Hiding the wart...

There are times in any relationship when “compromises” must be made.

This is one of those times.

It is why our TVs are above our fireplaces and why we have a pergola behind the shop to shelter the humungous zero turn lawnmower we use MAYBE 5-6 times a year to pick up leaves.

This time Brian was hell-bent on having a “whole home generator,” while I was perfectly content to cruise along with the little generator that, in the event of an emergency, only runs the furnace and kitchen outlets.

In 2009 Northwest Arkansas experienced a “once in a lifetime” ice storm. Some parts of our community went weeks without power. We lost power 2-3 times for MAYBE a few hours at a time. Got a little chilly in the house but nothing a few blankets and warm socks couldn’t handle.

Yes, I had two fireplaces I could have used as a heat source…one in the master bedroom and one in the den. Unfortunately there was a tree on the bedroom roof and another tree dropping massive limbs on the den roof. I didn’t think it was real safe to light a fire in either room.

Anywho…Brian is now convinced we need a whole home generator to light up the entire house in the event of a power outage.

While I hope I never loose power for days on end, we will certainly be prepared and he will most likely tell me “I told you so.”

Again…compromise.

So why the compromise? Well, the only reasonable and affordable place to put the giant “wart” (as I affectionately call the massive eye sore) is in the flowerbed next to my back patio.

If you check out the swing pergola I built HERE, and the back yard landscaping I shared HERE, you may note that I take great pride in my yard and I spend a great deal of time enjoying my outdoor space.

So putting a “wart” in the middle of my “happy place” did not make me happy.

Compromise. With a smile..

One of the many things that make a relationship work.

SOOOOO….the wart was placed and my creative brain had to come up with a way to “hide” this monstrosity.

The vision…first screen the darn thing. Keep in mind it must have adequate airflow so I can’t just encapsulate it in something.

I have helped a few neighbors build screens… one around an air conditioner unit and one for a hot tub.

So I know it is doable…I just need to find something I like.

So I did what I always do…I went to Pinterest and found a few things I thought I might like.

I like the look of the more “modern” horizontal boards like we built around my neighbor’s AC unit. But because of the need for really good airflow around the “wart” I keyed in on these “louvered” panels. (HERE is a good tutorial for one)

Utilizing this “louver” look will give me good coverage but also allow for plenty of airflow.

So the plan…first I had to remove the Japanese maple I put in this flower bed three years ago.

I moved it to the front and hope like heck the darn thing survives!

I raked up all the old mulch, then I dug out the 4” of compost I put in there a few years ago with the plan to turn this into a massive flower garden (that never materialized!) I will save that for another project.

I dug out another few inches of soil then set three 4x4 posts for the screen. Then I put down a few inches of sand for the flagstone. I put that down now so that it has time to settle and compact well!

My “plan” at this point is to add flagstone like I did HERE at the other house…kind of create a little “patio” area in front of the screened wart.

After I get the flagstone down I will build a screen around the wart, then decorate the area with potted plants and maybe a little bistro table.

I think it will be easier to lay the flagstone before I build the screen. But honestly it may take a few months to get the flagstone done so I may have to put the screen up first…just don’t know how long I can stand to look at that thing.

Compromise…with a smile.

Are you thinking about retirement?

I hope you had an amazing Christmas! (HERE I shared my Christmas decor )

So many of us are looking towards the New Year so this week I want to “muse” a tad.

I want to talk specifically to those contemplating retirement.

So often everyone focuses on the “financial aspect” of retirement.

Do I have enough in savings? Will my pension be enough? Will I have my house paid off or can I afford a payment? When will social security kick in and how much will it be? What kind of medical insurance will I need?

All valid questions. Ones AARP, retirement gurus and financial institutions are more than happy to help you answer and navigate.

But there are a few aspects to retirement few discuss or focus on.

In my opinion, they are as important or maybe even more important than your financial well-being.

Your emotional and psychological well-being when you no longer have “a purpose.” A job or career that gets you out of bed and on the clock 8-10 hours a day, 4-5 days a week, 365 days a year…less of course vacations and holidays.

The commitments that a career or job requires…the social network it provides.

I want to paint the living room. I need to clean out the garage. I want to play more golf or fish or travel. I want to spend more time with my grandkids. I want to learn to paint/bake/knit.

All very valid “wants.”

But do the math.

Lets say you are just a typical 9 to 5er…5 days a week. So you basically work 40 hours a week. That is 2,080 hours a year…less vacations and holidays…so lets say 160 hours of PTO and 11 national holidays (88 hours). All said and done maybe 1,830 hours a year. That means you have somewhere in the neighborhood of, on average, 35 hours a week that is no longer dedicated to “earning a living.”

