AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

How about we christen a brisk fall day here on Hawthorne Avenue with a CD release party,
 and The Silent Boys play live in our back yard!

cover by A Girl Named Leney

Michael C. , John M. , Wallace D. & John S. 

This fantastic CD is another batch of great jangle pop songs.  

Go to  https://thesilentboys.bandcamp.com/ to take a listen and to see their discography.

Bruce

Michael & Wallace 

John & Wallace

John

FLEXING MY TOOL MUSCLES

    It has been quite a while since I have called upon my full 'arsenal' of construction tools, knowledge and energy.  Perhaps that is one reason we have put off this garden house project for so long.  After several years of restoring the main house, my body wanted a rest.  In addition, I was not certain we could acomplish this building task without professionals.

AND THEN.....

    My husband gifted me his assistance and labor for my recent birthday.

(BTW...best birthday gift ever!)  And with promises of letting me design and direct the build, we began putting together a garden house that I have been contemplating for close to 15 years.

As it turns out, we ARE competent!

May I point out to everyone the very first  blog entry

Dumpster diving treasures are raw materials

I save everything I deem worthy of new life.

Salvaged windows and doors together with stock lumber and muscle are the raw materials for the garden house I have been creating in my mind.

Graph paper helps lay out possible house designs

When one of my nephews asked if he could come visit me last month as we were beginning the project, I said "Great!  But you have to know your uncle and I are building a garden house and we will put you to work."  Somewhat jokingly, I warned him there would be a whole lot of hammering, sawing, and yelling.  Good natured as he is, he wanted to come anyway.

6x6 posts are sunk and leveled

My nephew mixes concrete for posts

My nephew cuts floorboards

My nephew and husband nail joists

Miss Magnolia tests out the flooring and supervises

 When restoring our 1907 Hawthorne house, we removed 3rd floor closets that had been added around the 1940's.  Don't you know I saved the paneled doors.  What a good thing it was because 

now those doors  have become the "wainscotting" on my garden house. 

This project is nothing if not level.

Calculating the desired pitch

Gable ends go up

Windows from our 1949 beach house get new life as hinged windows over screen for warm weather air flow

The 16 ft. ridge board allows for a foot overhang at each gable end

The garden house mid build as seen from the side lawn

Oh what fun it is to get back into the swing of creating and building.  I would SOOOOO rather do this than just about anything (especially monotonous housework like toilets or laundry).  

Check in again to see the progress on the garden house.

AT THE REQUESTOF SOME

    At the request of some of my friends and blog followers, I am going to peck out a few more entries to this blog.

    Since I stopped posting on a regular basis some time ago, there has been progress on our house and, more notably, our yard.  For close to 2 years I put down my power tools and picked up my shovel and mattock, rake and pitchfork.


Hardscape was added and our antique brick got new life as colums and a circular planter.

The only plant life worthy of salvaging were the azaleas, the magnificent Magnolias, 2 tremendous maples, an old pecan tree, a very large holly and, of course, the bamboo!

 
    Heavy equipment took out years of brush and weeds, and I designed some curves into the landscape to soften the squareness of the large patio/basketball court.

My daughter and I tote water to the garden behind the garage,
at least until we get the rainbarrels connected.

My son gifted me with yardwork last Mother's day. This included
digging out the original but long neglected pond in the back yard.

 All this happened 1 1/2 years ago.  I've been digging and planting ever since.  Good thing I love it so much!  We now have grass and loads of plantings.

There is more to come.  Keep an eye out for more recent photos and coments.

WELCOME SPRING

Tete a tete jonquils and anemones poke throught the cold March soil

WHILE I'M ON THE SUBJECT OF BRICK

While we had the mason here, we hired him to build an outdoor fireplace.  

I drew a picture and he capably followed my novice design to a T.

It was July,

and it was hot,

but 3 half-days of work later.....

                We have a stunning chimney; the centerpiece of a beautiful outdoor gathering spot.
(I'll let you in on a little special feature....the key at the top of the arch was cut from the original 1907 sidewalk leading to the front door.)

October 2014 - Ready for guests

CURB APPEAL

    We have been so excited seeing how the recent brick work has turned out.  In addition to the driveway pillars, we had the mason fashion a circular bed in the center front yard.  Originally there was a larger circle.  Our smaller brick bed is something of a nod to the home's past (a larger circle would have meant today's vehicles would have difficulty manuevering around the drive).

Finishing off the inside of the circular bed

As seen from the front door

                     Our house 3 years ago , here, was equated with the Amittyville horror house.

Pillars and circle are complete, making for a somewhat grand entrance.  The house takes on an entirely new persona.

AS YOU WERE, CONTINUED

The brick work began.  

We trusted the brickwork to Alan Swan and are thrilled with the results.

    Work began in the front where original brick, salvaged from fallen chimneys, was used to errect brick pillars alongside the entrance.  All we had to go on was the original brick footprint of the pillars and a small photograph c. 1910 of the house at a distance.  Basing our decision upon the style of the time (1907), we decided upon a stone cap and a simple brick pillar.

Going up!

Left pillar

Right pillar

 

AS YOU WERE

   When we purchased this house back in 2011, many of its original architectural features were severely damaged, missing, or hidden.  Discovering clues to the house's past, we have been able to resurrect, replace or reproduce porch posts, balusters, a 1/2 round window,  and a diamond pane window over the course of 3 years.

An old post found in the basement at purchase

One of 12 reproduced posts

Installing replicated balusters

Looking good but a long way to go

3rd floor 1/2 round covered by a rectangular storm window

Newly made 1/2 round

New window installed in studio space on 3rd floor

Reclaimed window for dining room

Diamond paned window installed and trimmed

        This discovery has been at the back of my mind ever since my shovel hit the brick over a year ago.  The time arrived this August to do something about the brick.....the last of the BIG projects to restore this Hawthorne house.

To be continued.....

HAPPY JULY

BEFORE & AFTER: STUDIO

BEFORE:
February 2011
First view of 3rd floor, future studio space

    The 3rd floor of this Hawthorne house was logically the best space for our bonus rooms (studio spaces and guest room).  Personally I was eager to have my art studio under the same roof as my living space but it was going to require some creative effort to turn this rather dark space into a functional and cheerful spot.  When we purchased the house in March 2011 I knew I would be giving up 50% of the studio space I enjoyed on Warren Road.  Ouch!  I designed and had constructed the studio on Warren Road....windows on the east and west and 4 skylights for northern and southern light. How could I make this space my new home?  (See progress Here and also Here)

    It took a while to accomodate all that I moved from my original location (thank goodness for small closets in the eaves on 2 sides for storage).  The studio here on Hawthorne Avenue, while not as large, is equally functional and comfortable.

This little sink we found in the backyard and had resurfaced.

                                                                                   

An old CD cupboard ......

                                                                       

gets dismantled and....

                                                                             

...becomes 2 storage units for this....

.....and that.

 

A fabric and sewing area

Painting and reference area

A little bit of collaging taking place

One never knows when she might need popsicle sticks, corks, dominoes, dowels or seashells!

My childhood refrigerator is now a stereo center.

Miss Magnolia has already christened the studio with a painting project for her birthday back in February.

A cluttered but creative space

An old science lab table becomes a mobile work table, backed by my 'wall of screams'.

AFTER:
April 2014 -
A comfortable, user friendly, creative space on the third floor here on Hawthorne Ave.