Curse you Plunket Fleeson!

Wallpaper came to America in 1739, when Plunket Fleeson began printing wallpaper in Philadelphia.  Who knows if this piece of wikipedia is true but I need someone to blame.

 The above picture has 4 layers I couldn't separate!

These are only the 16  samples of wallpaper we’ve spent hours steaming and cursing, I mean scraping off the walls and ceilings.  Yes wallpaper on the ceilings must have been all the rage in the 1900′s! Thank goodness that our kids will know wallpaper as a digital thing and not the toxic gluey, messy, ugly thing of the past. 

The Originals

This photo, taken from the attic, is actually the original roof. Pine, unique and very cool. It was amazing how many layers of shingles we pulled off the roof, each layer telling the history about the property. These original boards are still covered in bark on the sides and look as though the tree had just been cut. Wavy in appearance, they stand out as an old soul to the life of the home. Every step of the way, we're finding more and more character, and the words 'Extreme Home Makeover' are really the only that fit this exciting project.

The Haunting Begins.....

So one of our workers was in the attic and slipped off a beam and his foot fell through the floor/ceiling.  Nobody heard or saw him.  After he "survived", he came outside to tell us he almost fell through the floor.  And of course, being the good support system that we are, we all laughed.  We even embellished the image of him hanging through the ceiling and being stuck with some of those wasped stinging him in the head, with no one to help.  But none of this really happened.  Just a foot through the ceiling. 

So to continue the fun, I placed the doll in the ceiling so just her feet are seen when you walk in the door.  The doll was found in a trunk in the attic on the first day.  From the first time I saw her, I knew exactly how she would come in handy.  She will continue to "visit" our poor unsuspecting workers.  Just be on the lookout!

On another note, some great progress is being made...take a look!

There were about four layers on this! Those old wood boards look like they were fresh off a tree.  You can see right into the attic.

 The roof will be done right this time!

 Look at all the trash!  The 30 ton dumpster was emptied once already and is half full again.

Turn That Frown Upside-Down

This is our house. It is our house with its first real face-lift. Lets just call it a nose job. For those of you following our website, facebook, and of course our blog, you've seen that the front of the house was cluttered and looked as though it needed a facial makeover. The porch sagged on the bottom and frowned on the top. We are excited to show you this first photo of home recovery for this pink house. Notice the raise in the porch, the stylish, yet countryish beams, and the beautifully poured new front porch. Those that have sat on this porch enjoying sunsets in the past are now smiling, because there will be lucky owners to enjoy the sunset in the future, but with a happier, and more confident pink house. Stay tuned because this baby, our baby, is going to look amazingly fantastic as the weeks progress. You wouldn't recognize her if you saw her on the street...she's a pink house and she's looking good.

Week 2 Outside Progress

Check out these pictures from week 2.  Our team is fantastic!  John and Anthony have been at the house doing alot of the work and boy are they hard workers!  The demo has gone quickly, we've already filled the largest dumpster and need to get a new one.  The roof will happen soon, hopefully not in this heat.  I love seeing the changes everyday.  Take a look at some outside progress.

 New cement porch looks so awesome!

The columns are perfect.

 Clothes lines removed in back yard. Designing a firepit.

Small brick patio in front of shed from cool old bricks found around the property.

Treasure of the Day
While working in the house today, S discovered a treasure and I thought it was really intriguing. It's a treasure because it is unique, and was at one time important to someone sharing the history of this property with us. It's actually a onesie for adults - keeping the shirt tucked must have been a fashion trend in the day - and has initials embroidered on the front. The W is actually the original owner of the property, he held the deed. I have to say that Mr. W could not have been too comfy in this item of clothing. We're guessing it was a work shirt, but I really had to wonder about his occupation. Maybe a milk delivery man. Most likely he pushed his cart like the man on Fiddler on the Roof tightly tucked. It's amazing, when renovating a home, that the history is uniquely found. New homes are beautiful but generally lack character. An older home that is renovated is new & modern, but leaves a footprint in history. It's one of the most gratifying and connecting experiences.

The Key

The key to success for pinkhouse girls is teamwork.  Even though this is our first house, Brooke and I are working seamlessly through each step as if we've done this a hundred times!  I love her enthusiasm and dedication! We have built a great team and now we are re-building a great house.  We will be posting more before and afters so keep posted!
S