Unplanned Adventures and DIY Triumphs: A Weekend Recap at Casa UDH

This past weekend was initially designated for a much-needed respite—a quiet period to recover from a flurry of recent travels and embrace the tranquility of home. My vision involved staying put, catching up on tasks, and simply unwinding. However, as is often the case with the best-laid plans in the world of DIY and home renovation, reality had an entirely different agenda. What began as an intention for relaxation quickly transformed into a whirlwind of productivity, unexpected challenges, and delightful moments, leaving me with even more exciting updates to share from Casa UDH.

My initial intentions for the weekend were wholesome and simple: to truly relax, dedicate some quiet time to catch up on various projects, give the house a thorough cleaning, and perhaps even indulge in a rare afternoon nap (my dog, Charlie, certainly could have used some extra cuddle time!). I longed to shed the feeling of constantly being pulled in multiple directions, with an ever-growing to-do list that included writing more blog posts. Yet, despite these aspirations for a slower pace, I somehow managed to fill the weekend with so many compelling activities and stories that I now feel even further behind in sharing all the exciting developments with you!

Kitchen Renovation Milestones and DIY Lessons

Pantry Doors: A Test of Patience and Persistence

One of the most satisfying achievements of the weekend involved a long-overdue item on my kitchen renovation checklist: finally rehanging the pantry doors. Regular readers might recall a tutorial I shared ages ago about the benefits of *not* taking doors off their hinges when painting them. Well, in the midst of the kitchen remodel, I admittedly didn’t heed my own sage advice. The temptation to achieve a perfectly smooth finish led me to remove them, a decision that proved to be a source of considerable frustration down the line.

After the initial kitchen makeover, the house experienced some natural settling, which meant the door frames were no longer perfectly square. Re-hanging those pantry doors became a wrestling match against misaligned hinges and stubborn frames. It required a delicate balance of force and finesse to coax them back into position, ensuring they would close properly and seamlessly. Adding to the challenge, I somehow managed to misplace the screws for the second door—a classic DIY blunder! While I genuinely enjoy the catharsis of hitting things with a hammer (a sentiment many DIY enthusiasts can relate to!), the prolonged struggle with these doors and their refusal to close correctly had caused me more than a fair share of frustration. But, with a deep breath and a renewed sense of determination, I persevered. The doors are now securely in place, a small but significant victory that allows me to continue with the exciting pantry area makeover without any further detours.

Facebook Live: A Peek into Casa UDH (and a Good Hair Day)

With the house feeling a little tidier after the pantry door triumph, I decided to host a spontaneous first-floor house tour on Facebook Live last Friday. It had been quite some time since my last live video, so I completely spaced out and held the camera vertically—an amateur mistake, but a relatable one! You might assume that my confidence to go live stemmed from the fact that Casa UDH was finally clean enough for public viewing (and indeed, I did share upcoming projects and rooms I’m currently tackling).

However, to be entirely honest, my primary motivation was much simpler: I was having a fantastic hair day! Most of the time, when I’m deep into DIY projects, I resemble a “hot mess”—sweaty, dirty, with sawdust across my forehead and the occasional scrape or bruise. While my impeccably polished blog friends always look flawless in their DIY videos, my reality is usually far less glamorous. My hair naturally leans towards a “beach” style—a beautifully wavy-but-also-straight texture that truly cooperates when there’s just the right amount of salt in the air. Under normal Atlanta circumstances, however, it tends to fall limply while simultaneously frizzing out of control, creating the least flattering combination imaginable. For years, I struggled to find products that would make it behave away from the coast. Finally, I believe I’ve found the solution! I’ve been experimenting with some new products from the Kristin Ess line at Target (an affiliate link), and I am genuinely impressed. They don’t weigh down my natural waves, allowing me to skip a few shampoos without my hair feeling greasy or crunchy. The beach wave spray, in particular, is a game-changer when used sparingly on dry hair. I have to laugh at how serious I look in the photos below, but they truly capture the difference these products make:

From Drywall Dust to Dinner Parties: Entertaining at Home

Later that same Friday night, Casa UDH transformed into an entertainment hub as I hosted my sister and her boyfriend for dinner. This was a particularly special occasion, as they were finally meeting a guy I’ve been dating for a while. And for those who know me well, this next part is truly headline-worthy: I actually COOKED! I know, I know—that’s a rare enough occurrence to be its own April Fools’ joke. To my credit, it was mostly a slow cooker recipe (a delicious mushroom risotto, which is one of my favorites!) and, in hindsight, could have used a pinch more salt. However, the perfectly seared steak we served alongside it helped balance the flavors beautifully. The true triumph was serving actual plates of food that weren’t prepackaged or takeout—a definite “adulting” moment for me. To elevate the pre-dinner ambiance and make our wine drinking socially acceptable, I even assembled a fancy cheese board. Considering that this house has endured years of half-finished walls and a pervasive layer of drywall dust everywhere, suddenly becoming the go-to “wine and cheese” house feels like a truly wonderful and well-deserved upgrade. It’s a testament to how far this home, and my DIY journey, have come.

