Dwellings Holiday 2012 Part 1

 

For those of you who follow along, you have seen images from my brother's shop Dwellings.

If any of you are new around here, from time to time I will rattle on about the shop!

I help out on the weekends at the shop & have been updating the shops Facebook page.

 

So...I'm excited to say that.

The shop has been updated for the HOLIDAYS!

I thought I would share the first glance of holiday images with you all.

 

I am dying for the natural simple white holiday decor this season.

Classic. Casual. Elegant. Cottage.

 

ahhhh....

 

 

If you are traveling on Interstate 80 this holiday season stop in downtown LeClaire, Iowa.

I promise, you will not be disappointed you did!

We are located just about 2 hours west of Chicago on the Iowa/Illinois border.

We have a great variety of quaint shops in the downtown area.

And...yes, I am partial:)

Wouldn't you be???

 

 

 

I also love the modern natural lodge look for the winter season.

 

 participating

Savvy Southern Style

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Wordpress vs. Blogger ~ Thoughts?

 

I'm tossing around the idea of converting from Blogger to Wordpress.

What are your thoughts?

 

I am looking to update the look of my blog to feel a bit more modern while still feeling classic.

Truth:  I've never really felt as though I have perfected the look & appearance of my blog to be

 a true representation of my creativity and style.

So, I've been searching for the Right Thing if you know what I mean.
 

 

 

I really love some of the fantastic themes that are out there for Wordpress blogs.

I've been wanting to take a Wordpress class (when I can find the time.)

I also know there are some great tutorials out there.

But, maybe then again its really just all about content & I should stick with what is simple for me.

 

So, naturally, thought I would ask those of you who support me along the way!

 

Which blogging platform do you use?

Has anyone made the transition from Blogger to Wordpress?

Is it as scary as it seems???

Do you have to be completely HTML savvy?

 

 

PLEASE I need your help...let me know your thoughts!

 

 



 

 



Our Renovation ~ Choosing Exterior Siding Part 2

Certainteed Mainstreet Siding - Sterling Grey

 

If you guessed that we selected the Certainteed Mainstreet Double 4" Vinyl Siding, you were correct.

This is the exterior siding material choice we have gone with on our home.

  If you haven't checked out Part 1 of Choosing Exterior Siding click here for a Reno catch up.

 

As I stated in Part 1, choosing siding pretty much all came down to budget.

I will admit, I was just a lil bit disappointed.

If you read my first post about choosing siding, you know this wasn't necessarily my top pick.

I knew all along, it may come down to this, but I am an optimist, so I held out hope:)

Don't get me wrong, I most certainly do not want to sound ungrateful,

I truly am absolutely thrilled with how our home is turning out!!!

 

But, when you realize this may be the only time you get to make these decisions, you want to make absolutely sure the choices you make for your home will stand the test of time.

I want our home to have an exterior modern & timeless cottage feel.

I know that aesthetic would have been best captured by

 more natural material or more natural looking materials.

 

A little Renovation Reality...

YOU WILL MAKE COMPRISES

BUDGET IS THE BUDGET

Don't get me wrong, we have gone over on some things & came in under on others.

But, for us sticking to our budget is a must in the end.

It's also part of what we originally set out to do.

Make the home of our dreams on a budget & that is exactly what we are doing!

 

We may still add some character and dimension in the gables on the front of our home.

But, just as I have to wait & see on that one so do you!  Ha:)

 

 

So, now that the big siding decision is out of the way it's on to the fun stuff!

Time to choose a siding color.

Wanna help?

 

We have it narrowed down to three options.

 

1. Granite Gray

2. Flagstone

3. Pacific Blue

 

{Views from the Outside}

 

 

1. Granite Gray

 

 

 

2. Flagstone

 

3. Pacific Blue

 

Our Home Renovation

(The porch is still coming off & the upper windows to be replaced.)

 

 

Well...what do ya think???

 

Whats' your favorite?

Which would you pick?

Which would you pick for us?

 

 

Want to see more of Our Cottage Renovation click here.

 participating

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Funky Junk Interiors

Our Renovation ~ Choosing Exterior Siding Part 1

 

 

For all of you who enjoy following along on Our Renovation Journey,

you will be excited to hear that things are progressing nicely, actually even as I type this post.

But, I wanted to take a few minutes to update you on our progress.

A few weeks ago Travis & I finalized our exterior siding choice for our home.

 

This was not an easy decision!

There are so many options available, it is so hard to choose.

Wood shakes, wood clapboard, fiber cement shakes, fiber cement clapboard,

 vinyl shakes, vinyl clapboard, and colors and textures....etc.

