Score, Spray, Scrape and Repeat...

Wallpaper, my Achilles heal, for the past couple of days. Who knew how much work wallpaper removal would be. It's really a mini work out, I found myself with an increased heart rate after scoring a small section. Not to mention the burning shoulders! Thank goodness for my sister and two great friends that offered up their wallpaper removal skills. Without them there is no way I would be as far along as I am. If ever you take on this job I highly recommend the following...

1. Score the heck out of the wallpaper!! They make a great little tool for about $7 at Home Depot.
2. Spray the wall with a good wallpaper remover. I recommend DIF Wallpaper Gel Remover. 
3. Let it sit for 20 minutes, I had to use a timer as I became impatient. Spray the wall with water about 15 minutes in. It helps with keeping the paper saturated and will aide in removal. 
4. Pray to the wallpaper gods, pick a corner and start peeling/scraping!!
5. Last but not least, before you start steps 1-4, line up some good friends to help. It makes the process so much more fun :-) 

Here are some pics of our handy work. Special thanks to my sister Nicole and my dear friends Tanya and Robin. You gals are the best!!!!!!!!! Tanya I forgot to snap a picture of you before you left :-( 

Moving along in the dining room.

The first layer peeled off easily in the kitchen but left behind the thin paper underneath. Scrape, scrape and more scrape.

Discovered this underneath the paper in the breakfast nook. No clue what is it or was.

Robin and I with our tools of choice!

All done!!!! 

The Pictures!

Here are some pictures of the house. I had to use the realty pictures, now the rooms are full of junk!! I also included images of some of the cool details. We have a lot of work ahead of us!! 

Breakfast Nook

                           

Dining Room

Foyer

Guest Bedroom

Guest Bathroom (love that sweet wallpaper and pink floor!!) haha

Just one of cool light fixtures, this is in the kitchen

Kitchen Backsplash, no these are not staying...sorry!

Dining room wallpaper that is sort of growing on me

Old telephone box

Fireplace in Master Bedroom

Master Bath, odd placement for a shower head

They left all of the cool book behind

Kitchen

Kitchen

Master Bath

Master Bedroom

Our current bedroom but will eventually be my office

Shane's office

Sunroom

The Reality is...

Rome was not built in a day, isn't that the silly saying? I have had to come to terms with the fact that this house will not be done in a day, a week or even months. I finally hit the wall Sunday morning. While talking to my mom on the phone in line at Starbucks, the breakdown occurred!! The list of things to do is endless and every time I turn a corner in this house I think about one more thing to add to it. On a positive note, I'm having more and more moments when I think about the potential this old house holds and for a minute I can see it all coming together. Well, back to cleaning and unpacking. I plan on posting pictures of the house very soon, hopefully within the week. 

I leave you with a picture of Max!! He and Tucker love their new house and have made themselves right at home. 

2 Days...

We have two days left until we close and let me just say that the stress of all this has finally set in. AHHHHHH!!! Here I was thinking that this would be a piece of cake, we don't have that much stuff. Little did I know how much stuff we do have until I started opening up cabinets and cleaning out closets. I have also discovered that husband is a bit of a pack rat, we'll work on this at a later date in time. Let's consider that battle left to be picked in the future..ha!! Did I mention that my parents will also be vacationing at the beach during the move? I'm beginning to wonder if they did this on purpose, they are smarter than I give them credit for! Well, enough venting for now. Here are my pro's and con's of the day...

Con's: packing, feeling like the boxes are talking about you (creepy!!) and the feeling that I'm going to forget to pack something.

Pro's: 95% settled on a kitchen design (cabinets/counters etc.), I'm getting a NEW/OLD house and all the stuff going to Goodwill. (I love getting rid of crap) One other pro is finding the box with all of my old yearbooks.

Here's a little glimpse of Shane and I in elementary school. I have no idea what is written on my picture.

                                                Kindergarten                         2nd Grade

The story begins...

I have decided to start a blog to document this next chapter in our lives. Shane and I have decided to become...RENOVATORS!!!! Are we nuts, probably just a little bit. Here is some background and history of the house on Meadowbrook, aka Our House On The Hill. The home was built in 1940 by a young couple from Marion, South Carolina. Mr. Waldrop was a US Army Major in the Corp of Engineers serving in WWII and his wife, from what we're told by their daughter, was an avid collector of antiques and loved flowers. Shane was actually lucky enough to meet Lillian, the daughter, who actually still lives in Rock Hill. He described her as a sweet and classy lady. I hate I missed her but he promised to invite her over for dinner once we are done. Well, I guess that's all for now. Stay tuned for updates, before and after's and to see how things turn out!!! We close Friday June 7, then the fun really begins!!

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=lawson-waldrop&pid=163309184&fhid=6358#storylink=cpy