How to Remove a Soffit - Kitchen Renovation Update

How are y’all doing this week? Getting ready for the holidays? Instead of decorating, we did some demolition in the kitchen this past weekend. And it involved buying myself an early Christmas present:

DEWALT 10--Amp Keyless Variable Speed Corded Reciprocating Saw DW304PK 1V

I snatched up this DEWALT 10–Amp Keyless Variable Speed Corded Reciprocating Saw that was on sale at Lowe’s. I actually held each and every reciprocating saw in the tool department. Those saws are not lightweight by any means. And since I had to hold this over my head and make repeated cuts, I wanted to make sure I bought the lightest one I could find. However, I had one other factor to contend with. Battery life! The lightest weight saw was a Ni-Cad battery saw and I didn’t want to deal with losing power in the middle of the job and waiting for the battery to charge up again. So, I chose this mid-weight fighter because it has a cord and it won’t run out of power…ever…well unless your power goes out. I’m thrilled with its performance, this prize winning middle weight really knows how to throw a knock down punch to soffits.

AND, in a pinch, it works great as a turkey carver (LOL!)

How to Remove a Soffit - Kitchen Renovation Update

I also took advantage of those fabulous Black Friday sales at Lowe’s and bought two of these Read more

Plumb Crazy over these Christmas Ornaments

You must think I have plumbing on the brain. After all our leaks, I’ve spent some time in the plumbing aisle. While there I came across these three things:

They are beautiful, don’t you think?! Can’t you see them hanging from your Christmas tree or on your door? What? No?

Okey dokey, come along I’ll break it down for you, this is going to be fun.

 Star Decoration

Materials:

Instructions:

Lay out the hooks in a star formation.

Wrap two ends with the hemp string to attach them to each other.

Continue attaching all the hooks together. Be sure to weave down and around the elbows for better hold.

Shape the hooks until they are in a perfect star shape.

Cut a length of utility wire and wrap it around the star shape. Add curly q’s, bends and spirals…

…thread beads and jingle bells periodically.

Cut more wire and continue to decorate the star with beads and curled wire.

Finish off by adding a loop to the top of the star to act as a hanger.

Thread a ribbon through the loop and hang it on your door,

a window or another prominent spot.

 

Hoop Ornaments

Materials:

Instructions:

Measure the diameter of your hose clamp (at its most open setting while it is still attached.) Set your compass to half the diameter and draw a circle onto the foam board. Cut out the foam board with the x-acto knife.

Widen your compass and draw a wider circle onto a piece of fabric. Cut out a piece of fabric and center it over the foam board circle. Lay the hose clamp over the foam and fabric.

Tighten the hose clamp with the screwdriver until it is snug enough to hold the fabric, but not tight enough to crush the foam board.

Decorate your circle with stickers, buttons, trim, ribbon, or whatever, you’re the creator!

You could also use scrapbook paper instead of fabric. The star and joy ornament decorations were created with the Silhouette CAMEO.

Hot glue the excess fabric to the back (or fray it to look like a mini-embroidery hoop. Glue ribbon or trim around the hose clamp.

Create a loop at the top for hanging the ornament.

My little guy insisted that we need to make an ornament for Santa 😉

These ornaments are so fun and easy. Be creative and let the kids have fun with this project. I can see a little handprint on the center of one for a keepsake ornament. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Brass Snowflake Star

Materials:

Instructions:

Lay out the pipe straps in a star shape.

Thread hemp string through the holes on two straps. Knot the end of the string.

Continue until you have completed the star snowflake form.

You will need to finagle the star form until it looks good to you.

Tie a string through one of the star points. Add beads and tie a loop to hang your ornament.

What do you think? Am I plumb crazy or are these truly adorable ornaments I made from plumbing parts?

Disclosure: I have partnered with Lowe’s as a Lowe’s Creative Influencer. I was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to complete my project. The tutorial, photos and opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was not told what to write. #LowesCreator

I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.

Leaky Shower or Tub Faucet

You know that saying, when it rains it pours? That statement has become an actuality in our home. While we are trying to build back from the plumbing leak, one of our tub faucets developed a leak. When I tried to tighten the handles to stop the dripping, this is what happened:

Leaky Shower or Tub Faucet

Oops. Luckily, I knew the fix was an easy one, if you can screw in a light bulb, you are qualified to fix a leaky faucet!

I’ve solved this problem in a few tubs and showers (including one on the day I went into labor with my youngest.) Yup, you could say that the faucet wasn’t the only thing that sprung a leak. LOL.

Leaky Shower or Tub Faucet Read more

I think 2012 could be named the year of DIY blogger authored books. So many fabulous bloggers have come out with phenomenal  books. Young House Love, Miss Mustard Seed, Ana White, and The Handmade Home just to name just a few.

For me this is a dream come true. Finally, the beautiful words and photos of my favorite bloggers are now in book format. Here’s a quick round up of three DIY books I think you’ll enjoy. You’ll surely want to add them to your holiday wishlist! Read more

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers. This year I am thankful for so many things. But, mostly I’m thankful for a roof over my head, heat, electricity, running water and a sense of humor.

 

The long list of things I’m thankful for:

I’m thankful for good neighbors who graciously let me do multiple loads of laundry a week while our machines sat unusable in the garage.

I’m thankful for our good friends and family who brought us meals while our kitchen was torn apart.

I’m thankful to my in-laws for helping us through the first week after being evacuated from our home.

I’m thankful to our good friends who helped take care of Buddy while we were homeless.

I’m thankful to all the rest of our friends and family who called or stopped by to check in on us and make sure we were surviving.

I’m thankful to be back in our own home with the ones I love.

I’m thankful that I have a husband who understood that I couldn’t let someone else be in charge of putting our kitchen back together again. And a husband who is willing to live without while we push through the process of demolition and renovation.

I’m thankful for my two boys who have been helping demolish the kitchen and are entertaining me with lots of ideas on how the kitchen should look and function after the renovation. (I know they will be sad to see that their scooter rink plans won’t be in the finished kitchen.)

I’m thankful to all of you for reading, commenting and letting me know that this kitchen fiasco was just a small bump in the road.

I’m thankful that I have the guts to decide to take over building back our kitchen on my own terms!

Most of all, I am thankful for this life and all that amazing things that it is filled with and for where it will lead me.

I hope you enjoy this short one minute video I took during some of the demolition. I’m hoping to start giving weekly updates to keep you up to date on our kitchen renovation progress.

How about that little engine that could attitude? We had a hard time getting him to stop. I think  he’d still be up there beating on the soffit until it finally came down. (Hmmm, I wonder where he gets that from?)

 

Coming up: How to Remove Soffits Tutorial

You can read more about our kitchen disaster and renovation in these updates: