How I Spent My Summer Vacation!!

Well fall is officially here and so I thought I would show the 10 people who read this blog how I have spent my summer vacation.

We are finishing our basement. We hired out the framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall and then even though we know nothing about carpentry we I decided we should do the finish carpentry ourselves.  What can I say I really wanted a nail gun.  Thank goodness for YOUTUBE.  You can learn how to do anything on YOUTUBE.

We are finishing the basement in what we are calling three phases.
Phase one includes paint and carpet and 2 daughters moved into rooms downstairs.
Phase two includes picture frame wainscoting and bathroom
Phase three includes built ins here

  

 And small kitchen here

Here are a few pics of what we have done so far

 This is where we will attempt to hang our daughters bed.

We have a really good friend who knows a lot about everything coming to paint the basement next week.  I'll pass along everything I learn from him.  ( He grew up working in the family painting business)

Funny things kids say

So Sunday at church a lady was talking, (a really nice lady I am sure) she was saying in a desperate, yearning for God sort of voice, how hard life can be sometimes (then she paused, gazed up to heaven for a sign of a higher power).  This may have been a very moving moment for someone not sitting next to my eight year old son. He said in a DUH, get a grip lady, kind of voice.  "UH life isn't that hard, we can go out to eat, we have corn dogs, and we can play with Yo-Yo's."  DUH

I think he may be on to something there.

This is the kind of thing that gets written here in my house. 

This same child makes the board often.  One of the funniest things he's ever said was when he was about 4 years old.  I was helping him out of the tub,  just as he was stepping out of the tub he let an extremely loud toot.  Although I don't know if  you can call it a toot.  Toot is kind of a cute word. this was the kind of gas passing that changes a boy into a man.  He was beaming with pride as he said, "Wo, I just paid my taxes with that one."  We still use this line when someone really does themselves proud in our house.  

NIGHT STAND MAKE OVER

As I have mentioned we are s-l-o-w-l-y finishing our basement.  Which means we are going from 6 people in a 3 bedroom house to 6 people in a 5 bedroom house.  AHHH, I can't wait for the extra space.  So when my daughter had a birthday last week she got swag for her "new room". (Sorry no room to actually put the stuff in yet, but we are getting close.)

My favorite project was the night stand.  I bought this ugly night stand at the DI for $8.

If I had more time to look I may have chosen something that only required spray painting but I needed something that day.  I also have a storage requirement.  Our bedrooms are small and so we can't just have things that look pretty they also have to pull their own weight and store something.

I had this bead board kit, (given to me by the neighbor when she was moving, I knew I would eventually use it for something.)

After removing horrible hardware I glued the bead board to the front of the door with wood glue.

I then used leftover door casing to frame the door.  I secured it with wood glue and finishing nails

I then puttied and caulked the gaps around the sides and nail holes.

Then:
Add primer (KILZ),  I did have to lightly sand in between coats for a smooth finish

Add paint (Rust-oleum Heirloom White)

Add handle from the dumpster (see here http://sticksandstoneshomedecor.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-husband-got-me-new-knockers-from.html )my daughter is kind of "earthy" so she wanted the stick handle.

and Viola.

Total cost $15.00
$ 8.00 ugly night stand
$7.00 primer and paint
bead board free
handle free

This night stand is laminate, I was worried it wouldn't paint well and that I would be donating it back to the DI but it painted great.  I also love how it distressed.  I never thought I would say this and in certain circles I may deny I ever did say this but "I am a fan if laminate"

Also I bought this

I will never spray paint without one again.  I have carpel tunnel and this helped a lot.  No more embarrassing trigger finger syndrome,
and it only cost $2.50.