Sylvia's Simple Shots

It has been another busy week with travel and health appts and the storms and cold.

This is a bit of snow taken from inside through the window in the lobby.

Christmas cards have been arriving in the mail.

A bit of an icy trip into the city on Sunday to visit my old church. 

During the brunch afterwards I was able to see many of my friends and say hi!

There was sweets on for eats so I did bring home  a couple of Nanaimo bars.

I had a visit with my sister and brother and delivered caramel popcorn while I was in town.

With the weather improving on Monday I headed out to see my sister and brother in law.

They prepared Turkey Dinner for me and I brought stuff to make Raspberry Bavarian that Mom used to make. Used tapioca instead of gelatin so it was ready for supper.

A few more shots from my sister's place. She has a lot of the ornaments we have created for our family Christmas celebrations.  The angel is one I did one year.

Beautiful nativity from Germany.

A couple of Scrabble games after supper.

Turkey noodles for lunch the next day.

Driving home in the sunshine was a blessing.

In the middle of a snow storm I headed out to get vaccine shots.  I had to wait 3 weeks for the appt so I was not rescheduling.  Flu in the left and COVID in the right.  

I took Advil for 2 days for the soreness then I was good to go.

Great to have access to these.

My sister sent turkey leftovers which provided me a couple of meals.  There was one serving of turkey noodles for Tuesday night.  I have frozen one piece of turkey for later.

Thanks sis!

Spoiled is what I am.  High bush cranberry sauce that my sister gave me in the fall.  We normally pick this together but it did not happen this year.

Yummy!

A Log Cabin Christmas Collection by Wanda E. Brunstetter was light reading.

Nine love romance stories set in the pioneer west of the USA in 1800s.  Deep cold winters, warm fires, log cabins, and men and women getting together in several surprising situations.

Faith was a consistent theme through all the stories.

Short enough the read before falling asleep.

Several days of very cold days and the snow on Wednesday ensured a Christmasy feeling.

I am so glad to have seen family earlier.  Now, if I have to hunker down inside because of the cold weather it is all okay.

I decided to get the art shelf up in the front hall. 

This building seems to challenge me with electrical wires in many of the places I want to put a screw.

I did have to alter my plan some what and I had pencil marks all over the wall. I aligned the right hand edge of the shelf with the same edge on the mirror.

I hope to have a plant trail down from the shelf down to the mirror eventually.

I moved all the furniture out which gave me the chance to wash the lace cover while I worked.

The art shelf will allow me to change the art as I want with out having holes in the walls.

Unpacking paintings, photos, frames, and more which I brought home a while ago from my aunts.

I now have Mom and Dad sitting on a book shelf with the fairy light a created in their remembrance after Mom passed away in 2023.

The colors are green for Dad and blue for Mom.

Starting to feel like home.

DIY Project - Front Hall Art Shelf

 
I got out the tools - square, measuring tape, stud finder, level, drill, pencil, and the shelf.

I had a hard time finding a place on the right hand side above the light switch without electric.  Frustrating. I had some late breakfast and then tackled it again. I decided to align the right hand side of the shelf along the same edge on the mirror. I put it high enough for it to clear the closet doors. 

I used the blue anchors in my kit with a 1/4 inch drill bit.  I am getting better with the cordless drill which I inherited from my Dad when they moved to the apartment in 2015.  I have not used it much because I had a corded drill he gave me when I left home in the mid 1970s which works great too.

I did have to expand the holes a bit with the drill as they did not align as well as they should have.  I guess holding the shelf above my head and trying to find the holes with the pencil did not do a perfect job. Next time I will have to get a eye level.  But as you can see the shelf is level! Yeah. 

I got a chance to clear the DIY debris and the dust that had accumulated behind the Trofasts.  I washed the lace cover and then I could start looking for art for the shelf.

A Few Renovations - Done!

Since my renovation in the kitchen a couple of years ago I had flooring and painting on my to do list.

I knew how having things white and light improved the feel of the space.  I replaced the burgundy shower curtain in the bathroom about 4 years ago and that helped so much.  In 2017, I painted the center panels of the kitchen cupboards which improved the feel in the space.

The front hall bypass closet doors and the bi-fold doors on the laundry area had wood grain similar to the kitchen cupboard doors.  The large bedroom closet doors as well had the same pattern.  I really wanted to paint these.

Well, this fall was the time! I started with the laundry area bi-fold doors.  I had to mask the metal frame then I applied 1 coat of high hide primer followed with 2 coats of interior paint.

I changed the knobs on the doors with something more appropriate. I chose white ceramic with a metal plate.

The next project was the bypass doors on the front hall closet.  Again, a lot of masking of the metal frames.  I chose to paint them hanging in place as I was not sure I could take down the doors.  These received 3 coats of paint as well.

As you can imagine my right arm got a huge work out.  Painting makes a big difference which many DIY shows spout the principle and now I know it first hand.

The bedroom closet doors are twice the size of the front hall so it was double the amount of 3 coats of paint.

I replaced a broken plastic glider one of these bedroom closet doors which has wobbled for years.  Yeah!

I have wanted hard flooring in the front hall for several years.  In recent years I was convinced vinyl flooring was the answer.  I chose this flooring from Divine Flooring.  I wanted a warm grey color in a wood grain pattern in vinyl planks. After visiting the show room I took 3 samples home.  I put natural LED lights in the front hall and chose the flooring based on that lighting.  The hall gets very little natural light. This is is called Missouri Breaks from the Voyage II line.  The planks are 8.5 inches wide and 5 feet long.  This is a click installation.

I chose a very simple moulding which is 3/8 by 1 1/4 inches tall.  It was painted the color of the walls.  It was glued to the wall which allows the flooring to move as it needs.  The crack at the top along the wall was caulked and then I painted white with a small foam brush and the wall paint.   The flooring and moulding was installed by professionals. It looks amazing.

There are a couple of pieces I want to paint in the front hall.  The small bench at the front door which my Mom made for me years ago will be painted as well as the mirror also made by my Mom will get a new color.  I want to create an art shelf in the living room so that has been put on the to do list.

I am looking at a warm dark grey with a blue hue.  I brought a few paint samples and need another couple before I decide.

I hung some of my framed photography in the hall.  I have decided that I will be using this about 4 square foot place in the front hall as my photography studio.  Nothing will live in the space on a regular basis.  I can add tables, props, fabric and whatever else I need, set up my tripod from either direction, it has good light which will contribute to a super space.  I take macro photography regularly for the Macro Monday Challenge on Flickr.  You can check my photo stream.

There were changes made in the bathroom as well.  I covered the hole made in the wall behind the vanity by the plumbers in January.
I bought a 24x24 inch piece of dry wall, measured to make the holes for the isolation valves and screwed the pieces to the existing dry wall.

After being able to replace the sink without changing the vanity in January the doors on it were on the paint list as well.  Again, 1 coat of high hide primer and 2 coats of interior paint.You can check out the white shower curtain mentioned earlier.

I added a Battenburg linen and a wide low glass bowl on the shelf in the front hall.  I have put turquoise related potpourri for now.  Once the mirror is painted that may change and it could be changed seasonally as well.   I am looking forward to putting my small nativity on the shelf for Christmas time.

It has been a huge learning experience. I'm really happy with this renovation!!!