All The Things!

If there's one thing I hate it's cheesy wallpaper. You know the kind. The super ratty floral print that's designed to look old but immediately gives you a migraine and flashback to sitting in your grandmother's kitchen on Thanksgiving and she's trying to force feed you Brussels sprouts... Only the stuff that I'm whining about is even worse. Yes. It CAN get worse. It can be tar stained from years of gratuitous smoking, poorly installed, and lifting. Yep... Wallpaper Hell is a place on Earth and that place is this old mansion's scullery and the stairwell of my servant's staircase. I kid you not. Not only did someone place horrific white latex paint over the wood work in that location, but they decided to paper it in the most heinous and hideous "antique feel" wallpaper they could possibly find. Only it's totally country home and not Victorian... And even then I'd rather see the factory that produced it burnt to the ground than allowed to produce another roll and have it plague a country farm home. I wouldn't even wish this stuff on my husband's ex-wife's home... That's saying a lot (you're welcome). Needless to say, the area is a hot mess and is now in a state of flux as we begin to restore it... No matter how hard we clean, it still looks gritty - and we can all thank smokers and neglect for that screw job.

Don't believe me? Challenge accepted.

Feast your eyes on this degree of "restoration" failure!

Properly horrified? Good. You should be.

The idea now is to take out that handy dandy heat gun and strip it off 100%, fix the missing portion of wood, replace the hand rail with something more appropriate than the cheap mess that's currently there, and likely put a wood wainscot in before painting. The risers to the stairs will be covered in tin tile that will either be painted white or stained dark to match the tread once we refinish and stain it... I'm starting to lean towards the white stain in order to help brighten things up and give tired night eyes a fighting chance at not falling up the stairs - it's possible, I've done it... Many times.

As you can see in the above photo, someone got lazy and painted the stairs white and hid their laziness with a runner rug - the evidence of which, aside from the slip shod paint job, was an ill-placed and raised nail head that wound up in my foot shortly after we moved in. It wasn't cute or appreciated... There was cussing, a lot of it - and then I annihilated the nail and went looking for the rest of its family in a manner that would have made Al Capone a very proud man. The bottom portion of the stairs happens to be a darker area of the home, that's for certain. The scullery window is currently taken up by a rather ugly AC unit... It's being kissed good bye in favor of lead or stained glass, and I have no doubt that will help brighten things up.

Speaking of stained glass, the window at the first landing of those stairs will be replaced with it. Why? Because magnificent and colorful, that's why. But for the rest of the stairwell, I'm honestly not yet sure what color to paint it... Or if I'll be going in and stenciling with period correct design - but I know it'll be 1000% better than what's there now.

Wanna make a paint motif suggestion? Please do!

ALSO! Due to request and recommendation, The Battle of Chiroptera is being turned into a self published novella and will be available soon! I'll be posting it on the blog - but for those of you who would like a signed and limited edition printed copy, I'll have a few available that can be obtained through a small donation to the Mansion's restoration fund! More info on that will be posted soon.

The Battle of Chiroptera

Hello friends,

Yeah, I know,  I suck at updating this thing,  but in my defense things are pretty hectic here with the new baby and everything else that is going on with the Mansion. I’ll start things off with an apology as always;  sorry for not keeping you guys informed up to the minute! Next, I’ll entertain you with one of my more recent and amusing things to have transpired.

Over the winter we found a bat in the house (NOT uncommon for old homes and this area since we’re a total bat haven with a TON of old homes and the fact we’re crammed between two rivers with less than a mile between them. In fact they actually merge right here in town) that had been pretty banged up, presumably by one of the three resident Couch Panthers that prowl our halls. A quick scope around the old ballroom showed no sign of a roost up on the third floor so we presumed it had fallen down the unused chimney in the parlor and called it square.

Fast forward to a couple of nights ago when, out of nowhere, a late night of research and work was interrupted and brought to a quick halt when I was clipped in the back of the head and suddenly all three cats came tearing past from the same direction. In the middle of a startled string of expletives, I looked up to see a bat fluttering in rapid circles around my living room. The result? The husband and I chased it through the entire house because the little flying ace would make it through 1” gaps between the pocket doors. I, of course, wore an Easter basket on my head. Why? Because (valid) reasons and the fact that the only other variety of headgear I possess is a riding helmet that was in the library and he didn’t make it into the library. That’s why.