It can be a bit overwhelming!

 

Travis gave me a few stipulations to work with when it came to our siding choice.

 

1. Must Stay within budget!

2. Stay in Budget!!

3. If at all possible choose Certainteed products. 

He works with these materials everyday, and Certainteed Siding is his #1 choice.

We are not being compensated for saying that. 

It is simply a presonal preference of his, as a contractor.

Certainteed materials are affordable, durable, readily available in our area

and in his opinion withstand the warm and humid Summers and cold, snow filled Iowa winters.

4. STAY IN BUDGET!

 

 

Here are my personal choices in order.

 

1. Wood Shake Siding - $$$$

 

If I could have anything in the world I wanted & that hasty budget word didn't keep popping up,

without a doubt it would be cedar wood shake ciding.  I will tell you now this option is out, but it was

still fun to search for the perfect wood shake home on Pinterest and Houzz.com for inspiration.

 

2. Certainteed Vinyl Shake Impressions - $$$

 

Vinyl Shakes are a great option if you are looking for durability

and still want that rough look of real cedar shakes. 

They actually have many different options in the varying types of shakes

which are molded from real cedar shakes.

 

3. Certainteed Cedar Lap - $$$

 

Similar to wood cedar clapboard siding look, but with the durability of vinyl.

Made to look like natural wood.

 

4. Certainteed Mainstreet Vinyl Siding - $$

 

Maintenance free and budget friendly double 4"

vinyl clapboard siding has a natural textured wood grain appearance.

 

Which one do you think we chose???

Staytuned to find out!

I will post Part 2 of Choosing our Exterior Siding soon!

 

 

Gotta run....before the hubs thinks I bailed on him:)

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

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Between Naps on the Porch

The Shabby Creek Cottage

 French Country Cottage

Funky Junk Interiors

Savvy Southern Style



LeClaire Countryside ~ From the Farm

One of my favorite times of the year for capturing photos to add to my portfolio is Fall.

LeClaire is absolutely beautiful as the trees have turned & leaves begin to fall.

The picturesque simple scenes remind me daily of why I am smitten with small town living.

A few weeks ago Travis & I were visiting my father-in-law's farm just on the edge of town.

It's not an operating farm any longer,  just a few rolling acres of serene Iowa countryside.

I couldn't ask for a better little escape from the everyday.

I think at times they think I'm crazy, to them it's just home &

 a field that's a bit overgrown without the horses roaming the pastures any longer.

To me it's a place filled with small gifts from nature, that I just simply refuse to take for granted.

A beautiful place to continue to hone my photography skills.

My creative side needs a place that appeals to my photographic style & aesthetic to really thrive.

Do you have a place that inspires you?

 

 

 

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Funky Junk Interiors

Between Naps on the Porch

The Shabby Creek Cottage

French Country Cottage

Savvy Southern Style

LeClaire Annual Witches Walk 2012

 

Last weekend was the Annual LeClaire Witches Walk.

Each year for Halloween our town has a fun filled event for the kiddos.

Witches Walk is a free event that the local businesses and

volunteers sponsor to give back to our community.

 

 

We have a costume contest for the kids & give out lots of prizes!

We keep the little ones entertained with a petting zoo, train rides, & clowns.

For the last few years I have been a volunteer & one of the event planners for the occasion.

 

 

All the kiddos line up and parade through the downtown on main street.

The shopkeepers pass out candy for our Witches Walkers.

So much fun!!!

 

 

This hot air ballon costume was one of my absolute favorites this year!

Isn't she absolutely adorable?

There were so many creative costumes this year!

It was great to see so many talented people really support the event.

Everyone had a really great time!

That is what it's all about.

A fun filled afternoon for our community:)

The Petting Zoo has been a main attraction the last few years.

A local couple brings in their animals that they have on a large farm.

They travel with the petting zoo for local events.

It is such a big hit!

 

 

Want to check out last year's Witches Walk click here.

Happy Halloween!

 participating
Here's to You Mrs. Robinson
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors
Between Naps on the Porch

LeClaire ~ Fall Mums

Grasshoppers

 

One of the things I love about Fall in LeClaire are the vibrant colors of the Mums.

As you stroll down main street in downtown LeClaire,

 you can't help but be charmed by the stunning display of Fall Mums this time of year.

Aren't they fabulous?

The Faithful Pilot

Primitive Cottage

Wide River Winery

 

The perfect stop for a tasting on my Fall afternoon stroll.

 

 

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Between Naps on the Porch

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Funky Junk Interiors