W e 'r e a lw a y s in h e r e w o r k i n g o n s o m e t h i n g — p r i n t i n g

) h o t o s , p a in t i n g , m a k i n g j e w e l r y a n d s c r a p b o o k s . I t 's a

u n s p a c e , a l m o s t lik e h a v in g a s e c o n d f a m i l y r o o m . ”

SA M B U R K H A R D T

W H E N HURRICANE K A TR IN A

bo re d o w n on th e ir

L a ke vie w n e ig h b o rh o o d o f N e w O rleans, Sam

B u rk h a rd t, husband Jeff, and son, Johnston,

d id n ’t th in k tw ic e ab o ut w h a t to take in th e

little tim e th e y had: th e fa m ily photos. “ I t to o k

m e fo re ve r to get th e m a ll fra m e d and m atted,”

Sam says. “ I c o u ld n ’t leave them .” A fte r th e 11

feet o f w a te r in sid e th e ir saltbox hom e

receded, th e B u rk h a rd ts re to o le d th is

d o w n sta irs ro o m in to a m u ltifu n c tio n a l office.

T a k in g orders fro m Sam and Johnston, n o w 15,

J e ff cra fte d a ll th e shelves and b u ilt-in s ,

in c lu d in g th e w in d o w seat. “ W e love it,” says

Sam. “ W e ’re glad to be hom e.”

—alyse harral

Send your I did it! to [email protected].

264 APRIL 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

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