Oh my goodness! Hi everyone.
I have been interviewing
for two new positions on my staff while also keeping the
responsibilities of those two jobs moving along. There has been just
enough extra work on my plate to keep me away from blogging for a couple
of weeks.
A quick vacation to Las Vegas with
the kids was in there too. Much needed. We swam, and ate, and swam,
and slept. It was great. We also sized-up lounging lions, snarfed-up Pink's
hot dogs, soaked-in the Bellagio fountains, scouted- out the ice cream
situation — and averted our eyes on occasion.
Vegas lacked were a monster water-slide park, and a few important
morals here and there. The strip sure has fancied-up over the last five
or six years; I hardly recognized the place.
Tip: If you get
the hungries at Vegas-midnight, try breakfast at the Luxor.
Boy, am I excited. I
painted the studio last week and am moving forward with two fabulous,
new, cutting tables. Who knew work tables could be exciting — and so
much work. The floors still need love. I haven't decided what to do
with them though. Perhaps wood, perhaps stained concrete, perhaps
ignore the floors and design fabric instead. It'll come to me.
Has
anyone ever stained concrete before, btw?
I have not stained concrete, but I love that look. I like concrete counter tops too. I can’t wait to see pics of your sewing room when you get it all done.
Glad you got a vacation. They are so important. Now, what are you going to “wow” us with next? No pressure…Heehee!
Hi Heather, I’ve been back-reading your blog, since I’ve only just found you, and love it! 🙂 I feel quite inspired by you actually!
Can’t wait to see the studio with the new colour and the new tables. What a dream work space it already is!!
Kind regards, Veronika
I haven’t stained concrete myself, but we went to a church that stained their floors. Even though it was stain and not paint, it seemed to have a lot of scratched and chips in it. Not sure why it didn’t soak in well enough to prevent that.
I love the look of stained concrete, but I think it would hard to stand on for hours. Wood would likely be easier in that respect.
I have stained concrete in my store. We actually stained the floor into a two color quilt bloc patterns. It is very easy to do. There are lots of great colors and techniques for staining. It has been 8 years since it was completed and it has held up very well.
I have not stained concrete but I did rip up carpet and put down an epoxy over the concrete in a basement once. It was perfect for kids roller skating down stairs as well as lots of lego building and fort play.
I can’t wait for you to post pics of your new studio, goodluck with finding some new employees and ooh la la, wouldn’t I just love it if you designed new fabric too…you spoil us, just be sure to take care of yourself in all that too!
…just reread my post:
to clarify..my kids did not roller skate DOWN the stairs, they roller skated downstairs (in the basement) LOL
XOXO
When I planned my studio space, I was hoping to do stained concrete, but half of the space under the carpet was “basement tile”, so I wound up with lovely tile. Can’t wait to see your floor if you do the concrete!
wo!! Vegas, try breakfast at the Luxor.
i know a guy who does concrete- the floors in his home look SO COOL! I keep telling my husband i want our back patio that way. he stains them and grinds them and it looks like a huge stone floor even with what appears to be grout lines,each “stone” has a slightly different stain to match the variations of stone color in nature.
here’s his website, although it only shows the outside work he does. inside his house is so cool though!
http://www.thesharperedge.com/index.htm
Hi Heather,
I live in Mesa and would love to know what two jobs you are looking to hire someone for.
I am interested !!!
Fran
fran@sewbella.net
Staining concrete is a messy business, and you’ve gotta do the whole acid-wash part first so the stain will absorb. That said, it’s beautiful afterwards.
I would ask…how long do you spend on your feet? Because concrete will get to after a while – your legs and feet will scream at you – and wood’s got a bit more give.
Good luck!
I totally agree that concrete is a bad idea if you are going to be standing on it for long periods of time. I would highly recommend Cork Flooring. It may seem weird but if you go to a flooring store you will see option that look nothing like what you would think. I put it in my kitchen and it’s fantastic, not to mention very eco-concious. It can even look like wood!
If I opt for stained concrete, we’ll lay down anti-fatigue mats and area rugs where needed. Sore legs shouldn’t be a factor.
Thanks for the link, Heather. Your friend does beautiful work.
