Live the Home Life

Cabby Talk…again

2012-02-13T13:15:00.001-06:00

At the risk of running away every blog reader I’ve accumulated over the past 2 1/2 years of my blogging life (Mom included), yet another cabinet painting post is coming at you on this fine Monday. I want nothing more than to post about something—anything—other than paintbrushes and dry times, but this is all my oil-based paint fume infused brain has to offer.

The good news is just one more coat and these cabbies are a wrap! By tomorrow, just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’ll be breaking up with my Sherwin Williams paint can. My trusted companion and beloved partner in rehabbing crime. Check ya later.

While this project has been almost a week in the making—one coat of primer and two coats of paint—I did cut down on time by keeping the doors hung while painting. Once the bases were painted and 100% dry, I got to work on the doors. Instead of taking them off to lay flat, priming one side, waiting a day to dry, flipping, priming the other side, waiting a day to dry, flipping, first coat of paint, waiting a day to dry, flipping…you get the gist…I was able to knock out a coat on both sides of the cabinet doors each day. Sure this took a bit more care to avoid drips but well worth the time saved.

Rehabber beware: Since the doors had to remain open while they dried, you do run the risk of freaking yourself out when you stumble into the kitchen in the middle of the night for a glass of water and find yourself in the middle of the scary movie scene where the tricky ghost opens every cabinet door in the kitchen.

Just a little more dry time and I’m ready to put the box of cabinet pulls to work…and kick the paintbrush to the curb. Mainly the paintbrush part.

Only read if you want to feel good about your life…

2012-02-10T15:22:00.001-06:00

It’s Friday and who doesn’t feel good about a Friday? Let’s just go ahead and push you over the edge of happiness while making you feel extra enthusiastic about your tidy house…What’s that? Don’t think your house qualifies as clean & clutter free? Compared to the wreckage I’m living in, I’m willing to bet 10 out of 10 germaphobes would rather lick cake batter off of your living room floors than set foot in mine.

Wanna know the best part? I’m hosting a wedding shower a week from Saturday AT. MY. HOUSE.

Shakin’ Things Up

2012-02-09T13:44:00.001-06:00

My kitchen reno is rolling right along and I’m shakin’ my tail feather over here in celebration of my brand spankin’ new shaker-style cabinet doors and drawer fronts that were installed this morning.

I mean, really? Not even painted yet and I’m already spotting a huge improvement from my dark, depressing kitchen a few weeks ago in its before state…

Now it’s time to get my paint on in a big way to really bring this kitchen from dark and dated to light and sleek.

My wonderful cabinet maker also left me with a few of the original drawer pulls. I’ll need to put these little cuties to work in some way…but I think I’ll spare my new light and bright kitchen from their presence.

It’s that time again…

2012-02-08T08:46:00.001-06:00

Time to weave paint removal from hair/nails back into my daily beauty routine. In other words, my kitchen cabinets are primed and ready for the new shaker door fronts to be installed tomorrow. While one coat of white primer isn’t the most stunning transformation, priming the cabinets has started to give me a good visual of what my kitchen will look like with lighter cabinets. I’m getting giddy over here.

Cue the inspiration!…

Yeah, buddy. That’s what I’m talking about…but before I could put my paintbrush to work, another prep work assignment was given to me by my countertop fellow.

The old (pink) laminate countertops had an overhang that my sleek new quartz counters will not, so in order to save myself the trouble of having to go back and paint over the patch of wood where the overhang once was after my new counters are installed, a bit more demo was needed…

Using a hammer, the overhang was easily plucked from the rest of the countertop.

Dishwasher arrives today. Cabinet doors installed tomorrow. I’m smiling from ear to ear.

Goodbyes and Lies

2012-02-06T09:20:00.000-06:00

They’re outta here! You’d think that after all of the fond memories I made burning dinners with these guys I’d be a little more sentimental about seeing my ultra-1960s appliances spreading their wings and moving on to a better place…but let’s get real.

FYI: Habitat for Humanity showed up on time to pick up household items…and leaves you with a tax receipt…and lies to you and tells you your house looks nice when any fool can see your sawdust-covered floors haven’t been swept in close to a month. Now that’s customer service.

Good Reads: Roost

2012-02-03T09:16:00.001-06:00

I was excited to find out about Boston magazine’s new brainchild of a blog, Roost—another home design blog to occupy my life? Clearly, I’m in—but when I caught wind of designer Fernanda Bourlot’s neutral dream of a home decor store featured on the Roost, I was smitten. God bless a neutral. I have a slight obsession with white rooms (as my pinterest followers would agree) and Bourlot’s home shop, Simplemente Bianco, is just overflowing with nics and nacs that I could pile into my future white room by the truckload.

Check it out…

I mean, really? As I type, I am already plucking chairs and pillows from those photos and mentally situating them in my living room. Time to go to Boston.

Happy Friday, friends! Have great weekend. I’ll be priming kitchen cabinets, but you make sure to get out and have a little fun for me.

Prepping the Prepper for Prep Work

2012-02-02T14:49:00.001-06:00

With the excitement of cabinet door install day dancing over my head as I tried to sleep last night, I woke up extra early to make sure my kitchen was prepped and ready for my handy cabinet maker to get right to work…until I realized that he wasn’t scheduled to come over this Thursday but next Thursday. Holy disappointment. I was ready for the instant gratification that a cabinet door and drawer front install would bring.

So until then, sitting around twiddling my DIY thumbs is not an option. It’s back to the kitchen checklist to see what needs to be accomplished over the next week.

Done, son…

Demo
Cabinet bases reconstructed
Old hardware screw holes filled and sanded
Countertops ordered
Range & microwave/hood delivered

In progress and completely out of my control…

New cabinet doors & drawer fronts
Countertops

Geez, Cara. Hurry up and get on that already…

Prime cabinet boxes
Choose paint color for cabinets
Install/replace electrical receptacles for appliances

So getting a head start priming the cabinet boxes it is. I am 100% positive those of you who have ever painted kitchen cabinets before just let out a collective “uuuugggghhhhhh” after reading those words and I’m joining right in with you. Patience be with me this weekend.

…and yes, the coffee pot weaseled its way back into the construction site. I have a feeling he may be needed for this task when it’s still too early in the day to pop open a bottle of wine.

It’s all in the details…

2012-02-01T14:31:00.001-06:00

The boring, unglamorous details.

Now that I’m in the full kitchen remodel swing of things—I’m talking the entire contents of my pantry in the dining room and kitchen appliances stacked in the living room—it feels really good checking the big items off of my to-do list. Countertops ordered? Check. Cabinet making in progress? Done, son. But I’ve quickly come to realize (or quickly forced myself out of denial about) the ten little tiny steps that come along with every big kitchen remodel milestone.

For example…before my helpful cabinet fella could start hanging my lovely new cabinet doors, all of the screw holes from the old hinges had to be filled. Simple enough but one more tiny hurdle to leap over nonetheless.

So using a little wood filler I already had laying around from a previous project, I scooted myself into the kitchen and got to work filling…

Once dry, a few swipes with medium grit sandpaper…

…a once over with a clean cloth to remove the dust left behind…

…and the holes are filled and ready for priming.

One mini-project down…more than I’m able to count on my fingers and toes to go.

No Alvins Allowed

2012-01-31T08:41:00.000-06:00

One of the serious perks of my job is that I am able to spend a good chunk of my time working from right here…

You can even make out where my caboose has made a clearly identifiable indention in the couch cushion…lovely.

Other than when I’m out and about running around showing houses, as long as I have my laptop close by and my cell phone even closer by, I can work from just about anywhere. Pretty great right? Absolutely, but don’t go getting the idea that working from home means lounging in PJs until noon with the TV blaring. Work still has to get done and I’m not the only one with business on the brain. My little June bug works her little tail off from sun up to sun down.

You see, while I’m typing away from my perch, June’s on a mission of her own. A mission to kill.

Notice anything particularly schnauzer intriguing in this photo? (Pardon the gutter-cleaning debris, friends.)…

Oh yeah, baby. We have a chipmunk living underneath the back patio. A chipmunk who June has had her eye on for the past two years and who I may or may not refer to as Chip-y Munk-y.

I’m fairly positive June’s sole purpose for existing is to protect our house from Chip-y Munk-y. The second the sun rises? She’s looking for Chip-y Munk-y. Before she takes care of business (you know what I mean here)? She’s sniffing around Chip-y Munk-y’s front door/hole in the ground to see if he’s home. She’s even gone so far as to rip a section of guttering off the side of the house when she saw Chip-y Munk-y scurry up it. That was a fun experience.

It may seem like a fruitless task, but for June, a tiny chipmunk head on a silver platter is the stuff dreams are made of. And for me, Chip-y Munky is one hell of a puppy sitter.

Heating Things Up

2012-01-30T11:14:00.001-06:00

Remember the one time I went two whole years living in this construction site of mine without a microwave? I do, and during the span of 24 months, a girl gets pretty used to heating up leftovers in the oven and actually putting a tea kettle to good use (think dark ages)…but when all appliances are plucked from your kitchen thanks to a remodel and cold sandwiches and takeout become the norm, that girl begins to dream of the day new appliances would join in on all this rehabbing fun…especially that microwave I’ve become to so accustomed to living without.

Friends and family have threatened to buy me a countertop microwave for every birthday & Christmas since I’ve moved into my house, but I’ve refused for three main reasons:

1. Countertop clutter makes me itch with anxiety. The last thing I needed was a chunky appliance hanging out in the corner of my kitchen taking up precious counter space.

