The Cross House

  I did a lot of work on the hall in 2022 and had planned to finish the work but then got slapped with a Completion Notice for the Carriage House in early 2023 and that consumed by life for the rest of the year. Now, as I stare in abject wonder at the recreate…

I have done a number of posts about Putting the Bits Back. By bits , I mean parts of the Cross House lost over time. All old house lose bits over time. And one of my favorite things is reversing such sins to historical integrity. Since 2014, I have reinstated: lost porch columns and lost…

Things are afoot. Quietly. But things are afoot.             # 3 The Cross House has been blessed with two $90K Heritage Trust Grants. The grants did wonders in improving and restoring the exterior, and restored all 43 stained-glass windows windows. You can see all the work, here. But the titanic-sized…

Recently, I posted about Cody altering me to Jadite towel bars on eBay. Perfect for the Carriage House kitchen. I snapped them up.     And then Barry came to the  rescue via the United States Postal Service:       Barry also included a lovely and generous donation. Thus, while the world is in…

              Phillips Paperhanger 1 – 31 – 07 Cold + Sleet on the ground This is the day Lamberton  Moved into the house Cross built [Isaac and Hattie Lambert purchased the house from the Cross Estate].                          …

  In short, my 2016 hysteria was much ado about nothing. Silly Ross!    

                                                                Fewer things give me greater pleasure. To take something which was lost, damaged, and seemingly worthless,  and restore it to its original beauty,…

  I have no idea why it failed. You can see plaster keyed between the lath strips. I had fully wetted the lath before applying the plaster. Perhaps the plaster dried too quickly?    

      I am leaving the old paint that will be hidden by the fridge. I know, bad Ross.But, I can always do this later; for now it will save me $$$$ and time. Two things precious to me. Kim suggested two kinds of sealers, which will protect the brick from grease, and give…

I forgot all about this really incredible post I did in 2021. If you missed it, you will really enjoy checking it out. If you read it in 2021, you will really enjoy reading it again. Make sure to click on the images. They enlarge.

                        Of all the things I have done to date on restoring the giant behemoth, and of all the things still needing doing, recreating the lost “extensions” in the south hall fills me with an absurd amount of joy. I don’t know why.  

  Once all the paint is off, and the white ‘efflorescence’ removed, I think I will need to apply some kind of sealer to the brick to really make it all pop. Suggestions?    

    The previous owner, Bob, installed the boilers. I am gonna guess at least twenty-five years ago. So, I have old boilers. When I purchased the house in 2014, #3 and #4 (right) did not work. I was able to have #3 repaired but was told that #4 needed to be replaced. I asked…

A theme in the kitchen of the Carriage House is…GREEN. This all started because of a post I did in way back in 2015. A lot of you loved this post. If you did not read it, you can here. The all-important Part II is here. Recently, Cody altered me to GREEN (Jadite) bits on…

Way back in 2017 I detailed, at great length, a discovery Bo and I made. You can read it here. This new post will not make much sense without first reading the 2017 post. Note: I have since recreated the lost east bump-out.       Last week, while visiting my beloved friend, Sara, who…