making the garden grow!

This weekend we had unexpectedly beautiful weather! What a luxury to see the blue skies and sunshine for two whole days in a row without any rain: let's keep that coming Michigan! We also had our first "free" weekend in over a month so we were able to get lots of work done in the yard.

On Saturday we spent a lot of the day weeding the beds around the backyard. We have had lots of rain recently so the garden bags we filled were supppper heavy by the time we were finished! Thankfully most of the big weeds came right out because of the wet soil so at least there was a silver lining. For some reason I only took before pictures of the weeding, probably because it barely looks like we have made a dent; we still have lot's more work to do!

     

Wasn't it just a lovely sight? Those beautiful dated rocks, fill the bed below the biggest tree in our yard and are currently below the swing near our patio. They are a mess: there is barely one layer of rocks left and the weeds just flourish... but are SO HARD TO PULL! Needless to say that was a labor of love.

We also did a lot of work on our garden plot where the shed used to be. On the Saturday before Mother's Day, Rob and I spend a good part of the day hauling dirt from the front of the house to the back to fill the huge hole (which was filled with water from all the rain). But after hours and many many full wheelbarrows we completed filling our new "dirt water bed". Honestly, when you walked on the newly dumped dirt everything around you would shift like walking on a water bed. Hilarious really.

Thankfully after a week of semi dry weather we were able to make leaps and bounds towards our raised garden bed plan! We detoured a little and made some changes, "best laid plans..." as they say, but overall we are loving the progress and can't wait to get some plants in the beds!

     

We actually built the beds last weekend and they have been stacked on our patio for the last week just waiting to find their home! We used treated 2x12's to make the boxes, which is nice and heavy and won't rot once all the soil is dumped. We want these to last for a couple of years so we decided to spend a couple extra dollars to get the nicer option. We ran out yesterday to get some mulch to spread once the beds were in place. We decided on the cheapest option with no added color so our two Australian Shepherds wouldn't get sick or be tempted to eat the mulch. So far so good!

Once we placed the beds and our (once again awesome) neighbor helped us stand on and pound them in to sink them a bit, we were able to lay down the landscapers cloth. It's about 24$ for 100 feet at English Garden's and we have lots left over. We decided to lay this down to prevent as many weeds as possible from sprouting through the mulch.

     

After laying the mulch around the edges of the beds to get the cloth to stay in place we decided that adding stepping stones would create a more substantial feeling for this area of the yard. We had paver stones piled up against the house that had been ripped out of the "original" front yard to make way for our beautiful new walkway. We are so happy that we hadn't gotten rid of these prior to making these beds, we like the way it turned out with them and we also saved quite a bit of cash on the mulch that would have taken their place!

This is what we have so far. Absolutely NOT finished but we are getting there! We are going to mulch out into the yard a bit (where all the "grass" is dead) to make the area look a bit more substantial. More progress should be made this week and we are excited for the final result! Stay posted!!

Side note: Of course the girls had a ball romping through the mud before it was covered; those are some happy pups! 

Guest Contributor: Andrea Carlson of SCC Kitchen Bath and Home, Minneapolis

Fun Additions For Your Home

The decision to add another room to your home is a difficult one. It usually involves a significant amount of work and planning but can add useful living space to your home. Not only that, but it can add value to your home. It’s important that you have a good idea of what room you would like to add to your home and to be sure it doesn’t look like an afterthought. So here is a list of room addition ideas that will look great on your home.

A Hanging Porch

A hanging porch will look natural on almost any home. It is also a relatively simple addition because it does not involve building an entire new four-walled room. This is obviously a seasonal room and will not have a significant increase on the value of your home.

Room On Top of the Garage

While this could really be any room it is usually made into an additional bedroom. This is a great place to have a guest room or an additional media room. This can be rather costly as heating/cooling this room will be an additional concern. However because this is a costly and difficult addition it will add value to your home.

Sun Room

Sun rooms or sun porches are, much like porches, easier and less expensive then adding a new full room. Unlike porches they can be used all year round. These do not add the same value to the home as a four walled room because they do not provide the function of a bedroom or other living area. These are not a real substitution to a full on room addition but do provide a unique space to your home.

