Thursday, December 15, 2011

....And We're Back!

I'm starting my New Year's Resolutions early. I'm going to be a blogger again. I've got plenty of things that I need to post about, namely a new (old) house that we've been working really hard on and is awfully cute! Thanks for still reading this little ol' blog.

A Pinterest Challenge

 First of all, I LOVE Pinterest.  I'm so glad that they invented something like this. I have files and files of pictures saved on my computer that I think are brilliant and want to recreate. But, I feel that the line between inspiration and plagarism is supper hazy. Young House Love (a great blog that I love) instituted the "Pinterest Challenge" where people are challenged to make at least one thing that they pin each season. The catch was to put your own spin on it. That's where my challenge comes in. I don't know how you can spend so much time on Pinterest, feeling so creative, and not really do anything! When it comes to doing something creative myself, I'm out of fresh ideas. Why should I put my spin on things when I like them perfectly well the way they are?! Here are a bunch of ideas that I have recreated - some have more of my own spin than other.









What's a girl to do?! It's really quite a conundrum! 
Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Historic Springville Charmer


This is where Dan and I will take up residence in a couple of weeks - a true Springville charmer. We knew we wanted a house with history and character and look what we got! 
        
A little history on our house for those who want to know:

On February 13, 1871, the Mayor sold to George Birch, an acre of ground on the corner of 2nd North and 3rd East for the sum of $2.50.  Mr. Birch proceeded to build his home. It was built of medium red brick, which was different from most of the homes of that day, which were made from adobe.  This is probably one of the earliest built brick homes in Springville.    Mr. Birch's home consisted of four rooms, two rooms on the main floor and two bedrooms upstairs.  The ceilings were fairly high, so this made the house look very tall. 

There was a shanty on the east side, which was used for a kitchen, and there was quite a long porch along the front of the house on the second floor.  (The door from this porch was used in many cases, to hoist furniture to the upstairs, which couldn’t be moved up the narrow stair case.)  The children used to “sleep out” on this porch. The porch is still there but has been made much smaller.

The floors were wide native pine boards and the walls were very thick, being lined with adobe.  The window frames were of lumber and rather loose fitting.  Square nails were used through out. On the east side of the house was a well with the old oaken bucket, which supplied all of the water for household use until city water was available.  The well has since been covered over. 

On February 11, 1890, Mr. Birch sold the home to Luther T. Chase and his wife Jane.  They tore down the shanty at the back and had two large brick rooms built, the story goes that the mason who laid the brick did so to pay gambling debt he owed to Mr. Chase.   Mr. Chase died February 18, 1930.  Mrs. Chase sold the home to John H. Patrick and his wife, Lura White Patrick.  At this time there was a large barn on the east fence line of the property, which joined a ban owned by Joseph Loynd.  There was also a corral, pig pen and chicken coops. 

In 1944, the son, John C, remodeled the home by opening up the two front rooms to make one large one.  For the third time the stairway leading upstairs was changed.   John also replaced the wooden window frames with metal ones and put in one-pane glass windows instead of the divided ones.  He also built a garage and utility room.

There is a dirt cellar under the first four rooms that were built when the house was built.  These were used for storing vegetables and flower tubers.  Under the rooms was a cement cellar where canned fruit and other supplies were kept.  

This history of our house was actually written by Dan's Grandpa Alleman, who is a member of the Springville Historic Society. Small world.

We're so excited that we found such a great old house. And we'll be sure to invite you all over for a house warming party once we get moved in! 
 

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