Until now, we have taken a short cut coming in from the left, but it’s steep there and a bit hazardous when muddy. We are used to it, but our future visitors might be annoyed.  Nothing like biting it on a muddy slope to brighten your day….

I need to cut through the old railroad tie to create an official opening from the main trail, but I’m skeered of chainsaws, so I have to wait for the CC on that one.  I have found my appendages to be quite useful over the years…I know, so selfish.

Enter Camp Vågö.

When word got out this winter that the Ikea Vågö would be re-issued, I knew our outdoor firepit situation (version 1.0) was settled.  $25 each?  DONE and DONE.

An Atlanta trip was not in my game plan given our treehouse commitments, so we enlisted the dudes at ModernNash to do it for us.  Locals who may not be aware of this amazing service..take note…totally worth it.

While I still have visions of the CC casting a beautiful round firepit in concrete, that’s not happening right now, so a metal tree ring kit from Home Depot will have to do.  They come in sections..I got 3 to make a three foot wide ring.

I didn’t want to actually SEE this ring, so after digging out the pit, I piled river rock around the outside of it.  Since we burned through all the nice dry split wood in our log holder this winter, and we haven’t built a firewood shelter yet, (on the list) the wood that’s left is getting rained on, so we have to ring the fire with logs to dry them out a bit. At least now the ring is disguised inside and out.

Like the Things ash graffiti?

Camp Vågö was a huge hit with the whole family.  The deer came surprisingly close while we were chillin’ by the fire…we’re STILL waiting for the owl babes.  Lots of hooting, but no sighting yet.

While this area still leaves a lot to be desired….plans are to cover the fugly concrete wall with a custom built firewood wall, plus patio and pit upgrade…this was just the ticket for now, and we don’t have to wait another year to cook s’mores and the like over our crackling fire.

Cost Breakdown:

6 Ikea Vågö chairs $150

Tree Ring $19

River Rock $34

Stump Tables  FREE

photos via Jenn Ski

Wexler House via Housepet via PSMod

Housepet’s patio, image by Housepet

I think a circular firepit should be worked into the plan as well, no?

What do we think Billy?

Will it Go Round in Circles?

Today marks the birthday, blogiversary, whatever you call this thing that we feel the need to measure in increments of time. Two years… already?  Apparently so!  Last year’s recaps are here and here.

Hmmmm… 2010.  This year was vastly different from the last, and I guess we’ll just wait and see what going to 11 does.  This year’s biggest project was completing the next phase of landscaping…front steps and back decks specifically.  The tour of the exterior gives a feel for the sequence of things that seemed to drag on, mostly due to our crazyass weather this year.  The city flooded, which caused us to lose a treatment plant, thus water shortages.  It was a difficult Spring for a lot of Nashvillians.  We were VERY lucky.  We still had a home.

At the end of 2009, I still couldn’t get in my front door, despite having some nice new concrete steps up from the driveway…

But we got that done in 2010….

With some big jobs done outside, it was time to start focusing on making it a home inside….read FURNITURE.  2010 was just getting this place starting to feel like it goes together.  I’ve updated the Tour a bit to show where we are on the main rooms. For example..the living room last year….

was very different than it is now….

I moved in with a mix of Mid Century and Deco furniture that seemed to work well in my previous 1912 home, but, notsomuch here.  It was time to cycle out some old pieces and get in some things that seemed to suit the house..and me better.

With that in mind, I faced a challenge with ModFruGal this year.  When you move inside and start decorating, it’s a lot more personal!  Sharing exterior projects doesn’t hold the same amount of dread that showing your living room to the internet does!

Thankfully, that fear has eased over the year, mainly because I have awesome readers I NEVER thought I’d have, so seriously, THANK YOU for making this a fun, and less terrifying endeavor.  There was a certain comfort in thinking that no one was reading, then boom! There you were, and you surprised me by how supportive you were..and are.  While renovations and growing pains are not everyone’s thang, I’m glad it’s your thang, and you can keep me company while I get this place groovin’.  I don’t call it the Regal Beagle anymore because all the green carpet, maroon walls, and general decor malaise is almost gone! Almost.

So let’s knock out some more projects in 2011, whaddya say?  I can predict one thing for sure for this year…there will be concrete. The CC got something for Christmas that he’s wanted for a few years..well, ever since we did this.

Pour, baby, pour!!!!

Stay tuned, it’s almost time for the annual list reconciliation…..

There’s plenty more to do…of course!!!

]]> http://modfrugal.com/2011/01/tour-chapter-5/feed/ 2 http://modfrugal.com/2010/10/railings-and-steps-in-progress/ http://modfrugal.com/2010/10/railings-and-steps-in-progress/#comments Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:18:33 +0000 ModFruGal http://modfrugal.com/?p=5967 One of the many things that has us a bit crazy lately is that we are rushing to add those finishing touches to the deck that we mentioned here, here and here.

It has to be done before Halloween so that children unfamiliar with the place don’t fall 3 feet off the deck onto the pine straw patio. Yes, we are hosting a Haunted Forest shindig, so time is a-ticking to keep the kiddies safe…except that I may scare them all away cuz I’ll be wearing this.  Too bad.

