Homebuilding Progress: Seeing the Light

We’re now seeing the light at the end of the proverbial long tunnel for construction of our new cottage! Builder Mike is managing a million details right now and is focused on getting us moved in next month (fingers crossed).

So what has been accomplished since my last report, just 10 short days ago? Let’s see if I can sum it all up. Closet shelving and kitchen tile work have been pushed back in the schedule, but the place has been buzzing with completion of many other tasks.

More trim work has been accomplished, including cabinet details and crown molding on the back porch and in the stairway. The wood detailing in the great room ceiling is finished and looking beautiful (to be revealed later). Cultured marble countertops and sinks for the master and guest baths are also now in place.

It was especially exciting to see the electrical and plumbing fixtures – the jewelry of a home - arrive and get installed last week. We picked things out so long ago (in December) that we almost forgot what they looked like! And we’re really looking forward to enjoying the tankless water heating system later on.

dining room light fixture close-up

tankless hot water system

On the outside, the irrigation and drainage systems have been installed. Flowerbed outlines have been established, and a landscaping plan has been developed. The corbels (for the eaves), shutters, and front porch columns are now getting stained.

wood corbels and shutters, before staining

The HVAC units were installed last week. The security system is going in today. Sheetrock touch-ups are also underway. The wood floor finishers will be taking over the house tomorrow and keeping everyone else out. In the meantime, landscaping will proceed.

So there you have the latest progress report. Stay tuned for news on the final phase!

Spring - Keep Us Here

springtime window at Colonial Williamsburg

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

(excerpt from A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost)

Photo Challenge: Lighting

It’s time for another Brenda Photo Challenge! The current theme is Lighting. I was really excited to see this topic. Lighting makes or breaks your photo. It can be used to gently tease your subject matter or flood it dramatically. The viewer’s eye is always drawn to the lightest parts of an image. So savvy photographers leverage the composition of a scene by being mindful of how the subject matter is lit. And sometimes, light plays such a starring role that it becomes the true subject of a captured image. On those occasions, it steals the scene.

I chose all of my challenge photos from my digital inventory for Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. Additionally, I added textured background images to enhance each one. All of the background images are courtesy of Shadowhouse Creations (see sidebar link).

My first challenge entry is an old-fashioned lantern, hung on weathered clapboard siding. A gentle sideways glow of natural light is further assisted by strategically adding a darkened texture layer. Color balance and saturation were also adjusted to evoke a vintage feel. The image was taken at f/5.3, 1/60 second, and ISO 200.

light in the light

If ever there was a photo shoot location that teases you with light, it is the Centre Family Dwelling at the historical site. In the picture below, the afternoon daylight eases down the main hallway from the right. Meanwhile, a soft glow of indirect sunlight whispers beyond the open door. Both sources of light are reflected and playing tag in the arched vestibule. I added a light mocha textured background to give the overall image a painterly look. The camera settings were f/5, 1/100 second, ISO 800.

lightplay in a Shaker doorway

I have shown my fascination before on this blog with stairways in the Centre Family Dwelling. When one has a bad knee, it takes a bit of determination to walk up to the very top of this large building. But there are several views that make the effort worthwhile, including a staircase that leads to a rooftop window. It is a scene that makes a photographer’s heart melt, with dramatic lighting and strong visual angles. In challenging myself to make my picture even more striking, I was inspired to digitally superimpose an image of a cloudy sky. This blurs reality, melding the doorway and sky magically together. The image was taken at f/7.1, 1/4000 second, and ISO 800.

stairway to heaven

When the angels come to lead us on our final journey, this is what I imagine the trip will look like - a walk up a stairway, from darkness, and toward the light.

Photo Editing - Inspiration and Tools

unedited, raw image

Are you ready for some photographic inspiration and information?  The picture shown above is straight out of the camera. This is going to be one of the rare exceptions when I post an image that I haven’t edited. If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that I have been teaching myself digital editing for about two years. I first started off using Photoshop Elements 7 and then graduated to Photoshop CS4 last fall. Here is one piece of advice from little ol’ me: A digital image can always be improved with editing – even a great one. It is worth the time and trouble. Always. And besides, it’s just plain fun!

