Our Colorful Autumn Front Porch

By Cate | September 26, 2012 - 7:00 am | decor, Our House, porch

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a room for my “Our House” series, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one post and show you our front porch while it’s decked out for fall!

I’m loving this bright, colorful image from Pinterest (I think this is the original source), and am inspired to keep things fun this fall.

Source: greaterrecipes.blogspot.com via domesti on Pinterest

We haven’t actually gotten our pumpkins yet (am I the only one who holds out till October?), but the Mums and the wreaths bring that autumn feel to the space.

The front porch has always been one of my least favorite spaces in our house, and because of that I’ve never decorated it. I’ll throw up a couple of wreaths or some potted plants, but it’s such a small spot, and those wrought iron railings are such an eye sore, I typically choose to ignore it.

But, we recently discovered that the castors on those cane chairs were gouging holes in the travertine on our new back porch, so they had to move. I had upholstered them in outdoor fabric, so this was the perfect place for them. And they’re small enough to fit in this narrow space. I pulled out an old outdoor rug and picked up some Mums to complete the space.

It’s like the builders circa 1968 wanted to imply there was a porch, but were too cheap to build a real one. It’s too narrow to really enjoy. When those front windows are open, they swing out into the space and essentially cut off access.

When we (eventually) take down those wrought iron railings, I’m thinking we’ll just replace the columns with wooden ones and not put in a railing. The porch is low enough that code doesn’t require a one, so no railings would make it easier to move around.

The wreaths I made years ago, and the bright fall colors always make me smile.

Surprisingly, I’ve found myself sitting out here each evening, reading and watching EB play with her neighborhood friend.

In the summer the sun setting made this space too hot, but it’s downright pleasant with these cool fall temps!

Does anyone else have a “fake” porch on their house? Have you ever discovered a spot in your home that you thought you hated, but ended out loving?

Linking up at Thrifty Decor Chick.

How to Make Mason Jar Lights {DIY String Light}

By Cate | July 8, 2012 - 11:03 pm | decor, DIY, porch, spray paint, summer, tutorial, Uncategorized

15 Comments

I am a sucker for a cute jar. I inherited the obsession from my mom. Whenever I buy jam or chutney or a good mustard, in the back of my mind I’m considering the shape and size of the jar and how I can repurpose it later. I had already saved up a bunch of jars when I was inspired to turn them into globe lights for our porch. The bonus? That the jars were free (recycled)! So, for the price of just a few hardware supplies I made this…

This Pin on Pinterest gave me a visual starting point, and from there I created my own version. (Here’s the original source, or you can also find them at Sweet Tea Clothing Co.)

Source: Sweet Tea Clothing Company ( bettencourtchase.blogspot.com via domesti on Pinterest)

Let me walk you through the steps I came up with…

1) Start collecting jars. I planned on making two 25-light strings, so I had over 50 in various shapes and sizes. Or, you could just buy some canning jars.

2) Gather your supplies. I used two strands of 25′ large clear lights (bought on sale after Christmas), 55′ of 1/16″ cable, aluminum clamps for the cable, and hooks on which to hang the strands.

3) Take off all of the jar lids.

4) Set up a workspace for drilling holes in the lids. You will need three different drill bits (a small one for the pilot hole, a bit to screw in your screws, and a large bit for the light hole). We happen to have a bunch of drills so my dear husband set up a different bit on each one. But even if you just have one drill, this will work. You’ll just have to switch bits a lot. Note the scrap piece of wood clamped to the work surface. And the snow drifts of saw dust.

5) Drill two holes near the outer edge of the rim. Make sure you use a bit big enough to accommodate the size cable you are using. This is a 1/8″ bit.

6) Set two screws into those holes, just far enough to hold the lid tightly to the wood.

7) Use a huge drill bit to create a large hole in the center of the lid. (These are similar to the ones we used.) You want the hole to be large enough for the light socket to fit through. It’s OK if the bulb itself won’t fit through, because you can unscrew it from the socket, insert the socket, then reattach the bulb. I found that these huge bits would dull after much use, so I ended up using various sizes from the set, and it worked out fine. The screws holding the lid in place are essential to keeping the lid still. Trust me on this.

(Note: If you’re using canning jars, you’ll simply do these steps to the flat lid. You won’t worry about the ring yet.)

