"A designer knows when he has reached perfection not when there is nothing left to add but when there is nothing left to take away."

Rather than a costly, labor-intensive formal course, save Cash and time with those casual garden paths. They will mix in better and will seem like they have been on your backyard forever.

Required Tools with this Job

Have the required tools with this DIY job lined up Before beginning--you will save yourself time and frustration.

You will also Require a garden trowel and gloves, and a dolly for thick flagstones Along with a tamper.

Informal Paths

This winding gravel trail reflects the informality and simplicity Of upkeep of the backyard. Mulch and gravel would be the cheapest route materials you'll be able to purchase, plus they make building easy also. All you've got to do is eliminate the sod, roll out landscape cloth and spread the dirt or mulch.

Mulch and dirt paths could be dispersed, wood processor--coated trails or Carefully planned layouts, and they vary from casual to formal based on the plan and trimming material. You may select from a vast array of loose materials such as rough bark, decorative mulch, washed rocks and crushed gravel or cubes.

Mulch

Three common Kinds of compost Acceptable for garden paths are Wood chips, cocoa bean along with cypress bark. Mulch can also be a bit less costly than stone or gravel pebbles. Bear in mind, however, that organic avenues decompose over the years, which means you are going to need to rejuvenate them each two to five years using fresh material. In addition, don't use wood, bark chips or compost for avenues that run through areas with inadequate drainage or which are wet. It is going to result in some soggy path.

You'll find bags of compost at home centres, however for the best Collection of Organic substances for a course, check the regional nursery or landscape provider. Based on how large your course is, it might be more economical to have bulk substance delivered than to purchase luggage. -heavy layer of compost around 3 ft. wide instead to grass. Telephone the public works department in your town hall or see local tree trimming services.

Gravel

Several sorts of inexpensive gravel are all offered for avenues. Typical kinds include: crushed gravel, crushed cherry and pea stone. These substances continue forever and just require occasional weeding to look their very best. If you would like to conduct a wheelbarrow or lawn mower across the road, select crushed stone instead of smooth pebbles.

Gravel for avenues is sold by size and type. Larger rocks, averaging under 1/2 in., are perfect for avenues since they provide more comfort underfoot and package together better. Stop by your neighborhood nursery or Mulch Columbus, Ohio experts to understand what's offered in your town. Gravel is generally sold by the lot. Assess the width and length of this path. Take these measurements to the provider and request help to work out the number of gravel you want. Unless your course is quite brief, it normally makes sense to get the content sent. Gravel to get a route 3 in.

Gravel paths have a few limits, however. The stones could get monitored To the home, and thus don't rely on them close to entrances. And dirt paths are a lousy option in locations where you need to shovel them off. The gravel may wind up on your yard or flower beds.

Use a spacer pole cut into the width of the garden route as a guide once you place the edging or edge. You won't need to keep pulling the tape measure to guarantee that the edges operate parallel. Do not use vinyl. It is going to catch water and generate a fresh path.

If you would like a route that is firm enough to roll up a wheelbarrow on, then use crushed stone and tamp it afterwards leveling it. (Pea stone or alternative curved stone will not compact.)

Gravel or compost paths need pruning to maintain the substance A border for a design component. Here are some common Kinds of trimming you can utilize:

Vinyl Landscape trimming is cheap. And it is quick and simple to install. Should you Thing into the expression of the curved top border, conceal it with a boundary of plants. Aluminum edging forms a sharp border that provides the route a fantastic look. It costs over vinyl, though, and can be not as forgiving on sloped terrain.

Brick And rock boundaries are versatile and attractive, but they are more expensive And also much more work to set up.

Concrete Edging is less costly than stone or brick but has the very same benefits. Newer types that seem like arbitrary pieces of tumbled gems are an excellent Lower-cost alternate to a true rock boundary.

Landscape Timbers are an economical option to brick or stone boundaries. They are Particularly helpful for building shallow measures on slowly sloping terrain.

Taking on the job of home renovation may lead to divorce, according to child custody lawyers columbus ohio.

When you're taking on the job of home renovation, then there is a certain number of tasks needing to be achieved ahead. You want to be certain you've got each the financing to be able to achieve this objective. You want to be certain you get a very clear and comprehensive plan for each area, with budget and feasibility taken into consideration. You have to have time and labour scheduled and detailed.

The split generated while shifting a shared living room so radically can ignite a downward spiral into a connection.

With as much as 98 Americans reporting some amount of anxiety in their own lives, it's no surprise that the external stresses of earth wouldn't combine well with the pressures of renovating a house, developing a powder keg in a union. This powder keg may spell long term difficulties and conflict in any relationship that's abandoned, after the job is finished.

