Front Yard Phase One Complete! Kinda.

A few years ago there were some ugly, overgrown, starting-to-die bushes in the front of my home. This was before I was married, or even engaged. Being the smart single gal I was (Not that I'm not still smart, just no longer single.), I had my dad pull them out.

To make a long story short, he cut them down, but left me to dig them up. Yeah, right. Like that was going to happen. Fast forward a few years, and I'm itching to remove the stumps. I'm embarrassed to come home from my morning run to this:

A few weekends ago, Husband and I (but a little more Husband than me) pulled out this stumps! You can read all about it here - complete with directions and advice if you're ready to rip yours out too. It looked waaaaay better, but still very incomplete.




This weekend, we can finally call phase one of this project complete! It only took 2 trips to Menards, 1 trip to Home Depot, 10 bags of top soil, 10 bags of mulch, a few hours, and a little bit of muscle. Okay, maybe a little too much muscle was involved. Husband did manage to break the metal rake in half. But we now get to come home to this:

Lovely! Lets take a closer look at those garden beds shall we?

My what large/long hips you have!

I picked out Plantain Lily Hostas and Petunias. I kill basically everything I plant so I went with hardy plants that didn't need a ton of maintenance. 

The hostas are best suited for partial sun, so we'll see how those do in our yard that gets a lot of intense afternoon sun. I hear that the worst that would happen is the leave will turn brown, and if that's the case, I'll just replant them in the backyard later. My neighbors all have hostas that look great, so I'm crossing my fingers for these guys. 

Petunias are just really hard to kill. I've had them growing in my backyard (we live near Chicago) in December in previous years. I made sure to get them in a fun bright color.

We also decided to go with black mulch. I love how the plants pop against the dark mulch. From a distance it almost looks like we have perpetually perfect soil. 

How about a before and after? (Sorry these aren't fancier, getting used to a new computer...)

Before:

After:

We still have a ways to go in the front yard. We're hoping to:

• Kill the ants in the yard
• Kill the weeds in the lawn
• Dig up three more bushes in the far front corner of the yard (Phase 2)
• Reseed the lawn (In the fall)
• Build up the garden beds with paver stones (Phase 2)
• Plant a tree (This year, if I can convince Husband)
• Add additional garden beds around the tree, outlined in pavers (Phase 2)
• Paint the house! (Phase 2, or maybe 3?)

And as you can see, we still need to carry this front yard makeover to the side gardens, and eventually to the backyard. Our goal is to have the entire yard tie together as simply and low maintenance as possible. As we have the funds and free time to clean up more of the yard, I'll be back with more updates. 

Do you have any outside projects going on? 

Happy Running Day!

So today is National Running Day. Which has nothing at all to do with interior decorating, but much to do with this interior decorator. So I'm taking this National Running Day to tell you all a little bit about my secret addiction other hobby.

I love running. It's crazy and stupid, believe me, I realize that. No one in their right mind actually likes running. Are any of us runners really in our right minds though? Cue quote from Tim Burton's Alice and Wonderland (Because how could I write a blog post without a reference to a kid's movie?)

And ain't that the truth? Runners really are the best kind of people. Kidding! (Butnotreally) Not that I'll seem any less bonkers, but I thought I could take the chance to justify my running habit. In no particular order...

Why I Run:

Competition:
I'm overly competitive, and I may never beat anyone in anything, but I will beat myself over and over again. I love the feeling of setting a goal and blowing it away, or accomplishing something I never thought I could do. Remember Presidential Fitness from grade school? I was always the chubby kid that finished last in my class. I ran a mile in 12 minutes, 30 seconds. Now I'm averaging a 9 minute 30 second pace on a 3 mile run! I win!

Maybe it's something to do with my fun new shoes?

