Belle and Tara were visiting from Oklahoma last month and I got her the day!

We always like to do a project when she’s over so a quick trip to Hobby Lobby did the trick!

How is it that grandkids grow up so fast! Seems like just yesterday when we were making twinkie bunny cars with Owen!

Seriously!! Where has the time gone!

Sometimes I just buy bananas and wait for them to start turning brown, LOL.

I meant to post this back in February hence the Valentine them, lol. Joanna Gaines’ recipe for banana bread is sooooo good! I love that you sprinkle sugar on the top before baking. Adds a nice bit of crunch!

Amie signed up Ellie for her first swim lessons!

This girl loves the water!

3 1/2 years old already – she’s growing up so fast

I added a 2×4 backboard and supports for my mantel.

Then added a 1×10 nice pine board for the top & bottom and a 1×6 nice pine board for the face and sides.

I used a Varathane poly-stain called Kona for a dark brown finish and I love it. I’ll use the same stain when I get to the shelving above the cabinets.

Taaaa daaaa! I seriously just finished the shiplap yesterday! Short a couple of boards on the right, but I’m good for now. I want to add shelves on each side and then onto the flooring!

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