An Adventure in Bluestone

This weekend was filled with house projects. Projects that had been in the making for months or longer. With the "polar vortex" that hit New England this weekend, we donned hats, hand warmers, and hot coffee to power through these "to dos" of the weekend.

First up was finishing the diy trash bin. It all started after too many mornings of this…

...We decided it was time to outsmart the raccoons and build a trash bin that would fit 2 circular trash containers with a solid lid. I managed to build the bin (with Andrew's help of course) out of 2x4s, galvanized nails & screws, 1/2" plywood and lots of swearing.  One day of building, one afternoon of shingling. It's nothing fancy, but it gets the job done - the trash is now intact & in the bin each morning. Gone are the mornings of picking up soggy containers, old meat remnants and God knows what else...

We also spent the weekend sanding and mudding the upstairs & entryway hallways. This project began LAST March with the removal of 1/2 the ceiling and installation of can lights.  Sheetrock was put up a couple sheets at a time, followed by months with gapping holes. After a while I forgot that part of the ceiling was missing, that sheetrock nails were on every surface and that I still did not have a linen closet that I had dreamt of months earlier.  All in due time, my friend.

And so we made it a few more steps closer to putting paint up on the walls. I for one will be psyched when house days no longer involve dust masks or the "nails on a chalkboard" also known as scraping mud on walls.  Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

And then the BIG, gigantic adventure in bluestone that was Friday. The first few weeks of living in the house, we realized that the chimney leaked each and every time it rained. Turns out there was no proper piece of bluestone or chimney cap on top of the chimney. There was a cement "cap" that had a large crack in the center, not so successfully covering the opening in the chimney.

Last year we asked our Portuguese mason to fix it. Apparently climbing up on the roof or getting in a crane and then putting a bit piece of bluestone on the chimney was not gonna happen.  Once we asked him, he suddenly forgot any part of English that we'd heard before and stopped returning our phone calls.

And this is how I learned to brick...

Andrew used his engineering, spacial genius to almost give me a heart attack and get that piece of 250 lb bluestone from the driveway, up the side of the house, and onto the top of 4 stacks of bricks. Nothing was broken. No mishaps happened. It was a surprisingly easy ordeal.  To which Andrew likes to remind me - he should not be doubted, it all works out.

It was literally the ballsiest and most brilliant operation and adventure that 82 Middle Ave has ever seen. And there has been a lot to be seen….

Fall Decor

One of my favorite things about living in New England are the changing & distinct seasons. Winter brings white magical snows, hibernation & big cups of warm hot chocolate. We are all awakened by spring with the chirping birds, sprouting flowers & end of Daylight Savings time. Then its the crisp sunny summer days spent sailing, antiquing and soaking in the fleeting rays.  And the best season of them all?! Fall of course. We hate to see summer go, but the aroma of spiced cider, hayrides & pumpkins, and colorful leaves entice us to enjoy every second of this cozy season.

With each new season comes new decorations. Now that our house is a bit more civilized these days, I am starting to spend more time & resources on fun decorations to spruce the place up. I have to be honest. I was hesitant to decorate this season. After a big wedding, you kind of look to settle in, relax and save $$.  But it turns out, I needed to nest and I found a way to transform my house without spending a whole lot. I bought a few things, did a little DIY, and visited my local farmer's market.

Here are a few ideas for your home!

DIY Berry Wreath
We don't keep plants alive very well - in fact just about every plant we've ever had dies in a matter of days of arriving at Middle Ave. We even killed our mums - I thought those were supposed to live no matter what?! So, this wreath I LOVE. I filled a basic grapevine wreath with artificial berries & dried Lotus Pods from Hobby Lobby for under $15. The best part? It will stay fresh for years:)

 

Mantel Decoration
I love our mantel, mostly because Andrew built it in our garage. It's a bit narrow, so its a little challenging to decorate, especially since bulky decorations are a no go. I found a way to use simple decor with baby pumpkins & gourds from our local farm, lanterns I bought last year off One Kings Lane, and a rustic frame we got from our day at Brimfield. Thank you to Pinterest for the "give thanks" idea.

Candy Corn

A decoration you can eat AND adds style & decor? That's a winner in my book! 

Curb Appeal
Currently with the look of the front of our house, there is only one section that has curb appeal. One section without tyvek, a fogged out window, and old rotten shingles…We tell people - don't look up! Again, I made a berry wreath last year & added the "C" for our new name, put out some pumpkins from the local farmers market & bought 2 lanterns from IKEA. I personally hate IKEA, but for $23 you can't go wrong with these two!

Happy Fall Decorating!! 

Recipe Roundup

I don't know if it was all the apples we picked last Sunday afternoon at Young's Family Farm but all of the sudden I got the urge to be domestic. 

This week I have been cooking up a storm, trying out new recipes, and transforming our house to all things FALL. Somehow it takes almost all the leaves to be on the ground, apple cider to be in every store, and the approaching end of October for me to realize its time to switch gears to a new season. Better late than never!

Andrew has started a new gig and been working 10 hour days with a 3 hour commute, so I've been looking for easy recipes that will keep that man full and happy. Not to mention, the weather around here has been the dreaded New England grey, so comfort food has been a must!

Here are my top 3 fall recipes from this week in the kitchen.

FALL RECIPES

Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Andrew was hesitant, but this fall soup is perfect for a New England, rainy day. Loaded with flavor and nutrients, this recipe is super easy to make and will have you licking the bowl.  Paired with a piece of ciabata or french bread (for all you glutards like me, rice crackers pair well), this soup will satisfy everyone!

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Talk about filling a room with flavorful smells!! This easy crockpot recipe is packed with flavor and a Thai favorite.  Throw that chicken and sauce in the pot before you leave for work and you will return to shredded garlic, honey goodness. Rice & broccoli go well with this!


