Home improvement slowly achieved

Because of the untimely expenses in between, we can’t afford to do a major home improvement all at once. So I do it one at a time and update my husband during and when it’s done. In the last quarter of  2015, I had the TV Cabinet in the living room custom made. This was out of the accumulated online earnings I made with Share-a-Sale.

Along with this was a little make-over of our dining area. I had the space maximized by removing 2 individual dining chairs, and replaced it with a customized bench that can be occupied by 3 people. Had it painted in apple green for a lighter and brighter ambiance. Then I saw matching throw pillow cases and seat cushion covers from SM on sale so I grabbed it! 

The canvass frames on the wall were my brother’s gifts last Christmas 2014. The coffee mugs organizer was also gift from Ate Hazel. The clear flower vase was thrifted from the local market for only Php25 hahaha!

Since the sofa’s leather cover already gave up on us, and upholster would cost a lot, a frugal solution is to have a seat cover made. At least, it can be changed once in a while with another seat cover of your choice. The white jars on the side table were also bought from SM – on sale. The cute stuffed owls were purchased from my fellow blogger, Carol Lee. The flowering plant Hydrangea on the other side table was my recent purchase. While the centerpiece was Ppersonally arranged by yours truly. Here’s a closer look:

This year, I focused on improving my small garden especially now that I am hooked with cacti and succulents. I even started a herb garden which I hope will last longer haha!

Hanging pots were all purchased from Ataw for only Php25 each. I used cable ties to fix them. Instead of installing a steel matting, I opted to use a green plastic net to hang the pots.

We had also decided to just remove the bermuda and replaced it with Y-shape blocks as I find Bermuda grass to maintain and take care of. It was a team work between me and my husband when he was here in January. He did the filling of the soil onto the ground while I did the arrangement and alignment of the blocks.  The corner landscape shown on the after photo was also a DIY that I accomplished last December. I’d rather do it myself than pay so much for a landscape.

Then I had the walls painted in Maple including the front. Plus a little retouch of the gates in black.

Since majority of the plants I have in my garden need just enough sunlight, my husband had a shade extended right in front, which also gives me enough shade when I do my gardening.

There you go, folks! Now please say hello to my babies, cacti and succulents.