Several people have requested updates on our house. Here is our latest project. An outdoor fireplace
Danny has been working on it all summer. We used a "kit" from Eldorado Stone. After assembling the blocks he covered the face with the same stone & grout that is on the front of our house. It's a good thing we did this project now because we discovered that the stone has been discontinued! As you can see in the picture he just has a small portion on the front left to grout. The back also needs to be finished.
It is situated on the corner of our lot, overlooking the hillside. This is his work station. He lays a few stones and then jumps in the pool to cool off.
We plan to lay a brick patio where there is now dirt and add some outdoor furniture.
It will be a cozy spot to gather.
Here is the view looking back at our house from this spot.
The wisteria on the house is growing in well. And the pool is done. Happy day! The grandkids have been enjoying it.
Just a little house update...For the last month or so we have been waiting for the shutters etc to finally be installed. Well, this week was the week. All the exterior items are now on the house! Happy Day!
This pictures is of the back of the house...before the shutters were installed.
There is the after
Shutters painted; pool-house by Sherwin Williams paints
plant- Lavender Trumpet Vine- blooms spring and late summer- purple
I had to cross over to the hill behind us to get this picture...tried to zoom in with my phone....so, not a great picture...but you get the ideas. (smile)
You can't tell in the picture...but over by the garage door is a shutter on half of the side...planned it that way (smile) to match the half shutter on the window on the left.
We have just one set of shutters on the front of the house. Just a little pop of color!
Sweet happy Day....all the exterior items are installed!
Kitchen/dinning room: still looking for just the right counter stool.
Today I wanted to fill my home with the smell of acorn squash soup, cinnamon apple spice simmering on the stove top...and maybe even have a fire going in the fireplace....
but no, not going to happen when it 100 outside.
Fall is here, at least that is what the calendar says....but Mother Nature has other ideas......I Miss you Fall.
The sad thing is, Fall may skip us all together....I think I need to do as I've done in years pass....go looking for Fall. I need a trip to the cabin. (smile)
In the mean time-
This is my one and only attempt at "Fall decorating" and until it cools down a bit, it will be my last.
(sorry, sounding a little threatening-)
Carlee and Lincoln
Having warm weather is not all bad....at least we can watch the kids soccer games without worry of rain or even wearing a coat...we just need a nice big shade tent to sit under!
Preston
Love watching Preston play...he runs super fast and stays focused & determined!
Go Preston!
(master-bath room)
We have been in this home since August. It has been a journey- to say the least! (hoping by this time next month, our home will have the finishing touches- arbor, shutters, beams)
For now we are just working to make this home reflect who we are and how we live.
The vintage doors (from The Farm House in Turlock) have finally been installed. Love that we could keep the original hinges and door stops on!
Friday- I think Friday is confused....Friday use to mean....Saturday was coming, a few chores in the morning then play. (now Friday hangs around all day on Saturday....maybe the question should be where did Saturday go?)
During this busy time...we are also trying to finish up odds and ends in our home. Much will have to wait until after "nut season" like most of the landscaping.....so I will be living with a dirt front and back yards for a while. (smile)
It has been fun for me....working around our home...things slowing coming together.
I've been rearranging furniture a bit...taking from one room adding to another....looking for the right combination.
I've also been sewing quite a lot...making pillows and cushions for the upstairs bedroom window seat/beds.
Parents room-
This is the before...still sewing. The bed also will be in a different area once the room is finished....we are waiting on the storage access doors to be finished before I move the bed in the right position. (smile)
Just sewing away....pillows, cushions, curtains.
Kids room-
I'm also working on this window seat. I have the cushions sewn ....just need to finish up a few things....and the hardware needs to be installed on the drawers.
This is the other side of that room- Still working on my "Tall ship Art Wall" it will be a work in progress for a time I believe.
In this room will be two twin beds and one full bed....and a little window seat (happy)
Just had to share...this little sweetie asked me to take her picture on the stairs. (cute)
It has been awhile since I updated this blog...need to be better about that. We are still getting settled in our home...bit by bit, piece by piece. Our home is still not completely finished, hoping that this month, that will be accomplished.
So today will be just a little bit of everything...home, family and travel.
We took a fast trip to see Shannon and family (48 hours :/ work was calling. ) but we had a fun little stay....just hugging on the kids.
We visited the kids schools, played a good round of King tut miniature glow in the dark golf, visited some model homes and just hugged on the kids. Happy Day
We are still working on putting our home in order...most everything is in...the part of decorating will probably go on for years....slow and steady wins the race.