Charity: There's this great organization called World Vision that does so much for communities all over the world. I sponsor a young girl from Rwanda. $35 a month provides clothing, food, books, and training for her and her family. I wish I could tell you more about them (World Vision that is), but they seriously just do so much. You can visit their website for more info. Well, they fund-raise through half and full marathons around the country (world?). This year, I'm training to run my 2nd half marathon to raise money for World Vision. The money is used to build wells to provide clean water to people in Africa. Team World Vision's slogan is "I run because I care." Too true.

After finishing lasts year's (my first) Chicago Half Marathon. 

Clarity:
The 30 to 60 minutes a day (okay, so most days) I spend running is my chance to zone out and let my stresses go. If I have a particularly rough day, I will often run until I feel better. Even if I don't actively spend time mentally solving my problems or praying, the endorphins themselves cure me of my cares.

Calories:
Running is a great workout! And I'd be lying if I said that a small part of the my reason for running wasn't to lose weight. I'm always trying to lose weight - anyone else?? I don't over exercise, and a try to eat to fuel my body. After a few good months of training, the pounds come off, my butt gets a little smaller (and firmer, and higher if you wanted to know), and the stomach gets a little flatter. Clothing options are way more fun and as shallow as it sounds, I'm always a little happier when I fit into my "skinny" jeans.

Not quite as "mad" as you thought huh? Are you completely motivated to run yet?? Well just in case you are, here are a few hints and tips to get you started:

• Start small and slow: You're not trying to win a marathon here, go run a mile, run it slow, and enjoy it!
• Get good shoes: They don't need to be hundred dollar Mizuno's, but they do need to be in good shape and fit well.
• Run outside: The elliptical or treadmill may seem easier, but running outside in the sunshine will feel so much less like work
• Do it with a friend: Find a buddy to chat with or a local running group to hold you accountable. The more the merrier!

Even Husband is getting into it!

Us with our running group - whom I've blurred out because it was easier than asking permission from 20-some people to post this...

Any runners out there? How are you celebrating National Runner's Day? (I heard you could get $20 off of Rock 'N' Roll Marathons today only!) Anyone feeling inspired to give it a go?

Pink Nightmare

Fun fact: Jean Shepard, the author of the book that inspired the movie A Christmas Story (ya know, the one that plays for 24 hours straight on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on TBS?) grew up in my city. We here in Hammond are awfully proud of him. The visitor's center has events every Christmas season based on the movie - A "Mommy's Little Piggy" mashed potato eating contest, an "Oh Fuuuudge Relay Race", and even a store where you can buy your very own leg lamp.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when the main character, Ralphie, gets a special gift from his Aunt.

We laugh every time.

Equally laughable, was Husband's new nightstand. At least while it still donned it's own pink hue. We first spotted it at one of my favorite thrift stores. The guys there were unloading several small tables off the truck. They noticed us looking through them and asked what we were looking for. I explained that we needed a small nightstand for my husband's side of the bed. One of the workers pointed us in the direction of the pink nightmare and told us that it used to be a humidor.

Husband hated it, I thought it just needed a few coats of black paint. I mean, how cool to say that you could store cigars in your humidor nightstand!?

In the end I won. And for $10 we took the pink nightmare home. Where it sat for almost 2 months, hideously pink, in the corner of our bedroom.

Finally, I decided that there had been plenty of dreaming and planning here on the blog and that I should probably DO something. So here's a quick little DIY for ya.

To prep, I laid out a drop cloth in to work on, shook and stirred my quart of black paint, and set out the two foam brushes I planned on using. Foam brushes won't leave brush marks. I chose regular satin paint over spray paint partly because it was winter and partly because I feel like I have a little more control over the finished product with a can of paint.

I also put in a Harry Potter movie for entertainment value - this is a very important step you won't want to skip.

I started with the table upside down to make sure everything would get a good coating. This also meant that when it was done, I could just move it back into the bedroom while it was still a little tacky.

