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Thursday, May 5, 2011

Craaazy week and a kitchen update!

First I have to thank Inga at Ingas Haven for an  AWARD!  She gave me the Liebster Blog award! :o)

 Liebster means Sweet Heart in German...and this is the information I gleaned on how it came about...according to this kind lady....


"Some time (in the recent past), somewhere (rumor has it that it might be Germany), someone (I am guessing he/she was named Liebster) decided to do something nice for a whole lot of bloggers and started the Liebster Blog Award."


"The value behind this award is for us to get to know other bloggers who might not be well known, yet have a lot to share. And we see that. This is not about growing your list of followers (believe me, it won’t happen), but of building a community."

I love being part of the blogging community!


 THANK YOU INGA!

This past week has been a wee bit nuts! In between trying to finish the kitchen, the living room and helping others get their gardens in place...as well as my own garden...spring has sprung intermittently in the UP...it is 60 degrees out one day....and snowing 7 inches the next day!  I have also become....a NON SMOKER after 30 years....AND I have given up coffee...two pots a day for 20 some years...the first week was very hard for me...but I just could not tolerate the smell any more...it really bothered me...I have an uncanny sense of smell...even for being a long term smoker...and the odor is what finally made me quit...

I am still putting pieces together in the house but my efforts have been outside this past week...

The kitchen is far from done...as with everything in the recycle, re-purpose...re-use department...waiting for the right stuff to appear can take a while...but the floors...oooooh....I love them....what a difference they made...

I still have to caulk some in the living room and put another coat on it... I just couldn't take any more sanding, scraping, painting or caulking this last week...so it is on hold...

The kitchen, however...I am in love with...the floor is finished in there...as well as some of the other details...

As you all have probably been noticing...we have begun making countertops in the kitchen out of the pallets.. and the other two found table legs that match the sink skirt....I did not want traditional cabinets on the bottom...after having just the one for awhile...I noticed that it made my kitchen look smaller...so I really wanted open shelving...but with animals, having dishes and what not on shelves  close to the floor was not happening...I was not prepared to clean dust and hair out of my dishes or food stuffs every time I wanted to use them... so we opted for one shelf...18 inches from the floor and....a drawer...I was originally thinking baskets but I needed something sturdier...I asked my Honey to make me a drawer to fit under there...on wheels with three compartments...I thought I would put root veggies in there since you shouldn't put them in the fridge and I was really tired of chasing them around in the pantry....oh...and it had to look like an old wood crate...;o)








I have a a couple of old galvanized garbage cans headed for the scrap yard... they have the most interesting galvanized D-ring handles on them....What do you think? I was sure they would be perfect for this old crate/drawer.... but maybe I am just tetched in the head...I need help on this one!




 But as to the rest of the kitchen...







 Every time I walk into my kitchen? I just smile...it is so bright...and so very cute...and the decision to take down that drywall? was a GREAT decision...it looks like it should...and it has such a roomy...airy...happy feel to it...cleaning is a breeze...a quick broom...a quick damp mop...with a little vinegar? and back to shiny tidy whitey...

My Honey...the first time he saw it?  He said..."It looks like our house grew!"  The illusion is amazing...it really does look waaay bigger inside!



21 comments:

  1. Lisa - OH MY GOODNESS!!! What a transformation the floors made, when I just glanced at the photo of your new living room with out reading I thought you had been surfing and found an inspiration room - WOWZA!! to steal a phrase - "Luuuurrve" them.
    Your honey is so talented - the kitchen storage is perfect. And I love the way the new white floors really make the beautiful wood on your island pop!
    Phenomenal transformation - way to go!!!
    Hooked

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  2. it does look very light and bright now...love the island...did you make that top out of pallets? are you going to show us all the process of pallets to finished counter? great job on the storage idea as well...and i love the thought of those trash can handles as bin pulls.

    alison
    stuff and nonsense

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  3. Love it, Lisa. Everything does look more open. I would take the handles. If you find something you like better you can use these for something else.
    Donna

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  4. Fabulous fabulous job!! Looks like a different house, something out of Country Living!

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  5. Your kitchen looks amazing. I say those D rings would be perfect for the drawer. If I could have my dream kitchen it would be yours.

