Rainarana's Profile

OMG, #2 and #8 are just so incredibly cute.

I HATE putting away clothes. Especially those that need to be hung. Fortunately my husband doesn't mind. I also dislike cleaning the stove top so my husband does that. We have a gas cooktop with cast iron continuous grates that had to be disassembled then reassembled which makes me batty.

I like vacuuming and mopping. We have two big hairy shedding machines (blue heelers, double coats) and their fur gets everywhere. I especially like hitting the spots where it tends to collect, as I get a weird satisfaction watching the fur balls get sucked up. We also have all hard floors, all tile downstairs. I get my husband to take the dogs on a long walk so I can get it all mopped and dried while they're out. I love to stand back and look at the perfectly clean floors.

This ought to be an interesting read, as my husband is currently building an apartment over the garage which we plan on renting out. As long as we're living here I would think that any renters would be fairly happy with the situation. They'll have their own entrance and the yard will be divided by a fence, so plenty of privacy. It'll be brand new, so I wouldn't expect any repairs but whatever comes up would be fixed immediately, as we're right here. They'll have an okay sized yard and we don't mind if they want to put in a garden, although it's pretty shady. Not sure about painting, but if it's something easily changed it may be alright. Pets will probably be alright as well, as long as they keep in mind we have two dogs, which will stay in our yard and are good with other dogs, but not cats so they'd have to keep them inside.

I cure mine in water. As this is in a bucket you can gently pour water in to cover it after the initial set, usually within an hour or so. Leave it for about 20-24 hours, remove from bucket then soak it in a larger container that you can fully submerge the concrete into, for at least a few days, preferably a week. Something you might try, instead of just shoving the legs into the concrete is to find an old stool at a thrift store or making a simple one with a round wooden piece. Don't use a bucket, but find a deep plastic bowl (or glass, which makes an excellent concrete form and easy to remove. Just use a hammer) that the "seat" will fit into. Bear in mind, though, that wood, being buoyant, may rise to the top. Have some tape on hand to secure it to the bowl. This would actually be more interesting, as you can find bowls with interesting patterns, which would be transferred to your stool.

Yeah, stripping veneer would be pretty awful. Not enjoying stripping the piece I have but at least the weather's improved so I don't mind being outside. And yes, it's the same series as that piece. Three drawers and the hutch has two shelves, no glass. It's a lovely piece, just too big for our space and doesn't quite go with anything. The piece that I just redid, that's taking it's place, is this one http://nicolewoodinteriors.blogspot.com/2011/06/mid-century-kent-coffey-tableau-series.html

@MSPFace - I'd be interested to see your question answered. I'm about to refinish a Conant Ball Russel Wright hutch this weekend and I'd like to see what you're doing. I'm keeping as close to the original stain/finish as possible, but it has some damage that needs to be repaired and uneven spots due to basic wear, and there was no way to fix that and have it perfectly match and there's enough needed all over I figured I'd just do the whole thing.

+1 on natives. As for what qualifies, most "experts" I've spoken to are fine with cultivars and aren't too bothered by planting something that doesn't necessarily come from that specific region as long as it isn't invasive or problematic. I mix natives with herbs and some non-invasive exotics. I sowed native seeds this fall and fingers crossed that they come up. I'm really not good with starting from seed. Fortunately there's a fantastic native nursery nearby and the owners are incredibly helpful.

I'm fairly anti-grass, for the most part. We have it in the back, as we eventually have other plans for the area. We had to regrade so I seeded some low water eco grass, mainly to keep the mud at bay. Last fall I seeded some Pearl's Premium in a small patch in the front. I'm using it as a ground cover/mulch to keep the weeds at bay. It's about 8" high, thick and lush and dark green. I like the way it looks as is, so I may or may not take the weed-whacker to it in the spring then see what it does.

Works in the bathroom as well. We have cubbies in the bathroom that go through to the closet that I use for t-shirts and other things that can be folded. On the bathroom side I keep the towels folded neatly and a few bins that can be pulled out for storing grooming items.

Yeah, I make art concrete and I wouldn't sit on this. It takes about 4 weeks for concrete to cure to 90%. And this is in a proper curing environment. I water cure my work for a minimum of 5 days It may set faster than regular concrete mix but it still needs proper handling. There's a good chance the concrete in this stool will crack due to not curing (and putting weight on it) but also, dusting and staining. Staining would be the least of my worries, as it can be a "look". But dusting and cracking can be the result of early loss of moisture (due to improper curing). Staining can be avoided by sealing. It looks too good to be true because it is.

It helps being married to a carpenter . . . . For those who aren't, thrift stores are an excellent source. I bought a plastic cleaning tote, complete with a paper towel dispenser, which I use for furniture refinishing supplies: stain pens, wax pencils, steel wool, etc . . . A small filing cabinet on wheels is excellent for organizing sandpapers and other small hand tools, safety items, glasses, respirator masks, and a metal toolbox for other small hand tools.