Tis the season for nesting . ..

Meet the newest residents at Breezy Trees:

Originally, 3 beautiful blue eggs appeared in a tiny nest.

Then one day, I noticed a little hairless bird had just hatched.

A few days later, 3 cute fuzzy babies made their debut.

Mama bird must be so proud!

10 Days old. They are so fat that mama bird can't fit in the nest.

House Dog Blog: Callie

Callie was our “first born.” She came into our lives almost 15 years ago. She’s had a hard year and we didn’t think she would make it past last Christmas, but here it is 8 months later. You go girl!!!!

Unfortunately, some of the “health issues” of older dogs can make it more of a challenge when choosing some decorative items and remodeling materials. I was hoping to replace the tile floors with wood but decided I needed to wait a bit longer – tile is easy to clean. Unfortunately, most of the beautiful plush rugs I have haven’t stood up well to various doggie functions, so I’ve had to switch strategies. Luckily, many stores now carry nice indoor/outdoor rugs in many different styles, colors and patterns. Carpet squares/tiles (such as www.flor.com ) are also another good choice since each square can be replaced or picked up and rinsed off. Rugs made of organic fibers - like seagrass or sisal – are also options.

There is one more solution that I have found extremely helpful for older dogs with special needs. However, it may be a bit unconventional for some people. Doggie Diapers. Yes, you read it correctly. I was very skeptical but after doing some research and finding a pair at PetSmart, I gave them a try. They work great! Doggie diapers can also be purchased at many different sites on-line. I use Poise adult pads to line Callie’s diapers and they work well. The things we do for love.

Isn't she precious!

Countertops can be hard, in more ways than one

Ah yes, the wild and crazy world of countertops. There are soooo many options and all have their pros and cons. The kitchen originally had 12 x 12 Chinese granite tiles – they were boring and the coloring was a little odd but at least they were neutral. Unfortunately, the grout was starting to crumble and it was very hard to clean – and I HATE to clean grout – so I knew they would have to be replaced eventually. In the fall of ’08, we decided to replace the countertops with granite slabs – granite because of it’s ability to withstand stains and heat and it’s low maintenance.

Little did I know how hard it would be to remove all of the existing granite tiles. Each tile had to be smashed and pried up, then adhesive and grout had to be chiseled off, many screws removed and then the cement board chiseled off, adhesive and screws removed from the plywood and then finally the plywood. Whew - a HUGE pain in the backside. The granite tiles were also on the backsplash and when they were removed, all the drywall came with it.

After we started that whole process, we found out we couldn't have the granite installed when we wanted so we decided to wait until the Spring - and lived for 6 months with plywood counters and no drywall - what a lovely decorating statement.

After doing a lot of research and pouring through magazine and book photos, I decided on a dark granite countertop with a uniform pattern. I then traveled several hours to view different stone slabs but nothing "spoke to me" - so back to square one. Then I saw a beautiful Jerusalem Stone (limestone) in a kitchen design book and I was hooked. I immediately called the countertop fabricator but he said it would be a huge mistake as a kitchen countertop. So I went to get a stone sample and after pouring vinegar, oil, salsa, orange juice and other items on it, I decided he might be right - it left stains and etched the surface. I still thought that over time I would appreciate the patina but I was also concerned about resale value. Something I always try to keep in mind. Others might not find the patina charming. I called a real estate agent and asked him what people were looking for in a kitchen in this area. He told me low maintenance, nothing trending or unusual (like concrete or soapstone - which I love) and definitely light, open and airy spaces. So my search turned to finding a granite that looked like limestone or marble. However, not surprisingly, I discovered that was basically impossible: Granite looks like granite.

So the end result for the kitchen countertop (drum roll please):

• instead of a dark color with uniform pattern, I choose a polished, light color granite (colonial cream) with "movement" (a distinctive pattern within the color)
• AND a honed Durango/travertine stone (similar to limestone) for the master bath countertop.

