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Between Naps on the Porch
Between Naps on the Porch: January 2010

Between Naps on the Porch

Between Naps on the Porch is a lifestyle blog with an emphasis on Decorating, Tablescaping, Before and Afters, Thrify Finds, and Gardening.

Jan 31, 2010

Building the Porch and Decks... Welcome to the 55th Metamorphosis Monday!

It snuck up on me...the anniversary of Metamorphosis Monday...Met Monday turned 1 year old on January 4th. We've had a full year of sharing fabulous "Before and Afters" and I have been inspired and amazed by all the creative and ambitious "Before and Afters" you have shared every Monday here at BNOTP. I am so looking forward to another awesome year!

Occasionally, I will get an email from someone saying how much a particular Met Monday post helped them with a project in their home. That makes my day because isn't that what blogging is really all about...the sharing of ideas and information that will hopefully prove helpful to someone else. :-)

Is there a project in your home that was just a little easier because of something you saw on a Met Monday post? If so, and you still remember where you saw it, please leave a comment today mentioning the name of the blog where you saw the Met Monday post. Then stop back by in a day or two and read through the comments. You may be surprised to find your Met Monday post was a blessing to someone else, or, you may find a blog mentioned with a post that will prove helpful for your next project. :-)

Since this is the anniversary month of Metamorphosis Monday, I thought it would be fun to share my very first Metamorphosis post...the "Before and After" of the screened-in porch and decks.

The "Before" was pretty awful as you'll see in the following pics...hard to believe we lived with that awful deck for 15-16 years before finally doing something about it. Yikes! We bought this house when it was eight years old and apparently, the previous homeowners had never properly cared for the existing deck...it was in a sad state. Before I could afford to replace it, I tried cleaning it with an incredibly strong deck cleaner and "painting" it with a solid color stain for decks. It was a major project...cleaning and "painting" on the stain. It looked better, but the solid stain didn't hold up well to a large dog and the elements. It was time for a BIG change.

As you can see below in a "Before" pic, the original deck on the right was very small. A previous homeowner had enlarged the deck by adding the section on the left. The deck flooring had deteriorated and was popping up in places, creating a real hazard. The stairs stuck out into the center of the yard...not a great design. On this first Met Monday, I thought I would share some of the exterior changes that took place when the screened-in porch and decks were added.


Before pic of deck...Those dark spots behind Max's head are actually holes in the deck where the deck boards had rotted around the nails. Periodically, a board would pop up into the air...it was bad!


The pic below was taken right after the workers tore off the old deck...I was so happy to see it gone! :-) You can see how over the years the dirt underneath the deck had splashed up onto the house when it rained, discoloring the siding.

I replaced the door (beneath the small window) going into the terrace level with another window, and had french doors added on the wall behind the ladder. I wanted to maximize the light coming into the terrace level. You'll be able to see this change in the next picture.


In the pic below, the porch, decks and terrace level are in mid construction. During the additions of the porch and decks, I, completely re-did the previous owner's basement renovation. It had been done badly with a hung ceiling, orange carpeting and cheap, dark paneling. I finished the basement/terrace level back in with sheet rock walls, tray ceilings, recessed lighting and decorative columns where ugly, metal poles had been. The french doors gave the terrace level more daylight, as did the new window.

The deck on the far left was designed to hold the grill, as well as my existing patio furniture, which included a good size table with four chairs and an umbrella and a small bistro table with 2 chairs. The deck on the far right (under the kitchen bay window) was the perfect spot for another seating area with a pergola overhead.


You can just see the edge of the steps coming down on the side of the deck on the right...a much better design than having them sticking out into the center of the yard.


The future screened-in porch...can you believe it once looked like this? :-)


Let's get to those "After" pictures! Here's the screened-in porch...this pic was taken from the same angle as the one above. It's come a long way! :-) Let's add some sheers and turn on the lamps.


Much better! :-)


To see more of the interior of the screened-in porch, just click on the pic of the porch posted on my sidebar.


The pic below shows the deck that was added with the pergola overhead. You can just make out the outdoor candle-lier I hung from the pergola.


