A Whole New Kitchen

 

So here is what I started with.....

 

Ikea is great, everything pops off very easily. I didn't have drawers and stuff everywhere the whole time.

 

The outside was painted gray and the insides were painted this great turquoise color.  It doesn't really show the true color in the picture.

It took about three weeks to finish and I am very happy with the outcome. I used the turquoise paint above the stove and on the little wall end next to the fridge.  It gives a bit of warmth into all that gray. 

 

I made a new curtain that goes across the whole window and during the day I have all that light from those big windows. I really never liked the two small curtains that I have always used.  I really like this new curtain.  It is cotton so it's easy to wash, but it looks like a linen weave. I fringed the edges and also used the selvedges as the top and bottom.

 

 

It's folded over at the top and then I added red buttons.  It is ecru which matches the background in the curtain over the door that you see in the corner of the picture below.

 After

 

Before

 

It's quite a change, don't you think!

Our Bedroom

A wall of different stuff that we have collected. I am still slowly adding as I get stuff.

 

A peace pipe that Pierre received in Canada. It is handmade by an American Indian.  It's hanging from a shelf that I got at a garage sale down the street from Mom and Dad's house.

This use to be downstairs with dishes and stuff in it, now it holds books. I dry brushed it with white to change it a bit.

 The curtains I made with the fabric I bought in the States this summer. The top piece is something I found in my stash, then I added the printed fabric and sewed that onto a long pair of off white sheers that I bought ready made.  I painted the white rods blue then used bronze spray paint to  add a bit of shine.

These curtains are a mix of curtains that used to be in the boys' room (brown) and white sheers that have been in a number of windows for the last 20 years! The blue fabric is from my shopping spree at Fabric Depot in Portland.  It really gives a cozy feel to the room.

Compass Rose

Here is what we started with, some font samples and pictures of compass roses from google.

 

 

He taped a string and pencil on the lamp and did some "savants calculs"  (that means some really smart stuff) then started by drawing a big circle.

I took pictures of the pencil drawings but it didnt come out too well. I aslo forgot to take pictures of the taping off and painting action. Sorry! But you get the idea.

 

We shaded the back of the letters on the paper and then were able to trace them onto the wall. We then painted them black with tiny paintbrushes.  That was kind of hard but if you look from far away you can't tell that we colored outside the lines.  As you know I am a "color outside the lines"  kind of girl.

We erased the circle and it left a light mark but it looks okay. It measures about 3 meters by 3 meters.  My picture taking skills need some work, that square is just a reflection of the window.

kitchen update

 

I gave myself a little gift.  Matching appliances.  The old stuff was still working but all mismatched and not very pretty. It all started because I found the coffee machine on sale half off.  Then I tracked down the other two in France and paid a leeeetle too much for them, but like I said, I was giving myself a little gift. 

 

 

There is lots of room on the counter now and a great place to work. And it is pleasimg to the eye ;-)

 

I figured I wouldn't get around to cleaning the kitchen perfectly for pictures so here is a larger view of the new stuff I did in here. The curtains are pinched in the middle with butterfly clips.

 

Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies.....

 

We finally have little bunnies.  We aren't sure how many though. These are Bridgit's attempt to get a closer look. They are very well hidden.  On Friday night we came home and she went to check on them. She ran inside to tell us there was a baby.  There was just one little white one sitting in the cage.  We thought there was only that one. Then she went out a few days later and she saw the little bundle of the others.  She came to tell us there were three. Last night she said she had counted five.  We're afraid she will come in tonight and say seven..... HELP!

 

I just hope they aren't cross eyed like this little guy. 

 

 

Have you ever seen a crossed eyed chocolate bunny?

A New Car

 

Here is our new little car.  It's a Skoda Fabia. We all have to get used to driving a diesel now. It's lots of fun, noisy, but fun.

Maps

 

I have been very lucky to score two beautiful old school maps on canvas.  I asked at the school if they had any that weren't in use and found out that they don't really use them anymore and they were just sitting on the floor of the storage room.  I got a map of Europe and one of Switzerland.  Then my three men risked life and limb putting them up for me!

 

 

He looks comfy!  He had white plaster dust all over his head from the drilling.

 

I found some carved wooden sqaures with hooks to hang them from. What do you think?  It makes the stairwell "warmer" if you know what I mean. 

 

 

 

This is an outdoor wooden bench that I painted orange with a bit of blue. I went "shopping" in the basement for some pillows and a blanket to make it cozy.

 

 

 

Some words of encouragement for my dear husband...