Backyard Update

Things are in full swing around here.  The garden is coming along pretty nicely.  Few things I know I'll do differently next year.  Like follow the rules on planting times.  My corn was crazy disfigured because I planted most of them too early.  Crossing my fingers for the larger two.  Peas got overwatered and I think I replanted too early for fall crop.  Lettuce I didn't pick in time so most finally bolted.  Still have a few varieties that are allowing me to eat them.  Green beans aren't really going as much as I would like...needing some trellis action!  Tomatoes, beets, eggplants and carrots all doing pretty well.

Even the tomatoes I planted by seed...maybe they'll catch up in time to get some in early fall.

 Zucchini is NUTS.  Easiest plant to grow EVER.

Baby decorator pumpkins I got started too early too.  We'll have some ready by September I bet!

Lavender is finally blooming...so purdy!

The most exciting thing going on around here though is that Papa John is back in town!  The boys were working hard getting post holes dug for our fence to go up.  Dwight was an excellent supervisor!

How is everyone else's garden fairing?  I miss Oregon growing!

Lantern Jazzing

I know you are all growing impatient with me not showing you the newest backyard feature, but I swear I will in a couple days.  It's amazing how much dust can cover everything when construction is going on in the lot behind you.  I have a lot to clean before I can show it off in pictures.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a mini project that will help jazz up the backyard once it's cleaned.  I saw a picture of a turquoise outdoor lantern in one of my latest magazines and rushed online to see if I could order it.  Already sold out.  Whomp, whomp.  Then I realized that I already had an outdoor lantern.  All it needed was a little TLC and it would be just as awesome as the magazine one (btw it was this one at kmart).

Here is my lantern pre-sprucing.

I went to good ol' wally mart and grabbed a $4 bottle of spray paint in a very fun color similar to the desired online version.  Then removed all the glass and gave them a good scrubbing.  Next was the fun spraying in which I refused to go out in the heat and instead gassed out my husband by doing it in the garage and letting it permeate into the house.  I am such a smart person.

After popping back in the glass and sliding in a fresh new outdoor candle, she looks even better than new!

Now we can really enjoy our nights outside!

Media Cabinet Mayhem

This project actually started WAY back last fall when Chris and I decided that we needed to find a media cabinet for the living room.  We had no storage in there and everything for the TV was crazy all over the place.  Plus there was a huge open space just begging to be filled.  I looked around for awhile at furniture stores, but just didn't think we could commit to a $300+ piece right now.  Not when I know that we will only be here a few more years and I have no idea what our next home is going to look like.

So it was decided that we would try to find an old fixer-upper.  We checked out Deseret Industries and found an old dresser for $65 that we thought fit the bill.  Will a little love and tender care we could make her into a happy media cabinet.

After a whirlwind trip to the Home Depot a few towns north to rent a pickup truck for an hour so we could get it home, we were left with this blank canvas.

Gorgeous wood decorations...don't mind the broken hinge.

Stellar hardware...

Just beautiful!

Lol.  It was so old school.  But we loved it.  Loved it so much that it stayed that way in our garage for six whole months before we started working on it.

And I wasn't the one who even started in May.  I think Chris was so tired of it taking up space in there that he just went for it one day without even a consultation.  I was happy though, for some reason I just couldn't muster up the strength to tackle it myself.  He got it all sanded and filled in all the small wood detailing.  Even added some wood to the bottom to flatten it out.

Thoroughly modernized.

Next was my turn.  I got my mojo back.  I decided to use that same blue/green that I've used on everything else because that's what happens when you get a gallon instead of a quart of very expensive paint.  You are obligated to use every last drop.

Paint, paint, paint. And paint some more!

Finally time for distressing.

Turned out better with another color over the prime.  Love!

Next we took some 1/4 inch boards and filled in the old drawer spaces behind the double doors.  We needed a place to put the DVD player/game console and figured we probably shouldn't keep it as a dresser.  This is the media cabinet transformation.  Caterpillar to butterfly.

Paint, paint, paint.  Sand, sand, sand.  Hammer, whack, thump.

FINALLY.  DONE.

My favorite part of furniture rehab is up next.  Attaching those beautiful Anthro knobs.  YESSSSS.

And some Home Depot handles.

And voila!  We have ourselves a working media cabinet!

Don't mind those awful cuts in the back...this is what happens when you forget to drill the wire holes in the garage and no one wants dust flying everywhere.  Sometime in the future those will be cleaned up.  Until then, the doors just stay closed.

All beautimous...finally no cords everywhere!

What was that?  You wanted a close up of that awesome vintage window next to the TV?

Yes, those are more nautical knots.  Figure eights and butterflies to be exact.  By the time I'm done with this place we'll need to buy a boat so I can show off my skillzzz.

And just because I haven't shown you an up to date photo in awhile, here are a few more shots of the living room.

Wedding photo collage.

My awesome wedding pedestals designed and crafted by our very own Papa John.  Also featuring beautiful wedding gifts.

And the full frontal.

Hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Antique Amazement

All right.  You know how in a previous post I mentioned there were no good thrift stores around here?  Basically three within the next town up and the next town down.  Ugh.

Well, when Papa John and I went on an outing one day while he was here, there happened to be a fire on the freeway right after we would have entered.  The wreck must have JUST happened.  Cars were just starting to back up.  Luckily, we saw it in time and decided to head over the overpass, turn around and take the back way to the Depot.  Instead we noticed the car in front of us turn onto a truck route that ran parallel to the freeway, so we figured we'd follow and see if it took us to the next freeway entrance.

It did.  And on the way I saw this beautiful sign.

I knew I'd have to go check it out one day and see what it was like.

That day just happened to be today.  I needed a hook to hang an old window in the family room and figured it would be a good place to look.

What I didn't count on was it being MASSIVE.  It was not just one warehouse, but two, and also included some outdoor goodies in the space in between them.

Here's a look at some of the fun stuff I saw.

Windows

And more windows

An awesome filing cabinet THAT I WANT NEED.

Old lockers

 Gazillions of bottles of all shapes and sizes.

Old school baby carriages.

Wood ironing boards.

Crates

Wooden ladders.

Old shutters.

Yard art.  I'll take either...

Skulls

 Military gear.

Wooden skis.

Tons of license plates.

Kitchen appliances.

And much, much more!

While I didn't end up getting anything because most of the stuff is actually pretty pricey, I still thoroughly enjoyed walking around.  This place is a must see for anyone who comes to visit!