2. The master plan from the second I closed on my house was to mount a microwave hood above the range once I kicked off the kitchen remodel, so a microwave hanging out on my kitchen counter would be a complete waste and one more thing I’d have to get rid of during the overhaul.

3. I am stubborn. If I suddenly find that I can’t live without a microwave, I’ll buy one myself.

…Which is exactly what happened. You’ve never seen a girl so excited about the delivery of two cardboard boxes. This is a fact.

My range can remain snug in its box for a little while longer, but that microwave? It had to come out pronto. Even though I’m not quite ready to mount that bad boy, EZ mac is calling…

...and there is no better place to whip up a bowl of instant mac & cheese than in the middle of a living room.

Friday Recap

2012-01-27T10:17:00.001-06:00

Whew! It’s been a week covered in sawdust and knee deep in rusty nails. You’d think the mess would drive me crazy but the hardest part without a question was keeping little schnauzer paws from tiptoeing their way into the construction site. A pretty simple fix once I moved her treat jar from the kitchen…oops.

It’s hard to believe (and certainly worthy of a happy dance) that in just under a week, my kitchen has gone from dark-dated-cabinets-with-pink-counters-and-grouchy-half-a-century-old-appliances-with-a-mind-of-their-own…

…to a full blown construction site with reconstructed-cabinet-boxes-still-naked-without-doors-and-a-handful-of-live-wires-snaking-from-the-walls…

So what’s on the agenda for next week? New shaker style cabinet door install, delivery of 2/3 of the new appliances and ordering countertops.

That’s right, pinky. You’re next.

Lessons from the Construction Site

2012-01-26T13:00:00.001-06:00

Cabinet Construction: Day 1 was hands down the best day of 2012 so far. Not only was it the first day my broken down kitchen took off on its newfound journey to beauty, but it also brought with it a few self-awareness “ah-ha” moments:

Hold on tight and never let go. When you find a cabinet maker who doesn’t think you are insane (or at least controls his facial expressions enough not to show it if he in fact does think you need to be highly medicated) when you whip out your make believe sketch, you know you’ve found a winner.

Project envy is real. It kills me that I can’t join in on this phase of kitchen remodel, but glad I’m smart enough to leave this one to the pros.

Time is ticking. While I’m super pumped to check cabinets off of my to-do list, an increasing level of fear is beginning to creep up on me as I inch closer to the knocking-a-big-ole-hole-in-the-wall portion of this revamp. Maybe it’s the mess that awaits—as if my kitchen wasn’t already a mega disaster zone—or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve never taken on a hole punching DIY before, but I’m shakin’ in my work boots over here…don’t worry. I don’t actually have a pair of real work boots. That would just be a bit too far over the line.

Amateur Hour

2012-01-25T10:23:00.001-06:00

Today the sweet, sweet sounds of cabinet making are pouring out of my kitchen. (That sounded a little dirty and I liked it.) Cue the progress pics!…

Ok, so technically no new cabinetry has been installed yet BUT these demo pics do provide me with the perfect segue into something this blog has been missing all too much lately. An amateur sketch, of course!

Here we go. Prepare yourself for a terrible representation that I am nonetheless still patting myself on the back for of what this chunk of my kitchen will look like when all is said and done…

New cabinetry? A real live microwave? An oven that doesn’t decide on its own what temperature it will cook muffins even though you clearly told it to hang tight at 400 degrees?

Yeah, buddy. Things are looking up.

Breakin’ It Down

2012-01-23T09:11:00.001-06:00

Over the past few weeks, with kitchen remodel on the forefront of my mind, my world has consisted of researching, number crunching, color sampling, and timeline assembling. Enough with the planning already. It’s time to make full use of my favorite dirty little four letter word: demo, baby.

Very fortunately for me, the original boxes of my kitchen cabinets are still in great shape, so most of my cabinets will only have to be refaced with new doors and drawer fronts, eliminating the need for complete gutting. (Can I get a Hallelujah?!) However, since I am planning to create a new entrance connecting the laundry room to the kitchen, the section of cabinetry containing the wall oven/cook top has to be entirely annihilated and reworked to accommodate the new opening.

Nothing a screwdriver, jigsaw, and hammer couldn’t take care of on a Sunday night…

My hand to the home gods, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

Two of these things are not like the others…

2012-01-19T13:58:00.001-06:00

Can you spot the differences between the two kitchen mood boards below? I’ll give you a hint: The wall color, backsplash, appliances, lighting and cabinets are still the same…

If you guessed that I finally forced myself to commit to countertops and cabinet pulls after hours of research and countless bottles of wine, you are 100% correct!

Simply simple brushed nickel pulls from eBay will suit my kitchen just fine…as did the $1.00 a piece price tag.

The countertops were a much more difficult (and much more expensive) decision. I’ve been struggling over the counter dilemma since I dedicated my home loving heart to revamping my kitchen. I knew I wanted a solid surface but was less than enthralled over my choices of granite. Don’t get me wrong, granite is fab for sure, but I wanted color less streaky/spotty/swirly/speckled-y and more uniform. Just the job for quartz. And who knows? My Silestone quartz counters in Toffee may actually make me want to cook in my new kitchen when all is said and done. Doubtful, but still a possibility.

Woo hoo! Two more decisions checked off the to-do list. Progress, friends. Progress.

I’ve Seen the Light…

2012-01-18T14:35:00.001-06:00

Like many ranch styles homes of the 1950s & 60s, when my house was built some half a century ago, light fixtures that make you want to pop your eyeballs right out of their sockets were all the rage. Over the past couple of years, I’ve gone room by room plucking the old lighting and bringing in the new, but a couple of eye sores still remained. Like this creature lurking in my hallway…

I mean, really? What is that? Whatever it was it was high time it found a new home in the trashcan. Not only was is ugly and clearly missing a part or two, but it hardly put out any light worth mentioning. Since it could only be up from here, a lovely little $12.00 brushed nickel light would be a huge improvement AND it even came with its own light bulb. Definitely my lucky day.

I knew this project wouldn’t be quite as simple as the light fixture change outs I’ve done in the past. Based on my limited knowledge of light fixtures, I could already tell that the electrical box was not flush (enough) with the ceiling to attach the new fixture. In fact, there was no electrical box at all since all of the wiring was housed in the old fixture. So once the old fixture was removed (with power turned off, of course), I attached two pieces of scrap wood to the opening and mounted a new electrical box to the wood with a couple of screws. (Note: This blue electrical box is technically used for wall mount fixtures, but it’s an electrical box nonetheless and would get the job done and house my wires safely…and save me a trip to the hardware store since I already had it laying around. Besides, what fun is a DIY project without a little rigging anyway?)

Once the electrical box was secure, I followed the easy breezy instructions and this light fixture swap was a wrap. Much better.

Kitchen Mood Board

2012-01-16T14:08:00.001-06:00

One of my absolute favorite parts of any room redesign is putting together a mood board for the space. A designated spot to store all of the ideas that rattle around in my brain. Even though any one mood board I throw together undergoes 1,000+ changes before the room is complete, a mood board is a great way to not only keep track of what I like but also (and most importantly) it’s one of the best ways to see what all of my ideas will look like together. So let’s do it. Here’s my kitchen mood board to date…

1. Wall color: Rice Grain by Sherwin Williams is one of my favorites and was a no brainer choice when it came to my kitchen. A great neutral with the tiniest smidge of green. Love it.

2. Backsplash: White subway tile was the winner from the get-go. It’s tough to go wrong with this one.

3. Appliances: For my kitchen, I need good quality but not over-the-top crazy expensive stainless appliances. Already checked off my my to-list and loading on the delivery truck soon.

4. Lighting: The perfect little brushed nickel pendant light for over the kitchen sink.

5. Cabinets: White shaker cabinets will be shakin’ their way into my kitchen very soon.

6: The unmentionables:…still on the fence with countertops, cabinet hardware and floor tile so more changes to the mood board are on the way!

Nipping it in the bundt…

2012-01-13T13:46:00.001-06:00

Taking time this week to slowly clean out my kitchen before I launch into full remodel mode has not only given me the (much needed) chance to get rid of a few cabinet cluttering items but also forced me to realize just how many of those items I’ve never used. Not once…until now. I’ve decided to finally put a few of my neglected kitchen accessories to work. Like this bundt pan. While never utilized it for actual baking, it doubles an en excellent pit stop for old light switches and stray screws ultimately destined for the trashcan after the great outlet/light switch switcheroo is a wrap.

Happy Friday, y’all!

How To…Replace an Electrical Outlet

2012-01-11T16:29:00.001-06:00

Note to the reader: Just to be on the safe side (and to protect my conscience from becoming overwhelmed with guilt when you electrocute yourself) no two houses are wired exactly the same and my experience with replacing outlets may not match up exactly to what needs to be done at your own construction site…now that we have that out of the way, let’s get down to DIY business.

I wanted to replace all of the outlets in my house for a number of reasons, but mainly because they were all two prong outlets instead of three and most importantly, I was not a fan of the ancient manila hue. An unsightly hassle that needed to be corrected.

When I updated my bathrooms, I replaced the original electrical outlets with GFCI outlets (the funny looking ones with the red buttons) since building code require them in all wet areas, but for general around the house bedroom/bathroom/living room outlets, a simple switch with a 15 amp/125 volt receptacle should do the trick. If you are unsure which type of receptacle you need, take an old one into the hardware store and a friendly employee should be able to help you figure out exactly what you need.

