A different kind of renovation

Two years ago I find this table at the Salvation Army store.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but I HAD to have it. I loved the lines and it was a steal!

Well now - yes it took two years - it looks like this...

It is painted with American Paint Company clay/chalk/mineral paint - an all natural product made in the good old US of A!  It is zero VOC, eco-friendly and solvent free. The only finish on it is wax.

And aren't these knob adorable?

The table itself measures 48 inches x 29 inches - the perfect size for a sectional.

I decided to sell it so if you are interested or know someone who is looking for a coffee table, let me know.  It is a one-of-kind piece.

One more look

It is Labor Day Weekend.  It wouldn't be a proper holiday weekend around here if we didn't have a project. Saturday evening, Troy suggested that we go to Home Depot and buy some "arts and crafts supplies".

We've been talking about building a bench around one of the trees in our back yard. That was the plan. Somehow between drawing a design for the bench, we got on the topic of a fire-pit. The budget only allowed for one project and the fire-pit won!

Off to Home Depot we went and we came home with 61 landscape edging blocks. We had to load them on the cart then load them into the truck.  We added a few bags of concrete (for a ramp to the shed) and chimney caps (which I will never see in their proper installation because you will NEVER catch me on the roof). Poor truck!

It was quite a load!  So instead of spending my morning at the gym, I did the Farmers Walk with brick! Functional Fitness!!

(A little beefcake for you today!)

Course one had to be level.  We picked this spot since no grass grows here anyway!

Less than an hour later we had 5 courses. Our design was based on reusing parts a grill/fire-pit that came with the house. It even had a cover! We'd used it in the past to as a fire-pit and figured it would make a great base. Waste not, want not.

We decided to remove one course of brick to get a better fit and five courses was just too high. The insert fit perfectly! Seriously, a fire-pit by 8 am.

Using more of our waste not, want not philosophy, I bought a couple cans of spray paint to give some old chairs new life.  I decided to use my favorite color - apple green.  You might remember this color from the shed trim!

Eventually we will replace these with Adirondack style chairs and sidetables made from the some tree stumps we have in the yard - more waste not, want not!

 Reminds me or our first motorcycle vacation to The Tail of the Dragon in the Great Smokey Mountains.

Back to the back yard!  Viola!  A new relaxing space in the back yard.  We are all ready for the cooler nights of Autumn to come.

A little work and a little ingenuity and we are ready for the first cool evening.  S'mores anyone?

When I last left you - oh so many moons ago (sorry) - we had a shed with walls, a roof and windows.  But not door, the rafters were still open and no trim.

We designed our own doors - they look kind of like barn doors don't they?

added some trim - even around the windows.  Sharp looking don't you think?

Critter control is was accomplished with some wire mesh.  Lets the air in but keep the pesky squirrels out!

And how is this for a charming feature?

Shutters - made with fence posts.  Oh and see my lovely chop saw - by far my favorite tool! - besides Troy that is - :)

We got real busy on Fourth of July!  No plain white trim for me!

Apple Green for me!!!

Now for a little landscaping - impatience in the window box and transplanted grasses hide the block.  Tip to homeowners - find out where your fiber optic lines runs BEFORE you start digging up plants.  We ended up with no TV or internet most of the 4th of July weekend because SOMEBODY hit the line.  (Not saying who but I would think someone who works in civil engineering would have thought of this!)

Now Izzy has another place to hide!

So there you have it!  The cutest shed in the whole wide world!!!  It is high and dry.  I have my own workbench.  Best of all the garage is emptier and the bike has a designated parking spot inside!

What is next - not sure.  We need to do some work out front but we are also considering continuing our work in the back yard.  Next time, we'll call Miss Utility BEFORE we dig/  Right Troy?  (Tee Hee)

The Perfect Red for a Shed

Two weeks ago was my birthday so we took the weekend off to go to Outer Banks of North Carolina to celebrate and experience some of Outer Banks Bike Week.

Sadly the weather did not cooperate and there wasn't much of a bike week experience but we had an enjoyable time getting away from the long list of things to do around here.

Last weekend, we got the shed primed and this weekend we got it painted.  I think it is the perfect color!

I suppose I could just pretend that all those branches are not in the picture, but I think you need an explanation.  No, we didn't have a storm.  Troy had some limbs taken down - one which hung right over the roof and made him very nervous every time we did have a storm.  And then some dead branches were also taken down.

So part of the weekend was also devoted to clean up.  We gave most of the wood to a neighbor who has a wood burning stove.  We kept some for our "fire pit". There will be some trips to the dump as well with the smaller branches.

Izzy enjoyed playing hide and seek in the branches.  Where Izzy?

With painting done, flashing is up and there are just a few details left - building the doors, adding some screening and some trim work.

And we've got some action in the garden.  I'll share that later this week.

Playing in the dirt...

It is that time of year again.  Planting time.