Last Christmas Danny gifted me a piano for the new home...and happy Day it came to the house this week!
Now I'm just working on cozying up this area. A rug, baskets, plant?....not sure. I'm in no hurry...working on finding the right things that are within my budget.
We celebrated Audrey's 6th birthday...but according to her she says she feels like a 20 year old or maybe 12 or 7. Silly girl.
Lincoln and Alene
I have been working mostly on the living room...stages, stages....bit by bit. (and it may change from time to time until I find the right combination...Do you do that?)
Living room- still a work in process ....looking for just the right items to put on the mantel. Looking and waiting.
Piece by piece working on the kitchen.
We had our first ever stage play in the kids "secret" playroom. The playroom is no where near finished....it will be a work in process for a while I believe. But we want to enjoy it in the meantime.
Beanbags for the win!
We had all the kids come in their Pj's- missing Conner, Payton, Anna, Nicholas, Ellie and Christian
(we were able to mark their height on a wall)
The cubby to the left is a reading nook...it will evolve over time.
To dedicate our home. Church members may dedicate their homes as sacred edifices where the Holy Spirit can reside and where family members can worship, find safety from the world, grow spiritually, and prepare for eternal family relationships. Homes need not be free of debt to be dedicated. Unlike Church buildings, homes are not consecrated to the Lord.
A Melchizedek Priesthood holder may dedicate a home by the power of the priesthood. If there is not a Melchizedek Priesthood holder in the home, a family might invite a close relative, a home teacher, or another Melchizedek Priesthood holder to dedicate the home. Or a family might gather and offer a prayer that includes the elements mentioned in the preceding paragraph and other words as the Spirit directs.
Kitchen and dinning room...work in progress ...it is always the last 10 to 5 % that takes all the time . Plus it is the fun part (smile)
The copper hood that I painted. To see how I did it follow this link.
I also taught a lesson in Relief Society this month- I choose this topic to talk on- "The Lord will carry our burdens but not our baggage."
Found in Sheri Dew's book "If Life were Easy, It wouldn't be Hard. and begins chapter two on page 25. This story really inspired me and I hope that by sharing it you will be inspired too.
I gave each sister a luggage tag as a handout.
"Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out."
"Behavior that injures our brothers and sisters, even when it feels justified, loads us down with trip-around-the-world-size baggage, baggage we can't carry without wrecking our spiritual joints."
It has been a busy month of family, home , church and travel.....and I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it!
Happy Day!
Thank you again for all your encouragement ....have a wonderful day!
I want to thank you all for encouraging me on this exciting journey of building our home, either through FB, IG or here on my blog. Thank you!
Many of you have been here since day one cheering me on...Thank you!
Many times throughout this build, I found myself feeling frustrated and overwhelmed; we are planning for this to be our "forever" home (I hope) I wanted it to have a timeless feel.
A Lot of my decisions were made with that in mind. Will I still like it when I'm 80?....will it need much updating in the future and will it serve us well.
I listed in a journal all my favorite things I like in a home that make me happy-
Vintage
soft
quirky
art
music
places to entertain
places to hide (down the road I will be sharing with you a very special place we have in our home....that is hidden...just for the grand-kids...that is....if you can keep a secret.=)
organized
bright
I then took that list and combined it with materials in our budget that gave me that feeling....hoping to create a "timeless" home just for us.
That is how you to can create a timeless home for you....because no matter what happens in trends etc....you will still love your home because it is what you love...hence....Timeless.
Now that our home is mostly finished.... I will be sharing different areas of our home. My hope is that you find something of valve that you could use in your decision making for your own home.
Happy Day.
First up- Kitchen Pantry. 5 x 6
Color- Milk and Cream- Walls- Swiss Coffee, Trim- polar bear
I gave it that name because while discussing the color I wanted for our home with the painter...I used the analogy of milk and cream. I'm a dairyman daughter and there were many nights I carried a bucket of milk home.....there is nothing better than scooping cream off the top of fresh milk.
I wanted that look for my walls.....hence Milk and Cream.
I wanted my pantry to be opened to the kitchen for three reasons-
if it had a door, I know I will junk it up....it's good to be honest with yourself when planning a home. (smile)
I wanted to make it feel more approachable for my family....more help yourself, than ask for permission...a door generally makes you think to ask to open.
I didn't want the microwave in the main body of the kitchen.
