Storage, Organization, Raspberries, and the Front Door

Just ahead of a planned vacation day that allowed me to have a long weekend I got the flu. Yup. Long weekend be damned. This one was a funny one – well, as funny as the flu gets.  Tuesday when I arrived at work I felt a pinch in my throat that, before the end of the day had developed into a full blown nasty sore throat... Wednesday I muscled my way into the office because I was supposed to have my quarterly review – nope.  My boss decided to forego my review and home I went less than an hour later.

Wednesday and Thursday were both filled with seriously ugly fever and chills, aches and pains all over, and the requisite stuffed up sinus cavities. Medications were obtained and taken – that made getting at least a little bit of sleep Thursday night. When Friday rolled around I was still in the depths of flu misery. Today is Monday and I’ve taken one final sick day (I have to go back tomorrow) and aside from feeling stupidly weak and having wicked post nasal drip that has me coughing like a barking dog, I’m pretty much on the mend.  I did go into town again this morning to pick up some antihistamines that will help clear up the post nasal drip (and hold the coughing in check) but honestly, it is a flu virus – the only thing that will really help it heal is time and rest. I know that, and all I’m really doing now is treating the symptoms.

So since I am in rest-mode today I thought I would chronicle a few of my recent adventures in my house – I have had the pictures in place for a while, just not taken the time to document what has been done of late.

First, the new storage.  You may recall that the major living room renovation was completed in such a way that there was a new (and exciting) storage space made open to me – over the laundry part of the bathroom. Last weekend – or rather the pre-flu weekend, I opened it up to see how big it was, and to start putting stuff up there.  It is a HUGE space!

Hatch removed... 

If you look really carefully, you can see one of the original
wall-paper samples, still in place!

My little 6’ step ladder is REALLY rickety, so this highlighted to me that I need to obtain a new and much sturdier step ladder.

The organization part of today’s post is actually in reference to finally constructing the shelving/storage in the bathroom right beside the washer/drier. This was a really neat project for me (though not yet 100% complete) because I needed to think outside of my normal linear pattern. I needed to construct the whole thing in such a way that it could be completely taken apart and moved out of place in order to allow for access to behind the washer/drier AND so that if the washer/drier needed to be pulled out, it could be – but without too much effort.

The support was made in two pieces, using some 1”x4” scraps that were left over from the living room project, and a 2”x4” that had been salvaged from the false ceiling in the living room (the 2”x6” beams will be used later this summer to build a very small deck in my back yard) - it was FILTHY with dust and dirt, so first I sanded it down a little and then I wiped it off.  I haven’t decided if I will be painting or staining it, so for now, it is “raw” wood in place.

The first piece ready to put in

First and second pieces in place

Making sure it is tall enough!

Once the base was made and screwed into place, I made the top out of cedar – I love the smell of cedar and it is a wood that, even untreated, works well in a bathroom.  It is a soft wood, so will scar over time and therefore need to be pulled out and re-sanded, but in any case, it is a great wood to use for shelving.

First phase complete.
Still needs some trim!

Plus cedar oil smells amazing.

Base made, I decided it also needed a small “shelf” on top as well, to hold bottles of laundry detergent and fabric softener – and the shelf is made just like the base – to be taken apart if needed.

Building the concept... and the drill battery
ran out of charge.

Concept built

Make certain it is level BEFORE screwing into place!

Ta-da!

I’m quite pleased with the finished product – which is tall enough that I can roll my laundry cart underneath it, and I can also put a small door on it, if need be, to “hide” the laundry cart.

As of yesterday, spring is finished and we have now started summer.  Late spring brought my raspberry canes to fruit, and I picked my very first small bowl of raspberries one night after work. Two nights later I picked another, larger, bowl – and then two nights after that (last night) I picked another bowl.  Seems like I will get a bowl full every other day now – which is a Very Happy Thing, if you ask me!

Small bowl

Two Days Later!