Also, many of my lids did not come out as clean as these pictured. Many of the cuts are lopsided and torn. Because these lights would be hanging above our heads on the porch, I didn’t worry too much about how they looked, as long as they functioned.

Keep in mind, this cut metal is very sharp.

8) Once all of your lids are prepared, you may choose to paint them. About half of mine were gold toned, so I just separated the ones that weren’t and sprayed those gold. But, first I primed.

Don’t forget to flip them over to spray that little bottom rim. That’s the edge that will show from below.

9) Next reunite your lids with your jars. This may take a little while, if you’re using different shapes and sizes like I did.

10) Then line your jars up in the order in which you want them to hang on the light string. Think about any obstructions your lights might encounter. For example, for the lights that would hang over our door, I used shorter jars.

11) Grab your cable and tape off the end. Cut right through the tape to give yourself a protected point.

12) Starting at one end of your line of jars, take the first lid and string the cable through the small holes. Make sure the loop is formed on the underside of the lid and the cable comes from and leaves the top of the lid.

(If you are using canning jars, you’ll want to place the lid inside the ring before you do this step.)

To easily shift the lids along the cable, use a finger to hold out the loop while you’re pulling the cable through.

13) Continue stringing the lids onto the cable, making sure to keep the lids in the same order as the jars (if they are various sizes.)

14) Once all of the lids for the strand are in place, space them out approximately as far as the lights are spaced out. Plug in your lights to be sure the strand works, and lay it out along the cable.

15) Insert each light into a lid. You may have to unscrew the bulb as I mentioned in step 7. I clipped the light hook through the cable (as seen below), though I’m not sure that is necessary.

16) Once all of the bulbs are paired with a lid, create a loop at one end of your cable. I used these aluminum clamps made specifically for this 1/16″ cable. (Please forgive the black caulk under my fingernails.)

17) Place your hooks. I pre-drilled to make things easier and cleaner.

When it gets difficult to turn the hook, use a sturdy tool as a lever to help turn the hook.

18) Hang your cable, leaving the socket end of the strand loose.

19) Drape the strand, positioning it as you wish. Be careful to space the lids so that the cable carries the weight of the glass jars, not the rubber light string. You can shift things around a bit once the jars are in place, but you want the wire cable to be just a little bit shorter than the light strand itself. At the other end of your strand, finish with a loop as in step 16 above.

Now, screw the jars into the lids. Shift the lids to make sure the weight is on the cable, as described above. See in the photos below how the cable is taught, but the green wire is loose?

Once everything is in place, plug in your lights. I used a long white extension cord to reach the outlet. What a joy it was to see everything work! For a few days I waited for the cable to break or the jars to start falling. But, it has held up very well!

I had worried that the various shades of gold would look tacky, but it turns out the lids are hardly noticeable.

I am just so pleased with the way this project turned out. I love the varied shapes and sizes of the glass. It brings so much character to our porch. In the evenings these lights bring just the right amount of ambiance and warmth to the setting. I’m hoping they’ll last for many years.

Some of my favorite bloggers (Sherry, Katie, Kate and Michelle) are hosting a round of Pinterest Challenge tomorrow, so I’ll be linking up!

I’m also linking to Serenity Now Weekend Bloggy Link-up!

Cue the Chorus of Angels

By Cate | June 16, 2012 - 8:48 pm | link parties, Our House, porch

21 Comments

Alleluia, Alleluia! The porch is finished!

Thanks to my talented husband, we’ve gone from this (a slab of concrete):

to this:

After many many days/weeks/months/years of hard work, last week Frank left me with this beautiful blank slate.

And I have filled it with furniture and items I’ve been collecting for years now. I have many tutorials and details to share. For now let me just take you on a ~~little~~ photo tour…

From our foyer you get a glimpse through the dining room of the brightly colored pillows on the day bed.

Years ago I found these four cane chairs at the Habitat Re-Store, then painted and reupholstered them, thanks to an upholstery class I took.

My dream of a day bed on the porch has come true. I sewed a zippered cover for the twin mattress, and created deep foam bolsters for the back cushions. I’ll have a tutorial about that coming up. It really makes the bed feel more like a couch. Until you want to toss those bolsters off and take a nice afternoon nap!

I picked up this old wood crate from a thrift shop. Frank made a top for it, and I painted then distressed it. More on that to come.

