Friday, November 14, 2014

Betwixt Sanding & Painting

Still chugging away in my little kitchen makeover.  I've not got very far yet, but the work involved to get this far has made me muscle sore.  I thought I'd share my progress, such as it is, so far.  This is what the cupboards looked like at the beginning ...


A set of dated oak cupboards, some of which have lost a good deal of finish from wear and tear.  We toyed around with lots of ideas for this (for far too many years).  I'm tired of waiting for a change, however, and have just accepted there will be no new cupboards forthcoming at this time.  I decided I might as well just paint them and give the kitchen a fresh look.  Below is the facing wall of cupboards:


I've since removed all the cupboard doors and made a map of the doors and labelled them all.  My husband was impressed.  Some of the doors are just slightly different in size I noticed, so why bother fussing with all that later.  Marking them as to their original position will take out the guess work later ... you know, when I'm zonked and fed up with the entire ordeal and just want them screwed back in place!

Thankfully, with my daughter back in university (and she promised she wouldn't be back for three weeks!), we've been able to utilize her room as a storage locker.  I keep the door closed so the pooch doesn't go in and "investigate" (ie. sniff and lick!) my wooden cutting boards etc. 

My daughter's room now looks like this ...

She would kill me if she knew how we use her room in her absence!
... and my kitchen looks like this ...


Yes, I know, the spice cupboard will be emptied prior to painting ;)

All the framework has been sanded, screw holes filled and sanded again, and everything washed clean inside and out!  The sanding and washing were the worst parts, and my shoulder took a beating yesterday in my splurge to get past this point and onto painting.

The doors are stacked and waiting for someone? ... yeah, probably me ... to sand them all down in preparation for the painting.  I wanted to get the framework finished first, and then we can move some of the dishes and food back into the cupboards.  Hopefully I can sand the doors outside to save us from any more super-fine dust.  Even though it snowed yesterday, there'll hopefully still be a few more chances of good weather this weekend.  

While all this is going on, I see my Christmas cactus is blooming profusely, in the other side of the kitchen.  I just love the cactus against the now blue kitchen walls.  It just shows up so well!


It really needs to have its own table to sit on so that the branches can droop down gracefully and they wouldn't get broken off.  It loses the effect sitting on top of the breadbox.  The poor thing is shifted all around the kitchen when we need to use the table or whatever it is it's sitting on at the moment. Something more to think about after my current projects are finished in the kitchen.



Surprisingly, in between bouts of sanding, wiping up more dust, and hunting for dishes in the storage locker, I've also worked on a small cowl in the evenings.  My daughter requested a thick cowl to wear to "keep me warm while waiting for the bus".  Last year's deep freeze has made believers of university students to things like scarves, hats and mitts!  I found some pure Shetland chunky wool in Mom's stash, and combined a cable pattern, altered it to knit in the round and came up with this:


She had shown me one that one of her roommates had, and I fashioned it to be the same style.  It should be super warm, but I'm a little worried that she may not like the itchy pure wool.  It seemed soft enough when I felt the ball of yarn, but when I knit it up and put it on, it seemed scratchy even to me (and I love pure wool scarves). I knit a double layer so that it can be worn folded over ... extra warmth!!  The section that's folded down the inside is just 4 x 4 ribbing.  I've named it the "Polar Vortex Cowl" and one day I might even write up a pattern.  But for now, all you're going to see is this photo.

Oh yes!  And this is the kitchen window (below) where we can see my neighbour ;)  We were surprised one day when they covered their gazebo with this huge ugly brown tarp for winter.  I don't understand it, as it completely covers their kitchen sliding door onto the deck, and also the sliding door from their bedroom window ... two rooms now blocked with no view!  As ugly as it is, it does offer a huge amount of privacy for us ... and the dancer.  And now we can only imagine the dance routines that happen inside that gazebo ... ha ha!


