Projects Galore!

Greetings Cottage Friends,

Here at A Joyful Cottage we are in the midst of projects. Lots and lots of projects. 

I know what you're thinking. . .didn't they just finish a ma-jor project? Like an entire cottage? Shouldn't they be resting?

Um, yeah. We did and we probably should rest. But you'd have to live with us -- or at least follow us around for a day -- to understand the creative river that flows endlessly here, filling up through torrential brainstorms and threatening to overflow its banks unless we open the flood gates to unleash our ideas. (Wearing galoshes when coming to visit would be a good idea.)

Image found on Galoshes For Women

For example, Saturday morning Dennis got out of bed, looked out the window at the half-finished garden shed and said, "That shed needs to be finished and today I'm going to get to work on it."

And for the next few days we worked together to get it to this point. All buttoned up, door included, with a coat of primer on the exterior. Dennis has more trim to put up and I need to sand the door. Then we'll give it final coats of paint. (I'm not going to tell you the colors we've chosen, but I will tell you the shed won't match the cottage. Nope.)

My tomato plants love it inside their nice, warm home and are kindly rewarding our efforts.

Tomatoes picked yesterday.

The past two days Dennis has been in his studio working on an architectural design project, with another on the back burner and three painting commissions standing in line. 

Architect at work - 4:30 AM yesterday. (Ahem, I thought he was retired.)

Because we're still experiencing moderate temperatures during the day -- and knowing that an early frost is likely -- I've put my interior projects on hold while concentrating on my cottage garden.

Now the east side of the cottage has perennials, too.

The flowers came from my friend Robyn, who invited me to dig up perennials from her beds for transplanting into mine. 

I've just about got the southwest side of the cottage ready for more planting. Big plans are percolating for this area.

And in case you're wondering about my "interior projects", I'll show you some before photos.

These three pieces will be joined in wholly makeovermony.

The dining table will have company after I finish these.

My $15 chest will be updated.

This ugly $2 backless chair is the most challenging of my makeover projects.

I've got a new look and purpose in mind for my $2 mailbox.

This free shelf unit will be painted.

There are other things I'm working on, but they're for a later post. Interior cottage shots are forthcoming. Honestly.

What are you working on, dear friends? Or maybe you're resting. Do tell.