Home Improvements Updates

It's been a while since I last posted. I figured you're just dying to know what we've been doing. Mostly, we've been starting school again, thus doing a lot less around the house. The laundry is suffering. We both had Friday off from work though so we got some painting finished. Saturday we went to a fantastic wedding and Sunday we did some projects. Today was rainy so we ran and went swimming and did a whole lot of relaxing. Here's the run down:

The front door was a very cobalt blue, which matched the shutters but did not really appeal to me.

We painted it a grayish color. I am not sure if I really love it, Charlie says he does though. One thing this made me realize is that we need a new door knob. We also have plans to put new lights outside and do something different with the front steps. I'd also like a screen door instead of the storm door, that's being debated though. Why must one simple project lead you to want to change four other things? A new color is a good start I suppose.

While I was at work last week Charlie stacked all of the random logs that were on the property. He's ohh so proud. 

Yesterday after we got home from the wedding Charlie built a fire pit. We also dug up a bunch of flag stone (I think that's what they're called) and made a path to the fire pit and to the compost bin. All of the stones were found on the property so these projects were F-R-E-E.

While Charlie was doing making the fire ring I dug up all the weeds in our "herb" garden. It was all chives and weeds. Then I transplanted a sage plant and my basil plant. Hopefully even thought the plants are now 10 steps from the door, not 2, I'll still remember to water them. Fresh basil on pasta and pizza has been very nice all summer long.

Speaking of growing, the tomato plants are doing very well. I eat most of what grows before I even come inside the house.

Last, but certainly not least; the shed! Here is the before, it was run down, paint was chipping, and mice were living inside. 

After:

Charlie cleaned the roof, cut down some of the trees close to the shed, cleaned out the mice droppings, and fixed the broken window. We painted the siding, trim and doors. We still need to get a replacement board for under the door. I'd also like to get a window box full of fake flowers for some pizzaz, but Charlie says that's ridiculous for a shed. 

That's all for now. I am pooped just typing about all this work. We still have a little bit more painting to do, I'm hoping to be done soon. I am sure it will just lead to more painting though. Oy!

Hope you had a great long weekend!

Lauren 

Painting; The Month Long Process

It took us almost an entire month but Charlie and I are finally done (at least I hope) painting the house. My main goal was to finish the painting before we got the rebate back for the paint. We were successful, but that could be due to the fact that I just sent in the rebate last week, oh well, it's done. 

Since painting the house wasn't enough painting I also painted the cement foundation. I didn't like the look of the black sealant. 

Yesterday we were able to finish this side of the house, the scary tall side. It doesn't look really tall, but it is. If only ladders were easier to climb up and down, and not so shaky, and not so high. It also doesn't help that I have fallen off of a ladder not once but twice. My motto was; "Coat it thick and don't look down." I told Charlie the next time we paint the house I plan to be 8 months pregnant so I won't have to do it. 

Those two pictures didn't make it look scary enough so I took another picture. Scared now? Can you tell which part of the house we are both too scared to paint and therefore are going to pretend doesn't exist? I'll tell you at the end. 

This side was also scary. Luckily yesterday I only had to paint the cement.

You'd think I'd be sick of painting, but I'm not (rolls eyes) I still have to paint this shed. Isn't she a beauty?

I might even get around to taking the pine needles off of the roof. We'll see.

If you actually read this far the answer the the question is:

Luckily the paint color we spent an hour picking out, was the exact color the house already was, so you can't tell that we didn't paint that part. If you can tell you have two options 1. Come paint it for us, or 2. Don't say anything about it lest you hear my wrath.

Just kidding.

Lauren

Stick Fence

Our yard has quite a slope to it with one flat spot in the middle. The flat spot is created by the leach field (eww) then it slopes down some more. Since I don't feel like mowing the grass on a slope, and since the grass doesn't want to grow on the slope, I've been trying to grow some wildflowers and other plants (weeds) that will spread out and inhabit the sloping land. The problem is that our two crazy dogs like to run around and chase each other through the whole yard, sloping gardened area included.  My plants were suffering, even more so than they would have been with just me as a caretaker. 

