tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78651371954444032412012-01-24T14:09:48.374-06:00Two Flats...Twice the Renovation FunJoannenoreply@blogger.comBlogger4031100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-12445691362426215132011-09-27T21:32:00.000-05:002011-09-27T22:51:47.390-05:00

Ted's dad was over recently to help with the finishing touches on the bathroom restoration. We are not doing anything with the old cast iron tub at this time, except to clean it. We may, in the future, convert it to a walk in shower as Mom gets older, or we may just add more support bars, we're not sure yet. Whatever we do, that will be phase 2. This is the bathroom cabinet that was under six

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-598267178920869042011-09-27T20:43:00.000-05:002011-09-27T20:46:03.586-05:00

This was my least-favorite room of the house. It is the guest room off the kitchen, which back in the day may have been the maid's room. Even apartment-dwelling families in Chicago and Evanston sometimes had maids, so I've been told, and the bedroom by the kitchen was often set aside for them. When we moved in, the trim was all painted blue. Baby blue. The walls were three different shades of

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-27936902763757024022011-09-27T20:30:00.003-05:002011-09-27T20:30:58.443-05:00

Now that phase 1 of the bathroom restoration is done, we were able to reclaim the back porch, which had been sort of a staging area for the project, the place where we stored the new sink and toilet for the last year until we were able to replace the old cloth wire and replumb the lines in the bathroom. But, it's done. There's room for a desk out here now, and a few comfy chairs. It's turned

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-26080765568255605322011-09-23T00:33:00.000-05:002011-09-27T20:13:41.035-05:00

We've decided to get a VW camper van! Like we need another restoration project, right? But now that the ol' brick garage has nearly been cleared of the previous owners' possessions, we have the room  to store and work on one. We started the vehicle search today. Unfortunately, this one that Ted is sitting in has been sold. So if you have a water-cooled camper from 1985 and up--more or less in

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-83109868321906181792011-09-20T20:42:00.001-05:002011-09-20T20:43:27.842-05:00

It has been a sad year for blogging, but now that the busy summer is winding down to a close, I should have more time to update you all on some of our projects. Here's a sneak peek at what we've done to the bathroom: I'll be posting more pictures of the transformation shortly, but was so excited to have a working toilet and a door that closes (actually, a door, period) that I couldn't wait.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-49502028919687733942011-07-01T01:39:00.000-05:002011-09-24T01:51:43.485-05:00

I think I found the color combination I want to use for the portico. Columns in that creamy color, with trim in the dusky red and blue.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-83158849729887785882011-06-05T00:42:00.003-05:002011-06-05T00:53:05.750-05:00

It's been brought to my attention that I haven't posted anything since September, last year, about my quilting. Sorry. I've been wrapped up in a special quilting project. I don't have but a few pictures of what I'm working on but here's a teaser. I hope to have pictures soon of the completed top. The quilt has a Native American theme. It's machine applique and pieced. I've been having such a

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-39158296979153497042011-02-19T04:18:00.002-06:002011-02-19T17:09:13.120-06:00

I've been sitting on these pictures for a while, because frankly, I've been a little embarrassed about the whole thing. But a few months have passed, so I can laugh about it now. Kinda. It started with the previous tenants. They were good guys, this was just one of those things. Ashes from their grill spilled onto the deck, burning a hole in it. (This is why the city of Chicago forbids such

Joannenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-83217074713280072342011-02-19T03:52:00.001-06:002011-02-19T03:53:46.350-06:00

The electrical breaker boxes for our house were updated in 1973, according to a receipt we found in the basement. Conduit to power extra outlets / light bulbs was strung along the basement ceiling at the same time. While the boxes were professionally installed, it looks like the previous owners added the conduit themselves. (It looks like a hack job and wasn't on the receipt.) We're considering

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-37544740785664365962011-02-19T03:37:00.000-06:002011-02-19T03:37:06.412-06:00

I never thought I'd see the day, but Ted has decided he can finally part with all of his physics and astronomy homework from college. (He was a double major.) I've helped him move those big, heavy boxes of paper three times in the last nine years. Hello, extra storage space!

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-43672561257243812002011-01-01T20:48:00.001-06:002011-01-01T20:48:44.228-06:00

Rabbit, rabbit!

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-35867810280800347132010-12-26T16:29:00.001-06:002010-12-26T16:30:28.079-06:00

This is a fairly early cocktail book, published in 1884. Unlike many of the others we have reprinted, this has a fair number of advertisements within the pages of the text, which we've chosen to keep. So, in addition to the recipes for cocktails enjoyed in the late nineteenth century, there are advertisements for bitters, glassware, and liquor. We've included a modern resource section on where to

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-45434228153401027532010-12-26T16:19:00.000-06:002010-12-26T16:19:43.306-06:00

All told, we put out six vintage cocktail books this month, and I plan on releasing at least three more next month. This one was originally published as "The 20th Century Guide for Mixing Fancy Drinks" in Chicago in 1900. I'm not a big fan of champagne, but there is a champagne cocktail in this one that includes lemon peel and angostura bitters, and I am a huge fan of bitters. I might have to

