This is my back entrance. I know, I know, it looks like crudola, but this pic was taken WEEKS ago! I've cleaned up a bit since then....and things have changed!
When I first looked at this house, I just loved the bluestone walkway against the back of the house, but realized how impractical it was, since it butted rightupclose to the foundation. I mean seriously, who walks rightupclose to their house to get into it? Not us!
So the rocks came up, and were destined for THIS lovely spot:
(again, a wreck, I know...I hadn't mowed yet, and BF brings those damnable pallets home all the time...I finally foisted those upon my sister last week. I don't know what she's going to use them for, and I don't care. They're gone. That's all that matters.
(again, a wreck, I know...I hadn't mowed yet, and BF brings those damnable pallets home all the time...I finally foisted those upon my sister last week. I don't know what she's going to use them for, and I don't care. They're gone. That's all that matters.
In preparation, BF mowed the grass VERY short. Hey, see that rattan couch over there in the background? You'll see that transformation soon too! ($50 for the couch, two chairs, and an ottoman. Ka-ching!) I also spray painted the rusty fireplace with stove paint.
Note the sad little tree that never got planted last year. Well, it's planted this year, along with its brother, and they are both in lovely pots flanking my front door. Stay tuned for those pics as well. Also note the bass boat that has been sitting in my driveway for a year. Anybody need a boat? :-/
Nice, right? I spray painted all the pieces with Krylon's plastic paint stuff. That scary floral is no longer on the furniture. I've replaced it with Sunbrella outdoor fabric:
Since BF got a tad over-zealous and started moving all the stones without a plan, this is where they sat while he (and then me) was away in San Diego. While he was gone that first week, I broke out the graph paper, and cut out little tiny paper stones, and got busy plotting the layout.
I was left with fresh garden space at the back of the house. I filled it with dirt and compost in anticipation of planting:
....and THIS is what I did at the back entry where we pulled the bluestone up. Those 18" "stones" came from Lowe's. They're cement, and they actually have a very similar texture to the bluestone. This was sort of my test run for the patio, because this is how I wanted to do it, with the pea gravel in between the stones:
So....since my camera has apparently been stolen from my car, (I'm thinking I must have left a rear window open by mistake--I ALWAYS lock my car) I don't have any afters of the patio and furniture yet. I'm going to have to use Kathleen's camera until I can scrape up the cash to buy myself a digital SLR. I figure why go back to a point-and-shoot, right? It's time I moved up in the world. Now, if only my birthday were NEXT week.....sigh....anybody got $699 bucks they're not using?
7 comments:
Yay! Updates/inspiration from the lovely Sharona! Always a treat. You've got so much potential there and always find the best way to bring it out in the most fabulous ways. I will channel my inner "Jan", though, and tell you to shape those foundation beds out, girlie . . . no straight lines allowed . . . curve them out . . . give them some FLOW. Heee! Bummer about the camera. Big bummer. People are simply on the lookout all the time anymore, to steal anything, anytime. Sad. Really sad.
OMG you're SO right about that garden bed, Diane! *sigh* I miss Jan. Where IS that girl these days anyway? I think I need to run out and curve that bed like right now! Hee! (I'm not kidding!)
I put straight 2' deep beds around the upper side of our house about four years ago. When I extended the top one beyond the back fence above the deck last year I curved it out. This year I'm curving out the last ones from four years ago. So get to gettin', girl!Hee!
Good golly, you've been busy! The new back entry looks so sharp and stylish now. What a wonderful job you did! I totally love the look. I imagine it functions perfectly well, too. Yeah, that was odd to have the walkway smack dab up against the side of the house.
And so many other projects planned, too. I see a busy summer ahead!
Check out Kenrockwell.com before you buy any new SLR. For the most part, hes got a great recommended camera site, even though he seems to be biased towards the Nikon line of SLR's. I tried out the Nikon D40 for a couple weeks. Its got great pictures in auto mode, simple to use just like a point and shoot, and easier to use than the Olympus cameras, but I got better pictures with the Olympus'. Ive got an extra SLR that I never use, the Olympus E-500 (8 meg), in great shape with about 4000shutter counts. Body only, with no lens, it would go for about $150.
I'm over at Ken Rockwell right now reading up. Thanks for the link. So....are you offering to sell me that Olympus or what? Hmmm? I'm all over it if you are. :)
Fantastic, Sharon! Cannot wait to see the finished patio - sooo cool (being something of a bluestone and pea gravel fan, myself)! BTW check your spam email - I sent you a message a week ago or so, just want to be sure you got it. Making progress here in ALB and - stay tuned - looking closely at a fixer to buy maybe (BIG maybe) in Col Co that could alter my course in the months ahead.
Leslie
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