Fall Entrance

I do not enjoy working outside. But I DO enjoy driving up to a house that has some hint of curb appeal, so I press on.

One of the reasons I do not enjoy working outside is that I cannot keep plants alive. Maybe if I remembered to water them I would have more success, but that is just too much remembering for this old girl to do.

When it came to my front entrance, I had visions of mums and pumpkins dancing in my head. Then I decided that it was ridiculous to fork out a bunch of money on mums that would probably not make it through Halloween.

So here's what I did.

I have used and used and used these square wreaths on my front doors. However, when I got them out for the fall they were looking rather, well rather used.

They were terribly faded. I was very sad because they were kind of expensive and I just couldn't replace them. Then I thought about the leafy green spray paint I had in the garage. A couple quick shots of spray paint and they were as good as new!

I covered some cushions in red vinyl tablecloths. I spent $6 on mini pumpkins and gourds at the local farmer's market. I also allowed myself to spend $6 on 3 mums. (They probably won't make it til Halloween, but I can stand losing $6.) Oh and I didn't repot the mums. I just wrapped them in scraps of burlap tied with raffia.

I thought about putting a mum in this basket, but I liked the look of piled up pumpkins instead. Actually it is just 3 pumpkins, the orange one is sitting on a small paint can. Oh and the ivy is fake. Yeah, I'll probably be that old lady that puts fake flowers in her flower beds. I kind of care that it's not real, but then I remember that I don't have to water it and that I can't kill it. So then I stop caring.

Now here's some close ups...

And some wide shots...

Oh and that giant mum. I didn't buy that one. I'm just babysitting it for a friend :)

It is hoping she returns soon!

W is for Windows: Part III, Exterior Version

Last post on windows.
Have I worn you all out yet?

I have told you of my sea of beige.
Beige brick, beige shutters, beige trim.
Such a sad state.
Here is a shot of some of my beige before:

Hubby made the shutters for me.
You all helped me pick out the paint:
I went for the darkest brown (the one on the far right).
Hubby painted them for me and then got right on hanging them up.

The lower windows were no problem.
I held onto them (sort of) while hubby used a hammer drill to screw them into the brick.
The tricky part were those second story windows.
Remember this picture:
The left window wasn't that hard, I was able to hang out of the window and hand the tools to hubby as he needed them. He still had to hold the shutter up with one hand and drill with the other, but it went pretty smoothly.
Did I mention that he is freakishly strong?
He is 5'9" but he is solid muscle, I was impressed.

The nemesis was the right window.
I couldn't get the screen out to help him by hanging out the window so
he had to do it ALL by himself.
Hold the super heavy shutter, the super heavy hammer drill and keep the shutter level. According to him my job was to hold the ladder.
According to me my job was to hold the ladder and protect my head in the event he dropped the drill or the shutter.
Do you see foreshadowing here?

The shutter got the best of him.

It came crashing down and barely missed my head by what seemed like millimeters.
It came to rest on the air conditioner unit.
Thankfully nothing was damaged terribly, it was all purely cosmetic.
I was a little miffed that hubby was not more concerned about my condition, but he was probably lightheaded from holding all that crap up.
Before I show you the afters, I have to share a conversation that reminded me, once again, that God picked the right man for me.

Background: we are trying to extend that 20 foot ladder to its full height. (If you are unaware, as I was, an extendable ladder that is extended to its full height is really heavy and really hard to handle)

Hubby: Put your feet on the end of the ladder while I try to lower it.

Me: Okay, hang on (I have on flip flops)

At this point the ladder slips just a little

Me: Wait, it's slipping

The ladder slips again, I get scared, back up, let go of the ladder and it lands on hubby's back

Hubby (in an insanely calm voice): Put your feet on the ends of the ladder

Me:(while trying to put my feet on the ladder, I am bracing myself on the ladder, which is on his back)

Hubby: (still insanely calm) Please don't push on the ladder, it is on my back.

Really, that is all he said.

I wish you could have been there.
Super heavy ladder, wife adding more weight by pushing on it and he says "please."
I would have been hollering like a maniac.

Anyway, here are some before and afters:

This is the view as you come up the road to the house:

See that missing shutter?

That's where the one that almost killed me was

(said with some drama).

This is the view from the back (the area that is under the deck).
That is one of the back doors
(we have MANY means of egress, most of which I have painted "Crabby Apple")

Just a few more pics, just because hubby worked so hard on the shutters.
And maybe just a little hard on trying to kill me.

One of the windows on the deck

Looks so much more welcoming!!

Upping the Curb Appeal

Last week Donna over at Funky Junk Interiors issued a challenge for us to "Gitter Done."
I'm all about a challenge and it was perfect timing for "U" week

and to simply get something done!

In my last post I may have misled some of you that I got all those
"updates" done in less than a week.
So not true.
My point in that comment was that I redecorated this house when we moved
7 months ago and I have already started doing some things over.
So, for me to finish something that I didn't already "finish" was a big step!

For Donna's party we didn't have to do anything big and it didn't have to involve decorating, we just merely had to set a goal and get it done.
Well, you know me, everything has SOMETHING to do with decorating.
I chose to work on this:

My front entrance area.
The garage is perpendicular to the front door so the area around my front door is basically a driveway. There not alot to work with in term of curb appeal.

I've told you all about my beigeness.
Nothing was saved from the beige paint.
The door looked kind of weird just floating above the big beige sea.

It wasn't that much work.
I just really planted some flowers, hung a basket and painted the front step, but it really made a difference.
Here's the after:
I am planning on hanging some house numbers, I just can't find exactly what I am looking for. They will go in the area between the basket and the front door.


I put some flowers in the planter area and ooooh, there is a shutter...


You can see just a glimpse of my new shutters,
but you will have to come back for "W" week to see more of those and hear the story about hanging them. Let's just say only the air conditioner was injured in the process but almost not!

Come by Donna's and see what other people have gotten done and come back to me this week for "V." I have 2 posts planned and maybe you'll find something to take away from it!