Projects

 While Oma had the big kids out on their date, I decided to tackle a project. We decided to paint our fireplace. Painting brick goes against everything in my soul, I love natural looking, but the brown was doing nothing for our home and it wasn't even real brick, SO I started painting. 

 It was a quick and easy project and holy cow did it change the whole look of the room.

 I would like to caulk the bottom ledge of the fireplace, and I think I'm going to paint that extension chord black. It looks so clean!! 

We also decided to paint the mirror frame from stained brown to the same light grey as we painted the outside. The whole room is brighter and I love it!!

Another project we tackled was my bedroom. While it didn't need any major improvements, there were some finishing touches we worked on. First we hung the picture over the bed. That picture has been on my floor for the last 6 months. 

Then we purchased and assembled some nightstands that matched our dresser. I cannot say how much I love how compact they are and the fact that they come with drawers!!! Our previous "nightstands" were actually end tables that we found on the curb in Las Vegas and we had been using them for 11 years! I posted them on Facebook and I ended up selling them for $30! SCORE!! 

Then we decided to refinish this dresser that was in our room. Originally I wanted to paint it grey, but we decided it would be better if we stained it black to match the other furniture and I'm so glad we did. I bought this beauty from a friend for $10. 

The first time I did a quick sand. Having never refinished a project before I wasn't sure about the in's and outs. Turns our satin doesn't cover stain so we had to sand that beauty down until it was raw. 

It took awhile but thankfully it was all flat sides so it was simple!

Oh this picture makes my heart happy. It's so beautiful!!! 

 

 After three coats of stain this is what we got. I have no idea why that stain didn't quite take at the top the way it did on the rest of the dresser, but I really don't mind. I feel it gives it character. We replaced the knobs with the same ones on the nightstand and dresser and she's all done! 

 

 SUCH a HUGE difference!!! It makes the whole pace look cleaner having everything coordinate!

 Our final touch to the room was the mirror. I originally had a collage wall over this dresser and I liked it, but didn't love it. We bought a mirror from Home Sense to put over the tall dresser and it just didn't feel right. So instead I took the pictures down, just for kicks and giggles and tried the mirror on this wall and it was love at first sight! 

 It's less cluttered, helps brighten the space because of the reflection and I really love how it feels like the cherry on top! After 10 years of marriage I finally feel like my room is complete. I didn't mind the wait, that was half the fun. Here's hoping that Santa brings us a king size bed for Christmas and perhaps Mama and I tackle a headboard next year.

I so love projects and I love working on projects with my Mama. She has a good eye and we have so much fun together! thanks for the help Mama! I sure do love you!

House Makeover

While my Mama was here we decided to tackle a project. I'm sure how we even ended up deciding to do it, it just happened. We decided to redo the front of our house. We started with the landscaping. WE pulled up all of the mulch, cleaned up the leaves and pulled a couple of bushes. That grass in the back was the first thing I wanted gone. I hated that stuff! 

I forgot a before picture, but there was a dead bush in the middle there that we pulled.

My Mama was a trooper! She worked HARD and I was so impressed with her. We would start working at about 8:30 and we would work until about 11 or until it was just too hot. 100°F  with 87% humidity made it hot!!

 

We borrowed a pressure washer to clean up the side of the house! I {love} pressure washing, Instant gratification!

This flower bed looked horrible so we pruned back the bushes (just like Pa likes) and laid down new mulch. It was a quick and beautiful transformation!

 So long grass!! 

Made a new friend.

 

 IT'S GONE!!!!! And what a difference!! It was surprisingly simple to pull up. Mama rocked the shovel and I pulled. 

 Oh gosh I can actually breath!

 Fresh mulch and outdoor lights that we got at Home Depot for a steal!!

 I'm not much of a sweater generally. My pitties yes but my back and legs no. Every day we would come inside and I would be SOAKED!!! 

 We bought a bush to fill in the akward gap where the grass and another ugly bush had been.

 Sprout was a wonderful helper!

 Jakob took over the pressure washing. 

 Once the landscaping was done, we started painting the house. Sure I thought, no big deal.... It was a major pain! 

 We went with a white and I never realized how pink my house was before.

 I spent a great deal of time, perched up on a ladder! 

 Painting brick SUCKED! I mean squished mortar is ugly to begin with but then painting it was just terrible. The previous owners had no concept of finishing projects well either. The more I painted the more I realized how sloppy my house was. 

 Looking so fresh!

 At long last the brick is DONE! Sweet Mercy! Now time to paint the brown all grey!

 Be still my heart!

 Getting all of those details!

 WE threw around a lot of different color options for the garage side door. It's on the front of the house and made from wood so I figured it would be fun to pick a funky color. We thought about a mint, a kelly green, a deep forest green and mustard. Jakob decided to go with mustard.

 The previous home owners never even opened the door to paint it brown. things like this just really bug me. 

 Jakob picking up a paintbrush!

 And its done!!!!!!!!

 Before

 

 After

 Before

 After. I love the mustard!!!

 New door knob!

Before

 After!!!!! Be still my heart!!!! (Pay no mind to the dead grass, we are going through a major drought here this year!)

 The side of the house all nice a fresh!!!

 

And our final masterpiece. Thank you so much to my Mama who sacrificed blood, LOTS of sweat and some tears. This took 17 days for us to complete from start to finish while having kids home. We  told E we would pay her $1/day for watching Sprout while we worked outside and Bear was at summer school. I am so grateful for this lady right here and for her willingness to help me with all of my many projects. WE make a wonderful team. She's already picked out our next project for when she comes. We will be building a headboard and re finishing my dressers/ nightstands! I am super excited! I love do love ya Mama!