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Project Restoration:: Stone and Porch Ceilings

July 29, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 53 Comments

greetings from the minnesota north woods!

here’s where we are on the house;
-the stone foundation is finished.
-the concrete was poured at the walkout basement patio area.
-the trim crew has begun.
-the tile man is starting today, i think.
-the porch ceilings are done.
-the power is on and the air has been turned on.
-hardwood will go in as soon the doors are hung.
-i finalized all my cabinetry but haven’t picked colors yet. (i need your fave white–off-white and your fave charcoal/black)
i love this stain. i think it’s called early americana. it’s the yummiest caramel color ever.

we got this wood very cheap—so we’ve used it on all our outdoor ceilings and in several spots inside. i love the pine imperfections coming through the stain. this is the front porch ceiling–which has the same stain color.

and this my friends, is my take on haint blue.

it took me three weeks to finalize this color. i searched on forums and blog posts to find the perfect haint blue but just couldn’t settle on one perfect color.

finally, we took a vote. caiti and my sister voted on the same color—which i can’t remember the name of at the moment—-and i voted on hazel blue.

i did what any schizophrenic half-crazed woman would do and i bought a gallon of each one and mixed it together.

it’s THE most perfect shade of haint blue ever!

my furniture for the screen porch is here so i’m DYING for it to be done. we could live on the porch til this house is done, could we not?

the kitchen ceiling is painted. i just love it. we used the beaded board side of the wood in here.

the painters were mad i didn’t stain it. i know, it would’ve been cool but i really wanted it white. it’s white dove by benjamin moore.

then there’s the wood wall at the beverage center in the butler’s pantry. love it too. i could plank all my walls and be perfectly content. and broke.

the stacked stone is looking mighty fine too.

they’re probably done with it now. we’re still on vacation and can’t wait to get home to see the progress.

we stand around and gaze at the house alot. my kids have said to me more than once, “why do you just look at it so long?”

i don’t know. i just do. and apparently stevie does too:)

and this is the walk out basement area. the concrete was poured here on tuesday.

maybe if you’re in the area, you’ll text me a pic?!!!

we’re having a blast in mini–sohta. we’re ‘camping’ in the family cabin this week. and by ‘camping’ i mean sleeping in bunk beds with air conditioning.

lots of lakeside fun, bonfires, s’mores and early morning reading time. i think i’ve taken 500 pics this week.

there are new babies in the family and we’ve been just giddy with baby-love.

hope you’re summer fun continues!

much love and hugs from MN,
xoxo
edie

p.s. you can thank my dear friend ms. nester for this post. it’s been in draft on my computer for a week but i’ve been too lazy to post it.

she sent me a tweet this morning requesting a house update. i love that girl and apparently will blog on demand for her!!!

High Cotton

July 19, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 50 Comments

Much to my girls’ chagrin, I started taking clogging classes with them last week.

Clogging is just something that a girl like me—-who loves all things appalachian—- should be able to do.

And who can resist the temptation when you have the opportunity to embarass your children right good?

I’m completely obsessed.

I’m a clogging fool.

I’ve made myself a student of D Ray White and all manner of homeade you tube clogging videos.

(please watch the whole video but if you’re pressed for time, go to about 3:40 and watch the rest. It’s priceless.
And if Stevie would bring home some plywood from the jobsite, I could just clog in the front yard too.)

Our teacher is absolutely amazing and so is his beautiful Zumba-teaching wife.

As a side note, I took her Zumba class with a bunch of 18 year olds and felt like the chubby girl at the prom trying

to keep up with all the popular girls——but not quite keeping up. My girls rolled their eyes plenty during that class.

They finally couldn’t take it anymore and left the room.

But clogging? It’s just in my bones. And goes so well with banjos and fiddles.

Caiti came home last night and we even taught her our little ditty from last week.

High Cotton is our song and who doesn’t love some vintage Alabama?

Speaking of High Cotton, Stevie felt like he was in high cotton when he finally got to pull his car into the garage.

I can only imagine that it was almost as thrilling as watching me clog this last week.

