We got a little bit of work accomplished this weekend, but really there hasn't been much to blog about lately. Brandon found some storm windows a month or so ago on Craigslist that amazingly fit our windows...we thought we would have to order them custom but he's been watching the listings like a hawk...finally it paid off, and for a mere $25 each, we got enough storm windows to do all the windows on the sides of the house (the back already had them)! He cleaned and painted them today and got two installed on our bedroom windows. Of course, it took longer and was more difficult than expected, which I think is the first rule of DIY, am I right? The other two bedroom windows will have to wait, because an additional piece of trim is needed between them. I assisted minorly from inside the house, holding the windows (pretty lightweight) in place while Brandon attached them.
We've been decorating for Halloween, a little at a time. We're having a party on Halloween, and hoping to turn the "serial killer" basement into a haunted house! Some of you I've already added to the Evite, but if I missed you, just let me know.
Brandon spent part of yesterday working on a small bedside table for me...we bought it recently at a thrift store for $10. We think it began life as half (or a third?) of a vanity table. A cool idea to divide one up like that, but I just wonder where the other half is now?? It would nice to have both and use them on each side of the bed. Oh well.
Blogging for the immediate future may be sporadic...it's a little early to share our news, but we've been working on a little DIY side project. If everything goes well, as we hope and expect it to, you can soon follow our progress as we turn our current library/office into a nursery! Expect lots of photos of Grandma Patrice painting, I think ;) Morning sickness has my computer time limited these days...it's gotten better but makes blogging (checking email...driving...getting work done at work, etc.) difficult because I feel ill if I look at the screen too long. Will update as we know more!
Showing posts with label windows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label windows. Show all posts
12 October 2008
13 August 2008
aren't you supposed to finish one project before you start another?
So we haven't finished painting the trim yet (half of the front gable is still tan, half is green), or painted the porch, or built the patio, or painted the rockers. But we did take on a few more projects...kind of like insurance...to make sure we never run out.
We spent the weekend putting up our new 2" wood blinds (Big Lots rocks!). The color, while not quite "red oak," is nice and they do match the floors pretty well. We removed two of the curtains in the living room and moved the two remaining ones to the ends of the rod. It seems to open the room up a bit and it doesn't look so cluttered. It's nice to be able to just flip the blinds closed or open and not have to move the curtains back and forth so much.
We also went back to Scott's this weekend looking for bargains. We found some but ended up spending quite a bit more than we'd planned. We found two old metal chairs for the yard that need a lot of scraping and painting and rebolting and, well, you get the picture...anyway, we got them both for $50 (price tagged $95 for the pair)...and one's a rocker! They're the same pattern, too, which is nice. We want one of the old gliders, but haven't found one that's cheap enough yet. I also picked up an old shelf for the half bath from the same seller. The shelf is old and has been repaired, and wasn't great quality, but it has a nice carved art deco flower at the top and very elegant lines. It looks like it might be handmade, too.
The biggest (and hopefully best) find of the day is...drumroll....a new front door! It's Craftsman style, comes with the shelf, and has a six-light window in the top. It's made out of cedar, which isn't terribly Craftsman, at least in Georgia, but will match our cedar shingles and mailbox post quite nicely. We have to install the glass and stain it, and prepare it for hanging (I think it's time to give my dad a call) but we will be rid of the modern monstrosity of a door we have now.
I'll post photos soon!
We spent the weekend putting up our new 2" wood blinds (Big Lots rocks!). The color, while not quite "red oak," is nice and they do match the floors pretty well. We removed two of the curtains in the living room and moved the two remaining ones to the ends of the rod. It seems to open the room up a bit and it doesn't look so cluttered. It's nice to be able to just flip the blinds closed or open and not have to move the curtains back and forth so much.
We also went back to Scott's this weekend looking for bargains. We found some but ended up spending quite a bit more than we'd planned. We found two old metal chairs for the yard that need a lot of scraping and painting and rebolting and, well, you get the picture...anyway, we got them both for $50 (price tagged $95 for the pair)...and one's a rocker! They're the same pattern, too, which is nice. We want one of the old gliders, but haven't found one that's cheap enough yet. I also picked up an old shelf for the half bath from the same seller. The shelf is old and has been repaired, and wasn't great quality, but it has a nice carved art deco flower at the top and very elegant lines. It looks like it might be handmade, too.
