Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Monday, May 19, 2014

Front Porch

Hello
 Dear Blogging Sisters

Here is a short progress report,
with before and "almost" after photos of the front porch :


 If you look close you will see blue painter's tape up by the ceiling
and you will see that along the top edge I still have painting to do.

I stopped because my ladder dipped on me,
I didn't fall, thank the Lord,
but my paint did.
Lucky enough none hit the house,
but most of the half full can went 
all over me.
 What a mess!!! 


This is the before . . .
you can see that the stairs are actually on the side.
That is another place that I need to get painted.
Steve has a ladder that will shorten one set of legs to go up stairs,
but now he won't let me paint it unless he is there to steady the ladder.


I just realized that I have room for a rocking chair . . .
I didn't think that one would fit.
Great, that's one more thing that I can keep 
and not put in my "Yard Sale".

These are my painted drop cloth slip covers.
I made them reversible with the blue stripe fabric that is on the other glider.





Notice the screen door, it is the same door.
I took it apart, sanded in down,
added new screen and some fancy trim.
Then I painted it white.

 Yesterday Steve rototilled the garden for me :)
And look, we have baby grapes on our vines,
I am so excited!

Well, I'm off to the dentist for a new crown .
I guess every queen desires a crown, 
but I would like to skip this coronation, 
if it were only possible, LOL.

Have a great day,
and
 keep smiling :)

Your blogging sister, Connie :)

66 comments:

  1. Evening Connie, Your home is looking so Sweet and Pretty! It is so cheerful and welcoming (I love those grain sack style cushions on the back of the glider!) You have done so much to make it yours and I wish I lived closer to sit and have a glass of lemonade on your porch. We would have so much fun talking away! I have to comment on the block steps in front of your porch.....I remember growing up with these at family members homes. This brought such a smile to my face~~~~LOVE your garden and grape vineyard. I will miss gardening this year but I am going to put a few tomato plants somewhere!! Your home is so precious....love it~~Blessings~~~Roxie

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    1. Hi Roxie, I wasn't sure about putting the block steps there or not. We don't have the place fenced in and dog proof yet and when Butchy jumps off the porch I was having to go around to the side steps, so I just made myself and extra set with those blocks. LOL. The road is much busier than your old neighborhood and I'm afraid of him running out there. As for the flour sacks, I got those at a yard sale about ten or twelve years ago and never had the perfect project to use them on. I still have a couple left, maybe I'll think of something for the kitchen, and suggestion?

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  2. Love your porch!! Crowns are no fun....been there...done that.
    hugs,
    Cindy

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    1. Hi Cindy, Oh my jaw is so sore this morning. I have a small mouth so they had to do a lot of stretching and prying to work on this tooth ( the very back molar). It's funny because i've never had any pain here, until now, LOL. Hopefully that will be gone by tomorrow.

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  3. You have made it into a dream cottage!!!!!

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  4. Hi dear Connie.You did a great job with your porch.It looks lovely and fresh.Hmm....falling and spilling that paint !!Naughty girls!! I wouldn't let you loose without hubby to hold the ladder either! Gosh we think we are still girls when we attack our house jobs! What are you going to palnt in your patch there?
    Judy xx

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    1. Hi Judy, I know, I was very fortunate that I didn't fall and break a bone or two. My husband's Mom was about my age when she climbed on the side of the bathtub to kill a spider and fell and broke her hip. I guess it's time to slow down, but I've got so many things that I want to do :) I am planning on a big vegetable garden and to learn to do some canning this summer. I already have two friends that have said they would be happy to teach me :)

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  5. Your front porch looks fantastic. Very inviting. I want to sit down and watch the day pass by :) Glad to hear you weren't hurt with the ladder but getting the paint all over yourself would have made me say a few choice words.....lol

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    1. I was so busy getting it off me, that I was beyond words, except, "thank you" that I didn't fall and break any bones :) It was awful and something that I would not wish on anyone . . . I'm sure that it would have made the perfect Kodak moment, had anyone been here with a camera, LOL.

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  6. Oh dear! Hope you were able to remove the paint easily! Love your porch - very pretty cushions.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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    1. Thank goodness it was water base paint :)

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  7. Your porch looks wonderful now Connie, you've done a brilliant job with the painting and the cushions, it all looks very bright and inviting!
    Well done, at least you'll have that to think about and look forward to after the dentist!
    Gill xx

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    1. The other day we had some afternoon company, and although we don't have enough furniture moved to sit inside, we had a lovely visit on the porch. I was delighted that it was done to the point of using :)

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  8. Wow! what a transformation! I love the blue. Glad you wasn't hurt from your ladder falling!

