Life – Page 9 – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

From Sea to Shining Sea

Published on September 27, 2013September 27, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

As promised, here’s the photos from our trip across country. As a photographer at heart, I naturally started snapping while in the air. The first sights were Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood as my connecting flight took off from Portland, OR.

While in Virginia we were waylaid with the tunnel closures due to terrorist threats and decided to check out the historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Norfolk. There were several revolutionary war tombstones, some that time has since almost over grown and a cannon ball in the side of the church from a British ship! Although the church caretaker informed us that the cannon ball actually bounced off the wall when fired and was later inserted into the wall for historical reenactments. He also said that every so often it falls back out of the wall and they have to plaster it back in! I love getting the inside scoop on cool stories like that!

We were also able to tour the inside of the church where we found impressive stained glass windows, and this amazing hand-carved wood organ!

After leaving VA we drove through West Virginia, where we spotted this rig on the turnpike. I’m fairly certain they were repos, but the fact that they left the car trunk and truck windows open for the haul was astonishing!

We also spotted this cool double bridge amidst the construction (hence the orange in the margin) during one heck of a rain storm in Charleston.

And somewhere in western West Virginia this rig snuck up on us and flew by. I barely had time to collect my senses and grab my camera to get a shot. That eagle statue is actually on a towed trailer which was also decorated. I’ve searched the internet for info on what spurred this strange creation, but wasn’t able to find anything in particular.

While in Kentucky we spotted this 9/11 tribute ‘window art’ on a car at the gas station we happened to stop at. I thought it was pretty darn cool.

I snapped this photo somewhere in Kansas after a guy at a rest stop offered $10,000 for the truck. He claimed he’d been following us for about a half hour scoping the truck out and trying to keep up with us! Obviously we declined the offer. There’s much more sentimental value in that hunk of metal than almost any offer could cover.

After that, Kansas was long and flat. Fields, sky and windmills for HUNDREDS of miles!

Along with the occasional batch of sunflowers of course!

I didn’t get any shots of Colorado as we entered, since it was already dark by then, but I did get several shots of the region as we made our way from Denver to Durango. This is the Colorado I remember.

We stopped for gas in one of many small towns we passed through and I spotted these flags on the hillside. It screamed small-town America to me, and I loved it!

While at that stop I saw a pretty Australian Shepard sitting on a truck bed, patiently waiting for her owner to return from inside. I went over to take her picture as she sat, but once she saw me come close she immediately wanted attention and a few pats on the head. I was hooked. Who wouldn’t be with that face? I finally got her to back up enough to get this shot just before her owner returned.

In Durango, we stayed with my husband’s aunt on her ranch, which held a wealth of wonderful photo ops around the rustic barn, nearby river and house which dates back to the 1800s!

Inside, the house was a treasure trove of antiques and historical finds, like this 1950’s stove and fiesta ware!

And I nearly swooned at all this green glass!

We spotted this cool old church in the historic section of Durango, but didn’t have time to explore.

We also saw this cool rig, which I’m sure see’s lots of action come winter!

Back on the road, we headed out of Colorado and into Utah. More fields, sky and miles of very little.

I did enjoy these two Indian statues at a gas station we stopped at. I’m not sure why they were there, but they were pretty large!

Quickly the fields gave way to sagebrush.

Which then led to very colorful mountains in unique formations as we approached Moab.

And then on the side of the road was THIS!

We’d discussed going to see the famous arch in Moab, but I knew it would be a several hour detour to do so and not an entirely fun one with our large rig. So when we spotted this arch literally on the side of the highway I was delighted. Luckily the hubby let me spend 10-15 minutes snapping a few different angles.

And just to give you a little perspective on size, here’s some hikers that were climbing while we were there.

Just down the road from the arch we spotted this little “Hole in the Rock”. It looked like an interesting tourist stop, but we were on a mission to cover miles so I just snapped a quick shot as we went by.

Just past Moab we stopped again for gas at a station right next to THIS! I was literally giddy!

I can’t say what I wouldn’t have given to have a model to use this background!

Just think of the possibilities for themed sessions here!

As I made my way back to the truck I spotted these wig wams. I’m sure they’re not traditional or authentic, but they were still pretty cool.

And as I shot the sights the mob apparently pulled in…We never did figure out who this group really was, but they sure did look suspicious driving all black Lexus and Audi’s individually. Only two cars had a passenger, and everyone in the group was a young male – although they did have different state tags and the drivers were different ethnicities. Whoever they were, they sure got a LOT of attention!