Keep in mind, that 35 hours a week you have to fill up doesn’t include commute time you no longer need or time prepping lunches or clothes for the week. Your weekends aren’t filled with grocery shopping, running errands or housework because now you have ALL week to do those things!

So you have 35+ hours a week to golf or fish or spend time with grandkids. You have all the free time in the world to paint the living room or clean out the garage. You have time to learn to paint or bake or knit. You can finally take that trip to Yellowstone or go on an Alaskan cruise. You can finally read a few good books. Maybe you even want to write a book!

Sweet.

So you think.

In reality, let me tell you what happens.

You wake up the first Monday morning and you are LOVING not having to jump up and hit the day with your hair on fire.

The week after you return from your dream vacation to Alaska or Europe you open the garage door and start cleaning out that disaster or start painting the living room…that will take a good week or two. But then it’s done.

Course there are always other “honey-dos” around the house you haven’t had time to tackle because of busy work weeks. Clean out the gutters, repair and paint the exterior of the house, purge and organize all your closets. Realistically how many weeks or months would it take to get it ALL done?

Maybe you plan golf or fishing dates with your buddies (IF they aren’t still working)….that eats up a good 8-10-12 hours a week.

You sign up for those painting or baking classes…there’s another few hours a week

Maybe you schedule ”play dates” with your grands a few hours a week.

So you spend a few months, or even a year, enjoying your retirement…doing the things you WANT to do rather than working.

Remember, if we are lucky we have another 20-30 years to fill up.

Then reality sets in.

You no longer have to hustle to make a paycheck.

You spent so much time with the people at work that they really became your primary “social network.” But they are all still working so they don’t have the time or energy you have to “socialize.”

Your “identity” was so wrapped up in WHAT you were for 20-30-40 years…now you are what?

“Retired?”

All the things you WANT to do….golf, fishing, baking, knitting, reading, grands…they may take up some of your day but not a full 40+ hours a week that use to be dedicated to your job/career.

Suddenly you find yourself feeling “guilty” that you aren’t running around with your hair on fire. You are in your pajamas at 10 a.m. still drinking coffee and watching the morning news while your spouse, friends, ex-coworkers are out there “doing.”

Suddenly you find yourself without a “purpose.”

“Purpose.” That was the word that hit me like a ton of bricks when I found myself really floundering a few months after my “retirement.”

What exactly is my purpose…and what does that even mean?

For most of our lives our “purpose” (and by default our “identity”) is wrapped up in our careers (I’m a doctor/business owner/secretary) and of course our families…I am so and so’s wife, husband, mother.

Then our kids grow up and get their own lives…we are still parents but they don’t demand as much of our time and attention.

We retire and we no longer see ourselves as “what we do.”

Suddenly we are faced with the reality that we have to find a new identity…a new purpose. Because if we are lucky we have another 20-30-40 years left on this earth.

I didn’t plan well for the “emotional/social/psychological” aspects of retirement….and what I discovered is that I really struggled with a lot of negative feelings.

Guilt. Everyone else is still working and I am doing nothing or I’m not making the kind of money I made before so I am no longer contributing to the household like I use to.

Loneliness/lack of a social life. I am stuck at home alone. I can’t travel like I wanted because my partner is still working. Most of my friends are still working so I have no one to play with.

Boredom. The garage is clean, the living room is painted, I read/knitted/baked for two hours today and played golf for 4 hours…now what!?

I could volunteer! Yes, I will volunteer! Let’s see…I can''t volunteer at the animal shelter because I would bring home every stray animal. Sick kids make me sad so I can’t volunteer at Children’s. I’m way to close to THAT so I don’t want to work with elderly people.

So what advise can I give to those who are contemplating retirement?

Finances…of course. You have to make sure you are financially sound. There are so many resources to help you prepare financially for retirement…find them and use them.

In my opinion, don’t go into retirement with debt…house payment, car payments, personal loans, credit card debt. If you need to work a few extra years to pay those things off…do it. Those debts will drain the resources you will need! Use your income to pay off debt…not your retirement funds.

Your health. Do not fool yourself into believing you will eat better, exercise, or stop smoking AFTER you retire. Do it NOW…develop healthy habits NOW. Start getting as healthy as you can NOW so that it will be easier to face the health issue that may arise because of aging.

Be realistic about your need for health insurance and make sure that factors into the “financial preparation” you do.

