Kitchen

Hi guys!

Thanks for coming back for the kitchen portion of the home tour.  Our kitchen is right in the "heart" of the home (right smack dab in the middle).

I like it being right in the middle of the house.  If you're going to have one room at the heart of the house, it's gotta be the kitchen, right?  Or should it be in the stomach of the house?  Anyway...it's not at the gross stomach so stop saying that.  It's at the heart, and it's passed through every time we have to potty or go on the computer or tell the dog to stop barking at people walking in the alley way...it gets a lot of traffic (and I painted the floor white - I'm a genius.)

But alas, I am very pleased and blessed with the way it turned out...you know...3 years later!  :)  Here's a before and after for ya:

This print above came from the very talented Shelli Dorf on Etsy.   Check her out.  She has such sweet, whimsical prints.  I also have to say I was very pleased not only with the print itself, but the service.  It arrived on a rainy day, and the mailman had left it sticking out of the mailbox.   I panicked a little as I opened it, and I was sure it was ruined.  What I found when I opened the envelope was a very tightly sealed second plastic envelope.  Not a drop on the print.  I was so thankful for the extra effort.

The frame above was a quick, cheap yard sale find that I wrote about here, and the writing inside it says, "Making soup is fun."  It's one of the first thing our wee-est one made in kindergarten, and it resonated with me.  I mean, who can argue with that?

Phooey!  We forgot to get one from the very same angle (above), but you get the idea.  I did write about the red sliding barn door, and it's been so handy.  It's pin on pinterest is also my main source of traffic into the blog. I love people - they all love a good, cheap, easy DIY just like me!

The above light is from Rejuvenation lighting, and I highly HIGHLY recommend them.  They have so many period piece lighting for older homes, and even a feature on the website where you can find the lighting that specifically matches the lighting that would have been common for the year that your home had been made - which is what we did here.  Our home was made in approximately 1920, and this is the type of light they would have used at the time.  Except I got it in red - which is sassier than for a light than the 1920 lights. And what should a light be, if not sassy?

 This kitchen "island" is made from my childhood dresser.  It is the dresser that matches the mirror in our living room I wrote about here.

I would like to go off on a tangent about this dresser, but I think I can milk a whole other post out of it, so that's what I'm going to do down the line.

I just recently added this little addition of the instagram prints to the refrigerator.  I kind of want to chuckle a a little and say, "Welcome to my Pinterest kitchen".  This is definitely an idea I stold directly from pinterest - no holds barred.  But, can I be a hipster jerk right now and just say I had a chalkboard and a dresser in here before Pinterest did?  (No?  That's not classy, right?  Okay, I didn't say that then.)

And that's, as they say, that - for the kitchen. (Why do I always want to say, "See you next time" at the end of my posts like I'm hosting a monster movie of the week on television?)   I need a catchy tag line to end every post without having to think about it so hard.

"See you next time for some new tasty fig milkshakes?"
"I think we've had our FILL of fig milkshakes for now.  Let's throw out our empty paper cups and..." No that's no good.
"Sa la vie and farewell and parting is such sweet sorrow, but alas we will meet again...when the....moon...." Erm...that doesn't work either.

Any ideas?  Anybody?

Smell ya later.

A Quick Project and a Little Wiser

Hi guys!

Do you remember those little frames I picked up for one buck each and used in the Christmas mantle here?   Well, they were too pretty to put away with the Christmas stuff, so check out their ultimate destination:

1.  Cut out a white backing using the previous paper pinned to the fabric as a template:

 2.  Cut the felt into squares of the same size to get letters that are also comparable in size

 3.  Cut out the letters.  (originally I thought I would separate the word, thus the dash, but the whole word fit on the wall, as you'll see below.)

4.  I opted to use felt glue instead of taking the tedious time to sew it together.  I had this on hand, so I used it, but for a project like this where the felt won't be washed, regular Elmer's glue would even suffice.  (Just don't use too much or it will soak through to the top.)

And this is my first gray hair.  Sort of exciting in a way.  I did not expect to see it, as I haven't heard anyone else in my age group talk about gray hairs quite yet (although some people have mentioned it AFTER the fact - I'm kind of going, "How do I not know this already when I've been telling everybody I know three times each?").  To answer your question:  I do feel wiser.  The nickname "Gandalf" has even been thrown around.  /hmm

(This was a hard picture to get.  I had to endure mocking from my family as I sat in the sitting room and took 15 pictures of the top of my head.  Worth it, though - because I look deep in it, huh?)

