Kitchen: The Plan

The other day my eighteen year old niece asked me what I did all day now that I am at home with the baby. I thought about it briefly and then blurted out: I have absolutely no idea.

I thought about it, though, and the truth is: I spend my days trying to keep one very adorable six month old alive...and diapered, and fed, and bathed, and smiling, and clothed, and safe, and entertained, and healthy, and laughing, and on it goes until the crickets start to sing and I fall blissfully into my bed next to a purring orange kitty and a very handsome Diet Coke addict.

This may be the most important thing I ever do and I am desperately trying to enjoy every moment I have with her, memorize every sound she makes, remember every new idea she discovers that makes those blue eyes of hers light up like the stars. She will only be little for so long (not long enough) and I want to be present in every single second of being her mother.

Of course, this means that my house is a wreck, the laundry is chronically dirty, and projects that were started over a year ago still sit where we left them. That is to say, un-done. Incredibly un-done. Remarkably un-done. The un-donest you've ever seen. Un-done-a-doodle.

Which leads me to the kitchen reno. Maybe I should start at the very beginning (a very good place to start...sing with me now!). The plan. Maybe then Mr. and I can get inspired again to get our rear(s) in gear and finish this mammoth of an undertaking.

It's possible to do this and be a parent, right? Other people have successfully raised families while renovating a home. Or so I've been told. Although, people lie. I lie all the time. No I don't. See, I just did.

Sigh. Aren't kitchen renovations the worst? This whole business is making me a little crazy. Or is it? I don't remember.

Without further ado, this is the plan. The method-to-the-incredible-madness plan. There is a lot to be done, so I've written it all down for you. And for me. Sometimes I get a little lost in the details, so it's good to have a plan.

Looking toward the "banquette" area

In no particular order:

1. Install bead board ceiling. 
2. Install new lighting. 
3. Move the refrigerator to the other side of the kitchen to improve the layout and flow of the room. 
4. Of course all the cabinetry will be removed and replaced, but this odd little jaunt will not be coming back. Again, to improve the layout and flow of the room.
5. Install built-in banquette seating. 
6. Install new molding around windows and doors.                                                                 
6a. New window treatments. (why wouldn't I just call this 7? wouldn't that be easier? Is there any limit to my weirdness? and why is weird spelled that way? isn't the rule i before e except after c? I think I need a nap)

7. New wood flooring. (oh sure, name this one 7. that makes sense)

Looking from the dining room towards the kitchen.

Looking toward the dining area from the "banquette" area

8. Remove the walls between the kitchen and dining room.

9. Move the wall behind the cabinets (there is a closet behind there) one foot back to make room for a dishwasher. 

10. New wood range hood over the stove.
11. Replace the glass top stove with a duel-fuel pro style stainless one.

Looking towards the back door.

 12. Remove part of this wall and add a railing.

 13. Repair the drywall from where we removed a closet to expand the bathroom.

14. Rework the old linen closet into a pantry complete with a barn door.

Looking from the hallway into the kitchen and dining rooms.

15.  Install fully integrated dishwasher.

There, now are you sufficiently confused? Me too. I'm pretty sure a nap will take care of that. Stay tuned for more kitchen madness. This is just the beginning.

Chasing Butterflies

I spend a lot of time in the nursery. Between nursing, changing, and rocking this is the most used room in the house these days. In fact, there are usually extraneous assorted chairs in here as well, because when we have visitors they end up here too. They come in to chat while I nurse and then we linger for a while because it's just a lovely space to be in. But truth be told, I have redecorated the room more than once in my fickle head. So the other day as Mr. was working on the kitchen cabinets I decided to spiff up the wall behind the door. It just looked sad...

Sad and empty. 

The other day, when we were outside, H spotted a butterfly flitting by us and it made her laugh out loud. The best sound in the whole world. So I rummaged through my insane mountain of scrapbook paper (side note: I buy scrapbook paper like it's my mission in life, but I don't scrapbook. Nope, not even a little. It's just a little obsessive behavior that I can't seem to kick! Seriously. Anyone else have this problem?) and cut out some cute little butterflies. 

I am hoping these paper butterflies inspire many more laughs from my happy almost six month old. I love how they look like they come in through the door and then exit toward the ceiling!

They really bring together the color palette in the room!

Product Review: Easy Canvas Prints

I am sort of into my kid. I guess that is bound to happen when you wait ten years to have one; they turn your world upside down so that they can settle right in the center of it. So when Easy Canvas Prints contacted me about an offer to plaster H's mug on a 8x10 canvas in exchange for a review of their company, my answer was: how fast can you get this to me?

Creating my canvas was easy. Their website is simple, straightforward, and user friendly. The hard part was combing through the thousands (yes, plural) of pictures we have of little H. I vacillated back and forth between several pics before deciding that her cheeser grin in this one deserved to be immortalized on canvas. 

The finished canvas arrived pretty quickly and was packaged really well. The construction of the canvas is top notch, the corners are super tight and the canvas is nicely stretched. I chose the standard thickness (.75) because I think I will eventually frame it, but they also offer a 1.5 inch thickness that would look really cool on its own. They also offer some optional color finishes (black & white, sepia tone) and image retouching.

 What I learned: canvas has a tendency to make your picture look slightly darker, so choose your pic accordingly.

{This is Ellie. She was begging to be a part of this post. Aren't her blue eyes cute? I suppose I should post the pattern for her (it's vintage), and I should make her a brother...}

Want a canvas of your own? You can place your order here. 'Like' them on facebook to receive 50% off  AND free shipping.