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02 May 2013
Over and Out
Flying out to Maui in the am. Who's jealous?? The pups are all snug in their temporary homes and I am prepared to be back in a couple of weeks with some amazing photos. Get pumped up!
30 April 2013
Finally Finished
This is hopefully my last post about my one and only bathroom. Click HERE to read a previous post.
To bring you up to speed... months ago when I had already started purchasing items for my kitchen renovation, I noticed that there was an odd spot on the ugly pine floors right next to the toilet. I felt this and realized the wood was rotten. Uh Oh! I decided I needed to go ahead and get the bathroom done before I fell through the floor while sitting on the toilet. I have HATED the bathroom in my house since I bought the place; the light was hideous (me not adding missing bulbs didn't help), the mirror builders grade, the old POS vanity, and the super grungy pine floors better suited to a cabin in the woods. Since I was already going to get the floor replaced I decided I would go ahead and replace the light, mirror, vanity, and toilet. The 1950's ceramic tub and decent square white tile would be left alone.
Flash back to the beginning of April. The contractor is supposed to start on my house this morning. I get a call around lunch from him telling me I need to come by and look at some things in the house. I ask if this is bad. "Could be worse" he answered. I had a co-worker who has been a home inspector for years come with me to make sure whatever he had to tell me was true and honest. I don't want to get scammed for being the naive homeowner that I am. Basically we get there and he has already started the bathroom demo. He found all kinds of rotten wood; from a supporting wall to the sill of the house. He also found that it was rotten under the tub too, which meant the tub had to come out. Sad day indeed. This is one of the problems with owning a 93 year old house. You open something up and notice all the rot and decay that needs to be redone. The main reason for all the rotting had to do with the toilet pipe being attached to nothing so basically it just moved slightly all the time so water was always leaking out.
Basically what should have been a quick remodel tuned into a major renovation. I had to stay at friends house for 2 weeks since this is my house's one and only bathroom. Staying in a friends small 800 sq foot house with me, her, her 2 anti-dog cats, and my brand new adopted great dane Moose was a bit difficult, but we managed. Now I have a nice new bathroom with no plans to redo it any time soon.
The things I had done:
- New tile floor (also new subfloor) which is penny round from The Tile Store
- New toilet
- New tub
- New vanity (Godmorgon from Ikea)
- New mirror (Molger from Ikea)
- New overhead light (indoor/outdoor light from Home Depot - I might replace this, I'm not sure I like it here)
-New shower curtain (Restoration Hardware)
- New trashcan (SimpleHuman)
-Wall and ceiling repainted (Moonshine by Benjamin Moore)
Things to do:
-new door handle (Bella has chewed up the one on the door)
-hang art
-hang towel holder
-hang a window shade
Just a few pictures of the (mostly) finished product (click on any of the pictures to make them bigger):
and some comparison shots from what it looked like to now:
23 April 2013
Kitchen Confidential
Well, my kitchen is finally finished and my house is mostly back in order, other than the massive amounts of art that haven't been rehung. I wanted to show you some after shots of the space as well as some comparison views. First off, the remodel took a lot longer than it should have. This isn't due to the kitchen, but due to massive amounts of rotting wood hidden behind the bathroom walls and under the bathroom floor. Yay 93 year old house! Here is the link back to my last kitchen post. I will post about the bathroom next time.
Anyhoo, the things I redid this time (I had already repainted bottom cabinets grey, replaced hardware, and painted the fridge):
-New counter tops (On the main stretch it was a lovely patterned Formica and it is now Glacier White Corian, on the microwave stretch is it is now butcher block)
-New sink (went from a shallow 5 inch two bowl, to a 9 inch one bowl)
-New faucet (short to crazy tall)
-Microwave is up on a shelf (not wasting valuable space)
-White subway tile back splash with dark grey grout (possibly my favorite feature)
-Ceiling and walls painted pale grey
-New track lighting
-Open shelving repainted white (still need to do the inside of the dish area open shelving)
Last things that need to be done are to get a new range, hang up artwork, paint the insides of the main open shelving, and paint the upper cabinets and put new hardware on them. Then I can call this kitchen finished.