Know the job

Before partners enter into this commitment, they ought to know about each the disadvantages they face.

These couples let the frustration of building a brand new living room to Construct until they couldn't imagine the life they were producing for themselves, and according to the information, frustration is a significant portion of the experience. The information found that 46% watched that the general experience as irritating.

Couple can find Themselves talking two distinct languages and translating each others' responses in distinct and unintended ways. Having the ability to comprehend what the other partner is believing might often be a struggle with all the other pressures involved with a renovation job.

1 spouse becoming overwhelmed and annoyed by a scenario involved from the Emotions may add fuel to the flames, which makes both partners vulnerable to saying things they don't automatically mean.

Money no longer

Sometimes, the situation arises in which a married couple might be functioning On this job isn't where a few is presently living, placing them the proverbial fiscal hook for just two pieces of property. This can impact the total amount of money placed into the renovation job, thus affecting the evaluation and reunite in the eventual purchase of their house.

Determining the viability of someone's marriage. The mundane details in producing the ideal home aren't frequently planned upon, however, the aim of the partner resulting in the charge in this job is taking their union seriously and averting the divorce experience. Regrettably, it is not necessarily up to them.

Family and all its financing. Following a renovation is finished, a lot of the Finances are dried up in producing the new living area, so incorporating a Divorce from the combination, divides funds further to the stage where most people Can no longer manage the house they have just completed renovating.

Waking up to a basement filled with Water, a burst pipe on your kitchen or an overflow of water on your bathroom can ruin your whole day. Before you phone a water damage restoration professional, here are a few actions to consider to reduce the total amount of water damage for your house and possessions.

Find out where the water is coming from. This may seem obvious, but if you've just come home and discovered that a gigantic mess and do not know where it originated, the first thing you have to do is to FIND IT. If you are not able to discover the true source of the water, you may have a pipe that has burst. You would like to stop additional water from penetrating your home when possible. If you've got a bust pipe, then turn off the water supply to your house, if your roof is leaking, halt the flow as best possible.

Learn how much harm was done. Some things could be repaired on your own, but when it involves damage to your gutters, floors, or ceilings, then it's ideal to call in a professional.

If it is something you're able to handle by yourself, then first things first: flow!! Open the windows, turn on the fans, let the room breathe! This won't only help out dry, but it will also help reduce the smell. Get out a spoonful and running -- it takes the moisture out of the atmosphere and surrounding items, and helps prevent mold and mildew from growing -- a great tool to have at hand.

Professional water damage restoration services

Water damage cleveland, oh is a Great resource for water damage and flooding cleanup Services in your area. Just visit the website, choose your state from The menu and then click on the featured service provider closest to your property. These highly trained technicians are ready to handle emergencies Around-the-clock, or schedule appointment times at your own convenience!

Remove the bedding and refresh your bed mattress by combining 5 tablespoons of baking powder with 5 drops of lavender essential oil and sifting the combination over the mattress. Keep for one hour then vacuum cleaner up once you have done everything else.

Windows

Supply the windows a clean down with the window-cleaning fluid and the microfibre fabric. No window cleaner? See how to clean your home windows with vinegar.

Sofas and carpets

Use the vacuum cleaner to pick up all of the dust and dust buried in the sofa's crevices. Scrapes on your own leather sofa? Dab a cloth in a few petroleum jelly and rub the scratch out gently. For a material settee, sprinkle a generous dusting of bicarbonate of soda and vacuum cleaner it up after quarter-hour. You may also sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on the carpet to refresh the help and material remove stains; just leave to sit down and vacuum cleaner up before your visitors arrive.

Kitchen

Go back in to the kitchen area to wipe aside the antibacterial spray in the fridge and wash the fridge shelves which have been soaking. Return all of the shelves and meals to the fridge and change the fridge back again on. Wipe the oven clear with a brand new sponge. Kitchen area cupboard staples like tin foil are excellent for eliminating stubborn grit on the oven shelves - just scrunch it up right into a ball and scrub aside the dirt.

Final steps

You’re nearly done! Return back through the areas and vacuum cleaner up the scattered baking soda from the carpets and rugs, vacuum make the mattress with fresh linen after that, rehang the curtains and nets and near the windows. Right now sit down and read more interesting cleaning tips suggested by home cleaning services worcester ma!

This Simple DIY manual to presenting is Designed to Supply People that need To-do paving but have no idea how to get started with several recommendations and guidelines from paving company columbus ohio.

It's also likely to offer guidance on how you can incorporate paving into a Residence Employing inexpensive paving cubes you could grab in the regional Builders Warehouse and construction supply store which are not precisely the ideal paving bricks it is possible to purchase, but they're cheap and will be completed to put in curb appeal to your house or install a backyard place. Pop in to a community building supply retailer and you're able to grab paving bricks which cost in the order of r 2.00 each, insert in the expense of rough and mud at approximately R80 percent metre and you'll understand that paving isn't that costly if you dwelling.

