Around Our House

The recent Spring air has brought increased motivation and creativity in our home.  The weekend has been full of projects.  The most involved (and exciting) project is our concrete counter tops.  We've had makeshift counters in our kitchen for over four months now.  You can bet we are eager for some that are more permanent, not to mention more pleasing to the eye.

Did you know concrete could be used as counter top material?  If not, you might be picturing your driveway and feeling a bit baffled.  But believe me, concrete can be used to create some really cool stuff!  Google it and see for yourself.

So this is how it's gone.  Last weekend, T and a friend worked on cutting out and building all of the forms.

This weekend they (along with a knowledgeable fella from the Interior Architecture department at KSU) assembled the internal wire structures and poured the concrete.

We colored ours a dark charcoal color.  Here T is involved in the messy, spattering process of "vibrating" the concrete.

 This is what our garage floor looked like at one point...but it cleaned up quite easily.

 

 Now the slabs sit, waiting for another weekend.  They have to be removed from the forms, polished, sealed, and installed.  It may be a few weeks, but there will be more pictures following installation, trust me.

 We decided to make the counter-tops even more custom by putting the kids' hand prints in one.  These sweet little hands will forever be on the underside of one counter top section that will actually suspend beyond the cabinets.  I think the kids will think that is pretty cool in years to come.  And it will be our own little secret.  :)

And as for me, I've had my own projects.  I've spent hours rolling magazine pages.  Don't they look so yummy!?!  I've had a blast seeing the colors and textures all together. 

These are all for some specific things I'm working on, but you'll have to wait until completion to know any more.  Trust me, seeing the finished products is guaranteed to make you smile.  :)