Note: Backsplashes are still in the "design phase"

One choice down, hundreds more to go . . .

Tips:

• Collect pictures of kitchens you like.
• Research the types of countertop choices and the pros and cons.
• Narrow down your choices but keep an open mind.
• If using stone, always choose your slabs in person and take a cabinet door, floor sample and paint colors.
• For any stone, make sure it is sealed appropriately if needed. Some light colored granites may need to have extra coats of sealer (mine needed 4 coats) and some dark colored granites may not need to be sealed at all.
• If you need to replace the backsplash drywall, that would be a good time to run wiring for under cabinet lighting

Details Matter . . .

"Before" Porch & Front door/side windows

Since the house was a boring blob of beige (say that 5 times fast!), it needed some changes. Some of those included:

• Replaced steel front door with stained wood and replaced all exterior lights. Tip: A wood door (without storm door) may not hold up as well when exposed directly to the elements. Tip: Ask the salesperson at the big box stores if they have any clearance or returned items, etc. at a discount. I went to order my front door at full price and the sales person told me that they had a returned door – in perfect condition – and I was able to get it with sidelights for less than the single door I was originally going to buy.
• Replaced small beige vinyl trim/J-channel around windows & doors with painted wood or larger white vinyl J-channel /trim to give the house more architectural detail. Tip: On some windows I was able to use SNAP-ON VINYL LINEALS/TRIM - which means that the existing vinyl siding did not have to be removed in order to install the new door/window trim. This is a fantastic (and much easier & cheaper) way to change the look of a house by changing the trim color on a vinyl sided house – and fairly simple for a handy person.
• The vinyl siding in the most visible gables was replaced with architectural shake-look vinyl siding for dimension and interest.
• The wood porch floors and steps all around the house were stained.
• I redesigned the posts and railings on the front porch to give it more presence and added charm. Posts were doubled in areas to give the porch more architectural interest. I tried to use Azek/pvc trim where possible to reduce the need for painting. The finishing details and some trim still need to be completed. Tip: For ideas and inspiration, drive around and look at other homes that interest you - take pictures.

"After" Porch

Ahhh, Summer Blooms

Asphalt has Arrived

We thought we could live with the dirt driveway - telling ourselves it had a charming country look - but, in the end, we couldn't take all that dirt & dust. It also had no differentiation from the areas around it so it all looked like a big dirt parking lot. Unfortunately, had we put in asphalt the first year we moved in, it would have cost less - the price of petroleum drives asphalt prices - Bummer! live & learn.

House Dog Blog: Bailey

Bailey likes to stick his nose in everyone's business. He has to be right in the middle of things, checking it all out. He's also a kleptomaniac. Heaven forbid you leave your hand bag on the floor - as a recent guest found out. Bailey stuck his nose right into it and, after careful selection, decided on a tasty snack of cookies in a plastic bag and a toothbrush. Big Score!!! (and 7 out of 10 dentists recommend brushing after snacks!) We remind guests (and ourselves) to NEVER leave leather shoes lying around - Bailey is a leather connoisseur. He especially enjoys the more expensive ones - as he has demonstrated many times when he passes by the Target brand shoes in my closet and goes directly for my brand new designer boots or the handles of my nicest hand bags. He has discriminating taste. He also enjoys wallets and scores a bonus if it has tasty paper money. The bank said that I had to "gather" the pieces with the serial numbers if I wanted to have it replaced. Maybe not for a $1 but hey, it was a $20, so I did. It was also embarrassing one day when a contractor came over and removed his boots at the door. Five minutes later, we discovered that the back of his boots had made for a tasty mid-day snack. That was an expensive visit. Oh yeah, he also ate a friend's leather shoes when she came over for dinner. I guess we should have told her that it would be Bailey having dinner.

He loves to oversee projects. Recently, when we were having new granite counter tops installed, we also needed to replace the kitchen faucet. So under the sink we went and, of course, "we" included Bailey. He's become quite the supervisor. Annoying. . . but cute.

