Showing posts with label makeover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label makeover. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Little By Little With A Side Of Thunderstorms

 -- Lately I keep finding myself stopping for a moment and 
cloud gazing.  Moments like this one; often have me reaching into my 
bib overalls to pull out my phone to capture the  moment.  
I know it's good to look uP- to just push a pause button and 
say thanks God. 
Thank you Lord for all this awesomeness
 you're letting me see 
right now.  
After taking this photo yesterday evening I went about my chores 
with my earbuds in... listening to my favorite JJ Heller music.  
The old step that used to be in front of our kitchen and that had the rotted
boards in it?-  Well Myguy nailed boards back in it for me and I moved it out 
to the garden for a riser.  -- Just something with a little more height to put flower pots on.
Rinsing one of my refrigerated brushes from the day before, with the waterhose,
I started painting it the same "greenhouse desk" green that I like.  
While drying- I jumped in my truck to run up to the happy place to check the garden there.
I left the truck running and barely made it to the garden when lightning struck so close!!!  The thunder just clapped and I RAN to my truck.  A girl can miss some things when her ears are 
stopped up with earbuds and loud music-  egads!!  I wondered how much it had been rumblin and I just hadn't heard?  
I drove back home and pulled up next to the potting shed- it was starting to rain huge drops.
Then the bottom just fell out.  Talk about a gully washer!  Lightning... ohmygosh!  I sat there watching it all in the greenhouse (full of windows)  and knew it was time to make a run for it.  
 Moving the heart rock that holds the door open... this was under it. 
Yeah I really did stop long enough to take a picture.   
It's a heart thing.
Inside the house the poor dogs were freakin smooth out.  
Why do I always  wait til the thunderstorm to tell Addie... we need to get you a thundershirt.  
Then the sun shines the next day and we forget about it. 
She gets so scared!!  
As dark approached I knew if I didn't get to the barn to close the pen doors on the guineas and bantys
that Wylie or Foxie would have a massacre.  But the lightning... it  was still dangerous.  
Finally ran to my Jeep which was the closest to the house and drove inside the barn to put everyone to bed.  The little chickys and guineas were already waiting to get tucked in.:)

It stormed like that until I nodded off.  
My neighbor text this morning and said her rain gauge said 4"!!  
I haven't checked ours yet.  First thing I did was run to the cornpatch to see how the corn
faired.  I do believe it grew four inches of rain!  Bigger and stronger. 
 This afternoon Myguy is gonna  try to get the rails up on the porch.
Thank you dear friends who wrote and encouraged me on the latest DIY project.  
Here's mid stream picture of the little bench turning red.
The color was just some old paint I had and it's called 
"red delicious" like the apple.  
Opening the can it seriously looked PINK.  
See the inside of the lid below the bench?  
OHMYGOSH! Almost fuschia!??  
Even still, you know how when they mix it for you they dab a little on the top of the lid and dry it 
to see if it's a match?  Well their first dab was pinker... but with thicker paint over it... it looked more red.
So gritting my teeth I went with it anyhow and decided next trip to Ft Smith I'd get a can of 
Granny Traces' colonial red I love.  Probably still going to do that but the second coat on this 
little bench definitely got redder so it's gonna have to do  for now... 
 The screen door got painted a dark green matching the other door and shutters.
and hopefully this afternoon everything else will start falling into place.
Oh I hope so.  

 Yesterday afternoon I washed windows and along the front of the house were two big wasp nests
in the rafters.  I guess I ticked one wasp off and he did this kamikaze act, bombing  my forehead.
Thought he got stuck in my hair... and my windex and papertowel dance was probably quite a sight.
Rubbing my forehead and trying not to cry I went to the shop and told Myguy what happened.  
He went straight to a new can of brake cleaner; and attaching the red straw; my man  took revenge. 
:)  Must admit... I did feel some pleasure.  
Okay... maybe alot.
Definitely alot.
Definitely.
.... yeah.
 
