Before and after!!

A bit of elbow grease a lot of paint, and presto!!

So I guess I’ll start at the beginning… The first thing we did once we bought the house was to pull up all the yucko carpet throughout hallway and staircase! We were thrilled to see lovely heart pine down the hallway and pretty wood on the stairs too… I’ve never seen so many nails and staples in my life! It wasn’t a lot of fun, but we are so happy with the outcome!
I feel like things are moving soooo slowly, I’m finding that this is the best way to go about these updates though.. After living in the house the past 4 months or so I’ve changed my mind about a few of the plans we’ve had! Slow and steady wins the race!! More to come!

Our journey south!

Our circa 1935 bungalow!

So like 8 months later…. I’m back! All my vintage barn venue plans put on hold as my dear husband whisked us away for a southern adventure!!  My barn dream is still simmering on the back burner, not giving up on that! Meanwhile I’m enjoying the beautiful south and all it has to offer!  So I’ll be honest I have always romanticized living here, never thought we would.  We had friends in Virginia that were from Alabama and Texas, ( Popes, Johnson’s, Bryan’s & Shelley Gowens) so we knew southerners were sweet, sweet as the sweet tea that they love, and literally they are!  Being raised by my Yankee Mom, I drink my tea sans sugar, but I’ve learned how to make it southern style!

So we fell in love with the above property, mostly because of it’s potential… Oh and the neighborhood, it’s charming and endearing, we made friends in the hood before we ever moved in!! (Susan & Julie) After a long summer of searching for a property with less house projects, per the husband, we kept coming back to the “chocolate house”, the kids coined that one;). So here we are!  This sweet bungalow is “Simply Clever Home’s”new project!  I will post as we make our way through the adventure of loving this old house!

Mr Joe Slone

So, my very first official decorating project was via my AG class in high school.  Joe Slone was my teacher and I think he may have wondered about what a crazy gal I was more than once…. While others had great agriculture projects, mine was redesigning our bathroom at home, had to come up with budget, supply list, design/decor ideas…. I’ll never forget him coming out to the house to see my progress, he was great.  He always had a way of telling you your project stinks and your behind schedule without actually saying those words… He was a great man and wonderful teacher.  I’m so thankful for all he taught me… Even today when I use a saw I think of  him telling to stand out of the way of the blade, I try not to use a saw to often.. Lol

so very thankful to have been in his classroom and to have had him as part of my life.  What a wonderful educator he was.

Thank you Mr Slone….

ideas to keep your home bright and healthy for the winter!

Okay so my local Kroger Marketplace has the most beautiful cut flowers all year around, last week I bought these beautiful red tulips that look and smell amazing!!  They have brightened our kitchen this past week, they are a wonderful reminder that spring really is going to come!  I love that you don’t necessarily have to stop at a high-end flower shop and pay $7 or more dollars a stem for great flowers, check out your local grocery!  Our Kroger also has a great bucket of reduced flowers for around $2 most days!  My favorite “smells like summer” flower, the star-gazer Lily is selling even now, the fragrance alone lifts my forlorn winter spirits!!

I also did some research for the best clean air house plants available, most of these you can pick up about anywhere, spider plants (love them) my Mom has had a beautiful one in our home for as long as I can remember.   Pygmy date palm, the Peace lily, Pathos, and one called Mother in laws tongue also referred to as the snake plant (interesting) are just a few more to check out.

Anyone know of any other great plants, or ways to keep your home bright and fresh over the next couple of months? Would love to hear!

Happy Winter People!!

Is it cold and gray where you are?  Well here in Ohio we typically have plenty of gray dreary days in our winter, I’m currently trying to come up with ways to bring sunshine into our home and keep us from going crazy until the sun’s shining again.  Any ideas?  I’d love to hear them:)

Welcome!!