Top Decoration

Night #1 of this year's Tradition

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Last night we decided that every Sunday night of this Christmas Season, we will take the kids for a drive to look at Christmas lights.

(Something that we're actually able to plan for under the circumstances this year.)

So we headed to a favorite local neighborhood to start the tradition off right.

The kids loved it!

I did too!

And, as always, this neighborhood didn't disappoint.

Here are some of our favorites:

It probably goes without saying, but these next two houses got the most

ooh's and ahhh's

from the kids...

We took a spin through our neighborhood before heading home to tuck the kids into bed and loved what was done on this house...

We spent the day after Thanksgiving putting up our outdoor lights.

Well, actually....

Will spent the day after Thanksgiving putting up our outdoor lights while I went through box after box after box of Christmas decor inside the house, but...

after seeing all of the lighted houses last night, we can home, tweaked ours just a bit, and we now have it exactly how we want it.

I just need to get the front porch decorated and then I'll show you what we've done.


So how about you?

Spot any good Christmas light inspiration of your own this year?





P.S. I am posting this as inspiration over at the DIY Show Off's Holiday Highlight's Party

and at A Soft Place To Land for DIY Day

Well....sort of...

I mean, clearly they are gorgeous!

And festive.

And romantic.

And just...so darn pretty!


For me, there's just something about globe lights strung up, illuminating the night.

So I decided that I needed some...

Except, (you know me) I wasn't about to buy them.

Nope.

Not a chance.

Those suckers are pricey!

So, naturally, I came up with a solution...

because I was bound and determined to get the glow!

So...

I went faux!

Ha!


Confused?

I know.

Faux globe lights...

what in the world does that mean?

I'll show you...



First, I needed something to string the lights on. We always have a healthy supply of 2 x 4's out in the garage, so Will split a few of them in half on the table saw, to just under 1 and 3/4" each.

Then (just for looks) he ran them through the table saw again, cutting off each corner. Definitely not an essential step, but worth it if you have the time. Each one got a quick coat of white paint to blend in on our deck...

Once all of the posts were secured to the deck, we went under the house to dig out the Christmas boxes.

(Still confused?)

Instead of buying several boxes of expensive globe lights, I decided to use strands of Christmas lights we already own!

Totally FREE!

Perfect!


I used picture hangers nailed at the tops of the posts to hold the wire, and then we began to hang up the lights...

I wasn't sure how the green wire was going to look during the day, but as it turns out, it completely blends in with the surrounding landscape...

Once we got the strands of Christmas lights up and plugged in, I couldn't wait for nightfall to arrive to see how they were going to look...

As soon as it was dark, I flipped the switch and...

Viola!

The exact look I was going for, without any of the expense...

A free makeover that made a huge difference in the look and feel of our deck.

All we had to invest was a very small amount of time.

Does it get any better than that?

I mean, really?

If you are my husband, the answer is a resounding NO!

No, it does not get any better than that!




P.S. I am posting this over at Hooked On Houses
and DIY Day over at A Soft Place To Land
and at Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

When I woke up yesterday morning, I had already psyched myself up for a day of laundry. Yes, it takes psyching up for me. Laundry is easily my most despised chore. We were so wrapped up in preparations for the wedding, and then spending the weekend in Woodinville, that the amount of laundry I have as a result is...let's just say, I'll be lucky if it only takes me one day to do it all!

Anyway, I was ready for it.

Until my husband woke up.

We went out on the deck to look at the beautiful sunrise...

The next thing I knew, he was saying "let's paint the deck today" and we were suddenly clearing everything off of it!

I'm sure by now that if you've been following our blog for any length of time, you know that we're a bit impulsive when it comes to projects for our home.

This project being no exception!

But we have good reason for doing this project without notice...

the weather has been perfect!

Slip-N-Slide kind of perfect...

So we had to take advantage of it!

So are you wondering "why bother? Fall is here. The rain is coming. No need for your deck"

I know. It doesn't make much sense does it? The nights are already really cold up here in the Pacific Northwest, the days are getting shorter and shorter, and the rain is sure to set in soon...

But around our house, when Fall arrives, it signals a party.

October is when we host our annual

Chowder Cook-Off!

This will be our third year in a row and we invite a whole lot of people: family, friends, co-workers, neighbors...

It's a fun competition and always super yummy!

With all those people here and tons of hot chowders filling the kitchen, it gets pretty hot in the house, so we want to open up the French Doors from the family room onto the deck and use it as overflow and a place to get some fresh air.

So, it's the perfect time for the deck to get a makeover!

As you can see, it was in pretty bad shape...

The floor boards are so worn that the stain has been almost completely worn off.

And if you look closely at this next picture you can see drips running down the side...

Nice, right?

*sheesh*

The previous owners just slapped on the stain and called it good because the sides of the deck were hidden by huge rhododendrons.

I used Kilz a while back to go over the brown stain drips and it worked for a while, but we just removed a weeping tree that had sat right there in front of the deck and now you can clearly see how bad the original paint and stain job were.

(Don't worry...we follow the "remove a tree, plant a tree" rule, so we're planting the new apple tree you see up there in the photo. It will be much better for the space and provide much needed shade, which this yard is sorely lacking.)


Will was able to patch some boards that were rotting away by using deck boards from a neighbor down the street who is rebuilding their deck. They had a huge pile sitting in their driveway and they were cool with Will taking some, since the boards were of no use to them anymore.

Score!

And then we began painting...


and painting...


and painting...


and painting...


and painting...


All. Day. Long.



And then...


we did something that I've been wanting to do for a long time now and that will be the perfect addition for the Cook-Off.

here is a little peek, since it's not quite completed yet...

It's so pretty!


We have more painting to do today - a good second coat on the floor boards and finish work on the rails and stairs.


Which means, laundry is getting put off once again.


Oh well, I'd rather paint anyway!


I'll be sure to show you how it all turns out!






P.S. Don't forget! It's DIY Day over at A Soft Place To Land! Be sure to link up if you've got a DIY project to share!