Uncategorized

This post is part of series called “31 Days to Rebuild Your House and Heart” and I’m writing it to chronicle our rebuilding process after we lost everything in a house fire last December. You can start here and read the whole series. Thanks for visiting!
Next week, we’ll delve into the details of plumbing, electrical, exterior, flooring, lighting, cabinets, countertops, etc.

But if there’s one thing I learned in this process, it’s to begin with the end in mind.

Think hard and long about how you want your house to serve you and others.

Where do you want to gather?  How much seating do you need?

Where will you place the lighting?  Will there be a fireplace?  What kind?  Where?

All these things must be decided up front and before you even have a clear vision yourself of how your house will *live*.

Collect plenty of inspiration.  More than you think you need.  Be willing to be flexible.

But cling tightly to the things that you really want—like a tall mantel with sconces and bookshelf built-ins with bookshelf lights.

Look close because I’m a little like the Nester and you may never see this exact arrangement again.

***********

The yellow thrift store chair cleaned up nicely and I may procrastinate having it recovered.

I kinda like it in its 1970’s goodness.   The terry cloth could come in handy if you came in wet from the lake?!  Right next to the Horchow ikat benches too.

It’s perfectly outrageous 🙂

I’m a joiner. That’s just all there is to it.
And I fly by the seat of my pants so I decided THIS MORNING to do this.
I love a good party and I really want to make time to tell you about all the details of my house before they are lost in the oblivion of my head.
So, since we’re moving in next week anyways, I thought I’d make a ‘loose’ commitment to tell you something everyday about this process.
I’m great at starting things but not such a strong finisher so you’ll have to keep me motivated.
And perhaps I can’t do it in 31 days per se. But then again, maybe I can.
Nester can talk me into anything. Not that she was talking to me specifically but she’s persuasive, that one.
I’m also almost finished with Emily’s book and I’ll tell you about it soon too because it’s been great for the ‘rebuilding’ process.
And all those questions you’ve been emailing me?! If I haven’t answered yet, ask again in the comments section of this series and I’ll try my best to set the record straight.

Today’s tip for rebuilding:

Talk your sweetie pie into building you a fire on the back porch BEFORE you move in.   To make sure the evening goes smoothly, have the DirectTv guy there to hook up the tv the same day so that your children can watch Brady Bunch in the warm house.  As we sat by the fire listening to white caps crashing on the shore,  we reminisced about the last 9 months.  We can hardly believe that we are a week away from moving back home.   He even listened to my dreams about decorating the house and then he said, and I quote,  “Toilets and sinks are all the decorations we need.  Let’s move in this place.”   He’s easy to please.

So, who else is on the ’31 DAYS’ bandwagon? Pick something and join us!

1. I’m a mess.
2. A big anxious weepy mess.
3. We have a tentative move-in date of October 7th.
4. That’s two weeks from today.
5. Did I mention weepy and anxious and unable to sleep and having chest pain?
6. I spend several very early mornings a week at the lakehouse drinking my coffee and praying for the jitters to leave and staring at the beautiful lighting.
7. This is what it looks like in the wee hours of the morning.  {of course I brought a pumpkin, who could blame me?)

8. I cannot even fathom that we get to move into this house in two weeks.
9. We would never ever have built a house like this under any other circumstance.
10. It’s too nice. There’s eye candy everywhere you turn. But it’s also relaxing and cozy. Not too pretentious.
11. I am nearly heartsick with gratitude for how far we’ve come.
12. Hence the weepy hot mess.
13. I love to stare at this beauty in the master bath.
14. It’s so pretty from the outside too.

15. This may be the longest two weeks of our lives.
16.  I’m so ready to be there but so NOT ready to move.
17. I can’t wait to build our first fire on the back porch.
18. In a way, that seems odd but the irony of it is perfect.
19.  The brick on our hearth is brick that I saved from the original house.
20. I love that it will be at the heart of our home.
21. A reminder to say thank you, even for the suffering.
22. I brought the honeycomb mirror to help me decide if I wanted to paint the brick.
23. I do.
24. I’m sure that surprises no one.
25. I could stare at this all day.

25. I love to sit in the kitchen and stare at these beauties!
26. They are huge and I was worried they were gonna actually touch each other once they were hung.
27. They don’t.
28. This room will have  3 different counter tops, 3 different cabinet colors and 3 different metal colors.
29. I don’t like things to match too much apparently.
30. I love the look but I’m sure it’s quirky.
31. It reminds me of a kitchen from the 50’s only with schwankier lighting.
32. That big pile of fabric? It’s making my head spin and my chest ache.
33. I think I need help with it.
34. But then someone’s gonna tell me I’m crazy and that I can’t use that many patterns/colors.
35. Maybe my house warming party will be a window treatment party. Y’all come over and bring fabrics and trim and sewing machines and we’ll decorate my windows right up. And you won’t tell me I’m crazy for loving color and pattern. And I’ll make you cookies and lattes while you work.

36.. If you think of it in the next two weeks, say a little prayer for us.
37. We are completely humbled and thankful to be here but overwhelmed and overflowing and praying for moments of peace in the chaos.

38.  ten-seven-eleven–that’s two weeks ya know?!!!!!!!!

As the cold weather sets in, the dogs are in the house more and more.   Hank is our 2 year old English Golden Retriever.  And he is unequivocally the stinkiest dog in all the free world.   Even if he’s just been to the *spa*,  two hours later—-stinky.

I’ve resorted to dousing him with my perfume.

Emme was playing with him the other day and when she was done, she  asked if she could go take a shower.

Why is he so stinky?

I do not know.   But he is.   The stinkiest dog I know.

Emily posted on Facebook about her stinky dog a couple weeks ago and I had to chime in—because I win stinky dog,  hands down.

Any challengers?

P. S.   Thanks for grinding through the sign in yesterday.   Y’all are awesome.

And don’t forget to have your cookie recipes ready by Friday!

P.S.S.       The winner of the giveaway is

#78  L Aland!

Email me with your address and your favorite camera strap and we’ll get it to you!   Merry Christmas!

Toot-a-loo,

xo,

edie

This is my favorite song of the week. Just thought you might wanna know.

Our  family could use your prayers today.

Which bring me to my last point:
if you’re participating in the 12 days tutorials and I haven’t talked to you in a week or two, do you mind to shoot me an email to assure me your tutorial is-a-comin’.
pretty please and thank you  🙂

and the winner of the dishmat is Deb from NotInadequate !!!!  Yay for you Deb! And you can email me too with your address and I’ll make good on my promise.

Have a grace day!