Dear Ol' Dad

I have been conspicuously absent for the blogosphere lately and I am sad and sorry for this. As most of my friends know, on December 27, 2009, my dad passed away after battling colon cancer for several years. I think understandably, I haven't felt like doing much at all--including working on my house and blogging about it.

But now it is 2010. A new year, and a new start, right? A lot of great things happened in 2009, but even better things will happen in 2010.

My dad was an active part of my house hunting experience. He didn't do a lot of the footwork, but when I found something I thought I liked, he was there with his cane, knocking on walls and inspecting furnaces. If it hadn't been for his advice, I would have bought a house for $9,000 less than I did, but with one fewer bedroom, one fewer bathroom, no basement, and no garage. Obviously a huge mistake. Dad was the sweetest man I have ever known, but he was also a shrewd businessman.

He also loved watching This Old House... one of my earliest memories is of him lamenting the fact that Bob Vila was fired (which at the time I interpreted to mean he was burned at the stake). Dad could talk to me for hours about the properties of flashing and shingles on a roof. He spent his life taking care of me, my sisters, my mom, and his many friends. I regret he was only able to see pictures of the house I bought... I think he would have been proud of me, my purchase, and the renovations I am making. He would probably yell at me for spending money, but that was a regular occurrence.

My dad never failed to tell me how proud he was of me, even when I failed. I hope he will be proud of the life I am leading now, even if it isn't as focused on business as he would have liked. Not to make this too corny, but enjoy the time you have with your love ones and learn as much as you can from your parents... I know there will be times in the near future when I will wish my dad was around to tell me what to do. I am thankful for the time I had with him and the honor of knowing him and appreciating him for his quirky humor, his smile, his smarts, his courage, and his love.

So onward and into 2010... a year of big changes for me and my family. And Dad, please don't be too mad at me for blogging about you and my house... I know you thought it was too much to put out into the public realm, but I hope you appreciate my writing and my all my hard work. I just wish you were here to scold me in person!

Glow Baby Glow

Yes, more wine bottles. What can I say? I like the vino.

Got some string lights left lying around now that the holiday season is coming to a close? Why not make some awesome decorations for you upcoming bangin' new year's party?

This project does involve drilling through glass, but as long as you take the necessary precautions (like wearing safety goggles), it is not such a big deal. A glass drill bit is under $20 at any hardware store and will be a good thing to have in your toolbox... just in case.

Drill a small hole in the bottom of your wine bottle. Experiment with different color bottles. I found a can of spray frost at the local craft store, which gives the bottles a cool glow effect. Incandescent lights are hotter than LED, but the light they give off is much softer and more appealing color.

Make several of these and place them around the house for a nice holiday glow without being overtly Christmas.

Shop 'Til You Drop

It is the day after Christmas. Do you still spend Christmas at your parents' house? Now's the time to step it up, put on your big girl/boy pants, and invest in your own holiday decorations for next year. What better day to do it than when stores are unloading all their unwanted Christmas merchandise?

Now, personally, I will be expanding my Hanukkah inventory. But since the majority of us celebrate Christmas, run out and get some sparkly lights on major sale. Just don't come to buy stuff where I work today... working the day after Christmas is not real and I do not approve. Alas, here I am.

Go for it, kiddos. Everyone likes a good deal, especially on things they can forget about for a year. Come next November/December, it will be like getting new stuff all over again. You can't argue with that logic.

The Rain in Spain

In the process of adding onto my house, the builders had to take off my gutter downspouts. The addition or renovation of a home is the perfect time to consider alternatives to traditional (read: boring) aluminum downspouts.

Rain chains have been used in Japan for over 100 years and are slowly but surely becoming popular in America, especially with the go green set. These decorative copper accents are not only a more aesthetically attractive option, they can provide more utilitarian benefits than aluminum downspouts.

