Backyard Part 1

This project begun awhile ago and is technically still not finished...but I reached a milestone today.

Before I get to "the milestone" let's go back in time:

This was our backyard when we moved in (notice if you will the weeds along the fence. They ended up getting about 3 1/2 feet tall before I did anything about them...)

After some time, I trenched the yard and laid PVC pipe for sprinklers. Now I'll have you know, this was all a slow process. I used a trencher that my dad had rented to do his own yard, I used left over spare pieces of PVC and fitting once he was done laying pipe...you know, the cheapest way possible!

And here we are today, wetting down this area of the lawn. Mind you, the sprinklers are STILL not done and i did the pipe months ago! haha don't judge...

And Viola!

(Did i just type the name of the instrument, or the word you say when you are revealing something? I don't know, I hope you get what I am trying to say...)

Insta-lawn! Well, it wasn't very instantaneous. It took some time to lay down. but nevertheless, a heck-of-a lot faster than throwing seed! You see, my dad bought a bunch of sod to do his own yard and when he told me he was buying some, I asked him if i could take the leftovers. Luckily for me, he had about 320 sq ft of extra! So we laid in the front section of my backyard. The rest of the yard needs some leveling and other work done but still, we have a little backyard with grass now!!

I have never laid sod before, and it was actually kinda fun!

So the plan is to finish the sprinklers ASAP and then probably next summer, fill in the rest of the yard with sod! I love my little yard...

A "little" project

So ever since I can remember, I have been obssesed with miniature things. Awhile ago I found a miniature paper model of a guitar on the website uncommongoods.com.

Because Jessica is the best wife in the world, she got my the model for our anniversary.

As I had a little time here, and some time there, I have been cutting, folding, and glueing this model together.

And I've done it.

The whole thing is paper. It was awesome to build. Next, (I hope) is a paper grand piano model...We'll see...

The Greatest "Project" Ever!!

So on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, Jessica and I completed a project that has been in the making for, oh, about 9 months!

Asher Cameron Mitchell was born at 12:21 pm weighing a whopping 9 lbs, 4 oz (Jess's OB came into the recovery room after and picked him up and looked at me and said, "This is a big a$$ baby!")

It was basically an amazing experience...we went in Tues morning at 10 and Jess got all prepped and before 2 1/2 hours passed, WHAM! We're parents!

He's pretty much the cutest baby in the world, just sayin'...

(a little Zoolander action going. Haven't seen it? look it up)

I love our little family. As of right now (Fri. Aug 5th), we're still in the hospital. So I don't know if it has sunk in completely, but it is an amazing feeling to hold him and look at him and know that he is ours, forever.

Fence Part 2

So the last post I showed the fence built...but it sat on my back patio for a month...

But I finally put it in!!

You'd think that once it was built, putting it in would be easy? Yeah not so much...well it probably would've been had I dug the holes in the right spots (I had no idea how hard it was to dig 2, 1' 7" holes!!, then to do them again!) and trim one side cause it was like 1/2" too wide...

I got my dad to come over and help me carry the fence over to its spot, then RE-dig the holes, then I borrowed a saw from my NASCAR and beer loving neighbor across the street to trim the side, then set it in!

...and voila!

Because I've been trying to do everything involving the least amount of money possible, I opted out of buying cement to set the posts in using the logic: "the indians built their houses with dirt and water!" so we used just that, dirt and some water!

and here's a before-and-after pic I took on a nifty app I found on my phone:

And because I am SOO resourceful (yeah don't laugh), I have plans to use the lumber from the old fence for another up-coming project!

Alas I Post Again...

So I completed another project around the house!

It was a somewhat spur-of-the-moment-sitting-at-home-Saturday-afternoon-trying-to-find-something-to-do-while-Jessica-was-at-work-type of project:

I decided to build a side fence

Currently, our side fence is more than dilapidated..it's been a concern since we started looking at the house. So when we moved in, for a quick fix, I just stuck a piece of plywood back there to at least make it possible to keep Toby (that's my dog) from escaping.

