Whoa is us:(

Love the blue:)

I've been called an obnoxious optimist.  I can find the bright side of just about anything so here goes...because otherwise I'm going to cry:

Cheryl and Carol purchased a clawfoot tub for the house as a Christmas gift.  It's hard to find a slipper tubs with flawless enamel, but they did of course.  We were well into the demo and didn't want it to get damaged after 100 years or so of managing to stay in great shape so we decided to store it in the shed, under a blanket behind closed doors with a barricade.  Silly us.  Someone took it and it's probably right back on craigslist...sniff...okay so getting on with the bright side.

We had been thinking about a security system, motion lights for the back, putting lamps on timers and many other things that got back burnered in the chaos of demo.  No longer.  We are now the proud owners of such a fabulously high tech security system, that "there's an app for that":)

Back to the drawing board on plans for the bathroom though...is there an app for that?

Nice screen, I know.

You know you've reached the "Obsession" point when you're stripping wallpaper and skim coating by flashlight.

The paper in the hall was painted and skim coated over several times.  I don't understand why they did that as they must have known it would soon crack and peel again. Wallpaper removal has a bad rap.  I say just get it off of there!

The room is fully skim coated!  We're ready to sand, prime and paint the first room!! YAY!

This all may make more sense if I show you the pretty things...

 I live and work just blocks away from this grand lady so I often drive by and can't stop myself from stopping in...sometimes to work, sometimes just to explore.  This night it was way to dark to photograph anything so I walked around with a flashlight and took pictures anyway.  The detail is astounding.  The whole first floor needs a good cleaning and not much more.  It's in wonderful condition with 114 years of patina and wear that charm me.

Appropriately, the very first fireplace I have ever had would have a torch as it's primary decorative element.

This is the corner tile of the mantle.

There is a ridiculously long tile on the sides

...and the bottom tile.  They are a mellow cream with crackling glaze, gold detailing and the most subtle lavender and pale yellow tones.

This was a coal burning fire place so it's shallow with a cast iron basket and surround.  Being a metal sculptor, I can't imagine a more perfect fireplace. The craftsmanship is awe inspiring.

There are birch colums flanking the mantle with fully carved detail, no applied elements.

The details are so fully carved, you can look inside them.

Above the 5 foot mantle is a beveled mirror with more birchwood carving.

This is the egg and dart molding above all of the doors, arches and windows on the first floor except the kitchen.  It's about 8 inches high and though the kitchen's is simpler it has the same significant profile.

The paneling, moulding, built in china cabinet and dining room side of the pocket doors are quarter sawn oak, while the other side of the pocket doors are birch to match the paneling, mantle and molding in the living room.