 Before I sign off, I  leave yall with my little chickys having a Summer treat.
Oh and ... gotta share a new find with you:

Have you seen these waterbottles?  
I've seen pitchers like this but not the waterbottles.
Found this at Walmart.  See the little green screen thing inside?
You put whatever fruit you like inside and fill it up and refrigerate it and 
wala... fruity water!  In this photo it has blueberries and strawberries in it.
Today... I'm doing fuji apple!  It's so refreshing on a hot day!

Okay I better go fire up the lawn mower.
Have a great day!
L

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Heap Of A Mess- Porch Lift

Upon waking; the first thing that entered my mind was:
Egads: the porch!! 
While the Keurig made that first cup of Black Silk,
I couldn't help but open the kitchen door and step onto the freshly painted
porch floor barefoot.  Its still a little tacky feeling.  
Looking around panic sets in because there's still alot left  to do and 
we have friends coming out for the Fourth of July.  
I'll admit it  was hard to close the door and take my cup of coffee to the table
and do my Children of the day study this morning.  
My mind kept trying to have a run away 
adding more things on a growing  to do list.  
Thankfully; ... the stickynotes were pushed aside, and 
first things were made first.  
Loving that study by the way- !!  


Back to the porch thing:
So this end of our farmhouse has lots of olde rotted boards.
We wish we could fix everything... but you gotta draw a line... and just do what you can.
So for another little fix up... Myguy ripped out the worst of the boards on the porch floor
and tore out the bottom step.  
While he did that I started scraping the old gummy paint.  It wasn't even cool like
chippy painty peely that I love?  Nope; most of it was more like ..fruit rollups.
A couple of boards -still in bad shape had to get left but sometimes ... you just gotta do  what you can do right?

I have a picture of inspiration that I printed and was going to show here but 
decided against it.  I don't  want to steal someones photo and not give credit.
The photo was a share on facebook but it's a picture of a porch with colors that just 
make me ooh and ahh all over the place.  One of the colors I loved was of their floor and it is in the same color
family as a greenish turquoise desk I have out in the greenhouse.   Our trip to Lowes' 
Sunday afternoon, was a haul of new boards, pickets, and paint.  Oh Myguy also bought
deck screws and drill bits and when we got home they weren't in our truck.  We forgot the
bag at the checkout and calling up there, ... they checked and couldn't find them.  Uggggh.  
Lowes is a long ways from us so then we had to drive the opposite way and go to Atwoods and
prayed they'd have what we needed.  They did but "kaching$$$$" - you really hate to buy supplies twice.  :(   Anyways, Myguy got busy cutting new boards and the next day I started painting.   




This is how it looks so far, except... I also painted the screen door the same dark green color as the shutters.
Myguy built a step there in front of the door coz it was a BIG step otherwise to get in our house and several  people have had trouble pulling themselves in.  
-- So we still lack the railing which is going to be "picket fencing" and I also painted the  little bench in the top photo... a deep red that will set on the left side of the door. (Thanks Char for trying to help me long distance!)
  -At the moment ...I just don't know yet... We'll see if we can get it to all come together...and  if it doesn't ... I guess I'll just keep painting!  (big eyeballs here) 
Guess I better get busy for now.  
We're  burnin daylight!
 (Ha!)

Stay tuned for part two or three or four...

P.S.  Oh I have one more thing to share:
Finally... finally... finished the "Redeemed" wall
ADDING a black n white photo of my Dad and I...
and the dragonfly Tony made for me!  
Each member of our family is right there.  
{heart}

 


Monday, October 29, 2012

Thrifty Makeovers and A Few Flea Finds

This past week while
"perusing" Marva's Second Hand Shop;
I came upon this little Avocado-greenish...shreky table for
five dollars.  I liked that the little drawer was left unpainted.
 
 Once home; I  carried it to the barn and fired up the electric
sander.  The paint came off so easily but totally  reeked of
strong perfume so bad I could barely stand it. 
   I smelled it a little bit hauling it home but sanding it... Shewww! 
 Oh;  three olde
bobby pins were found wedged in the crevices too. lol
 
 
Because I already saw  turquoise..  a few
traces of green paint had to be left in
the worst dinged up places. You know;
for character.
:) 
 
So the little drawer got a light sanding  too, and
this....
 
is how she looks now.
The darker walnut stain on the drawer,
 made it pop a bit more. 
 
