Bring on the Veggies

We're trying our hands at Veggie garden this year but I didn't just want a standard flat garden. Eric built me a cedar raised bed - SO EASY!!!

This was our inspiration and we improvised the plans.
Basically you just build a box and then stick it in the ground. Its best to used cedar or the new recycled wood products (think Trex). You NEVER want to use treated wood because the chemicals from the treatment and seep into your soil then your veggies and then you eat them. GROSS. Cedar is great because it repels bugs, won't rot quickly and ages to a beautiful whitewashed gray.

Our raised bed is 4' x 8' which reduced the amount of cuts because the boards come in 8' sections. Plus 4' x 8' is plenty of room for a family of 2 and perfect as a starter garden. We built our box out of 2x6 boards, 2x2 stakes along the corners (cut at an angle for easy staking) and then a few pieces of 1x2's as trim.
Next, we added about 32 cubic feet of dirt - a mix of Manure, garden soil, and peat moss.

Then it was time for the plants!!! This is my favorite part. I picked out 3 tomatoes (big slicing ones, romas for salads and such and cherry for eating straight out of the garden :)), bell peppers, eggplant, 2 types of lettuce, squash and cucumbers and LOTS of herbs.

Here are my babies just waiting to be put in their new home.
And here they are living happily ever after.
The lettuce is loving the spring weather.
I couldn't find dill plants so I planted some seeds as well as some shallots that are already coming up.
I am drooling already thinking about the salads and fresh grilled veggies we are going to enjoy this summer.

Did you plant a garden this year? Have any tips to share?
Don't be a lurker, please leave a comment. Thank you!

Beach Break

We took a break from choosing awful paint colors to head to St. Simons, Ga with my hubby's parents. We played golf (and by WE, I mean Eric played and I drove the cart and played caddy). We shopped and played Euchre (shout out to the midwest)!

I just L-O-V-E the Spanish moss practically dripping from every tree on the island. I contemplated bringing some home to try and propagate but logic got the best of me - 1. its so prolific there wouldn't it have already spread north if it could grow here and 2. if it could grow where I live, do I really want to start a Spanish Moss epidemic?


It doesn't matter where we go in the South, I have to grab a photo of Palmettos... I just love em!


Hope you had a lovely weekend as well.

bound and determined

ok, I know you are all (all 3 of you at least) are certainly tired of hearing about my dining room paint woes. Sorry, you must put up with at least 2 posts about it today.

Here is some inspiration for the peacock blue color scheme.


The top color on the right is pretty close to the neon lime color that's on the wall now. the color that makes me want to poke out my eyes.

maybe i need to go for the color on the top left? The blue on row #2 on the left is the color closest to my buffet.





what do you think now? why is this so hard?

total bust.

ok, i have to admit, the dining room is a total bust.

I totally suck at choosing paint colors - other than blues. I'm really good at picking out blues.

Part I: I went to Home Depot and wanted them to match this beautiful fresh green color from Sherwin Williams called "Lively Yellow". Turns out Behr (HD paint) has a color named... you guessed it "Lively Yellow". When I dispute the match the paint guy tells me... "It will dry darker". I trust him, go home, start painting, cutting in along the trim. I waited patiently for it to dry, even did a quick second coat on the cut in part. The color should be named Neon Butter cause thats what it looked like.

Part II: I return to get the color I want, the very nice paint guy matches my swatch from SW. Go home, excited, start cutting in. I really didn't L.O.V.E. it at that point but I know from experience that you can't judge a paint color until its all done, dry and you have the room put back together. Well, I did all that and still it SUCKS... looks like a green highlighter. poop.

Part III: Back to the drawing board. I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

This is the fabric I want to coordinate with the paint color BUT I do not want orange, red, or yellow. The furniture is already painted a deep rich "peacock" blue - which I love and I AM NOT REPAINTING!


So I think it needs to be a green room, but I don't want a boring sage green or do I just need to go neutral...??? HELP!

Oh Craigslist...

You are so good to me...

I'd like to introduce you to my lovely vintage "bouncy" patio chairs. 3 (all in this shape) for $40.


Take the dremel, sandpaper and wire brush to it. Add approx 6 cans of spraypaint (3 metal primer & 3 Sunshine Yellow) and you get this:

And if you put a closeout *new* metal white table from Lowes between them... you get this cute little vignette on your back patio.

So lovely.

