tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77653479557283439472024-03-27T11:40:12.749-07:00KRUSE'S WORKSHOPAll Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-68830516925978493732023-08-23T07:53:00.006-07:002023-08-23T08:14:56.596-07:00Menus for Meal Planning<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>I’m always searching for ways to make meal planning more efficient. Usually we thumb through our family recipe binder to see what sounds good for the week based on what we have in the freezer and the pantry. A thought struck me that when you go to a restaurant , you skip to the portion of the menu that you know you’re craving. </p><p>I’ve created breakfast, lunch and dinner menus below based on categories so when it’s time to meal plan on Friday’s, it easy to select meals from a few categories. For some things like chicken sandwiches and quesadillas, it’s easy to make variations of each of those. For example, this week we had Philly cheesesteak quesadillas and mushroom and Swiss chicken sandwiches. </p><p>The menus are printed and posted in our kitchen so the kids can use it as a guide when preparing their breakfasts and lunches. Hoping it will stop the constant question, “I’m hungry, what should I eat?”</p><p>Most importantly, we try to aim for 30-40 grams of protein per meal with two athletic teens in the house. It’s easy to reach that goal by adding a glass of Fairlife milk, adding cottage cheese or doubling the protein in your main dish.</p><p>If you need some meal ideas, feel free to download the docs below and let me know what your family favorites are that I’m missing!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSQFmn9lXgja9-36QuvMF31a3wXupghy0aXVjfa8g74fYd49XiDw-62ALyH9LzGOFDvJqks6j9e64FPAkUp1mNzAwgryBJb0cy8Zl7kh1BGrO_SNa4b9khoVrIxRHJGVfjxs0_bGakt6ILmrCcHPlRo_S7_6oQTmc2TR9HsJO_tJUtg0_9fCeiOks_H0/s2000/Dinner%20Menu.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSQFmn9lXgja9-36QuvMF31a3wXupghy0aXVjfa8g74fYd49XiDw-62ALyH9LzGOFDvJqks6j9e64FPAkUp1mNzAwgryBJb0cy8Zl7kh1BGrO_SNa4b9khoVrIxRHJGVfjxs0_bGakt6ILmrCcHPlRo_S7_6oQTmc2TR9HsJO_tJUtg0_9fCeiOks_H0/w494-h640/Dinner%20Menu.PNG" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT-ij5FoQ7CPqMO_NksLA8TBpD9FTjmgCyCM7aPMlfMSf1wLSsMbcJ7PbhcZYmx2fnwzj7FH7xLhseOtw-7AfLddcy44t4hzjX3lY-daARXv16WmPbOVhF0vnMnQVhgIAurgyNNJe6Q5odjqVb8DiUKG9gjnp4G0xoNw0oEjqhOjpa11V0tf0II6JVLk/s2000/Lunch%20Menu.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT-ij5FoQ7CPqMO_NksLA8TBpD9FTjmgCyCM7aPMlfMSf1wLSsMbcJ7PbhcZYmx2fnwzj7FH7xLhseOtw-7AfLddcy44t4hzjX3lY-daARXv16WmPbOVhF0vnMnQVhgIAurgyNNJe6Q5odjqVb8DiUKG9gjnp4G0xoNw0oEjqhOjpa11V0tf0II6JVLk/w494-h640/Lunch%20Menu.PNG" width="494" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbZ9l1Yv3PTwXQ3Q66ZTdWOrSv2PVp1nEJyQapXGcgTS79dNl6mhLh0DCCbi8ELW2sP3nIt-vZqAxuUWyh2BVlA9SW5FwQQJk2-2gMAfbRyr7RKc-8whYjOIK3pA6qnsVM1L9zhsgWUC9ppcA9vWP8lUdWaUaRyyTMdSck37ftSdslGjqZ5RYFc3ueF8/s2000/Breakfast%20Menu.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1545" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbZ9l1Yv3PTwXQ3Q66ZTdWOrSv2PVp1nEJyQapXGcgTS79dNl6mhLh0DCCbi8ELW2sP3nIt-vZqAxuUWyh2BVlA9SW5FwQQJk2-2gMAfbRyr7RKc-8whYjOIK3pA6qnsVM1L9zhsgWUC9ppcA9vWP8lUdWaUaRyyTMdSck37ftSdslGjqZ5RYFc3ueF8/w494-h640/Breakfast%20Menu.PNG" width="494" /></a></div><br />All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-60959174642640337362017-11-17T10:31:00.001-08:002017-11-17T10:31:32.486-08:00Our Kitchen Remodel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Our recent kitchen remodel lasted 6 months. 6 looong months. During the summer, our 8 year old son would walk in the door after a busy day at his summer program and announce, "Ahhh...home unfinished home!" We survived though (and stayed married) and are ready to tell you all about it. </div>
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This one was different. Overwhelmingly, alarmingly, surprisingly, all the -ly'ies different. Like as in, if I knew now what this would have involved, I may have been too scared to tackle this one. Of course we are thrilled with the outcome and glad we bit the bullet, but this remodel was no easy feat. </div>
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We weren't prepared for how quickly a kitchen remodel can spiral into each adjoining room. What started out as..."Let's take out the wall between the kitchen and the dining to make it feel more open!" quickly turned into "MIGHT AS WELL DO _____________, TOO!" Beware that this is the most dangerous and expensive phrase in a remodeling scenario.</div>
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<b>BEFORE</b></div>
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We'll start at the beginning. The wall in the photo below was our biggest problem. The kitchen was completely closed off from the dining area because of the small door frame constricting the space. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8_99n9g_NhP4nP9Fzlm3vlEcFzKzqhJAwh7aEorrLHj1yq7RfUt9EJQZS3Y4vUgwhP9pdCWfK8qCs7zN1PhPTX0grYdR5fokzYsE_y2xDYJzC1N5VYaKIh0xaf_a9yV86b0zpBpvRO44/s1600/IMG_2326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8_99n9g_NhP4nP9Fzlm3vlEcFzKzqhJAwh7aEorrLHj1yq7RfUt9EJQZS3Y4vUgwhP9pdCWfK8qCs7zN1PhPTX0grYdR5fokzYsE_y2xDYJzC1N5VYaKIh0xaf_a9yV86b0zpBpvRO44/s640/IMG_2326.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The white door leads to an upstairs bedroom and we typically leave it open for air flow. Except when it's open, its only impedes the traffic coming to and from the kitchen.</div>
<img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuxr0K7xBvw3bTFtNOyyIv4NBq5hLZUzSqDnb4eeCtKEyxFhD_MAGxvH83QhdIqE7hK9p_Gq_cF-UusmZfz_heWjUDeNy-b-Bax-FCECMCXV-W5Vntlisr6drgPs-5grsx7yZphZSk58A/s640/IMG_2338.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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The stove was in a terrible position, right against the wall, which made it difficult to use the two burners on the left. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0ofDsF8JbwXuVGJn1vGleCCEllqT1DG11YEMz6wvQwfIJszXBXChID4PXXA_cVKenBvnT32UqvDjEBmk30Sgi3fOG7MXXodJxVnHI0gnmvMOPuXfFWFZ-uMyzWlvylQa-dhEBYq-MtmX/s1600/IMG_2343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0ofDsF8JbwXuVGJn1vGleCCEllqT1DG11YEMz6wvQwfIJszXBXChID4PXXA_cVKenBvnT32UqvDjEBmk30Sgi3fOG7MXXodJxVnHI0gnmvMOPuXfFWFZ-uMyzWlvylQa-dhEBYq-MtmX/s640/IMG_2343.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">On the other side, the fridge was right in the middle of the room, making a narrow kitchen feel even more narrow. With the fridge door open, no one could pass by because of the door swing. The large pantry cabinet was great, but I would take counter space over cabinet space any day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMWiXxcdTyGsMiaAWEeTWPA-eSpzzpkuUVdSvmL8m0VxyPM1WY_0MqtxGMdgVfgVsiTGCnNWC7YphDnlQdeqHyOl4O7jpxFmSntIl8fRVRnzLC1LtYekv1AQBipUmBEbgUL3rOcZUPP-E/s1600/IMG_2348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXMWiXxcdTyGsMiaAWEeTWPA-eSpzzpkuUVdSvmL8m0VxyPM1WY_0MqtxGMdgVfgVsiTGCnNWC7YphDnlQdeqHyOl4O7jpxFmSntIl8fRVRnzLC1LtYekv1AQBipUmBEbgUL3rOcZUPP-E/s640/IMG_2348.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The old kitchen had just one heat/cooling vent and pair that with small door frames, it would heat up pretty quickly without the ability to circulate air through it.</div>
<img height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBN-F87YFzva5vUSqqLcoTqMB66EPeoOPGIWpE4GYac4jUznGDgRAmGpdKP1RkVa3R_gAjL1pRVNEpX_Fh81B5mEufOrB0lO_aLwS_eCAat55RB4HbB5oMUNl8P8dHRJ4qwdYcXzf8ipj/s640/DSC_0007.JPG" width="640" /><br />
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And although I love, love, loved that dining room light fixture, I could rarely center the table under it because our dining area is a pass through and centering the table makes it difficult to walk around. I wanted to remove the light fixture and replace with recessed lights so I wouldn't have to call more attention to an off centered dining table.<br />
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<b>AFTER</b></div>
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Fast forward to today and things are feeling much lighter and brighter! What once was a galley kitchen is now completely open to the dining area and can handle multiple cooks at once. I spent many months drawing out the kitchen of my dreams on graph paper and it has been so gratifying to see it take shape.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmHTKHLJpf5eIuZl69suS_Tj61hqZdjLAhfT_Pwmv6R5u65koF3Oi9abng5Xoca3YfoduUVNYvrFstlZIcjlbJGSWUAtv_hlyqC69x8prouVSk2cKL9Ki6sJxlnQw1Q80WwZz9zDHKZg/s1600/galleykitchen+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmHTKHLJpf5eIuZl69suS_Tj61hqZdjLAhfT_Pwmv6R5u65koF3Oi9abng5Xoca3YfoduUVNYvrFstlZIcjlbJGSWUAtv_hlyqC69x8prouVSk2cKL9Ki6sJxlnQw1Q80WwZz9zDHKZg/s640/galleykitchen+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Removing the wall between the rooms has unified the main living areas. Opening up the stairwell has helped, too. We raised the height of the stairwell door a few inches to make it easier to move furniture to the 2nd floor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaI-OgYsZ8OUXyEcyy7or9Th98x_YHor440O0DE3ypNp18I-t3kpaVzc3K2AcuAQI-T8wIXE6-kJHENfDe57hXagno6wR7KZm7ASfGMPowbtrUmOXk0lRqgAC7nRWV-jk3CGjtU-Tt68/s1600/galleykitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOaI-OgYsZ8OUXyEcyy7or9Th98x_YHor440O0DE3ypNp18I-t3kpaVzc3K2AcuAQI-T8wIXE6-kJHENfDe57hXagno6wR7KZm7ASfGMPowbtrUmOXk0lRqgAC7nRWV-jk3CGjtU-Tt68/s640/galleykitchen.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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I purposefully staggered all of the appliances so that if I were at the stove and Brent was doing dishes (are you getting the hint, Brent??), we wouldn't be standing directly back to back. I considered centering the stove on this wall to make the wall of cabinets feel more symmetrical, but that would have meant the dishwasher would be directly in front oven. No good because there are usually two of us working in here at once. More than anything in this new kitchen, I wanted a long stretch of counter top to spread out on. In the old kitchen, I would have to work in three separate areas because not one of the three areas was enough to accommodate all my bowls/ingredients. Planning a kitchen layout really makes you reflect on HOW you cook. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQJqIlLtVElVfn24tOYOxjAN2ezSgMa6hc9EwYewSUb-A88bJYodC8o8KP8vN2JiaM1qVz92tNZlhtzVdg15gaggPJgXIr3RlZeT8oslCZuThGH7TyjXfw3xqK2lhhNutIltcNjDq4y4/s1600/opengalleykitchen+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1014" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQJqIlLtVElVfn24tOYOxjAN2ezSgMa6hc9EwYewSUb-A88bJYodC8o8KP8vN2JiaM1qVz92tNZlhtzVdg15gaggPJgXIr3RlZeT8oslCZuThGH7TyjXfw3xqK2lhhNutIltcNjDq4y4/s640/opengalleykitchen+%25281%2529.jpg" width="403" /></a></div>
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Look at the two photos above. Notice anything missing? Outlets? Switches? They are all under the cabinets!!! Brent used toggle switches for the under cabinet lights and the light above the sink. I love that there aren't any outlets cluttering up that gorgeous backsplash! </div>
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The counter tops are quartz, that we went with because of their durability and require zero maintenance. Love them and can't say enough good things about them. And bonus, since our kitchen is pretty small and doesn't have any corner seams, we were able to get a remnant slab for half price!</div>
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The photo below is the view when you walk in from our garage door into the kitchen. We put the pull out pantry between the fridge and the wall so that the fridge door can swing all the way open, allowing us to get drawers/trays out for cleaning. We built the fridge cabinet to accommodate a 36" wide counter depth fridge, but we're waiting to pull the trigger on a new refrigerator because our current fridge is working just fine. TIP: We used a recessed electrical outlet for the fridge and the stove so that they can slide as far back as possible to the wall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5-8Cc2kKneQgefMqS43HtCKveK2-qqyi8vkrSazjV7ww6BCI2s8N3GH0qRp76sLJogVYKJ8t_zX2dk8qh-irqTD-CVb-JfvgPgMeQLOz7YNnBckKX_7TTe_pDC-l1r1acq3xbDoYvsM/s1600/whitedovecabinets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5-8Cc2kKneQgefMqS43HtCKveK2-qqyi8vkrSazjV7ww6BCI2s8N3GH0qRp76sLJogVYKJ8t_zX2dk8qh-irqTD-CVb-JfvgPgMeQLOz7YNnBckKX_7TTe_pDC-l1r1acq3xbDoYvsM/s640/whitedovecabinets.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xgpc2g5IPO6htSCalZJAGzPupgqlxNmZ3NGR6F1dHWnIQAt4J2UJMZkaudpLbydRTY1UmKeCFfX5LDS3iJbhupq5OdkJjYzB6BnF89vfV1ZCZw5XuRknm0fU4IHQxlRrwpPvu5DwC70/s1600/galleykitchen+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xgpc2g5IPO6htSCalZJAGzPupgqlxNmZ3NGR6F1dHWnIQAt4J2UJMZkaudpLbydRTY1UmKeCFfX5LDS3iJbhupq5OdkJjYzB6BnF89vfV1ZCZw5XuRknm0fU4IHQxlRrwpPvu5DwC70/s640/galleykitchen+%25281%2529.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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I love that view into the dining room! I used to be so closed off in our old kitchen, having a conversation with someone at the dinner table while I'm in the kitchen has made the biggest difference. For most families, life happens at the dinner table and now I can actually see it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_nc_A3jjLuqOH9aO4xRb5BvzIrx3ewBh9aQvj3K54rN6f8feaLaMGxyjI04KClS8c3Fa4Yn3popFqDQy0DEpKHPjCqQyGiqVo1UtbuCYW1f2ufK4NAzbCMHa70-h7nbWCvKkQEGcFgc/s1600/galleykitchenopentodining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_nc_A3jjLuqOH9aO4xRb5BvzIrx3ewBh9aQvj3K54rN6f8feaLaMGxyjI04KClS8c3Fa4Yn3popFqDQy0DEpKHPjCqQyGiqVo1UtbuCYW1f2ufK4NAzbCMHa70-h7nbWCvKkQEGcFgc/s640/galleykitchenopentodining.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let's chat about this sink. When the salesperson was over and looking over our plans, she asked what type of sink I was going to use. I knew a white farmhouse sink wouldn't be a good fit because I was afraid of the maintenance and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of a bright white sink against warm white cabinetry, so I assumed stainless steel was my only option. She mentioned how stainless scratches quite easily and that I should look into a quartz sink. BEST DECISION EVER! This thing has been indestructible. I love the color, it's a matte black/charcoal and extra deep. The drain is offset so I don't have to push the dishes to either side to find the drain. And having an undermount sink is a life changer. Since we do so much prep on the counter tops next to the sink, sweeping crumbs into the sink has been a dream. The matte black faucet swivels, pulls down and out and has two spray settings. Love.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfL-J9hGRo4dsIXJuhd78AYZSVudRw81Ts8ZV-GAIbJi0-92-6RdFthQV6uCmct3YR08PCgAvGASzKxXjFivQLIWb0hnYC_Mjydt3ZfDZUsB8B2aLOrasN6yGnsROXJ0fbzzVrFoRK55w/s1600/karranblacksink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfL-J9hGRo4dsIXJuhd78AYZSVudRw81Ts8ZV-GAIbJi0-92-6RdFthQV6uCmct3YR08PCgAvGASzKxXjFivQLIWb0hnYC_Mjydt3ZfDZUsB8B2aLOrasN6yGnsROXJ0fbzzVrFoRK55w/s640/karranblacksink.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Increasing the size of the window has given us a better view of the backyard and it lets so much light into the kitchen!<br />
Side note: the drawer in front of the sink tips out to reveal two storage containers for sponges and a switch for the garbage disposal. Brent even used a special switch for the disposal that you have to hold down to operate, so when you take pressure off the switch, the disposal turns off.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CMmzLs8TM7i0jR3E-rYgkNRdTeKq-J-2wdNwsUBhJo3IrNQVpaogD_j4So5EvrN57VWjU-hGbg4HCwmVHdanK3BfwgwrUkx7B3QnleDhl3CmI_CuL0uveMq4a288BZMNJa3HA-x5-AM/s1600/lanawallsconce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CMmzLs8TM7i0jR3E-rYgkNRdTeKq-J-2wdNwsUBhJo3IrNQVpaogD_j4So5EvrN57VWjU-hGbg4HCwmVHdanK3BfwgwrUkx7B3QnleDhl3CmI_CuL0uveMq4a288BZMNJa3HA-x5-AM/s640/lanawallsconce.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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As for the backsplash, from the beginning, I had planned to do a classic white subway tile but I couldn't pull the trigger because the subway tile was a bright white and our cabinets are a warm white. I didn't want the cabinets to feel too creamy, so we needed to find a white backsplash tile that had a warmer tone to it. You can see the subtle differences below and why I went with the arabesque pattern.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR0CqZGJWZX22xqzS9ePKmFPJSIdaDRD3JP_mB6z9wvWVujnoze5nVHUyjNDbX60yAmph3ZvMmmg5HOEudA1QrfNjqfj6l4iDDSVPGljWeQ1yXBwZVwm9O0tdYo6ShMrE2UsVnIFwF10/s1600/IMG_3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDR0CqZGJWZX22xqzS9ePKmFPJSIdaDRD3JP_mB6z9wvWVujnoze5nVHUyjNDbX60yAmph3ZvMmmg5HOEudA1QrfNjqfj6l4iDDSVPGljWeQ1yXBwZVwm9O0tdYo6ShMrE2UsVnIFwF10/s400/IMG_3773.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV87YVO3rhzMgqCk5YbKzldLpkrEBzmbUgBz5_XrAn3Fh-h1q2GJoT52Hd4zBEvV-7M5yD6XRlXsyrFaNT_aqPI0sX9gAjKmnBYHcdRiYn8dKZ5vStl4u1n5nTP58jAo-nAttcD5bD30/s1600/IMG_3772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV87YVO3rhzMgqCk5YbKzldLpkrEBzmbUgBz5_XrAn3Fh-h1q2GJoT52Hd4zBEvV-7M5yD6XRlXsyrFaNT_aqPI0sX9gAjKmnBYHcdRiYn8dKZ5vStl4u1n5nTP58jAo-nAttcD5bD30/s400/IMG_3772.JPG" width="300" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP84Dh-IBIwHY-8LWx0251QWwSD0p-GeohSX7XJmNRu9lqK6nGHBI0cpJ_dMoyye47e5X2YJ4EamsMC1X-8jG7L-VN_ZQyNsBduFAtTfRemKD1WVUcT5A1E5HjnTgahfzJJjZ9xLvXi4/s1600/tilebacksplash+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP84Dh-IBIwHY-8LWx0251QWwSD0p-GeohSX7XJmNRu9lqK6nGHBI0cpJ_dMoyye47e5X2YJ4EamsMC1X-8jG7L-VN_ZQyNsBduFAtTfRemKD1WVUcT5A1E5HjnTgahfzJJjZ9xLvXi4/s640/tilebacksplash+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Switching gears to hardware, this one took an embarrassing amount of time to nail down. I knew I wanted the little glass like knobs on top because they seemed to match our house. But choosing the hardware for the lower cabinets was torturous! We needed two different sizes, a longer length for the large drawers and a shorter length for the doors and small drawers. We finally found this hardware from Amerock called Rochdale and it was perfect. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYy9bdrj5R_Icex54-HAFeDaOaa_4a4b6kGA04CQr35y5Hw7IeJPZXnI47pMsP-Z6XQ4VAkoG1N2bEe_sM-7IrXMe-vld5DS8Uie-wR4FNxo1iUaU5KATpS889oKmRctbo1OB0Rdjfqp0/s1600/amerockrochdale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYy9bdrj5R_Icex54-HAFeDaOaa_4a4b6kGA04CQr35y5Hw7IeJPZXnI47pMsP-Z6XQ4VAkoG1N2bEe_sM-7IrXMe-vld5DS8Uie-wR4FNxo1iUaU5KATpS889oKmRctbo1OB0Rdjfqp0/s640/amerockrochdale.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
The knobs are from Hickory Hardware and called Crystal Palace.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp7-U3wMLlHhk57U0f6JfLPhYI9vcrWfzAfF08TBZkJFL6edAQbMeRc1nQdp0GP_iH1XSr1Pb3sb9cYXsrwWPfuG4fDcOq-C-n-FTGmsts5RBDZJ8P_9C_AdwtNIW_h4zIuKeUB_HwHE/s1600/hickoryhardwarecrystalpalaceknob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqp7-U3wMLlHhk57U0f6JfLPhYI9vcrWfzAfF08TBZkJFL6edAQbMeRc1nQdp0GP_iH1XSr1Pb3sb9cYXsrwWPfuG4fDcOq-C-n-FTGmsts5RBDZJ8P_9C_AdwtNIW_h4zIuKeUB_HwHE/s640/hickoryhardwarecrystalpalaceknob.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The biggest surprise in the remodel came in the form of hardwood flooring. Years ago, we salvaged matching hardwoods from a friends house, knowing that someday we'd put them in the kitchen. When we remodeled our bathroom, we learned our existing floors were only 3/8 thick. The flooring we had salvaged was the right width but 3/4 thick. Our existing hardwoods are very difficult to find and if you can find them, can be pretty expensive so tile was going to be our second choice. The thought of having a transition between the kitchen and dining kept nagging me because I knew it would interrupt the flow of the house. At the last minute, I begged Brent to take a look at the hardwood flooring to see if he could make it work. He ended up running every single strip of reclaimed flooring through the table saw to get it to the correct width. Twice. Once on each side to shave it down. Then he ran each strip through a planer to get them to approximately the same thickness. That did the trick and after some belt sanding we were able to get the floor laid perfectly level with the existing flooring.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXZkOJTYzXCjAvWtQKmKxqcxagkBSV85wIm4-pdZpvRFFXSFIFfObftclgbL7JW985jMMh-bGWEiXs82u_C011l60Tr-R6ACtcU4rMS8IGMebVK5Lxb3qP2IxqI5DuXT3N-aB992HFIw/s1600/IMG_3604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXZkOJTYzXCjAvWtQKmKxqcxagkBSV85wIm4-pdZpvRFFXSFIFfObftclgbL7JW985jMMh-bGWEiXs82u_C011l60Tr-R6ACtcU4rMS8IGMebVK5Lxb3qP2IxqI5DuXT3N-aB992HFIw/s640/IMG_3604.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately, that was the easy part. Next we stained the floor with the color Spring Oak and applied 4 coats of oil based poly. Problem was, we couldn't just poly the kitchen floor or the existing floor would have a different type of sheen. In order for this to feel right, we were going to need to screen and re coat ALL the hardwoods on the main floor. We pulled all the trim from the bedrooms (we were going to be replacing it anyways) and cleared out the furniture. Next I scrubbed every inch of the flooring with dish soap and water and a green scrubby pad. As it dried, Brent came behind me with a screening pad attached to a pole sander. He used a fair amount of elbow grease because you really want to scratch that top surface of existing polyurethane. Then we vacuumed the dust, wiped everything down with mineral spirits and applied two coats of oil based polyurethane called Fabulon in a satin finish with a lambswool applicator. As long and arduous as that process was, it was totally worth it! It feels like we have brand new floors. No more little scratches from the dogs nails, they are just as smooth as glass! Apparently if you have hardwoods laid in place like we do, doing this screen and re-coat process every 5 years or so will really extend the life of your hardwoods. In the photo below, it's pretty tough to tell where the old floor and new floor meet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSg67kXuPqdf5S3rEknkZTYXdVWtsuKRP11YdAJ3TCc5WTmv8JQLCkwLE-uXUd8ZquQfhaSrJ7zccVVDjof30RFCgXAFWNGenZNJyi_hEWKLsupnoIRhdjKZFRPg_yMeuQa4K8_dcjSw/s1600/farmhousetable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSg67kXuPqdf5S3rEknkZTYXdVWtsuKRP11YdAJ3TCc5WTmv8JQLCkwLE-uXUd8ZquQfhaSrJ7zccVVDjof30RFCgXAFWNGenZNJyi_hEWKLsupnoIRhdjKZFRPg_yMeuQa4K8_dcjSw/s640/farmhousetable.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In the photo above, you can see a heating/cooling vent that we cut into the toe kick of the base unit. We also added another one at the opposite end of the room to improve the air flow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5r5nomFxFDfLz66xPkHcCL_jMpkhB0KgMS6EKPDG4IQLzpkkSbd2wceGnqcheaf89shigseDmx5JaIap4TaUVpll9SqfC2bn0ijeE0rZJA_gGlDtsr1S_FJIPeHACfp-cS6yMUEKrSQ/s1600/farmhousekitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5r5nomFxFDfLz66xPkHcCL_jMpkhB0KgMS6EKPDG4IQLzpkkSbd2wceGnqcheaf89shigseDmx5JaIap4TaUVpll9SqfC2bn0ijeE0rZJA_gGlDtsr1S_FJIPeHACfp-cS6yMUEKrSQ/s640/farmhousekitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Ahhhh...this table! We got lucky and picked up a Magnolia Home farmhouse table for half price at Hom Furniture. Pier 1 sells an 8' version on their website.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J7kDsLFQc6vNIBpS56R0TAsw1dn85oRurLTCSwAqIlfgk0YFtKS47zxeUBVSQt0X75V6LorUxCJ34qGGmIP_V-FxKgQ6kERx45gC6-FoyW1tLLNErR7F9cqDX3xGAz1CS5n_4E2-djU/s1600/joannagainesfarmhousetable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1090" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J7kDsLFQc6vNIBpS56R0TAsw1dn85oRurLTCSwAqIlfgk0YFtKS47zxeUBVSQt0X75V6LorUxCJ34qGGmIP_V-FxKgQ6kERx45gC6-FoyW1tLLNErR7F9cqDX3xGAz1CS5n_4E2-djU/s640/joannagainesfarmhousetable.jpg" width="434" /></a></div>
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The dining room used to have a chair rail that was original to the house. Removing it meant a really noticeable paint line. The best way to fix that was to skim coat all the walls in the dining area. That means applying a full coat of joint compound to the entire room. When I step back and look at before/after pictures, it looks like we simply painted the wall. Before and after photos can't fully encompass the scope of work and effort it took to do a job correctly in order to end up with a high quality result.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo25QbcHFIa_dP24nfGrE6oipIik9AIWlWCW7jRkh8DIjTLcdNsVzwm6HD-TKVpohzBpik8LLedAUP_jXUGkvJq15A0cw7Z58bcEaS5-hSr1ap95ExttqbCL1VSzV3zhDV-zFzKHgQ3Hc/s1600/familypicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1600" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo25QbcHFIa_dP24nfGrE6oipIik9AIWlWCW7jRkh8DIjTLcdNsVzwm6HD-TKVpohzBpik8LLedAUP_jXUGkvJq15A0cw7Z58bcEaS5-hSr1ap95ExttqbCL1VSzV3zhDV-zFzKHgQ3Hc/s640/familypicture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tutorial for the family photo display can be found <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2014/03/iron-pipe-family-photo-display.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFtlvGLKWKv4T8N52jKh2988pdvt-kC-PLsfPCBma5z7CYe_0n_WtqMSxnKCcvQSTr_HQdW43ah300mxBeaAVZEkXUKWdV41USJ1aH8WHOZYL8P_l_5LQZ8_bqihepFikCtCqrSyDemM/s1600/familypicturedisplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFtlvGLKWKv4T8N52jKh2988pdvt-kC-PLsfPCBma5z7CYe_0n_WtqMSxnKCcvQSTr_HQdW43ah300mxBeaAVZEkXUKWdV41USJ1aH8WHOZYL8P_l_5LQZ8_bqihepFikCtCqrSyDemM/s640/familypicturedisplay.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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But the real bread and butter of this remodel is THE CABINETRY!!! Until this point in my life, I really thought the only options for purchasing affordable cabinets were through the big box retailers. We'd gone that route before and had good luck. However, I didn't know what I was missing. Our cabinets are from Sioux Falls Kitchen and Bath (for those of you in SE South Dakota, NW Iowa and SW Minnesota) and here are a few things I've learned with my first custom cabinet experience.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATsLAiXvN-Y5PxJTO6Z-uadYBdM9Z1Nyup_9hb_Bq80nfh4Qvz86S0rqmJHaXGtkoj185PQwPTYOA5hgqnjTa_n6nOywANx4MFrLM4AhKEaOhiAEOsMXqAuNVVCG20Mmtp4Q_K73sAMI/s1600/siouxfallskitchenandbath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhATsLAiXvN-Y5PxJTO6Z-uadYBdM9Z1Nyup_9hb_Bq80nfh4Qvz86S0rqmJHaXGtkoj185PQwPTYOA5hgqnjTa_n6nOywANx4MFrLM4AhKEaOhiAEOsMXqAuNVVCG20Mmtp4Q_K73sAMI/s640/siouxfallskitchenandbath.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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1. They send a salesperson to your house to look at the space and give you options and ideas to utilize every single square inch of the kitchen and tweak the layout if they see issues. Most of us will get to design one or two kitchens in a lifetime, do yourself a favor and call in the experts because they have so many years worth of experience to apply to your space!</div>
