colour change

It's been a while since I've updated the blog and now I am finally on some annual leave I've time to share the changes.  Over the winter I've gradually been chipping away at a long list of little things to do, curtains, rearranging furniture, bits of painting and the beginning of the garden (all be it in pots for now!)

have a look around

the very beginning of a garden

curtains adapted from ikea basics - when all closed has a dado effect

more gloss black and colour in the kitchen

painting begins

 have to re-do the trims again now

Up the back from my place

I've finally started exploring the neighbourhood, thanks largely to a new neighbour friend Katherine and her two gorgeous dogs.  We have been walking on a Sunday for the last few weeks.  With the Coningham Reserve just up the road there are so many trails and fire breaks to walk through, and you can weave your way down to the beach, rock walk around the coast and back up through the streets which are themselves pretty lovely, lots of trees, unique houses and friendly people. I so love and am so lucky to have my home here.

IN

I've been quite suitably distracted by a little show I've been working on 'Construction of the Human Heart' and have had no time to blog - crazy to think about all the things that have happened since easter.

I had the inspection for occupancy the week after easter and moved in the following weekend.  I've been here for 12 days now - although I was away for 4 of them last week at TLP - yes it has been a little busy.

first night in

the view from where I rest my head - first morning

There are boxes and stuff everywhere, temporary shelving in the kitchen until the pantry is done, empty bookcases because I still have to paint the skirting and window frames and there is no point getting ahead of myself.  But nearly everyday I do at least a little something.  Put up a curtain rail, find the cutlery and put it in a drawer, sort a suitcase of clothes....

and it is so very peaceful down here.  When I make my first cup of tea, I say hi to the lama in the block next to next door and I can watch chickens in another block roam from my bed.  There is a roster somewhere but he is not too bad - not a very early riser and far enough away from mine.

It is green and hilly and just perfect.

I have only cooked one night so far, but the beast was christened with mushrooms and eggs - ah cooking with gas, am looking forward to hosting my first dinner party - maybe in a couple of months...

Am hoping to take some time off over the next month to do lots more nesting, and get ready for my first house guest......but it already feels like my home and i'm excited to be spending a lot more time here for many years to come.

The Great Australian Dream 'House' Party

Australia Day Picnic, at my half finished house, for my birthday!  A gorgeous day, a chance for my tassie friends to visit and see the work in progress for the first time and lots of yummy food that Mum and I baked. Oh and the Hottest 100, was pretty perfect.

I didn't get the camera out until late in the day, so not many peeps in the photos, but my sweet "niece and nephews", being aunty Julie to a crew of my friends children is awesome.

 Aidan, Marty and Olivia exploring

 never to young to play the 'game' - and don't you just love that dress!

(yes one of mine)

 'look Mum, aunty Julie has a drain!  I love drains'

 picnic vista backdrop

 frame up, tours of the house were had

 the party is over

 standing in the kitchen pantry doorway, looking through kitchen, dining/living and out to the view

 from the living room looking back through to the kitchen

 

a peak at the master bedroom!

I had a fabulous birthday with old and new tassie friends and can't wait to invite them all back for the housewarming once I'm in.  Next the deck is being put on, then the roof, windows and cladding - will look very different very soon.....

floor plan

Christmas day I finally got a chance to head back Snug to check out the latest developments.......

 upstairs floor

 

the walls have been marked on and I walked around my house

 

 edge of the lounge - there will be a deck

 hole for the stairs

 view from the kitchen sink

 looking up the 'stairs'

left -  sewing room, far right - laundry, foreground - space for stuff

 when the boys get back to work post Christmas there will be more walls and then a roof and then....

I celebrated my increased morgage (instalment 2 went through on Christmas eve) with too much food.  2011 will be a thrift year for me but will be well worth it.

reaching the sky

Progress on the house has been slowed by bad weather but it is still coming along and the changes will be much more radical from here on. The steel posts are up for the balcony and they look so tall - it's hard to imagine standing that high up looking over the block and I wonder what the view will be like from up there..