The hardware had been painted pink too and I didn't want to paint it black. I read somewhere that you could soak hardware in vinegar and the paint would come right of, but I couldn't get the hardware off the table. Impatience got the best of me and I used the screw driver (and a butter knife) to scrape off the pink paint. As photographed, I also tried nail polish remover. It didn't work in case you were wondering.

I scratched it in several places pretty badly. I may not be the best DIY-er... But I figure that it'll hardly be noticeable in the corner of our bedroom. And if it's really getting to me I can always just paint them.

So once I had three, yes three, coats of paint on the undersides of the table, I flipped it right side up. I did another three coats on anything that was pink, leaving the area around the hardware unpainted...

For another month. Did I mention that I may not be so great at DIYing?

Once I got back to the project, I used a small brush to go around the hardware. Any paint that got on the hardware I just scraped off with my screwdriver/butter knife combo once it dried.

For a little added touch of masculinity, I added some silver, almost mirrored contact paper to the inside.

The result?

'Tis a thing of beauty.

Husband is happy and has a place to keep his glasses and phone at night, Wife is happy that Husband isn't reaching over her in the morning to get his stuff. We both like that it feels vintage-y but it also matches the other finishes in the room and the overall style. He'll still need some kind of lamp - I'm thinking a floor lamp, or small chandelier. Are two chandeliers too many? What would you do?

Dig it.

It's officially my thing - relating our home improvement projects to classic childhood movies. Ha!

Yesterday we spent about 4 hours working in the yard. Like the curtains that still don't exist in our home, I had never tackled the yard either. When I first moved in, I knew it would need some work. 

2 summers ago, my dad came and cut down the branches of all the bushes. He and my mom said they would help me pay for a landscaper to come dig them out, build a retaining wall, plant some perennials, and mulch. I got a couple quotes. Both around $2,500. Whoa! Way too much to clean up the front yard. It never got cleaned up that year. 

Or last summer. See, I got engaged and my dad decided it was now our responsibility. I can't blame him really. He's almost 60, works over 50 hours a week at a cement company about an hour from his house, and now here's this young guy with spare time and a little muscle about to marry his daughter. Torch passed!

Well, with Husband-to-be working three jobs, myself working one very busy job and training for my first half marathon, and both of us planning a wedding - it fell by the wayside. Husband-to-be vowed that when he moved in, he'd make a yard to be proud of. 

This year has been promising for the yard. I've settled into my job, which was a new position to me last year. I'm running the half marathon again this year, but training isn't as overwhelming the second time around. Husband now lives here, and has just one full time job. It's busy, but he has plenty of down time to get some work done at home. We're obviously married, and no longer stressing about wedding details (although we still need to get our thank-you's out... working on them!)

Since we both had a three day weekend for Memorial Day, we decided to finally take down the front yard once and for all. Well, the first phase of it at least. 

Here's where we started off yesterday: (Please excuse the photo bombing kitty.)

There were 2 stumps to the left of the steps, 3 stumps to the right, and a full bush to the right. We also discovered 2 thick rooted vines on the right and another on the left. 

We didn't really have a method of digging these up, so if you're attempting this at your own home, this may not be the best way to go about it. Do some research too. 

How to Dig Up Bushes:

Tools Needed:

Point shovel

Hoe

Rake

Sawzall

Bin or bag for debris

Gloves

A strong friend or husband ;)

Time needed: 

20-30 minutes per bush (or abnormally thick rooted vine)

Steps:

1. Use the sawzall to cut down all branches, leaving only a few inches near the stump. You'll need those to yank the bush out of the ground later.

2. Dig about 2ft from the root in all directions, about 2 ft deep. Leave the dirt in a pile nearby (but separate out the weedy clumps) Smash roots with the point of the shovel or cut with the sawzall as they're uncovered. Be careful not to get dirt in the sawzall!

2. Have your strong friend or husband pull and pull and push and pull until the bush comes up. Stomp on those puppies if need be. Nothing to technical here, just keep digging, pushing, and pulling til you or your strong friend can pull the bush up. Definitely wear gloves for this and be careful not to lose your balance near the giant hole you just dug up. 