The biggest (and hopefully best) find of the day is...drumroll....a new front door! It's Craftsman style, comes with the shelf, and has a six-light window in the top. It's made out of cedar, which isn't terribly Craftsman, at least in Georgia, but will match our cedar shingles and mailbox post quite nicely. We have to install the glass and stain it, and prepare it for hanging (I think it's time to give my dad a call) but we will be rid of the modern monstrosity of a door we have now.
I'll post photos soon!
27 July 2008
weekend update
Rather than do anything terribly constructive on Friday (Brandon's official last weekday off this summer before going back to work), we headed down to Fayetteville to check out a couple of estate sales. The first stop was a little sale here in East Point, and we got several goodies there.
A lawn chair frame for $10:
A magazine rack for $3:
We also found a print for $5, a silver water pitcher for $10 (not the best deal of the day) and a little shelf box thing that hangs on the wall for $2.
Saturday morning we headed over to Unity Park to clean up for the Block Party. Which isn't exactly a block party per se, since it's in a park and not on the block. We painted over the graffiti on the picnic table and swept away some mud and dirt. The party started around 5pm Saturday night, and managed to hang on despite a brief thunderstorm and a little rain. We didn't have a huge turnout--a lot of kids but no parents, and several adults with no kids--but we raised a little money for the neighborhood association, which was good. And I got a tour of a firetruck, so a day well spent ;) We also won the drawing for a gift certificate to a local pub, but have decided to share it with the rest of the block party planning team, and they totally deserve it.
Today we put up the blinds and cleaned a bit, then headed over to Westview to check it out (having finally just last week actually making it to West End and discovering that I live within minutes of a Krispy Kreme--life is complete now). We drove by Westview Bungalow, with me exclaiming, "That's it! That's Westview Bungalow!" like I had just seen a celebrity. Too funny. Cute house, guys! We've been kind of afraid to drive over there since we only heard about Westview after buying our house--and you can buy a gorgeous Craftsman there for a steal. We were happy to discover that while we liked the neighborhood, we were still perfectly happy with our little house in East Point. Westview is still a little edgier than EP, I think. Although our visitors probably think we are pretty edgy already. ;)
A lawn chair frame for $10:
A magazine rack for $3:
A painting for $5. I have dubbed it "Naked Accountant" because he seems to be doing paperwork and he also seems to have on yellow underpants and no actual pants. Maybe they are tennis shorts? We are accepting title suggestions.
We also found a print for $5, a silver water pitcher for $10 (not the best deal of the day) and a little shelf box thing that hangs on the wall for $2.
Then we stopped at Big Lots and found the rocking chairs, as well as an umbrella for the back yard. Also shown in this picture are the Adirondack footstools that Brandon found for $2.02 each at the thrift store! We also found white wood (and some faux wood) 2" blinds for a reasonable price, and we found enough for our bedroom. We also got one in a red oak color for the living room, and hope to find more at another store.
Saturday morning we headed over to Unity Park to clean up for the Block Party. Which isn't exactly a block party per se, since it's in a park and not on the block. We painted over the graffiti on the picnic table and swept away some mud and dirt. The party started around 5pm Saturday night, and managed to hang on despite a brief thunderstorm and a little rain. We didn't have a huge turnout--a lot of kids but no parents, and several adults with no kids--but we raised a little money for the neighborhood association, which was good. And I got a tour of a firetruck, so a day well spent ;) We also won the drawing for a gift certificate to a local pub, but have decided to share it with the rest of the block party planning team, and they totally deserve it.
Today we put up the blinds and cleaned a bit, then headed over to Westview to check it out (having finally just last week actually making it to West End and discovering that I live within minutes of a Krispy Kreme--life is complete now). We drove by Westview Bungalow, with me exclaiming, "That's it! That's Westview Bungalow!" like I had just seen a celebrity. Too funny. Cute house, guys! We've been kind of afraid to drive over there since we only heard about Westview after buying our house--and you can buy a gorgeous Craftsman there for a steal. We were happy to discover that while we liked the neighborhood, we were still perfectly happy with our little house in East Point. Westview is still a little edgier than EP, I think. Although our visitors probably think we are pretty edgy already. ;)
08 January 2008
one of my favorite things about this house
I love the sunlight in this house! I was watching tv the other day and a commercial came on with a kid running around this nice old house with lots of sunlight. I was envious for a second, and then looked up and realized that's what we have. Well, minus the running kid. At least for now.
Gecko does hang out in the dining room. Usually when the sun is right under that chair you see in the photo--that's his favorite spot!