So there. What have done to embarass your loved ones lately?
xoxo,
edie

p.s. enjoy this video of our clogging teacher Mr. Justin and his wife Tara and their superior clogging skills.
will I be this good next year? one can only hope.

Project Restoration:: Sheetrock, Paint, Hardwood and Tile

July 9, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 34 Comments

Warning:: Not much time or heart for blogging lately, so sorry for the dry litany of house stuff. I just wanted to update you on the progress!

After looking at forty eleven hardwood samples, we finally found one we both like.

Cue the hallelujah chorus!

It’s nothing like my inspiration picture because Stevie happened to have a strong opinion on this one.

He likes light wood. Unstained, natural wood. And he wouldn’t mind if it looked brand new. That’s where I drew the line.

So back to the drawing board we went and found this beautiful compromise. It’s random width, somewhat distressed but not hand scraped (which he doesn’t like)

with a very matte finish, giving it an aged look without being too beat up.

We both love it. And most relieving of all, it’s another decision DONE!

We’ve been in a dust cloud of sheetrock the past week and a half and they’re almost done. (This pic was taken with my iphone standing on the lake side of kitchen looking back toward the kitchen and workroom.)

I turned in my paint colors Friday and we’ll probably be ready to paint by Tuesday.

I chose Ancient Ivory by Benjamin Moore for most of the house. Thanks to all my facebook friends for chiming in on choosing the right white.

I like that this one is creamy with the slightest tinge of green.

We also picked out tile for the bathrooms and backsplash.
Here’s my shower inspiration picture. I love the use of the trim pieces to make the all white shower more interesting.

We are still looking for trim but the subway tile is easy to find and cheap.

I chose octagon and dot all white with matte finish and charcoal grout for my floor. Like the pic below, only with dark grout.

And apparently this tile is expensive. Normally around $14 a square foot. We got several different quotes ranging from $8-11 per sf but then I lucked up and found it online yesterday

for $4 a square foot from Daltile (via FastFloors.com) and ordered it in a fury. It’s ordered and in stock! Woo-hoo!

I’m still looking for the best price on 1 inch hex for the girls’ bathroom but Home Depot seems to be winning at the moment ($5 per sf)

We’re using white subway tile in a herringbone pattern for the backsplash behind the stove and 18 inch marble-looking porcelain tile for the workroom (in a black and white checkerboard). I found that tile at Stover’s in Knoxville for $4.99 first quality.

The stone for the foundation gets delivered this week and the wood ceilings for the porches and the kitchen will be finished and stained/painted.

The exterior is getting another coat of paint (white dove) and that should be finished by Tuesday.

The power line will be dug and we’ll have electricity and cold air!!! (in preparation for the hardwood in a week or two)

It looks like cabinets may slow us down but otherwise we seem to be making very good time.

I’m working on my kitchen (chairs, table, window treatments, cab colors etc) and soon to start working hard on the master bedroom.

Whew!!!!! Busy, busy, busy.

************************

I’ve also been rereading Evangelical Is Not Enough for the 3rd time. It’s Thomas Howard’s journey from evangelicalism to historic, liturgical Christianity.

He’s very Lewis-esque and quotes C.S. Lewis very often.

AMAZING BOOK!

It won’t make you defensive if you’re not a part of a historic liturgical church but it will make you think.

If you are already familiar with the traditions of the historic church, it will enrich your understanding of it in ways you can’t imagine.

Okay, off for a run and then to the lake.

Hope your weekend is filled with your favorite things!

xo,

edie

art::the ancient path

June 30, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 54 Comments

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.

Emily, my dear blogging friend and author of a blog and a brand new forthcoming book, writes often about ‘relentlessly pursuing your art’-—no matter how grand or how measly you think it is.

What is your art, you ask? It is the way you express your truest self.

If you don’t know what your art is, Emily will gently help you find it.

{It’s THAT thing you’re waiting to do when you have more time and resources and less stress and turmoil.}

Those posts of hers cut me to the quick. Sometimes, I click away because I know I’m not there yet and I don’t want to be reminded.