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2. Custom cabinets don't require fillers since everything can be made to the exact size you want. When you purchase from a big box store, they will only have standard sizes available (unless you upgrade and spend more $$$) and they send fillers to fill in the gaps.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UVdAlOGHDqehZWDPKQLKwlJDBET1oGcdAhmkNUpC0cQy5xsflLY5m9mz6_O3sdGjcYxZPZ0LUzz8QXuPuoHP9WUSPgvGU2jvaaIcjIy5F6p046aIzNVP2Gz2MqeiihANcMLz4OmeR8g/s1600/platedrawer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4UVdAlOGHDqehZWDPKQLKwlJDBET1oGcdAhmkNUpC0cQy5xsflLY5m9mz6_O3sdGjcYxZPZ0LUzz8QXuPuoHP9WUSPgvGU2jvaaIcjIy5F6p046aIzNVP2Gz2MqeiihANcMLz4OmeR8g/s640/platedrawer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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3. The salesperson will know what types of options exist for storage. I had been contemplating a dish drawer and it was so helpful to talk to someone that could tell me whether or not they were a good idea. Below is our pull out pantry. I had never even seen this type of unit before so would have never known this was available!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIDHyRB9k8LsHzhp2jlih2R9tGrpx_0lLmvFCWEfMCfAiJ8ryF2HusgOQL0uXfb1C2REMt5-d2XTz_VoME1tlkmkbyP_2G4nZq8b7CFpdzsEM6i3WCFR6KeUc8CJtTnS00KrATasqg0Q/s1600/pulloutpantry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIDHyRB9k8LsHzhp2jlih2R9tGrpx_0lLmvFCWEfMCfAiJ8ryF2HusgOQL0uXfb1C2REMt5-d2XTz_VoME1tlkmkbyP_2G4nZq8b7CFpdzsEM6i3WCFR6KeUc8CJtTnS00KrATasqg0Q/s640/pulloutpantry.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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I picked up a bunch of these little metal baskets in silver and black from Wal-Mart and they fit perfectly in the pull out!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vcUFg5vPUl9-1JtNyw2beqjfyeBaCoj8YcKDjGCLLZJJEq6HK5XD_o4M5mKKMKLX8lC5eNsQEf2Rc3ep5Qn0uayscvjyzUEVF-eDe9VQKPtVRldPHOTGG1HkZMzPuK67pVHR8GMG8ps/s1600/smallpantry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vcUFg5vPUl9-1JtNyw2beqjfyeBaCoj8YcKDjGCLLZJJEq6HK5XD_o4M5mKKMKLX8lC5eNsQEf2Rc3ep5Qn0uayscvjyzUEVF-eDe9VQKPtVRldPHOTGG1HkZMzPuK67pVHR8GMG8ps/s640/smallpantry.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">4. High quality hardware comes standard with all Sioux Falls Kitchen and Bath cabinets. This means every single drawer, door and pullout is a slow close and all drawers and slide outs are on full extension slides so you can get to the back of the drawer. </span></div>
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5. The ability to have doors and drawers replaced, if they become damaged, gives me the biggest sense of relief. I can't imagine how difficult that would be to accomplish if you order your cabinets from a big box retailer that ships their cabinets in from five states away. And what if it's three years later and they don't even sell your particular cabinets in your particular color anymore? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwejdUHezh7ZEZ9JRxbF2PTPhVkgyRQGngU7o7LiH590RMRuhYEMDBy3HW9iK0zWVEFSwQKT47D1F2F3gDnMDhv_fbAs94bYGy_BM2fMv78dw71r5gr0Tmpc1n4wwyLgOyD3kdZHN0Rhg/s1600/opengalleykitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwejdUHezh7ZEZ9JRxbF2PTPhVkgyRQGngU7o7LiH590RMRuhYEMDBy3HW9iK0zWVEFSwQKT47D1F2F3gDnMDhv_fbAs94bYGy_BM2fMv78dw71r5gr0Tmpc1n4wwyLgOyD3kdZHN0Rhg/s640/opengalleykitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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6. You get to choose ANY color - yessss!!!! For some people, having limitless choices on a cabinet color could be too overwhelming. I knew that I wanted White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Sioux Falls Kitchen and Bath works with Sherwin Williams paint but can color match to whatever you like. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that our cabinet color matches all the trim, crown and doors in our house. If we had to go with a stock white cabinet, I'm not convinced it would feel as cohesive.</div>
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7. You get more options! Look at the matching panels on the upper and lower cabinets. Normally you'd see a flat panel there but I love that we got to add this beautiful detail. There are also many more door styles to choose from depending on your taste. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3_H0d1nyP9AYVEDa81XrxHJUegzjUlCIGZP5U0YU0lvFLid5ajJHFBQA4-aglMmuyw_YAy-JhlEX0Sq-Pr96ixylLhm6YWmNM6XKIZhkkOMXVF5CbFxMKrgqxtd5t5eij_UorhJ0G58/s1600/electricfireplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1243" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3_H0d1nyP9AYVEDa81XrxHJUegzjUlCIGZP5U0YU0lvFLid5ajJHFBQA4-aglMmuyw_YAy-JhlEX0Sq-Pr96ixylLhm6YWmNM6XKIZhkkOMXVF5CbFxMKrgqxtd5t5eij_UorhJ0G58/s640/electricfireplace.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">8. Custom cabinet shops offer more than just cabinets. We also purchased all of our crown molding for the kitchen, dining and living room, door trim for the entire main floor and base trim for the whole main floor through Sioux Falls Kitchen and Bath. In the photo above, you can see the new crown at the ceiling and new base trim that Brent wrapped around the base of the fireplace.</span></div>
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9. Our salesperson coordinated the counter top installation for us. All we had to do was pick out the slab and she took care of the installation scheduling and invoicing. This was a great benefit as we have never purchased stone tops so we weren't familiar with the templating and installation process.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCrJoOVzqbMoy3hVu3p6vvJwCulHbA3zbYk-Bq7R9HywdDjPvvGoN1-gdgbc60q86UIYhAHcnjjxhFpsbEM2EWLK_cbviGKO5apqMnFVLthAf6PRO6E1AxC7Kp3IL8Q3EMGxSFyzbaPU/s1600/DSC_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1064" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCrJoOVzqbMoy3hVu3p6vvJwCulHbA3zbYk-Bq7R9HywdDjPvvGoN1-gdgbc60q86UIYhAHcnjjxhFpsbEM2EWLK_cbviGKO5apqMnFVLthAf6PRO6E1AxC7Kp3IL8Q3EMGxSFyzbaPU/s640/DSC_0010.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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10. And the bottom line - custom cabinets can be affordable! If you're in the market for cabinets, make sure you get a quote from SF Kitchen and Bath or whatever custom cabinet builder is in your neck of the woods. I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised to find high quality custom cabinets with luxury upgrades are going to be comparable in price with the home improvement stores.</div>
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<b>Sources - click for links</b></div>
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Cabinet, trim, crown color - Benjamin Moore White Dove</div>
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Wall color - Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter</div>
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Cabinets - <a href="http://www.siouxfallskitchenandbath.com/" target="_blank">Sioux Falls Kitchen and Bath</a></div>
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Countertops - <a href="https://www.hanstonequartz.com/products/pewter" target="_blank">Hanstone Quartz color is Pewter</a></div>
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Upper cabinet hardware -<a href="https://www.menards.com/main/bath/bathroom-vanities-cabinets-mirrors/knobs-pulls/hickory-hardware-reg-crystal-palace-1-1-4-diameter-knob/p-1444424986977.htm" target="_blank"> Hickory Hardware Crystal Palace</a></div>
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Lower cabinet hardware - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Amerock-160mm-Center-To-Center-Graphite-Rochdale-Bar-Cabinet-Pull/50108834" target="_blank">Amerock Rochdale pulls in 2 different sizes</a></div>
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Undermount sink -<a href="https://www.menards.com/main/kitchen/kitchen-sinks/shop-all-kitchen-sinks/karran-undermount-32-quartz-single-bowl-kitchen-sink/p-1488958053737-c-8510.htm?tid=-7027733850195732025&ipos=13" target="_blank"> Karran undermount black</a></div>
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Faucet - <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/p/VIGO-Single-Handle-Pull-Out-Sprayer-Kitchen-Faucet-in-Matte-Black-VG02001MB/205797672" target="_blank">Vigo Single Handle Pull Out Faucet in matte black</a></div>
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Backsplash tile - <a href="https://www.menards.com/main/flooring-rugs/tile-stone/mosaic-tile/mohawk-reg-glasen-stone-arabesque-12-x-10-porcelain-mosaic-tile/p-1444428393268-c-8163.htm?tid=5788320523451704484&ipos=1" target="_blank">Mohawk Glasen Stone White Arabesque </a></div>
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Backsplash grout - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/MAPEI-10-lb-White-Unsanded-Powder-Grout/1119247" target="_blank">TEC Power Grout in Silverado</a></div>
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Sconce above sink - <a href="https://www.jossandmain.com/lighting/pdp/lana-1-light-wall-sconce-tadn2054.html?piid=15480781#readmoremodal1" target="_blank">Joss and Main Lana 1-light wall sconce</a></div>
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Dining table - <a href="https://www.pier1.com/magnolia-home-8%27-white-turned-leg-dining-table/3261463.html#q=white%2520dining%2520table&start=1" target="_blank">Magnolia Home Turned Leg Dining Table - 7'</a></div>
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Living room rug - <a href="https://www.jossandmain.com/rugs/pdp/bernard-light-gray-area-rug-wlao3839.html?piid=24753659" target="_blank">Joss and Main Bernard Light Gray Area Rug (9x12)</a></div>
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White fur ottomans - <a href="https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/idea-nuovo-mongolian-ottoman-with-legs/3328817?Keyword=faux+fur+white+ottoman" target="_blank">Bed Bath and Beyond Idea Nuovo Mongolian Ottoman</a></div>
<br />All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-88488703953391888362017-03-12T09:40:00.001-07:002017-03-15T18:08:44.265-07:001930's Cottage Bathroom Remodel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In early December we were ready to start our bathroom remodel after saving and planning for months. It's hard to believe that the smallest room in the house could take so long to remodel, but I'm glad we took our time and scrutinized every single decision and detail. Taking a room down to the studs and starting over is overwhelming! You'd think that having a fresh palate to start with would make things easier by allowing you to do whatever you want - but sometimes too many choices can be burden. Paralysis by analysis.</div>
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In many regards, we were lucky with this room remodel because I was adamant that the bathroom must reflect the character and age of our home. Since our house was built in 1939 and looks like a cottage on the exterior, I chose as many features as I could that would make the bathroom feel original to the home, but clean and fresh. I'll touch more on those design decisions as we work through the photos.</div>
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But first, the BEFORE:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXgTC_e3UygNcVhRjV7wVkCkhyleXe0EEBEYBv6MP9DfIBbKI4PbhvDitHzk8Pmn_bSTC4e0HHjPInDS8BaZvZmYb-KxirY0DmXWwP2nUZr0vO0RM7g_NTtTza73tWu-M4fwzklaQ7Dg/s1600/bathroom+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXgTC_e3UygNcVhRjV7wVkCkhyleXe0EEBEYBv6MP9DfIBbKI4PbhvDitHzk8Pmn_bSTC4e0HHjPInDS8BaZvZmYb-KxirY0DmXWwP2nUZr0vO0RM7g_NTtTza73tWu-M4fwzklaQ7Dg/s640/bathroom+before.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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Having lived with the old bathroom for over 7 years, we gained plenty of insight about what changes needed to happen in here. </div>
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1. The vanity. Lots of things not working with this vanity style. It was too low, too wide and too deep for the space. There was less than two inches between the vanity and the toilet tank, which made it a pretty tight squeeze back in that corner. Brent is 6'4" tall, so trying to shave using this sink was uncomfortable. And finally, this bathroom is way too narrow to have a 24" deep vanity. </div>
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2. Storage. The medicine cabinet also felt like this huge beast affixed to the wall which made the room feel even more cramped than it already was. And forget about a place to put towels! The linen closet is outside the bathroom door, so if you forgot to grab a towel before your shower you'd have to skitter out naked to the linen closet. #hopetheblindsareclosed</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOxb-_pIl9wWEYV9z3Sdy6faEkwV-tpKYA1xfWo6bRMOsTVsVbB89a7D0LUavZEuodEZOo_UmagUiiDHBXLeFF4NoT_1hdArXkkuA3Gw6HgMKbXOPqi_w2pshurLu4DOnqetF4xFc03A/s1600/bathroom+wall+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOxb-_pIl9wWEYV9z3Sdy6faEkwV-tpKYA1xfWo6bRMOsTVsVbB89a7D0LUavZEuodEZOo_UmagUiiDHBXLeFF4NoT_1hdArXkkuA3Gw6HgMKbXOPqi_w2pshurLu4DOnqetF4xFc03A/s640/bathroom+wall+before.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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2. The wall texture. There was a thick and rough texture applied to the walls that would actually hurt if you accidently rubbed against it. I doubt that was original to the room, probably was added at some point to cover problems with the plaster walls as an easy fix. Unfortunately, there was really no way to scrape it off, so pulling all the old plaster off and putting up new sheetrock was really the only way to go.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1TOto02wQQYqBpUsiwjzMqrR2jD3pKXZ2Tv3sJPYpDzsEWTxAOroh-ktIVJ-YP_o445QJO70wJmV9tWmXeBIE-4IdaK2JjYqlGfdbrf23HiB6IOEkFnL2P0CAN5Icf4hANC5uXyVU6U/s1600/shower+area+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1TOto02wQQYqBpUsiwjzMqrR2jD3pKXZ2Tv3sJPYpDzsEWTxAOroh-ktIVJ-YP_o445QJO70wJmV9tWmXeBIE-4IdaK2JjYqlGfdbrf23HiB6IOEkFnL2P0CAN5Icf4hANC5uXyVU6U/s640/shower+area+before.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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3. The lighting. There was just the one vanity light in the room which just wasn't bright enough. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4OGfncZSxHvC1__ykLvHTlsqWEW1V2WDL3cbbCYLkbpCYNg3lgJehRphpFKv_wuvTesqBYRDMQIhus9xczx6wBJTvHV30qXNBrFPjtT1mKqekkM79zFcVUPYfw1FCuTyzp3_LYgp4Do/s1600/bathroom+door+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4OGfncZSxHvC1__ykLvHTlsqWEW1V2WDL3cbbCYLkbpCYNg3lgJehRphpFKv_wuvTesqBYRDMQIhus9xczx6wBJTvHV30qXNBrFPjtT1mKqekkM79zFcVUPYfw1FCuTyzp3_LYgp4Do/s640/bathroom+door+before.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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4. The floor. Grout was missing in lots of places and the flooring had a blue tone to it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC_Hy7UxR2LVrzxh_60gw7yzuBt1N_RKgN4i-Xp-F1JUbxmPL0TU1an_9xIJM1qnks48cw_DlMuH2i9QFdeU-MnylgG7St-XKW7BPXWpkOK202rKwrzKTB3s7Odg8vr_HosRdmCO2HPY/s1600/shower+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC_Hy7UxR2LVrzxh_60gw7yzuBt1N_RKgN4i-Xp-F1JUbxmPL0TU1an_9xIJM1qnks48cw_DlMuH2i9QFdeU-MnylgG7St-XKW7BPXWpkOK202rKwrzKTB3s7Odg8vr_HosRdmCO2HPY/s640/shower+before.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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5. The cast iron tub. This was an amazing tub and we considered salvaging it but the cost to have the porcelain refinished was almost the same price to buy a new cast iron tub. The original bathroom did not have a shower, so at some point, someone added one but didn't have the plumbing added behind the wall, so that was important to us to add a legit shower to this bathtub.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AXB96MgRXKo9l8ej_357Z0ryXL1jnl1Ce0pKkvTsndFyKm2LVFYcGpIWrN0mI2ac4jkUD85IG-TU4XuhHlULV9n0c0ICYDFM5d-Q7cFx6iEUqeKE-_PMcu8nHnDD0YBt9YOg1QRi_RE/s1600/shower+head+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AXB96MgRXKo9l8ej_357Z0ryXL1jnl1Ce0pKkvTsndFyKm2LVFYcGpIWrN0mI2ac4jkUD85IG-TU4XuhHlULV9n0c0ICYDFM5d-Q7cFx6iEUqeKE-_PMcu8nHnDD0YBt9YOg1QRi_RE/s640/shower+head+before.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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And with a breath of fresh air, we are so happy to share the AFTER photos! Come on in and have a look around...all sources will be linked at the bottom of the post.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21C8lbU3ieXdrgYo5uBeEtsqeroPij6qpXSx6VbquXV-ZMQFKOKovC_klRpSGd2Uug_vuapSg2oL1CNeCJCARU5pfpGM7dgp_XxeNhogFEV8ukur3Ni39zehEQc4Q_ZpsWXUlkn2R3BA/s1600/entry+to+bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21C8lbU3ieXdrgYo5uBeEtsqeroPij6qpXSx6VbquXV-ZMQFKOKovC_klRpSGd2Uug_vuapSg2oL1CNeCJCARU5pfpGM7dgp_XxeNhogFEV8ukur3Ni39zehEQc4Q_ZpsWXUlkn2R3BA/s640/entry+to+bathroom.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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What a difference, huh!!?? The shallower pedestal sink takes up so much less floor space and allows the room to flow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuastVupzXA9RzO6RIZxer5WpWa94XzWIK8Kjb4iot0_KPQtI8UMAjK60k6V55Nsa2rGVhckF8ahc6hr8SO7LUiIiP3Ho3DzEDWTIkVV1FWy3u6n5PRy2_DV8N2NxKq7VvNt0w68p8pUA/s1600/marble+bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuastVupzXA9RzO6RIZxer5WpWa94XzWIK8Kjb4iot0_KPQtI8UMAjK60k6V55Nsa2rGVhckF8ahc6hr8SO7LUiIiP3Ho3DzEDWTIkVV1FWy3u6n5PRy2_DV8N2NxKq7VvNt0w68p8pUA/s640/marble+bathroom.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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We removed the overhead vanity light and flanked the mirror with sconces to soften the lighting. I chose two different fixture finishes in the room. Oil rubbed bronze fixtures for the lighting and polished chrome for the faucets and towel bars. We got pretty lucky with these sconces from Lowes - only paid $10 each for them. Thank you for being on clearance!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhYuydH98b1CghMryEvADmgvmE0tSa3tgHsHmgt43j_uiOH5gMfGZJzkcvPkSl9QdqQrAx4Vdug22Tx4F9Rwc_3XczqKb2jn8bQvo4R1Yub1ngfEFKKZdHWvws8h4_iq78bbsqH9dUOc/s1600/bathroom+storage+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVPkyCenTXpm8yOnvT7gOMlqqXR6opdpA2ZIhOguChUP9PyzB0bBK7OL8R4F68F5M3lY4UeU2h7q7oY1vUb0QXNF8AyqTWZ_A5ckv0qx3h7uLRU8_iK3RHcZlXDivgjX8N9Ph_kby92k/s640/bathroom+sconces.JPG" width="424" /></div>
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As you scroll through these pictures, keep this one little thing in mind. Brent MADE all of the woodwork in this bathroom. And I don't mean he bought it off the shelf and cut it to fit, I mean he MADE it. Still blows my mind. For example, when we were looking at base trim options, they were all too skinny and I wanted something thicker and more substantial. So my dad and I went to a construction supply store in Sioux Falls (Stan Houston for you locals) and I chose a router bit with the trim profile I liked. Brent used that to mill the base trim. For the door and wall cabinet trim, he made what they call a step trim, which is a solid piece wrapped in an L shaped piece to create a profile. The shiplap is poplar and Brent cut a tongue and groove in it for a few reasons. It eliminated any nail holes on the face of the boards because you nail into the joints. That was a huge relief to me that I wasn't going to have to fill a thousand nail holes! And we also were aware that a bathroom is a high moisture area so the tongue and groove should prevent moisture from sneaking behind the wood. In summary, Brent is awesome and I'm always impressed by his ability and more importantly attitude about approaching new projects that challenge him!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhYuydH98b1CghMryEvADmgvmE0tSa3tgHsHmgt43j_uiOH5gMfGZJzkcvPkSl9QdqQrAx4Vdug22Tx4F9Rwc_3XczqKb2jn8bQvo4R1Yub1ngfEFKKZdHWvws8h4_iq78bbsqH9dUOc/s1600/bathroom+storage+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhYuydH98b1CghMryEvADmgvmE0tSa3tgHsHmgt43j_uiOH5gMfGZJzkcvPkSl9QdqQrAx4Vdug22Tx4F9Rwc_3XczqKb2jn8bQvo4R1Yub1ngfEFKKZdHWvws8h4_iq78bbsqH9dUOc/s640/bathroom+storage+%25282%2529.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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I think the toilet was the one thing we could salvage from the original bathroom, since we had just replaced it a few years ago.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVEJzwEWGz4CHDfVbdETqIj-YZOvZnuRLYrXR1U7J8m3sPJbhq95-6Be6ayBwzuAESQFSAAxbJbJT7YMGiTtR6nHYKMeZnlkOtyQeHIpEKM5-Lz6s650SP9eK3ThHnJiATEGNGc5ydZU/s1600/cabinet+in+between+studs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVEJzwEWGz4CHDfVbdETqIj-YZOvZnuRLYrXR1U7J8m3sPJbhq95-6Be6ayBwzuAESQFSAAxbJbJT7YMGiTtR6nHYKMeZnlkOtyQeHIpEKM5-Lz6s650SP9eK3ThHnJiATEGNGc5ydZU/s640/cabinet+in+between+studs.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Ahhhh...our new shower! Subway tile was an easy choice here since it feels classic to the style of our house. I chose a light gray grout because white would probably not stay clean based on my ability to forget to clean things. We tiled all the way to the ceiling but you can't see that in the photo because it is really difficult to photograph such a tiny room!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy_R7jegYdI308qEeH4bjYDYZ_5nTaDe6ZWYPRiK7yKqwOEBRsc5wTndsAMwVhjwEFlR8ZjpTxEW_pchLmrrZ7o14pG_p8PF1QtOMTmlyZttXD0tn_wLwcOpzAHhOPKdvpS6rdDUpGTI/s1600/cast+iron+bathtub.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy_R7jegYdI308qEeH4bjYDYZ_5nTaDe6ZWYPRiK7yKqwOEBRsc5wTndsAMwVhjwEFlR8ZjpTxEW_pchLmrrZ7o14pG_p8PF1QtOMTmlyZttXD0tn_wLwcOpzAHhOPKdvpS6rdDUpGTI/s640/cast+iron+bathtub.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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And lets talk about this tub. First off, I was absolutely positive that we needed to replace the old cast iron tub with a new cast iron tub. I love how they keep bath water hot forever, they feel so substantial and sturdy and the porcelain practically shines! The bad news is that there must not be a big market for cast iron tubs, probably because they are so heavy. This one weighs 300 lbs and it took four of us to carry it into the house. The other tricky part is that we only wanted a 30" wide tub to leave as much floor space as possible in the bathroom. That meant there were really only 2 models of Kohler cast iron tubs to choose from. The only downside is that it isn't quite as deep as our old one but I do like that it is very easy to step over the side in order to shower. That's important for us as our kids use this bathroom and it makes it easier for them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5IoJzTpbTWZszGjrJI_zfhPPLVJrQJD3IYeg7gnyhL7fpevciklvyKpB99u5D6l3EblQB4S_4oBfYOMdZbj7WQb_Amrn-KzA0eGwTspB_h_4_SYM6PsD6fbW_URnDxb1pmQCkUmT7iA/s1600/shower+niche.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5IoJzTpbTWZszGjrJI_zfhPPLVJrQJD3IYeg7gnyhL7fpevciklvyKpB99u5D6l3EblQB4S_4oBfYOMdZbj7WQb_Amrn-KzA0eGwTspB_h_4_SYM6PsD6fbW_URnDxb1pmQCkUmT7iA/s640/shower+niche.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We added this shower niche to hold our bath products. And funny story, we sized it to fit the large Costco bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash since that's basically all we use. An important note about installing subway tile. When we bought this tile, we couldn't figure out if we were supposed to just butt the tiles together or if we were supposed to use small spacers. The tile dipped at each of the edges, creating a groove, so we took that to mean that we didn't need to use spacers. When we installed them, we kept them tight together without spacers - this made a 1/16" grout space. If you want a thicker, more substantial grout line, you CAN use spacers. We are glad we went the route we did because we wanted minimal grout lines.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDz6fiYaj2AJMKcp_SvUn3mdyHwUURmCP4kpd2NZ6VHLl1X-wfWyA8hOM39XhnV1ibESUt_r-jJ7l3v-7Ln4upyXcMuvmFscfoL957tC6Wwrl33wuKm69pPQylX4xFjHGdRQ0Heb1Pso/s1600/benjamin+moore+white+dove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbJuIQwTuOi_uH8EFOJ2NO884f5U1PbcM4WhW1LOUKakP2D42dPMUVvgrCoU8Iz0Ksx-sILUQvFtzrTlEvgsYOn4ZKiixV6cciAl0xNEY5zyEmqlepI-4apx7gGeI1Y6CgerSG3GlXxk/s1600/subway+tile+shower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbJuIQwTuOi_uH8EFOJ2NO884f5U1PbcM4WhW1LOUKakP2D42dPMUVvgrCoU8Iz0Ksx-sILUQvFtzrTlEvgsYOn4ZKiixV6cciAl0xNEY5zyEmqlepI-4apx7gGeI1Y6CgerSG3GlXxk/s640/subway+tile+shower.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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We are keeping all of the original doors in the house. I took this one down to sand it and put a few fresh coats of paint on it. The hinges were covered in old paint from previous paint jobs so I put the hardware in an old crockpot with some dish soap and cooked the paint off. I'm actually strangely excited to do that to the rest of the hinges in the house now. Pretty gratifying to peel all those old layers of paint off of the metal.</div>
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Something else to note here since you can see so much of the new drywall. We did something here that we've never done before - we DIDN'T TEXTURE THE WALLS OR CEILING! I think in other parts of the country, specifically the Northeast, it's very common to not apply texture. We decided to go this route because the rest of our main floor is plaster with only a very light texture on it and we wanted to match that as best as we could. This meant Brent had to be absolutely perfect with his sheet rocking and taping which meant some extra time spent on those steps. We love how the walls and ceiling feel so soft without the added texture. And bonus, if we ever ding up a wall, super easy to patch!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDz6fiYaj2AJMKcp_SvUn3mdyHwUURmCP4kpd2NZ6VHLl1X-wfWyA8hOM39XhnV1ibESUt_r-jJ7l3v-7Ln4upyXcMuvmFscfoL957tC6Wwrl33wuKm69pPQylX4xFjHGdRQ0Heb1Pso/s1600/benjamin+moore+white+dove.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDz6fiYaj2AJMKcp_SvUn3mdyHwUURmCP4kpd2NZ6VHLl1X-wfWyA8hOM39XhnV1ibESUt_r-jJ7l3v-7Ln4upyXcMuvmFscfoL957tC6Wwrl33wuKm69pPQylX4xFjHGdRQ0Heb1Pso/s640/benjamin+moore+white+dove.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Storage was a major problem in the old bathroom, so to combat that, we designed three cabinets to be recessed into the walls. Brent of course made all of the cabinetry. We ordered a custom sized mirror from a local company to fit the medicine cabinet frame.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rIcqo5xv2slRFnIQJxcLDu1wtGz51cvCZaRsGlY0SGqemxGQ2-EPNBIcYgrhYlGxGvGFGWyE_3tztvucN9D4obyW1hFZfJGpWJTOyop91xSD7x7A3dXIPfDqaD_QYkb-Dt1SnpWvbbg/s1600/medicine+cabinet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rIcqo5xv2slRFnIQJxcLDu1wtGz51cvCZaRsGlY0SGqemxGQ2-EPNBIcYgrhYlGxGvGFGWyE_3tztvucN9D4obyW1hFZfJGpWJTOyop91xSD7x7A3dXIPfDqaD_QYkb-Dt1SnpWvbbg/s640/medicine+cabinet.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have a linen closet in the hallway just outside the bathroom door. We contemplated closing off the linen closet from the hallway side and simply making a door to it in the bathroom, but that would be weird to have to go into the bathroom to get cleaning supplies and sheets. So we built this cabinet to open into that linen closet to allow you to grab towels out of the closet but from within the bathroom. Life changer. Just below the linen cabinet is our laundry chute. There was no way we were taking that out! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIqoleFHFoRwen_up8ySc7YNS46yvax587MigK5Ezu1JIImxhb34i2zvgMe3yhLynKo72kZvTOBGSwhPVL8-ym7Un2QJTomIYZbWSI1vcQ08IDU3XrYIjYpaVlPNIl5okXBTyMtQ1aHA/s1600/access+linen+closet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIqoleFHFoRwen_up8ySc7YNS46yvax587MigK5Ezu1JIImxhb34i2zvgMe3yhLynKo72kZvTOBGSwhPVL8-ym7Un2QJTomIYZbWSI1vcQ08IDU3XrYIjYpaVlPNIl5okXBTyMtQ1aHA/s640/access+linen+closet.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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This is inside the medicine cabinet. Tons of storage in here! And if you look closely, you can see that we have lost the lid to our toothpaste. The shelves are all adjustable.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFcdJ3ikjeDcarL_-1aaj1J6JoMgLQO0_fBrPrIDB-bRt7k84_j-R_jwohv22z8-na_Q2x8C02vlAK6bE_bgyNWKRU9VukyFC0dUMws_s_1Q-vWke3JdgcM7PnMH3zGCDziwCm1C69g8/s1600/medicine+cabinet+storage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFcdJ3ikjeDcarL_-1aaj1J6JoMgLQO0_fBrPrIDB-bRt7k84_j-R_jwohv22z8-na_Q2x8C02vlAK6bE_bgyNWKRU9VukyFC0dUMws_s_1Q-vWke3JdgcM7PnMH3zGCDziwCm1C69g8/s640/medicine+cabinet+storage.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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We got lucky with this cabinet above the toilet as it could be deeper than the medicine cabinet because of the framing. All of the doors have soft close hinges so the kids can't bang the doors shut. Even where we placed that outlet was an intentional decision. I'm telling you, when you have such a small space you have to consider every choice to maximize efficiency. Down the road, I figured our daughter, or whoever may be living here, would use that outlet to plug in a curling iron or hair dryer. But since we chose a sink with a smaller ledge, they would need a place to set these hot items as they warmed up. I figured they could plug it into that outlet and set it on the top of the toilet tank as it heats.