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-57644083602977128632010-12-22T03:21:00.000-06:002010-12-22T03:21:28.560-06:00

I think this might be one of my favorites of the cocktail guides we brought back into print this month, as it has a whole section of party drinks, with proportions for groups of ten or so. I can't wait to serve Rumfustian to my friends. Its full title is The Complete Bartender: The Art of Mixing Cocktails, Punches, Egg Noggs, Smashes, Sangarees, Slings, Cobblers, The Fizz, Juleps, Flips, Toddys

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-71652554927456666512010-12-21T17:25:00.000-06:002010-12-21T17:25:23.204-06:00

I think I'm going to have to take the camera away from Ted... I had flopped down on the unmade bed in the spare room for a nap and at some point while I was sleeping all the critters had joined me, including the new guy, Sebastian Blue.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-59381017308703786912010-12-20T03:10:00.000-06:002010-12-20T03:10:46.725-06:00

Here's another of the classic cocktail books we brought back into print. I'm rather happy with the look of this one. The image I selected for the cover is by George Barbier, who was an amazing French illustrator of the early twentieth century. Here's the book description: This tasty collection of classic cocktails was first published by J. A. Grohusko in the early days of the twentieth century

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-49980850043753493272010-12-19T03:33:00.004-06:002010-12-19T03:38:19.775-06:00

If you've followed along with the house blog for a while, you may have realized that after a hard day of home improvement we'll often kick back with a cocktail or two. One of my favorites is the Sazarec, a delicious combination of rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud's and Angostura bitters, simple syrup, and a twist of lemon. Yummy! It was the discovery of such vintage cocktails that led to one of

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-76085554803621749512010-12-02T01:15:00.000-06:002010-12-02T01:15:48.128-06:00

Look who has decided to come out to play. I guess Sebastian Blue has determined it's far more comfortable to sleep on the bed than under it.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-90291545877261134722010-12-01T00:12:00.000-06:002010-12-01T00:12:09.070-06:00

My dad died in 2004, a fact I still have trouble coming to terms with sometimes. I miss him so much, particularly around the holidays. We occasionally wonder what life would have been like if he had lived; we might not even be in the Box House, who knows. My parents' plan was to retire somewhere warmer. But things happen, and now it's sometimes hard to remember a time when the three of us--me,

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-44006168265589578242010-11-29T21:22:00.000-06:002010-11-29T21:22:44.039-06:00

It's nearly December, and I'm still puttering in the garden. I went to Home Depot yesterday to get lawn bags, as the last leaf pickup is this week. I swear, that's all I intended to get. The garden center is filled with Christmas trees and holiday greenery, but in one sad little corner was a pile of shrubs at super markdown prices. And for two dollars, I picked up an Amethyst coral berry. It

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-13820185862144829172010-11-29T21:05:00.002-06:002010-11-29T22:59:25.358-06:00

We brought our new cat home on Saturday. He's a 16-month-old Maine Coon we've named Sebastian Blue. (And if anyone out there notices that our cats' names are now Bella and Sebastian, it was not inspired by indie Scottish band Belle and Sebastian, although we do like their music). He does remind me some of his brother, Seamus, but his face looks more feral. I hope to get a good picture of him this

Joannenoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-7231325563515582632010-11-15T20:28:00.001-06:002010-11-15T20:31:38.372-06:00

Lest you think we're all Maine Coons, all the time around here, rest assured that we have been doing some work around the ol' Box House. Last week we had some freakishly warm temperatures in Chicagoland and actually still have some things blooming--and green, yes, green! So I took on the challenge of extending the wraparound shrub border from the corner to our front walk. I had killed the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-71954715173801595362010-11-12T20:42:00.001-06:002010-11-13T17:45:29.316-06:00

We miss our Seamus, a lot. I miss his kitten kisses and his soft, almost subaudible purr. We've lost pets in the past, but this one is hitting me particularly hard. I think it's because he was so young, and it was so unexpected. Usually, we wait a while before beginning the search for another cat. We ended up waiting almost a year to the day after we lost Pascal before bringing Seamus and

Joannenoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-9077562459268990182010-11-04T18:21:00.002-05:002010-11-04T18:49:42.960-05:00

On and off over the last few years, we have debated about getting a cat tree. The biggest problem with them is that they're so ugly, and most don't have perches big enough for Maine Coons. Now that Seamus is gone, I feel a little bad that I never got around to getting one. I just searched Google to see what stylish options might be out there, and came across this:   It's totally awesome, and I'd

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-81945891599256348532010-11-02T17:21:00.007-05:002010-11-05T01:16:41.579-05:00

I haven't felt much like writing, lately. A few weeks ago, we had to make the terrible decision to let Séamus go. It was less than two years ago that we brought him home. He was a sweet, affectionate kitten, a tiny little thing with blue-gray fur and golden eyes. He was also the first cat I ever "picked out," who didn't come to me by circumstance. Here he is with Ted in the car. Ted sat in the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-37102738550389653732010-10-08T17:27:00.000-05:002010-10-08T17:27:07.207-05:00

