Horse Hound and House

Hi everyone! Just wanted to send a quick note out that I’m still here and still reading all your posts! I’ve been so busy/tired/stressed that my “to-do when you have time” list just keeps growing. That includes all my DIY activities, not to mention cleaning, making dinner that doesn’t consist of Eggos or salt and pepper chips, and blogging. My weekends (when I normally do the fun DIY stuff and write blog posts) for the next few weeks will be jam-packed with barn building, hay moving, horse “shopping,” and then all the OTHER craziness that will occur when we move the horse(s) here. We have a lot, A LOT, to do.

Picture my face like this:

Scary. Hopefully we can still be friends. I’ll be back in full swing soon!

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I thought it would be fun to post weekly updates on the barn building process. Our building deadline is May 31st, so we have roughly 3 weeks left to finish everything! Week 1 went smoothly. Our builder/parent’s neighbor, John, came over one evening and we staked out the dimensions and made string lines so that we could make sure everything was square. Then, he marked out where each post would go, and the next step was digging the holes for the posts. Each hole needed to be 30″ deep, so thank goodness we have the tractor auger.

 The strings indicate where the sides of each post should go.

After all the holes were dug, the guys filled them all with concrete, and it was time for the posts. This was probably the most crucial step, because all the measurements had to be exact or our materials wouldn’t work. This is why I’m so glad we had an actual builder there to help us, because if we had done it ourselves, it would have been a big mess. As the posts were put into the holes, they put connecting braces across to keep them all in place while the concrete set. More concrete was poured around each of the posts, then the holes were filled with water.

This was the progress that had been made when I had to leave for a baby shower. It was starting to rain, and they were calling for storms, so I figured the guys would pack up and finish the next day. I was so happy when I came home and saw this:

All the posts were in! Actual progress! The barn we have been talking about for almost a year now is finally being built. We are so excited. Week 2 is focused on the roof, and we’re hoping to have the rafters and metal done by Sunday. That means the hard part will be over! The framing and siding should be quick and easy, and we should be on target for a May 31st completion. Y’all have no idea how relieved we all will be.

And, totally not-barn-related, but I picked up this huge purple glass ball at a yard sale for $8 and I have no idea what to do with it! The second picture gives you a size comparison. I thought it was really cool and I want it to live up to its potential. Ideas, please!!

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I don’t know if y’all know this, but we have three bathrooms here that haven’t been touched (decor wise). Our upstairs full bath is halfway demolished and has been like that for months now. It’s one of those “we’ll get to that when we have time/money.” We never use it anyway (much less go upstairs). The half bathroom was renovated by the owners before we moved in, so it looks nice, but it’s really plain. Since it’s a small space, I figured it would be a quick and relatively cheap makeover! Then I realized that I’ve never really had my own bathrooms to decorate (except in college) so I was lost as to what style to go with. The sink is white and modern, but it’s nice and new so I’m not replacing it. No pallets-turned-sinks or any other Pinterest creations in this bathroom. Just simple, surface changes to brighten up the room.

Since I had no idea where to start, I thought finding an art piece would help, and the ideas would grow from there. I mean, really all I have to do is pick a wall color, some wall decor, a new mirror and some other small things. I found a couple art pieces that I liked, but nothing jumped out at me. So my search turned back to Pinterest. Here are a few inspiration photos. Hopefully one will stick!

(None of these images had direct links!)

There are so many great details in this bathroom: the yellow touches, the blue ceiling, and the wainscoting. I love wainscoting.

This bathroom also has a wainscoting/paneling, with a bold, funky wallpaper on top. I’m not sure if I want to go that bold in a small half bath, but it’s pretty.

Some thick stripes would be fun. I like the neutral colors in here, as well as the grass decor. This would match the floor pretty well.

I love the sparkly tiles in here. The colors/decor aren’t my style, but I could go a totally different way with a tile wall.

If Tyler had any say, it would look like this:

Not happening.

Maybe I’ll start with a paint color and go from there. It’s so plain now that I feel like it needs some cool and interesting detail, like tiles or stripes. But I don’t want to go too overboard. What do y’all think?

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