Money Shot

Hello hello!

Just a quick post to link up with one of my favorite bloggers (top 3 for sure!), Flower Patch Farmgirl.  She does this thing called Money Shot Monday, where you take a picture from your day on Monday and link it up.  I keep wanting to link up with her, but don't usually have much going on on Mondays.  Monday is always grocery shopping/dishwashing/chore doing/trying to clean up the wreckage from the weekend day.

But yesterday had a little extra in it.  Yesterday had some victory.  Allow me to sum up the day in two silly memes:

ME:

MAGGIE:

And here's my "Money Shot", complete with 30% off jar and dragon plushie:

God bless your Thanksgiving if I don't talk to you before then! 

Little Bit O' Progress

So, some of you have asked if I'm making progress on the craft room. 

Of course, those of you who haven't actually voiced your curiosity, are undoubtedly on the edge of your seats.   :D

So, here's a little picture of some of the progress being made.

I was excited to find the thread organizer at a thrift store for half of what Wal-Mart was asking.  Plus, I picked up those great jars for $3 each. The filing box is another great find for $12 at an antique store.  I really geeked out about that, and still get weird looks from people every time I get overly enthusiastic about a box.

Unfortunately the drawers will have to stay that way for a while.  It will be a bit of an investment to paint them and buy new hardware.  I don't mind - it will give me something to look forward to.

This little painting is what Maggie created here.

I probably just need a little more thread to fill in my organizer.  I'm sure it'll fill in as I go.  Any suggestions on other things that might fit nicely on those little wooden rod dealies?

All right, I'm going to go get back to it.  You lovely folks out in that thar cyber world have a good 'un!

Delightful Day

Hello all.

We had a delightful day yesterday.

It rained lightly all day, and the atmosphere was just too nice for working - so I took a break from organizing the craft room, tried out a new pumpkin spice latte recipe (Holly, you must come over and have these with me, dah-ling.), and Maggie and I sat down to create some art for eventually putting in the craft room (she used this flower for her inspiration).

 

I'll keep you guys posted on what we created!

Before and After Pictures

Hi everybody!

Well, my computer isn't currently uploading pictures.  I had a great craft "how to", but it looks like it will have to wait until I can figure out what this computer wants from me!

For now, I thought I'd share some before and after pictures of certain parts of the house.


Boy, I wish I had snapped more pictures when we first bought this old house!  If you just bought a project home and can't wait to get around to renovating it - listen to your good friend, Amy, and take the time to take lots of pictures before you get out the paint!  I just couldn't wait to start working, and now I totally regret not getting more "before" photographs.

Here is what I can give you with the photos that I already have stored.

BEFORE (pic below):  I think the walls were meant to be white, but years of the previous owners smoking inside the house turned them an unpleasant grayish.  The lighting was outdated, and the trim was dark red.  Really sort of an unfriendly color.   I think it is in part due to this color combination that people would take two steps in the house and immediately get the feeling it was haunted.  :)

 

 AFTER (pic above):  After many half slept nights, we came to the look you see above.  The color is BEHR's "Pale Honey" - I remember because we joked that it reminded me of my husband (who is also my pale honey - yuk yuk).  The color in the back room is "Pumpkin Patch" - a name we have also come to call the room itself .  The orange was sort of a risky color, but we loved it instantly and it grew on anyone who didn't like it at first.  As you can see, we upgraded the light.  The hardwood floors remain untouched, (we find them beautiful the way they are with their 100+ year old character - scratches and discoloration and all...).  Now, it took about four coats of white paint (a color called, "Pillar White"), and a lot of painters tape - but we finally painted that trim (that was previously red) white.  Not an easy feat with all those panels of windows, but well worth it. 


So that's the living room area, here is the dining room.

BEFORE (pic below):  The biggest challenge in this particular area were these crazy shelves you saw just as you walk in the door.  They had a mirrored back...and triangular shaped shelves that came out.  It sort of reminded me of an outdated old lady curio cabinet.  Not the classy kind, but the kind with snow globes from the gas station around the corner and dust piling up in it for the last 4 years.  I had no idea what this could be used for, so it had to go.

 

AFTER (pic above):  I "Hulked" out the whole thing.  Amy smash.  Where there once was awkwardly placed mirror, I stenciled a cheerful but classy (if I do say so myself...) damask patterned back.  Now it serves as a sort of plant stand. You have to imagine a great plant there since I am pictureally challenged right now.  I do have a picture of the plant on my  Becky's Chalkboard post. It's one of my favorite redos of the home so far.

