The mason’s scaffolding has been removed and the brickwork has all been completed. We’ve been told that once we’re back to the dry climate of summertime, the bricks and mortar will permanently settle into becoming pure white (as they were when they were initially laid), as they’ve not had a chance to dry out and set. I never understood before we began working with brick that it’s like a sponge with moisture, so with our cool climate and periodic rain and snow, there’s no chance of it drying out until the seasons have completely changed.

The drywall has been completed and the walls finished. Some have a very light texture and the rest are smooth. Painting begins on Monday.

The landscapers have finished bringing the backyard up to grade and installed the fire pit. They’ll begin laying the stone pavers in the next week or two. We’re really looking forward to enjoying the view of the river from this area of our yard.

Each day we’re seeing more and more progress and soon enough there will be some fun posts about the finish details on the house as it comes together. Hooray!

Source: Our landscaping project is all by Legacy Landscapes.

Note: This house update is part of a long series of posts on the progress of our new home we’re building in Spokane. You can find the first post here, the second post here, the third post here, the fourth post here, the fifth post here, the sixth post here, the seventh post here, the eighth post here,  the ninth post here, and my guest posts on selecting door hardware here on The Hardware Hut blog and narrowing down the choices for our cabinet hardware with The Hardware Hut here.

I frequently share videos of our home construction project on my Instagram stories.

I’ll be sharing more blog posts as we go along. If you have specific questions regarding our build, please leave them in the comments below so when I respond and post, I’m able to answer and share with anyone else who is following along and may want the same information. Thanks!

IT'S ME, SERENA!

I bounced through the first years of my life in a hippie gypsy wagon, hand-built by my father, wandering the back roads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. My family eventually settled into a tiny cabin in the woods on property that was once inhabited by Native American Indians.

I spent my childhood days searching for arrowheads, teaching myself to sew on a treadle sewing machine and to bake in a wood-burning stove, with no running water, refrigeration, or electricity in our home. My family lived frugally and early on, inspired by my parent’s thriftiness and style, I gained a knack for thrifty creativity and turning ordinary objects into something useful. And I dreamed of the home I would create for my own family someday.

Now I’m married to my husband, Colin, and our children are all grown. After 24 years of producing The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair, I'm spending time visiting other markets around the world. You can watch episodes of Serena Goes to Market here.

I share more about my life story from time to time, here on my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, and Facebook.

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