bring it home.

I had commented over at Happy Mundane on his post about agate slice ornaments since I have made these in the past.  It got me thinking that I’d like to make some more to revamp my trusty, white feather tabletop tree this year.  Smaller in scale than the ones I made for the big tree, I got these pre-drilled in natural from Northern Stones on ebay.  12 for $22.

When I first made these, it was because I loved the ones I’d seen in the Viva Terra catalog a few years back.  The new ones from Crate and Barrel are far more reasonably priced – $20 for 4 instead of $42 for six.  That said, I still like doing my own…so I did..and did again.  I used wire cutters to snip through the fishing line since it will ruin a good pair of scissors.

I draped some strands of Kukui nut I use in my jewelry making to jazz up the bottom of the tree.  It’s hard to tell from the photos, but the light shines beautifully through the slices.  Despite having less natural light, I decided the tree needed to live against the black walls of the dining room.  It was getting lost against the white walls in the entry.

the xmas boxes

Trusty Martha Feather Tree

fishing line and agate slices

Old ones…and new ones.

agate ornaments, older ones and this years

tree with agate

agate in light

tree in DR

Landscape Update

tree rat revenge

stairs in the yard

front steps

concrete landing..where you can't land

front steps2

side walls

side walls

back

Well, I’ve been avoiding this hot mess post because I wasn’t sure how to bitch about it without sounding like a brat.  Impossible.  So here it is.  It would appear that I won’t have a front door by Christmas.  The Plan was not followed closely enough and now, our wooden stairway has to be rethought.  Currently, the way it is designed will drop you on the first concrete step, rather than at the pad on the gravel patio…thus forcing you to step over a wall to get to the patio.  I don’t think so. We’re screwed by about 16 inches.  We may have to zig zag a bit to make up the difference which REALLY BLOWS.  I think it will look weird and awkward and poorly planned…YA THINK?!

Just to make sure I get kicked when I’m down…the tree rats are getting a little revenge.  Remember that new paint job?  There’s about 4 boards of cedar left on the entire house since we haven’t replaced the door to the crawlspace behind the house yet.  They’ve been going for it.  Bastards.

I’ve never had a renovation surprise beat me before and I’m working hard to make sure this one doesn’t either.  I’ve been a bit depressed about this development since I usually have an “aha” solution to these things by now.  I know there’s been a lot going on…distracted…denial.

Today I walked around, looking at the old staircase lying in the mud …(my God all the mud…everywhere)…and realized it was time to walk away….at least until after the holidays.  Stick it on the shelf…even though every time I come up the driveway it will scream “failure!!” to me…Talking to the CC, I was reminded of the big picture.

CC:  Does it look better than it did…even unfinished?

ME:  Sigh….Yes…

CC:  Does it add value to the property?

ME:  One would hope!

CC:  Well, then.  Whatever it ends up being, it will be miles ahead of where we were… AND we’ve added value despite the problems.

ME:  You’re right.  You’re ALWAYS right…..

That’s why he’s a keeper.

Bratty pants here is taking deep breaths and will revisit with a solution at a later date with a fresh mind.   In the meantime, we need to fill the beds with topsoil, finish the patio with a layer of  crushed stone and basically spend a lot of time shoveling and hauling.  I’m still sore from Sunday and I barely made a dent.

So, do I put a wreath on a door you can’t get to?

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