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!!