No, we don’t get to control every aspect of our health…but take control of the things you can control…your diet and exercise and stop the bad habits that can negatively affect your health long term. (HERE I shared my journey to stop smoking)

Mental health…whatever that means to you. For me, it meant getting rid of the “negative” thoughts in my brain.

I also use exercise (biking and walking) and eating better as part of my mental health regiment.

I did not want the negative…hatred, bitterness, envy, anger, frustration, fear, regret…to have ANY affect on my life. Let’s be honest…it’s dang near impossible to banish ALL negative from our lives. After all there are still stupid people all around us…lol!

But finding a way to manage those negative feelings and thoughts and replacing them with healthy positives is a “must do” regardless of your age. If you can’t do it on your own, find someone who can help you…NOW!

Find your purpose….When I realized I had to fill 30-40 hours a week with something other than work, I really began to search for a “purpose.” Something I could do that would be fulfilling and fill my days with positive, uplifting things.

Truthfully…unless you are just a “golf freak” or fishing fanatic, or unless you can sit and read or paint for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year….you are going to have some serious down time.

Waiting til you retire is not the time to “find your purpose” or recreate a new identity.

REMIND YOURSELF DAILY…YOU DESERVE THIS!!! You worked your entire adult life. You deserve this. The only way I finally banished the “guilt” was reminding myself daily that I deserved to be in my pajamas at 10 a.m. drinking coffee. I deserved the leisurely walks with my dogs. I deserved long lunches with my friends and naps with my grandkids.

I worked my whole life to save enough to retire. I am certainly not on the “wealthy” spectrum and I don’t have the luxury of spending willy-nilly. But I have far fewer financial demands than I had while I was raising kids and I have enough to live relatively comfortable in my retirement years.

HERE I shared part of my journey to finding purpose. As I noted, it took me a good two years to figure it out. Don’t go into retirement without a purpose and spend two years floundering like I did.

So BEFORE you retire, find your “purpose.” Find what truly fulfills you before retirement and be realistic about how much time it will require.

Not hobbies, or travel plans, or projects around the house…but something you can do that will take up all the free time you will have AFTER you do those fun things.

Something that will give you real “purpose.” Something that will make you wake up every Monday morning with a plan…something you can feel good about and look forward to!

Get happy, get healthy, and really prepare yourself MENTALLY for this dramatic change in your life.

If you want to go into retirement and just putter around with a few hobbies here and there…go for it. But honestly, if you have been a busy bee for the last 40 years of your life, I can almost guarantee you won’t be happy.

Worse, you will not be physically or mentally healthy. The negatives of not having a real purpose….not having something constructive and positive to do…not having a good social support group….those will drain the physical and mental life out of you.

You will find yourself having a miserable, unhealthy last chapter of life.

You can have a great financial portfolio going into retirement….but if you are bogged down with negatives of regret, loneliness, anger or you are unhealthy mentally or physically…you will truly suffer.

Retirement can be a fulfilling time in your life….IF you plan for it!!!!

Another Christmas....

Ever year I feature my Christmas decor…every year I think not much has changed.

But it does change…a tad here and there.

Last year I shared a few little changes…same this year…a few things here and there.

So what did I change this year? Probably the biggest change is the mantel decor….

Last year THIS soft touch garland was ALL the rage…everyone wanted it. Which is why it was sold out and on Ebay for mega bucks. So I waited until after Christmas and bought it when it was back in stock. Problem was, I forgot I bought it, several times, and by the time I brought down all my Christmas decor I had 10 strands of it along with three soft touch wreaths I have NO idea what to do with!

No biggy…while it is a beautiful garland, you really have to layer it to get a good thickness. On my living room mantel I have 4 5’ strands and 1 15’ strand.

In the den I layered 5 5’ strands….

I used Command hooks about every 1-1 1'/2’ and floral wire to secure it.

I added a red velvet ribbon and these awesome bells….

I would love to link to the bells but as usual I have NO idea where I got them. I know I ordered them but from where? Not a clue!

Last year I layered the berry picks on the mantel…this year I layered them on top of the garland…just plain ole’ picks you can get at Hobby Lobby…four on each mantel.

Another new addition is this wood Santa….

I know WHO influenced me to buy it but have no idea WHERE he came from. I follow a couple of great ladies on Instagram…Deb and Danelle…and as influencers go they get me every time. Their style isn’t necessarily my style but they feature elements I love. Truthfully I think that is where the bell inspiration came from!

What drew me to this Santa was his “girth.” He’a skinny.

Okay, so here is the deal…ALL my Santas are skinny. I have NO idea what that is all about but it seems like every time I am drawn to a Santa he is on the anorexic side.

