House for Sale!

No, Heaven's Walk isn't for sale.

Not quite yet, anyway.

We've got a few more years here before we downsize -

God willing.

But we do have our lake house up for sale now.

Water frontage

Private cul-de-sac

We've been busily cleaning and waxing and Murphy's Oil Soaping to make it look all spiffy for the new owners...

whoever that may be ~

whenever that may be.

We pray sooner rather than later.

Please, Lord...?

Would you like to take a little tour?

Before we start, here are the specs:

• Ranch style home with vinyl siding and Anderson windows
• Three bedrooms & two bathrooms
• Living space:  approximately 1600 square feet
• Lot size:  75 x 115 (1.5 lots) with additional lot next door available for purchase
• Delton school district
• Located on Gun Lake in Shelbyville, Michigan 

We truly loved living in this house for almost 25 years.  We cared for it like it was our baby.  We loved the lake life.  Waking up to warm, sunshiny mornings, spending the entire day boating around the lake and meeting friends for water volleyball, or just kicking back and laying in the sun - floating on our boat til the sun went down. I never grew tired of cruising across the sparkling water and hearing the waves splashing against the sides of the boat...

But when we decided we wanted to spread our wings a little more, to have a bit more acreage for a nice big, organic vegetable garden where Hubby could ride his beloved vintage FarmAll tractor and I could can and freeze our own food, we left our lake life behind

and moved to Heaven's Walk.

That was six years ago.

We tried to sell the lake house for the first three years - to no avail.

It was unfortunate timing when the economy took a downward turn 

and houses weren't selling.

We were scrimping and saving every penny ~ barely getting by with making double house/utility payments. I was tending both houses and both yards. It was a lot of work. We buckled and decided that we needed to rent it out, which is what we did for the past three years.

But now it's time to sell it.
We never really wanted to be landlords.
We didn't like being landlords.
We just wanted some sweet family to come along and fall in love with our house
and want to buy it.

 ~ ♥ ~

Our lake house has a bright, open floor plan on 75 feet of a clean, private channel on beautiful Gun Lake.  It is located on a private cul-de-sac.

The house has just the right amount of space for a young family, growing family, empty nesters, or retirees.  The open floor plan is airy and very spacious. It has central AC, thermal-pane windows, and a fabulous four-season sun room overlooking the water - which is where we spent the majority of our time. I always loved sitting out there and watching the sparkling water outside the big windows, or seeing the snowflakes swirling across the ice laden channel.

Bright and airy living room with oak floors, painted planked walls, and Roman shades. (Looking from entry)

Looking into the living room from dining area

We had 3/4" oak hardwood flooring professionally installed throughout the house as well as new, neutral colored berber carpeting installed in the three bedrooms.

Master bedroom with new carpeting, large mirrored closet, cozy shutters, and a water garden outside the windows.

Guest bedroom #1 with new carpeting and Roman shades,

Guest bedroom #2 with new carpeting and Roman shades.

The master bath was remodeled with a fresh, new look.

Completely remodeled master bath with Allure flooring.

Completely remodeled guest bath with beadboard walls and ceiling, and Pergo flooring. Front load washer & dryer is across from shower.

The kitchen cabinetry is beautiful oak and there is a unique butcher block snack bar that wraps around the kitchen area creating the perfect place to entertain while cooking. We brought that solid, heavy piece of wood home from the school where we both worked.  They were updating the kitchen and were going to throw it out. We nabbed it and after having it remilled, designing some butcher block corbels to support it, had it installed in our kitchen. Hubby loved that kitchen because our guests could gather at the counter and watch him play Master Chef!
It was perfect for entertaining.

The refrigerator (a newer stainless one now), stove, dishwasher, and microwave are included in the house. There is also a large, custom built pantry opposite the sink.

We added on this four season sunroom many years ago and it quickly became our favorite room in the house.  We installed Anderson windows and a pair of French doors that lead out to the garden and dock.
We watched the world go by from this peaceful room...

Looking into the four season sunroom from the dining room.

View into the extra lot next door from the sunroom.

Looking back into the dining/living room from the sunroom.

Outside, there is a wonderful three-stall heated garage, attic stairs, and a heated workroom. Hubby repaired many a small engine or boat motor in that workroom.  The paved drive outside the garage easily holds 6-8 parked cars.