However, the final show down as a scene straight out of WWII. Hubby and I were strategically placed in the dining room, armed with towels, and taking shots at trying to knock this thing out of the sky like two Navy destroyers trying to thwart a kamikaze Japanese Zero. It was oddly fitting considering hubby’s Veteran status.

…We won.

Oddly enough, there are STILL no signs of bats in the ball room even though I was CONVINCED that they were up there! All searching to find the roost has been widely unsuccessful. That said… There is more activity than just that of the enemy Chiroptera.

Renderings are being done by a very talented intern architect from Ohio State University, who I’ve come to know and love over the last year and change. As such, and knowing how ridiculously attention to detail (and downright good at her job) she is, I gave her the task of designing the new rear elevation of the house. The porch, like I had mentioned months ago, is going to come down and be reconstructed as a stone grotto complete with stained glass and an outdoor fireplace. It will also open out onto a deck that will replace the crumbling cement patio that currently exists. Over all, the idea is to;

A.) Replace the ugly porch addition that’s not so sound (the roof is a hot mess and there’s lead paint),
B.) Get rd of the extra door so we’re not left fumbling with keys and kids during bad weather events like snow and, you know, tornadoes…

and,

C.) Create a stunning off kitchen sitting area to enjoy fireside all year long.

The deck will eventually overlook  a koi pond that we’ll be putting in where the current iris bed is and the irises will be moved up front where everyone can appreciate them. OH and the cement walk will be 86ed in favor of cobble stone.

Once renderings are done, we’ll be pulling permits and beginning probably around July 4^th with a grand sledge hammer event. The only thing being saved are the old glass panes. Once that project is done we’ll have a late summer deck party!

That said… Please pardon our dust.

In the meantime, enjoy a photo I took after serious request for a picture of me in my bat battling headgear.

The article is out in today's Pharos Tribune! Figured I'd go ahead and drop the link here for your reading enjoyment. I know we'll be saving a copy for future delight and to look back on the early days of this project.

Doing It Justice

We truly love the photos that have been included, especially the family portrait on the stairs, and hope you will as well!

It's been awhile... And I apologize.

First things first: We haven't given up. Not by a long shot, and we certainly have no reason to.

Over the holidays we enjoyed the charm and beauty afforded to us by the Mansion in all of it's Christmas splendor. My husband and I went out and cut down our own tree at Cosgray Tree Farm in nearby Idaville, Indiana. It was AWESOME! The 12' monster that we chose tried to eat Eric several times, but in the end he won the war and the tree sat elegantly in our living room. Good thing we have 16' ceilings to support such a magnificent evergreen!

It's been small projects since then. Still pulling up tiles, still cleaning. Still getting acquainted with everything this relic has to offer. We've enjoyed the snow, that's for sure, and hope there's a wee bit more in the forecast before winter is finally said and done... We also welcomed a new addition into the home - no not the baby... Not yet anyway (baby comes in late March!) - a German Shepherd. Horatio has been a long time coming since my husband lost his old buddy Charlie on Thanksgiving almost 3 years ago. It's a learning curve, some people have called us crazy, but it feels right having him around - silly puppy that he is.

Anyway...

Things are starting to happen as winter slowly ebbs into spring here in Logansport. On the heels of our town losing another mansion to expansion, and greed - as it literally came by way of the local YMCA blindsiding the community by ripping down a gorgeous brick mansion that had been built in the late 1800s in order to put in a new parking lot - we've seen renewed interest in preserving Logansport's magnificent landmarks. That being said, it was our absolute pleasure to host Pharos Tribune reporter Mitchell Kirk and his photographer, Kyle Keener, at the Greensfelder Mansion this afternoon. He'd been directed our way by the great Paul Willham shortly after the announcement that the YMCA was ripping down the old brick mansion that literally stood only a block from us. Mitchell has a true love for this town and its preservation so we had absolutely no qualms about opening our doors and giving him the grand tour. To be honest... Seeing the eyes of others light up in wonder at witnessing the majesty of this "castle" for the first time really renews our spirits.