Paving bricks

River sand

Okay sand

Cement

Quantify up the Region until you Begin to calculate just how many paver Bricks you'll require, and also just how much sand has to be delivered.

The location to be paved should be emptied outside. That can be a significant measure and There are many factors you want to take under account when preparing the region.

- Inside my instance the amount required to be less in relation to the usual sitting gate, to permit for closing and opening, and also you may even have to consider this under account if you're paving a place which has access and exit points.

- The paving Has to Be at a very small angle should butting Facing an Existing property wall. As my brand new ecosystem butts up against the leading part of the home, the paving is tilted at a small incline away from the land, in order that any rain will probably run off and perhaps not amass against the land walls. If you're paving an outdoor terrace or entertainment area beyond your home, be certain that rainwater flows out from the construction to a acceptable point - rather a drain or perhaps a reduce point that'll direct rain using the pure flow of this property.

- The place has been paved Should be Free from lumps and bumps, as these can Affect the degree of these pavers once placed. After digging out the region and removing loose dirt, use a rake to eliminate any loose stones.

Compact the soil until you place down sand, particularly when you needed to perform A serious little digging to find the degree right. You are able to seek the services of a plate compactor to your afternoon by a grocery store shop, also this will guarantee that the earth is compacted securely. If you really don't compact the dirt precisely you may possibly discover that you'll have a issue with dips at which the paving sinks to tender stains throughout the rainy season. Compact the earth once or twice to be certain it's done precisely.

Lay rough sand across the compacted location. If you are not sure what sand to Purchase For the foundation, allow the inventors at the construction center know which you're deploying it to paving base plus so they are going to be certain to receive the perfect sand. Coarse sand is nice sand which does not clump or hold together whenever you streamlined on your own hand.

With the floor already flat you can shovel little piles of sand over the Top with the. Make use of a straight edge (a part of steel or span of directly hardwood) to even the sand out. The sand base has to be approximately 4 to 5 centimetres in depth.

Today you're all set to get started placing the stairs. It is not always possible to Put the paving bricks directly up against a wall socket, specially where walls aren't Right, therefore make a tiny gap at the border. You can always fill big openings with Cut pavers or mix up a heap of cement to fill out those are as after you own Finished.

When installing new cabinets, you plan to do the job after the completion of the Rough wiring and plumbing but before the end floor has been installed. By installing the floors following cupboard installation, you won't utilize more floors than necessary and the new floors won't run the danger of building damage.

If you are replacing obsolete cabinets, then remove the old cabinets attentively so You don't damage the walls and so you can use them for taking crucial dimensions (or, in some instances, as patterns to the brand new cabinets). The ideal way for removal is to take off all of the doors, pull out the drawers, and lift out any detachable shelves.

Most cabinets are fastened to wall framing members through their backs with Screws or nails, which you will need to pull. Be sure to have a helper when you eliminate upper cabinets-as you extract the fasteners, you are going to need help holding the cabinets up. If cupboards are screwed together by using their negative panels, also remove these screws so you can eliminate the cabinets one by one.

The walls which back new cabinets need to be flat, smooth, and clean. To Assess them for flatness, put a long straightedge against them. Mark any lumps or voids so that, during installation, you can correct for them.

Unpack your cabinets and make sure all the elements are included. Wait till after cupboard installation to include doors, drawers, and shelves. Should you remove any parts, make certain to tag them so you can return them for their proper places.

The primary wall and base cabinets are all key-if you get them installed flat From rear to front and side to side, the other cabinets should follow suit. It's easiest to start with the wall- mounted cupboards so that the base cabinets won't obstruct your job.

Installing Wall Cabinets

When installing kitchen cabinets arlington heights, il, it is easiest to install the upper wall Cabinets first; this way, the base cabinets are not in your way during the essential lifting and fastening.

Heavy--just imagine their weight when they are loaded with dinnerware or foodstuffs. The wall cabinets have to be installed with the correct sort of screw. It's crucial to fix cabinets securely into the wall stud framing supporting the wall's surface stuff.

Some screws Need separate end washers, and some do not. Do not use drywall screws--they are not strong enough. The screws you utilize Must go through a solid part of the cabinet, like a support rail that runs Along the cupboard back. Every cupboard Ought to Be secured by at least three inches.

These expert recommendations may have you shooting on the bbq grills columbus ohio just like an expert.

