The Home Projects

***Mission: Create the Home I Dream Of***

The Big Picture:
--find/buy/move to different house
--have it resided
--have roof replaced
--have geothermal put in
--have solar installed

Yard and Garden:
--build wonderful garden (tomatoes, peppers of many kinds, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, green onions, carrots, radishes, greens, etc.)
--plant fruit trees (apple, pear, cherry, nectarine)
--plant nut trees (walnut, almond)
--plant berry bushes (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, June berries)
--plant strawberry patch, pumpkin patch, melon patch
--build bean and cucumber and zucchini arbor
--build hops arbor
--flower pots on fence
--build floating deck
--herb garden boxes
--take out mulched playground area
--plant sunflowers
--add daisies and coneflowers and black-eyed susans to front flower garden
--come up with perfect thing to fill window boxes
--have water connected to back outdoor faucet
--put up bench Rich's Dad built and make sitting area
--make fence from old palette to hide garbage can
--redo back flower garden
--add mini fencing to back flower garden
--paint sunporch
--paint cement walls
--paint window trim
--paint shutters or put up new shutters
--paint door/trim
--paint garage door
--take down maple tree
--remove crumbling front porch
--build new front porch/deck

Bathroom:
--paint walls
--paint trim
--make washcloths to fill basket
--make bath mat
--upcycle piece from old tool bench into shelving unit
--find brushed brass electrical plates
--purchase new towels
--replace light fixtures

Kitchen/Dining Room:
--find more kitchen chairs
--paint kitchen chairs white
--find pedestal dining room table
--paint ceiling/trim/arches/end wall white
--paint cupboards white
--install new counter top
--paint walls red
--find wrought iron handles for cupboards
--find brackets for dining room shelves
--add white shelves over dining room windows
--have gas line put in
--get gas stove
--get new, bigger fridge
--paint and frame chalkboard on end kitchen wall
--build shelving unit
--make placemats and coasters
--needlepoint tulip picture
--gradually replace dishes with thrift store singles
--replace light fixture in dining room
--replace flooring
--replace faucet
--replace big kitchen light with ceiling fan/light
--spray paint base of light fixture over sink

Bedroom:
--make flannel quilt for our bed (from old flannel clothes that I've been saving over the course of the last 20 years)
--build bookcase (from the salvaged windows I've been saving for the past 10-ish years)
--get chair from Pier One?
--make afghan for chair
--make kitty pillow for floor
--paint ceiling/trim white
--paint walls ? color
--add quarter round to baseboard
--put up molding around ceiling
--put shelf over window area
--find blind for window

Gray's Room:
--paint and add backs to bookcases
--paint inside recessed area
--paint trim
--paint walls
--make giant Kirby
--make drapes
--build shelves in recessed area
--build concealment for ventilation ducts

Annie's Room:
--paint ceiling area
--paint walls
--new knobs for built-ins
--build book cases/window seat in end wall
--make cushion for window seat
--make floor pillow for desk
--paint nightstand
--find mirror for vanity area

Max's Room:
--make and shellac desk top
--paint ceiling area
--paint walls?
--new knobs for built-ins

Library:
--paint ceiling/trim white
--paint walls ? color
--add crown molding
--build big built-in bookcase
--find chairs and/or loveseat
--find small table to go with chairs or coffee table

Family Room:
--paint ceiling
--paint walls
--buy denim couch
--make afghan
--make afghan
--make afghan
--build platform for wiping feet outside sliding door
--make/buy drapes or blinds
--find throw rug for sliding door
--make colorful pillows for couch
--buy colorful bean bag chair
--buy colorful lampshade
--paint video shelves
--paint Darwin's shelves
--family paintings for wall over couch
--build shelving unit for around TV nook
--paint the back areas of shelving unit bright colors
--buy colorful baskets for wii remotes, etc.

Hall:
--remove doorbell thingie
--paint walls and trim
--hang Gray's painting on short wall section
--make gallery on longer section of wall
--make rug

Sunporch:
--remove wallpaper border
--replace broken window/reglaze all windows
--replace rotting support
--paint trim
--paint walls
--make cushions for bench
--refloor
--make doormat
--get nice crates for recyclables

Unfinished Part of Basement:
--have toilet installed
--have laundry sink replaced
--build or sew concealment for toilet
--find rug for scrap area

Pantry Room:
--buy freezer
--paint walls
--add shelves

Garage:
--have window replaced with door

Tame the recipes:
--go through each cookbook, making list of to-try recipes
--try marked recipes
--if cookbook has 10 or fewer keeper recipes, copy them to cards and get rid of cookbook
--do initial weeding of "torn out" recipes
--try remaining "torn out" recipes, and transfer keepers to cards
--build counter box for recipe cards