Before I began, I turned off all of the electricity in my house. I’m a big chicken and don’t trust just turning off a breaker or two. Then using a volt tester, I double checked to make sure the outlets were not still live. Then, using a screwdriver, I removed the cover plate…

…and detached the old outlet from the electrical box inside the wall.

Loosened the screws on either side of the outlet to release the wires…

Newer outlets usually have instructions on the back outlining where the black (hot) and white (neutral) wires should be reattached.

Loop the wires around their designated screw and tighten to secure into place.

Then gently push the outlet back into place, reattach to the electrical box and secure the cover plate. Easy as pie and once you get the hang of it, this DIY shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes per outlet.

But wait! What happens when you stumble across an outlet with not one but two white wires and two black wires? No worries. That’s why they give you two screws on each side of the outlet. Crisis averted.

Kitchen Cleanout

2012-01-10T14:57:00.001-06:00

With a kitchen revamp in my near future, a necessary cabinet cleanout was eminent. Doing my best to plan ahead for the weeks to come, I’m trying to sort my kitchen gear into piles (and more piles) based on what I should keep, what I should toss, and what I will need to easily access during the remodel…so far the only item in the last category is my coffee pot. Sounds about right.

(More) Table Talk

2012-01-09T16:44:00.001-06:00

Hands down, one of my favorite monthly reads is House Beautiful…and while it’s true that I’m hard pressed to find a home centered magazine I don’t like, this one is still a winner, with one of my favorite tidbits being the Send Us a Picture section where readers send in photos of what’s happening around their own casa. I absolutely love seeing the different styles of real people from all over the country and not just the fabulously facelifted concoctions of legit interior designers.

This month’s Send Us a Picture was especially fun for my furniture flipping heart since it featured more than one rehabbed table that had been given new life…

…Not to mention sent me straight down memory lane revisiting all of the rehabbed and repurposed tables laying around my own place.

What Where When Why…

2012-01-05T13:32:00.001-06:00

What: One last look at my kitchen in its before state.

Where: The happiest little construction site on earth.

When: This morning.

Why: Architect dad approved my kitchen plans last night and gave me the thumbs up to start tearing it to pieces.

I’m loading up and heading to Dallas to watch the Razorbacks run away with the Cotton Bowl. Go Hogs and see you Monday!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes…

2012-01-04T10:51:00.001-06:00

It’s amazing how one visit from a plumber can turn your entire construction site upside down and also prove the importance of planning ahead. During my plumber pal’s visit, it was decided that the best plan of action would be to move the planned doorway connecting my laundry room from here…

…to here…

Fine by me since that was my original thinking when I signed my name on the dotted line and made this 1960s kitchen my very own two years ago…and not to mention this change will save me a penny or two when it comes to paying the cabinet fella, since he won’t have to build an entirely new chunk of cabinetry to house my range.

Goodness it feels good to inch my way closer to finalizing the layout for this kitchen/laundry room project! But just to make extra special sure I’m moving in the right direction, it’s time to bring in the big guns (in the form of my architect dad) to go over my game plan. Stay tuned. Hopefully my kitchen dreams will still be in tact.

The Kitchen Plan, Stan: Take 1

2012-01-03T15:01:00.001-06:00

If I’ve learned one thing as a Realtor, it’s that buyers prefer to buy houses where they don’t have to actually go outside to switch out a load of laundry. Unfortunately, my laundry room as is doesn’t quite fit the bill. In order to access my laundry room, I have to go out my kitchen door, into the carport and then into my laundry room like so…

A completely finished space in need of a little paint and polish, but entirely cut off from the rest of the house. To be a good Realtor and properly prep my house for resale down the road, it would be wise of me to go ahead and connect my kitchen and laundry room while I’m already getting down and dirty with a kitchen revamp.

By taking out a few cabinets and flip-flopping my washer and dryer to the adjacent wall of my laundry room, there should be just enough room for a doorway. Should be. Fingers crossed.

The Before Story: The Kitchen

2012-01-02T13:22:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, y’all! Around these parts a new year brings a new project. It’s time to tackle this bad boy…

So what’s the plan? I’m still working on that part, but I do know the overall goal is to combine my kitchen and laundry room and rid this space of all traces of the 1960s. Here’s all I’ve had time to extract from my scattered DIY train of thought and throw down onto paper. I figure I’ll have plenty of time to think while I pack up dishes…

One thing is for sure. The next couple of months will be filled with saw dust and takeout and I could not be more excited.

A Year in Review

2011-12-30T13:29:00.001-06:00

Happy (almost) new year, y’all!

With so many posts popping up on Live the Home Life over the last 365 days, I thought it only fitting to take today to go back through and revisit a few favorites. Sure, I could have just picked a handful of the most widely read posts, but since I rule the roost around here, I decided to take my own little trip down memory lane and pull my favorite posts from each month of 2011.

(Hint, hint: to read the entire post for a particular month, just click on one of the pics included.)

Most of the time I keep a pretty tidy closet, but with the new year in full swing and an organizational resolution hanging over my head, it felt amazing to put the finishing touches on my closet by designating the wasted space high above the top shelf for purses.

There is nothing like a good furniture flip to get my heart racing, so when Christie sent a photo of her four poster bed my way, I had a blast putting together a game plan for her to tackle this simple rehab on her own…and with so much snow keeping me home-bound, I was itching for ways to keep from a serious case of cabin fever.

Not once have I ever claimed to be a green thumb and proof was in the pudding when I did a round up of the state of my yard last spring as compared to the previous year. Pitiful is the only word that comes to mind.

After picking up this dirty little arm chair for just a few bucks, it was fun sharing the entire reupholster process from start to finish. Now happily perched in my guest bedroom, this arm chair rehab was definitely one of my favorites.

Oh boy. May was a fun month—mainly because my friends at At Home in Arkansas magazine know how to flatter a girl senseless. Not only did I hop on board as a monthly guest blogger for At Home’s blog, but they also thought me presentable enough to feature in their May issue.

Nearly a year and a half after moving into my house, I decided it was time to take the pile of 35 keys the previous owner left behind and sort through which key went to which lock. Sure, I could have (and probably should have) just changed all of the locks but what fun would that have been?

Oh! This was the month of recreating the fabulous DIY light fixture that I stole from fellow blogger, Vintage Revivals! Such a fun project.

August kicked of the month of checking entire rooms of my house off of my to-do list with the completion of my den. With rehabbed furniture and DIY projects galore, this project was a wrap for around $200.

With so much rehabbing going on in the month of September it was mighty difficult to pick just one favorite…I’m lying to you. It was perfectly clear which furniture flip stole my heart this month.

The first post of the month took the cake with my master bath before & after reveal. Not only was this project a wrap but it turned out exactly how I had hoped.

Fresh off of a major bathroom overhaul, November brought with it another bathroom revamp. With just a few dollars and a bit of elbow grease, my 1960s pink beauty of a guest bath underwent a much needed facelift.

I’m no stranger to hauling otherss trash from the side of the road to take home and make into my own treasure, so when I found, not one, but two Christmas trees tossed to the curb by a neighbor over the summer, I loaded both of them up and shoved them into my attic for safe keeping until the holiday season arrived. However, when it came time to actually put the trees to good use, I quickly figured out why the fake firs were shivering by the curb in the first place.

That’s it, y’all! 2011 in a nutshell. So what’s in store for 2012? I have a few ideas tucked away in my tool belt, so check back in with me next year to see what’s next in line to be pulled apart and put back together again around this construction site of mine.

Happy New Year!

…and a big thank you to all of the wonderful friends who’ve linked up to LTHL. Big snuggles and even bigger smooches!

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Providence Ltd Interior Design
Quaint Oaks
Rachael Jones’ Blog
Rambles with Reese
Remodel This House
Re-Nest
Renovation Rants
Show Home Staging & Design
Simple Tips for Life
Splendid Twenties
Sweet Tea Magnolia
Take Life with a Grain of Chocolate
Tearing Up Houses
That’s What She Said
The Buies
The Cape on the Corner
The Dooses
The Deacons
The Divine Mrs. EM
The Flipping Couple
The Good Life
The Hopper House
The Jones Family
The Lowe Down
The Married Life Diaries
The McNulty Family
The Muddy Truth
The Phillips Pham
The Road to Delightful
The Rich Hard Life & Sons
The Secret of the Spoiled Laboradors
Two Dogs & a House
Two Poms and a House
UAMesSing It Up
Well Nested Home
Zesty Nest

Before & After: Dining Table

2011-12-27T13:25:00.001-06:00

When I stumbled upon this find a few weeks ago, I knew for less than its $20 price tag, this junker of a dining table could be rehabbed into something fabulous.

So home with me it came. After disassembling the base from the table top, the legs were treated to a coat of oil-based primer and two coats of white paint.

The second step of this rehab moved me outdoors where the table top was sanded and stained a dark walnut. Lucky for me, I had a barely used can of stain leftover from my master bathroom vanity that was perfect for this project.

After several coats of stain, and plenty of time in between each for drying, the table was reassembled and checked off of the DIY to-do list.

True confession: I have absolutely no room in my house for this table and it’s breaking my little furniture flipping heart. There just has to be an empty corner somewhere…

True Confession: Living in the present(s)

2011-12-23T14:39:00.001-06:00

Very little DIY gets accomplished around these parts on Christmas Eve Eve aside from wrapping presents. Fortunately I have a killer assistant who dishes out tons of puppy snuggles and smooches as reward for a hard day’s work.

