Update: Our Stock Tank Pool One Year Later
How do we feel about our stock tank pool after a year? Pretty awesome!
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, my husband and I looked ahead at a long, sad, dry summer and decided there was just one thing to do: build a stock tank pool. I’d been angling for one for several years, but he wasn’t convinced it would be enough to satisfy our swimming needs. So here we are more than a year and almost two summers later, and I’m happy to report: a stock tank pool is perfect for us here in Colorado!
Now, having lived in California and Texas and other states with long, hot summers, an in-ground pool is perfect for lots of people. But in the four years that we have lived here in Colorado, we have had snow as late as the last week of May and as early as Labor Day weekend. So… having a big, expensive pool simply doesn’t make much sense for us here.
Our stock tank pool was a very reasonably-priced option — before the price-gouging and supply problems began. I’ve been watching prices, and I see that supplies seem to be easier to find now and prices have come down considerably. Phew! I also have noticed that several people have begun installation businesses in various parts of the country, so if a DIY pool isn’t in your skill set, there are others who can help you. But the DIY option isn’t hard, so don’t be scared of attempting it yourself, either.
So, what did we do differently for year two with our stock tank pool?
Change to a Reusable Filter with Filter Socks
So, first let me say: this pump has exceeded all of my expectations. It has now worked beautifully for two summers, running 24/7 for months on end with no issues. I am really impressed! Last summer I used the disposible, paper-based filters which work very well. But even with washing them out and reusing them over and over again, I was concerned about the waste involved and the fact that they really aren’t recyclable. So when I saw an ad for Orca Filters — “the last filter you’ll ever buy,” I read the reviews and then bought one.
Does it work as well as a paper filter? No. Not without a filter sock. We have had days of cloudy water which we never had with a paper filter. The filter sock helps with this, but it’s not perfect either. However, the filter socks are essentially small stretches of pantyhose material, so they can be washed over and over again rather than being thrown away. I just hose off the Orca Filter every few days, put on a clean filter sock, and all is well. I collect the filter socks together and then throw them into the washing machine
So I would give the Orca a mixed review: it is better than throwing away filters, but it just doesn’t keep the pool as clean and clear.
Expand the Pad Around the Pool
We have an old, cracked concrete pad where a hot tub once stood. The hot tub is long gone, but the pad — located just off of the patio — was a natural spot for the stock tank pool. Last year we placed it on the pad and just enjoyed it. But this year, I wanted to plant around the pool, so once it was scrubbed out and in place, we framed out a bed of gravel around the pool. This serves two purposes: it gave me a place to place the green planters I made, and it also keeps the weeds at bay. With all the splashing that happens in the pool, weeds and grass grow partiucularly well around the pool!
A larger perimeter of gravel, gave me a little more control about what was growing. Less bindweed. More tropical plants. Someday I’ll cover that gravel with a few inches of pea gravel so it is more attractive, but this gravel was free — we have tons of it in the front of our house, so we are working to repurpose it around the house.
Add Barrel Planters
I wanted large planters filled with plants to surround the pool, but large planters are expensive. So I bought some 55 gallon barrels (food grade) on the Facebook Marketplace. They were $16 each, and we made two planters from each barrel. I painted them each a deep green, and filled them with tropical plants!
Tropical Plants: Lots of Them
We live in Colorado. It’s not the tropics — by any stretch! But the pool creates a little microclimate that’s just a bit more humid, and I wanted color and blooms around the pool. So I ordered canna lilies, caladiums, hibiscus, and gladiolus to plant in the new planters around the pool. I wanted to create a little tropical paradise — even if we can’t go to Hawaii. The canna lilies have some nice height to them, too, creating a screen around the pool which, when you are soaking in the pool, provides some privacy.
Build a Cabana for Changing
It might sound crazy, but we are building a cabana next to the pool as a changing room. This will actually fulfill a few functions. First, it will give us a place to change and to rinse off before and after swimming. There will be a small heated shower, too, as well as hooks and a bench for changing. It also gives us a bit more privacy in the pool — blocking off sightlines for our closest neighbors. It will also help to screen the air conditioner and other utilitarian parts of the backyard that no one wants to see when swimming.
Fall 2019 ORC: My Favorite Rooms
My favorite rooms from the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge participants
Almost 300 people participated in the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge, and I have read alllllll of the posts. That’s 220 bloggers, 58 Instagrammers, and the 20 Featured Designers. And if you think about it, that’s 298 rooms around the world that have been completely transformed. Astonishing, frankly. As I was reading all of the posts, I posted the following appreciation for all of my fellow ORC’ers:
No matter how big or small the project is — or how big or small your budget may be — doing one room in six weeks is a feat of strength! Most of these people have jobs and families and other obligations. For most of us this is a hobby — and a crazy one at that! But we love our homes, and we want to make our homes more beautiful. This is one great way to do just that!
