Saturday, September 17, 2016

House Update

Now too much has been going on besides yard work. Great exercise!

Our new doorbell!
This is what was there. It worked but with its cover missing made for a hideous fixture! For some reason I couldn't get a clear photo.
If you are ever shopped for a doorbell you know there there is not much to choose from in terms of attractiveness. Our new one is metal and glass. Many other choices were plastic and cheap, but also pricey!

We had our basement windows replaced! This has been awesome since they were chaulked shut before. Now we leave the windows open and for a fresh smelling basement. A huge improvement from when we moved in. It doesn't even smell like a basement anymore.

We finished our entryway.
Then antique table was thrifted at $15 (I still can't get over the find)! The vase was Jim's. The sticks were painted from vines cut in our yard. The other chachki was something I had. The mirror was thrifted for $5. Another great find since it was perfect as is. So this was a $25 total with the cost of the paint for the vines.

We have been busy with the yard too getting it ready for spring. So when the anticipated (not wanted) snow melts we can order a huge mulch delivery to make it beautiful!

Our most recent project in our neglected yard is this messy corner.
This photo was take after I started to chop away at the ancient super thorny blackberry bush in our yard. The dirt spot was there the branches ended. From pictures you can't see how big it was, but trust me, it was massive and half the branches were old dead ones!

We were going to wait for the berries but decided we would rather make a pretty space here instead. 

Now we have an lovely view of the abutting neighbors' sheds. City living is a unique experience for me!
We are working on the vines growing along the fence which were hanging about 4 - 5 feet from the fence over our yard.

Our plan in the spring is to buy a bunch of arborvites or the like to plant long the ugly chain link fence that surrounds our yard. This will provide privacy and attractiveness.

The corner has a challenge to work around. Whatever belonged to this spread out old stump must have been a mess before it came down!

I would love to have a vinyl privacy fence installed along the borders but that would be way too expensive!

So with all the clean up we are having fun with our best purchase for the home thus far, the little fire pit! Now we need to get through all the piles of brush we created.
Jim's neatly stacked wood pile. We made use of some of the old stone we dug up recently from the yard. It is perfect for stacking the wood on!
I hope you enjoyed our continued updates. 


Thank you for stopping by! ~Val



 



25 comments:

  1. a fire pit in fall is SO nice to enjoy. laughing at the abutting sheds. :) so glad you have new windows for the basement air-out.

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  2. Wow, you've really been busy in your garden! Over here all the plots are very close by, so it's normal to see the backs of the neighbour's sheds :) Since they are not pretty we have evergreens growing there. Your entry looks very inviting now!

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  3. I love the changes that you guys are making,sopretty

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  4. Such wonderful and beautiful changes, sweet Val. Love the fire pit :)

    Hugs to you!

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  5. Holy girl, you have been busy! I love the door bell change! Very nice! Yeh for new windows! So happy you can let some fresh air in now! Mom has to get some new windows and doors! Love your little corner! Great finds! And, wow for outside! You guys are doing a great job! We have been in our house for about 12 years now and you wouldn't believe the changes we have done and are still doing! Just alone in front of our house, in the rock work, right infront of our front door, was a combination of 10 bushes and trees. Now we have 3! Sometimes, I don't understand what people are thinking of?? LOL! I always say, make it look nice and keep it easy on you! You know what I mean? I love gardening, but it shouldn't be a 24 hour job!
    Have a great day! Things have changed for my birthday. Just going to have an easy day! Maybe clean my bedroom! LOL!
    Big Hugs!

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  6. I forgot to say, Love the fire pit! Roast some marshmallows :)

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  7. You are making and planning such fab improvements to your house and property! Love that wee foyer table. It's gorgeous.

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  8. I know what you are talking about with the doorbell, Val. Mostly they are pricey and ugly, lol, mine is also black and gold but round shaped. I Like yours it's very pretty. Happy Sunday, Val.
    xox
    Lenya
    FashionDreams&Lifestyle

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  9. I love these updates Val! Every time I see your pictures it amazes me how much space you guys have around your home. I think it's so awesome! Your ideas are lovely. Fencing can be so expensive! So your secondary idea is better. Love the entryway! That mirror is the cutest and table was an excellent find (AND PRICE LOL). I still have the original doorbell to the house. The way it's positioned, nobody sees it LOL So I haven't had to look for one. Love yours. Have a great week girl!
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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  10. You've been busy Val! It looks like you have a nice bit of space to play with outside. You might find some interesting things coming up in spring like bulbs you didn't know were there. You need a shed yourself to put in that corner and hide your neighbours sheds :D

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  11. Love the snapshots of your home updates. :) And you're right, gardening is awesome exercise, the best kind.

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  12. Hmmmm, not much going on????
    Looks like you've been REALLY busy, and the results are just wonderful, Val.
    I love your entryway, and that fire stove is so nice. It will be especially nice to be out there with it lit on a beautiful fall evening.
    Wishing both of you, a wonderful week ahead.

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  13. So cool!!!
    Have a good week, dear Val!!!!!:)))

    Besos, desde España, Marcela♥

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  14. Everything's coming along so nicely! It's so fun to make a new home your own :)

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  15. Wow! You have been busy. Sounds like you are enjoying it and having fun along the way.

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  16. Wow! looks like u have been quite busy!! It is a enjoyable process, adding all these tiny personal touches!

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  17. For sure, you have been busy. It's a lot of work, but it's and will be more beautiful and perfect at the end !

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  18. Keep up the good work! it will certainly be pretty in the spring :) That's a nice fire pit.

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  19. Arborvitaes was the first we plant at the fence to our neighbour to gain privacy. You have to be patient. It took at least three years to grow in and get some height. But then they look like a green wall and now the bushes are trees and more than 3 meters high if we wouldn't cut them from time to time. But they do their job.
    Love your fire pit!

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  20. Love the changes you have brought, keep it up. x

    Have a nice weekend,
    Andreea
    http://couturezilla.com/

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  21. you guys have been busy! we did so many similar things when we bought our house digging things up, moving them or clearing out the yard. Always fun to discover what can be done!

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  22. It feels so good to get so many projects done!
    ACK! now I'm reminded to get busy!

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  23. It feels so good to get so many projects done!
    ACK! now I'm reminded to get busy!

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Thank you for stopping by! I love reading visitor comments! ~Val