October

 

Hard to believe October is over and we are already well into the month of November.

If you look at the above pictures, you can take a guess as to what my latest project has been. More detailed post to come....

Old Mother's Cupboard

This cupboard had long been forgotten in my parents basement filled with dirty old tools.  I'm not quite sure how old it is, although I suspect it's well over 50 years.  I've been itching to get at this cupboard for years.  Whenever I would bring it up, my Mom would say "What would you want with that old thing?".  But finally I convinced them to empty it out and let it see the sun again. 

My husband helped me reinforce it's structure using his handy air-nailer.  Then it was sanding time.  There were a surprising number of layers of paint. But eventually with some elbow grease, I had a blank canvas. 

Unlike other pieces I've done in the past, I wasn't trying to make it look "new", but rather highlight it's age.  I opted not to use a roller or a paint brush.  Instead I rubbed the paint on with a clean rag and then simply wiped it off again.

The hardware came from my Mom's kitchen redo, which I spray painted black.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  I think it adds character to the room.  And I love the fact that's it been in my family for years.  Who knows? Maybe someday I will pass it on to one of my children.

My Mom's Kitchen Gets a Makeover

Before Christmas my Mom gave her kitchen a face lift. As is always the case with a kitchen remodel, it was inconvenient, time consuming, and a lot of hard work.  I know my Mom often asked herself why she ever started it. But all that hard work and frustration certainly paid off.

Here is what her kitchen looked like before...70's dark wood cabinets, dated shelf archway and wallpapered walls.

 And here is what it looks like now...What a difference! So bright and sunny! The missing archway made an unbelievable difference. The space seems so much roomier.

Dining area before....

...and after!  She replaced her old wallpaper with paint-able wallpaper.  Then painted it a bright yellow which looks so crisp against the new white wainscoting. 

The large centered handles which screamed 1975 are replaced with new, more modern knobs.  The doors are framed with trim and then painted, creating the illusion of new cabinets.  The best part is that my Mom did almost all the work by herself! Go Mom!

She also treated herself to a much need new window which was installed by my talented Uncle who threw in a fabulous window ledge.

A bright french door replaces the dark wooden one which previously hung in the entry.

 

New lighting and a new closet door are the finishing touches to the kitchen's transformation.  This just goes to show that you do not need to spend thousands of dollars to give your kitchen a complete new look. Great job Mom!

Quick Wall Art

Right now I am in the hard process of deciding what to hang on the walls and where.  After my Mom redid her kitchen, (which I seriously have to take pics of and share...she did such a great job!) she passed some frames onto me.  I actually have two of these but haven't decided what I want to do with the other one.

Obviously the dusty rose color had to go and I really wasn't feeling the pear tree either. So a little paint...and I turned it into this.

Yes I am a HUGE Beatles fan, but I also think this is great advice.  I love that this motto will be in my line of vision everyday. Now, if only I can put it into practice and stop worrying over everything....