While we love this home, sometimes the grand scheme of things is extremely overwhelming. It becomes very very hard to see the forest for all the trees. But... To know that this home is an architectural and historical marvel in the eyes of others, and to know that it's part of a history that leaps the boundaries of the town it sits in... Yeah... It's invigorating. Words like "incredible", "remarkable", "out of this world", "unreal", magnificent", and "majestic" being loosely and freely tossed around as wandered from room to room just really made our hearts soar. We know that this crazy endeavor is worth it. We do. Just nice to be reminded sometimes.

That all being said, there's A LOT planned for the Greensfelder in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. In the meantime, though. I really encourage everyone to keep an eye peeled for the article about the Mansion when it hits this Wednesday's paper. Tomorrow, however, we celebrate Ethan's third birthday and our first Valentine's Day in the Mansion!

And just a friendly reminder that our GoFundMe campaign is still going strong! Please consider donating to history today.

I did a thing...

Yes... Indeed... I did a thing. I swallowed my pride. While I'm not admitting defeat, I AM admitting that assistance is very necessary and that being a two person army is only hindering us in our industrious efforts to take on the near Herculean task of restoring our historical marvel.

So...

Today, after a trying day at the house where further issues were uncovered and brought to light that made me want to rip my hair out and scream and cry and throw things, a decision was made that will effect the future of the Greensfelder Mansion in what I believe will be a truly positive manner. We decided to start a GoFundMe campaign and to write to This Old House in order to help get the historical community, and the community of Logansport as a whole, further involved with the restoration of the mansion. Let's be candid for a moment; she needs A LOT of work and we're pouring money into her on the daily. Progress IS being made, but that progress would be made so much faster with access to additional capitol or, more importantly, contractor donations.

This doesn't come without promises or careful thought and considerations. I've worked with non-profits for most of my adult life and know the benefit of keeping open books. A complete itemization of projects and receipts WILL be posted for every dollar of donated money spent. This open book policy will absolutely prove that restoration efforts are being undertaken and that hubster and I aren't simply stock piling cash for a trip to Fiji.

You can find our campaign by clicking right here. Photos of chunks of the damage we're contending with can be found there as well as a decent list of what truly needs to be worked on in a timely manner to preserve the home's integrity. We sincerely and humbly thank you in advance for your donation, consideration, and passing of the word so that we may breathe life back into the mansion and the town of Logansport as a whole.

We have new visitors... Of the winged kind.

My husband is a wise soul who decided yesterday to check the chimneys to see what kind of clearance they have, any down drafts, any debris etc. The fireplace in the living room is in working order. It has a down draft, the cob webs flutter, you can feel cold air coming down and a small kindling fire showed the smoke going up, which is the proper direction, and not out into the house. Excellent! Except... It shrieks at you. That was clue one that we were in for an interesting ride, clue two was the skeletal remains of a creature.

Moving on to chimney two... The parlor has one of the most amazing fireplaces I have ever had the privilege to lay my eyes on. However... It's filled with debris of all kinds. Leaves, sticks, you name it. We need it cleaned and a cap installed. Worse? We found another creature of the same variety as the first fireplace... Deceased...

Chimney Swifts. It seems that we are harboring at least two colonies of the bat-like birds and now comes the question of how to remove them without harming them because they truly are remarkable little things. I'm open to suggestion since I like winged squatters a lot better than the creepy crawly kind and would love to save them in some way. I will be putting out feeding stations for the area songbirds this winter and I plan on obtaining a colony of finches in a large flight cage in the living room or parlor... Maybe even the library. They'll be somewhere.

In other news... The garage is going to be reworked as well and will become a mancave/studio. Hubby needs a place for his toys and I need a private place to write, sculpt, and paint. It appears to be set up already to host a wood burning stove and the plan is to finish the ceiling after replacing the roof and installing infrared heaters to keep things toasty for the winter months. Hubby will have a ball decking it out with high tech security gadgets so I have no worries about anything out there. Plus it'll give me another place to move weather sensitive plants.

