A tiny bit of decorating the bunkhouse

I just couldn't help it, I'm dying to get the furniture in here and fixed up all nice and cozy but there's no sense in bringing in too much since we still have the wood floors to put down.

But I did need a dresser so there was my chance to do something fun!

Sort of a shabby chic cowgirl look.

I'm mixing vintage shabby, crochet lace, cowhides, skulls and cowgirl country...go with what I like most, right?

 I sew a lot so a button shade seemed fitting (in case you're wondering what the heck is on that lamp!) the link to a DIY on my vintage blog is HERE

Thanks for stopping!

Painting and a day off in Cody

This was taken last week in the evening when it started to snow. 

A view off our front porch, the sun was setting, it was snowing and the snow looked pink.

The next morning we decided to go to Cody and I snapped a few pictures while he was driving.

And here he is spray painting the final color called Timeless Ivory.

Every room is that color except for the bathroom which is a little more white, called Italian Lace by Valspar.

The entire place is painted and we have moved in.

We're using hot plates to cook on and the bathroom sink to wash dishes.

I have a complete bathroom but it still needs a few minor details.

I stained the interior doors today, we used 6 panel solid pine doors in keeping with the pine trim to be done next year along with continuing the plywood plank floor which I totally LOVE! I can hardly wait to see the floors finished.

We plan to install kitchen cabinets next year along with my vintage stove, refrigerator and we have an authentic old farm house sink that was in the old barn when we bought the place.

My biggest decision now? What do I decide on for cabinets???

Do I go with white and stay with the vintage 40's/50's look of the stove and fridge or do I go rustic and use something like Hickory?

I will have the plywood plank floor in the kitchen.

Another idea was to buy unfinished but they are oak and sort of plain...I like oak only it doesn't seem to fit in here but I was thinking I could have the husband makes me several branding irons and burn some brands into the wood?

Any ideas?

Chief Joseph Highway Wyoming

Things are still happening here at the bunkhouse in Wyoming but we took a road trip over a week ago and I'm just now finally getting some time to do a quick post.

This was on Sunday Sept. 7

This is a view of Heart Mountain's west side (looking east) as we climbed the pass.

Just north of Cody

Up on top, Dead Indian Hill and you can see the winding road going down the other side. We are heading north towards Cooke City, Montana (photo below)

This was a trail used by the Nez Perce Indians while being chased by the U.S. Cavalry in 1877

Further north now and a view of The Beartooth (photo below)

Not terribly exciting here but this is a shot of Cooke City famous for snowmobiles in the winter

We have officially moved into the bunkhouse.

I have a full bathroom, a furnace and air conditioning. A make shift kitchen for now but it sure beats a 20 foot camping trailer and an outhouse!

More soon.....

Plywood "Plank" Fooring

I discovered plywood plank flooring on Pinterest several months ago. 

We decided to give it a try.

We hand picked through the plywood sheets for what we thought would look the best cut into 'boards'.

The husband carefully measured and made a guide that he could clamp down in order to cut boards all the exact same width.

Then I brushed on the sanding sealer to prevent the pine from soaking up the satin unevenly.

I used Minnwax Golden Pecan for the windows and I like it but I wanted the floor to be a tad bit darker so I added drops of Minnwax Special Walnut followed with 1 coat of Polycrylic.

They have the same coloring as the Douglas Fir siding and I'm very happy with it.

We thought we should try it out in the bathroom first to see IF we are really going to like it

We're both very happy with the result so we will continue this flooring throughout the bunkhouse.

Gives it a rustic look that I'm looking for at a fraction of the price of wood  boards.

We're placing it randomly and using ring shank nails and face nailing the planks, surprisingly I can't even see them in the photo!

He has a small area left to do but the base trim is dry and I'm just a little anxious to get that toilet back in there so that's what he's doing now while I do this quick post.

I'll brush on another coat of Polycrylic when the floor is finished to help seal the edges and the nail heads.

The new construction outfit finished up. We had to give in and go with textured walls because the guy that did the sheet rock last year did such a poor job. Now that the new people have explained the correct way to install it, I understand. Last year I didn't have a clue and the guy doing it evidently didn't either...which boils down to the original carpenter (that we let go) contracted that guy to sheet rock. Either the previous carpenter didn't know how to install sheet rock or he just didn't care to take time to explain it to the the man doing it.

