Simple Dog Training Tips Using Only Treats

This post is sponsored by WellPet®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

The classic parent quote “It’s cute now but wait until they are ten” is exactly how I have felt about our sweet Barkus. We have to stay on top of his training because a 15lb puppy barking or jumping is a lot different than a 120lb adult dog that could actually knock someone over! 

Over the past 4 years, we have learned a few tricks using only treats which has made life with a large dog much easier. Barkus is very treat orientated, so training with treats has been fairly easy. Since we love our boy more than most people, we prefer to feed him all-natural ingredients. He loves Old Mother Hubbard treats and I feel comfortable that they aren’t hurting his tummy but still deliver lots of flavors. He’s a happy eater and I’m a happy treater! 

Simple Training Tips with Treats:

Barking- When Barkus is making a ruckus, we use the word “quiet” because saying “Barkus, no barking” was confusing him.  As soon as he stops barking, I pull out a treat and reward him with lots of praise. When your dog is being quiet on its own in the middle of the day, grab a few treats and praise their good behavior!  

Table Manners- Are you tired of your dog begging at the dinner table? Grab a few Old Mother Hubbard Mini Treats and place them in your pocket or under your napkin. Next, instruct your dog to lay down. Throughout dinner, discreetly give your dog a few mini treats when they are quiet and laying down.  This has been a game-changer for us as Barkus knows he gets no treats or attention at the table unless he is laying down. Sometimes when I am making dinner, he will lay down in the dining room in anticipation!

Bike Rides with Your Buddy-  To train your dog to run next to you while you ride, grab a handful of Old Mother Hubbard Mini Treats, your pet’s leash, and your bike.

1. The key is to start out slow. Walk next to your bike with your dog on the other side, feeding Old Mother Hubbard treats every few seconds. It is normal for your dog to be a bit skittish but the natural peanut butter flavor of the treats should be enough for him/her to keep close to the bike, begging for more. 

2. Once you feel your dog is no longer nervous near a bike tire, get on your bike, pushing yourself with your feet. Now, call your dog’s name. When he/she looks up, give a treat. Keep this up so that every time you say your dog’s name, he/she looks at you, and treats follow.

3. Next, start peddling slowly, saying his/her name every once in a while and dishing out little treats. You two will be cruising down the street in no time! I will say, we’ve only crashed once but it was enough to make me happy I had my helmet on. So, wear that helmet! 

Disclosure: I am not a dog trainer, these are just tricks that have worked well for Barkus! Also, just like your kid, our dog is not perfect. He’s squirrely, silly, and still tries to run between people’s legs. And just like your kid, we will continue to teach him good behaviors even if he seems like he isn’t retaining a darn thing!

Click on the link to purchase your Old Mother Hubbard dog treat flavor of choice in-store or online at Walmart. Enjoy teaching these new tricks with Old Mother Hubbard treats! 

The Lavenders

Lavender's Game Guide

Here’s a list of some of our favorite games that you may find fun during the winter months:

Wits and Wagers

Trivia meets gambling. 4+ players and family-friendly.

Play Nine

2+ players. Family-friendly and easy to learn.

Monopoly Deal

2+ players. Essentially speed monopoly with hands lasting around 10 minutes.

Ravine

2+ players. Survival game where you are on the same team and trying to BEAT the game. Family-friendly.

Ticket to Ride

Two+ players. A bit of a longer strategic game (taking about an hour).

Code Names

4+ player or into teams for larger groups. It’s a fun, strategic word game. We made the rule spouses can play on the same team…because arguments will erupt😂

Anomia

2+ people AND great for ages 7+. Kids will really get into this and can play with parents…but we have fun playing it just with adults too.

Bingo

This set is always fun to have on hand. You can do remote Bingo by sending bingo cards in advance. We also enjoy providing some door buster style gifts!

Lavender's 2020 Gift Guide

Here are a few of our favorites things!

Puzzle Table

Allows your favorite puzzler to move their puzzles around and keep the pieces organized. This table holds up to 1,500 pieces but they do make them larger!

Puzzle Table

Sous Vide

Great gift for anyone who appreciates meat perfectly cooked. We use this device 2x+ a week.