From there it was more desert landscapes. While they hold a beauty all their own they still aren’t my favorite. It just can’t compete with the splendor of the changing seasons.

This rock formation and upside down flag were high above what I think was a coal plant in nowhere Utah. I wondered who had climbed up there to install the flag pole and what their significance was for hanging the flag incorrectly. Perhaps in protest of the coal? Maybe on accident? I’ll never know.

We spotted this train heading into a tunnel below us as we rounded a curve, so the hubby made a pit stop when a large shoulder was available soon after so I could get a better shot.

And I decided to do a close-up of these rail road irons that were sitting where we pulled off.

Several hundred miles later we entered the Columbia Gorge, where we paused along the river briefly.

I ventured down the little trail there to get this final shot of the dam and locks just up river.

We pulled into Portland a little while later and were then busy with unloading the truck and several appointments for things we can’t get up here in Alaska. Apparently we were so busy that I didn’t take any more pictures! So that’s our trip across the country in a nut-shell. Watch my photography website, Jenna D’ Photography for the portraits I created during sessions for several family members and friends! There’s going to be some great ones! 🙂

I’mmm Baaccckkk!

Published on September 22, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

Sorry I’ve been MIA recently. The hubs and I were on a cross-country road trip to pick up my my 1955 F-100 from Virginia! It’s now in my mother-in-law’s garage in Washington until the spring when we’ll head back down south to pick it up and put it on the ferry to Alaska. We had originally planned to complete the whole transport in one trip, but the ferry schedule was not feasible, so we had to come up with a plan B.

We definitely got a lot of attention hauling my ’55. It was pretty common for people to tailgate us, then pass slowly as they checked out the truck and throw us a thumbs up before speeding on down the road. And just about every time we stopped someone asked what year the truck was or what we were doing with it. We even had an offer for $10,000 in a mid-west rest stop! Of course I didn’t accept, since the truck holds more sentimental value of time spent with my dad restoring it from the junk yard mess it was when we first bought it. My husband really enjoyed throwing people for a loop by pointing out that the truck was mine and not his!

Beyond moving the truck closer to Alaska the trip was a means to visit family and friends across the country. We spent a few days with my family in Virginia where we watched my nephew play in a few baseball games before heading to Denver to visit our good friends. We got to town just as the biblical rains paused for a day, before resuming the following day increasing the already swollen rivers. Luckily, our friends live in Morrison, in the mountains south of Denver so they didn’t have any major damage like Boulder did.

Our last night in Denver we had dinner with my husband’s cousin and her family – who I did a quick portrait session for (watch for a post about that on my Jenna D’ Photography site!)

After Denver, we headed to Durango, CO where we visited my husband’s aunt’s ranch. I was supposed to do a family session for her daughter’s family but we were unable to coordinate all six kids schedules to allow everyone to participate. So instead, I did a few pictures of the younger kids as they introduced me to the horses and of the two kitties who call the ranch home.

I also took photos of the needlepoint projects his aunt has done to create a portfolio of her work. We were only there for about 18 hours, but it was good to visit and meet more of my hubby’s extended family. From there, we headed to Portland. We learned that the storms had hit Durango just after we left, washing out the road to the ranch we had been at and causing boulders to crash down the mountainside, knocking my husband’s cousin’s truck off the road! Everyone was alright, but it sure was a scary few hours! We spent the last two days of our trip with my mother-in-law just across the river from Portland. Once the truck was settled in her garage, I got in a little antiquing and shopping before meeting up with an old high school friend I hadn’t seen in over a decade for dinner. It was fun to catch up and chat about how we had both changed.

Of course I took LOTS of pictures along the way, which I’ll be editing to share in a post later this week. There’s just too many to sort through tonight. Now that we’re home and unpacked it’s back to work and a normal routine. We checked in on the house right after picking up our fur babies from doggie day camp. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been as much progress as hoped. The exterior was being painted when we arrived, including the front door – only in the wrong color! The foreman arrived while we were there so I pointed that out and reminded him that I’d tried to give him the color I wanted before leaving, but he’d said to hold off. Now that he has the right paint number & name it should be repainted tomorrow. The roofing material is on-site, but has not been installed yet. The electrical has been done, although we’re going to need a diagram to figure out what switch goes to what light before moving in! The local power company still has to run the line to the house to finish the electrical inspection, but the crew should begin insulation on Monday, followed by drywall. They can’t mud and tape until the electrical inspection is complete, so we’ll see if there is a delay there. Here’s the latest picture of the progress.

