Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #226. OMG this weather though is just unbelievable. You guys, in northern Minnesota today we have a high of nearly 40 degrees! I’m not complaining but I’m terrified winter is winding up to hit is unbelievably hard because this is just crazy. We’ve broken every record and it feels amazing. This seriously doesn’t even feel like winter, I’m having trouble focusing on inside work like I should be doing right now! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Exterior door installation, replacing a window in the workshop. Moving an outside door to a different room to save on heating costs. You’ve heard me mention my back hallway “dog spot” and its numerous problems many times. Its been on my “to do” list for over two years now and replacing its door has been on my list literally since I put that old crappy door in five years ago. I’m glad now though, looking back, that I hadn’t messed with it at all because its new plan now is completely different. That old door will be replaced but not with another door anymore. Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #225. Well Lodi and I managed to make it midnight lol how about you guys? What a weird, quiet new year! Did you guys happen to tune in to the ball drop in times square? I don’t know about you but I found it kind of depressing and even a little horrifying. I wish they had just skipped it and had celebrities do zoom performances or something – just the entire thing online. Seeing times square almost totally empty on new years eve like that was a bit too apocalyptic for me! Regardless, 2020 is finally behind us, cheers to a far better year for everyone! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Move Or Improve? There’s nothing like something seriously global (such as this current pandemic) to make people realize that life is short and there’s no time like the present to move ahead with something they’ve always wanted to do. I work in real estate and we have never seen houses sell so fast in the history of our company. When it comes to deciding to stay or upgrade I think it always comes down to location – or, at least, it should always come down to location. With enough work almost any home can work as long as the current home owner is just where they want to be. Currently though, this is a seller’s market and if selling your home has ever been a good idea – it is right now! Read More »
How to Remove Paint from Wood Furniture – fixing a whoopsie on our table… Literally DECADES ago my Mom promised me this beautiful table that her parents (my grandparents) built for her. She had stumbled upon the base, or someone had it given to her… or something that memory does not serve anymore and her parents built the top for it. Its gorgeous. I’ve always loved it. We generally only use the table for actual dining when we have company over. After that this table is our SERIOUS anything goes zone. Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #224. I have to admit, though I missed seeing our extended family, being forced to stick close to home and have a quiet Xmas this year was not a bad thing. In fact, this is probably my favorite Xmas I have ever had. We really just took it easy and actually FELT like we got a vacation! None of the crazy anxiety and endless traveling of past holidays! Not such a bad thing! I hope you all had a good holiday as well, happy new year! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Exterior door installation, replacing a window in the workshop. Moving an outside door to a different room to save on heating costs. You’ve heard me mention my back hallway “dog spot” and its numerous problems many times. Its been on my “to do” list for over two years now and replacing its door has been on my list literally since I put that old crappy door in five years ago. I’m glad now though, looking back, that I hadn’t messed with it at all because its new plan now is completely different. That old door will be replaced but not with another door anymore. Read More »
How to Remove Paint from Wood Furniture – fixing a whoopsie on our table… Literally DECADES ago my Mom promised me this beautiful table that her parents (my grandparents) built for her. She had stumbled upon the base, or someone had it given to her… or something that memory does not serve anymore and her parents built the top for it. Its gorgeous. I’ve always loved it. We generally only use the table for actual dining when we have company over. After that this table is our SERIOUS anything goes zone. Read More »
Gorgeous Doors – Winning big at the salvage yard. As you all know I am a bit obsessed with anything that’s old. Anything that’s new, plastic, not-solid-wood, made-in-china, total-crap-that-will-fall-apart-in-two-years, does not impress me no matter how high the price tag might be. But REAL wood and OLD pieces of furniture and yes, that includes doors, make my heart skip a beat. We needed four doors and I would not be moved unless I got exactly what I was looking for… and it didn’t matter to me how long it might take! Remarkably, it only took one trip and ten minutes! JACKPOT! Read More »