But that's water under the bridge now.

The new people (Alotta Cronstruction) spent extra days here trying to fix the mistakes and really wanted to give me smooth walls until finally they just had to give in and break the news to me. They did a nice job of a light texture and knock down so I'm okay with it...I have to be!

Then they spray primed for us so we can get on with our work.

And take breaks and enjoy lunch on the front porch with this view.

I will be back shortly with a finished bathroom...it will be the only completely finished room in the bunkhouse as we continue to work on the other rooms!

It's finally REALLY happening!!!!

What a difference from last September!

We have new people...professional people!

They know what they are doing, they show up when they say they will, they

are getting the job done!

The inside really started to look different yesterday,

they plan to be finished today. 

3 days!

They'll spray texture the ceilings and spray prime everything.

I wanted smooth walls and was told by the last outfit that it can't be done...well it CAN be done when you have people who know how to do it!

These guys are great! It's a father daughter team, he's been doing this for 30 years.

How we found them? My friend, Joan, just happened to see them in a parade in town.

She knew we were desperate to find someone to finish the job so we called and they could work with our time slot so we decided to give them a try. I was worried because of the last guy who caused me to more or less not trust anyone but these people proved to me that there are trustworthy people still out there that can do the work and do it right.

There were a lot of previous mistakes that they had to fix but they didn't complain, they just did what needed doing!

Next post will be finished walls and all primed and ready to go. The husband bought a paint sprayer and he will spray paint everything. He'll be here soon.

As soon as they are finished I'll roller paint the bathroom so that it's ready for flooring and finishing.

I can't wait to show you what we do for the floors!

I think I'm going to love it and it's super cheap!

Only 3 more weeks....

So here it is, almost time to head west and see what happens this year.

Here's the bunkhouse as we left it last fall. You can see the front end of our small trailer to the right, that is what we have used for the last several years. Not that I don't appreciate it but it would be a really nice to move into the bunkhouse.

We have a guy who promises he will start on August 26. I plan to leave a few days earlier so I can get a few things done before he gets there.

We have a cement floor in the back room which will be a storage room for me but will serve as a bedroom for now. I need to clean that floor and paint it before we start working with more mud. It will make cleaning up a lot easier after the texture is finished. Plus I have to haul out all the scraps of sheetrock so we can work in there.

Hopefully this will be almost finished!

The plan is to hire him to finish the taping, sand and spray texture the ceilings and he says he can finish the same week he starts 

(that's the way the previous workers should have done it last year...grrrr!)

The husband will drive out the following weekend.

We will take over then and texture the walls with a Mission style.

I enjoy texturing, not sure if we can actually get it all done ourselves but we will see. 

We need to try to keep costs down after last years problems. Frankly we are out of budget to finish so we really need to pinch pennies.

(basically we are paying to finish the taping and sanding twice)

The husband plans to spray prime everything and hopefully spray paint too.

The very first thing we'll finish is the bathroom...floor, walls and all the fixtures.

Actually I'm dying to get my transformed buffet to vanity in there and see how it looks.

The husband is a licensed electrician so he will finish the electrical and hang lights.

The gas company came in last year after we left and buried the gas line so we will have heat! Just need to hook up to the furnace.

No floors this year other than the bathroom. The plan is to get to the point this year, where we were supposed to be last year. The last carpenters lack of following through set us back an entire year.

I'm really crossing my fingers and holding my breath as I write this... that the new guy will work out, if he does there is a ton of others projects for him in the future.

I'll be back after August 26th with an update...good or bad!

Big Horn Lake

It won't be long and we'll be back out in Wonderful Wyoming.

I can't wait to see this view again, hopefully the reservoir is high this year.

There will be no whining this year. 

Things will go as planned. 

This year we work alone, things are far enough along that we don't need help (well maybe a little...we have someone in mind so we can get the job done this year). 

Normally we do most of the work ourselves but with full time jobs we had to hire help due to the short amount of time we can be there.

Plans are to texture the bunkhouse walls and paint. The bathroom will be completely finished from floor to ceiling, we'll even have a bathroom door!!!

The husband will work in his pole barn, he needs to get going on the floor in there.

And....we plan to take off a lot and have fun this year.

It's going to be back to normal this year, like it was a couple of years ago.

I can't wait!