Don’t worry, friends. My dining room table rarely doubles as an actual eating space.

From my construction site to yours, Merry Christmas, y’all!

Just Sold: 223 Linwood Court

2011-12-22T14:33:00.001-06:00

A big congratulations to Andrew on the purchase of his first home!

I know Andrew’s girlfriend, Laura, can’t wait to get busy decorating. Congrats on the new place!

See you tomorrow…

2011-12-21T15:09:00.001-06:00

Raise your hand if you are a last minute shopper who is currently standing in the checkout line at Target in between appointments…my hand is practically touching the ceiling.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve, y’all!

Just Sold: 407 N Ash

2011-12-20T14:43:00.001-06:00

A big congratulations to Michael on the purchase of his first home in Little Rock! We searched high and low for the perfect Hillcrest house and could not have found a better fit.

Table Talk: Perfectly Prepped…Take 2

2011-12-19T14:01:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I bumped into an old friend and while we were catching up, she brought up this little blog-o-mine and said some mighty nice things about how she loved seeing all of my before and after projects. After I blushed a little and gave her a big snuggle for being so sweet, she followed up with the words I hate to hear but come my way all too often that go a little like this: I just don’t think I could ever do anything like that…Like kryptonite this this do-it-yourselfer, I’m sure I made the most awful face before taking off full speed on my well-practiced DIY pep talk complete with rebuttals to the three most common I-can’t-do-it-myself excuses…

1. I’m not that creative…Yes you are, and if you don’t believe me, just steal an idea from someone else and get to work.

2. I just know I’ll mess it up…You’re right. You may. Lord knows I have, but if you start with an easy project you’re sure to be a giant success and build your confidence for a more challenging DIY along the way. The other key is to get your feet wet with a super inexpensive rehab—a $10 yard sale dining chair, an old dresser your mom was planning on throwing out anyway—you get the gist.

3. I don’t have time…Yes you do. Rarely do I dedicate an entire evening to one rehab. By breaking up the project into manageable steps, you’d be surprised how much you can accomplish. A coat of paint before dinner, a little sanding during commercial breaks, and before you know it, your furniture flip is a wrap.

Take for instance my current rehab. I took into account all 3 of these ridiculously ridiculous excuses and squashed them all. I stole the idea for this table from my client-friend Jackie (click here to see the inspiration), only spent $20 on the table so that I wouldn’t feel too guilty hightailing it to the dumpster if need be and I’ve spent the past couple of days working on giving it a facelift little by little when a bit of spare time comes my way.

With the base of the table primed and painted, the table top was next up for a little love…

A light sanding with medium grit sandpaper was the first step to remove the thin layer of varnish and prep the wood for staining. It is also important to show your neighbors just how hot a pair of goggles and facemask can be on a girl at 7:00 am with no makeup and dirty hair. The world needs to know.

Sanded and wiped down with a clean cloth to remove any dust, the next step is to put my staining skills to work…but we’ll save that for the next commercial break.

Table Talk: Perfectly Prepped

2011-12-15T15:03:00.001-06:00

When it comes to rehabbing a piece of furniture that will see a lot of wear and tear, like my rehab-in-progress below, prep work is essential to keep your furniture flip in tip top shape. Let’s talk about a few tips and tricks I use for making sure my rehabs are perfectly prepped.

Because I prefer to do my rehabs indoors in front of the latest episode of Bravo’s Real Housewives, I keep scrap wood on hand to prop up the legs so that every square inch is painted and a handful of old towels to catch any drips.

The master plan is to paint the base of the table a clean white, but in order for the paint to stick, I first needed a solid coat of primer. After a quick wipe down to remove any dust and dirt, it was time to prime. I keep a can a Kilz odorless oil-based primer on hand at all times. If you’ve ever encountered oil-based paint in a confined space, you’ll know that odorless is your sniffer’s best friend.

Primed and drying, my primer covered paintbrush goes back where it belongs to keep from drying out between coats…in the fridge underneath leftovers.

Just a Thought: Like Martha Like Daughter?

2011-12-14T15:24:00.001-06:00

Whether you are like me and worship the ground she walks on or live to love to hate her, the creative genius that Martha Stewart can whip up with a glue gun and a few yarn scraps cannot be denied. And while I’ve found myself cursing her up-down-left-and-right after spending two hours in the kitchen only to have my culinary creation turn out substantially different than what is staring back at me from the glossy magazine page, I stick up for Martha. She’s my girl.

So when I read a few excerpts from Martha’s daughter Alexis’s tell-all book about growing up under Martha’s wing, I had to roll my eyes. Apparently Martha made her take off her shoes inside the house and turned off the lights on Halloween to pretend like they weren’t home to deter trick-or-treaters…but I bet you ate a killer pumpkin trifle on Thanksgiving and had the most organized closet in all the land. Pick your battles, sweetheart. I guarantee if you came to my house on Halloween, the front porch light would be off and you’d be leaving your muddy boots by the front door as well.

But what really kicked my protective instincts for my domestic goddess into high gear? This quote:

She used to make me wrap my own presents. She would hand me things right before Christmas and say, "Wrap these but don't look inside."

My mom also had me wrap my own presents. Not because she was missing a maternal Christmas gene, but because she knew I was a better gift wrapper, bigger bow tie-er and fancier tag signer than she. Take it as a compliment Alexis. If Martha Stewart trusted me to wrap the presents displayed under her fabulous 15 foot frasier fir, you could ship me off to sea Eskimo-style on a block of ice because my life would be complete.

Prime Time for Table Talk

2011-12-13T15:42:00.001-06:00

Remember this fine creature I picked up a few weeks ago for $20?…

It’s high time to get rolling on this furniture flip. Dismantled and ready for rehab, we’ll start by giving the base of the table a couple coats of oil based primer followed with a coat or two of white paint.

What Where When Why

2011-12-09T12:30:00.001-06:00

What: A severed laptop charger

Where: My house…after being yanked out of an outlet by the cord by a blogger too lazy to get out of her chair and walk 36 inches to properly unplug.

When: Before coffee kicked in this morning

Why: A prime example of how to make a computer addicted blogger’s blood boil as she watches her battery power slowly disintegrate to nil…after she gave her best DIY effort to reconnect with a little electrical tape, of course.

LTHL Dialogue: Furniture Flipping Flashback

2011-12-08T14:14:00.001-06:00

Ready for a Rehabilitation Station flashback? Nearly two years ago I whipped this little nugget sized chair into shape for one of my favorite gal pals, Jessica, and her baby boy baby bump…

A special little chair for a special little nugget. It’s been so much fun watching little Dean grow over the past year and a half and today I get this text from his momma that nearly sent me to tears…

Three important things to note from this text/photo convo…

#1 Little baby Dean is now officially bigger than his DIY chair from Aunt Cara.

#2 Jessica and I clearly have a thing for Rob Dyrdek. Mainly because he has a skateboard riding bulldog.

#3 I’m fully prepped for a “how dare you post preggo pics” from J Doose in three. two. one…

The Before Story: Mary’s Living Room

2011-12-06T13:43:00.001-06:00

When Mary, the winner of At Home in Arkansas magazine’s recent virtual room & furniture makeover giveaway (by yours truly), emailed me the photos of her living room, I was pumped to get busy crafting a game plan for Mary’s space. With large walls and tall ceilings, I just knew this living room could be whipped into shape in no time.

Take a look at Mary’s official entry and before shots below…

Cara, I am a 50 year old woman and my parents are helping me raise my 13 year old son in Maumelle. We live with them and we have some major decorative and many obstacles. Ex: arched ceiling with beams, weird sized walls and my moms fear of going beyond her 80s themed furniture and decorative pictures. We have absolutely no idea what to do. We would benefit greatly from your room makeover because we are at an impasse as to how to handle this space. It would bring joy to my moms life if she felt comfortable enough to start entertaining friends again. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Mary. Big fan.

No worries, Mary. We’ll have you up and entertaining in no time. This space is just itching with potential and I can’t wait to share the virtual room makeover it has in store. Check back soon!

Rain, Rain, Go Away…

2011-12-05T15:47:00.001-06:00

…come again another day…but please take your sweet time so that I can repair the leak in my chimney flashing and patch the drywall before your return.

My life in real estate has me thumbing through pages and pages of inspection reports on a daily basis, so when I heard the drip-drip-drip of my newest home imperfection, I didn’t freak and convince myself my roof was going to cave in and leave me and June dog sleeping in puddles of rain and our own tears. I knew exactly what the problem was and who needed to be called to fix it…and let’s be honest. I was more ticked about having to crane my neck to watch the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills while my TV is on the floor. #spoiledhomeownerproblems

A Tale of Two Trees: An Underdog Story

2011-12-01T13:47:00.001-06:00

Last year I didn’t have a Christmas tree. Don’t cry for me. My house was decorated. Stockings, wreaths, ornaments galore. I even had a fancy little DIY blog post for At Home in Arkansas…just no tree…and sure enough, my Christmas was just as merry. In fact, I even gave myself a round of high fives for the time and trouble saved by not putting up a tree. So proud was I, I vowed to go the treeless route this year as well…

Until this past summer when I found, not one, but TWO free Christmas trees up for grabs on the side of the road and my scavenging got the best of me. Sold and sold. I loaded up those artificial bad boys and cruised myself on home. I didn’t even really want one tree to fool with, so what was I going to do with two? Eh, I’d worry about that when December rolled around.