Sous Vide

Gift for Your Writer

Create a combo gift with stationary from Tiny and Snail, a custom address stamp from Etsy, cute stamps, and a few fun pens.

Tiny and Snail

Custom Tumbler

For that person who is sick of washing 1,000 glasses each day. Get each person their own custom drinking cup! Each purchase gives back to Water for Good.

MudLOVE

Portable Monitor

For your “work from home” person. Just hook up the portable monitor to your laptop and BOOM.

Portable Monitor

Motivational Water Bottle

Derek bought himself one in gray. That’s how much we like these! Comes in lots of different colors.

Water Bottle

Custom Corn Hole

These beauties were purchased on Etsy (linked) and customized with “The Quarry” on the edge. We love them!

Corn Hole Set

How to Start a Book Club

So you want to start a book club?
Follow these simple steps:

I started by asking a few girls to join the club and each girl was allowed to invite one friend. This helped us meet different women from different walks of life and new friends! We have capped the total members at 10.

Ps. Being defined as a “reader” is not necessary! Before the book club, 4 of these ladies hadn’t read a book in years.

• Picking a consistent night a month allows everyone to plan ahead for meetings. We meet on the last Thursday of every month.

• Each member is assigned a “month” where they can host and pick that month’s read!

• When choosing the read, we have made it a rule that no one can have read the book before. This keeps anyone’s feelings from getting hurt if the chosen book isn’t a big hit and forces us to read different genres.

• When reviewing the book, we take turns rating the read from 1-5 and share our thoughts!

Literally. Just tell ladies there will be snack foods, wine, and no children…your book club will build itself!

Congratulations, you just started a book club!

Here is a sample text you can send out to get your book club going:

”Would you have any interest in doing a book club with me? I’m thinking of starting one that meets the last Thursday of every month. We can take turns picking the book and then get together to discuss over wine and cheese. Each girl can then invite one girl she thinks will enjoy the club, so we can add in new people with different book tastes. Let me know what you think!”

Garden Beds- #DadBuiltThis

Raised Garden Beds Built with Love

My first garden bed was ironically accessible. A little foreshadowing perhaps? It was a warm day in June when Derek and my dad pulled together some supplies from the renovation of Bunker and whipped together a garden bed on stilts. We wanted to bed to 1. Not kill the grass underneath and 2. Be tall enough to keep the deers out (we lined it with tall chicken wire).

When building this garden, we did drill holes in the bottom for drainage and added rocks before piling on the soil. A couple years later, we moved this bed to the back of the house and grew potatoes in it.

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, I’ve been thinking about how my dad and the father of Barkus (Derek) do so much for others. They both are incredibly giving people, willing to drop anything to help others. Derek certainly has a gift of handiness, and although it’s a little trickier to be hands-on now, he is always willing to answer questions or guide someone through a home renovation project. I’m very thankful for both of these men! #sponsored #loweshomeimprovement #DadBuiltThis

Do you have a favorite project a father in your life has helped with?

Why Your Mailbox Matters

We all have them, right? These weird habits that our love ones make fun of us for? 

Dereks? His slight obsession with collecting the mail. Not only does he prefer to get the mail, no one is allowed to touch it until he has organized it into proper piles. 

My habit that he hates? When I read the mail as I am walking back into the house. "Why can't you just wait until it is organized and ready?!" 

So now you probably know why when we received our Deus Modern mailbox, Derek said, "This is a game changer." 

It's also amazing 

Here are a few great perennial (they come back every year) plants to consider: 

Lavender-

Rosemary-

Clematis-

Violet Blue Aster-

Hardy Mums-

Midcentury Bathroom Remodel on a Budget

We're all about working with whatcha got, baby blue tile and all.

I really wish I could be a fly on the wall in 1951 when Quarry's homeowners walked around the store together and said, "You know what would look really cool? Baby blue tile, green floors, and pink everything else." 

Over the past few weeks, we have been tackling this beauty with simple updates that really made a huge difference. Honestly? It turned out way better than either of us expected!

Keep reading for easy tips and links to the products we purchased: 

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Paint Those Cabinets

We started with a simple step: Painting the cabinets. I tried every trick in the book to restore these babies but boy they were just in too bad of shape.