By guiding the water from your gutters into a rain collection bin or decorative container, the rain chain acts as a path for the water. It also serves as a decorative water feature, providing soft water-esque noises during a rain storm. Why pay for a sound machine at Brookstone when you can have your very own fountain outside your window? The chains look like a fountain, especially if you choose a beautiful copper basin to collect the water as it comes down.

Unfortunately, rain chains are not sufficient to use as your primary downspouts all around your home. It is recommended that they only be responsible for 30 feet of gutter. However, give it a try for at least one section of your home and be the cool kid in the neighborhood. They come in all sort of different shapes and styles, but traditionally come in a standard length of 8 1/2 feet. Don't forget to also get a basin of some sort... all that water has to go somewhere!

You Light Up My Life

So if you're like me, Christmas in the 80s was full of baby dolls who actually pooped, big wheels, and the Barbie RV with a fold out table for candlelit dinners with Ken. It also included those huge glass colored Christmas lights strung around the tree, threatening to shatter at any moment. AWESOME.

Well, I know you can still fond them some places, but they usually sell out quickly. Enter ping pong lights. Buy a gross (144 count) of ping pong balls for around $10.00, use a nail or drill to punch a hole in them, and stick them on your normal boring lights for the same sense of ambiance you got from those eighties monsters. I like them on white lights too-- they give the impression of those even more retro big bulbs. Try it out and see what happens... while I don't have a Christmas tree this year in my new house (since I am not yet living there), I will definitely be using these when the time comes to decorate my patio. Rock on.

Drink Up

Because of the way my kitchen is set up in my new home, I am unable to put any cabinets directly above the sink. I may still choose to put shelves up there, but I also found this chic and cheap alternative.

I love the vino. Who doesn't? And since we already found a way to use the leftover corks, why not make the bottles into an awesome piece of wall art?

So invite over a friend or two and down a few bottles. To make one vase, you will need:

- a clean empty wine bottle

- 3/8" top plate connector/ceiling flange

- 1" split ring hanger

- two screws and drywall hooks to fit the top plate connector

- two pieces of 3/8" threaded rod, cut to 2.5"

- double stick foam mounting tape in case the bottle neck is smaller than 1"

- silk flowers

1. Put the top plate connector against the wall where you want the neck of the bottle to be and mark where the screws will go. Drill holes and insert drywall hooks as needed. Attach the plate to the wall with the screws.

2. Screw in the cut rod pieces and the split ring hanger.

3. Apply the foam mounting tape to the neck of the bottle where the split ring will hold it. Position the bottle in the split ring and tighten the screws to secure it.

4. Pop in some silk flowers and enjoy! The best part is, you can switch the flowers whenever you want to make a new statement.

Enjoy this simple and beautiful statement for a kitchen or dining room. Pretty cool if you ask me.

PS thanks to Design Sponge for this awesome idea!

Spinnin' the Vinyl

With the addition going on the back of my house, I recently had to choose a type of siding for my exterior. While brick, wood, and/or stucco options are usually preferable, they are also the most expensive. Additionally, the material most commonly known by its brand name, HardiPlank, is also more costly than other options (though it does have a longer lifespan and increased durability).

When choosing an option for siding, the most important factors include neighboring homes, climate, durability, cost, and maintenance.

My first consideration was neighboring houses. In all honesty, the other homes in my neighborhood primarily have used aluminum or vinyl siding. While HardiPlank (also known as fiber cement siding) might be preferable in the long run, you also don't want to price your home out of the neighborhood. The increased cost may be worth it to you, but will it be worth it to the next homeowner? In my situation, probably not. My neighborhood has turned, for the most part, into starter home for singles and couples before they actually start their families. Odds are, the person who buys my house after me will be looking at the price for the bottom line, not the lifespan of the exterior materials, because they will not actually be living in the home long enough to have to replace anything.

So with that in mind, I narrowed my choices to aluminum and vinyl. Both give the appearance of wood plank siding without the care required to protect wood from home invaders, such as those pesky little guys called termites. The climate in Louisville is mild enough to not have to worry about hurricane-force winds, which have a tendency to rip off siding. Ever noticed how many homes in Florida have a stucco finish? Not a coincidence.