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdnBgFlloXQm0lNA1o_CEmN04R0u7xoRRLJ62LqpSOcjY3HwMQystg0in41DCdxFCkcJx9yF5ohxyE_DDnDTv0riWMzsqtmXLyvnpUP2IniskgXuNFUfUYeutE-whnf_i0bIPy9qPM7s/s1600/bathroom+storage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdnBgFlloXQm0lNA1o_CEmN04R0u7xoRRLJ62LqpSOcjY3HwMQystg0in41DCdxFCkcJx9yF5ohxyE_DDnDTv0riWMzsqtmXLyvnpUP2IniskgXuNFUfUYeutE-whnf_i0bIPy9qPM7s/s640/bathroom+storage.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRASfMJVZsixdHR8tJLSUsokaczQRiPFqmkqjnkAwutvPuu6xVQ80gmW7XC9IriMwK6JUhtQ3bMlHATwdKny2i_BFKoFOZFmsUN4PjgaqJNIfCzMBRHLTohOH0u3jEuFhNxc0xzlocnI/s1600/bathroom+jar+decor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRASfMJVZsixdHR8tJLSUsokaczQRiPFqmkqjnkAwutvPuu6xVQ80gmW7XC9IriMwK6JUhtQ3bMlHATwdKny2i_BFKoFOZFmsUN4PjgaqJNIfCzMBRHLTohOH0u3jEuFhNxc0xzlocnI/s640/bathroom+jar+decor.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Here's a close up of Brent's trim that he made - door trim, base trim and shiplap. If I can remember correctly, I think we used quarters to space our shiplap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_Glhl1c7eUz2bn29u9gAIPwVzHK15B0caf_IB-TVNL2Wg-TgBddRV6elChMebc2cG5Do1jERLoUH3LQLXBzT5VgXRiYDJnc800MCyJVQTIdfB17r2ZNX97yh5zBbr8N4tkOR37PPLGk/s1600/trim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_Glhl1c7eUz2bn29u9gAIPwVzHK15B0caf_IB-TVNL2Wg-TgBddRV6elChMebc2cG5Do1jERLoUH3LQLXBzT5VgXRiYDJnc800MCyJVQTIdfB17r2ZNX97yh5zBbr8N4tkOR37PPLGk/s640/trim.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And while we're here, lets talk about this floor! It is a marble basket weave tile from Lowe's. Kind of spendy but when you are remodeling a small space you can go for higher quality finishes because you simply don't have to buy that much of it. We used a charcoal gray grout to make it easier to *appear* clean. I love how the light bounces off of it. This tile felt like an easy choice in the bathroom since it seemed to match the house and the bathtub and the pedestal sink.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWva9WKUId8_BEbjd3OkPgtF4EHx6YcaAxaiVLYsC8qd5eWPXy8IUCE-XuUQ4K8Rfq2zU0Z0nrw7FfHf4_1sPPE4jWsgxSFYpkyJq8Po5pfh_qe06mQ5B3TogbVSrnqeZ8dYFljUsRqY/s1600/marble+floor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWva9WKUId8_BEbjd3OkPgtF4EHx6YcaAxaiVLYsC8qd5eWPXy8IUCE-XuUQ4K8Rfq2zU0Z0nrw7FfHf4_1sPPE4jWsgxSFYpkyJq8Po5pfh_qe06mQ5B3TogbVSrnqeZ8dYFljUsRqY/s640/marble+floor.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finding the right pedestal sink took some time. We needed on as narrow and shallow as possible but one that still had a ledge around it to set items as you get ready for the day. I could already imagine my frustration if I had a sink without a ledge (big problem with many pedestal sinks) and all of my stuff kept falling into the bowl. We found this one for $200 at the home improvement store and are very happy with it so far! Plumbing a pedestal sink can be extremely difficult - just ask Brent :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTFPhZz_DEIqDan7k9_9q4dnxCFU6Q7EXckhuKPDA54uzA76huexqwwXfkEyT1aB_ADHkKz7LiJYquFhxczRyOqNo1tSYp_FaBx-mNrzatJDgSGmI7OceBpbqno_leKMAo571bfWXQrk/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTFPhZz_DEIqDan7k9_9q4dnxCFU6Q7EXckhuKPDA54uzA76huexqwwXfkEyT1aB_ADHkKz7LiJYquFhxczRyOqNo1tSYp_FaBx-mNrzatJDgSGmI7OceBpbqno_leKMAo571bfWXQrk/s640/DSC_0025.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Hopefully we all get wiser as we age, and something small but important I've learned is to have faucets with only one handle. It's too tricky and time consuming to get water temperatures just right when you're messing with a hot and cold handles. One handle also seems to keep more of the water drips from your hands over the bowl of the sink instead of on the surface of the countertop.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gIHYsnbiKhGNXFxI1G8JLfN5TaVzqYuXUdbvDCKi7uR1ZD5Y6puiK55z87KUkbHVU4NgAbxr7M5WwE5QiS6ljhnOJmo9CQSXNID25ZJZrRRxhzx-LtNrUSB6X-3Bw7va9b33GvsGmUI/s1600/Kohler+Fairfax+faucet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gIHYsnbiKhGNXFxI1G8JLfN5TaVzqYuXUdbvDCKi7uR1ZD5Y6puiK55z87KUkbHVU4NgAbxr7M5WwE5QiS6ljhnOJmo9CQSXNID25ZJZrRRxhzx-LtNrUSB6X-3Bw7va9b33GvsGmUI/s640/Kohler+Fairfax+faucet.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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In such a small space, lighting is critical and it must come from several sources. We have the wall sconces, an overhead light, a very bright shower light incorporated into the shower fan and natural light. For the overhead light, we went fancy! I've had my eye on this small chandelier from Lowes for sometime and this was the perfect space to use it in. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiauxcTz6t3zsj7u8euBxL5XTnlXKddzSJ3IIdOqvdJQx5qQ17v2wluQe1F2d5YwWMkhbIvgCfAXSlrkrW6OqJakuSa1lt0aGVFV4jWMn-yXLxeCNnt6DyVB3FcNIu_7iRNbWyptB5kCw/s1600/bathroom+chandelier.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiauxcTz6t3zsj7u8euBxL5XTnlXKddzSJ3IIdOqvdJQx5qQ17v2wluQe1F2d5YwWMkhbIvgCfAXSlrkrW6OqJakuSa1lt0aGVFV4jWMn-yXLxeCNnt6DyVB3FcNIu_7iRNbWyptB5kCw/s640/bathroom+chandelier.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
You can see all of the light sources in this photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFJu_VnhofIM_LawW3xgxPYdunTmNKEmWRrr-jcx2d0WozwmX7LLlM6PGP_93DFvBLhLwxF1piw43zanXIZUKLlIG7IdW9_oAiJvufUZRBEfUNXFqCnCjvB0DYp-TEA7GM7_068ySy0g/s1600/classic+bath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFJu_VnhofIM_LawW3xgxPYdunTmNKEmWRrr-jcx2d0WozwmX7LLlM6PGP_93DFvBLhLwxF1piw43zanXIZUKLlIG7IdW9_oAiJvufUZRBEfUNXFqCnCjvB0DYp-TEA7GM7_068ySy0g/s640/classic+bath.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Did you know that choosing an extra long shower curtain makes a space feel taller? Most shower curtains are 72" long, this one we chose is 84" from rod to floor, which makes the actual curtain about 80" long. Some people go so far as to hang a 96" curtain which would take it to the ceiling but we didn't want to block the light from the shower fan by going that tall. Just don't forget to get an extra long liner if you go this route!<br />
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We hung a simple towel hook next to the sink. Big splurge - we even got a set of 4 new towels from Costco. The bath towels are surprisingly thick and luxurious!!<br />
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Here's the view when you approach the bathroom from the hallway. This view gives me all the heart eyes every time I glance in there! The shiplap wall was actually sort of a last minute decision. I had been thinking about it but worried it would be too trendy to stand the test of time. So Brent sheet rocked that wall. Before he started to tape and mud it, I meekly mentioned that I was thinking about shiplap. We both agreed that it matched the existing character of our home and that it could work. As long as we used high quality lumber so that it would last for a long time, we figured it would look great. I honestly had no idea that it would transform the look of this room so profoundly! The shiplap also allowed the recessed cabinets to blend in with the wall, instead of having the contrast of white cabinets against a potentially colored wall. Especially in a small room, the less you can break up the space visually, the calmer it will feel.<br />
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Paint color. Ugh. Took me five times to get it right. I thought I had the right color after the fourth try but after seeing it up, I just knew it wasn't right. The colors that didn't work BTW were Wickham Grey, Chelsea Grey, Grey Owl. Seeing a theme here? I though I needed to do a gray tone to tie in with the black and charcoal of the floors. But since different grays have different undertones, all of those paint colors could mesh the warm white (Benjamin Moore White Dove) of the shiplap wall with the blacks and charcoals of the floor. That meant we needed to do a color on the wall but I didn't want anything that was too harsh. This Tranquility by Benjamin Moore fit the bill. Not too blue, not too green, not to gray. It's a little more washed out than Sea Salt.<br />
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The window shade was an $8 find from the clearance section at Home Depot. That's a new double hung Anderson window as well.</div>
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Almost done! Since this is a family bathroom, it was important to us that it work for everyone. Owen, our 7 year old, is just a little too short to see into the mirror. Brent built him a small stepstool out of rustic oak.</div>
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The best part?? It opens up to also double as our small bathroom trash can! We have a cockapoo named Lily, so having an open trash receptacle in the bathroom is a terrible idea. Since we want this bathroom to feel as open and airy as possible, filling the floor with a stepstool and a trash can didn't make sense to me - so why not combine the two!</div>
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Well that's it! Three months of hard work. My brain hurts from all the choices, research and how-to videos but it was all worth it.<br />
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Source List</div>
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Bathtub - <a href="http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Bellwether-60-x-30-alcove-bath-with-integral-apron-and-left-hand-drain/productDetail/bathing/429144.htm?skuId=415310&brandId=656446&isSeachPage=true&pageName=&hash=id%3Dfilters%26startIndex%3D40%26scrollTop%3D0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Kohler Bellwether 60"x30" Cast Iron Alcove Tub</span></a></div>
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Pedestal Sink - <a href="https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/sinks/bathroom-sinks/mansfield-barrett-pedestal-bathroom-sink-8-faucet-center/p-1444438862234.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Mansfield Barrett Pedestal Sink</span></a></div>
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Floor Tile - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Anatolia-Tile-Venatino-Polished-Basketweave-Mosaic-Marble-Wall-Tile-Common-12-in-x-12-in-Actual-12-in-x-12-in/3502488" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's Anatolia Marble Basketweave Mosaic Tile</span></a></div>
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Floor Grout - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/TEC-Power-10-lb-Charcoal-Gray-Sanded-Unsanded-Powder-Grout/50334069" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's TEC Unsanded Charcoal Gray Grout</span></a></div>
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Sink Faucet - <a href="http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Fairfax-centerset-bathroom-sink-faucet-with-single-lever-handle/productDetail/sink-faucets/416102.htm?skuId=355520&brandId=1152504" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Kohler Fairfax Single Control Sink Faucet</span></a></div>
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Shower Faucet - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040NP8FA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">American Standard Portsmouth Bath & Shower Trim Kit</span></a></div>
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Shower Tile - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/American-Olean-Starting-Line-White-Gloss-Ceramic-Wall-Tile-Common-3-in-x-6-in-Actual-3-in-x-6-in/3083627" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's American Olean White Subway Tile</span></a></div>
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Shower Grout - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/TEC-Skill-Set-10-lb-Silverado-Powder-Grout/50334089" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's TEC Unsanded Grout in Silverado</span></a></div>
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Wall Sconces - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/allen-roth-Elham-1-Light-9-57-in-Aged-Bronze-Bell-Standard-Vanity-Light/50343040" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's Elham Aged Bronze Bell Sconce</span></a></div>
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Ceiling Chandelier - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/allen-roth-Eberline-9-06-in-W-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-Standard-Flush-Mount-Light/50356850" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's Eberline Oil Rubbed Bronze Ceiling Mount Chandelier</span></a></div>
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Bath Fan - Costco - doesn't seem to be available anymore</div>
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Shiplap Paint, Trim & Door - Benjamin Moore White Dove</div>
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Wall Paint - Benjamin Moore Tranquility</div>
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Shower Curtain - Bed, Bath & Beyond - not listed on their website</div>
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Cabinet Knobs - <a href="https://hickoryhardware.com/collections/knob/products/hickory-hardware-crystal-palace-cabinet-knob-hh74689" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Hickory Hardware Crystal Palace Crysacrylic Knob</span></a></div>
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Towel Ring - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Windemere-Polished-Chrome-Wall-Mount-Towel-Ring/4751724" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's Delta Windemere Polished Chrome Towel Ring</span></a></div>
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Towel Bar - <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Windemere-Chrome-Single-Towel-Bar-Common-18-in-Actual-18-in/50011638" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lowe's Delta Windemere Polished Chrome 18" Towel Bar</span></a></div>
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Window Shade - Home Depot clearance, not on their website</div>
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<br />All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-7624407437138450232016-09-05T07:54:00.001-07:002016-09-05T13:56:37.955-07:00Backyard Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This Spring, on somewhat of a whim, Brent and I decided that this would be the summer that we'd tackle the backyard. We had a raised brick patio off the house that had been settling pretty badly for the past few years and we knew the time would come that it was going to have to come out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tlev6rutO86WMYSEKKFkRdm7eFSx0rw2X3m9eSE7hAqlNVatVQOkTUTXjW1FGoUV-7oqLAetdnOJtfQfADUTsWQNRoSKwMkOLig6OBfLP-s758o-6aKZ89DB2YN2E3eU9pPLx1otsVA/s1600/backyard2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tlev6rutO86WMYSEKKFkRdm7eFSx0rw2X3m9eSE7hAqlNVatVQOkTUTXjW1FGoUV-7oqLAetdnOJtfQfADUTsWQNRoSKwMkOLig6OBfLP-s758o-6aKZ89DB2YN2E3eU9pPLx1otsVA/s640/backyard2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
In our neighborhood homes are very close together. With our raised patio, we felt like we were on a stage every time we ate dinner outside since our patio sat almost above the fence line. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9XvJIwLSbZT_RSSmJkAuaZqpFqyjfh8YlFNWXeD82czoDSTVU2zMXNwlzvsZMqmnuBJsqswB0bGhKewHFacDJj2-E_06R4Aiyrs4mFM9FKpUR4M_GyGbrDikCshCAqUV_CBgih7w8MU/s1600/backyard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9XvJIwLSbZT_RSSmJkAuaZqpFqyjfh8YlFNWXeD82czoDSTVU2zMXNwlzvsZMqmnuBJsqswB0bGhKewHFacDJj2-E_06R4Aiyrs4mFM9FKpUR4M_GyGbrDikCshCAqUV_CBgih7w8MU/s640/backyard.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here is a side shot of our patio. You can see how the bricks are settling.</div>
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This back corner of our yard was a small patio we built shortly after purchasing our house. This is where we had our fire pit set up for late night summer s'more sessions. As the years went on, we found we were using it less and less. I think because it was so far away from the house, it was becoming a chore to haul all of our things all the way back there.<br />
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This is the view from the north side of our house looking back into the yard. With the raised patio right in the center, it blocked the view of the yard.<br />
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Here's the view from our patio doors off the house. Notice how the bricks have settled towards the front. We already fixed that about two summers ago, but without a place for the water to run off, it causes the bricks to settle unevenly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_d8FP7lId2IDBxH8Zf6cMMucd6kT9XzB1858WS9BaEfOHm_2pTSCJfHm7sYlAv4jdmnLJCl8MJY7hh5O2h1WaN-FGxYlt7NP0ZEr37mm5GTYFqTOzx1gvnqHYlGu4iJ6J5MFMo2TPMI/s1600/paverpatio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_d8FP7lId2IDBxH8Zf6cMMucd6kT9XzB1858WS9BaEfOHm_2pTSCJfHm7sYlAv4jdmnLJCl8MJY7hh5O2h1WaN-FGxYlt7NP0ZEr37mm5GTYFqTOzx1gvnqHYlGu4iJ6J5MFMo2TPMI/s640/paverpatio.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX61I56wEhXaMZp_WF7Vec63000htAdzJF-v7o8MDUl4rqc67IzyracrOEHLFPrDKfX_-b3b7eQdX5oCU9sSY8sU3IetSqyylZXlAsgh2n-dlEwpZx0xbTda2tGt8qhGSxL3iWwE5EKu0/s1600/raised+beds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX61I56wEhXaMZp_WF7Vec63000htAdzJF-v7o8MDUl4rqc67IzyracrOEHLFPrDKfX_-b3b7eQdX5oCU9sSY8sU3IetSqyylZXlAsgh2n-dlEwpZx0xbTda2tGt8qhGSxL3iWwE5EKu0/s640/raised+beds.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
These stone stairs down to the yard we also settling and becoming unsafe and unstable.<br />
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And the last caveat of having a brick patio right next to the patio doors...ants. Lots and lots of ants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgsJMPjO7PAXOrBkJlb8reCpDZIROLIBvjxtefY6YJ7tQu3GPuXW45XHjQSQurRRZ4NLuJqIs1E2mmPMp-jXUXSoPvr7reZ-6tqjVRy0vVCmaAA2yuFzASUJzZYY3gWbRCB97v1lpJeQ/s1600/unstable+patio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgsJMPjO7PAXOrBkJlb8reCpDZIROLIBvjxtefY6YJ7tQu3GPuXW45XHjQSQurRRZ4NLuJqIs1E2mmPMp-jXUXSoPvr7reZ-6tqjVRy0vVCmaAA2yuFzASUJzZYY3gWbRCB97v1lpJeQ/s640/unstable+patio.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Before starting anything, I drew out our yard on graph paper to determine our plan. Since we were essentially going to be tearing up a large portion of the yard, we created an order of events to complete everything by Labor Day. Our goal was to dismantle the existing raised patio and reuse as much of the material as possible. The walls of the patio would be used to build two large raised garden beds at the back corner of the yard where we get the most sunlight. The brick pavers of the existing patio would be reused as a new ground level patio.</div>
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To give you an idea of what had to do this summer, here's a list!</div>
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1. Remove old patio from the back corner of the yard.</div>
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*We sold the paver stones on Craigslist</div>
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*The retaining wall stones were moved over near the shed to edge in the garden beds surrounding the workshop.</div>
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2. Take down the walls of the raised patio and build raised garden beds out of them.</div>
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*I can't accurately describe how difficult this process was. Each 15 lb stone had block adhesive on it, which meant using a chipping hammer to remove all of the block adhesive before we could take it to the raised garden beds to glue back down. After the beds were built, we still had close to 500 block left, which we gave away for free on Craigslist. This entire process of taking down the patio walls, building the garden beds and getting rid of the rest took close to a month. Probably some of the most exhausting work I've ever done.</div>
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3. With the patio walls gone, we took up all of the existing brick patio pavers that made up the floor of the existing raised patio. </div>
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*This step wouldn't have been too bad but there was polymeric sand on each brick that needed to be chipped off. And I don't mean a simple scrape. I mean chipped, like with a hammer and chisel. Close to 1500 bricks by our calculations. This was an important step though because every brick we could reuse would save us close to .70 cents (that's the cost to buy a new one). We set up pallets in three locations around the patio that we would stack the clean bricks on. This way, when we were ready to lay the new patio, the bricks would be close by.</div>
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4. Now that the bricks were out of the way, we set to work removing approximately 13 tons of sand. With wheelbarrows and shovels. Worst weekend of my life. Luckily we had our parents and one brave neighbor to help us.</div>
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5. Under the sand, was about 5 tons of black dirt that had to come out. We used some of it to fill in our raised garden beds, some to level out some areas of our yard and the rest got dumped.</div>
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6. At this point, we prepped our sand base, packed it and laid the brick pavers back down at ground level. We got to use our paver patio bricks from the old patio but we knew there wouldn't be enough, so we had to purchase about 1000 more bricks and we sprinkled those in with the old so you can't tell which are old and which are new.</div>
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7. The deck was built when the patio pavers were done.</div>
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8. Patio lights were hung.</div>
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9. And finally, this weekend, we built the fence around the garden.</div>
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Inside the garden area, we left about 2 foot wide pathways around the perimeter of the beds.</div>
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The lights on top of the posts are solar lights. Fencing and gate was all custom built by Brent.</div>
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In the Spring, we will put down a thick layer of mulch on the garden pathways.</div>
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For the deck, we used Cedar Toned Green Treat from Home Depot. Real cedar is incredibly expensive, so this was a nice alternative. After a year we can stain it if we wish.</div>
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Exterior wall sconces flanking the patio doors are from Lowe's.</div>
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The stones for the small retaining wall are from Lowe's.</div>
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This is just a $20 screen door from our home improvement store, painted with Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXTg5l38QlWL3cpzPb7LBaxvnvEIPsaiK_Bctn2KEriPjVT5_upP7nPNf8Ey01MJ32hJQAT1vnuhKQBifG0kex4A3oaqJ4PKFgGBSPPysV1CFZJtiGN_MSzeZFWgNgXxr5D1Fva_k3YM/s1600/DSC_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXTg5l38QlWL3cpzPb7LBaxvnvEIPsaiK_Bctn2KEriPjVT5_upP7nPNf8Ey01MJ32hJQAT1vnuhKQBifG0kex4A3oaqJ4PKFgGBSPPysV1CFZJtiGN_MSzeZFWgNgXxr5D1Fva_k3YM/s640/DSC_0026.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
Brent built this custom railing as well. Caps are solar lights from the home improvement store.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskOY2X_3uSn1Fg1e2oJEyRKp_385kYauxSLQYXqoEjU3aHvORAJV-rVHPCb-RnhZW6AWs2IJtq-eCupqoCRawSWTitJOSbNXWHw0hf9oK5luel3EKZQEYumAsGYDnNwTWavF2Y2LOc6A/s1600/DSC_0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskOY2X_3uSn1Fg1e2oJEyRKp_385kYauxSLQYXqoEjU3aHvORAJV-rVHPCb-RnhZW6AWs2IJtq-eCupqoCRawSWTitJOSbNXWHw0hf9oK5luel3EKZQEYumAsGYDnNwTWavF2Y2LOc6A/s640/DSC_0034.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
I picked up the World Market Adirondack chairs from Craigslist and painted them with Benjamin Moore Tequila Lime.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9FCFgCaRPy5AO2bNGCZV0I4YZagjnsa1RNMswsLs7Ug3PhLhz3bidgH9LOqsA07s3F9tQasP2xU-yUzK5lIelPfPGBv_JtCL0MoJU8xK6ORlzBwZhwAu2WVQhIjRStT2gsd052qGYzo/s1600/DSC_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9FCFgCaRPy5AO2bNGCZV0I4YZagjnsa1RNMswsLs7Ug3PhLhz3bidgH9LOqsA07s3F9tQasP2xU-yUzK5lIelPfPGBv_JtCL0MoJU8xK6ORlzBwZhwAu2WVQhIjRStT2gsd052qGYzo/s640/DSC_0038.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
We made this little stepping stone path at the bottom of the deck stairs to make it easy to cut through the garden.<br />
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For the deck, we picture framed the edge to give it a more finished look. We also used the Kreg Jig Deck Jig so most of the screws on the deck are hidden. Took quite a bit of time to do this, but well worth it in the end!<br />
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It was important to me that the edge of the deck be finished as well. Brent used cedar fence pickets to cover the edge.<br />
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For the patio lights, we set metal conduit poles into concrete poured into plastic flower pots (then covered in dirt once dry). 1/16 galvanized wire was pulled from the poles to the house and then the string lights, from Costco, were zip tied to the tension wire.</div>
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It's been a long, exhausting summer. But each day, we are so overjoyed that this is our yard and we got to create it. We've already had plenty of evenings on the patio with friends and family around the fire and are looking forward to next Spring when we get to plant our garden.</div>
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And now if you'll pardon me, I've got some Netflix shows to catch up on followed by a nice, long nap.</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-1537064673798147422016-04-30T08:15:00.000-07:002016-04-30T08:15:34.824-07:00Industrial Floating Shelves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
About a year ago, this is what our children's bedroom looked like. Then Brent and I bought a California King bed (BTW it's AMAZING!) and it shook up the whole household. Living with a queen size wasn't working for us anymore - snuggling with four people to watch a movie or read nighttime books was getting a little tight, which was the reason for the upgrade. We knew that with the purchase of that large bed meant Brent and I would need to relocate our master bedroom to the second floor to accommodate such a large bed. After we moved upstairs, that left two bedrooms on the main floor, one for each kid. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-l2JgYwzEnF_pV2-x_keHEGi6bf0ROTzuZLU8t44ZK8yeDs7U8Zd7ACgYUn8VIacap-vrM0ZUmfKyhhEf310ONicDvlDby9nqDAQfJfbAHvvGeGIh5kPi_oQ4daYIURx8aJ3tuBPE4M/s1600/boysbedroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-l2JgYwzEnF_pV2-x_keHEGi6bf0ROTzuZLU8t44ZK8yeDs7U8Zd7ACgYUn8VIacap-vrM0ZUmfKyhhEf310ONicDvlDby9nqDAQfJfbAHvvGeGIh5kPi_oQ4daYIURx8aJ3tuBPE4M/s640/boysbedroom.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Problem is, they still prefer to sleep in the same room, so we moved both of them to the back bedroom and this front bedroom became their "playroom." Which sounded great at first - WOW - a dedicated room to hold all of their toys! But that soon spiraled into OMG - I can't even walk in this room because EVERY TOY IN THE HOUSE IS IN HERE!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oNL644JWQvLZiDhUd7WvvvF4sOOq1IqjrCx1Ot9BJF4Xeb3s-Zy_3iE9Le9alPsSLMTrC3Og8iXZbTCPLFmJv9ZgQ2_XBLGMRoCAFTKHrVMBTwMK6ARUPZTKin_se6_Gb5Fs2CD0dvY/s1600/kids+bunk+bed+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oNL644JWQvLZiDhUd7WvvvF4sOOq1IqjrCx1Ot9BJF4Xeb3s-Zy_3iE9Le9alPsSLMTrC3Og8iXZbTCPLFmJv9ZgQ2_XBLGMRoCAFTKHrVMBTwMK6ARUPZTKin_se6_Gb5Fs2CD0dvY/s640/kids+bunk+bed+room.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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After a year, we decided to split up their bunk beds and turn the front bedroom back into Owen's room. This coincided with Emma's 9th birthday, and knowing the kids would probably still like to sleep in the same room together, Brent built the Ana White Farmhouse bed for her room in a full size.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8b3sdAooxhhPXOLnGPAV5fQE2aqY4hO53ZfLPIyaRZXdSSI9mk3J3k-wFtD4b0dzN860Cn4TG5VHnrCdvaZQJTN9TDNxi2GWZXJlKwSWPqFH2NSBsQcAJjZI3VdkyG3-wHNCSE7GD5g/s1600/farmhouse+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8b3sdAooxhhPXOLnGPAV5fQE2aqY4hO53ZfLPIyaRZXdSSI9mk3J3k-wFtD4b0dzN860Cn4TG5VHnrCdvaZQJTN9TDNxi2GWZXJlKwSWPqFH2NSBsQcAJjZI3VdkyG3-wHNCSE7GD5g/s640/farmhouse+bed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I painted it with Benjamin Moore Hale Navy and our daughter is in love with it. The other added bonus of putting this full size bed in her room means we sort of have a guest room should we need it. After finishing that bed project, I turned my attention back to Owen's new room.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDGnVCUNzglRlucZlPYZQnrgzzsGmuUKBdNVocxB9KonkW3DT0w5qhpDN2BBLSLPysA6w9zQ9EIPwloAgkTxgcUZchP1kPSgT9jWYU1JxI3ZjXnHNSwoscNv8iRkhTQ9fx1pGqicHQzs/s1600/boysroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDGnVCUNzglRlucZlPYZQnrgzzsGmuUKBdNVocxB9KonkW3DT0w5qhpDN2BBLSLPysA6w9zQ9EIPwloAgkTxgcUZchP1kPSgT9jWYU1JxI3ZjXnHNSwoscNv8iRkhTQ9fx1pGqicHQzs/s640/boysroom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I removed the heavy fabric curtains to make the windows look larger, but still needed a simple way to block out the light. Home Depot sells cordless cellular blinds at a pretty reasonable price and they mount inside of the window frame for a clean look. The walls got a fresh coat of paint in Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter and the ceiling, trim, doors and built-ins are Benjamin Moore White Dove. The bed in this room is one of the bunk beds. Brent made caps to go on the top of the bed posts and I painted it with Hale Navy.</div>