• Sand down cabinets with fine sandpaper
• Wipe down and clean off well
• Prime
• Paint (2 coats)
• Don't lay cabinet doors on each other to move
• Hang back up without drilling your finger into that cabinet door

Inside Paint- Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams
Outside Paint- Marshmallow by Sherwin Williams
New hardware- Chrome Round Cabinet Knob (Lowes)

I also decided to keep the doors off of the large cabinet and use it as a shelf. What do you think? Ps. It does need more nicknacks on it but haven't gotten around to buying random things yet. Derek is shocked.

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Larger than Life Mirror

If you have a retro bathroom, you also probably have a giant untrimmed mirror. 

 We trimmed out the mirror with a  MirrorMate.  These guys create and customize a frame specifically for your mirror. We chose the Chelsea Classic White frame and it was delivered within two weeks.

Mirror Mate Frame

• Order 3 free samples online 
• Once you decide on the trim, measure your mirror using their instructions
• Ta-da. It will arrive within 2 weeks
• Unbox your frame and lay it out on a flat surface
• Attach/ glue the corners (they send you everything you need)
• Peel back the stickers and simply place on the mirror 

A huge thank you to MirrorMate for gifting us the frame, which makes a huge difference in the space.

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Simple Hardware Updates

Although I wish Derek had a GoPro on his head to film us switching out faucet, you will just have to believe me when I say it was quite the process. We decided to update all the hardware in the bathroom to match what was already tiled onto the wall...chrome. 

We also swapped out the child size pink toilet (how did I not get a picture of that beauty?!) and purchased The Beverly. If your name is Beverly, don't be mad at us, be mad at Lowes for naming a toilet after you. 

Chrome Faucet

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Canned Light Converter Kits

The last big project was swapping out our canned lights for these mini-pendants. 

Did you know you can buy canned light converter kits? You will want to order your new pendant lights first and then purchase a kit that fits those pendants. 

The mini-pendants make a huge difference and really help tie in the retro feel. 

Canned Light Converter Kit

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So tell us, did you have a retro bathroom growing up (or in your current home)?! 

With Love,

The Lavenders 

Lamppost Love

Do you have a lamppost that is an eyesore? This project was inexpensive and incredibly easy. Honestly, it is mindblowing how a little sweat and spraypaint can make a huge difference. 

Here are the steps I took to turn our dingy, dusty pink lamppost into a nice, welcoming feature to the Quarry's front entrance. 

Step 1: Pick out your pole color.

Run to your nearest hardware store and grab a bottle (or two) of outdoor metal spray paint. 

Step 2 & 2.5: Wipe the pole down with a damp rag. Proceed to spray paint that sucker following the instructions on the can.

If you are keeping your topper, wipe it down and tape off the glass. We tossed our topper in the trash and opted to purchase a new one online. 

Step 3: Install your new topper. 

P.S. I did the ultimate blogging oops and cannot remember where ours is from...so here are a few options to get you started on your post light search.

Step 4: Landscape around that beautifully redone babe

I first got on my "light pole" kick when I noticed that Blue Stone Perennials actually has pre-planned gardens specifically for lampposts.

This isn't a sponsored post. I just LOVE these guys and the convenience of having someone map out the perfect blend of flowers for our space. Our pre-planned garden was delivered right on time and in wonderful shape.

Step 5: Map out your flower bed and then plant

Step 6: Walk by your front window to stare at your new lamppost at least 3 times the first day.

Does anyone else have a horrible lamppost?
Share a before and after picture below. I would love to see how it turns out!

With Love,

LeAnne

Closet Organizational Tips

Let me guess. Your New Years resolution was to eat healthier, be more active, or get organized. 

Well, I can't help you with the first two, but my real life friend Maddie can certainly help you with the last one!

As you know, we had our Master Closet installed a few weeks ago and I asked Maddie to come on over to help me get it all set up. Obviously, accessibility was our #1 priority but organization was very close behind.

She is LITERALLY a professional organizer, so she has put together 5 tips for our friends on how she creates a well put together closet:  

Categories & Clusters

My favorite way to organize a closet is to group items into categories, such as pants, shirts, sweaters, blouses, etc. Once all items in the closet are organized into categories, I like to step back and start pairing categories together to form clusters. Clusters are a way to systematically place categories of clothing together to make planning outfits a breeze. 

