trivet

Just look at this thing. Is it not the coolest trivet ever? I got it at the Macon Rescue Mission about 2 weeks ago and wanted to post a picture as soon as I got it. But then came the pirate party and then David being gone and then the sickness that just has nearly gone away today (still not feeling my chipper self). It is just totally me. It says Moldova... pirates... it says yellow kitchen (and what's up with that floating chicken head?)! I just love it. So anyway, I got and said, "Wouldn't it be so cool to have a yellow and black kitchen." Well, guess what? I already do. My ugly plastic stick-on tile from the 1950's just happens to be yellow and black. How cool is that? Well, its not. At least the plastic stick-on tile isn't. So over the next few months, I plan on making that yellow and black kitchen I've been dreaming about for the last 2 weeks. With something as awesome as this to base it on, who cares if its stick-on tile? Did I mention its plastic?

i never thought i'd make curtains

So, a WHILE back, I promised I'd write a post entitled "I Never Thought I'd Make Curtains", but you never saw it. And then a shorter while back, I promised to show you the children's artwork, but never did that either. Well, here are both those posts rolled into one.

I don't guess you can call a simple valance a curtain, but I made it, and I think it was the first "curtain" I ever made. The shade is a flour sack towel that Mom had given me. When she gave it, I knew it had to be used in my yellow and black kitchen somewhere, but I wasn't sure how. Then I remembered having seen a tutorial on adding fabric to shades. So that's what I did. It's a little wonky since it was my first try and, once it's on, it's on. But I like it--it's fun. Now if it just wouldn't fall down every time I try to pull it up... I'm gonna have to have David work on the hardware part for me. :)

You're probably thinking that the shelf just looks like a board laid across two cabinets. Well, guess what? You're right. It is just a board laying across two cabinets! That's a future project...

I really cannot remember where I got the scale. Maybe the Rescue Mission thrift store, maybe David got it from "that old lady" (another post another time), maybe it was Aunt Mae's (my great, great aunt who was the previous owner of this house). All I know is I had it way before I decided on a yellow and black kitchen and I love it. And as you can see, on either side of it is the artwork. Aubie's kind of looks a little Van Gogh-y. Matthan's is definitely very impressionist--as in, the impression of his foot is seen many times throughout the piece.

This curtain is sort of a valance too, I guess--it had to be short so that when I open the glass slats, I can still see the kids through the screen when they're playing outside. Yep, it's one of those weird 50's? doors. I just loved this print on the dress that I got in a stuff-a-bag for $10 at a thrift store. I had to take out some darts, but this curtain came pre-hemmed! I LOVE re-fashioning for that very reason. :) The top is the same fabric as the other valance, and the trim is some awesome Asian-themed ribbon that I got at Malone's fabric (one of the junkiest, most amazing places I've ever been) for a dollar a yard.

That almost concludes the tour of my kitchen. I can't wait till I can one day post the truly finished version. No more plastic tile, no more ugly floor. But until then, I'm trying to make it as "me" as possible.

original artwork

I've had these brown squares for a while--I think Leah got them while she was teaching art or something, and passed them along. And I've always wanted to do something cool with them. Well, one day a few months ago, I decided to let the kids use just my kitchen colors (yellow and black) to paint something for the shelf (that is not yet completed, but kind of hanging anyway).

Aubie was neat, and stuck to the color scheme by mixing colors as little as possible.

Matthan on the other hand...



But now I have two very yellow-and-black and very original paintings for my kitchen. AND... you will have to see how they are arranged (currently) in another post, since I can't get my pictures to upload right now. So just enjoy these shots of this dainty girl and this messy boy and then imagine what fun I had cleaning my kitchen after they were finished. :)

a glimpse of the kitchen

This is a picture of the wall above the stove. As you can see, I still have the yellow tile that I described in detail here. I'm ok with it for now, but when it is gone, I will be so, so happy!
I have my pots and pans hanging on the wall--I wanted a baker's rack, but David said that it would be hanging too close to the stove and everything would get covered with grease. Yuck! So, I made my own baker's hangers using 2 black plant hangers I found at Kmart. They were a lot more economical and definitely take up less room!
I painted the "P" plate at a local pottery place. It was so much fun, I would love to paint plates for the entire house! But, speaking of economical, that's probably not the best idea. :) The other two monograms are David's and my initials and they were done using the same Black Adder font. Only this time, I just Mod Podge-d them onto some $.25 plates I got at the Rescue Mission. I had to darken the letters by coloring them with black permanent marker after I "cut" them out by outlining them heavily with a ballpoint pen. Yes, that was probably a weird way to do it, but at least it made the edges as softly jagged as I wanted them, as opposed to the horribly jagged job that I would have done with an Exacto.
And the adorable little cookbook that's framed in the middle is one my mom got at an antique shop. She told me that Mimi used to have one just like it! I just love that.
Well, that's a glimpse of my kitchen. More to come later.