Window project...

 

(window before)

*Weather Alert:  We had 12+" of snow fall yesterday and overnight.  The mountains had over 40" of snow.  The poor trees are greatly bowed and broken with snow heavy on their branches -- still in leaf.  Today will be spent checking on livestock and feeding since grazing is buried.  Now back to your regularly scheduled blog post.

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Back in January of 2012 my hubby, dad and sons helped refurbish my 1990s kitchen.  This was how it looked when it was done and the wooden window, which I love, always looked a bit out of place to me.  I tried lots of window dressings, but it always seemed to just stick out like a cow on a city street.  Note the florescent lighting above.  It's very dated, I know.  It was honey oak.  I really didn't want to rip it out and do something totally different because quite honestly, I love the light it provides in my kitchen -- no shadows and lots of light. I thought painting it the same color as the ceiling would disguise it, and it did help.  Then one day my CarpenterSon said, "Mom, have you ever thought about painting the grids in the light black?"  That got me to thinking and imagining.  The next day I painted.  I loved it.  It got me to thinking about that window.  I figured if I liked the light grids painted black, I might like the window grids black too.  I saw this photo (below) on Pinterest and loved it and imagined it in my own kitchen.  Then I did it.  I painted my window.

Source

( After -- window and florescent light)

(After)

I'm pleased.  I have another large picture window with the same grids by the dining table.  I am considering the same treatment for it, but it's too late in the year to paint it.  The temperatures have to be warm enough to really make the paint dry hard and dry well.  So in the meantime, I'll just think about it and live with the small, happy progress I made.  I found a quote from Nesting Place today that I really love.

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We find rest in the incompleteness of the present moment 

as we learn to recognize the goodness of what is, 

and as we trust that what is needed for the future will be added at the proper time.

~Sally Breedlove  Choosing Rest

The housewife is IN...

It was fairly quiet at the lambing barn today and so I spent a little time being a housewife -- my favorite occupation.  I worked on my kitchen curtains (tab tops) a little bit yesterday and finished them off this afternoon between bum lamb feedings.  I think the curtains added a little cheery warmth to the kitchen.  I figure if I grow tired of them, I can always make them into little girly dresses!

On the counter top you'll notice some baking mess.  I whacked up our favorite oatmeal cookies -- a Barefoot Contessa  specialty.  For your munching pleasure, here they are --->

Delicious Oatmeal Cookies~makes 30-35 cookies

1 1/2 c. pecans (or walnuts)
1 c. butter, softened (I do 3/4 c. butter and 1/4 c. Crisco)
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon (I omit this)
1 t. kosher salt
3 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1  c. raisins (I prefer craisins)

Preheat oven to 350* F.
Place nuts in a frying pan and put on the stove on medium heat and lightly roast them until fragrant.  Chop course and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs until fluffy.  Sift in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon (opt) and salt.  Add the oats, (c)raisins and nuts last and mix until combined.  Drop 2" mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned.  Transfer cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

I love these cookies because they are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Yum-O!

Fridge space -- turntables...

 

No, I haven't got a new fridge yet.  No, the girls didn't break the fridge over Super Bowl Sunday.  The old thing is still slumping along, but what I do want to share with you is a nifty little idea that makes getting into a crappy less-than-desirable fridge a little more pleasant -- turntables!

While visiting a friend recently, I noticed she had turntables everywhere in her kitchen -- in the fridge, on the counter top holding salt, pepper, and oil, and in the kitchen cabinets holding condiments of every kind.  My goodness, what a handy way to find the things you want!  Instead of rummaging through everything to get at the items you need, just fling the turntable and you've seen it all.  I bought four 12" turntables from Amazon here for about $7.50, and they are just so wonderful!  I bought a 9" turntable for my spice cupboard at Target, but after I put it in, I found that I couldn't shut the door.  Pooh!  I'm sure I'll be able to find a good use for it in the house yet --  perhaps for the vitamins or for a bathroom shelf.

I plan to get a few more turntables and use them in the vet cupboard.  We are always digging and hunting for the right medicines, and a turntable would make it so much easier to see everything.  I love the Lazy Susan that my dad made me for the big kitchen counter top.  It's so handy.  Do you use turntables at your house?  Do you have any fridge organization tips?  Do tell.  Oh, Clarice at Storybook Woods has a nice post about her new friggie  here.

Snow fell last night and we woke up to a 4-5" blanket of white stuff.  The sun is shining so brightly that it makes walking outside from the dark lambing shed blinding.  I love the warmth it is radiating here today.  We're climbing up to 40 degrees now.  Joy!

Kitchen make-over...

First......

the Before!

The first thing we did was to take all the beloved books out of our bookshelf.  (Big job!)  I will be sorting through the books in another project  Next, we tore apart the old forest green bookshelf, and I painted it for repurposing in my sewing/craft/whatever room.  Then we tore out the wall that held upper cabinets and a large pantry (on the right below).

The footprint of our "new" kitchen is mostly the same as it was minus the wall.  We added a large island/pantry with seating to replace the previous cabinets and pantry.

  

 

Here's the newly remodeled kitchen coming in from the door.  

The dining area is right where I'm standing (above).

Try (as best you can) not to see the ugly fridge.  One day, when it dies, there will be a shiny new one there!

 This is the side where the old pantry and wall cabinets were.
It's replaced by an island & pantry combo. Now I'm facing the door and dining area.

 Here's our island/pantry.  There are cabinets facing into the kitchen and cabinets facing the seating.  I have the stuff I don't use as often in the seating side of the island. 

 

I plan to add some corner shelves on both sides of the window (my dad is building them) and I'll put my brightly colored pitchers and things on them for more color.  I'm trying to decide if I want to dress the window with a curtain or not.  So far, I like it wide open and bright.

 

Here's a nice little pull-out cupboard where I keep all my baking stuff (above).

This is a spice cupboard that is right next to my stove (above).

A view from the seating side of our island.  

We're planning to put a small TV there on the wall to the left.

I've been baking and cooking up a storm and today I'm cooking for the

Super Bowl Party.  The family's coming out!

Sneak peek....

 

I'm lovin' my kitchen.  Lovin' it!

The installation of the cabinets and counter tops is done.  So many, many little details are left after the initial installation.  My hubby and my dad, along with two sons have been doing all the work.  I pitch in where they need me.  Every single step of the way there were "issues."  When working with an older home that has shifted and moved with the years, it brings on challenges. 

Today I spent most of the day painting the ceiling (ugh).  I'll probably need a neck rub tonight before bed.  I also did some touch-up painting here and there in the kitchen and dining area. 

The kitchen is a combination of both wood and soft cream cabinetry.  I'm so glad I did this because the wood adds a warmth to the light, bright kitchen which I love. 
I am waiting on the wood knobs for the cream cupboards which should add more warmth and some rustic charm, I hope.  

Some of the hardest work of all has been the boxing and un-boxing of all my kitchen stuff and then reorganizing the kitchen cupboards.  I'm giving myself permission to move things as I work along in my kitchen.  Most things are in their same places, but because we tore out a wall between the living room and kitchen, I lost some upper cabinets that are now lower cabinets.  It takes some getting-used-to since I've been the cook in this kitchen for 22 years without a change.  

But change is good!

More to come soon!

I've missed visiting with you.
And now for a blast from the past....one of my favorite shows from the 70s, Soul Train!
(RIP Don Cornelius)