Clusters can apply to drawers, too. There is no reason to keep your sweatpants and t-shirts at opposite ends of the closet if you tend to wear them together. Consider giving them the same drawer in your dresser by clustering them together.

Roll it on up! 

I’ve never been one to follow the rules, so it’s no surprise that more times than not I prefer to roll articles of clothing verses fold them. Lining up rolled jeans or sweats on open shelving is a sure way to find exactly what you are looking for without having to dig through folded stacks of clothing. I have found that neat rolling saves space and helps to prevent wrinkles and creases in clothing. Displaying your rolled jeans also adds a fun, aesthetically pleasing design element to your closet, all while maintaining functionality.

Definitely a win-win situation, right?

You can roll other items like scarves, t-shirts, underwear, shorts, ect., as well.

Simplified Storage Solutions

Drawers can sometimes be the landing place for items that just don’t seem to belong anywhere else in the closet. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Seems like a decent solution until you open up your dresser drawer in the morning while you are rushing around getting ready and you can’t seem to find a matching pair of socks amongst all of the clutter. 

Solution?  Drawer dividers.

When items have a proper place to live in your dresser drawers, it becomes easier to keep categories of clothing organized. Shallow baskets or containers are a great way to separate socks, bras, belts, ect. in your dresser drawers. Commercial drawer organizers are also a great way to tackle the clutter.

Display Your Favorites

Hand bags, statement jewelry, books, artwork, whatever it may be- make room to display it in your closet. There is no reason why design and style has to be excluded from the one area you go in everyday.

Find some cute little knobs or hooks and fill up that blank wall by hanging all of your pretty necklaces. It’s a great, inexpensive way to add an aesthetically pleasing touch to your closet, while keeping your necklaces from getting all tangled and unorganized.

Purge Seasonally

Overstuffed racks and drawers of clothing are a sure way to put your closet organization on stand still. Decluttering regularly can help to keep your closet clean and tidy. If items have stains, are missing a mate (you know, those singleton socks!), no longer fit, or just aren’t your style anymore, don’t be afraid to part ways. Donating or selling old clothing that is still in good shape is a great way to give pieces new life, while creating a bit of breathing room in your closet.

Any specific organization questions?

Feel free to comment below or send Maddie an email for a consultation. She's great. Promise promise. 

maddiebutterfieldorganization@gmail.com

With Love,

The Lavenders

I Love Lamp

I love lamp.

Our style. It's funky, vibrant, and doesn't take itself too seriously.

When picking out Quarry pieces, I really wanted to focus on purchasing items that would hold up well. Putting aside my natural instinct to buy something "because it's on sale", I learned to purchase things I LOVE. Instead of finding a need to fill up every empty nook and corner of Quarry, I am opting to just hang tight and wait for the perfect piece.

When Room & Board offered to send us a house warming gift, I was thrilled. Not only are their items timeless, they really help pull a room together. Derek and I chose this Trip-Plex floor lamp which we felt added a little fun POP of color to our family room.  

And this bad boy? Amazing quality and it comes in 3 different finishes! We love how sturdy our Room & Board piece is. 

I've told you guys before that I will never suggest a product or company that I don't fully support and this is no different.

My suggestions? Don't be afraid to:

Go bold. 
Save up for a piece you love.
Keep spaces empty until you find The One.
And shop Room & Board. Always.

Do you have something for your home that you have been saving up for? 

Thanks again Room & Board for the Quarry love!

With Love,

The Lavenders

The Paint Colors of Quarry

Behind every painted wall is a planning, plotting, and scheming home owner. And even though repainting a wall isn't the end of the world, there is nothing worse than finishing a room and cringing at the color.

Thankfully, this did not happened to us! We teamed up with the amazing folks at Sherwin Williams (that's right, they SPONSORED QUARRY!) to bring you a few colors that are a perfect addition to any room.

Here is what we picked:

Iron Ore (SW 7069):
Main Living Space. Guest Bathroom. 

If you look closely, you will actually see our television on the back wall. By painting a few of your walls dark, it creates a lot of contrast which adds depth to your room. Take note on how our artwork pops and our television is camouflaged. 

Mashmallow White (SW 7069):
All the White Everywhere.  

