So! It's been really quiet over here lately, but it's not because we've stopped work on the house - it's because 1) I owe you a biiiiig post on the kitchen, but that's overwhelming. And there's one more thing I want to fix before it's ready..... and 2) there have been a couple of smaller, fun projects, but the majority of our focus right now is going to some larger [and therefore expensive and not as fun to talk about] projects like new carpet [!] and paving our driveway.
BUT! It's Spring, and as usual, I spruced up a few things with some plants!
I've been dreaming up some rectangular metal planters for the front, to make more of a defined edge to the top bit of the porch [a few people have fallen off of the step because they don't see it, so I think maybe some definition may call more attention to it.....maybe? Side note: the house has been here since 1968. If I know 4 people that have fallen off of it, how many over the life of the house have fallen?! Or is it just the circle of people I know?] I even sketched up something for Brandon [my metalsmith] to make for me so I wouldn't have to spend $400. On metal boxes that will get filled with dirt.
However, on a recent trip to Chicago [and therefore IKEA] we ran across these great black planters! Not as square as I had wanted, but dang if they weren't cheap - $35 each. So they came home with us! And I filled them up with dirt.
From the left we have: calibrachoa, something called lantana, rosemary, verbena [in a gorgeous purple!], and something called bacoba. Should fill out nicely and be all drapey and flowery :)
With mom's help [and her kick in the pants] I also added some mulch around the naked boxwood I planted last fall, and edged it out with some stones we got for $1.25 each for another project [you'll see that next week!]
And we got a door mat! It took me a while to find one that's wide enough for the double doors, wasn't ugly, and cost less that $1,000. I love the look of coir mats, but just couldn't find a wide one that didn't have a frilly pattern on it. And getting two at IKEA and putting them side by side would be cheap, but also look messy. So I got this one, and it fits the bill nicely! No more random dirt and mud should sully my foyer floor.
Last spring when I spruced up the flower bed, it looked like this [hello, weird pink & yellow house!]
And last fall I cut back the roses all the way, because they were pretty disobedient last summer. Just a mess of branches all sticking into each other. But I think I should have maybe not done that.... Because now they just want to spider out. They look really healthy - loaded with buds - but just.....low. Does anyone know what kind of rose this is and what I should do with it?
Anyhoo. Back to what the entry looked like in January of 2014, when we bought the house:
[yikes] [...see what I mean about needing an extra long mat for the double doors?! that puny thing looks sad. and off-center.]
And now, this! Painting the house and the doors reeeeally make the big difference. But also, flowers!
Looks good, but now all I can see is the other things i was to upgrade [or "buy"]:
Brass knobs to really pop against the doors [but I want REAL brass. Not brass-plated or brass-colored steel. Apparently I have expensive taste in door knobs. Who knew that was a thing?] And a new, super cool, modern light fixture. But the nice, big, two-bulb [one up, one down] kinds are a couple hundred dollars. And I need three. Some day.... [or maybe I'll get my metalsmith on that.]
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