I kid you not.

Another element I added to my decor this year are the cabinets wreaths….

For several years I have wanted to add “mini” wreaths to my upper cabinets. I finally found am inspiration for what I wanted, but honestly, when I put it all together they came out a hair too big. Hardly “mini.”

So be it…maybe next year I’ll try again…for this year it is what it is….

The precious train!

This train was a gift from Brian’s grandfather to his dad in the 40’s…it was used then. Last year we displayed it above the dining room. This year we got it up and running and put it around the tree in the office.

We didn’t put it around the main tree in the living room because 1) too many gifts under that tree and 2) the SLIGHTEST bump derails it and the living room is a high traffic area.

Not sure Callum is really old enough to appreciate it but I sure love it!!!!

And now the pièce de résistance…the final tree in my life long dream of having a tree in every room!!!

For years I swore if I had the time AND the money, I would put a tree in every room of my house. Last year the goal was complete.

The master bedroom tree!

I added a few little knick knacks on the highboy. Just a few little things from Home Goods…nothing fancy.

The office….

The wreath is new…a tad over powering. Again, I tend to “go big” and then I’m not so thrilled with the result. Meh…next year I’ll change it!

The dining room….

This is always one of my favorite rooms to decorate.. I love the neutrals even though I am drawn to all the vibrant holiday colors in the other rooms.

I like to keep the place settings out even though we don’t usually use these dishes because they have to be hand washed. Simple but elegant.

The sunroom….

I have shared this room before. It is my “Stewart plaid” room in honor of my “Stewart family.” Love it and I am always looking for more Stewart plaid elements to put in here. This year my sweet friend Carrie brought me this precious decoration from Italy!

The den…

The breakfast room….

Not all the trees have decorations…some just have lights. That’s okay. They are still pretty and the four that are decorated take enough time!

The entry…

Little has changed here…added some little wooden trees and a Christmas sign on the trim…another PJ pillow. Love the view into the office!

The screened porch….

And of course the main tree in the living room….

All these trees are connected to remotes (THIS is one I use and LOVE) and are turned on every day. I don’t even want to tell you what my electric bill is for the month of December. Suffice it to say it is cheaper to cool this 3500 s.f. house than to light it up…lol!!!

But I love it and as long as I am physically able to do it, I will. Then I may hire it done!

I love this holiday and it seems that year after year I do indeed add something new. I hope something I did will inspire you to add a little more to your home.

Starting a holiday tradition...

It is never too late.

Time flies.

Before you know it, decades have passed and that little thing you started doing 20-30-40 years ago is now a treasured tradition that will be passed down for generations.

Even if you didn’t realize it at the time…it was just something you did every year.

I’ve shared this story before…when my oldest (now 42) was a baby, my mother started giving her a few precious ornaments every Christmars. She did the same for the boys when they were babies (now 34 and 35) and again with my baby (now 26). After 40+ years of giving my 4 children a couple of special ornaments every year, my tree is bursting with heirloom treasures.

There are the wooden ornaments she gave them from her and my dad’s trip to Yellowstone…

The ornament from the year Katie and I went to New York…

College graduation….

Our trip to Georgetown, Colorado….

A Lenox moose representing the year Katie shot her first deer….

Every single ornament on my tree has a special meaning….ornaments representing every milestone in our lives and souvenirs from our travels and my parent’s travels.

Even after giving Sarah all her ornaments, I still have a tree full. And now that my children are growing and creating their own homes with their own trees, they have begun the “tradition” of gifting me with ornaments with special meaning. Once all my kids have their own trees to decorate, mine will still have special ornaments from my travels and my children.

My mom is no longer here but I have carried on this little tradition she started 42 years ago. Every year I give each of my kids and grandkids an ornament from our travels or one representing something special in their lives. Baby’s first year, college graduation, a cruise to Alaska…..anything and everything special and memorable is represented on our Christmas trees.

It is never too late to start a “tradition.” We do PJs and ornaments.

What tradition will you start this year? Remember, every “tradition” starts somewhere with someone…give your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren a tradition to charish!

Getting ready for the holidays!

It’s been a minute.

I really haven’t had too much going on project-wise…little to share. I guess I could have shared the new water line I ran from my seasonal meter out front to the back yard. Or maybe the repairs I made to a neighbor’s kitchen island or garbage disposal. Could have shared the cute cupcakes the little girl next door and I made and delivered to our neighbors.