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Although all of the large windows let in a lot of natural light, evening time is a different story. He only has one overhead ceiling fan light in his room which was doesn't put off much light. I didn't want to mess with floor lamps so we hung a set of outdoor lights from Costco by hooks in the ceiling. The plug in behind the bedroom door so you don't see the cord. At night, it's beautiful in this room because of the warm light they emit.</div>
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Now onto the real project here! I'd been dreaming of floating shelves to mount on either side of his window to hold his books, Lego creations and whatever else it is that boys like to put on shelves.</div>
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Brent began by building 4 of these shelves.</div>
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I sanded them and applied a coat of this Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. It allows the wood to absorb the stain more evenly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA_C9dZ2J-CXrtHIHApbpVvHLwbokUAJ1yk2ZLlv5ecbIqOi0oMJ3qz8vvgZk_TBi5lEnhdABFx4tGnVvA67QY8sc-0d5TDTAgj-Dco5FlVgn09MSa5z5Pmed-ejAiziL6jFMLd_oq1c/s1600/DSC_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA_C9dZ2J-CXrtHIHApbpVvHLwbokUAJ1yk2ZLlv5ecbIqOi0oMJ3qz8vvgZk_TBi5lEnhdABFx4tGnVvA67QY8sc-0d5TDTAgj-Dco5FlVgn09MSa5z5Pmed-ejAiziL6jFMLd_oq1c/s640/DSC_0023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next came a coat of American Walnut stain.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZSUG2asN7Nr5lGCh3mHUXZXOUr0LrGPRQgxJs2TYqfCb3CDXHMGIJYFg1AZr43IwKMHfkygQfKqntxJhxuuOtq6UdaH8NdmZLBTDDmDgCxWqHCUQWNzEHv-_908pzBtEqvSoguziUBQ/s1600/DSC_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZSUG2asN7Nr5lGCh3mHUXZXOUr0LrGPRQgxJs2TYqfCb3CDXHMGIJYFg1AZr43IwKMHfkygQfKqntxJhxuuOtq6UdaH8NdmZLBTDDmDgCxWqHCUQWNzEHv-_908pzBtEqvSoguziUBQ/s640/DSC_0035.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZxQmpZ2WS4AjJoI-bDaWaqzyL25C7K2H3M4vPrttEZlKAGO74HUEbo1to21IxeFyx63AFa4zWnbvBg0h8bx3cdvk1_euGX2rAPUvr8SsBZcONlvi0OIslKJw9FKepOZBE2a76vVpAN8/s1600/DSC_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZxQmpZ2WS4AjJoI-bDaWaqzyL25C7K2H3M4vPrttEZlKAGO74HUEbo1to21IxeFyx63AFa4zWnbvBg0h8bx3cdvk1_euGX2rAPUvr8SsBZcONlvi0OIslKJw9FKepOZBE2a76vVpAN8/s640/DSC_0031.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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And then for a little change of pace - I put a coat of weathered gray stain over top of the walnut to tone it down a bit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0Wn8G21zXkoa5OgRFAvfx9MsVTArA0KXlEbbvA5QCfA7QkdZVwVrx4bRhMCPumPbwC3Tc20VkfXbvRdFyc8tOb5-bE2dBhHK6l79a09cf1XUFFUI0aJeNOW_RHM-VwRwXg6pFAc2BI8/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0Wn8G21zXkoa5OgRFAvfx9MsVTArA0KXlEbbvA5QCfA7QkdZVwVrx4bRhMCPumPbwC3Tc20VkfXbvRdFyc8tOb5-bE2dBhHK6l79a09cf1XUFFUI0aJeNOW_RHM-VwRwXg6pFAc2BI8/s640/DSC_0013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's what the floating shelves look like from the back.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzywUXyaEGy4BoBowhRIHjGriRYJxCEV6zIKd7YTxFKRhUC8VoWEvHi2m9IEvVTkPOLpptv4T7PH4Zl2hwz71M9S1Lr6PdfGrq0sO76lAX4bNTnW590pf9vugZKwZRNuYjbBlpsWfO60c/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzywUXyaEGy4BoBowhRIHjGriRYJxCEV6zIKd7YTxFKRhUC8VoWEvHi2m9IEvVTkPOLpptv4T7PH4Zl2hwz71M9S1Lr6PdfGrq0sO76lAX4bNTnW590pf9vugZKwZRNuYjbBlpsWfO60c/s640/DSC_0054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Brent mounted the wood support to the wall and then slides the floating shelf into it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvsJM1uQ17uokGtuAoeY13Wnq6JqFigHIa4ESVmct0EBx6s22ZY3-_LWOVG4cGnTyKg4_EsnyLqk00IIuHJ9fMXWmhXvGM17gvWSwyRA5FX2GhPdF6FXva63A9DyRXzBHclzvxzxBSro/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvsJM1uQ17uokGtuAoeY13Wnq6JqFigHIa4ESVmct0EBx6s22ZY3-_LWOVG4cGnTyKg4_EsnyLqk00IIuHJ9fMXWmhXvGM17gvWSwyRA5FX2GhPdF6FXva63A9DyRXzBHclzvxzxBSro/s640/DSC_0051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The make these shelves a little more interesting, we 8 sets of this hardware from the home improvement store.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHjnjUlasldcZZNJialyQImSgpZlROU40uCz-uLkqVHNLrIFSHe6XDTrNa43Nk09Yy7ZmWebtsXaEM4SNRJSTlBTuZw0BMGG678E9e4BD1TA5rn9QI-BcxHepI2aAnDtd15UP3AhB4Po/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHjnjUlasldcZZNJialyQImSgpZlROU40uCz-uLkqVHNLrIFSHe6XDTrNa43Nk09Yy7ZmWebtsXaEM4SNRJSTlBTuZw0BMGG678E9e4BD1TA5rn9QI-BcxHepI2aAnDtd15UP3AhB4Po/s640/DSC_0026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We spray painted all of the hard ware with this black textured Rust-Oleum spray paint.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAIAiJ5EydIgjH_uq0WQTwTXpPFHtSe2e_Edn1cTZoMoCKXBaIJCAYzEms53wUgmWIcaqBJobyPR0wRoicsU7Wya5R-tDU8zBM3OKG3vQNMOpCefCPu1ECghh1UaA7S1XwiGco1a9M-I/s1600/DSC_0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAIAiJ5EydIgjH_uq0WQTwTXpPFHtSe2e_Edn1cTZoMoCKXBaIJCAYzEms53wUgmWIcaqBJobyPR0wRoicsU7Wya5R-tDU8zBM3OKG3vQNMOpCefCPu1ECghh1UaA7S1XwiGco1a9M-I/s640/DSC_0034.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Here's what my spray painting station looked like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRn7B7wXr_bj2dsmFb8wt75jgoieZ34rwG2NJlE4ivf-yEtlkCyJJvpGFuZIdqmoVvGsTYmM0d05s3boAPqWeWcMO5hEe_e5rD_-TYSBl8ezz_0fBsret1CFYIqBlYvedbLANQonBMR4/s1600/DSC_0033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRn7B7wXr_bj2dsmFb8wt75jgoieZ34rwG2NJlE4ivf-yEtlkCyJJvpGFuZIdqmoVvGsTYmM0d05s3boAPqWeWcMO5hEe_e5rD_-TYSBl8ezz_0fBsret1CFYIqBlYvedbLANQonBMR4/s640/DSC_0033.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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After everything was dry, Brent drilled two holes toward the front of the shelf, put the turnbuckle through the U-Shaped hardware and then bolted it underneath.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlVhgPw58pzY0-N5a5nW5SVuV0os_UF4tMWDiTTq9ZneAz_Nz-mWZekVqRbEa8c9SCRBbJ1bLZvsjl1xkfi54XZPipYtkh6jOaPUkIZV-s9DxBaqIPsnUO3nDf9gWMyszm6YpEfjtoRE/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlVhgPw58pzY0-N5a5nW5SVuV0os_UF4tMWDiTTq9ZneAz_Nz-mWZekVqRbEa8c9SCRBbJ1bLZvsjl1xkfi54XZPipYtkh6jOaPUkIZV-s9DxBaqIPsnUO3nDf9gWMyszm6YpEfjtoRE/s640/DSC_0021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIIysFr-P-wQrqyVrOFNnx6tY5E7SGDWcDZCCs5kOcV7ZkIZIr8E3WBL46cLWGNwXoWfQu-1A3lUE2nWWrmHd7zHM4dKy_9AE0MSJDuEsbRDVp7O8zyNpy-ux6aXVpitcW3sblHkO4V0/s1600/DSC_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIIysFr-P-wQrqyVrOFNnx6tY5E7SGDWcDZCCs5kOcV7ZkIZIr8E3WBL46cLWGNwXoWfQu-1A3lUE2nWWrmHd7zHM4dKy_9AE0MSJDuEsbRDVp7O8zyNpy-ux6aXVpitcW3sblHkO4V0/s640/DSC_0029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The last step was to hook the other end of the turnbuckle onto this hook piece of hardware and screw it to the wall. This hardware isn't actually supporting any of the weight of the shelf, so we didn't use any special anchors in the wall plate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRc4eh6GlNkeeQMyfLVZ1swlDRZiUR0MUIB-z94ozN57Qlqc4KbVjPRRAmWXt7IIzZpuRMAnubRwCD2wwLja_TBpAKrNA9CKIbCsfM8oCFS2a3T7m5iTybbMfLGsE2mauGq_DVE9hTp0/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRc4eh6GlNkeeQMyfLVZ1swlDRZiUR0MUIB-z94ozN57Qlqc4KbVjPRRAmWXt7IIzZpuRMAnubRwCD2wwLja_TBpAKrNA9CKIbCsfM8oCFS2a3T7m5iTybbMfLGsE2mauGq_DVE9hTp0/s640/DSC_0022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
And here's the finished shelving.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxEZVfroQOUUAP-l5TKY7isBfVPnyzX_GWJnNGFubr-ejW2-MW39uj67dRCzM2i-2Ds8pHBlK-KCrGeuDdw8hECcAQHZgm2fOY0NDmReiNpW9af-gxEypFBf3-VWq2vVrhhRD9BWUrck/s1600/floating+shelves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxEZVfroQOUUAP-l5TKY7isBfVPnyzX_GWJnNGFubr-ejW2-MW39uj67dRCzM2i-2Ds8pHBlK-KCrGeuDdw8hECcAQHZgm2fOY0NDmReiNpW9af-gxEypFBf3-VWq2vVrhhRD9BWUrck/s640/floating+shelves.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbvN6VTLb5YNzvAGqPrQUuOc1mmGUVcvnzuXl-tFRnV82XzPGuPep5kpns6kaw6VJE2h67Q4T3ieSU8ufVcjBq_Si2G8Y2HfHix-P_SPjG5wYULZWlxbyrQSKM8KcvWbmWMFFgMQoNNA/s1600/industrial+shelves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbvN6VTLb5YNzvAGqPrQUuOc1mmGUVcvnzuXl-tFRnV82XzPGuPep5kpns6kaw6VJE2h67Q4T3ieSU8ufVcjBq_Si2G8Y2HfHix-P_SPjG5wYULZWlxbyrQSKM8KcvWbmWMFFgMQoNNA/s640/industrial+shelves.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
This is what his room looks like today - well - correction, it only looks this clean when I'm ready to take pictures. There are likely Lego's all over the floor in their now, the bed is no longer made and the books spread about. But whatever, at least it looked good for a few solid minutes.<br />
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The floor rug was a last minute addition. I ordered it from Costco.com to the tune of $100! And it's a 8x10 rug that's soft and cozy - you can't beat that price!<br />
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-953795671804216862016-04-27T17:50:00.002-07:002016-04-27T18:34:00.295-07:00Kitchen RemodelSome time ago, my sister and her husband, who live about 4 hours away from us, started dreaming of a new kitchen. You can see in the photos below that their kitchen was difficult to work in and not a joyful place to be. The refrigerator blocked the doorway that leads to the basement and to their exterior. An old, unused chimney was taking up valuable space and the stove top was pressed against a wall, making it very difficult to put pans on half of the burners.<br />
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Planning for a full kitchen remodel is a long and daunting task. Trying to keep within a reasonable budget but also creating a dream kitchen is a difficult balance to strike. I can easily say it took months and months of planning and sketching to figure out what we were going to do with this space. Luckily my Dad has done plenty of kitchen remodels so working alongside him and learning from a seasoned pro was a great experience.<br />
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To begin with, my Brother-in-law and his dad removed a chimney that ran alongside the right side of the stove. With the chimney out of the way, the refrigerator was moved to the opposite side of the room so that it wouldn't protrude into the doorway. And then their kitchen stayed in that state for a few months until we could decide how to proceed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Z17t_6Uc4l7nC9J6DKXmn4QHGzTTH_3Xu-jKjzfAuD3Kipud4ssA9gHhyphenhyphenKwpihnWYg8JYfjenkg3_KFQ0H8vEMBpcx1VuJH3l1kDWn-6BqL8QwIaVWLuo3y_zsCqU9_fafXUwJKHxp0/s1600/oldkitchen2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Z17t_6Uc4l7nC9J6DKXmn4QHGzTTH_3Xu-jKjzfAuD3Kipud4ssA9gHhyphenhyphenKwpihnWYg8JYfjenkg3_KFQ0H8vEMBpcx1VuJH3l1kDWn-6BqL8QwIaVWLuo3y_zsCqU9_fafXUwJKHxp0/s640/oldkitchen2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
We removed the soffit above the space where the refrigerator was to make room for 42" cabinets. Recessed lighting replaced the old fluorescent fixture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAvw7Peey7-7mzkbSN2LmS6F63v1kUOgp3AHr5QdwF1W0-eTNcHH_cASduMhGNLCOBVlTeUqnzRy5tDE2KJIDvF5VHFw20pJLwwYr9NhAmV9U2BIjURKGbj5qy6W-F_hK9H9gqdLz6ws/s1600/oldkitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAvw7Peey7-7mzkbSN2LmS6F63v1kUOgp3AHr5QdwF1W0-eTNcHH_cASduMhGNLCOBVlTeUqnzRy5tDE2KJIDvF5VHFw20pJLwwYr9NhAmV9U2BIjURKGbj5qy6W-F_hK9H9gqdLz6ws/s640/oldkitchen.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Choosing a cabinet color was the trickiest part of this process. My sister and brother-in-law were torn between choosing a "safe" cabinet finish that would be the best choice for re-sale down the line OR do they choose a finish that appealed most to their taste. I finally asked my sister what type of kitchens she was most drawn to when browsing Pinterest. A quick look at her dream kitchen Pinterest board pointed towards gray cabinetry.</div>
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After checking around the local home improvement stores, they settled on American Woodmark Cabinets sold by Home Depot. The paint color they chose is called Stone and the door style is called Reading. Removing the soffit allowed us to have all of the cabinets in the kitchen go to the ceiling, whereas before, we were dealing with two different heights.</div>
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We chose to add this pantry cupboard where the fridge used to be to give them additional food storage. Just to the left of the pantry on the bottom set of cabinets is a pull out trash cupboard - which is essential for a small kitchen with a dog and a toddler. You can't afford to lose valuable floor space with a trash can, and this pull out cupboard is great because it has two trash cans in it. One for trash and one for recyclables.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pHyb6PoZJ5A5TYj13Cm9krXDdZROgZq0dLRO0qitazvSS6u7X3M4mEU3qDRifcIUk0YgLo3m6drElxPz7-D_Vci0gHnCYbTLhHpL9wUSG3lcN658gpkvDFbzxSoai1niziuUSOgPFfU/s1600/gray+kitchen+cabinets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pHyb6PoZJ5A5TYj13Cm9krXDdZROgZq0dLRO0qitazvSS6u7X3M4mEU3qDRifcIUk0YgLo3m6drElxPz7-D_Vci0gHnCYbTLhHpL9wUSG3lcN658gpkvDFbzxSoai1niziuUSOgPFfU/s640/gray+kitchen+cabinets.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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This sink was somewhat of a debacle. In the original kitchen, there was a very teeny tiny dishwasher, so compact that it barely held anything so my sister and brother-in-law just removed it to make way for a trash can. It was easier to wash dishes by hand than to load such a tiny dishwasher. But in their new kitchen, they really wanted and needed a dishwasher because they have a three person household now instead of two. The length of this wall is just a little too short to accommodate a dishwasher and a standard sink base cabinet. So we ordered a smaller sink base cabinet and a single basin (but VERY deep) sink. We were afraid the sink was going to look out of place because it was going to be impossible to center it under the kitchen window. But it worked out that the right edge of the sink lined up with the right side of the window! And since the faucet is set into the back right hand corner of the sink, it drew less attention to the fact that the sink was centered under the window. We could have avoided the problem by putting the dishwasher in the set of set of cabinets to the right of the window, but that would have meant turning around to load the dishwasher, which sounds like a disaster in my book!</div>
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That little space to the right of the sink base unit was just going to be a dead space covered by filler, but my dad said we could trim it out to create a small space to put cutting boards or cookie sheets/cooling racks, etc. I'm glad we went ahead with that plan to give them a place to keep those awkward size items.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtDeGlkbhmm2djfMU-3yqOXDCNLGHiYBQKlEEosnXlGPyeBCceVBN0i369dpmoaEnNKeisdkVV9-GeP8rGrsIx5VWk3ThE8svWAugd7MxStwNAj9LiOkbJfCFrL2CVYS0UYcN0qxAvFo/s1600/smallkitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtDeGlkbhmm2djfMU-3yqOXDCNLGHiYBQKlEEosnXlGPyeBCceVBN0i369dpmoaEnNKeisdkVV9-GeP8rGrsIx5VWk3ThE8svWAugd7MxStwNAj9LiOkbJfCFrL2CVYS0UYcN0qxAvFo/s640/smallkitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Here you can see that we shifted the stove about 30" to the left of where it used to be. This created a countertop on both sides of the stovetop for more convenience when cooking. The refrigerator is tough to see but it's to the far right.</div>
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Under cabinet lighting was easy to install as you simply plug in a transformer to an outlet inside the cabinets and the wire and light are attached under the cabinet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JAZ3EJgF21acogvdthoKmv1ovkwePyHotTNrWRc7zTaijY2vMdh3unSmTeidyqO-fv7QmL8yJom_795kHmlEZRl9Aob9uoDDn35ZvuiEd0jLCnPTaNVS8zy7cnJ8FYMz2DA17b-3EzA/s1600/gray+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JAZ3EJgF21acogvdthoKmv1ovkwePyHotTNrWRc7zTaijY2vMdh3unSmTeidyqO-fv7QmL8yJom_795kHmlEZRl9Aob9uoDDn35ZvuiEd0jLCnPTaNVS8zy7cnJ8FYMz2DA17b-3EzA/s640/gray+kitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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At the last minute before placing our final order with Home Depot, we opted to add the shallow cabinet to the left of the microwave. The wall was just going to be painted but then we realized you would see the side of the microwave when you come in the back door. We are so happy we added that cabinet, even though it's only about 5 or 6" deep - as it is perfect for holding spices and cooking items right next to the stove!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRv6yTGn4yN7VKJ7Nuxj_ZPtdzAV_Ga5qPQQhWf3wImKiO8BK9ZRIb201XXJdLXTC6SyoMExqpUP412bmhUN-pK9PLXfgv4t-M8PAItHfVapnMZow5aWWDWCQElMX_UkD2bz5ZeSyIWpQ/s1600/newkitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRv6yTGn4yN7VKJ7Nuxj_ZPtdzAV_Ga5qPQQhWf3wImKiO8BK9ZRIb201XXJdLXTC6SyoMExqpUP412bmhUN-pK9PLXfgv4t-M8PAItHfVapnMZow5aWWDWCQElMX_UkD2bz5ZeSyIWpQ/s640/newkitchen.jpg" width="384" /></a></div>
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Below you can see how the placement of the refridgerator no longer juts out into the main walking space.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbQx9eYdHB4WBLUmeq7DX2GWrCICSrIBF32L1pSdHMdCsAeRn-BLNNk0t8uoxU7HLgvIS7Rn_XExSdFM1IzJlIF2EGGZhE_R1B_ROIp4B4691Y8JDzcEmnapeqM_3pvxWYs_HbBtqWKI/s1600/smallgraykitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbQx9eYdHB4WBLUmeq7DX2GWrCICSrIBF32L1pSdHMdCsAeRn-BLNNk0t8uoxU7HLgvIS7Rn_XExSdFM1IzJlIF2EGGZhE_R1B_ROIp4B4691Y8JDzcEmnapeqM_3pvxWYs_HbBtqWKI/s640/smallgraykitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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My sister and brother-in-law chose this rustic iron look hardware from <a href="https://hickoryhardware.com/collections/hickory-hardware-pulls/products/hickory-hardware-refined-rustic-cabinet-pull-p3000" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Hickory</span></a>. They went with the same pulls on the upper cabinets and lower cabinets for a consistent look.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvtuMqkue6bsYgdbvZbRtDjPjDUZ3in8MjFnfWtjxyG4Z9X-7YwilgKblTsXmO_vCCRMXe3brsflhsF0A6iwUUXWZnpCe9bdZR70irdkiWCkoCLt2SwCei2qhwGPIg6xln1WHATpYgjA/s1600/hickoryhardware.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAvtuMqkue6bsYgdbvZbRtDjPjDUZ3in8MjFnfWtjxyG4Z9X-7YwilgKblTsXmO_vCCRMXe3brsflhsF0A6iwUUXWZnpCe9bdZR70irdkiWCkoCLt2SwCei2qhwGPIg6xln1WHATpYgjA/s640/hickoryhardware.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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The laminate countertop was ordered with a bull nosed edge that wraps around underneath the countertop. </div>
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When you have a smaller house, you don't always get a dedicated dining area, such as the case in this home. Luckily, they have an eat-in kitchen large enough to hold a small table and chairs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPGlzTw6e1_LH-TiMDOAPN8i0zaM0qLBRpJv-z2QEffSX5DgymJVQwimESdiEplJc4XhFCxZp2Hqs4cklZAKOuRlXkocbvm3ehYZ5HoFPsI_colFzQWg4-NkzeD5JTuejhSAprX5zqKM/s1600/eatinkitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPGlzTw6e1_LH-TiMDOAPN8i0zaM0qLBRpJv-z2QEffSX5DgymJVQwimESdiEplJc4XhFCxZp2Hqs4cklZAKOuRlXkocbvm3ehYZ5HoFPsI_colFzQWg4-NkzeD5JTuejhSAprX5zqKM/s640/eatinkitchen.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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We added the horizontal planked walls to make the dining area feel cozy and separate from the kitchen. Home Depot ripped two sheets of plywood down for us, with each strip measuring 5 7/8" wide. To begin planking the wall, we trimmed it out with 1x4's and then filled in with the planks, using a paint stick as a spacer between boards.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3d-XHdWKCS_jZ14Ro_sZgjbdjK7uEKfzkNTyRdYEqip70J7DtS0i50yb3lEWWHz4lqjPrfthFWCc7Ejo86u88odE8iRwWzK-1jTm0YZVSyIboF4hd273lYIRy-t6mdvWL0MpW1o7LyXs/s1600/newdiningroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3d-XHdWKCS_jZ14Ro_sZgjbdjK7uEKfzkNTyRdYEqip70J7DtS0i50yb3lEWWHz4lqjPrfthFWCc7Ejo86u88odE8iRwWzK-1jTm0YZVSyIboF4hd273lYIRy-t6mdvWL0MpW1o7LyXs/s640/newdiningroom.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TCghBk2e7neEsKzYtI1PSFFIT0vMiMU0EFf7kb0rfCqyofj0tjliZPBkCZWUE2xD8Sa1dEPq7ZvlsNu7pbImIN8dIIbtD1rrOauWIphE-rlu-0_xLoVt-ZLptpxPNFbWtMYvXa8WdT0/s1600/shiplap+dining+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TCghBk2e7neEsKzYtI1PSFFIT0vMiMU0EFf7kb0rfCqyofj0tjliZPBkCZWUE2xD8Sa1dEPq7ZvlsNu7pbImIN8dIIbtD1rrOauWIphE-rlu-0_xLoVt-ZLptpxPNFbWtMYvXa8WdT0/s640/shiplap+dining+room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The planking ended up being a perfect way to transition the end of the cabinets to the wall behind it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYfA7c2Elf5144_rY9gO8KJqvbtzDmNO6Q8GBNGSZ5WWL0rVXYjxpNFE2-ORea9lFlm9g7hPpi0fm6mcbyAaD07Hl1Xc3h_TKXS54IeMKgqkJJVP0psOuVOHKGCKM7jApxv-IBSvzn8c/s1600/shiplap+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYfA7c2Elf5144_rY9gO8KJqvbtzDmNO6Q8GBNGSZ5WWL0rVXYjxpNFE2-ORea9lFlm9g7hPpi0fm6mcbyAaD07Hl1Xc3h_TKXS54IeMKgqkJJVP0psOuVOHKGCKM7jApxv-IBSvzn8c/s640/shiplap+kitchen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My sister chose this new light fixture to hang over the dining room table.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3_Fs0dMaLyYbVTo7c5EGY50BaitBbHHid10zxJAym_kBWEymRKhCp-rfLjTzXRDVq2D0ywBSt_aoWBt05mlhDa1FHlZTdNSFnKteCQBJlpKLO_5d6glMROaAvcW7GUHxSeDELquNvNs/s1600/diningroompendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3_Fs0dMaLyYbVTo7c5EGY50BaitBbHHid10zxJAym_kBWEymRKhCp-rfLjTzXRDVq2D0ywBSt_aoWBt05mlhDa1FHlZTdNSFnKteCQBJlpKLO_5d6glMROaAvcW7GUHxSeDELquNvNs/s640/diningroompendant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
After choosing a cabinet color, flooring was the next hardest decision. Hardwood floors were not an option because the rest of their home has the original hardwoods and there was no way we were going to be able to find material to match. We looked into sheet vinyl because of its low maintenance and ease of cleaning but couldn't find anything we were in love with. Tile was our last option, but we were so hesitant because I didn't want my sister to have to deal with keeping grout clean in a very high traffic kitchen, since their back door heads out to the garage. But we found a tile from Lowe's that we liked and had decided that was the direction we needed to go in. My sister and mom were out shopping at Home Depot and happened to walk down the laminate flooring aisle. They found this product made by Pergo that looked like tile but was actually a laminate. It looked identical to the tile we were about to purchase. After reading the reviews about it's durability and ease of installation, we knew it was the perfect choice. It installs like any other laminate, just click and interlock it! The whole floor went down in a matter of hours, Brent said it was simple to install once you got the hang of it. It's not as hard and cold as a tile would be, which is great for these guys with a baby crawling around. They also have a large golden retriever and haven't had any problems with scratching from her nails.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-szEn3qSUQZgPmA0Pd2g6VOjs2HH5kzhOetC6K2mIKgLOkebZ-LxBYsKZ83L0JDFghwosS3WOL0ONXoadZw2o2zecAvrYdtyG8cSqKuIiG6-Sv0VHM7Dh8_gXyaKu1Tsv3QSBSTsti3I/s1600/pergo+xp+monson+slate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-szEn3qSUQZgPmA0Pd2g6VOjs2HH5kzhOetC6K2mIKgLOkebZ-LxBYsKZ83L0JDFghwosS3WOL0ONXoadZw2o2zecAvrYdtyG8cSqKuIiG6-Sv0VHM7Dh8_gXyaKu1Tsv3QSBSTsti3I/s640/pergo+xp+monson+slate.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
My sister tells me that she and her husband still can't believe this is their kitchen, as they got everything they wanted and love each and every finish they chose. For a full list of sources, please see below:<br />
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Cabinets - <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Woodmark-14-9-16x14-1-2-in-Cabinet-Door-Sample-in-Reading-Painted-Stone-97879/205932510?N=5yc1vZc3b4" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Home Depot American Woodmark Cabinets with Reading style door painted in Stone</span></a><br />
Countertops - <a href="http://www.wilsonart.com/laminate/design-library/spring-carnival-1876" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Wilsonart Spring Carnival</span></a><br />
Flooring - <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pergo-XP-Monson-Slate-10-mm-Thick-x-11-1-8-in-Wide-x-23-7-8-in-Length-Laminate-Flooring-18-36-sq-ft-case-LF000313/202882898" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pergo XP Monson Slate</span></a><br />
Cabinet Hardware - <a href="https://hickoryhardware.com/collections/hickory-hardware-pulls/products/hickory-hardware-refined-rustic-cabinet-pull-p3000" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Hickory Hardware Refined Rustic Cabinet Pull in Black Iron</span></a><br />
Sink - <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Blanco-DIAMOND-Dual-Mount-Composite-25-in-1-Hole-Single-Bowl-Kitchen-Sink-in-Anthracite-440210/100007119" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Blanco Diamond Dual Mount Composite Sink in Anthracite</span></a><span id="goog_1840235867"></span><span id="goog_1840235868"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span><br />
Pendant light -<span style="color: blue;"> <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.menards.com/main/lighting-ceiling-fans/indoor-lighting/pendants/tangier-1-light-aged-bronze-mini-pendant/p-1444433675516.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Menards Tangier 1 Light Aged Bronze Mini Pendant </span></a><span id="goog_1840235889"></span><span id="goog_1840235890"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span></span><br />
Ceiling Color - Benjamin Moore White Dove in a flat finish<br />
Wall Color - Benjamin Moore Gray Owl lightened to 50%<br />
Plank Color - Benjamin Moore White Dove in a semi gloss finish<br />
Backsplash Color - Sherwin Williams Peppercorn<br />
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DISCLAIMER: Hickory Hardware graciously provided the cabinet hardware for this kitchen.All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-31138991368151822002016-04-04T19:49:00.001-07:002016-04-04T19:49:05.886-07:00Custom Electric Fireplace SurroundBack in October, when temps were starting to drop, I began dreaming of a fireplace. As soon as the thermometer drops below 60 degrees, the hoodies and jeans come out for this gal. Everyone knows one of those people that is always freezing - in my inner circle, that person is me.<br />
