{ Fireplace Mantel makeover }

Apparently I am not the greatest at juggling three little kids, a full time job, a side gig, a home, everything else that life brings AND a blog because I haven't posted in eight months! yikes! It feels like it was only a few and then when I looked back I was like whoa.

We did make time to capture a new family photo this fall. I love this one!

These kids of mine have my heart.

photo credit Kety Studio

To be quite honest not many "big" things have changed around here. We spent the summer camping and playing outside endlessly. Winter slows things down in the "DIY projects" department plus we've just been busy. I mean we are all busy right, but for some reason I just haven't figured out how to do this full time working plus everything else thing. Like keeping up with laundry and meal planning has consumed my time and even then it seems like I am always behind and have at least 3 loads of laundry to do at any given time and scrambling at 6:30pm every.single.week.night to come up with a delicious, easy, quick, healthy, everyone likes meal (like that's even possible) ha! If you have tips for me please share. not joking. how do you do it?

One thing that we finally checked off the crazy long to-do list is our fireplace mantel! I figured I would check in to give you guys an update on that. I know you were on the edge of your seats to see it.

So here's a quick reminder of our sequence of events and it only took us a little over 2 years. We are fast.

 

I was like what is that piece of paneling sitting on top of that fireplace? who does that? Then we figured out why...there was a hole behind it so duh, that's why one would buy a piece of faux wood paneling and some trim to cover it up.

 

 

We took the vent grates off, cleaned them up, and sprayed them white. The lovely gold screen came off (eventually), the limestone mantel was removed, and the giant hole was covered up with drywall.

 

 

Mark started putting the wood up to trim out the fireplace. and that's how we lived with it for over a year.

I improvised on our tiny little ledge that I had to work with. so pretty, right?!

and then finally a fire was lit under one mans behind and the mantel was constructed.

I primed and painted and then it was finally complete. Now I just need to go shopping to pretty up the mantel just in time for spring!

I love it. The room finally feels much more completed with this done.

So much better than this...

I'm itching to get to hobby lobby and home goods to scoop up some good mantel décor. Here are my inspiration mantels.

This spring we will be starting on the exterior of our house and I am so ready for that. Have you drove by our house? Let me give you a reminder.

Pretty right?! ha!

That yellow has got to go. The wood trim is peeling and rotting, that's gotta go too. That front cement stoop is uninviting and tiny so a new front porch will be replacing that.

We are still debating on color. For sure I can tell you it wont be any version of yellow. I know I want a combo of vertical board and batten and vinyl siding. I will find time to share the process with you and I am sure if you live local you will be seeing all the progress as we go!

So maybe I am writing to myself since it's been so long since I've updated but honestly it feels good to blog again. It feels good to have a small thing checked off our list and it feels great to dream about the big exterior changes to come!

Be blessed!