A Little Black Paint Makeover

Our mailbox has been living on a front porch chair for over a year... ever since we removed the asbestos siding. I don't like our mailbox, and I was hesitant to drill holes into the brick for a box that wouldn't stay long.

Here's the old mailbox:


I removed the stick on numbers, lightly sanded it with 22o sandpaper, and spraypainted it with a can of black paint we had lying around in the garage:


I then realized that the stick on numbers were the only numbers visible from the street...

... the other house numbers had been painted white. Even though we intend on replacing the posts soon, we can't have the house unidentifiable! They were too delicate and paint encrusted to remove for stripping or proper painting, so I used a paint brush to paint the numbers black.

Here's what the mailbox and numbers look like on our house:


Much better than an ugly white mailbox sitting on the green chair! If it wears well, I may not even need to buy a new mailbox. Here's to a little paint.

Teeny, Tiny, Itty, Bitty Baby Shoes!

It doesn't have ANYTHING to do with home improvement, but it does fit in with the Tiny Old House. I just finished these baby shoes for a coworker's upcoming baby girl:



Aren't they cute? I used a bit of felted wool sweater and an old silk shirt for the fabric, and hand-stitched it all together with itty bitty stitches. Recycling old into new, and saving money all at once!

In the interest of saving even more trees, I used the Japanese art of furoshiki to wrap the gifts in a fun silk scarf that I found at the thrift store:



What sort of homemade gifts have you given? Have you considered non-traditional wrapping?

Look at ALL this Caulk!

Looks pretty bad, doesn't it! It's just oozing out. Lucky for us, it is supposed to look like this. The caulk is temporary, removable caulk, made to last one season, and just perfect for our needs this year. It is sealing up the holes between the old storm windows and the new window trim; this summer, we will pull off the storm windows and permanently weatherproof the windows and storms. Until then, this caulk is giving us quite a bit of savings... the house felt MUCH warmer after we installed it. Amazing what sealing off a few drafts will do!

The Great Shave

We have dogs. Fluffy dogs. Curly dogs. Dogs whose hair grows constantly. They need groomed every couple months to keep it in check, but at $60 a grooming (after tip) it was getting to be expensive... and all I ever wanted was a basic puppy cut!

Then, I found an Andis 2 Speed Clipper at a garage sale for $1. After a few months of getting up the courage, I clipped my first dog. I'm no grooming pro, but I'm very happy with my savings!

Here's the before:


After a nice bath...

... and a quick zoom around the house....




... Molly is ready for a clip:


I use a car washing attachment to wash them on advice from a groomer; fill it up with shampoo, put it on it's gentlest setting (shower), and spray the dog down. The dogs like it better, too.


It takes about an hour to clip my dog down.... I use a 5FC blade to get a length of about 1/4 inch all over. It's short, but it takes a few months to grow back out!

Here's the after:

Just TRY to say "no" to those eyes!

I've used the same blade ($30) for 6 haircuts now, so the savings are quite substantial!

Quick Rundown of Supplies:
(For anyone interested)

• Andis 2 Speed Professional Clipper
• 5FC Ceramic Blade
• Oster Coolant/Lubricant/Cleaner Spray
• Sharp Scissors
• Mild Dog Shampoo
• Car Washing Nozzle with Soap Container
• Hose
• Sink to Hose Converter

Total Cost to Me: ~$60
Total Savings: $60 on each haircut!

Saving Money through Cooking

Lately, we've been saving money with our kitchen and time. We've been making a lot of the things we used to buy prepackaged, saving money and chemicals and packaging! It's a lot healthier, and we are able to create foods with less added fats and preservatives that taste better, too.

Fat "Free" Granola:
I love this granola recipe. It is basic, healthy, and yummy! We like raisins and almonds in it, but you could do any combination of dried fruits and nuts. It keeps well; I have granola that is 3 months old in the cupboard. A final note... bake for only 15 minutes, then stir. It usually only takes 30 minutes total!

Pancake Mix:
I haven't made this mix yet, but plan on doing it soon! It looks nice and yummy. We enjoy blueberry pancakes on weekend mornings, but are too lazy to make them from scratch in the morning. Mix is getting expensive AND they have stopped making the Oat Bran pancake mix we liked!