Roll around it did, and this past weekend I had two trees to deal with and only enough lights and ornaments to fully stock one artificial pine. One of the two was destined to hit the curb.

After opening both boxes and examining the two contenders, an early winner was clear. Contestant #1 appeared to be decked with full branches, a sturdy stand and was pre-lit to boot. Contestant #2? Well…wasn’t. No lights, stubby branches and a stand that required assembly. No thanks…I busied myself putting together contestant #1.

One hour and 13 broken light bulbs later, I still couldn’t get all of the why-not-make-your-life-easier-and-go-with-the-pre-lit-tree lights to cooperate.

And contestant #2? The sad, light-less, scroungy excuse for a tree?…

…let’s just say he’s not the one currently shivering by the side of the road.

Reader Redo: Matt & Jackie’s Dining Table

2011-11-29T13:07:00.001-06:00

Around these parts, furniture flipping envy is real. Really real. So when I caught sight of what my client-friends Matt & Jackie had been up to, my highly competitive DIY side was kicked into high gear. Check out their killer dining table makeover below…

Are you kidding me?!

Clearly, I had no choice but to rush out and pick up at $20.00 table of my own to whip into shape…

After all, imitation is the sincerest form of all-consuming-gotta-have-it-in-my-life-or-I’ll-just-explode jealousy. Check back soon as I knock off Matt & Jackie’s rehab for my own self.

Just Sold: 11 Pine Tree Loop

2011-11-28T08:51:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Matt & Teri on the sale of their home…and a very happy birthday to Teri!

The best news? Even though their house closed, I’m lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with Matt & Teri all over again! Excited to move on to a historic fixer upper, I can’t wait to see which home we find to be their next project.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T13:41:00.001-06:00

With so many things to be thankful for, I am super excited to roll on into Thanksgiving this year, so I’m going to take today’s blog post to ramble a bit about just what those things are…in other words, this is one of those self-indulgent posts that no one really reads, so go ahead and get back to baking pumpkin pies for the fam...

My job. Waking up everyday to do what you love is truly priceless. It’s true I’m slightly house obsessed, so the world of real estate is definitely the right place for me, but being able to write about all things home (and be taken somewhat seriously as a semi-expert on the topic) is quite the honor.

My house. Much more than a roof over my head, I’m so thankful for the creative outlet that comes with destroying and recreating my own space….and, let’s be honest, the tax write off doesn’t hurt either.

My nieces and nephews…that I don’t have yet but fully expect in the near future…hint, hint sister.

Holiday commercials. The Campbell’s Soup snowman that melts into the little boy? The long lost sibling that sneaks in before the family is up and wakes them with the smell of a fresh pot of Folgers? Gets me every time.

Target. Like an abusive boyfriend who asks to borrow $5 and takes $50 instead, a Target trip definitely breaks the bank but I keep coming back for more. You just can’t beat a one-stop shop for toothpaste and curtain panels.

Family. What would LTHL Dialogue be without them?…especially Gran. In fact, since we’re feeling so thankful, let’s revisit a personal favorite of mine from Granimal…

At the closing table, as Gran was about to sign the final papers to close on her house last fall…

Cara: Gran, aren’t you so excited to have your house sold?

Gran: Oh yes. I am sooooo thankful for that, and I’m thankful to you, and your mom, and your dad, and your Uncle Russell, and everyone for all they do for your dear old Gran.

Cara: Aww, Gran. That is so nice. We are thankful for all that you have done for us over the years, too.

Gran: Well, you should be. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here. Never existed.

Friends. Who hold your hand through the rough patches and cheer you on through the good times. I have lots of these. Way more than one girl deserves.

LTHL readers. I’d be here even if you didn’t show up to check in on my life, but it’s way more fun to have you all join in on the craziness.

…and of course…

My June Bug. What I lucky girl I am to be the mother of the sweetest little bearded gremlin who sleeps through the sounds of power sanders and knows how to maneuver her puppy paws around open cans of paint.

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all…and go Hogs!

TGIF!

2011-11-22T12:26:00.001-06:00

I’ve noticed lots of my Facebook friends bragging about how today is their Friday, so I too have decided to jump on that bandwagon.

I’m officially taking the rest of the week to sit around and do absolutely nothing except eat and read magazines…and maybe rake leaves, go with a client-friend to close on their house, install trim, catch up with an old friend on a wine date, plan a kitchen remodel, watch the Hogs crush LSU, put up a Christmas tree, paint a dresser, feed my cat-nephews, install a light fixture…but definitely eat and read magazines.

Happy Tuesday…I mean Friday!

Pretty in Pink: The After Shots

2011-11-21T12:44:00.001-06:00

Oh goodness. The pink bath before….

One week after deciding to give this bath a mini-makeover the after shots are ready for viewing! Keep scrolling for the after shots and head on over to At Home in Arkansas’ blog for a rundown of the project.

Cara Wilkerson of Live the Home Life gives her pink bathroom a mini-makeover! Some sanding, a coat of paint, and a few cute accessories transformed her 1960s bathroom into a girly respite. Check out Cara’s blog for more before images, and read on for the big reveal!…click here for more about this makeover on At Home’s blog.

The end of an era…until next year

2011-11-18T13:48:00.001-06:00

With the last home game for the fabulous Arkansas Razorbacks just 24 hours away, I’m a little bummed. Football season in this neck of the woods is an all around good time. Spending time with friends that I don’t see nearly enough, the tailgates never disappoint and most importantly, I’ll miss all the home talk. Nothing makes me happier than chit-chatting about furniture flips and home how-tos over a bloody mary around a tailgate, especially while catching up with good friends. This fall I’ve loved diving into everything from what to do when a furnace breaks to installing wainscoting with family, friends, sorority sisters and strangers alike. The dark months of winter will be rough. Really rough. So keep the home talk coming and email a sister from time to time, won’t ya?

Happy Friday, y’all and Go Hogs!

Cabinet Talk

2011-11-17T12:47:00.001-06:00

After much sanding, priming and painting, the cabinets in the pink bath are finally a wrap…

Check back soon for the pink bathroom mini-revamp reveal!

Just a Thought: What’s in your fridge?

2011-11-15T08:22:00.001-06:00

I’ve always been amazed by people who are able to keep a fully stocked fridge. My friend Kristin is one of those people, and every time she wins the friend-of-the-year award for cooking dinner for this poor little do-it-yourselfer, I’m amazed at what she has tucked away in that refrigerator of hers.

My sister is one of those people, too. Whipping up fabulous soups, dips and (most importantly) mac & cheese on command. I think about returning the favor, but then I remember what’s in my refrigerator…

So what’s your fridge style? Are you a bulk buyer, meal-by-meal shopper or dedicated fan of the Chick-fil-A drive thru?

A Pinterest Pick Me Up

2011-11-14T14:10:00.001-06:00

What’s happening in this neck of the woods sure ain’t pretty…yet.

Sanding and repainting the cabinets in the pink bathroom has been a beast…

…so let’s take this Monday post to re-inspire ourselves with few personal faves from my DIY Pinterest board while I try not to inhale any more lead-based paint dust.

A fab dresser rehab from DesignSponge…

Super simple DIY pillow project from Miss Martha…

$40 paneled wall how-to from Decor Chick…

DIY fire pit from Home Road…

How to Save a Mirror for $20

2011-11-11T10:07:00.001-06:00

Walls painted. New light fixture hung. Time to tackle the massive mirror.

Mirrors this size can run a pretty penny, so there was no way I was going to chunk this one in favor of a new purchase. All it needed was a little sprucing in the form of a frame.

A few pieces of trim would do the trick. After measuring my mirror and cutting the wood to size with a miter saw (No saw? No worries. A hardware store can make the cuts for you.), a quick coat of primer was added to the back since they would be taking up residence in a wet area. No moisture damage wanted here.

Once dry, I made sure all of the pieces fit together nicely…

Then ran a bead of glue along the back joints.

Looking good! Time to hang.

Using a super glue/Gorilla glue combo, I attached the frame to the mirror. Super glue to quickly position the mirror in place while the super sturdy Gorilla glue had time to dry.

Once dry, I filled in the ugly cracks with caulk.

And followed up with a couple coats of white paint.

All finished and much improved for a measly $20.

Have a great weekend, y’all and go Hogs!

Just Sold: 42 Garden Oaks Drive

2011-11-10T16:20:00.001-06:00

A big congratulations to Bradley & Autumn on the purchase of their first home!

I had such a great time working with this cute couple and can’t wait to see what they have in store for their new home. Big things, I’m sure!

Shedding a Little Light

2011-11-09T10:35:00.001-06:00

We don’t even really need to discuss why the fluorescent light in the pink bath had to go. You have eyes.

While I point the finger of blame at the half empty can of paint laying around for initiating the pink bath mini-revamp, truth be told, it was my extreme distaste for this light fixture that really kicked things into high gear. I could not find the screw driver fast enough.

Of course, breakers were flipped and current testers were put to good use before any dismantling occurred…breathe easy, Mom.

Naturally, the beast would not be forgotten that easily. Now I had holes to patch…and sand…and paint.

Completely worth it.

And clearly, the florescent monster’s partner in crime got the boot as well.