I landscaped the property myself - spending many summers adding perennial flowerbeds, a New York blue stone path, crab apple, lilac, and pine trees, and flowering shrubs.  My neighbors told me many times how the yard looked like something out of a magazine. It was nice to hear that it could give so much enjoyment to others. I dug two small water gardens which created an even more restful haven for us.  One is along the garden path and the other beneath the master bedroom window, where you can go to sleep to the sound of trickling water. There is computerized underground sprinkling throughout the property.

Walking up to the front door.

Blue stone path leading to backyard and dock.

Water garden along path.

Along the water, we built a big boardwalk/patio that connects to the boat dock and canopy, where we always docked our pontoon boat. It was a great place for a patio table and deck chairs, and to lay in the sun and hear the waterfall from the water garden nearby.

The six-foot deep channel is very clean and swimmable. It is treated a few times during the summer to keep the weeds down and the quality of the water sparkling.

I always called this side of the yard my "woodland garden" because of it's cool, shady feel from the maple tree.

We had plans of connecting the dock to a new deck extending out from the sunroom (thus the little jog in the boardwalk). We moved before we could do that, but it would be a wonderful addition to the backyard.

Canopy was not put on yet in this photo, but it covers the boat slip.

Waterfall beneath the master bedroom window, opposite the dock.

Do you want more room to play?

Well, there is an additional 50 foot lot next door that you can purchase

which includes more flowerbeds, underground sprinkling, a campfire pit, a large shed, and a wonderful old gazebo overlooking the water.  It does have water, electric, and sewer hooked up to the shed in case you would ever want to remodel it into a guest house. The extra lot is where I did a lot of gardening, and we entertained out there around the campfire quite frequently.

Owning 2.5 lots on Gun Lake was such a blessing, and hard to come by. It gave us a feeling of having a little more elbow room, yet being close to friends, shops, the grocery store, banks, various restaurants, and a beautiful recreational area.

Standing in the extra lot by the gazebo.

Looking toward gazebo and water from the extra lot.

Gazebo and campfire pit in extra lot.

We hold very many fond and happy memories of the years spent in our sweet lake house.

We pray that there is a couple or a family out there

who will love it and cherish it as much as we did.

So, if you'd like to look at it in person,

or maybe you know of someone who is looking for a house on a beautiful lake in
southwest lower Michigan,

contact our realtor, Denny Moore, at Keller-Williams Realty.

His number is 616-942-2431.
(The house is not listed quite yet on the MLS, 
but will be within two weeks.)

We are very motivated and will certainly consider all offers.

[ Blessings & thank you for passing on the word! ]

Pssssst!!!!  Be sure to stop in for a visit with Maria at Rusty Hinge on Monday morning! I'll be guest posting over there with a completed project you won't want to miss!  :)

Linking to the parties on the lower right of my sidebar.

Just click on the buttons.

I'd love for you to become a Linky Follower!  

 

Swedish Bedroom Blues

After some major closet decluttering,

a hefty donation to the local Goodwill Store,

and a garbage bag full of "Why-on-earth-did-I-keep-this?" stuff,

I focused on the master bedroom next.

I think the last time you saw this room,

it was Christmastide and it had a small pine tree filled with tiny, white lights settled in an old sap bucket,

and there was a big wreath on the bed mantel.

Now, it's dressed for a Swedish springtime.

I wanted to bring some blues in here, too,

like I have been with the rest of the house.

(I decided that the guest room would keep it's faded red grain sacks, though.

It just fits that room with the dark toned Jenny Lind bed.)

The inspiration for this room came from a painting that my Dad did many, many years ago.

Back in the day, he was a fabulous artist and loved dabbling in oil paints.
I now have a collection of them that I treasure.

I wish he had kept up with it because he was so talented.

This is my favorite picture he painted.

It hangs next to our bed.

The sky blues and deep aquas are so beautiful,

and it reminds me of the trip that Hubby and I took to Kennebunkport, Maine

many years ago.

The craggy, rocky shoreline with the crashing waves,

the statuesque lighthouses at every turn,

the beautiful historic architecture of the homes,

the multitude of antique shops,

not to mention the incredibly delicious lobster rolls,

made us both fall madly in love with that state.

(Check out Lili's blog at Fearless Nesting if you want to see some beautiful photos of Maine!)

So, the aqua linen duvet cover and shams were pulled out of the blanket chest at the foot of the bed,

and two grain sacks with Swedish blue stripes on them were added into the mix.
Nothing fancy.
Plain and simple.

We purchased the blanket chest while in Maine.  I'm seriously considering painting it because I'm tired of the green, but it's the original paint....so I'm hesitating...

Grain sacks: Grainsacks, Etsy

 

A long time ago, a friend of mine brought back a beautiful original Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic linen bag for me from her vacation in California.  