Here’s our lovely 13 foot pew in all it’s glory! I haven’t done a thing to it, other than wipe it down. I had plans to paint it or strip it, but for now I’m liking it just fine.

I picked up this old high chair from Craigslist. We modified it to fit up to the table and I sewed a “strap” to hold our little girl in. More on that to come.

These pine Windsor chairs were hand-me-downs. I had plans to paint them too, but I think I’ll sit on it (ha!) for a while. That yellow-y wood usually bothers me, but I don’t mind it so much here. It’s similar to a color in those Suzani pillows.

Extra seating waits for guests here. We hung the folding chairs on bicycle racks.

This table sits right under our kitchen window and is a handy place to set out snacks or a buffet dinner. And my duck finally has a home, holding a dish towel. Under the table I’ve stashed a few crates full of toys for EB.

I created a unique light strand out of collected jars. I’ve had this vision forever and am so glad to see it come to life! These lights create the perfect ambiance for a late evening gathering. I’ve got a step-by-step for you coming soon.

Frank helped me make this huge chalkboard. It’s long enough so that kids can color below, and adults have space to write above.

A screw secures a simple tin can to the wall to wrangle chalk and an eraser.

You guys, this space is more than I ever could have dreamed. From the pale pale blue ceiling to the cool breeze from the ceiling fans, to the bright happy colors, I am totally in love! I’ve spent most of my time out here since we finished (I’m stretched on the day bed as I type!).

There are a few more little projects to finish up, but I’m SO glad we have this space to use all summer. It’s still cool enough here in Brevard that we’re living with the windows open, so this space truly feels like a new room in our home. I have a feeling we’ll be living out here for a good chunk of the year.

Here’s a look at some memories we’ve created here so far…

Last night we had a party, and the space worked so well.

Thank you, Frank, for building the porch of my dreams! You are the best husband I could ever ask for. Love you!

Thanks for sticking with me through this super long post, y’all! Don’t forget to come back to for future posts on:

creating cushions for a day bed
distressing new wood to match old wood
creating a “strap” to hold a baby in an antique high chair (or any chair, really)
how to make a twinkle lights out of collected jars (canning jars work well, too)
making a giant chalkboard

This will probably be my last post before Haven. Can’t wait to meet many of you there! Rhoda is one of the founders of Haven, and I’m linking up today to her fabulous porch party. Click over to get lots of porch inspiration. And if you don’t already, you should be following along as she fixes up her sweet new-to-her home. I’m so impressed with what she and her parents have done so far. The transformation will be incredible, I can already tell!

(For more on our porch progress, click here, here, and here.)

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Porch Peek

By Cate | June 8, 2012 - 1:21 am | blogging, porch, summer

4 Comments

Hi all! I’m still here, believe it or not. Since the warm weather has arrived, I have to say blogging has taken a back seat to family and projects. We had a super successful yardsale last weekend, and we’ve been working our butts off to finish up the porch (more on that here and here). In fact, Frank finished up the construction portion of the porch yesterday (whew!) and I’ve worked alllllll day today moving furniture, accessories, rugs, and lights in! On tap for the next few days…sewing sewing sewing custom covers and pillows. I have a couple of sneak peeks for you…pics I took today without the intention of publishing, but oh well!

Keep in mind this space is far far far from complete.

We had dinner out there tonight, which was particularly delicious, simply because it was enjoyed in this long-awaited space.

So, in an effort to slow things down and enjoy the summer as much as possible and thanks to the several trips we have planned, I won’t be posting very often. But, lemme tell you, the posts I do have planned are good and juicy! I will have lots of DIY to share thanks to all of this porch madness.

Haven is coming up very soon, as well! I am getting super excited and will surely share that experience with you all.

Anyway, if you’re tired of clicking over to my sight and finding the same old post there, and you’re waiting for some new stuff, I have a suggestion. Do you see that “Subscribe” button on the top right of my blog? Click there, and you can simply enter your email address so when I do post, you’ll get it right in your email inbox. It’s super simple, and I promise you won’t get any spam or other junk emails because of it. You simply get an email each time I post, with the content right there. Easy peasy!

Or, if you’re on Facebook, click on that button on the top right, and “like” my page. All I post there are links to my new blog posts, so that’s another easy way to keep up.

Here’s a post where I explain this all in more detail.