Work started on the frame of the lower level today and will be done over the next few days, next time I take some photos there will be "walls" sort of!

 supplies for framing

I was hanging out with Charlie when we went down to my block and we decided it would be a good idea to walk to Snug Falls.  The weather was holding so Andrew couldn't burn off the scrub on my block so he joined us.  The recent rains meant the falls were in fine form.

 not quite my backyard - but close enough

 my brother and his son take a moment

quick trip

The weather was great yesterday but Andrew couldn't get an excavator because it was grand final day!! So no more work done again this weekend.  But we did a quick trip down to deliver some materials, check the sight, fix the fences and add some more water to the mini tank.

I met a couple of neighbors from up around the road, he's a tv lighting guy and she works at screen tas! I think Lower Snug is going to be full of interesting people.

People keep asking me when I'll be in, and I say I don't know - and I don't.  I don't want to stress Andrew out by asking all the time because at this stage we are at the mercy of lots of things.  But once we are out of the ground we'll have a much better idea and it should go according to the schedule.  But he's hoping, and thinking, it will be less than 6 months.....

The Block Update

bad weather has slowed progress with Andrew mostly just doing Saturdays until we get all the foundations in - out of the ground... so it is a bit hit an miss with the rain, but I popped down yesterday to get a photographic update.

creature comforts for the workers

dug up

ag drains to protect the foundations

a pier - for the foundations

the ground floor

It was a huge job getting the piers filled with concrete.  Andrew discovered that my property has ground water when they dug the holes.  This will be great down the track when I'm setting up the orchard and garden.  But before they could pour the concrete they had to empty the holes of the water that had poured in - several thousands of liters all up - as as the pump hose came out the concrete went in before the hole could re-fill.  Very muddy and hard work - I'm told.

I have an awesome brother :-)

digging in davies road

it has started, the building of my house, today, as the ground was broken and the excavator dug out my driveway!  I have picked three spots on the block to take photos from throughout the stages.

This is what it looked like at 11am this morning

from the road, top side

midway north side

the sunny lower side

the day's main project

lower snug update

Last weekend I visited my block of land for the first time since I got back to Tas with my brother, brother inlaw inlaw and niece inlaw..... it was morning and damp so luckily Jem (4 years) had on her lovely gumboots.

The surveyors had been there to do the first mark up of where the house will be on the land, so we went to check it out.  Yes things have started!  I have council and bank approval and Andrew is making all the arrangements for first stages - excavation, a bit of tree felling (for safety), ordering a water tank (red).  I've been looking at sheds (why hire storage when you can build a shed for the same price), and colour bond colours.  so much to think about, plan, sort out.  Plus I really need to get some more work soon so I have enough money to stay on top of the mortgage as it grows in the coming months.... All will work out i'm sure.

my little house and place for carport at the top of the hill of my land.

house will fill this space (well most of the right side of it) - watch it!

up that way

more soon!

Land Owner

Today was settlement day for my purchase of a lovely little block of land in Tasmania.

 my little bit of lower snug

It's actually not so little at nearly 2 acres but i am planning to build a little house and plant some fruit trees and grow a little garden and have room to sew in a place that is my home.  Sounds so wonderful.  I never imagined (until quite recently) that i would ever have my own home it always seemed so out of reach with the freelance artist lifestyle.  But things change and here i am.

My brother will be building the house (with lots of help from contractors and family and friends) and it is really lovely to be working on this together.  He is just as excited as I am that I am heading back home (maybe more - they will get another very willing babysitter!)

My stepfather has drawn up a couple of plans from my initial drawings for the house.  I am lucky to have so many talented people willing to help out.

 

this is close is my realistic dream house - or one version of it

downstairs will eventually be extra bedroom(s) / living and or studio space for crafty pursuits

A few years ago  two of my dearest friends lives on the same street - just across the road from the block.  I used to visit for wondrous dinners by Jac and cups of tea and walks with Jo and often stay the night when I was down in tassie.  I never really paid attention to the land across the road. Buying land, especially in Tasmania was so not on my radar.  It goes to show how much and how quickly things can change.  I must remember that.

 

 North West Bay looking across to Tinderbox

5 mins walk from my future home

taken at least 4 years ago on a jo and julie walk