Here are the pictures (click on any pictures to make them bigger):
And some comparison shots of what the kitchen either looked like before I bought the house or before this round of work was done (click on any pictures to make them bigger):
Anyhoo, the things I redid this time (I had already repainted bottom cabinets grey, replaced hardware, and painted the fridge):
-New counter tops (On the main stretch it was a lovely patterned Formica and it is now Glacier White Corian, on the microwave stretch is it is now butcher block)
-New sink (went from a shallow 5 inch two bowl, to a 9 inch one bowl)
-New faucet (short to crazy tall)
-Microwave is up on a shelf (not wasting valuable space)
-White subway tile back splash with dark grey grout (possibly my favorite feature)
-Ceiling and walls painted pale grey
-New track lighting
-Open shelving repainted white (still need to do the inside of the dish area open shelving)
Last things that need to be done are to get a new range, hang up artwork, paint the insides of the main open shelving, and paint the upper cabinets and put new hardware on them. Then I can call this kitchen finished.
Here are the pictures (click on any pictures to make them bigger):
And some comparison shots of what the kitchen either looked like before I bought the house or before this round of work was done (click on any pictures to make them bigger):
02 April 2013
Welcome Home ze' Moose
Ooops, I did it again. I welcomed another new animal into the household. Since Bella has been living with my parents full time because of her aversion to my house (I'll share that story some time soon) and since Hobie the lab left to join his dad up north and since Tommy the cat is lovely, but isn't a dog I felt I needed another warm body with me. This is where you meet ze' Moose.
Basically I was sort of kind of looking for another dane, but kept backing out. I emailed a local rescue after I saw an extremely crappy pic of him just asking how he was with dogs, cats, and people. the lady emailed me back, but I never responded. Right before I had to drive Hobie up to Knoxville to give him back to his dad the lady emailed again saying Zeus (Moose's former name) would be at Petsmart @ perimeter the following day if I wanted to meet him. I was going to back out and then decide "what the hey, it can't hurt". The following day, after suffering from Hobie withdrawals (I mentioned him HERE), I went to meet Zeus (Moose). He seemed nice enough, but I was still going to let him slip out of my life. The rescue lady asked me to fill out an application though so being the good follower I did. She called me two hours later to tell me I was accepted to adopt him.
Errrr, don't you need to actually check with my vet and references to make sure I'm not bullshitting.
Anyhoo, we made plans for me to pick him up. They allowed me to take a week to essentially foster him and make a decision. To be honest I wasn't planning on keeping him. I don't think I made the final decision until the day the week was up. The reason I wasn't going to keep him is because he was (is) super needy in the house. He is constantly on me like white on rice and doesn't give up. Some people may like this quality, but I can't stand a super needy anything, be it man, dog, or friend. Also he wasn't (isn't) Bella. The reasons I did decide to keep him are simple. Moose is great with dogs, ignores cats, and loves people. Those are important traits for a dog to have. He also is very easy going.
Right now we are in a training class. Luckily I had him stay at the training peoples farm a couple of weekends ago so they could drill in the basics. I now realize what they meant when they told me "[he's] stubborn" when I picked him up. Moose and I have had a trying time with the commands, but hopefully he will pick things up.
Without further ado meet Moose:
Basically I was sort of kind of looking for another dane, but kept backing out. I emailed a local rescue after I saw an extremely crappy pic of him just asking how he was with dogs, cats, and people. the lady emailed me back, but I never responded. Right before I had to drive Hobie up to Knoxville to give him back to his dad the lady emailed again saying Zeus (Moose's former name) would be at Petsmart @ perimeter the following day if I wanted to meet him. I was going to back out and then decide "what the hey, it can't hurt". The following day, after suffering from Hobie withdrawals (I mentioned him HERE), I went to meet Zeus (Moose). He seemed nice enough, but I was still going to let him slip out of my life. The rescue lady asked me to fill out an application though so being the good follower I did. She called me two hours later to tell me I was accepted to adopt him.
Errrr, don't you need to actually check with my vet and references to make sure I'm not bullshitting.
