Old versus New

Just a little reminder of what the old bathtub looked liked versus the new one - please note we NEVER used the old tub!! It was pulled out and disposed off at the start of the remodel!

Grotty, old, blue tub, which you couldn't even wash a dog in - it was so small and shallow!

Lovely new tub..........

My wonderful tub!

We've taken a much needed wee break from the remodel. Hence the lack of posts. There have been too many fun things to do in the Valley - and a wonderful trip back to Chicago/Wisconsin for July 4th. We do have some plans on starting a few projects...............but all in good time!

One thing that has been completed in the past month is the plumbing/installation of my new, fabulous clawfoot bath tub! I adore it, but dread to think how much our water bill will be next month, as I've spent most evenings soaking myself in it, till I resemble a prune!

Having completed most of the finishing plumbing ourselves, we had intended on installing the tub. However our previous plumbers had completed the 'rough in' plumbing poorly, and as such what should have been a very quick process, took a qualified plumbing 7+ hours. Regardless, we saved a lot of money by doing most things ourselves, so one little splurge, for something so amazing was worth it! (Chris might not agree with this last comment - but he gets a man cave so didn't have too much say in it!!).

Double Slipper Clawfoot Bathtub, with Freestanding Faucet (similar to our sink faucets)

Gloss black claws - to tie in with the black gloss mirrors I restored

Bliss!

Mutts

Url has a girlfriend - Kira - she's staying with us for a while. Just a few pictures to document their romance!

Url is not a big fan of getting groomed - but he has to look nice for his lady

There's plenty of rough and tumble

Some relaxing - the recliner is now their bed!

A lot of sleeping!

As with most females - she takes up all the bed and poor Url is pushed off!

He found shelter under the Jeep hard top !!

Stucco

The outside of the house has been a complete wreck for quite sometime. Where the old house met the new foundation - quite a few patches appeared in the stucco. Plus adding and removing windows played a little havoc with the exterior. So we hired Sergio to fix it. The outcome was average. However with a nice new paint job, the house looks much brighter and cleaner than before. We plan to add trim around the doors and windows and paint them all blue. Should look nice!!!

Patchy and snowy

The outside had this black paper up over the winter - which kept it waterproof - but ugly.

New stucco going around the old stucco - pulling the old down and starting with a completely clean canvas would have been the ideal situation, but unfortunatley not in our price range!

Not a big fan of the texture!

New paint - starting to look better!

I spy Chris fixing the venting

Looking clean and fresh with the new paint - just need to get a garage door!

View from the back of the house - hazy background is smoke from the wildfires in AZ - its been like it all weekend!

Bonjour 332 !!

As some of you may know - I'm very partial to France and all things French!! On our honeymoon last year (we spent a week in Biarritz) - I desperately wanted to get a traditional house number sign for our new house.

Unfortunately, time ran away with us - and I didn't get a chance to find one. To my delight, Chris ordered one online from Emaillerie Normande as a wedding anniversary gift - and it arrived this week!!!!!! I LOVE IT! 

Now we just have to wait for the stucco guys to finish and it will be proudly placed at the front of the house!! 

Minturn Clean-up Day

On May 14th, Minturn had its annual 'clean-up' day. The town provided the community with big dumpsters, burly men to assist and pick-ups if needed, plus plenty of encouragement to rid our houses and gardens of trash and unslightly waste, in preparation for the Summer ahead. We were notified of the event on several occasions - by several different Town of Minturn workers - who were keen for us to clean up the front of our house, and understandably so! We had already filled three, 40 yard dumpsters with remodel waste last Fall, but once the snow came - we were no longer allowed to leave the dumpster along the side of the road, as the plough needed to get by. So the remainder of the remodel waste was left at the front of the house, in the garage and partially in our neighbours driveway, to be covered in snow and forgotten about. As the snow melted - the eyesore got worse!

So, we rose early, and started to load the trusty Jeep with the rubbish. At the other end- the burly man including Chris unloaded. We made 5 trips. For the big pieces a neighbour came by twice, and filled up his pick-up! The following day we made two more trips to get rid off the 'trash' in the garage. All in all a productive weekend,, and it certainly saved us a lot of money (we spent over $1500 last year on dumpster fees!!). We also started to level the soil at the back of the house. So the landscaping has started, however as it has been on again, off again snowing since then - we are on stand still with that. Hopefully Winter will be over soon and we'll have a few weeks/months of Summer to get the garden looking good,  before the snow begins again!

The rubbish is piled up  - and this was taken after we had already made two runs to the dumpster!

You can see why the Town of Minturn were keen for us to get rid of the ghastly mess in front of the house!!

The mess is gone, and the garage can now open! The stucco guys start this week (if the weather co-operates) -so we almost have a nice looking house! Not a hodge podge of chicken wire, plaster and plywood!!

Chris - very proud of his handy 'garage door' making skills - and the fact it lasted the winter and still opens!

Decluttered garage - and new wheel-barrow!!

The trusty Jeep - still smells a little fousty after all the rubbish it had in it - but we'll have the soft top on soon so that will ventilate it well enough - I hope!!

A little more respectible - still needs a little work!!

Chris leveling the back garden.

I was also helping - believe it or not!

Somewhat level - extremely wet. Eventually want to move the retaining wall (left) back a few metres to allow for a wee 'patio' space!

Kira and Url were extremely tired after the productive weekend.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...........

Having finished the vanity in the bathroom, and needed to find some stylish mirrors to sit above the sinks. After looking online - I found nothing that suited, or that was in my price range. So I got creative.

I won a bid on ebay for two 2 Vtg. LARGE Wood & Gesso BAROQUE PICTURE~MIRROR FRAMES.

Very antique looking, a little garish with their gold colouring, but perfect for what I had in mind.

I bought some gloss black spray paint. Sprayed a few coats on each. Took them to the local glass shop, to have mirrors fitted inside the frame, and then had my lovely husband assist in hanging them level above the vessel sinks. I think the outcome was good. What do you think?

My winning Ebay bid!

First coat of paint

Lovely detailing. Just need the mirror!

Chris helping to hook and hang them!

Hanging above the vanity

His and her sink and mirror!

Happy Helen with her new mirrors!