Our First Weekend In East Texas

Hi, Friends, 

I hope you are well. 

We returned last night from our first weekend at the new house. 

We were at the house for less than 48 hours. 

I was supposed to head out alone on Friday morning. I had partially loaded the little car when I decided that I needed to back it in the driveway instead since it was raining. It literally hasn't rained in a month. I was happy it was finally raining but I was annoyed that it was raining, if that makes sense. 

The car wouldn't start. Bill had the car serviced about two weeks ago. They didn't check the battery terminals and they were all corroded. He was not happy. We dropped the car off at the shop. They serviced it and replaced the battery for free but it meant that we would ride out together as soon as he was finished with work. I'd lost a day of work. 

I had hoped to get the house and get some stuff done before he got there but it wasn't meant to be. 

   

We got to the house at about 8:00 that night. 

As soon as we had the truck unloaded, Bill began putting the bed together. 

I pushed furniture into place and started working on getting the kitchen cleaned and unpacked. 

I should have started cleaning the bathrooms and putting up shower curtains. 

By the time he finished with the bed, I had some kitchen drawers cleaned and lined and the coffee station was set up. Priorities. 

He was ready for a shower and they weren't ready. 

I fought with the weird shower curtain rods and got the new curtains hung up. 

It was almost 11:30 by the time he was finished and ready for bed.

I stayed up for two more hours working on the kitchen. 

We didn't sleep well - new place- new bed. 

I initially thought that I'd start painting the living room first but our room bothered me so much that as soon as I'd had my coffee, I began painting our room.  

The city house has nine foot ceilings which makes it hard to paint. The new house has lower ceilings and was a breeze to paint. 

I didn't have to worry about getting paint on the trim or ceilings because those will get painted soon. 

The floors are concrete and those will get flooring as soon as we can. 

I was done with the bedroom by lunch time. 

I already loved how our room looked. It motivated me to keep painting. 

I was driven to cover the tan and make the house look less yellow. 

While I was painting, Bill was trying to install new door locks so that everybody and their brother can't get into our house. The previous owner has a huge family. 

He ran into trouble. 

Instead of locks for two doors there was only one set and parts from one of the sets had been pilfered. 

He was not happy and knew that a Home Depot run was in his future. HD is 30 minutes away. Welcome to the country. 

While he was gone, I finished painting the living room and the dining nook. 

I started on the kitchen. 

I hate the backsplash. Oddly, we aren't bothered by the counter top. It looks like some sort of retro green. 

I finished painting the back wall and the oven side of the kitchen. 

It was when I started on the sink side of the kitchen that I decided to begin ripping off the backsplash and take down a bank of upper cabinets. 

It was about five o'clock in the afternoon at this point. I was tired but I was highly motivated. 

I couldn't find the right screw bit to take down the cabinet so I decided to wait for Bill. 

We pulled off the cabinets and I finished painting the wall. 

I need some sort of backsplash for behind the sink. I'll probably take some faux tin out this weekend and put it up until I decide what to do. 

The kitchen already feels more open. 

I styled it like Parisienne Farmgirl's peninsula.

My feet were killing me after a day of painting but I was thrilled that I got so much done. 

We went to be pretty early. I slept like a rock. 

The next morning, Bill was on light duty. He was driven to brighten up the house. He got us some over the counter lights and a new overhead fixture for the kitchen. He installed those and installed the light over the peninsula and dining room table. 

It has a primitive feel. It was only $7.50 but with that came challenges with the install. 

While he was working on those, I decided to tackle the elephant in the living room. 

We have talked about this fireplace more than anything else in the house. 

I was under the impression that it was a little electric heater but it's hooked up to propane. 

Bill wanted to tear it out but I was afraid that there are pipes behind the beadboard wall.  

I wanted to paint it to see how it would look. 

It took two tubes of caulk. 

It looks so much better. The mantel is too small but it will do for now. 

I styled it with a faux garland and some pinecones from the property. 

I need to hang the painting but ran out of time.  

When we decided to get this house, Bill was convinced it was the one. 

My sister asked me what I loved about it. 

I said, "Nothing." 

I said that I liked the kitchen, the view, and the screened in porch. 

This house is a testament to the power of paint because after just a few coats, I am in love with our bedroom. I hated our bedroom before. 

I love the kitchen too after just a few minor tweaks. 

Just a few more thoughts.

The house is bigger than I thought at 1400 square feet so we will need more furniture. 

The room can have a bigger dresser. The closet can fit a dresser too. 

I need a piece for the dining nook or the wall next to the fireplace. 

The luan door into our room is wider to accommodate a wheel chair. It looks odd and will need to be replaced at some point. I'll paint it until we can get a new door. 

