The odds and ends

Finishing up the little details for the exterior siding before we complete the inside has been a BIG mental challenge for me. I have been buying kitchen cabinets, tile for the floor, staining the wood ceiling etc. but nothing should be started inside until I finish that darn exterior.  I don't want to be touch up painting in the middle of a rain storm on a tall ladder 20 feet high, so I had to just force myself to pick up that paint brush and finish what I started.

I'm pleased to report that all the exterior hardi panels got a fresh and final coat of paint, exterior wood nail holes filled and stained,  exterior trim around all the soffit vents had to be installed and stained / painted, exterior lights installed and programed and the largest task of painting the exterior stairs and installing the wood landing are all complete! Yippy!!!

So, to be truthfull....... there are still a couple of small odds and ends of metal trim on corners that will be unfinished until the end, nothing too noticable but for budget purposes we can live without them for now.  I feel so much better to have that checked off my huge list and now the fun part that I have been waiting for all project long can begin!  Plus it just started raining so....... it's going to be nice and dry inside!

Who are those guys?

 

Some quick photos (thank you mom) of our new  product line we have been using this past week while painting, fun times and definitely time for a facial....happy Friday!!

One man's trash is another man's treasure

I know that these aren't really exciting pictures, but I'm a sucker for the small stuff.  These scrapes of wood were left over pieces from the exterior siding. When we were finishing up the siding a couple of months ago I just couldn't throw the left overs away.  It was such a waste!! Well, let me take that back considering how much some people over order for materials then throw them away because they had to much.  I ordered the exact sq footage plus 10 percent for mistakes and such, but enevitably you always have a scrape pile.  The point that I'm getting to (it's just taking me awhile) is that your scrape pile might still be full of good stuff and could allow you to save some money for other areas.  Sounds good right?

So the pile of scape's moved to the corner of the building waiting for a new home.  And finally yesterday they were dusted off and re cut to there new destination of the bedroom niche.  This element has always been a little off to me.  It's never felt quite right even when I was first designing it. But now the wood is defining the line of the niche........ it's like a whole new niche.  The entire element actually has become important to the space, even from outside looking up into the room.  (Hummmmm It's like I planned it......shhhhhhhhhhhh)

My middle ground

This project has really been a struggle for me when it comes to my design decisions.  I have been picking paint for clients and my own projects for 8 years with no problems.  But I have really had some conflicting conversations in my head about what direction I want to go when it comes to wall color. I know in my head how I want it to feel but the designer in me wanted to go all bold and bright, and the architect in me wants the spsce to speak for itself and not be distracted.  After much debate (with myself and my poor husband saying he wasn't to sure about any of it) and one paint flub I finally decided. 

This color (which is called Soothing Aloe) from Benjamin Moore is the perfect balance to me between designer Terra and architect Terra.  Its not aqua blue screaming in your face and it's not white and boring with no personality.  Its not the focal point of the room, its just the middle ground. Just where I want it to be!

Back to my own pillow

Polaroid from trip somewhere in Nevada

I'm Back!  I thought I might post while I was away but it was just so nice to not have to pick up the

computer.  I have felt so unpluged for the last month and a half it's really liberating you should try it!  We had

a

wonderful summer filled with lots of family and close friends.  My husband swam in 8 bodies of mountain

cold snow water and I learned how to make homemade jam's and jellies.  We camped and hiked, went to

 family reunions and a graduation. Built 2 sheds,

one for goats one for our stuff, won at a family tournament of horseshoes with my best partner brother-in law

 Rob (freak flag's rule!!) drank lots of homemade ice tea while listening to records on

 the porch and relaxed. It was a

 summer that both of agreed was the best summer hands down and really want to repeat it again if

 possible.  But now we are back and a little revived (you never really rest on vacations) and ready to dig back

 into the grind of finishing our Treehouse project. 

neun..nueve..9..nove..nine..negen..neuf

Well, we have been busy little bees lately, BUT we did recently celebrate our 9th year anniversary.  It's crazy to me how time fly's by, especially when you have a sidekick husband who is amazingly awesome for putting up with all my crazy antics.  We have so much fun together, work hard together, love each other like crazy together and this last year solidifies what I already knew but get to recap each year on our special day.  We decided to drive up to Tacoma for a day filled with glass, antique's, good food, and old building sight seeing.  (all of our favorite things I might add)  Tacoma is a new place that we haven't spent enough time in so we had a blast driving around getting familiar with this extremely cool town.  We always hit up Seattle for our city fix, but Tacoma has some really happenin things going for it.  At one point during lunch we had practically decided to move there.....but  at the end of the day we are content to stay where we are for the time being. 

We have summers off so since the exterior is all wrapped up and can sit tight for a while we are going on a month long vacation.  We need a little break and have some family and friends to see, some rental maintenance to do and some much needed R and R to par take in. 

So, as we speak we are loading up our little Shasta trailer, hitting the road and hopefully will have a full recovery when we return. There might be some fun events while on the road, so stay tuned for a little more summer road trip and a little less construction. 

Reaching the limit

Do you see this extraordinary thing behind me....

Its my sheet metal, and it's the last piece of the crazy puzzle of siding for this building.  And of course it was the heaviest to put up........I have finally reached the limits of what I can do as a girl who weighs 118 lbs.  All the little pieces around the door and the corners were manageable (still heavy don't get me wrong) but I had to finally bite the bullet making the call for help from my framers to come and help install the (8) four by eight sheets.  (it took 3 strong men and 1 shrimp girl to still lift those suckers and screw 18 screws into place)

The process went as followed for installing metal siding:

Waterproof the wall with black roofing paper  

Create a rain screen on the wall using furring strips (this allows the metal to sit off the wall 1/2 inch for air circulation) 

Place furring strips 16 inches on center so panels attach to framing studs for structural support

Accurately measure out pattern for 12 gauge sheet metal

Pre drill each sheet per furring layout on wall

Hang each panel using 2" metal screws

After a year or so the raw metal will slowly start to transform into a copper orange rust.  The marine air and the rain will speed up the process.  Maybe in 50 years the screws will start to rust though, but this siding is going to be the most maintenance free material used so far.  I'm really in love with it and cant wait to try using it again and watching it change from the cool blue colors to the more vibrate rusts. Just some little trim pieces on corners and such and the exterior siding is done!!! Hooray.... thank god......I need a break!