Saturday, August 3, 2019

Welcome To My Home!


Good morning! Welcome to my new home! Things are definitely settling down but there remains some work and organizing to do as you will see. But first, this is the small patch by the front door where I am building a butterfly garden. The previous owner left these cute medallions on the wall with a butterfly, dragonfly and honey bee. You can see them in the upper right corner. 


I am planning on adding more pentas and mulching with pine needles soon. I also think I want to add some herbs here and there too since it is by the front door so I can pop out and snip some for dinner. 



Walking in the front door leads to the living room. I am beyond thrilled to have my very first fireplace. Even if I have to turn on the A/C to use it, it will happen. I am tinkering with the idea of painting the bookshelves a dark gray but not sure it will stick. Eventually there will be a new couch and chair and coffee table but not anytime in the near future. I am most thrilled to have extra space on my bookshelves for more books. 


To the right is the kitchen and girls' rooms, guest room and guest bathroom. To the left is the master bedroom and bathroom.


I kept my old bookshelf but not sure what I will put on it yet. The photos aren't staying there, I have just yet to find their spots.


In the living room by the couch is a super cool mountain shelf from Achy Joint Creations that my friend Deb's husband Kurth made. I bought it to hold plants and rocks and things. We have four skylights in the house so plants are going everywhere.


The kitchen is heaven. The previous owners put a ton of work into this home that was built in 1981: new flooring, new windows, new roof, new molding, new kitchen pretty much. There isn't a lot of updating for me to do but small stuff. I am going to add a piece of lumber to the back of the floating shelves so that the mugs will be tiered like steps and better able to be viewed. 



The kitchen flows into the dining room. Adam and I went to Renniger's in Mt. Dora and picked up this table. I found some chairs on clearance at Marshalls. The previous owners left the IKEA mirror above the built-in buffet. 


There is also a sunroom. It was painted yellow but I repainted it to Behr paints Flora. It is a light minty green. I also used that color in the guest bathroom and I plan on using it in the guest bedroom too. 



I plan on putting a butcher block on top of the two IKEA shelves Scarlette and I assembled to use as a large desk for my sewing machine and our laptop. As you can see I have a ton of work in this room. It is where my crafting and odds and ends items live for now.


But I am finding places for things to go here and there. 


I have to say the big back yard is everything I dreamed and more. Toddles even likes going out on the patio now. The view from the kitchen table is pretty nice. 


The pool is pretty handy after a day of digging up old landscaping and putting in new plantlings. Scarlette and I tend to be in it the most. I guess we got the lion's share of mermaid in our blood.


The sunny area of the backyard will be where my raised beds are going to go once I get those underway. I have a huge itch to garden. So I think once my paychecks start rolling in that is what I will spend my resources first. There is the cutest little nursery close by called Green Acres and I adore it. I foresee many trips back and forth. 

As I continue to flesh out the living quarters and garden I will update here and there.

Thanks for joining me on a brief house tour! It was nice having you over. <3



22 comments:

  1. I love it all. Again, can't wait to see it all decked out for fall and Christmas! That last pic, the pool and patio, could you get an evening pic with the lights on? I bet it looks so cool.

    So glad you guys finally got all the roadblocks sorted out and you're enjoying your new place. And that mountain shelf! WOW! :)

    ~Deb

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    1. Thank you! At first I wasn't sure I was going to decorate for the seasons, (the idea seemed daunting after all the unpacking and putting away) but then realized I totally would. That is a great idea with the night photo! I will do that.

      Thank you. The whole process certainly added some lines to my face but it was worth it. <3 Thank you for being there when things were rough and I wasn't always chatty. I appreciate your friendship. <3

      That mountain shelf is pretty spectacular! I cannot wait to fill it up! Thank you for being a critical thinking problem solver on that one! LOL!

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  2. I love it all, Julie! Congratulations!!! what an oasis!!! <3 And it will get cold enough for you to use the fireplace, come Jan or Feb! ;) I am so excited for you!!!!!!!

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    1. Thank you, Nancy! Oasis!! Love it. It will get into the 30's a handful of times. Heck, once it goes into the 50's that baby will be roaring! LOL! And you are totally right. January and February will be my fireplace months. I appreciate your kind words and friendship during the rough transition. You made me realize I was still sane though frustrated.

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  3. Your new home is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us :) I look forward to seeing more!

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    1. Thank you! I am excited to get it all fleshed out over the coming months. So much potential! <3

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  4. So beautiful, Julie! Congratulations! <3

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  5. Lovely tour! Thank you for showing us around. What a truly beautiful home. Fireplace!! <3

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    1. Thank you!! I am so excited about the fireplace. I think I might want to try the tall white pillar candles in there for when I am not using wood. Maybe get some type of platter they can all melt down into?

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    2. Oh, what I lovely idea, I love it!!

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  6. Oh Julie, it's wonderful! It's great how lived in and loved it looks already - like a real home straight off the bat. I'm one of those hopeless types who tends to let boxes linger unpacked for ages. Trying to get better about that. But oh, that backyard! I'm with the cat - move over, Toodles, and make room for me on the porch. And the pool is so fantastic, as I may have mentioned. I'm not sure you'd ever be able to pull me out of that thing. :) Keep enjoying your new home, it's fantastic. :)

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    1. Thank you, Sandra!! I was on a mission to be done with unpacking by the time school started. I knew once I had to go back to work I would have zero energy to do it in the evenings and would resent doing it on the weekends. Having a deadline was very motivating. I love the yard. I can't seem to stay out of it. All these gardening and landscaping ideas keep percolating in my brain. You are always welcome to come over for a swim! I know if you are in the area you will have much cooler resort pools at your disposal LOL!

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    2. Careful, you'll hear a splish splash in the night and it won't be an alligator! It'll be a Great Canadian White Shark instead. ;)

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  7. I love it, you have choosen and put up a beautifull home.........

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  8. How wonderful! The molding and the beams on the ceiling are nice touches. I would be in the quite a bit pool too. Hope you are having a good day back at work!

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    1. I enjoy all the hard work that the previous owners put into this place for sure. Thankfully they had excellent taste. I like the wide flat molding too and the beams make me swoon. The pool is so nice in this oppressive heat and humidity. Night swimming has become a thing too.

      Thank you for the well wishes! The first full week is under my belt and I am dog tired. I think every year I get older the more worn out I feel going back but I will get into a groove. It was nice to meet the kids Thursday night. I think it will be a great year. <3 How are things with you?

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    2. The end of July was rough, I found out my temp job was ending and had a $4000 denied health insurance claim, for basic bloodwork, that I had to look into because they used an out of network lab. I am told I won't actually be billed, fingers crossed. Lately I am working on making exercise in the morning a habit, before the 10-2 overhead sun. I have a possible next temp job, waiting to go in for an interview. I should have held off on the mug but at the time I needed something to help me recover from July and am glad I went for it. The first time buying from a new maker I am usually nervous if it will match my expectations.

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    3. Oh my gosh. $4,000 blood work?? That is insane. I am praying you don't have to pay for that. I am sorry July was bad. Hoping your new temp job works out!!! I know what you mean about trying to keep splurges at bay. I haven't had a paycheck in a while (new teaching gigs tend to come with a paycheck lag) but my stress has me shopping when I shouldn't. The mug was a well deserved treat. I like your morning exercise program. Lord knows I need a program too. Feeling the age and weight as of late.

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