Husband demonstrates his bush stomping technique.

3. Till the rest of the area as needed. Whether you want a planter bed where the bushes were, or just grass, you'll need to prep the soil. 

4. Back fill the hole left by the bush and add new top soil if needed. You may need to use a rake to get the dirt out to nearby grass if that's where you made your pile. 

5. Check with your town to see how to dispose of the bushes. Our town sends a wood chipper through our alleys every couple of weeks spring through fall. They'll come in a day or two if you call and notify them you have branches to be chipped. So we dragged our stumps and branches to the alley. Each town is different though, so check out your town's policy. 

6. Take a shower and admire your work. 

This is pre-shower, but admiring. Trust me. The shower part is important!

Toward the end of the day my parents came to help us finish up. My mom weeded and tilled near the tree in our parkway.

Sorry, no before picture. I didn't think we'd get to this yesterday!

I raked up whirlybirds, aka helicopters, or Maple seeds. My dad and Husband (not like the same person is my dad and husband, but my dad and my husband...) cleaned up all the debris. The yard looks 100 times better than it did. 

(Photo bombing cat eats grass.)

We still need to get more top soil for the right planter bed, and garden edging. Both sides will soon get mulch and flowers. The grass is still awful, I know. It needs a major overhaul. I'd love to hear any suggestions you have! 

Lessons I Learned:
1. Wear long sleeves and gloves.
2. Always ask for help.
3. Don't pay someone $2,500 for something you can do!
4. Finish what you start - even if it's 2 years later.

Phase 2 (fall? next spring? never?) will likely include building raised planter beds. And I'm currently trying to convince Husband that it'd be nice to plant a tree on the right side of the yard - ya know, where the grass is dead anyway. 

What did you work on this weekend?

Shaking the Shag

Something really exciting happened last month. Husband and I actually agreed on something interior decor related. I know, I can't believe it either. One Friday afternoon (because once a month we both work Saturday so we're off Friday), I got an email from Joss and Main that they had a rug sale going on. I'd been looking at rugs for over a month and couldn't decide on one. This time I thought maybe Husband could help me narrow it down.

We scrolled through the page saying 'yay' or 'nay' to each rug we saw. In the end there was only one rug we both liked. And we both really liked it. Funny thing was that I'd looked at that rug before on Overstock. I wanted to make sure we were getting the best price so I went back to Overstock to see if we could get it cheaper there. Sure enough! $32 cheaper, plus free shipping, and I used a $10 coupon code. We ordered it Sunday afternoon (Husband didn't trust that I had finally made up my mind, so we thought about it for a couple days.) and received it Thursday afternoon. 

I didn't wait for Husband to get home from work. I took apart our sectional, move tons of furniture, dragged the 37 pound roll into the house and laid it down. It. Is. Awesome! I can't believe how much different the space looks. 

I was hating the paint color because it was a little too yellow. Somehow the cool tones reflect onto the walls and it looks way less yellow to me. I think especially once we get curtains up and new art on the walls it will look even more balanced color-wise. Time will tell.

I also feel like the room just looks so much more grown up. The little 5x7' black shag rug we had before screamed "We had just enough cash to get this basic rug from Ikea". Now the room feels more intentionally planned and designed. 

It kind of solidifies the plan we have for our space. A mix of retro, rustic, mid-century, and contemporary. I can now visualize how the rest of the room will come together. Honestly, my mind is now reeling with ideas that I can't wait to share!

The rug matches pretty well with everything we currently have going on in the room, but there are plenty of things that aren't up to par with the new piece. We need:

• new art above the couch
• new pillows with more updated patterns (I just dragged a few old ones out of storage for this shoot.)
• new lamps
• a coffee table update
• curtains
• TV console touch ups
• a new light above the chaise part of the couch
• frame and hang the art we have for above the TV 

Husband is probably cringing reading this to-do list right now. Sorry! Love you! How about for now we just take another look at the pretty rug...