The vanities are low for the same reason. Those need a fix too. 

The cottage in the back has no heat. They took the propane heater with them. 

They pilfered through a debris pile and took the metal siding that Bill needed it to repair a wall on the cottage. 

I thought the laundry room had a window. It does not so it is really dark and gloomy. 

Hopefully, we can put a window in it as some point. 

All in all, the projects are doable. 

The she shed is but a misty vision in my head as Bill has plans to turn the cottage into some sort of modern cabin. He already has plans for it. I'll be focused on the house for a while so that is fine by me. 

That is it for now. 

We didn't get much time to relax this weekend but we are well on our way to making this a cozy and restful retreat. 

I'll be back with more updates soon. 

Katie 

The Farmhouse Guest Room

 I rambled on and on about armoires in this post. 

Thank you for putting up with that. 

There are days when I wish I could get rid of some furniture and start over. 

What would it be like to buy all new furniture for a brand new house? 

I doubt I'll ever know. 

The smaller of the two upstairs guest rooms was not working for me when we upsized our guest bedrooms last November. 

It was Jonnie's room when he lived at home and will be referred to as such for the remainder of this post. 

 I tried several different beside tables and I just didn't like any of them with the headboard. 

The headboard was made out of the kid's old crib. It's adorable. I felt like this project should have gotten much more attention on Pinterest than it did.
I hadn't seen it done and it makes great use of a sentimental crib. 

I loved the headboard when it was in the bigger of two rooms - Rebekah's room.

In Jonnie's old room it did nothing for me. 

The natural light is minimal in this room. 

The wall color is a little creamier than it is in the other room. 

Jonnie's room seems to have received a mishmash of left over pieces of furniture. 

All of them cute but together it just looked like a Granny room. 

Nothing wrong with Grannies. I'd love to be one. 

My granny's tea table was too formal so I put it down in the living room.

The little white dresser was my first ever furniture purchase as a new teacher. It's a keeper. 

Spring bedroom

What I didn't show in any of these photos is my granny's little washstand. It was tucked next to the  big armoire because it wouldn't fit anywhere else in the house. 

Imagine it under the hanger on the clothes rail. We had too much furniture. 

I didn't want to get rid of it but it didn't work in this room no matter what I did. 

Fall and Christmas 2017

The ladder? Cute. 

The chandelier? Adorable.

The pink velvet chair? Cute.

Everything together? Not so much. 

I always try to be real with you. I don't just show the after photos. 

Decorating is a process. It doesn't always come out the first time. 

Especially if you are dealing with family pieces like I am. 

When I set up the bed, the tea table was on the left and a green dresser was on the right. 

 The green dresser had to go. 

It's no longer green FYI.

I decided the pink chair had to go. It brought a bohemian vibe. It was not what I was going for. 

I'm storing it for our daughter so for the time being it's in a closet. 

Things started to come together when I pulled out the black and white bedding and the cow art. 

The little washstand looks okay now.  I know it would look darling white but I can't bear to paint it. 

A louvered shutter from our room felt at home as soon as I put it next to the window.
The wreath is from Magnolia Market. 

Some cow accoutrements go along with the theme. 

You know I love a good theme.
It's starting to feel very farmhouse.  

A few quilts are draped over the ladder we got from Harp Design Co. 

I'm loving the armoire in here. 

One of my grandmother's old kitchen chairs matches the wood of the wash stand. 

I think Granny would be okay with how it looks now.  

Katie 

The Farmhouse Guest Room

 Cows are huge! 

 

We were at the ranch one weekend and I thought it would be fun to give the longhorns their cow cakes. 

Bill was down at the trailer doing something else so I was alone.

I hopped onto the four wheeler, went up to the barn and collected the treats. 

I strapped the pan of cakes onto the back of the vehicle and headed toward the cows. 

They aren't stupid.

As soon as I got off and started unbuckling the pan of cow cakes, all eleven of the longhorns came running. 

Twenty two horns of gouge potential were headed straight toward me.
 Fearing for my life, I threw the pan of cow cakes and ran like the wind in the opposite direction.

I thought I was ready to be a cowgirl.
Nope!
A chicken maybe but not a cowgirl! 

I love cows.
I think they are beautiful and gentle creatures.

The cow print over the bed came from LaurieAnna's Vintage Home in Canton, Texas. 

 

The black ticking pillows are from Pottery Barn. 

I made the toile pillow ages ago. 

The tiny cow print was a download from The Graphic's Fairy.

These are the kind of cows I'm not afraid of.
I love this room. 
It's just so cute! 
I hope you are having a great day.
Katie 

Linking with, 
Peeking Through The Sunflowers 
Pieced Pasttimes
Dear Creatives