Here it is in my little craft room. 
The lighting makes it look more robins egg blue in there.
 
Then, some of you may remember this birdcage
we found at a flea market? 
Leaving it black for a few photos was fun,
but ...
this
tickles
Edgar Allen Crow "pink."
 
 
 
And here are a few weekend finds.
A 1900 book on "Friendship"
and an earthy brown field book.
It's a ledger inside with very neat, 
handwriting done in pencil.   Plenty of blank
pages to still use too!   It'd make a  really
fun altered book. 
Then;  as always finding  new vintage relatives-
well; they're just hard to pass up! 
I might use the one with the two little girls
in a captured fairy jar. 
--I almost forgot the painty skeleton key! 
 
 
And here is  the next project.
The chair my Sister gave me  years ago. 
It sat in her sewing room and I always chose it
when she, our Momma Bear and I would get together for bible study. 
Later on when  she moved up North she gave me this sweet little chair.  It held
together for so long but one day the bottom fell out.  It made me so sad.
I set it out in the shed until something could be done with it and then lo and behold
one day while out thrift shopping I came across this unused chair seat bottom!  It's carved
and everything!  Anyways, it's now my next project.  I took the old seat off and traced it to this new one.
Myguy  cut it out for me a couple days ago. 
--Still trying to decide what colors to make it?
Will I be brave with this chair?
I still don't know?...
Stay tuned!
 
 
Holykisses xoxo
L


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Chicken Coop and Barn Makeover Progress

Greetings and Holykisses!

So much has been going on, but I'm determined to get a blog on today and say howdy to yall!
I've missed everyone so much and we have much catching up to do. There have been so many changes happening and we've been so busy. I find myself getting up with the chickens, and coming in well after dark.

The roofers are still here, and our house is looking different day by day. I'll try to show pictures of that soon but for now, I thought you might like to see what we've been doing at the barn. All the chickens are now moved into their new pen. --So far; it seems to be critter proof! Yay! -- Are you ready for a little barn tour?


At the start of the day, I've been feasting my eyes on flowers. The garden is in full bloom and at it's peak, so I've enjoyed picking flowers to grace this primitive shelf while spending hours in the barn. Having a "barn bouquet" to look at everyday, makes me oh so happYyyYYyYY!

--A few months back, some people tore a house down in Lamar, and were giving away old lumber. The boards for this shelf came from there, and I found this crocheted doily at the Mustard Seed last week for a quarter. It has a hole in it but it's tied off so I hope it doesn't unravel. ;) .... Okay; let's wander outdoors!
Welcome to Fort Knox. This is the outdoor pen for our chickens. It's now all enclosed with strong welded wire on the sides, and poultry wire for a top. We still have the whole outside of the barn to repaint but... as they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day," and neither are barn makeovers. I still haven't hung anything on the pipe over the doorway. Maybe a windchime?
Here's a closeup of the door Myguy built for the outside of the pen. It means so much to me since he made it with his own hands.

-The other day I saw Violet our jenny using one of the pipe corner posts on this new pen to scratch her rumproast. Before when the cows or donkeys pushed on it they'd tear it up. - But not anymore.

After the coop was finished, and chickens moved, I started hauling a few pieces of furniture I'd been saving to the barn. I think I've dreamed of creating a little space to "just be" around the animals for quite some time. Where this possum belly sits, will eventually be an enclosed middle stall made from treated lumber. Poultry wire will be stapled to the ceiling so it will be safe for even Mrs. Potter (The Shabby Olde Potting Shed bunny) to run loose. Myguy said he's gonna build a little wooden gate for me; just wide enough to get a wheel barrow through. I'm really excited!

