Thanks to my setback, where I accidentally sliced through a Verizon cable while preparing my side yard's shade garden, it took me longer than I expected to complete a new shade garden for my home. The garden is nearly complete now, except for a small patch that I've left exposed, without a covering of red garden stone, because I am still waiting for Verizon to come in, take out the temporary cable that they installed, and bury a new permanent cable . But, I am happy with what I've been able to complete so far. I've lined my shade garden with a red gravel, and have planted the bed Continue reading...
Day 3: A Setback and a Learning Curve
Progress on my home's new shade garden is slow and sure -- with only a few days left to my daughters' summer vacation before school starts, I've been squeezing in as many hours in with my kids as I can. Well, progress on the garden was going well, until I made a major mistake late last week. Many of us have heard the warning to "call before you dig" before setting a spade or any other type of shovel into the earth at one's home. I learned that lesson the hard way late last week when my spade sliced a Verizon wire. Even though I was only digging about 6 inches into the earth to remove the Continue reading...
Day 2: Planting a Shade Garden
Despite the light drizzle here in Central New Jersey, I managed to plant three boxwoods and my two perrenials (lilyturf varegata) in my newly dug shade garden. I am happy with the progress I'm making so far! I still have a lot to do. I'd like to mix in topsoil to my garden (I already mixed in a little when I planted the boxwoods and perrenials), add some small red gravel, and perhaps add some edging like these red brick pavers: My kids don't feel like going shopping today because of the rain, but I think we'll hit the garden store later today anyway! Continue reading...
Day 1: Digging a New Shade Garden Bed
I while back, I posted about my plans to put in a shade garden on the north side of my home. Well, this past weekend, I got started earlier on the garden than I thought I would. Saturday morning I drove past a garden nursery that was having a 30% off sale for all of its plants. I had to take advantage of it! So, I wound up purchasing three boxwood plants for about $11 each. So, later that day, while the kids were playing outside, I decided to try to get started on the bed. I started digging up the sod, and the grass came up easier than I thought! I guess I have all the rain we've Continue reading...
Pallet Furniture
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with pinning images of DIY wood pallet furniture. Just search “pallet furniture” on Pinterest, and you’ll find really creative ideas for homemade wood pallet coffee tables, patio furniture and even home theater seating. The pallets most DIYers are after are made of wood and are used to pack goods while being shipped. The wood pallets can be often picked up for free in parking lots or dumpsters – just be sure to check that the pallets are being discarded before you start loading them into your car! Repurposed Pallet Furniture One pallet furniture piece I Continue reading...
Finishing Unfinished Business
Walk through my home, and you’ll find a bit of unfinished work. In the garage, there are the unfinished stairs the builder put in that could still use a coat or two of stain. Outside, there is the ramp that we had built for our backyard shed that now, two years later, could use some stain. The wooden perimeter (at the bottom of the shed) could also use some stain. Then, there’s the unfinished pine stairs that lead to our unfinished basement. The stairs have never been stained and are now a bit dirty. Because I hope to improve my home's unfinished basement this summer, I Continue reading...
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