Clearly this wasn’t my fault…

2011-11-08T14:31:00.001-06:00

Around here, sometimes things just happen. And by things, I mean projects. No explanation of why. They just happen. My intensions were completely innocent when I started hauling paint cans from inside my hall closet to my workshop last night. Just a little tidying up around the old casa…until my eye caught sight of a half empty can of Sherwin Williams Rice Grain and I thought how great the hue would look in my hall bath…

…and that’s when a lazy evening of casual around-the-house cleanup quickly morphed into an off the cuff hall bath mini-revamp.

Sure the pink bath has inched its way to improvement from the floral wall-papered, granny curtained days of when I first moved in…

But we can do better: the train of thought that lead me to the tornado-esque status of my pink bath 12 hours later…

So what exactly is on the to-do list?

	Paint the walls…check
	Replace frightening fluorescent vanity light…check
	Replace outlets and light switches…check
	Frame mirror
	Sand & paint cabinets/linen closet door
	Replace cabinet pulls
	Thank the heavens I have a shiny new master bathroom to use in the process…check

Just Sold: 311 Brown Street

2011-11-07T08:46:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Sarah on the purchase of her first home! Sarah knew from the get-go that her heart was set on an older house, so her charming 1930s bungalow is the perfect fit.

True confession: I often go through a bit of Realtor withdrawal when my client-friends close on their houses and I no longer have to pester them endlessly with my daily email/text/phone stalking. Sarah and I had such a great time finding her house and her sense of humor made helping her find her home all the more fun. Congrats again, Sarah!

DIY Soap Dispenser

2011-11-03T15:36:00.001-05:00

Even the pink kitchen needs a little blog love every now and then.

A do-it-yourself project so simple, no words are needed to describe the how-to…

Feeling the Love

2011-11-02T10:37:00.001-05:00

Things that make this girl happy on a Wednesday…

#1 Kicking my creative wheels into high gear with ideas for the winner of At Home in Arkansas’ latest giveaway…

#2 Slapping the snooze button an extra time after waking up early for a Thursday appointment and realizing it’s just Wednesday.

#3 The fabulous folks who’ve linked up to this little blog of mine…

A Touch of Arkansas
AJW Design Co
At Home in Arkansas
Bellatina Creations
Brixton Nole
Bubbles and Money
Building Moxie
Cara Beth Photography
Casa Sugar
Charlotte John Real Estate Co.
Custard By Design
Dabe to Dream
Decorating by Michelle
Details Weddings & Events
East Goes West
eHow
Five Little Rules
For the Love of Painting
From the Front Porch
Frugal with a Flourish
Home Decor News
Home Sweet Home
I design, you DIY…e-decorating
Jessica’s Journey
Keeping Up with the Joneses
Life Lessons
Live the Life You Love
Lovely Tonight
Michelle Lee Interiors
Modern Maizy
My Life as a Mrs
Oh The Place I Want To Go
Our Family
Our Happy Family
Providence Ltd Interior Design
Quaint Oaks
Rachael Jones’ Blog
Rambles with Reese
Remodel This House
Re-Nest
Renovation Rants
Show Home Staging & Design
Simple Tips for Life
Splendid Twenties
Sweet Tea Magnolia
Take Life with a Grain of Chocolate
Tearing Up Houses
That’s What She Said
The Buies
The Cape on the Corner
The Dooses
The Deacons
The Divine Mrs. EM
The Flipping Couple
The Good Life
The Hopper House
The Jones Family
The Lowe Down
The Married Life Diaries
The McNulty Family
The Muddy Truth
The Phillips Pham
The Road to Delightful
The Rich Hard Life & Sons
Two Dogs & a House
Two Poms and a House
UAMesSing It Up
Well Nested Home
Zesty Nest

#4 And, of course, my little June bug…

If that little gremlin face doesn’t send your hump day heart aflutter, I just don’t know what will.

Happy Wednesday, y’all!

LTHL House Tour: A work in progress

2011-11-01T15:42:00.000-05:00

DIY Never Takes a Holiday

2011-10-31T14:02:00.001-05:00

It’s no surprise that, with a DIY mother of my own, Halloween costumes from my childhood were often of the homemade variety…

…but when I caught the Today Show’s segment this morning on last minute Halloween ideas for the kiddos, it only confirmed that I’ll someday be the mother hauling around her little trick-or-treaters decked out in DIY costumes from the hardware store.

Poor little astronaut…

I wouldn’t venture to say that I’ve never laughed so hard as when I watched this, but it’s definitely in the running. Al Roker’s belly laughs were egging me on.

Happy Halloween, y’all!

LTHL Update: Since posting, fond family memories have arisen that must be shared…

Cara: Warning. You are on the blog today.

Brother Will: I look ready to do some plundering and sailing of the high seas. Too bad we grew up in a land locked state…that always was a favorite costume of mine.

Cara: Nah. Mom’s DIY version of Indiana Jones has the pirate beat.

Will: Of course. That one tops the list…and I’m pretty sure Mom made my whip out of a syringe and braided panty hose.

Last Chance to Enter!

2011-10-28T11:39:00.001-05:00

Today is the last day to enter At Home in Arkansas’ giveaway where you can win a virtual room & furniture makeover from yours truly! If you haven’t already, head on over to At Home’s blog by clicking on the banner below and leave a comment to put yourself in the running.

Happy Friday, y’all and have a wonderful Halloween weekend! The festivities have already begun in this neck of the woods.

Never mind the look of terror buried under little June’s beard. She loves it.

Don’t let the doors hit you on their way out…of my den

2011-10-27T12:54:00.001-05:00

Last week we touched on my next not-so-glamorous task of installing trim in my den. Knocking out the most tedious task first, I needed to prep both door frames leading from the hallway to the den and also from the den to kitchen.

Both frames originally had doors, but I wanted to keep the opening feeling, well, open, so the doors had to go and the notches where the hinges took residence filled. The end goal is a clean doorway just like this one in my living room…

Time to get to work. Before the focus went entirely to filling the scars from the door hinges, a stray bit of trim running down the middle of the doorways needed to be removed.

First, I used a box cutter to run a seam separating the paint. Then, a spackling knife and hammer pried the trim away from the frame.

Now on to filling the notches…

A few wood shims, nails and wood filler were all it would take…and a smidge of patience.

First I cut the wood shims to fit the notches…

Secured with a couple of nails…

And used wood filler to cover any gaps, cracks and nail holes.

Once the filler was good and dry, a few swipes with a sanding block left a smooth surface ready for painting.

Check back soon as I keep pushing my den towards trim perfection!

First Timer’s Guide To…Q & A

2011-10-26T11:40:00.001-05:00

A little on the cheesy side of life, but good info especially for first timers. Short and sweet videos (thanks to eHow) that answer a few of the most common questions many first timers have about buying a home…

Q: Is owning a home right for me?

Q: How much do I need for a down payment?

Q: What factors should I consider when shopping for a home?

Q: How can I take control of my credit score?

Still have questions? No worries, my friend! Click here to email your question my way. I’m happy to help!

Just Listed: 735 W B Avenue in Park Hill

2011-10-25T12:19:00.001-05:00

Fabulous 3 bedroom/2.5 bath home in historic Park Hill! Remodeled kitchen with quartz countertops, hardwood floors, family room with fireplace, sunroom, bonus room downstairs with half bath, and 2 car garage on 1.5 lots with sprinkler system. Don't let this one pass you by!

Price: $219,000

Click here for more information and photos of this property.

Happy Tuesday!

A Little LTHL Dialogue

2011-10-24T11:01:00.001-05:00

I would not be surprised if my little brother whole-heartedly believed he was adopted and had already begun the search for his biological life-givers. Case in point, Sunday dinner convo with the fam…

Brother Will: I haven’t been to the movies in forever. Y’all seen anything good?

Cara: I went and saw that new movie with George Clooney and I thought it was good.

Will: Which one? George Clooney hasn’t been in anything good since Oceans 11.

Cara: Yes he has! He has been in tons of good movies…

Will: Name one.

Cara: What was the one where he ran around killing all of the Nazis?

Will: Inglorious Bastards. That was Brad Pitt, not George Clooney.

Cara: Oh.

Dad chimes in: Well what about A Beautiful Mind. That was a great movie.

Will: Again, not George Clooney. That was Russell Crowe.

Cara: Oh…but wait! That other movie! The one with the goats!

Will: Ohhhhh yeah. The Men Who Stare at Goats! You’re right. That was George Clooney.

Cara: Yes!

Will: …terrible movie.

Next Up: Time for a Trim

2011-10-21T14:02:00.001-05:00

After successfully knocking out my first attempt at trim in my master bath, I’m ready to take on a slightly bigger task…

…putting the finishing trim touches on my den.

After replacing dark, dated paneling with sheetrock over a year ago, other projects have pushed this task to the back burner.

Not glamorous. Not super dramatic. But high time this to-do is checked off the around-the-house DIY list. Check back soon for the after shots and how-to!

Have a great weekend and go Hogs!

Just A Thought…

2011-10-20T13:17:00.001-05:00

I would give anything to hop into this photo. What’s not to love? Sophisticated, timeless, well dressed, inviting. The perfect companion to cozy up with, cocktail in hand, after a long day…

…and I guess if Don Draper came standard with that handsome devil of a Barcelona chair, I wouldn’t fight it. We will need someone to refresh our drinks, after all.

This & That

2011-10-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

This is a photo of a recent Restoration Hardware creation that left me drooling over the framed prints and (most of all) the birdcage chandeliers…

That is the price tag that always leads me back down the I-can-definitely-do-this-one-myself path…

You see? This DIY obsession I have is not an illness at all. It’s a sensible and economical investment opportunity….we’ll stick with that.

