March 13, 2009
Hello to all our porch loving friends,
It’s nice to “sit a while on the porch swing” for a few moments to share with you as we’ve been very busy launching our site. It has been and continues to be a very gratifying experience for both of us.
We love working on it together and spend much time in our breakfast nook writing about porches. We also juggle taking care of Mom (she’s 84 and has Alzheimer’s), visiting and playing with our five grandchildren (two more on the way), and keeping up with everyday life activities.
We are so grateful we get to follow our passion and simultaneously help others do the same. That’s been the most rewarding part of our endeavor. When we started we both wrote a list of what we liked as we knew we wanted to do this together. Obviously, porches made both lists. A little research, some fun work, and now we get to share it with you!
Our wish is that you enjoy time on your porch as much as we do. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for our site; our goal is to make it enjoyable and informative for you. We welcome your comments!
Happy porch sitting,
Dave and Mary
Porch Tidbits
Where did all the large porches of bygone days go?Many homes today have very small porches. Although front porches are making a comeback many people have asked what options they might have short of building a new larger front porch.
- First, determine your intended goal. Is it to create more curb appeal or do you plan to use it as a place from which to watch the world go by? Would you like a little privacy when on your porch or would you rather make it inviting for folks to stop by and chat? All these and more are possible.
- Next, determine the space you have available taking into consideration existing windows and landscaping. Sometimes it is difficult to envision what a porch expansion could look like.
- Fortunately, there are free online software 3-D drawing programs we recommend such as Google SketchUp. Programs like this not only allow you to draw your home in 3-D but also provide a multitude of landscaping features you can add to explore different looks.
- Consider adding a “patio porch” addition. It’s relatively inexpensive depending on the design, it looks great, and it can be landscaped for different purposes. It can be a great do-it-yourself (DIY) or a relatively inexpensive contractor project. Pavers, flat stones, and bricks can be used to create just the right look and compliment your home.
- Whether your existing porch is elevated or only has a step or two, building an adjacent patio area makes your small porch more functional. You can landscape it for privacy with shrubbery to create either a private nook for reading or a place for a small table and chairs to enjoy a glass of wine!
- Enjoy the company of others? Depending on available space, create a natural conversation area by strategically placing chairs and benches around a focal point.
Extend your porch furniture's life
Spring is coming! Woohoo! Protecting your furniture during inclement weather conditions can add years to its use. Extend the life of your outdoor furniture with strong all-weather covers. Choose protective furniture covers that are made of a heavy-duty UV protected vinyl and have a fleece lining so your outdoor furniture will not be scuffed.As there are many shapes and sizes of covers to choose from, you can usually find a close fit to virtually any furniture type. Have a standing fire pit? Consider making your own cover. We cut a heavy-duty solid shower curtain to size (black or navy is good). You can secure it easily with a bungee cord. It works great, looks nice and what a bargain.
Porch crafts
I came across a book this week that I love. It’s called Backyard Mosaics
by Connie Sheerin. If you like crafts and especially mosaics, Connie shows you some wonderful outdoor projects that really look fun to do.One of my favorite projects in this book is the gazing ball she created from a used bowling ball. (Yes, you read that correctly.) The ball is decorated with glass, stained glass and mirror tiles.
Other projects that Connie features includes stepping stones, planters, bird houses, serving trays, candle holders and whimsical signs – all in mosaic tiles. Her book
provides all instructions that you will need and the photographs are wonderful.
What's New at Front Porch Ideas and More?
Kids Corner is coming!We will soon have a new section on our site called Kids Corner. We’ve asked our grandchildren to draw a picture of something they like to do on the porch.
We’re excited to be putting that up on our site soon and we will love to see what your children or grandchildren like to do on their porch, too. Kids love seeing their work published on the web and heaven knows, we love looking at it, too.
Porch Pooches
Who doesn’t love a good porch pooch! Meet our grand dog, Cisco, above. He lives in Virginia! Send us a picture of your dog on the porch and we’ll post it in our Porch Pooch page.Very soon we’ll have an automated way to submit photographs and text. In the meanwhile, if you have a photograph to submit, just send us a note on our contact page and let us know that you have a photo to share.
See you in April
May you take a few moments and put your feet up on your porch swing. We hope you are seeing signs of spring where you live. Take a little time each day to enjoy your porch! We love hearing from you.
Are you motivated to change your life?
Do you have a hobby or passion? What do you enjoy doing? “Are you motivated to change your life?” That’s a quote I came across one day when reading GreatDay.com by Ralph Marston.As Ralph Marston states: "How would you like to earn a living doing something that you love, something that interests you, something that provides a continuing sense of meaningful challenge and fulfillment?
How you would like to know, every day that you’re providing something of real value to others, something that can truly have a positive influence on the world? There’s something within you, something unique and valuable, interesting and worthwhile, that is yours to share with others. There are people all over the world who are looking for passion and expertise that you have to offer."
You do not have to be technical to do what we do.
That’s one of the things that is so amazing about it. The tool that we are using to build our Front-Porch-Ideas-and-More website not only has all the tools you need to create, promote and grow a profitable website, it actually leads you through a proven process to come up with the initial concept and focus of the site. Whether you have a specific idea, a vague idea or no idea at all, it has tools that help you zero in on a concept that has traffic-generating and money making potential.
We are a living testimony that it works and the many others who have preceded us. We love the positive, inspiring people we’re meeting through Site Build It and the unlimited customer support. Even if you’re not interested in building your own e-business, you’ll be inspired by these everyday people who’ve taken their passions and developed a business around it – like retirees, students and work-at-home moms (WAHMs). It’s all good stuff.