Stairs in progress

Well I am still struggling with getting my stairs finished. If ya don't remember, I started several months ago on this project. I can't remember exactly because it's been so long. The stairs were covered in a horrible carpet that was there when we moved in. I wanted hard wood stairs every since we moved in. Several years ago(1986) we bought our first home in Norfolk, Virginia. It was built in the 1920's. I just loved all the wood floors and the hard wood stairs. (we refinished those too) Well after a couple military moves later and we ended up here. But with three children I wasn't up to home refinishing.

Fast forward 14 years and I'm a single mom. Then three years went by trying to recover from that trauma. That sounds really strange admitting that on my blog.

OK back to the stairs.

Well, between working full time and the holidays, time has slipped up on me.

I have been working on it a little at a time. And remember I have all that caulking to be removed. Remember the before picture below.

I now have most of the risers painted and almost all of the treads are ready for stain. Yea!

You can see in this photo that there is quite a bit of wood filler used.

Friday after school I stained the first tread. I think it looks really good! It looks like it's been there forever. It's not brand new but better. You know, like it's aged. I love it!

Well I got up this morning and stained the second tread and as you can see it is about two shades darker! Don't know what happened. All I can do now is to second coat the first one and try and match the second. Don't know what will happen but I'm marching on.

Keep in touch and maybe you can see the finished work. Just pray it gets finished soon!

Help Me Please!

My stairs is a disaster!

I would love to say that this is my stairs.

or this...

or this.

But ails, just a small little ordinary stairs. In my ordinary house.

The standard kind that builders installed in the 80's when wall to wall carpet was the thing.

Well flash forward to 2010. Every one wants hard wood floors including me. After raising three active children. I think I'm ready for something different. So thanks to you all I have been encouraged to move forward. Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick is one of my many inspirations. She has a lovely home and some great ideas.

Well I ripped off the old carpet and this is what I have. (Prepare yourself it's ugly!)

Told ya so.

This past summer I took the plunge. After the old beige carped was removed, this is how it looks now. I wanted to cry. I still do. I found a crafts man to repair and install a closet system for my daughter and some other house repairs. (Bear with me.) He said he could repair and restore my stairs. Wow! What a super idea. ( I know, I know!) It gets better!

So he repaired, talked, painted, talked, stripped, talked, and sanded. Did tell you he sanded? OMG! Did I mention he was a recovering prescription drug user? (I know!) Oh, did I also mention he was my daughters BFF's father? She told me he needed the work because the family was down on their luck.

What can I say. I'm a slow learner. Ha ha. Well several weeks later, He just didn't show up one day. (I think he fell off the wagon.) I didn't say anything, I just wanted to move on.

My dad always said " If ya want anything done right you've got to do it yourself". Wise words from my dad!

Please help! Send advise or pictures. Anything!