Whole Wheat Bread:
We are "cheating" and using a bread maker. It is so convenient, however! Our basic recipe is 100% whole wheat, with only 5 ingredients:

1 cup - 2 tbps warm water
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp sea salt
3 cups sifted whole wheat bread flour
1-1/2 tsp yeast

Add into bread machine in the order above (or as recommended by your machine). If you are at a lower altitude than 5,000 feet, you may need to add ALL the water and not leave out the couple tablespoons.

Ciabatta Bread:
We love Ciabatta bread... full of flavor, nice and chewy. It costs a lot at the store, however, so I dug up a bread maker version.

Cookies:
Instead of buying packages of cookies, we've been making bite sized cookies of our own. One of our favorite recipes are these lowfat peanut butter cookies... I quadruple the vanilla and add a teaspoon of cinnamon to them for extra flavor.

Yogurt:
Having received a yogurt maker for Christmas a few years ago, we've made our own yogurt. This does save a lot of money, and you can make it in any flavor you want!

Popcorn:
Take a 8 quart pan, heat a tbsp or so of oil in the bottom with three kernels of corn. When they pop, add a cup of popcorn. Shake constantly on the burner until it is all popped. (Keep the lid on, obviously). Or, buy a Whirly-Pop...
You can make microwave popcorn with a paper bag and a staple, too... but I've never tried it.

House Refinancing

One of our New Year's Resolutions is to refinance our house. We have an ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage), which will adjust in August AND an interest only HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) which will come due in August and will need to be paid off in full, or refinanced.

Here's the run down:
The HELOC comes from our house purchase. We did not have the full 20% downpayment, and so financed 10% of the downpayment with the HELOC instead of paying mortgage insurance. The payments on the HELOC were cheaper than insurance, and we've had the opportunity to make them even cheaper by paying it down bit by bit. We are almost halfway paid off by now.

The ARM comes from our thoughts that we wouldn't be in the house long. Without getting into details about jobs and education choices and such, it's funny how life throws you curves! We are happily staying now... but have run out on our ARM.

IF (BIG if) our house appraises for what we bought it for, we will own about 20% of our house. BIG if. Of course, we have massively improved the property since then... new kitchen with maple and granite, new siding (well, siding removed... but brick is SO much nicer), fenced yard and stone patio, front yard landscaping, etc. We are hoping that those might offset to some extent the probable drop in housing prices.

Here Was Our Plan:
Our plan was to refinance into a 15 year mortgage. I found this excellent calculator for figuring out the cost and benefits of switching an ARM into a fixed rate mortgage. It helped me sort out the options. I also used the loan quoting service on Zillow.com... I was pleased with the quality of the quotes I received from several of the respondants. The plus is that no one has YOUR info until you choose to give it to them, unlike other loan quote sites.

After reviewing the information, we realized that it may not be the best time for us to refinance. The odds that we can pass the 20% barrier are not spectacular, and coming up with $3000 for closing costs after we've been working so hard to pay off the HELOC this year will be tough. If we finance the closing costs, we'll definitely have to pay the insurance... which we don't want to do.

The Current Plan:
We're going to wait, and pay down more principle on the HELOC. Maybe even pay it totally off before it's due. We can weather adjustment on the ARM, as it has pretty strict limits. Even though the rates are at historic lows, it just doesn't make sense for us to do it right now.

Edit:
Additional info... we will likely move in 2 or 3 years when we have children, as there isn't much room for children in our house with the two music studios! That complicates the money issue even more!

Darn! More Frugality and Trash Prevention

I've learned a new skill this week- darning socks! It's been on my list of things to learn, and a drawer full of holey socks coupled with the price of new ones and my desire to keep things from becoming trash forced my hand.

To darn a sock, you need a darning needle, a darning egg or other smooth round object, and darning cotton or embroidery thread. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my grandmother's sewing kit included 4 balls of darning cotton. It's apparently not made anymore. I found this ceramic egg at the Habitat ReStore for $.50.