This little community represents an extraordinary amount of work and ideas and creativity, and I wanted to share some of my favorite projects with you. You’ll note that none of these projects are from Featured Designers. I hoped to shower sunshine on some of the smaller but no less worthy participants in the Fall ORC. I hope this whets your appetite! There are some amazing rooms here!
Bathrooms and Powder Rooms: DIY and Inspiration
Maybe it’s because I have three bathrooms all in need of renovation, but I thought the bathroom category for this ORC was particularly strong. Here are a few of my favorites.
This bathroom has it all including wit and whimsey. But my favorite part: this framed life jacket! Victoria’s bathroom is fabulous and is worthy of a closer look!
Jessica and Chris transformed their powder room into a darling, vintage-inspired room with all kinds of pretty. They cleverly made use of the entire space tiny though it is, and I love all of their thoughtful details!
I love so many details about this bathroom including this gorgeous hammered copper sink and the light fixture, too! Tanya did a beautiful job in a tiny powder room that is now fresh and full of character.
Wallpaper is Back!
I love wallpaper, and I’m so glad to see it making a strong comeback in home decor. There are soooo many options now — self-adhesive, removable, wild patterns, murals, and everything in between. Of course, I used wallpaper in my Workroom Makeover, and I’m glad to see so much variety in the others who used it, too.
If you’d described this wallpaper to me, I would not have believed that I would like it, but OMG… I do! This is such a lovely entryway. Not stuffy or expected in a Craftsman house, but I do love it! Angela isn’t afraid of risks, and they pay off here.
The wallpaper choice in this bedroom is cool and coordinates with the light fixture in all the right ways, but what I really love is that by not wallpapering the slant, Valerie emphasized what could be an awkward space in all the right ways.
Fellow Coloradan, Meg, transformed her guest room for this ORC, and it is all gorgeous, but that floor just makes me swoon! It is plywood, people! Plywood and a lot of geometry! Oh, and the wallpaper is two discount shower curtains. You need to check her out!
So it isn’t actually wallpaper — it is a stencil. But I love Brianna’s bedroom wall! It looks like Sashiko, Japanese embroidery, and it is such an elegant addition to this room.
ORC Budget Makeovers
Even an unlimited budget doesn’t guarantee great design, but it’s the truly creative projects on tiny budgets that make my heart sing. I’m always working on a small budget, and I get inspiration from clever people who make the most of every penny spent.
Rhiannon proved that a little money and a lot of work can turn even the most humble and forgotten parts of a house into special places. She completely transformed this strip on the side of her home in Australia into a gardener’s paradise.
Jen and her family tackled their bathroom and proved that you can stretch a small budget — $1000 — really far! You have to see the before photos to believe the transformation!
Carrie took on a budget kitchen makeover done with sensitivity to the home’s MCM origin. I love the wallpaper — you will see that is a theme here!
Laundry Rooms
I have a laundry room makeover in my future as well, and several people tackled their laundry areas with great results!
Heather-Scherie took on her hallway laundry space which is a major thoroughfare to their family room. I love this green and the wallpaper is fantastic! I would be happy for anyone to walk past this in my home!
This mudroom/laundry room combination is absolutely dreamy! Look at all of those windows — and plants! Grace gave this room a makeover playing up all of this room’s assets.
Offices and Workspaces
I was watching the office and workspace transformations very closely, and there were several fantastic transformations. Some rooms like mine are workhorses, others are more showcases. But I thought these were particularly lovely.
Sadye proved that you don’t need a whole room to have a fabulous creative space. Her work corner is cheerful, well-organized, and colorful.
I loved Alisa’s goal for her office at the outset: to furnish her room almost completely from the Facebook Marketplace. You know how I feel about the Marketplace — save money and save the Earth, too! Well, she succeeded, and her room is so elegant!
Kitchens and Dining Rooms
Having gutted two kitchens, I think the people who tackle kitchens for the ORC are more than a little nuts. There is just sooooo much that can go wrong! And there are several kitchens that didn’t make it across the finish line. However, there are a few that did — and they are truly a testament to the power of paint. If your kitchen just needs a facelift — not new cabinets and wiring and plumbing — but paint and hardware and countertops, then it can be done. And here are some fab examples.
Leslie’s kitchen had great bones, but she took it from basic to beautiful with brick and other classic touches. It is gorgeous!
Linda took on a great room — kitchen, dining, and sitting area. She didn’t do any major construction, but her work shows the power of fabric and tile and color. I love her tile, and this chandelier!
Lindsey of Building Bluebird took her dining room from ho-hum to beautiful with some gorgeous MCM influences. I love the picture ledge on the far wall, too.
