Attic Update 7: French Doors

Well...the French doors are up!  They still need to be sanded down a bit & primed & painted...but they're hung!

Dad came over one afternoon this weekend & we framed out the door jamb & got everything level & nailed up.  I use the term "we" loosely.  It was mostly him...I'm just there to make cuts, hold things, & hand him tools.  He does all the skilled work - ha!

Iron Man even made an appearance...he's good at fetching tools.

After the jamb was straight & level, we screwed in the hinges & hung the doors!  He asked to be in the picture.  Apparently this is how Iron Man smiles.

From inside the future master bedroom looking out onto the landing.

And from the landing looking into the future master bedroom.

Looking into the bedroom from the top of the stairs.

Don't they look awesome?!  My dad has crazy skills.  We still need to sand them down a bit so they don't rub when they shut, get some hardware on the doors (knobs & locks), & prime & paint them...but I LOVE how they're looking so far!  (I think Eli's even impressed!)

Attic Update 6: Random little things...

I misplaced/lost/forgot my camera charger at my grandpa's 95th birthday party a few weeks ago.  Therefore you'll have to deal with iphone pics until my replacement charger arrives...sorry.

We're nearly to the point of hanging drywall, but there are a few small things we're doing as we wait to start on that in a few weeks.

First, we started to take out the last remaining original window in the house this weekend, but after climbing up the ladder, dad deemed it too windy to keep at it & we had to settle for just loosening things up & cutting the wood to frame the new window in.  Con = no new window...yet.  Pro = everything is prepped & ready to go for a (hopefully) smooth replacement this weekend.

(Please ignore the state of the siding on this side of the house.  Eek!  The hot south sun is killing it.  It's on the schedule to be replaced in the spring...this cannot happen soon enough.) 

Since we didn't work on the window on Sunday, I decided to sand & stain the stair treads instead.  It looks pretty scary right now...half primed & stained.  I'm keeping the faith that it'll only get better as I finish priming, painting, & finishing them.

The French Doors are also ready for paint!  I bought the hinges & dad put them on the doors yesterday.  I also bought a couple of 1940's glass doorknobs on Etsy for a steal - $12 for two sets with back plates!  I'm planning on spraying the back plates ORB to match the new hinges.  Right now I'm leaning toward painting the door yellow to coordinate with the yellow stained glass in the corners.  That could change though.  I'm always changing my mind - ha!

I think that's all I've got for you on the attic.  Hopefully after this weekend we'll have a new window, primed doors, & be one step farther along on the stairs.  It's always good to dream big, right?! :)

Attic Checklist:
insulation: between rafters, loose in walls, foamboard on ceiling
frame up walls & closets
level out ceiling & jack up sagging roof
new electrical throughout attic
new window
planks in bunk & on upper portion of end walls
move vent from closet to bedroom
drywall (hang, tape, mud, sand)
build, paint, hang French doors
prime, paint, stain, varnish steps
remove door to attic & open up
prime & paint walls & ceiling
spray, make, & hang lights
finish floors (stain, paint, just varnish?)
paint & install stair railings
paint & install baseboard trim
paint & install board & batten trim
closet systems
storage doors for under eave access

Attic Update #5: Bunk Nook = complete!

I(we) checked another item off the attic list this weekend!

The inside of the bunk nook is finished.  My arms are still burning & neck is still sore from caulking & painting all weekend, but it's so cute & cozy, & it was so worth it!

Friday night & Saturday were spent nailing up all of the pine planking.  It was a little tedious, but dad & I had a good system going with me cutting & him measuring & nailing the planks up.

On Sunday morning I dug out my trusty tube of fast-drying, paintable caulk & got to work filling in all of the nail holes, gaps, & knotholes.

I finally picked all of the caulk out from under my fingernails today.

Then, my trusty helper worked ahead of me painting all of the seams.  He lasted about 15 minutes, but that's ok...he's 4.  He told me that grandpa is a builder, because he builds all of the time, & me, grandma, & him are the painters...but someday he wants to be a builder like grandpa.  :)

On the left is pre-paint & on the right after one coat of primer/paint in one.

After two coats of paint & looking fine!  (That gap in the top right bothers me...I'll have to get the caulk out again to fill that in.)  The header in the top right will be trimmed out after we finish the sheetrock in the rest of the attic.  I think that crisp white paneling is probably one of my most favorite things...in the entire world.

