Saturday, April 8, 2017

New Adventure!

If you've been following me for a while, you may remember that my husband and I remodeled an old farmhouse that started out looking like this:

And now looks like this!


Above is the view outside the pretty red door and here is the view from the other side of that door.  The furniture is from our other house and doesn't really fit the country house style.  So we'll work on that when we start building our final house.

We moved in last October but this is just the first phase of our plan.  The land that the farmhouse came with was 18 1/2 acres and we split that into four different parcels.   One is 12 acres, two are 2 1/2 acres and the one the house sits on is 1 1/2.  Our plan is to build our final home on the 12 acres and use the profits from  the other three lots to build that house debt free.

So phase one and two of the plan has happened.  We have sold this house and one of the 2 1/2 acre lots as of last Monday.  The nice thing is the buyers agreed to let us rent back this house for at least three more months.   We will now start building a house on the 2 1/2 acre parcel and list it for sale.  If it doesn't sell, we'll live there until it does.  If it sells before we finish it (which it probably will) THEN we'll have to get creative!  Let the building commence!

First step , dig the hole . . . check!

Step two, pour the concrete footings . . . check!


The house we recently remodeled was originally built in the 1940's.  Do you see that wooden shack in the top left of this picture?  That is the ORIGINAL farmhouse built in the 1920's.  It is a one-room shack about 16 x 16 and all it had in it was a wood stove and a wide plank floor.  We moved it from its original location which was beside the house we remodeled.  We were going to try and save it and use it for storage (which is what we are using it for right now) but it needs too many repairs to be secure.  So we will be dismantling it and recycling the wood from it to make something out of it like some sliding barn wood doors or a large dining table or maybe a feature wall.  So although this blog post doesn't have a lot to do with quilting, it does have to do with creating!

I have to show you a chair I found sitting out on the sidewalk in front of a tiny little antique store.  It is not that old, but someone painted it and distressed it to look shabby chic.  It is the perfect shade to go with THIS rug:


So what would you do with this chair if it was yours?
I need some creative ideas!

After my last post asking for help finding gray fabric, I've had several people tell me they have trouble finding gray fabric too!   One quilter who shops online a lot recommended Hancocks of Paducah and Missouri Star Quilt Co as good places to find them so I thought I'd pass on the tip!

Sorry I don't have much quilty things to talk about today, but I have been playing in my sewing room.  I am lucky enough to be able to get to attend a class by Cynthia Brunz of Quilting is More Fun Than Housework on April 22!  Yahoo!  I will have to drive 3 hours to get there, but it will be worth it.  I have been searching through my stuff for solid fabrics and find that I have very few of them!  I seem to be attracted to bright prints.  I need to diversify!

I just got the fabric for a Block of the Month I signed up for.  I had forgotten I signed up for it!  I'm liking these colors!  


I will keep you updated on these blocks as I get them made.  I could show you a picture of the whole quilt now but suspense is so much more fun.  So don't forget to tell me what you would do with a turquoise chair!  :)
Linking to:



23 comments:

  1. Sounds like your hubby is working hard Janice, I hope you will be posting updates. I really like the design of the chair although I'm not a fan of distressed furniture. Personally I would either get rid of all the old paint and repaint it white, OR, sand it down and repaint it the same colour. If it were white I would make a patchwork seat cushion to match the rug. I once did a BOM and loved it, only I haven't seen one I really wanted to do since, and the original company I used was so very mean with the fabrics, needless to say they are not trading any more. Enjoy your quilt class, I look forward to hearing all about it.

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  2. I am new to your blog and love the plan for your final house! I will enjoy following along. Oh and I'll also be looking forward to your quilting stories.

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  3. wow three hours to go to a class you are energetic - I don't like driving that far so would pass. All that building is neat, my guy is too slow for things like that and just remodeling my sewing room will take close to a year - I will be lucky to have it done for Christmas. I would strip the chair or repaint it, I don't care for the distressed look anymore - but that is me. Love the fabric you have next to it.

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  4. Wow you are ambitious people and obviously tolerant of construction mess. But oh such a neat way to get what you want in the end. I admire your ability to do this. And you made such a cute house out of the old one-nice work. I agree with what Kate said about the chair. Yes your BOM fabric is right up your alley!

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  5. How exciting! That is great that you sold the house already! You guys are going to be so busy. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that chair! I would probably put it in a corner somewhere and stack neatly folded quilts on it to display them. Or use it as a photo prop. Have fun at your class!