I've lost track of how long this project is really taking. But, weeks after I started stripping the bathroom door, I finally got the rest of the whitish-yellow enamel out of the nooks and crannies. It was a brutal process, completed in the odd moment I found here and there. Here's the door, without its six coats of paint: Next step is popping out the window glass so I can get the last bits

Joannenoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-84188644884860184102010-09-23T14:28:00.003-05:002010-09-23T14:44:00.549-05:00

We were busy this week doing a few repairs at the rental condo. Between that and client work, I haven't had much time to get back to stripping the bathroom door. But before going to bed last night, I decided I could spare a little time stripping the hardware for it. I used Citristrip. Remember how the doorknob and plate looked a few days ago? Here it is now. Ta-dah! Shiny. And here it is

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-55404605522325572252010-09-21T12:44:00.004-05:002010-09-23T14:46:47.316-05:00

I can tell how irritating a current client project is when I find that I'd rather strip paint than work on a book layout. But, duty called, and I had to put off removing the Citristrip from the bathroom door, which is not really a bad thing, as the paint has been stubborn and an extra long soak will no doubt save me a little effort down the line. Twenty-four hours after initial application, I was

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-23191418597537559892010-09-19T23:23:00.000-05:002010-09-19T23:23:25.289-05:00

Lest you think Ted is slacking while I strip paint, rest assured he's been working on plumbing. Here he is in the garage "sweating pipe" for the new bathroom supply lines. His work surface is the old sink we pulled out of the bathroom. It's worked very well for him.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-91296638507428842992010-09-19T23:14:00.002-05:002010-09-23T14:48:31.531-05:00

I hate stripping paint. It probably wouldn't be so bad if some previous owner didn't use peachy-flesh-colored enamel on everything. It's nearly impossible to pull up. I blame this paint for me dragging my heals at attempting to strip any of the doors, but the time has come in our bathroom restoration for it to be done. This will be my first door project. And so, for the next week or so, we'll

Joannenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-69603123719397104452010-09-16T17:11:00.000-05:002010-09-16T17:11:51.244-05:00

Mom has posted a few of her latest quilts on her quilting blog. Check them out at Evanston Quilter.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-46467377765122171972010-09-12T23:34:00.002-05:002010-09-16T17:12:51.809-05:00

We're going to turn the old coal room (one of two in the basement) into a summer bedroom (it's much cooler down here). This room is also Ted's office. We cleaned it up pretty well, and set up our 1930s bed against the far wall. There's a nice view of the garden, too. As with my office, this room is going to need a little help. We want to keep at least one foundation wall of the brick and

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-55817219703765916102010-09-01T14:09:00.000-05:002010-09-01T14:09:55.298-05:00

Is it charmingly rustic, like I have myself convinced it is because I spend half my waking hours here, or does it really still look like a basement? The room is doubling as a guest room, is unheated, but comfortable enough on all but the coldest days, and then I have a space heater. I like the exposed brick on the top half of the wall. The bottom half is half-painted green, half bare concrete. I

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-88814899242472234792010-08-30T01:25:00.000-05:002010-08-30T01:25:42.556-05:00

Our garden is doing really well this year, with all the rain we've had, and the moon garden is particularly enchanting, although it is also nearly impossible for me to photograph on the camera I have. Here is one of about eight clumps of datura I have in bloom around the house. They shine brightly on moonlit nights.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-44638162862280993762010-08-27T11:39:00.008-05:002010-08-27T15:43:04.877-05:00

I thought our experience with bunny nests in the yard was over for the summer. But no. Seems another mama bunny decided to dig her nest in a flowerbed in the front yard. Doesn't look like she dug up any spring bulbs, though. Unfortunately the front yard doesn't leave her any protection from dogs, kids, and other critters, like the one in the backyard had. When I took Maggie out for a late night

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-60847379893578088622010-08-18T20:44:00.003-05:002010-08-18T23:24:33.384-05:00

I call them twilight bees because they only seem to show up in the yard at dusk, when the datura (angel trumpets) open. On a typical evening, several dozen flowers open, which means hundreds of bees. They are very docile, stay around for only fifteen minutes or so before it gets too dark, and let me garden around them. I'm able to snip dead flowers and prune back a plant that has a dozen or more

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-6133313771490610412010-08-03T16:44:00.000-05:002010-08-03T16:44:19.660-05:00

You don't need a big yard out in the country to grow fruit. There are many fine dwarf specimens out there they don't get very tall. We have several fruit trees planted round the yard: three cherries, two antique apples, a peach, a pear, and a plum. Some are self-fertile, some cross-pollinate with other trees in my yard or my neighbors'; as for my pear, I hope there is another pear tree in the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-6230946276140468332010-07-30T23:57:00.002-05:002010-07-31T03:50:29.819-05:00

I drive Ted crazy with my obsessive dumpster diving, I admit that. But sometime I find really cool treasures. I've picked up antique mirrors, oak wood kitchen chairs, cast iron candlestick holders, and vintage bar glasses. I've picked up some clunkers, too, including several dressers I meant to refinish, changed my mind about (i.e., never really got around to it), and quietly snuck back out to

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-59272799966954094992010-07-24T19:38:00.001-05:002010-07-24T19:38:49.661-05:00