I could share the Alaskan cruise we went on in September. I’m not a travel blogger…just go! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

But seriously, no major projects. I have a few in the thinking/planning stage I will share in the coming months. One will be a room makeover for a very special “delivery” coming in May! Stay tuned!

So for now I will just share what is coming this weekend….CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Yep…for the first time ever I am actually doing a little Christmas decorating BEFORE Thanksgiving!

Why? Well, it has been a lifelong dream to have a tree in every room of my house…and last year I finally achieved that dream.

It started with the “black and white” Christmas tree I put up in the office….I share that HERE.

This year we are going to set up the vintage train set around this tree.

Callum, our youngest grandson, will be 10 months old and he will LOVE it! This is the train set Brian’s grandfather gave his dad when he was a little boy…so Callum will be the 4th generation to enjoy!

The Stewart plaid tree is one I added to the sunroom two years ago…..I shared it HERE!

And for the first time ever, I decorated the master bedroom for the holidays….

What I didn’t share is the large red and white tree I added to this room later in the season.

So with these new additions, as well as ALL the Christmas decor through out the house, I just don’t think I can get it all done the weekend after Thanksgiving….the main tree in the living room takes an entire day!

So for the first time ever I am breaking my hard fast cardinal rule of NO CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING! I love fall decor and I really want to enjoy it for as long as I can. So I have decided to decorate the office, master bedroom and sunroom for Christmas since those rooms don’t have a lot of fall decor!

So stay tuned…at some point in the next few weeks I will share all the holiday decor….again. Little changes from year to year but it is my hope that something I do, and have done for years, may catch your eye and give you a little “Christmas inspiration!”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stone step and front yard makeover reveal....

HERE I shared the start of this little project!

The stone steps were a major part of this little makeover…and in all honesty the hard part. Moving these stone steps into place took some serious planning, preparation and muscle.

Now all it needed was a little topsoil and sod!

No biggy right?

WRONG!!!!!

The retaining wall was there for a reason…to keep the yard from having a severe slope and prevent serious erosion.

This was day one…

…after new soil and sod three years ago….

So it was super important to make sure that after I removed the retaining wall the grade was gradual.

First I used the leftover backfill to create a solid base where we removed the block retaining wall.

Then LOTS of topsoil and some very careful grading….

I used quality shifted top soil and made sure it was well compacted and level before putting down sod. After I installed the sod I noticed a few “low” spots, so I pulled back the sod and added a little soil.

This yard is primarily shade so I used fescue sod which is what we had put down three years ago. Fescue is a pretty grass but it does require shade and annual reseeding, unlike bermuda.

So…how did it all turn out….

I LOVE it! Love it!

By spring the new sod will bed down and seamlessly blend into the existing lawn!

Still debating what to plant to the right of the steps where I expanded the flower bed, but that will come in time. Maybe another dogwood…maybe a few azaleas.

It may appear as if the steps go “nowhere” but the seasonal water is a hair in front of them…I use the steps all the time!

My original plan included cladding the landscaping blocks to the right of the steps and behind the shade bed with native stone. Truthfully, I don’t even notice them now and I really think I will just leave it be for the time being.

Right now I am just focused on the sod….lots of water and a little bit of sun. So far, so good!

Fall is literally right around the corner so in the next few weeks the leaves will start falling…hoping the sod will be rooted and ready!

Stone steps...

Just returned from a trip of a lifetime.

A few months ago Brian said “You know, when we are 103 we will have xxxx dollars!”

SERIOUSLY! 103. I don’t know a lot of people who live to be 103 and while I love my children, I’m not all too concerned with leaving them a whole lot.

So I sat down at the computer and booked the first Alaska cruise I came across.

Seriously, the first. Thank goodness it turned out to be a good one.

So this past week we flew to Seattle and boarded a cruise ship to Alaska. This was my first cruise and since I am not a big “foody,” drinker or gambler (obviously since I came home with a lot less than I left with), I decide I would much rather fly to my destination, rent a car and see the sights at my leisure.

But I am glad I took the trip. We saw some beautiful sights and had a good time. The weather wasn’t so great and we missed a port because of it, but all in all, good. Unfortunately, I believe cruise ships are basically floating petri dishes. Travel home was a booger but I am able to recoup at home in my own bed! Fun!

So I want to share a project I started a few weeks before we went on vacation.

I have loved landscaping this yard. I shared HERE all the changes we have made outside over the last three years.

The first time we drove up to this house I knew I was going to get rid of the block retaining wall in the front yard….

In the past three years I have been slowly chipping away at it…removing as many as I can without creating a serious problem…and of course we added more topsoil and sod and that has helped a great deal.

