ReDoingTheUndone

Uncovering and Redoing The Past

2012-01-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

The original chair was the yellow plastic Early American design, purchased 30+ years ago for $5 at a thrift store. The first recover was the brown print, then the blue quilted material. It has been enjoyed by daughter, Mary Ann, Cats: Sydney, Lovey, Simon, Stewart and Bob, 6 grandchildren, and granddog, Lola. This is the youngest granddaughter relaxing in the latest renovation to jade corduroy this Christmas.

What To Do When A Wall Bubbles and Cracks

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Chisel down to the inner brick and build a bookcase.

I Invent The BibScarf

2012-01-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Monochromatic Fabric

2011-01-20T20:00:00.004-07:00

This is the fabric I planned to make into a quilt A YEAR AGO.

I am NOT a quilter so I sewed these flowers on my curtains and added some green ribbon.

Little Miracle Tree

2010-09-01T18:15:00.000-06:00

Ten years ago I wound a twig around the corner post of my deck,

thinking the green would be nice when it grew.

It did provide me with the leaves I had hoped for,

but as it grew larger, it separated the boards of my deck.

I can forgive the irregular look of the deck,

because this year, the little tree bore fruit: plums.

I have no idea where the source tree is.

I consider this a small miracle.

I picked them all except this one, which wasn't ripe yet.

I smashed them, strained them,

and made Knox blocks gelatin squares -

no sugar added, only Stevia.

Yum.

Neon Trees On Jay Leno Friday!

2010-05-12T09:51:00.002-06:00

Niece, Elaine Bradley and Neon Trees will be on Jay Leno this Friday. Watch it!

Cake For A Friend Who Has Everything

2010-03-19T16:18:00.000-06:00

...or what happens when your daughter tries to ice a cake before it's cooled, then gets all silly with a friend who has just been to a Health Fair...

Didn't Realize These Tests Were 'Do-It-Yourself'

2010-02-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

Now which button do I push?

How To Rebuild A Deck When You're Alone ala Rube Goldberg

2010-02-10T22:17:00.004-07:00

Tie the main post to a tree to keep it vertical,

Tie one end of the front support board to the corner post,

Drive a huge screw into the middle post and tie a rope to it,

then tie it around the other end of the board.

Go into the cabin and find a stool, a barrel, a paint can and bricks

to prop up the end of the board after you've pulled it up with the rope.

Go into the cabin again and get a garbage can, some bricks and some boards.
Lift the second board onto your piles of stuff and place-nail them to the posts.

Secure all your boards with screws after pre-drilling to avoid splitting the wood.
Measure and space your brackets, screw them in and place the support boards into brackets.
Measure and cut your deck boards and lay them on the cross supports (not shown). Be sure to leave a space between the boards so they don't heave when they absorb moisture.

(corny sign has since been taken down. I could only stand it for a few weeks)

Small Items All With A Story

2010-01-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Brush Butler

2009-12-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

Death Mask Tissue Dispener

2009-12-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Levi Jacket Harley Appliques From Throw Pillows

2009-12-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

Rubber (Dead) Chicken Fanny Pack

2009-11-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

(carries all the essentials for shopping or hiking - simple zipper access)

Little Clay Pots With Tiny Dried Flowers In Deep Frame

2009-11-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Rusty Drill Press Address Holder

2009-11-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

Ship's Hatch Picnic Table

2009-10-11T14:41:00.000-06:00

Not much renovation needed here - just plopped it on top of 2 outdoor table bases -

Re'purposed', Reworked Items

2009-09-23T17:38:00.000-06:00

Old Turned-Over Church Bench River Rock Rope Countertop

Singer Sewing Machine Sink Base -

Oak Box Coin Bank Wall Telephone

Hymnbook/Napkin Holder -

Found Items On Barn Slats

Glazed Tissue Paper-Covered Lamp Base -

Printer's Drawer Coffee Table

Antique Sleigh Curio Shelf

Paint-Removed Light Fixture Candle Holder -

Light Fixture Wall Sconce Flower Holder

FOOT Stool

Old Screen With Bent Paper Clips

Jewelry Holder

Things I Said To Myself

2009-09-22T09:10:00.000-06:00

I think I'll buy a fixer-upper,

get a new roof, train the ivy -

I'll take the front door off, blow torch the paint to bubbling,

scrape, sand, stain, varnish...

add antique stained glass, new hardware...

