366: Day 170-176

So, I’m back quickly to post my 366 project. Here’s the Day Lily patch which I saved when redoing the garden. I love the foliage but not the yellow flowers so I snipped them all off. Also someone mentioned that they’re poisonous to cats which made snipping them off not as much of a sacrilege.

 

This week was paint week. I’ve been beavering away in the basement and staircase even with the sun shining outside. I think that yellow tint on those door was once a shade of grey. I’m returning them to their former glory I guess.

 

My next project, after all the doors, trim and more has been done is to make over these cabinets in the hobby room. They’ve served me well while all the renovating’s been going on but now that that will slow down slightly I look forward to making these look better.

 

This is what I’ve looked like all week. I didn’t even bother to clean it all off properly at night because it would get just as bad the next day. Also there’s constantly been a bowl of some hardware or other soaking on the kitchen counter. 

 

I did take a bit of time off on Midsummer’s Eve. Wille was away celebrating with friends, the sun was shining and I put my bikini and sunnies on and spent the afternoon lounging around on a deck chair.

 

I think I’ve mentioned that I have a garage. Turns out you’re not allowed to store anything much in there aside from a car, tires, bikes etc so I decided to store whatever else I had there in the attic instead so midsummer’s day was spent sweeping the floor up there, bringing everything upstairs via ladders and then cleaning the balcony and deck and myself thoroughly after because boy was that dusty! And yay! I found a second Eternite planter up there! It’s almost twice the lengths of the one I found by the compost earlier. You can see it on it’s head there on the right.

 

And I’m still painting as we speak. Here I’m waiting for the second coat on the underside of the stairs to dry. The white wall and grey trim is already done and I will wallpaper that yellowed grey there at the top. Ordering the wallpaper tomorrow (read today Monday).

So because I still have so much more I want to get done this last week of vacay, I’ll take the rest of the week off blogging to do it but I’ll see you again soon!

Comments

[tinajo]

Have fun painting! ;-)

[jja]

With so much painting I would probaly not wait long enough that the first coat get dry...this is the mistake I made many times. Too impatient.
How do you know that is dry - is it always the same time - and how do you bring yourself to wait ;-)?
Have a nice week.

[Carlos]

I read what it says on the can and try to stick to that. Also since I have so many projects going on it's not like I'm actually sitting there waiting. I get on with something else meanwhile :).

[Judith]

Oh gosh, you've reminded me how much a difference it makes to put fresh paint on yellowed doors. Something else for my vacation to-do list I guess!

Hey, a little interrogation about your iPhone cover: Is that a soft silicone one? If not, is it soft anyway and does it stay on well? Would you recommend it? I got the silicone one at your favorite place Clas Ohlson and loved it at first, but now it's so flexible that it just keeps falling off.

[Carlos]

My cover is an Apple bumper. It only covers the edges though. I've had it since I got my phone and I love it! http://store.apple.com/se/product/MC839ZM/B

[Hxx]

Glad you at least got some well deserved deck-time - it's all looking fabulous x

[Judith]

Oh, I'm so getting it. Just what the doctor ordered. Thanks!

Hope you keep enjoying your vacation and that the sun comes out again for a little while!

[Harpa]

I have doors exactly like those in the second picture in my house, including the horrible yellow and all... how do you prep them for the paint? I'm dreading the work, sanding, priming, then painting...

[Carlos]

If they're in good nick without major holes you can just use a de-glosser to remove the shine and get them clean before painting. I filled a few dings here and there with wood filler too and sanded those spots but other than that no more prep, no priming (since there's paint already) just two coats of paint.

[homestilo]

The deck looks great- glad you took at least a moment to enjoy it.

[Zosia]

Looking forward to all "afters". What are you reading (the book on the table)?
Have a productive week!

[Carlos]

It's a chic-lit crime novel. Not the best I've read I must say...

[Hilde]

Hello,
You are always such a busy bee working and mending your house. It has turned out great. I am a bit worried about the stool on top of the stairs. You are not standing on it I hope?

[DeNacho]

as usual everything looks amazing! i love the simplicity behind all your projects. it's easy to get covered in clutter when decorating. the deck/back yard is probably my favorite right now. as someone who has an entire section of my yard devoted to lillies (due to flooding & an impossible area) i cannot imagine cutting my flowers off but understand why you did. it all looks so great.

have to ask, in the deck photo, what is the grey rectangle object on the right corner of the deck? looks like a concrete something?

keep up the stylish work! oh & i went back & found the references to you in the most recent issue of Real Simple (US) & couldn't help but tell my husband "i 'know' this person"!

[Emily]

I'm happy for you that you have another week of vacation, but sad for myself that I must go another entire week without you.

I laughed at you cutting down the lilies!

I do have a question though - can you explain what you mean about the garage? Why couldn't you store anything you like there? And what did you have in there that you had to move out?

[Dagmag]

I second that concern! My husband broke some ribs in a very similar scenario. Quite scary...be careful dear!

[Peggy]

Thanks for the update. Now get out there in your bikini and do some more recreational reading! I hope that the good weather holds out for you and that you get to enjoy it. Happy vacay!

