That One House I Built – Page 4

A. Lot. Of. Tile.

March 15, 2011 No Comments

That’s what my life consists of these days. A lot of tile and a little sleep. The trade-off is that the shower in the full

One By One

March 7, 2011 8 Comments

How long have I been saying that I’ve got showers to tile? A month? Two? Actually, the answer is fifty-three days that I’ve been ready

Bathroom Vanity Thoughts

March 2, 2011 8 Comments

When I start getting thoughts, it can be dangerous. It can result in selling a perfectly good– or, in fact, better than good— house and

Flooring 101: Installing Hardwood Basics

February 22, 2011 21 Comments

Installing a hardwood floor in the kitchen of my first house (almost six years ago–don’t mind the buzz cut) was one of those Aha! moments

Weekend, Plus 500 Miles

February 20, 2011 1 Comment

At some point between sleeping, trying not to die from the flu, and driving 500 miles, it was still a somewhat productive weekend. And saying

All Kinds of Building

February 17, 2011 3 Comments

You know that big swimming pool bath tub of mine? Well, we’re a couple of steps closer to installing it… There’s a big hole that

Repainting, Already

February 15, 2011 4 Comments

After one marathon of a weekend, there are now three rooms in the house that have been painted. One of which has been painted twice.

Move In Progress: Seven Weeks and Counting…

February 11, 2011 5 Comments

It’s hard to believe that it has been five weeks since I started the move-in countdown, but time starts moving in kind of crazy ways

Padding Not Included

February 8, 2011 9 Comments

Arguably I deserve the blank white walls, particularly if they come with a matching straight jacket. This room has come a long way from being

Surprising Progress

January 31, 2011 4 Comments

After studying for the builders exam (T-minus 6 days and counting) until the wee hours in the morning and a fitful night of sleep– you

Kitchen: Check This Off The List

January 23, 2011 7 Comments

I mean, not the “done” list… I’m ambitious, but I’m not superwoman. Most days, at least. But I can check “kitchen cabinets” off the the

DIY House Addition: Month 9 Wrap-Up

January 21, 2011 4 Comments

It’s a pretty sure bet that when I’m talking about DIYing a house addition and/or living in a garage, I’m going to make some sarcastic

The Evolution of a House Plan

January 20, 2011 6 Comments

As you might know, we bought this property in 2008, with the intention of having some bonfires here on the weekends and hanging out until

Elizabeth Taylor, My Walls Thank You

January 16, 2011 6 Comments

I spent the better part of my weekend with drywall crusties in my hair, under my fingernails, and– inexplicably– on my eyelashes. A look that

Move In Date: T minus 12 Weeks and Counting

January 11, 2011 14 Comments

Right now if you were to ask me about the month of March, I picture a beautiful fairytale land. A distant time when the sun

I'm not interested in a mediocre life. I'm here to kick ass or die.

(formerly DIYdiva.net)

THE STORYTELLER

Back in 2004 I started writing about my adventures in fixing up houses on the internet. A lot of things have changed since then, with me, with my houses, and with the internet. These days I am basically a cranky old man trapped in a slightly less old woman’s body. The internet has changed and I am staunchly refusing to change with it. You won’t find any algorithms here, or feeds, or ads, or social media. Just good old-fashioned stories about a woman drinking beer and building shit, and living an unexpected life.

(While you won’t find updates on social media, you can sign up to receive new posts via email here.)