I really wracked my brain when it came to figuring out our basement lighting. I didn’t want to replace all the work I had already done down here running wire etc. (Its basically poor man’s “recessed” lighting even though its just bare bulbs.) I also, certainly, didn’t want to spend a lot more money down here. After the ceilings, the walls and the floors we were already a good $2,500 into this project and I am fully aware how we could easily spend that entire amount on just one chandelier. I am also aware that that isn’t a lot to finish 500 square feet of living space I’m just VERY frugal and wanted to come up with something creative and inexpensive… Read More »
Putting up plyboard and trim – finishing out our basement walls. Also painting the whole place out and making some changes in the kitchen! When Lodi and I planned the material we were going to use we agreed that neither one of us wanted to deal with drywall. Lodi in quarantine early this year meant he headed to Menards without me with this as the only thing I had to say about it, “Focus on inexpensive and light weight… I trust you.” To be fair I knew there wouldn’t be a ton of options – I was really just encouraging him to get something (anything) easier to deal with than sheet rock. I wouldn’t have been unhappy with plain old wood paneling on the basement walls – everything is paintable! Read More »
Small office tips using not one single piece of actual “office” furniture! Carving out a space in our mudroom/entryway/dining room for my office was not the easiest of tasks. Over the years my office has moved all over this house. It went from a dedicated room in the back of the house (which I hated – its now our awesome guest bedroom), to on a table in the living room (which was great but not sustainable) to finally finding its home here. Read More »
Adding a tufted top and a new paint job to an old coffee table. I’ve been working on the refresh of my living room for awhile now. It started when I decided I hated my sofa and was ready for a new one! That worked out perfect because I really needed my old sofa to complete my seating area out in my garage. Following my old sofa to the garage was my coffee table and one of my end tables too! That left my living room pretty barren: the perfect time to do a makeover! Read More »
Teaming up with Chas in our DIY blog hop this month with projects for our bathrooms! (Make sure and check out all of the bathroom projects following this post and feel free to join in!) This little stool has a fun story behind it. My Grandparents’ were wood workers and made and sold lots of these along with many other pieces of furniture. One of my neighbors is an avid follower of my blog and felt she simply had to return it to me so this milking stool came home after being gone for over 30 years! Read More »
Lace doily upcycling across the front of my kitchen island that I made out of my great grandpa’s radio stand. This piece remains one of my ALL TIME favorite transformations that I’ve created. Some projects just work! It was like this old radio stand had been waiting 100 years to be made into a kitchen island. It looks great from the front and the shelves in the back house all my recipe books too. During my recent kitchen remodel I did some surgery on it to work even better for me. Read More »
So, a few months ago, I went to my local thrift store to get myself a sweater to make mug koozies for my Christmas in a Jar post. I left the thrift store with two sweaters, some shop rags, a mirror tray and a lamp! To be fair I still only spent $8 and no one really believed I was just gonna be able to get one sweater right? Read More »
My new guest bedroom and library needed a reading lamp for the bedside table so, of course, I went thrifting! I found this little dude for only $6 and then went directly to walmart and found what I decided was the perfect burlap lamp shade. From there it was time to decide just how I was going to transform this little lamp into something country and fun! Using two old MN license plates I got to work! Read More »
There are a lot of changes taking place here at my Grandma’s old farmhouse. You guys know now that I got divorced and that means new and very different plans for the whole house. My old office is now going to become my guest bedroom and library and it felt really important to refinish all of the furniture that will be going in there. So, I got to work! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #226. OMG this weather though is just unbelievable. You guys, in northern Minnesota today we have a high of nearly 40 degrees! I’m not complaining but I’m terrified winter is winding up to hit is unbelievably hard because this is just crazy. We’ve broken every record and it feels amazing. This seriously doesn’t even feel like winter, I’m having trouble focusing on inside work like I should be doing right now! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
December 2020, my second Xmas with Lodi. My coworkers know me so well that when I got to work Monday November 30th after our four day holiday weekend I wasn’t first asked how my Thanksgiving went instead I was asked, “What did you do on the house this weekend?” I have no shame lol they all know that with four days off I absolutely could not help myself! Lodi and I divided and conquered rather unintentionally over that last weekend in November. On Thursday we had a small gathering with family, we drank, ate and were totally merry and did NOT work at all. Friday, however, it was GO TIME! Read More »
