Kitchen Chronicles Week 3

Despite the holiday (Happy Birthday, America!) and the fact that things look pretty much the same as last week, there was a lot of progress on the kitchen this past week.  And along with the progress, there was also some stress.  Let's find out more!

In terms of progress, the cabinets are pretty much done!  All the doors are on and the drawers are in.  There is one cabinet missing because it was damaged, but that should be arriving in a few days so let's not worry about it.  I love the tall pantry with pull-out drawers and the window seat!

I originally wanted cabinets to run along the wall under the window, but the window is too low to allow for that.  So this window seat (with two drawers of storage) was the Plan B.  I think it will be cute!  I am having a window seat cushion made online and have narrowed down the fabric options.  It will definitely be one of these three.  What do you think?

Once the cabinets were done, the flooring people came and put down the tile backer boards.  They would have installed the tile too, but SOMEONE (me) ordered the tile too late and it hasn't arrived yet.

The countertop templates were also completed.  So in about two weeks, we will have countertops!  

In terms of stress, I have been having SLEEPLESS NIGHTS over this kitchen.  For real?  Yes!  I am stressing out!  This is an expensive undertaking, and I don't want to make a mistake or have regrets.  Here are my two biggest stress points:

First, the pulls for the doors.  It's stressing me out because once they drill the holes, that's it.  You can't really change your mind.  I think I have narrowed down a style, but there are so many size and finish options.  For example, on a large drawer, do you want two small pulls or one large pull?  If you want a nickel finish, do you want it to be polished or brushed?  You would think that at least the finish would be an easy decision but I'm having trouble with it.  While my faucet and lamp pendant finishes are polished metal, the handles of the appliances are brushed metal.  So... which finish should I pick for the pulls?

Ok, that is a dumb thing to stress about.  

My real anxiety, however, is being caused by the tile floor.  Right now I have on order many boxes of the tile I picked, Emser Strands Olive in a 12x12 square.  Although I love the tile, it raises many questions:

1.  Should it be installed in a straight grid pattern or a diamonds (on point) pattern?

2.  The tiles have definite lines on them.  Should the lines run all the same way, alternate ways, or random ways?

3.  Wait -- why am I getting squares?  Would it look better to get 12x24 tiles?  If so, what direction should those be installed -- running sideways or up and down?  

Etc etc etc for infinity.

Also - I have learned that NO ONE ELSE CARES!  So understandable, yet so cruel.  

Until next week!

Kitchen Chronicles! Week 2

Hi there!  For those of you keeping score, at the end of last week the kitchen was an empty room with torn-up walls and loose wires.  Well, things happened this week, and as of now we have been:

-Drywalled

-Defloored

and

-Cabineted!

Yes, on Friday the first few cabinets were installed.  They look great!  We picked Martha Stewart cabinets from the Home Depot in a color called Ocean Floor.  So far, I love them!  All of the doors and drawers are soft-close, and there are a lot of nice extras, like super susans.  Eventually, I'll also be able to show you the built-in cutlery organizer, floor to ceiling pantry cabinet and a cute cork-board organization center!

Here is where the fridge will go - love that "built in" look!

Here is a pic of the lower corner "super susan"!

This open upper cabinet is going to be for cookbooks!  (There will be a regular cabinet with doors above it)

The wiring for the wall outlets and the under-cabinet lighting are in place:

Here is a pic of the floors now - no more dirty linoleum, just dirty plywood:

Next week will be a short one due to the July 4 holiday, but according to the schedule, the cabinets should be 100% done and the flooring installation will start.  So far, things have gone according to schedule so we'll see if our good luck continues!

I'll be back next week to update you on our progress.  Can't wait to stop eating microwaved meals off paper plates!!!

Kitchen Chronicles! Week 1

We moved into our little house just about three years ago.  Since that time, I have been itching to renovate the kitchen.  The kitchen is a petite (9x13) time capsule, which included a full set of harvest gold appliances!  The dishwasher and fridge pooped out on us within the first year, but we still had the oven!  It took about an hour to pre-heat to 350 and could barely fit a whole chicken.

Also see the strange wood-look laminate cabinets!  They were all over:

Well, now a full kitchen renovation is actually happening!  I am excited!  This past week was WEEK ONE.  So far, we have undergone a full demo and the electrical.  Everything has been torn out, and all the wiring has been.... wired... or whatever.  Plus there are a bunch of circles in the ceilings for the new recessed lighting.  