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  6. Exciting and interesting! I envy your building journey! Building our house was fantastic adventture even also very stressful here in Greece. Your carpet and found chair are beautiful! I agree with Jen about the chair. Clean it well and use as a display for quilts etc. If you like you can also 'swipe' some white paint (for example with sponge) on the places where the colours has left totally so it looks still shabby chic. All white is also beautiful and the chair has lovely design. x Teje

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    1. Hi Teje, I normally respond to every post via e-mail as I get them but you are a no-reply comment so I can't reply. It is a pleasure to "meet" you! I love keeping track of the countries that I meet different people from and you are the first one from Greece! I do like the idea of using it as a quilt display. My recently completed mystery quilt flimsy will look great with it!

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  7. I love house renovation/building, so much fun and possibility! You guys have such a creative way to build debt free, kudos for your patience and hard work. 😊 I'm currently saving up for a fixer upper so Dad, Mom, and I can transform it into a home for the dog and I. I love the chair and the distressed look! I agree with above comments, it would be cute in a corner as a little quilt display. If it was outside on a porch, a group of flowerpots on and around it would be adorable as well!

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  8. I don't know what I would do with a turquoise chair. Probably put it on the porch. But it goes with your rug.You are so busy with all the house building. It's quite the plan but it does seem to be working out well for you.

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  9. Also check out the online fabric store, 1000s of Bolts, Only One Nut! Lots of greys!

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  10. It has taken me years to recover from just a kitchen remodel. A whole house? I am not sure I could live through that! I see lots of fabrics in your stash! I am so looking forward to meeting you soon. Thanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!

    (Do you still need grays? I think I probably have some)

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  11. What an amazing project, Janice! Hard to believe those two photos are of the same place! You are lucky to be close enough to go to a class with Cynthia - I would sure love that!

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  12. You and your hubby have such a wonderful plan for coming,out debt free..an inspiring venture these days. Have a great,time,with Cynthia. She was,my first mentor and I would love to meet her. I started collecting solids a while back but have not taken on a,project for them. Can't wait to see your class results.

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  13. Not sure what I would do with the blue chair. First pass, find a nice corner for it and use it to display a quilt. Sounds like you will be really, really busy the next few months, quilting and otherwise.

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  14. That is such good news that your plans are coming to fruition and it must be very exciting to do aswell! We have done up a lot of houses in the past but have now been in the same house for 4 1/2 years - I certainly have itchy feet!!! Love your blue chair I would just leave as is!

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  15. I really like that chair, just as it is! Shabby chic isn't usually my style, but every once in a while ya gotta go with a turquoise chair :) Your colorful quilts would look awesome draped across it.

    Lots of big construction projects going on for you guys, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress. And do tell us about your plans for the final dream house and your dream sewing studio!!

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  16. Your new house is progressing nicely. Looking forward to seeing what happens with those pretty fabrics that have just arrived.

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  17. Hello There! Congratulations on all the progress you both have made! I'm sure you'll have a great time at your class! Thank you for sharing!

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  18. Wow - you are rockin' the construction world over there - awesome! I think I'd make a nice cushion for that chair and leave it the color it is. It's a color you seem to like, since your post headlines are a turquoise blue! And some of the fabric for your BOM would be perfect for it, if you have leftovers. Looking forward to meeting your at Cynthia Brunz' class next week! If you don't have enough fabrics, we'll be sharing! It should be a great class!!!

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  19. Wow....that is quite a difference! It looks beautiful and can see why it sold so quickly. Good luck with the next construction and sale.

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  20. Your house plan is coming right along! It's exciting getting to follow you guys on this journey. I'm like you...I LOVE bright prints...heck I just love prints. My stash of solids is very very lacking.

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  21. Such vision! (I like the chair as is.)

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  22. I love the little chair. We added a sun room last year and I am still gathering the furniture to fit my dream for out there. And I hope to find chairs of that sort to go around our small breakfast table. Great news about land and lots and renovation and plans to build an entirely new house. I'm kind of amazed at the whole thing. We are in the middle of a repair/rehab for our old house 2nd floor. We looked around, DH doesn't want to leave the area, and found that a condo would cost more than our current mortgage and on and on and so we are "tuning up" this house, lots of DIY - and I get therapy days off in the sewing room while we are between steps

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I LOVE meeting new quilting friends and always respond to comments so I'd love to hear from you!