Blinds and more blinds

While on my trip to IKEA a couple of weekends ago, I discovered some table runners that I thought would make good blinds.  So I bought them.  And here, two weeks later, we have some blinds to put in all the windows.  We have tan for the big windows and white for the kitchen.  Hanging the kitchen blinds will be more of a challenge than the living room windows.  So here's what they look like...

Kitchen blinds (not yet hung in the kitchen)

Used buttons on the pull strings

Living room blinds

Used beads on the pull strings.

Hung in the living room

I also got some permanent lighting put up.  I wanted most of my lighting to be run by smaller batteries like AA's (rechargeable).  So I found some LED strip lights that I've attached to battery packs.  I got the ones for the storage loft put up.  There is a switch just above the door, so the lights can be turned on as you walk in.  Still making some decisions about the ones for the kitchen. 

Stay-cation

About a month ago I scheduled with my brother to stay with Mom for a weekend so I could have a little break.  I then proceeded to make plans for that weekend.  Unfortunately...or fortunately, every plan I made felt really "meh" and I wasn't terribly excited about any of the other ideas I had either.   So I finally asked myself what it was I really wanted to do more than anything.  The answer was to work on the Bungalow.  So I decided to have a little stay-cation which has resulted in quite a few firsts.  I'll list them for you: first time to write in my journal while sitting in my living room, change my clothes, walk barefoot on my floor (I really liked it), use my composting toity, smash my finger with the hammer (amazing that I've gotten away with no smashed fingers until now), write a blog post while sitting in my loft, watch a movie...and those are just the Friday firsts.  Saturday firsts include eat breakfast, sleep on my new mattress, and pound with the hammer until 10:30pm (I usually quit WAY before that).  

Here is the stuff I finished while on my little stay-cation: inside window trim downstairs (I have a tendency to forget that there are windows in the lofts because they haven't been in the line of sight so much until now, loft windows are still on the list)

Before...

Starboard after

Port after

Bathroom after

Port kitchen (poor little window didn't get finished when the other one did)

Also finished the wall and loft trim with braided rope.

This braid in the kitchen is my favorite. :)

Put the backing on the kitchen shelves next to the sink.

With shelves...

Full perspective ...

And a little wooden flange (with a lot of caulk) for the propane pipe outside (still needs blue paint).

Made a trip to IKEA (danger zone) on Saturday (delicious meatballs and lingonberry dressing) and got a few items like a mattress (quite comfortable) which has actually inspired another new item on the to-do list: storage boxes on either side of the mattress to use loft space well.  Some table runners to make into blinds, lighting ideas, light bulbs, a few kitchen items and of course a chocolate bar or two for Mom.

I also spent quite a bit of time at the hardware store purchasing the parts I need for my propane set-up.  I should be able to fill my propane tank, and then cook and make hot water.  I briefly put it together to make sure everything fit, but the regulator and hose that look like they fit, didn't quite thread properly.  I'll clean the threads and then see what needs to be done.  Also while at the hardware store I bought the rest of the waste water parts I need to finish the plumbing.  I realized that I'm procrastinating a little with the plumbing.  So, back to my motto of "The best way to finish something is to simply begin."

Thank you Mike, and thank you Kristie!

Yehaaa! Very productive weekend!

More little stuff...whew!

I can no longer use the excuse that it is too cold outside to work on the Bungalow. We have had record high temps. It is very pleasant.  So here's what I've been up to.

This little brown piece has been on the to-do list since I put the siding up on the door end of the house.  Well this morning I was putting something away in the shed and noticed the piece which already had the correct angle (I knew I had this piece, but thought I'd have to look a bit harder).  So I grabbed it and started with that. Now I can finish the trim around the door (need to buy a 1x6). 

Next, I was getting up into the loft to get the laminate flooring that I had intended to cut today, and realized that I could put up my bathroom blinds because the window had been trimmed!  So, I got the blinds out of the loft and cut about an inch off the rods and they fit perfectly!

Daytime shot...

Nighttime shot...

Outside shot of the blinds

Here is the laminate I'll be using for the bathroom walls.  I want to test out my water connections before I put the wall covering on, but I figured I could cut the pieces so they are ready when I am.  

This is the wall that needs some covering.

Also thought I'd give some welding a try...solvent welding that is.  I still need a tailpiece for the sink plumbing before I can put this all together, but it is coming along nicely.  

I also made a list of the trim and plumbing pieces I need to finish up those things and I'll probably go purchase them on Tuesday when Mom's senior companion is here. 

A note about the waste water.  I've been looking into gray water systems, and it seems there are some states that consider kitchen waste water as black water because of the food waste that ends up going down the kitchen drain.  Since I don't really know where the Bungalow with be planted eventually, I thought it would be a good idea to separate my bath drain from the kitchen drain.  So, my plumbing plan changed a little, but it is actually easier to plumb it the new way.