Stay tuned this week for new posts! I promise I’ll be back to my normal weekly routine now. 🙂

Happy Fall Y’all

Published on September 10, 2013September 10, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

Although I’ve been traveling in the lower 48 (as we Alaskans call it!) the last few days, where there are NO signs of autumn, I was very happy to see the colors start to change before leaving the 49th state. I’m probably part of a vast minority there who feels that way. Regardless, I’m ready for sweaters, stews and the crunch of leaves under foot.

I’ve always loved the changing of seasons, especially after living in the desert for the later part of my childhood where there’s only two seasons – HOT and less hot. There’s just something about the change that revives my creativity. And while I love the long carefree days of summer, I’m always glad to see the blazing colors of fall arrive and wow me with their splendor.

Maybe it’s because fall heralds the beginning of the holiday season – which you all know I love decorating for – or maybe it’s just the thrill of something new. Whatever the reason, this year that feeling is definitely intense with the “nesting” desire spurred by the construction of our new home. I’m itching to move in and watch all of our plans come to reality. It will be the “harvest”of a lot of effort for the hubs and I.

So as my favorite scripture, Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sow; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

The Little Birdies In Our Backyard

Published on August 16, 2013November 18, 2014 by Jenna1 Comment

I rarely go in the backyard here at the rental. There’s nothing out there but a hillside of mossy weeds for the dogs to run in and a small grouping of trees. Granted that’s on purpose since we decided not to do anything in the yard because we knew this was a temporary residence and we’d rather spend money on something permanent at the new house.

That being the case, it was unusual for me to venture out into the trees to spread some flower clippings. I like to throw things that will biodegrade out into ‘nature’ rather than in the trash can whenever possible. It’s just one more way to recycle in my mind. As I stepped into the trees I came face to face with a little bird peeking out at me from around the other side of a tree. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera on me to get a shot of him checking me out from around the tree and every time I’ve gone back out in search of him he’s no where to be found. I believe he was a downy woodpecker because he matched the pictures I’ve found online for that species.

There is a bird feeder out back and the trees provide a nice little oasis from the suburban area nearby, so I can understand why birds would want to hang around. I found it quite nice to be still and listen to the wind in the leaves while I waited for Mr. Woodpecker to appear.

It’s been almost two weeks with no sign of him. Although Mr. Woodpecker is apparently camera shy, I did spot this little sparrow. He flitted around from branch to branch and then flew off in search of a less populated hang out.

During another visit to the ‘woods’ I discovered this nest in one of the trees. I was excited to see who might be inhabiting it, but I haven’t heard a peep or seen anyone visit it yet. I guess whoever built it has moved on to a bigger tree.

And every time I venture out into the ‘woods’ my little assistant tags along with this “What the heck are we doing mom?” look. I think she hopes we’re on a quest to find the perfect throwing stick and doesn’t understand why mom seems to keep looking up rather than down. 🙂

Moving Right Along…

Published on July 31, 2013July 31, 2013 by Jenna1 Comment

We went to visit the house again last weekend to find the roof almost complete! Here’s the latest:

The front porch where I’m want a rocking chair in the corner for savoring our slice of mountain view.
The garage. Tequila is standing in the doorway to the laundry room.

The garage from the laundry room doorway.

The kitchen and great room from just outside the laundry room.

The kitchen, studio and entry way from just outside the laundry room.

The dining room and kitchen from the great room. The laundry room is off to the left.

The entryway and hall bathroom.

My studio is taking shape! EEKK! 🙂

Guest room #1

Guest room #2

The Master Bedroom!

From the rear, garage side. I’m thinking my garden will fit nicely in that area behind the garage there!

The rear, bedroom side. A little extra cleared room as part of the backyard.

And the best part of the site visit was finding this little gem just a few minutes away from our home! SOOO going to be making friends with the owners for access to an AMAZING photo location! I’m already dreaming up cool ideas for family and senior sessions here!

Progress…

Published on July 25, 2013July 31, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

The last time I shared pictures of our home construction, it was little more than a hole in the ground with concrete footers. A lot has changed in the 10 days since! I went back to see the progress the following Saturday and found the floor joists finished and exterior walls going up.