03 October 2007
settling in
Other than the break-in, there's not much to report. We've been working in the yard, trying to keep the very back of the yard from returning to the jungle that we hear it once was. Brandon cleared a lot of vines, and cut down some more small trees (privet is EVIL), and on Sunday we hauled a lot of them to the street (finally).
Our pending projects include putting attic/roof vents back in, and then adding more insulation to the attic (we have less than an inch of blown insulation up there right now!). On Friday, the alarm guy comes to add more glass break detectors.
Fall is off to a gorgeous beginning, however, and we've been trying to get screens in all the windows so we can leave them when we're at home. Hoping to get some screen doors soon as well. Gecko's been enjoying the open windows, although we had to nail in some of the screens so Fat Boy won't push them out when he stretches out on the window sills.
In other Gecko news, he seems to have acquired fleas from somewhere--we're guessing from his vet visit last month. He's been becoming friends with JB (Jet Black), the cat from next door, but they only see each other through the window glass. They've only had cat to cat contact through the screen once, and I don't think that was enough to transfer fleas. When I say friends, I mean, they spend a lot of time yowling and puffing up their fur at each other. Kinda like when you put a mirror up to a beta fish. Well, most of the puffing was on Gecko's part; JB seems more laid-back.
Exciting times, these :)
Our pending projects include putting attic/roof vents back in, and then adding more insulation to the attic (we have less than an inch of blown insulation up there right now!). On Friday, the alarm guy comes to add more glass break detectors.
Fall is off to a gorgeous beginning, however, and we've been trying to get screens in all the windows so we can leave them when we're at home. Hoping to get some screen doors soon as well. Gecko's been enjoying the open windows, although we had to nail in some of the screens so Fat Boy won't push them out when he stretches out on the window sills.
In other Gecko news, he seems to have acquired fleas from somewhere--we're guessing from his vet visit last month. He's been becoming friends with JB (Jet Black), the cat from next door, but they only see each other through the window glass. They've only had cat to cat contact through the screen once, and I don't think that was enough to transfer fleas. When I say friends, I mean, they spend a lot of time yowling and puffing up their fur at each other. Kinda like when you put a mirror up to a beta fish. Well, most of the puffing was on Gecko's part; JB seems more laid-back.
Exciting times, these :)
01 October 2007
neighborhood initiation - CSI East Point?
Friday, I was on my lunch break, when the alarm company for the house called. The motion sensor had been triggered, and was everything okay or did they want me to send the police out? I hesitated, wondering if fat cat Gecko could have triggered the motion sensor? "Go ahead and send the police," I decided.
A few minutes later, I called the police dept. I told them what happened and asked if they had seen anything wrong at the house. They said, no, an officer went out and everything seemed okay. I thanked them, and then called the alarm company to see if I needed to go home and reset the alarm. They said that someone did need to go to the house to reset it, so a phone call to work saying I would be back asap, I was on my way home.
Before I got home, I called Mom so that I could have someone on the line while I checked out the house. Our next door neighbor is usually home, but I didn't see her car in the driveway. The house on the other side is for sale, so I knew that no one was there, either. I started walking around the outside of the house, checking all the windows on the house and basement. The side next to my neighbor checked out fine, so I went back across the front and started down the driveway side. I got all the way to the back of our bedroom, and realized something seemed odd. I could see the blinds inside the window really clearly. It took a second for me to realize that the screen was gone, along with the glass! As I backed up, it registered in my mind that there was a neatly stacked pile of glass on top of the garbage can, next to the window. I hurried back to my car, telling Mom what I'd seen and that I needed to call the police.
I called the police, waited, called Mom back, waited some more, finally called the police back. She had no record that I'd just called, but she remembered me from calling the first time to check on the house. She said she would send a car out. A few minutes later, one police car pulls in, followed by another, and another. The police get my keys and ask me to wait on the sidewalk. Brandon calls and says he's on his way home. The police check out the back of the house, but the chain on the back door keeps them from getting in without breaking it. So they go to the front porch. I see one of them draw her gun. I offer, feebly, "I have a cat...please don't shoot him..." I wait, and finally they yell for me to come reset the alarm--all is clear. Finally I get to go in the house and see how bad it is.
It appears they threw a rock through the window to see if the alarm would go off, and when it didn't, they carefully broke out the rest of the glass (stacking it on the trash can, I guess) and climbed on through (using our a/c unit as a step-up--what idiot put it next to the bedroom window?!?!). So the rock was on the floor, and Brandon's clothes were all over the floor as well. "Have you been in any fights recently, ma'am?" the officer asked. "Are you dating anyone, married? Any disputes with the neighbors? Was it like this when you left--was this clothing all over the floor?" I guess they have to ask the same questions of anyone, but damn, if I had been in a fight recently, wouldn't I have blamed them already? The questions seemed ridiculous, but I answered them. A few minutes later, two of the officers left, Brandon got home, and the fingerprint guy arrived in a big black "CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" van.