Gas vs. Charcoal

The Ageold argument over which grilling procedure will be "much better" entails multiple While no studies reveal that either is fitter, gas will burn cleaner. Charcoal grills emit more carbon dioxide, particulate matter and soot into the air, leading to greater pollution and high concentrations of groundlevel o-zone. In a preference perspective, on the flip side, a lot of men and women like the smokier, wealthier taste of food cooked in a skillet.

Obtain It alluring! Reaches the ideal temperature (also to kill any bacteria). Your barbecue ought to be 400 450°F to get top, 350400°F for medium-high, 300350°F for moderate along with 250300°F to get non heat. While searing does not "seal in" the juices (unlike popular belief ), it can create flavors that are improved through caramelization.

Additive-Free

Should You select charcoal grilling, then we still advocate additive-free bulge charcoal, then Which is simply charred timber. Traditional briquettes could comprise wood scraps and sawdust in addition to coal dust, gas nitrate, borax and additives such as jojoba or lighter fluid. In terms of lighter fluid, then we recommend quitting it altogether. Lighter fluid may release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) to the atmosphere, make a embarrassing residue on food and also present a severe threat if used improperly.

Brush It Away

It is simpler to eliminate debris Once the grill is warm, therefore after preheating, utilize A longhandled cable grill brush onto your own grill stand to wash off charred debris away from prior meals. Scrape again just after usage.

Oil This up

On a grill that is clean, lean Meals can stick when put right on the Stand alone. Reduce adhering by oiling your sexy grill rack having a vegetable oil-soaked paper-towel: grip it together with tongs and rub it within the stand alone.

Safety-first

Food security is a high priority, therefore maintain these simple rules out of the USDA in Mind: prevent cross-contamination by using different cutting boards, utensils and platters for cooked and raw foods; Scrub foods while marinating; rather than baste using the marinating liquid. (Create additional marinade only for basting or boil your own marinating liquid first.)

Marinate Your Disposition

Marinating does greater than simply decorate food with taste; additionally, it suppresses the Formation of possibly carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines), that shape once grilling "muscle meats" such as poultry, red fish and meat.

The racket Evaluation

To Assess the warmth of a barbecue with no thermometer, put your receptive Your hands in two minutes, moderate in case it's necessary to go your hands in 5 minutes and Low in case you must move your hands at 10 minutes.

Washing windows is usually never fun, but it’s especially miserable when it’s cold outside. Regrettably, sometimes it’s essential to clean off the wintertime grime prior to the temperature rises. You’ll like to take some extra tips from cleaning services akron ohio during the winter season to ensure a successful and safe experience.

Assemble Your Tools

First, assemble the required tools to remove ice and snowfall from round the window. You may use a backyard spade to shovel snowfall off the sill, and warm (not very hot!) drinking water to melt any ice from the windows pain.

A ocean sponge is a wonderful choice for cleaning home windows. It holds a lot of cleaning answer and is porous plenty of to remove stubborn places on the glass. You’ll want a squeegee to clean away excess water furthermore.

If a ladder is needed by you to wash your outside windows, ensure that it’s secure and clear of ice. You need to ask someone to contain the ladder for you personally while you’re onto it, since the motion of washing windows makes it very unsteady.

Use Cold Water

Unfortunately, you’re likely to be very chilly once you wash your home windows this winter season and not just due to the temperatures. You should employ drinking water no warmer than lukewarm when cleaning home windows, since a severe and sudden temperature change can cause the glass to crack.

Make YOUR PERSONAL Solution

Don’t be worried about using store-bought windows cleaner for the outside windows. It shall be much faster, cheaper, and more efficient to make your personal cleaner. Simply fill up a bucket with an assortment of vinegar and water, and use your squeegee and sponge to create your window shine. Another great windows cleaning solution is a combination of water and rubbing alcoholic beverages or salt.

For Below-Freezing Weather

If possible, make an effort to wash your windows once the temperature is above freezing. However, we realize that uninviting your boss to supper because the windows are usually embarrassingly grimy will be much more hard than washing your home windows in below-freezing weather. If the elements is cold really, contemplate using antifreeze windshield washer liquid, as if you use in your vehicle. Your home windows will be clean plenty of to impress actually the pickiest of bosses.

Additional Tips

·Dress warmly in shoes with great grips to assist you stand safely on the latter, and put on a hat, and solid coat to remain warm.

·Put on waterproof rubber gloves to safeguard the hands from the chilly and the chemical substances. Tuck your coating sleeves in to the openings of the gloves which means that your coating doesn’t get wet.

·If you encounter difficult places, allow them soak for some moments while you focus on other areas of the window. Usually do not wait too lengthy to completely clean the soaking places, or the drinking water might freeze.

