Christmas Lights 2013

So here is the 1st effort at Christmas lights outside. 
As you can see, I can't quite reach the 2nd story...

Those 'winged things' are lighted bows with a swag, they look pretty in real life.
The porch has a 'curtain' of icicle lights - I really love them.
The wreaths in the windows don't show up very well - battery operated.

My future dream-come-true is to get one of those sleigh & reindeer blow mold, vintage - of course.  To go on the roof just outside the turret.  some day, some day.

Greater Little Rock Preservation Award

Our "Center Street Project" received an Award of Merit from the Quapaw Quarter Association at their annual meeting - Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards.  We are so proud!

http://www.slideshare.net/quapawquarter/qqas-2013-annual-report-and-greater-little-rock-preservation-awards  (see slide 41 for Center Street)

fancy newel post topper

At the top of the stairs with a two story drop...Lilly the Christmas Kitty decides she is a fancy newel post topper...

Landscaping finally gets started

We finally got started on the landscaping the end of April.  Focusing on the area along the foundation on the front & street side of the house.  Plan is to start with a good based of perennials and then a few annuals scattered in and add on each year depending on how it all grows.  We got several roses of a couple types; some vines; Azaleas; blue-ball-bushes (hydrangea); these cool dark Dahlias;  Japonica and a few other things.

The best thing is that we got the flower beds/landscaping a new border.  It is a concrete border that looks similar to brick but is really quick & affordable.
Here is their website - check them out - http://classicalcurbs.com/

We've only started on the front yard...back yard is overwhelming & overgrown.
The last two months we did start hauling away piles of junk from the back yard in trailer loads.  This is stuff that we inherited from the previous owner - including the torn down stairs & deck on the back of the house.  So far it has been two trips to the landfill & 1400 lbs of wood & brush - probably only one or two more trips.

 

House Warming/Party

Got moved in November 13th - had the Holiday Housewarming on December 15th.  
Great folks, great food & great time.  Here are a few pics (of the house).
I guess I wont' be blogging much for a while...the initial project is done.  
Of course, we'll have ongoing projects - in fact, right now the upstairs clawfoot tub drain is leaking & needs to be fixed...here's to old houses!
Christy

Moving day is scheduled!

There are just a few things left to do - the poles on the front porch, down spout on the turret gutter, painting the entry floor (not counting, the next 10 years worth of odds & ends - smile).

We are moving in on November 13th, the closing should be shortly after that.
Here are a few pics I've been gathering for our 'after photo' collage.

Both tubs refinished - they look beautiful.
We used Glaze of Arkansas.  They did both tubs as well as the sink unit.

 

The Entry stairs before & after.

 Above & below are a few of the before & after ceiling pictures - above is the area under the stairs, then the entry ceiling and then the living room ceiling.

Entry Ceiling After

 Downstairs bathroom before & after (above).

Guest room fireplace.
the wall & fireplace were a disaster.

 The 5th bedroom - or 'game room' was the worst room for walls & ceiling.  It is the one with the turret and there was tons of rain damage.  It looks wonderful, now.

 The upstairs bathroom is my FAVORITE room (I think).  The vintage-style pin-wheel tile was the same as in my Nana's house - that maybe part of my it's my fav.

 Yes, the above & below are the same room - at roughly the same angles!

 Jim's office (below) is probably the best room overall - the upstairs bathroom is my favorite, the stairs turned out closest to the inspiration but his office is still probably the best.  The navy-gray color he picked really works.  The vintage rolltop desk (not pictured here) makes it feel like it's always been that way (in a good way, not a 'The Shining' way).

Notice the kitchen isn't featured yet...in my opinion, it's just like the inspiration room & just what I had in mind.  I LOVE it.  But it's just not 'right' without the 1941 Merritt O'Keefe, so I'm not posting those pics until we get moved in. 

Working too furiously to blog...

So the exterior repair is set to be wrapped up the by the end of October.
Yes, about two months early.  That means I need the inside 'move-in-able' in the next 3 weeks.  That's why I haven't been posting - I'm in high-gear.  We are at 39 major items on my to-do list.  
All 5 bedrooms are liveable.  The bathrooms are about a day away each - plus the tub refinish process.  Dining, Office, Entry, LR and the like need a final coat of paint on the walls, trim painted & lights hung.  The big unfinished item is the kitchen...but the counter tops are going in this week & the floor next week.  The sink unit is already at the refinisher and the vintage stove is ready to drop in. 

The exterior is looking fantastic - went with the gray, cream, navy & red.  The copper finial and edging on turret gutter is such a nice touch of glitz that we're planning on putting a little copper on the ball of the porch post.

The porch ceiling is 'sky blue' which I'd always loved.   Here's what Google has to say about it:  Either they did it because their grandmother & her grandmother before her did it or "Once just an old Southern tradition, the blue porch ceiling has made its way north and is being introduced to new generations. There are numerous theories as to why – from fooling spiders and wasps into thinking the ceiling is the sky, to blue being a harbinger of good luck, to the color extending daylight, to scaring away evil spirits."

Jacob's room (13 years going on 23).  We went with a gray & black scheme with green as an accent.  Not sure you can tell from the pic yet, but it's looking great. 

Lucas is 8.  He LOVES red.  This is his room WIP.  He even painted him own red wall (the one around the corner - I showed it in a previous blog - I think).

The kitchen - see, it's still a mess.  I'm making more progress than you can tell.  I hung the inspiration room on the wall so everyone could see why the walls are that crazy green.