Fireplace Conundrum

 Back at it again, last dirty fireplace pit! Not sure what to do with this space. If I paint it, then there is still a big gaping hole that goes to a nothingness of powdering fireplace brick and soot. If I close it off, I can't utilize it like a pretend fireplace with faux heater or pretty candle display. I could tile it, but the cuts would be unique to close off the hole and I would have to decide on color and buy more tile??? Conundrum, that is my new word I learned today which perfectly describes my dilemma!

co·nun·drum/kəˈnəndrəm/

Noun:

A confusing and difficult problem or question. A question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle.

 Dirty black soot!

 This is the clean version! See the bottom for the first sight!

 Summerwheat can see the beauty from the ashes!

I dumped the ashes in the yard, I figured it was good for the soil!

 Very dirty job! Did they ever clean out their fireplace?

 No treasures found....

 The date on this was 1955! It was crumbled up and half burnt, I love the picture, it looks so vintage!

Toying with Tile

We have finished tiling the Master Bath floor. The next step is deciding on the decorative tile that will be used in the shower stall and on top the vanity. I got the vanity for free because someone was remodeling and didn't want it. I had to cut the top to make each end match evenly because it had been mounted against a wall on one side. I was playing with a design on the vanity that I call a RANDOM pattern using the left over tiles I already had. I was placing the tiles in a pattern that would look naturally symmetrical without being regimented. Did that make sense? I didn't want a perfectly lined up pattern of even matched tiles on each side. That is just too boring and dull. This pattern creates interest and it is playful!

This is the glass tile that I really want to use on the vanity. I love that circle shapes, and it has an iridescent glow to it and it looks like bubbles.

 The other ares is the shower stall, the threshold and the shower floor. I will use the larger tiles as the wall base, but again, I want some interest in there and I was toying with this black and white checkered pattern for the threshold. It is funky and it draws your eye to the fact that there is a step there. I have some other ceramic fish and shells and I plan to do something with them too. Hmmmmm.....

The toilet is in place! I love this little, well I call it the Pooper Nook! HAHA! It gives you a little privacy if someone else is in there with you. The view out the window is of the rooftop and Church steeple. It is a great little nook. I need Art and a basket full of magazines! 

Also, notice the trim....we are using the same 1X 8 inch trim that matches the older trim in the house. We still have to apply quarter round, but it is looking great!

Master Bedroom, The Wallpaper & Wood Removal

Look what Greg & my Mom found under the paper! HAHA! Apparently Greg was a much better paper scraper than we have been. He had it down in a few hours. He used the tiger scorer and drenched the walls and that paper came down with a fright! They tried to trick me and showed me this picture that was taken with Greg's phone. Pretty funny!

Here is a pile of the paper. Messy job!

 Left over doors to be used after the drywall work is all done.

 Believe it or not, it is actually starting to look like a real room once we got all the mess out of the way!

This is all the wood from upstairs that had to be removed from the bedroom so we could start working on the walls.

Spring Flowers are in full Bloom!

 Yes, there is work being done on the house and YES, I will post some updates very soon, but for now, please enjoy some lovely photos of my yard and Spring!

 Have you ever seen such a gorgeous colored bush?

 I see a pretty birdie!

 Not sure what this bush is, but it is breathtaking!

 These are my stray cat beauties that love to romp through the flower bushes!

 Figs are growing.

 Snow ball bush?

 Pretty kitty with bright yellow eyes.

 Hudson was seeing if these smelled nice.

Hudson took this picture of me, I look a little tired, well, I am tired. But very happy!

 The combination of the dogwood, redbud & pom pom tree is just gorgeous!

Dogwood, in front of my cute garage.

Aqua Hallway Sneek Peek

We have been working away on the house in the upstairs hallway and bath. Drywall sanding dust is everywhere and most of the hallway has been painted. I have been saving this stain glass window and it will go in the upstairs hallway window.

 The window casts a prism on the wall up the stairs.

I kept the original light fixture, but I spruced it up with a little gold spray paint. I think it looks pretty fancy!

 I had not planned on painting the bathroom this salmon color, but I literally had a dream about it and saw this color casting a warm light in this bathroom and I had to go with it!

It really is a wonderful color and goes well with the house.

The feeling of In-tiled-ment.

Thursday, my day began with a choice...work on my own huge list of projects which seemed ever so overwhelming and never ending, or help a friend in need. I chose the latter. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our own lives and we feel so entitled to get our own personal tasks done, that we don't always notice that others may need our help. There was a friend that needed some help getting a small home together in  a couple of days and asked me to come paint. So I did and was glad to do it. I went and painted for them for about 7 hours, then I drove home. I had already made plans with my Mom to tile this evening so part two of my day began at 6pm. We tiled the rest of the bathroom floor up until 11 p.m.

The image of my hands and pants reflects all the hard work I did in one day, but the impression in my heart to give my time to a friend in need will stay with me for a lifetime.

"Define us not by what we have done for ourselves, but what we do for others." ~ Me (unless it was a quote that I  was unaware of it's existence.)

 Hudson was sick and missed  a day of school and had a lot of makeup work, so while Mom was busy tiling, he wanted to be near by in case he needed help, so there he sits amongst the work.

 This is my crazy tile helper, who wanted to remain anonymous. Well, it's my Mom, but she didn't want her picture taken.

 Actually she moves so fast, I couldn't capture her.

 Tile cutter on the roof at night, with a night light.

 Lil Dog is very confused about why I am out there on the roof, in the dark, so late.

 Messy, messy!

I kept working until we cut the last tile. I was determined to get it done. There are only so many hours in a day and we need to get this tile job done so we can move on with the project.

It was a long day, but worth every minute. 12 hours of hard labor between the painting and the tiling. Wheeeww.

A Tiler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no?

I hope a tiler on the roof is steadier than a fiddler on the roof or my bathroom floor will look dreadful!
If I could play a fiddle I would try to play it on the roof! I know I am glowing terracotta red! A little sun, a little tile dust.

 

 It was a beautiful day yesterday and I decided to move the tile cutter to the roof so I could be closer to the bathroom I was tiling. I don't have a fancy tile cutter, but it cuts tile. Tiling isn't easy and tiling on a diagonal is even harder. Keeping the tiles lined up and making unusual cuts is tricky.

 The tiles had a terracotta clay color back side so I had red clay splattered all over my face and hair and the roof!

 Lil' dog couldn't understand why I was on the roof, she kept saying Roof Roof?

From the outside looking in....

Great song, take a listen!