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I spent a lot of time sitting in our living room, staring at a blank wall, while trying to decipher if I could envision a fireplace. Here's what our living room looked like:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc1Yy_58WzWDnjjGpolIvdSWg3I-ylowwaMBfg1EhGGgSaOnFt_JuY59SIxXL6LGZUp24M9oIhlFjaGUYJP15osJfbMbxt4bj4DHGAYFd3hIXuhS1_FrwE8oqcq1FWhpfoC32zvEkcl4/s1600/buttonart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc1Yy_58WzWDnjjGpolIvdSWg3I-ylowwaMBfg1EhGGgSaOnFt_JuY59SIxXL6LGZUp24M9oIhlFjaGUYJP15osJfbMbxt4bj4DHGAYFd3hIXuhS1_FrwE8oqcq1FWhpfoC32zvEkcl4/s640/buttonart.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was cozy but we were ready for a fireplace. Real wood burning was out of the question because our garage is on the backside of that wall. We could have made gas work, but it would have been much more expensive and a larger commitment. Ultimately, we went electric because if for any reason we didn't want a fireplace down the road, we could simply remove it.<br />
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To begin with, we ordered <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/33-in-Traditional-Infrared-SpectraFire-Plus-Electric-Fireplace-Insert-with-Safer-Plug-and-BBKIT-33-86030-BB/205553634?keyword=33+spectrafire" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">this unit from Home Depot</span> </a></span>(Not an affiliate link). It was damaged during delivery so we ordered<a href="http://www.amazon.com/ClassicFlame-33II310GRA-Infrared-Quartz-Fireplace/dp/B00K75PDUU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459824411&sr=8-2&keywords=33+spectrafire" target="_blank"> <span style="color: blue;">the same one via Amazon for about $100 less </span></a>again, not an affiliate link). Amazon is kinda tricky - I put the fireplace in my cart to keep my eye on the price and one day it dropped from about $530 down to $350, so we snagged it at the low price. To clarify, we only ordered the electric fireplace insert without any sort of surround. Brent custom built our wood surround to hold the electric unit, and then the unit plugs into a standard outlet.<br />
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I don't have any specific build plans for this one as the chances of someone wanting to build the exact same style of fireplace as we chose would be very slim. Brent basically built a frame out of 2x4's to support the unit and get it up off of the ground. He then used poplar to build the surround. I painted it in Benjamin Moore White Dove.<br />
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We are absolutely in love with this fireplace for several reasons:<br />
1. It looks way more real than we ever expected it to!<br />
2. There are 5 different colors of flames to choose from.<br />
3. You can choose the speed at which the flames rise from the logs, so it can feel like a fire that is about to burn out or like a roaring fire.<br />
4. Turning on the infrared heater is OPTIONAL! So on a summer evening when it's super hot and humid outside, we can still turn on our fireplace for ambiance without melting our guests.<br />
5. It's safe for kids and pets. Our one year old nephew was over and we didn't have to worry about him getting too close because the fireplace stays cool to the touch.<br />
6. We can remove it. If we ever decide we don't want it anymore, we can pull it away from the wall, unplug it and relocate it to any room in our house.<br />
7. And finally - it keeps me warm! I loved coming home on my lunch breaks in the winter to a cold house, turning on the fire and reading my book (or watching Scandal) while I got warmed up.<br />
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If you think this might be the type of project you want to tackle, we'd be happy to pass along more advice if you need it!All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-11285310576673685732015-08-30T11:42:00.000-07:002015-08-30T11:42:27.155-07:00Milk Paint Furniture ProjectMy neighbors were selling a bedroom set this summer that I absolutely fell in love with! The finish wasn't my personal preference but the overall style of the headboard and footboard were right up my ally. The set was for a queen bed but since we don't have a queen size bed in our house, I painted this set for someone else.<br />
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There were these strange wood balls on the top of the headboard and footboard - those would definitely be coming off :)<br />
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It was great that all of these pieces of molding had been layered to give the headboard and footboard a great profile.<br />
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And the absolute best part was that the bed had already been distressed. The idea of painting this bed really got my blood pumping because I knew glaze would pick up all of these little distressed marks and the vertical planks of the headboard and footboard and really make them pop.<br />
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Here's the footboard...<br />
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And a matching dresser with one drawer and a shelf inside the double doors.<br />
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The first step was to remove the balls. Brent used a pipe wrench to twist them and loosen them up.</div>
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In their place, he made simple caps and pinned them with air gun.<br />
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I was going to use General Finishes Milk Paint for this project, which means you don't need to sand your finish before applying the paint. The old finish had such a thick. shiny finish that I chose to sand the set before applying the milk paint. I just didn't want to take any chances with chipping paint. This step was likely unnecessary but it gave me a little extra insurance.<br />
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I was really conflicted at this stage because the headboard was so beautiful in it's natural wood state. A coat of walnut stain would have been gorgeous but I could also see it as the antique white that my brain was envisioning.<br />
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After sanding, I wiped the piece with denatured alcohol to prepare it for paint.<br />
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This is the General Finishes Antique White Milk Paint that I used. Sometimes I only put one coat of paint on, depending on what I want the finished project to look like. For this piece I wanted a nice solid color to start with before glazing so I did two coats of the milk paint.<br />
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After the two coats of milk paint, I began the glazing process. I couldn't take any pictures because I was home alone and my hands get really dirty while glazing so I didn't want to be fumbling around with my camera. Basically, I diluted my glaze slightly with water to give me a little more drying time as this was a large piece to glaze. I worked in sections, for example, I would do one side of each leg, then I would do three vertical sections of the face of the headboard/footboard. Working in smaller sections allows you to better control the finished project because you don't have to work as quickly.<br />
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In the photo below, the footboard has been glazed in front. The headboard behind it only has the two coats of milk paint. You can see how the glaze makes the vertical lines pop out and you notice the small molding details a bit better with the glaze.<br />
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After glazing, I applied a few coats of a protective polyurethane to prevent chipping and it gives the piece a nice gloss.<br />
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Here is the finished bed, including side rails.<br />
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And here's the small matching side table. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysvf8azn6fS3IOg4yAxF31Xg-93eshm9EpkQBmvVHk-fs7xP1Gtvl_2_0jkqLLhfVvzFhYU6EyeeOOIVdcsbJH-pzGWYaFflJJpvHRNtJ752FZ2ECopLnwzckI63-hJ0PbuV7TiAjtno/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiysvf8azn6fS3IOg4yAxF31Xg-93eshm9EpkQBmvVHk-fs7xP1Gtvl_2_0jkqLLhfVvzFhYU6EyeeOOIVdcsbJH-pzGWYaFflJJpvHRNtJ752FZ2ECopLnwzckI63-hJ0PbuV7TiAjtno/s640/DSC_0375.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlw7wFfrviwlA-ZKNZHJiGF7EbJ7btCXwvU2jI9SOtgwZEO_d4toajPgFY7z7MXsM0PzKRu3Iv3DdAl8TWpbbAYUa1AR_-NgHXlKoYvcUeIbjJ5e-iIOoFHWQrztO_ON2DWLtbgD7FfM/s1600/DSC_0377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlw7wFfrviwlA-ZKNZHJiGF7EbJ7btCXwvU2jI9SOtgwZEO_d4toajPgFY7z7MXsM0PzKRu3Iv3DdAl8TWpbbAYUa1AR_-NgHXlKoYvcUeIbjJ5e-iIOoFHWQrztO_ON2DWLtbgD7FfM/s640/DSC_0377.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjfRBrYE4SazQxcvmcifqvYBza_yhyphenhyphenmE9evi9LwnQ-ReNMMTaOILIQx9T_MZL-PdENX1SdBeyd_Ok8Lsx9ARRZGtLYp8hx-MQue8rS0goNPJQVGwQ4h9EoffMYXVpGsCAmQeFm7bnJDE/s1600/DSC_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjfRBrYE4SazQxcvmcifqvYBza_yhyphenhyphenmE9evi9LwnQ-ReNMMTaOILIQx9T_MZL-PdENX1SdBeyd_Ok8Lsx9ARRZGtLYp8hx-MQue8rS0goNPJQVGwQ4h9EoffMYXVpGsCAmQeFm7bnJDE/s640/DSC_0378.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4z6TKcVbmTX4PKcDTivDfpMpiF8f8zbc3fOJMlBFRl8GSZSguJIjndiq400Og2TF_8hk2LC99EmKfaL0TYMf-42vHtv_W-iKhIdzOiAwgiC2wToIAtuqG3d6KtWry_FQwhyqnFfpVRs/s1600/DSC_0379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4z6TKcVbmTX4PKcDTivDfpMpiF8f8zbc3fOJMlBFRl8GSZSguJIjndiq400Og2TF_8hk2LC99EmKfaL0TYMf-42vHtv_W-iKhIdzOiAwgiC2wToIAtuqG3d6KtWry_FQwhyqnFfpVRs/s640/DSC_0379.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-49421833211127030912015-08-01T07:52:00.002-07:002015-08-06T18:53:22.414-07:00A New Exterior House Color!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Each year for the past 3 years, I've scraped and painted one side of the house, slowly making my way around the entire thing. It usually only takes a weekend to scrape and paint one side so it doesn't turn into a big commitment. But each year that I go and buy another gallon of the same light yellow/cream paint, I dream about changing the house color. Reality soon sets in though that completely changing the color of the house would be too much work and too much expense.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8nXBy9tjRwqlE8kepbvcWOyjjGldbGtdHV02izhiCF2VmZtH100ufhNc4LVmWzNxb86wLDD9G3vAVEUb201V5uPhzFxipN3TfMRmE56lvSPL8DTuyvVGn2j4eisHHH6QRanwfRKdc-8/s1600/DSC_0044before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8nXBy9tjRwqlE8kepbvcWOyjjGldbGtdHV02izhiCF2VmZtH100ufhNc4LVmWzNxb86wLDD9G3vAVEUb201V5uPhzFxipN3TfMRmE56lvSPL8DTuyvVGn2j4eisHHH6QRanwfRKdc-8/s640/DSC_0044before.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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That is until the beginning of this summer when a friend of ours needed some help painting her house. She went from a light colored house to a rich, dark color - and I fell in love. It was only a matter of days until I had convinced Brent to let me do a little experimenting. </div>
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I was having a problem with our roof color and figuring out what color of paint would look best with it. The roof is called Burnt Sienna, which is sort of brown and sort of reddish. But when I looked closer at the shingles, I could see some dark spots, almost a navy or charcoal. So I started messing around on Benjamin Moore's website to plug in different paint colors. Benjamin Moore Hale Navy was the absolute winner. Anything with too much gray or brown just didn't look right with the shingles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStrqlzpL8wXiu5w4gEhAT2eSpK4d3YiJbMTcitT6EVCI-0B_MunhmL3qypSmdKvx8qUniHpisV3rvugfMh_87f0gijairy52wk4N6bk8EoA2fPjLDA-rvkfnbn7sGtCy1RlPXe6VZaA8/s1600/housemockup.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStrqlzpL8wXiu5w4gEhAT2eSpK4d3YiJbMTcitT6EVCI-0B_MunhmL3qypSmdKvx8qUniHpisV3rvugfMh_87f0gijairy52wk4N6bk8EoA2fPjLDA-rvkfnbn7sGtCy1RlPXe6VZaA8/s640/housemockup.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was still a bit nervous about taking the plunge so we bought a test pot and painted a swatch on the back of the house to look at it for a few weeks. Even with a such a big test spot, I still couldn't pull the trigger so my neighbor friend suggested that I paint the entire front of the house first - that way if I didn't like it from the front, I wouldn't have painted the entire house already.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_mdVjCunbbsBJimnQom5iWIXWYup-OeEwTV3Tfyh8g1lnvH9AEdFUyFIbaCQ2nPuBlskH8QMRWlqQWc_e7wqcvPQWY0l9dlnQMyPKX9gs0ppSYafc327QrrMsG5yQuJoPx6OBAzWykQ/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_mdVjCunbbsBJimnQom5iWIXWYup-OeEwTV3Tfyh8g1lnvH9AEdFUyFIbaCQ2nPuBlskH8QMRWlqQWc_e7wqcvPQWY0l9dlnQMyPKX9gs0ppSYafc327QrrMsG5yQuJoPx6OBAzWykQ/s640/DSC_0014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I liked that idea, so Brent and I spent a few hours on a Saturday evening and a few more the next morning painting the front. Luckily, our house is small so it only took us about 4-6 hours total to paint the front, including the trim. And we love it!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sohYhDry1_3AM8m_bJp4VB7nJhhO2BPzFI6hHiOmvQBnNkvDS6TgX4Q4rf4NHaKhHj-3ZMP6MVFrCEjmSsgRZdZrzuz-HP2saFpQgITBOznz864hjwV3i_QcBCDpYcgvNtWGMSn9sKM/s1600/DSC_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sohYhDry1_3AM8m_bJp4VB7nJhhO2BPzFI6hHiOmvQBnNkvDS6TgX4Q4rf4NHaKhHj-3ZMP6MVFrCEjmSsgRZdZrzuz-HP2saFpQgITBOznz864hjwV3i_QcBCDpYcgvNtWGMSn9sKM/s640/DSC_0477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We are most surprised to see the texture of the siding come out. When the house was the lighter color, it was painted in a flat finish - which made it impossible to clean off muddy puppy paw prints and other smudges. For the navy, we went with a satin finish which is why you can see more of the texture. For the trim, we used Benjamin Moore Steam, which is a little bit softer than a bright white. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNC2IbwUqHa9JcwFJd0Ki8MU0jf88wPocD22pgOr2wSsEqSQXbCiZxqnvSG76aRwUCHs23uNMEA4lyQDgXUX9DLCFicKzlibkGt3kOVrl2DDz5bT8-wyahfMzayqjhjmhV4AdTbq_22Y/s1600/DSC_0480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNC2IbwUqHa9JcwFJd0Ki8MU0jf88wPocD22pgOr2wSsEqSQXbCiZxqnvSG76aRwUCHs23uNMEA4lyQDgXUX9DLCFicKzlibkGt3kOVrl2DDz5bT8-wyahfMzayqjhjmhV4AdTbq_22Y/s640/DSC_0480.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
Before we started painting, I was nervous about what our white gutter downspouts would look like on the front of the house, since before they blended in with the lighter paint. But after painting with the BM Hale Navy and putting the downspouts back up, I think they look fine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-NfBf3Ze84AoTsJQO8yZ3_6HcGcpX4H94FX-twyP_MgvWGAQHUFAHp2QbWzGdClt465ev7lteVViVD1VQJmBF18eKRw89hmG9k6yAGvRbkikiRab6sy9RkykJg6Qyqz1wpa06vuoLsg/s1600/DSC_0481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-NfBf3Ze84AoTsJQO8yZ3_6HcGcpX4H94FX-twyP_MgvWGAQHUFAHp2QbWzGdClt465ev7lteVViVD1VQJmBF18eKRw89hmG9k6yAGvRbkikiRab6sy9RkykJg6Qyqz1wpa06vuoLsg/s640/DSC_0481.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
I love how our window trim and green plants pop out against the new house color. But now our poor neighbors have to live with this view until our schedule clears out and we can paint the rest of the house!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVO21FZasmEco9c7xHitmss8KqLiyjn29sROC3-UuTqsltDy0x2w0QcDdeTvAOOyho6125zErKoqP0q6awX9aq4neX6DUkjHINPDXWYSBaqbOzQ9mX8tFE1S35sbXKt8BS-6tys-5Bd7w/s1600/DSC_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVO21FZasmEco9c7xHitmss8KqLiyjn29sROC3-UuTqsltDy0x2w0QcDdeTvAOOyho6125zErKoqP0q6awX9aq4neX6DUkjHINPDXWYSBaqbOzQ9mX8tFE1S35sbXKt8BS-6tys-5Bd7w/s640/DSC_0484.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
And then there's this lovely view - oh man - we feel so trashy having a multi-colored house but I'm hoping that next weekend I can get the sides painted!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfBEBRNmT_QC0yOOs6NNr99AOIGTb40OIeTmQGRVR8CK-x0YJeDi8eBnOMjfkkdbGDWqtT3E8klV4sU3RztPRPLI_3QNDbfdCh9BdpoQTqaEH5YfV8AR9pPgewQTfZmtiJ6kL9id5IN0/s1600/DSC_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfBEBRNmT_QC0yOOs6NNr99AOIGTb40OIeTmQGRVR8CK-x0YJeDi8eBnOMjfkkdbGDWqtT3E8klV4sU3RztPRPLI_3QNDbfdCh9BdpoQTqaEH5YfV8AR9pPgewQTfZmtiJ6kL9id5IN0/s640/DSC_0485.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And for a final side by side - here's the before and after! I am still undecided about the front door color and what, if anything, we'll do there. Shutter options are still being weighed as well - but we'll worry about those once all the painting is done. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT3AOgAYneFCIEO9QcpkkJEz3VzvloKuqd-04-qOpiZgPhkQNO3LkDNS1V3tBKOOwJa-DYtWMIch01ZQe3yMTimkYZVPpwJu2yoibZIhL9ZTFD0o-4d9gSw2pz4cozVueT9_TLdk6_x8/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT3AOgAYneFCIEO9QcpkkJEz3VzvloKuqd-04-qOpiZgPhkQNO3LkDNS1V3tBKOOwJa-DYtWMIch01ZQe3yMTimkYZVPpwJu2yoibZIhL9ZTFD0o-4d9gSw2pz4cozVueT9_TLdk6_x8/s640/DSC_0044.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sohYhDry1_3AM8m_bJp4VB7nJhhO2BPzFI6hHiOmvQBnNkvDS6TgX4Q4rf4NHaKhHj-3ZMP6MVFrCEjmSsgRZdZrzuz-HP2saFpQgITBOznz864hjwV3i_QcBCDpYcgvNtWGMSn9sKM/s1600/DSC_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sohYhDry1_3AM8m_bJp4VB7nJhhO2BPzFI6hHiOmvQBnNkvDS6TgX4Q4rf4NHaKhHj-3ZMP6MVFrCEjmSsgRZdZrzuz-HP2saFpQgITBOznz864hjwV3i_QcBCDpYcgvNtWGMSn9sKM/s640/DSC_0477.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And for your Pinning pleasure, here are all of the colors listed in one place.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwZqbcpO4O3zhYHrxwHjambP_XJHxEeJr11S8W1EKpR9jTQWuS4YW2wiiEZkRzo-M-CfCB1eiP_xivSuU0otws383AfG9veA5NAosZ8yUfo2AeFZbhk7ac6lYP9Q-BDCrWIlzluvDF2I/s1600/DSC_0477colors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwZqbcpO4O3zhYHrxwHjambP_XJHxEeJr11S8W1EKpR9jTQWuS4YW2wiiEZkRzo-M-CfCB1eiP_xivSuU0otws383AfG9veA5NAosZ8yUfo2AeFZbhk7ac6lYP9Q-BDCrWIlzluvDF2I/s640/DSC_0477colors.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-82900205523617413952015-07-10T05:27:00.001-07:002015-08-06T18:53:58.878-07:00Kids Live HereI stumbled upon a photography project recently called "Kids Live Here." As I was looking at other people's images of the little details that you often overlook as a parent, I found myself nodding in agreement. Kids do crazy things. Period. But we never stop to take photos of all of the nuances of childhood. Sure, we capture the birthday parties and Christmas...maybe even the occasional family picture - but what about the day to day stuff?<br />
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As a mostly organized mother, my blood pressure skyrockets when company is on the horizon. Because we're busy, tidying up the house is usually at the bottom of our priority list because we are mostly just trying to SURVIVE THE WEEK!! <br />
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So I've been taking pictures of what a "normal" house might look like with kids scampering around.<br />
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Tiny chairs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66Nkpman8ndPBAgwxB2Cui61kHfXQuWlPq62kWblqgeUUWnKTEwrspCuoIQtYGDfGWgHS0u7MHHBVUG5Xh8MOj9hcahwm5wmeUDjB97uAu7OqKlA1alwLDZKhApporpwsPtA-Kdym1VA/s1600/DSC_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66Nkpman8ndPBAgwxB2Cui61kHfXQuWlPq62kWblqgeUUWnKTEwrspCuoIQtYGDfGWgHS0u7MHHBVUG5Xh8MOj9hcahwm5wmeUDjB97uAu7OqKlA1alwLDZKhApporpwsPtA-Kdym1VA/s640/DSC_0045.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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An old rusty swingset that provides hours and hours of fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzQ1NjJ4HwhLtQrgXhRqiWVp82h-dLRSaqaJldCB2glop0sesqQPL_ewRiNsajHnfT4-sS0v4JSE4fzXckWsPJLndXGlbxV2CzL1_ms92TIFtKAunVO9ZTX9a4AvfmwAuNwK9rfVCW44/s1600/DSC_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzQ1NjJ4HwhLtQrgXhRqiWVp82h-dLRSaqaJldCB2glop0sesqQPL_ewRiNsajHnfT4-sS0v4JSE4fzXckWsPJLndXGlbxV2CzL1_ms92TIFtKAunVO9ZTX9a4AvfmwAuNwK9rfVCW44/s640/DSC_0047.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A basketball that's been left outside for over a year has almost turned white from the sun damage. </div>
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It's also flat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-f7PbqfNi5OLyK8DHcd_rkPvNvB-jWb_tWC2X3rR4C5aXsg9VkXzDg8wAjW9eWxIYaiYdjUJfP0zlDtlCiFqph1RVbkqc4V9WKuZqAWdlxT_g7XkpmGy7u3gMCN_depg06_Py8Kd3QY/s1600/DSC_0050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-f7PbqfNi5OLyK8DHcd_rkPvNvB-jWb_tWC2X3rR4C5aXsg9VkXzDg8wAjW9eWxIYaiYdjUJfP0zlDtlCiFqph1RVbkqc4V9WKuZqAWdlxT_g7XkpmGy7u3gMCN_depg06_Py8Kd3QY/s640/DSC_0050.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Dinosaurs. Just everywhere you turn.</div>
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A random horse parked in her stall (sandwiched between the dresser and the wall).</div>
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Piggy banks. We've learned kids will do most anything for a penny.</div>
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Tears of frustration while learning a new sport.</div>
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Snuggling up with classic books.</div>
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Downloading the pictures from the camera to find Emma had been experimenting in the mirror.</div>
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Oh. The constant mess. Don't worry though - eventually you don't even notice it anymore.</div>
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Starting marshmallows on fire while making S'mores.</div>
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I'll never understand kids' obsession with straws. But I'm adaptable - if they won't drink their milk, put a straw in it and I guarantee it will disappear.</div>
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Garden hoses provide lots of free entertainment. Our kids like to put the attachment on "mist" and then they spray each other with it and call it sunscreen.</div>
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S'mores have to be one of the highlights of childhood (and adulthood). I'd love to take a survey of how many people put peanut butter on their S'mores. For the record, we do.</div>
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Morning hair.</div>
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Shoes EVERYWHERE!</div>
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This is Owen's outfit of choice in the summer. Cowboy boots with shorts. Classy.</div>
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Fresh out of the swimming pool.</div>
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Random arts and crafts projects on display.</div>
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Bathtub toys.</div>
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Full notebooks that have scribbles on EVERY SINGLE PAGE.</div>
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What crazy things do your kids' do that often get overlooked?</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-31828206457334235652015-06-07T18:12:00.002-07:002015-06-24T03:45:59.602-07:00Tips For A New GardenerSeriously...this gardening stuff is HARD!! We spent a solid 8 weeks watering our little plants and diligently moving them into sunlight and rotating them. A few weeks before transplanting, we began blowing a fan on the plants for periods of time to help them strengthen their roots. And within a week of moving them outside, we transitioned them slowly to the outdoors to let them acclimate so they wouldn't go into shock when transplanted.<br />
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Do you know how difficult and time consuming it is to move something like 30 plastic cups inside and outside everyday? We were using every cutting board and cookie sheet to move them around. Sometimes the forecast would call for cold temps for several days in a row so we'd have to haul them all the way back to our second floor bedroom so they wouldn't be deprived of sunlight. At one point, I actually kind of wished they would die because we were spending so much time moving them around!<br />
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Transplant day finally arrived. According to the Google, I learned cucumber plants are climbers if they find something to grab onto. This was good news for us since we have a small garden and cucumber plants take up a lot of space. Of course, we didn't want to spend money on a fancy trellis so we built one out of some scraps we had laying around. We had enough leftover chicken wire fencing from the whole "keep the rabbits out" charade - which is working beautifully by the way - to cover the front side of the trellis. On the back, we strung some twine and crossed our fingers that would work. I wish we would have built our trellis to sit the other direction in our garden because I honestly don't know how we are going to reach some of them at the back without stepping on the other plants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu7141zXhOfiSgau_TVuL1F7UlYpMMLWYiDPlBpcfzhpXVTwt7NY3U-LmeVv7UaUsyD2tBYj71KxiaVz7T9YsduDLPYQtHiktXV2Ucb9zCO83hnEYwpWOKTLMslOxHIYgdtNVvnjdIgU/s1600/DSC_0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu7141zXhOfiSgau_TVuL1F7UlYpMMLWYiDPlBpcfzhpXVTwt7NY3U-LmeVv7UaUsyD2tBYj71KxiaVz7T9YsduDLPYQtHiktXV2Ucb9zCO83hnEYwpWOKTLMslOxHIYgdtNVvnjdIgU/s640/DSC_0035.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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That's one of our cucumber plants in front of the trellis.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8yjBvl7HrkVC-vL3FbBpFW1Pda0JlPBrV4BPo886J046OsU1wmnQVQ3z3sEpr6u0mqaGW4Di__vpBlMHqNebZXqZ14Wl6dvM7UH3fXKMDVgE-fTpcOAWanCDidBxBUHoUSEk07IwsWw/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8yjBvl7HrkVC-vL3FbBpFW1Pda0JlPBrV4BPo886J046OsU1wmnQVQ3z3sEpr6u0mqaGW4Di__vpBlMHqNebZXqZ14Wl6dvM7UH3fXKMDVgE-fTpcOAWanCDidBxBUHoUSEk07IwsWw/s640/DSC_0037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
It was almost the last week of May and we were about to leave on vacation for 5 days. I wanted to get them in the ground so our friend could water them for us while we were away and he wouldn't have to be burdened with moving them indoors and outdoors in their little cups. Planting went quickly...maybe less than an hour. Unfortunately, the forecast called for more near freezing temps so we covered the entire garden with plastic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ocjVuMThttt86ax6dn3L_m4znuAkBX0O9OURCV0KL35Bdi5Rfx9KXyPUwyfCfwyYdxqQF5JqUHDxvsQ64HLDGwcvNqbXXpMCKI_LTGoeBDz416bRAGgg_N40Sl2Z_NrooL9mO1OqKBw/s1600/DSC_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ocjVuMThttt86ax6dn3L_m4znuAkBX0O9OURCV0KL35Bdi5Rfx9KXyPUwyfCfwyYdxqQF5JqUHDxvsQ64HLDGwcvNqbXXpMCKI_LTGoeBDz416bRAGgg_N40Sl2Z_NrooL9mO1OqKBw/s640/DSC_0038.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
In the picture above, the plants in the top left and top right are all cucumbers. bottom right are beets and bottom left are red peppers.<br />
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Unfortunately, the forecast called for more near freezing temps so we covered the entire garden with plastic.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazxkY8Qw1HIdb8uQCbuzLUx6FJJWdNdT2SVzI5pZn_6K5QEiBvtWrTMxRl855m4uIm32yT1y8qdV8gQA7ehyllKDV3ccE7kHTw3IkhVkN3FIyQ-qgo6xDtggqg68J6bV6qBb6y6nUQec/s1600/DSC_0039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhazxkY8Qw1HIdb8uQCbuzLUx6FJJWdNdT2SVzI5pZn_6K5QEiBvtWrTMxRl855m4uIm32yT1y8qdV8gQA7ehyllKDV3ccE7kHTw3IkhVkN3FIyQ-qgo6xDtggqg68J6bV6qBb6y6nUQec/s640/DSC_0039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
We left on vacation and thought all was good...until our friend called and said the temps had risen...and our cucumbers got cooked. Sure enough, when we got home, we had to pull most of them out because they were brown and shriveled.<br />