Dining Room Design Board

The Before

Refinished Original Floors - in "Red Chesnut"

Drapes - "Wilmington" by Covington Fabric


Dining Room Table set - Mahogany (anyone know what style?)
Chairs are recovered in a simple muted green wide-weave fabric

Wall Color - "Lakeshore" by Sherwin Williams

Buffet Paint Color - "Hep Green" by Sherwin Williams

Painted Chandelier? YES PLEASE! just what color??

Pretty cool huh? It may change but we'll see... I'm loving it right now!

I'm Loving... Painted Furniture

I'm absolutely loving painted furniture right now. What a great way to infuse a room with a punch of color without committing to a full-on rainbow room. Here are some of my favorites:



We recently tried our hand at furniture building and am thrilled with the results. We are working on a hutch for our dining room... I won't keep you in suspense too long I promise.

Until then, you should really check out Knock Off Wood if you haven't already - Ana's plans are gorgeous! Then you can build your own furniture and paint it any color you want!

The Front Yard gets a Haircut

When we bought our house back in 2009 you couldn't see the house from the road. After a couple of years of neglect the beautiful azaleas that lined the front of our lot started to look more and more like "Where the Wild Things Are".


So we ripped them out. Much better.


Then we ripped out these too.


Ditto on the better part.


You're welcome home. We love your new haircut!

Can this chair be saved?

In the true spirit of taking on way too many projects at a time, I've added another.

Re-covering my favorite chair.


Currently it is:
1. country inspired
2. a little worse for the wear
3. green gingham (blah)
4. boring


I want it to:
1. be FUN
2. look fresh & clean
3. bring a little mod touch to the den

So I need your help. See all these great upholstered/recovered chairs?


What can I do to make my chair look like these?




I am sensing a pattern that I am drawn to the bigger/modern/graphic prints...

but can my chair be saved?

SNOW

In a town that really only has two seasons (Fall & Summer) and rarely gets below 30 in the "winter", its pretty amazing to see 6" of SNOW! I'm talkin' real, snowman building SNOW!



PS - Stay tuned for a major overhaul of the front yard. (hint - you can actually see the house now).

More Befores

well I am happy to oblige.

Our Mamie Eisenhower Pink guest bathroom

The den... pre-paint.

My Betty Draper Kitchen

HELP!!!

I’ll be tackling the rooms one at a time but wanted to share what the blank canvas looks like now. We have much darker/shinier floors now and I’ll post new pictures soon because I am in need of your help! I am most excited to work on the dining room and guest bedroom - and I can’t forget the kitchen. WOW… I have a lot of work to do.

soooo… Taaaa Daaaa…

The kitchen... welcome to the 1950s.

Doesn’t this kitchen remind you of Betty Draper’s kitchen in MadMen??? We even have the scalloped details like her.

Betty's actual kitchen from Mad Men via AMC.

So far we’ve painted the Master and Den and replaced the vanity in the master bath - I am currently ripping down the oh so 80’s floral wallpaper. You are welcome to come over and help if you would like.

Home Sweet Finally Home

Our cutie patootie 50's ranch...

We’re not officially moved in yet but I thought I’d share a teaser (courtesy of MLS of course)!

Before we even start placing furniture we’re having the floors refinished - I’ll be sure to provide you some drool worthy before & after pics as soon as the poly dries. We have lots of DIY projects up our sleeve so the emphasis of this blog may shift a little as the house is all consuming at the moment. Hope you’ll stick around!

dumping

Hey everyone, wanted to give you a little life update…also known as a blog dump.

- We’re under contract on OUR first house! YAY! We’ll share the good, the bad and the ugly asap.

- SplendidMinta Etsy Shop is currently not accepting any new orders until the Fall - gotta move!

- got a promotion at work, Woot Woot!

- the tomatoes are ripening fabulously! I currently have more than I know what to do with…anyone want some?

Belated per Usual!

Ok, I am being honest here. I am always sending belated congratulations, belated happy birthdays, happy mother’s days, happy father’s days, etc. No matter how great my intentions are, I always seem to be late. I think I get it from my Uncle Bugs who consistantly sent me birthday cards three weeks late - which I loved because it extended the celebration! Thank you!

So in honor of everything belated, Happy Father’s Day Dad!

Dad and I on my wedding day! He spun me around so fast!

AND Happy Belated 1st Anniversary to Mark & Tracy Bumgarner!

The Newlyweds!

Congrats! (Belated of course.)