Media Room

If you’re adding new room to your house, you no doubt you have thought of adding a media room.  This provides an additional gathering room for guests and family members. Adding a home theater or media room will add value to your home as it is a four-walled room with temperature control and electricity. Not to mention that it could also be used as an additional bedroom in the future.

About the Author

Andrea Carlson works with SCC Kitchen Bath & Home, a Minneapolis-based remodeling company.

jumpstart: 5 minor updates

Nothing has improved on our posting frequency since the last time we posted and this time we don't have vacation to blame! We have been working around the house on little things here and there but nothing seems noteworthy enough to earn it's own post. So here we were are, almost to the end of April, with a re-cap post that will highlight some things we have done since we last posted! 

1. Plants:

We are getting ready to build out our raised vegetable garden and our plants are really starting to look like plants instead of just little seedlings! It will be so fun to have them out in the yard instead of down in the basement. 

   

2. The Shed:

It's gone! There is still a huge pile of broken up cement that needs to be carted off but we are relieved that it's gone. It makes the yard look must larger now that we can see the whole back fence. Once we get the cement removed and the ground behind the pile (photo on right) leveled and back "up-to-snuf" we will build the raised beds and be in business! To see the original shed click here.

      

3. Painting the living room: 

Yes, we painted the living room over... originally it was white and then we painted it a darkish tan color that I (Lindsey) finally came to hate hate hate (you'll notice in the link that I didn't love it to begin with) and couldn't help but paint right over it!! Now, it's a lovely cream color and everything in the room looks much brighter and less cave-ish. It's a much better contrast even though it's not a big bold color. 

   

4. Outdoor patio set up:

We are so thankful that we have been gifted most of our outdoor furniture. The swing came from a client of dad's who no longer wanted it, the bistro set came from Lindsey's grandma's friend and the four metal chairs (there is also a table to come soon) came from Lindsey's Aunt Kathy! It's so nice to have family that love to take care of you and think of you when they make their own upgrades!! The original cover on the swing was gross so we decided to eliminate that altogether and just go with some outdoor pillows for the swing and chairs (9.99/two pillows at Costco!). The bistro set has cute striped cushions but I think I will recover those so everything matches... the jury is still out on that! 

   

5. Outdoor chandelier:

One of my weirdest ideas so far actually came together and Rob was kind enough to play along until it was complete. Now he actually likes the idea and it does makes our patio look a bit more interesting! I took a craigslist chandelier and ripped all the wiring out of it, cleaned it, planted ivy in each cup and hung it from our biggest tree!! (Thanks to our neighbors for letting us borrow their tall ladder :)) We are hoping that the ivy takes over and grows down so it "drips" from the chandelier... we'll just have to see what happens with this crazy idea. 

   

Our check-list is still long as ever as we are currently saving money and making some decisions that will push us in one direction or another with some areas of our house. Once we start working on the bigger things, the posts will flow once again!

Thanks for checking back in with us! Until next time, enjoy the sunshine!

getting back on the renovation wagon

Well everyone, we are so behind, we've only posted twice this month and that's just crazy. This month has flown by!

We spent the first part of the month working a lot and preparing for vacation so we didn't have much time to start any big projects! From the 14th to the 23rd we were on vacation: we had a great time with Rob's family in Memphis, New Orleans, Gulf Shores and Nashville! We drove a total of 34 hours+ over the vacation but it was worth it for some fun in the sun!

   

      

   

We really enjoyed our time experiencing new places and finding some treasures along the way. I think that my favorite place was New Orleans, it was so full of life and character, I could spend days and days just walking around! Gulf Shores was definitely relaxing, we walked the beach, laid in the sun and ate some delicious seafood. 

I can't wait to get all my treasures cleaned up and decide what to use them for... any ideas!? 

We have some projects in the works for April that we are excited to start (and finish)!