This part of the pantry I planned all around Danny- he loves to fix snacks throughout the day (hot-dogs)
and in all our other homes he would leave a trail. (sorry Danny)
I would be gone and come home and know exactly what he fixed for himself. Drawers left open, microwave tray hot-dog juicy (I say this with love...I 'm by no means perfect=)
Plus we could live in a house for years and he still has a hard time finding things....here is my solution.
top drawer flatware-
middle drawer- bread drawer
bottom drawer- cooking gift bags, gift bread pans; basically things that I can use to wrap up food and give as a gift.
self closing drawers....all he has to do it get it half way (smile) and the drawer will take over. I have actually wounded myself and past drawers because of their open state.
I think I could do a whole stand up comic set on why men leave doors and drawers open. Happy Day!
small plates and napkins close by....no reason to put that raw hot dog on the tray. (all with love)
peanut butter, butter, tooth picks (soon to be in the little mason jar)
the trash compactor is to the right....12 inches away (smile)
I planned this pantry around the way we live....
oh... as a note....as of yet I have not bought anything new for the pantry storage. All containers- just using what I had...hence the miss-matched jars and baskets....but I'm totally okay with that! Actually I like miss-matched.
On the wall that you see from the kitchen I used all my stash of glass containers, the wall to the right....my stash of rubber maid. (smile)
This little set up is right next to Dan's microwave/snack area....again...just a sweet little thought ....if you have something to chop...here is a really nice bread board for you to use. (Oh man....I really do love my guy, smile)
Because we were living out of a suit case for over 120 days....(thankful for children who let us stay with them and the cabin =)
organizing the pantry was pretty easy....I didn't have any food to add to it. (kind of the best way to do it, smile) Just adding items as the recipe calls for it. I did purchase a few pantry staples, flour, sugar, salt etc....but generally I'm just waiting until I need it.
the large class canister holds copper cookie cutters
large basket- for item that are a little "ugly" but needed. (smile)
Like I said earlier, just using what I already had...perhaps down the road I will change these out to glass to match the other side...but for now...I'm perfectly okay using what I have!
A lot has happen since my last blog post.... We are officially moved in. What a long process to get to this point!! Happy Day!
That doesn't mean though, that the house is completely finished. (sad face) A few things on the inside mostly cosmetic.... outside, Shutters, corbels and beams still need to be installed.
But we are rolling with it and enjoying having our own space again... Danny especially likes that we have a closet! Oh the things you miss when you are between homes. (better known as homeless)
We are also super excited that the copper accessories have been added to the roof- copper chimney pots and finials.
Kind of scary watching these guys climb all over the roof...like little spiders. (It is hard to picture but our roof is very steep.) Our home is a Jack Arnold design...with a few changes by us and the state of California....because Ca. is special that way.
We bought the copper accessories for the roof from Jack Arnold. Like I said we were super excited to see them on the roof, they have been in storage since last Sept.
We are enjoying the beautiful sunrise each morning. Such a blessing, and feeling a little spoiled.
Danny didn't waste any time , jumped right in and started planting. (Our busy season is right around the corner so he is trying to do a few things before our life is "Nuts")
Thankful for my boys....not only did they help move us in...but also helped Dan with some planting. That top tree weighted over 300 lbs. Love you Sam, Denver and Mason.
Planted so far-
Washington hawthorn
Live Oak
Strawberry tree- (pictured at the top) Arbutus Marina
Little Ollie
Icee Blue Yellow wood
Cousin Itt Acacia
Butterfly bush
Red David Austin climbing rose
hydrangea m. Pistachio
hydrangea pan. Pinky Winky
and 3 climbing vines
We planted this butterfly bush for the grand-kids to enjoy....and we are trying out "rain chains" for the first time.
In all the planters next to the house we are using large cobble stone for ground cover...it will keep the dirt off the house and it doesn't move around or have to be replace down the road....simple and clean.
Not much more of the landscaping will be done until after Nut season. Dan has it all raked and ready so it looks clean.
As for me, I've been working on the inside....finding a place for everything. We pretty much have all the furniture in place, now I'm just working on making our house feel like home.
Our dream is to have a place that is relaxed, inviting, homey and where family feel loved.
I once had someone ask me what was the number one design tool I would use to make a house look better....
My answer- Clean it, I've never seen a home I didn't like when it is clean.
As I move forward, I will be sharing the "design" part of creating a home....and do a few room tours. What do you think, would you like that?
Here is a few pictures to show you what I've been up too.