My husband does concrete staining and it’s MESSY. If you’ve already got the place settled in, be prepared to completely evacuate everything to get the job done.
Also, look for someone that is specialized in staining INDOOR concrete and ask to see their work/portfolio.
Good luck! I’m sure it’ll turn out great!
My parents stained their sun room but they had someone come in and cut into the floor to help avoid cracking since the floor expands and contracts. They had them cut in a large grid pattern and then did the stain in two different colors. It was a bit time consuming and stinky but the end product is gorgeous.
Yes I have stained concrete and it’s super easy. I used stain from
http://www.kemiko.com/
and a paint brush, but you can also use a spray bottle.
I strongly vote stained concrete. I’m longing … wait … LONGING for stained concrete counter tops.
Wood or stained concrete, I can’t wait to see your new studio!!
As a local Vegas resident I too wish we had a fantastic water park. My kids would LOVE that! Anywho, I am so glad you got a few days to relax and enjoy some quality time with your family.
And, all I can say is whoever gets the chance to work for you is one (okay, two) lucky person(s)! That would be such an amazing job!!
~ MC
We stained the concrete floors in my studio. It’s simple, simple. Looooove them. We did a walnut colored acid stain (which goes well with the walnut wood floors we have throughout.) so I wouldn’t get tired of the more trendy colors. While wood is a bit softer underfoot, I gotta say, sweeping up the threads and shaggy serged edges are a breeze on the concrete! And you wouldn’t have to deal with the inevitable gaps between the wood planks.
Sounds beautiful, Kim. Do you have photos posted anywhere? I’d love to see what you ended up with.
I’d love to see Kim’s studio too! In fact anyone’s studio, as I’m gathering ideas for my own little work-space-heaven!
Veronika
We stained the concrete floors in my kitchen. We did it ourselves and LOVE it. It has so much character and was so easy to do. Plus it has minimal up keep and I didn’t have to worry about water spilling on it. It’s a little nerve-wracking because you can’t tell how it is really going to look until it’s all done. And for awhile it looked really funky. We used kemiko stains and followed their directions. Good luck!
Oh My! Where have I been? I follow your blog, however, I have been so busy that I have not signed in to google reader for a while. How could I have missed all these cute posts. I absolutely love the little pig pattern. I can’t wait to get one. I still love all the dresses your models wear, and hope that someday you will make a cute dress pattern too.
A friend of mine stained her concrete. She said that it is back-breaking work. She is a contractor and a very hard worker. I have never heard her say that before.
Hi Heather – I am a fan of your gorgeous fabrics and thought I would pop by and say hello!
I am trying to establish myself as a crafter and have just finished a fabric box in your freshcut fabric – If you wuld like to see it, pop over to my blog!
Keep up the fantastic work
Kath
x
It’s a messy job and the outcome. It works best on newly poured concrete, the older the concrete the less desirable the result. We were going to do the stained concrete but ended up with a beautiful and easy to maintain porcelain tile floor. My son and I laid all 1,900 feet ourselves.
I’m with you on the thrill of a nice cutting table.
My hubby does gorgeous stained concrete, but yes…check out portfolio for sure. Its a term used very broadly. I love. Love, love polished concrete. After the stain it looks like colored glass or marble. His partner is traveling (we live in hawaii) to do a job on the mainland in the next few weeks. He will be there a few months. Let me know if you’re interested and ill send some photos your way. Gorgeous and easy to clean. Area rugs take care of the sore feet part. 🙂 good luck and happy nesting!
Sorry…one more thing. Totally fine on older concrete. The way we do it is buff it down, stain, polish in layers for the glassy effect. But there are many, many types of staining. Some turn out horrible. Its all about the polish, girl! =)
I’m trying to work out how this image photo works with the polar bear.
It’s a lion. And Charlotte is standing right beneath him. Isn’t that crazy!?
Your Photography Rocks!!!
Its really cool. Nice readings here in your blog and also the pics that displayed.
My dad did stained concrete out back in their patio Looks great, although when wet it’s slick! My sister did the concrete throughout their entire house and that looks great!! I recommend that! She loves how easy it is to clean too!