You must see the befores of this kitchen. The transformation is remarkable! I love the after, and it shows what some paint and hard work will accomplish!
Living Spaces
Technically Cyd redid two rooms: a den and adjoining powder room. And both are stunning! I love every choice she made — and am coveting the wall-mounted lamp in this photo. For those of you in homes with paneling, I love the choice she made — accenting it but not covering it up. Beautiful!
Clark + Aldine is the work of husband and wife, Danielle and Michael. Their home is gorgeous, and this room was awesome before, but they added both a fireplace and a really unique window surround which elevated this room further. I love it!
Moody and boho and colorful all at once, this living room with a full library is gorgeous. Kate is a pro at creating one-of-a-kind rooms with that prefect balance between old and new, color and neutral, light and dark. This room does not disappoint!
She isn’t finished yet, but this fireplace transformation is breathtaking! That tile is original, and she spent hours stripping paint and painstakingly restoring this gorgeous hearth. I can’t wait to see the rest of the room when she finishes!
To check out all of the ORC rooms for Fall 2019, click the links: Featured Designers and Guest Participants.
Thanks to Linda of The One Room Challenge for organizing the One Room Challenge! Thanks also to Better Homes and Gardens, the ORC media sponsor. On Instagram, check out #oneroomchallenge and #bhgorc to see all of the amazing room reveals, or visit the One Room Challenge Blog where you’ll find the link-up to all of the participating blogs. There are rooms of every kind, aesthetic, and design. It is an amazing thing to explore and get inspiration!
And just in case you missed it, be sure to check out my Workroom Makeover. I am in love with this room! I hope you love it, too!
Pin it!
Ciao!
Angela
PS: obviously, copyright for the images from other sites belongs to their respective owners. Not me.
ORC Week 4: Lighting -- and Problems
Happy Wednesday, Friends! Let me tell you… on Monday I wasn’t sure I’d be able to send you an ORC update of any kind this week. First of all, I spent much of last week getting The Nice List orders shipped out which was fun, but it absorbed a good deal of my week. And this week was to be all about how to light a room like the Workroom. But I am having all kinds of trouble — lights have arrived missing pieces, lampshades have proven to be a bigger challenge… it has just been all kinds of frustrations this week. So I am writing to you in the semi-dark.
More on all of that — and how to properly light a room like this here:
ORC Week 4
Lighting
I am shipping off orders for The Nice List each day, and it’s not too late to order your copy! Make your purchase in the shop!
Free Printable Pages!
I am also thrilled to announce the addition of this year’s Christmas printable pages which are free! You’ll find a Menu Planner, a Grocery List, and a planner for Seasonal Favorites — all adorned with Jone Hallmark’s gorgeous illustrations.
These and so many other items are available for your use in the Library. It’s a little bit like Christmas — and it’s not even Halloween, yet! Enjoy!
Have a great week! Please check out the One Room Challenge post! And for daily updates, watch Instagram. Lots more going on there!
Ciao!
Angela
ORC Week 2: I Have this Thing with Green
An update on Week 2 of the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge: the Workroom Makeover
Green has been my favorite color for almost as long as I can remember. As a little girl I briefly flirted with pink, but green took over early. Green — the color of Ireland, my eyes, the grass in my grandmother’s back yard, my favorite sweatshirt in college. So I suppose it is natural that my Workroom is green. But it isn’t just the paint on the walls. I am working to make this makeover a green one in every way I can. And the Week 2 One Room Challenge update includes a list of the easy ways I’m working to make this room green in the eco-friendly sense, too.
Not only that, but I have TWO tutorials this week both of which will help you make your Billy bookcases (or other stock bookshelves) look cleaner, more like custom shelves, and just absolutely amazing!
Oh, and did I mention the wallpaper? Yeah, click the link and see all the fun this week…
That’s not the only news this week! Orders of The Nice List will begin shipping early next week! If you haven’t ordered yet, or want to order another copy, you can still place an order, but supplies are limited, so don’t dally!
The wind is howling here, and the temperature is plummeting. It was 77 at about 5 pm. But look what’s coming overnight…
I hope you all are having a great week!
Ciao!
Angela
New: The Library!
Introducing the Mid Modern Mama Library of downloads and printables!
Is there a better place to hang out than a library? I’m hard-pressed to think of one! So I’m excited to announce my own personal library of resources available to anyone! So many of the projects I post here have downloads of one kind or another — patterns, graphics, Cricut files. So I put them all in one place: the Library! Here you’ll find all of the file downloads for every project on Mid Modern Mama. And the list of files is growing all the time. So pop by and take a look! I am ready to decorate for Fall, and the files for the Autumn bunting are in the Library now. Very easy to find, and it is an easy project to make, too!