A view of the area with the pergola overhead... The candle-lier came from Smith & Hawken, that store is sadly gone now. (Sorry about the grainy photo.)


An exterior view of the screened-in porch...those are bird feeders hanging on either side. :-) This pic was taken right after the porch was finished, before I added the sheers.

People often e-mail and ask how I keep the porch looking so clean. I think it helps that it's a full story up. The only really messy time is during pollen season...once that's over, it just requires a monthly vacuum and dusting..


In this view, you are looking across from the kitchen door to one of the exterior decks...the one that holds the table with the umbrella, the grill and a small bistro table.


Here's a huge tip if you're renovating your deck or porch...I had a gas line run to the grill so I don't have to worry about running out of gas in the midst of grilling. Have you had that happen? It's also nice not having to lug those heavy propane tanks back to the store for a refill. If you are renovating your deck, I highly recommend this. It does require a gas grill designed for that kind of connection, but the cost of running the gas line to the grill was only around $375.


This little area with the bistro table is about 6 feet from the grill, so it makes a nice place to sit and chat while the steaks are grilling. :-) When I was in the process of designing the porch and decks, I knew I wanted to have LOTS of seating for dining and entertaining. There are enough tables on the porch and the two decks to seat 16 for dinner...not including the seating area with the swing.


Hope you enjoyed this look back at my first Metamorphosis Monday post! Can't wait to see all your "Before and Afters!" :-) Please don't forget to leave a comment with a mention of a past Met Monday post that you found helpful...and the blog where you saw it. :-)


Looking forward to seeing all your "Before and Afters."



If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Don't forget to copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Met Monday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your Met Monday post is actually published to your blog.

Fabulous "Before and Afters" await your visit:

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Jan 30, 2010

The Tree That Owns Itself! :-)

Several years ago, when my son was attending the University of Georgia, I drove over for an afternoon visit and a little shopping. As we were driving around Athens, doing a little sightseeing in the historic neighborhoods, my son turns to me and says, "Do you want to see the tree that owns itself?" Huh? "What did you just say?" He looks at me and repeats, "Do you want to see the tree that owns itself?" "Surrrreee," I said...thinking the hot Georgia sun had done fried his brain! ;-)

The south has always been known for it's quirky superstitions and colorful characters...so, you'd think, having grown up here, I'd be ready for 'most anything. We drove slowly up Finley street, the only remaining cobblestone street in Athens.


As we approached the corner of Finley and Dearing, I saw it. There, growing right smack in the middle of the road, was a lone White Oak. The two lane road narrowed down to a single lane that snaked its way around the right side of the tree. We sat and waited patiently as another car coming from the other direction, squeezed its way around the tree. Then, it was our turn to squeeze by, with the road once again becoming two lanes.


Below...a view of the tree from the other side. The paved lane you see on the right is a driveway to a home not too far from the famous tree.


I was enthralled. How was it that a tree came to be growing in the middle of a road, completely and totally obstructing the normal flow of traffic, forcing all those who chose this path to slow down and give the tree its due respect? My son filled me in on part of the legend of the tree...here's a blurb from Wikipedia that explains:

The Tree That Owns Itself is a white oak tree, widely assumed to have legal ownership of itself and of all land within eight feet (2.4 m) of its base. The earliest known telling of the tree’s story comes from a front page article titled "Deeded to Itself" in the Athens Weekly Banner of August 12, 1890. The article explains that the tree had been located on the property of Colonel William Henry Jackson. William Jackson was the son of one James Jackson (a soldier in the American Revolution as well as a Congressman, U.S. Senator, and Governor of Georgia), and the father of another James Jackson (a Congressman and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia). He was the brother of Jabez Young Jackson, also a Congressman. (William Jackson was reportedly a professor at the University of Georgia and is sometimes given the title of Doctor; the nature of his military service and the source of the title Colonel are unknown.) Jackson supposedly cherished childhood memories of the tree and, desiring to protect it, deeded to the tree ownership of itself and the surrounding land. By various accounts this transaction took place between 1820 and 1832. According to the newspaper article, the deed read:

"I, W. H. Jackson, of the county of Clarke, of the one part, and the oak tree . . . of the county of Clarke, of the other part: Witnesseth, That the said W. H. Jackson for and in consideration of the great affection which he bears said tree, and his great desire to see it protected has conveyed, and by these presents do convey unto the said oak tree entire possession of itself and of all land within eight feet of it on all sides."


