Guest Bathroom Update Round 4

Ahhhhh - now that feels better

Just a quick update on this amazingly beautiful Saturday night.  I already had the floor tile in when I wrote the last post, but with Eaphis' help we got the toilet back in today so we now have a part way functioning bathroom....hooray!!  The boys can stop using mine!!

To me, tearing up and laying down the floor was the biggest obstacle that I had to get around in this whole project, so now that that's done I feel like I'm on easy street.  I laid out and cut all of the tile beforehand, which took a couple of days, but once that was done I was able to get it all set, grouted, and tidied up pretty quick.

Of course it always helps to have a cute assistant to help you clean.

I am so in love with these floors....it's amazing how much cozier and warmer the bathroom feels just by getting rid of those dirty white tiles.   My biggest worry was that I wouldn't get them to lay straight - but I think they're pretty damn close to perfect if I do say so myself!

If you look close you can see the beginnings of the beadboard/trim and the glimmer of tile on the shower wall (yay!).  I actually feel like I'm ahead of the arbitrary schedule that exists only in my mind so I'm going to celebrate with some Bluberry Wine and some Buffy.

Now for the checklist - so close, yet so far.............

• Stain the Vanity and add Hardware
• Remove Shower Tile / Add Shower Niche
• Replace the Shower Tile
• Replace Shower Fixtures
• New Shower Rod and Curtain
• Remove Floor TIle
• Replace Floor Tile
• Add Beadboard and Trim
• Replace Door Trim
• Paint
• Replace Sink Fixtures
• Replace Light Fixture
• Add Medicine Cabinets
• Add Shelves / Hooks / and Accessories

Guest Bathroom Update Round 3

HOLY HELL THAT WAS HARD!!!

Over the last few weeks I've begun the heavy lifting part of my bathroom redo beginning with DEMO TIME

Before I started each part of this, I gave myself a little pep talk and then began to swing away (telling myself that if I really messed up I could always hire a contractor).

First the shower came down - once I got the rythm of this it actually wasn't that bad....even though I slowly discovered that I would have to replace all of the backer-board because none of it was installed properly....even that went up without much of a problem.  I even got my nifty little niche in - no problems....easy street

And then - I started to try to take up the floor.............and the floodgates opened!!! What I thought was going to be a one day project, ended up taking 3 days.  At least I think I developed some good biceps muscles (at least in my right arm) but I spent those three days covered in dust, cursing every piece of flying tile, and thinking I had made a HUGE mistake.  But - when the dust settled (literally), and I put in the brand new backboard and vaccumed up all the remnants of the old - I was pretty damn proud of myself.

I don't know if I would ever take on pulling up a tile floor again - in fact I couldn't even bring myself to write this post until my new tile was sitting happily and snuggly on the floor (next time folks!) - but I came out the other side a much more confident DIYer.

Next post things will start to look a lot prettier I promise (Take a look at the Current project spot for a sneak peek!)

• Stain the Vanity and add Hardware
• Remove Shower Tile / Add Shower Niche
• Replace the Shower Tile
• Replace Shower Fixtures
• New Shower Rod and Curtain
• Remove Floor TIle
• Replace Floor Tile
• Add Beadboard and Trim
• Replace Door Trim
• Paint
• Replace Sink Fixtures
• Replace Light Fixture
• Add Medicine Cabinets
• Add Shelves / Hooks / and Accessories

Top Ten Favorite Things - Mid-Summer Round Up

Top Row
1. Lots of pool time - posted the good pic on facebook but I like this "outake"
2. Crayola trip #2 - can't believe how big this guy is getting
3. Farm CoOp - such a nice break to take the afternoons and get to pick beautiful flowers and veggies
4. Blake's 4th bday....the rain held out and we had another amazing party
5. Crayola trip #1 - can't believe how big this guy thinks he is

Bottom Row
6. After much anxiety, GOBs surgery day went by very smoothly and happy to report haven't had any ear problems for the last two weeks...fingers crossed!
7. Lots of backyard dance party time
8. Taking my boys to their first DCI show...Blake made it through 3 corps...shooting for 5 next year
9. First trip to Dorney Park in FOREVER and cannot wait to go back....this guy could have stayed at the water park all day
10. GIRLS NIGHT OUT! Love getting a night out of the house, but love these girls more

First official building project..............

I have taken the next step towards learning how to build actual, usable, 3D things!  I had wanted a set of really basic/classic white planters for the front porch since we moved it, but I was never able to easily find what I was looking for.  So once I officially crossed the line into cheapskate territory and started searching for any and all things I could DIY - I came across these plans for exactly what I was looking for and PRESTO!

Well, beforehand I got my hands on these two amazing babies which made the PRESTO so much easier

I just picked up two hanging baskets from Home Depot tonight so I could finally share them (we'll see how long I can keep these alive....I have already brought down some unkillable succulents with my black thumb).

I also decided to make a small change to my blog so I can keep my "avid" readers up to date on what else I have going on since I usually can't help but have less than 3 projects floating around at once so be sure to check out the right hand column for sneak peaks of my works in progress ---------------->

And check back tomorrow for a roundup of my favorite things that me and the boys have done so far this summer!!