From the driveway.

From the back corner of the back yard.

I met the hubs at the site yesterday since I had the day off. There had been quite a bit more progress! All of the interior walls are up and they are set to begin installing the roof trusses.

The garage. I love how that huge door makes my truck look teeny tiny!

The man door in the garage. The other opening will be the electrical panel.

Entering the house from the garage, where the laundry room will be and my new studio off the kitchen.

The dining room and back door from the kitchen.

The kitchen with my PANTRY framed in!

The great room from the dining room.

The hallway to the bedrooms off the great room and the entry way next to my studio.

The hubs envisioning the ‘view’ from bed out the slider in our master.

The other view from bed, the closet on the left and the bathroom on the right.

The master closet. I’m already planning this space out to be as efficient as possible. Watch for a post about that soon. And guest room #1.

Guest room #2.

The back side of the house.

A more straight on shot of the back of the house so you can see ALL THOSE WINDOWS!

And of course we had to make sure the garage door would be high enough to fit the hub’s big rig! 🙂

Stay tuned for more pictures of the progress and little projects of choosing things as we move on to the details. I’m hoping to get some shots with the roof on in the next week!

The Life We Live

Published on July 16, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

“I wrote this down and keep it near my desk to remind me every day. Thank you again for your encouraging words Jenna.”

During the past few weeks there have been a series of moments that remind me that I serve a bigger purpose than myself. The first was when a friend posted a picture of a sticky note with a comment I’d left on her Facebook page the other day after she mentioned she was feeling insignificant. The comment was the first thought I’d had when I read her status. It wasn’t some profound, thought of the century. But it obviously resonated with her. Perhaps I was just the delivery channel for the message God wanted her to have that day.

That was soon followed by a call at work from a customer who just wanted to say thanks for supporting a local Farmer’s Market and that she enjoyed seeing our company in that setting. As the event coordinator for this company I wouldn’t say that the market is a high priority. And it’s probably one of the simplest events we do all year. Regardless it made an impact significant enough for this customer to reach out just to say thanks for being a part of it, which makes it important in an entirely different way.

Then I got a freelance inquiry from a couple who want me to photograph their elopement at Denali! Seriously?! Who in their right mind would turn that opportunity down? What I didn’t know when I first responded to the email was that they are flying in from Philadelphia for a weekend just for that purpose! They’d seen my ad on Craigslist and liked my style, so they contacted me. It was just the reinforcement I needed that the tiny voice in my head saying I’d finally found ‘my’ style was right. It also confirmed that although I have a different editing technique than many photographers do these days, there are people out there who want their memories to have the look I create.

Tonight, as I scrolled through Facebook I spotted this and it clicked. This sums up my recent experiences. I often feel that I’m not living up to my full potential, that I haven’t found that thing that will lead me to change the world. This made me consider the idea that I don’t HAVE to complete some news worthy accomplishment to change the world. Instead I can change the world in little ways. Ways that matter individually, just when people need it. Granted I may never know that I’ve done so; but just when I need the reassurance that I’m making a difference I’m sure God will give me another spree of ‘signs’ to remind me. This life we live – may it be the reason someone smiles today!

Broken Ground

Published on July 15, 2013July 31, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

At last we have broken ground on our new home!! That’s what’s kept me so busy and unable to post regularly last week. It sure is a lot of fun picking out all the details, but it takes a lot of time, especially when you’re working within a budget. 🙂

So here’s a little look at the progress thus far. This is the view heading toward our property. This is where the pavement ends. We are still two more bends in the road away. Notice all the fireweed lining the road? Some of that is gonna end up in my garden!

And here’s the driveway from in front of the house. Yes that is a slight bit of a mountain view through the trees! Something I hadn’t expected, but absolutely love!

Here’s the foundation thus far from the front corner of the garage.

And from the side. With the well going in just beyond.

This is the yard on the side of the garage. The septic system will go here, so some of this will be filled in before construction is finished. The rest will be filled in at some point later by us to make it more usable. I’m thinking some of this area, possibly closer to the driveway, may end up being used for my rain garden due to the natural slope.

A little more mountain view from the back corner!
I’m thinking I’m going to need a bench out front to enjoy that!

This will be the view out the back of the house for now.
We will clear a bit more to create a yard for the dogs next summer.