I spent some time working on the studio yesterday and trying to get the window trim finished. I installed the casings quite a while back, but they still needed wood filling, sanding, caulking and painting. And since this is a process that so many of you have asked me about, I decided to do a video of the products and the process that I use. But first, if you missed the tutorial on how I create my very simple window and door casings (no miter cuts!) that look fancy and custom, you can find that here: How I Trim My Windows And Doors (Easy DIY Window Casings With No Miter Cuts!) Even though this style of trim looks fancier than the standard door and window casings with the mitered corners, this is actually a much better style for someone with very little experience using a miter saw. Since all of the cuts require a simple 90-degree cut, and there are no mitered corners to deal with, it’s deceptively simple. Anyway, my trim has been installed for a while now, but I finally got around to actually finishing one window (and almost finishing the other two) yesterday. So if you’d like […]

The post How To Wood Fill, Sand, Caulk, and Paint Trim — My Process and Preferred Products [VIDEO...

I know this isn’t my usual type of post, but I’d really love any input from those of you who have been through this, have had to deal with your aging eyes, and have found a solution that works really well for you. I’d especially love to hear from those of you who are creative types who are continually working on projects, whether it’s sewing, painting, building, or anything else like that. The bottom line is that ever since I turned 40 (ummm…that was six years ago!), I’ve noticed my near vision changing. For a long time, it was just a bit annoying, but now it’s to the point that something really needs to be done because it’s affecting literally every single project I work on these days. In order to clearly see any project I work on that’s relatively close to my face (i.e., the distance between my eyes and the top of my new work table), I have to put my glasses as far down my nose as possible like this… …which is totally impractical because half the time, I’m working outside using my saws, and my glasses just slip right off of my sweaty nose. If I […]

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I’ve officially completed my first art project (and video!) in my studio using my new, awesome work table. Y’all, I’m going to have so much fun in there creating projects and videos to share with you. For now, I’m in the mood to do some easy and artistic projects, but the building, sewing and upholstery projects will be coming in the future, so if those are the things you’re interested in, stay tuned! But for today, I want to show you how I turned a simple serving tray (that I found on sale at JoAnn Fabrics) into a function piece of artwork using acrylic paints, gold leaf, and resin. Having trouble with that video? You can click here to watch on YouTube. Here’s what you’ll need for this project: Serving tray – you can use either metal or wood Acrylic paints in your choice of colors – I used six colors of craft acrylic paints and art acrylic paints Floetrol Water Mixing cups/jars Stir sticks Gloves Propane torch (or some people use butane) Water-based clear coat (I prefer General Finishes High Performance Topcoat) Pattern or stencil for design Painters tape Permanent fine point felt tip pen Extra thick adhesive size […]

The post DIY Acrylic, Gold Leaf and Resin Serving Tray...

Remember those cheap lights I ordered from China for my studio? To be clear, I didn’t know I was ordering them from China. I searched online for what I wanted, found a website that sold them at great prices, read the wonderful and glowing customer reviews, and then ordered them. Six weeks later, and with no update on tracking info, I was regretting my purchase. Several emails to customer service only returned not-so-helpful responses like, “Just be patient.” and “Your items are probably on a ship from China, and we can’t tell you exactly where they are.” *Sigh* When they finally arrived about two months later, I was very pleased with how they looked, but the wiring was skimpy and the canopies that attach to the ceiling were tiny. There was no way they would work, so they’ve been sitting in the corner of my studio ever since while I moved on to other projects. Well, I finally tackled those lights this past weekend, and look! They’re up! The fix was pretty easy. I picked up a couple of these pendant light kits from Home Depot. They’re actually a dark oil-rubbed bronze, but they look almost black. It would have […]

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The first of my two DIY studio work tables is finished. Here’s how it turned out… It’s green! I had originally wanted to paint it a light yellow, but it looked awful with the floor. So I gathered up some craft and art acrylic paints that I had in yellows and greens, and just started mixing them into the quart of yellow paint I had purchased until I ended up with a color that I liked. And I do love the bright, cheerful green against that clean white table top! So when I left off the other day, the base of the table looked like this… If you missed the building process, you can find the details here… Large DIY Craft Room Cutting Table — Part 1 After making the table top, I thought it still needed a little something to give it a finished look. After all, this table is for my studio, which I want to look nice and pretty when it’s finished. If these were tables for my (future) workshop where I’ll be using my saws and other tools, I wouldn’t be worried about it being pretty. Of course, I also wouldn’t waste money on laminate for […]