I do not have much of a green thumb but last year Troy decided it might be fun to plant some veggies.  We ended up with some harvest so we decided to do it again.

Last year we planted

• green and yellow beans
• cucumbers
• tomato
• carrots
• radishes
• peas
• and catnip

We had good success with the beans.  Way too many cukes.  The tomato plant got HUGE.  Our best crop - catnip!!

This year we planted

• tomato
• green peppers (two varieties)
• radishes
• bib lettuce
• spinach
• brussel sprouts
• yellow squash
• zucchini
• peas

Mounds for the squash and two varieties of peppers 

We decided to plant the tomato in a pot and we will add a trellis if needed.  Troy doesn't eat raw tomatoes so this plant is for me.

The rectangular pot is for herbs - tarragon and rosemary and another pot (not pictured) is for parsley.  The large green pot in this picture and the tan square one in the one above is for catnip.  That stuff kind of took over last year so we thought using pots might be a better idea - and it might keep Izzy out of the garden!

Isn't he handsome??

We've already talked about building another bed next year and maybe another one the year after that!.  

Planting our garden was a great way to end a very pleasant weekend.  Maybe by next Monday's post we'll have somethings sprouting!

Everyone deserves a day off!

We decided that we would take the weekend off from construction.  We pretty much blew the budget with last weekends roofing and siding and windows.  This happens to us at least once during every project.

Besides - the house was a mess.  Construction doesn't leave time for the normal chores and we tracked a lot of extra dirt and mud inside as well.  We needed to spend a weekend the normal chores.

While I worked on Saturday morning, Troy got the yard mowed.  When I got home we tag-teamed the house.  A nice dinner and a night watching the race and we called it a day.

Sunday morning, I went grocery shopping.  Strange at is seems, this is a chore I've really learned to enjoy.  I found a great store that is not busy on Sunday mornings.  It is well stocked at that time as well.  I stuck to my list thanks -  in part to eating breakfast - bacon and eggs.  Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach is a big no-no!!

With that chore done and the afternoon free, we decided to join the Sunday Fun Ride our local Harley Owners Group has each week.  We are new members of the Bayside HOG Chapter but at our first two meetings we met some very nice people.  The weather was perfect for a ride and the company and conversation was very enjoyable.  I look forward to more rides with the group on our new bike - purchased in January 2014.

One of the group members mentioned that they were growing a lot of their own food this year which reminded us that we are probably a little late with our garden.  We dropped off the bike and picked up the truck and off to HD we went - this time for some seeds and a few bags of top soil.  

It looks like a shed!!!

Sunday - noise ordinance checked.  We can begin work at 7 am.  Well not me!  I'm still drinking my first cup of coffee at 7:30 am.  But Troy is eager to get to work.

Last evening, he went to Home Depot and bought the siding and the nails we needed for today's work.  We had decided on the wood siding with the wide planking on a previous scouting trip.  These scouting trips are highly recommended.  With these decisions made ahead of time, it is a quick in and out of the store.  And with phone camera's it is easy to store the right product number and pricing information.

Today's work was much like hanging drywall and is NOT my favorite.  Communication is the key and we were not always on the same page today.  But the siding is up and it looks like a shed!

We still have to make doors, add some flashing to the roofline, decide on some trim.

But it is already proving to be useful!

I have a few surprises up my sleeve yet - colors for the siding and trim still to be revealed and a special project or two.  Stay tuned!

 

Rah Rah Roofing day!

I am absolutely amazed at how much progress we made on the shed this weekend.

Finally the weather coopeated - sunshine and warm enough - Friday very warm - near 80.  Saturday was cooler - near perfect weather - 70.  Sunday a bit cooler but with no wind, the afternoon was quite pleasant.

During the day on Friday, Troy got the boards and tar paper on the roof done.  A trip to Home Depot when I got home from work for windows and shingles set the schedule for the weekend.

Early Saturday morning Troy went back to Home Depot to get the special tool we would need for this morning's work - a roofing nailer.

See the black round thing?  That holds the nails.  They come in a coil.

A wire holds them together.  All in all it is a pretty daunting machine but when I finally overcame my fear of it, I actually LOVE this tool.  In some ways it is like an air stapler.  Made quick work of the roof!

Never having done a roof before, I needed some instruction.  You have to stagger the shingles so the seams don't line up and the flaps overlap.  This sheds the water and keeps water from penetrating the roof.

staggered shingles

work in progress

By early afternoon we had a roof!  BTW, the shingles didn't go as far as the package said and an emergency trip to HD was necessary.

We also got the windows in.  They will add a bit of light and ventilation when I am working inside the workshop/shed.

a good days work!

I'm actually quite proud of myself as I'm not comfortable with ladders or heights but eventually I got comfortable on the roof.  I didn't to go near the edge even towards the end of the day.  All in all I think I was a useful assistant.