Red Queen 38, Female Malta, IL United States: Share on Facebook Share on Facebook Share Twitter

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Original Isaac Elwood House (1860 Greek Revival) in DeKalb, IL needs a new home or will be demolished
1 Reply

Started this discussion. Last reply by Red Queen Feb 19, 2011.

Another Piece of Serious Eye Candy

Started Nov 26, 2010

What should I do with my windows?
8 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by John Leeke Sep 23, 2010.

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Red Queen posted a status

"Having taken a break from constant rehabbing of our home, I'm back at it again...working on 3rd floor attic-converted-into- "man-cave"..."

Nov 21, 2011

0 Comments

Red Queen replied to Megan Button's discussion I do love a good surprise!

"Wow, from the looks of the plywood over the door, had someone done a fairly "recent" plastering over of the doorway? And what a weird footprint with that cutout - like a large hole had been boarded over with a smaller hole within it,…"

Nov 21, 2011

Red Queen replied to Red Queen's discussion Original Isaac Elwood House (1860 Greek Revival) in DeKalb, IL needs a new home or will be demolished

"By the way, I live in the home of the nephew of Jacob Haish, who with Elwood and Glidden were the three big barbed-wire families in DeKalb. :D"

Feb 19, 2011

Red Queen posted a discussion

Original Isaac Elwood House (1860 Greek Revival) in DeKalb, IL needs a new home or will be demolished

I read this article in my local newspaper - I would be sad for this piece of history (the home of one of the three inventors of barbed wire in our city) to be demolished. Needs a lot of work, but will be sold for $1.00 for anyone willing to move it. http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2011/02/18/isaac-ellwoods-first-dekalb-house-needs-a-new-home/aqtc6gc/See More

Feb 19, 2011

1 Comment

Red Queen replied to Phil's discussion A fabulous old house web site. This I guarantee. (And now with the link!)

"What a treasure! Thanks for sending on the interior pics to the web site, Martin. I hope someone can buy it and fix it up, and soon!"

Feb 3, 2011

Atlantic GreenPro replied to Red Queen's discussion Washing cabin exterior on lakefront

"You might want to look into either Walnut Shell media blasting if crushed glass media blasting. I perform the process down in the Philadelphia area with our Farrow System process http://www.atlanticgreenpro.com The wood will look like it originally…"

Feb 1, 2011

Red Queen replied to PStewart's discussion New discovery of hidden ceiling --- original crown and ornate ceiling anaglypta paper preserved over 100 years.

"WOW! Congratulations on your amazing find!"

Dec 24, 2010

Red Queen posted photos

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Dec 11, 2010

Red Queen posted photos

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Dec 11, 2010

Red Queen replied to Jennifer Howard's discussion Advice for Interior Mouldings

"Nice home! It definitely looks like my 1880's modest Victorian (Stick Style / Queen Anne) home. My front door has a central window pane surrounded by those colored glass squares. Mine has no crown molding. All of the…"

Dec 11, 2010

Red Queen commented on Christine Ellis's photo

house outside

"Wonder why the house is shaped like that???"

Nov 26, 2010

Red Queen posted a discussion

Another Piece of Serious Eye Candy

Hi all,In Bellaire, Michigan, there is a historic 1890-1995 Queen Anne Victorian that was built by the son of lumber magnate and woodworker Robert Richardi. The house showcases a lot of burled maple in its woodwork, as Henri Richardi (Robert's son) hand-selected this from their local mill. They had built a hydroelectric dam to power the timber mill, and as this was next door to the house they could run over a line to "electrify" the house, so this house is probably one the first in the nation…See More

Nov 26, 2010

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Red Queen commented on Christine Ellis's photo

1941 paper

"Yes, camouflage, by newspaper, linoleum, plywood, padding, and carpet. No one will ever find that floor!"

Nov 26, 2010

Red Queen commented on Christine Ellis's photo

d.r. floor

"Last year, in my town, the folks at the post office had their parking lot re-asphalted. They laid down new asphalt everywhere around the lot, except for one square where a car was still sitting. Reminds me of your floor. :D"

Nov 26, 2010

Profile Information

Tell us about yourself:: The Red Queen from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland exclaims, "It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place." As a mom of two preschoolers, I feel like that quote was written for me! Better yet, I am a biologist, and the red queen hypothesis is one of my favorite theories in biology. But most of all, running to stay in place applies to us old-house lovers. I've been restoring our 1870's Victorian to its original grandeur, all the while my grand plans getting sidetracked with many unexpected urgent projects popping up along the way.

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Red Queen's Blog

Windows - a pane in the glass

Setting panes in the basement last fall during freezing weather must have had its hidden merits. I think that darn glazing putty was just way more willing to cooperate. I think today holds the record for frustration level. How in the world do people put that little 1/8" bead of window glazing on that tiny 1/4" ledge around the sash before placing the pane of glass?