The original tree was said to have fallen in the midst of a bad storm in 1942, and a new tree was grown from one of its acorns and planted in the same location. The current tree is sometimes referred to as the Son of The Tree That Owns Itself.

Wikipedia states: The original oak fell on the evening of October 9, 1942, following a long period of decline. The tree's poor condition had been known for years, and within days of its collapse a move was under way to replace the fallen tree with a "son" grown from one of its acorns. One account suggests that the tree had actually died several years before it collapsed, the victim of root rot. The tree was over 100 feet (30 m) tall and was estimated to be between 150 and 400 years old when it fell. Both trees have appeared in numerous national publications, and the site is a local landmark in Athens.

There's an old plaque at the site that has become very weathered over the years. The stone faintly details a passage from William H. Jackson's deed to the tree. It has become difficult to read...

So, at some point, another plaque was placed nearby with the same passage.. It states:

FOR AND IN CONSIDERATION
OF THE GREAT LOVE I BEAR
THIS TREE AND THE GREAT DESIRE
I HAVE FOR ITS PROTECTION
FOR ALL TIME, I CONVEY ENTIRE
POSSESSION OF ITSELF AND
ALL LAND WITHIN EIGHT FEET
OF THE TREE ON ALL SIDES.

WILLIAM H. JACKSON



Wikipedia adds: Regarding Jackson’s deed, one writer noted at the turn of the last century, “However defective this title may be in law, the public recognized it.” In that spirit, it is the stated position of the Athens-Clarke County unified government that the tree, in spite of the law, does indeed own itself.


You may read more about The Tree That Owns Itself, HERE, at Wikipedia. It also has it's own Facebook page with 4,606 Fans. No kidding! If you'd like to become a Facebook Fan of The Tree That Owns Itself, click HERE. :-)

Welcome to the south...where anything is possible. I truly can't think of any other place I'd rather live. ;-)


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Jan 27, 2010

A Valentine's Tablescape!... Welcome to the 75th Tablescape Thursday!

Have you ever wondered about the origin of those little candy hearts with the cute and sometimes corny messages? Last year, I had some fun putting together a tablescape using them in some creative ways. (Original post is available HERE.) Since Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching, I thought I'd share that tablescape again, along with some interesting facts about this well-loved candy.


This little bowl was the inspiration for my Valentine's tablescape...


Did you know that conversation hearts were invented in the 1860s? Originally, the hearts had printed paper notes tucked inside. Back then, the messages inside would say things like, "Please send a lock of your hair by return mail." Awwww!


Sweetheart sayings have been in circulation since the hearts were first factory-made in 1902. The classic messages included sayings like: "Kiss Me," "Sweet Talk," and "Be Mine."


Pink "heart" ramekins are from Michael's, only $1 each...


Salad plate is Homer Laughlin. There are no marking on the back, but a sweet reader of BNOTP, Caryl, emailed to say she believes the pattern may be called, Georgian. Thanks, Caryl! I found six, 5-piece place settings (plus serving pieces) on eBay for around $35...including shipping. :-)


Stumbled across this International china, pattern Glenwood, while out antiquing one day. They were marked down...20+ pieces for $14. Yipee! I filled in with a few additional pieces on eBay. See, you really don't have to spend a lot to have several sets of china for mixing and matching. Just keep your eyes out for the bargains when you are thrifting or antiquing. :-) Lace chargers are from Horchow online, a couple of years ago.


It's Valentine's Day...time for a little fun, fluff and frivolity...


