Just posting to add this picture of the layout. Decided on a series of three one-sided blankets. More manageable to sew and will be easier to hang on a wall in case I love ’em too much to use them.
Blanket update
Year: 2012
Three Month Review
Just three months ago, we were getting ready to move in. We were still at my old bedroom in my parents house, all of our necessary stuff crammed in there with us; all of our less necessary stuff was crammed in a storage unit. Because I’ve been here every day, it seems like progress has been slow. Looking back at the pictures helps me realize that this has all happened pretty fast, especially considering I’ve done a lot of the work myself. I’m not bothered by working alone, as this has become my full time job. I have had help from family and friends, but only at their insistence. They usually appreciate being able to try out some home improvement project at our house before attempting it at theirs.
Again, I most often work without help because I see this as my job, and I will get paid for the work I do when we sell it. However, those renovating to improve the comfort of their home should never be without one thing: help. Sure, it can be done alone, but it sucks. The help of one person is great, three people is probably ideal. Even if there’s just someone there to get tools and watch for unexpected issues, that’s a great help. If you’re not a bit manic (and even if you are) the extra effort required to lift, hold, assemble, and just plain do everything alone can quickly become exhausting. I will work feverishly to get something done, spending 14 hours a day for a few days, then upon completion realize that I am broken. I take a couple days off before the next project, but if I had a job to go back to the next day, it would be disastrous. At our last house, I remember trying to do projects while also working. I tried to paint the kitchen cabinets in two days, and naturally I barely finished and did a horrible job. They stayed like that as long as I was employed, because there was barely time to do them, let alone re-do them.
Anyways, here are some three month pictures from the house, along with a done/to do list. I’ll take more official pictures after I clean up the house this week. No room is completely done, which is sort of depressing… but they are all getting close!
Kitchen/Family Room
Done: new appliances, new flooring, new light fixtures, renovated fireplace, new paint, new blinds and curtains, new vent covers
To Do: new countertops, wall art behind couch, paint cabinets, add new hardware, molding around island, caulk moulding, trim around fireplace, clean or replace fireplace spotlights, hang something over fireplace, add molding at door thresholds
Dining Room
Done: New flooring, new lighting, new paint, new blinds and curtains
To Do: reattach door molding, caulk molding
Living Room
Done: New flooring, new paint, new blinds and curtains, new thermostat
To Do: decorate bookshelf, add light switch, caulk molding
Stairs and Hallway
Done: new flooring, new paint, removed carpet, painted stairs, installed cabinets over laundry, new water heater, new lighting
To Do: Caulk molding, add design to stair risers, sand front lip of stairs, replace bathroom mirror, paint new light and mirror area, add quarter-round by front door
Upstairs Hall Bath
Done: new flooring, new lighting, new towel bars and toilet paper holders
To Do: paint ceiling and walls, fix shower, paint vanity, change vanity top (maybe), floor molding
Game Room
Done: new flooring, new paint, track shelving, new vent cover, mounted TV, new blinds and black-out curtain, new sconces
To Do: add regular curtains, possibly move in mini-fridge, add lights to closet
Guest Room/ Office
Done: new flooring, new paint, new vent cover, additional closet shelf, new blinds and curtains
To Do: organize closet and desk, hang wall art behind sofa
Master Bedroom
Done: new paint, new lighting, new flooring, new vent covers, blinds and curtains, headboard wall art
To Do: outlet covers, re-patch wall, hang art
Master Bathroom
Done: new lighting, new flooring, new vent cover, new blinds, new towel bars and toilet paper holder
To Do: molding, paint ceiling and walls, install storage above toilet, paint cabinets, new vanity top, add tile above sink, investigate possible sewer smell :(
The Slippery Slope
We intend to remodel this house for profit, but it is still our home in the meantime. Sometimes it’s hard to separate what we want from what we should get, because we’ll have to live with it until we sell. There are some bigger projects, fueled by Pinterest inspiration, that would be too much of an investment of time and money considering we will move soon. Even if we were staying, its hard to draw the line at what is jsut right and what is excessive. Even stranger, once we have gone over budget on something, there a feeling that we may as well just destroy the budget, because it’s already broken. Of course, this is a slippery slope.
I’ve begun looking at everything as percentages instead of dollars. Though a light fixture may be only $20 over budget, if the original budget was $40, that’s a 50% increase. Items as cheap as a couple bucks are still subject to this rule. By ignoring whether or not I think we have the extra money for it and sticking to how much the percentage increases, it’s easier to stay on track and not justify unnecessary spending.
I also have to make some sacrifices on what I think it perfect versus what will work. I’m not crazy about our bathroom floors, but they were way under budget and objectively look great. I may not have gotten them if we intended to stay, but they were perfect for updating. Though some of those touches or fancier finishes would be nice and might help sell the house, they are unlikely to increase its value. The common saying “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” has become our motto as we continue to finish renovations. As much as I would like built-ins next to the fireplace, a glass mosaic and steel tile backsplash in the kitchen and a completely new master bath, none of these things are necessary.