That's it for me for today.  I'll hopefully get the primer coat on those frames this afternoon.  I have to visit my dad tomorrow as I've been away from him for three weeks! I took two weekends "off" to spend time with my own little family (and always feel guilty one way or the other).  Last time I visited, Dad slept his way through my entire time with him, and I felt quite defeated.  I seriously wondered if the staff has been sedating him again (something we were not aware was happening when he first arrived there). Things with Dad's nursing home are not quite as rosy as was made out in the beginning.  That could be a whole other post in itself, and maybe one day I'll write it.  It's a difficult topic for me to write about as I feel it ends up being a black moody post full of complaints and dark thoughts.  

Anyway, time is ticking as I keep coming back to write a little more on this post.  Time to hit "publish" and share with you all :)

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Wendy


26 comments:

  1. wow you have been busy ! can't wait to see the finished kitchen ! love your cactus , it's obviously very happy where it is to be flowering so crazy ! I read an article that said "do not move them when they are in flower " ...I don't know what would happen if you did but I just never chance it ! eek horrible gazebo cover but glad you have more privacy ..shame you haven't got a shrub or something to disguise it. sending you love , I know how hard it is when your parents need care ...thinking of you ...Gail x

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  2. If it makes you feel any better, I'd kill for your cabinets!! Mine are original to the house when they installed the bathroom and built in cupboards. The doors are literally pressboard/particle board. They were painted when I married Colin. His mom assured me she had painted with acrylic. We re-did the house that first year (last done in the 80's) and guess what?? She had used oil paint. So now I've got large spots with ugly blue showing through the white.

    Can't wait to see it finished. I've promised Ella we'll do her room soon (it's too 'little girl') but I need to figure out a storage space first.

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    1. I can totally understand your disappointment Paula! When I was first married, our first house was a townhouse, and every single wall was painted in oil paint. We didn't realize until we painted the first wall (a two-story stairwell), and the acrylic paint just globbed off the wall ... so disgusting! It was luckily a fairly easy fix, but a bit of work. We sanded the wall smooth again, washed it well (you can use a cleaner here, but we just used hot soapy water) and primed it well. The sanding is key because you want to really rough up the glossy oil paint so the primer will adhere to the wall well. Your paint store can help you choose a good primer, but I've had good luck with "Bull's Eye 1,2,3" primer, which I buy at Home Depot.

      I agree that clearing out the room you're working on is a big challenge. I was lucky with my daughter's empty room this time, but in the past I've just stored everything in lidded totes stacked in the garage. The nice thing there is that you can purge the unwanted items before taking anything back in the room again ;) Good luck with Ella's room when you finally get to it!

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  3. Sorry to hear things aren't great for your Dad Wendy it must be a huge worry for you. I'm so impressed with your kitchen progress it's going to look lovely when it's done, I can't wait to see what colour you are going to do the doors, how on earth did you find the time to make a cowl when all of this is going on? I think it's lovely and I hope it's not too scratchy for your daughter maybe a rinse in fabric conditioner might soften it up, I know I can't wear wool for this reason. Have a lovely weekend and don't work too hard! :) xxx

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  4. Your Christmas cactus is gorgeous! I love the shots of the beautiful blooms! The cowl also works warm and cozy; even if your daughter would be dismayed with how her room is currently arranged, I'm sure she's grateful to have a thoughtful and talented mother like you!

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  5. Sorry to hear of the situation wit your dad, it's a horrible situation for everyone. Your daughters cowl looks fab & real wool can be so itchy, I've started to knit some wrist warmers from real wool.

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  6. Hey rock star look at you go!!!! I know how hard it is to get all of that prep done so high five on everything you have already accomplished!!! And that cowl you made your daughter is gorgeous.... Love that color! And speaking of gorgeous your Christmas cactus is so very pretty!!! Look at those blooms!!! As for your dad that really breaks my heart. I wish there were better options out there for the elderly. Please know I will keep you all in my prayers. Good luck with the kitchen friend. Hope you get to see your dad this weekend....Nicole xo

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  7. You are putting a lot of thought and effort into your kitchen makeover. It can only look great afterwards. On my list for next year is replacing the cupboard handles. I'll just do it when Hubby is at work...a fait accompli.