The major difference between aluminum and vinyl siding is the durability. Aluminum is susceptible to dents and scrapes (imagine a Coke can). Vinyl tends to fade after about 10 years. Aluminum siding is difficult to paint, though not impossible, which can become a problem if you choose a bright pink house. Vinyl options usually have a wood grain imprint, which can add a nice feel to the home. Unfortunately, some studies suggest the production of vinyl has been harmful to the environment in the past. Be sure to check into the manufacturer of the material to make sure you can choose vinyl with a clear conscience.

I think you can probably tell what material I went with (like the title didn't totally blow my cover). I looked into the environmental concerns (because I love the polar bears) and determined that I could feel good about using the material. Additionally, the idea of not having to worry as much about the look, maintenance, and durability pretty much sold me.

While vinyl is not definitively the best choice for everyone, it is the best choice for me. Explore your options and see what happens. Until then, I will enjoy my wheat vinyl siding with a happy heart!

Christmas Party in the USA

Check out this article for some awesome party tips for the upcoming holiday season from the one and only Clinton Kelly (yes, the guy from What Not to Wear and the fashion-tip advertisements in the dressing rooms at Macy's).

My favorite? The formula for how many people your house can hold for a party (square footage of your home divided by five) and then the tricks and tips for figuring out how many people to invite. Amazing.

PS... thanks to my mom for investing in this quality piece of holiday couture pictured on the left. And yes, it says NOG. Amazing.

Therma wha? Therma who?

So after meeting with my kitchen planner on Wednesday, I came away with mixed emotions... on the one hand, it was so much fun to pick out everything and see my kitchen actually laid out and on paper. I had drafted a floor plan, but to see elevations and perspective drawings of my house... that was awesome. But at the same time, the price was terrifying. My original quote was thrown out the window because I decided to add additional cabinets. I started dreaming big, which is never a good combination with a tiny budget. However, it was a necessary change, seeing as even a novice chef such as myself cannot work with virtually no counter space and three cabinets.

Now in an ideal world, I would have solid mahogany cabinets with premium granite counter tops and drawers pulls of solid gold. However, I am working on a budget and determined to keep it down. Because I am planning on staying in this home for 5-7 years, I want to use materials that will last and still look nice when I put the house back on the market. But I also need to consider the buyer--people looking in my neighborhood will most likely be single or young couples who are also staying on a budget. While extras like a super-nice kitchen would be cool, it is not something they are willing to pay an extra $10,000 for.

In comes Thermafoil. This synthetic material has a smooth coat and is significantly cheaper than solid wood cabinets... and is easier to maintain. They are more difficult to paint however, so be sure to choose a neutral color. While I personally prefer darker finishes on cabinets, I had to take into account that I am keeping the majority of my appliances and they are white... so I went with white. I like white, and it works with everything from my Tuscan-inspired design plan to some other person's country bumpkin Walmart border.

So while cheaper alternatives such as Thermafoil or (gasp!) laminate floors or counter tops may seem like a disappointment, take them into consideration before completely blowing them off. While they may not be as durable as the quality stuff, they will still look nice and most likely last long enough for you and the next few owners of your home to enjoy them!

Spreading Holiday Cheer for a Good Cause

This may be a shameless plug, but I am OK with that. I recently was contracted to work with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to take patients' artwork and turn it into holiday cards. Obviously, the real artists are the kids who created some of the cutest pictures ever, I just helped format them for cards. Best of all, you can upload your family photo to the site and it will be printed with the card... no printing a thousand pictures at Walgreens and sticking them in cards!

Holiday cards are an awesome way to keep in touch with friends and family (so is gchat, but that's another story). And with these cards, 15% of the profits go towards CHOA, which serves the entire Southeast with premier healthcare for children.

So check them out at www.choa.org/cards and spread some Christmas cheer twice over!

Note: make sure to access the TinyPrints/CHOA page through CHOA's website in order to guarantee your donation!