It seemed the only thing missing was a carved wooden box that sat on Brandon's bedside table. He had very little in, just some old coins, we think, but it belonged to his grandfather, who died when Brandon was young. Weird that they stole the box, but not the digital camera sitting next to it, or anything else in the room. Guessing it was two people, and the second one went out into the hall, setting off the alarm before they could grab anything else.
So, besides making a mess and scaring us a bit, we're all okay. I finally coaxed Gecko out from under the bed and after being a bit needy for a while, he seemed okay. Two alarm sirens in one day, a rock through the window, strange people in his house, and then cops with guns--a trying day for any kitty.
See photos below for the mess, after we started to clean it up and replace the window.
Broken glass...and the rock that was thrown.
View from inside bedroom into yard. Broken glass can be seen at upper part of window.
After we removed the glass, before new glass installed.
Close up of broken glass.
Mr. Fix-It, replacing the glass.
A few minutes later, I called the police dept. I told them what happened and asked if they had seen anything wrong at the house. They said, no, an officer went out and everything seemed okay. I thanked them, and then called the alarm company to see if I needed to go home and reset the alarm. They said that someone did need to go to the house to reset it, so a phone call to work saying I would be back asap, I was on my way home.
Before I got home, I called Mom so that I could have someone on the line while I checked out the house. Our next door neighbor is usually home, but I didn't see her car in the driveway. The house on the other side is for sale, so I knew that no one was there, either. I started walking around the outside of the house, checking all the windows on the house and basement. The side next to my neighbor checked out fine, so I went back across the front and started down the driveway side. I got all the way to the back of our bedroom, and realized something seemed odd. I could see the blinds inside the window really clearly. It took a second for me to realize that the screen was gone, along with the glass! As I backed up, it registered in my mind that there was a neatly stacked pile of glass on top of the garbage can, next to the window. I hurried back to my car, telling Mom what I'd seen and that I needed to call the police.
I called the police, waited, called Mom back, waited some more, finally called the police back. She had no record that I'd just called, but she remembered me from calling the first time to check on the house. She said she would send a car out. A few minutes later, one police car pulls in, followed by another, and another. The police get my keys and ask me to wait on the sidewalk. Brandon calls and says he's on his way home. The police check out the back of the house, but the chain on the back door keeps them from getting in without breaking it. So they go to the front porch. I see one of them draw her gun. I offer, feebly, "I have a cat...please don't shoot him..." I wait, and finally they yell for me to come reset the alarm--all is clear. Finally I get to go in the house and see how bad it is.
It appears they threw a rock through the window to see if the alarm would go off, and when it didn't, they carefully broke out the rest of the glass (stacking it on the trash can, I guess) and climbed on through (using our a/c unit as a step-up--what idiot put it next to the bedroom window?!?!). So the rock was on the floor, and Brandon's clothes were all over the floor as well. "Have you been in any fights recently, ma'am?" the officer asked. "Are you dating anyone, married? Any disputes with the neighbors? Was it like this when you left--was this clothing all over the floor?" I guess they have to ask the same questions of anyone, but damn, if I had been in a fight recently, wouldn't I have blamed them already? The questions seemed ridiculous, but I answered them. A few minutes later, two of the officers left, Brandon got home, and the fingerprint guy arrived in a big black "CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" van.
It seemed the only thing missing was a carved wooden box that sat on Brandon's bedside table. He had very little in, just some old coins, we think, but it belonged to his grandfather, who died when Brandon was young. Weird that they stole the box, but not the digital camera sitting next to it, or anything else in the room. Guessing it was two people, and the second one went out into the hall, setting off the alarm before they could grab anything else.
So, besides making a mess and scaring us a bit, we're all okay. I finally coaxed Gecko out from under the bed and after being a bit needy for a while, he seemed okay. Two alarm sirens in one day, a rock through the window, strange people in his house, and then cops with guns--a trying day for any kitty.
See photos below for the mess, after we started to clean it up and replace the window.
Broken glass...and the rock that was thrown.
View from inside bedroom into yard. Broken glass can be seen at upper part of window.
After we removed the glass, before new glass installed.
Close up of broken glass.
Mr. Fix-It, replacing the glass.
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