Thanks so much for following along in my lil ole life! Y’all are the best!

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White Squirrel Fest

By Cate | May 28, 2012 - 10:34 am | Brevard, porch

6 Comments

Hello faithful readers! I hope you’re having a fabulous holiday weekend. We had family in town and spent Saturday at a local festival.

Here in Brevard we have a huge population of white squirrels. Some folks think this is a myth, but I assure you I see at least 3 every day, in our yard, or elsewhere around town.

The town started a festival in their name 9 years ago, and it brings tons of people here to shop tent vendors, chow down on festival food, and listen to great music. This year my hubby Frank played drums and sang backup vocals with one of the bands. Our friend and neighbor Naren assembled a group to perform his original album.

We’ve been together for eight years, and I had never heard Frank play until this weekend. Well, I’ve heard him playing around a little here and there over the years, but this was the first real performance I’d witnessed. I was so impressed!

See that image on the front of the drum? It’s the cover of the album, too. Naren’s son painted it as a representation of the earth. And the name of the album is The World As I See It. Cool, huh?

The Bean is walking all over the place lately. She wandered around the crowd waving at people and babbling, not wanting to sit still. We took turns following her around.

We put these earmuffs on her when we were close to the speakers. Gotta protect those tiny ear drums!

It was a beautiful day…sunny, and clear.

Sunday my gracious MIL hung out with EB so I could help Frank on the porch. We got a lot done, and are hoping to be able to prime tomorrow. I was head caulker today, and went through 4 tubes! After priming, we’ll paint. Then he’ll assemble and install the screens. Then I’ll furnish and decorate! It’s coming together, slowly but surely.

I want to say a huge thank you and God Bless to those who have served or are serving out country. I am so grateful for the sacrifices you and your families make.

What are y’all up to this weekend?

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Porch Update and Plants

By Cate | May 7, 2012 - 11:00 am | flowers, herbs, plants, porch

11 Comments

‘Mornin y’all! How was your weekend?

Two things today: porch progress and plants.

It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned our porch. In a nutshell, my husband started building it on his own in his spare time, and has been doing a beautiful job creating the screened-in porch of my dreams (click here for the full story and inspiration pics). Today want to share the current state of the porch, as well as the plants we’ve got goin’ on so far this season. I’m linking up to Kate’s most fabulous blog tomorrow, Centsational Girl, as she’s inviting us to share all things plant.

So, here’s where we left off last time:

Frank has been trucking along, finishing the floor, adding railings, door frames, and electrical. And this is where we stand now:

Here’s an updated list for those of you who get a thrill out of marking things off (like me!):
~~- seal, grout, then seal again the tile floors~~
~~- install 2 porch doors~~ (one is installed, the other will go in when the deck is added next year)
~~- build the railings~~
- cover the columns with finish wood (about half of this is done)
~~- build a small platform and stairs to the yard~~
- install the finish boards on the ceiling
- install electrical/lighting (Frank got a lot of this done this week)
- paint it all (some primer is already up)
- screen it in
- furnish and decorate (my favorite part!)
- finish the bottom of the porch with lattice or some slats or something (including a small door for access)
- landscape along the perimeter

Lookin’ pretty good, eh? Oooh, and we ended up picking up a super cool church pew. It’s almost 13′ long! And it will fit beautifully on the porch. It’s in our garage now, covered with yard sale stuff, but here’s a Craigslist pic:

I just love the shield detail. Can’t wait to get to work revamping it!

On to plants…This week I spent some time planting annual herbs and flowers. We have some perennial thyme, rosemary, oregano and mint in a garden, but during the summer I like to have annual herbs in pots. I just love being able to step out our back door to pick fresh flavors to brighten a summer dish or cocktail. You heard about my mint juleps on Friday, my most favorite cocktail ever.

This side of the porch faces south, and is a perfect spot for the plants to get lots of sun.

I adore hanging baskets overflowing with colorful flowers and trailing vines. I’m too cheap to buy the expensive pre-planted ones, so I picked up the “ingredients” and made my own. Hopefully they’ll fill out in the next month or so.

Peonies are some of my favorite flowers, and ours are blooming!

And I got our raised bed tilled and fertilized. It will sit under cover for a week or two (to kill weeds and ripen the soil) until we plant some veggies (don’t you love my redneck cover: cut-up trash bags held down by random gardening extras).