Anyhoo, we made plans for me to pick him up. They allowed me to take a week to essentially foster him and make a decision. To be honest I wasn't planning on keeping him. I don't think I made the final decision until the day the week was up. The reason I wasn't going to keep him is because he was (is) super needy in the house. He is constantly on me like white on rice and doesn't give up. Some people may like this quality, but I can't stand a super needy anything, be it man, dog, or friend. Also he wasn't (isn't) Bella. The reasons I did decide to keep him are simple. Moose is great with dogs, ignores cats, and loves people. Those are important traits for a dog to have. He also is very easy going.
Right now we are in a training class. Luckily I had him stay at the training peoples farm a couple of weekends ago so they could drill in the basics. I now realize what they meant when they told me "[he's] stubborn" when I picked him up. Moose and I have had a trying time with the commands, but hopefully he will pick things up.
Without further ado meet Moose:
19 March 2013
Recipe Time: Jerk-Spiced Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower and Chickpeas
I made quite a delicious meatless meal a couple of weeks ago; this brussels sprout, chickpea, and cauliflower dish as well as cream-less cauliflower leek soup. I often cook veg at home, I just find it quicker. This dish is quite tasty; I adapted it from Food & Wine Mag.
- Recipe
- 3-4 Tablespoons of jerk seasoning (I like to find the most interesting and legit looking seasoning at the grocery. Oftentimes it's easier to find if you look in the grocery stores specialty section.)
- 1+ tablespoon of red pepper flakes ( I like to stir things with my spicy spoon [so says my friend] so if you don't like things quite so spicy don't add the flakes considering jerk seasoning tends to be spicy as is)
- 1/2 cup of olive oil (extra virgin or plain)
- One 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and patter dry (It's important to get these dry. The drier they are, the crispier they will get)
- 1 lb of small brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
- 4 cups of cauliflower florets (or 1 heads worth)
- Salt
-Preheat the oven to 425. Pour the jerk spice mix into a large pan that is oven safe. Heat on the stove top at low heat for about 2 minutes shaking the pan constantly.
- Add most of the oil to the pan (save a tablespoon or two for the cauliflower). Once it shimmers add the chickpeas to the pan and cook on medium to high heat for about 5 minutes or until the chickpeas are getting slightly crispy.
-While the chickpeas are cooking take a baking sheet/ roasting pan and lightly oil. Put the cauliflower on the sheet and then coat with a smidge of oil. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Put the pan into the oven.
-Add the brussels sprouts to the pan of chickpeas and mix in. Let cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice. You want the brussels to slightly brown.
-Once the brussels are slightly browned take the chickpea and brussels pan and put it in the oven next to the cauliflower pan.
-Cook for 15 - 20 minutes stirring once. By this time the cauliflower should be slightly brown, the brussels cooked and browned, and the chickpeas are crispy.
-Pull out of oven and mix the cauliflower in with the brussels sprouts and chickpeas. Add a bit of salt and some ground black pepper.
You are good to go. Enjoy!
08 March 2013
My Kitchen Renovation
I told you about my bathroom renovation and showed you my plans so now I am showing you my kitchen plans. Right now the glaciar white corian counter tops are on and the sink and faucet are in (check out the instagram photo on the side if you want to see them). What isn't done is the butcher block counter top, microwave shelf, lighting, and tile. Oh and I'm going to get a new range at some point. I wasn't planning on it, but with clean white counter tops my cheap Magic Chef range that has been in this house for who knows how long sort of looks like shit so I've decided to replace that too. The tiny cabinet where the microwave sits is what will be butcher block and there will be a shelf for the microwave to sit giving me access to that counter top. In a kitchen as small as mine I need all the space I can get. Please don't be scared by all the crap junking up the kitchen. It doesn't normally look that junk filled, but for some reason I decided to take picture after I had stocked the kitchen full of the items that will be used in the reno. Also the tidy cats container contains dog food, not litter and I have cleared off the fridge completely since viewing how messy it appears in photos. I hate my house being cluttery and these pictures make it seem like that is true. Wait until the finished product. Hopefully I'll have new pictures for you in 2 to 3 weeks.
Before:
Before:
07 March 2013
Bathroom reno redone and a bedroom contest
My bathroom renovation is starting in two weeks. Hurray!I changed up the plans a bit- hopefully for the better. I went with a glossy white floating vanity from Ikea since it seemed more structurally sound then the last one I picked. I also went with a cheaper and (I think) cooler light. A bit more industrial. I am very pumped about finally going ahead with this.