Now look at the image below that has been edited. Isn’t it better? The most obvious change is that it has been cropped. But that’s not the only tinkering. I also adjusted the brightness and contrast, sharpened it, and modified highlights and shadows.

edited image

And I just can’t leave well enough alone. I have to play with the image a little more! Here is another version, this time with a textured background overlay and a slight overall reduction in saturation.

edited mage, with textured background and saturation reduction

And here is a lovely painterly version of my new horse neighbor, using a purchased plug-in program for Photoshop.

edited image, with oil painting filter applied

I hope all of this has provided you with some inspiration. Photoshop Elements 8 (the latest version) is a powerful program that retails for less than $100. It has 99% of what a serious amateur photographer could ever want. But if that cost is too hefty for your pocketbook and you don’t want to put in the time commitment for learning it, then you can use a free online program. Vandelay Design recently compiled a list of 30 of the best online photo editing websites. I have tried several of these and found them easy to use. So check them out and start having some digital editing fun!

Homebuilding Progress: It's A'Going

overall progress - April 15

I know that many of you are wondering how the homebuilding project is coming along. It’s a’going! There has been a LOT of activities since my last report, but many are not very photogenic. Do you really need to see the trenches for the electrical and water/sewer lines, as well as the new electrical box? Not really, LOL! And most of the last two weeks has been devoted to interior painting, keeping us outside and away from paint spray and sanding dust. The project has been in a phase where it seems like work is at a standstill, but it’s really not!

As you can see from the picture above, the initial yard leveling has been completed, and we now have a concrete driveway and walkway to the front porch. It’s a bit of a drop-off from the porch down to the walk, so another step will need to be constructed in the days ahead. Now, if Builder Mike would only get that 2x4 board off of the front porch roof, where it has been sitting since the first of February. It keeps ruining my pictures, LOL!

front walkway

During the past couple of weeks, the finish carpenters completed the construction of judges paneling and pillars in the dining room. It was really interesting to see how they were assembled in several layers. I don’t have a picture right now of them all painted up, so you’ll have to see the finished results later on.

judges paneling in the dining room

a freshly painted dining room column

We now have a back porch - hooray! All the work is not quite done out here. It’s missing the crown molding, trim painting, electrical outlets, and ceiling fan. But we’re cheered to see the structure in! We’re really looking forward to enjoying this outdoor room. Among several other “firsts”, this will be our first ever screened-in porch. We christened it already by tossing back a few beers and enjoying a gentle spring breeze.

screened-in back porch, ready for final detailing

The bubble glass is now in the lighted kitchen cabinet. Kitchen and bathroom countertops were also recently installed. We got New Venetian Gold granite for the kitchen and powder room. And, we picked out cultured marble for the master and guest baths, both in a swirly light mocha color called Sedona.

bubble glass in the kitchen

kitchen cabinets and countertop (pardon the construction dust)

I’m still not ready to do the “big reveal” on the kitchen yet. You’ll just have to wait until the whole shebang is finished. So have patience, everyone...

Next week is going to be a doozy. Electrical and plumbing fixtures are stacked up in the garage, waiting for the pros to work their magic. The hot water system is going in. The HVAC units arrive and get hooked up. Tile installation for the kitchen is on the checklist. Closet shelving will go in. More trim work will happen in the great room.  The exterior wood corbels and shutters have arrived.  Those will get coated with stain/finish, in addition to the porch columns, and then hung.  The initial stages of landscaping will also start. Will the place be humming with activity? Double-check.

It’s a’going, folks, and we’re headed for the home stretch. We figure that we’re now about a month away from hanging our sign at the new Grey Havens!

Giveaway Winner Announcement!

Someone better start picking flowers! Because a lucky blogging friend just won my giveaway prize of a handmade wooden bud vase! Marty decided to be high-tech this morning and used a random number generator.