We know whites can be tricky, so we are excited we stumbled upon this color. It is the perfect combination of soft (like a marshmellow) but still bright. If it isn't a colored wall, it is Marshmallow White! 

White Mint (SW 6441):
Entryway. Kitchen bulkhead. 

Keeping with the style of Quarry, we really wanted a color which would bring out the midcentury charm. White Mint brings a soft pop of fun to a wall without being too flashy. In fact, some people do a double take when they realize it is mint.

Tangerine (SW 6640):
Laundry Room. 

You will notice there aren't any pictures of this color YET but stay tuned for my weekend project. For the laundry room, I really wanted a color that was fun and cheery. Derek's response? "Pick whatever you want since you do all the laundry!" Smart man. After researching retro rooms, I settled on a tangerine color which is actually named Tangerine.  Funky laundry room, here we come! 

A huge shout out to Sherwin Williams being willing to work with us on Quarry. We did receive our paint as compensation for this post, but obviously all thoughts and opinions are ours. 

What is your favorite Sherwin Williams paint color?

With Love,

The Lavenders

The BIG Move

2 Peter 3:8

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

If there is anything we have learned over the past 571 days, it is that the Lord has His own timing. We can push, pull, and struggle our way through His will or we can sit and know that everything has a purpose. God is not held to our timelines or time in general. He asks us to put on our seatbelt and trust Him.

So, we strapped on our seatbelt June 15th and have been nothing but blown away with the way He has provided for us.

One big answer to prayer? The Quarry. We had been housing shopping for months with a very specific home in mind. We needed a yard, one story, close to Derek's work, in our price range where we could renovate some necessary accessible additions, and of course somewhere I could have a garden.

As we house shopped, I found myself telling Derek, "This is the one." on so many different properties. I just wanted a home so badly that I was willing to settle for something that just wasn't a good fit for what we needed.

I am so proud to show you the place we now call home. We moved December 22nd and left for the Christmas Circuit on December 23rd. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind and we are just starting to settle in. 

Full disclosure. We've hit a place in our blogging where we are now able to link products we purchase for you to check out. If you love something, click on the link and feel free to purchase it from there. No pressure, promise. We will get a little commission from that company.  These are things we've purchased organically because we love them. I will not link something we haven't been impressed with.

Ok, back to the move. 

Derek enjoys telling everyone that I cried 4 times that day for completely different reasons: feeling overwhelmed, excitement, joy, and then exhaustion. It was a jammed packed day that started a 8:00am and ended around 1am. We hired Two Men and a Truck to help. Best decision ever. 

I sadly did not get many photos from the actual move but I did capture this video:

And the flicker bulb is pretty darn cool if you have an outdoor lantern: http://rstyle.me/~afk8Z

We then headed to our prospective families homes for the holidays. A 4 day tour of Indiana and Ohio, which left us with a car STUFFED full of amazing presents, so many good laughs, and a little bit of sleep deprivation. 

We are working on putting our home together and started with the Master Bedroom:

Master Bedroom Goal: Fun but adultish

Pillows-http://rstyle.me/~afk8q
Amazing snuggly throw-http://rstyle.me/~afaQ1
Linen Duvet- http://rstyle.me/~afk99

And as you can image, Barkus is LOVING his new space and the unlimited napping spots.

Most random gift you received. Go! 

Thanks for all the love with the new home.

With Love,

The Lavenders

Week 11 Update

Final Stretch, Folks!

“I get my own yard in 11 days”

— Barkus Adroolius

We are literally coming down to the last couple weeks of projects but we've bumped our moving date to the 22nd.  This week, we are going to give you a run down of the products we chose and why. I know, thrilling. 

Just a heads up, I did figure out how to link our chosen products in the blog. If you are interested in anything we purchased, the item I discuss should be bolded. Just click on the bold word for the link. 

 Questions? Email  us! (lavenderslongshot@gmail.com)

Week Eleven Checklist-

• Finished exterior/ interior paint
• Finished tile in bathroom
• Placed the master vanity/ linen closet
• Trim installed and stained to match original 
• Purchased curtains and other accessories for the home
• LeAnne cried when she saw the vanity was installed

With the new garage, they took the limestone from the back of the old garage and used it to help blend in the addition.

