Project Update

Well, some of the projects on the earlier project post are completed or nearing completion, thanks to my dedicated and persistant husband.

The mirror that I refinished is now hanging nicely over our kitchen table and adds a great finishing touch to the space. The thing was a beast to hang because the frame was super solid wood, but we managed to add some picture wire to the back and get it centered on the wall with some drywall hangers. We found this cool tutorial to help us hang it at "museum height" (57" above floor height) so it really is the focal point of the wall.

The bathroom fixtures have all been hung and they look great! (After two years without a toilet paper holder, I think we're both grateful for the little things!) We hung the robe hook behind the door, but decided to forgo the towel bars for our bathroom due to the configuration of the space. Instead, we hung $3 stainless finish Command hooks on the back of the door. (There's plumbing in the wall that would be the obvious choice, and the other walls are too far away from the shower, so we'd end up dripping water everywhere.) Thanks to a Costco find, we were able to outfit our bathroom with all the fixtures for $30. The leftovers from that kit will go in the basement bath when we finish out that space.

We used a Lowe's card we got for our anniversary (thanks, D&D!) to purchase a set of faux wood blinds for our bathroom window. Benny and I managed to install them on a Sunday afternoon with minimal stress and no extra holes in the casing (hurray!). They look beautiful and are totally functional. I like the wide slats for easy cleaning in the bathroom, and the white color blends perfectly with the trim. I'm thinking we may add these (as the budget and gift cards allow) to the other windows downstairs for an additional layer of light and heat control.

The handrailings of the entire front deck are stained now. We're just waiting for a clear weekend day to stain the deck boards. That's how it seems to go with many of our outdoor projects... we're too exhausted during the week or don't have enough daylight, or it's raining on the weekend. The deck saga will continue...

As for the guest room furniture, it still sits in the basement. I'm hoping that perhaps over Thanksgiving I can at least get some of it primed and painted. Since it looks like we'll be staying in town for that holiday, that seems feasible.

The next projects before winter are to install a whole-house water filter (we scored a coupon for one at Lowe's and have some gift card funds squirreled away for that purchase) and a storm door for the front door. The storm door will help with heat loss in the winter, and with the screen, it will help with natural ventilation and cross-breeze in the spring/summer/fall. The whole-house filter will save our washing machine from dying a slow death due to sediment in the water from our well, as well as make the fridge filter last longer.

So, how do your projects go? Anything you're dying to refinish or revamp, but can't find the time? How do you finance your projects so they don't bust the budget? (We love the gift card and credit card points for saving the budget!) I'd love to hear from you!