Front Porch and Walkway

"Before" Front Porch

The front of the house was one of the first things we tackled. We immediately pulled off all of the screened in porch. It completely changed the look of the house. We hired a landscaping company to design & build the front walk/stone walls and side yard retaining walls. To save money, I designed the planting beds and over time we purchased shrubs and plants (at off-season sales) from local nurseries and big box stores. We had the entire house power washed, the front porch stained and the posts painted white to get it ready for a new railing.

Current July '09 front walk photo.

July '09 front house photo.

Some "Before" Photos

Here are some photos taken of the house/property before purchase. Unfortunately, they just don't capture the true "Junk Yard" quality of the property at that time. A beautiful blanket of snow can hide a lot of sins.

I jokingly made a comment, when we first saw the mounted animal heads in the house, "Gee, I wonder where the rest of their bodies are?" Unfortunately, it didn't take us long to discover them in the large pit at the back of the property. Yuck!

What's in a Name . . .

I've always wanted to name a house /property. It never seemed appropriate until coming to this area of the country (Michigan) where many of the properties are cottages or lake houses with signs that say "Enchanted Oaks," "The Hideaway," "Das Minne Skihaus," etc. So we began thinking about a name and the first round started with names like "The Money Pit," "House Poor," "No Retirement In Sight," and so on. Those seemed to lack the ultimate charm I was going for until one day, with the breeze blowing gently through the trees, I decided on "Breezy Trees." Cute & catchy.

Of course, the property didn't start out looking like this. We purchased (well, the bank did) the house/ property (6 1/2 acres) a couple years ago - unfortunately, this was BEFORE housing prices took a dive - and it looked like the Beverly Hillbilly "before" house. The house was FILLED with animal heads and skins mounted on every wall surface, old rusted junk & boards scattered all over the yard, a small (cemented) pond - surrounded by weeds - that emptied into a fiberglass bathtub, a cheap & tacky looking enclosed porch, a never-completed pole barn with insulation hanging out of the open gables & eaves and a "rat maze" of wooden pallets as a floor, a small weird building pieced together out of old garage doors, rotten plywood and plastic bags, a house exterior that was one big blob of boring beige, no front walkway - you had to slide down the steep grass hill from the front porch and walk across the mud, strange holes dug around the yard for no purpose, and many many more "what was this person thinking" items. But the "piece de resistance" was the very large pit out back that contained several misc. dead animal carcasses! What a treat. We didn't find that treasure until after we'd moved in.

So what drew us (ok, only me) to the house you ask? Deep denial. We lived in college rental houses for 7 years before seeing this house so I had forgotten how much WORK/MONEY went into a fixer upper. There were a lot of houses on the market at the time but none, except this house, had my list of wants: location (the most important), short drive time to work & into town, mud room for dogs (another must), privacy/acreage, cape cod style, developed neighborhood, a bath tub in the master suite, etc. So I looked beyond all the negatives and jumped in with both feet. Nuts you say? Ok, I'll give you that.

In the next post are a few photos of the house before purchase. Unfortunately, the photos don't do justice to the junkiness of the property. Since then, several exterior/interior projects have already been completed or at least started (with many more to do) and I'll share those in future posts.

Welcome to Another Blog . . .

I recently stumbled into the land of blogging - specifically, home remodeling and decorating blogs - and I decided to jump in and join the crowds. I've heard a few people comment about how they think blogs are "sooooo BORING" and who would want to read about the random, everyday activities of others. Ok . . . good point. So I've decided to do it for myself. When I look around the house and yard now, all I see are projects that need to be done instead of the work that has already been completed. So when I get discouraged about the growing number of remodeling/work "To-Do's," I can look back on a diary of the progress to date (and blogging creates another wonderful reason to procrastinate!) So I'm doing this for myself and if my diy projects and discoveries can help someone else who has stumbled upon my blog, then that's a bonus! Welcome to the Land of "DIY (do-it-yourself)" Oz . . .