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I know this project seems to be dragging on, and if you follow me on Instagram and saw my stories, you know that I kind of had a rough go of it at the beginning. But I finally got the laminate table top finished on the first studio work table. (By the way, I’m gong to make a concerted effort to start sharing more progress on Instagram stories throughout each day on the projects I’m working on, so if you’re interested in seeing that, be sure to follow me!) Anyway, after having trouble with the laminate edges and not having enough laminate for a second attempt, I decided to use the laminate on the table tops, and then trim out the edges with wood. I was disappointed at first, but when it was finished, I was pretty thrilled with how it turned out! Y’all, that is a five-foot-square table top. That’s a glorious 25 square feet of work space right there on one large, durable table top. I’m pretty darn excited about it! 😀 And I still have another table to build, that will double the table top space. I did a video of the table top process, so hopefully […]

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After stressing for months over the design of my big workroom table for my studio (which will be used as a cutting table, sewing table, art table, craft table, etc.), I finally decided on a design and got busy building the first table yesterday. After looking at designs that included drawers, cubbies, shelves, and all kinds of fancy storage and organization, I noticed that I kept being drawn to the very simple workroom tables that had a large top with one big, open shelf underneath. So that’s what I decided to go with. But just about every single craft table/workroom table that I found with that design was built out of very rough lumber, like rough 4 x 4’s for the legs and 2 x 4 studs for the frame, and I didn’t want a rough, strictly utilitarian-looking table in my studio. So I came up with a design that used nicer lumber and will have a more polished look when it’s finished. I also decided to take the advice that many of you gave me and build two tables that can be hooked together when I need one long table (when I’m sewing draperies, for example), but can be […]

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My bathroom countertop problem has been solved. Some of you probably saw my update at the end of yesterday’s post. But if you missed it, I headed to Design Superstore yesterday to look over their quartz remnants and see if they had anything that would work. I had my heart set on solid bright white, but sadly, they didn’t have any of that in a remnant. And paying full price for such a tiny bathroom that isn’t a main bathroom in our house just wasn’t an option in my mind. They did have several remnants of one called Snow White, which has very subtle flecks of gray. I brought the sample home and decided that it’ll work. I’m excited about this decision. This countertop is going to see a lot of wear and tear, so quartz will be able to stand up to it much better than resin. They’ll be here Thursday afternoon to measure, so hopefully it’ll be installed at some point the following week and I can get back on track. While I was there, I also ordered a big 5′ x 12′ piece of Wilsonart laminate for my work table(s) that I’ll be building very soon. I’ve […]

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I’ve been working slowly but steadily on my studio bathroom, and I finally got the faucet and sink hooked up. And while this should be progress to celebrate, I have to admit that I’m just frustrated right now, and the source of my frustration is my countertop. This countertop is one that I made myself out of two layers of MDF and white tinted resin. Initially, I used ArtResin brand resin and used latex paint to tint it white. I was so happy with how it turned out. The white was so bright and clean… If you missed that project, you can find the details here… DIY MDF Bathroom Countertop For An Undermount Sink In hindsight, I wish I had just left it at that. It was just fine as it was, and ArtResin is one of the least yellowing resins on the market. But then I convinced myself that because ArtResin is formulated for art and not for countertops, that I needed to do a second coat with a resin that’s actually formulated for countertops. So after doing some comparison shopping online, I decided to go with Stone Coat Countertops resin. They emphasize that their resin can’t be tinted […]

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Y’all, I’m pretty excited because I have finally decided on the layout of the master bathroom! It came to me in a dream. Okay, not really. 😀 It actually came to me in an Instagram house tour video by Coastal Hampton Style that was posted just a couple of days ago. You can see it below (or see it here), and if you just want to see the master bathroom layout, you can forward to the 7:45 point in the video. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝑻𝒐𝒍𝒐 ⚓️ (@coastalhamptonstyle) on Aug 13, 2019 at 2:31am PDT Let me remind you of where our master bathroom will be located in our house. It’s currently the master bedroom, but will be converted into a bathroom, and then we’ll add on a new master bedroom. So everything in pink is what will be added on in the future. The white areas are currently part of the house, and this is how they they will be arranged after the next phase of our remodel (and after some walls are moved, some are removed, and some closets are removed). The master bathroom will be 18.5 feet by 12.5 feet once […]

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I decided to go ahead and finish up the back entry before tackling the half bath, and I had planned to make some curtains to go on the back French doors, and then make some artwork for the walls. But after getting the curtains finished and hung, I decided that I liked the back entry just like it was. Black, white and green. Simple, bold and graphic. Adding artwork with additional colors (or even just black and white artwork) only would have added busyness, and I didn’t want that. I apologize up front for the dark nighttime pictures. I finished installing these curtains last night, and didn’t want to wait until this morning to take pictures. Plus, during the day, all of my tools show very prominently through the glass doors. 🙂 I promise that when the studio is completely finished, and I get those final “taaa daaa” pictures, I’ll take them during the day and my mess in the carport will be cleaned up. So anyway, here’s how my back entry looks now. I’m calling it finished (other than the fact that I still need to install the door handle on the French doors). Now just as a reminder, […]