Slowly but surely, the plan is coming together. I think I may have a cleaning party complete with wine and cheese offerings at this point. We'll see.

So it's been a little bit since I last wrote an update, and I have to take full responsibility for the busy nature of life that has kept me from sitting and penning something for you guys to chew on. The house, for the most part, has been in a state of flux as we try to tackle the monumental task of cleaning her. There's a lot of dust, dirt, grit, and grime from her various repair projects of the past and, as all unlived in homes, she has one heck of a spider problem. I don't do spiders. At all. Ever. And there's several species and varieties of these eight-legged nopes for me to contend with all at once including a near see-through one that looks like dandelion fluff rolling across the floor until you get a good look at it and nearly come out of your skin. I STILL refuse to go down into the basement and have left my husband to handle that in whole. I'm sure you're asking "But there's thousands of treasures untold down there! Don't you want to see?!" The answer, my friends, is yes... But I've also been told by hubby and the municipal worker who turned on the water and electric that there are scary things down there that defy logic and explanation... And they're alive. No thanks. Needless to say there will be an exterminator brought in very VERY soon.

Other than that... There's a surplus of paint cans, trash, and various other items that are being gone through and removed. The dump is going to be our best friend for awhile. Coats that we've found will be donated to the Salvation Army and so on and so forth. Contractors have been called, a chimney inspector is being brought in, and we're ordering firewood in order to be better prepared to spend the winter in our new wonderland. Am I overwhelmed? VERY. But I think the feeling of being overwhelmed will cease to exist as soon as the house is at least clean and I don't feel the heebie jeebies brought on by the soon to be evicted arachnid tenants.

In AWESOME news, my husband was eyeballing what he thought was a hole in the "library" wall affectionately known as the "Purple Rain" room due to the color of the current paint. He discovered it wasn't a hole in the wall, but rather a hole in about 18 layers of paint and curiosity got the best of him, and I'm glad it did, because stripping it away bit by bit he's uncovered the original flocked wall paper. We're being VERY careful to gently expose this treasure and see just how much of it is intact. At worst we'll be having a pattern made to re-flock the room. Either way, it's a treasure not unlike finding little Sally Greensfelder's graffiti on an upstairs bedroom wall (we affectionately call that room the green room because of the flooring) or the incredible mantle in the living room.

Uncovered treasure; flocked paper

So all in all I'll be doing more and hopefully posting more as we continue on this monumental task of restoring the old mansion.

The kitchen is a point of serious contention at this point... The cabinetry does NOT appear to be original and appears to have been haphazardly done. We're having things looked at, but the general idea appears to be in favor of redoing the entire kitchen 100% but keeping the Victorian/Gothic feel that this home so deserves. It has an abundance of natural light and we're going to work with that. So far we're wanting stained wood cabinetry, flag stone floors and back splash, stainless appliances. We're going to resize the island in the middle of the kitchen and VERY likely set a gas range there in order to free up space for a double oven, space for a fridge, and more counters because counters are a very needed thing. The entire outside wall is basically windows and is off limits. Nothing will be going there aside from delicate window treatments to help preserve the view of the garden and the light afforded by those windows.

The back covered porch is going to be demolished. It's beyond saving with the amount of roof and exterior damage and the idea now is to preserve the windows, rebuild it larger, and do it in stone work to create a sitting/rear entry grotto complete with either a wood burning stove or another fireplace and hanging period correct lanterns for ambient lighting and enable it to be used all year round. Might make an EXCELLENT informal dining area.

I STILL want book shelves in the library. Floor to ceiling. But the integrity of the flocking WILL be preserved and these cases will be bolted as opposed to being built ins. It'll be a very special paradise filled with novels and legal texts and I envision a stunning area rug and period furniture stained to match the gorgeous window moldings. The ceiling will be done in a darker mural, maybe celestial, maybe as a map... Or maybe a large compass rose. We haven't decided, but it will be done. I get chills thinking about it.

Needless to say, this home is going to be a work of art once completed. I aim to see her chronicled in an architectural digest. She deserves it.