Saturday, December 27, 2014

Closet drawers

Still focusing on in-the-big-house projects so I'm finishing up the closet as well. I wanted to embroider some sealife into the drawer covers to add a little fun.  The pictures don't quite allow you to see all the fun little details, but we'll give it a go anyway.

This is the bottom drawer, not quite finished...still need to attach the cover to the drawer.

The crab that lives in the bottom right of the bottom drawer.

And the seahorse that lives just above the crab.

Bottom drawer completed.

Second drawer up...

All four drawers...top one not finished.

All four drawers...top one finished

Drawers back in the trunk.  The light is a little funny on this pic and the bottom two drawers look fluorescent blue, but they really aren't.

There is a little bit left to do with the trunk, like put felt on the bottom so it slides on the floor without scratching, and the drawer slides need a little help too.  I only have six hangers to go in the left side, so I've been contemplating whether to make more hangers using the existing ones as a pattern or to design my own.  I was inspired this morning while watching Indiana Jones.  In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Nazi weasle-y guy gets out what looks at first like nunchucks, but turns out to be a fold-up hanger which he then hangs his leather coat on (in the desert no less).  Ideas and ideas are springing into my head!

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Stairs completed

This week I learned something new!  I learned how to braid rope back into itself to make loops.  It actually isn't difficult once you understand the concept and how to begin.  Here is my progress with the stairs.

First, the rope that will be attached to the stairs.

Here is the one with the eye screws attached to the stairs.

The pulley attached to the ceiling...

The rope and pulley with the upper section of stairs in the down position.  There is a carabiner on the stair-end of the rope so that once the stairs are down, the rope can be disconnected so it isn't in the way.

Bottom stairs in place minus the drawer/first stair.

And when I finally learn how to post a video, I'll have a video of my stair setup posted here too.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Stair progress

My stairs are finally taking shape.  Ever since I began thinking about my tiny house a LONG time ago, I haven't wanted a ladder to access the loft.  A couple of reasons are 1) where would the ladder live when not in use, 2) it is a single purpose object, and 3) don't want to descend a ladder in the middle of the night to use the restroom.  I've paid close attention to loft access in the tiny houses I've looked at and there have only been a few that I really liked and felt were a good use of space.  Generally speaking, ladders are only used to access the loft which means they get used twice a day... once to go down and once to go up.  Unless you are like me and drink too much Wild Zinger tea before bedtime, in which case they are used twice a night as well.  

I decided to use my counter as a landing of sorts and a bookshelf with a drawer as my lower steps to get to the landing.  The drawer will have a lid and double as the first stair. Haven't built that yet, but here is the progress so far.  

This is actually the second stair...

Second and third stairs...drawer will go on the right side on the bottom and be the first stair.

Here they come: the upper part of the stairs, landing (counter) to loft...

Before painting...

During painting...

After painting...

Here they are in place.  There will be a pulley system, which is next on the list, that will pull the bottom of the stairs up to be even with the loft for daytime storage.  I'm hoping that next week's update will show the whole stair system ready for use.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Inside projects galore

Very interesting how situations change from day to day.  Went out to clean up the trim stuff and put away tools for the night last week after turning on a movie for Mom.  Came in the house an hour later to find Mom sitting on the floor instead of in the chair where I left her.  This week she has also proven that it isn't a good idea for her to be left alone, even if she's engaged in a movie.  So I've taken up inside projects that I can bring in the (big) house.  First on this list is finishing up the drawer covers.  I have some oil paints that I have previously used on fabric, so here's where we are so far.

Lining up the drawer fronts so I know where the fabric will meet up once it is attached to the drawer.

Attached to a table for painting, and the seaweed drawn...

The beginnings of seaweed...

Seaweed finished. One more thing to paint, but you'll have to wait for the next update. :P

I'm excited to see how this will look once it is on the drawers and the drawers are back in the trunk!!







Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Kitchen and trim

The daylight showed that the paint needed another coat and now that is all finished!  Also, I changed my mind about the baseboard trim.  So now the baseboard trim is the same as the trim around the door.  I like it much better.  I also learned that I probably need a lesson in measuring trim. 

Door trim...

Trim for the corners of the walls...

I only did the trim for the living room/kitchen. I still need to finish the kitchen window trim...only had enough for two sides. I'm also going to put trim on the built-in shelves next to the sink, so I have a bit more trim to buy and put up. 

And on to the tile on the port side! I'm so happy with the tile in the kitchen!! Still need to grout it.


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Port wall finished and painted!

Last two rows are finished!  In the kitchen...

...and over the storage loft.

I got so excited that I put up the trim on the storage loft too.

