Is it too early to start nesting???

I have got some major nesting going on over here! I am ready to give me entire house an over haul.

First, I want board and batten in my entry way and up the stair way and into the upstairs landing. I think it NEEDS to happen. It will make the area so much better. I also want to paint the toe kick part of the stairs and the wood piece that attaches them all to the wall. I am thinking something like this would be perfect.

Here is what it looks like currently… Actually the stair photos are from when we moved in so those are old but they definitely need to be freshened up.  The board and batten and all the white paint just make everything seem so clean.

I pretty much just want my entire house to be board and batten. Matt should be starting the board and batten in the baby room this weekend. I told him he might as well not even put his stuff away cause I want it through out the entire house! I think if he gets in his groove he can become a pro and knock a room out every weekend.  I want it in the bathrooms, our bedroom, the craft room and the living room! I think I have issues. And another thing… I want it all done now!! He asked me if I was going to help him and I said, “Yes” then he looks at my stomach and says, “HOW??!!” I am fully capable of painting and with board and batten I think it’s half the battle. It needs probably 5 coats of just white paint on even inch of wood. But the end result is amazing. The board and batten gives such a custom look to a room and it will up our value. Plus, if he wants to live here for a long time he is going to have to turn this into my dream home! So far he is doing a good job.  I am beginning to think I need to learn how to do board and batten that way I won’t have to wait around and nag on him the whole time.

Ok on to the next project. I want to paint my front door black. All I need to do is go get the paint but I am worried with the weather being cold that it’s not the right time. It won’t adhere correctly if it’s cold outside and the door is freezing (since it’s metal and all) But it’s something I want to do every time I look at it.

Here are some crafts I have done this past week.

I found this frame at a yard sale for $1. I spray painted it black and then duct taped burlap fabric (that I got at a thrift store for $.60) around the cardbaord. I then traced and painted a big L on it and hung it on the empty wall in our living room. Total cost for this project, $1.60.

At the same yard sale I got this huge frame and print. The lady gave it to me free since she said the print needed some TLC. I didn’t care about the print, I wanted the frame. I planned on redoing it but I have never re-done one that had a fabric boarder. It was pretty simple after I dissembled it, spray painted and then nailed it back together.

The fabric was still in good shape and matched the rest of my stuff, burlap! It looks so good now.

I had planned the put the frame above our bed but decided to do something else with it.

Another thing that has been bugging me was my photo wall. Every since we moved and I did it, it has been bugging me. So I redid it.

De-cluttered it really. I think it looks better but Matt prefers it the other way. Can you see the new frame?? It’s now the center point on the wall.

 

and lastly, my panty. It’s been on my todo list for months. I just never know how to get it quite organized the way I want. So I spend an evening covering old diaper boxes in some fabric I had. It was simple really, I basically just wrapped the boxes like I would wrap a regular box and instead of taping on the sides, I taped everything to the bottom oh and not just with normal tape, but DUCT tape. We have become great friends lately. The insides do not look that pretty but  who cares?? They sit high on a shelf and are filed with things that only get used every once in a while, like plastic cutlery, cookie cutters and candles.

Now, I really need some my book shelves in the living room to hold the toys that are on the shelves. I really hate seeing kids toys out. I think they should all be hidden away in little compartments. If I can figured out how to fabric a box so it can withstand a beating and it not require a lot of time and effort, that would be great! I have more projects to post but this is about all I have in me for now.

Project: Front Yard

 

Our front yard has gone from ugly and weedy to oh so pretty in just 2 days! Thanks to my BIL and FIL who were visiting from Texas. We always seem to save the big projects that require a lot of back breaking work for when they visit.

Matt pulled up all the weeds by hand over the entire yard and rota tilled. We then had a layer of top soil brought in. Here is what it looked like the morning of “Project: Front Yard”

The pond was already here when we moved in, however, the electrical outlet that the pond was plugged into was never hooked up. Surprising?? Nope. Nothing surprises me when it comes to this house. Matt dug up the wires that ran from the pond, under ground up to the street then under the driveway and down the other flower bed and then under the drive way again and then after cutting a huge whole into the drywall inside of the garage he found it. It was about 6 inches away from the breaker box… just sitting there. So we had an electrician come out and hook it up for us. We now have a functional pond!

 

Trenches are dug and sprinkler system was laid.

Cohen loved to dig and help Poppy install the new sprinklers. Nana watched him while I went shopping for flowers.  It' was nice to get out by myself.

The next day, Matt was home from work and the all 3 guys started laying sod.

 

Then there was flower placement, stone placement, flower planting and mulch

Something about the green grass sure makes the yellow on the house pop more. We want to paint the house grey with white trim and black shutters but the more I look at it, I think I am liking the yellow. Just needs a fresh coat.

I have always wanted a grassy front lawn (from Sod) Instant beauty and lushness.

All the plants we put in were “deer resistant” but that didn’t keep them from coming by this night and eating the blooms off of ALL my new plants. I have now sprayed them with some deer off repellent that smells of something I can’t even begin to explain.

My hydrangea on my front porch took a beating =( all the new blooms which took so long to appear, gone.

My water can was a debate in our household. I wanted it. Matt did not. I LOVE my water can. It was used on our last pond and I insisted it be used on this pond! It was a garage sale find for $5 and Matt rigged it up to be a fountain. In the end, he ended up installing it and I couldn’t be happier. Happy wife, happy life =)

Our fishies. We had 8 and are now down to 3 or 4 I think. Only the strong survive! Once they stick around long enough I will consider naming them.

The plant in there will grow quickly and provide shelter for our little friends.

I painted the other adirondack chair and covered some pillows out of this thick fabric that was actually 2 valances and 2 pillow shams that I picked up at Goodwill for $2.  The colors go well too!

 

I still turn onto our street and think, “wow, that's a good looking lawn!” LOVE our house!

Now… I need more gravel for the front parking,  paint and some shutters and we have great curb appeal!

Pergola is now enjoyable...even in the summer!

The pergola has been wonderful. We have been BBQ and eating out there a lot! One problem we did have was the sun. It sets in the west which happens to be right on our table and directly in our eyes. So to solve that, we put up curtain rods and curtains.

I decided not to make the curtains myself since that would take time and I don't have much of that in between taking care of a home and a baby! So I bought them. But after putting them up they looked weird since they were about 2 feet to short. I decided to sew brown loops at the top so they would be longer. They turned out great and provide excellent shade in the afternoons. Just closing them seems to drop the temperature by 10 degrees instantly under the pergola.

We have lights to put up still and then it will be 100% done! But, we are talking about moving now into a bigger home. Wish we would have NOT built the pergola and had central heat and air installed!! At least they have both made summer, thus far, more enjoyable.