My sister Anna talked my into taking this personality test (16Personalities), and I was somewhat devastated at the results. There were some things that were right on…for example, I don’t (and dislike when people do) beat around the bush… JUST SAY IT! But the majority of the results discussed how I come up with ideas, but want other people to execute them. WHAT?!
But then I got to thinking how true this really IS! I have so many lofty plans and ideas for our home… but I often let myself feel crippled by how knowledgeable Nick is, and end up just expecting him to do it for me. Soooooo not cool. Having a handy and willing husband is a rare treasure, and I know how lucky I am. But I need to challenge myself!
{source unknown}
ALL THAT TO SAY… I decided to build a breakfast bar on our existing kitchen island. It’s something I’ve been wanting (Nick) to do for a loooooong time.
We almost started on it last spring, but with our upcoming fertility treatments, we thought it best to wait to find out how many (if any) more children we would be having. Because if we were having twins again, I wanted to build it in such a way that it would fit 4 stools. So when we found out we were pregnant with a single child, we knew we would only need space for 3 stools… but between my unproductive first trimester and Nick building the giant patio with his own two hands, the summer just got away from us.
So this week, I decided to take initiative while Nick was at work.
It was like I had a sudden burst of energy and confidence… and just decided to go for it! The girls helped me pry off all the trim pieces on the south side of the island. Then I used my reciprocating saw to hack off the lip of the counter so it would be flush with the island.
There was sawdust flying everywhere in the kitchen, and the girls watched with wide eyes as they witnessed my reckless abandon. At one point, Della said ‘maybe you should let Daddy do this’. But I reassured them that us girls can wield power tools too… and just about anything else we put our minds to.
After doing some research, I learned that standard ‘bar height’ is 42”. Since my countertop is going to be two inches thick, I made my wall height 40” with 4 vertical 2×4’s and a 2×4 on the top and bottom for stability.
Nick came home from work to find me framing in a wall, and his mouth might have fallen open.
This skeleton frame got wrapped in plywood, and I’m almost ready to install my corbels! I’m SO in love with these corbels, and they’re SO MUCH more simple than they look. Tutorial coming next week!
This project has me all giddy, and I can’t wait for it to be done so I can stand back and admire my own hard work. I think Nick is secretly proud of me too (and probably cringing at the way I’m doing some things).
Do you feel paralyzed at the thought of tackling a project you’ve never done before? Or do you have a hubby that’s capable, so you shy away from diving in yourself? I challenge you to just go for it! You’ll learn as you go, and feel SO fulfilled in the process!
And with that I’ll say HAPPY WEEKEND… now go fourth and be creative!
Great job! Totally looking forward to the corbel tutorial, as I have big plans (waggles eyebrows) to mutate the lesson into drapery corbels for my kitchen. Just hope my untapped power tool skills match my imagination. As an INFJ, I may have to ask hubby for help…
Good for you! i’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out. (And I must admit, I’m a bit jealous of your second trimester energy…I was so hoping for that, but have yet to find much of it, unfortunately.)
You go girl! I love reading your blog. Your daughter’s comment about letting daddy do it had me cracking up. Too cute.
‘Maybe you should let Daddy do this’ made me laugh so hard. It sounds like something my son would say!
Sorry for the spelling mistakes – 3 yr old distracted me. lol
Wow – great job! Hey, anyone who can make a person, for criminies sake, cand build soemthing! I crave the space to work on – it would be so much fun!
Congrats and WAY to GO!!! It makes my heart to happy to see women like you take on DIY projects and here you are in your 2nd trimester!! As the daughter of a home builder (now retired) i learned to do things like this!! My greatest accomplishment was enclosing our patio. A contractor game me an estimate of $2,500.00 yet the materials were less than $200.00!!! This not include the bricks I used to built a support wall to install the enclosure frames. Love yur blog and your cute girls!! Can’t wait to see the finished project!!.
I have a husband with no skills in this area. Don’t get me wrong, his skill set is elsewhere. 😉
He travels a lot so I just wait till he is gone and then I start and finish all of my projects. It’s a win-win.
Somebody’s nesting!
This is amazing! Great work on just going for it! I love when I get delirious with confidence. Also, what a great role model for your girls! Can’t wait to see how it turns out 🙂
By the way, Nick was shocked. He posted that pic of her with her head down, drill in hand and he was PROUD! Way to go Bethany, prego and all 🙂
I like this post. I’d like to be like you, but I think you have a huge advantage in having seen things done. Things built, destroyed, etc. My husband hasn’t done handy things so I don’t have an image in my mind of what goes into creating any remodel. And still step by step tutorials don’t give the same confidence. When our basement flooded and had to be redone I about had panic attacks each day till the contractors got it done. I had never seen anything in a state other than finished. And some people live like that for years! Rambling now. Your blog is great!
YAY FOR GIRL POWER!!! Way go to GO, Girl!!!
A woman’s got to do what a woman’s got to do 🙂
Our kitchen island actually has a lowered breakfast bar, that we us for a buffet when we have get-togethers, and for folding laundry (because our laundry room remodel is waiting for spring). My husband wants to raise the lowered section to make the island even, and I’d love to have extra storage space underneath, possibly leaving room for a couple of stools at the end. I love your corbels, can’t wait for the tutorial (that I will admittedly try to talk the hubby into doing for me).
I love your reckless abandon! Totally a girl after my own heart! It’s going to be fab and so functional too!
ha! You’re awesome! I love your “can do” attitude! I just tackled a whole kitchen makeover with the help of my sister in law, aunt and mother in law while our husbands were hunting! The guys were speechless when they walked through the door (6 days after leaving) to new floors, painted cabinets, and a change of layout! We worked our tushies off!
Amber @ http://www.AverieLane.com
Totally Bad A**! You are an inspiration Bethany! I’d have loved to see Nick’s face when he walked in 🙂
Love this!! What an amazing example you’re setting for your girls Bethany!
First, I think I’ve just been a lurker so hi! 🙂 Second, love this. And the part where you think he’s probably cringing at the way you’re doing some things? Totally why I try to do things when my husband is gone. He just sees the finished product (and not all the hot glue and duct tape) that does on behind the scenes. Kidding. Sorta.
Gotta love girls with tools! I’m intimidated to start projects and don’t have anyone to do it for me so I tend not to do things. Must get over that! I love your daughter’s comment though. And now she will learn that mommy can do it, too. I look forward to seeing the rest of this project because this is exactly what my sister is doing in her new old house. She and my dad took a partial wall down to bar height (so that already acts as the frame you made) but she now needs to figure out how to do the top. So I am eagerly awaiting that post.
Nah, my husband is extremely handy and I am happy to let him be in charge of that stuff. We try to help as needed, but I really don’t enjoy it! We did an addition last year and I was so happy to be done with that. The girls did learn to mud drywall, etc.
He can do the handy stuff, and I will do his bookwork for his business. We each have our own talents 🙂
Good for you! We have been working on finishing our basement for a year now so when the drywall was finally up in the bathroom, I spent the kids nap time priming then painting it. Followed by putting the flooring in and now tiling the tub surround. Like you said I am getting pretty tired of waiting for someone else to get it done! Girls can do eeverything they put their minds too!
I love this post! I don’t have one of those ‘handy husbands’ – I have one of those sportslovingcomputeraddicted husbands. I have a slogan for when I’m about to try a project that I’m nervous about ~ “B*tches do (insert project here)”!
I’ve hung drywall, plumbed a laundry room, roofed, run electrical and zillions of other “man” projects. You’re right – it’s very empowering!!
Go Ladies!! Build stuff!!