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I’m still waiting to hear back from my contractor about a quote for everything we’re wanting to do right now. Of course, the main focus will be the bedrooms and new master bathroom, but I also asked him to give me a quote on enclosing the carport to create my workshop. When I met with him a week or so ago, I happened to catch him right before he left to go out of town for a few days, so it still might be a few days before he has my quotes ready. In the meantime, I’m supposed to be finding a source for the doors for the workshop. I shared a few days ago that the plan is to leave a “breezeway” type of open-air walkway (which will still be covered by the roof of the carport) just outside the back doors of the studio. And then just past the breezeway will be the front wall of the workshop. It’ll look something like this… The doors on the front of the workshop (i.e., the doors closer to the studio) aren’t as much of a concern for me since they’ll be underneath the existing roof of the carport. So even […]

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We got the quote from our contractor for Phase 1 of the bedroom and bathroom remodel, and while the line item pricing seems totally fair and reasonable, the total price is just more than we want to spend on this part of the house remodel. I’d rather save as much money as we can on this phase so that we can splurge on the bathroom remodel. Now I need to go through the line item quote that our contractor gave us and see if there are any items I can do myself to bring the cost down. And I’m so thankful to have found a contractor who’s actually willing to let me do that! So many contractors don’t want homeowners getting “in the way” and get pretty prickly if homeowners want to do parts themselves for fear that it’ll slow down the project. But Mike is very reasonable about working with homeowners to get the job done however it needs to get done. So here’s how the cost of the project breaks down, and this doesn’t include the master bathroom. The master bathroom will be Phase 2 of this project. Master Bedroom (soon to be bathroom) and Hallway Demo/Frame — […]

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Now that I have the back entry of the studio mostly finished (with the exception of a few finishing touches), I need to concentrate my energy on getting the studio half bathroom finished. If you missed the post showing how the back entry looks now, you can find it here… Studio Back Entry Progress (All The Big Projects Finished!) I really lost focus on the half bathroom over the last few weeks. I was going full steam ahead on it right up until I got to a point where I couldn’t do anything else on it until the floor was finished. Then once I started working on the studio floor, the bathroom was pretty much forgotten. So now it’s time for me to get it finished. Here’s where I left off. I got the geometric hand painted design finished on the walls (although I forgot to remove the tape on one wall, so I’m hoping it’ll still come off cleanly and not ruin the design). You can see the details of that project here… DIY Geometric Ombre Square Spiral Wall Design I also made some custom yellow resin tiles for the backsplash/wainscoting, which you can read about here… DIY Custom […]

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I was beginning to think the back entry of the studio would never get to this point, but I finally got all of the trim installed, wood filled, sanded, primed and painted. I also got the doors to the storage closet and bathroom painted, and you might notice that the walls are a bit lighter green. I had originally painted them Behr Hills of Ireland, which turned out pretty dark. So I decided to go a shade lighter and repainted them with Behr Belfast. I think that small change in paint color made a really big difference. It’s still not completely finished. The ceiling light is still covered in layers of dust from when I sanded and finished the hardwood floors, so that needs to be cleaned. I’m not at all looking forward to that task with those 13 globes. I also still need to install the door handle on the back door, and the door pulls on the bathroom and closet doors. In addition, I think I want to put curtains on the back door. I’d like for all of the exterior doors and windows to have curtains/shades on them that I can close at night, because right now […]

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Oh, hey there! It’s me, Kristi. Remember me? 😀 Have you ever followed a blogger who just disappeared? Disappeared from the blog, from social media, and seemingly, from the face of the earth with no word whatsoever? I can think of two bloggers right off hand who did that, and I always wondered, “How could they do that? How could they just disappear like that with no word?” Well, I kind of get it now. July was just a bad month all around for me. I was tired, both mentally and physically. I was dealing with some things that really had me feeling down and discouraged and not wanting to face the world. I was sick of working on these never-ending projects on my house. And I just wanted to crawl into a hole and be left alone for a bit. So in a way, I did that, but not in an unhealthy way. I made a point to spend more time with family, and Matt and I came up with a plan for me to not only have a day off every week from house projects, but a day completely away from the house where I can do fun […]