• painting baseboards in the living and dining room
• refinishing the stairs from the main floor to the upstairs bedroom
• creating some new organization in the basement
• tearing down outdoor shed
• building up garden beds and fence in garden areas
• re-finish patio furniture and reupholster appropriate items

We've got some big work to do but it should be very fun! 

trying our hand at sustainability

This was me in ACO Hardware yesterday buying seeds for a discount at their changing ownership sale. Rob always laughs at me for getting so excited about the simple things but in reality isn't that a good thing?! Please just say yes. 

I got home and laid out all my packets, knowing I had inevitably bought way too much of certain items but not caring because I am starting from scratch this year! Our (awesome, can't believe we got so lucky) neighbors had a great selection of veggies and herbs when we moved in last fall and after my small attempt to grow veggies on our apartment patio last year, I decided that I would be a big girl this year and start from seed. Also, Greg (one of those awesome neighbors) knows a lot about it and I may have to pick his brain!! 

Last year we bought some already grown plants from the farmer's market near our apartment and transplanted them into small pots on our patio. They did ok but they definitely did not flourish the way they should have. I barely did any research and I bought the wrong dirt, so... that didn't help them at all. What little we yielded was exciting but not necessarily a sustainable process. 

This year we have a YARD! This year I have started my research early! This year we are setting ourselves up for success!

Here is our plan: mind it's hand drawn (pardon my handwriting) and we have to wait to see exactly where the sun falls once there are shadows again but it's a general idea of what we are thinking and dreaming about for our backyard space. Finger's crossed I can get a general idea today because the sun is actually shining! 

The most exciting thing is that we have space to work with and some decent existing plants that will contribute to the overall look and beauty of the yard! 

We are going half-sie with our neighbors on a new fence this spring (just along one side of the yard) to replace the chain link fence that has seen better days! That and tearing down the moldy, dilapidated shed in the back, will be our first steps at rebuilding this yard!  

Bye shed! You're cute, but you are rotting and you smell terrible!

So far we have these seeds: 

• Herbs: Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Cilantro, and Flat Leaf Parsley
• Flowers: Dalia, Delphinium, Marigold, Zinnia, Alyssum, Hollyhock, and a Wild Flower mix. 

We are looking to add these seeds: 

• Veggies: Jalepeno, Tomato (a couple varieties), Zucchini, Cucumber, Beans (a couple varieties), Spinach, Onion, Garlic, Shallots and Lettuces
• Herbs: Dill, Sage, Lemongrass (in big pots to keep the mosquitos away)
• Fruits (these are all maybes): Cantaloupe, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Blackberries, Blueberries
• Flowers: not sure what exactly we want, but we want it to be beautiful and colorful so we'll pick what ever fits that bill and matches the sun that area will receive! 

I can't wait to get started! Now all we need is a thaw, come on Michigan, you can do it! 

facelift

Well, when we moved in we thought that our home could not get more charming! We were convinced that it was as cute as can be. I mean look at it (through our first time homeowners eyes)!

Blue shutters, pretty trees, a white mailbox... all the makings for the cutest house on the block! We looked right past the weeds, tress planted WAY to close to the house and the minor issues that could be easily remedied and just basked in the glow of our new home! (As, we think, everyone should for a time after receiving the keys to a new house, it's big stuff people!!)

Post weeding, adding some pumpkins and mums,
adding a flag and moving the house numbers!

Shortly after the glow dimmed a bit, we started to notice that the house looked like it had been painted with a roller and only one coat was used, there were minor fixes needed to the front, the trim could use a paint job and the whole house needed to be power washed. All long term projects and we were so thankful that nothing was an immediate need; we could concentrate on the inside of the house for a while. After we opened our home to a garage sale for the first three days of owning the place, we realized that the front stairs were very steep and would be dangerous come icy weather. We asked my dad (Lindsey's dad) what the easiest fix would be... "Tear the whole thing out", he said.

He was right, if you can see in this picture - the bottom step was cracked, the wood was aged, and things were sagging a bit - all in all, not really a safe situation. And while we have homeowners insurance, we are sure hoping never to have to use it!