Finally, yesterday I tackled staining my front door. This was a slow putter project that I could stop and start when tired, without trouble. The door does need another coat of stain – to even it all out – but in all honesty, it looks pretty darn good to me!  This would most definitely have been easier if I had actually taken the door off of its hinges before I started, but I didn’t think about that possibility until I had finished the first side.  When I get around to putting on the second coat, I’ll definitely take it off its hinges!

All right… it is time to take my medicine.

With love across the waters…

Storage Wars...? Build Shelving!

As many of you know from my writings, my house is an older one (1896 build) and has some associated storage space issues. In the September time frame of last year I had some major renovations completed in the way of consolidating my laundry room and bathroom into one (much more practical) combined space.  The project ran over budget (no surprise - 1896 build, right?) and so at the time, instead of having my contractor build shelving into the space, I elected to purchase cheap (melamine construct) cabinets to be used until I could get around to putting in built in shelving.

This week has been "stay-cation" time for me and in between some awesome family time and some practical stuff (we are in the final stages of cleaning out my Grandpa's house prior to the final closing on the sale) I have been working (albeit slowly) on some of my "around the house" projects.

What I really wanted to accomplish this week off was to build linen storage shelving in my bathroom, paint the rest of the kitchen and start the (promised to be truly ugly) task of removing the vinyl tile from my kitchen floor in preparation for covering it with new flooring material.

Today I finished the shelves in the bathroom.  I should mention that I have also started the kitchen painting part - well, what I have done there is to tape and "mud in" the old doorway from the kitchen into what used to be the laundry room.  

Anyhow, here is the picture show of building shelves in my bathroom - commentary included.

First things first - assemble the supplies!

Cutting the shelf supports

Mitred back support

Supports all cut and ready to go!

Cutting the shelves - 1" x 6" fine cut cedar
beautiful grain AND smell!

double-sided tape makes installation easier

The double-sided tape held the supports to the walls and allowed
me to drill pilot holes and then counter sink all of the holes
and then screw the supports in place.  Excellent advice from my Dad!

The first support in place

Yes, I drew pencil lines on my walls

Making certain the shelf ended up level

All supports in place and screwed to the walls

The first shelf installed!!

Second shelf support screwed into place

All three shelves in place and ready to
load up with linens!

Ta Da!

With love across the waters...

Red Wall Shelves - ALMOST There

This weekend – another glorious weekend weather-wise - I managed to get a few more things done around the house. 

Without my attention, the grapes were ripe and ready to harvest– so I picked them all.  Some of them I tried to make easy grape juice with (basically fill a canning jar with grapes, add hot water and water bath can process as normal. Over time the grapes will “disintegrate” into sediment, leaving the juice.) and I attempted to make grape jelly.  I don’t think the jelly will set – I will give it a week to settle and if it hasn’t set by next weekend, I will open the jars and re-process.

Half a Haul!

Draining the grape mash overnight

Grape Jelly - if it sets...

Isn't that pretty?

Next up was the kitchen shelving project. This is the project I picked up 2x6 cedar planks for a couple of weeks ago and then spent a week putting urethane coat on.  The urethane (Varathane brand) required 3 coats – two coats, a sanding and then a third top coat to make it pop.

Three Planks at a Time 

Freshly opened can

Oops... I need a smaller brush!

Pretty!

 Those planks, once the urethane was done, sat inside my house for a couple of weeks while I did other stuff – letting the coating really cure well before I started the next part of the project.

This project took place on the red wall.

Before starting I had to scrape this crud off the ceiling.
Thankfully it wasn't too hard!

 

Crud on the floor!

Top and bottom pieces in

Side pieces also now in

Not having supports of the right length required
improvisation

Counter-height shelf in 

Almost there

Next steps, add doors!

There is still some work to do – the kitchen MUST be cleaned up before anything else today – but the doors I will build onto the shelves can wait a little until I have more material.  Thin plywood, hinges, pulls, and chain to be exact.  But all in all, this was a fun project and I’m looking forward to the next projects…

With love across the waters…