Next came the paint in the kitchen.  Before I make the last propane connection to the cooktop, I needed to paint behind the cabinets.  The weather is turning cold and wet again this weekend, so I wanted to finish the paint before that, but I was worried that it would be too cold.  So back to the heat dilemma.  I ended up putting the panel heater on an extension cord and mounting it on some blocks to get it off the floor.  I was a little worried after a couple of hours that it didn't seem any warmer.  I knew that it would take a while because the heater doesn't blow air, it works by convection.  When I went out this afternoon it was at least as warm as outside, unlike yesterday when it was colder inside than outside.  At least I know the insulation works.  Then when I went out tonight after Mom went to bed to paint the second coat, it was nice and cozy.  So, YAY! For the panel heater!

First coat...

...and finished with painting in the kitchen!  Actually, I need to look at it in the daylight to see if it needs another coat, but either way it is almost there!


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Port wall covering

Wow, wow, wow!!  Port wall covering is coming along nicely despite the unseasonably cold weather this week. Hoping to finish the covering tomorrow, and get the kitchen section painted by the end of the week. Then I can put the cabinets back in place and connect the propane to the cooktop. Guess it is time to get the appropriate regulator and tank so I can do a bit of cooking. :)

So here is the progress on the wall. 

First two rows

Up to the windows after re doing the left end once. 

Kitchen minus the last two rows. 

Storage loft end minus the last two rows. 

So excited I can hardly stand it. Thinking that I'll really need some heat out there if I'm actually going to paint. So I'm back to that question again. 



Thursday, November 13, 2014

Propane plumbing is in!!

Two hours and Craig had the propane plumbing finished!  He'll come back when the wall is finished and hook up the cooktop. The relief that this is done is quite amazing!  I can move forward now with the rest of the interior!  Which also means that the remainder of the finishing is up to me. WOW!  Get ready for the wall covering. I'm in a little bit of shock, I think, and I'm also so very excited!  

Cooktop

Water heater

The wall...just waiting to be finished!


Didn't end up doing anything about heating. Thought about putting the flat panel heater that I got for the TV room out there, but by the time I got to doing anything about it, there wouldn't have been enough time for it to make much of a difference.

Monday, November 10, 2014

The plumber is coming! The plumber is coming!

Today is the day I've been waiting for!  Last week a friend of a friend, Craig, came over and gave me a quote for the propane plumbing, and today he is coming to get started (and I hope finished).  It is supposed to be quite cold today, so I've been plotting ways to warm up the bungalow without buying a space heater.  There have been so many small tea light heaters circulating youtube that I might actualy resort to trying one. We have a million and a half tea lights in our candle stash. So stay tuned for that news.  

And the utility box is finished. (Except for the drip edge)
Doors are attached...

Think I'll paint the latches blue so they blend in. 

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Utility box, etc.

I finally got started on the outside utility closet.  Here is the frame.


Then the weather turned and we were supposed to get rain, but alas no rain.  I did get the shingles on before the supposed rain.  Still need to go back and add a drip edge.  This particular item will be a bit questionable when I move the house because shingles aren't generally rated for 65 mph down the freeway for hours at a stretch.  So I'll have to come up with some kind of a covering to protect them. 

The siding is on. I was determined to NOT buy another piece of siding and I had a lot of scrap pieces lying around, so I pieced the siding together.  This pic shows it half painted...

And all the way painted. 

And the painted doors. Just need to attach them.

The plumber is coming today to give me a quote for the propane. I'm very excited about that because when that is finished, I can finish the interior and the water plumbing. Getting SO close!  WAHOOOO!

Closet update...
Got the cedar put into the drawers. Just need to finish the drawer fronts now and that will be done too. 

Stairs update...
Have a brilliant idea for the stairs.  I've started on it, but not posting any pics until I make sure it will work. :)

"That's all for now Vladimir."  Name that movie...  Hint: Doris Day.



Tuesday, October 14, 2014

More painting and stuff...

Two week update...
The list got shorter this week. Painted the gable ends blue. I also realized that I didn't paint the cut ends of the siding, so that happened too. I'm probably the only one who can tell, but it just looks a little more finished. Some before and afters. 
Before
After

Before                                                                                     

After

Before                                                                    After
The hinges, which used to be black, are now almost invisible...I like it much better.
 
The speakeasy was just looking a little out of place on a white door, so I decided to paint it white and I think it just fits better now

Started on the utility box, but wasn't too motivated about it yesterday, so now it is put away for a few days until the rain has passed.

Finished the painting on the trunk - inside and drawers.  I dyed a piece of fabric to use on the front of the drawers, but now I'm contemplating a more elaborate scheme.  Before I tell you, I need to make a decision, but I know it will be fabulous!  So, get ready for more fabulousness!