Here is the view from the area near the well. I love that you can just barely see the edge of the neighbor’s driveway, but not the neighbors themselves! And that means they can’t see us either! Just how we planned it!

The view from the front of the house. The pink flags on the trees are the property line. But the lot next door is the same size as ours so it’s likely that when it sells and is built on the owners will build farther forward so we won’t really see them either.

And the best view of all.. our well hitting water at 135′! Read more about that on my photography blog.

Stay tuned. There will be more pictures as things progress!

Who I Am

Published on June 19, 2013June 19, 2013 by Jenna1 Comment

As I celebrate my 31^st birthday today I realize just how happy I am to be exactly who I am and where I am at this point in my life. Sure I could loose a pound or two, style my hair a little better, or be slightly more financially stable than I am but overall, I’m doing pretty darn good.

I’m certainly not one of those people who wish I could go back to a specific time in my life. High school was fun, but it wasn’t my favorite years. College was great, but it was a lot of hard work too. The years between college and now brought frustrations with highs and lows, so I’d rather not revisit that either. But right now I stand at the starting line of a wonderful new adventure – personally, professionally, financially and a few other ly’s I can’t seem to think of just now. I love the idea that tomorrow brings new challenges and adventures and wouldn’t trade that for a single day ‘back when’. I’m content with exactly “Who I Am” today, just as Jessica Andrews song describes.

I’ve done a “list of things about me” before and always enjoy reading them later to see how much I’ve grown and changed. And I thought it would be a good way to introduce myself further to those of you who have recently started following my blog. So here’s the current list of things about me you need to know to understand – at least a mostly – how my brain works!

I can’t function without a cold Dr. Pepper first thing every morning, but NEVER drink coffee.
I can’t relax unless my environment is clean and organized. Clutter seriously gives me hives.
I’m a list maker. If it isn’t on the list, it doesn’t get done. I feel super accomplished when I cross things off the list, but quickly re-write the list to keep it tidy and add more things to do!
I like to drive fast, but often don’t realize that I’m speeding. I blame it on being a racecar driver’s child and having a mile long to-do list.
Although I primarily listen to country music I have a very eclectic playlist, which ranges from Disney tunes to Prince followed by Elvis and then Linkin Park to Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift.
I get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I’m saving money. I ALWAYS have coupons with me and often will wait to buy something until it goes on sale, even if I really want it.
My biggest pet peeve is inefficiency, especially when it’s caused by being disorganized!
I’m very emotional. Sentimental TV commercials make me teary-eyed and I can spontaneously bust into a full-on bawl when certain songs come on the radio.
Although I’m very outgoing and creative I’m SUPER critical of myself. I often worry that I’m a Jenna of all trades, but the master of none.
I’m easily distracted… Oh that’s pretty! What is it? Wait, what’s this?!
I’m naturally nocturnal. I tend to have my best creative energy in the evening.
My favorite luxury is sleeping in (usually because of late nights due to #11), although I hate doing it because I feel like I’ve wasted my day when I have so much to do every day.
I was born blonde and have enjoyed being a brunette in my early 20’s, but I LOVE being a red head now, even though it does require more maintenance. As a child I always wished I’d been born a brunette with green eyes, even though blondes with blue eyes tend to be the typical ‘beauty’ most compare to.
I love watching the seasons change and truly enjoy each in its turn. Although I do honestly get tired of winter after a month or two – a natural hazard of life in AK.
I’m envious of women with naturally wavy or curly hair because mine is stick straight and limp.
If I could change anything about my body it would be to have smaller ears. I was teased about having big ears as a child and it stuck in my brain. That’s probably why I think I look best with my hair down.
I’m a total lightweight when it comes to drinking. Seriously. Two drinks and I’m DUN! But I don’t drink beer. I prefer rum or sangria.
I’m a mechanic’s daughter, so I can change a flat and do my own oil changes. I just choose not to because my hubby is super handy too.
I have issues with corn. They stem from a funny childhood story that is too long to share here, but unless the specific recipe I’m cooking requires it you will never find any variety of corn in my kitchen.
I’m Lutheran, but believe in all paths to God. At their root most religions all believe the same basic principles they just tell the story differently so I don’t see any as right or wrong, just different. Unfortunately there are fanatics in every religion whose actions contradict everything they say their religion stands for, which is both sad and scary.
I was in 4H as a teenager and had a horse, goats, market lambs, chickens, ducks and rabbits. Thus I have a high respect for farmers and ranchers and admire their lifestyles.
While I think dooms-day preppers are crazy, I do think that everyone should be able to be self-sufficient at a moment’s notice without causing major disruption in your daily life. Simple things like growing a garden, knowing how to shut off the water or power and being able to defend yourself are just plain smart.
I don’t affiliate with any political party; rather I believe we should follow the Constitution and 10 Commandments and decide things on a case-by-case basis when there is a gray area.
I don’t have that ‘baby’ craving most women do. In fact, I’m not particularly fond of newborns. Rather I like the toddler stage where they start to become their own little person.
I think adoption is a wonderful thing. Although l feel the urge to mother, I know I wouldn’t do well being pregnant. I decided as a teenager that if I ever decided to have a family I would adopt because there are thousands of children around the world who just want someone to love them and family doesn’t have to mean you’re blood related.