The retaining wall is necessary along the far right side…behind the shade garden…and it really doesn’t bother me too much since it kind of blends into that flower bed.

But I really disliked the part of the wall that runs in the middle of the yard. As you can see in the “before and after” pics I have been slowly removing it…a few blocks at a time!

My “plan” was to add stone steps to the left of the flower bed then remove the retaining wall to the left of the steps and slope the yard with fill, topsoil and new sod.

Of course my “plan” entails moving HUGE stone steps into place. Not an easy task and one that woke me at 3:30 a.m. several mornings as I played the process of moving 500 pound rocks over and over and over in my head!!!!

As with any DIY project I first started looking for inspiration. Again, got to love Pinterest…a quick search of “stone steps” gave me a whole host of inspiration pictures.

One of the reasons I don’t do a lot of tutorials is because every single project is different…case in point. Lots of inspiration for different yards but very few that were EXACTLY like mine.

But looking at what others have done is helpful when deciding what you may want.

Case in point…I THOUGHT I wanted something like this look….

I could manage building these steps by myself since the rocks are smaller. But truth is, I really don’t like this look. I love flagstone…I love the “organic” look…but it’s just not what I want.

I decided I like something more along these lines….

I didn’t necessarily like the “perfection” of the cut stones, but I like the stack.

Problem. Huge stones. HEAVY stones.

But it is the look I love so I figured out how we could move them with the least amount of back muscle (something lacking around here).

Then I set off to find the perfect stones.

The first thing I did before picking out specific stones is measure for the actual “rise” so I would know how many stones I would need.

The thickness of the stone steps I was eyeballing ranged from 6” to 4”…and they were 18” x 48” (explains why the darn things are so heavy!)

The height of the wall where I wanted to put the steps was 12” from the ground to the top of the wall. So I knew that I would need at least 2 6” thick stones to be level with the top of the wall…then I would need another step that would sit on top of the wall and the bottom two steps.

There are LOTS of instructions online on how to figure the “rise and run” of steps…if you have more than 3-4 steps, I would strongly suggest doing some serious research.

Since my son and Brian were providing a majority of the “muscle” I wanted to make sure I got all the prep work done before they showed up to start moving the stones.

As with most builds, the foundation sets the tone. In other words the first step needed to be level and perfectly placed for everything else to work out.

I decided that building wood frames the size of the stones would make it a lot easier to decided where I wanted everything placed and how I wanted the rocks set. Moving wood frames is A LOT easier than trying to shove 500 pound rocks around.

It is a good thing I did that because I discovered that I needed to do a lot more digging and leveling than I thought. Then I tried several different placements, and got some neighborly input, before I finally decided what and where I liked best.

First I angled them to the right…

Then I angled them to the left….

Then I moved them to the left about 2’ and angled them to the right. I liked that look best….

Once I decided exactly where I wanted them, I made sure the base was solid and perfectly level. I used THIS paver base sand and a tamper…and I watered it down well to make sure it was well settled! Then I marked where the base stone would sit by using spray paint around the base of the form.

The the day of reconning….moving the big stones. I had them placed across 2x4s and in order on the trailer so we could easily slip a dolly under them. One person would slip the dolly under the stone and hold it in place, then two of us would lift the stone upright onto the dolly. We then wheeled it off the trailer onto plywood laid out on the ground and put it in place. The fact that the ground was perfectly leveled made this super easy.

Then we back filled behind the base stone, leveled and then place the second stone using the same method…then the third stone. Presto, bing, stone steps!!!!

As you can see, these steps are much more “organic” than the stones in my inspiration picture but they are still cut relatively uniform…. I love them!

We had a neighbor who wanted all the landscaping blocks so he came over with his trailer and we helped him load them up. I used the leftover fill to start the “slope” of the yard.

Next up….top soil and sod.

So until next time when I share the finished project….

A small pantry makeover....

I love pantry projects…HERE I shared mine!

There is no shortage of inspiration on Pinterest for pantry makeovers…you will find one for every possible size and configuration!

My son and daughter-in-law, Hannah, have a great kitchen but a small pantry with typical poorly designed shelving placement…it was a MESS!

Soooo much wasted space!

For months we discussed giving it a little makeover, but they really wanted a house that is a tad bigger on a few acres further south. So there was a chance they would not be staying in this house.

Several months ago they found one, made an offer, got it accepted and were all set to rent their current home!

So the pantry project got nixed.

Unfortunately, the deal fell through because of a boundary dispute.

Hannah was bummed. (She had already started packing!)

So the pantry project was back on and a few weeks ago we tackled it!