I've been carting a bag of socks around with me all week, darning when I have 1o minutes to wait here or there. It goes quite quickly once you get the hang of it. Here is a video on how to darn socks. It shows darning wool socks with wool, but the technique is the same for cotton and silk socks. Just use a matching thread, and a needle about as big as your threads.

Anyone else darn their socks?

Stop the Leaks! Who's With Me?

With the rising costs of heating fuel (natural gas in our case) AND concerns about dependence on fossil fuels (both domestic and foreign), we need to do do something this year. Here at Tiny Old House, we plan on spending the next month "stopping the leaks" in our house to save both money and help the environment. Get ready winter, because here we come!

On this blog, I'll focus on a few projects each week that will help improve energy efficiency and keep the chill away; some will be old and some brand new. With our house exterior and windows newly exposed to the elements, we have a LOT of work to do, too. Windows to caulk and seal, storms to replace, doors and windows to weatherstrip, and more!

I'm challenging each one of you to join me; projects are always more fun as a group. We learn so much from each other, too. I'll post links to the "challengees" in my sidebar under the challenge button so you can find others who are working towards the same goals; also, I'll post weekly "round ups" on Sundays for successes and failures, new ideas and finished projects. Come join us... it'll be fun!

To join, leave a comment below! If you'd like the nifty little challenge button I created, copy this code into your blog:

<a href="http://tinyoldhouse.blogspot.com/2008/09/stop-leaks-whos-with-me.html"></a><a href="http://tinyoldhouse.blogspot.com/2008/09/stop-leaks-whos-with-me.html"><img src="http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j211/jennifermollyandkirby/P3220136-1.jpg" /></a>

Just a Warning...

If you decide to save money by cutting your own hair, make sure you change the hair guard on the clippers from oh-so-short 1/2 inch to cute-pixie-cut 1-1/2 inch BEFORE you start to cut your hair.

Baring that, at LEAST start at the bottom... NOT on top of your head.

I'm feeling a little shorn right now...

Camera! Action! Lights!

I stressed about the lights in the study all week. Then, I walked into ReSource, a local salvage and used building supply purveyor on my way home from picking up the pillars.

I saw these shades and bases:



Three of each, to be exact. They aren't from the same light... in fact, they probably aren't even from the same decade, though I am bad at that (anyone have any guesses for the true age of either?). They look really cute together, though!

Can't beat the price: $5 for each complete light fixture
Can't beat the environmental impact: Three light fixtures reused

Here's what it looks like on the ceiling:



I took the light from the study and moved it into the living room; quite an improvement over the nipple lamp.

I discovered some scary looking wiring in the lightbox of my study:


Here are some before and after shots, including a picture of the never before seen "smallest room in the house" (it's 8'x10' minus a closet, and my studio).

Front Study (my husband's)

Before: (with huge light)



After:



Back Study (Mine)

(This room is the only one with those neat windows, and this is the ONLY shot I can get of the room and the light at the same time, since it's so small)



Living Room

Before:



After:

(Complete with two sleeping puppies)



I would love any ideas you have about the scariness of the electrical wires in my ceiling or the age of the light fixtures!

A Porch Post

Craigslist strikes again! Despite not having the time to do anything productive on the house, I glanced through my local Craigslist listings. I noticed a post offering 12-8' posts for $120... and I bit, as porch posts (even in poor to fair condition) can cost $60 or more a piece around here.

The posts are redwood, and in fair condition (though much better condition than the rotting and broken posts on our porch currently).

Due to some unfortunate removal processes, the bottoms of most are broken; luckily I only need 4 for my porch, and there are four in good condition up and down the entire 8 feet.

I'm thinking of making a backyard gazebo out of the rest (I can cut the bottoms off for that purpose), or possibly using them to construct the deck we want to build off of the back. It might be neat if the back porch mimics the front! Then again, I can always sell off the rest of them and make most of my money back.

Three cheers for the man who sold them to me; he was working a job site and saw the workers hacking them up and tossing them in a demolition. He was able to convince them to save the last 12 from the landfill. Here's to re-use!

