Finally, someone...

... is working hard to get the house finished up.

3 days and counting...

Move-in day is fast approaching.  The closet systems and the glass work were completed today.  We'll still have a few loose ends to complete after we're in, but we're very close.  

Short post... lots of packing to do.

A colorful idea

I've always loved Mason jars (also called "Ball jars" after the Ball Corporation that manufactured them) but I get annoyed when restaurants use them to serve water or drinks.  The lip is too wide to drink from... and it's just been done so, so many times; it's tiring.

But while cruising around San Diego, I spotted this clever, colorful, cool, and cost-efficient idea:

It appears to be a simple Ball jar coated with a matte paint finish.  They look really fun!  I'm one of the least artistic people around but I think I can handle this project quite easily.  It will be a great way to add color to the new house.  And it's a good excuse to take another trip to the UW Bookstore's art department.

San Diego

Ben had a conference in San Diego this week so I decided to tag along.  It is one of our favorite cities.  We planned this months ago and didn't realize that we'd also be wrapping up the house at the same time 

I love this picture because it accurately depicts life here... quiet and restful pool time is often interrupted by the buzz of a Black Hawk helicopter.  I will also note that the weather lady has assured me that this is a "stormy day."

My first home project

If you've visited our old house, you'll remember our pale green, cardboard moose head hanging in the man room (via cardboardsafari.com).  I guess at some point we thought that green color was fine - but it started to feel drab.  So, after lots of searching for the perfect "rattle can" color, I found this vibrant turquoise color.  

If you live in Seattle and need a fun spray point color... go to the UW BOOKSTORE!  A very smart clerk at City Peoples (who was a UW art major) told me about their fabulous paint collection.  The cans are about $2 more than those at Home Depot, but they cover much smoother and dry very fast... and there were about 95 cool colors.  I got to choose from about 5 different shades of turquoise.

Project cost:  $15.  This guy will hang above our fireplace; he's a reminder of our old house.  The color will really pop on the steel fireplace... oh, did I mention, I changed my fireplace design... again?

The final countdown...

It was a 6-month project, but well worth it.  We're in the home stretch.  Carpets and closet systems will go in next week.  Then, we move in!  We are so excited to get back into the neighborhood... sorry Madison Park, you just don't cut it.    

Clear cedar vs. Black cedar

You know who you are... you've dropped hints about NOT staining the cedar black.  You're thinking, why would they use clear cedar and then stain it black?  After maybe giving it a teeny tiny second thought, we did it.

Before:

After:

My vote is still stands in the "black cedar" camp.  To me, it finally looks finished.  (It will look even better once the sun is shining on it... as it is in the "before" photo.)