Plumbing and camping.

So let me take you back to August, I have just flown in and was faced with a house that still needed huge amounts of work and was in part a construction zone.  However we had to be able to live there (at least for the month that I was in town!)  So on my first afternoon home alone (the babe was at work) I tackled the sink problem.  
This was my first ever plumbing adventure, coming hot on the heels of my father attempting to plumb, and requiring six stitches in his right hand.
Sorry about the photos... my camera seems to have had an identity crisis...with a smoke machine?

After much cursing, cutting, twisting, and luck I was able to McGyver a connection for the little sink, using the random pipe fittings that for some reason were already scattered about in buckets and on shelves.  Originally it was not plumbed in so we couldn't use it for fear of filling the cabinet below with water! 
Honestly plumbing is gross, the pipes were mucky and slimy and had a.... smell, but the supreme sense of satisfaction I felt when it finally worked!  Like a high with no negative effects and a long lasting shine.  When we gut the kitchen I want a new, deep, single bowl sink. Matt wants a Belfast sink, it meets the requirements, so I'm good with that. 
Disclaimer: This sink (and kitchen) have since been gutted!
During the second week of August we escaped to the south for some much needed camping and sunshine in Cornwall.

Pictured: Him (he who hates to be photographed...) and Me (she who loves to be photographed, with the obvious basic disclaimer that I get to see and delete as desired.)  

Cornwall was seriously beautiful, full of hidden coves and beaches, with spectacular views around every corner...is it weird to think about retirement already?  I mean I literally just this week started my first proper, adult, full-time, job.
Yes. I'm dropping that in here like its no-big-deal, but its a huge deal, and a big relief to be honest.  So bear with me as I play catch up with my project posts because I'm finally working full time, still teaching two courses at the local community college, and of course attempting to coordinate renovation efforts from across the pond.   
I mean you didn't really expect me to slow down and enjoy the moment did you?  Nope. I need to be making messes and terrorizing nice English tradesmen with midnight e-mails about washing machine specs, apparently its how I relax.

- Nicole

DIY Padded Headboard. -Very simple!

I know I haven't posted in a while, life has been very busy with job changes and traveling, so here is a short one to get back in the groove.  
A room decor project, for the beach condo, completed this summer with some help from my sister, who I might add has been even more busy than I, starting her Ph.d program.  I'd always wanted to try diy padded headboards and used the mismatched existing headboards as an excuse.  The goal was to update them and make them match along with the other decor. 

Finished product first! Bananas for scale!
~
These are the headboards I started with.

I attacked this project just like I was recovering a set of chairs, using some egg-crate mattress pads and left over fabric from the sofa makeover.

We measured and cut the materials to size then stapled on.  This is where my sister Cat was a huge help, taking turns to hold the layers of padding or fabric in place and stapling (and taking photos!). We wanted a smooth front so all the material was cut large enough to reach around to the back of the headboards and was secured there out of sight.  To secure the fabric and padding we used a staple gun (pictured) and a hammer to drive them in properly.

The corners were the only tricky part, but we tried a few folding combos until we achieved a neat look.  

A few hours, and a pizza, later we were finished!

Thats it, now the headboards match and are very comfy to sit up and read against. Next time I would try tufting them by pre-drilling holes in the headboards to string covered buttons to for a more upscale look. 

- Nikki