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Fortunately, soon after I went with my mom to a local nursery to get plants for our flower boxes. As I get to the back of the nursery where they keep the vegetable plants my jaw dropped. They had the most gorgeous, huge cucumber plants - easily 3 times the size of ours - and do you want to know how much they cost??? $.59. Yes, that's a period in front of the 59. Less than a dollar. Do you have any idea how much time, energy and money we spent on supplies to grow our own plants? Well, it was way more than $.59. Especially because our garden is so small and we don't have an easy place to grow our plants in the house, we are definitely buying our plants from the nursery next year. I felt so defeated for the entire day after learning how cheap they were to just purchase. So I picked up four cucumber plants, 4 green been plants and 3 onion plants. Total? $7.00. Geez.<br />
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The picture below are the beets we grew from seed indoors, they are obviously doing well. But then I found out that each big plant only produces one beet! That means we are using 1/4 of our garden to grow beets that will likely only feed us one meal. Can you hear my palm hitting my forehead? At least they're pretty to look at.<br />
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This next one is going to hurt my ego a bit. The plant below is the cucumber plant we bought for $.59. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSmuKHpvwGMYFvHfG0LVq1e53QROhOMcUrx6j8wjnLN2t6LuCDTiw3v2Vrk_tJ0wFvCbq_PSnqWdWQxH0J79M7RCHWcBR8oHHdo0Y3FxPGVvGNeRAmIW1LF-i0zWS1oUkA6v3Uf6Bka0/s1600/DSC_0066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSmuKHpvwGMYFvHfG0LVq1e53QROhOMcUrx6j8wjnLN2t6LuCDTiw3v2Vrk_tJ0wFvCbq_PSnqWdWQxH0J79M7RCHWcBR8oHHdo0Y3FxPGVvGNeRAmIW1LF-i0zWS1oUkA6v3Uf6Bka0/s640/DSC_0066.jpg" width="424" /></a>
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The plant below is the one we grew, so lovingly, then cooked under a swath of plastic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7thxeGjUTquTJTSCoJlaA9ZyOvE8QTTiAruheNN8p0lF2CivQlDKHOo3TLpa19MbxmeKLKi3nq03Fpx6HpjuZKiMTxsv2Yv-3MN70a7bLkrW-3lKavEXvsaVsWpJv8jQ7Hoj-QHUegBw/s1600/DSC_0052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7thxeGjUTquTJTSCoJlaA9ZyOvE8QTTiAruheNN8p0lF2CivQlDKHOo3TLpa19MbxmeKLKi3nq03Fpx6HpjuZKiMTxsv2Yv-3MN70a7bLkrW-3lKavEXvsaVsWpJv8jQ7Hoj-QHUegBw/s640/DSC_0052.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
In all...the gardening experience can be described as "Good, Not Great". Hopefully next year we can use some of these hard learned lessons to avoid a lot of headache and heartache.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSmuKHpvwGMYFvHfG0LVq1e53QROhOMcUrx6j8wjnLN2t6LuCDTiw3v2Vrk_tJ0wFvCbq_PSnqWdWQxH0J79M7RCHWcBR8oHHdo0Y3FxPGVvGNeRAmIW1LF-i0zWS1oUkA6v3Uf6Bka0/s1600/DSC_0066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a>
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Since I'm on a bloggin' roll, might as well show you the flower boxes I planted in the front yard. <span style="text-align: start;">Here's the before pic without any fun colors.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpzB8grRd90d1NWEROhwCoou24SVnuNLZZdqrMMhrhIHtZMokWehWnVtY-FvDisUqmEUti5ULOSIrNqa4h-iWHJqObiW6F2lalwFTvI39gGsg4fy6ICjx57IFwInXuUwj9EbDBvmyeyw/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpzB8grRd90d1NWEROhwCoou24SVnuNLZZdqrMMhrhIHtZMokWehWnVtY-FvDisUqmEUti5ULOSIrNqa4h-iWHJqObiW6F2lalwFTvI39gGsg4fy6ICjx57IFwInXuUwj9EbDBvmyeyw/s640/DSC_0044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
And here's the after...which unfortunately is still mostly lacking color. But in my defense, these were just planted so give them a few weeks and they'll start to fill out. I'm really proud that I tried something other than impatiens this year. Since these flower boxes only get afternoon sun, I'm stuck choosing mostly shade plants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVq5JeAKZD3M8UU-2HQ7nmAFEkzGB9RJFowHgujac7GGHtBhfcRX1Y39cigwnd2xddALNzFMpLz7cx_WpdcBszB4_Y78g77dagQCLz7zfYckEcpzULfNUq3Mj1aWy-5AEgxMJHPt9dlk/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVq5JeAKZD3M8UU-2HQ7nmAFEkzGB9RJFowHgujac7GGHtBhfcRX1Y39cigwnd2xddALNzFMpLz7cx_WpdcBszB4_Y78g77dagQCLz7zfYckEcpzULfNUq3Mj1aWy-5AEgxMJHPt9dlk/s640/DSC_0054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These are the plant varieties I chose:</div>
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Green Sweet Potato Vine</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv05cO_cN8bKmuqBMbVo6cjwhdGORyQHWtcfaxalhcoWw3kH288O05U50u0Fgbg5x26tAKpNdjJhh8rans2ELItRPVq3gVy7IfaCQpn52ggilDS6Aj8hf4hlMHcyqCp9di3wx0mgkUj3w/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv05cO_cN8bKmuqBMbVo6cjwhdGORyQHWtcfaxalhcoWw3kH288O05U50u0Fgbg5x26tAKpNdjJhh8rans2ELItRPVq3gVy7IfaCQpn52ggilDS6Aj8hf4hlMHcyqCp9di3wx0mgkUj3w/s640/DSC_0051.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Trailing Pansies</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fzRunoMs34VpgKGt1Y2150Knhja9KBpl8IB_SzECNacaxRhvohtnGs-lvfBB8UD7stZKkMewgTzo7BiYeNNJLUAwPmI1KtnK0KM9xoYByGMP1vkvejAu1OIpJojbg6EaaGNv6qHwa_Q/s1600/DSC_0053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fzRunoMs34VpgKGt1Y2150Knhja9KBpl8IB_SzECNacaxRhvohtnGs-lvfBB8UD7stZKkMewgTzo7BiYeNNJLUAwPmI1KtnK0KM9xoYByGMP1vkvejAu1OIpJojbg6EaaGNv6qHwa_Q/s640/DSC_0053.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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Coleus</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkv03j-g22s-YqFc2YmnWCgXp4Yu09MkV9Ql4ZjpcOtxUjCa14sa1FEfM1tqSWggK9OV2oE6Ql-V0Emm6SwmW_7QOOMaoEIzz4Q_9_un1vC0RV6XGggg5RW3GrqFz6shqAxSHODXJRTY/s1600/DSC_0055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkv03j-g22s-YqFc2YmnWCgXp4Yu09MkV9Ql4ZjpcOtxUjCa14sa1FEfM1tqSWggK9OV2oE6Ql-V0Emm6SwmW_7QOOMaoEIzz4Q_9_un1vC0RV6XGggg5RW3GrqFz6shqAxSHODXJRTY/s640/DSC_0055.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb02I84cBZRTCOY4CQeaFIbfdxOvbth6wEk23r0YZDk4X8g6E2i1mecvS5WNnvF5_IOFmwPoo15AsFnCA0vTPlVIIfR_B0L2iNi4-_HIHpnSPHKjapDjW-pfwLkyoXUIydlj74X_bxT4s/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb02I84cBZRTCOY4CQeaFIbfdxOvbth6wEk23r0YZDk4X8g6E2i1mecvS5WNnvF5_IOFmwPoo15AsFnCA0vTPlVIIfR_B0L2iNi4-_HIHpnSPHKjapDjW-pfwLkyoXUIydlj74X_bxT4s/s640/DSC_0057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Purple Sweet Potato Vine</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgH3j4gPb_C5jn7Ocb5D84ka4u8fPAow6_U4gkEbYHeWvoCcvQJdc80mdrX36n1AwvfKWo2i5TpgvjoOI0EfyLRi5-G9ew3Kc14e9tn8_eKZ9VcX9wQnJZgOCcykWeaKmzcY8S_XZ3fI/s1600/DSC_0058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgH3j4gPb_C5jn7Ocb5D84ka4u8fPAow6_U4gkEbYHeWvoCcvQJdc80mdrX36n1AwvfKWo2i5TpgvjoOI0EfyLRi5-G9ew3Kc14e9tn8_eKZ9VcX9wQnJZgOCcykWeaKmzcY8S_XZ3fI/s640/DSC_0058.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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So there ya have it...that's what our family has been up to. I just started a new furniture painting project to day so hopefully I'll have some pictures of that soon - but don't hold your breath :)</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-32097133682679253792015-04-15T17:09:00.001-07:002015-04-15T17:09:14.394-07:00Kruse vs RabbitWe live in a beautiful neighborhood with historic homes, mature trees and friendly neighbors. We also live with an abundant rabbit problem. Is it like this everywhere? The only other place we've lived was in Omaha, NE and I don't recall seeing this many rabbits there. My biggest complaint about these rabbits is the amount of my foliage they eat. Spending money on new plants is mostly a no-no around here because the rabbits will chew them down to the ground in no time.<br />
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My parents live on an acreage where they also deal with a large rabbit population. I'm afraid my children thought rabbits were actually called d@mn rabbits because that's what my mom would always say when they had eaten more of her plants.<br />
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But this year is gonna be different. If we can keep the rabbits out of the yard, we can attempt to grow a garden! Growing a garden is high on our priority list...not because we need one more thing to take care of and maintain...but because we think it's important that we learn how to do it and more importantly, that our kids learn exactly where these vegetables come from. <br />
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If you've been a homeowner for any length of time, you know that each home improvement project is not just a one step deal. It's a least a 10 step process that you have to complete before you even get to the project you WANT to do. This one's no different.<br />
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Before we could think about planting a garden, we had to figure out how we were going to keep the rabbits out. So we installed this metal mesh around our entire yard. Well, almost...of course we need one last roll to finish up a few spots. Basically, Brent just used his staple gun to tack the metal fencing to the wood fencing in 7 foot sections. But even that wasn't easy! As he was installing the metal fencing, he would find fence posts that were rotted and had to be dug out and replaced.<br />
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In the back corner of our yard, there is a gap in the fencing to accommodate this big shrub/tree - honestly, I don't know what it is, but it grows like crazy and we have to cut it back a few times each year. Brent had to make this little fence to go around it because this is one of the prime entry spots for the rabbits.</div>
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After mostly completing the rabbit fence installation, we borrowed our neighbor's tiller to prepare a space for our garden.</div>
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Our neighbor (yes, the same one that gave us our workshop) gave us his garden he had built last year because his mom has a huge, bountiful garden a few blocks away that thrives because of adequate sunlight...making his small garden mostly unnecessary since his mom's produces enough to mostly feed the entire neighborhood.</div>
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We just took it apart in his yard and re-assembled it in ours. After the photo below was taken, we also took his dirt from his old garden and moved it to ours in 5 gallon buckets. Not a fun job - but it was free dirt and how can you say no to that?</div>
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With the garden installed and the rabbit fence up we are ready to plant. Except we have to wait another month until it is warm enough to transplant our plants outdoors.</div>
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Here's the little growing operation we have going. We realized that the warmest, sunniest spot in our house happened to be on the second floor 2 feet away from Brent and I's bed. So most evenings as we drift off to sleep, there is a faint odor of wet dirt in the room. Really romantic.</div>
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Try not to make fun of us if we're doing this whole "start from seed" thing wrong. It's probably pretty obvious that we have no idea what we're doing, but we figured the best way to learn is by screwing it up a few times!</div>
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Looks like one of these little guys isn't gonna make it!<br />
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I'm just really hoping that the majority of these plants transplant ok out to the real garden. Growing these things from seed is a TON of work! Major sad faces would be happening if they all die once they get into the garden. Tips would be greatly appreciated in the comments.</div>
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-58793761616349304372015-03-24T04:16:00.000-07:002015-03-24T04:25:57.386-07:00Wood Plank Projects with HometalkIf there's one thing I can't get enough of lately, it's wood planking! There are a million different ways you can use it depending on the width of planks you're working with. And depending on the condition of the wood, you may end up with a crisp, formal look or a rustic look if the wood is more irregular.<br />
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I've put together some of my favorite wood plank projects together on a <a href="http://www.hometalk.com/5861h" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Hometalk</span></a> clipboard - go take a look and tell me what your favorites are! <span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="http://www.hometalk.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Hometalk</span></a> </span>is a home and garden community full of inspiring DIY projects and Q&A boards. Click on the picture to take you directly to the project board.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hometalk.com/b/7059798/wood-plank-projects" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMky1smUqoGfB3QNC9MS4hcfURs32_90LG0oPfcZ9jDPQEkfqZe5-Dspp8tE3A4tqsvfCj9fqPeXK6kNHblA8fiQsEqoHpU7SgO2-PY3EqbnJ_fm4NoJ25Aku2KFv4ijiDJrOEDSG7wko/s1600/wood_plank_projects.jpg" height="640" width="306" /></a></div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-53312965342043193872015-02-22T14:49:00.000-08:002015-02-24T16:26:51.259-08:00Love LettersAfter <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2015/02/kids-bedroom-makeover-part-4-storage.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">hanging the book baskets</span></a> in Emma and Owen's room, the wall space above them was looking a bit bleak. I wanted to make some large art to hang above them and came across some inspiration from The <a href="https://instagram.com/p/yrPq35BcIQ/?modal=true" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Green Palette's instagram feed.</span></a><br />
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Brent and I set out to make something similar by first sketching our letter templates onto a piece of 1/4 inch plywood. Using the table saw and a jig saw, Brent cut them out and I sanded them.<br />
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Now that we had a template, we wanted to layer a different type of wood on top. Luckily, we had a 6 foot pallet in our shop! Brent disassembled it and cut the pallet boards into a few different widths.</div>
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To attach the pallet boards to the template, we used a little glue, then laid our piece of pallet board on top, flipped it over and put a nail through it with the air gun.</div>
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When all the letters were done, I gave them a coat of Walnut stain.</div>
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I wanted them to have a little color so Emma and I brushed on three different colors of blue/grey paint.<br />
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We put the darkest color over all of the horizontal lines to make them stand out more.<br />
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We alternated the other two colors of blue/grey on each plank.</div>
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After the paint was dry, I sanded each letter to remove some paint and expose the texture of the pallet wood.<br />
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A quick coat of Van Dyke Brown Glaze always seems to tie everything together. In the photo below, the left side has been glazed and the right has not.<br />
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The letters didn't feel finished at this point, so we chose to outline each letter with a small piece of trim. After the trim was applied, I brushed on a coat of sealer to darken the wood tone a bit.</div>
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To hang them, we nailed in some of these clips...</div>
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Hanging them proved to be a bit tricky...but we finally got them level.</div>
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I didn't plan on this, but the colors in the letters actually matches the color of the baskets perfectly.<br />
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I guess you could say we all "LOVE" our new art :)<br />
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-83773610945222461022015-02-16T05:55:00.003-08:002015-02-16T05:55:57.689-08:00Kids Bedroom Makeover Part 4 - Storage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2015/02/kids-bedroom-makeover-part-3-toy.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">building the rolling toy boxes</span></a>, my eyes began to fixate on the goofy gap between the end of the beds and the wall that juts out into the room. It's only about 14 inches in that space, so there weren't a lot of options - but it was too big of a gap to ignore. The only feasible solution I could muster were a set of floating chunky shelves to fill it in. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHqJ4c7aqhwVxPV1NwCpM-UFVZk2izYXqBqMhnQLbeYQOPtn7DtwQY_NhHb6CgoaCyPy9U2RuqaU8X9gEJKdkz6CYuCkLYkHT_r_1Op1PGq6GRnAHaMVlok-5KrkZpxCEildl04Uov2E/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHqJ4c7aqhwVxPV1NwCpM-UFVZk2izYXqBqMhnQLbeYQOPtn7DtwQY_NhHb6CgoaCyPy9U2RuqaU8X9gEJKdkz6CYuCkLYkHT_r_1Op1PGq6GRnAHaMVlok-5KrkZpxCEildl04Uov2E/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">The shelves would serve a few purposes, storage for some of the kids bigger bulkier toys/stuffed animals and they would also get said toys up and off the ground, which means protection from our dog, Lily. She's working through a major chewing phase so we have to be extra diligent to keep the kids' stuffed animals out of reach.</span><br />
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Brent built these simple floating shelves and handed them off to me for finishing.</div>
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I stained them the same color as the children's dressers and put two coats of finish on them.<br />
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It was sort of tricky to figure out how far to space them apart, so we mocked it up using painters tape. When we were satisfied with the spacing, Brent screwed 2x2 brackets to the wall to support the shelves.<br />
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The floating shelves slid right over the brackets and he tacked the shelves to the 2x2 brackets with his air gun.<br />
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I stacked Owen's favorite book series on the bottom so they'd be easy for him to get too - plus, Lily doesn't chew up books!<br />
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You can see in the photo below how the floating shelves match the dresser being reflected in the mirror. <br />
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The mirror you see hanging near the bunk beds was a mirror that Brent made about 7 years ago, it's been hanging on a wall on our second floor for some time, so I thought it would be fun to paint it a fun color and hang in the kids' room. Emma loves to try on outfits and dance in front of it. My plan is to paint the bunk beds - still not 100% sure what direction I'm heading in with the color, so at some point, the orange mirror and the orange/wood tone bed won't clash :)</div>
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After 3 coats of this orange paint, I glazed the frame to darken and age the orange.</div>
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The last piece of the storage puzzle we needed to solve was the "book situation". I wanted the kids to have access to their books in the room but there wasn't enough floor space for a free standing bookshelf, without it getting in the way. I found these baskets at World Market and figured they would be a great way to keep the books accessible to the kids!</div>
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We hung four of them on the wall between the closet door and the door to exit the room.<br />
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I was pleasantly surprised just how many books we were able to pack in there! <br />
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We're now working on a fun piece of wall art to go above the books - if all goes to plan!</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-23712391007291920562015-02-04T18:31:00.002-08:002015-02-05T08:55:29.386-08:00Kids Bedroom Makeover Part 3 - Toy Storage and CurtainsSpending money isn't my favorite pastime but there is one thing I'm always willing to buy - curtains! For Emma and Owen's room, I thought I wanted white wood blinds but quickly realized our windows aren't deep enough for standard 2" blinds. Plus, I was a little worried about the kids yanking on the strings to make them go up or down. It feels like we are constantly opening and closing curtains in that room for privacy and sunlight so the idea of messing around with blinds wasn't appealing. So I switched gears towards curtains - something soft with a subtle pattern. <br />
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And this is where Target comes in for the win - AGAIN. I saw these <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://www.target.com/p/nate-berkus-origami-print-curtain-panel-cream/-/A-14864913#prodSlot=medium_1_4&term=nate+berkus+curtains" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nate Berkus curtains</span></a> </span>and instantly knew they were perfect. Although, I had to order them online so I crossed my fingers that the color would look good with the <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2015/01/thankfully-i-had-three-day-weekend.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">wall color we had just painted, Revere Pewter.</span></a> As a bonus, they were buy 3 get one free so I paid about $17/curtain, which is pretty reasonable. My heart thudded a bit as I opened the shipment a few days later - but alas, they were a perfect match!</div>
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They aren't exactly light blocking curtains, but if they are pulled shut during the day and all of the lights are turned off in the room, it's still dark enough that Owen can get his nap in.<br />
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With the curtain selection out of the way, we turned our heads towards the ever growing pile of toys. Now most of the toys are in the kids' old bedroom turned playroom, but I was looking at all of that wasted space under the bunkbeds and knew we could utilize it for storage. <br />
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Brent had some old kitchen drawer boxes in his workshop calling my name. Yeah, I know...who has this kind of stuff just laying around? We do. Because you can always figure out a way to re-purpose something so it doesn't end up in a landfill. Add a set of wheels and we've got rolling toy boxes! And these drawers were pre-finished on the insides so we didn't even have to apply laquer to the insides since that was already done!<br />
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Brent added some blocking to the undersides of the drawers and attached the wheels.</div>
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At this point, I knew we weren't quite done. I didn't want the toy boxes to look like boring old flat boxes under the bed, so I asked Brent to cover the boxes with some hardwood flooring out of the attic of our shop. A friend of ours recently put in new flooring in her home and she let us take the old hardwood flooring that was coming out. There wasn't enough of it to actually use it as floor in our house but this is the perfect kind of material for smaller projects.</div>
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I didn't take any photos of the actual process of attaching the flooring to the boxes, Brent just used a pin nailer to attach the flooring to the box from the inside so there wouldn't be any nail holes visible from the outside. He mitered the corners and I filled the tiny gaps with wood filler and lightly sanded before priming and painting.</div>
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I was trying to pick a shade of green as close to this coffee mug as possible so I chose the shade on the right. After they were painted, I realized I probably should have chose the one of the left. It is a liiitttllle bit more green and less yellow. The rug I ordered with some green in will be here in a few days so I may end up re-painting the toy boxes if the whole rug situation works out. I'm just feeling like the green I chose is a tiny bit off. </div>
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I glazed the boxes after painting them to pick up all of the horizontal lines.</div>
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The little knobs came off of these old coat hooks we used to have in Emma's bedroom.<br />
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Emma's dolls and their accessories fit great inside of the boxes!</div>
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So here's how the room is looking at this point. Lots more projects coming down pipeline in the next few weeks!</div>
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-3319453237355010032015-01-25T15:49:00.002-08:002015-01-25T16:06:51.979-08:00Kids Bedroom Makeover Part 2 - PlankingWe're used to planking around the Kruse household - but not wood planking...yoga planking. So when I told Brent that I wanted to plank a wall in the kids' room he reacted how he usually reacts, with a shrug. Seriously love this guy!<br />
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As I was <a href="http://www.krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2015/01/thankfully-i-had-three-day-weekend.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">deep in the throes of painting the walls and trim</span></a> in Emma and Owen's room, my brain was working overtime to figure out what to do with the recessed wall behind their beds. It didn't take long for me to figure out what needed to happen.<br />
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When this room was Brent and I's, we had these great little wall mount swing arm lamps on each side of the bed, which were our main light source. They came with us when we moved upstairs which left two lamps on the dressers and the overhead fan light for the kids. As I was painting, I was getting more and more angry and the lack of light in the room. It wasn't so bad during the day because there are two south'ish facing windows for natural light, but as soon as that sun went down it got dark in there pretty quickly. I told Brent that we HAD to figure out a way to make the room brighter.<br />
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Our plan was to plank the walls, paint them bright white and add sconces to reflect the light off of the white paint. Luckily, a few weeks ago we picked up a bunch of 9" tongue and groove planking from the garage attic of a foreclosed property. At the time, I had no idea what we were going to use it for but I knew it would come in handy.<br />
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As I started to sand the finish off of the planks I realized the backside was untouched, so we ended up installing the planks backwards to save me all of the time and effort it would have required to sand everything down.<br />
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Brent started by adding thin vertical strips of plywood where the studs were located to give us a place to nail the horizontal planks. <br />
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We left all of the original trim in place so the first piece of planking went right over the front of the trim and Brent notched the plank to fit around the quarter round and trim on the adjacent walls. <br />
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Using a jig saw, he cut out a hole for the outlet.<br />
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It didn't take too long until the entire wall was paneled. I would have LOVED to have kept it in it's natural state because the color was gorgeous, but the wall had to be painted white in order to capitalize on the added sconces. Remember that light and bright are our main goal for this room!<br />
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I filled the nail holes with this wood filler and then lightly sanded them when it was dry.</div>
