What? I have a blog?

So, it has been about a year since my last post (I know, shameful). I have been keeping busy working on my prerequisites for nursing school, so I really haven't had a lot of time for anything besides work and study. But I'm done for about six months (assuming I get accepted into the program). Literally right after my last final on Thursday I got back in the saddle and started up again. My current project: The guest bedroom.

We have three rooms upstairs. Two bedrooms, and a smaller room that is probably better suited as an office or craft room. We don't have kids yet, so the plan for now is to use one room as a guest room and have the other smaller one ready to convert into a nursery when the time comes. 

So here is a kind of before picture. I sort of forgot to get a real before picture because I wasn't even thinking about blogging. So this is just after I pulled the carpet up. Note the super awesome pink/purple walls and busted blinds. Yeah. We're that classy.

I was a little disappointed when I pulled up the carpet. The wood is in relatively good shape except two large rectangles that have been replaced with plywood. We aren't planning on refinishing the floors for a few more years, so after we do our "in the mean time" paint job I'm hoping we can cover them with furniture/area rugs.

The lighting is also going to be a bit of an issue. Our house still has a lot of old knob and tube wiring, and this room is no exception. For the most part I try to be respectful of things that are original to the house (for instance, we will never be painting over the dark wood trim downstairs) but this old fixture had to go. Our upstairs bedrooms get extremely hot during the summer and really stuffy and gross during the winter. We have a small ceiling fan picked out and I will update on how horrible the installation turns out to be.

I'm over half way done with the paint job (trust me it looks so much better!). In the mean time I'll leave you with a cute picture of my dog right after he got to open his nautical themed Bark Box. Here's to six more months of home improvement blogging!

Bringing Things to Light

 Another busy weekend, although not much interesting to write about. A lot of cleaning and organizing. While not all that fun, its definitely a welcome distraction from everything else over the past week.  The porch looks much better. I scrubbed the walls and moved all the junk that was sitting out to the garage. Added some summer porch lights, spaced out the wind chimes, and.....

Tada! Don't mind the missing lattice, that's another project for another weekend.

Besides that I also tried making a mason jar soap dispenser. I've seen the idea around the internet and its really easy. Literally a five minute project.

All you need is a mason jar (any size will do) and an old dispenser top from any disposable soap pump. I saved mine from a used up Bath and Body Works soap. I initially tried to drill a hole through the jar lid, but to be honest I've never been great with power drills. After a few tries and only leaving a small dent, I just ended up hammering a screw through the top. This was much easier for me. I stretched the hole to the size I needed using a pen, and then trimmed the pump tube to size. The fit was so perfect I didn't even have to glue anything together.

The dark blue dish soap is a little intense, but it definitely beats having an industrial sized Costco container next to your sink!

The last major project of the weekend was cleaning and switching out the kitchen lights. After all the work I've put in I'm still very self conscious about the kitchen. Those glaring white cabinets and checkered floor show every spec of dirt and flaw imaginable. There's simply not enough time in the world to clean a white kitchen. I've even held off on sharing projects because the photos have always seemed a bit dingy, even after working my fingers to the bone scrubbing. Well, I finally realized that the disappointing photos weren't so much my fault, but an effect of the lighting  

Regular fluorescent bulbs were casting a yellow light over everything. In most rooms I don't think its much of a problem, especially with neutrals. With cool tones it can even lend some much needed warmth. However the lights in the kitchen made everything look yellow and old. I replaced them with natural fluorescent bulbs, which are supposed to imitate sunlight with a slight blue tint. I can't believe the difference it's made.

To make up for lost time, here are some projects I never posted on because I couldn't get a decent photo.

Old liquor bottles as storage for dry goods (Legumes, Rice, Pasta, etc.)

Pot and pan wall

Old school faucet and nobs 

(I can't take credit for this one or the pots and pans above. My husband's not half bad at this stuff!)

Cute seed packets

(Found these at Farm chicks)

Three tier fruit basket

(See all those white specs on the ceiling? It really helps if you have the right tool for the job. I literally tried 15 or more holes before I realized I needed a toggle hook. Hopefully my dad doesn't see this. Har Har Har.)

One last thing... Russia is now officially The Creaking Floorboard's  largest audience outside of the United States! To celebrate, here are some matryoshkas from my collection. So cute.

Dasvidaniya!

The Green Chandelier

For months now, my husband and I had been keeping our eyes out for a new chandelier for our dining room. Its a fairly large and elegant Victorian style room which we had recently painted, and is highest on my priority to spruce up. The chintzy brass chandelier that was hanging didn't really match the style of the room or our taste, so  after failing to find a replacement within our budget, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

You guessed it. Spray Paint.

Worst case scenario, we are out four bucks for the can of spray paint and still in the market for a new chandelier. Best case, I would be responsible for creating the most awesome light fixture ever.

So I did a little research on how to remove the chandelier. My husband was working but I managed pretty well on my own. A bit of warning to the faint of heart: this is a dirty job. I have never seen so many dried up bugs in my entire life. If your house is anywhere near as old as mine, expect a shower of plaster and dust when removing the fixture. Next time I will definitely be wearing glasses.

I am not going to lie. I wasted a lot of time on this project. Initially I wanted to use paint that would create a crackle effect. I picked up a jar of Martha Stewart crackle paint at Home Depot and after applying a layer of primer, I found that this stuff is not at all meant for ornate surfaces. So...After an hour of removing the primer and re-cleaning the surface I was ready to start again. This time with the obvious choice...spray paint.

I used painters tape and newsprint to cover the sockets and non-removable globe. I sprayed it outside, hanging from the roof of the porch. The dogs were pretty excited and confused about what I was doing. It only took about five minutes to paint and and another fifteen to dry to the touch.

Then the worst part: re-installing. It wouldn't have been bad. Had I only waited until my husband got home. Had there been an actual mounting bracket. Had I used my brain at all. Lets just say my husband came home to find me balancing on two chairs, a step stool, arms raised above my head holding the chandelier while frantically trying to twist the screws into two of the tiniest holes I have ever seen in my life. Not fun. But we got it up in the end.

When we finished I asked my husband if he liked it. His response? "Meh. Its okay...". Well, I guess he probably shouldn't have granted me total authority over decorating the house. I like it though. Its gaudy in a good way.