I was walking through the porch on my way down to my office, when I glanced out the window and saw something I had never seen before. Dragonflies--thousands of them. The air is filled with them right now, for blocks in every direction. They're swarming from just a few inches above our heads to higher than the tallest elm tree on our street. They are probably feeding on much smaller insects, and

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-86692042531910839112010-07-17T13:57:00.006-05:002010-07-17T15:27:48.160-05:00

This week we had someone come by the house to see some old radio and TV tubes Joanne had on Craig's List. While the guy didn't take the tubes he told us he was having an estate sale just a few blocks away. Of course we had to go check it out. So glad we did. Found a great 1920's, full size, vintage brass bed! The bed and out house were built around the same time! We figured it was karma, the

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-64551048515319151662010-07-14T19:46:00.000-05:002010-07-14T19:46:08.939-05:00

We just found the most awesome vintage sink on Craigslist. It came from a 1929 bungalow in Oak Park, where the owner was "upgrading" with another vintage piece. I love the whole steampunk look, with the arms that come up to a mixing faucet. We're going to use it in the basement, where we already have a 1920s toilet in a sort of half bath. Overall, it's in good shape. There is some rusting

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-37849963588547735282010-06-24T12:28:00.007-05:002010-09-19T23:24:40.114-05:00

Another wild stormy rush hour yesterday. Three tornado warnings, severe storm warnings, lots of rain all during the rush hour commute. Thankfully, for us up on the North Shore, the action was south of Chicago. Although we did get our share of the rain and winds. After the storm we were gifted with a lovely double rainbow. The colors were very soft, almost blending into the gray sky. A bit

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-3586490121552649532010-06-06T13:46:00.008-05:002010-06-06T19:14:23.343-05:00

A couple days ago Joanne called me, "there's a Fairy Ring in B.'s yard" Sure enough, there it was, across the street from our house, a perfectly round fairy ring in B.'s front lawn. Of course we took pictures (that's me standing next to the ring) then let our imaginations run away. Who made the ring? Did the fairies have a dance last night? Did anyone see them? Folklore tells us fairy rings

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-20924390579507053832010-05-26T11:59:00.007-05:002010-05-26T12:14:32.951-05:00

Spring seems to moving right along. Cooler weather means the flowers are lasting much longer than usual. Works for us. I'm always a little sad to see spring color gone so fast. The lovely yellow iris were a transplant from friend Herma's yard. They seem so bright in the sunny front yard here.There great purple iris were inherited from the previous owner. We didn't even know the bulbs were in the

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-6814779529407608062010-05-16T13:59:00.002-05:002010-05-16T14:47:30.493-05:00

Our Spring planting has been coming along fine. New things planted last fall are poking up, added a couple of new ones and even a surprise or two. Seems the bulbs previous owners planted, years ago, are just now coming up. Due to the fact Joanne has worked the yard so much, moving things and making room for older bulbs to start growing. Anyway . . . some of the yard work has pretty much come to

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-40755403169738443782010-04-30T14:06:00.000-05:002010-04-30T14:06:51.630-05:00

In case your area does not recycle old CDs, DVDs, and their jewel cases, I found a place that will take them for free (I just confirmed it with their customer service as well). Send them to: MRC Polymers, Inc.3535 W. 31st St.Chicago, IL 60623 Some interesting facts I learned about CDs and DVDs in general: A cd/dvd is considered a class 7 recyclable plastic To manufacture a pound of plastic (

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-38817959064527429352010-04-11T14:27:00.000-05:002010-04-11T14:27:39.949-05:00

I'm a little early with my April submission to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, but I have time this weekend to take a few pictures. The neighbors' row of forsythia; we can see these from our front windows. The Corner. Most of this was planted in November, so we're psyched to see that just about everything survived the late planting, including the spring bulbs. We have so many rabbits and skunks

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-83374354576480016152010-04-05T23:47:00.000-05:002010-04-05T23:47:48.435-05:00

It just hailed quarter-size ice chunks here, and guess who left her car on the driveway. Yeah. I'm not looking forward to inspecting it by light of day. The rain and ice came down so fast and furious, that the drains in the garage backed up. When we checked the pit in the front yard, which we assume the drains are connected to, we found it had backed up to the surface. The water is receding

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-73092952653667453392010-03-29T10:31:00.007-05:002010-03-29T18:56:32.266-05:00

Spring may be peeking around the corner but it's a little cold to really start working in the yard. Soooo . . . I took advantage of Joanne and Ted recently being away for a week and started painting the living room. Like the rest of the house, we used Venetian Plaster. Goes on with a small trowel instead of brush or roller. Really lots of fun. Just smear the paint all over the wall, don't worry

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-67627641331986151032010-03-22T18:11:00.001-05:002010-03-22T18:13:26.459-05:00

Ted and I were in South Carolina last week, and I found this at a gas station / hardware store / antique store between Savannah and Charleston. The clerk didn't have a clue about its origin, but I thought it was kinda neat and picked it up to hang on the wall. The little cups beside each bird look like they might hold candles. The figure has a curved sword in his right hand, pointing to his

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-68578522274324328292010-03-16T14:42:00.006-05:002010-03-16T14:52:26.361-05:00