The first thing we did was empty everything that was in the pantry and took measurements.

After emptying the pantry, we “demoed” EVERYTHING…shelving, supports, trim.

I usually repair and paint the walls, install the new shelving, caulk, putty, lightly sand, then paint the shelving. All the shelving is already primed and sanded before I install it so that I don’t have to do any heavy sanding in the house.

When designing the shelving placement in a pantry it is super important that you identify EVERYTHING you may want to store in the space and then measure it.

If you think you want baskets, bins or jars, figure out what will go in what and how many will fit in your space BEFORE you go buy them…or at the very least keep your receipt!

Take measurements of EVERYTHING!

These measurements are important because you can then design your shelving placement based on how tall everything is. You don’t want a bunch of wasted space.

Case in point…can goods stacked two high are less than 9” tall…why would you dedicate a shelf with 12” clearance for canned goods. Paper towels are generally 12” tall…why dedicate a 15” shelf for them.

Add up 3-4 shelves that are 3-4” taller than they need to be and next thing you know you have lost an entire shelf…critical storage space for a small pantry!

In this case we gained an entire shelf. Crock pots and the insta pot are stored low because they are heavy…the extra coffee pot and extra paper towels are stored up high.

We built a shelf 4” off the floor…not necessary for actual storage but they have a dog and her hair inevitably blew under the door and ended up all over everything that was sitting on the floor.

I made the shelving out of 1/2” plywood, the bullnose and supports out of pre-primed 1x2s. All the shelves were 14” deep, except the top…it was 12” deep.

We also built a door shelf system that is perfect for aluminum foil, plastic wrap, storage bags, etc. (HERE I shared one I made for my house on Lankford…I built two for this house! One is in the garage and the other is used for my cake pans and baking supplies.)

You can buy wire door storage system but building one allowed us to place shelves as needed for specific items.

The end result is amazing! Neat, clean and organized!

I am a big fan of clear plastic bins vs. baskets. I use both since there is some stuff I don’t want to see that can be stored in pretty baskets (open chip bags, storage containers, etc) but the baskets are labeled. (Again, check out my pantry HERE!)

She loved it so much she tackled her kitchen cabinets and organized them with storage bins and jars.

Organizing a space (whether it be a pantry, closet or drawer) not only frees up space, but I have learned that if a space is pretty, clean and organized I tend to want to keep it that way.

When everything has a place and everything is where it belongs it makes my life so much easier!

(HERE I share my trips and tricks to getting and staying organized!)

And remember, you don’t have to take on a big DIY project to get a space cleaned and organized…and not every space in your house needs to be done in a day, a week or a month.

Commit to take one space a month…or even every other month….purge, clean, organize. I think once you get started and realize how much easier it makes your life, you will want to keep organizing every space in your house…just like Hannah!

I may not be around for several weeks…this is our vacation month and this year we are going to take a VERY special vacations! Can’t wait to share!

The den window reveal!

From day one…three years. That is how long I have wanted to put a window in this room!

It was a cave. There are windows and a door on one wall but they are covered by the enclosed sunroom so the natural light is seriously defused. (HERE I swore I was through with major projecting on the house…HA!)

I crave natural light. This house has TONS of windows, but the majority are adjacent to a sunporch, screened porch and covered front porch. All which I am grateful for…I just wanted a hair more light in the den.

My original thought was to put a window on both sides of the fireplace. Unfortunately, the guest room closet extends out behind the bookcase to the left of the fireplace…so that is a no-go. That’s okay…I need the built in bookcase. (HERE you can check out how I refaced the fireplace!)

(Obviously I did not take “before pics” and the only picture I have of this space is from Christmas!)

A window on the right of the fireplace is doable….for someone like me with a bit of experience. Personally, I don’t think this is a “novice DIYer” project. If you are hell-bent, watch TONS of tutorials first and be prepared with a stand-by sheetrocker, framer, electrician, trim carpenter and brick/siding expert just in case you find yourself in over your head.

Even then, if you don’t have a basic understanding of how a home is constructed, I wouldn’t even attempt it. (HERE I posted a little bit about framing for a door or window)

Also, I highly suggest you check your local codes. You may need to pull a permit to modify framing.

As you can see from the post when I modified the laundry room opening I knew I was going to have to put in a header and maybe a few extra studs. Since I was only installing a 32” window, I figured I could just get by with a 2x4 or 2x6 (at the most) header.