Time Out
Christmas is coming, so most of our renovation funds have gone to gifts lately. Being completely sick of cleaning and organizing, I’ve turned to completing some unfinished crafts.
I started this t-shirt blanket for my sister ages ago. It’s much bigger than I thought it would be. I added bias tape to the edges, but don’t like how it tuned out. I’m not sure if I’ll buy different tape or just hem it.
I’m also making a T-shirt blanket for myself from all my GameStop T-shirts. I want to make one big enough to cover the Lovesac, but I don’t think I have the space to properly construct something of that proportion. I took pictures of every shirt today so I could assemble the design on my computer. I’d prefer to lay it out by hand but I don’t have a flat surface that big. Well, not without moving a lot of furniture. I laid a few out on the floor today just to see what they would look like as a blanket.
I made some pillow cases from fabric I had laying around. Aaron received a coffee gift basket that had a folded burlap sack as packaging, and I sewed that into pillows as well. The burlap was a bit unwieldy to sew. I just stuffed in a pillow that no longer matched our decor. The pillow on the left is identical to the one I stuffed into the burlap on the right. They tuned out better than I expected!
I’ve made quite a few duct tape wallets as well. I’ve made lots for friends, family, and for myself. I just make them for fun, but I get complements on them often. The typical style I make is pictured below. There’s a slot for cash and a hidden pocket behind the three interior pockets on each side. I intend to sell some online sometime soon, probably on Etsy. I need to do a little more research and set up accounts to make that possible, so that may be a while.
Bathroom Flooring Part Two
I moved on to installing flooring in the master bath today. I started by cleaning the existing vinyl, which was disgusting. I cleaned the other bathroom’s floor, but it wasn’t nearly as dirty. Just like anything else, the floor looked a lot better once it was clean. The cleaner I used worked great, but it was toxic. Despite being late November in Indiana, I opened the window for air.
Laying the floor was even quicker than yesterday. I was done in a couple of hours. All that’s left is quarter round and doorway transitions.
Even though knew the toilet in the master bath would be hard to move, I uninstalled it by myself. I figured that not needing to lift it into a tub would make the task manageable. I would have been correct if the bolt wasn’t rusted on.
After a big mess in the shower and a lot of WD40, the bolt was freed. Harder than that was reinstalling the toilet. I made another mess but got it back on. It flushes fine, but Aaron and I will probably keep an eye on it. The hall bath toilet is still in the tub waiting for Aaron’s next day off.
Bathroom Flooring Part One
We bought vinyl plank flooring the for the upstairs bathrooms at Home Depot on Black Friday. I’m not crazy about the color or wood grain, but it was half off and we aren’t picky. I installed it in the hallway bathroom today. I made a bit of a mess in the process, but got it done pretty quick.
I moved the toilet by myself, which was ill-advised and very difficult. I’m not confident I can it back out of the tub on my own. We installed a stick-down vinyl plank for my grandmother a few weeks ago. It was easy, but the glue got an over our hands and the seams did not get as tight as I would have liked. That floor was only 99¢/sq ft, so it’s a great option for cheap and fast update. However, that is also what we paid for these floors on Friday.
The box says “easiest floor ever” and I just might agree. Overlapping flaps stick to adjacent planks, making it a floating floor. It was a lot easier to put down than click-together flooring, especially around the door frame. My fingers often hurt after installing tongue-and-groove or click-together floors from trying to pull the seams tight. The planks could be repositioned after placement as long as I didn’t push down too hard. To cut the floors, you score the front with a utility knife & snap it. This works for curves too, making the cut around the toilet drain a cinch.
Even though I don’t love the pattern on the floor, it looks good finished. I’m now more motivated to get the vanity painted; its basically the same color as the new floors.
Bittersweet Game Room
I have almost completed my favorite room in the house: the game room. We’re still calling it the loft out of habit, as that is where the games were in the last house. Because it was open to downstairs and the front door, it never seemed appropriate to hang a bunch of posters all over. Now the game room is in the smallest bedroom upstairs, it is an explosion of everything video games.
Seeing all that I have collected (hoarded?) in one place is a bit overwhelming. It’s almost embarrassing. Or, it would be if I wasn’t so proud.
The final addition will be the video game t-shirt blanket, which I began along time ago. With the blanket complete, I will be able to hibernate in gaming bliss. I have dozens of games I have put off playing, choosing to work our house instead. While I wait for coats to dry on the final painting projects, I’ll be working on the blanket once again and, eventually, getting around to those unplayed, still-wrapped games.
The bittersweet part about this is we fully intend to move in less than a year. In a few months time it will all be boxed up and but a memory. I will obviously re-create it in the next house, but I like this iteration so much I that I am sad it will be so short.
One Device To Rule Them All
I am currently handwriting this entire post on my new Samsung Galaxy Note II. I’ve only had it a couple days, but I think it will be a one device solution. My last two phones were the Motorola Cliq One and Cliq Two. I liked the Motorola droid interface and the full keyboard. Had they released a third one, I probably would have bought it. They didn’t, and for the last few months I’ve been looking for a suitable replacement.
