Making it Home: March 2007

Return Air Ducting

Things are coming together! I know, it doesn't look like it, but trust me, we are one step closer to being done. Frank has been working hard all day on this and it's almost done. After I built some of the components (cut duct, pieced things together and taped up), I mostly stood around handing things to the poor guy on his back under the studio. Here is how it's looking on the inside so far - these two ducts will bring fresh air in to replace the toxic air the fan (which will be centered between them) will exhaust out. Under the studio, they run about 10 feet and have mesh to keep the rodents out.

And here, a picture looking under the studio - doesn't it look like it's about to blast off?! I'm happy this part is done, but I think Frank is estatic about it.

Studio Progress

Not too much happened all week, but today we made some big progress. I finished insulating and Frank finished the support/cross beam things in the roof and then prepped the ceiling for sheetrocking. Not very interesting BUT then we got into some good stuff. At the last minute as we were about to cut the holes in the wall for the return-air vents, I got a bright idea. Frank isn't calling it that, but I am. He's more along the lines of "pain in the butt idea", if you get my drift.

Anyway, my idea was this: instead of having the make up air come from the wall behind me while I torch, blowing cool damp air past my head on the way back out of the vent hood, why not have it right under the vent hood itself and duct it under the studio so that it's clean air coming in? Why not? Well, other than the pain-in-the-butt factor, and the more-money factor and the more-work factor... it sounds like a great idea. And so off to Home Debit I went and got all the materials needed. And Frank started cutting holes and putting it together. It's too dark to get a good photo, so I'll share a boring insulated wall one instead. I'm really excited, it's going to be so GREAT!

Studio Progress

Inside construction began today. Frank and I built my workbench - the base of it - which will eventually be covered with my stainless steel top. I insulated part of it (extra thick insulation that will hopefully keep the fan noise out of the studio), and Frank worked on making the support beams "prettier". Yes, PRETTIER, because if you know me at all, pretty matters!

It's Not Pretty

But it makes me happy!

Yesterday:

Today!

Phase 1 Done

The construction workers are all done with the studio (they still have some clean up to do.) The doors are on and even have door knobs and locks.

The rest is now up to us. Outside, we need to give her a bath, put a porch on, and she needs a skirt and some flowers planted around her. Inside, we are insulating, putting up prettier support beams, building a work bench, sheetrocking, painting, tiling the floor.... lots to do. Really a lot, but I hope to be melting glass SOON.

Vent Hood Progress

I've made a little progress on my vent hood. You can see the details on the Bead Studio Page if you like.

Lampwork Vent Hood

Yum... Bread!

A friend of mine just started this site - it looks fun. 3 Bakers, 12 Months, 36 Recipes - A Year in Bread. Pizza tomorrow.

Power for the Studio

The electricians did their rough-in today. My studio has it's own circuit box, outlet boxes, light boxes, an in-wall heater (it will be right at my feet when I'm at the torch!) and switch boxes for the lights and blower. And a light for outside.

This is the corner with the circuit box:

This is where my workbench will be - the 4 plug box is for the kiln and is on it's own dedicated circut. I'm not sure that was necessary, but that's what the electrician thought was a good idea. One plug above the bench, one below for my oxycon (can't you just see it now?!).

And my lightboxes for my track lights:

Kind of boring, huh? But exciting all the same. None of this is powered up though - we need to dig a ditch so they can connect it all to the house power. Soon, I hope.

Studio Progress

Roof is finished, including skylights. The door is hung, but something is wrong with it. Also, I bought the wrong doorknobs so they need to be returned. But close, very close. I can stain/prime/paint or whatever I'm going to do now and then put on the decorative slats so the siding matches the house. And build a porch of some sort. And.... oh it's not that close really.

The electrician is here today wiring it up and installing a wall heater. I need to call about the door problem and find out what that is all about.

I made a studio page for those of you who want to see the progress all in one place - it's going to be good for lampworkers because I'll be setting up the ventilation system and showing step by step photos of it - it's a very mysterious and confusing project for us girly artsy types who don't know what end of the fan (blower!) the air even goes in through! Check it out on my site: The Blue Between Studio.

Progress Again

Nothing new to report on the Studio... they seemed to take a week off and are supposed to be here today, but I don't see them yet.

But good news is still to be had - we have the electricians in! They are running the wires to the new bathrooms and also the master bedroom - updating the wires from old knob and tube.

This is so great, not just for the obvious fact of having power in the bathrooms and safer electricicy in the bedroom, but now I can actually do some things again! As soon as they are done with the master, I'm priming and painting - remember that nice blue/green/robin's egg color? And as soon as they are done with the powder room we are putting up the walls and then I'm putting in my marble floor! And then, omgoodness - we are so close - we will have a second toilet and sink in the house. And real walls in my tv room. I'm about to burst with excitment - can't you tell?

Magnolia Tree About to Burst into Color

Photo Greeting Cards and Wall Prints, etc.

I started a little cafepress store yesterday that turns my photos into greeting cards and postcards and prints... if anyone is interested, please take a look! Thanks :)

Blue Between Photography