After finishing the guest bathroom renovation and having some issues with the contractor and the plumber I just was not sure about starting the renovation of the kitchen (I've always hated my kitchen), sooo

 I tried Cabinet Transformations from Lowes. I wanted the island to be black and the cabinets eventually will be white.

 It was so easy to use and turned out beautiful!

 The hubby added some trim from Lowes. He needs to finish adding the baseboard, once it dries.

We also added this wood decor from Lowes. Sorry about the glare, the sun was out today! I can't wait to get the white on all the cabinets!

A vintage shopping trip...

A couple days before leaving for our Christmas holiday I had to head down to the next town for an oil change on my vehicle. Since I had to be down that way anyway I planned to make the most of the trip and do a little shopping. Don't get me wrong, we have amazing shops here close to where I live, but we are very close to Canada... so the shops get very crowded very fast! Not the case just 20 minutes down the road!
After the 40 minute wait for my car, they are so fast! Love them! I headed to one of my favorite antique stores. I picked up the vintage framed picture and finally scored a vintage floral frog! (the tags were included so cute)

This piece was in the exact same spot the little table and chair set I purchased my last trip to the same store! You can see them here. I didn't decide to purchase it right away, although the price was a steal and the color and size were perfect, the style wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I walked through the store a second time and decided I could use the piece in another area... my craft cottage! So I bought it for $60.00! Just after I told the proprietor I wanted the piece so she could clear it off, a second person inquired about it!

I couldn't resist these vintage star shaped jello molds I think I like to do some kind of crafting to them before next year and add them to my Christmas tree in the kitchen.

For now the peice is in my dining area, it's a little cluttered in there right now, but I am still trying to finish putting away the Christmas decor! I know I know, I've been working on it for almost a week. But I decided this is the year I am going to not just shove it all back in the boxes till next year. This year it is all getting put away ORGANIZED! Yay! I should finish it up today, then I can start some fun stuff! 

Speaking of fun stuff, I am so torn as what to do first! 

1. paint and organize garage

2. paint that fabulous antique furniture I found on Craigslist

3. get crafty in my craft cottage, I need thank you cards, some valentine goodies, I need to plan a Valentine craft class for my friends

4. get out in the yard and pull some weeds and cut some vines

5. start the kitchen reno

6. start the guest bathroom reno

7. paint the walls and ceiling of the craft cottage 

8. paint an organize the 3rd garage

What would you do first? By the way the garages are both heated and so is the cottage so outside temps are not to much of a problem and the outside temps have been in the high 40's low, 50's anyway. 

Well, I guess I will have to decide tomorrow!

Have a wonderfully lovely day!

Christmas home tour~kitchen, powder room, guest bath 2011

 Welcome lets continue our tour into my kitchen decorated for Christmas.

 A little peek at the gingerbread tree in the window sill above the sink.

 The china hutch full of Christmas china and miscellaneous holiday pieces.

 A few shots of the table.

 The paper whites have just begun to bloom.

 Even the chairs got a little dressed up this year.

 

The powder room off the dining room didn't want to be left out :)

 Neither did the guest bathroom.

 The white scalloped bowl contains peppermint sugar hand scrub I made, it leaves your hands so soft and clean. The room smells good to!

 I even added a few touches to the bedroom. I picked up some pine springs off the ground along with some little "cedar flowers" and added them to the Epsom salt at the bottom of the candle holder.

 I am not sure what the "cedar flowers" really are, but they look like a flower to me! =)

A red fleece blanket on the bed and some red place mats on the night stands complete the downstairs decor! Next post we'll head upstairs!
Have a lovely evening.

New light fixtures... Christmas...

I finally decided on a new light fixture for the laundry room. The room has an entrance from the garage that we use as a "mud room". The entrance from the garage has a chandelier, so I didn't feel the room needed a second one. My laundry room still is not done... I know, it has been a long project for such a small room! Haha!

While I was shopping for the laundry room light fixture, I came across these pendant lights I thought would be a quick, easy fix for in the kitchen.

The hubby was in doubt...

but once they were up, with very little difficulty, he had to agree they were perfect!

Here is a picture of the ugly red saucer that was there before, so glad those are gone!

I am currently making some decisions to have the cupboards altered and painted, all new counter tops, and probably a few new appliances too. It's so hard to make decisions sometimes =)

Have you noticed all the Christmas decor already out in the stores? Wow! I couldn't resist these gorgeous  large scale ornaments.

Creating this card for a shoebox swap I am participating in has put me in the Christmas spirit extra early this year =)

My bag is packed, my "shoebox" is loaded with kits, can't wait to meet 16 other ladies I've never met before and 1 very close friend to craft all day!

Are you preparing for fall too?

 I spent a few hours last week out in the yard trying to clean up a bit of the overgrowth that is taking over my gardens! The rose bushes are taller than I am!

 The hydrangeas are all in bloom and gorgeous!

 I have several plants blooming that I don't have any idea what they are! Ha!

 I  think the young buck I was telling you about decided to eat all the bird and squirrel food. He left quite a mess behind!

 Again, I am not sure what this is, but it is such a pretty little flower. They are popping out all over the yard. Do you know what this could possibly be?

 The lavender is blooming... one of my favorites =)

 More of the pretty pink flower.

 This one I think is geranium.

 Not sure what this is... if you happen to know, please leave a comment letting me know, I would so appreciate it!

 The hubby and I made a quick stop at the goodwill, I found this table for $3.99!

 It is going to get some Annie Sloan chalk paint and become a bench for the laundry room! I bought some padding and cute stripe fabric while at Joann this morning.

 The hubby finally took down the ugly awning in the kitchen! WOW! Huge difference, I love it! (But I knew I would ;)) Need to figure out how to change out the ugly big white track lighting. Probably need to add a curtain or shade now too, I am thinking black and white check or maybe a black and creme toile?

 I decorated a bit for fall today, I couldn't help it! I totally enjoy fall! Hot tea in the evening, a warm fire, a good book... oranges, reds, yellows... pumpkins, apples, ghosts and goblins! What's not to enjoy?!?

 Gotta have the fall m&ms for the hubs.

 New dish towels from Kohls.

 Fall mantle number one... I will make a few changes a little closer to Halloween and Thanksgiving.

 Used some sunflowers and feathers this year.

 I wasn't quite ready to give up the beach yet though!

 A few orange, red and yellow leaves for color... just a little. (Did you notice my picture of Liam? Isn't he the cutest? Special thanks to my friend Lisa for the frame).

 I am testing these knobs I found at Joann this morning $5.00 a PAIR! I thought they would be cute in the kitchen... I do love them, but not sure I want them ALL the time in there. May have to get a couple more I only bought two and could really use 4 more.

Joann also had these cute blue bird ones, I bought 2 of them , I thought they would be cute on a dresser. I may put then on the top two drawers in the beach guest room.
I didn't accomplish as much as I had hoped this weekend, but it was relaxing and spent with my fabulous hubby, so that is all I want! Hope you had a lovely relaxing weekend too!