Kitchen Before and afters

Well here it is....
Reveal day!!.....
Wellll partial reveal day.......
As you know Ive been planning on and talking about my kitchen redo for over a year now.
But because of various obstacles
It has been delayed, :(
The good news is that I have finally
started it and my kitchen is
getting there slow but sure.
I wanted to start showing you
some of the photos so that you can
see the transformation as it unfolds.

So Lets get started....
In this photo below you see the
original pink striped wallpaper,
I started to strip it already.
The china cabinet I had painted green with an
antique glaze a few years ago..
I liked it but I really wanted to have my
vintage china more open and displayed prettier.....
plus I desperately need more counter space
and since we cant do a major remodel at
this time I have to work with what I have.
So my brilliant brainstorm was to remove
the top of the cabinet to open up the top
of the buffet so that it could be used as counter space.

But my brilliant idea was not so brilliant because when we lifted it off we found a gaping hole!!!!

But it was hubbie to the rescue he filled the hole in with wood,

and for now I have the wood covered with a runner,

I'm hoping to get granite counter tops and also put a piece of granite on this piece to make it seem like part of the cabinetry.

I put up this scrumptious pink and cream

toile floral wallpaper from Grammercy.

I hung this shelving unit that someone

was throwing away on the wall.

I think it was part of some type of bedroom set.

I painted it white, and could now display

my china openly but still keep the counter space.

But the display part was a bit of a challenge!!

I can usually go into someones house and

tell them exactly what they need to

change, hang, rearrange...etc.....

but sometimes when it comes to your

own house you can get a block.

I didn't know where to start or what to do.

I stared anxiously at the wall for a long time.

Then decided just to start and let things start flowing....

Well things didn't flow too well.

Everything looked too blah..

too white on white....

I love that look when others do it,

Rachel Ashwell does a more neutral pallete with touches of color,

and Karla my new Jewel of the month does a more neutral color scheme,

Her home is beautiful!

but for some reason when I try to do the look I cant pull it off.:(

I realize along time ago that we can get inspiration

from different sources, we flip through magazines, go blogg hopping etc.. we see ideas that we love but the key is to take the

idea and make it our own,

Come up with our own interpetation of the look.

I dont consider my house shabby chic, or Victorian,

I have found the best way to describe my style is

.......English Cottage......

Its more embellished than shabby chic and has more color, it is full of china, roses and elegance but still very cottage and relaxed.

Not too overdone dark and heavy like Victorian sometimes can be.

I had some friends visiting last week from Paris and when they

saw my house they immediately said "oh your house is so English"

that is what I always thought but it was nice to have it confirmed.

I tend to need more color,

I like soft pastel color but I need more punches of it.

So I decided to paint the back of the shelving

unit a beautiful shade of green.

Its Martha Stewarts Index Card Green paint

that I had mixed at my Benjamin moore paint store.

Just so that the china stood out a bit and

not got so washed out against the white.

Immediately when I saw it I new I like it!

Now I had to arrange the china better,

At first I was arranging it and it looked like china soldiers all lined up.

too predictable and uninteresting.

I started adding other pretty display pieces in

with my limoge china to add interest and more color.

I cut up some pretty hankies into 4's and

used them as little shelf runners.

I decided not to use the rose canisters on this wall after all,

I will use them somewhere else.

I put the pink lemonade canister on the top of the shelf.

That is one of my favorite pieces...

It came all the way from Australia,

Mandii one of my previous jewels of the month

found it for me and sent it.

Notice the mosaic shelf above the

buffet hanging in the shelving unit.

That was made by my friend Nancy who

is the greatest mosaic artist ever!!!!

I will be blogging about her more soon and

also showing another piece she has

custom made for me for the kitchen that

is to die for gorgeous!!

When I saw it I told her I had died and

gone to pink china heaven!!

wait until you see her work!

She is unbelievable!

for now you can look at her website found at

http://romancingtherosestudio.com/

look at her gallery and you will see what I mean about her work.

I still have to get the top of the buffet decorated,

its still not right or the way I want it but stay posted

for more updates on the kitchen and I will

be showing other sections of it as they get finished.

Take a look at the new Jewel of the month for April,

Its Karla's Cottage, and it is beautiful!!

you can see it on my website, just go to jewel of the month.

Hope to post more soon,

things are starting to get better for me,

its been ruff but I'm getting there.

thanks for your support and patience!

hugs,

Sandy

Mushinessss The 3 Stooges Way!

How can I explain to you my dynamics of my family,
When I say family I mean with my parents and especially my brother!
We are not an overly gushie, mushie, lovie type of family,
Though there is no doubt that we love we each other,
And There is nothing we wouldn't do for each other!
We just show our love in different ways.....
We tease all the time and there is not many subjects that isn't fair game!
I kinda think of our family as displaying our love the 3 Stooges Way!

