We, (Okay I) seem to keep getting us side tracked with our Home Renovation Project. Well, the Saint had us sidetracked for a bit with poison ivy in the eye, legs and arms. Yikes, that set us back a few days. McCorkles Nursery Bargains set us back and now Bricks become the culprit. Look at this haul and all for FREE! Who do you think loaded the Left side of the truck neatly while the Right side is kind of well, just tossed around? I believe I mentioned I have a wee bit of OCD in my bones. Neatness is one of my vices. 
Tina shared a little secret called Freecycle a while back and I signed up in hopes of finding some freebies for my Georgia Gardens. I have yet to find anything but have been able to pass along some old watches to a crafter and about 100 plastic garden containers to an avid gardener. I was happy to keep those items out of the land fill and given to someone else that can reuse them. I also discovered Free Items on our area Craigslist. Saturday morning, I spotted Free Bricks. What luck as this offer was from a nice person a few miles up the road in our same small community. We met with "Bee" and her nice husband and chatted up a storm as the Saint and I loaded the bricks into our truck. We had the best chat as we had so much in common with hubby's, both working on Ft. Gordon, us all living overseas and all loving animals! You all know the animal topic alone is enough to get me talking. LOL. Just look at those beautiful 480 clay bricks! Yes, I counted them. Another issue from OCD... 
As we went into Bee's backyard, I noticed garden beds full of veggie's. She informed me this was her first go at gardening. I was very impressed as the beds were full of goodies. I have never seen such large bricks as this stack of 25. I am not sure when I will be able to work with these bricks, not until the heat departs for sure. Thank You so much "Bee" for the wonderful gift! I will be sure to let you know what I end up doing with these beautiful treats and good luck on your first gardening experience...
During our 4 day weekend, we were able to get some work on the Bath/Closet Renovations. Floor tile is in place and ready for grout.
This was our first attempt at tiling and it is truly a learn as you go experience. I hope we never have to tile anything else in the future. But one thing I have learned in my years is, Never Say Never... Well, we still have the shower to go. Yikes, that one scares me. We have all the tiles measured and cut for the shower so that much is finished.
The Closet is coming together and I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel. What was once my side of a small closet, is now all shelving. We shall move them to what ever height we desire. 
The Closet is painted and now has a new light fixture with a light shining on each of the three areas of the closet. The color of the light ties in with the faucet fixtures we chose for the sinks.
We have cut and installed the baseboards...
As well as the door trim. I shall get them painted in the next day or so. The door from the closet into the bathroom shall be a folding door. I hate doors as they take up so much room so a folding door works for me. For the main door from the hallway, we are going to install a pocket door.
I have the doors primed and ready for a final coat of paint. They are taking up most of the sun-room. I am sitting in between the two doors now as I type in a hard wooden chair as the cushy office chair will not fit. Not to mention, I don't want paint on my nice chair.
We are trying to save money by painting a few things. Here you see the brackets that will hold the clothes rods for the closet. 
This little guy, (actually pretty big guy) was on the back of a rocking chair on the front porch looking in the window as we worked. We got a kick out of him and today I spoke to him as we set up the Miter Saw on the porch. We feared a pop-up storm so we opt for the porch as our work area. No rain thus far but hearing a lot of thunder off in the distance. Come on rain. 
We were not sure what type of lizard this was as we have never seen one before. Upon my close up chat with him today, I noticed he was indeed an Anole Lizard that we see daily. But we have never seen one with a crown on its head and with such colors in its body. Reminded me of a Salmon Fish during mating season. Anyway, our little friend was happy on the porch watching us work.I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July! We live behind the county Fairgrounds and soon will be hearing the Public Fireworks Display as it is becoming evening. Our 4 day weekend was full of RENOVATIONS AND FREEBIES, In the Garden...
Note: Lowe's in our area now recycles plastic garden pots! Check to see if your Lowe's will take your old pots...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden
Wow, you've been busy. Great haul on the bricks. Glad The Saint is over the bout of poison ivy. Yikes! Your reno project is looking really good. It's a LOT of work but well worth it and you did it yourself.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
Skeeter,
ReplyDeleteLooks like the renovation is going great. I'm tiling a bathroom this week for a customer, white and more white, arhh. I don't care for folding doors either. OCD yes you have it painting closet rod supports that will never be seen.
Good Morning everyone! No rain for us last night. Sniff Sniff, I was so hoping to not have to water today. Oh well...
ReplyDeleteFlower Lady, I was so ready to hire it out at one point but since we are finally getting on a roll here, I am so happy to have done it all our self. We are saving so much money and learning new things as well…
Randy, We are taking out the white but the white upstairs will remain in place as we do not plan to do this type renovation again. Plus, the tile upstairs works for us with updated floor tiles, even though white, it all works for us. Now Randy, when I do something, I also think ahead. When selling day for this house arrives, the closet will be empty and then the brackets will be seen and I think a nice touch. LOL….
Skeeter, the reno is looking very, very good. Take it from someone who is painfully anal about these things. I can't imagine what you would do with the bricks but when you figure it out, I hope you'll post photos. Freecycle is the bomb! Glad you had a good fourth.... it was a beautiful day in the Northeast as well!
ReplyDeleteWhat a project -- or bundle of projects. I feel both tired and inspired looking at it.
ReplyDeleteYou've been very busy Skeeter and your projects are coming together nicely. Our first tiling project was our fireplace and I have to agree with you on the learning curve thing. But I do want to tile both our baths as well as a backsplash in my kitchen now. :)
ReplyDeleteWendy, I have several brick lined walkways and am thinking of attaching them with these new bricks. Will be a big project though so not sure when this will take place. Probably next spring as that is my big garden playing time…
ReplyDeletePatricia, we do seem to tackle many projects at once around here. That is one reason why some take so long to accomplish…
Racquel, good for you! We are not finished with this project by a long shot but are already talking about what we want to do to the kitchen. I think I shall take charge and write out a plan with the next project. Don’t think I can go this long without a kitchen. We have back up bathrooms upstairs but no back up kitchen. Lol…
Good afternoon all.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter that is magnificent. Redo is looking great. Looks like it's close to being finished. You guys have done a great job & I know it's a hard job. You will be proud.
I have sympathy with the Saint. My face is about normal now, but I still have spots of poison ivy on my ankle, my neck, boobs, & fingers.
ReplyDeleteI took myself in to get a shot when I couldn't open my eyes and they were getting crusty. NASTY stuff.
Have a lotta fun with those bricks...
Your bathroom tiles look real good! I can imagine that this is quite a project. I know it will be worth it once you're done.
Your renovations look great! I would not believe this is your first tiling job....again, looks great.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing how your new bricks will look. What a find!
Wow Skeeter, that is a great work, you are very good carpenters and interior designers, amazing! How i wish i can do the same here that quickly and beautifully. The freebies are very nice too, that's a big haul. We will wait how you will use all that bricks. I have some freebies too, which i offer to a blogger whom i haven't met yet. I have lots of Cycas seedlings which my mother already wants to dig and discard. Cycas are known to have been one of the foods of the dinosaurs, so they are great collections. The donee will get them this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI have to echo what everyone else says on the reno. Looks great! A lot of hard work for sure. Great score on the free bricks. I can see a nice big fireplace made out of them maybe.
ReplyDeleteYa'll are coming right along with your reno, it's looking good! Brick envy...
ReplyDeleteWe currently have one of these lizards in our garage. I walk in the garage barefoot all the time, so I am not crazy about it. But most of all I don't want it to get in my house.
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