Since the fire, I’m a little hamstrung. I feel like I’m holding back a powerful river of words with a dining fork.

The art will seap out of your pores if you won’t give voice to it. I know that.

And it will lead you to healing waters, if given half a chance.

But…….

I don’t trust myself just yet. All the words come out wrong.

I take that back. The words, the thoughts, the deeds, the meals, the mothering, the learning—-none of it seems quite right yet.

The art is quenched.

Hushed up.

Lying in an ash heap.

It would do me well to remember C.S. Lewis’ words,

“First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that

is already clear in my mind.

If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it.

We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.”

And God, our Father, the first and ultimate creative mind, uses

elements of His creation to bring us into intimate relationship with Himself.

He has not hidden Himself—but

has given Himself lavishly to us in the blood of His son by means

of water, bread, wine, words.

Maybe we hide our art to hide our true selves.

So in honor of the beauty and vulnerability of art, I’m gonna hit publish on my heart’s groanings today.

I will say ‘yes’ to art. And you should too. It’s doesn’t take a lot of time, just a little courage.

Baby steps.

**********************

Every so often I wake up in a cold sweat from the nightmare.

It’s always the same.

I wake up to a burning house.

Only in my dream, my husband isn’t able to crawl through the house…..

and I’m not able to jump out of the window………

and Caiti doesn’t usher the little girls to safety.

:::::::

Thankfully, I wake up before the unthinkable happens.

My heart rate takes a while to recover.

And I usually can’t go back to sleep.

The mind moves on to more pressing things like marble countertops and wood floors and patio furniture.

But the heart is stubborn.

It won’t let go until it’s good and ready.

Time stands still for some of life’s moments.

The healing will not be rushed or fooled by your glossed over and rehearsed answers.

::::::::::

But I know this for sure—-

I live among heroes.

I am wife to a husband who will literally run through a burning building for me.

I am the mother of a daughter who stands up brave and looks danger right in the eyes.

I am the child of a Father who slays every fiery dragon that haunts my soul.

I’ve no need to worry.

He is the ancient path, the crossroads, the Way.

And He’s got this.

*******************

if this post were a song, it’d befind my love by the avett brothers
i sometimes substitute the word art for love

Random mumbo gumbo

June 22, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 48 Comments

1. I told you about our church’s plan to read the New Testament this summer.

Would you think less of me if I told you we’re woefully behind?

Why is it that it can be so hard (especially in the summer) to squeeze in time for the most powerful words on earth?

These words of His aren’t just any words—they are sharp and powerful and lifechanging.

The Word is so important that it even became flesh and ‘dwelt among us’.

Christ Himself.

So, in desperation to find a doable way to catch up, I searched for a free audio version of the scriptures that we could listen to in the car.

I found the ESV podcast version on my iphone called ‘Faith Comes By Hearing’ and it is WONDERFUL.

It reads like a story, using different voices and some sound effects.

We all love it and we just may catch back up this week.

2. I read THE most fascinating article by Susan Wise Bauer this week, refuting some of the arguments made by Neil Postman on image-centered culture.

I love Neil Postman and find so much truth in what he says about culture and media. I’ve never heard anything quite like Susan’s rebuttal.

It reconfirms in my mind what a brilliant thinker she is and how blessed we’ve been by her homeschooling curriculum. The article has four parts and is lengthy but

is so well worth the read.

3. I made paella and sangria for Father’s Day. Both these recipes are fantastic. They will most definitely go into the regular rotation.

You should give them a try. Your people will love you.

4. The girls have been in VBS this week so I’ve been running around in Knoxville looking at countertops and wood and tile and appliances and outdoor furniture.

Here’s what I’ve purchased so far:: two remnants of absolute black granite (60 x 20 and 48 x 24) for $565, which includes installation, a floor model 48 inch subzero

refrigerator for $3000 less than the builder’s price, a Lloyd Flanders Nantucket wicker sofa at a steal and I’m waiting for a quote right now on the most gorgeous piece of Calcutta Gold

marble that I have EVER seen in my ENTIRE life. It’s a beauty.