He's 4 going on 18, I swear.  He grabbed the switch plate & hung it back up without me even asking.  He's an old pro at this painting thing.  Such a sweetie.

Looks pretty good until you pan out & see the chaos surrounding the bunk!  Ha!

I couldn't resist throwing some random bedding in there this morning...just to see what it could look like in a few months when we're hopefully at the end of the remodel.

I think it'll be magical for night-time storytelling.  I can't wait!

Random side note...just so I can look back & remember...a few months ago we jokingly told Grady this (the bunk) was going to be his new room.  Yesterday he said to me, "But mom...where is my closet going to be?".  Hehe.

Flag Football

This guy started flag football last weekend.  The first day there were some tears due to a competitive game of "sharks & minnows" tag.  This past weekend though, he was all smiles & has woken up each morning since asking if it's "football flag" day.  :)

Eli is one of the volunteer coaches - he's so good at it.  He really found his calling when he chose to coach.  It doesn't matter the age, 4 year olds or seniors in college, he just connects with them.

That's my guy in the red Husker shirt & black shorts.  He got a late start & still beat the other kids.  He's fast.

Good hands, kiddo!

I'm ok with this flag football stuff...although I don't know how I'm going to handle it in a couple of years when he starts tackling...or being tackled.  Biting my fingernails already!!!

Attic Update 4: The Bunk

The attic insulation is finally done.  It's been a journey...that's for sure!

Before we start hanging drywall, there are a few smaller jobs we're planning on tackling.  One of those smaller jobs is the built-in bunk.  We've got it all framed out & wired for a reading light already.  The last thing we need to do to finish it is to nail up pine planking & paint it.  The only problem with that is that the roof inside the nook is slightly uneven.  (See how that black tape line slightly curves up on the right?  The ceiling is maybe a half of an inch low in the middle of the bunk, which would make the paneling wonky where the ceiling meets the wall...as in, the line between the paneling would be crooked...not good.)  Thus, we have to level things out before we install the planks.

That's what dad's working on now!  (Excuse the grainy iphone pic...it's all I had on me!)

Hopefully by this weekend we'll be ready to start nailing up those planks!  :)

I'm envisioning something like this: (A twin mattress will fit on the platform.)

Labor Day Impromptu Photoshoot

Last weekend, between working on the attic, attending my grandpa's 95th birthday party, & driving 2 hours south to visit one of my BFF's who was visiting from Phoenix, Grady & I played outside.  A few minutes into our tree climbing sesh, on a whim I decided to run inside & grab my camera.  I'm SO glad I did.  I got some of my favorite photos of him...ever.

sweet:

silly:

smoldering? (hahaha):

Gosh...I love this kid.  He's growing up too fast...

Attic Update - allllllmost ready to rock {sheetrock that is}

After taking much of the summer off from the attic project, we're back at it!

Dad & I have been working on finishing up the foam board insulation (1 small piece left), & making sure we have all of our "nailers" in place so we have something to screw the sheetrock into.  It's exciting stuff!

We also purchased all of the plank paneling we'll need for the end walls & bunk nook.  (Can't wait!)

View from the top of the stairs looking toward the bedroom.  Office area will be on the right of the stairs, bunk on the left, with French doors leading into the bedroom and closets on either side.  (Ignore the tools scattered around!)

View from inside the bedroom toward the stairs...we're going to leave the chimney exposed.

This corner will be my office...

and this is the space that we'll build in a twin bed with the walls & ceiling in white planks.  (Grady says it's his room & that he'll use his old bedroom just for naps...haha!)

Oooh!  And the most exciting development...dad is almost done rebuilding the French doors...you know, made from my cousins, Keith & Megan's old windows!  He just put the glass back in & they're just about ready to paint!  I'll post more about how he refurbished them once they're painted & up!  (PS, I would have loved to keep the old blue paint, but we would have had to match the paint & the distressing on the new bottom panel & it just wouldn't have been possible.  My dad ran the whole window frame through the planer to get a nice, smooth surface to prime & paint.)

Next on the list:
Put in that last new window
Get sheetrock up (ceiling first)
Work on painting/staining the stairs
Nail the planks up in the bunk

Sometime later this fall/winter:
Sand, prime, paint ceiling & walls
Hang light fixtures
Finish floors
Hang French doors
Trim out everything
Build storage access doors
Paint & put up new stair rails
Closet systems

After taking whole the summer off, I'm crossing my fingers that we can finish, or get close to finishing by Christmas.  Wish me (us) luck!!!