A "before"…

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Posted on July 28, 2010 at 11:03pm — 2 Comments

Finishing the attic

There is a staircase in the closet of the main bedroom that goes up to a very large, open attic. I've had a reliable contractor that has done various work on my house, and I asked him to make an estimate for finishing our attic. The estimate hasn't arrived yet, but in the meantime he brought up a few things that could be even more headache and expense than I had anticipated [and I should be getting used to this by now with an old house, shouldn't I? ;) ]. For one thing, I'm concerned about… Continue

Posted on January 13, 2010 at 11:30pm — 3 Comments

Foundation and basement

I'm scratching my head wondering even how to get started. Thankfully there are many posts on this site about restoration masonry. I'm not even sure what type of stone(s) our basement is made of...it seems like there are at least two kinds, a blue-ish slate looking stone on the top half and some limestone blocks on the bottom half of some of the walls, and there is even a closet with a foundation made of random rubble that seems like it had just happened to be on hand at the time it was built.… Continue

Posted on November 29, 2009 at 6:20pm — 3 Comments

You know you own an Old House when...

While I passed by some tossed out screens on my evening run I came up with the following, nearly all of them completely true and most through personal experience! Feel free to add your own experiences...

You know you own an Old House when...

1. you memorized your window frame dimensions in case you come across an old wood screen at the curb on garbage day.

2. you leave your door unlocked so contractors can come and go as they please.

3. you open your… Continue

Posted on July 28, 2009 at 11:00pm — 95 Comments

I screen, you screen...

Yes, I know I have way too many projects going on. Still painting the front porch. The downstairs bathtub drain became slow and turned into a huge plumbing project. Had to redo the brick patio where the plumbing pipe got dug out. About to put hardwood floor in bedroom upstairs and considering tearing out the underlayment under the linoleum and seeing what's down there. AND...screens! :) Mercifully 6 old frames for screens had been left in the basement from ages past, and I've taken it upon… Continue

Posted on July 14, 2009 at 5:00pm — 3 Comments

Comment Wall (11 comments)

At 9:21pm on June 21, 2009, Donald Mitchell said…: Beautiful home, Looks like your doing a great job! 200 spindles, Whew!

At 12:32pm on July 13, 2009, Brandy Colmer said…: Amazing. I cant wait to come back and read more. I swear this website is going to be the death of my productivity for the next year or so.

At 4:11pm on July 14, 2009, Denise Parks said…: Those are some large roots. How are you going to get them out? I like the name red quuen because I am from 4 lines of Royal and have red hair. I like the dining room. It has an old look.

At 4:53pm on July 14, 2009, Denise Parks said…: I didn't see the pictures of the root, but I am going to try to find them.

At 12:42am on July 17, 2009, Raul Colon said…: Thank you for your warm welcome and good wishes. We are just beginning so we don't have war stories yet. I'm sure we'll have plenty once the restoration begins. We will post pictures as we go to keep everyone entertained and share how we solved any problems that occur along the way. We love your pictures and your home. It truly is a fairy tale home. Gob bless and the very best to you on your continued work or art.

At 6:33pm on August 4, 2009, Nancy said…: re chandelier (I don't really know how to use all the bells and whistles here yet) -- thanks! it was my husband's choice! he assembled it himself too (took over 10 hours)!
hope to be able to look through your photos (and everyone else's) soon too!

At 10:44pm on August 8, 2009, ruth miller said…: Hi redqueen ! Let's be friends ! I love your stories. Your list is so funny ! You have a great sense of humor. I love the one about "shingles". I've told that one to several people, and they laughed as loud as I did !
blessings,
ruth

At 7:57am on August 14, 2009, Julia Steed Mawson said…: Hello Red Queen,
Thank you so much for your reply. Well ... you did give me pause with choosing that foam insulation route ... have you (or anyone else) heard of blown in fiberglass instead? I am new to the site, so perhaps I should post that question. If this is your blog others might not see it, correct?
I did get to look at your photos. What an incredible job you have done on your house. It is fabulous and what a grand house. Do you know it's history?
And re biology ... aren't we lucky to have the best careers in the world!!! I run a teaching garden and environmental ed programs for inner city kids via 4-H. Every day is a challenge, with new things, not to mention great people and fun! Where do you teach?
Julia

At 9:42am on September 27, 2009, Michael Cunningham said…: You're right - Great Lakes geology is very distinctive. Thanks for noticing.

You did a great job on your porch restoration, and I can totally identify with your comment about fear of collapse when the movers were on the porch. Keep up the great work.

At 4:04pm on October 11, 2009, Phil said…: I am in a total scramble to finish a portion of my summer list. My front porch painting is almost done, but the last part was the floor to be repainted with oil paint. Unless we get a major Indian summer, then I won't be able to put that on until next May, since I would need 24-48 hours of dry over 50 degree weather.