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Shopping for sconces was kinda tricky. We had two things to consider when choosing them - they had to have a low profile (not stick out from the wall too much) because once the bunk beds got slid back into place we didn't want the lights getting knocked around by whichever kid happened to be sleeping on the top bunk. The second stipulation was that we needed them to put off as much light as possible, which eliminated any sort of sconce that would force the light down. Geez - does that last sentence even make sense?? Well...if you get it, then I guess you must "get" me. We stumbled upon these sweet little mason jar lights at Home Depot for the whopping, bank breaking price of......$5. I know. $5.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LerEIw5dnXSbdAnKp6pRBnT8KXo9wpwN90LL6kWW4O6j0AXuKKSTHFuyfaFvSr8ggZDuXTTSBjZRGYqxSZ0s4qMfdbzXVJHHKIDglWogGoenbdg15f2gApUWgp4aX02UCQqhyphenhyphenS-m5qA/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LerEIw5dnXSbdAnKp6pRBnT8KXo9wpwN90LL6kWW4O6j0AXuKKSTHFuyfaFvSr8ggZDuXTTSBjZRGYqxSZ0s4qMfdbzXVJHHKIDglWogGoenbdg15f2gApUWgp4aX02UCQqhyphenhyphenS-m5qA/s1600/DSC_0033.JPG" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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I suppose if you add in the $3 bulbs that we bought for them and the $5 spray paint, they were more like $9/each. Before we hung them, I spray painted them silver and then rubbed a brown glaze over the silver parts so they wouldn't look so shiny and new. The glaze ended up making the silver spray paint look like galvanized steel, so I was happy with that.</div>
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We chose the placement of these lights very carefully so that when it's time for one child to move out of this room, we can center the bed on this wall and the sconces will flank the bed. Side note: every time I type the word "sconce", I think of scones. And now I'm getting really hungry for a white chocolate raspberry scone with those big sugar crystals baked on top.</div>
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Here's the wall after 1 coat of primer. It looked sort of cool like this, but I wanted it glossier to bounce the light around.</div>
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This is after the first coat of paint. It is the same paint we used on the trim and doors in the room, Benjamin Moore White Dove.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OXRxx9U9ZfQt5MZ0w1pL18OMl2jHMnl_eu8wi-nHsq6MkOwMW7vg6p4M_yopze5vwUm1ZaW4WhKyPxcvm5tREn-oUdJTnrZbWb0mAreCDZMtdhSrYAiZJTv0UWXvDoBF01QOc7PJ0ms/s1600/DSC_0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2OXRxx9U9ZfQt5MZ0w1pL18OMl2jHMnl_eu8wi-nHsq6MkOwMW7vg6p4M_yopze5vwUm1ZaW4WhKyPxcvm5tREn-oUdJTnrZbWb0mAreCDZMtdhSrYAiZJTv0UWXvDoBF01QOc7PJ0ms/s1600/DSC_0037.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
Here's after the second coat of White Dove.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVrSPisV1xlUuCXJontZTccdu97WQ8AZOjMwjZx7XBWJK3qDScbhhZq2Ph3MXAk7hUKRro98a3eWUUaunvkuj6kqKw2fsAaFrcqWFyXmUx09fFXw7MuFCVlhdyvVjkg0552JlBpGds0w/s1600/DSC_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVrSPisV1xlUuCXJontZTccdu97WQ8AZOjMwjZx7XBWJK3qDScbhhZq2Ph3MXAk7hUKRro98a3eWUUaunvkuj6kqKw2fsAaFrcqWFyXmUx09fFXw7MuFCVlhdyvVjkg0552JlBpGds0w/s1600/DSC_0038.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
And this next photo is after the third coat of Benjamin Moore White Dove<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMcBxvKW0uCMzvLdG1dg0mqVDzax8upWuOjv1M5GLDzpd3kJhtqlagBFacvl7VfnNbI6Aiw9SEpcHzczB52GXp2gHRJSky44meeKcmbmR9ESPMiuCmioZEtcn7z62F97sW7y0cU_GPJY/s1600/DSC_0039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMcBxvKW0uCMzvLdG1dg0mqVDzax8upWuOjv1M5GLDzpd3kJhtqlagBFacvl7VfnNbI6Aiw9SEpcHzczB52GXp2gHRJSky44meeKcmbmR9ESPMiuCmioZEtcn7z62F97sW7y0cU_GPJY/s1600/DSC_0039.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
And because the little mason jar lights are so adorable, here are some random pictures of them...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTb_-EsCmmMYHIxb7Pr93tO7re5cULd5KJqKSHE4bsCMfqiAxJd3R_iJ5GN-LDv7ivicvgVglELN8o0yvXBOe74vJsVc195D4E6Sfg7yfz83jWj3-VrnU6GgaGV-_VURs8gZXQM_xf_g/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTb_-EsCmmMYHIxb7Pr93tO7re5cULd5KJqKSHE4bsCMfqiAxJd3R_iJ5GN-LDv7ivicvgVglELN8o0yvXBOe74vJsVc195D4E6Sfg7yfz83jWj3-VrnU6GgaGV-_VURs8gZXQM_xf_g/s1600/DSC_0044.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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To refresh your memory before I show you the final product, here's what we were working with before we got started.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2K_MtCVmr5CBzZgO1hQexSI_f0olsljoxvUJWHnmsgVjCIW3ReImlxSqZEi36iPOKtXHCVUGURPL1X3fcRhoHy6oQRNG-HcWU19bS6hy3UXiWw9ksXaSbgFUarjIXu1edbxGiI5mfnM/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2K_MtCVmr5CBzZgO1hQexSI_f0olsljoxvUJWHnmsgVjCIW3ReImlxSqZEi36iPOKtXHCVUGURPL1X3fcRhoHy6oQRNG-HcWU19bS6hy3UXiWw9ksXaSbgFUarjIXu1edbxGiI5mfnM/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
The end result is nothing short of amazing! It is so bright and happy in here now! Emma, Owen and I spent a solid half hour dancing to Uptown Funk after we took these pictures because we were so happy to be done! Well...done with this phase anyways. We've still got a lot of projects in mind that we'll be starting on this week - so stay tuned for those!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGxHBQMZxiwQwj3TF1U2VsYWiab9gBVQ1iRFbrhyphenhyphennC7-fR9flrOKi15nUn_wN3o95JylwnOJO8k-hv_BLrJOua9lI4DN0q-oHukaLQxJ6Xz9E7JJ_j6YtVmwdaezqgD6pE_deZDBWBBA/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGxHBQMZxiwQwj3TF1U2VsYWiab9gBVQ1iRFbrhyphenhyphennC7-fR9flrOKi15nUn_wN3o95JylwnOJO8k-hv_BLrJOua9lI4DN0q-oHukaLQxJ6Xz9E7JJ_j6YtVmwdaezqgD6pE_deZDBWBBA/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
Even without the lights on, it still feels super bright. And BTW, I begged Brent to let me ditch the ceiling fan for an overhead industrial light but he put his foot down - the fan comes in handy in the spring and fall when we don't want to run the A/C.<br />
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The kids are loving their new space! Lily (our dog) is in this photo - can you find her? She sort of blends in with all the other stuffed animals.<br />
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Shortly after we took this picture, new window treatments went up - as soon as the wrinkles work themselves out, I will be excited to share photos of them!All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-16603022657046407812015-01-19T17:38:00.000-08:002015-01-20T05:24:12.260-08:00Kids Bedroom Makeover Part 1 - Paint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thankfully, I had a three day weekend - because I needed every single second of it to get Emma and Owen's room back to a livable state. I really, really, really wish I would have decided to paint their room BEFORE we moved the bunk beds in. It wouldn't have been a big deal to move the beds out for the weekend if the frames fit through the bedroom door, but they don't, which means we would have had to spend a few extra hours taking them apart and relocating to the living room. I knew we could work around them but it got preeeeetttttyyyy tight.</div>
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I went back and forth about whether or not to paint the ceiling...in the end, I knew I would kick myself for not doing it so I stopped pouting long enough to get it done. And I never thought I would have such a tough time choosing a shade of white for this room! Pinterest makes it way too easy to become indecisive. Benjamin Moore White Dove seemed to be a no-fail white from the things I read, so ended up doing one coat of that color in a flat finish on the ceiling. It was very apparent right away that it was the right decision. You can see from the photo below how dingy the ceiling had become.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y3YpF4CbsPN-cuNvURo3EaDtvzkp4lSZ6UKRnAbSirYeRYQdPq_6ZMvx4bsyXUs2e0LgA36aXbSyQzD6_RhyphenhyphenquScF2K6OxF-N35bChBNlYdsmaTwmMHEb4ofk0vXVKe-EsOPNqCT1wA/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y3YpF4CbsPN-cuNvURo3EaDtvzkp4lSZ6UKRnAbSirYeRYQdPq_6ZMvx4bsyXUs2e0LgA36aXbSyQzD6_RhyphenhyphenquScF2K6OxF-N35bChBNlYdsmaTwmMHEb4ofk0vXVKe-EsOPNqCT1wA/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
The great part about Benjamin Moore White Dove is that it is also a great shade of white to use for trim and doors, so we also picked up a gallon of semi-gloss in White Dove. Emma scrubbed all of the little cracks of the windows with an old toothbrush while we were painting.<br />
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All of the trim and doors received two coats of semi-gloss.<br />
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For the walls, I picked Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. It's the same color we have in the living room/dining room and adjoining hallway to the kids room. I think its going to be a great backdrop for the other things we have planned for their room! <br />
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It was a little tough to get a good photo of the room below...we can't put the bunk beds back into the recessed area yet because that wall will be getting some special treatment. So just pretend that portion of the beds isn't blocking the view :)<br />
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You can really tell in this next photo how crisp and clean the doors and trim feel with the new paint color. There were a lot of little fingerprints on the old paint that momma couldn't scrub off anymore!<br />
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The blue wall at the back of this photo is normally where the beds would scooch into - but we're not done back there yet so the beds have to stay in the middle of the room for another week.<br />
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Next, we'll be addressing the biggest problem of this bedroom - the lack of lighting. We went back and forth with several different options to add lighting and we think we've come up with a great solution. Hopefully we'll have that done by next Monday! At this point, I'm just relieved the kids can sleep in their own beds again tonight. All weekend they have been sleeping on a second bed we have upstairs in our master bedroom while we were painting. I know it was fun for Emma and Owen because it has felt like a big sleepover - but mom and dad are ready to move them out :)All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-87619949379709047902015-01-15T17:33:00.000-08:002015-01-20T05:23:58.439-08:00Movin' On UpI get bored. Easily. Which is why I'm always making things, building things, painting things and daydreaming about things. If I don't have a project that I'm working on or towards, you can't tell the difference between me and a lazy sloth. Of course there are always chores to do, but unless I have a reason to hurry through the chores to get to something better, my motivation sinks like a rock in a bucket. On a recent snow day, I was home with the kids since school got canceled. At one point, I was so bored that I dumped out a clean pile of laundry on our bed, with the best intentions of folding it - but instead I climbed on that warm fluffy pile and took a nap on it. Like a cat.<br />
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Not my proudest moment, but it was then that I really started pressuring Brent into letting us get the gears in motion to dive into a project. Money is a little tight around the Kruse house right now, we are paying for some hefty medical bills for Owen and we are also trying to ramp up our vehicle savings account since Brent's minivan could go at any moment. This means we can't do anything major like a bathroom remodel or attic renovation. <br />
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But what we can do is increase our home's square footage by about 500 square feet. Let me explain...we have two bedrooms on our main floor, Brent and I have one and Emma and Owen share the other one (with bunk beds). The whole second floor of our house is one gigantic room, which is technically Emma's room, that has been acting as a playroom for the last 5 years. <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2013/11/house-tour-2nd-flooremma-bedroom.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Click here to view a tour of the second floor of our house</span>.</a> The kids mostly only go up there when a friend comes over to play. Emma's clothes remain up there in a fairly large closet because the closet in Owen's room isn't large enough for both of their things. So each morning, Emma puts on her thick fleece robe and slippers to run up there to pick out an outfit - that's the fastest I ever see that girl move because IT IS CHILLY UP THERE! It's not uncommon for her clean laundry to just get stacked on her stairs because no one wants to make the trip up into the arctic air.<br />
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This arrangement has worked ok for us for the past 5 years but we are all ready for a change. Brent and I could barely squeeze our clothing into the tiny closet in our master bedroom and we were ready for extra breathing room since our new California King bed was taking up most of the floor space. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2013/11/house-tour-main-floor-bedrooms-bath.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Click here to view a tour of our original master bedroom and kids room.</span></a> </span> It's time to move our master bedroom to the second floor and create a little retreat. <br />
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With our main floor bedroom empty, it was a perfect opportunity to move the kids' bunk beds into our old bedroom. It's larger than their current room, there's plenty of room for both of their clothing to fit in the dressers and the closet. Plus, it's much warmer than their old bedroom, which was drafty from all the windows.<br />
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But it turns out, moving the bedrooms around wasn't enough to satisfy my overly bored brain, so I decided I may as well spend the next few weeks/months fixing up their new room for them. The color on the walls was great for Brent and I's room, it made it feel dark and moody and relaxing. But for the kids, I want something light and bright with storage for their toys and books.<br />
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Here's what we're starting with - I was too tired to bother picking up toys and making the beds before I took these pictures - I'm sure many of you moms can relate :)<br />
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Painting trim/doors and walls begins tomorrow night! And over the next few weeks and possibly months, we've got lots of other fun projects in store to make this room functional and comfortable for the kids.</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-6067609595073141622014-12-17T18:15:00.006-08:002015-01-20T05:24:47.045-08:00Holiday Button Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
These unfinished cabinet door frames have been laying around in our basement for over a year and I was finally determined to do something with them. Photos on Pinterest of people using buttons to spell out letters had been popping up in my feed, so I thought I could spell the word JOY with my three frames. </div>
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Here's where I can save you a ton of time...since my door frames didn't have panel inserts, I had to make my own panel out of some scrap sheetrock we had laying around. Plywood would have been a better option but we didn't have any and I wasn't going to waste the fuel to go to the home improvement store when the sheetrock that was laying around would work just as well. Lucky for you though, you could use regular old cabinet doors with a panel still intact! <br />
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I had this really great turquoise burlap that I wanted to use, but burlap has a very loose knit making it especially see through. So before I wrapped my burlap around the squares of sheetrock, I painted the sheetrock with a few coats of a similar turquoise paint that we had on hand, this way the white sheetrock wouldn't show through the burlap. The wood frames got a few coats of antique white paint and some van dyke brown glaze to age them.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqnovZwN56i6y55-gAS3G6-CjSbmMyHPxWz0d7wAyvbz7CXMHzCxLgLQE0D-vij_QzfPz9s_XgBipgZiVXCDpcsIo-o1-WkU39E1ksGt5hVUB28jNgH3jqccCQL3YP6mZrcz3lPXj-Nk/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqnovZwN56i6y55-gAS3G6-CjSbmMyHPxWz0d7wAyvbz7CXMHzCxLgLQE0D-vij_QzfPz9s_XgBipgZiVXCDpcsIo-o1-WkU39E1ksGt5hVUB28jNgH3jqccCQL3YP6mZrcz3lPXj-Nk/s1600/DSC_0042.JPG" height="524" width="640" /></a><br />
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After the burlap was wrapped around the sheetrock, I placed it in the painted wood frame.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WGYABA9kHYmNjY9MSL16Aa_9lQhMNP3f2JAP8piMHlcO9SknltmKacSLGlhKmMpb6TyQZILnU3fZt1Vdos96YQhpmRFEN-4fxOInJxmrmd5x0UIwdtCO1kBSiqXoobG7vlPDZWcENSw/s1600/DSC_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WGYABA9kHYmNjY9MSL16Aa_9lQhMNP3f2JAP8piMHlcO9SknltmKacSLGlhKmMpb6TyQZILnU3fZt1Vdos96YQhpmRFEN-4fxOInJxmrmd5x0UIwdtCO1kBSiqXoobG7vlPDZWcENSw/s1600/DSC_0046.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
I don't have a fancy letter cutting machine, so to make the JOY letters, I simply printed each letter off on my printer and cut them out. Since the letter would be painted red, I traced the letter pattern with a red marker to create the outline.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUxD_klzYt0y3uuuFcKMZY_DvlenvMz-n_Ny0gJ_TY0rVDXwOgHNneOhU6aF3PPBtwJhcenLQLsOuiC2vhdN8v9WiwHJxCb2w9TvgrAjGtTM-7tt7AAHsffHhq6l1vhxbV8k1yaHNnLk/s1600/DSC_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUxD_klzYt0y3uuuFcKMZY_DvlenvMz-n_Ny0gJ_TY0rVDXwOgHNneOhU6aF3PPBtwJhcenLQLsOuiC2vhdN8v9WiwHJxCb2w9TvgrAjGtTM-7tt7AAHsffHhq6l1vhxbV8k1yaHNnLk/s1600/DSC_0047.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a><br />
Here's what my letter looked like after tracing it onto the burlap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayUhJ02qf2mUXQNONzXp_tYiw3t2b7Rh4fmDmih8Ah9VAStEH1AixWwppnzTitPK8Cb5wBLmnJhANLklDDDGeaznMlbpZ8a-BkIB3kFLPM0UPcnrBNdk8ktdTKnZWGVjzPktpNlJDXRQ/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayUhJ02qf2mUXQNONzXp_tYiw3t2b7Rh4fmDmih8Ah9VAStEH1AixWwppnzTitPK8Cb5wBLmnJhANLklDDDGeaznMlbpZ8a-BkIB3kFLPM0UPcnrBNdk8ktdTKnZWGVjzPktpNlJDXRQ/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
Using red metallic acrylic paint, I filled in the letter. This is an important step because if you just use buttons without having the letter painted underneath, the letter will not look very solid because the buttons can't possibly cover all of the space.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Fvgxwb21LQy98TuvIbEg14MSW6Mlt5Z3KQzn4nDVC0ApwfuorE6vpMZhFMm-3q_BJxaAWHORbYe8Q_AkZFIkFt6Vqh8F9IGoFeZnqUp0m1R973ni674hqFe3mgEFrmhiTASxma_NAc/s1600/DSC_0050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Fvgxwb21LQy98TuvIbEg14MSW6Mlt5Z3KQzn4nDVC0ApwfuorE6vpMZhFMm-3q_BJxaAWHORbYe8Q_AkZFIkFt6Vqh8F9IGoFeZnqUp0m1R973ni674hqFe3mgEFrmhiTASxma_NAc/s1600/DSC_0050.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcBWmEkTf-aCildZES_sR_NknObS6BP4kb2v35eVy9no5S-z80QHvvnWSgWr3isHXMvz7ySbAGGUpftLAI4oGazMWU9qC4GAyczjq_UAUMEbIU2gOtfkw1N-DHXO118eyAdB6QtrrBVc/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcBWmEkTf-aCildZES_sR_NknObS6BP4kb2v35eVy9no5S-z80QHvvnWSgWr3isHXMvz7ySbAGGUpftLAI4oGazMWU9qC4GAyczjq_UAUMEbIU2gOtfkw1N-DHXO118eyAdB6QtrrBVc/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Joanne's sells large packs of different colored buttons - I grabbed both of these packs so I could get some different sizes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmwhyphenhyphenan2etALfBsurLd30-gBs6_YEaBklrtdXnrsAM_CS7HCmXMH7NKfSbX5iohFb0VuUiWhlw6SRt-faXhFAEVAqRGudgyaxRAaePFph7W4TBDgPiXTOAG8S48Lcb6dXBV2-MrdiJMc/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmwhyphenhyphenan2etALfBsurLd30-gBs6_YEaBklrtdXnrsAM_CS7HCmXMH7NKfSbX5iohFb0VuUiWhlw6SRt-faXhFAEVAqRGudgyaxRAaePFph7W4TBDgPiXTOAG8S48Lcb6dXBV2-MrdiJMc/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Before I started hot glueing anything, I laid some buttons out on the letters to practice a bit. Some people layer the buttons, others just do a single layer. I opted for the single layer when it was actually time to glue them down - mostly for my safety since I burnt my fingers about 100 times in the process with the hot glue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCuHapltQf1D_JIkEFaywZD0d-X1Ly7vPvBG4fr-uUN-1CwNUKAOV_2JUjF3KpC8_MaMmFwA0HyYIw90w7YR9hDFDmQHVptyu4yUuepOGEyKeqNFn0L96xT2X-pADLptjqQi30ygoCzI/s1600/DSC_0440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCuHapltQf1D_JIkEFaywZD0d-X1Ly7vPvBG4fr-uUN-1CwNUKAOV_2JUjF3KpC8_MaMmFwA0HyYIw90w7YR9hDFDmQHVptyu4yUuepOGEyKeqNFn0L96xT2X-pADLptjqQi30ygoCzI/s1600/DSC_0440.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtAz1sw4NqmidaWo0ifxdJVFCdXdr_TvPxRGc9wfmsU-Mg8jKNN8bIfC35Cizy5YiwhTmNOIiDXbyItU70-xQ3PiHXlYA4m99NsHwau0hdvj_NRdtyycaoBDztN-QKKTZprNOFF_Fiso/s1600/DSC_0446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtAz1sw4NqmidaWo0ifxdJVFCdXdr_TvPxRGc9wfmsU-Mg8jKNN8bIfC35Cizy5YiwhTmNOIiDXbyItU70-xQ3PiHXlYA4m99NsHwau0hdvj_NRdtyycaoBDztN-QKKTZprNOFF_Fiso/s1600/DSC_0446.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">After all three of my letter were complete, Brent used hardware like you see below to hook the frames to one another.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicbqRdr8ROgFlUo21elvh9H3Pme55qtv3jMT7f_EBQQ2qjkogNMwz62pJ9xmYAy9BKIcKWgJavg5sXI0bPl4pZswD-dnhYx2b53OgJkTDI1TGCzEZK2fuxJQRUnqxHTnZF56MEw30pJ8/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicbqRdr8ROgFlUo21elvh9H3Pme55qtv3jMT7f_EBQQ2qjkogNMwz62pJ9xmYAy9BKIcKWgJavg5sXI0bPl4pZswD-dnhYx2b53OgJkTDI1TGCzEZK2fuxJQRUnqxHTnZF56MEw30pJ8/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HRaZnsMH4IiXaJ4njZaGbNTlHsA2lENl8k4dBD_m156fUiX4V6Eb9VmeVO7cIz7dLhi7loGhpAOCa71gkMfQxDmUiZ9MEFquShKfE_iTJQ_OBjaXHz0I4zWlCSGPau2SgBxvSDHfldg/s1600/DSC_0116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HRaZnsMH4IiXaJ4njZaGbNTlHsA2lENl8k4dBD_m156fUiX4V6Eb9VmeVO7cIz7dLhi7loGhpAOCa71gkMfQxDmUiZ9MEFquShKfE_iTJQ_OBjaXHz0I4zWlCSGPau2SgBxvSDHfldg/s1600/DSC_0116.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgm-J3vejF5Y2OEk4QOXAB-BR3pLrQt0XJVXiRQY5RCAcbB9IfmmqxuAsEzNXj47upNZDVivAbTWxVEZL8ecmu1NlCwLUkxtQH-aSnthUAiW_kLiTCM_zj6vwsCbPfLbkTbGwszp2jqE/s1600/DSC_0126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgm-J3vejF5Y2OEk4QOXAB-BR3pLrQt0XJVXiRQY5RCAcbB9IfmmqxuAsEzNXj47upNZDVivAbTWxVEZL8ecmu1NlCwLUkxtQH-aSnthUAiW_kLiTCM_zj6vwsCbPfLbkTbGwszp2jqE/s1600/DSC_0126.jpg" height="640" width="476" /></a></div>
We love our new holiday art and more importantly, we love that we did it for about $10!<br />
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I saw a cute idea on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cottage-Paints/288926494563789" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Cottage Paint's</span></a> <a href="http://instagram.com/p/vq5SWtIM8L/?modal=true" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Instagram</span></a> feed that I thought would be fun to make with the kids. As I opened the door to our workshop to cut some blocks, I was happily surprised to find a set all ready for me! Turns out, I had an extra set of blocks cut AND sanded from making wood block pumpkins a few weeks ago. Guess this project was meant to be!</div>
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We started with some wood blocking, reclaimed wood, of course :)</div>
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Brent cut this star out with a jig saw - you have no idea how hard it was for us to draw a star. I'm talking tricky enough that we had to google it. Pathetic, huh?<br />
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Emma helped me do all of the painting.<br />
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Here's our first coats of paint on the blocks. We used base coats of regular latex paint and then brushed metallic acrylic paints over top of each one.<br />
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To do the wording - because free handing was not an option - trust me, I tried - I followed <a href="http://www.hertoolbelt.com/count-many-blessings-thankful-tree/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Her Tool Belt's</span></a> instructions. She used Photoshop to get her lettering but since I don't have that, good ol' Microsoft Word worked just fine for me!<br />
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We covered each block of wood with a layer of painter's tape.<br />
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And laid our wording on top.<br />
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Using an X-acto knife, I cut around each letter. I thought this process was going to be pretty quick. Spoiler, it took forever. But I put on my headphones and listened to a few episodes of <a href="http://serialpodcast.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Serial</span></a> - which is amazing if you haven't heard it - and the time passed rather quickly.<br />
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Then I put a few coats of acrylic paint in a contrasting color over the lettering. Peel the tape off when dry.<br />
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For the top block, where the number of days was going to go, I used this chalkboard paint.<br />
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I taped off a section of the block for the chalkboard paint.<br />
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2 coats later and once it had dried, you can pull the tape off.<br />
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At first, I was planning to glue all of the blocks together but then decided not to. It will be much easier to store after the holidays if it isn't such a large piece, plus, it's much easier for the kids the erase the top block and write the new number for the day if they can lay it down to do it.<br />
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This was a fun project and the kids are having a blast changing the number each day!<br />
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-53089273801022482582014-11-22T09:07:00.001-08:002014-11-22T09:07:10.638-08:00Instagram + Printicular = OrnamentsI'm guessing we are like most families, in that we take a million photos of our kids, vacations and special activities throughout the year but then the photos simply live on our computer. We usually only print a family photo here and there because there just isn't a place to display the informal, yet just as important, special event photos.<br />
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One of our kids' favorite pastimes is to get out their big books full of baby photos we made for them several years ago. When they were little, it was still totally normal to print gobs of photos instead of creating digital photo albums.<br />
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But why not create some special ornaments for the tree commemorating some of their favorite memories from the past year? If we make just a few per year, at some point our tree will be full of all the little moments that shaped their childhood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhdB07PJdvXhB7Nhe9HnlMXpq3gzXcpxVAjJbkPtUYRB5erWzQ6DieIdThUIJgUGG0dKCqK6j_abvrJOi2X48zh8_r__QGEdJ2SI9pOlLs4jwBcvte5w_39fpBoxhIduW4nzDxCXiFD4/s1600/instagramornaments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhdB07PJdvXhB7Nhe9HnlMXpq3gzXcpxVAjJbkPtUYRB5erWzQ6DieIdThUIJgUGG0dKCqK6j_abvrJOi2X48zh8_r__QGEdJ2SI9pOlLs4jwBcvte5w_39fpBoxhIduW4nzDxCXiFD4/s1600/instagramornaments.jpg" height="640" width="388" /></a></div>
The materials for each ornament add up to about $2.50 each and were very simple to make! We found these metal lids in the venting department at the home improvement store. They are called round tee caps and come in all different sizes, 2" - 8" diameter. Here's a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Selkirk-4-in-Steel-Round-Tee-Cap-104180/100345502" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">link for something similar</span></a> from Home Depot, although not the exact same as ours, these would work just as well. Sometimes when I purchase candles, they have lids on them similar to these caps - so those would also be a perfect substitute.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2iotShiN361zAH69gwfRsnvNBoUvpws3OvYOp9ETJj-eEhGxvUkd6tBTBZnTGF-39KC5OpTyZlx-7PAvH_XNPlYqZ-Iq6QI6gBjZ0Ht3ZoVe8LgHRaidHSh7cGSlQiZPhWVFVLEwXjo/s1600/DSC_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2iotShiN361zAH69gwfRsnvNBoUvpws3OvYOp9ETJj-eEhGxvUkd6tBTBZnTGF-39KC5OpTyZlx-7PAvH_XNPlYqZ-Iq6QI6gBjZ0Ht3ZoVe8LgHRaidHSh7cGSlQiZPhWVFVLEwXjo/s1600/DSC_0131.JPG" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