It hasn't all been about the house....I still have my Church calling, grand-kids, Danny, etc.
We have had a few things happen in Relief Society that I will share with you later.
Hello! This week the beams have/are being installed! What a difference that makes.... adds a dramatic difference in the space and finishes up the rooms.
With the beams going in I know we are getting closer to moving in....Nothing makes me happier than seeing progress in the works! Happy Day!
The hardware for the front door is installed! I found the doors at Farm House Turlock we took them to a door place to get them ready to fit our door opening. (vintage old doors from a San Francisco bank)
We also moved our first piece of furniture into our home- Happy Day! (I think we will get to move in sometime next week!)
I found this piece at Vintage Market years ago and finally get to use it. I planned all along to put this piece in the upstairs Jack and Jill guest bathroom. Can't wait to style this little girl! She will be used as the bathroom towel/linen storage.
Most all the knobs have been installed...just need to finish the upstairs.
We still have so much more to do and that stresses me out a bit, but it’s definitely going to be worth it in the end. We work on a few things in the yard each day, do a little clean up and run errands ....Sean the floor guy comes back on Monday to finish the floors....then I hope when he is finished, we will be moving in!
This picture is my inspiration for the kids room upstairs.
Patience is not about how long one can wait but how well one behaves while waiting.
Like waiting for a ship out at sea, it will never arrive while you are standing there waiting....look away, and she pulls into port.
Waiting can be Hard-
So, I busy myself with things I can do- Preparing for the day we move in, playing with grand-kids, Church calling, working with Danny- etc.
Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well! (I'm trying; we have been bouncing between, kids homes, hotels and the cabin....I refer to my car as my "house car" ...I'm that person. =)
A look at my week-
but mostly I've been doing a lot of this....
Spending time cleaning up and making plans for what will go where....and all the fun stuff. This is the Library....super excited to see the beams go in this week!
The knobs are being installed.
Enjoying the sunrise-
The tiles are cement with a vintage rustic finish.
Upstairs bathroom- finishing touches going in.(this is half of a Jack and Jill bathroom- shower is in the middle) Knobs will be next.
It has been awhile since I've posted an up date for poppy hill (most of my updates have been through Instagram, feel free to follow along with me if you like...link to the right)
As of right now...the wood floors are in and stained. The doors and hardware are being installed....and a million little lose ends are being tidied up.
The picture above is me trying to figure out what color the floors would be....I wanted them to have a more traditional feel....something you would find in an old home....think...old floors restored.
I would of loved to just keep them natural...but the minute anything wet hits them...they darken and have kind of a orange tint.
So stain it is. I worked with Sean the floor guy to get the custom color I was looking for.
These are the floors of an old 100 year old home....This was the look I wanted. (picture via pinterest ) I wanted my floors to look something like this but just a tad lighter.
(side note- Happy Day, the beams for the kitchen and great room have arrived....maybe next week they will get installed, can't wait!)
They will soften and darken a little with age. I really love how they turned out....was a little nervous at first but not any more!
Anna, Conner and Payton's first time in our new home....next time they visit we will be moved in (I hope)
It was fun to show them around our new home...standing in the library.
Its been fun the last few months....enjoying the views from the house and imagining where the furniture will be etc. Fun!
(master bedroom)
Front view of our home...
There is still a lot to do to the outside of our home... besides just landscaping.
Can't wait to see all the "jewelry" go on the house!
The doors along with the hardware are being installed!
The rest of the trim is also going in ....when finished with that....the painter will come back and caulk and paint; fixing all the scuffs & dents.
Can hardy wait for the hardware to be installed!
Most all the floor molding has been installed....just a few more pieces in the living room and a few other places.
This is the guest bath down stairs...still working on a few things, securing the sink, adding drawer knobs and mirror. Under the sink I have a vintage basket from France that will hold towels. The tiles are cement with a vintage finish.
I think we are getting pretty close to moving in...the painters will return on Tuesday to tidy up all the walls, trim etc. The tile, plumber and cabinet guys will be finishing up their jobs this week too. (I hope) and Hopefully the roof guys will finish up all the details on the roof.
Then Sean the floor guy comes back to finish up the floor....so getting close.
My Blog began in 2005- I write about "whatever" I am doing- about my husband (Danny) and our 5 grown children and grandchildren. I write about the things I love...from creating a new room to playing with my grand-kids...I share my blessings and my testimony about my Mormon Faith.{The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints} I love finding ways to be happy and enjoy the blessings I've been given....come what may.....Happy Day