What could I do with this dirty, scorched flagstone fireplace?...

I'll remove the paint

from this thrift store fireplace insert,

chisel out the stone,

and lay the stone on the side path,

buy an antique mantel, tile the space

between the wood and the insert and bolt it to the wall.

I could scrape off the cottage cheese, sparkle ceiling,

That fridge juts out past the doorway,

What a lovely red, shag carpet.

I could tear down that wall and put in a counter and new cabinets,

I need to strip the years of paint from the heat registers,

chisel out an arched doorway,

for a music room -

I can chisel out the kitchen side of this dead space behind the linen closet,

How lucky that there just happens to be

a fridge that fits.

I've accumulated a lot of magnets,

I feel delighted that the ready-made shelves

fit in the linen closet behind the fridge.

Done - I can close the doors on that one!

Hmmm, maybe I need to make this doorway arched too -

I'll mud and tape it in,

Done.

I think the bunny likes it.

Sink area, before,

sink area, after.

I'll chisel the floor out,

lay backerboard and new tile,

Tear out the old bathtub tile,

put in new tile,

Make a pedestal for a sink out of dowels

and a circular wood base so it will be higher than standard -

frame and hang Madame Butterfly poster.

Hmmm, I wonder what's under that cheap paneling,

oh, it's layers of paint, wallpaper, cement

and a window from before the back room was added.

I'll take it all off to expose the inner brick.

I could add a bookcase where that window used to be.

Let's take this wall out,

I think these cabinets have to go too,

OK, now what?

I'm going to have to remove these

five layers of old linoleum if I want the floor to be one level.

Wow, this back room is really dark.

That's better -

Nifty old 70's paneling -

Rip it off, repair sheetrock, paint -

Back bathroom before,

back bathroom, after -

This is really rotten - I'm going to have to tear it all out.

Why is there no support around the toilet?

No wonder it felt like I was bouncing on a trampoline

when I sat down.

Done.

I began renovating my fixer-upper after my divorce. I tore out walls, ripped out cabinets and exposed the most treasured of all treasures - inner brick. It was like uncovering my rough, wild inner nature. The whole experience was a metaphor for where I was in my life. When I walked in the front door and saw the asbestos-laden cottage cheese sparkle ceilings and filthy matted red shag carpet, I could hardly wait to tear into it. It was just as odd, irregular and messy as I felt inside. I was moving into an old, broken home, dying from neglect, and I took control of it.

Demolition was a violent process. Smashing down, cutting up, tearing out, hammering in - all of these actions expressed my frustration. At that point I knew I was reconstructing my life. I was choosing to mend everything within my reach. As I sledge-hammered out the soot-stained flagstone fireplace I felt like Tawanda from Fried Green Tomatoes. After completing the new fireplace, which included purchasing a vintage antique wooden mantle and tiling it in, I sat back and watched it for an hour like someone would watch TV. It was very meditative. The whole experience of being carpenter, plumber, locksmith, painter, electrician, tile installer, dry-waller and general grunt worker in my home was a very engrossing creative process.

The central themes in my home life are family and music. When looking for a home, I knew it had to accommodate my grandchildren and my grand piano. This made the search quite limiting, especially since my budget didn't allow for much space or luxury. Knocking down a wall between the living room and a bedroom was the solution. After using a screw driver to score a large arch in the lathe and plaster wall, I became 'Tawanda' again as I sledge-hammered gleefully. This room now displays my piano, violin, CD collection and photographs from all of the stage productions I've performed in.

When people ask me what in my background led me to think I could tackle such a huge job, I tell them I was brought up to make do with what I had. I also got a lot of training to be helpless and fascinating, but that didn't take. My parents labeled me stubborn and obstreperous, so I got a lot of reinforcement about my strong will being effective. With no particular skills coming into the project, I practically lived at Home Depot, where I acquired encouragement and advice, along with supplies.

I understand every inch of my house and I love it. In every way, I'm happy with where I reside. I love the dead space behind the linen closet that I pounded out and re-framed for my fridge and I love the little stained glass window I installed in my front door. When I'm coming home late at night and I see the light shining through the colored glass, I know I've made a place for myself that illuminates who I am - an independent, artistic, self-sufficient woman.