9.29.2010

Almost there!

The cave when we first saw the house. We went back and forth about what to do with it. Do we make some changes to it now or wait for a few years, save up some money and really do what we want? Move the walls back, add an entry to the dining room, get new cabinets and counter tops, add a double oven and even a pantry? Hmmm....



Well, with the help of our parents and grandparents, we went ahead and did the whole thing! This is the cave after a little paint. We decided to take out that part of the ceiling in the nook, too. This is where Eric found a header hidden in there. No problem. Headers are so overrated....



Do you know how big refrigerators are? BIG. I mean, like, really big. So big we decided to move the wall behind it back a foot. And since we moved that wall, might as well put in a pantry, right? And since we're putting in a pantry, we don't really need that extra ugly over the counter bank of cabinets, now do we? NOPE!! So, bye bye old kitchen!



And hello new kitchen, minus the ugly cabinets, with a new wall behind the refrigerator, and lovely sweet granite.



White subway tile back-splashes are my fave. So that's what we did. And I love them!



And here we are today. Cabinets painted. Granite counter tops. White subway tile. Stainless steel appliances. Shelves.



Next on the list are hinges and knobs and pulls for the cabinet doors and drawers and a new microwave - smaller and stainless. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help everybody! Couldn't have done any of it without you!

9.27.2010

One Day at a Time

It's my current motto. It's also the name of an old tv show, which just happens to be what this week's challenge is all about over at NoelMignon.com!

Have you checked out today's new challenge yet? You should. It's a good one. It's all about using the name of a tv show for your layout. I mean, think of the possibilities, here! Happy Days? My So-Called Life? Growing Pains? Parenthood? Sons of Anarchy? Okay, well maybe not that one, but you get the picture.

Here's mine.



I decided on One Day at a Time because that has been my new motto for the last month or so. We moved into a fixer-upper that we had been trying to buy for about a year and a half. All of our waiting paid off, but in that year and a half of the house sitting empty, it really started to get sad. So we've been working every day, along with lots of family and friends to get it back into tip-top shape, and we're just now starting to see some real results. A KITCHEN!! No more camp stove and bathroom sink dish washing. We've got refinished white cabinets, Kashmir white granite, white subway tiles, brand spankin' new stainless steel appliances and I am one happy girl! A month without cooking sounds like a nice little break, but lemme tell you, I am ready to get my bake on!! I'm gonna crank out some serious food for the next few days to make up for all this time off!



I used pieces of the Sweet Sue (hurry, only 3 left!) and Office Party (sorry, sold out) kits
and man oh man do they work great together! I cut the Jenni Bowlin die cut paper in half and stitched it together, then used the circle journaling card to carry the look of the circle through for the title spot. It's pretty amazing what foam dots can do to some alpha stickers, huh? Just kinda pops em out there to grab your attention.

So make sure you head on over to the challenge blog and see what the other girls came up with, and be sure to show us what you create, too!

Happy scrappy Monday, everybody!

xoxo
Britt

9.25.2010

I Mean, Really?

Does it get any cuter than this? Seriously. It's almost disgusting how great Noel is at putting these little babies together. It's like there is a little window to my brain and she says, "Why yes, that's what I'll order for this kit!"



You'd better hurry over to the shop to pick one up - there's only 6 left!
Happy Scrapping!!

9.21.2010

Man oh man...

It has been such an insane few weeks, guys. I mean, slap your grandma crazy...

But we're getting closer every day. And today we're getting tile. Yesterday we got granite. Tomorrow we're getting more tile. And not just any tile, no no, subway tile. White. Beautiful. Lovely little tiles. Good thing I have a handy grampa!!

So much has happened since the last time I blogged! I've been working like crazy and having a ton of fun! We had our annual Class Event a couple of weekends ago and I got to meet so many store owners and generally scrappy people! I love my job!

So many of you have been asking to see pictures of the house so far, and I've been really resistant to show anything, because I think it's so much more exciting to see a before and after rather than a before and during, ya know? But oh well, here's a few pics of the house from beginning to now.



Oh joy. A year of weeds.



Our first dinner together at the house. Take n bake pizza on a trashcan. We are a classy bunch...


After some weeding...



The kitchen in the beginning. Or the cave, whichever you prefer.



Kitchen in progress. New walls, new texture, new paint, well, new everything!



Instead of being done, let's do more! How about a pantry and a refrigerator alcove and take down that cabinet. Yes, I think so!



After granite. **IN LOVE** Tile is next and then appliances!

More pics in a few days. And then...the studio!!!
Oh, sweet, creative, happy little space that is mine all mine!!
See you later!