A Day at the Beach...

For those of you who have never been to Lake Michigan (on the Michigan side) you are truly missing out. Imagine sandy beaches that go on and on, clean fresh air and the most important part: fresh water. Don't get me wrong I love going to the ocean but there is just something about being at a lake of that size. You don't get that gross covered in salt feeling when you get out of the water and have to go take a shower immediately. It's much cooler, not cold, its really easy to lay out and read a book for a long time without getting so hot you can't take it.

Yesterday my husband and some friends took some much needed time out and drove to P.J. Hoffmaster, a state park just north of Grand Haven. It was the perfect day. We had been planning on going and were a little disappointed when we got up and saw how overcast it was. But we decided we would go anyway and it was so amazing because literally 5 miles before we got to the lake the weather completely changed and it was sunny and warm. The beach was clean and uncrowded so we could enjoy the sounds of the waves and wind. It was so relaxing. After we laid around for a bit we climbed the sand dune, which was not fun on the way up (we all realized how out of shape we are) but totally worth it once we got to the top because the view was really beautiful. When we left the beach we went to Grand Haven for dinner, got ice cream and walked around the harbor.

Someday I would like to live in a town on a lake, there is just something calming in the air and the whole town just seems sort of happy to be where it is. I even settle for living on a smaller lake in Michigan because those homes that are on the big lakes not cheap. It's nice to dream though.

Antiquing anyone?

As I am still working on painting my bookcases and a little discouraged with how long its taking...it's actually the dry time between coats that is taking so long...I was so ready for a break when my friend stopped by to see if I wanted to go check out a new antique shop in town. Of course I did! So off we went to what we thought was a small antique shop. We were so wrong on the "small" part of it...much to our delight it was huge! It was set up as most antiques stores are with booths owned by different people. It was funny to see each booths' theme or what that owner was interested in collecting. Some were full of all dishes...some had mostly mason jars...some were books and nicknacks...some were all old Coca-Cola memorabilia...and on and on the rows of booths went.

My Dad was a big antique collector but he wasn't a fan of antique stores because he thought they were too expensive. So I remember as a kid going to huge flea markets where most of the stuff was junk and being there for hours while my Dad sifted through all the junk to find the treasures. (Which is where I think I get my love of all things old and the patience it takes to look through it all.) He liked things like old iron fans with the cages around them. He would get one for like $4, get it home and take it out to the garage where he would sand it smooth, redo the wiring so the fan would work again and then finally spray paint it to look like new.  We had a number of those fans around the house and boy could they kick out some wind. He never sold any of the stuff he refinished, I think he just enjoyed doing it. And now that I am an adult and my Dad has moved away with a new family, it really takes me back to being a kid going through antiques...and I think that's why so many of us love antiques. It's because there is some kind of emotion that goes along with finding something that takes you back.

Progress...

I have been working on painting those bookcases...here is a pic of my progress so far...

Who else hates silver maples?

We have not one but two silver maples around our house...one in the front yard and one in the back. I never knew what an annoying tree those are until now. It is very hard to get anything to grow under one (even grass) apparently because the roots are very acidic. And in the spring they drop thousands of helicopters. I keep having to sweep them off of our back deck, our driveway and the front stoop. I think I have filled up four of those large lawn bags with just helicopters! To go along with that the seeds that landed in my flower gardens and gutters have now begun to grow little trees. So I am now going around and picking them out like weeds...and there are a lot of them! I keep looking up at the trees hoping that they have finally all dropped...

All of the little trees growing in the gutter (I took this pic then we cleaned it out!)

I love craigslist...

Because I have been slightly obsessed lately with finding cheap furniture to paint (and since we are very much in need of storage solutions) I have been checking craigslist every morning. Yesterday I was in luck! For sale were two solid wood bookcases, he wanted $45 for each of them but I offered $75 for both which he was fine with. So we set up a time for my husband and I to go and pick them up. When we get out there, the guy was really nice and I think relieved that we were "normal" (his words) and had more things for sale because he was moving.

Before I get into why this was so amazing, here's a little info. on our living room. We painted it a chocolate brown when we moved in and it has the existing wood floors that are kind of a honey color. We have been wanting a white-ish rug since we moved in to not only lighten up the space but also add some coziness for our long Michigan winters. But since rugs are so expensive we haven't been able to get one because other things have taken priority.

Back to the story: we're taking apart the bookcases and he pulls this rug out of another room. It is an 8 x 10, cream shag (not too long of a shag), never been used area rug! We couldn't believe it! He said he bought it for a finished basement that never got finished. He wanted $100 for it...so amazing. So we loaded up all of our finds, which surprisingly all fit in the back of our trusty van and headed home feeling like we had hit the jackpot.

Below are the bookcases which I plan to paint a creaming white (hopefully this weekend). I couldn't help putting the peonies in there. They are just so beautiful that I thought they deserved a moment.

I didn't take a picture of the rug since it is still rolled up and not to interesting yet. 

New planters!

My husband and his friend were so hardworking over the holiday weekend. On Saturday while I was at work they built planters on both sides of the steps and I think they look fantastic! We had dirt delivered to fill them; moving the dirt was a lot harder than I thought it would be. My Gramma had brought me some hostas and lilies from her garden up north so I planted those right away. Then I went to a local nursery to get some annuals (I chose impatiens & petunias)  and shrubs to fill up the rest. My husband's Mom went with me and I am so glad because she spotted the Summer Snowflake Viburnum's that were on sale. The little white flowers are so pretty. I can't wait to see what it looks like when all the plants have filled out!

Before

After

I am so happy with the transformation so far! I still need to figure out what to do with the steps but for now now I love it!

What two girls can do in a day...cont'd

What a huge transformation a can of paint can make! I used Behr Flat Exterior paint in Stealth Jet. Its a brown-black that goes nicely with the tannish roof. Then we changed the light fixture to one that we had been given last year...it was bronze and we spray painted it black.

I threw a wreath on the door that I had, put the mat back and moved one of the pots I had on the back porch to the front. The stairs are still in need of refinishing and my husband is planning to build planters on either side of the stairs this weekend so I can plant some shrubs and flowers. So there's still more to do but I feel like we're off to a pretty good start!