    Blessings

    Linda

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    1. Oh, thank you Linda, at my age I sure don't need a fall, especially from up on a ladder :)

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  9. It looks great, Connie! The white certainly freshens it all up. Your porch looks just the right size to be able to sit comfortably and decorate it a little bit. Be safe painting the rest of it!

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    1. Hi Kathy, that little scare reinforced my thoughts on safety, LOL. It is a great little porch. It is shaded by trees in the morning and by the house in the afternoon.

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  10. Beautiful changes. I am SO impressed!
    Love what you did to spruce up the screen door too.... looks wonderful.
    Best of luck with the dentist today. Yuck.
    I have my date with the dentist tomorrow for a root canal, then an appt. will be made for me to get my crown too~~~heehee.

    Love seeing all the bright and happy changes that you are making to your little cottage.

    Kerin

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    1. Hi Kerin, since I'm writing this on early Wednesday morning, that means you have had your root canal. I do hope that you are feeling better. I woke up the next morning with a very sore jaw, but it is much better now :)

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  11. Wonderful transformation of the front porch! You are so creative! I love what you did with the screen door, and your cushions on the porch seating. I love seeing all the changes, and you are inspiring me to work on our old lawn swing too! I look forward to more photos of your projects, and stay safe. Careful on that ladder!

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    1. Hi Angie, talking about your lawn swing. My neighbor was an old rocking chair on her porch that she spray painted bright red and it is gorgeous. It is amazing what a facelift a can of spray paint can make :) Thank you for your sweet comments on my porch redo. I think that we will have many lovely hours spent out there enjoying the pretty sounds of the birdie's summer melodies :)

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  12. What a welcoming cheery place to spend time. Lovely.

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    1. Oh, it is going to be my favorite relaxing spot :)

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  13. Sounds like you were very lucky, be more careful! I love verandas, they are not very common here, mainly because we don't have the weather. I am hoping to imitate one by having a cover over the aft deck and the side decks. I love the colours of your porch/veranda xxxx

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    1. Hi Fran, your deck ideas sound wonderful, and what a marvelous view you will have. I can imagine you sitting out there in the evening after dinner, watching the boats and the sea life :)

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  14. Unbelievable changes. I love before and after pictures, yours shows A LOT of work done.....take care when climbing ladders. Glad your hubby will hang around while you are on the ladders. Dentists...uge, I don't envy you going there.

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    1. Hi Louise, We have been putting in a lot of work, with a lot of it being unseen, like insulation the ducting under the house and mending the roofing. There's still a lot to do, but we are almost ready to move in. At the moment we are cooking and doing laundry at the new place and still sleeping at the old place. It will be so nice to be moved :)

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  15. What a brilliant job you've done on your porch. It looks a lovely place to sit and pass time. I'm glad you didn't come to any harm after your fall with the paint can.
    Hope all went well at the dentist, not my favourite people.
    Ali xx

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    1. Hi Ali, and thank you. The dentist was okay as far as going to the dentist goes, but yesterday morning I woke up to terrible jaw pain. It has passed and I'm fine now :) My ladder scare knocked a little sense into me and made me more aware that I don't need to be up a ladder when I'm home along, especially at my age. I feel blessed that I wasn't hurt :)

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  16. Your porch is beautiful....... I am glad you were not hurt when your paint fell.

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    1. Hi Susan, thank you so much on both counts. I know that we will be enjoying our porch this summer and I feel blessed to not have been hurt. The paint was a challenge to get off, but it was water base . . . halleluiah!

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  17. All the work you are doing is amazing! Your porch looks fantastic. I know what you mean about dreading getting a crown (well, the tooth kind)...I just got done with a root canal and crown last month. And now I need another crown and a filling put in under a crown (until that one needs replacing)...it never ends! I hate dental work - and the bill that goes with it.

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    1. Hi Melanie, I hear you loud and clear. We have pretty good insurance, but our portion of the bill was nearly $600. I don't know which hurt worst the dental work or getting the bill, LOL.

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  18. You have come a long way - I love the after.

    I see you painted the drop cloth in colorful stripes - so cute!

    It looks like you are having fun making your house a home.

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    1. Hi Carol, Yes I am! Thank you for the great idea to paint stripes on my drop cloth . . . you have opened up my imagination to so many drop cloth possibilities.
      So, again I say "Thank You" :)

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  19. I love it, I would love a front porch like that...Perfect and the painted canvas, I have never thought of doing that!!! Yes girlfriend....You deserve a crown lol!