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  8. Oh! The energy to get to grips with that lot! Well done. I will look forward to seeing then end result.i am so sorry about your Dad.... It's so hard.... I know and that feeling if helplessness is so horrible. Keep your chin up xxxx

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  9. Well done you! It will be great when it is all done, but I can tell that you have done masses already! Just try and keep going and thinking of the end result. You know that I am sending good wishes and so on about your Dad. Hope you have a good weekend. xx

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  10. I love that juxtaposition of the looming cactus and your newly painted walls - great colors!
    Good thinking to do the cabinets first so you can be using them while you're cracking away on the doors. Quite a task! So much sanding along the way. Good luck! I'm sure the end result will be very satisfying.
    And I hope all is well with your Dad. It's such a difficult situation. Good thoughts to you!

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  11. Can't wait to see the finished cabinets - clever idea to make a map of the doors! Your daughters cowl is fab, she will love it :)
    Have a great weekend,
    Jillxo

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  12. Your Christmas cactus is gorgeous! I know it cheers you up while you work! I hope you have a good weekend and get lots done. What a job! But you'll love it when it's finished! Sweet hugs, Diane

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  13. Oh, that tarped gazebo is something else!!
    I'm looking forward to seeing the new colour of the cupboards.
    Jane x

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  14. Hang in there, you'll be so pleased when it's done. and that is an ugly tarp!!! Sending well wishes...

    Hugs xox

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  15. That is a huge job. Painting is not my favorite thing to do. I would have just been slapping on paint without taking the doors off or sanding or anything. :) Good luck getting it all done fairly quickly ... at least before your daughter gets back. Sorry to hear about your dad. I would definitely be talking with the staff to make sure he's not getting medication that he shouldn't. Such a shame when those in charge of caring for someone choose to go that route rather than working in their best interest. All the best, Tammy

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  16. You are working hard on that old/new kitchen! It is going to be so nice to have fresh in there. That cowl is beautiful. Such a great color.

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  17. As i can see the pictures i understand that you are fixing your home for christmas?
    painting, renewing, changing things around,
    great! dont worry about the messy part, if its no mess
    cant be beauty...

    im sure the results will be great!
    Have a blessed weekend...loves soray

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  18. That is a huge project you have undertaken! It is going to be worth it in the end. Just keep repeating that to yourself over and over. I think there are strange happenings over at your neighbours. Maybe it's just as well they have put up the tarp. Sorry to hear the situation at your dad's new nursing home isn't a good one.

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  19. Take care ... cause between the work in your kitchen and your dad .... well, Hope that's everything will be good for all of you ! Thanks for sharing ! Have a lovely week end !

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  20. Your cabinets are going to be really beautiful in the end. It's a lot of hard work, and I think you're very brave doing so much of it alone. I'm sure it will be worth it. Your Christmas cactus is so healthy and beautiful. I've had two of those over the years but I can't seem to keep them alive. And I love the color of your cowl, it's very soft and feminine. You did a great job with it.

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  21. Love, both the pattern and the colour of the cowl; It look so warm and cosy! I The cactus is so pretty.
    wishing you a lovely weekend.. - Gaia

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  22. You're adventurous taking on sanding and painting. I leave that to the mister. I just pick colors. Your cactus really looks not only gorgeous again your new blue walls but pretty darn perfect on the breadbox too. You have some interesting neighbors...I'd rather stare at a brown tarp than naked dancers!

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  23. Ooh, how exciting that your kitchen makeover is progressing apace ... you're a braver woman than I, that's a lot of work you've taken on!

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    1. PSI hope things are improving with your father x

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  24. I you had a good weekend Wendy. I wish you a lot of luck with getting the cabinet painted and up. I love the cowl you knitted and the color of the yarn is so pretty. I know your daughter is just going to love it! Thanks also for the great advice. Have a nice day and enjoy the week.
    Julie

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Thanks so much for leaving a comment, it's nice to know when you've stopped by! :)

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