Paint it Black -- or Nothing at All.

The day I stop scraping paint from under my fingernails, off my floor, and out of my eardrums, is the day I meet my land baron and we buy a mansion that's move-in ready. Someone please remind me that when I do find my fixer-up dream house, I should only buy it if I have enough money to pay some one to fix it up for me. I am on the brink of being finished (painting) in my little apartment -- only the steps left to go -- and I am thrilled. I always say to myself that I love painting... then 4 months into it, I realize this is so not true. 

Anyway. It looks great! You'd never believe it was the same place, and pictures really don't do it justice. There are still some little details needed to make my "office nook" perfecto, but that's the fun part. I know this much is true: the rustic "barn red" is forever gone from this place and it couldn't have happened fast enough.

Before:

Yes, that is green shag carpet! "Vintage" from the 50s. Oh lawd.

During: 

After (well, in the dark):

More paint than you can imagine to cover that mess.

I need to do an entire 'before and after' post to show my little place, but honestly, I can't take a photo that will show  you just how different it is. This place was cave cricket, stank-nasty, concrete central. Now, well, it's still got cave crickets (though not as many, thanks to Abita), but it actually looks....nice. I'll get around to it one day, don't you worry. 

Next up: find a pedestal table for my "dining room." And a barstool for this nook because I'm feeling like a hermit with that tiny chair. Onward and upward, right?!

xoxo, Hannah

She Lives?

It's been a while and it may be a while, but I'm popping in to say hi! I've been buried under dust and construction, but my tiny kitchen is coming along and it's almost finished (!!). I'm preparing myself for the next step...the dreaded bathroom. Eeek! I've become a pro at indoor camping, and I am loving the wall colors we picked and the way my jars look so nice all lined up in a row. I'm waiting until the final-final product to post some befores and afters, but the pictures can really do no justice, anyway. We've come a long way, baby...

Meanwhile, I've had birthday celebrations--I've worked up to running 7.5 miles!--and I've finally started to get the hang of things at work (...sort of).

 The weather in Virginia has been insane. We had 5 inches of snow on Monday, and by Friday it was 75 degrees, sunny, and we were lunching on the roof.

 Old faithful nom nom...

Jimson weed discoveries at Windy Knoll. 

Down on da farm.

 Perfect nose for smooching.

 Hanging on for dear life.

Steve Keene looking good in every nook. 

Finally got to break out my Pyrex dishes!! And Iced Capp season is upon us, so life is beautiful!

I am so so lucky and thankful to have my wonderful grandpa and all his craziness. He may be old and he may be long-winded, but he has always given everything he has to make sure we're happy and taken care of --I   am more grateful that he probably knows. By the time we're finished, ole Bennington won't even know what hit it. 

Happy Almost-Daylights-Savings,

Hannah

How Life Is Supposed to Be Lived

It's 80 degrees. You're eating oysters. You've caught enough crabs to feed six people. You've got good jams, good drinks, good friends. It's October. You brunch at Rayfields. You take drives to Virginia Beach to pick up Bailey's Cake for birthday celebrations. You buy new nail polish. You go to used book sales at small-town libraries that have been converted from old churches. You buy 3 hardback books for $1.00. It's 80 degrees.

There are cute dogs...everywhere.

It's 80 degrees.

You lay out by the pool.

You get good kisses.

You wander the bay.

You drive down country roads and snap close-ups of the cotton fields.

You drool over old buildings and fantasize about renovations.

You sip Cape Charles coffee.  You eat bagels with lox and capers and onions and cream cheese. You make garlic bread.

You are free to "express yourself."

You drive a turquoise T-bird for four hours with the top down. You film everything.

YOU DO IT FOR MELFA!!

Basically, you are this woman:

She's rlll famous.

xoxo,
Hannah

Meet Me In the Graveyard!!!

Please please check out this amazing renovation that a couple did to an old church in Kyloe, Northumberland, Pennsylvania. It's amazeballs.

 

Yes. It comes complete with a graveyard for a back yard.

House lust x 1 million.

xxx