Backyard Landscaping and Outdoor DIY Projects

Fence Repair Fails and Future Plans

Saturday brought with it a renewed focus on outdoor projects, specifically a long-standing issue with the back fence and gate. The damage to this section occurred last summer during our massive sinkhole-filling and yard grading project. For those keeping score, it was actually my dad—the more experienced DIYer—who, during his turn on the backhoe, accidentally knocked over one side of the gate. This incident served as a comforting reminder that even seasoned pros have their mishaps, and not all DIY disasters are solely my doing!

Determined to fix it, I experimented with a new epoxy foam product specifically advertised for post holes, hoping for a quick and easy solution. Unfortunately, it simply didn’t live up to its lofty promises. The foam failed to properly secure the post, proving once again that some things are best left to the tried and true methods. So, next weekend, I’ll be revisiting the repair with trusty concrete. This experience highlighted a valuable lesson in DIY: not every new product is a miracle worker. I plan to dedicate a separate blog post to this, reflecting on other times I’ve tried products just because they seemed “fun” or innovative, and sharing these real-world experiences is crucial. It reminds us all that setbacks and failed experiments are an inherent, often frustrating, but ultimately educational part of the home remodeling journey.

Planting a Natural Hedge for Privacy and Beauty

The grass in the backyard isn’t quite growing in the way I had optimistically hoped, prompting me to devise a new landscaping strategy. To address this, I spent a good portion of Saturday planting no less than 14 new shrubs along the back perimeter of the yard. While it will undoubtedly take some time for these young plants to mature and fill out, the long-term vision is to create a dense, natural hedge. This hedge will serve multiple purposes: enhancing the aesthetics of the yard, providing much-needed privacy, and cleverly concealing the mismatched fencing of my neighbors. By the time I finished planting, the sun had already set, and today brought a torrential downpour, so I’ll be sure to share new photos with you very soon.

The importance of establishing strong roots in my yard has been further underscored by a recent event: a truly massive tree just fell over in my neighbor’s yard. This incident served as a potent reminder of the need for robust planting and soil stability, especially with the arrival of spring rains. I want to ensure that all the hard work I put into grading and leveling last summer isn’t undone by erosion or instability. While a natural hedge requires patience, it’s often a surprisingly effective and budget-friendly landscaping option. I may have even stumbled upon a clever way to stretch my dollar a little further with this planting project (the hint, if you look closely, is in the photo above!). Time will tell if my experimental approach pays off, and I promise to report back with the results!

Transforming a Neglected Corner: Backyard Oasis in the Making

Following the hedge planting, I shifted my attention to upgrading a small, somewhat neglected corner on the left side of the yard. A few years ago, I installed this section of leftover fencing, a proud “free project” achievement. However, it’s now time to infuse this area with more decorative charm. My vision includes a cute little flowering tree, a cluster of beautiful hydrangeas, and perhaps even a custom DIY woodworking project—a charming garden bench, perhaps? Additionally, the unsightly chain link fencing that currently resides there is slated for removal. I’ve only just begun this transformation, so you’ll have to stay tuned over the next few months to witness how this once-overlooked corner evolves into a true backyard oasis.

Seven Years of DIY, Laughter, and Community: A Blog Anniversary

Finally, and perhaps most significantly: April 1st marked a monumental occasion—the seventh anniversary of Ugly Duckling House! As I shared in my Instagram post, I’ve always felt that April Fools’ Day is the perfect holiday to celebrate the birth of this blog. In its early years, this feeling stemmed from the sheer number of laughs, embarrassing moments, and unexpected twists that came with working on this old house. The journey has been anything but predictable, often filled with comical errors and lessons learned the hard way.

But after seven years, countless stories, and an incredible amount of growth, I now appreciate April Fools’ Day as a fitting anniversary for celebrating the unexpected. It’s a tribute to the unforeseen paths a passion project can take, the unpredictable challenges of homeownership, and the wonderful, surprising community that has formed around this little corner of the internet. It’s truly crazy how quickly time flies when you’re having fun (and occasionally covered in sawdust)!

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for reading along and being such an integral part of this journey. This blog simply wouldn’t be where it is today without each and every one of you amazing folks. Your comments, encouragement, and loyal readership mean more to me than words can express. Please know how profoundly I appreciate your support for Ugly Duckling House. Here’s to another year of DIY adventures, shared stories, and unexpected triumphs!