Monday, November 5, 2007
Package in the Mail Today!
It's hard to see, but I'm holding an Annalee doll that I bought from a Planet Christmas friend. It came in the mail today while I was working on the train track. She's frm 1990 and is in great condition.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Garage Progress is Slow
I have been slacking on the garage set-up recently. I got up the USA tree, most of the backdrop, the large wood table, and a couple elves. We've still got a lot of stuff at storage and it's getting crowded and hard to move around. It's fun though.
How to grow a mega tree
We installed the in-ground sleve for the telescoping flagpole today. I can't believe it only took 45 minutes!
The flagpole instructions recommend digging a 12" x 22" hole. Our ended up being 14" x 28". It used exactly three 50 lb bags of sakrete. We used the fast setting, ultra strength bags. John pounded four pieces of rebar into the walls of the hole for added strength before we poured in the quikcrete. We also put 2-3 inches of small rocks in the bottom of the hole as recommended by the flagpole instructions.
The blue top is a cap that you use to cover the sleeve when the pole is not in use. After the sleeve was immersed in quikrete, we tamped the quikrete to get out air bubbles, then we put the pole in the sleeve and kept adjusting it until is was level. It took about 5 minutes to get it perfect. Then, we took out the pole, inserted the blue cap, and it was done. The quikrete will take 24 hours to cure.
We orderd the sunsetter flagpole from ebay. It was $125 + $15. This was a steal! I extensively researched prices all over the country as well as our town and the neighboring towns. By the way, you know how Ford and Mercury are the same car but have different names...well, Sunsetter and Topflight flagpoles are the same also.
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| From Copeland Christmas Blog |
The blue top is a cap that you use to cover the sleeve when the pole is not in use. After the sleeve was immersed in quikrete, we tamped the quikrete to get out air bubbles, then we put the pole in the sleeve and kept adjusting it until is was level. It took about 5 minutes to get it perfect. Then, we took out the pole, inserted the blue cap, and it was done. The quikrete will take 24 hours to cure.
We orderd the sunsetter flagpole from ebay. It was $125 + $15. This was a steal! I extensively researched prices all over the country as well as our town and the neighboring towns. By the way, you know how Ford and Mercury are the same car but have different names...well, Sunsetter and Topflight flagpoles are the same also.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Installed a Sub-panel in the Garage today
Okay, so we didn't do it ourselves. We had a legit electrician install it. It's a 120 amp panel. 
He dropped down three 20 amp circuits for the garage display. He also ran over another three 20amp circuits to the south side of the house for the controllers.
He got to the house at around 10am and left before 3pm. Parts ran $382, labor was extra. When he came out in Oct 2006, we told him we'd hve him back in 2007, so all the work he did last year was done knowing that we'd want to expand. Everything is GFI protected. John, I, and the electrician insisted on this, even though some other Christmas light enthusiasts hate GFIs. It's just not worth it to knowlingly create the slightest possibility of someone getting hurt.
He dropped down three 20 amp circuits for the garage display. He also ran over another three 20amp circuits to the south side of the house for the controllers.He got to the house at around 10am and left before 3pm. Parts ran $382, labor was extra. When he came out in Oct 2006, we told him we'd hve him back in 2007, so all the work he did last year was done knowing that we'd want to expand. Everything is GFI protected. John, I, and the electrician insisted on this, even though some other Christmas light enthusiasts hate GFIs. It's just not worth it to knowlingly create the slightest possibility of someone getting hurt.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Village on top of the Pantry
Here's a shot of the village scene I put on top of the pantry. I used empty village boxes and soup cans to give height to some areas of the scene. I used one snow blanket and one power strip. The lighted garland was a thrift store purchse. So is the second house on the left. The other houses are from John's parents. They bought a whole bunch of pieces last year at the auction they always go to.
I'd love to hang a moon above the scene. Maybe a reindeer/sled. I looked at Wal-Mart, and thought about getting some mini icicles to hang, but I decided to keep looking.
I went to Goodwill yesterday to peruse their Christmas stuff. I found three sleds and one of them may just do the trick.
I'd love to hang a moon above the scene. Maybe a reindeer/sled. I looked at Wal-Mart, and thought about getting some mini icicles to hang, but I decided to keep looking.
I went to Goodwill yesterday to peruse their Christmas stuff. I found three sleds and one of them may just do the trick.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
A Peak into the Christmas Village
Here's one of the first shots of what's going on inside this year's Christmas village. It looks lilke Mom is cooking dinner for the boys who just got back from sledding.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Christmas Garage Wooden Table
John, Jim, Caitlin, and Kendon built this wooden table last year so we could get some height in the back of the garage. It was easy to break down and store. This year, I was able to put it back together by myself.
The Christmas Garage
We started the garage last week. We got up half of the plastic sheeting. We used a staple gun. Then, we hung the white and blue net lights on cup hooks that we screwed into the ceiling. We looked everywhere for the black sheers, but didn't find them until a few days ago. We built the wooden table and finished the train track (seen on the floor). It took a few days, but we're in good shape for some serious work this weekend.
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