Thursday, May 28, 2009

Remodel Betsy Johnson Style!


I love remodels, I love pink, and I LOVE Betsy Johnson. So if I ever get a chance at my dream home...these are the pictures I will show the contractor. :)

Home is where the ART is...







I am in love with Northeast Portland. I was so excited to see we got a contract for a home built in 1912 in an amazing neighborhood. I went out yesterday to snap some picutres of the crew in action. There is so much character to this house. We are replacing cedar siding, and installing energy efficient windows throughout the house. What's great about Aspen is our ability to make these major repairs, but at the same time keep the charm of the house. I can't wait to see the job completed! Stick around for those photos!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

WOW!



Did you know, according to the Florida-based
Deconstruction Institute, the destruction of buildings
in the United States annually generates 124,670,000
tons of debris? This amount of waste is comparable to a
wall 4,993 miles long, 30 feet high and 30 feet thick, which
could surround the entire coast of the continental United
States! To help with this problem, green remodeling and
deconstruction focus on reducing waste during remodeling
by reusing materials whenever possible, as 85 percent to
90 percent of materials thrown out can be recycled.
Source: www.nari.org

THE HISTORY OF NAWIC



The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, founded on September 11, 1953 by Doris Efird and 15 other women who were looking for a support system. These women were all actively employed in the construction industry and had been doing business with each other for years when they decided to finally meet face to face. The founding members of Women in Construction of Fort Worth were Alice Ashley, Ida Mae Bagby, Carolyn Balcomb, Sue Bowling, Margaret Bubar, Margaret Cleveland, Era Dunn, Doris Efird, Ronda Farrell, Hazel Floyd, Jimmie Blazier, Nina Ruth Jenkins, Ethel McKinney, Irene Moates, Mildred Tarter and Edna Mae Tucker. This progressive group of women had the foresight to create an atmosphere where they could network and support each other professionally as well as personally. This support system gave them the confidence to reach for and achieve their goals. When describing this group of women, Alice Ashley said, “We were women with electricity in our veins, cement dust on our shoes, sawdust on our minds … busy, busy, busy, filthy things. ” In the first year of its existence, Women in Construction raised over $2,700 to donate to the Foundation for Visually Handicapped Children. They wanted to branch out beyond Fort Worth in search of other women to join the organization, but they discovered the charter was not adequate and did not have the powers to organize other chapters. Women in Construction of Fort Worth amended their charter to incorporate other chapters in Texas and throughout the nation. In doing so, on May 17, 1955, they became The National Association of Women in Construction.
Advancements were made over the years with the inception of The NAWIC Image in 1969, the official publication detailing Association news. In honor of the founding members, The NAWIC Founders Scholarship Foundation (NFSF) was created in 1961 to award scholarships to students pursuing construction-related studies. The NAWIC Education Foundation (NEF), founded in 1972, developed programs to enrich the minds of children as well as adults.
As word of NAWIC spread, several foreign countries became interested in the cause to enhance the success of women in the construction industry. In 1996, NAWIC signed an International Affiliation Agreement with NAWIC-Australia. In 1998, NAWIC signed an International Affiliation Agreement with New Zealand and another in 1999 with South African Women in Construction (SAWiC). In September 2003, NAWIC signed an international affiliation agreement with the United Kingdom.
NAWIC's objectives are:
To unite for the mutual benefit of the women who are actively engaged in the various phases of the construction industry.
To promote cooperation, fellowship and a better understanding among members of the Association.
To promote education and contribute to the betterment of the construction industry.
To encourage women to pursue and establish careers in the construction industry.
To provide members an awareness of the legislative process and legislation as it relates to the construction industry.
TODAY'S NAWIC
Since its founding, NAWIC, an international non-profit organization, has grown to a membership of 5,500 women with more than 179 chapters. In more than 50 years of service to its members, NAWIC has advanced the causes of all women in construction whose careers range from business ownership to the skilled trades. With almost 900,000 women working in construction today, the industry is becoming more accepting of their non-traditional roles.
Over the years, the cause of NAWIC has stayed the same: To enhance the success of women in the construction industry. NAWIC has many education opportunities: For children - to explore and open their minds to the possibilities construction offers as a career choice; For Adults - to further their careers with certification courses. For more than 30 years, NEF has offered creative and educational programs for students from grade school to high school and adult certification programs. The Foundation’s award-winning Block-Kids program, Building Design Program and the CAD/Design/Drafting Scholarship Awards competitions introduce students to careers and opportunities in construction. NEF’s adult certification programs include: Certified Construction Associate (CCA), Construction Document Specialist (CDS) and Construction Industry Technician (CIT), which are administered through Clemson University. Since its founding, the NAWIC Founders’ Scholarship Foundation (NFSF) and NAWIC chapters nationwide have awarded more than $4 million in scholarships to students pursuing construction-related studies.
NAWIC has developed nationally recognized awards programs to celebrate the achievements of women in the industry, as well as supporters of women in the industry. The national campaign for Women in Construction Week (WIC Week) is held the first full week of March each year and provides opportunities to celebrate women in construction and to educate the public of their cause. The NAWIC Image, the award winning national bi-monthly magazine showcases the efforts, causes and issues of NAWIC members and the construction industry. It has been the voice of today’s woman in construction for more than 35 years. NAWIC provides education, networking, legislative awareness, industry and community involvement, personal growth and development and lasting friendships. NAWIC is the voice of women in construction.
Via: nawic.org

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Who's that with Nicole Richie?


I am not by any means a photo editor, but photobucket is a blast. This site allows you to take ordinary amateur (in my case crappy) photos and make them a work of art! It's been great to use for work pictures since on most construction sites you have people working, tools, debris laying around and tons of trucks. With photobucket you can crop, fix, rotate, insert, remove or just about anything you can imagine. I am really enjoying this site! I am hoping my posted pictures will be a little better in the future! Thanks photobucket!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Did you miss me?


Here I am(notice the tan)!Back from a wonderful honeymoon in beautiful Mexico. What swine flu? All I know, is that no one is in Mexico right now and it is a great time to be there- No lines, no crowds, empty airports. I do need a day to catch up, and then I will be back to blogging as usual. I have some great pictures to post of a remodel project our remodel crew finished up while I was away. Come back soon!