Update on Danby Washer and Dryer

It's been 3 days and 5 loads of laundry (I've been washing EVERYTHING to see how it works) since we got our new Danby washer and dryer. To review, it is Energy Star rated, front loading, and small; the old set was top loading and huge.

Here's why I am in LOVE with my new washer and dryer:

Our washer drains into the same pipe as the sink; for some reason (faulty plumbing, I would assume), the water drained out of the old washer had always backed up into the sink as it drained, as there is too much water to go down at once. It would fill the sink up most of the way in overflow drainage... and it would do this 3 times during a cycle.

The NEW washer does NOT fill up the sink at all! It does not drain enough water at once to overload the drain... and it still drains those three times. I ran over to the sink to check during the first 3 loads.

That is a LOT of water saved each time we run the washer!

Plus, the spin cycle on the washer (we have it set to 1000 rpm) pulls a LOT of water out of the clothes, so the drying time isn't as long. I was used to drying clothes for more than an hour in the old dryer. Now, it takes about 30 minutes.

That is a LOT of electricity saved each time we run the dryer!

Finally, I use 1/2 TBSP of laundry detergent for every load in the new machine. I used to put in 3/4 cup of detergent to get my clothes clean in the old top loader.

That is a LOT of detergent saved each time we wash our clothes!

What a Trade! (or Simple Amusements)

Thanks to some wonderful suggestions you all made on my backroom plans, I started looking at stackable washers and dryers for our laundry room. I was in research mode; I wanted to see what a nice used stackable set would cost us, and how much we could get for our existing HUGE General Electric washer and dryer.

I searched through Craigslist (I search Craigslist for everything), and discovered a couple that wanted to TRADE their Danby Energy Star efficient, compact, stackable, and front-loading washer and dryer set for a BIG washer and dryer... exactly what we have.

We unhooked our extra larger washer and dryer (It is AMAZING how much dirt and dust collects behind your washer and dryer!), and drove down to Denver to trade.

We just hooked up the new set and popped in a load of whites... it is SO QUIET! I can barely hear it. And, it filled up with a QUARTER of the water that our old washer used. We sat and watched the washer work for 15 minutes... it's quite fun to watch a front loader washing machine work. Simple amusements for simple people.

We haven't used the dryer yet, but I have high hopes. The only negative that I can see to this set is that it is somewhat small... it only holds medium to large loads. That is not a problem for the two of us in our tiny house, luckily.

I can't wait to see what our electric and water bill savings will be. Here's to saving just a little more of the earth AND saving space and money.

Trimming the Fat off of Your Life

Chile of Chile Chews has offered up another challenge- a spending freeze for the month of February. I'm in. We need to be in, even. My husband is hopefully starting grad school this summer, and we need a jump-start to tightening the proverbial bootstraps, both monetarily and time-wise. Time to create some new habits.

Items that don't "count" (i.e. are necessary): mortgage, bills, gasoline, car repairs, etc.

I will also allow myself to buy things for necessary (as opposed to cosmetic) home improvements... like weatherstripping, new doors to prevent heat loss out the back and front, etc. They, do have to be USED and CHEAP. Nothing new in February.

What won't I buy? Clothes, shoes, prepackaged foods, cd's, things for decorating a house, etc. (Not that I buy a lot of those anyway, because I don't.)

I will try to cut down my internet time (and electric bill) to spend MORE time working on my home and LESS time in front of my computer "researching" my home.

A Studio Makeover

First, I apologize for the lack of "before" pictures. I didn't intend on doing much when I started a few days ago, but rest assured it was a complete mess. In fact, you could hardly walk into it. I just wanted to do something nice for my husband while was out of town and pick up the junk that I had left in there so there would be room for him to practice... but I did a little more.

The room in question is my husband's studio/study. It is a 10 ft by 12 ft area, including the closet space. It needs to hold a 4-1/3 octave marimba, a drum set, a large file cabinet and bookshelf, a cello, a guitar and amp, 300 CD's, and a number of other band and orchestra instruments. He uses it primarily for practicing all of those instruments.

Previously, we had painted the white room a light cream and painted the dark brown and in terrible repair baseboards a moss green. We also removed the garish gold tone mirrored closet doors and painted the interior of the closet and the header the same moss green. We intend on replacing the baseboards and the carpet in the future. But right now, it just has to be LIVABLE.