Speaking of projects, we are having a busy weekend around here getting ready for the One Room Challenge this weekend! Next week I’ll be able to tell you which room I am taking on, but let me tell you: it promises to be a BIG transformation. It’s one of those rooms that we tend to neglect in our homes, but by the end of it all, it will be so much more functional and beautiful, too. I am really excited!
And email subscribers will get a sneak-peek at the plans before anyone else, and will get to see the room’s progress before anyone else, too. So if you haven’t already, sign up!
Finally, on Instagram this week I’ve been sharing some of the Greener Living changes we have made in our house — an effort to reduce our carbon footprint. Because I know not everyone is on Instagram, I’ve collected all of those posts together to share here, too. Enjoy!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ciao!
Angela
Greener Living Tips
a few easy ways to reduce your family’s impact on the Earth
Greener Living: Journaling
A new project: creating an art journal from catalogs. Also Greener Living Tips, an update on the Fall 2019 One Room Challenge, and more!
Last week the world came together for the Global Climate Strike. Our child’s school participated. We did, too. And we were so inspired by the millions of people across the world who turned out to demand action on climate change.
But it is easy to feel powerless in the face of such a huge problem. And indeed individuals can only do so much — policy change is necessary. But there are small, simple steps we can take which do make an impact. They truly do!
Our family is very concerned about reducing our carbon footprint and being good stewards of the Earth. And we know that those changes start in our home. We aren’t perfect, but we have made and continue to make small changes — all of which add up to making a difference in our community and in the world. This week on Instagram I am sharing 7 Greener Living Habits — changes that are simple and easy to implement.
One of those Greener Living Habits: repurposing stuff you already have. In other words, finding a new use for something rather than getting rid of it. We have a long history of repurposing. Dressers have become entertainment centers. Table runners have become window valances. An embroidered shirt became a sewing machine cover. Jam jars have become lunch containers, paint containers, pen cups… well, you get the picture. And I’m sure you do lots of repurposing in your life, too!
So here’s my newest repurposing project: turning catalogs into art journals. I took a stack of catalogs and turned them into my latest art journals perfect for collage, mixed media, use as sketchbooks, watercolors, writing — you are only limited by your imagination! I collected a bunch of tips together and made a video as well as a step-by-step guide to creating your own art journals from catalogs. And they don’t have to be art journals! There are tons of other ways to use them, too!
Here’s the link to the tutorial! Enjoy!
And join me on Instagram this week for the rest of the Greener Living Habits, too. I’d love to know what you are doing at your home to reduce your carbon footprint. Little changes all add up!
@midmodernmama
If you make an art journal, tag me on Instagram! I would love to see it!
In other news: the One Room Challenge starts again the first week of October, and I can’t WAIT to show you what we have in store. I can’t tell you much, but… it is a room which frustrates many people, and I will be doing a LOT of KonMari-ing as part of the process. I’m also working to keep it as green as possible — lots of repurposing happening here! More on that beginning October 3, but I just can’t wait to show you! If you missed our last One Room Challenge, check it out! We did a Guest Room Refresh turning our blank and boring Guest Room into a retro-inspired traveler’s retreat.
Have a wonderful week! Fall starts today… and the temperatures are finally falling! Hooray!
XOXO
Angela
New DIY Tutorials!
I have several new DIY tutorials up. Check them out!
I have a few new tutorials and a summary page for all of the One Room Challenge tutorials, too. I hope you will check them all out! Seriously — this cute little container for my dryer balls took about 15 minutes, and was super easy! And making duvet covers from sheets: a breeze!
And on this page you will find links to all 14 DIY project tutorials from our Guest Room Refresh — everything from the Ikea bed frame hack to lining a cupboard with wrapping paper and so much more. Enjoy!
Valentine's Day Decoration Ideas
Vintage-inspired Valentine’s Day decor using milk glass and vintage Italian glass as well as flowers, paper garlands, and DIY mailboxes. Inspiration for simple but elegant Valentine’s Day decor including homemade elements.
Hello! I hope you are doing well — staying warm and cozy! We had lots of snow this week which made for some fun creation time. Our house is all decorated for Valentine’s Day which has been a fun project. I have three Valentine’s Day projects to share with you this week!
First up: our favorite homemade Valentines! Bambino painted these last year, and they were really fun to do — and basically free!
I also have instructions to make this crazy-cute and really easy Heart Garland and Love Bunting! I made this for our mantle, and I love how it turned out! I’ve included files to download in PNG and SVG formats.
And finally for those of you who have a Cricut or a Silhouette, I have free file downloads to make these awesome Valentine’s mailboxes! We love them, and they are the centerpiece of our dining room table this week. Check it out!
And if you just want to peep at our decorations, feel free to check out the photo album…
Wishing you all a great week and a happy Valentine’s Day!
XOXO
Angela
