...family, friends, home and other tidbits of a blessed life

Friday, June 21, 2013

I won a really great mailbox!!!


Oh my, even I am shocked that we lived with this mailbox for so long. It came with the house. It's on the side of the house and so we drive by it, plop it open, grab the mail, park the car in the garage and never think of it again. Egads, that is one ugly, ugly eyesore!!

Bellevue Mailbox
source
So when Architectural Mailboxes had a giveaway in conjunction with a favorite blogger, Maria Killam's  blog called Color Me Happy, I JUMPED at the chance!!! And I was rendered speechless that I won. And excited!!

When it first arrived, it looked sooooo large. It was twice the size of this old metal clunker. Mr. CJ rocked that old mailbox right out of the ground.

Woohoo, it's out of the ground!!

We laid the new post next to the old one to make sure that we had the correct height.

 Do you like the stirring stick? LOL. A fallen branch to the rescue. It worked.

And then we had to be patient and let it set up. Promise, we used a level or two to make sure it was level.

This is Billy, watching us from a few feet away. Always wondering what we are up to.
It's not good to name the stray kitties.

 And then.
We dug up the surrounding area, removed the grass (which I sprigged into another area), purchased and planted a dwarf yaupon, a ground cover juniper, 7 golden lantana and the bushy thing. There is already one on the other side of the driveway, so I thought it would make a cohesive look. Can't wait for these to grow up. Hoping this variety of Lantana overwinters. In the fall, I'll add some mums. Pansies for the winter. I'll also plant some bulbs come late fall.  This little area even weathered the last storm with 80+ miles per hour winds. It was meant to be!!

I love the sturdiness, the deep coating on the box,die cast aluminum accents. And the many options there are! Made making a choice really hard.
Thanks again Architectural Mailboxes and Maria Killam!

And Regan.. well displeased that we didn't spend the entire day with him!

I am so proud of this mailbox I am shouting with glee. 
We'd still be discussing models if this hadn't happened.
Thanks for your visit!!

11 comments:

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Look how pretty that new mailbox looks!! Congratulations on the win, Marlis. You've enhanced it's beauty with the surrounding area so prettily. I can just picture it through the change of the seasons.

hidden art of homemaking said...

wow Marlis. this looks great! It gives me some ideas since we inherited our ugly mailbox with our house 10 years ago and every time I really look at it, I think I should do something about it! Your whole area looks so nice..and how awesome to have won it!!
Love, Mona

ellen b. said...

Ha! That is great. I'm chuckling how one new thing adds more new things like a whole new planter area. It is going to be nice to drive past...

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

Congratulations on the win! What a fine prize! It looks great and your plantings do too. Great job!

The French Hutch said...

Hi Marlis, Wow! Lucky you wining that new mailbox. i think the old clunker (your words) looked fine but the new one is very handsome standing there in the new flower bed. It’s funny sometimes how we tend to overlook something we use and see everyday. If the stray kitty has been named, he’s also a lucky boy.
Happy Summer Marlis. Now I’m going to look at my mailbox!

~Emily
The French Hutch

RhondaBuss said...

Love that you gave it a little garden home.

The Tablescaper said...

Looks great! Congratulations.

- The Tablescaper

Debbie@Mountain Breaths said...

Wow, what a beauty! Congratulations!

Monica @ Happily Playing with Dishes said...

Congrats on your win. It looks great. I must admit mine is a bit of an eye sore. Your post makes me want to go look for a new one.

Rosemary and Thyme said...

What a great story. Congrats on the new mailbox. It is so pretty. I love Mr. Reagan's sad look.

Pat said...

Marlis,
Whoo~hoo!!!
I adore the NEW mailbox!!!
Your choice of plantings should make a stunning appearance for years to come!!!
. . .and all under the supervising eye of Regan! I'd call that a win~win addition!!!
Fondly,
Pat

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