My Home Renovation: Hello Lovely Fixer Upper {week 7}

August 22, 2015



Week 7 was a blast!
Only because I got to glamp with my
summer sisters (that's us in front of our cabin)
while my husband got to get his lumberjack on.


Remember the tree of death?


Along with a fallen one infested with carpenter ants,
it's gone thanks to a friend with a chainsaw.


I know the kitchen cabinets may look okay,
but you have to trust that after two decades
of use and abuse, they were ready for retirement.


Here is the kitchen after my man of steel
removed cabinets and the other half of 
the maple hardwood flooring in a single bound!




He also finished drywalling
the wall between the kitchen and dining room,
as well as adding electrical where needed.


Some of the recessed lights will be relocated
soon, the sink and base have to be removed,
and we have yet to decide on a ceiling treatment...
beadboard panels, new drywall, or a skimcoat of mud?


I have to prep the glass on the French doors
for painting, and I also must decide on
a ceiling treatment for the dining room.


Ceiling treatments?
Oui.
We are not fans of swirly texture and sparkles that bring
to mind 70's disco fever and satin.


i can't take my eyes off them

(Not that there is anything wrong with glittery bands
or shiny bomber jackets...but keep 'em off my ceilings.)


except for you, foxy Leif, even in easter yellow trousers you are welcome to grace our ceilings.

I'm willing to learn plastering 101 and spend
hours smoothing to get them right...ummm, I think.
I also thought moving TWICE was a good idea. Girlfriend will keep you posted.



What a relief to see this space without the cabinets!
I can almost see me and the sistas cooking in there!
That is an outright lie. I actually cannot imagine hanging in this space yet. True.


on this particular day, in a freak accident, i splattered homemade marinara all over our whites.

Lessons Learned in Week 7:
*We get by with a little help from our friends.

*A few days of carbonated holiness
(Anne Lamott's definition of laughter)
are a winning prescription for weary bones.

*With a partner in grime like my guy
(who is fearless and prettier than Leif Garrett)
when it comes to DIY, be prepared for
even more adventure than you planned.
Him: "Help me with this 3-ton section of scaffolding, Honey."
Me: "Sure." 
JUST BEFORE HER body by Mattel IS CRUSHED
BY A 3-TON SECTION OF SCAFFOLDING. OY OY OY.


Thank you for following, friends.

Please come join me
in this DIY adventure by
clicking here for all my fixer upper update posts!
(And thanks for subscribing here so you don't miss an episode.)

Coming soon:
SKIMCOATED CEILINGS?
OUR BIGGEST EXPENDITURE
PREPPING the KITCHEN FOR CABINETS

Peace to you right where you are.


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20 comments

  1. Michele, your pictures are so much fun! The white dresses are perfect for this occasion;) ~ marinara in all! Wow! So much progress is being made. It's exhausting but you just can't stop, right? You really have no idea the complexity of a project like this until you do it. SO many details!!! Our husband's are the same .. getting down and dirty with it all. People ask him if he knows how to ... put in cabinets and he says NOPE, but I will when I'm done;) Can you relate?


    xxL

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    1. i love your husband's attitude, leslie--that is awesome. my husband just goes for it and never considers whether he's over his head. i'm more of a chicken, but i have learned so much from him. thanks for reminding me you totally understand. :)

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  2. Your pics and witty narration tell a story of fun, love and adventure, I love a great before and after and I can tell yours will be amazing.....glad you are having fun in the process!!
    Signed a fellow Leif fan...yes we were to be married:)

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    1. i hope you're right, friend! wasn't he amazing? esp his role on 'family' with kristy mcnichol where he played that bad boy. your excellent taste even extends to teen idols!

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  3. This is so exciting! I get happy every time I see a notification of your post!

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    1. and your comments get me happy, karen. thank you.

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  4. I love your post and I must say your sista's are all gorgeous in white!!! I was wondering if you thought about using beadboard on your dining room ceiling, no texturing needed, the wider planks would look pretty cool in there, just a thought!!! Thanks for letting us follow along!!

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    1. i love the idea of planks on the ceiling. my only concern in the dining room is that it feels so boxy right now. thank you and keep those awesome ideas flowing my way. xox

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  5. What a fun post and so creative...cant wait to see the cabinets go in...hopefully the sauce came out of the white dresses!

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    1. thanks, julie. what a disaster that was, but a delicious meal we made!

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  6. Wow, your husband sure does get things done! Are you going to do open shelving in your kitchen? That's my dream to someday have...along with cement countertops:)

    Those Disco pics are hilarious! When I was little, living in England, there was a singer called Gary Glitter and I remember rushing home from school to see him on t.v. If I see pics of him now, I dry heave...he was hideous!

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    Replies
    1. gary glitter sounds familiar...that is scary. i plan to have some open shelves and have some vintage wood for that purpose, but i'm gonna also be flexible to let the plan unfold. thanks for adding to the fun, victoria!

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  7. Oh wow! It looks like it's really coming along! I can see openness, and can really visualize your beautiful style in the space. Pretty darn cool! I've also been enjoying the pics of ya'll crazy chicks all in white. Marinara sauce? no way....

    Cindy

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    1. fingers crossed, it comes together without too many hiccups, cindy. at this point, mama is gettin very nervous. no turning back now!

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  8. Well it's all coming along, looking forward to the big house warming party! Glamping with friends is the only way to unwind, platters of any sauce on you would never distract from your fun and most of all your beauty.

    Hang in there girl before to long we will be sharing the beauty of your Home Sweet Cottage Home.

    Xoxo

    Dore

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  9. could you be any sweeter? no, you could not. merci, friend.

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  10. Marinara sauce and white a perfect invitation for a little splatter! Love seeing you with your friends - so fun and your kitchen is going to be amazing. Such a great space…can't wait to follow along!!

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  11. Michele what a fun post you turned a lot or work into a lot of fun!!( I think I need a superman myself!!) Have a great weekend!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

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  12. Michele I know I sound like a broken record but honestly I can't believe how fast you guys are moving. What a true handyman your hubby is, electrical AND drywall? Drywall and texturing is not for beginners so wow, that's pretty impressive DIY stuff. And the photos are so inspiring. I have to remember how much fun before and after photos are, I get so bored with all our 'before' photos that I quit showing them. It's a nice reminder for me. The glamping looks like a great time, and the kind of "camping" I'd enjoy .....dressed in white and dining on pasta and wine :)
    hugs,
    Leslie

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  13. Go girls! You've done great job!
    Pippa, Bournemouth

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Your comments add to the beauty...thanks in advance for your kindness.

blogher

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