    Carol

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    1. Oh, of all the things to have in a small size, a mouth is not the one you want. They had to do so much prying to drill out the old filling and put the temporary crown on that my jaw feels like the jaw of a prize fighter . . . the one that lost the match, LOL.

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  20. What a beautiful transformation. I would love to have a porch but we don't have the weather for it here in the UK. Love your flour sack cushions, too, and the way that you've reused and recycled all the way through your project. x

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    1. I love reusing and recycling, There is a joy in using what you have and still making a change with it. Painting can be magical and really do amazing things to transform before and afters :)

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  21. I love your front porch Connie, it's so cosy and welcoming. The colours of your furnishings are gorgeous and I'm so glad that you weren't hurt after your fall. Hope your trip to the dentist was not as fearful as you thought. Have. Great weekend.
    Patricia x

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    1. Hi Patricia, the trip to the dentist was okay, it's the soar jaw that is lingering on. I have a very small mouth and they pried away until it feels bruised :)
      This tooth did not hurt me at all until they were finished, LOL. Oh well, after a few days I'm sure that I will forget all about it. I'm hoping to have a little bit of time to enjoy that porch this weekend :)

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  22. Connie, your porch looks so pretty! I love the new colors and the things you've made. You'll be loving that space all summer.

    Your grape vine is so pretty too. Are you going to make jelly?

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    1. Hi Stacey, I don't know what kind of grapes we will be having. That's the way with the fruit trees that are in the photo behind the vines, too. So far we can tell that they are either plum or apricot . . . oh, the surprises of owning a new property. I was delighted to have lilacs, a snowball bush and irises :)

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  23. Hi Connie,

    What a transformation!! Absolutely stunning; I love the colors you've chosen! What type of paint did you use on the drop cloth? I just bought spray cans of paint to paint my outdoor umbrella. It didn't specify for fabric but the guys at the store said "try it out." Rain is expected this weekend so that project may have to wait.

    Your raised garden looks great - and those tiny little grapes! How cool.

    Thanks for visiting me today. This is actually the first day I've been on my blog (or visiting) all week. Working full time does not always cooperate!

    Hugs,
    Kay

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    1. Hi Kay, I used acrylic craft paint, the kind you buy in the little plastic bottles for around 79 cents to $1.25. :)
      I'm happy that you like our front porch. I think that it is going to be a wonderful gathering place :)

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  24. Love the front porch...so inviting! Great work.

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    1. Thank you, if you lived close I would invite you for lemonade and a front porch chat :)

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  25. wow, your porch looks bright and beautiful You are doing an awesome job. I love seeing your photos of before and after.. Have a great weekend :).

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    1. Hi Becky, thank you. I am typing this from the old house, because although we just moved into the new house (two days ago) we still have our internet connected at the old house. It's going to be and going back and forth ordeal for a while until we get everything changed, LOL

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  26. Oh, Connie, this is darling! I am so happy for you guys to have this wonderful house. Glad that you didn't get hurt.

    Hugs,
    Kathy M.

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    1. Hi Kathy, it is great to see your smiling face. It was a bit of a scare and a huge mess, LOL.

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  27. Your porch looks like a very relaxing place to sit a spell for awhile.

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    1. It is so comfortable. Last night there was a nice breeze and the hay across the road had been mowed and smelled like heaven :) Butchy and I sat out there and just enjoyed our new country home.

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  28. Hello Connie,
    I am late in commenting, but am here.
    You have done such a good job on the new makeover of your home.
    Very lucky to have not hurt yourself. Take care.
    love your cushions. You are so talented.
    wishing you a good week. val xxx

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    1. Hi Val . . . it's great to see you:)
      We are loving our little country home and thank you for your sweet comments :)

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  29. Great transformations going on...glad you were ok with your ladder incident . Xx

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    1. Oh, me too! That could have been a very bad accident. At some point I am going to have to decide that I'm too old to be climbing ladders :)

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  30. I love your porch and the hexagons you've added to the covers!!

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    1. Hi LuAnn and thank you . . . I like the homey feel of old fashioned hexies :)

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  31. Hi Connie-
    I love the cozy comforts you've added to your porch...it looks like a nice place to sit and relax after you've spent the day working! Enjoying a nice cool beverage...mine is Iced Tea! So glad that you didn't fall off that ladder and all you got was a paint bath...and a shower!
    Love how it's all coming together---take care! Pat

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    1. It's becoming more of a home every day and we love living in the country.

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  32. i just love your front porch, connie!! such cute slips you made for the one glider and the other glider is just as cute! love the table "time for courage", too! had to pin it! have a great week!

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    1. Hi Lynn, I am very happy that you like it and thanks for pinning it :)

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