After taking the dog for a nice, long afternoon walk we returned home. Maggie wanted to cut across the yard, on the stepping stones Joanne put in last year. This is when we discovered Spring Has Arrived!!These seem to be the first of the many Crocus bulbs we put in and the squirrels didn't dig up!Don't recall what this is but it's green and coming back!These bulbs, whatever they are, are coming

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-29179306935336598012010-02-23T21:00:00.000-06:002010-02-23T21:00:22.313-06:00

I feel a little guilty calling this post bathroom "progress." Mostly, we're still in the tear-it-apart and figure how it originally went together phase. Step one, pull out the ugly old cabinet. The ugly old cabinet with a weird flexible plastic drain pipe that continually clogged with all the hair it trapped. Seriously, what a hack job. Turns out, the sink's not as old as we thought. The date

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-40914253784010474892010-02-23T20:40:00.001-06:002010-02-23T21:03:54.149-06:00

There hasn't been much blogging done around here, although we've continued to plug away at the house. Work-work and clients have been taking up a lot of my time. (Thank goodness for that, really; it's been a tough year with the economy and all.) I also started a beginner-level stained glass class. My dream is to be able to replicate some of the original stained glass window designs we have in the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-56923609242527620632010-02-10T15:17:00.007-06:002010-03-03T18:11:31.319-06:00

I just started my own blog - Evanston Quilter - and want to invite everyone to check it out. I'll be posting pictures and stories of the many quilts I've done over the past 16 years. Here's a picture of the first one. I call it "The Grandmother's Quilt." Three generations of women in our family worked on it. http://evanstonquilts.blogspot.com See you there! Box Mom - aka. Ladyquilter - aka.

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-40839441884497891402010-02-10T13:53:00.006-06:002010-03-03T18:09:05.051-06:00

The seven-year-old son of a friend recently finished a project in school. Using burlap, felt and glue, he was told to do a picture of a house he knew. He did ours. Not having a piece of felt big enough, he used several for the attached porch. The small square in the lower right corner is the garage. He even included my red van parked in front. Not wanting the burlap to unravel, I stitched his

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-47349582774501064042010-02-08T12:04:00.006-06:002010-02-08T12:19:47.673-06:00

As I promised Joanne I'm adding a couple more of my quilting projects. The first is a wall hanging we have hanging on the back porch along with art work from family, friends and goodies from our trips. The hanging says 'Shalom" this is Hebrew for hello, goodbye and peace. All applique work is by hand with a blanket stitch the rest of the quilt is pieced. I machine quilted this one. If you click

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-20790482544763356332010-01-10T02:35:00.001-06:002010-01-10T02:39:48.081-06:00

Ted and I went to Kansas City the day after Christmas, and brought his sister Betsy back to Chicago with us in time for New Year's Eve. It was a fun few weeks of visiting back and forth with friends and family, but now that the last of the hot buttered rum has been consumed and the Christmas decorations halfway packed up, it's time to get back to our home renovation projects. So the last few

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-47264130346158822382009-12-25T15:14:00.004-06:002009-12-25T23:22:49.242-06:00

You know how it goes. You begin stripping the paint off the bathroom door trim, and because it's only right, you strip the trim on both sides of the door at the same time. And as long as you're stripping the wood on the entryway side of the bathroom door, you decide to strip the trim on all six doors off the entryway at once. And one of those doors leads into the kitchen. And the trim of this

Joannenoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-65976497819770582442009-12-25T13:54:00.000-06:002009-12-25T13:54:52.853-06:00

Just had to give my mom a shout out for her wonderful sugar cookies this year. If you've never seen the movie The Christmas Story, there's no way I can explain the significance of the leg lamp cookie. Happy Holidays, y'all!

Joannenoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-86260861460207242632009-12-23T15:35:00.002-06:002009-12-23T16:24:05.077-06:00

Wassaile the trees, that they may beare You many a Plum and many a Peare: For more or lesse fruits they will bring,  As you do give them Wassailing. Each solstice since we've been in The Box House (this is our third) we have wassailed the garden, whereby we drink a toast to the health of the fruit-bearing trees and sing to them so that they may produce abundant harvests the next year. The tune

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-742883786763238402009-12-21T21:11:00.001-06:002009-12-21T21:13:34.759-06:00

We're doing our bathroom remodel in stages, replacing the sink and toilet first and then the shower in the spring. I just finished ordering everything we need for stage one, and we should be able to install them in early January. The faucet from Porcher I posted a few days ago: The vanity and stand are from Rohl; purchasing online from someone who had a clearance sale of old models saved us

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-35968623435395438202009-12-20T19:38:00.004-06:002009-12-21T02:43:39.339-06:00

The fun part of any home renovation project is shopping. We try to shop locally when we can, but honestly, it's hard to beat the deals you can find on the Internet. We recently went to a bath and kitchen showroom in Chicago to get a firsthand look at some of the items we were coveting. The service was great, and the salesman was able to educate us on what to watch for when buying fixtures from

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-77685550043995619822009-12-16T00:20:00.002-06:002009-12-16T00:20:49.808-06:00

A video I put together several years ago...

