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What’s Up with that Handy Girl?

What’s going on with that Handy Girl? She didn’t post anything on Friday or Monday? Has she succumbed to jet lag after her trip abroad? (nope) Did she cut her thumb off on a saw and can’t type? (nope) Was she abducted by aliens?

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(maybe)

Want to know why I’ve been slacking on posting?

This is why:

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I’ve been feverishly working on tiling the backsplash in our kitchen. It’s been a lot of sweat equity (and some child labor) but the results are stunning.

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I chose these beautiful carrara mable subway tiles from TheBuilderDepot.com.

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They arrived on a huge pallet and have been sitting in the garage for months. Once we got back from our trip I was having major DIY withdrawal. What better way to get back into the DIY game than tiling 80 sq. feet of backsplash! Heeheehee.

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I’ve rarely had a free moment, in fact when I actually did take a minute to sit down, Handy Dog took advantage of an open lap. (Ummm, someone needs to tell him he’s too big to be a lap dog.)

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What’s the rush Handy Girl?

The rush is self imposed, but I did want to finish before I left for Haven. I’m happy to say that I have a few more lines of caulk to run and the backsplash will be…stick a fork in it…DONE!

And then tomorrow morning I can hop in this swanky new 2014 GMC Acadia Denali and head to Haven!

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(Totally love the hologram on the dashboard that displays speed, temperature, current song playing and more!)

Whoa, what’s with the new wheels?

Well, GMC is loaning the vehicle to me for the week. I’ll be working with GMC at Haven and theeennnnnn….

…on Sunday I’ll be working with some other bloggers to furnish and makeover another Habitat House in the Atlanta area. (Do you remember the big reveal last year?) It’s sure to be a lot of fun and a totally rewarding experience when the homeowner opens the door to her new home and is surprised to find it furnished for her!

I’ll be bringing a whole box of tissues this time.

Want to keep up with the action? Here’s how!

Follow these bloggers as they shop the World’s Longest Yard Sale this week:

You can follow the hashtag #GMCHTA (GMC Hidden Treasure Adventure) on Twitter and Instagram for live photos from the sale. And I’ll try to keep you in the loop through social media (mostly Instagram and Facebook) from the#HavenConf conference hashtag and beyond.

Want to read more about my adventures along the World’s Longest Yardsale last year?

Start reading here.

One more thing before I rush out. If you are going to Haven, you MUST…I repeat…you MUST hop in on one of the two classes Sandra, Traci and I are teaching. It’s called, “Let’s Case This Joint” and it’s going to be a total interactive hands on experience in molding, casing and trim installation. And there will be power tools! You might just have to put up with me and my “Dirty Handy” impersonation though.  “Go Ahead… Make My Day.”

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 Put a Ryobi cordless finish nailer in my hand and I start acting like a tough guy.

I’ll be back later with some more DIY tutorials. I promise. I haven’t been abducted by aliens, I’ve just been a little up to my elbows in grout.

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Disclosure: GMC is sponsoring my trip to Haven this year. I was provided with a loaner GMC Acadia Denali to drive to the conference and back. I was not told what to write or say. All words, ideas and photos are my own.

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How to Create a Meaningful Home in Three Steps

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Creating a meaningful home isn’t an overnight process. I think many people are discouraged with their dwelling if it isn’t the home of their dreams. I look at creating a meaningful home in three stages. Each stage is important to loving the home that you have now, even with its faults or shortcomings. Read how I love my home’s imperfections along the path to creating my own meaningful home at SAS Interiors Meaningful Home series:

Creating a Meaningful Home at SAS Interiors

I’ll be looking for you over there ;-).

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Grateful

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Grateful Bracelet from Vintage Fern

You know when you have experiences in your life that make you extremely grateful to have what you do have. The moments when you realize that seconds or inches make the difference between life and death. And moments when you suddenly realize how blessed you are.

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We had one of those moments Friday night.

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While at SNAP I received word that a huge tree had fallen on our house.

My whole family was home except me. And despite the damage, all that really matters is that my four boys (my husband, my two boys, and Buddy) were unscathed.

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Sure there are numerous holes in our roof.

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Sure there was a 8 foot limb that punctured my son’s bedroom ceiling.

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Sure there is consequently a hole with a view to the sky in his bedroom.

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Sure our attic is literally a disaster zone filled with pine needles, sap and rain soaked contents.

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But, it doesn’t matter. All that matters to me is that my loved ones are fine.

The restoration team has already moved in to start drying things out.

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Yup, that would be my brand new kitchen ceiling with a big hole cut into it. But, honestly, it doesn’t matter.

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Sheetrock and paint are cheap. Lives are priceless!

Sadly, I think some baby chickadees lost their lives. I’m hoping the parents survived and will consider building a new nest in their favorite home:

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I’m taking a few days to give my boys extra hugs and kisses. And I’ll be busy on clean up duty. Hope to see you again soon.

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Important Note: I had to cancel my talk on Monday, April 20th at the Habitat ReStore in Greater Greensboro. I will have to reschedule for a later date and will be sure to let you know when I do. If you  live in the area, still head over to the ReStore this week for Earth Day specials.

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When and Why You Should Get a Permit

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When and Why You Should Get a Permit

Have you heard the horror stories about filing for a permit and the subsequent inspections? Did you hear the tale about the inspector that made the electrician pull everything out and start over? Have you been warned not to file a permit because you might “open a can of worms”? What exactly is a rough-in? And why do people say “pull a permit” instead of file for a permit? Don’t let misinformation put you and your family at risk. I have the answers to these questions and why you would want to file for a permit before starting your next home improvement project.

Last week I drove downtown to file for a building and electrical permit with Wake County, NC, but found out we are in the Raleigh City Jurisdiction for building permits (but that’s another story for another day.) Before I went to the permit office, I asked Barry Mooneyham, Chief Code Official of Wake County if I could have a little of his time to ask him some questions. It was a very informative 3o minutes, which completely changed my perspective on permits. I left his office with a new found appreciation and understanding of permits and inspectors.

Before I get to Mr. Mooneyham’s answers, I want to answer a recent question that some of my readers posted on Facebook:

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Laura, Alyssa & Holly, thanks for asking. I was unsure of the origin on the term “pulling a permit” myself, so I did a little research.

Why do people call it “pulling a permit” instead of filing for a permit?

  • The joke answer: Ever try getting a building permit? It is like trying to pull a tooth!
  • The possible real answer:  It’s called “pulling” a permit because the people in the office have to “pull” the paper work out of a filing cabinet.

Having “pulled a permit” last week I can tell you that it really wasn’t hard. I did print out the paperwork online before heading downtown. This was invaluable because I was able to answer all the questions ahead of time. Some of the information that was required for the permit is: Read more

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Interview at the Permit Office: Your Questions Will Be Answered!

Do I need to pull a permit for this? What happens if I don’t pull a permit? What can I expect? What surprise could come up? What happens if you fail the inspection?

These are just a few of the broad questions I have for Mr. Barry Mooneyham, Director of Wake County Planning, Development and Inspections. I’m not sure Mr. Mooneyham knows what to expect, but he was genuinely glad to let me come talk to him this coming Wednesday morning. I have a list of questions for him about building permits and about why people are so hesitant to file for a permit.

Please add your own questions to my list by asking them below in the comments. I’d love to help you get your questions answered. Be on the lookout for the follow up post after my interview. 😉

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