Fairy Dust and Sawdust

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Just in case you are sick of remodelling photos, I thought I'd throw in this picture of our happy little Fairy Girl. She is doing well in her Montessori PreK classes and I've been lucky enough to have her staying with us part of this week.  We've been camping out in my bedroom, cooking on the grill and eating dinner outside.  What perfect weather to be without a kitchen!  We've spent all of our time outdoors.

See that ribbon in her hands? She has learned to tie knots and now everything she sees has potential for being tied together. Her #1 hobby is now tying long rows of knots in anything she can.

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We're on the home stretch with the kitchen now.

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Thanks for all your input on floor colors.

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I chickened out on staining the floor myself. For one thing, just testing the samples gave me a headache from the fumes. For another, I was worried that I would screw it up.  I've had a talk with the expert floor guy and he assures me that he can achieve a darker brown that won't be red and that will not cover all the cool old distressing. 

We are still under budget, so I didn't feel bad about having someone who knows what he is doing finish the floors instead of me.

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I had considered painting the floors, but decided to go low maintainence instead. A nice brown, the color of dirt will hide a lot!

By the way- that plastic does NOT hold back the sawdust and mess. The rooms beyond the curtain got a heavy duty coat of the stuff.  All the way up the stairs. I feel like it will take a lifetime to clean it all up.

While the floors are being finished, Sugarwings, Mayara,the dogs, my husband and I will be camping out in his office. We all want to escape from the fumes.  There will be a couple of days when we can't go in the house much. But there was no way we were going to turn down time with our little fairies just because we had a few minor inconveniences like a ripped up house and deadly fumes. 

IMG_4711 When I am not shovelling up sawdust or squirting gallons of caulk into cracks and crevices, or babysitting fairies, I've been making my kits for Once Upon A Dream.

I've pre-written a post with directions on how to dye crepe paper like I did for these Prize Ribbon Sprites.   It will be up while I am away at Jenn's event. I'll be gone about 10 days, I'm stopping to see my sisses on the way home, since I am driving to Asheville.   While I'm gone, I'll still have posts popping up every couple of days.  I'll also have my Ipad with me and might do some "live" posts from it.

 

23 thoughts on “Fairy Dust and Sawdust”

  1. Wow Karla,
    you have been a very busy lady, remodeling your kitchen and coming along nicely I might say…very beautiful, Fairy wings has grown so much love the pic of her with all the fairy dust around her…to cute!…have a fab time at Once Upon A Dream…I bet you’ll be seeing our Aussie girl Tash there…sounds like so much fun!
    x
    Kirstie.

  2. You are so amazing! How do you find the time and energy? Your fairies are so lucky and blessed to have you. I can’t wait a few more days and Asheville we will be!! See you soon. Grace xoox

  3. Nice update on the grands. If they’re not happy how can we be? LUV the ceiling tiles! Everything looks marvelous. Looking forward to the end results. Have a wonderful time at Once Upon A Dream.

  4. Karla it looks great. Clever girl Miss Sugarwings with all her knots. The ceiling looks amazing. What great weather to have a remodel in…enjoy…Renee

  5. What a cute little Fairy Girl and PINK, my favorite color!! Oh, boy, your kitchen is already looking beautiful!!
    Have a wonderful time! I met Jennifer at the Marie event in February (my first art event). I wish I could have gone to this one as I love Dee Faust (I met her at Tinsel and Treasures in September and was so excited to be able to purchase some of her creations).
    xxoo
    Marsha

  6. Karla, the kitchen is looking fabulous! I see in these pictures that the square in the floor is a heat register. I couldn’t make it out in the other picture. I see that you reused the corner cupboard that used to be in the kitchen, now you can put all your pretties back in there. I love all of what you have done. It is an inspiration to all. Can’t wait to see more pictures as it progresses!!
    Sandy

  7. You are quite ambitious Karla to even consider doing those floors yourself. One morning I walked into the kitchen and noticed a bit of water coming out from under the fridge. Not too much, just a little tiny, tiny stream. Well the next morning I walked into the kitchen to find all of the boards around the fridge buckled and contorted. It was horrible like something you would find in a carnival fun house only it wasnt fun. Thus began the project of resetting the floors. That smell you spoke of was so overwhelming that we all got sick. It was horrible and didnt go away for weeks. More floors in the house have to be done here in the next year and I assure you that we will be taking a vacation only to come back to the loads of dust you are speaking of. In the end it is all worth it but good call on allowing the pro’s to handle the project!

  8. The kitchen is coming together beautifully.
    You are smart to use the under-budget money for a pro to stain the floor is the fumes from testing were enough to give you a headache. Need to stay healthy and energetic to keep up with Sugarwings!
    Good luck on the post-remodeling cleaning. I dread that as much as construction.
    Have fun at Jenn’s event!

  9. Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous, Karla! Sugarwings is adorable! 🙂 I cannot wait to see the final view! I want a tin ceiling in my formal dining room!
    Have a great time at Jenn’s event and with your sisses.
    Hugs,
    Sonya

  10. The transformation is looking fabulous!! You lucky girl!
    You should teach your grandaughter some macrame knots– she could make necklaces and sell them at her daddy’s business lol

  11. Karla, That is some transformation! Yes, there is no way to keep out remodeling dust. I’ve actually had it ruin furniture.
    Sometimes, it’s nice to let someone else do the work. I bet the floors are going to look wonderful and will ground your light wall colors. I can’t wait to see it all come together.
    ~elaine~

  12. WOW!! Love that kitchen! It’s gonna look spectacular when you are done. Well with the headaches. Love the photo of little Sugarwings as well. Knots…hahahaha!
    Kathy

  13. Hi Karla, Sugar Wings, is just the cutest. Your kitchen looks just beautiful. I love your ceiling. I can’t wait to see it with your floors dark, it is going to be just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your home with us. Have a wonderful week. Hugs, Terri

  14. It looks so great! Imagine how surprised you’ll be to walk into your new kitchen after you’ve been away from it for several days! I wish I was going to NC, too. (Whine.)

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