Happy 8th Anniversary Little House!

Can you believe it has been eight years!?! Goodness. Eight years. So much life lived.... Especially this year with all that has happened, it has reminded me how very important Home and Family is. I have always been so very very grateful for this little house. It has truly been our haven and safe sanctuary.

"We shape our buildings; therefore they shape us." ~Winston Churchill

This little house has also shaped me, in so many ways. How could it not! An intense year long renovation, a thousand and one decisions (for a person who hates making decisions this was really hard!) time and resources stretched to the limit and family who was always there to push and prop me up. It has taught me so much; so many house skills, how to manage time and money better, how much I am really capable of when I put my mind to it and opened up un-dreamed of avenues!

Eight years ago I wasn't really dreaming of being a landlord of multiple properties. I had a possible plan that this little house might be a rental if things didn't work out as I hoped, but I sure wasn't thinking as far ahead as having a house and two rental properties! That would have been very over whelming! 

Do you see the house to the left of my Little House? That is Sister House. She is almost identical in floorplan as my house and joined the family in August!

I wasn't really planning on buying another house this year, but the neighbor who owned it was ready to sell and I couldn't say no! I have had a dream of owning Sister House almost as soon as I got settled in my house! Sister House has been a rental for the last twelve and came with renters, so no remodeling yet. I have been trying to content myself with sprucing up the yard and tiding up the back yard. I can't wait to tackle a few more outside projects next spring!

Now on to this year's Have-Done-List!

If you are new here, every year I list out projects I have completed. I started this tradition the first year as a way to show myself that progress was indeed being made!

Most of last year was taken up with installing a boiler and radiators and dealing with projects it created. It started last October with pulling out all the old ductwork, 

By the end of January we had the boiler and radiators installed.

Early Spring the old cold air return holes in the floors were patched.

In April I also patched the entry ceiling. To run the upstairs radiator we had to cut a pretty large hole in the entry ceiling.

Then it was on to adding another layer of Shellac to the floors in June. 

And then we finally found a new rug to go with our refreshed shiny floors!

Not the longest of lists, but the boiler was a major project! I still haven't patched the heat vents and trim. I am saving that for a long winter project!

"He who loves an old house never loves in vain.

How can an old house used to sun and rain,

To lilac and larkspur and an elm above,

Ever fail to answer the heart that gives it love?"

Isabel Fiske Conant

Happy Anniversary and Have-Done-List 2019

 Can you believe it has been 7 years since I bought this little house! My goodness, what a journey. I remember the excited mix of terror that day I signed the paperwork. I was a bit frazzled already with the whole buying experience! But oh the excitement! It was a three year dream come true! And I am so grateful all of the things this house has taught me.

I snapped this very autumnal picture this morning as I was driving off to work. I was excited it was a new angle!

We had a cold rain come through on Sunday and a good portion of the leaves are now on the ground. There is snow forecasted for tonight, so it looks like it is now raking season!

This is the first picture I ever took of the house. The official "Before" photo. She looks rather sad. Even though we haven't really changed a lot on the exterior, one can always see the "happy and loved" feel of a house! 

This year is has been all about getting the hydronic heat and radiators installed. So not much in the way of other projects. I did re-paint the bathroom and back hall (HERE). Otherwise most the project time was taken up with radiators or paint projects for the brothers.

We got a good start on installing the radiators the other weekend! My bedroom and Mom's bedroom radiators are installed. The main supply and return lines are also installed. I think we are about halfway there!

Except for the absence of fifty layers of paint, you can't tell it hasn't been here a hundred years!

Happy Annivarsary Little House!

Yesterday was a quintessential November day in southeast Wisconsin. Rainy, windy, gloomy. Leaves and rain whirling and swooshing. I enjoyed it! I don't think Mandy was quite as enthusiastic as she is suffering from a head cold right now. Kerri and I had fun though; feeling the wind in our faces, admiring the brilliant leaves against the dreary background (at lest I was! Kerri was just enjoying the plethora of good smells.)

 Last week was a bit chaotic as our sister and two nephews descended on us. It was late night spent chatting and busy days playing with kids. I did manage to seek in a couple of mornings painting windows at the Brick House, but other then that progress was at a standstill. But kids grow so fast, I couldn't miss an opportunity to snuggle the newest two month old nephew or read stories with the four year old. So fun!

 I can't believe we are already on to November! 

The end of October is the house anniversary of my cottage. I usually do a Have-Done-List post, but this year with working on Brick House and starting to run out of projects on the cottage I didn't really do anything. It feels a little weird to say that.....

 It always amazes me how far this little cottage has come! It has taught me so much! Not just how to do practical things, but how to get the job done, time management, make quicker decisions and that I can do anything I put my mind to!