NECCO, the company that manufactures this popular candy, must make over 100,000 conversation hearts a day, every day, to meet the demand that occurs during the six weeks prior to Valentine's Day. During those six weeks, over 8 billion candy hearts are sold!


Each year, NECCO creates the hearts based on a different theme...and each theme has ten special sayings that will be printed on the hearts.


In 2007, the theme was pets...with sayings that recognized the love we all have for our pets.


The ten messages were: cool cat, puppy love, take a walk, my pet, top dog, bear hug, U r a tiger, go fish, love bird, and purr-fect.


The theme for 2008 was weather and nature-inspired, with sayings like "Melt My Heart," "In A Fog," "Chill Out," and "Cloud Nine."


2009 was the year for "food-inspired phrases." They included the sayings, "Recipe 4 Love," "Table 4 Two," "Top Chef," "Honey Bun" and "Spice It Up."


For 2010, NECCO decided to discard all their previous phrases and they asked the American public to tell them how they express their love. 2010, also, saw the addition of lots of new, bolder colors and flavors, including Strawberry, Green Apple, Lemon, Grape, Orange and Blue Raspberry. Plus, they are making the candies softer, so they are easier to eat.


If you miss some of the older sayings and would like to have your own conversation heart-candy custom made with the phrases you choose, you'll have to buy a full production run, or about 1.7 million candy hearts. The good news is, they stay fresh for about five years...so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy them.


I couldn't resist these edible love notes...found these at Wal-mart...


The pen really works and I ate one...tasted pretty good. :-)


If you'd like to create your own candy conversation hearts, like the Tablescape Thursday heart at the top of this post, go HERE or HERE.


Looking forward to seeing your beautiful tablescapes!




If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have beautiful tablescapes awaiting your visit:

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Jan 24, 2010

Dish Storage Welcome to the 54th Metamorphosis Monday!

For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing a small but fun little metamorphosis in my china closet. You may remember when I posted a while back about the little redo of this space...it was really being poorly utilized. It was being used to store deck cushions that were rarely used.




After a little renovation, (you may read about HERE) it looked like this...cushions stored in the top, birdseed and birding items in large containers on the floor, and china on the shelves in between.




Later, I decided to move the birdseed and birding containers back to the laundry room and I ended up storing my tall candlesticks on the floor, instead.




This closet has now gone through yet, another little change. The deck cushions were moved to an upstairs linen closet, since they are so rarely used. Most of my outdoor time is spent on the screened-in porch (not the decks) due to the mean ole mosquitoes we have here in the south.




Do you see the "After" there on the top shelf? I totally stole Bonnie's idea from her amazing dish room...remember that post HERE? I was shopping in The Home Depot and they had plastic "shoebox size" containers for only .99 cents each. I remembered Bonnie's dish room and bought 20 of them.




Next, I took pics of the items I planned to store in the boxes. I found the photos turned out better if the items were photographed on a white surface or white piece of paper, as opposed to a dark table. I took black and white photos, sized them down to what Microsoft Picture Manager calls "E-mail Large," and printed them out. It took a little experimenting around to find the best size pic for the box. I could have taken them in color...and printed them in color, but I just decided to go with black and white.

I used double-sided tape to stick them onto the containers. I saved the pics on my computer just in case one gets ripped off or damaged. Of course, you could take wide clear tape and place it across the top of each photo/label to ensure they stay secure and undamaged...I may eventually do that. The boxes are large enough to store 2-3 sets of napkin rings in one box, depending, of course, on the size of the napkin ring.


Much better use of this space now, I think. There's not much I love more than organizing. Okay, blogging...I love blogging more than organizing...but organizing may be a close second. :-)

Update: Bonnie just e-mailed and gave me some additional information that you may find helpful: "Another way to do the pictures on the bins is to use a label printing software, add the picture to the design and print on large labels. Or, you can also use a "Xyron" to add adhesive to the back of your printed pictures." Thanks, Bonnie, for those suggestions!

Looking forward to seeing all your "Before and Afters."



If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Don't forget to copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Met Monday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your Met Monday post is actually published to your blog.

Fabulous "Before and Afters" await your visit:

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