And the winner is Cindy of The Gathering Room! Congratulations, Miz Cindy! You have been a dear cyber-friend for many years – long before we both had blogs! I also know that you adore flowers, so the bud vase will have a lovely spot on a windowsill and get plenty of use!

And thank you to all my other blogging friends for entering and providing such sweet words of encouragement!

Momma's Got a Brand New Bag

I’ve gone and done it! I have wanted a new camera bag for some time now, but wasn’t really happy with the features and styling of the typical ones out on the market. Then I recently discovered great bags made by jill-e designs.

After much deliberation, I decided to get the small brown nylon model with black trim. They have gorgeous leather models too, but I thought the nylon version might be a little bit lighter for me to carry. With padding all around, the exterior has several handy pockets, and the interior is equipped with a slew of Velcro-adjustable dividers. A little matching wristlet pouch is also included with the bag. This size will be plenty big enough for my camera gear, typical purse essentials, and cell phone.

I am looking forward to using this camera bag on our travel jaunts and even excursions around town! If you live in a big city, your local camera dealer may have an assortment of these bags. I ordered mine from our trusty friends at B&H.

100th Follower Celebration & Giveaway!

 (yes, this is mini-me, oh-so many decades ago) 

I promised everyone that I would have another giveaway for my dear blog readers as soon as I reached 100 followers! That milestone was reached about a week ago! Hip-Hip-Hooray! Just in time for your spring and summer flowers, I am raffling off a handcrafted bud vase that I recently purchased in Berea, Kentucky.

Standing about six inches tall, this vase is a study in contrasts with its modern shape and rustic looks. It is carved out of exotic wenge, a type of tree that grows in swampy areas of West African countries. This kind of wood has been used for centuries in native Africa to make ceremonial masks and statues paying homage to gods. However, I didn’t know all of this interesting history when I bought it! I just liked the beautiful dark brown heartwood surrounded with streaks of light tan. And a little glass tube cleverly fits inside the vase for holding water.

Hopefully, you like this vase too and will enter to win it! Here’s how to get your name in the proverbial hat:

1. Leave a comment on this post to get one entry.
2. If you also follow my blog, please leave second comment to get an additional entry.
3. Entries outside the U.S. will be accepted. However, only those from bloggers with active web sites will be eligible.

The last day to enter is Wednesday, April 14. And a special thank you to all of my dear followers!

Photo Challenge: Black & White

It’s time for another Brenda Photo Challenge! The current theme is Black & White. I decided do a little playing with digital imaging techniques for this challenge. Using Photoshop, I changed one of my photographs of Bryce Canyon National Park and created several black and white versions.

tree at Bryce Canyon National Park - original color image

photocopy filter

stamp filter

glowing edges filter and invert

infrared conversion

Giveaway Thank You

It is way overdue for me to share with you a lovely giveaway prize I won back in February. The giveaway was sponsored by effervescent Cheryl of TidyMom fame. The prize was a gorgeous new book by talented Jeanne Winters: Inspirational Home: simple ideas for uplifting décor and craft. Jeanne is a well-known designer who has a gift collection at Hallmark and also an etsy store. Now she can add “author” to her growing list of accomplishments! Please visit Jeanne's blog where she shares her inspiring ideas.

The book provides gorgeous photographs and clear instructions for creating simple, beautiful, and inspirational decorations. Once we get settled into our new home, I can’t wait to try some of the ideas out! Thank you, Jeanne and Cheryl, for this wonderful prize!

Easter Joys

April - A Look Ahead

Whew! Is it really true that 25% of the year has already passed? That is what the calendar is telling me! And it is a GOOD thing that it is passing by quickly because we are getting more and more anxious to have our new Grey Havens finished, get moved, unpacked, and settled. We intend for this will be our final home. The next stop after it will either be an assisted living facility or underground!