We managed to complete most of the BIG projects by the end of October which was a gift for me of a much less stressful November 2020. No one is going to believe it but I am actually not a huge fan of renovation. I love the finished product. I love improving this home. But this last spring, summer and fall reminded me how I do enjoy smaller projects a lot more. (Projects that don’t have us barely able to get out of bed in the morning and working 14 hours straight because its snowing and there’s a giant hole in the side of the house…) Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #219. We’re still seeing some pretty warm weather for November and absolutely no one around here is complaining. Got a dusting of snow this last weekend that is almost gone – we might see a brown Thanksgiving for a change! We got the wall and door in, officially making our back hall/closet into its own small room! So excited to have that project done. Next up for me over my four day weekend is sheetrock tape, mud, paint and trim – oh, and eating way too much of course 😉 Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
October 2020 – This time of the year in Minnesota can either be Heaven on earth or a great big ball of suck. (Usually it takes turns being both which is exactly what it did this year.) We’ve had snow storms throughout October some years and have also seen highs in the 80s other years. This year it was cool but a pretty much lovely month minus the snow storm we got hit by at the end of it! We had many of those perfect, shiny, fall days where the sunshine feels like liquid silver and the shadows are long and dark and the trees get to take their time turning in for the winter… And then a foot of snow landed on us… I have some catching up to do as I didn’t recap on all of the projects we completed throughout September in my last post. Read More »
September 2020 started off quite tragically for all of us here in north country Minnesota. It FROZE two nights in a row. I know we weren’t the only ones hit by the deep freeze but wow did that come on hard and fast. Fortunately we did return to “normal” temps but, of course, summer was just over after that. The constant joke I saw on Facebook was, “The temperature went from 90 to 50 like it saw a state trooper!” And it REALLY did. I’ve seen that meme just about every year on Facebook that I can remember but it has never been more accurate than THIS year. I guess it is 2020 so nobody is exactly surprised… maybe a little disappointed though! Read More »
To get the garage to its current state feels like a huge accomplishment for me! To recap I started in the early spring of 2019. First I had to clean the whole place out, get everything off the walls and then haul yet another pile of crap to the dump. Then I ran power, insulated, covered the walls, installed the doors, put EVERYTHING back where it belongs, made a path and enclosed my stock tank complete with a barn door on top of it! Read More »
Autumn Deck Reveal with updates and lots of new seating and additions! OMG Where on earth did this summer go!? I can’t believe its so far into November already and I still have so many fun things Lodi and I finished this summer and fall to share with you guys. I decided after so many changes to the deck (Check out the old reveal here) that I definitely needed to share a new deck reveal with you before 2020 was over and I missed the lovely fall colors! The biggest changes are all the seating we removed and replaced with new! Read More »
Main floor tiny bathroom reveal! This bathroom was the most difficult and annoying of the planning issues I had here during the renovation. (To get the whole scoop check out my post all about it here.) I think I made the practical choice on where I ended up putting the bathroom but, really, there were few options and I didn’t like any of them. But now that its fixed and finished I kind of love our tiny bathroom now! First though let’s take a trip back to what this little space looked like before. Read More »
I’m so excited to finish the new guest bedroom reveal! My old country girl design and library just wasn’t right anymore and this room needed attention badly. It needed to grow up,l become more unisex and also become a lot more comfortable for any guests or friends that might stay. It all started with a new far more grown up paint color called Flannel Gray by Valspar. From there I tackled the challenging furniture layout and now moved on to the final touches, design and completion. Read More »
Farmhouse living room reveal! OMG you guys this room took me over 5 months to finish – UGH Finally though, we have arrived at the new living room. It probably seems strange and even silly but buying a new sofa meant something to me. Throughout the entire home almost every single piece of furniture here I’ve either inherited or I built. The few other pieces besides I picked up at either thrift stores or garage sales. I literally only have one “new” thing and its my dining room chairs which my mom bought for me as a gift MANY years ago! Read More »
DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal, somehow I took space AWAY from my kitchen and yet I ended up with MORE storage and a bigger feeling space! In this kitchen I will always think of my amazing Grandma Charlotte who lived in this home for over fifty years before me. I was thrilled that this old farmhouse could become mine and ecstatic at the notion of creating my very own farmhouse kitchen. This space was a VERY long time coming for me. I had no idea it would take me from early spring of 2014 until right now, to finally create and finish the kitchen of my dreams. But, ya know what? It was worth it! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #225. Well Lodi and I managed to make it midnight lol how about you guys? What a weird, quiet new year! Did you guys happen to tune in to the ball drop in times square? I don’t know about you but I found it kind of depressing and even a little horrifying. I wish they had just skipped it and had celebrities do zoom performances or something – just the entire thing online. Seeing times square almost totally empty on new years eve like that was a bit too apocalyptic for me! Regardless, 2020 is finally behind us, cheers to a far better year for everyone! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #224. I have to admit, though I missed seeing our extended family, being forced to stick close to home and have a quiet Xmas this year was not a bad thing. In fact, this is probably my favorite Xmas I have ever had. We really just took it easy and actually FELT like we got a vacation! None of the crazy anxiety and endless traveling of past holidays! Not such a bad thing! I hope you all had a good holiday as well, happy new year! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #223. Well we are going to officially have a white Xmas! We got a couple of inches of snow Monday night and an ALL OUT COMPLETE AND SCARY BAD BLIZZARD GOING ON RIGHT NOW – so fitting as yesterday was the first day of winter. I would not have minded not having a white Xmas but it really was just a matter of time – this is northern MN after all! Tomorrow (Xmas eve) we have a high of -2 and I am so glad I don’t have to leave the house that day. I hope you all have a lovely and safe holiday! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #222. We’ve been hit by a little bit of a cold snap that is actually more like “normal” temps this week. The last few weeks we’ve really seen some strangely dry and warm weather for this time of the year. They’re saying southern MN might not even have a white Xmas! One thing I’ve noticed above all else is that our horses and all of the little critters that visit our bird feeders are drinking more water than they have all year. I’m so glad we purchased a heated water dish for our birds and squirrels – they seem to appreciate it even more than the food we put out! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #221. How is your December going so far? As for us its been pretty quiet which has been pretty darned awesome. My day job slowed down a little and has left all of its employees a little bit of breathing room. Currently we went back to a more stringent lock down here in Minnesota due to Covid-19. Bars and restaurants had to close back down to just take out only. Lodi joked he could pick me up for a “date night” and drive around the block so we can tell people we “went out” lol. Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #220. We still have practically NO snow which is just crazy for this time of the year but that 40 degrees we saw last Saturday felt just wonderful. Not to brag but I officially have all of my Xmas shopping done. Have I mentioned I don’t like deadlines? lol I just can’t stand the anxiety of an important gift not showing up until the last minute! We had a quiet holiday weekend. Lodi spent a whole day hauling wood for our bon fires next summer and two days hunting with his best friend. I, of course, got a bunch done on house projects. All in, even with how crazy this year has been, we had a good Thanksgiving. I hope you did too! Now, on to the Party! Read More »
Hometalk Fall Decor Inspiration board! Summer is absolutely my favorite time of the year – you will NEVER hear me complaining about the heat lol But I honestly think that’s a fact simply because fall and spring are such short seasons here in northern MN. Fall for us could truly last all of three weeks like our spring did this year! And that’s just depressing lol because that means we’re settling into at least four months of some serious cold and snow. Read More »
Inspiration Board of the Outdoor projects on Hometalk that I’ve been drooling over! I received a comment on my outdoor bench saying, “You’re SO crafty, that’s amazing!” And I admittedly got a bit offended, eventually I just laughed about it but I’m not sure how I can build a wrap around bench for my deck and still be called “crafty”. I could’t help but think that if I was a guy she certainly wouldn’t have looked at that bench and called him crafty! I am a builder at heart and I spend most of my time building things in my head or drooling over outdoor projects like these: Read More »