I sat at the possum belly with pen and paper and wrote all the things I wanted to put in this stall.
My journal gets carried to this very spot alot already and I love to sit and listen to the chickens clucking and crowing while I write. We have electricity to the barn and Myguy hung several new florescent bulbs and even a new box fan! It's so much brighter and cooler now. I say cooler, but yesterday it was 104 again! Looks like my feathered friend Jethro is pretty happy with the new arrangements doesn't he? He's free to roam, as well as Percy the guinea and one other rooster.
In this photo, you can see a before shot of an old box I'm making into a cupboard, and also a hunter green tractor seat chair beyond it. Both were just layin around unused at our old shop. I've been trying to gather up olde things we already had and giving them new purpose. I haven't even bought any paint- I'm just using leftovers from other projects. (Thank goodness we had some turquoise blue left.) -- The white thingy in the background is the back of an antique dresser mirror. I once had turned it into an inspiration board with fabric and chicken wire etc but it didn't match what I'm doing here, so I ripped it all off and I think it's gonna become a chalkboard. You can't have too many chalkboards with scriptures and quotes and words.. isn't that right???
Back to the painting: A couple coats of turquoise, and alot of sanding off and distressing thrown in. You'll see more pictures to come.
Next, is the old dresser I've been anxious to redo.
Some of you will remember the beeeautiful cover photo of Flea Market Gardens mag that inspired many of us to pull out our old chest of drawers to paint and plant? Well;... this dresser has been so on my mind after seeing that magazine. It was our son Trent's dresser for his whole growin up and then he left it in the trailer we rented out and some other people used it for a time and then left it. The drawers actually work pretty well in it and the mirror was still intact as well. I carefully removed the mirror with our son's JESUS LOVES YOU sticker still on it- and started sanding to knock down the shine.
Here's the mirror top. I did the same with it, and oh yeah, you can see the cross that just came to be. The turquoise thingy behind them is the back of a wooden candle sconce. I sanded on it too and gave it a coat of turquoise as well. Then sanded some more. I love that little electric sander and get kinda carried away sanding. lol
Well, here ya have it.
Trent's dresser all painted and dis-stressed.
We had a rusty piece of chicken wire in the feed room, so I stapled it to the back where the mirror used to be. ....... I liked it.... but it's a dresser in the barn. Yeah, I could put things in it but nothing would be safe because of mice. The inspiration dresser picture was with drawers opened and plants spilling out. I liked that look alot and may still do that one day, but for now.... I want to really beable to use this.
So I pulled out the drawers and Myguy and I put new rabbit wire in for a floor.
Then he lovingly helped me build new doors using some old boards we had and older rabbit wire that looked more aged.
He made a little latch for the left door but I still need another for the right side.
Now we can keep baby chicks in it, or another bunny for awhile, or I'm thinking especially broody hens. It has more possibilities this way. Right now, it's in the big part of the barn, but when the new stall gets finished it might get moved into there. That way a skunk or possum wouldn't be able to bother anything in it. It's so short that you know a critter would stand right under it and try to chew on what's inside. I might grab some old cookie sheets at the thrift to lay inside. It would be so much easier to clean that way.

Back to the other cupboard I painted: here it is.
Kinda makes me laugh when I stand next to it coz at first glance, for my height, it reminds me of a country girl refrigerator. The box/cupboard top turned out pretty well, but it needed a base and I looked everywhere for something to use. Finally found an old vanity in the shed with a sink in it. It was old and gross and it just never made it to the landfill. I painted it all up, but... it just "looked" like a vanity still. I decided that if I used a hammer and tapped the centers out of the cabinet doors and put poultry wire on them; I'd like it more. That was a mistake because about the fifth whack I broke it beyond repair. -- So off them came. I did staple chicken wire to the back and then as I was adding the decrepid board to the front, the wood split. Oh well... some things just go like that. lol Still need a couple old boards nailed vertically on the front and then I think I'll llike it more. One of these days when I get brave enough to wade through chiggers up at my Mom's old place; I'll retrieve the fallen down gate to their dog pen and use boards off it.
This little table was yet another make do.
It was just the 2x4 framed part. I don't know where it even came from? Funny how stuff accumulates isn't it? Anyways, it didn't have a top to it, so I nailed these rough cut lumber boards to it, and stapled more chicken wire to the sides and back. It worked well for this chicken feeder planter to set on. Now Percy won't beable to peck at it so much. He has a thing for spider plants I guess. It's probably poisonous.
Well, now you can see the inside door to the chicken coop. Our older chickens and the new Araucanas are all living happily ever after.
These pens are separate and just down from the coop. The one to the far left has boards on it part way up with a brooder lamp hanging down. There is nothing in it right now. Then you can see three more doors/pens just down from it. The two pens on the right are actually connected creating a bigger pen. By having separate pens, we'll beable to keep the Mille Fleurs, and Quail Antwerp Belgians by themselves and raise purebred chicklets.