Oh and I should tell you that my kitchen renovation has already begun. My new counter tops, sink, and faucet are in. I have to wait on tiling and some other stuff for another 2 weeks when the contractor and his crew come back and do the bathroom work. Things are rolling and I am quite pumped.
I should also throw out that my bedroom is in an Apartment Therapy bedroom contest. AT is a design blog and it's pretty exciting to actually make it on there, even if just for a contest. If you want to vote and I would love it if you did, here is the link: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/stephanies-original-details-bedroom-185669 .
Here is the picture of what my bathroom looks like now. Terrible, I know:
And here is the plan:
Oh and I should tell you that my kitchen renovation has already begun. My new counter tops, sink, and faucet are in. I have to wait on tiling and some other stuff for another 2 weeks when the contractor and his crew come back and do the bathroom work. Things are rolling and I am quite pumped.
I should also throw out that my bedroom is in an Apartment Therapy bedroom contest. AT is a design blog and it's pretty exciting to actually make it on there, even if just for a contest. If you want to vote and I would love it if you did, here is the link: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/stephanies-original-details-bedroom-185669 .
Here is the picture of what my bathroom looks like now. Terrible, I know:
And here is the plan:
21 December 2012
Work
Today, or perhaps next week, is my 5 year anniversary of working in the same place. Not with the same company, but being in the same seat or near enough to the same seat. When I started here I was working for one company as a consultant, sitting in a small cubicle. 2 years later my company sold my business group to an investment firm and *BAM* new company, which also means new policies, etc. I just stayed in my cubicle working as diligently as always. One and a half years after that my company didn't even try to win the bid for the new contract so I was in danger of losing my job. Luckily the company who did win the bid had no clue what my job entailed and gave me a raise to stay. They also gave me an office. So here I am another year and a half later sitting in said office thinking upon my 5 years in the same position, but with no recognition that I have even hit this 5 year milestone what with all the change that happens around this joint. It leads me to think of how I got here in this office with no windows.
My first 2 jobs out of college I hated. The first one I stayed in for only 4 months because I was tucked away on a military base in a small southern town were I didn't know a soul in a house literally crawling with cockroaches; I was only 1 block away from the Chattahoochee. I worked in a huge building with 3 people, all of whom were ex-military and decades older than I. The second one I lasted a year, but only by necessity. My boss was a micro manager who had his one favorite employee and damn the rest of us.
Let me tell you a lovely story about that boss. I have plenty, but this one still pisses me off to this day. Actually everything that boss did pisses me off, from telling me to drive to a meeting and saying I should be able to know how to get there without directions because I made maps of the county (said county is 271 sq miles and I had been working in said county for 1 month), to making me go to meetings were I was the lone female in a group of 200 men who made up the roads and drainage crews for the city (nothing like being sexually harassed at meetings, but still being forced to go) to telling me that if I ate lunch at my desk, we had no break room, that I would have to answer and do anything he wanted me to do ( I promptly began eating in my car in the parking lot) . Anyhoo this one day the boss approaches my cube, and asks me to come to his office. I begin to make my way over when he tells me I need to bring a notepad. I grab it then follow him to his office, both of us passing the department admin who is reading a romance novel. The first thing out of his mouth after I sit in his office is "This might offend you, but...". You know you are going to love what your dickhead boss, whom you already hate with a passion, says when this is how he starts off a sentence.
"This might offend you, but I need you to take dictation and compose a letter to someone for me".
"Actually, it does offend me" I say. " I didn't go to college for 6 years and get 2 specialized degrees in order to be a secretary".
He sputters "Well, this is what you have to do to get ahead...I had to do this for my bosses, blah, blah, blah:".
Needless to say I made my anger be known and then wrote that fucking letter for him and gave it to him. To piss me off even more he then walks passed the mailbox and the copier, hands me the letter and an addressed envelope and tells me to make a copy and mail it. Let's just say that I cried daily the entire time I worked in that office.
