Dancing Floors!

Back a VERY long time ago - Carpenter was offered anything he could salvage from Carolina School of Ballet - they were ready for demolition and a brand new dance school - so he and the crew of boys got to work and had to work fast before it went tumbling down.  He was able to retrieve 2200 sq ft + of red oak hardwood flooring that little feet had danced many hours on....poplar tongue-grooved boards that now grace our porch ceilings (I always think of feet dancing on the ceiling when I see it!)  and a lot of other goodies but these 2 were the biggest and best salvages!  We have moved and stacked, moved and stacked, moved and stacked these treasured piles many a time until now as they finally have their final home.
Here is a close look at the floor - aged, dirty and finally home.  It covers the entire upstairs and is perfectly aged and vintage - looking quite at home in its new home!

Carpenter rented an edger and spent one full day on his knees working the floor.  That was one aching back that night! He is such a hard worker - bless his heart!

We had decided to only take off the dirt and a bit of the old stains and leave a lot "on" for a authentic vintage look. Next full day was with a big sander but a lot easier since it was the walk-behind type. Next full day was Chelsey and I with small hand held sanders checking all the spots that may have been missed and touching up around the build in shelve and cupboards.  Then a full afternoon of cleaning and getting it dust free - the in house BEAM vacuum system made that a treat instead of a chore!  Here we have it to where we like it just fine. 

Another full day - I was the edger and brusher- Carpenter took charge of the long handled applicator.

Five gallons later we have it with a full top coat!
To finish up will be another day of renting a buffer-light sander and 3 more coats - 3 days in a row!
Then........
Our TO-DO LIST left upstairs will have suddenly after all these years been shortened to:
1- Build and hang the interior doors
2- Install door knobs and latches

3- Move IN!

I like 1-2-3 lists!

Big Lights take Big Budgets!

But you can make it yourself if you have a little budget! My beautiful custom-made first time we have ever tried to make a light - only ended up costing us $88 + $39 for chains + rachet and wire +  a circular cap + $9 for black flat spray paint!
You come in the front door to a wide open area that is open all the way up - 18 feet up!  We have the balcony around this area upstairs that has a walkway across from side to the other and a library (where I am already stashing books that have had no home - or should I say a proper home- for 7 years) - we aren't moved in yet, you know. 

So this area needed a really BIG light.  I had purchased all the lights and fans and bought a small black inexpensive metal light for the middle area - It was only 88$ - and when we came to the time to put it up - it was way to pueny and not right at all for the room.  So we put our heads together - and Carpenter took up lamp making.  We had a grand time all trying to help figure circumference and radius and working the plan for the new BIG light.

The 88$ light has been taken all apart into pieces.

We are having a hard time remembering where the iron ring came from - it seems we have been dragging it around and using it for this or that for a good many years now. Micah retrieved it from its current home in the herbgarden where it was a "Ring-Around-Martha-Washington Asparagus".  Ezra and Micah took the grinder to it and then cleaned it with muratic acid - Micah overcome with fumes from the nasty acid wryly commented "Let it be known to all, that I passed away making momma a chandilier!" It cleaned up nicely after their hard work and Carpenter got to work! [Micah is still alive and well too!]

Carpenter has this beautiful homemade light that graces the center of our home rigged so it can be lowered from the attic by racheting it down or up - makes for simple bulb changes, dusting and I can just envision this all decked in pine boughs in the bleak of winter! I was just about speechless when I saw it hanging and all finished for the first time - it was definitely MADE FOR this house and made WITH LOVE by Carpenter for his family.

How do you like it?