Kitchen's New Look - Step One

We have our new counter tops!

After much thinking and planning we have begun working on our kitchen.

Do you ever second guess yourself after making a rather important decision about something you cannot change your mind about?  We did.  That is over now, we both love the counters.

Here are some before pictures of our kitchen counters all ready for the template to be made for our new "Granite Transformation" counter tops.

Are you ready to see what it looks like now?

I love the new sink and faucet.

The faucet actually stays where it belongs when you move it from one side to the other  Our old faucet liked to pop back to where it wanted to be.

We replaced all of the "needed" items back on the counters and cluttered them up a little.  I think when we have completed the project I will "stage" a few pictures.

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What we have learned after this process?

 1) Our cabinets desperately need paint. 

  We have already been to the paint store and gathered a stack of paint chips.

2)  The hardware does not match. 

We have been looking at ideas for changing out the hardware. 

 I would love to tell you that we will get on this right away but I am not sure that is how it will be. 

Step One down and a few more to go.

What do you think?

Linking to Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

The New Year - Projects Completed

New Years Eve we have a tradition of going out to dinner with all of our children and grandchildren, those who live near enough to us.  Traditionally we go to Olive Garden but this year we went to Red Robin.  Our youngest works there and was scheduled that evening so he took his dinner break and ate with us. 

Don't we look like we are having a good time.

I started the first day of 2011 thinking about what I should do with a day with no pre determined plans.  Should I put the Christmas decorations away?

No not today.

How about laundry or maybe clean the living room carpet.

No not today.

Hm mm, I know I will stencil the beam in the kitchen, a project planned almost three years ago.  That was the best idea yet, so that is exactly what I did.

This quote by Charles Dickens is the sub title on my blog.

(click on the picture to make it larger)

This is the beam that divides the kitchen and dining room.

As you can see the decorations are still there and will have to wait a little longer.

After completing this project I finished a couple more

My daughter in law Michele's burlap purse, a December birthday present.

Two more little mice, one will fly off to Wisconsin and one to South Carolina.

I will be looking around the house for more incomplete projects before starting on my growing list of new ideas but all in all the first day of 2011 was relaxed, enjoyable and productive.

Blessings to you in the New Year!

I am linking to Metamorphasis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Master Bedroom Update

I wrote a post not long ago about how I had finally finished our master bedroom the way I wanted it, click here to see it.  Well I changed my mind and made a change or two more.  I was motivated by a special issue of Victoria Magazine called Rooms of Bliss.  I realized that my room needed to be lightened so we did that by changing the curtains.

My favorite section of this magazine was Cottage Style

 There is a quote that reads

"Better is joy in a cottage than sorrow in  a palace."  - Anonymous 

This is one of the lovely pictures from the magazine

My husband always describes my style of decorating as ecclectic cottage so I guess that is why this section  of the magazine appealed to me most.
Another reason for showing the old and new pictures is so that I can link this post to Show Us Your Life Friday/Bedrooms at Kathy's Korner

I will share some pictures from my earlier post of the things I have not changed and then I will show you before and after
 of the things I did change.

We live an a house built in 1940 so the  master bedroom is not as large as the master bedrooms are in newer homes.
In these pictures we kind of travel in a circle around the room. 

Now I will show you the changes the Victoria magazine's neutral cottage inspired me to make.

BEFORE

AFTER

We added white lacey curtains and they just brightened the room.

I also changed the top of the wardrobe, remember the TV is inside.

The two chairs, close together are for TV watching or reading .

As I look at this picture I have an idea for a new lampshade and chair slipcover for the chair.

This is the cross-stitch I made for us when we celebrated our

 30th Wedding Anniversary.

It is now on top of the wardrobe.

I will also link this post to Victoria-Return to Loveliness at

A Delightsome Life.

Lace and Buttons and a Pillow

Sometimes I just feel the need to start a project that I can complete in a short time.  I may have a list of things I am working on but this one thing can be completed in a short time.  Well that is what happened this afternoon, and this is what I made.

Pillow - $2.50 at TJMax,

it had some buttons at one time, only one left

Lace and linens I have gathered over the years

Lace from a box of goodies I received from Rebecca Ersfeld's giveaway a few months ago.

I arranged everything on the pillow, pinned it on and hand sewed it together.

Projects like this are "therapy" for me.

I added a few buttons from my button stash

Here it is in the corner in our dining room.

It is nice to do a small project between the big sewing and painting projects on my list.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by big projects or you just want to do something creative and see the finished

project, pick something simple that will brighten your home and your day.

Linking to Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do,

Make it 4 Monday at Cottage Instincts

and Making the World Cuter  Monday at I Made the World Cuter

Pretty Plates

I wanted to make a change in my home that didn't require a lot of time because we have been soooo busy!  My sister Laurie gave me some very pretty plates for my birthday in April.  I had a plan for them but they have remained in the china cupboard for a few months waiting patiently of course.  Well we finally hung them up.

Here is the wall before, not too bad.

Here is the wall now with my lovely new plates.

Another view froma a little farther back

A couple of close up pictures of the plates

My simple change really has made a bigger impact than I had expected.  Most people who enter the room notice the change right away.

I can cross another item off my list, yeah!

If the plates had not been on my list of things to do they might have been left hidden and unused for much longer than they were.

I will be linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.  Go take a look at the many, much more elaborate, transformations people have posted.