So what are these “finishing touches” you ask? More hog panel, of course, since we ripped out that old railing during the staining, and…well, while you’re there…let’s move the steps and expand them!

Since we’re all feelin fall-ish, I thought a snow shot of the old railings might be soothing…

OK, so here’s how it’s been going…some new hog panel up, some fugly lattice still hanging out to taunt me…your days are numbered so enjoy your limited life….

New steps will center on the door where all those tools and crap are….

But the ground isn’t level so the CC poured a concrete pad….. (can you BELIEVE the mess?)

and last night he got the first treads up….

…and here it is next to the old steps, which should be coming down shortly.  Getting close, but yet so far….soon!

Having a garden again after 2 years makes me VERY happy.  Every time I had to buy rosemary at the store, I died a little inside.

Anyway, I got all my ingredients together for a rockin’ tabbouleh and when I went out to harvest the parsley….

Whaaaa?  Why are there stems where my lush leaves used to be?  Oh…well hello there!

It’s the very hungry caterpillar…I think he’ll be happier with the parsley than those old cupcakes anyway.  In my last garden, dill was their favorite nosh, with the occasional parsley appetizer, but since my dill is done for the summer…parsley it is.  Enjoy little guy..just leave some for me..MmmKay?

Actually, it’s incredibly believable, but I just had to vent.

So, where does that leave us?  Let’s have a little refresher on where we started, shall we?

BTW, all that effort spent transplanting that dogwood to the front FAILED.  It drowned during the Saturation.

What a mess that was.

So now…..

What the hell is that orange tower by the front door?!  Oh, that’s just a remnant of the rearranging frenzy.  It’s a CB2 totem pole of stools looking for the right home out here.

If I was a fancy design blogger I’d photoshop that hose out, but you got me, so enjoy!

My least favorite table functioned the best in the sitting area, so I’m thinking I’ll jazz it up with a stone top, like so…..

I’ve been wanting to incorporate an onyx slab around here somewhere and the table is small enough I might actually be able to afford it so, it might happen!  Paint the table base and then I’ll have both an attractive AND functional table.

Remember my Costco Maples?  We had planned to plant black bamboo here, but I’m concerned there’s not enough sunlight, so before I smack down $300 on bamboo, let’s try this first.

It may not be perfect, but we’ve come a long way, and the Things really like this set up, so I’m going with it…for now.

Oh, and I need MORE PLANTS!!!!  It’s the flea today, so I’m off to see what living and inanimate treasures I can find.  Back soon with the Friday Flea.

UPDATE:  Fab reader Lisa of Life Illustrated decided to take pity on this girl….Look how nice…no hose!!

Now if only we could photoshop in that stucco..for REAL!!!!  Thanks Lisa!!

The sad thing is… now that I can have some fun and get the furniture in, I’m not feelin’ it.  I’ve dragged most of the available furniture up here and dragged it back down.

I want the butterflies to live here, and since we are a family of four, we really need at least 4 seats up here.  I haven’t found more vintage flies yet.  Everything else is variable.  I thought I’d move the red chairs to the back and just have the loveseat and the flies… I dunno.  I’ll keep rearranging….

The Things and I sat out here at sunset under the tree and read.  For once, the outside temp was cool enough to truly enjoy.  I think this new lounging area will be heaven for us once tweaked and finished.

Let’s play musical side tables, shall we?

Can you say Christmas? Blech.  Back to the drawing board…

Oh, and in case you were worried about what we would do for exercise now that the patio gravel is down….

Yeah.  That’s the rest of it, slated for other areas that interest me very little at the moment, but we need the parking spot back…so it must resume.  $#!@.

Horsetail is easily blown over by those high winds……

I’m hauling the peas every morning after the Things are off to school so I can avoid working in the triple digit weather with 100% humidity.  If it drizzles, I work, if it pours, I wait until it stops.  I try to take several breaks anyway.  When I start, I can fill the buckets 3/4 of the way..after about 10 trips, the volume starts creeping down and I know it’s time to knock off for awhile.

So how far have I gotten?

I’ve gotten one layer down now.  Problem is..we need about 3 more in order to hide the exposed areas where the “stucco” ends…like here…..

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  Perhaps we should stucco further down the wall on this side!  Ya THINK!?!

The guy we used to build all this in the fall was scheduled to come back and do some “touch-up” on the stucco this spring, but he never showed.  We didn’t chase him since we figured the touch up wasn’t really totally necessary at the time and we were all square with him financially.

If we had all the stuff, it would be a no brainer DIY.  This has it’s own set of issues since I don’t know if we can replicate the “formula” for the color to match.  If I  go through my receipts, I can find the brand etc he used and try?  If I remember correctly, he used 2 bags of black to one bag of brown…but I’m not sure.  I should just call him and just say..”Hey, how have ya been?  Gimme the recipe!”

I dunno, in the meantime, I need to haul a bit more (ARGH!) to cover some thin areas, then the CC and I need to sit down and discuss this other, much less exhausting option.