Thursday, August 14, 2008

Before


yikes. This is what I have been up to the past week. Seems #5 needed some changes in her life. Part of those changes meant dealing with a less than responsive (or responsible for that matter) landlord and manager for the small BY-U approved housing. Took a bit of doing but I think we are making some head way.

Then there was the matter of the condition of the interiors. Not being allowed to paint over the dead flat bright hospital white walls that have been neglected (for several years by the look of them), we opted for the things we could change.

This first photo is of the front door as you face the street. Note that the t.v. is placed on a dresser. Normally I would think, "O.k. clever. We can use the dresser as extra storage and as a t.v stand." Alas, no. This dresser has been held together by unknown forces for far too long! The drawer fronts actually just balance on their frames, one small move and the whole front falls off! (The collection of odds and ends on the floor were my fault...thrift store bargains, more on them later)

This second photo shows the lovely thin to thread bare curtains, broken windows that cannot be secured and are directly in line with the drive way and walk way access to the back house. Neighbors, the mailman, and any visitors have a direct view into the house at any time of the day! How convenient! It also shows the best of the two couches, this one actually a love seat with holes in the seats, thus the yellow sheet, which as most throws or slip covers has a tendency to shift during use. Note the small foot stool. There are two of these, I think they are cast offs from a glider rocker, as they both glide. The good thing is they are surprisingly comfortable, the height is good and the cushion is bearable. Behind the love seat are two book cases. The one on the right holds two of the girls' dvd collections and on the base shelf, one gal's nursing books. The other shelf on the left houses #5's books, well some of her books. That book case it also very wobbly and whenever you remove a book the entire shelf lists one way or the other and you need to steady it, lest it collapse in a heap. There is a "Medusa" lamp, which the girls bought together because there was no lighting in the house prior to the purchase. They didn't really like it, but for $20.00 it was a deal. In the left corner, not shown, is another bookcase #5 brought with her, also filled to the brim with her books; and a hanging wind chime that belongs to her roommate... the one thing said roommate insisted stay exactly where it is, all else we could do what we would.

The third photo shows what I dubbed the SLC Airport couch. It had a very firm (read hard) and very shallow seat and all it was lacking was baggage claim and/or the pleather roping to guide you to your terminal. That was our beginning.

The last photo is one final look at the love seat for later comparison. We decided something had to be done about the seating in this house. No one ever sat on the Airport couch because of it's complete lack of comfort, so the girls dismantled it and stored it inside a hall closet.

add to sk*rt

6 comments:

LeaAnne said...

LOL
I am fairly sure that this is the same couch that I had my last years in Provo..(1993) And it was not beautiful then! I am eagerly awaiting the *after* pictures that will no doubt be BEAUTIFUL! :)

P.S. I have had a craving for cupcakes for weeks now..I even showed them to my Dear Husband!! One day I Must try the banana infused beauty! Our almost 5 year old told me that what she wants for her fairy party! ;)

S'mee said...

Leaanne, that couch made my eyes bleed. The "after" photos will be coming, beginning tamale! It will be a few posts until the final reveal on the couch redo, I think it looks pretty good. Definitely better than 1993!

Cupcakes:

1 Duncan Hines Golden Yellow Cake mix
1cup sour cream
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 box cook and serve banana pudding mix
3 ripe bananas -smashed
1/4 cup white sugar
Mix well and scoop into cup cake papers 1/2 to 3/4 full, bake 350 about 20 minutes or until test done . cool completely

blend 1/2 jar of Mrs. Richardson's Caramel Sauce and 1/4 box of crushed mini nilla wafers. Spread a thin layer on top of the cup cakes, add one mini nilla wafer on top for a garnish.

Alternative topping:
Cook banana or vanilla pudding, cool. Spoon over top of cupcake and top with a caramel dipped banana slice on top of a nilla wafer.

Warning! These are seriously sweet, you just need one. Pass out left overs to the neighbors!

Robyn said...

she could use some vinyl decor too! That way it works with the bright white and takes advantage of the blank canvas that is BYU housing.

S'mee said...

great idea Chronicler, I'll think on it and see what I can com up with!

Alison Wonderland said...

Oh, BYU housing... It's awful!!!! I get what they're going for but I think it's created some amazingly ghetto-like conditions.

S'mee said...

Alison, from what I have observed in the many (and I mean many) different apartments she has lived in the past 3 years, the owners either past on their old nasty used furniture or buy someone else's old used nasty furniture. I understand not wanting to invest in furniture that kids are going to abuse, but really! And why not keep up the maintenance on your investment? That I have no idea about. ugh.