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  6. Hi Lisa,
    Congrats on giving up the cigarettes. The coffee on the other hand... Are you crazy????? :)
    LOVING the kitchen and livingroom floors. I was a skeptic but they really do make the rooms look larger, cleaner and fresher.
    I too, would use the handles from the garbage cans. You can always replace them if they look wierd.
    Take care,
    Vanessa

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  7. Susan (Bessemer)May 5, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Congrats on giving up the smokes....I have unsuccessfully tried giving up coffee SEVERAL times! You go, girl! I LOVE the pics. I am working on an island similar to yours for my kitchen. Only difference is turning the underside of the top into a pot rack. I would really like a pot rack and I can't stand clutter...so having pots hanging from the ceiling...I just couldn't go there!

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  8. Hi Lisa!

    Love the painted floors! You're gonna have to give us the low-down on how you did it all.
    I absolutely love the new kitchen cabinets, legs, and crate storage!
    Use the trash can handles... they're perfect.

    ...love, love, love the floors. I love your kitchen too, Pat

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  9. WOW! ANd I think the second garbage can handles would look the best on your drawer/crate on wheels... you could even paint them red.

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  10. Congrads Lisa, both at once and you are still typing. You have guts!

    Love the brightness of both rooms. Just look at all the storage the drawer has. Tell honey he did an excellent job. Now you have me wondering again.
    I vote for the handles, they will finish it off really nicely.

    Love the sound of the Liebster Award!

    Susan the pot rake island sound interesting. Hope you share when you finish.

    Sandi

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  11. Your house is looking so amazing ... that kitchen island is very nice :D
    Congrats on the smoking btw .. what a great thing that you managed to kick that nasty habit ;)

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  12. Congrats on kicking your habits! Love the way the kitchen and living room have turned out. When you use those handles you might want to cut around them cause they might be a bit flimsy without some sort of backing on the part that holds the handle on but I think it would look great on the drawer. We need to see some garden pics ;)

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  13. I am proud of you for kicking the habits! Especially the smoking.

    I just love your kitchen! I wondered about keeping it clean, but it sounds very easy. I think the style of the handle would fit perfectly, but it sure looks like a job to get them off the trash cans.

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  14. Most awesome transformation! Love your drawer instead of cupboards idea... practical, handy and oh, so clever! I think those galvanized handles would be a perfect touch. Do you find yourself in the kitchen for nothing else than to admire it?? I would!

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  15. I just put two and two together and hopped on over from your comment on my blog. Umm, I definitely blog stalked you earlier this month and started at the beginning and read through. I even told my mom all about your house journey and how awesome it sounded to get rid of all the "stuff" I just crave simplicity sometimes and hate when I feel controlled by collecting "things" that don't really matter. Anyways, So sweet of you to leave all the nice comments! I'm SO inspired by everything you have made use out of and not only that, made it look frickin' adorable at the same time. I may have commented on a post before, but I really can't remember, shame on me if I didn't. I love your house. Keep it up!

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  16. Lisa, just wanted to ask you what is in the far right drawer. Looks like a big rock:). I am so nosey.
    Donna

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  17. WELL DONNA! THAT is a big ole scrap of that wallpaper...from the kitchen...it makes awesome fire starter...LOL! That made me laugh soooo hard! I am still laughing! I put my paper and lighters for my kitchen stove in that last bin! I am glad you asked! It does look like a big rock in the picture...bet you thought I lost my mind...or that I had gone overboard on the recycling thing...HEE HEE!

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  18. Sandi? what were you wondering about? Hee Hee! Your powers of observation astound me!

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  19. Thank you all so much for saying such nice things! I just love sharing with you all and I love your comments and suggestions! They get my wheels turning and it is so fun!

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  20. Well done giving upp smoking, and coffee, although I have never smoked I used to drink 10-15 mugs of coffee a day in my teens! Have cut down, but don´t think I will ever quit. I love what you are doing in your house, personally I liked the floors better dark, but then again it´s YOUR house and it looks amazing, no doubt it looks even better irl. Would definately go with the repuposed handles!! Keep up the amazing work!!

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  21. I loved reading the story about your house. It looks really fabulous. Good luck with the smoking. I gave up smoking two months ago. I started using the E-cigarettes instead. It still seems like I am smoking without the nasty smell or health hazard besides being a lot cheaper. Good luck.

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