So what the long ass story above is trying to illustrate is how I felt when I came to be sitting in the seat I am now. I came from two horrible jobs to this mecca of paradise. When I first began working at this "location" (we'll just call it a location since my company's have changed, but the business I consult to is the same) I was down on life after college. I hated my jobs and was wondering if this one would be any better. Well it was. The people who worked in my department, essentially my clients, were awesome. Everyone was all kumbaya and had been working together for awhile. We all got along and when you got irritated at someone it was more like being pissed at a sibling. I wasn't the biggest fan of the company I worked for, but my clients were amazing. 5 years later now and people have come and gone, most not by choice what with the continuously evolving climate. When I got hired by my 3rd company most of the people who I had worked with for 3 1/2 years got laid off. The new team that was assembled wasn't kumbaya at all. They were just a mishmash of people who didn't give fuck about one another. One by one they have been leaving, either by firing or free will, and now there is an even newer team in place who are the biggest dicks of all. No one works together, everyone is angry, and when you are pissed at these people it's like being in a fight with someone you hate... the hate just gets a little stronger everyday.
I'm to the point now, after 5 years in the same seat, of wanting out. I want my kumbaya back, but have been burned so many times that I am afraid of what is out there. Perhaps what I will get instead of kumbaya is another dreaded boss. While my team that I work with is awful, my company is the best it has ever been. My newest bosses are the best I have ever had and truly care about their employees. I have never worked for such a caring company. It's hard to think of what I will lose if I go out in the work force again. What to do, what to do?? I know most people experience these same issues and was wondering if you, my readers (what is left of them anyway), have any advice for me.
Thanks friends!
My first 2 jobs out of college I hated. The first one I stayed in for only 4 months because I was tucked away on a military base in a small southern town were I didn't know a soul in a house literally crawling with cockroaches; I was only 1 block away from the Chattahoochee. I worked in a huge building with 3 people, all of whom were ex-military and decades older than I. The second one I lasted a year, but only by necessity. My boss was a micro manager who had his one favorite employee and damn the rest of us.
Let me tell you a lovely story about that boss. I have plenty, but this one still pisses me off to this day. Actually everything that boss did pisses me off, from telling me to drive to a meeting and saying I should be able to know how to get there without directions because I made maps of the county (said county is 271 sq miles and I had been working in said county for 1 month), to making me go to meetings were I was the lone female in a group of 200 men who made up the roads and drainage crews for the city (nothing like being sexually harassed at meetings, but still being forced to go) to telling me that if I ate lunch at my desk, we had no break room, that I would have to answer and do anything he wanted me to do ( I promptly began eating in my car in the parking lot) . Anyhoo this one day the boss approaches my cube, and asks me to come to his office. I begin to make my way over when he tells me I need to bring a notepad. I grab it then follow him to his office, both of us passing the department admin who is reading a romance novel. The first thing out of his mouth after I sit in his office is "This might offend you, but...". You know you are going to love what your dickhead boss, whom you already hate with a passion, says when this is how he starts off a sentence.
"This might offend you, but I need you to take dictation and compose a letter to someone for me".
"Actually, it does offend me" I say. " I didn't go to college for 6 years and get 2 specialized degrees in order to be a secretary".
He sputters "Well, this is what you have to do to get ahead...I had to do this for my bosses, blah, blah, blah:".
Needless to say I made my anger be known and then wrote that fucking letter for him and gave it to him. To piss me off even more he then walks passed the mailbox and the copier, hands me the letter and an addressed envelope and tells me to make a copy and mail it. Let's just say that I cried daily the entire time I worked in that office.
So what the long ass story above is trying to illustrate is how I felt when I came to be sitting in the seat I am now. I came from two horrible jobs to this mecca of paradise. When I first began working at this "location" (we'll just call it a location since my company's have changed, but the business I consult to is the same) I was down on life after college. I hated my jobs and was wondering if this one would be any better. Well it was. The people who worked in my department, essentially my clients, were awesome. Everyone was all kumbaya and had been working together for awhile. We all got along and when you got irritated at someone it was more like being pissed at a sibling. I wasn't the biggest fan of the company I worked for, but my clients were amazing. 5 years later now and people have come and gone, most not by choice what with the continuously evolving climate. When I got hired by my 3rd company most of the people who I had worked with for 3 1/2 years got laid off. The new team that was assembled wasn't kumbaya at all. They were just a mishmash of people who didn't give fuck about one another. One by one they have been leaving, either by firing or free will, and now there is an even newer team in place who are the biggest dicks of all. No one works together, everyone is angry, and when you are pissed at these people it's like being in a fight with someone you hate... the hate just gets a little stronger everyday.