We made some serious headway last month with our various plans and activities, thereby clearing our schedule out pretty well for April. I will be having a follow-up visit with my orthopedic doctor to evaluate my bionic knee. Also, I have to go back to the dentist again mid-month for the new replacement bridge. The dental lab goofed up and the initial one did not fit well. Speaking of pain, LOL, phase I of the dreaded tax return preparation is completed. The IRS refund hit the checking account today. Yeah! Phase II involves the search for an accountant to prepare an amended return after house construction is done.

It is hard to believe that the house framing started a little shy of three months ago, on January 4th. We are heading into the home stretch! We'll make ourselves available to do daily checks on progress and help address issues quickly. Builder Mike and his subcontractors continue to make the whole process a joy. After our unpleasant previous building experiences, we are counting our blessings.

The dining room trim was finished today and it looks gorgeous. The back porch construction is coming along quickly, with Trex decking now installed and side rails going up. The painting crew will take over the house interior next week. The granite countertops for the kitchen and cultured marble sinks for the baths will get installed next week too. We’re really excited to see those transformations. Plumbing and electrical crews will install fixtures after the painting crew clears back out. A tile backsplash will be added to the kitchen walls. Then hardwood floors will get stained and sealed. On the outside, wood corbels and shutters will be stained and added to the structure. A concrete driveway and walkway will be created. Completion of the irrigation system and landscaping will happen after that.

Not all of these tasks are expected be done in April, but the bulk of them will! We estimate that we have about six weeks to go. Hold on to your bloomers, folks, because it is going to be a wild ride this month!

With the emergence of spectacular weather, we plan to have a few jaunts around town to enjoy the spring colors and perhaps take a few pictures. The Bradford pear trees and the daffodils are at their peak right now. The blooming dogwood trees, redbuds, and azaleas will follow with their glory. Our local Dogwood Arts Festival will be getting in full swing soon, and various neighborhood trails will proudly display their landscapes.

I will burrow into my digital photo files and share more journey pictures with you this month. A photo challenge is also coming up on April 10th. So I’ll be rustling up some special images for that endeavor.

I hope that you are able to get out of the house this glorious month and celebrate the end of winter! Fresh air and a little digging in the dirt are good for the soul.

Lot 10 Update!

overall progress – March 30

See the big orange “10” sign on the front porch? That’s our lot number and it has been prominently displayed lately to help the delivery and utility hookup folks. Oh my, where do I even begin? So much has happened since my last home building report a couple of weeks ago! The biggest changes on the house exterior have been the installation of porch ceiling and addition of the columns. Also, the front door has received its first coat of stain. Trenches were dug to put in the water/sewer lines and the electrical/cable runs. Work just started earlier this week on building the screened-in porch in back.

front porch ceiling

front door with fresh stain

The stairway is finished with the exception of some small trim. Staining comes later on when the carpenters leave and the painting crew takes over the house interior.

stairway landing

Beautiful built-in cabinets have been installed in various rooms, along with some of the countertops. Even hardware and crown mouldings are now on! The kitchen sink and range hood are in place. The cooktop has arrived onsite and will get put in its permanent home right before the kitchen and bathroom countertops arrive next week.

office cabinets, countertop, & hardware

crown on kitchen cabinets

studio cabinet hardware close-up

cast-iron kitchen sink close-up

The happy results of the detailed tile work in the master bath are now on display. (Please pardon the dried grout smudges in the pictures.) We opted for a classic stone look that will keep its smart style for a long time. The garden tub is renting space in the master bedroom until the plumbers come back in a few weeks.

master bath shower

master bathtub surround

master bathtub

About 95% of the wood trim has been installed, and the painters have already gone through and done their initial caulking. The finish carpenters are now working their magic in the dining room, constructing judges panels and columns along the arches. It is going to be gorgeous when they get done! I will have a separate post later on about that particular endeavor.

There are a million little details that Builder Mike is tracking, and everything is coming together smoothly. The pictures above give you little glimpses of the progress and details. I will be posting more pictures as tasks get completed and it all gets pulled together. The project is still running ahead of schedule, and it now looks like we are about six weeks out from completion. Please keep checking back for more progress reports!