I had found a pre-made fence panel that would work in the space but I started to piece out the price of building one myself and found that it was if not cheaper, right around the same price, and where's the fun and experience in buying a pre-made panel?!

So I took off to Home Depot, and here it is!

So first I built this frame of 4x4's for the posts and 1x3's to hold the fence slats.

To get the distance apart and the height of the slats all the same, I used a coupe of jigs: I found a die from our LCR game that was just the size that I needed and then nailed two pieces of wood (the right of the picture) at the distance that I wanted and lined each piece up to it.

And here's the finished product! It's still sitting on my back patio like a wood deck (ps have you seen the "Deck" bit by Blue Collar Comedy?! Hilarious. Inappropriate but hilarious. It's a free country, look it up if you want. But I didn't tell you too...do it!)

I will post before and after pics when I actually get it in it's place! All in all with lumber and nails: about $58...not too bad in my opinion!

Not MY project...

So I donwloaded this "blogger" app on my phone and I thought I would try it out...

So if the picture worked, I'm at Banner Desert Medical Center and that is scaffolding cover 5 floors worth of the hospital. This is my 5th night down here working and its REALLY boring! (But I get to read a lot...shhh....)

Anywho...hopefully this app works! That would be cool!

And now the moment you've all been waiting for...

(I write the title like I have people just waiting at their computers to see the finished product...)

I did it

(We did it - I can't forget Jessica in this because, well, she found the bench, she helped with the distressing, and most important, she had the vision!)

The bench is FINISHED!!

It's kinda a weird angle...but there it is!

The hinges were painted white, so I stripped the white off down to their bare brass (hehe...pun totally intended!)

Little detail of the distress marks

So all in all Jess and I are so happy with the way it turned out!

Vintage style bench - $65 at the thrift store

Blue paint (name of the paint is a secret...shh) - $15

Grand total of $80!

It's time to go back...in time?

I'll start putting up stuff that I have already done!

This first project I actually did before Jess and I bought this house...even before we got married! (well I started it before we got married...)

I had an idea to make Jess this bookshelf as my wedding gift to her (if the gift of myself wasn't enough! ha!)

I didn't quite finish it before the wedding but still, she loved it!

Total price for lumber and paint - around $100

Knowing that I did it for my lovely wife - priceless!

haha jk.....but seriously...

But not too shabby for a custom made, solid wood bookshelf, eh?!

(PS I painted the vase too at As You Wish!)

First Project Update

Although this project is not my FIRST project for the house, it's one that I am working on now...

I thought about first starting with projects that I have already done before moving to the ones I am working on now...but that would take too long! (and I am just really excited about the ones I am working on now...)

So the official first project post on the "Project: Mitchell Home" blog....

The Bench.

So my friend and his wife started to get old furniture and refinish them and it looked like a blast! So Jessica and I started to keep our eyes out for a little project to get our hands on to...

and there it is!

Jess and I found this little beauty at Epic Thrift Store on Gilbert and McKellips.

So, we are going to try to antique it!

I'm still working on it but here are some pics of the process:

(Sanding...there was a lot of that...)

I found a blog on antiquing furniture and the lady used candle wax to cover the spots that she wanted the bottom color to show through...so that's what i'm doing here...or trying at least...

So I have it painted and about to do that antiquing part! I will post the finished product soon!!

New Blogger

Welp, I did it.

I am a blogger.

So as I was going to sleep last night, I thought that I should start a blog documenting the little projects I attempt to do to our little house.

Here's the little beauty:

So because I am going to school and trying to work and we are newly married and all the usual stuff that causes people to not have money, we don't have money! So my goal is to fix this little house up the most inexpensive way possible.

And it is on the blog here that i will post the completed (or near completed...) projects.

I don't know if my intent is to gain readers from it (I doubt that I will...) or just find a way to show off my stuff!

Either way...Enjoy!

P.S. Those of you who do read this, feel free to give suggestions on easy and cheap home projects!