Aside from the other rooms in the house, the servant’s room has probably taken the longest. Cracks in the walls, moisture coming in by the chimney, unfinished floor - you name it, we tackled it! With everyone’s busy schedules in the way, it’s hard to devote any extended amount of time to one project. Add to that, homesteading in the middle of all these renovations. You don’t know prioritizing until you’re faced with big, time-consuming projects!

But it’s coming together, little by little!

Probably the best thing we did was take the plaster off the chimney! The original plan was to outline the cracks in black paint and create a stained glass window kind of look. Upon further assessment, that idea was tossed. I like the brick better and it will be a great compliment to the new paint job coming!

Overall, I think Claire approves of the whole process! She’s been our little supervisor, hollering at us to make sure we’re working and doing our best. I believe she’s overdue for a salary increase of extra treats!

What’s more troublesome than stubborn floor varnish? A window that won’t stay open.

Yup, the eastside window of the room needed replacing! We were able to do it, but not without a little aggravation. Because why would anything go smoothly? 😅

Taking it out was the easy part. Getting it to fit? Well, that’s where the dilemma came in. Because it rested into the windowsill, we had to install a board underneath to close the gap up top.

Once it was screwed in, we were able to fit and insulate the window much better.

Much better! You’d never know it was replaced!

This past weekend, I braved the unknown and finished tackling the kitchen ceiling. This was an interesting process as there was a ton of dust, dead bugs, and old cobwebs to contend with.

My number one fear though was facing the arachnids of doom! Thankfully, no spiders were to be seen. Better for them, better for me!

So, one by one, down came the tiles!

Ahh, the satisfaction!

The photos don’t really do it justice, but it looks so much better. What’s next? Well, stick around and find out!

It really doesn’t matter what kind of house I live in - my artistic brain sees everything as a blank canvas. When we lived in the old house, I took on the task of repainting my entire room and decorating it to my liking. The new house has been a much bigger project but the end result is worth all the hard work. I love transforming things, whether it be tearing up yard to create a garden, or stripping wallpaper so the room can have a fresh start. Does it get a little aggravating? It can be, especially if you’re toiling for an extended time on one project. Imagine not having your own bedroom for months on end because of dusty carpet underlayment, 4 layers of wallpaper, sanding, cleaning, then painting. I have to say, nothing beat the liberating feeling of finally hanging up curtains and moving my furniture into the new room!

And this is where I’ve learned to maintain a healthy perspective on life. Nothing is perfect. Nothing is easy. Nothing will go the way you expect or want it to go. But guess what? It’s okay! I’m not starving. I have a roof over my head. I have running water. I can grow my own food and pursue growing a small business out of it. I just have to remember: God will provide! I don’t have to worry or stress because He will grant me everything I need when I need it. Not everyone has that privilege.

What life circumstances have changed your perspective? You can leave a comment or if you subscribed, send me an email! I’d love to hear from you!