Back in the saddle

What's new, friends?! I know, you thought I gave up on this but I'm back!

So, where were we? Oh yeah! Remember that time (2 years straight) that I remodeled the kitchen? Sigh, I'm glad that's over!

Lots of things have happened since we visited last but my current project is the plant room so I'll talk about that.

 

 

 

This is what I started with. The yellow just isn't working for me anymore and I've started to add more farmhouse style to the house so it's time for a change.

We started by painting the beams and skylights.

I say we because................ Well, you know. Moms don't do things alone very often (like going to the bathroom).

Anyway, I finished the beams and moved on to removing the plant shelf that is below all of the windows.

Life was awesome! I was kicking butt and taking names and then it happened. I BROKE ONE OF THE GIANT WINDOWS!! It wasn't my favorite moment but I have moved on and now I'm waiting for my new window.

So, this is my progress to date. There is one thing you need to remember as a DIYer. Sometimes you are going to mess things up, really bad, but a friend once said to me "when you know better, you do better". We, like my house, are a work in progress !! Have a wonderful day, friends! I've missed you!!

 

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Go toward the light!!

That's right, I am seeing the light at the end of this reno tunnel! It has been so long since I've updated you on the kitchen that I have no idea where we left off. So, you're just going to get the .05, $20 tour. Inflation, yo! I have a kitchen to pay for! I'm down to details now and I'll point those out as I go along here.

So, dining room/ kitchen transition. Much better. No bike wrecks ( yes, this is a bicycle friendly home) here with the kids so I'm pretty happy with my nearly seemless transition. Floor still needs to be grouted and sealed but it needs to dry more first. I also have decided that I need larger picture frames.

Far end of the dining room. This was my coffee bar but my Keurig went to pot ( hehehehee) so I just don't know about this space right now. Obviously I need to make another curtain panel.

Looking from the dining room to the rest of the house. I really love the open space!

Business end. No, not that business end. I really only need to finish the crown moulding and paint it and make a better transition between the backsplash tile and wall.

Other side. More crown work. Maybe enlarge the island and add stools. Attach little light cone to ceiling. Dude will not stay up there!!

Up high! I am so happy that the major work is done! My mind has started wandering to my next project but for now, I'm going to love our new kitchen! I will do before and after pictures when I completely finish so be watching!!

 

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A Day of Love

We just got home from our last trip of the year. A whirlwind tour of Northern Minnesota to celebrate my nephew Blake's wedding to the beautiful Sarah! As I have gotten older, I've become more emotional and sentimental. Being with so many people I love ( only missing Ellenor), made this event a bit of a cry fest for me.

Without further ado, let me introduce the newest member of our family, Sarah.

 

Have you ever met a person that emits so much energy and love that you are overcome with emotion?! This woman is the real deal! She's warm and authentic. I truly believe that she gives you her full attention when you talk to her. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we forget to notice each other. She notices everyone around her.

 

It took us 17 hours, with stops, to get to Lake Winnie. These trips are very stressful for me with all of the packing and worrying about how the kids are handling the long hours in the car. It didn't take long for me to feel the peace and love that the weekend would bring. When you open yourself to feel the love and energy around you, you have no option but to pour that out to others. This is what I took away from Blake and Sarah's wedding weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

What will you pour out to others today?!

 

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New things part 2

Whew! We have been traveling, and traveling, and traveling. I'm finally back to give you part two of my new things.

 

Look at this! I love these vintage TV trays and they look great as end tables in our living room! I bought two of them at an auction for $3!

This is actually a buffet for a dining room but it also looks great in the living room. It stores all of our dvd's and wii games.

Doesn't this picture fit in perfectly with my retro vibe?!

Ahhhhh! Our house is seriously retrofied with all of our awesome chairs!

Last but not least................. The 50's car luggage rack!! I really don't know what I'll do with this yet but I don't think I can sell it. Our kitchen is nearly done but this piece would make an awesome pot rack hanging from the ceiling. I've also considered hanging magazines or blankets on it. I just don't know! What do you think it should be?

 

 

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New things, part 1

Thought I would write a post about the new/ old things I have recently acquired! You know, old things ( when found in the right places), can be fairly inexpensive!!

Ta da, new kitchen things!

 

Oooooooo!

Ahhhh!!!

Ooohhhhhhhh!!!

Big thanks to Ma and Pa Hanna for the spice jars and microwave! They are very matchy, matchy in the new kitchen!!

 

The new light! Love!

Only a retro/contempo light was going to work for me, so, here it is!!

Ok. That's part one of my new things post. Sorry about all of the exclamation points. I'M EXCITED! Ok. I'm done yelling.

 

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Call me Mother or Mudder

Ill try to be upbeat here but I'm upon the most hated part of any remodel................ Mud and tape. I keep telling myself that I need to just keep doing this in order to get good at it but I secretly want to hire someone and pretend I did the job myself!!

I'm going on two weeks of every day sanding and mudding here in the kitchen. I can only work on it when Sally is napping so I expect it to last at least another week. This is what the house looks like every day. Then I clean and scrub for the rest of the day in order to avoid little white footprints everywhere. It's exhausting.

What a downer post! Never fear, I will finish! This, for me, is just like child birth. While I'm in it, I feel like I might not make it through and I have doubts and fears. Then, it is miraculously over and everything is beautiful and right again with your life!

 

And you're left tired and in need of a shower!

Are you giving birth to a kitchen?! Hahahahaaa!

 

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Pretty in Pink

I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone again to put color in the kitchen. Well, putting color in there is in my comfort zone but the color pink is definitely not what I had planned. It was just an idea that sort of evolved from my having 6 yards of fabric in storage that was pink and gray.

Cafe curtains just seemed like the right fit for the kitchen. They also keep me from feeling like a stalker with the neighbors across the street!

The rod is a little saggy so that will probably change later.

And who could forget the harvest gold beauties from the dining set?!

They look so much better now!

Tip for families with itty bitty's running around. Put a layer of plastic over your fabric! If I didn't do this one important step, the girls would have destroyed my chairs the first night!!

Does anyone else have a problem taking pics of chairs without kids in them? As soon as I pull out my camera they run for the chair!

 

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