I started the shiplap on my fireplace wall. The wall is bowed in the middle (of course) so I had to add some 1/4″ trim to level out the boards.

And of course the ceiling isn’t level or plumb so I’ll be adding trim pieces at some point, but I did get the boards to line up pretty darn good!

I’m loving it so far. Hoping to work on the other wall soon . . . .

I finally got my fireplace installed!! Yahoooo! I’ve been using it everynight and just love it! Now I just have to finish it – LOL!

If you remember, these are the cabinets I bought from Ikea to flank the new fireplace. My neighbor and I removed the window a couple of weekends ago.

I actually finished the insulation, sheetrock and mud & taped the seams but I forgot to add that pic!

I guess you can see the sheetrock, etc. in this pic. The good news is that it didn’t have to be pretty because the fireplace will cover it perfectly! I pulled up the carpet and pad from the area of the fireplace and under the cabinets and I found 1950’s linoleum. I remember finding it in my bedroom too when I finished that floor. The carpet will stay in the living room until next year when I’m ready to replace it with laminate planks. Fireplace install is scheduled for October 12th!!

My son-in-law & family came up this last weekend to help me install the “mini split” air conditioner in the studio. He used to work on HVAC and has done a few of these.

Pulled the connections through the hole in the wall.

He got it all hooked up – just need to pull the electrical to the unit and release the coolant stuff in the line.

What do you think? I wish I would have been able to finish the house, but the studio looks great. Another step forward!

I painted these last fall and here they are . . . . .

As always, slowly but surely things are moving along. This is the not finished pathway to my studio.

I just love them! One day there’ll be plants too! LOL

These are the Brimnes cabinets I bought for my studio. I love them so much I bought 4 more for my Living Room!

They are soooo heavy I decided to pay the $50 shipping fee. They deliver and will bring the shipment into 1 room of your house. Worth every penny!

So this is all in anticipation for removing that window and having a fireplace put in!!!! I soooo hope I can get it accomplished before December – It’s my turn to host our Family Christmas! More details coming (probably next couple of months). Oh the box still sitting there belongs to my daughter. Here’s the IKEA link – get them when you can – they ALWAYS sell out as soon as they come back in stock: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/brimnes-cabinet-with-doors-white-40300662/

How cute are these!!! I wanted something whimsical for the area by my studio.

They come in a set of 4 with stakes that screw in – pretty sturdy for the thin’ish metal silhouettes. Love them! Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/ANGMLN-Silhouette-Decorative-Ornaments-Flowerbed/dp/B091DYLQ51/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=metal+fairy+with+lantern&qid=1627348629&sr=8-4

Feel free to ignore my peony that I just planted – high hopes for next year, lol. It’s holding it’s own in this horrible heat we’ve been having.

When I moved in almost 7 years ago, I was moving a sprinkler every 15 minutes because my house has NEVER had a sprinkler system. I gave up moving the hose a couple of years ago. I also have never had any decent water pressure. So to make a long story shorter – I found a well guy – he was able to add enough air to my water pressure tank so it could service a sprinkler system.

Ignore the paint falling off the house – that’s another story, lol. This is the front of the house before calling E & M Landscaping in Brighton. Efren and his crew seriously had their work cut out for them. They removed all the dirt/grass, weeds, dead 6′ trees and dug a brand new sprinkler and drip system!

My attempt to start a border and use mulch.

This was day 2.

This is the side yard.

Side yard complete!

E & M Landscaping did an awesome job!!! New sod, new border, new rock, and new sprinkler system! I’m beyond happy with their work & great communication. It’s just soooooo nice, I feel like it looks like a home!

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Side note – a front yard fence was not in the budget, so I purchased new black vinyl chicken wire and spray painted the green stakes – looks sooooo much better! Thanks for the idea Sherry!!

One day a nice “real” fence would be nice? LOL

Ok, this is where we left off . . . .

I’ve had a little help – Thanks Christa for coming over and holding up some boards for me & Thanks to my son Jason who helped me cut around the rafters. The last boards go up against the center 2×6 and it a perfect world I would just rip them BUTTTTT of course the measurements are alllllll not the same. It gave me a headache so I’m taking a break, LOL. The good news is that now I think I can have the A/C mini split put in!!