Apple Pie Filling
We must have spent an hour taste testing all variations of apples as we walked the rows of apple trees. We filled a huge bag with all the red and green goodies. Now that I have bowls upon bowls of apples at home, I needed a way to use them up and savor the fall for weeks to come. This recipe for apple pie filling is perfect. I made a few batches to freeze and pull out when we have guests who might crave a cozy old fashioned apple pie.


It just so happens that most of our favorite recipes this week involve thai food. Good thing we are going to Thailand for our honeymoon in a few months! Try them out and let me know what you think!


...More on all things fall next week!

The Big Reveal

I have been waiting for all the stars to align, the final touches to be made, and the "ah ha" moment. That moment has finally arrived this week! A large section of the back of our house is complete! The transformation hasn't seemed drastic over the past year, but when I compared the "Before" and "After" pictures the difference is incomparable!  Is it even the same house??

Over the past month we invested in the outdoor shower which debuted not long ago; a beautiful stone walkway completed by our friends at It's About Thyme Gardening out of Portsmouth, RI; some steps for the back porch (a novel idea); and pretty summer flowers that I found in nearby Bristol.  A lot of hard work and time went into this house project and we love the results! 

I was hesitant about hiring a contractor to landscape, but the end result was well worth the added expense!! The curve on the grey stone pavers and the cobblestone flower beds really pulled the whole back area together.

Eventually over time the entire house will look like this back section with fresh paint and new cedar shingles. We chose Sherwin Williams "Naval" and "Gray Clouds" as our colors for the exterior. We found that their Duration paint is the best exterior paint - a little bit pricey, but a nice gloss finish and  excellent durability.  The cedar shingles are from Liberty Cedar in Kingston, Rhode Island and the materials for the outdoor shower are spay leftover from Andrew's sister's house construction.  The outdoor light we found online at Lighting Direct. 

Stay tuned for the front porch reveal in the next few weeks...

Outdoor Showers

Growing up I learned quickly that summer time meant 10 cent lemonade stands, waking up early to fish or crab, fun dip at swim meets, white blonde hair, freeze pops on a humid Virginia summer day, Otis Redding and Jimmy Buffett, sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, slip 'n slides, sand in my bathing suit bottom, and outdoor showers. 

I don't know what it is about outdoor showers, but in my opinion, they represent everything good in this life. They remind me of long, hot summer days…relaxation…simplicity…family vacations…and wholesome, refreshing days.  Every house we've ever rented or stayed in at the beach, lake or river that has an outdoor shower is 5 stars in my book. I could care less if the place has cable tv, a fancy bar or pool, or a killer view…give me an outdoor shower and I am sold! 

So when I asked Andrew last year if we could build an outdoor shower, I got no arguments!  Just two weeks ago we went to a pool party and there was an outdoor shower. I suddenly had this urge to have one of my own…NOW…before the summer disappears into the fall leaves. So as Andrew and I are discussing house projects and priorities, I quickly moved "kickass outdoor shower" to the top of the list and bumped "stairs to front porch" just below. Sorry mail lady and visitors…eventually, we will have steps to our front door again, but for now, we have a kickass outdoor shower. 

My future husband stole my heart again with this one...

How it all came together: 

Epay wood - leftover from Andrew's sister's house

Mixer and shower head - Home Depot, installed by Andrew

Soap Dish - Perfectly Natural Soap

Towel Hooks - Pottery Barn (on backorder)

Monkey's Fist - DIY by Andrew

Brass Cleat - Repurposed from a boat

House-aversary

Well folks, in just a matter of days we will have lived in Tiverton, Rhode Island for a YEAR! May 17th  marks the anniversary of closing and moving into this little gem. Although its had its ups and downs and deep pockets, we are so grateful to call this place home. I know I am grateful for a place to call our own, and it will mean even more once we share the same name in less than four months! It has been a lot of work (and still is!) but worth the effort. It is a team effort and although I think its hard to admit, we will be sad when its "done" (are houses ever done?!)

We can also now say that 4 months after gutting the upstairs bedroom and office, we have completed that project!! Here is the reveal (well, some of it, the rest will come in June when things are more moved in!)…

BEFORE

AFTER

Landscaping is another task we can check off the list - or at least for the front. This massive, ugly pine tree blocked the whole view of our house and was threatening to choke off the power lines. You know its a small town when the landscaper who came to cut it down grew up in our house and his dad planted that tree when he was a kid!!

BEFORE

AFTER

In the 3 hours since its been down, almost all the neighbors on the street have stopped by to say how great it looks. Its amazing now to notice how crappy everything looks on the front when its wide open:)

Oh, and check out the new sweet grill that my godmother gave us as a wedding gift…LOVE. We put this to good use Saturday night with a BBQ, some beer and bocce ball in the backyard! Thanks to Andrew for leveling it off and building the perfect platform for it and Cousin Margaret & Ted for the gift that keeps on giving. Absolute score.

And so the next three weeks have a lot of work in store. I am off to the BVI to work (or "work" as Andrew says) while I leave Andrew with a cupboard full of boxed mac & cheese and cans of ravioli. His goal is to gut the guest room back to studs and do it all over again - new windows, remove midget window, insulate, sheetrock, resize closet, etc etc etc. And in that, also finish the hallway walls and ceiling.

Luckily we hired a plaster team to come in and skim coat the downstairs walls this week so that the walls are ready for the paint department (ME:) when I return the 2nd of June.

It will be a busy busy 3 weeks at Middle Ave. Don't worry, Andrew has promised to document the whole thing while I am away and get all the dirty work done:)

Happy House-aversary Middle Ave!!