These pens are not new, but we did try to fix them a little. Our goat Lydia who died awhile ago, used to rub on them and had two of the doors off their hinges. She even messed the wire up really bad on the far pen. If we get goats again, they won't beable to get to these pens because Myguy built a cross fence with a gate out of treated lumber.
Inside the main chicken coop, we set more ladders and everyone seems content. The four hens on the top rungs are old hens, and the ones on the floor are new. All together we have between 30-35 older chickens, and then 10 new Araucanas, 5 Mille Fleurs, 5 Quail Antwerp Belgians and 5 I haven't learned what they are yet. lol I'd ordered Silkies but there must have been some mistake. It's okay though. They're doing great and are really friendly.
Here's what the middle stall looks like to date. It may be Fall before we can get the other stall walls built but I'm already enjoying my time down here so much. After the garden is watered in the evening, I like to grab my journal and come in here and gather eggs, and hand feed the chickens from the kitchen garbage bowl- you know: tomato ends, watermelon rinds, old bread etc. They love it and are getting so tame.
Before I know it, it's time to lift the old fruit jar off the sconce, turn off the battery operated candle and wish my feathered friends a good night.

Thanks for journeying with me today through the coop.
Holykisses xoxo
Lea

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Makeover Progress!

Are you ready to see a little progress?
A few months ago, I shared pictures of our bedroom and asked for your advice. You'll never know how delighted I was with your response!! So many wonderful ideas and suggestions.

Thee above paint chips were my hearts desire. Recently when we went back to Lowes; I tried to put it out of my mind and just "look." Maybe something else would tickle my fancy. But I walked out of the store that day, toting 2 gallons of wintergreen ash, 1 gallon spruce frost and a gallon of green river. The very colors I chose those many months ago.

You'll be happy to know, the painting part is finished. But keep in mind, we still lack all the WHITE trim boards around the doors, and baseboards. So are you ready?.....
This was before.... with the grey sponge painted walls.
Tadaaa, here is thee after! There are alot of things I still want to change, but the hardest part is finished. All the doors, are painted the darkest color: the Green River. The walls are the medium shade: wintergreen ash. And the hutch, and our whole bathroom, is the lightest shade: spruce frost.
The before picture of our bed..............
And thee after picture, with new bed covering and shams. Oh, I also painted the little wooden boards on that round wrought iron thingy, the lightest shade: spruce frost as well. So far, nothing's turned up that would look awesome above our bed. But I like the L&M, so it's all good. Now I know some of you are wondering why "my" initial got to go first.* Well, don't you want to holler O P when you see L&M? heehee Please don't tell me that I was the only kidlet who sang my ABC's like that? (Yolanda do you see your handmade doily?!!!) Love it!!

I know some of you thought the hutch needed to go. But I like it. Now I even like the gawdy pink glass knobbies. ;) We took the glass doors off the front, and we both like it better this way. Maybe a white pip berry lighted garland across the top of the front? Maybe lace.... ?