Check it out!  This used to be the wall of cabinets where the oven and range were located:

And this used to be the sink wall!

The dry-wallers are scheduled to start on Monday, and then the painters arrive.  I think the old floral linoleum floor will be taken out soon too.  

I will be back next week to show you the progress!  

Random Assortments!

Can it really be June?  Is school over for the year?  Have I not updated this blog since November?  Yes, to all of that.  Let's take a trip back in time to get updated!

First of all, in December, I finished the baby boy quilt for a baby friend!  It came out rather cute!  The pattern is from the book Fat Quarterly Shape Workshop for Quilters and the main fabric is Savannah Bop.  

I would also like to alert you that I am now using a SEVEN year old for size reference!  He keeps getting bigger, but the quilts stay the same size.

Detail Shots!

Next up, in January, I decided to make a birthday quilt for my oldest sister's upcoming February birthday.  She is an architect, so I wanted to use some of the Architextures fabric line, which is turning out to be my top favorite fabric collection of all time.  I found a cute pattern in the book Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe (highly recommend!) and set to work pulling fabrics in shades of grey, light blue, royal blue and orange.    

And, in March (yes!  only one month after her birthday!) I sent her this:

More later!!!

Around the House

So, what's new with you?  I've been working on some small items before I start my "Project Checklist" power-push to finish up all my in-progress quilts by the end of the year.

Remember the stocking from last week?  I made two more and added felt letters for our holiday mantle.  Cute!

I also just started a baby quilt for a soon-to-pop friend featuring this cute blue elephant Savanna Bop fabric:

The baby quilt will also feature a scrappy mix of teal, gray and blue fabrics.  And!  Look at my seam alignment!  I have finally achieved sharp edges!  It is so much easier now that I have figured out how to properly match up seams.

And, finally, I would like to tell you about a new kid's show called SlugTerra.  It's a cartoon about a group of inter-species teens who roam the underworld looking for the team leader's father while battling opposing groups with shape-changing slugs.  Yes, another one of those.  I guess the main slug is kind of cute?

Anyway, there are no toys associated with this show (yet), so my son and I decided to make some!  After going to the craft store for some fabric markers, we were able to make one "battle" slug and one "cute" slug.  Feast your eyes on this:

SLUGS!

Recent Goings-Ons

Hi Quilters!  I just finished up a big batch of holiday orders -- aprons and place mats.  Now that these items are safe in their new homes, it was time for me to get back to some personal projects.  I have a lot going on right now!  I enjoy thinking up projects and planning things and picking out fabric and cutting fabric so much.  Then I tend to lose steam.  It's a problem.  Anyway, here is a small taste of what I've been up to lately...

I am loving Elizabeth Hartman's new book Modern Patchwork.  She is my quilting idol and I want to replicate everything she does.  I pre-ordered this book before it was published and received my copy the day it came out!  I decided that my first project would be the "Rapid City" quilt.

You know, one of the things I most liked about this quilt was the color scheme.  But, for reasons unknown, instead of trying to duplicate it, I decided to pick something completely different.  So I'm making my quilt out of The Birds and The Bees by Tula Pink.  Which is nice!  But it's all starting to look a little matchy-matchy.  OH WELL.

Another thing to note is that I did all the cutting for this quilt like 3 months ago?  And the cutting is extensive -- there are two full pages of instructions and you need like 40 sandwich bags to organize all the pieces.  I thought it was all a little anal retentive at the time, but now that I am starting to assemble the quilt top it is so convenient.  ACTION SHOT!

 
I also made this cute Christmas stocking over the weekend.

I might make more of these -- they are super easy and take less than an hour.    Pretty good for a Hanukkah-type lady!  L'CHAIM!

I'll be back soon for a new version of PROJECT CHECKLIST!  I have sooooo many unfinished items.  It's going to be a doozy!

Takin' Care of Business!

I was recently excited to participate in a pre-holiday craft fair organized and hosted by my friend Christina, proprietress of Christina Waters Stationery!

I made some pencil cases and aprons to sell at the event, and also brought the yellow felt G pillow I made for my son's room.  The pillows were a big hit!  I received orders for six pillows in various letter and color combinations.

Here they are, ready to go to their new homes!

I was also asked to make a child's apron.  I'd never made one before, but I shrunk down my trusty pattern and ended up with this (on a 6 year old for size reference):

The border and pocket are patchwork.  Super cute, if you ask me.

I still have two adult aprons and a set of eight place mats to finish...photos to come!