Never mind the weedy and patchy grass. It’s on another to-do list. ;)

We’re on our way to a yummy and beautiful summer!

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Window Shopping

By Cate | April 13, 2012 - 11:00 am | Brevard, decor, porch

14 Comments

Come take a peak inside our little home town. I feel so lucky to live in this quaint mountain town. It’s called Brevard, and is less than an hour from the “big city,” Asheville. Everyday I walk my girls (the dog and the babe) down picturesque streets. The streets are guarded by these trees that bloom for a short time in bright pink. I’ve heard that they might be double blossom cherry trees?

Last week we had lunch at a local shop, and I snapped this pic from our outside table.

The trees were at their gorgeous pinky peak.

But, just yesterday as I walked through, this was how it looked:

Most of the petals have fallen, creating these snow drifts of pink. When the wind blows, they dance around in mini rosy whirlwinds.

Anyway, I’m always window shopping as I walk by, and was so excited to see this old church pew is for sale. It has sat outside of this shop for as long as I can remember, as a spot for weary shoppers to rest. But, it looks like they’re letting it go. It would be a perfect fit on our porch, and could serve as seating along one side of my as-yet-to-be-purchased-and/or-made porch dining table. The seat is the same height as the other chairs we have for the table (all miss-matched), and it could seat SO many friends when we have parties.

I love the quirkiness of having a church pew for seating, and am imagining all of the paint possibilities. This might be the perfect piece to try out Ms. Annie Sloan!

What do you think?

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Our Porch…so far

By Cate | January 23, 2012 - 12:00 pm | design, inspiration, Our House, porch

7 Comments

As I mentioned in our Home Goals post, our major project this year is to finish up the porch. We’ve been working on it for over a year (and by “we” I mean Frank). Slowly but surely, he’s been plugging along on weekends and holidays, weather permitting. I wanted to give you guys a little background on how it all has progressed so far and some inspiration images of where I’d like it to end up. Like this lovely spot…

source

When we moved in five years ago (! where did that time go!?), our backyard boasted a cement patio and an oddly shaped “garden” including an old stump.

And here we are today:

A few years ago Frank dug up the stump, we redesigned the garden area, and included a raised garden for veggies in the summer. Last year Frank started on the porch.

The new porch roof prompted the replacement of our entire roof, which he and some friends did this summer. That was a huge, time consuming job.

So, here we are now:

The bulk of the porch work is done, but there are lots of little details left to do.
- seal, grout, then seal again the tile floors
- install 2 porch doors
- build the railings
- cover the columns with finish wood
- build a small platform and stairs to the yard
- install the finish boards on the ceiling
- install electrical/lighting
- paint it all
- screen it in
- furnish and decorate (my favorite part!)
- finish the bottom of the porch with lattice or some slats or something (including a small door for access)
- landscape along the perimeter

I’ve sketched up a little visual of the finished space as I see it. Seating area on the left, dining area on the right.

Of course, I’ve been pinning like crazy since the work has been underway, thinking through how we can best use the space, and envisioning bright, happy colors and soft deep seating. Personally, my number one wish is to have a space to nap. I would love a big daybed that would also function as a sofa. There are some amazing hanging bed photos floating around, which are just dreamy.

[All inspiration images can be found here.]

But, as much as I like to rearrange furniture, a simple day bed is a safer bet.

Another priority is a big dining table. I imagine us having having meals out here often.

Extra chairs for big gatherings will be hung nearby.

And the ceiling simply must be painted haint blue.

The railings will be white, and the door frames black.

I have a project in mind, similar to these mason jar lights. They’ll be strung around the rafters.

And I have this beautiful vintage bicycle that is much nicer to look at than it is to ride. I see it hanging against the house, in the peak of the ceiling, with a basket overflowing with trailing plants. I couldn’t find a picture of that. Maybe mine will be the first!

The steps down to the yard will be strewn with pots.

I can just feel the warms breeze,

hear the laughter of friends,

taste the cool crisp wine,

smell the freshly cut grass,

and see those fireflies flickering.

Y’all come on over when we’re done! Do you have any suggestions or ideas for a comfy, functional porch? Is there something I’m missing that you think we’d like? Any thoughts on weather proofing a mattress or cushion for the day bed? I’d love to hear any thoughts.

Linking to: Chatty Chics

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