By Mandi | 03/31/2017 | 31 Comments
Are you guys ready to get into the nitty gritty details of the Merc?! This is obviously very different than buying a home and there are SO many unusual things that factor into being able to convert a commercially zoned building into a house.
By Mandi | 03/30/2017 | 35 Comments
Guys. I have so much info to tell you I feel like I’m jumping from subject to subject. I know yesterday I said that today’s post was going to lay out all of the hurdles that we had to deal with buying The Merc but when I got thinking about it, I realized that what I really need to share today is a semi brief history of the Santa Clara Merc so that if you aren’t from Southern Utah, you can catch the spirit of The Merc and how important it is to save this building.
The Merc (short for Mercantile) is one of the most historically significant buildings in Santa Clara. When the Mormon pioneers settled Santa Clara a few members started a co-op in a small room in one of their houses. The business grew and in 1928 a modern store was built by Adolph Hafen.
After some time (I’m not sure how much, I can’t seem to find a record of it!) an adobe brick garage was added onto the store. Gas pumps were added in front and it was the center of bustling Santa Clara. This was long before I-15 went through St. George and the only way to get to Vegas/California etc. was to drive through Santa Clara. The Merc was the last stop to get gas and supplies.
By Mandi | 03/29/2017 | 36 Comments
AHHHH! YOU GUYS!! I cant even begin to tell you how overwhelmed with goodness I am after all of your wonderful, sweet, encouraging comments yesterday! I love that so many of you have stories about The Merc and I promise I’ll do my best to honor such a special place!! ?
Lets continue our story shall we?
By Mandi | 03/28/2017 | 87 Comments
YOU GUYS!!!! Are you ready to finally meet our new house?! Oh man ALIVE does it feel good to say that. I can’t stop smiling, I’m a dang fool in love.
This post is exactly 171 days in the making.
171 days that I’ve been keeping this as vague a secret as possible in fear that someone would step in and buy it before we could.
171 days of complete life consumption.
171 days of laying awake at night dreaming of years worth of projects.
171 days is a long time.
But now I can share every single detail and I’m not going to stop. Ever.
By Mandi | 03/24/2017 | 3 Comments
When you’re dreaming about buying a home, you imagine everything being exactly how you want it from the start. You don’t dream about outdated cabinets, bad flooring, or popcorn ceilings.
So when you actually start looking for a home, finding homes that are less than perfect can be a bit of a reality check. Unless you have a pretty penny to spend on exactly what you want, chances are you’re not going to start out with your dream kitchen. But that’s no reason not to pull the trigger on a new house.
While house hunting, keeping an open mind and imagining what a space could become is key. Sure, it might not be perfect right off the bat, but most aren’t! This is where I come in. I’m your DIY Fairy Godmother — just substitute sawdust for sparkles and a drill for a wand. I’m here to show you what can become of those less-than-ideal spaces with a little hard work and creativity.
Here are a few of my favorites. Keep in mind that all of these spaces are DIYed and most have tutorials for everything you see.
In my opinion, the kitchen is far and away the most important room in the house. It’s where you’ll invest most of your time, and to be honest, most of your money. We’ve all seen what a difference finishes and design details can make in a kitchen. Things like cabinet color and countertop materials are huge.
1. Improved functionality. I’m beyond obsessed with Gwen from The Makerista’s kitchen renovation. It’s like all the hopes and dreams of the world manifest themselves in one perfect space. But it didn’t start out like that. It started out with outdated oak cabinets and a tile countertop.
By Mandi | 03/21/2017 | 17 Comments
Hey guys!! How are things going!? I’m popping in today with an update (of sorts) on our house situation! When we last left off here (in December?!?! Wut?) I mentioned that I had found my dream house and that we’d been working for months on due diligence.
By Mandi | 03/10/2017 | 7 Comments
When you embark on the home-buying process, your heart is filled with all the dreams in the world. It’s really easy to get caught up in the “I have to have ___________, so I’ll cut back somewhere else ” game, even when you don’t actually know where that somewhere else is or if you can realistically cut back there. Today we’re cutting through alllllll the stuff and making sure you get the things you really NEED.
Start by making a list of everything you want in your house. If you love it, jot it down. Have your spouse or partner do the same thing in a separate document.