At Home in Arkansas: October Guest Post…and Giveaway!

2011-10-18T12:23:00.001-05:00

I’m super pumped for this month’s Before & After with Cara Wilkerson on the fabulous At Home in Arkansas magazine’s blog for two reasons:

#1 I get to indulge myself with my own personal mini stroll down home reno memory lane.

#2 This month’s post is dishing up the chance for you to win a virtual room & furniture makeover by yours truly!

For more details, click the banner below and head on over to At Home in Arkansas’ blog for your chance to sign up and win. Wouldn’t it be fab if a LTHL reader was selected?!…

Reader Redo: If at first you don’t succeed…

2011-10-17T11:46:00.001-05:00

It’s a happy day when I find before and after emails hanging out in my inbox from a LTHL reader, so when Susan sent me her dining room chandelier rehab, I couldn’t wait to share.

Let’s take a look at Susan’s chandelier before. If you’ve seen one tired brass chandy, you’ve seen them all…

Susan’s first attempt at rejuvenating this light source involved a sleek coat of glossy white spray paint. While it was a definite improvement, she wasn’t crazy about how it tied into the rest of the space…

…so next came rehab round two! Armed with a couple cans of bronze spray paint, a linen oatmeal cord cover and a few vintage prisms, Susan’s chandelier makeover was a wrap for just $47.

Have a before & after story you’re dying to share? Click here to email me a few photos of what you’ve been up to lately.

Party Pics: Restore & After

2011-10-14T14:09:00.001-05:00

Last month’s Restore & After event benefiting Habitat for Humanity was a blast and my camera whiz pal, Cara Beth Buie, was on site snapping photos of all the fun. An event centered around rehabbing furniture, it’s no surprise that I'm completely onboard with this unique fundraising concept…it also gives me an excellent excuse to whip up a few extra furniture flips of my own to donate to a great cause.

A fun time for sure, I’m already looking forward to next year!

Gut(ter) Wrenching Fun

2011-10-13T14:19:00.001-05:00

What are a few of my most favorite around-the-house activities to do on a Thursday afternoon off work?

#1	Watch my June Bug chase squirrels around the backyard.
#2	Clean gutters.
#3	Lie about favorite activity #2.

Happy Thursday, y’all!

At Home in Arkansas: October Guest Blog Sneak Peek

2011-10-12T15:47:00.001-05:00

The October Before & After with Cara Wilkerson guest post for the wonderful blog of At Home in Arkansas magazine will be up and running soon, but because we are friends, I’ll give you a hint as to what this month’s post has up its sleeve.

A little of this…

…paired with a little of that…

…and topped off with a little something special.

Am I the just best hint giver in all the land or what?

A Dangerous Duo

2011-10-11T13:59:00.001-05:00

If I ever feel the urge to lose myself in hours of mindless fun, I turn to my dangerous duo: Google and Pinterest. And when I really feel like pushing myself over the edge? I throw two of my favorite words into the Google Images search engine: White Rooms. Holy moly. Wake me up when supper is ready, because I’ll be dreaming in shades of white.

Those of you who’ve had the chance romp around my construction site, either in person or on LTHL, will clearly notice that not a single white room exists in my house. Some 5 years ago when I had my very first house fresh out of college, I gave a white room a whirl…and it was dreadful. Painfully plain. Ridiculously sterile.

Now older, wiser and a bit more knowledgeable in the world of home decor, my mind is already in overdrive thinking of all the fun I could have with a white room, take 2…in my next house. I’m not moving quite yet, but when I do, rest assured inspiration will be pulled from my arsenal of white room obsessions.

Note: While I do love the look, I have a very hard time coping with painted hardwoods. Unless they are stained beyond repair and simply refinishing wouldn’t do much good, I couldn’t bring myself to touch such pretty planks with a paintbrush. Am I alone on this?

Just a Thought: There’s no way I’m alone on this one…

2011-10-10T13:48:00.001-05:00

Normally, Martha Stewart can do no wrong in my book. Jail time? Her soufflé makes up for it. Neglectful mother? Possibly, but she (and that killer kitchen of hers) wins my heart over every time…but when I got around to reading her Oct 2011 issue, my own personal Martha fan club took a hit.

Don’t get me wrong, the recipes looked fabulous and her pumpkin carving party made me want to hop back into second grade…

…but when page 21 rolled around and Martha’s taxidermy collection took center stage, my Martha-worship took a beating. Somehow I just can’t stomach the thought of a smattering of birds perched next to my chicken dish, a porcupine in my liquor cabinet and a brown bear in my bed snuggled up with my latest loaner from the library.

Thanks for the nightmares, Martha.

Feeling the Love

2011-10-07T12:42:00.001-05:00

A big Friday thank you to all of the wonderful bloggers that have linked to LTHL. Be sure to pay them a visit while you’re watching that clock inch its way to 5:00…

A Touch of Arkansas
AJW Design Co
At Home in Arkansas
Bellatina Creations
Brixton Nole
Bubbles and Money
Building Moxie
Cara Beth Photography
Casa Sugar
Charlotte John Real Estate Co.
Custard By Design
Dabe to Dream
Details Weddings & Events
East Goes West
eHow
Five Little Rules
For the Love of Painting
From the Front Porch
Frugal with a Flourish
Home Decor News
Home Sweet Home
I design, you DIY…e-decorating
Jessica’s Journey
Keeping Up with the Joneses
Life Lessons
Live the Life You Love
Lovely Tonight
Modern Maizy
My Life as a Mrs
Oh The Place I Want To Go
Our Family
Our Happy Family
Providence Ltd Interior Design
Quaint Oaks
Rachael Jones’ Blog
Rambles with Reese
Remodel This House
Re-Nest
Renovation Rants
Show Home Staging & Design
Simple Tips for Life
Splendid Twenties
Sweet Tea Magnolia
Take Life with a Grain of Chocolate
Tearing Up Houses
That’s What She Said
The Buies
The Cape on the Corner
The Dooses
The Deacons
The Divine Mrs. EM
The Flipping Couple
The Good Life
The Hopper House
The Jones Family
The Lowe Down
The Married Life Diaries
The McNulty Family
The Muddy Truth
The Phillips Pham
The Road to Delightful
The Rich Hard Life & Sons
Two Dogs & a House
Two Poms and a House
UAMesSing It Up
Well Nested Home
Zesty Nest

And the top 5 most interesting Google searches that led readers to Live the Home Life last month…

#1. A picture of a dirty old wooden ladder
#2. No one likes me or cares about me
#3. Scary decals for inside toilet bowl
#4. House flies hum in the key of?

#5. Nosy stalker

…really makes me wonder what in the world I’ve been posting that would boost me to the top of these search phrases.

Happy Friday, y’all!

Just a Thought: To Mr. Jobs…

2011-10-06T10:50:00.001-05:00

With the passing of a visionary mastermind, Steve Jobs, I want to take a moment to get a bit more serious than usual on this normally light hearted blog of mine. Don’t worry. It won’t last long.

Last night after finding out about Mr. Jobs’ passing on my iPhone, the very device he created, I took a moment to read his enormously powerful commencement speech to Stanford University’s graduating class of 2005. (If you haven’t had the honor of reading it, stop what you are doing and click here. Your boss will understand.) In his speech, Mr. Jobs harps on two main points: everything happens for a reason and find what you love and do it. I’ve always been a big believer in the first point, and as for the second, I want to take up one smidge of your day to thank you for letting me do what I love every single day. Not only do I get to help my client-friends find their perfect home while simultaneously tearing apart and reconstructing my own, but I have the wonderful opportunity to write about it every step of the way…and even more than that? You actually show up to read the adventures I’ve thrown into the blog-o-sphere. My biggest thank you and an enormous hug goes out to all of you reading this right now on Live the Home Life, the wonderful At Home in Arkansas magazine crew for taking my ramblings from my own casa to the rest of the state, and my friends at eHow.com for somehow buying into the notion that I actually know what I’m talking about. Not only do you let me spend my days creating and writing, but you enable me with open arms.

And the biggest thank you to Mr. Jobs for all he’s done for the worlds of technology and mass communications. We blog nerds are more grateful than our keyboards can possibly express.

Master Bath: DIY Floating Vanity

2011-10-05T14:45:00.001-05:00

In the normal scope of LTHL posts, DIY means just that: do-it-yourself…but for the purposes of this post, let’s loosen the strings on those guidelines a bit and think of DIY as do-it-yourself…with extensive help from an architect dad.

From the get-go, the master plan for this section my bathroom was to completely demo the original nastiness and replace with a fabulous floating wood vanity complete with two vessel sinks…

So once demo was complete, phase one of plumbing was a wrap and tile, drywall, new wall insulation and paint were checked off of the to-do list, in came Dad to begin framing the floating vanity.

Now I have to be honest, this DIY was broken down into two parts. Part 1 of which I had little to nothing to do with. My fabulous father, on the other hand, was a busy bee…

Once the frame was knocked out, Dad measured and cut the vanity top and side apron for me to stain and seal before he secured them in place…

Part 1 complete! Note: the sinks & faucets aren’t actually attached in the above photo, I just got a bit over zealous and wanted to daydream about the end result.

Now on to part 2: staining and sealing the vanity top and apron. This is where I took over and got down to serious business. Using Minwax oil-based wood stain in dark walnut, a few coats took this soon-to-be vanity to a rich shade of lovely.

Followed by three solid coats of Waterlox, a fabulous product for protecting wood from continuous exposure to water.