Mega Menards!

I know there are several bloggers out there that have done store crashes - Making it Lovely, Young House Love, and Emily Henderson. I guarantee you their pictures will be better than mine. (Have I ever mentioned that I don't even own a camera? I've just been using my cell phone. A story for another day...) I can also guarantee you their local Menards' aren't as amazing as mine.

Strangely, the outside looks just like any other Menards. Large warehouse type building, green awnings, trucks in the parking lot, etc. When you step inside, it's like walking into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Room. (Just a refresher):

This here is one half of the store as seen from an upstairs balcony.  I could've gone crazy with arrows pointing out all the fantastic features, but it would have spoiled the view. So if you look closely, there are 3 suspended walkways, the millwork department, kitchens and appliances, cleaning and organizing, paint, flooring, tools, and the building department. Behind me, not in the shot, (because I didn't want to risk looking anymore crazy by taking even more pictures) there was a snack bar with a few tables. This store is so big, you may actually need to stop for a snack and a coffee. 

On the other half of the store you'd find bathrooms, exteriors, lighting (behind me), and a huge glass elevator. (I'll leave the Willy Wonka reference out this time...) Somewhere on the first floor there were also cards, DVD's, pet products, hardware, and several aisles of food. 

Beside the ginormous glass elevator in the back corner of the store, there's this crazy cool escalator/moving walkway that Husband demonstrates riding so well:

It takes quite a while to get up, but it's waaaaay better than the weird cart carrier contraption they've got at Ikea. Or at least our Ikea.

Example:

Schaumburg Ikea via Yelp

Have you ever tried to wrestle your cart onto one of those things? Oh my word, it is not easy.

The awesomeness doesn't end there though, friends. I've saved the best for last. One of the first aisles we encountered upon walking into the store was none other than the spray paint aisle. Observe:

So. Much. Spray Paint! I could paint so many things. In so many colors. And then the Oompa Loompa's would have to sing a silly song about how I turned myself radioactive from the fumes. (I am so sorry, I had no idea this post would relate to well to the old school Willy Wonka) 

On top of the store being amazing in size and product display, I have to say that the employees were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. I'm in no way being paid or perked for this post, I just really had a fantastic experience there. If you live in the area, I highly recommend taking a slow stroll and soaking it all in. And if you don't live nearby, well I'm sorry. Visit us soon?

Anyone else checked this place out yet? 

Fabric Fail

I had mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to make some curtain panels for our living room which has never had curtains in the entire 4 years I've lived in my home. I'm talkin' pretty important stuff here. The update I wanted to give was a super excited post entitled "Third's the Charm", meaning we had chosen option #3.

Braemore Tribal Find Ikat Chevron Aquamarine

There was a fantastic 30% Off promotion going on for Valentines Day, which was right about the time we wanted to buy it. It would have been about $160 for 12 yards and free shipping. I figured I'd spend about $120 if I found some in store that I liked, and what's $40 more for curtains that I LOVE?

Except that I forgot to buy them before the promotion ended. Whomp whomp.

They had another promotion going on that would have put the fabric at about $185 and still free shipping. It just seemed liked way too much money to spend on curtains.

FAIL.

It's been a couple months since the incident which has given me some time to reevaluate the plan for the living room. I can't disclose the full plan yet, but I will fill you in on the upcoming curtain project I have planned.

Black and White Zig Zag Pattern, source unknown

I wanted chevron. I wanted a black and white pattern in the room somewhere. I couldn't find black and white chevron curtains ready to hang but then I saw this tutorial on Pinterest. I know this works because we had already painted an aisle runner for our wedding.

Photo by Oijoy Photography

Gorgeous, right?! So that's the new plan. Find light blocking white curtains, paint them black striped.

Have you ever tried painting fabric? What was the outcome? Any tips to share?