[jennyjuniper]

I applaud your hard work and thriftiness Kirk. It is amazing what you can do (and save) when you put your mind to it.
I'm no DIY person, but I do make my own bread, cook from scratch, knit, sew, embroider etc, which in the long run saves a fortune. Mind you I had good training. In the 1950's my mum was a widow with seven kids still at home and she didn't get a scrap of help. So it was a case of having to 'make do and mend' as the saying goes.
Luckily I'm married to a man with the same mind-set and so nothing goes to waste in our house.
Please show us pictures when everything is finished. From what I've seen already, it's going to be a wonderful place to live.