I spent the day hanging up CD shelves and paintings and laying down a new area rug, recycled from my in-law's recent remodel. I also reorganized the layout and bought a black 6 foot bookcase to add more bookshelf space and match the existing black file cabinet. VERY cheap, and hopefully temporary. Someday I would love to redo the entire closet with built-in shelving and file cabinets.



Notice the loft space above the closet, where the instruments have gone. The wire CD racks are existing relics from college that have found a new life as wall shelves. The books and computer components have all found a home in the new bookcase.

I placed the drum set in the corner by the window, place two cowbells on the window, and hung a Chinese calendar and hat that a brother brought back for us along with a picture made of wood that a student gave him between it and the marimba (which takes up the entire other wall).


My favorite addition is this:


It is a painting of one of our favorite places (Lake McConaughy) by a very good family friend and fabulous artist, Mick Shimonek. It was a Christmas gift a few years ago that we hadn't found the right wall for (our living room walls are way too small). I think I found a good place for it:



It really dresses up the whole room. Plus, it's a great reminder of summer sunsets on the beach, sailing, and playing fetch until the dog drops at your feet.

The guitar and amp found a home behind the door, in a space just the size for them. The cello found a nook between the bookcase and CD rack.

I didn't have time (as I left town yesterday), but I still want to buy bamboo roll up shades for the two windows. They will help keep the sun off of the delicate instruments, tie in the Chinese artwork, and add decoration to the bare windows. I will have to look for used bamboo shades.

Cost:
Bookcase: $20
Screws: $2.27

Big Box Store Finds and Breaking of Resolutions

I went to Lowe's for nails to finish my door jamb. I broke my "try to only buy used" resolution. Sigh. I left with:

A Bathroom Vanity Light


We've been eyeing lights for a while, and couldn't afford anything nice. I hope my husband likes this one, too!

$20, marked down from $98

3 Cabinet Pulls


They will look so much better on the bathroom vanity than the cheap plastic pulls!
$.70 each, marked down from $7

ONE Gallon of Tan/Cream Paint


It looks like the perfect color for the bathroom, and is a gloss paint. Perfect! I suppose this is ALMOST buying used, since it was a mistint. And, it was free.

$5, minus $5 rebate ($0), marked down from $25

A Dummy Door Handle
The door for the water heater closet we bought didn't come with a handle. Found one!

$1.35, marked down from $13.96

and...

the one I didn't buy... YET...

A Copper Mailbox!


Again, I'm not sure if my husband will want THIS mailbox or not. And, I'm not sure if it's going to "patina" or not... I really only want it if it will get a nice patina. So, I haven't bought it yet, but I may go back tonight and get it.

$40, marked down from $80.

On Door Jambs and Frugality

We installed the door jamb in the bathroom yesterday (and today).

First, we measured the door opening from top to the floor. We cut each side of the jamb to exactly that height, using our new miter saw.



Then, we placed the jamb sides in the door frame, measured the distance between, and cut a piece of jamb that was that size for the header.

After we cut our header, we nailed the jamb together for installation.



We used our square to keep the corners squared as we tapped wire brads into the wood to hold the jamb together.

We reused the old nails from the previous door jamb by carefully tapping them back into shape.



Miserly, miserly people we are.

We used these nails (plus a few more- remember, the old jamb was held up by 5 nails) to attach the jamb to the studs.



But WAIT... what is THAT? That huge GAP between the header and the side?
We can't have that.

Back to the saw with a fresh set of measurements taken with the sides pressed firmly against the studs.



After putting FOUR nails in each board, our jamb seems secure.

We used solid pine instead of MDF to increase the permanence and solidity of our jamb and door installation.

Where:
Door Jamb: Home Depot
Nails: Salvage and Lowe's

Cost:
Door Jamb: $18
Nails: Free and $2 for a box

You Know It's Cold When...

you do the household chores you have been lazily putting off simply because doing them will heat the house!