Our synthetic wood garage doors are similar to these from Home Depot. We chose a Dark Walnut color. The paint color for the back of the garage is Urbane Bronze from Sherwin Williams. 

Go bold or go home, right?! 

My goal with our paint colors was create a BHAM effect when you walked into Quarry. The dark walls are Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams and the white walls are Marshmallow White.

Another thought behind the dark wall is to help disguise the TV a bit. As you may remember, our goal for the Whiskey Room is to create a snuggly atmosphere without feeling like you are just staring at a television as soon as you walk through our door.  

The Master Bathroom has a lot of accessibility reasons behind the design.

With the vanity, we wanted the area below the sinks to be completely open for Derek's chair. This allows him to get close to the sink and not feel like he is spilling water everywhere.

We chose these sinks because we felt they had the perfect blend of style and funiontality. We really wanted a vessel sink but those just sit too high and could potentially be frustrating for Derek. Our Kohler sinks sit up off the counter just a tad but aren't overwhelming high.

Some thought went into our mirrors as well! Even though I love the circle mirror design, they aren't practical for Derek. Sitting lower means we needed mirrors that could be mounted low and still look like they belonged there. We chose these from Lamps Plus and couldn't be happier. We are excited to see them installed this week! 

The are installing our hardwood floors today!

As you may remember, there originally was carpet everywhere. And although Derek can maneuver short carpet fairly easily, it isn't ideal. We chose an engineered hardwood Acacia. We love the contrast of lights and darks. Not only will it help hide Barkus hair, it should cover up those wheelchair tracks pretty well! 

Well. That's all we've got for you!

 Now, who has their Christmas shopping done?!

With Love,

The Lavenders 

Scroll Through Midweek Update

Some days you just need to scroll through a renovation blog and look at pictures.
Well, today is your day. 

We will give you more details on Monday, but wanted to give you a quick midweek update with the changes. 
Happy Wednesday friends.

As you can see, we made some progress! Our master vanity/ linen closet arrived this weekend, along with some wonderful house guests (family!). We hung up Christmas wreaths at Quarry and Barkus is so excited for his first snow on Monday (fingers crossed). 16 days until we move!

They did take down the kitchen barrier. What do you think of the open kitchen? 

With Love,

The Lavenders

Week 9 & 10

Chapter Four: The Final Stretch

We set a moving date 

That's right! December 19th, watch out because you are about to be the best day of 2017. We're moving, grooving, and checking things off the renovation list. 

Week Eight & Nine Checklist-

• Finished drywall
• Started on the master bathroom tile
• Painted the new garage addition
• Took advantage of Black Friday deals for Quarry
• Trim was delivered
• Preparing floors for hardwood
• Teamed up with our buddies at BeLove for 20% off their adorable shop (LONGSHOT20)
• Barkus graduated from Good Manners 1 class

I'm sure you already started scrolling to the pictures, but if not, way to show self-control! Below, you will see the garage was painted this week. We love how the color really compliments the limestone but gives it a modern twist. We chose Urbane Bronze from Sherwin Williams. 

We were also very excited to see that they started on the bathroom tile. We chose a dark slate colored tile for the floor and the tile will also run up the back of the shower. 

Our wood vanity and linen closets will also  be installed this weekend. Derek's cousin is a woodworker in Ohio and agreed to help us design and create exactly what we needed for the space. We are so excited to have his incredible work in our home! 

Look closely at the picture below and you will see they have started adding the subfloor! We were pretty disappointed to discover that we did not have hardwoods under all the carpet but happily picked out some very durable (and good looking) Acacia wood floors. They will be installed in 2 weeks and we can't wait to show you!

As I mentioned above, we've teamed up with our favorite gift shop, BeLove (who just launched an online shop). When I say favorite, I mean it. In fact, BeLove is the sister company of MudLOVE (who LeAnne works for).

They have great, handcrafted products for basically every stocking you would want to stuff. Hop online HERE and use the code LONGSHOT20 for 20% off until Friday night. For the record, the candles are awesome and you can reuse the container!

Any good Thanksgiving stories? We ate 20lbs of turkey and discussed how there are two types of people in this world- those who keep their socks organized and those who pay others to match all the strays. Me? Bags of unmatched socks and I bribe Derek with 10 cents a pair. You? Tell us and make me feel better.