So there you have it. Now you know me, in a nutshell! 🙂

Our New Home

Published on June 12, 2013July 31, 2013 by JennaLeave a comment

We are officially under contract (again) for our custom built new home! There are still a few hoops to jump through, but it looks like everything will come through finally. And since I know everyone will want the details here’s what I have for now. The floor plan we chose is called the Calypso – a 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch style. We chose a ranch style for several reasons:

It’s easier on my husband’s knee after his joint replacement.
Our dogs sound like a herd of elephants going up and down stairs. (So won’t miss that!)
I despise cleaning stairs after having lived in 2 story homes most of my adult life.
We like the look and flow of a ranch style better than a traditional 2 story.

This floor plan appealed to us because it had several features we were looking for:

A dedicated studio/office space for me (not one of the bedrooms) near the main entrance so clients won’t walk through our whole house.
A large kitchen with an open concept for entertaining
A formal entry way without the other traditional ‘formal’ rooms that are wasted space to us.
A 3-car garage for both our trucks and ‘toys’ (the UTV mentioned here and my ’55 F-100)
A laundry room.
Space for large furniture and large dogs.

We looked for almost a year and half before finding this plan and it still wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but it was acceptable as it was built. Unfortunately, it sold before we were able to put in an offer. So we contacted the builder and told them we wanted the same house, just on a larger lot. It’s been a long haul to make everything come together, but we are almost ready to begin construction!

Here’s a ‘tour’ of the house we walked through during the final stages of construction. I’ll note the changes we are making per the modified floor plan above as we go along.

The third ‘bay’ of our garage will stick out to make it a little longer for the hubby’s BIG truck. Rather than a shingle roof we will have a metal roof, likely in a brown color depending on what exterior colors we choose.

The laundry room will be laid out the same way with a dryer, washer and sink along the wall with the cabinets. Rather than tile we will be using a new flooring product that is scratch proof and water proof throughout the whole house. Yes – I promise I will do a post about it very soon. 😉

Again, no tile in the kitchen due to the whole house flooring. We will also be adding a corner pantry with a solid door.

Because we are adding the corner pantry the fridge will be moved a little farther down the wall here to add back in some of the counter space we will loose in the corner. Our kitchen island will be farther out, making the inside edge even with the laundry room wall.

Our fireplace will be done in the same style, only in the corner. We are foregoing the french doors seen leading into the studio/office area because we plan to install sliding barn style doors like these later.

My studio will have wall-to-wall desk space for photo editing and crafting like this on one side with open space for backdrops on the other side. I’ll decide which side the desk will be on once we see how the house is positioned and light comes in.

This is where the sliding barn doors will sit when open. I still have to figure out how to do the doors and the wall-to-wall desk, but I’m sure we’ll come up with something.

The formal entry, which will have the same flooring as the rest of the house rather than tile. I plan to put a dresser closer to the front door like I mentioned here, with a bench next to it.

My current plan is to make one closet ‘our’ coat closet because we have LOTS of coats thanks to the Alaskan weather, while the other will be for guest use. Depending on how that works out I may convert the one closer to the door into a mudroom/bench area with hooks like this where guests can stop to take off or put on shoes and coats.

I’m not posting pictures of the bedrooms since they are the typical empty ‘box’ and the bathrooms will be reconfigured a bit from how they were in this house. But this gives you the basic feeling of the house. I can’t wait to share more details as we choose finishes, light fixtures and more!