So far I have washed 2 loads of white laundry on HOT, dried them using our electric dryer with the vent venting INSIDE, and started the dishwasher. I'm thinking I should also make some soup stock, too... just to have on hand. That will warm the house up.

Have I turned the head above 54? No... I'm too cheap. I'm not touching that thermostat!

New Years Resolutions 2008, Part 2- Lessening Our Consumption and Enriching our Lives

A few days ago I posted a list of New Year's Resolutions pertaining to our house and its remodeling. Though long and exhaustive, it is not a complete list of goals for the year.

My husband and I have become increasingly concerned with environmental concerns. Over the last year or two we have obtained reusable grocery bags, searched Habitat ReStores, Craigslist, and Freecycle for needed building supplies instead of buying new, made a concerted effort to buy from the farmer's market first, and more.

Here is what we want to do this year to lessen our impact and improve our life:

Build Efficient Compost Piles
We already compost by dumping organic matter into the space between the fence and the garage. It doesn't compost very fast, however. I want to build a series of two or three compost bins to rotate the material between in this space. I even have the material: pallets that I salvaged from the scrap wood pile at the city recycling center. Some decking screws and time, and I can have a great set of bins with lots of airflow.

Plant Buffalo Grass (or other native grass)
When we finish the backyard we hope to seed with drought tolerant grasses. Why grass at all? We have dogs. A pretty lame excuse. For the past 2 years I have watered our front lawn (which is fine fescue) about 3 or 4 times a year... hopefully after establishment a native backyard will need that or less.

Use My Human Powered Lawnmower
I received a great present this year: a Brill Luxus 38 Lawnmower. My goal is to NEVER use the old gas powered one in the garage.

Replace the Front and Back Doors
We lose a substantial amount of heat out of our backdoor. I recently discovered that it is actually a hollow core INTERIOR door. No wonder the laundry room (and our bedroom) is 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house! The front door is in better shape, but rotting and cracked.

Seal ALL Windows and Doors/Apply Weatherstripping
Much heat is lost through cracks around doors and windows. Adding weatherstripping will make a big difference.

Bed Warmers
We drop the heat by quite a bit at night. We use two fluffy down comforters to keep warm. While at my parent's house this Christmas, however, we were introduced to the delights of a bedwarmer, which might allow us to drop the heat even further. We are looking to either find an old metal one to fill with heated water (reused, of course) or make one out of cherry pits. Of course, I may keep an eye out for one of these...

Shop at the Farmer's Market FIRST
We made a valiant effort this past summer to make it to the farmer's market every week before grocery shopping. We forgot a few times. This summer, I want to make it EVERY week.

Join a CSA
In addition to the Farmer's Market, I want to investigate (and hopefully join) a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I know there will be foods that we have no idea what to do with (thinking beets and squashes off the top of my head), so an additional goal is to learn to cook those foods.

Plant a Vegetable Garden
Our backyard is nearing completion. I want to finish the vegetable garden beds by April in the hopes of planting tomatoes and cucumbers and all sorts of yummy foods. I also want to more fully intersperse herbs into my flower beds.

Replace Old Plastic Tupperwares
We have a large drawer of plastic. Most of it is old yogurt and cheese containers that we repurposed for use as tupperware. We have become increasingly concerned with plastic leaching into our foods during storage and reheat, and so are looking to buy some glass containers. No worries... the old plastic will NOT be trashed. I have so many home improvement things such as nails, screws, tape, etc that would LOVE a home in a nice small container!

Find or Make Reusable Produce Bags
I found some great bags here, but the shipping from Canada is outrageous. I am hoping to make or find something similar to carry produce home in.

Buy Only Used (as much as possible)
Somewhat self explanatory. My resolution is to look at thrift stores, reuse stores, and the internet to find what I need used BEFORE I look for new. Especially clothes. Except underwear and socks.

Our Faucet Find

We went to Habitat for Humanity ReStore the other day to browse and LOOK at what I found!

It was $15, and just perfect for our bathroom! It is a perfect replacement for the cheap builder's special faucet that was previously on our sink. It is a new faucet, never used... the "display" faucet from a local big box store. I love the ceramic handles. I hate our sink (but it's new)... this small change helps me like it a lot more.