Living - Patio Perching

Hard to believe that tomorrow marks the end of the Summer for the V household.  Is it me or did this Summer just fly by?!  Thinking the unusually mild weather had something to do with that sentiment but you won’t find me complaining about it.  I’ll take the mild weather any day.  We were able to spend a lot of time on our patio this Summer as a result.  As my IG feed indicates, major patio perching happened filled with loads of simple, seasonal fare and plenty o' wine. 

I hold a soft spot in my heart for the patio/pond sitch as it was one of my first DIY projects.  Long and short of it is that I got a quote for it and the pond alone was in the $20K range.  Um, no.  I can’t afford to pay attention let alone pay that kind of money for a water feature.  So, my mother-in-law and I tackled it ourselves.  I spoke about the project here and here way back when.  I also planted every tree and shrub (almost 60) on my property with the exception of the 3 huge trees in back and a few big pines in front.  I was a busy gal but I saved a ton by doing it myself and now am thoroughly enjoying the fruits of my labor.

It's back to school this week for P so that means more time for me to dream up the next project 'round these parts.

All photos and styling by Emily Vanderputten 

kisses,  mrs. V

Installing a Patio and Pond at Chez V

Before, During, and After

Well, gee wiz.  Summer break is in full effect at Chez V.  I have no idea what I did with The Monster last summer to keep her entertained but now that she has one year of pre-school under her belt, well, she sort of expects rainbows, fireworks, and 3-ring circuses on the daily.  Daily blogging might be a little sporadic until September.  But I am excited to share more of the fun  that goes on around here, so I will do my best to provide entertainment in both arenas.

scene from the patio on Friday evening

I promised a while back to share some updated pictures of our patio and pond project, once things came into bloom.  You can read some details about the project here, but today I will share a lot of pictures of the evolution of our outdoor space.  To trigger your memory, the executive summary reads:  we tore out an old rotting deck, we dug up a bunch of dirt, we installed a large paver patio, I planted a bunch of trees and shrubs, we dug up fieldstone from building sites, we dug up tons more dirt, installed the pond, lined it with the fieldstone, brought in more dirt, filled the pond with water, threw in some fish, and planted lots more plants and trees.  We saved over $25,000 doing this ourselves armed with little more than two shovels, a pickax, a dolly, a wheelbarrow, and some ingenuity.  The end.

AFTER

NOW

BEFORE POND

AFTER POND & AS IT LOOKS NOW FROM SIDE GATE

THE INITIAL OUTLINE OF POND

DIGGING HAPPENED FOR A LONG TIME

SOME OF THE FIELDSTONE WE COLLECTED FROM BUILDING SITES

THE POND LINER

COVERING LINER WITH ROCKS TO PROTECT AGAINST UV RAYS

DURING

EARLY PLANTING STAGES

TODAY

NOW

NOW

that smallish shrub is the tall one below that now masks that hideous crawl space hatch

AFTER & NOW

BEFORE PAVING & PLANTING ALONG BACK DRIVE

NOW

NOW - ARBORVITAES PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SCREENING - PLANTED 2007

NOW - VIEW ALONG BACK DRIVE TOWARDS BACK GARAGES

Most people ask how in the world we knew how to do this.  The answer is we didn't.  We read a lot of How-To patio & ponds books from Home Depot.  And we talked to a lot of people who know things about this stuff, all of whom had differing opinions on certain aspects.  So in the end, after much research, we just did it and learned how along the way.

Because Chez V is so teensy tiny, we wanted to create a nice little outdoor space where we could relax that would feel like an extension of our living space.  And we do just that most nights.

All photos by mrs. V

kisses, mrs. V

Impactful Artwork - Big Photos

Mash Up Results – Big Photos are Good

As predicted, Wendy was the only one who correctly identified Waldo.  What this result tells me: Wendy is the only one who pays any attention to my mindless drivel or possibly that she has known me so long that she can actually follow my tangential points.  I very much appreciate that you also manage to always find time to leave me a comment.  Thanks, Wen.  Ahem, I would love to hear from the rest of you!

So, for those who missed where I was going with Friday's post, or for those just joining the broadcast, welcome and let me trip your memory…

Photo Credit: Jamie Meares

In February, I posted about blowing up one of my pictures from our pond.  See the similarities?  Seeing that big photo of the water lily and frog in Nathan Turner's store solidified my instinct that a huge photo would look great in the kitchen over the banquette.  But what makes it really meaningful is that these are pictures that I took of the pond that I built.

I think I love the one above with that fishy peaking out from under the cream water lily.  Wendy said she preferred the top one - again, thanks Wen for chiming in when I asked you kind folks for your opinion.

This mash up exercise echoes my earlier assertion that art doesn’t have to be spendy to make an impact.  If it is meaningful, it will add life to your interiors and tell part of your story.  Your passions, your travels, your family history, or your HARD work.  

In another synchronous twist, Alison of MLHP also happened to post on Friday about the exact same picture taken of Nathan's store.  We were both rocked by that space for similar but different reasons.  Art is personal and subjective.  Alison is stalking lemons and I am all about the lilies.  Both good because they are meaningful to each of us.  BTWs – jump on over to My Little Happy Place.  Longtime reader of hers.  She is Brazil-liant b/c she is very talented and lives in Brazil.  Dreamy.  Thanks Alison for your comment!

So I will kindly ask you again.  Which photo would you choose to blow up?  Cuz I want to be Brazil-liant like Alison and Nathan.

kisses,  mrs. V