Nope. When I opened the wall I found a support that was FOUR 2x4 sandwiched together…have no idea what that was all about. I went into the attic to see if maybe they loaded the roof rafters or something onto that area…not as far as I could tell. But what is there is there and I wasn’t about to assume it was just over kill.

Which meant I needed to put in a 12” header which meant I had to move the exterior light to make room for a bigger header, cut out way more sheetrock than I anticipated and add more stud supports.

CURSES!

All that being said, again it is doable. So if like me, you just HAVE to have a window (or even a door), go for it!!!

And go for it I did.

Again, I am not really a tutorial kinda person…there are tons out there, why reinvent the wheel. And honestly, every project will be different depending on what is behind the sheetrock.

Case in point.

After all this “rough in” framing was done, I drilled through the corners of the opening (using a wood bit to drill through the plywood and a masonry bit to drill through the brick) and marked where the actual opening would be.

My brick guy then came and cut out the existing brick 3” from the mark where the actual window opening would be….

You can see in this picture where I had to move the existing exterior light!

While I was waiting on the brick guy I was able to get the sheetrock repair done…HERE I shared a little tip about sanding sheetrock in the house!

When the window finally came in, I cut out the plywood…MAN OH MAN!!!!

If it weren’t 100 degrees out I would have just left a big ole’ hole in the wall.

There are TONS of tutorials on how to properly install a window…read them and follow them to a T. Find one that makes sense to you!

After the window was installed, trim and paint! The brick guy came back and installed a window “casing” with new brick around the window ….

This house is 23 years old so I can’t find the exact brick to match but I found one that was pretty close! (HERE I shared how I used this “good enough” brick on my shop!) This is why he cut the brick 3” around the actual rough in opening.

What a difference this little project made!

I LOVE IT!

Fortunately I originally bought matching sheers for the breakfast window and the den window. I couldn’t find sheers that matched them so I took the sheers from the breakfast window and used them for the new window and bought new for the breakfast window.

I love all the the wonderful light and the view of my flowerbeds! Blooming dogwoods in the spring and fall foliage in the few months!

Lovely!

How to sand sheetrock without a big mess!

My recent big project is one I have been eyeballing since day one.

Windows in the den next to the fireplace.

(Naturally I neglected to take a “before” picture so this is the only one I could find of the space…Christmas!)

My original plan was to remove the bookcase to the left of the fireplace but I discovered that the closet in the guest bedroom extends out so that part of the exterior wall is partially covered by that guest closet….poo.

So the only option was to leave the bookcase, which I honestly need, and just add a window to the right of the fireplace.

Why?

Well first, I love natural light…one thing I love about this house is the abundance of exterior windows.

The only problem is MOST are adjacent to a covered patio, a sunroom and a screened porch. So MOST of the natural light is seriously filtered.

Great for heating and cooling, not so great if you like natural light.

The den has windows and an exterior door, unfortunately both are on the wall adjacent to the sunporch.

Nice windows, but again the light is seriously defused. So the den was basically a cave.

ANYWHO, I wanted a window in the den…for light and for fresh air.

So, I busted out the sheetrock, removed the exterior brick, moved some electrical outlets and fixtures and framed in for a new window.

Sounds so simple. It was NOT!

First, you never know what is behind your sheetrock. In my case there was serious framing. Then there was the electric outlets and exterior light fixture. Of course insulation and brick and Lord I can’t even remember it all.

One a scale of 1-10 this is a 10 DIY project. For me, not that huge of a deal because I know electrical, I understand basic framing and I have a great brick guy. But for your average Joe, my suggestion is hire it done! And expect to pay dearly.

But even this old dog can learn a new trick. I saw this suggestion somewhere on the interweb but have no idea when or where. I had never tried it but because of some serious sanding needed on the sheetrock I decided to give it a shot!

Just duct tape your palm sander to a shop vac…then turn the shop vac on while running the sander.

(Palm smacking forehead!)

Boy did it work! I would say 95% of the sheetrock dust went into the Shopvac vs. all over every piece of furniture in my house.

A FEW TIPS.

Make sure the holes on the sand paper line up with the holes on the sander…that is where the dust goes.

Tape well between the sander and the Shopvac hose to prevent dust from creeping out. I used duct tape.

Make sure your Shopvac has a clean (preferably new) filter.

I have never used an electric sander on sheetrock in the house before…just waaaaay too much dust. This time, due to circumstances I won’t go in to, I knew a light hand sanding wasn’t going to cut it. Hooking the sander to the shop vac was a game changer!

Adding a window, whether you have brick or siding exterior, is doable. Just know that it is not a project for a novice DIYer!

Next time I’ll share the transformation! HUGE difference!