'Tis The Season

.....to be creative!!! Frankly, the number of uber-talented people in the world is quite staggering....just a quick buzz down my side bar shows you some of my favorites...but there are trillions more out there. So many wonderful ideas, thoughtful prose, and the recipes....oh my, the recipes. I'm pretty sure I've gained weight just reading.

Two of my VERY favorites are hosting blog parties this season.

First, Michael at Inspired by Charm is hosting his first ever "Inspired By Charm Twelve Days of Christmas"!!! You must check it out. While you're over there take in his whole blog....it's just wonderful. Visiting his B&B in Pennsylvania is SO on my to-do list....what do you think Kim? Roadtrip? ;-) I can't wait for Michael to post each time....it's like a little sip of beautiful everyday.

THEN....the SECOND annual "Dare to Do it Yourself" Party over at The NewlyWoodwards is a DON'T MISS of the season. Kim has some of THE MOST talented readers....who are nice enough to share their ideas with ALL of us. :-) The first party is this week....Dare to Be Thankful. I'll be linking up a fun Thanksgiving project, how about you?

The Holidays are HERE!!!

Yes, I have already started decorating...just a little bit. ;-)

I can't help it....I L.O.V.E. the holidays. I always start early. I like to plan my cards early...like to decorate early....like to start thinking about the menus....the handmade gifts....EVERYTHING!!! I just love it. Period.

This year I'm even more excited to be part of the blogging world at this time of year. I'm so happy to report that I TOTALLY know where my cards are coming from. Have you seen the selection of photo cards on Shutterfly? Go look, I'll wait. AH-MAY-ZING. Now comes the hard part.....which to choose? They're all gorgeous...and so convenient. Oh, and did I mention that if you are a blogger you can get FIFTY FREE CARDS???? Yeah, Shutterfly is awesome like that.

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shuttefly....sign up: http://bit.ly/sfly2010

The holiday invitations....gorgeous. They have some serious design power over there at Shutterfly. I'm not sure I could even choose...I might need one of each. ;-)

Don't even get me started on the holiday gift tags...how adorable are these??!! Can't you just see these on a cute gift of cookies or a jar mix?? LOVE THEM!!! Shutterfly, you may need to send Santa and his sleigh to deliver these to my house!!

Thanks for an awesome promotion Shutterfly!!!

ReStore Cabinet Built In

Wow. Sometimes when I think back on the progress in the kitchen it overwhelms me a little. It's been a lot of work. Finally I'm seeing my vision materializing. This corner was one of those key elements that floated around in my brain for years. The photo above is how it's been the whole time we've lived here. Functional, but less than beautiful.

My husband and I hauled that giant metal cabinet to the basement, where it is still VERY functional (and very heavy). THEN I was set on the task of finding base cabinets to begin my project. ReStore to the rescue, as always. The cabinet above was $15....the one below was $10.

See, told ya. $10 smackeroos....cheapest cabinet in the joint. I mean it wasn't beautiful or anything....but the potential was there....I could see it!

With a few little wedges and some fanoodling (that's technical cabinet installer lingo) I managed to install them....and they're ACTUALLY level. Crazy. Next came the even bigger step...which of course I forgot to take photos of because I was just so darn excited. My dad cut down a door for me to use as the countertop....remember?

Then.....oh blessed of blessed projects.....it all worked out. Look at her now.

The bin pulls......oh how I love thee bin pull.

Gleeming white enamel paint.....how I love thee...let me count the ways. Weber Paint and Glass...you're my bff. The paint was spendy....but a gallon has so far painted ALL my metal cabinets (the pic is coming soon....I just want the countertop installed first.....next weekend. :-), painted this whole show and there is still plenty left to paint my dining room table base...pretend you didn't read that honey.

These little beauties came out of my basement stash...I've used them before....do you remember this project? That old gal is still screaming to come upstairs into the dining room. If I can round up two strong young bucks it's TOTALLy moving upstairs.

I had to show you all this....even with the mess still surrounding it, painter's tape still on the floor, clutter on the countertop......I just love it....and I know you'll all appreciate it! Dad is going to make two little patches for the spots where the hinges on the "countertop" door were.

Imagine shelves all the way to the ceiling above the cabinet....then it will be complete!!



The light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little brighter. :-)

Linking up to:

Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday

A Sneekle Peekle

My mom needed to see my new cabinet hardware (this is it Mom!!)....this is one half of it.....SUPER awesome bin pulls for the lower drawers...pics of all coming soon. Do you see that super white cabinet....I painted them...they're awesome...just sayin'.