[Alisa]

So what I am wondering is who controls/knows/cares what you keep in the garage? What is that rule?

[katie]

I KNOW! my question exactly...why aren't you "allowed" to store whatev. u want in the garage? you own it right?

AND did i read correctly... white wall with GREY trim? what? i can't really tell ....it's in the stairwell. but GREY trim? what?

and i'm SO GLAD YOU'RE BACK!! i have MISSED YOU for a week! i know, silly. but i LOVE reading your dailies!
=)kt

[katie]

oh no! i just re-read comments which led me to re-read your little *side* note (you slipped it in) about not blogging another whole week! i-yi-yi! i know you have a life...and i'm happy for you. i will go another week w/o my daily benita fix!

btw benita....it's been, i think since fall of 2009 that i started reading your blog. it took me a while but i read back thru every single one of your posts. it started me on a journey of minimizing my household. AND going WHITE! eventually, we SOLD OUR HOUSE (praise God) and moved into a smaller home (you inspired us in your 1100 sf home) and moved into a much smaller (for us) home (about 1700sf) WITH A POOL! a dream come true. and we've set out to modernize this smaller house and at the time that i write this all but one room in this house is COMPLETELY bright white!!! i LOVE the clean, crisp-ness of our home. =) thank you!

kt from the desert of WA

[Michelle]

I'm with Hilde, that little stool on the top of the stairs is freaking me out. (:

[Carlos]

I am but I'm super careful and only for a mini moment when I'm doing the very top. Don't worry :)

[Carlos]

That is the Eternite planter I found in the attic, but it's upside down in the photo.

[Carlos]

The garages are in a row where we each have a door but then it's open in between so I can see everybody else's stuff. They don't like when you store "non-garage" items in case of a fire. I moved some wooden trellises out of there, some large baskets and some tarps.

[Carlos]

There's sort of a co-op thing going on with the garages where I'm not responsible of the maintenance of the garage but must follow some rules.The garages are in a row where we each have a door but then it's open in between so I can see everybody else's stuff. They don't like when you store "non-garage" items in case of a fire. I moved some wooden trellises out of there, some large baskets and some tarps.

[Carlos]

There's sort of a co-op thing going on with the garages where I'm not responsible of the maintenance of the garage but must follow some rules.The garages are in a row where we each have a door but then it's open in between so I can see everybody else's stuff. They don't like when you store "non-garage" items in case of a fire. I moved some wooden trellises out of there, some large baskets and some tarps.

[Carlos]

Yay to minimizing! Yay to white! YAY to a pool!!!

[Lisa Flaherty]

Nice to see a little glimpse of what you've been up to! Enjoy the next week, and hope you will balance out with a little more time on the deck!

[DeNacho]

how funny! it looks like some slick modern piece of garden decor in the photo!

[katie]

benita...what of your 'white walls with grey trim?' that threw me. GREY trim? i didn't know you use GREY trim. i thought you always went with white. what's your design theory behind the grey?
thanks!=)

[Kay]

Dear Benita,

for the sake of nothing less than your health - are you aware that

old Eternit = asbestos?

No matter how neat they may look - you better get rid of them asap!!!

;) Kay

[Cathy]

You are awesome and I am LAZY...I love all of your projects, now if you could just bottle up your energy and send me some!! I really enjoy your blog - it's so busy, yet peaceful!

[Carlos]

Actually Eternite/asbestos is fine to have if you don't tamper with it such as sand or drill it as it's the dust particles that are dangerous. My whole house and all the other houses in this neighborhood are clad with Eternite actually and it's perfectly fine.

[Carlos]

No design theory, I just like that combination for the basement. It's what was there when I moved in, I liked it and wanted to keep it but with fresh coats of paint on everything.

[jantina]

the first picture is spooky, there is someone walking with a yellow bag.

[Cecelia (evilbunnie)]

Benita,

I am always impressed with your stamina and resourcefulness. And I come to your blog because it feels so calm, peaceful and orderly in the midst of my hectic life. You have created a beautiful oasis here, with Wille and the cats and your projects. And I love watching the progress, and seeing how the plants grow, the house projects progress, and your home becomes more "homey" with your personal touches everywhere.

While I don't often comment, I am a faithful reader for several years now, and take strange pride when I see your contributions in magazines and cites to you in other blogs. Funny how you going on vacation really wakes me up to how much I rely on your posts, and how much you have shaped my thinking about organization, color and design. Thank you.

[Account Deleted]

Hi Benita :) hope you are enjoying your time off! I just found this on a Tumblr and remenbered that table you cut in two parts. here is the link: http://micasaessucasa.tumblr.com/post/22652540261/via-an-artists-home-in-toronto-the-style . See ya!

[r8chel]

Benita, I think it's hilarious that you cut off the flowers because you don't like them. I'm such a rule-follower that I would never even think to do that! :)

[Vanessa]

Oh, I really miss your posts and it´ll be a feast when you come back! But of course I wish you a happy, happy vacation. V

[Kay]

Thanks,
what you write is hard to imagine here, in Germany ;P
The tiles and a planter can be on the verge though, because of the water running down from it and then into the ground/canalisation.

Take care of your health ;)