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-81520312368669035402009-12-14T22:13:00.001-06:002009-12-17T03:15:01.542-06:00

Last week, Ted and I took a (slightly) impromptu road trip to Charleston and Savannah. That's right, we drove all the way from Chicago to South Carolina/Georgia and back in six days. That meant several days in the car, but we did break it up with a few well-chosen detours to stretch our legs. One of our favorites was in Atlanta, where we stayed just long enough to grab breakfast and tour the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-81352497731530206302009-12-14T21:34:00.001-06:002009-12-14T21:35:56.500-06:00

As much as I've tried, I don't like the sconces we have in the bathroom. Like 95% of the fixtures that were still in place when we moved in, they're probably original to the house. However, even if I get the paint stripped off them, I just don't think they'll wow me. Nothing wrong with them, they just don't fit our vision for the bathroom and we'll be going with a different, although still

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-79471030217449340902009-12-14T16:35:00.002-06:002009-12-15T00:58:18.642-06:00

I'm serious; I've mentioned it before, but I really must have a psychic connection with Gustave Villaret, a 1920s designer. We already have two sconce sets and a chandelier of his. And now, after weeks of staying away from eBay, a random search brought me two more of his chandeliers. Unfortunately, it's hard to justify the purchase as we're maxed out on interior space and light fixture funds

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-1306694745509888882009-12-03T21:40:00.003-06:002009-12-04T16:32:40.796-06:00

So many decisions need to be made before we begin the major demolition work of the bathroom. The bathrooms in each unit of The Box House still have their original hex tile, and I love the look of it. Unfortunately, the floor in our unit also has a big crack across nearly the entire length, right in the center of the room. (I think the tenants' unit is fine, but it's been a while since I actually

Joannenoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-24973499060217423192009-12-01T01:56:00.004-06:002009-12-03T00:51:02.326-06:00

These pictures are really for me more than you. As far as stripping projects go, it's not too impressive, so far. But if you knew how many environmental-friendly (and not-so-friendly) strippers I tried, without success, you'll understand how I nearly wept with joy to see the paint peel right off the bathroom trim with a $20 heat gun. The first four or five layers came right off. Look how thick

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-58447576229668144722009-11-30T00:12:00.000-06:002009-11-30T00:12:45.323-06:00

I think I have some sort of cosmic connection to Gustave Villaret, a 1920s era designer. After my great disappointment at not having won the sconces by Villaret a few weeks back, I feared we would never find another set. But on a whim, I decided to surf eBay a few nights ago, and the very first set that came up under my search term "art deco sconces" was this pair: Not the same set, but there

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-5608655936828934572009-11-28T12:41:00.007-06:002009-11-28T12:56:49.523-06:00

As promised here are two more quilts I just completed. They are for my great-nephews,Cameron and his twin brother Max.This is Cameron's Horses & Dogs, two of his favorite animals. Can't see it but the back is herds of horses running across green grass. Twin size.Second quilt is Max's Dragons. Also about a twin size. Center block is hand painted batik I found on ebay. I had actually purchased

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-36185261721930140222009-11-28T02:59:00.001-06:002009-11-28T03:01:54.466-06:00

Okay, this is embarrassing.Would you believe I started the bathroom renovation a year and a half ago? I got as far as half-stripping the medicine cabinet. A great percentage of wood trim at The Box House—all six bedrooms and both bathrooms—have been painted. Numerous times. There are, as far as I can tell, five coats of paint, the last being this absolutely brutal flesh color (that I've

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-73280181827469441332009-11-26T03:57:00.006-06:002009-11-26T15:01:34.905-06:00

The last pair of original sconces that needed to be stripped and refinished at The Box House came from my mom's room. We think, because they sort of match the medieval theme of the living room electric fireplace, they originally came from there. Our guess is that they migrated to the bedroom when a previous owner removed the sconces and plastered over the electric boxes. But we'll never know for

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-32732046462569326762009-11-21T22:21:00.001-06:002009-11-22T00:36:17.077-06:00

I think I know what kind of project I want to tackle once we finish with The Box House: Church House

Joannenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-29595871990088212972009-11-17T23:24:00.001-06:002009-11-18T23:04:28.867-06:00

Earlier this fall Daniel, the 27-year-old son of Ted's cousin Kay, died from huffing. Huffing is the breathing in of  an inhalant, such as the propellant gases found in aerosol cans like hairspray, whipped cream, and cooking sprays. It is a very, very dangerous activity, and of those who die from it, one in three were trying it for the first time. It's estimated that in 2008, more than a million

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-61770561357168034152009-11-17T12:47:00.007-06:002009-11-17T15:11:02.095-06:00

Thought I would add pictures of the other two quilts I just finished. The first is one I did for my sister in law, Marsha. The focal fabric is 1940s bathing beauties, then surrounded by tropical flowers and ferns. It's a duplicate of a quilt I did for a friend of my father's who was living in a veterans home in Western Illinois. Marsha will put hers in the family room that has a tropical theme.