I'm to the point now, after 5 years in the same seat, of wanting out. I want my kumbaya back, but have been burned so many times that I am afraid of what is out there. Perhaps what I will get instead of kumbaya is another dreaded boss. While my team that I work with is awful, my company is the best it has ever been. My newest bosses are the best I have ever had and truly care about their employees. I have never worked for such a caring company. It's hard to think of what I will lose if I go out in the work force again. What to do, what to do?? I know most people experience these same issues and was wondering if you, my readers (what is left of them anyway), have any advice for me.
Thanks friends!
11 December 2012
My Bathroom Renovation
Guess what? Thanks to some rotting boards on the floor of my bathroom I will be renovating the bad boy sooner rather than later. Good for my love of design, bad for my pocketbook. At the same time I will also be redoing a bit of my kitchen. Why do both at the same time?? Because I already started buying kitchen items and the ball is rolling. Let's hope that the bathroom dealio isn't immensely expensive. I guess the nice thing is that my bathroom is 5x6 (not counting the tub area). The only negative is that the house was built in 1910ish and who knows whats lingering under the floor boards. I'm sure they will have to replace the sub flooring, what with the leak, but I'm hoping nothing else major is happening. So today I am posting a mood board of my new and improved bathroom..or at least what it will look like once it's been improved. I'm going for a modern and crisp, yet semi-cheap approach. After all, who knows how long I'll be in this house.
*Toilet by American Standard
*Penny round tile in moss from thetileshop.com
*Lillangen sink cabinet from Ikea
*Dalskar sink faucet from Ikea
*Molger bathroom mirror from Ikea- It looks like crap in the mood board, but HERE is a better picture
*Light by kichler nicholson on wayfair.com
*Toilet by American Standard
*Penny round tile in moss from thetileshop.com
*Lillangen sink cabinet from Ikea
*Dalskar sink faucet from Ikea
*Molger bathroom mirror from Ikea- It looks like crap in the mood board, but HERE is a better picture
*Light by kichler nicholson on wayfair.com
06 November 2012
Election Day Recipe
Here's were I tell you to go vote right? Ummmmmm probably not. While you should vote, I'm not going to tell / remind you because if you didn't remember today is election day then you shouldn't fucking vote and if you don't want to vote well then don't. It's your right as a citizen to not vote. Who am I to tell you otherwise? Do realize though that these are the people out there voting:
Anyways I'm sick of this election and am so glad it's about to be over (until the lawyers get involved of course). A couple of weeks ago I threw together a super easy meal and thought you might want the recipe. Just keep in mind it's not precise (at all). I'll call it goat cheesy pasta
Goat Cheesy Pasta
-whole wheat noodles (fun shapes are good. oh and you can use regular noodles if you want).
-vegetables ( I went with asparagus and arugula)
-goat cheese (makes sens right?)
-squeezed lemon juice
-salt n' peppa (the spices, not the girl duo)
-Basically cook you noodles like you like them and save a large spoonful or 2 of the well salted pasta water.
-I then cooked the asparagus on the stove top. Little olive oil in a pan and throw them over medium heat, stirring every couple minutes until cooked the way you like. I prefer crunchier and less done, but some people prefer soggy.
-Mix the noodles and cooked vegetable(s).
-add in 4 oz of goat cheese and a spoonful of the water and mix until the goat cheese and water has turned into a sauce.
-add in your greens (spinach or arugula). I like doing this after because I HATE soggy greens, but some people prefer to wilt with the asparagus on the stove top for a moment.
-squeeze 1 lemon over and mix.
-Grate fresh black pepper and then add a teensy bit of salt to taste. If you salted your pasta water then you shouldn't need to salt the dish much. Use lots of black pepper.
-Eat and enjoy!
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