With Love,

The Lavenders

Week 7 & 8

Chapter Three: The Beginning of the End

Happy 9th week of renovation fine friends!

We've got an end in sight and things are really speeding up at Quarry. They finished hanging the drywall last week and started the mudding process on Friday. Anyone else feel like a space actually looks larger once drywall goes up? 

Week Seven & Eight Checklist-

• Drywalling underway
• Electrical work finished (adding the canned lights, updating electric, adding outlets)
• Picked out more details (ceiling fans, barn doors, paint colors)
• Inspections passed
• Bought the first of Quarry's Christmas decor
• Barkus ate three socks

We know these renovations take awhile and it can be easy to forget what Quarry looked like before we started! So, this week we are putting up the "Before" photo above the transformation pictures. 

The Family Room/ Den

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The Whiskey Room looking into the Family Room

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Dining Room

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The Whiskey Room

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Starting to catch the vision a bit? Our current move in date is the week of Christmas. We have all our fingers and toes crossed that everything continues to stay on track because we have to be out of our apartment December 28th (talk about cutting it close!). 

Since all the fun stuff is about to happen, I'll be blogging at least once a week to keep you guys up to date! 

Merry Christmas! 

O ya. That's right. We're totally cheating and listening to Christmas music already.

With Love,

The Lavenders

Ps. Any tips on how to get dogs to stop eating socks?

Week 5 & 6

Chapter 2: A Garage We Aren't Living In

Happy Monday fellow earthlings! 

These past couple weeks have been slow and steady over at Quarry. The biggest change has been the addition of our garage. As most of you may recall, before the accident we lived in a one car garage (Bunker) for 2 years. With our previous intimate relationship with garages, it is a lot of fun to see this baby come together. And yes, the old garage is now our bedroom...we can't seem to get away from sleeping in garages. 

Week Five & Six Checklist-

• Finish the framing in the house
• Electrical work (adding the canned lights, updating electric, adding outlets)
• Garage ALMOST done (roofing this week and finishing the siding)
• Picked exterior paint color
• Garage doors installed
• Barkus getting his first batch of flees

The back and side portion of the new garage will be siding. We will be painting it Sherwin Williams "Urbane Bronze". The front portion (around the garage doors) and the old garage (our new bedroom) will actually be limestone which they took off the back of the house when they added the garage.  Our hope is from the front, you will not be able to tell the garage was an addition.

We worked with Garage Doors of Indianapolis to pick out these Dark Oak doors. Don't be fooled, these are synthetic wood. After asking around, the steel door option is just better for maintenance, upkeep, and at a more reasonable cost point than real wood. We originally picked out a Dark Walnut stain but a woman actually backed out of her Dark Oak doors.  After comparing the two, I really couldn't tell much of a difference, so we snagged the Dark Oak at a discount! 

Random side note:

• A few weeks ago, I came up with an idea for Quarry's curtains. Between JoAnn Fabric and Ikea, I am hoping to channel my inner Martha Stewart for a home project. Details (and results) will follow in a few weeks.
• Barkus went to his first costume party on Friday. We dressed him as Marcus Aurelius and of course I thought he was a "medium" in dog costumes...well it wouldn't even buckle around his waist. So that's that. 

Have a great week friends. We are looking forward to updating you on Week 7 & 8 because there may be some drywall!

With Love,

The Lavenders 

Week 3 & 4

Chapter 1.5: TRANSITORY

Hey friends! 

We just knocked out weeks 3 & 4 at the house and are loving all the changes. We finally got our ramps back, so Derek is able to sneak in and check out the progress.  We have been pleasantly surprised at how fast this project is moving along. We've gotten into the habit of swinging by the house on Wednesday's and then once on the weekend.

Week Three & Four Checklist-

• Garage floor poured
• Rough plumbing completed
• Framing is finished
• Came to a final design for the fireplace
• Master bedroom window installed
• Barkus learned to not eat bees

 Their goal is to get us in the house by December 21st, which is cutting it awfully close to our apartment lease ending on the 28th! Fingers crossed. 

Week 1 & Week 3

Our driveway will be sloped up to meet the new incline. 

