Bath and Laundry Floors

I am starting to think that this flooring saga will never be done. Ever. Ever. Good news, though, is that the laundry room and all the bathrooms now have shiny new DuraCeramic laid!

Gone is the pesky Artica that failed to live up to it's high price tag! I am really loving the change of flooring (I wasn't sure that I'd like it at all). It's a big change since, in the upstairs baths, it replaced WHITE flooring. And I have a major case of the saddies that my sparkly flooring is no more - it was so much fun to look at! I think it's a good choice for resale, though. Appealing to the masses, yeh, that's the stuff!

Due to the pesky liability rules of the flooring company, I was responsible for replacing the toilets. No biggie, it only takes a few minutes. Buuuuut, dude put the downstairs toilet (which *still* had water in it) in the garage while he worked. So, yeh, the water froze, the toilet cracked, and now I need to go shop for a replacement. Geez, duh! Who does something that dumb?! Man alive...

Here are some before and afters of the rooms:

Now that I have the opportunity to pick a new toilet, I am looking for suggestions. Right now we have the Gerber Viper (is that not a hilarious name for a toilet?!) in all of the bathrooms because the contractor gave me a great price on them, but we don't love them. Any suggestions for a must-have toilet? 

Moving my Washer

The floors are done (post and pics coming soon, I promise), toilets are installed, time to put back the washer and dryer.

Mr. Mel and I planned to move them back into the laundry room this morning, but Mr. Mel ended up having to work (when the clients call, he jumps). Undaunted, I decided to move them back...myself!

It went a little something like this...

"Grunt, grunt, grunt, sigh, ugh, grunt grunt, whew, ugh, wait, why is their blood all over the side of the washer? Huh, must be from the delivery guys. Grunt, grunt, whew, grunt, OWWWWCH! Wait, that's *MY* blood running down the side of the washer! *@$#!!! Owie, owie, owie, eeeesh, owwwwwwwie".

Somehow, I managed a 2" gash in my finger and some smaller cuts on the palm of my hand.

Man, I think I need to seek some help for this insatiable need for immediate gratification! Ha ha. Off to the medi clinic for a few stitches...later gators!

Some Fun on a Wednesday Night

Okily dokily, so this post is just for a giggle. I thought it was so cute (and potentially revealing) that I thought I'd do it.

I found this at Rogue Poags via Mandee at the Bear Naked Truth.

Grab a pen and paper and write the following:

1. What is your name/your Blogger name?
2. What is your blog name/URL?
3. Write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
4. Favorite quote
5. Your favorite song
6. Your favorite bands/singers.
7. Anything else you want to say?
8. Tag 3-5 other people
 
Here's mine...

108 Felt Feet

Hello chickens! At long last, my floors are done. The flooring nightmare is near an end (only the bathrooms are left).  All of the hardwoods are done. DONE, I say! I love 'em. Mr. Mel is getting there. I definitely think that having one type of flooring throughout the main floor makes the space look more spacious and less chopped up.

It took all evening, and 108 felt feeties for the furniture, but all is back where it belongs.

Photos of the old flooring can be seen here.

oooooops, Jonesy busted sitting up where he doesn't belong!

On the recommendation of the flooring company, I bought this Bona hardwood flooor cleaner. It comes in a kit with a micro fibre mop...works like a charm! It usually runs around $50, but you can save the spray bottle and buy refills of the cleaner in 1 gallon jugs and save a bundle.

So do tell, how do you like my new floors?

It's the Little Things...

Every now and again, I get lost in the big picture, and forget to focus on the little things.

After an extremely long and stress filled day I came home and, for the first time in quite some time, noticed my kitty cat doorstop. I picked it up awhile back while out of town with a girlfriend. He's been dutifully propping my door open ever since, but I walk by him each day with nary a glance. Poor kitty.

It brought a welcome smile to my day!

Warm Fuzzies

Hey all! I opened up my email this morning and was so pleased to see that Melissa from Veranda Interiors gave me the Stylish Blogger Award. Given that I think she has an amazing style, I got the warm fuzzies that she thought that I deserved this. And, let's face it, anyone who's nickname is 'Mel' is a-okay in my book! Thanks so much, Melissa, it made my day!

As a recipient, I have been asked to share 7 things about myself that you may not know...so, here it goes:

1. I danced jazz, tap, and ballet for 15 years

I simply love dancing and I will often scoop up a cat and start twirling them around. I still have a pair of tap  shoes that periodically get a workout.

2. I have five tattoos

I embrace all forms of art and I am simply in awe that I can carry someone's work with me 24 hours a day. They represent important times of my life, and I find them to be such a personal reflection of who I am, I can't wait to get even more!

3. I am a "famous" artist

As a teen and young adult, I had the honour of twice having my artwork to be selected to be displayed at The Mackenzie Art Gallery as a part of their young and emerging artist exhibits. Such a surreal experience!

When I was 13, I illustrated the front cover of a book chronicling the history of the village of Richardson, a local  rural community.

4. I have a condition called Bilateral Mandibular Tori

It's an overgrowth of bone along the jawline toward the base of the tongue, common in about 20% of the population. It doesn't have any effect on my speech or health, but it sure shocks dental hygenists!

5. I have two siblings

I am the middle child of three. I have an older brother and a younger sister.

6. I can't swim

Mr. Mel is a speed swimmer, and his entire family loves the water. I have always had a fear of water and, even though I participated in swim classes when I was younger, I can't even float! Mr. Mel has been trying to convince me to take a swim class for adults...we'll see. The whole idea makes my stomach churn.

7. I have no kids, and don't plan to have any

Mr. Mel and I made the decision a long time ago not have any children. We love kids, and are a big part of the lives of our nephews and niece, and friend's kids...we just prefer to live child free. We get tons of joy from the little ones we have in our lives, but parenthood just isn't for us. Thankfully, we haven't regretted our decision at all!

Here are 10 bloggers I so enjoy, that I think they deserve this award, too!

Elements Interiors

Thrifty Decor Chick

Miss Mustard Seed

Funky Junk Interiors

My Design Diary

Living in a Nutshell

My Romantic Home

Perfectly Imperfect

Isabella & Max Rooms

Centsational Girl

Have a great day!



Hardwood Sneak Peek

As usual, we plan and God laughs. Four days. It was supposed to be four days to finished hardwoods.

Day one: Huge progress...the dining room and half of the living room are done. I was so pumped.

Day two: Flooring guy tripped and broke his ankle...work came to a screeching halt. Now, I am as compassionate as the next person and, as unfortunate as it is that this fellow injured himself, it's even more unfortunate that they only got in a solid hour of work before it happened. Day two is a loss.

Day three: Lots of fiddly and pesky cuts to make, which obviously slowed them down but their work is amazing and they get the rest of the living room and are a few rows into the eating area.

Day four: They worked like gangbusters today and got the eating area, pantry, broom closet and back entry done.

Buuuuuut, they didn't finish. They still have to do the kitchen and all the finishing touches.They'll be back on Monday.

So, for now, this is all I can show you of my floors....but I assure you, they are lookin' good!