If anyone knows a neat way to display the vintage silhouette pictures that are on the hutch, please comment or email me. My dear friend n Sissy Fancynancy started me on the coolest collection of them!
Here's that little corner with thee old desk. My friend Janie thinks a distressed pink wicker rocker is what this corner needs. But I haven't found one yet. Until then, ... I have some ideas brewing....
But for now, .... here's the after.
Last but not least... here's the little corner in the before picture.
And here's thee after. Just using what I already had, and very subject and probability to change. lol

So you see... I really did paint!
Our next thing on the honey do list is new laminate floors in our living room and hallway. Depending on the cost,... we hope to continue it into our bedroom. *Please don't feel sorry for Myguy having to do all these difficult chores on the honeydo. He's always tellin me when we discuss fixing things in our home or on the farm, that I need to write it on the list. He also knows that I wrote a 6"lift and new tires for his muddin truck on the list as well.* He must be proud of that because he's been braggin to the guys at work that he must have the only wife in the world who would write that on the to do list. ;) Live n learn ladies. Live and learn! ;) heeheehaahaahoohoo

Holykisses dear friends,
I'm off to add more feathers to our nest.
L

Saturday, August 8, 2009

A cRoOkeD LiTTle cUrTaiN, and Time To Paint!

Greetings and Holykisses,

Hope yall are enjoying a beautiful weekend!
It's been a crazy week here!
First, I want to thank yall for the "pearls of wisdom" you shared. I so loved reading them ALL!
You bless me so very much. Congratulations to Katy of The Country Blossom. I'll be mailing your package out on Monday Katy!

It's been kind of a rat race around here. Don't worry- not literally. I know with "me" you never know... right? lololol But speaking of rats, we have had "critter trouble." We still have a skunk getting into the chicken coop, so that's been an issue. And earlier this week, I walked behind the house to feed our gold fish and koi and found them "floating." :( What on earth happened to our fish??? We'd had them a long time!

Later on that day, I was heading to the garden, and guess what I discovered? 5 puddleducks were having a POOL PARTY in the goldfish pond! They were whoopin it up bigtime! Now I know what happened to our fish! They met the puddleducks. -- That very night... our 5 puddleducks turned into 4. Something killed one of them in our barn. Don't worry, "Hairdoo" wasn't the one who was eaten, but it was still sad all the same.

I set the live trap and baited it with hotdogs. Next morning the hotdogs were gone, and nothing got caught. Grrrr. So that night, we baited the trap again, and about midnight, we snuck down to the barn with the shotgun and flashlite. Thank GOD, I had locked up the last 4 puddleducks in their pen in the barn because we surprised a very large raccoon trying to get INTO the pen the puddleducks were sleeping in! Ahem*----, we no longer have the same raccoon problem. And that's all I'm saying about that.* ;) We really hate that we lost one of the puddleducks, ... but also that we lost the goldfish and koi. This whole duck thing sure hasn't worked out like I thought it would! Think twice before you say yes to baby ducks at the feed store. They sure are stinkin cute,....and they'll steal your heart for sure.... but they're alot like teenagers. They have definite minds of their own, and can be abit rebellious!

When not tending critters this week, I whipped up a lil curtain to hang in place the "hole" in our cabinets where our dish washer used to be.* You know how I love "rickrock." Had to add some to this curtain, but it sure ended up crooked! lol Oh well... I'll make another, but for now it beats staring at a hole in our cabinets.
Remember in the SPRING when I shared I was ready for a makeover? We had to wait til we finished Trent's apartment- which is DONE!!! (I'll post pictures of it soon.) I'd forgotten my camera the last time I was there. But I'm so excited to share... that last night we bought our paint!

Standing in Lowes, we looked and looked at paint chips to make sure of what we wanted. We kept coming back to thee inspiration picture I shared so long ago! We can't do anything about the flooring yet, .... so for now, we're just focusing on the walls. Goodbye 13 year old, ugly- sponge painted taupey walls. Hello Green River, Wintergreen Ash, and Spruce Frost!

If you don't hear from me for a while... you'll know I'm doin! The tv will be cranked to Sirius 6066 Christian Pop. I'm pretty sure the louder I praise, the faster I paint! lol
Have a beautiful weekend!
Holykisses,
L