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The 4" seemed like the best size for the photos I was going to use and they cost just over $2.00 each.</div>
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I found a glass pyrex dish in our cupboard that was ALMOST the same size as the cap, which would mean once my photos were traced and cut out, there would be a small metal border around each photo.</div>
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For my photos, I downloaded the <a href="http://printicular.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">Printicular</span></a> app to my IPad. Printicular easily uploads your Instagram photos to Walgreens and are ready to pick up in an hour. Walgreens is only blocks from our house and it's where we always have our photos printed, so this was a no-brainer! Prices are about $.39/each.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY43LtPyoxVn4mNB3-bPGtMZf9sTDfalO4pAbtf0R8HVEwRdNo4IcmIwYr9lBZs_RnaYh-QCEOnF3nPg1JhYOMJl4LVQAYqtWk8rq9Clh7VrGGwNvMsJsolZAp5ap7KyEudb0XNE-g_3I/s1600/DSC_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY43LtPyoxVn4mNB3-bPGtMZf9sTDfalO4pAbtf0R8HVEwRdNo4IcmIwYr9lBZs_RnaYh-QCEOnF3nPg1JhYOMJl4LVQAYqtWk8rq9Clh7VrGGwNvMsJsolZAp5ap7KyEudb0XNE-g_3I/s1600/DSC_0133.JPG" height="502" width="640" /></a></div>
I positioned my glass bowl on top of the photo and traced around it.<br />
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Cut out the shape....<br />
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I practiced my positioning to make sure they were going to look good before the glue went down.<br />
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And if you can believe this or not...this was my FIRST time using Mod Podge - pretty crazy, right!? I brushed a coat of Mod Podge on the metal and then a coat on the back of the photo and stuck them together. When that was dry, I brushed another coat over the top of the photo to seal it all in.<br />
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I asked Brent to drill a hole through the top of the ornament so I could attach my twine to hang it on the tree. To do that, he used a nail set to make an indentation first.<br />
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And then he selected a drill bit, this size looked like it was going to work the best.<br />
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Before I put twine through the hole so they could be hung on the tree, I labeled the back of each ornament so we could remember the dates and special reason we had chosen that particular photo.<br />
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We love having these small tokens on our tree! If our refrigerator wasn't stainless, I would have also attached magnets to the back so we could put them on the fridge year round.<br />
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All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-63890829692046184982014-11-11T15:36:00.001-08:002014-11-11T19:23:40.972-08:00DIY Dollhouse Furniture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our greatest sources of website traffic come from Pinterest with people searching out the doll house we built for Emma. Not only did Brent build the dollhouse, he also built the furniture. I'm not sure if you've shopped around for Barbie furniture, but if you have, you know it's expensive. And flimsy. We wanted to build sturdy furniture that wouldn't tip over when Barbie sat/laid/looked at it.<br />
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In my <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2013/10/building-for-barbie-on-budget.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">original blog post of the dollhouse</span></a> there weren't any great photos of the furniture, so I staged a little photo shoot with better close ups of each piece. I don't have any documentation of the building process since Brent made them several years ago, but I'm hoping with the dimensions provided and the photos, one could replicate the pieces. As a side note, Brent built most of this furniture out of birch or cherry.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Baby Cribs</span></b></div>
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In magical Barbie world, everyone has twins, so Brent built these little matching cribs. </div>
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Dimensions are 5 3/4" tall by 4" wide by 6" long. Brent said he first made a chunky base out of 4 pieces of wood, mitered at the corners. Each side rail of the crib was built seperately, like fence panels, and were then glued to the base and pinned to each other with a nail gun.<br />
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You can see the small pin holes where he nailed the slats into the frame. With all of the nooks and crannies on the crib, spray paint was the fastest and easiest way to paint these babies (no pun intended). The mattresses are simply a piece of foam wrapped in a piece of receiving blanket that I cut apart.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Dining Room Table & Chairs</b></span></div>
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Barbie isn't doing anything if she isn't entertaining - which meant we needed a table for six. <br />
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These chairs are sturdy enough to hold Barbie and her friends in an upright position IF they have the types of legs that bend at the knee. But really, unless Barbie has had too much to drink, her booty is not tipping out of these chairs.</div>
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Chair dimensions are 6" tall by 2 1/4" wide and depth is 2 1/2". The height of the seat is 2 1/2". </div>
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Table dimensions are 4 3/4" tall by 5 3/4" wide by 8" long. Brent made the top first and then tacked each of the four legs to it. The skirting was added last.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMqKQCfDi7YaxGZ2F2uMnZLKYuytbNSMlYiFil7DUJO773hqDgJHqoOym-Lh8MmVWpZ1GnpG_aMkcz6g6PF4Ct1tK3YyW5LFAWbYuhWVgvxDKZVAdo74RBEvC8Ucdw4R99JyFKBouDFA/s1600/diningtable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMqKQCfDi7YaxGZ2F2uMnZLKYuytbNSMlYiFil7DUJO773hqDgJHqoOym-Lh8MmVWpZ1GnpG_aMkcz6g6PF4Ct1tK3YyW5LFAWbYuhWVgvxDKZVAdo74RBEvC8Ucdw4R99JyFKBouDFA/s640/diningtable.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGznAKlkrtNA7X_FCK-lHBCv4S7oNSx5LZlLDLZHbNvpvkAaLIBvEkQhN_2uW8lSln6Mt9nvuQlnYoCJIcJ4pxnU9fflIkDzJ_BEc1MQ2bR_KuVyxKZmE0RB7Ew-xbl9LMsRWJEuSybE/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGznAKlkrtNA7X_FCK-lHBCv4S7oNSx5LZlLDLZHbNvpvkAaLIBvEkQhN_2uW8lSln6Mt9nvuQlnYoCJIcJ4pxnU9fflIkDzJ_BEc1MQ2bR_KuVyxKZmE0RB7Ew-xbl9LMsRWJEuSybE/s640/DSC_0082.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Bedroom Dresser</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYBWFWjbEqXgXhRpiJ_uxtdlz7bkQm_L5VRjwnsmYL5u3S7O3-ccaiQkNO1LVSJbJl6Rj6ohMjMh1USsWkgcseowXgmkBY4UNaRi2JjBu0upkmFRs9-I9HSuhdQQ5ykqTNPlns2S38s0/s1600/barbiedresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYBWFWjbEqXgXhRpiJ_uxtdlz7bkQm_L5VRjwnsmYL5u3S7O3-ccaiQkNO1LVSJbJl6Rj6ohMjMh1USsWkgcseowXgmkBY4UNaRi2JjBu0upkmFRs9-I9HSuhdQQ5ykqTNPlns2S38s0/s640/barbiedresser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The dresser dimensions are 6 1/2" tall by 7 3/4" wide by 2 1/4" deep.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iaOr9TMUrLJOI8xvHsGeGsx6oahm0Z9CXXULX1mIguKAExLXhFserp9YxBpmQmLd0WPt8lgWE-t2cQujoGUd5VYjy1D7_eSVQgSrcP9PJljKFHXSg0-0Ls9yJ3Ea87e2R5D8lplXQSA/s1600/sidedresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iaOr9TMUrLJOI8xvHsGeGsx6oahm0Z9CXXULX1mIguKAExLXhFserp9YxBpmQmLd0WPt8lgWE-t2cQujoGUd5VYjy1D7_eSVQgSrcP9PJljKFHXSg0-0Ls9yJ3Ea87e2R5D8lplXQSA/s640/sidedresser.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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He started this piece with a solid block of cherry. The grooves that give the appearance of drawers were made with a table saw. To create a space for the four legs, he cut a dado/rabbit out of the four corners of the block with the table saw. He then glued the legs in and glued the top on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKxkgbu0papWqpnJ_xhZPmfHmlio85-P3OVVBB4wMCoPpvkpCx68C613FSG9Dq9L9mrjBrByGAKwQA413UYI8ibTExQ9O2yiq8IOhyps1FsO3gab1g5K68okjyeUoR8f0lhYjpLUja8E/s1600/frontdresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKxkgbu0papWqpnJ_xhZPmfHmlio85-P3OVVBB4wMCoPpvkpCx68C613FSG9Dq9L9mrjBrByGAKwQA413UYI8ibTExQ9O2yiq8IOhyps1FsO3gab1g5K68okjyeUoR8f0lhYjpLUja8E/s640/frontdresser.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Coffee Table</b></span></div>
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I'd actually take one of these tables in human size!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZuUxAlBtU8CnZMYt4IxoSspUKsDH4FQWV7xcnwOxMx9UtSJkWEfsC2AYGhz-qrLLhccL0c7gRKORIjwwwbHqECRETnaxAaCVueRBl2IVuatn5kRNU8cNxxoFNfZGK4jMSpSFcuc-Zss/s1600/coffeetable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZuUxAlBtU8CnZMYt4IxoSspUKsDH4FQWV7xcnwOxMx9UtSJkWEfsC2AYGhz-qrLLhccL0c7gRKORIjwwwbHqECRETnaxAaCVueRBl2IVuatn5kRNU8cNxxoFNfZGK4jMSpSFcuc-Zss/s640/coffeetable.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dimensions for the coffee table are 2 3/4" tall by 3" wide by 8" long.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-CIyDR6I9LnzlrAFvmXaKyNzHbk0Of42RzDLANrUSnlQIUqnrGVWnNy8PbO2d5RCc1h5mJGo5HEV1zyPcjf9dWgBzAiFS2xaOxUqJdc4JXp44eomLpoqEWKB6IWie1wS0OI1YeSB74o/s1600/coffeetableside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-CIyDR6I9LnzlrAFvmXaKyNzHbk0Of42RzDLANrUSnlQIUqnrGVWnNy8PbO2d5RCc1h5mJGo5HEV1zyPcjf9dWgBzAiFS2xaOxUqJdc4JXp44eomLpoqEWKB6IWie1wS0OI1YeSB74o/s640/coffeetableside.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Couch</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAULM7sTJxq5SdWMK2Muh_OXple9caAM4Mib-MV0Mqyk7tZPAKkteNvtku304zakcgmmRspdFdEhRVVbuKBd0G3pHc2p_PbQcimu92-Hpqzaw0c4mVYV0HMMhfl_QBfciHf5Ls6dl98kE/s1600/couch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAULM7sTJxq5SdWMK2Muh_OXple9caAM4Mib-MV0Mqyk7tZPAKkteNvtku304zakcgmmRspdFdEhRVVbuKBd0G3pHc2p_PbQcimu92-Hpqzaw0c4mVYV0HMMhfl_QBfciHf5Ls6dl98kE/s640/couch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dimensions for the couch are 5 1/2" tall by 13 1/2" wide by 5" deep. <br />
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Here again, to make the cushions, I covered some foam in scrap fabric.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iEebe59g2Z1qoNKyDcsvN50LpjDdruGYZTUlE9JqTKMWzTOtEm86w6v0CSIJMBL4oyvs7EyAvLUVDFIHgSgSaWvFTt4g-ibSjcuXZnLzP1C3gtt9snPm8AMuTUgOnoIcMmxP7IhUC5g/s1600/couchside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9iEebe59g2Z1qoNKyDcsvN50LpjDdruGYZTUlE9JqTKMWzTOtEm86w6v0CSIJMBL4oyvs7EyAvLUVDFIHgSgSaWvFTt4g-ibSjcuXZnLzP1C3gtt9snPm8AMuTUgOnoIcMmxP7IhUC5g/s640/couchside.jpg" width="526" /></a></div>
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The back of the couch is cut at approximately a 10 degree angle, which would mean the arm was also cut at 10 degrees. The seat and the front of the couch are two pieces nailed and glued together.</div>
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If I was really good with a sewing machine or hand stitching, I would have made way too many throw pillows for the sofa and bed - just to make Ken mad.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ViEhyphenhyphenayrN5PxQwe5uKqrTv46argaMhSMgYbd0SvjdNkyFYRO6HtsS9peGFKjh0JrwDA3Q3TMQvPxjAScBY7LEwvs1udLfYup7VH-z8BiRtWcFKRAUk1VX7W3Tn3QJBbplfhh8mstyOs/s1600/couchback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ViEhyphenhyphenayrN5PxQwe5uKqrTv46argaMhSMgYbd0SvjdNkyFYRO6HtsS9peGFKjh0JrwDA3Q3TMQvPxjAScBY7LEwvs1udLfYup7VH-z8BiRtWcFKRAUk1VX7W3Tn3QJBbplfhh8mstyOs/s640/couchback.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Bunk Beds</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXaxPHKys9HVUZmcIYkAnorMPJKiUzfHlgYTRrzj67O-9FNjfF018wfL8M3G4fnfp5HMH_UiIDNuQUEF9YP39wrtgntLSwM7U-JgUE8sD5y89ZC2jJwuQO5tT_gx1cPsLJSHhqDtbbdA/s1600/bunkbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXaxPHKys9HVUZmcIYkAnorMPJKiUzfHlgYTRrzj67O-9FNjfF018wfL8M3G4fnfp5HMH_UiIDNuQUEF9YP39wrtgntLSwM7U-JgUE8sD5y89ZC2jJwuQO5tT_gx1cPsLJSHhqDtbbdA/s640/bunkbed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dimensions for the bunk beds are 10" tall by 6" wide by 14" long. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmdXzEF6nGsOY0AWc1wkdDyU5WlH_c7ut8qup43YXvxpdxRghzCpJ61pDx-p313LWmPxSHN0FpVXOsmi1nVxvQ-NmXNDv01oENqrx82PsK8omi3N6CrBCra4p1wConj9F33fx86c_GRg/s1600/bunkbedside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmdXzEF6nGsOY0AWc1wkdDyU5WlH_c7ut8qup43YXvxpdxRghzCpJ61pDx-p313LWmPxSHN0FpVXOsmi1nVxvQ-NmXNDv01oENqrx82PsK8omi3N6CrBCra4p1wConj9F33fx86c_GRg/s640/bunkbedside.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6wg4hjwmGYNvogfkjZp7j1NLhhnUzvan3HA4DN-vIntC8kdNFjwr9rFSAMn-K_65imFxo_ll_HpTMFjLPEDLa6G9L8idjRBj6-Tlizm6EcYnIWDPNOou7aeMTtu-niAW1CsclmSAqNw/s1600/bunkbedsnomattress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6wg4hjwmGYNvogfkjZp7j1NLhhnUzvan3HA4DN-vIntC8kdNFjwr9rFSAMn-K_65imFxo_ll_HpTMFjLPEDLa6G9L8idjRBj6-Tlizm6EcYnIWDPNOou7aeMTtu-niAW1CsclmSAqNw/s640/bunkbedsnomattress.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I flipped the bed upside down so you can see how the underside was constructed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpg7byWL4sNiUWbiPJdH3s47h68gwYPyL-h4Gz2RCoOOqGNeexzkC65DFV5j_fvBgdXwnVqGpUnDPEyhggXMks4dXILFJOJElERUiPBLG2I9N6UkS2I9ST9uzucLt50yUzamxMH6DRCk/s1600/bunkbedupsidedown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpg7byWL4sNiUWbiPJdH3s47h68gwYPyL-h4Gz2RCoOOqGNeexzkC65DFV5j_fvBgdXwnVqGpUnDPEyhggXMks4dXILFJOJElERUiPBLG2I9N6UkS2I9ST9uzucLt50yUzamxMH6DRCk/s640/bunkbedupsidedown.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHor5VjbSB1x08r69z7_kJRZgM5cx9CannP_ivx9tJGwSTKa1wQC84ZZpd2rTKe73c1ZiaG9J0Os-imXpdQajslVvCf1UT8zr0zcIdqs-y_VbMD6R2B85Lj7bXmhlY7e7moYL8lkHbc-c/s1600/bunkbedend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHor5VjbSB1x08r69z7_kJRZgM5cx9CannP_ivx9tJGwSTKa1wQC84ZZpd2rTKe73c1ZiaG9J0Os-imXpdQajslVvCf1UT8zr0zcIdqs-y_VbMD6R2B85Lj7bXmhlY7e7moYL8lkHbc-c/s640/bunkbedend.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Queen Size Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0RN3SZxAHMHDrnA5bNIIjUVpjKEY5tWXM8LjMDXXxjoQK7Lv3BxgNe_sb3rBhjN43rRRpAXRFZmrqDxESkYu7ZB08ElFR8_ZpdGV776-Ohuqgv5qtqQfjlfKD9pW533N2dO9hG8Hcwc/s1600/bed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0RN3SZxAHMHDrnA5bNIIjUVpjKEY5tWXM8LjMDXXxjoQK7Lv3BxgNe_sb3rBhjN43rRRpAXRFZmrqDxESkYu7ZB08ElFR8_ZpdGV776-Ohuqgv5qtqQfjlfKD9pW533N2dO9hG8Hcwc/s640/bed1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dimensions for the bed are 8 1/2" tall by 8 3/4" wide by 14 1/4" long. To create the reveal you see around the bed, Brent built a base first and then constructed a second frame to sit on top. He built the headboard separately, like a fence panel and attached it with nails and glue.<br />
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The mattress is a piece of foam wrapped in a scrap of receiving blanket.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMyrLZ20owYbHqtVxVuLRRWV8b7XzHaJ37e8Puv1_4Dhx1bK_o-zryZAaHnk851RDl201B-99iayimefMvYPXWh0HUraxn8J3mkx_yJIXomJSA5GNCfYp1Rw5RIjQJ2ha5d1SAG3HZS8/s1600/sidebed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMyrLZ20owYbHqtVxVuLRRWV8b7XzHaJ37e8Puv1_4Dhx1bK_o-zryZAaHnk851RDl201B-99iayimefMvYPXWh0HUraxn8J3mkx_yJIXomJSA5GNCfYp1Rw5RIjQJ2ha5d1SAG3HZS8/s640/sidebed.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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Here is a view of the bed without the mattress on it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_kJx4_12Z7E9QY0WQZbBllJ4zO9-ibjheWfleGzJonuVjLI70ELawdqwEdt8V-3Xr4W_D1MUqjH0NHl_IPXmaqaQlnFjqinLLiUfGuz5CdZ2oijFzT1FtCJqmw5VulsFbGr88nDQSkg/s1600/bednomattress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_kJx4_12Z7E9QY0WQZbBllJ4zO9-ibjheWfleGzJonuVjLI70ELawdqwEdt8V-3Xr4W_D1MUqjH0NHl_IPXmaqaQlnFjqinLLiUfGuz5CdZ2oijFzT1FtCJqmw5VulsFbGr88nDQSkg/s640/bednomattress.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you flip the bed over, here's what you see.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvcLi6_vW0wee7M7YSylqsaLu8goqI141DNoz2glNW0tW7H1O8cXRuRvbl5xF0iTjOPq4MyZa3hHGU0ee1-ITdHS46XVM8J0bJ2vuzd534T85uKEu_e5SWWdjzpDHgAcfxkuHb9Rx3yk/s1600/undersideofbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvcLi6_vW0wee7M7YSylqsaLu8goqI141DNoz2glNW0tW7H1O8cXRuRvbl5xF0iTjOPq4MyZa3hHGU0ee1-ITdHS46XVM8J0bJ2vuzd534T85uKEu_e5SWWdjzpDHgAcfxkuHb9Rx3yk/s640/undersideofbed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you're attempting to build your own furniture for some Barbie dolls, hopefully these images will be useful. We're always happy to answer questions if you get stuck and need some help!</div>
All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-64708255990294475452014-11-11T15:28:00.001-08:002014-11-11T15:28:38.709-08:00Babies + Beads = Bad News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtXXPAgk-5QnpPeiHHj4prV57XoayTi_dyp2-lehdIG0CG9lFw5zPTd0GxaEWeQ4LlfclAhkDEDFrjz9pUzFDAEtT-EHjTwLteFEK47TuMsuI2kHfAvgs3EffcOWfX3CbXUzqPVE7VjY/s1600/baby+mobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtXXPAgk-5QnpPeiHHj4prV57XoayTi_dyp2-lehdIG0CG9lFw5zPTd0GxaEWeQ4LlfclAhkDEDFrjz9pUzFDAEtT-EHjTwLteFEK47TuMsuI2kHfAvgs3EffcOWfX3CbXUzqPVE7VjY/s1600/baby+mobile.jpg" height="640" width="438" /></a></div>
Towards the end of December, my sister and brother-in law will be welcoming their first baby (screaming and excessive hand clapping) and clearly, I couldn't be more excited! Beings that they have an abundance of self control - opposite of myself - they have chosen to find out their baby's gender at delivery. According to completely unscientific reports, about 40% of couples take the same approach as my sister....we'll call it the "wait and see." For the record, I think it's a girl.<br />
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Since they don't know the baby's sex, the nursery is gender neutral with grays and yellows, whites and wood tones. Anne has found a few cute things throughout her pregnancy with elephants on them to decorate the nursery, so when I stumbled up <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/fabric-elephants-hanger.do?&refType=&from=Search" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">these elephants</span></a> at World Market, I immediately thought - BABY MOBILE!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOa3ecqL5QJGMaoGlEdXXZ03kzg0_RnHvHvjBa8-0wtOYfXO-VMcHb0sdl94EUH1s_OKSU2YmO9ooUS3ts5UOF74f7igiJG-PdoQE6RFblxkEbvlnAk7LLkxuCAdR4oiEVzgV_U8nKes/s1600/DSC_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOa3ecqL5QJGMaoGlEdXXZ03kzg0_RnHvHvjBa8-0wtOYfXO-VMcHb0sdl94EUH1s_OKSU2YmO9ooUS3ts5UOF74f7igiJG-PdoQE6RFblxkEbvlnAk7LLkxuCAdR4oiEVzgV_U8nKes/s1600/DSC_0070.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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I picked up an embroidery hoop (after bringing the hoop home, I stained and sealed it) and some some yarn to hang the elephants from.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kba8WLp6TmAbpkgCJsG_-nWJBOwrHGWmf4DEzZ3NubS9VUdbTuKGhIdc0DtccrwvNa6SEZa22cOHSnq6ueMKiOm6Ex4epaQpdAj8zGiAtLp_BQF9vYDHcSJaknfVKtGOOZjnBqK0n-M/s1600/DSC_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kba8WLp6TmAbpkgCJsG_-nWJBOwrHGWmf4DEzZ3NubS9VUdbTuKGhIdc0DtccrwvNa6SEZa22cOHSnq6ueMKiOm6Ex4epaQpdAj8zGiAtLp_BQF9vYDHcSJaknfVKtGOOZjnBqK0n-M/s1600/DSC_0081.JPG" height="640" width="444" /></a></div>
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To begin, I painted a metal washer with some turquoise acrylic paint and then hung it from our dining room chandelier. This way, I could suspend the embroidery hoop from it so I could tie each elephant on the mobile.</div>
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With my washer dangling from the light fixture, I cut two equal lengths of yarn, fed them through the washer and tied them to the embroidery hoop with a few knots. Now we were ready to start attaching elephants.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycxfNvXH9QAV8T_GxUn5mSlDaS_4SHzlvtQtvqkgEPwgX5-iKi0eAR9MCdhVsHHWaRBnNct0KdYx2utapiG7YLGN7oGevtGS0xdxctdBdbnASxnkTGpXMaplVIY4L0Eo2fOu-QXN9p4g/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycxfNvXH9QAV8T_GxUn5mSlDaS_4SHzlvtQtvqkgEPwgX5-iKi0eAR9MCdhVsHHWaRBnNct0KdYx2utapiG7YLGN7oGevtGS0xdxctdBdbnASxnkTGpXMaplVIY4L0Eo2fOu-QXN9p4g/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Before we could get started on the elephants, we had to address one small problem - or rather, about 75 small problems. Beads. Lots of them. Which meant the string of elephants needed to be deconstructed and re-assembled WITHOUT said beads. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61sI53z-3Gci4TvBTVmbfWVXjLSHrUgMjlfYy-2bExKnX4iglomshehb39Y4YmuFeVrgnaSK_1ITAXjSE99iFwhZGIEKWOo81vB7GWcE-bBUC6OtJ5NGBqkr16KSr2jXcKVnQGH2irqI/s1600/DSC_0065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61sI53z-3Gci4TvBTVmbfWVXjLSHrUgMjlfYy-2bExKnX4iglomshehb39Y4YmuFeVrgnaSK_1ITAXjSE99iFwhZGIEKWOo81vB7GWcE-bBUC6OtJ5NGBqkr16KSr2jXcKVnQGH2irqI/s1600/DSC_0065.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></a></div>
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I started by snipping the threads that held all of the elephants together to discard the beads.</div>
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With the beads out of the way, I used some gold thread and an embroidery needle to tie a knot which would suspend the elephant - side note here: had NO idea what an embroidery needle even was until I found one in my sewing kit and realized it would work perfectly for this project!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRuoJJggNLW6J0vDbVVm6i9DaiK9Q4kYT4C6owAWUXVJrzPu9xFEcnskLtNpABn7L1GgedAKgNzmnd-3o4RdgGLXGqroQuTdPVx48cIaHpSaUR0MvK5HnHp0JeUxMIynzW5dsjKwbvko/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRuoJJggNLW6J0vDbVVm6i9DaiK9Q4kYT4C6owAWUXVJrzPu9xFEcnskLtNpABn7L1GgedAKgNzmnd-3o4RdgGLXGqroQuTdPVx48cIaHpSaUR0MvK5HnHp0JeUxMIynzW5dsjKwbvko/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
Tie a couple knots here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBCZkS-m2rNih3Av78Ose5c28JoMe3M1ms6N43eJGjhFJgUBpGIXYQAPK7P_8lojM-ltGet5dymgQzrqZyKOJghyphenhyphenReTnk4mGID_m_s9EnA6fgnoAYtz0UD07LMeiCiJHYCLsDzs1Gyfg/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBCZkS-m2rNih3Av78Ose5c28JoMe3M1ms6N43eJGjhFJgUBpGIXYQAPK7P_8lojM-ltGet5dymgQzrqZyKOJghyphenhyphenReTnk4mGID_m_s9EnA6fgnoAYtz0UD07LMeiCiJHYCLsDzs1Gyfg/s1600/DSC_0067.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
And you should end up with an elephant swinging by a string.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78nAJ_O8Fp4DfxzLqEgHlgmpi8vg9RHZMA19yYEXN-iEfOUcAk-5opVp0tRI1Ht17M4fkGEgq5NAs_HWFCmqSJ2Sf6LvNXuvM-tWU5HHjmmJxfFdAd7UMDDNWWXTOsdcwbLUqe-v_Kxk/s1600/DSC_0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78nAJ_O8Fp4DfxzLqEgHlgmpi8vg9RHZMA19yYEXN-iEfOUcAk-5opVp0tRI1Ht17M4fkGEgq5NAs_HWFCmqSJ2Sf6LvNXuvM-tWU5HHjmmJxfFdAd7UMDDNWWXTOsdcwbLUqe-v_Kxk/s1600/DSC_0060.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
At this point, I just started tying the elephants onto the embroidery hoop until it was balanced and full. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBVxTGAhAUB-jqbsI0TG7SgBYF0nZuZvFcGrySFyG5EsLhj5JsbINXZjNKkoF0JF52OG4I2M7O_bfuQQUd1va7RTF34Lz-J-YKyCk3y6wasMO-ofUVEvZiLfR5CX5YdQutWJw4fop4PE/s1600/DSC_0149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBVxTGAhAUB-jqbsI0TG7SgBYF0nZuZvFcGrySFyG5EsLhj5JsbINXZjNKkoF0JF52OG4I2M7O_bfuQQUd1va7RTF34Lz-J-YKyCk3y6wasMO-ofUVEvZiLfR5CX5YdQutWJw4fop4PE/s1600/DSC_0149.jpg" height="640" width="450" /></a></div>
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I would have loved to have taken some photos of the mobile hanging above baby's crib - but my sister lives 4 hours away, so that ain't happenin'. Luckily, there is a hook above Brent's side of the bed, so he gets to stare at a baby mobile while he goes to sleep each night until we can deliver it to it's rightful owner.</div>
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Hopefully baby likes it and doesn't develop a life long fear of elephants!All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765347955728343947.post-70528207114290703472014-11-06T04:43:00.001-08:002014-11-06T04:43:36.360-08:00#LadiesNight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's funny how the definition of events change as you age. Case in point...Ladies Night. In my early twenties, ladies night meant half price Long Island iced teas at the bar and the subsequent call to my brother to come pick me up from said bar to get me safely home (in my defense, I THINK that only happened once). Luckily for all parties involved, ladies night has matured. At this stage in my life, ladies night is a mellow get together involving crafts and possibly a glass of wine, on a weeknight, that's wrapped up by 9pm...because let's face it...a good nights sleep is much more appealing than a hangover.</div>
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My neighbor, Brenda, whom I am grateful everyday for because she is so freaking amazing and supportive and sweet, invited me to her crafting group. I thought it would be a great opportunity to break in the workshop with an actual ladies workshop so I invited the group to my house. Hosting workshops like this was one of my dreams for this little building we built...I just had no idea that I would get to try it out so soon!</div>
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Since we were only going to have a few hours to complete our projects, Brent and I cut and sanded all of the pieces for everyone before they arrived so everyone could begin painting ASAP.</div>
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Everyone started with three blocks in varying sizes and then painted them however they wished.<br />
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Brent hung around for a little moral support and lots of goodies. He also had to drill holes in blocks for those that wanted to make candlesticks.</div>
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Some people made <a href="http://krusesworkshop.blogspot.com/2014/09/wood-block-pumpkins.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">pumpkins</span></a>...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDE5X0uGjuvJpun_Gvwqq8glIumUCBtsF7SXqSBd-JUoptorhcW4cPuJHFJgG1AS3RXA7szu8JGocXNw-UfDZegm26JWy09C6JImJ0MfQsDSdlCGtXbvNYMLwCjoD_mGv_Zu0pvChRU4/s1600/DSC_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDE5X0uGjuvJpun_Gvwqq8glIumUCBtsF7SXqSBd-JUoptorhcW4cPuJHFJgG1AS3RXA7szu8JGocXNw-UfDZegm26JWy09C6JImJ0MfQsDSdlCGtXbvNYMLwCjoD_mGv_Zu0pvChRU4/s1600/DSC_0106.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some made tea light holders...<br />
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In between coats of paint, we went inside for snacks and sips - and by sips, I mean wine :) Usually, alcohol and power tools don't mix, but in this case, Brent was using the power tools, we were only using paint brushes.</div>
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Most of the ladies hadn't used glaze before, so that was a fun "lesson" to teach! They were all surprised at how easy it was and what a big difference it made.<br />
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At one point, someone mentioned that this group had been getting together to craft for 15 years (hopefully I remembered that correctly)! Sara, in the brown jacket, said "Statistically, this group has been together longer than most marriages." And then Teri, in the black t-shirt in the middle said, "that's because we only see each other once a month." I've been chuckling about that line for a few weeks now!</div>
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It was a great night with a fun bunch of women and I'm hoping this is only the beginning of my hosting duties inside Kruse's Workshop!All Things Krusehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14635968894387950503noreply@blogger.com0