Summer Stuff

Can't believe how fast the summer is racing by.  Haven't had the paddle board out even once.  The house building is keeping us very busy, and all the other projects that go along with building. One thing I am so very, very thankful for is my son's graduation from the University of Edinburgh with his Doctorate of Philosophy.  They have an upcoming move to Cambridge, England for a 2 year position with the Tyndale House Research Library.  I hope to make a few visits while they are there.

Of course a graduation ceremony in Scotland calls for a kilt!

So thankful for my sweet daughter in law, who has worked so hard keeping up with the household and kids so he can study and complete this milestone.  She deserves congrats also.

Finally made a decision on the kitchen island and vanities for the new house.  We are going with knotty hickory with a driftwood stain.  Its a bit rustic, but we really love the look.

Right now the plan is a wood look tile for the bathrooms.  A contrasting color to the real hardwood in the other rooms.

So many decisions -- hardware, brick, shingles, etc.

Our brick is called Brompton by Acme.  We plan to use a buff mortar, and I really like the contrast of a roof shingle by Certainteed called Driftwood.

Almost all the walls are up.  Still to do the bonus room.  Trusses are late coming, hopefully this week we will see them going up.

So that's the status with our household.  Not any sewing getting done lately, but I'll get back into it when we move.  I still need to go through my sewing room to purge and organize.

It's coming up!

We are so excited.  My quilt studio -- is going to be awesome.  It is on the right back corner of the house and is bigger than any other single room.  :)

This is another view of it.  That big picture window is going to be great for letting in lots of light to sew by.

Garage entrance.

 Looking from the kitchen into the great room, dining room, front door, and hallway to bedroom and quilt studio.

We are just so thankful that we are able to build our forever home.

Paint, paint and more paint

I finished up the dining room set by doing the buffet also. I am thrilled with the results.

 I made the first pictures before I went back and filled in a little DIY taupe colored wax in the carvings.  I like the way it highlights them.  Although I think if I can find a light tan or taupe sharp point marker it would be better.  I'm afraid the wax might dry out.

I also tackled the old end tables in our living room.  When we built this house 16 years ago all of our wood furnishings were a mahogany reddish color. I'm enjoying refreshing them.

The hardware was spray painted black.

Over this past weekend I progressed to the two night stands in our bedroom.  There's that dark red wood again....

 Tops are stripped and bottoms chalk painted and distressed.  New hardware.

 I was kind of afraid it wouldn't be the same color as the king bed I built a couple of years ago, and it wasn't.  However, I like the creamy/hint of gray color (BM White Dove) in the night stands so I will be giving the bed a new coat of paint soon.

The new house will have a medium brown oak floor. The stripped wood is going to look so much better with that floor than the red stained wood.

Left to do is the big TV cabinet in our bedroom.  I dread it.  It is so huge. People say you can't give these things away now, but we have a 32" TV inside and use the interior drawers as a dresser.  I'd like to sand off the stain on the inside drawers and paint the rest. All the insides will show so I'll need to paint it all.  Can't imagine trying to strip/sand off the stain on all of it, although that would be my preference.

 It's a nice piece but that red stain.

 The inside won't be easy, but I think I can do it.  I've got new knobs like the night stands for it.

The thing is solid oak and weighs a ton.  I'll have to do it in the house which, again, won't be easy. The color doesn't look so red in these pictures, but back up to the comparison with our new floor and you see it.So yeah, I'm going a little nuts with all the white chalk paint around here, but I want the new place to be lighter and brighter.  The 'refreshing' saves me money on new furniture. I hope to add a few new or new to me pieces but not many.