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Well, I didn’t get my velvet green desk chair. I just never could find one that I liked for a price I was willing to pay. I wanted a high back chair that would actually show significantly over a 30-inch desk, and the only two green chairs I found that I really liked had very low backs that would only show about four inches above a desktop. That just wouldn’t do. So I let go of the idea of having a green velvet chair (or a green chair at all) and set my sights on finding any chair that I really liked, in any color that would go in my studio, that could be used as a desk chair. And that’s when I came across this high back, wingback dining chair from Overstock. I loved this chair immediately when I saw it! The tall back, the narrow wings, and the nailhead trim all whispered my name. 😀 And it’s comfy! Although I’m short, and I’m always more comfy with a lumbar pillow. The only problems were that I really needed casters on the legs, and the nailhead trim was silver. So I added some casters, changed the color of the […]

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Well, y’all, I’ve been struggling with motivation lately, and I have no idea why. I think I had one good day the other day (that I’m pretty sure I mentioned in my last post) where I really felt motivated and got things done, but the next morning, my motivation had completely fizzled. I honestly don’t know why I’m having such a hard time. In all of my time blogging and working on projects, I’ve certainly gone through periods of time where I just needed a break. But this feels like something else. I feel like I’m at the point now that if I had the money to just hire out every single thing, I’d probably do it. I’d also probably be really disappointed in myself in hindsight, though. I didn’t want to buy a fixer upper so that I could hire out everything. I wanted to buy a fixer upper to challenge myself and see what I could do with it. So I’m hoping my motivation will return soon, because forcing myself to work on things that I feel completely unmotivated to do is torture. But that’s exactly what I did yesterday. I forced myself, and I made some really […]

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So, y’all, I’ve been doing some thinking. You know how sometimes, when you move into a new house, you have to just let a room sit there for a while to see how you’re naturally going to use it? Maybe you had originally intended for it to be a guest bedroom, but then you decided to start a business, so it turned into your home office. Or maybe you had intended for it to be a sitting room, but you found it more useful as a home gym. Well, that’s where I am with the carport. As the name would suggest, when we had it built last summer, I had intended for it to be the place where I park my car and truck. But do you know how many times that’s happened since we had it built last summer? Once. I parked my truck in the carport one time in the last year, and that was only because the bed of the truck was filled with plywood and a storm was coming. Yep, I parked the truck in the carport to protect the plywood. 😀 Our plan has always been to build a separate workshop — a separate building […]

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Oh, hey there, strangers! 😀 So last week kind of got away from me. It was just one of those weeks where I had so little motivation to do anything. But I did manage to make progress on one project — my resin countertop in the half bathroom. So I want to share with you my thoughts about the new resin product I tried (made specifically for countertops), plus my thoughts on resin countertops in general. So to recap, a while back I made a countertop for my half bathroom using two layers of MDF, which I primed, painted, and then coated with resin. If you missed that project, you can find it here… DIY MDF Bathroom Countertop For An Undermount Sink But when I made that countertop, I used a resin product called ArtResin. As the name would suggest, it’s formulated specifically to coat artwork, and not really intended for heavy use surfaces like countertops. But it’s all I had on hand, and so I decided to use the ArtResin as the first coat, and then order a resin that’s actually made for countertops for the second and final coat. So that’s what I finally got around to doing […]

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Y’all, I’m finally feeling motivated again! I went into the studio yesterday knowing I needed to just get busy and get stuff done. I dreaded it, and procrastinated, but finally picked up my tape measure, took measurements to trim out the cased opening between the studio and back entry, and just made myself do it. And you know what? The more I worked, the more I got into it, and the more excited I got about getting things finished! Sometimes you can’t wait until you “feel” like doing it. Sometimes the doing comes before the feeling. But anyway, Matt and I finally got our plans for the bedrooms and bathroom figured out, and as it turns out, just getting to the point where we can start on the bathroom is going to be a much bigger job than I had originally anticipated. And while we were deciding on those details, I also made a decision (base on some of your absolutely brilliant suggestions!!!) about how to turn the carport into my workshop. But first, here’s the plan for the bedrooms and bathroom. This is how the area currently looks… So here are the changes that we plan to make during […]

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Well, folks, the year is halfway over! I’ve really slacked off lately in getting things done. First, my day off for my birthday kind of turned into a week of being lazy. Then I started my 60-day keto challenge group and focused on that for a while, and then there was Independence Day and that excuse for a long weekend. And now here we are. The year is halfway over, and my progress on my “to do” list for 2019 is nowhere near where I had hoped it would be. The good news is that I’ve gotten quite a bit done on the studio and half bathroom so far this year. At the beginning of the year when I wrote my “to do” list, the studio looked like this… And now it looks like this… I just realized I don’t have any recent wide angle views showing the finished floor, painted walls, and wallpapered front wall. I’ll have to remedy that soon! But that’s quite a few items crossed off of the list. Electrical work is finished (other than installing four lights) The room is insulated and drywalled The flooring is installed The floor is sanded and whitewashed The window […]

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