Once stained, sealed and secured in place by Dad, the plumber came back out to put the finishing touches on my dream come true…

History Lesson: Master Bath

2011-10-04T14:37:00.001-05:00

Before we break into the how-tos (and how-not-tos) that make up my master bath remodel, let’s wrap up the entire project with a speedy summary of where I found what and when…

#1…DIY (with much help from my fabulous father) floating wood vanity. We’ll get into the nitty gritty of exactly how we pulled this one off a little later in the week.

#2…Vessel sinks, faucets and vanity light fixture straight from Amazon.com. I’m not sure what kind of black magic Amazon is into but all I know is that I ordered my light fixture at 5:30 in the evening (standard shipping, mind you) and it arrived on my doorstep by 11:30 the next morning. That’s more than a minor miracle.

#3…In stock white octagon floor tile and white subway shower tile from Home Depot. Load it up, take it home, get to work.

#4…DIY baseboard and quarter round. My first attempt at trim and I’m patting myself on the back and counting all of the pennies I saved by knocking this one out on my own…and it looks pretty stinkin’ fabulous, if I do say so myself.

#5…Topped off with a couple of mirrors I picked up a few months back at a going out of business sales for a local frame shop and carved wood wall art from Target that I’ve had for years.

Now for the shower and linen nook…

#1…Wall color: Rice Grain by Sherwin-Williams. Love my friends at SW and this is the perfect neutral with a hint of green…without out getting too green.

#2…Accessories: baskets from Target, canisters from Mom last Christmas, and hamper from Burlington Coat Factory. Their ads don’t lie. They really are more than great coats, y’all!

#3…DIY shower curtain. Again we’ll discuss the how-to later in the week.

#4…Curtain holdback from Walmart to keep the pretty white shower tile in plain view.

#5…Hooks from Anthropologie double as the perfect perch for hand towels.

That’s it! Join me back here tomorrow as I recap a DIY project…or two.

Before and After: Master Bath Reveal

2011-10-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

No messing around. Let’s jump right into the good stuff. Of course we have to begin by revisiting the before photos of my master bath the day I took ownership of this little diamond in the rough I call my construction site…

Other than the simple truth that this master bath was just plain ugly, it wasn’t even functional. With the plumbing leaking underneath the toilet, a shower head so low I couldn’t have even fit underneath in 6th grade and every homeowner’s worst bathroom nightmare, a leaky shower pan complete with rotted subfloor, I had no choice but to gut this sucker to the studs and start from scratch. But no worries, my friends. I had a highly sophisticated plan in mind for what I wanted this space to ultimately look like.

Accurate measurements and well thought out renderings are clearly for the birds. Sharpie pens and copy paper are really where true genius takes shape…one raised shower head, white tile, open linen nook, double floating vanity, neutral dream of a bathroom coming up!

Time to gut…

Re-plumb and re-tile…(Note: at this point in the process, DIY was virtually nonexistent and my role consisted of carrying around a checkbook and breathing down the necks of several hired professionals)…

Then came the linen nook…

…and a DIY (with much fatherly assistance) floating vanity for double vessel sinks…

Finally, topped off with a little paint, trim and accessories. This master bath is a wrap!

Pretty dang delicious and exactly what I had in mind. Sharpie sketch wins.

Such a Tease

2011-09-30T12:03:00.001-05:00

Remember that one time I whipped up a few sketches of what I wanted my master bath to one day look like?

That day has come. After bouncing around from project to project and completing 75% of the other rooms in my house, my master bath is a wrap. Want a peek at the after photos?….I’ll see you right back here on Monday. How’s that for a tease?

I do realize some of you will hate my home-loving guts after this post, but I’ve got fluffy new towels to buy and an entire weekend to do it.

Happy Friday, y’all!

First Timer’s Guide to…Water Heaters

2011-09-29T13:00:00.001-05:00

I make no bones about the fact that my absolute favorite buyers to work with are first timers. Clearly, I love all of my friend-clients, but first timers just have an excitement, eagerness and curiosity that cannot be matched. They are full of questions, and I never get as many thank you’s and have-I-mentioned-today-that-you-are-the-best?! compliments as I do from my first time buyers. Quite the ego boost and who doesn’t like a little love thrown in their direction?

After spending a lot of time during home showings answering first time buyer questions about every nook and cranny of a house, I quickly began to see a familiar pattern of “What is this big metal thing in the closet?” and “Look at this crack in the wall…The house is falling apart, isn’t it?!” questions coming my way. Since many first time buyers are renters before they make the leap into homeownership, why would they need to fool with the ins and outs of keeping a house in working order with a landlord just a quick call away? I too was guilty of such convenient ignorance until I A. became a proud homeowner and B. spent hours every week pouring over inspection reports and following plumbers/electricians/roofers around houses. So for you, my dearly beloved first timers, I’ve whipped up a new ongoing LTHL blog segment called the First Timer’s Guide To… a short and sweet overview of the different parts of a house that make the entire operation tick.

First up, the First Timer’s Guide to…Water Heaters!

Most common types:

Storage-tank heaters		Tankless heaters

How it works: Water is heated and held in the tank until needed. Pro: Less expensive to replace Life expectancy: 10-15 years Who to call: Plumber		How it works: Water is heated instantly when needed. Pro: Can cut your bill by 10-20% Life expectancy: 20 years Who to call: Plumber

And in case you missed my own around-the-house experience with a broken water heater, click here for a briefing…

Just can’t get enough fun water heater facts, click here for more info.

Restore & After: Recap of the Rehabs

2011-09-28T14:35:00.001-05:00

With Habitat for Humanity’s Restore & After fundraiser just 24 hours away, my donation creations are officially a wrap. There may or may not be a pair of arm chairs that did not make the cut, but overall I’m pretty pleased with my donations that will be up for auction tomorrow evening. Let’s revisit the before & afters…

Be sure to join us tomorrow as we ooh and ahh over all of the fabulously rehabbed items donated by folks much more talented than I. Click here for more info on the event and to reserve your tickets. I look forward to seeing you there!…and if you can’t join us, you can bet your tool belt I’ll meet you right back here with a full recap of the event.

Post of Note: Puppy Love

2011-09-27T15:00:00.001-05:00

Apparently it’s National Dog Week—and I had absolutely no clue—but don’t tell this little bearded angel I forgot about such a special occasion…

In honor of our furry friends, click here to head on over to Real Simple’s website for a list of off limits foods for your furry friends…

…and once caught up on the do’s and don’ts for Fido’s diet, spoil that little fella rotten. After all the snuggles and smooches they dish out all year long, they deserve a little lovin’.

Before & After: Playing Favorites

2011-09-26T11:06:00.001-05:00

I’m asked on a pretty regular basis to share my favorite furniture flip of all time, and I’ve gotten pretty good at dancing around a definite answer. Just like a mother refusing to admit to her favorite child—but come on. You know they all have one. Sure, the chosen child may change from day to day, but please.

While I’ve had my favorite rehabs, none have captured my heart quite like my latest. Let’s begin with the before shots.

Rescued from the side of the road by my mother and donator of a good chunk of my DIY genes, this little desk was easily recognizable as quite the diamond in the rough.

I actually sort of loved the weathered look of the base coat of the desk as it was, so all that was needed was a good scrub.

Without any salvageable drawers to work with, a little time spent with a jigsaw and a few swings of the hammer, combined the drawers on either side of the desk into one larger opening.

A little painters tape and few swipes of black paint across the top. I wanted the paint to have that not-too-perfect, streaky dry brushed feel.

And while the one preexisting drawer wasn’t anywhere close to reusable, I wanted to hang on the the fantastic pull, so I attached it to the front of the desk as a decorative accent.

Ready for the after pics and the reason for my undeniable love for this furniture flip?

Maybe it’s the aging charm of the original finish that I adore so much. Maybe it’s the fantastic little drawer pull…and I do love a good stripe…but whatever the reason, it’s love. Real true tug at your heart strings furniture flipping love…and okay, fine. I’ll admit it. It’s just one more place for me to hoard magazines. But what addict doesn’t love a good enabler?

Happy Fall, Y’all!

2011-09-23T12:44:00.001-05:00

It’s here! It’s here! Get out and enjoy the kick off of the best of four seasons.

That’s all I have for today. Terrible, I know, but I promise to have this guy’s after pics for you next week.

Mums the Word

2011-09-21T15:58:00.001-05:00

Happy fall, y’all! While I know it’s not officially the end of summer yet, I’m ready for chilly mornings, crisp leaves, cozy sweaters, an excuse to buy new boots….and since Starbucks is already serving up their pumpkin spice latte (as far as I’m concerned, the Starbucks menu dictates the shift in season) fall is here…and I’ve got the mums to prove it.

New Kids on the Butcher Block

2011-09-20T14:52:00.001-05:00

Ready to be sliced and diced, primed and painted, help me welcome

the newest members of the Rehabilitation Station in their before states…

Check back soon to see them in all their rehabbed glory. They are going to be so stinkin’ fabulous. I can just feel it.

Just Sold: 323 Rosetta & 6502 Pleasant Place

2011-09-19T08:49:00.001-05:00

A big congratulations to my very good friends and the proud new owners of the most wonderfully oversized fixer upper, Scott and Jessica!

Not only did the Dooses sell their first home and close on their new place, but they are already knee deep in their own remodeling adventures. Case in point: Their kitchen one week in…

Oh, the sweet smell of progress. You can bet your tool belt I’ll be posting the after shots.