The living room floor is finished!!

Finally.....The walls are whitewashed to look like faded barn wood.

The wide plank pine wood was put down, but a change was made with the paint for the floor.

ORIGINALLY I was going to paint the floor white. Hubby has this "thing" for wood floors, so I said I would white wash the pine so the grain of the wood could show through. After hubby put down the pine, I purchased milk paint which is supposed to be mixed equal parts water with equal parts powder.

The paint was thick, so for white washing, I added more water......the properties in the powder didn't stay mixed with the extra water, and the process turned into a big mess!

I did NOT like the way the floor looked, and washing it off, with more sanding turned into more of a mess!

Happily, I went back to my original idea to paint the pine white........

You cannot see the "planks", because the paint is "fresh"....eventually the boards will be more defined with daily foot traffic.

I will add one or two throw rugs when I find "just the right ones".

For now, the bare floors are looking good to me.

The walls and floor give the room more of a "cottage" feel, and I'm loving that!

I keep moving things around, and adding pieces, then removing things.

I'm sure it will take a few days before it feels "just right".

Hopefully.....it will all come together, and won't look too slap-stick.

Here's a look from the dining room.

(The dark corner is the pellet stove. Someday, that will be lighter, and brighter.....one thing at a time.)

Now we wait for nights to stay above the freezing mark so we can plant, and have flowers!!!
It's time to be Outside!!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Debbie

Bloom where you are planted.

As you can see, we are still waiting for Spring to arrive here in the "north".

We have no flowers blooming, and our boats are still docked on dry land!

This is obviously the "street" side of our house.

The other side being the "canal" side.

We took down both of the wood arbors. and the fencing that was old and rotted this past weekend, and are replacing it with iron pieces we recently found at a favorite garden shop I frequent.... located in Midland.

The bricks need to be set in, and I bought two more roses that need planting.

It looks so barren right now.

Hopefully, everything will start filling in VERY soon!

The nights get below freezing still...so....we wait.

Another thing I'm waiting for is the sealer for the wood floor.

The floor is ready for the milk paint, but I don't want to do that until I have the finish.

The walls were done to resemble faded barn wood.

We have the old, wide panel wood on the walls. I dry brushed over the blue that was on them and ended up with a faded/white washed effect.

I'm going to use the milk paint on the baseboard trim, after I white wash the floor with it.

Hopefully, the wide trim will be put up along the ceiling, as well.

The cupboard you see to the right....I'm not sure if it housed an old record player, or was a dry bar of some kind. The top opens, and the upper door drops down. The two bottom doors open, also, and there are brackets for shelves inside.But those might have been added later. After I finish painting, then distressing this piece, it will be used for the tv.
So.....while we wait for Spring to get here, and finally STAY!!! There are a few things to finish here at the Lakehouse. 
I envy all you folks that have flowers blooming, and roses ready to cut for your tables......
"Bloom where you are planted" I keep hearing in my head. Yet my heart yearns for roses.
Debbie
xo

No....no more snow!!!

Just a few days ago I was inspired to buy this sweet little bell jar for the cottage garden.

The snow had all melted away, and some of the early Spring bulbs were popping their heads up out of the dirt to say "hello".

The sun was shining, and the temps were warming up nicely.........

and then came the rain, sleet and snow.

Last night it all returned.....AGAIN!!!

The ground is covered with the heavy white stuff.

As I sit here and type, I can see it on the garage roof just outside the window.

The next few days have more of the same in the forecast.

Below temps.

Rain, wind, and snow.

These are the times when I struggle.

Living in Northern Lower Michigan where we are three weeks behind the lower portion of the state in the growing season.

Just three hours south of here, where my girls and their families live....they have flowers coming up in their gardens, grass showing, and large buds on the trees.

It's frustrating, at times.

This is not a place for a gardener to live.

The seasons are too short for growing, and digging in the moist, warm earth.

It's a trade off. Living on the states largest in-land lake farther north.

My husband loves it here with nature at it's best.

I question our decision all those years ago to move this far north.

I love our shabby, romantic cottage on the water.....but on snowy days like this one in April, I can't help but wish Mother Nature were on some better meds for her "mental-pause" symptoms.......sigh.
Debbie
xo
Joined Instagram, and loving it.