LOVE the sound of flooring popping up as I scrape it! SERIOUSLY ADDICTED. Nothing else to report as plumbers and electricians do their thing. We have filled up one dumpster already and getting the exterior of the Mustard Pancake all planned out — new windows have been ordered and now we debate on how to get the most bang for the buck with a VERY SMALL BUDGET.

This is seriously a big test of my budgeting skills. This house is going to need EVERYTHING - updating electrical, adding full bath, renovating one bath, redoing hardwoods, redoing drywall, adding skim coat to ceiling, new kitchen, windows, deck, doors, and ROOF. If we can stay under 50k I am going to be incredibly proud of our team! This is the SMALLEST budget I’ve ever worked with on a house that is in need of the most work!!

Oh boy! My arms are already sore and its only been two days of slinging a hammer. Yes, I am a pipsqueak BUT I do like my demo time. It’s kinda like winter, a time to strip down the layers and get to the meat of what’s ailing you in order to build back. Oh, so deep, meaningful, and (slightly?) annoying, but TRUE!

The Mustard Pancake is ready for a full on FACELIFT, but we are not going to stop there! We are gonna give this ole’ gal the full on WORKS. We’re talking inner-workings, plugs for the hair, an eye-lift, skinlift, and permanant eyeliner and lipstick! Meaning, you will not recognize this 1938 Doll in a couple months.

The Mustard Pancake! She has absolutely NO facial features but we’re going to change that!

So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that we indeed DO have hardwoods under layers on linoleum. I was FOOLED to thinking it was gone somehow. Everything else is just garbage done poorly and cheaply. The windows are awful and the crawlspace has been covered up giving way to 40% humidity underneath the bathroom (note to self: never hire the handyman for this house who created a termite highway of EARTH TO WOOD DIRECT CONTACT!!!).

Tondee says, “Just say NO to faux-floating-floors, FOOL!”

FEAR NOT, I have a plan!

I have been inspired by JH Interior Design for some time - mainly the small home she renovated for her family. The loft in her farmhouse inspired my new house design at Thunderbolt & Isle of Hope and the big front porch is what pushed me to realize that the Mustard Pancake could actually shine by adding a bit of farmhouse flare and some depth to the front facade (i.e. add a deep porch that wraps around!).

Inspired by JH Interior Design Oregon Farmhouse

Day 1 - we got flooring up and stacked and Day 2 demo began on bathroom. Day 2 was quite hysterical when I thought I’d cut the water off the the refrigerator and low and behold, it was NOT CUT off and I had to repeatedly run buckets of water outside while my friend, TT, came over to cut the water to the house w an oversized wrench. OMG - water everywhere!