And here's one more picture of the area after it was painted, and the light fixture had been replaced.

I must admit, it doesn't look quite as clean right now.  Time to stop blogging and go care for this home I am ridiculously blessed to live in.

Ciao, dah-lings!  (See, that's what happens when you live in a beautiful house.  You get a big head and start talkin' fancy.)

"Fig Milkshakes" New Layout!

The reviews for "Fig Milkshakes" blog are in, and the people are raving! :

Mom hails, "It's very nice dear."  !!!

Friends reporting, "Yeah, I checked your blog last week." !!!

Husband applauds, "I think it's your most time consuming hobby to date."  !!!

And now there's even more reason to keep up with "Fig Milkshakes" as author unveils new layout complete with side menu bar!
<----------------------- (See it?)


Don't miss this unique opportunity to click on the buttons!!!


You'll be amazed and delighted when the button is clicked to find a neatly organized list of web logs corresponding to the label on the button!!!


You want more you say?!?!  You won't be disappointed!!!  You can then choose which web log you would like to go to.  Simply click on the title of the log you would like to read, and the wonders of technology will reveal yet another page to take you to your destination where you can read about such things as how to eat cereal around your neck and how to make banners out of insects!!!


Try it now!  It won't disappoint, or your money back. 
 
(Guarantee void in Kentucky, Tennessee, and any other state housing any resident that has lost a finger or toe.)

10 on 10: Part Deux

Hi Guys!

Once again, I'm joining the link part over at  bit of sunshine for the 10 on 10 project.  The project is simple: Take 10 pictures, on the 10th of the month, with the purpose of finding beauty in what is otherwise an ordinary day. 

Emphasis on "ordinary day" here, okay?  I mean some days we could be taking a walk, or doing a craft, or some other semi-photo worthy thing, but today was a day I sort of woke up...looked around, and just said, "nope".  So we spent a good portion of the day playing Mario, building legos, watched a delightfully cheesy 1970s movie, and had a lovely sizeable nap in the middle of the day.  So, with the laziness of the day, I felt I was reaching a little bit trying to get some good pictures, I mostly just snapped pictures around the house.  Here they are!

The wee one helped me out and snuck this one in...that's my shoe, but not my foot.

Oh, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Where would we be without thee?

We played a game with the Lite Bright.  It was dark in the master bedroom, so we just took it around to see what things looked like with lit circles all over them.  Lite Bright on the bed...Lite Bright on the dog..Lite Bright on your armpit...I'm really glad I was doing 10 on 10 this day, otherwise this may have been something I would have easily let slip through my memory.

Maggie says, "Mom, it's not a weed if it has flowers."  (She says this, by the way, like she is the master of all knowledge and I have long to achieve her level of wisdom...)  

But, I'm inclined to agree about the weeds.  (Of course, all my plants die, so what do I know anyway?)

10 on 10

I recently read about this project called "10 on 10" , and thought it'd be a lark (and also a cheap and easy stab at getting more traffic on the blog...).  You can read more about it in the link provided, but the idea is simple.  The gist of it is to take 10 pictures out of 10 hours of the day (yes, on the 10th of the month), specifically targeting the fun and beautiful things. 

Well, I spent the whole day doing this; but when I went back to the website to join the link party, the party had been CLOSED and I felt like this:

And yet I still felt consolation in knowing that I could still force you guys could still see them. 

It was a fun day.  Some of these images happened quite naturally as I was going about my day, and others I spotted before my hour was over, and thought to myself, 'I'll come back to that when my hour is up' - so, not so natural. 

I think some of them are obviously beautiful, and others I just enjoyed the way the light came in or they speak to me personally, and you might not particularly find them beautiful.  Suffice it to say, I had a hard time picking JUST 10, and ended the day feeling very grateful that things didn't get ugly while I was "finding beauty".

Do you see him?

And finally...the REASON projects like this exist.  Because as all this was going on...THIS was going on:

And this...

But those are KID-made messes, right?  They're almost whimsical messes with all their bright colors and fun toys taking you back to your carefree childhood.  Did you see through my rouse of showing you my messes without ACTUALLY showing you my messes?  Well, here you go, you bloodthirsty troll!

Oh yes.

Phillipians 4:8