We decided to put the garage at an angle in order to conserve our yard.

The entry from the garage. We opened up the wall to create a hallway directly into the main living space. 

If you want more weekday check-ins, follow us on Instagram @lavenderslongshot. Our stories are full of Quarry updates! 

Is this moving faster than you thought?? Because we are LOVING all the progress!

See you next Monday for an update on the electrical, garage walls, and how Barkus is dealing with having a cone on his head. 

With Love,

The Lavenders

Week 1 & 2

Chapter 1: TRANSITORY

Prepare yourself folks. This is no HGTV show. The house will not be done in an hour, the cast is boring, and we won't have any shiplap. But you will see lots of demo, a pretty great transformation, and the Lavender's smiling endlessly because the Quarry is actually happening! 

We're starting this thing called Quarry's Stories because I essentially ran out of Monday Mood Boards to show you.  Basically, a more detailed weekly update on the Quarry renovation.

Week Two Checklist-

• Carpet taken up
• All walls knocked out
• Footers for new garage dug
• Bedroom/Bathroom floor joists added
• Vaulted ceilings exposed
• Hallway to living space created
• Barkus being so confused as to why he can't run around in the house anymore

Left: The original garage entry.

Right: We created a hallway that will go straight into the living space off of the Mud Room. No need to snake through the kitchen anymore! 

Details: This will all be hardwood flooring. Laundry room is on your left, kitchen on your right. 

Left: The kitchen and breakfast nook area.

Right: The green wall has been knocked out (and about every other wall) to open up the kitchen to the rest of the living space. 

Details: To the right of the chimney will be our dining room. The left of the chimney is our family room. We plan on all hardwood floors, with some type of buffet (where you see that blue tape) to create a little separation between the dining room and kitchen area. 

Left: Standing at the front door, looking into the family room and lounge. 

Right: The family room with both walls knocked out around the chimney.

Details: Here you get a better idea of how open the space now is. Dining room is behind the chimney. Kitchen and Lounge for off to the right.

If you scroll back up and look at the fireplace closely, you will know that we discovered our fireplace is very crooked. This is not a structural issue, but is still looks funky. We had a concrete artist come up with a GREAT way to fix the Dr. Seuss looking fireplace while staying under our budget.

The surprise? Derek wants to keep it a secret from you until the grand reveal.

So. You may get sneak peaks here and there (since it is in the middle of the room) but I've been sworn to semi-secrecy. 

As always, we can't wait to see what this week will bring! More updates to come next Monday! 

Ps. As I was walking Barkus this week, the sidewalk near our apartment was taped off with 4 little cones around it. I didn't notice why the cones were there but I started to walk through the grass and tugged on Barkus to follow my lead. Well, I must have not made my tug obvious enough because he walked right under the tape and between the cones...onto a big pad of fresh cement *insert face palm*

So. If you are ever in Indianapolis, keep your eye out for a Barkus paw forever engraved in this city. 

With Love,

The Lavenders 

Quarry's Monday Mood Board

The Family Room

This room is fairly simply with a boring name.

Our dream here is to create a space which is focused around the new fireplace. Right when you walk into the home, you will turn to your right and see this room. With a couple cozy couches, a coffee table, and some hot cider, we hope to make this spot basically a Christmas Card dream come true.

So here are the changes:

• Knock down the walls between the fireplace
• Vault the ceiling 
• Expose the fireplace
• Replace carpet with hardwood floors

And here are some design thoughts:

• White walls (Marshmallow by Sherwin-Williams)
• Cement hearth
• Chimney of fireplace will have paneling from dining room (trust us on this one)
• Large artwork above the fireplace mantel
• Barkus sleeping by the front window

As far as updates go, we spent the end of last week really discussing the pros and cons of Quarry. Honestly, the budget from the contractors came back a little differently than was originally stated and it forced us to reconsider renovating this home.

After some great talks with family and a trusted friend, we've decided to move forward and are doing so with a little extra excitement to get this thing done. It is so nice to know this is the place we will be calling home for the next stage of our lives. 

So here we go folks. Demolition starts today.

Ps. If you are an Instagramming type, you can add us at @lavenderslongshot. I will be updating our stories fairly frequently with the demo changes! 

With Love,

The Lavenders