I'd say it was about a month after receiving the keys before I got a call from my dad...

Lindsey: Hi, Dad!
Dad: Hi, Linds! I've got a quick question...
Lindsey: What's up?
Dad: Well, I was just wondering if I could have free reign on the front of your house?
Lindsey: I mean.... sure! 

So that's how it started, a simple phone call. I wasn't sure what I had just agreed to but since my dad does the most beautiful landscape work I have ever seen, I was so happy that he was willing to work on our first home! I knew whatever he came up with would be amazing!

When I got home from Eastern Market with Mom (not more than five hours after the phone call), this is what the house looked like. Dad does not waste any time!

After dealing with rain, permits, pouring concrete before it got too cold and then tenting the whole yard to keep warmth on the stairs (and the workers), major progress was made. It took about a month from the picture above to the picture below. Once the stairs were all set and firm, the walkway was a piece of cake (or so they made it seem)!

 

Rob and I are so thankful that we didn't have to DIY this project and that my Dad has such a vision when he works. I never would have thought that our house could support this type of walkway but boy, was I wrong! The bushes that came with the house were able to be replanted, along with one of the trees (leafless on the left) which makes the whole picture so much more pleasant and I think this design makes the house look bigger!

We are so thankful to my dad who has helped us learn how to do lots of projects, both big and small. Thank you Dad! 

Once the outside is all decorated for Christmas, we'll take an evening shot with the window open so you can see the tree inside too! 

Thanks for following our renovation, until next time - 

Lindsey

If anyone loves what my Dad did outside our home and would like to contact him about working on your home - please comment on this post with your email address and we would be happy to send you contact information for his company! You know you wanna :)

swing and spray

Well it's been a while but we are still working hard on projects here and there. Today we took advantage of this beautiful Sunday to work outside and enjoy some of the warm not so freezing weather. While Rob worked on some of the weeding, particularly the plants that get stuck in the dogs coats and are a pain to pick out, I started to see what needed to be done to our new patio swing. The swing came from one of my dad's clients, someone who just didn't want it anymore and didn't want to put the work into making it look nice again. Well I'm always up for something free even it needs a little love. 

Honestly, I was even a little skeptical when it was dropped off, I mean look at that cover. Talk about moldy fabric and spider webs galore. This swing had definitely seen better days but it was well worth a little bit of elbow grease to get it back into ship shape. 

I decided the first thing that I would do was take the cover off - it dates the whole swing a little more than Rob and I liked and with all the shade the big tree in our yard provides, we weren't too worried about even making a new one to replace the moldy, ripped cover. 

Rob and I took some sandpaper to the whole unit, wiped it down to relieve it of any remaining bugs or webs and then I started spraying. We decided to go with Rust-Oleum Multi-Colored Texture Spray in "Aged Iron". It's a great product and can be found online for about $5 or in local hardware stores for about 9$, so shop around! One coat on the whole unit (not including the seat or the back of the bench) took three whole cans of the Rust-Oleum. Note: if you use this spray paint, know that it is great for sprucing up a piece but not great for full coverage - if that's your goal, I would use this texture as a second coat. 

All in all it took about three hours with a trip to the local hardware store in the middle for extra paint. Definitely not a hard project but well worth the difference a little sweat equity makes in something that was free!!

 

As you can see above (before) we were dealing with some rusting and the original paint was wearing thin and becoming green in some areas. It wasn't a solid color originally, maybe a two-tone textured deal? I'm not exactly sure but we just went right over that. 

The results are just noticeable enough and the whole swing looks a lot fresher than before. The pictures below are our "after" results. 

We are starting to love our little backyard, we even got a fire-pit the other night! Super cozy!

 

Everyone loves the outdoors in our family and we will be using this patio as long as we can before the snow comes! 

lots of love and until our next project, Lindsey

 

p.s. We got a new dog last weekend and she is great! Harlee, the black butt in the picture above is a 1.5 year old Australian Shepherd who is fitting in perfectly with Oswin, Rob and me. YAY!