We are just very goofie and show our love in a goofie way!
Especially my brother Ed!
He is the lead stooge!!!
But in the past years we have been faced with much family heartache
that has drawn us together in a way we never were before.
When your young you think nothing will ever happen to you,
but as life goes on you realize things do and will happen.

Life becomes more precious and
we value each other more.
So as a result We have started to
become more mushie with each other,
which I have to say is nice but also difficult to accept at times.
But my stoogie brother did something for me last month that I will truly always cherish,

Let me start from the beginning.....
In January when I had gone to California,
My brother had taken off from work after my father passed away,
One afternoon we drove down to Laguna Beach,
We drove down PCH which is a beautiful drive along the coast!
Its one of my favorite drives.
The California coast line is gorgeous!

We went with our cousinRoxanne,
who is really more like a sister.
We spent almost every day of our lives growing up together,
our moms are sooo close.
Together we make up the 3 stooges,
Her being Moe!
Which I suppose makes her the lead stooge...heehee....
Ooopppps sorry Ed youve been demoted!
anyway......
we went had dinner,
walked around the town and shops
and came across this really pretty shabby style
store that had lots of things but one thing caught my eye.......
it was this pillow.....

It saids "Twinkle Twinkle little star what a gift from God you are"
I saw it and in a serious voice said to my brother......
"Ed I think you should buy this for me"
Rox and Ed walked over to see what
I was referring to and they both silently read the pillow
and then after a pause of silence burst out in laughter!!!
I have to admit I laughed too!!
As I said before we know we love each other we just don't express it in mushie terms.
and for my brother ever to say or refer to me as a gift!!
well that would be as the

saying goes....'when pigs fly!!!'
That was the end of that and of course we
teased each other for the rest of the day and week.
Then about a week after I arrived home from California I received
a box from my brother,
I had no idea what was in it and was surprised to receive it.
I opened it and I'm sure you can guess by now what was in it!
Yes the pillow,
but even more wonderful was this letter he included in it.


(Sorry about it being sideways for some reason that's the way blogger uploaded it and I have no idea how to correct it.)
So Ill just tell you what it saids.

"Sis, just wanted to let you know the pillow is right you are a gift and I'm very lucky to have you as a sister.
It was really nice being with you last week I couldn't have done what you did.
Please don't let that cow of a dog use this.
I love you
Eddie
PS If you tell anyone I called you a gift ill kill you."

It was definitely a Kleenex moment and
I will always cherish this pillow and letter,
because it was for this moment that we stopped
being the stooges and became the Walton's!!
(ok now I'm laughing right now too!!
that is a bit to over the top the Walton's we
will never be but I think you know what I'm trying to say!)

And I promise Ed,
The pug will never get his slobberie tongue on this pillow!!!
I love you too my big bubble bass!!

Since its been such a long time since my last post this is going
to be a long one I have lots of things to share with you.
First Ive finally after over a year of planning and shopping started my kitchen redo.
and these are just a few of the before pictures...

This is one of the walls I have this green china cabinet but because I need more counter space I am removing the top of it and doing something different as you will soon be seeing.
the pink stripe wall paper is the old, Ive started to strip it here.


We took off the top which revealed a whole in the top which is throwing a wrench in my idea to use it as a counter top,
but hubbie came to the rescue!!
he put some wood to fill in the hole for now and later we will cover it with tile or perhaps a mosaic??????


Now don't look at my hubbies little bald spot in the back of his head!
He isn't going bald its just the angle and lighting...hee hee...
You know how a camera makes you look 10 pounds heavier,
well it also causes bald spots to appear when there are none!!
I am in soooo much trouble right now!!!!!:P

Ill be putting some after pictures in my next post, I am sooo excited as to the turn out!!
and I think you will to!

We have had a couple good snow storms lately so I wanted to show some pics I took the day after,

It looks like a winter wonderland!

Now last but not least I will close with the pug!

In this picture Pugsie is very upset because my brother

referred to him as a cow in his letter to me!!

Don't worry Pug, I set Ed straight!!!!

Your not a cow!

your a piggie boy!!!

This shot below was the Pugs response to Ed....

He was trying to blow raspberries to him.....

pppppfffffffttttthhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Which made him tired so

Then he took a nap!

Here he is below striking a pose....

looks like he is trying to be a fashion model or something!!

We will close with this,

thanks for all your care and concern and emails,

It really has meant so much to me.

I have been working on new projects for the website,

and hope to list soon.

thanks for your patience and remember Good things come to those who wait!

hugs and smiles,

Sandy