Well now that spring has FINALLY arrived, my dreaming has turned to swings! Let’s build some! These are some of my favorites I’ve found on Pinterest and stashed away for a later time because, seriously, who doesn’t want to swing away a beautiful summer day? Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT feel that swings are for kids in any way. Many of these are very grown up swings for us “adults” lol Read More »
Nooks, crannies, special getaway places, some of my favorite escapes via Pinterest Inspiration board. It has been a very difficult few weeks here at Grandma’s House, tailing the end of a very, very hard year. I will tell you guys why and what’s been going on when I’m able to get my feet back under me again. To say the least though I have found myself on Pinterest, looking longingly at getaway places and nooks that promise quiet and PEACE. Read More »
Six more summer projects I can’t wait to build for us outside and out on our deck! Some DIYs and things just have to wait for some nice weather not only for us to enjoy them but for us to build them as well. Currently I’m sitting here in late October and we have a winter storm warning 🙁 So, hears to dreaming about next summer and all the things to look forward to building. I posted earlier this year a few summer projects I just can’t wait to build but I’ve seen so many build projects on Pinterest I had to share a few more that I can’t wait to build next summer! Read More »
I spend a certain amount of time on Pinterest gazing with my mouth open at some of the gorgeous bedrooms people have. As far as Inspiration Boards go I’ve published quite a few over the years but I think this one might take the cake. I am absolutely in awe of a few of these. Considering how much time we spend in our bedrooms (albeit it is with our eyes closed) I am a firm believer that they are a VERY important part of our homes. So, without further adieu here’s some gorgeous bedrooms via Pinterest!! Read More »
Move Or Improve? There’s nothing like something seriously global (such as this current pandemic) to make people realize that life is short and there’s no time like the present to move ahead with something they’ve always wanted to do. I work in real estate and we have never seen houses sell so fast in the history of our company. When it comes to deciding to stay or upgrade I think it always comes down to location – or, at least, it should always come down to location. With enough work almost any home can work as long as the current home owner is just where they want to be. Currently though, this is a seller’s market and if selling your home has ever been a good idea – it is right now! Read More »
DIY projects are not always for the faint of heart, if I’m straight up not comfortable doing something, even if I SHOULD do it and SHOULD be capable of it, I have no problem calling in a pro. Sometimes calling a professional just to get a quote and a opinion can be all we need to be able to tackle it ourselves. They have a lot more experience then we do and can be really great about giving advice and guidance on projects depending on the situation! Read More »
Holidays are such a fun time to dress our homes! A couple of years ago I set out to make wreaths and ornaments out of pine cones and mason jar lids. It was a lot of fun and we’re still using those ornaments to this day! I’m a bit of a “grinch” actually but with Lodi in my life now I realized I’m looking for to the holidays more than ever before in my life. We don’t have little ones (unless our pupper counts and she totally does) so we’re looking forward to time off for truly adult holidays and I just can’t wait to see his face when opens the gifts I got him! Read More »
Daylight is so important for our moods too especially in the winter months! I’ve been working on my mom’s new house plan for her for several years now. The absolute MUST HAVE for her, is East facing windows in her bedroom and in her kitchen and dining room. Her number one request is lots and lots of daylight at dawn flowing into her main rooms. She just loves it. I have countless memories of her curled up in a chair in the morning, having her coffee and basking in the sunshine. I can’t blame her one bit! Daylight is incredibly important for us in so many ways! Read More »
Older homes can be a hard sell to most buyers. Owning an older home myself I honestly don’t blame them but what might scare some people away could be selling points for the right buyer. Updating things such as paint and flooring you can do yourself and increase the value and salability of a new home really inexpensively. I think if you’re planning on selling to try and remember that most folks who are willing to buy an older room love the unique quirks that they come with. Don’t cover up that beautiful old character but, instead, enhance it. Read More »
Especially now going into the winter months finding ways to brighten up our walls can really help us get through the dark days of the season! I love our gallery walls in the entryway and that, paired with our soaring crisp white trim and ceilings really makes the space feel airy and bright. Its a great thing to come home to especially now that I’m leaving the house in the dark and not getting home until its dark too! Can’t wait for the short days of winter to finally be over with and we start getting some sunlight back again.
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