I love remembering all the stages and progress. Want to remember with me?

All posts about the little house. (You can also go room by room using the tags on the right.)

Previous years Have-Done-Lists 

2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2013

Happy Anniversary Little House! And Happy November friends!

Have-Done List 2017

(Every year on the anniversary of owning my bungalow I like to create a Have-Done-List to celebrate all that I have accomplished on my house. I started this on my first anniversary and it is one of my favorite things to do each year!)

It is that time of year again! This will be the 5th year I have owned the little cottage and four years since we have lived here (it took almost a year to fix up). 

I am not sure if it is just time or the projects we got done this year or that life feels a bit calmer, but I am feeling "settled". You know that feeling of comfortableness, the knowledge when trying to recall an event that it took place in THIS house? Maybe it is just I am realizing we have lived here long enough to start touching up the paint on the walls....

Whatever the reason, it is a nice feeling!

Bathroom Trim and Windowsill

A Blank Wall

Even though I haven't finished re-decorating yet, I am hoping it will be done before the Christmas tree needs to go up!

Kitchen Trim

I think I was the most excited (still am!) about getting this one done!

Sewing Room Re-Do

I always like to look back at previous years. It is pretty amazing where it all started....
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Year Four

4th Anniversary and a Have-Done List

My how time flies..... It is hard to believe it is already 4 years I have owned my little house!

This years Have-Done list is a bit shorter then previous years. But we got a few big projects done that have been waiting on the list since I bought the house.

The biggest project was getting new sidewalks! This also entailed a bit of re-landscaping and building new steps.

Another project that has been on the waiting list, was trim out the bathroom and kitchen. Even  though it isn't complete yet, it was a good start!

A new back door and basement door!

I also rearranged and updated a few things. Like my bedroom, the dining room , and book nook.

A look back at past anniversary posts.
Home Sweet Home
1st Year, Have-Done List
2nd Year, Have-Done List
3rd Year, Have Done List

Re-reading all these posts brings back so many memories. So much has happened in 4 years! It seems like yesterday.....and yet it feels like a lifetime ago.

Have-Done-List 2015

Here is this year's Have-Done List!
 Not as much got done this year, but there is not a lot of major projects left to do! This summer was mostly windows and even though I only posted twice about them, we worked on windows many many weekends. 

January

Weekend Project- Back Stairs 

February

Kitchen Cupboard Updates

March

The Great Sofa Slipcover Project-part 1
Part 2

April

Old Windows

May

Necessities

A Bit of Yellow- Porch Update

June

If at first you succeed.....

July

Summer Garden

August

End Table for the Porch

September

Working on Windows


October

Sewing Room Wall Art

2nd Year Have-Done-List

Can believe it?! I have owned the little house for two years! What busy years...... I have decided to  write another Have-Done list, like I did last year.

Front Yard
I re-did the flower beds and have been adding plants all year. They are coming along nicely, but it is so different to what I am use to as the beds are all shade.

Porch
Last year, the front porch was just a dropping ground. This summer I transformed it into another living space, and boy did we enjoy living in it! Painted wicker furniture, made cushions and pillows and re-arranged the furniture a dozen times.

Entry

The biggest thing on the list was getting a coat rack! I also hung the mirror and baskets for mittens and keys. Very exciting accomplishment!

Living Room

Not too much going on in the living room, but we have big plans! Purchased a new rug for in front of the couch and added another couple of coats of shellac to the floors.

Dinning Room

Also re-coated the floors. Hung up my fruit illustrations and finished up the blue side chairs. Turned the table the other way, which really changed the look of the room!

Front Bedroom

Still have a bit more picture hanging to do here. But we finally figured out what would work in the closet, good old basic shelves! I am planning on sharing them soon.

Bathroom

Installed the medicine cabinet!! Put shelves in the linen closet and re-organized everything again.

Back Bedroom

(This was the only picture I has that even shows the back bedroom. Do you see the bed through the hall? That is it!) Didn't change a lot in this room. Bedrooms have to be decorated slowly. They are such personal spaces one has to take their time.

Kitchen

The kitchen has been a busy place this year! Made curtains, bought a new vintage table, installed tile back splash. Still have trim to do.

Book Nook

Moved more shelves in, organized books, and purchased a chair. I am in the middle of working on the foot stool and pillow now.

Upstairs Bedroom

Not much done here either. Because the sewing room was better organized, I was able to de-clutter a bit.

Sewing Room

Bought cube shelves and bins, re-organized everything, found a new sewing chair. I will be getting together a post on this room soon!

Back Yard
Painted both my garage and the neighbor's garage with fresh white paint. Bought a raised garden box, planters and planted an apple tree!

Happy Anniversary Little House!