Don't Disturb This Groove: April 2014

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mailbox Makeover

My mailbox was looking rough, don't you think?! Mildew, rust and peeling paint.

I've wanted to give it a makeover for quite some time. The weather was beautiful this weekend, making it perfect for outdoor projects.

I picked up some supplies from Home Depot and got to work. I decided to stain the post after cleaning off most of the mildew(I used Varathane- Kona). I unscrewed the mailbox from the post then painted it with Rust-Oleum Hammered, copper-spray paint. Once everything was dry, I gave the post and the mailbox a clear coat for weather protection.

I ordered the vinyl number decal from Etsy.

I love to see flowers growing by the mailbox! With no design in mind, I added a few plants and flowers. I finished it off with a layer of mulch. Instant curb appeal!

Hopefully they will hold up well throughout the summer and fill in nicely.

Now if I could only keep my neighbor's Chihuahua from peeing on them. Grr!

I am linking this post to:
The SITS girls

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Etsy Dreaming, Random Thoughts

I love to make pillows and have dreamed of selling on Etsy for quite some time. I've researched and procrastinated for a very long time. I've thought about it and talked myself out of it, at the same time.

What if they hate it? What if nothing sells? I want my kids to see the world as being full of unlimited possibilities. To take risks! I know in my heart that it's time. I need to worry less, let go of fear and doubt.

My husband's advice...Just do it! What are you waiting for? We'll figure it out!

I wonder if one day, I’ll work up enough nerve to list my first item.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

My Backyard Was A Hot Mess

My backyard was a hot mess. No grass, just Georgia red clay and lots of leaves!

Over the winter we neglected our yard duties.

Looking at my awful yard made me wonder, how do I make it look good again?

Rather than being bogged down by its current state, I decided to focus on what I liked best about our yard and plan from there:

-I love the ivy climbing up the back of the house. We're fully aware of how rapidly ivy grows and all the damage it can do, so we've kept it controlled to this small area.

-We love the look of our retaining wall, but after a heavy rainfall the lower level fills up with water and everything becomes a muddy mess. There's nothing much worse than watching your dogs track muddy paw prints across your floor! So we decided to start our planning there. We created a small patio area to keep the mud away. We wanted to have concrete poured, but it was way too expensive. Our next option was concrete pavers; they are easier to work with and inexpensive. We began by purchasing the pavers and mulch to fill in the cracks.

Once we had the area raked and leveled, we placed the pavers down in a simple pattern. ~~They're not~~ ~~absolutely level, but we're okay with that!~~

We added a few azaleas. They should be an awesome border in a few years as they fill in.

We built the patio for about $250; supplies purchased from Home Depot.

A small price to pay in comparison to all of the rugs I've washed or tossed to keep the muddy paws out!

There's still so much more to do though. I plan to add few more plants and give the area a good cleaning with the pressure washer. I purchased paint for the back door and the areas that need to be touched up, but for now we're just enjoying our small patio area.