Grati-Tuesday!

1. It could have been worse. . .

Much worse. Freakishly heavy rain in the wee hours of Friday morning plus the unsuccessful valiant efforts of our patio drain caused our house to flood. Fortunately it was contained to the master bathroom, kitchen and garage.

2. The master bathroom updating moved to the top of the list.

I look forward to new sinks, vanity, flooring...and finally getting rid of that horrible wallpaper!

Final Stage

Can it possibly be true that almost five months after Hurricane Ike all my repairs will be complete?! They are painting ceilings, baseboards and sheetrock-ing this week. Thus begins the "fun" next week of trying to get the rest of my MY MY money back from the mortgage company. Sort of like the stimulus plan of the hurricane type (if you listen to talk radio). . . Not that I do all the time, I really enjoy Dennis Miller's show and then the station before and afterwards has the crazies on in the interim.

Floors - Before and After. . .

Last stop - ceilings and painting!

Git'cher Grout On!

Feeling woozy from the grout sealant! This from a girl who used to love the smell of mimeograph test sheets back in elementary school. Hoo-eey!

Time to go wipe off and do the last section. Hit me again!

Sandra Betzina Today's Fit OOP Butterick 3124 - Developing. . .

Doesn't that sound "Drudge-like"?! I'm still tweaking this top. And think I understand why Butterick no longer does Today's Fit. Unless we define "Fit" as a tantrum. Let's start with something positive: Love the V neckline. Flat, good depth, doesn't flop about. But be forewarned...If you are over 4 feet tall, you will have to lengthen, lengthen, lengthen this pattern. Kidding about the height requirement, but true this pattern runs short, really short. I added 3" to the sleeves and feel the need next time to add almost 2" more. Added 3" to the back. And correspondingly added 3" to the front, but it was still not long enough in the front. Evidently Sandra didn't make the same adjustments as she does for her Vogue line wherein the extra front length is already incorporated. So I added 1" to the center front, tapering to 1/2" at the sides and it all matched up. Much better. The dart - that's giving me fits. First it was too shallow. When I basted it all together, it looked like several darts were trying to form alongside it. There's too much fabric, too much pull at the underarm. Plus the dart as is was too low. I'm readjusting the dart depth and direction. But between all the disruption, tiling fun and "the water faucet outside broke off and we can't turn it off..." I decided to put this aside until later today...

Update #1: New outside water faucet.

Update #2: Stove is hooked back up, washer/dryer still in dining room, pending baseboard replacement on Saturday. Rather bake than do laundry anyway.

So Sew!

When your washer and dryer are sitting in the dining room, along with half of the pantry emptied on the table and the stove disconnected, too. The tile installers are on their way. Very good excuses to go sew and go out for dinner later.

Update #1: The refrigerator is in the living room and the stove is in the garage. You never want these things until you can't have them! Well, except for the refrigerator and it is step-saving. Trying to keep a positive spin! I am working on Butterick 3124, an OOP Sandra Betzina Today's Fit top. Love it so far!

Update #2: This isn't HGTV, it's Comedy Central!

Spot on, Target!

In anticipation of my fence getting repaired sooner than later (the adjuster came out today - yay!), and acknowledgement of my home dec skills, I found and ordered another Waverly sheer panel from Target.com. Even though the stores themselves may clearance out items, you can sometimes luck out and find more online. So if I average $3.74 and $14.99 (plus reasonable shipping, I was shocked it was that low), I'm still coming out well and keeping sanity intact instead of trying to "couture" my windows.

Soon to be appearing on HGTV!

Or not! This is what happens when your original plans for cafe style curtain "window treatment" gets waylaid by Hurricane Ike and a fence falling down. I found two Waverly red-tagged orphans at Target last year ($3.74 and $9.58) after the living room was painted. And due to procrastination and my lack of a home dec sewing gene, I never got around to covering that second living room window. It was protected from public view by the former fence and I liked the sun and light. Not so when people can see right into your house now. I like the second more asymmetrical look. Once the fence is repaired -- the adjuster comes out next week! -- I'll shorten and redesign the treatment. But in the meantime don't you think it kind of makes a statement beyond WTH?! Boldly combining color and texture! Or she really needs two of each not one of each, but good try!? Beyond all compare, I'd rather sew clothes instead.

House Updating - Dining Room Curtains

L found these at Target yesterday, they are from the Global Home section. Very light, with a touch of gold metallic, very cool!

I sought professional help

Mere mortals such as my husband and I could not have done all the updating ourselves...and survived (the house and us). HGTV be damned

Not only did I have C paint, but also -- replace the front window sill, repair the drywall (don't ask, don't tell), install the new dining room light, take down mini's/put up curtain rods and bamboo shade, reinforce closet and kitchen shelves (that support screw was only in 1/4" - yikes!), blow out the dryer vent (yikes again!)...money very well spent! My admiration to those who do, but we don't have the tools nor the expertise, and facing reality with pictures of the presidents is the first step towards our happy home.

House Updating - Colors

Left: Dining room accent wall -- Mysterious Mauve (SW 6262) -- depending upon the light, it looks gray, steel blue or purple-y

Center: Hallway, living room, dining room -- Lemongrass (SW 7732)

Right: L's room - Ash Violet (SW 6549)

All paints are Sherwin-Williams

House updating - It's curtains for us!

Adios mini blinds!

Gracias to Target for the curtain rods and the WAVERLY curtains! On clearance, cheaper to buy ready made than to make. For the side window, I'll combine one or both or all of the other packages to make a pretty cafe-type curtain.

I'm really not into home dec sewing, and if I can take the easy (and cheap!) way out, I will and do. (The front sheers are not pink, as the photo makes them look. They are actually a weave of the green and gray/purple.)

House updating - Dining room light edition

buh-bye circa 1986 dining room light ---------->

Hello 2007!

Liquid Plumber Helper

Note to self: Do not use Liquid Plumber after showering when you have a wet (heavy) towel on the shower head hook, just in case it may slip off and land on the drain! Thought I do like the "dappled sunlight" effect on the practically new sage green towel. Good thing!

Colors

Finally we are taking the plunge away from "eggshell white" walls into color. The walls in the living room, dining room and hallway will be Suffolk Tan, which looks a little greenish - the top color on the lower right strip. A friend suggested doing one wall of the dining room in red as an accent and we are trying to decide which one. I don't want to go too pinky nor too wine lipstick red. Looking right now from the couch and afternoon sunlight, I'm leaning towards the bottom 2 middle strip colors - and the bottom 2 colors of the strip next to it on the left. They look just about the same! Or the big square swatch.