Room Revealed!

Well, it's time for your Martha update and I've got plenty to tell you about.  As you may or may not recall, my timeline for bedroom #5/office had a mind of its own and I've been humbled by my "too big for my britches" plan. That said, I have really impressed myself, which is saying a lot!  I've decided to move to a new system called THE CHECKLIST and I will no longer torture myself with silly timelines, instead I will make a list and cross off each item as it gets done and no longer feel like I'm a complete dope for not finishing the project on my over imposed time constraint.

I would like to take this time to revisit the window area.  If you have ever tried to work with older windows you already know what I'm about to tell you.  If you had old windows and just said "this is crazy, I'm buying new windows", I hate you!  LOL  Just teasing.  I never took the time to get to know my old windows and I've lived in two older home in my adult life.  In our first house, the windows were painted shut so I just continued with that pattern.  In our current home, I almost lost my hand due to a window that just fell on my hand while I was trying to pull the screen down.  We tried to work with those windows for a few years and then George just said "ENOUGH!" and we got new windows. In Martha, we are trying very hard to keep her windows in tact... the glass in the windows is more than 1/4" thick.  That may not sound very thick but if you saw a broken piece, you'd say Whoa! If you buy a piece of glass in today's world you'd get a piece that's about 1/16" and if you ask for double pane it's not quite 1/8" so 1 /4" is really really really thick!  We also would loose all the ornate handles....and openers... like this.

And all of these window openers, that's what I call them, match the door handles and they look like this...

So we have opted to get to know our hardware and love our windows.  UGH.  Windows are a time suck that you will never get back and they demand that you love them or they will allow gust and rain and snow to come visit you in ways you don't want them to visit.  One of the very cool things about old windows is that windows with cord sashes on the sides have weights that help hold them down or keep them up and to do that, they have a hidden compartment on each side of the window opening. You get to open them up with a screwdriver and gently pull out this hidden side panel.  Inside is a very long weight that is seriously heavy and super dirty!  Then you have to take the weight out and run a new cord sash down from the opening at the top and tie  a knot onto the weight and then try to get the right length on the cord so the window will stay shut or open according to your wishes.  My problem arose trying to fish the cord down the side.  You need something with weight so it will fall down the opening, otherwise the cord just gets tangled up and clogs around the open.  The opening isn't too big so it's got to be small-ish with weight....hmmmm... I looked around for about 30 minutes and could find anything that fit and THEN I had an idea...my earings were sorta heavy and they would fit so I sacrificed my earings by running the hook thru the rope and taping it to the cord and fished them right down through the opening and tied the knot!  I'm AMAZING!!!!  I thought I took a picture of this but I can't find it. Whaaaaaaaa.  Any way... both of the windows are in!  Both of the windows are properly hung.  If you're thinking that this is a lot of dribble and blah blah blah... imagine how I felt living through it.  BORING!  I'm just saying that I worked on windows for more than 2 days...replacing broken glass, glazing, stripping, sanding, painting - 3 coats, rehanging and now...those are done!

Did I happen to mention that the room is now painted and the trim is done and oh....let's just look, shall we?

Bedroom #5/Office

Sanded the radiator cover and painted it black.  The artwork is a picture I took in Madison, WI on a rainy day in April

Bookshelf and stuff not yet hung.

Area where built in desk will go!

This is getting a new wall sconce!

This is with the overhead lighting off.  Can you say charming?

New beautiful Rug!

Just Saying!

So now, I think you're getting the picture...Yes, I'm getting it done.  Yes, I'm amazing.  Yes, I'm a dope.  Why yes, I am that kind of girl.
One room of 20 is now live-able and while it's not officially done, it is amazing.  I can't wait to put the finishing touches on it and move on to the next room.  Next room is the "Lounge Suite"... Coming soon to blogs near you!
Peace,
C