Today, I plan to pick the tile for my shower and bathroom floor. I’m probably using octagon and dot (all white) for the floor and white subway tile for the shower.

I also have purchased almost all my lighting online and I think I’ll have to dedicate a whole post just to lighting.

Here’s the sofa 🙂

5. This is my inspiration picture for my screen porch. This blue ceiling is very southern and is called ‘haint’ blue.

It’s supposed to ward off evil spirits and make for happy healthy porch sitting.

I’ve got my blue narrowed down to 2 or 3 colors. Any thoughts or suggestions?

(I know it really doesn’t ward off evil spirits but I also love good southern folklore)

And this is my inspiration picture for my upstairs landing/catwalk.

I’m not a huge fan of railings but this one makes me so happy. My builder showed it to our trim guys and they think they can do it!! Yee-haw!

This is my hardwood floor inspiration picture. Wide plank, worn looking, deep rich color.

6. I’ve listened to some really good podcasts lately that you might enjoy:

Christianity and Pop-Culture

Christ-centered FAtherhood

Christ in the Old Testament–The Flood—-this could be one of the most fascinating podcasts I’ve ever heard!

The First Pentecost, simply amazing!

7. A big hug and kiss and a heartfelt thank you to the top ten referrers to this blog. I love you and admire you all!

The Nester

Darby at Fly Through Our Window

Meg from Whatever

Melanie from My Sweet Savannah

Shannan from Flower Patch Farm Girl

Lindsey from the Pleated Poppy

Paige from Simple Thoughts

Melissa at 320 Sycamore

Layla at The Lettered Cottage

Kate from Centsational Girl

oh and I couldn’t stop at ten when one of my favorite bloggers is next

Emily from Chatting at the Sky

Thank you all! You inspire me and teach me and make me think. LOVE from me to you!!!

8. My current favorite Mumford and Sons song.

The Workroom Design Files

June 20, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 21 Comments

I think this is my favorite design so far!! I’m so excited about this room. It’s a laundry room/craft room/office/schoolroom.
And I knew that since the girls and I would be spending alot of time in here, I wanted it to be functional and organized but without sacrificing beauty. I wanted to be inspired by the fabrics, the accessories, the furniture, the built-ins. I used two of my favorite fabrics in this room—-

Imperial Trellis by Schumacher and Four Seasons Summer by Victoria Hagan.

Darlene has really outdone herself.

I am SO BLESSED to know her and to be able to work with her.

She makes every step of the process fun and easy.

We started with several inspiration photos but these two were the ones we kept coming back to when we were unsure what direction to take the room. You can visit my Pinterest site to see lots more inspiration.
The concept of a multifunctional room like this has become very popular over the past few years. I hope it proves to be as valuable to me as it seems like it will.

I’m not sure where the previous one is from but the pic below is from LonnyMag.com

One of the things Darlene did for me on was sketch drawings for the built-ins. I took them to the cabinet maker last week and he thinks he’ll be able to come pretty close to her ideas. These are invaluable to me and have helped so much with lighting placement.
Here’s the basic floor plan of this small (12 x 12ish) room.

One of my favorite features of this room is ‘my’ wall—which is shown above with a sliding library ladder. My set up will be very similar to this picture.

My desk won’t be built in but will slide right into the space very snugly. My cabinet maker has done several library ladders so I can’t wait to see how this wall turns out.

We chose conch shell pink for the walls, revere pewter for the built-ins, and azure water for the backs of the bookcases, all by Benjamin Moore. And when I say ‘we’ I mean Darlene, who has a perfect eye for color. The revere pewter is THE most perfect shade of putty that I have ever seen.

The other wall sketches turned out great too.

Girls’ built in desk wall (on the front of the house with each desk under a window)

the craft wall—-

and the laundry wall—

So there you have it—–my favorite room in the house—–at least until the laundry piles up!

I can’t wait to get to work in this room 🙂

xo,