Portfolio – Nicole Balch Design

Menu

About
Services
Portfolio
Contact
Making it Lovely (Blog)

About
Services
Portfolio
Contact
Making it Lovely (Blog)

Find Nicole on Instagram

Making it Lovely

A productive weekend of trimming and pruning! And

A productive weekend of trimming and pruning! And there’s still so much I want to get to out there. I sheared the boxwood hedges and will go back in to hand prune a little more (for health and shape). We also borrowed a mini chainsaw to cut out some large dead lilac branches. I was intimidated before I saw it, but it was a wee baby of a tool and pretty fun to use.

I’ve been doing some heavy pruning. Cal took the

I’ve been doing some heavy pruning. Cal took the branches and built himself a quite good fort. ✨🌱

I think we’ve had our last frost? It snowed on T

I think we’ve had our last frost? It snowed on Tuesday, hopefully for the last time this spring.

Sweet autumn clematis went a little wild last year and took over a huge rose bush. I didn’t realize soon enough that it was smothering it! I cut out what was dead and this year it is not looking so good. Might be a good spot for a flowering tree or large bush though?

We do have a shade tree on the parkway that may not make it a good idea. I need to get out there and take measurements to see if there would be room, considering mature sizes. Swipe through for my quick photoshopped versions - one with a flowering tree, and then with the elm eventually growing to block a good portion of the front.

I have a tip for my fellow business owners, especi

I have a tip for my fellow business owners, especially if you’re new to it or at a growth stage. My sponsor @wave_hq has software that does all the things I need to do to run my small business, and it could be a great fit for you too.

I didn’t need to do everything I do today when I was first starting out, and I’m sure that’s typical of a lot of small business owners. Maybe you start with a spreadsheet to keep track of expenses before you realize you need something better for bookkeeping. Then as you grow, you realize you need to send invoices and receive payments or run payroll. A lot of people find these services piecemeal as they need them, paying fees to different places and trying to make sure it all works together. If you’re with Wave, you can keep everything in one place as you grow! Plus it’s simple and free to use.

I’ve added a link to Wave’s website in my bio for you to learn more and create your free account. #WavePartner #ad

I was deep in bicycle research mode since Eleanor

I was deep in bicycle research mode since Eleanor wanted a new, larger bike for her birthday. She got it, I rode it, and the contrast between that and my old bike was stark. I had been wanting a new bike for the past few years, but it hadn’t felt quite so urgent as it had lately. Research mode intensified.

I didn’t know a ton about bicycles besides knowing what I like visually. Differences in brakes, gears, materials - I know a little. More now than I did this time last week. I wanted a Dutch-style bike with a step-through frame. Maybe a @linusbike Dutchie or @publicbikes C7? The @retrospec Beaumont is priced so much lower - was that a decent contender?

Then an actual Dutch bike - this bike - popped up for sale in a Chicago biking FB group I’m a part of. It’s a Gazelle NL. I’m not sure if there’s a longer, more descriptive name for it because it’s not matching anything exactly in my searches, but that’s what it says on the side. It was bought in 2011 from @jclindbikes, and I’m the second owner. I would love to add a rear rack. Maybe swap out the basket at some point too. And can I add skirt guards to really up that ‘flowers in the basket, dress in the breeze’ fantasy? I don’t know, this bike is more sturdy and practical than dainty and cute.

I just brought it home tonight and rode for about an hour. I love it.

I showed you my initial plans for the kitchen a wh

I showed you my initial plans for the kitchen a while back. The exact finishes weren’t locked in at that point, but of course they have been by now and supplies have been arriving. Progress is being made!

I tried my hand at a photo-realistic rendering of my model to give you an idea of the finalized design. (Not bad! Passable if you’re scrolling by real quick. 😘)

#makingitlovely #thelovelyvictorian #designwithbrizodeltachicago #kitchendesign #sketchup #supodium

Freshly painted beadboard and antique plumbing fix

Freshly painted beadboard and antique plumbing fixtures. ❤️
#makingitlovely #thelovelyvictorian

Piled everything over here to dust the coffee tabl

Piled everything over here to dust the coffee table and I kinda like it. Traysure.

© 2021 - Nicole Balch. All Rights Reserved.

Home
About
Services
Portfolio
Contact
Blog