I wandered into a T-mobile store while waiting on an oil change and saw the Note II. Because I was familiar with the first Note, I was instantly excited. That is, until I saw the price. For the plan we were on it was $420, and that included a contract extension. I decided I would save money and wait for the price to come down.
Over the next couple weeks I learned that T-Mobile was the first to have the phone, and it was selling on other carriers for $300. I thought I’d check T- mobile again just in case they lowered the price now that other carriers had the phone. Not only was the phone cheaper, it was only $99 on their value plan. A delightful employee helped me crunch the numbers across all plans, and the value one over two years was $500 cheaper than anything else.
This phone is not for everyone. It is large, and it has an excess of features. It is akin to carrying the kitchen sink. That said, I am enamored with every part of this phone. Small for a tablet but big for a phone, this device is the perfect size to replace them both. The 8mp camera and Google maps app can replace two more devices. I see this Note II as a economical and convenient way to satisfy my technological needs.
Videos look amazing, songs sound great, and it is FAST. The biggest adjustment is the size, but there are one-handed modes if your fingers don’t reach and fantastic cases available to help protect it from falls and pockets. Being accustomed to carrying a 3DS and a PSVita, the size doesn’t bother me. Unlike my last phone, e-reader apps are practical and comfortable to use.
I’ve also inadvertently learned that children love it. My niece, nephew, and I comfortably played Songpop together, and my young cousin commandeered the phone when he saw the Bad Piggies app, declaring that it looked way better on the Note II than it did on his friend’s small phone. I’m sure they would have enjoyed writing on the screen too, had I let them.
The stylus is no afterthought, with a host of features and apps to support it. My favorite is the hover feature, which will drop down menus and scroll pages without actually touching the screen. The phone can notify you when you are walking away without the stylus. A small button on the side of the stylus adds even more functionality. You can switch to handwriting input almost anytime in every app I’ve tried. I scribble something fierce, but the phone is still able to decipher my writing.
The Note II is a little heavier than I would like, but the battery weighing it down has allowed me to download apps, write posts and generally mess around all day. I have no battery saving modes enabled, so I’ve done everything on a bright screen at top speed.
I have noticed that this phone comes with a required disclaimer, which the phone owner must provide whenever revealing this monstrosity to the uninitiated: “Yes, this is my phone. Yes, my phone is gigantic.” I suggest adding, “It has a built in stylus, it’s super fast, and I promise you, it is better than your phone.”
After party
The housewarming party was the first time we had more than 10 people over. We had around 40 this weekend. It didn’t go exactly as I planned, but I think I’m the only one who knew. I was rather stressed about the whole thing, because my home is my workplace, and the improvements are my job. Therefore, the party was like inviting all my friends and family to my job, then compelling them to examine my work. Additionally, Aaron worked overtime this week, and wasn’t able to help prepare as much as he anticipated.
I would insert some pictures of the party here, but I was so busy I didn’t take any. I made most of the food, which was a brand new challenge for me. In the end, it wasn’t too difficult, just stressful. I also don’t think I’ll do that again. I had never cooked for more than 4 people. The hardest part was estimating how much 40 people would eat. The answer is a lot. 40 people eat a lot. As much as two people 20 times over,or a couple weeks worth of meals for Aaron & I.
We had a couple friends come late, which gave us a great way to unwind after the chaos of the party. We played board games and grazed on party leftovers. During the party I spent most of my time watching over the kitchen, so it was nice to finally relax. We don’t anticipate throwing a housewarming party ever again, since we intend to move somewhat often. Overall, this one-time party was a success.
Now that the party is over, its time to start the winter projects: cabinet refinishing, new countertops, bathroom flooring, and final painting. It’s only been a couple months, but time is moving fast. Our realtor has already found a new house he thinks we would like. The thought another house is a little exhausting right now. I would rather him find a buyer for this house first.
Enviro-tec Lite
Our bar has been a multi-year project, starting when Aaron was still in an apartment and almost finished now, in our second house. We finally coated the top of the bar with Enviro-tec Lite, an epoxy resin. It is fantastic. I want to stress that one more time: it is FANTASTIC. It did not go perfectly, but it did go so well that I feel I will be using enviro-tec lite often in the future. I imagine that on a smaller project, it would be a breeze.
It was difficult to try to keep it dust free while we worked (spoiler – we failed a little) but it still looks great. This is what we rigged to allow it to cure undisturbed: a coffee table on top of a dining table, wrapped in drop cloths.
Because of the differences in depth between the grout and the bottle caps, the epoxy isn’t completely smooth on top. There are some spots where it didn’t completely cover the caps, and some random hairs and rough bubbles. We may coat it again, but the coating being a bit shallow gives a nice effect. It feels smooth to the touch, but in reflected light you can see the outlines of all the bottle caps in the slightly uneven coating. It keeps a little of the texture of the uncoated bar, which we liked but was not very durable. We also think it is a nice way of getting a tile look without a tile texture.
100tacks 