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-53326383751585610022009-11-17T12:39:00.005-06:002009-11-17T15:09:20.841-06:00

Joanne asked me to occasionally mention my quilting progress. I've just completed three of them, my favorite being the kitty quilt I did for Ted and the kitties. The blocks came from a swap I did with one of my online quilting groups, Quilters Who care. Works like a cookie exchange. I added a photo block with a picture taken of Bella and Seamus when they first came to live with us last year. The

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-21625211611451789422009-11-14T18:36:00.004-06:002009-11-14T18:42:43.782-06:00

Who doesn't love a handmade gift?Ted's cousin Kristine has opened an Etsy shop with the most adorable greeting cards, mini notebooks, bookmarks, gift tags, and more. Her goal is "to give people the option to avoid mass produced, impersonal greeting cards" and to "utilize recycled materials and create cards that will be treasured."She's currently running a buy one get one free sale, so be sure to

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-88382911985874089962009-11-08T21:37:00.012-06:002009-11-09T01:42:13.157-06:00

While these guys were slacking off this week, I was busy planting 46 new bushes, shrubs, and small trees...Can you spot all three critters in this picture?The kittens blend in with the sheepskin we have tossed at the end of the bed to keep our toes warm.That's right. Forty-six new plants went in; this doesn't count the twenty flats of myrtle I also added, or the half dozen ferns. (Or the four

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-91999017719155165902009-11-08T21:06:00.004-06:002009-11-08T21:15:29.638-06:00

I've been watching this set of sconces on eBay all week, and didn't put my bid in until the last seven seconds; I was outbid in the last four. Grrrr. I'm super bummed, as these 1929 fixtures were from the same series as our dining room chandelier.So...if anyone has this same set of sconces, let me know your price. They were designed by Gustave E. Villaret of Leonia, New Jersey, for the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-79763278938328337022009-11-05T01:07:00.009-06:002009-11-06T17:34:48.947-06:00

Ted and I saw a movie tonight in Logan Square, an old Chicago neighborhood, and while driving down Kimball we spotted a really neat early 20th-century building.I didn't have our camera with, and besides, it was pretty dark, anyway, so the above image comes from Flickr, and below you can find it on Google maps (you can click the map image to move it around and get a closer view; hit refresh a few

Joannenoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-78994996643392033792009-11-03T20:25:00.009-06:002009-11-03T20:45:59.384-06:00

Remember that super-gorgeous vintage light fixture we bought a while back, which Ted rewired and restored for our dining room?Well, I used Google Patents to see if I could find out any more information on it, and while I didn't come up with an exact match, I did find the drawings for two fixtures from the same series. Combine a few elements from each—the light brackets from image one; body,

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-1793531278871706042009-10-20T22:29:00.001-05:002009-10-20T22:30:28.523-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!A little silliness staring me, Ted, Ted's folks, and Mom...

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-15811872152054203552009-10-12T23:33:00.004-05:002009-10-12T23:52:42.514-05:00

Home Depot is clearancing the plants in their garden center, so I picked up an entire flat of Vinca minor, aka Creeping Myrtle, aka Periwinkle. I plan on planting them beneath our River Birch that we put in last year on the corner of the lot. I adore creeping myrtle. Mom had it growing at the other house, and I almost dug it out to bring over to The Box House. However, we still hope to sell that

Joannenoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-65776440846014980882009-09-18T21:42:00.004-05:002009-09-18T21:58:28.315-05:00

Each month on the 15th, May Dreams Gardens hosts a Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, where you can take part by showing what's blooming in your garden that day. I'm a few days late with my pics, but oh well.Most of our garden is getting ready for fall, and few things are blooming. But let's take a look between the buildings, shall we?There is a very narrow gangway between our building (on the right)

Joannenoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-18863414572203582362009-09-17T17:09:00.006-05:002009-09-17T20:28:08.020-05:00

Okay, it was really his friend Cameron's house, and not Ferris's. Don't get all technical on me.But just a few miles up the lakefront from us is the Ben Rose home, made famous in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. You know the scene, with the red Ferrari, the glass windows, and the plunge to the forest floor below?Well anyway, the house designed by A. James Speyer and David Haid is for sale. And because

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-32547917917313743802009-09-10T13:33:00.011-05:002009-09-11T13:52:02.755-05:00

I planted the white clematis in early spring, in the backyard near the door so that I would see it whenever I came outside. But while my other vines produced bounties of fruits and flowers all summer—brilliant blue clematis, delicate orange and yellow honeysuckle, delicious concord grapes—I was rather disappointed with this white vine, which all season sent forth a great deal of lush, leafy vines

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-66295869938963995182009-08-18T22:59:00.006-05:002009-08-18T23:51:24.790-05:00

I'm taking back our recommendation for the clean-up crew for the condo. The work was fine, the place was clean, but after trying to get an invoice from them for several weeks now, they went ahead and charged the credit card what we feel is an arbitrary amount.We agreed to $20/hour, per worker (standard for the City). After describing the mess left by the tenants as "urine-soaked from wall to wall

Joannenoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-24120636580461082692009-08-15T01:29:00.006-05:002009-08-15T02:00:42.308-05:00

Each month on the 15th, May Dreams Gardens hosts a Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, where you can take part by showing what's blooming in your garden that day. This is our first "entry."We've barely had any rain for the last month or so. Storm clouds have rolled on through, but they always seem to miss us. I've had to go out with the hose every morning to water the newly planted shrubs to keep them

Joannenoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-91492568045018896522009-08-13T12:40:00.012-05:002009-08-13T21:14:36.891-05:00

Joanne has on several occasions mentioned that I quilt. Having been bored a short time ago, I tried my hand at making pillowcases, a real easy project. I used fabric printed with Mexican Fortune Telling Cards, adding black for the bands.If anyone is interested in trying this yourself I've included instructions.For one standard case, cut fabric 27" by width of the fabric. It's usually 42" or 44"

Lady Quilterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00700270284986104696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-17711180633324663772009-08-12T17:29:00.007-05:002009-08-12T20:34:12.353-05:00

Soooo...I haven't had much time to update the blog, because we've been working on restoring the condo back to a habitable state, and getting the new set of tenants comfortably settled.After the initial shock of the destruction wore off, we began to notice a few more problems.It looks like they did lock the pit bulls in the blue bedroom--the one where the floors need to be replaced because of all

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-69818627186127934342009-08-03T11:24:00.004-05:002009-08-03T11:35:53.411-05:00

Well, at least one nice thing came out of the tenants trashing the condo: they left behind a couple of nifty planters. I plucked them from the pile of outgoing garbage, cleaned and sterilized them, and transplanted two brugmansia plants that were a gift from a client.We're heading back over to the condo this afternoon to get an estimate on floor repairs. Let's hope it's not too outrageous. There

Joannenoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-46917460898533295632009-08-01T18:33:00.014-05:002009-08-02T12:16:25.303-05:00

Oh, it's poo.If you haven't been reading the blog for long, I'll try to catch you up. We bought the Box House at the end of 2007 just as the real estate market began to crash. The plan was to sell our condo in Chicago and my mom's house in the suburbs and move into our new two-flat, where we would begin work happily restoring it. Unfortunately, it didn't happen like that. Despite being on the

Joannenoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-12363469937588486492009-08-01T00:16:00.006-05:002009-08-01T01:06:02.645-05:00

It's been a really rough 48 hours, and I am oh-so-glad to be home. Ted and I were at the condo to check out the old tenants, possibly do a bit of extra cleaning, and then check in the new set of tenants. What we discovered when we got to the unit was a landlord's worst nightmare. I'll blog all about it tomorrow when I'm feeling a little more focused, but thought I'd leave y'all with this image

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-26107685939240839902009-07-29T21:23:00.008-05:002009-07-29T23:12:17.907-05:00

Perhaps I am getting a tad bit obsessive about the whole thing. In my spare moments, I find myself Googling search terms like "homemade dog deterrent" or "organic doggie no." I stare out the window, ready to catch neighbors in the act of letting their dogs use our flowerbed as a toilet. At three o'clock this morning you would have found me in the yard, sprinkling a mixture of black pepper, red

Joannenoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-70463018819328015332009-07-24T19:37:00.008-05:002009-07-24T20:17:32.618-05:00

The day lilies I planted in the back yard this year look like this. Lovely, no?The ones in the front yard, close to the side walk, not so lovely:That is the direct result of being urinated on ever single day, several times a day, by passing dogs. In addition to several clumps of flowers, we lost three bushes on this same corner.I really don't understand some dog owners. I mean, what makes them

Joannenoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-49208826580766361662009-07-24T14:29:00.003-05:002009-07-24T14:31:03.701-05:00

...what a great way to start a marriage.

Joannenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-75647949194463365052009-07-20T23:54:00.006-05:002009-07-22T00:19:33.461-05:00

THE GOODOur white datura are beginning to blossom. We grew these from seed started back in Spring. I have about a dozen plants scattered throughout the yard and the ones in the sunniest location (on the south west corner of the house) are doing the best. Each plant has between six and eight buds.And the white cone flowers in the moon garden are gorgeous. I love them so much that I just asked a

Joannenoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-64602709398756375672009-07-14T13:56:00.005-05:002010-09-19T23:25:27.437-05:00

I'm inspired by Jennifer at Tiny Old House to try some raised flower beds. Follow the link and check hers out. (Also check out her 1964 Cardinal 10-foot trailer that I'm coveting. Love it!) Does anyone in the North Shore/Chicago area know of a good source for free or cheap landscaping rocks?

Joannenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-59218937280873875962009-07-13T17:46:00.007-05:002009-07-13T18:30:33.331-05:00

As Bill, one of my college roommates, said recently, gardening is about killing plants as much as it is about growing them. It was with some degree of sadness that we took out these overgrown forsythia earlier this year.We had thought of taking a master gardening friend's suggestion, and hacking them to ground level to start fresh. Unfortunately, there were so many weed trees growing through them

Joannenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7865137195444403241.post-76222828890455019672009-07-12T20:50:00.005-05:002009-07-12T21:05:54.550-05:00

While watering the newly planted delphiniums, I came across this little guy, waiting for his wings to dry before he can take off and explore the yard. He's the first of this year's brood I've spotted. Soon the air will be filled with their summer song.We know that you are royally blestCicada when, among the tree-tops,You sip some dew and sing your song;For every single thing is yoursThat you

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