(Thank you, Pat! ♥)

I hung it next to a handmade crocheted pillowslip on the ladder in the corner of the room.

The bluebird-in-a-myrtle-tree is tucked into a 

vintage pitcher.

Floral pillow: Sassycat Creations, Etsy

In my effort to keep things clutter-free, the only thing that was placed on our bed mantel was a small candelabra, a wire heart, and a small ironstone pitcher with a hydrangea blossom.

Candelabra: ReStore, Wire heart: Faded Plains, Etsy

A big, old willow laundry basket on the blanket chest that sits at the foot of the bed 

holds a couple grain sacks amidst the creamy loveliness of some vintage crocheted coverlets I purchased at Doster Emporium last summer.

Doster Emporium is a fabulous antique/treasure shop inside an old, historic grain and lumber mill.

Georgina, the owner, is always finding special things to offer her customers in this unique building.

I'm renting a room there this season to sell Heaven's Walk painted furniture and my repurposed treasures.

(Look for Doster Emporium on Facebook! 
She just posted that she's sprucing the place up for opening day in mid-April!) 

One of the coverlets will soon get draped over our front porch swing for cool summer evenings.

 

"Toby's wings" hang lovingly on the armoire.

As soft shades of blue and gray make their way back into Heaven's Walk,

so does the warmth of the sun ~

along with the promise of springtime.

 [ Blessings ]

PS ~ Pinning Update: 
Call me a Pinterest Addict, but I'm back to pinning again...

HOWEVER

ONLY my own photos or
photos from my friends' blogs which I know were taking by them alone.
I think this is the only safe way to pin...
and still be able to get some sleep at night.

Linking to the parties on the lower right of my sidebar.

Just click on the buttons!

I'd love to have you become a Linky Follower of Heaven's Walk, too! ♥

(Thank you and welcome to my new followers!)

Grainsacks and Florals

I mentioned before that

I've been reincorporating blues back into the decor 

here at Heaven's Walk.

Simply put....

I missed it.

I truly enjoyed having the soft, faded red touches here and there

during the past year -

it's such a warm, happy color.

But the softness and airiness of springtime and bright summer days ahead

left me pining for my pale aqua and smokey blues once again.

I pulled out my down-filled pillow from a favorite Etsy shop, Sassycat Creations,

and placed it in front of my favorite grain sack which I had draped over the back of the chaise in the living room.

Be sure to visit Jan at Sassycat Creations on Etsy.  Her pillows are beautiful!

The grays and pale blues are soft and summery looking.

Pale red is still making it's presence known though.

You'll find it in the piles of grain sacks on top of the armoire in the living room.

Yes...I'll be the first to admit that I have a grain sack addiction.

Can you blame me...?

I know I'm not alone, though.

Am I right Shellagh, Tracey, Maria, and Maria? 

:)

The newly painted and distressed metal French bottle carrier was brought up

from the basement and placed on the coffee table.

Large, purpley blue hydrangeas were placed in Mason jars.

Fragrant peonies blossoms from my garden will soon replace the faux hydrangeas.

Oh, and I started up my waterfall in the pond yesterday.
Guess who showed up?


Nineteen bullfrogs.

While Hubby and I had our first happy hour of the season on the back deck last evening,
they were all croaking a chorus,
happy to be back home again.

 

 

 

Ok, back inside....

Hydrangeas also made an appearance in an ironstone sugar bowl in front of the French candelabra on the round wicker table in the corner of the living room.

(and that, friends, is what my English instructor used to call a "run-on" sentence.  lol!)

I love this vignette.

This silver candlestick was given to me by my mother.  She always used a pair of these on special occasions when we had guests for dinner.  One on each side of the holiday centerpiece like they used to do back in the day.

I've also been working on some recent ReStore finds.

They're close to be completed.


Oh, and just so you know,
after much deliberation, consideration, and hesitant fingers,
I deleted my Pinterest boards today.

I know...major bummer.

I had been reading too many scary scenerios lately from other bloggers,
and just didn't want the burden of "what if..." lurking constantly in the back of my mind.
If Pinterest decides to change their policy, I'll start pinning again.
But until then, if I see a photo I like, I'm just going to save it to my computer.
I'll miss pinning, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Ok, enough of my gabbing.

Time for me to get to work!

[ Blessings ]

Linking to the Linky Parties on the lower right of my sidebar.

Just click on the buttons!

I'd love to have you become a Linky Follower of Heaven's Walk, too!