Projects Projects

There are always projects going on here but a couple of mine have been sitting way too long and I have finally gotten one done, this one happens to be a Christmas present for one of the grand daughters:) This playhouse was more difficult than I thought it would be but it was a learning experience and were I to make another I would do it so much differently. But alas 'she' will like it I am sure as she will not notice the oops that Grandma made. I made this from a photo only, had no pattern thus made my own way. Oftentimes my own way is through the back door, around the block and back again. David put the frame together with PVC pipe and it can be easily disassembled. The walls and roof I made out of Thrift Store sheets (remember getting these Mary)? The ruffle is a bed skirt.
There is a window on one end

And a door with a welcome sign on one side. No peeking Abigail, not until Christmas.
And then my friend is going on a cruise in December and wondered if I could make her a few 'frocks'. Jan and I had a blast, spent way too much time in the fabric shop and in the end Jan realized that it may almost always be less expensive and less hassle (it takes forever to choose the just right fabric when there are so many - or not enough choices) to just go buy what you want. But alas, I love to sew and sew I did. This was an easy project really, so damned easy that I may make one for myself one of these days. It is on it's way to you Jan, let me know if we need to size it before I start the next one.
And the biggest project of them all. This is one that I only have to give my opinions on...at the moment. My turn for real work will come with the interior. Our addition/storm shelter. This has been the most interesting project because we are trying something that neither of us are used to and is still a bit alternative I think for most. We are not 'stick' building nor are we using block for the basement. We are pouring not only the basement walls but the second floor walls as well. We extensively priced using block for the basement and then stick building the upper against using poured walls...it was a no brainier for us. This way is less expensive to not only build but in the end will be cheaper to heat and to cool and a lot less work for David to 'put up'. Once the walls are poured and the roof is on you are pretty much done with the 'frame'. No insulation to wrestle with, no walls to nail together and heave up etc etc etc. It is air tight and very cheap to heat and to cool. Oh it will be wonderful. Besides that we have met two of the coolest people yet. Onward...
David started the project by digging out the basement. And yes damn it I had to move lots of my plants from my back garden in order to make way for the new addition. He says I may in fact have to move more to enable him to get the bob cat in some damn place or another to pour some sand or something. I am at the moment ignoring him on this one.
So, by chance we ran into Frank at a garage sale. His sale was in a pole shed that he had sprayed insulation on the walls. David was talking with him about the insulation and then asked Frank if he knew of anyone that did poured walls. Well I'll be darned....Frank has done poured walls and owned his own construction company before the economy went to poop. He also knew the guy who is in the form business, the forms that you put up in which to pour the cement. Frank and Dan Yokum (form guy) came over to talk with us about the idea of pured walls for the basement. Not only did we decide to pour the basement walls but the uppers as well after this get together.
Here are Dave and Frank constructing the footings
And on another day pouring the footings.
The forms for the basement wall on their way up. These forms are much like Lego's in that you just put them together like you do Lego's. Of course you cut out where you want windows and doors but it is just that easy! Once they are up re-bar needs to be put in to ready for the cement etc.


And then there is Dan Yokum. Dan is one of the coolest people you could meet. He is an old 60's hippie type of guy...self acclaimed in fact. He has been in the construction business for 40 years and has lived all over but came back to his roots here some years back. He began by building log homes and has since stopped doing that and is now doing these only. Dan was on the front end of poured houses coming to be. In the beginning in fact he traveled all over the states teaching others how to do the process. He also invented some danged thing or another to make the 'leveling' process easy. Dan is also an artist, a blacksmith, a woodworker and an all around cool guy. Can you tell that I am enamored with this fella! (enamored..that is a word yes?)
Here are Dan and Frank installing the re-bar and look oh look who the 'go-fer' is down below. It was too danged funny watching David being the one that is bossed around as opposed to him bossing you and I Kelly!


The basement walls are put together and are ready to pour. And to the right is one of my gardens. The one that I am having to slowly dismantle...I wonder if Dan has a way to get around that? I think I will ask:)

It was wet the day the cement truck came. Heck it has not been dry hardly a day around here. Anyway they parked the pumper truck quite a long way away, used the boom and walla pumped the cement without getting the truck stuck in the clay.


The cement going into the walls and David is tapping on the sides in order to encourage the cement to settle.

This fella had, in my opinion, the most boring job of the process. He watched the cement come out of the truck into the pumper...oooooooo huh? I suspect it is a necessary job for some reason or another. I fed him a sandwich and a cookie to brake the boredom.
Dan aiming the boom and Frank smoothing the cement out
The master eyeing it up to assure that the walls are absolutely straight.
This week the boys (Frank and David) are putting the floor on the second floor and putting up the forms for the upper walls. Be ready...more boring posts to follow!