And Oprah endorses my selections. ;-)

Heat...Blessed Heat Returns to the Kitchen

Do you remember when I tore out the breakfast bar? This is the miracle I found waiting for me. Our kitchen has always been FREEZING cold in the winter. We had one puny heat register on the east wall...it did nothing....so basically we just froze all winter. SOOO, when I discovered this I nearly jumped out of my skin. A COVERED HEAT REGISTER!!!! Who would trade a heat register for a breakfast bar? Not me and my icicle fingers. After further investigation it appeared that the original register cover would have been just like the others in our house....but it was long gone. Thus began my search for a replacement...because I wanted HEAT darnit.

Which led me here. If you live anywhere near here...or not that near...just depends on how desperate you are....you need to visit the Friends of Historic Preservation Salvage Barn in Iowa City. They rock. And have ANYTHING your heart desires to restore your big ole house to original.

This is the big beauty I came home with. The hubster just holds his tongue and waits for results. He admitted afterward he thought (once again) I was a kook for bringing this sad looking thing home. Trust in me, young one.


And in my new best friend, Citristrip. Have you met? You must.


First I took the register apart, which was a bit of a challenge....but nothing a little brute force doesn't solve.

Slathered on the Citristrip. Waited five minutes the recommended thirty minutes. Scraped, scraped, scraped, scraped....do you know how many tiny squares are in a heat register.....scraped, scraped, scraped. Okay you get the idea.

Which resulted in this. The highly coveted zebra finish was waiting underneath all that paint....WHY OH WHY WOULD YOU PAINT OVER THE ZEBRA FINISH? why. sniffle...sniffle.
I pondered the next step long and hard. Keep the zebra finish, although it was terribly scratched and marred? Paint over the zebra finish? I pondered more and more....right up until I had the primer can in my hand....and then I pondered another ten minutes. I actually had a stomach ache trying to decide.

But I did it. And I don't regret it one bit. Look at that gorgeous girl!

YES YES YES. Step by step...we'll get there.

The West Wall

Way back in the beginning....when there was still a ceiling in the kitchen...he he he....this was the view to the oven. I haven't shown this view often because it hadn't seen a lot of action.

But then I went crazy and tore out the ceiling......

...scraped all the "icing" finish off the wall......tore out the "breakfast bar".....

....discovered there was a HEATER VENT covered up behind the breakfast bar....umm...duh? I'll show you more on that little discovery later....put up the beadboard....

.....and now it's SOOO pretty. Just wait until I show you the piece de resistance for that gaping hole in the wall, i.e. vent hole.

Oh, and I painted the side of the cabinet that faces the right side of the oven....just to practice on something that would never see the light of day anyway. Oh baby....feels like buttah!

Countertop...Door....Countertop...Door....which can it be?

I love myself a good deal....or maybe I just really don't like to spend money. Both probably. Have you seen this today? I'm there....oh boy, am I ever THERE! As soon as I can get THERE!! Anyway, if I can keep my mind off Reusable Usables long enough to

finish the post I'll try.

Several weeks ago I snatched up two cupboards from the ReStore. Do you remember? Since then I've installed them (all by myself...squeeling!!!) I even needed to level them with little wedges...oh yeah, I'm a professional, stand back. Since that was a success I was ready for the countertop. Last year one of our local hundred year old school buildings was demolished. Beforehand there was an auction...we could basically buy ANYTHING out of the building. I bought a lot. A LOT. My husband is so sweet...he didn't even complain (very much) helping me dismantle/detach/deconstruct/tear down/carry all my new belongings to the truck...three stories down, scary, dark, wet, slick stairs.

One of those purchases was a giganto solid oak door, with all the trim, door casing, and heavy duty antique door knobs/hinges...for $1. It didn't have panels...so I thought it would make a perfect countertop someday. Little did I know it would be pressed into service so soon! My folks came to visit this weekend. My dad brought his circular saw, fancy clamps, fancy guide ruler thingy....all fancy stuff I have no idea how to use. BUT, he cut out my AWESOME new counterop...with a big hunk left for a tabletop next to the oven. We (he) needs to do a tiny tad of patching where the hinges were, but other than that it's P.E.R.F.E.C.T. So much character.

Thanks Dad!!!! And thank you to my Mom who folded ALL our laundry while she was here....do you know how much laundry three boys and one girl make? Enough to clothe the entirety of a small island nation.

Now on to the next step.....when the drywall is finished on the ceiling Dad is going to build fancy schmancy shelves above that cupboard...with his fancy schmancy tools.