Condo Blues

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Recycled Glass Bottle Windows


Husband and I spent a day at the Ohio Renaissance Festival. It gives me a chance to share with you my all time favorite window idea in the essential oils shop.

They used old bottles to make stained glass windows.








































 The glass bottle windows look even better when I took photos without a flash.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

How to Buy a Roof

One of the reasons we bought a new build condo is so we wouldn’t have to worry about making home repairs to make it move in ready. In fact, we had a guarantee that the builder would make repairs or fixes on to our home for the first year.

Except the roof. 


And we had to replace.

Less than a year after putting it on the new house.

Being innocent doe eyed homeowners, all we thought we needed was to do was call the insurance company, get someone to slap a few new shingles on the roof, cash the insurance check, pay the guy, and call it a day.  

Ha, ha, ha. Silly doe eyed homeowners.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Recycled Front Porch and Garden Renovation Reveal !

Husband and I worked on this project all spring and summer. It is finished! I am ready to reveal my summer recycled front yard vegetable garden and Power of Paint Porch renovation project!

 
Finished!


I didn’t expect this to be our big summer project. Things snowballed after Husband and I made it a priority to plant something in the front yard.   This remodel is an example of Slow Decorating. We did each project bit by bit over a year and several months. It is a cash only project.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Four Recycled Bathroom Organizers

Trying to find anything stored in the guest bathroom vanity takes longer than it should because it lacks drawers.

A typical plain Jane builder's vanity

I’m on the hunt for a vintage dresser to repurpose into a bathroom vanity.    

In an attempt to make it livable until I find a suitable replacement, I turned my attention to cleaning out and organizing the guest room vanity.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

HGTV Design Star Finale: We Have a Winner!

This week the designers shot a design show pilot. At this point in the game, it’s almost a formality based on past camera challenges and judges comments.

In typical Design Star finale fashion, the Final 2 received help from the eliminated designers. Fortunately, unlike in seasons past, this year only four of the best team players Leslie, Mark, Kevin (Welcome back Sassy!), and Kellie came back to help Meg and Karl instead of the whole crew.

Karl chooses Mark and Sassy for his team. Meg chooses Leslie and Kellie for her team. It is Boys against Girls!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

What Type of Sewing Machine Do You Have? Do You Like It?

At 39 years old, my Kenmore sewing machine has seen and sewn it all. My mom bought it in 1972. Mom put many miles on her. Bessie sewed curtains for my childhood bedrooms, countless Halloween costumes, and Barbie clothes. Mom sewed color guard uniforms, flags, and more high school musical costumes than I can count before, during, and after I graduated high school.
Everyone say hi to Bessie!

Why do I call her Bessie? Because when the machine acted up mom yelled, “Come on Bessie!” as she sewed and the machine snapped back in line. Bessie is a safer thing to say around little kid ears (mine) than saying what you really want to say when you are frustrated with things not going your way during a project.

Mom gave me Bessie after she got a new sewing machine. I put many miles on Bessie too. Under my roof, we sewed blankets and toys for Blitzkrieg, Christmas gifts, curtains, slipcovers, reupholstered furniture, and repurposed more things than I can count. Bessie and I designed costumes and historical clothing too. Bessie is Mommy’s Little Moneymaker when it comes to building costumes.