So this weekend Charlie and I cut down some saplings and built a nearly free fence. I originally wanted to weave the sticks together but that would have taken way too long so I screwed them together. I don't recommend screwing saplings together. It wasn't the exact vision I had but it'll do.

 Look! Some of the wildflowers are even growing! These are from a little paper heart that Charlie's cousin gave as wedding favors. (I may have taken all of the hearts at our table).

 The only problem with the fence is that Blaze thinks it is his own personal stick emporium and tries to take sticks off of the fence. Since it is built by me it is not very sturdy and he has succeeded several times at getting sticks free and then playing with them.

 We'll see how long it lasts. There is another area in the yard that needs some dog protection so I can plant some flowers and herbs. I might have to think of another solution. Ideas are welcome.

Lauren

Fabric Nests!!! With Eggs!

I'm totally obsessed with this nest. Not only is it made with my fabric scraps, it also has three beautiful little robin eggs in it. Also, the fabric the robin picked to use in the nest are color coordinated with the flowers in the tree and the color of the eggs. I should ask the little robin to decorate my house. I am 100% obsessed but am doing my best to stay away from the nest so the momma bird can do her thing. I can't wait to hear chirping! 

Happy Monday!

Lauren

Outside Tour

I realized I never showed any of you trusty reader the outside structures that came along with our house. They are not move-in-ready, but we (I) have grand plans for them. Let's begin the tour. First up is our lovely shed. It needs some paint. We have to paint the house so I figure while I am hating life I might as well paint the shed too. Then I can add a cute window box with flowers, probably of the faux variety. 

The door will also get a re-vamp. Wouldn't this make the most fun little play house ever? If only I was still a kid.

 The inside features peg walls, lots of shingles, hay, and a scent of rat droppings.

It's not really that bad for a shed. I think we will keep our lawn mower in there. Once we actually buy a lawn mower. The grass is growing very slow here so we have not had to rush out and buy one.

Next up on the tour is our chicken coop. We have no chickens because our little friend Penny would surely eat them all. What is there to do with a chicken coop and no chickens? Hum. We shall see.

The inside looks (and smells) like a chicken coop. I'd love to have chickens. We did when I was a kid and I learned early on that there is nothing like a fresh egg. My Mom spoiled us with French Toast made with homemade bread and fresh eggs, nothing has ever tasted so good since then! But alas, once we went on vacation and came home to our neighbor cleaning up chicken remnants from our yard because a predator had killed all of our chickens. After that we just started buying store eggs again. All of the chickens were named Fred, even though chickens are girls. What were we thinking? 

If we did want chickens the coop is pretty much all set up. It even has electricity for a heat lamp for the winter. And it has water cans.

Aside from the fear that Penny would kill them all, the fencing around and above the coop makes me think the people before us had had some chickens stollen by the hawk that flies around here. I'm thinking about making the coop into a potting shed. It would be nice to put a garden up in this area, since it gets a lot more sun than other parts of the yard. And I have been gardening for approximately 1.5 weeks now so I should most definitely have a potting shed. 

Those are the two outside structures on our property. Hope you've enjoyed the tour. Maybe I'll show you our trail next. 

Lauren 

Fabric Nests?

When we were in the process of moving I tried to thin down my fabric collection. I have a lot of fabric, and weirdly have a very hard time saying goodbye to even little bits. I get emotionally attached to fabric, which seems very strange to say, especially for most of my readers who do no sew. I knew I had to get rid of the tiny little bits since I could never sew anything with them. Then I remembered how my parents used to spread dog hair over the lawn for birds to use in their nests. I always liked finding my dogs hair in a bird nest. I've seen this idea done with yarn, so I figured I could try with little fabric scraps. 

 I cut them down a little bit more, into very thin strips. I'm not sure how strong birds are around here, so I tried to make small pieces that tiny birds could lift.

I hung little clumps of fabric in the trees and bushes near the woods. Hopefully the birds around here will take some and make a warm little nest for their chicks this spring. 

If not at least I'll have some pretty scraps of fabric to look at in the fall when I rake the million and a half leaves in the yard.

Lauren