New Kitchen Reveal

I have been MIA (Missing in Action) due to the remodel of the house (& a few trips for sanity sake) that we bought last year!  We got a good deal on it but, it has been a TOTAL GUT JOB!  We started in the Master Suite before moving in but, the kitchen is what started 2014!    Above is the finished project & I LOVE IT!!!!  Below is the old original kitchen.  

HATED the honey gold shiny wood cabinets!

January 7th they came in & GUTTED the kitchen.  Took out everything to the floor except a few cabinets.  It was one of the coldest winters Texas has had in awhile & we had an 8 x10 foot hole cut in the wall with only a thin plastic sheet covering it.  

Eventually, we got sheet rock.  It was still COLD!!!! And dirty!  We had a band of "Merry Men" show up almost everyday.

Below was the way the breakfast room looked when we viewed the house for the first time.

And below is the same area during the demo phase...

I decided I didn't need a breakfast nook as we have a HUGE island with stools at the end so I created a sitting area where my friends & family can sit & visit with me while I prepare food.  We all really enjoy this area & those 3 windows look out into the back yard & flood the room with natural light.

Below is my old stove.  UGLY is the only word to describe it!!!! Down draft that had a horrible cold wind blowing up those vents for the whole 9 months before we ripped that sucker out.  And those TWO (yes you heard me right TWO) burners were not big enough for anything other than an 9" skillet.  Try cooking a family meal with TWO SMALL BURNERS!

But things improved dramatically!!!  I LOVE my new 5 burner gas stove top with the pot filler above!  

Just wasn't feeling the love of the old oven... But, do LOVE my new double lower convection oven & convection microwave.  And to add to the ease of Holidays I have a warming drawer in the center island for keeping rolls, casseroles, & other goodies warm.  I've never had one & can't wait to use it.

UGLY!!!!! That's the word for my old Formica countertops &  12" mauve builder grade tiles.  You can see those below but, to the right is my new granite.  My dark wood floors are beautiful but, it's a LOVE/HATE relationship as they show every spec of dirt, grass, dust....  And with having 2 acres right out that back door I can tell you Daddy Darling & little Ms Elle can really drag in the filth.

We kept the cabinets by the sink & refrigerator.  We had new cabinets made to match their style & then our painter (who is such a PRO) came in & painted old/new to match & I LOVE the clean look with the antique finish in all the nooks & crannies of the cabinets.

So, after 3 months of pure remodel HELL... I LOVE MY NEW KITCHEN!

It brings a smile to my face to flip on those under counter lights, fix a cup of coffee & ENJOY!!!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my new kitchen & how I made all my changes.  HUGS!

Jack Daniels Shrine? Daddy Jack… And A Visit from Tiffany Marshall

Another chapter in the remodel story of our new house…

This is how it was… An office painted BRIGHT RED.  All the way up to the second story.

A wall of windows are pretty but, when the painting began it wasn’t a pretty sight!


Two coats of KILZ to cover the red & two coats of paint(how would you like to climb the ladder to paint those tall ceilings?).  But, when it was done it looked so fresh & clean!  The room is TINY!  I think it may be taller than it is wide but, hubby didn’t want this to be our office.  He wanted it to be his “Daddy Jack Shrine”.  He wouldn’t call it that but, he LOVES his vintage bar (with the keg holes still drilled in the top of the chippy finish) & his Jack Daniels collection is one of his pride & joys.  He chose to office out in the workshop & I went upstairs.  It’s kind of nice for each of us to have our own space now.  Before, we shared an office, which makes telephone calls difficult when you are both on the phone in different conversations. 

I am sorry the lighting in these photos ARE NOT GOOD but, I was in a bit of a rush…Here’s the lamp he made out of large Jack Daniels Bottle.  LED lights are in the bottle… He drilled a hole in the back of the bottle with a glass bit.  He then cut the wire, crammed the lights in the bottle with the cord out the hole & then he splices the wires back together.  A lamp kit is put in the top.  Now, the light can be lit from the bottom (like a night light) & the top a regular lamp.  A few black & white patches bought while in Tennessee at Jack Daniels on a tour & the bourbon bottle Christmas ornament Vickie & Ray got him from Rogers Garden last year.  You can see his collection of stir sticks that followed us home from Daddy Jack’s too.
 

This is one of his PRIDE & JOYS!  A Jack Daniel’s mirror.  I found it at a Flea Market & it was a horrible light pine color.  He took out the mirror, sprayed it black & added the pretty trim on top (& some dental molding on the mirror top).  Now it hangs behind him on the wall behind the bar.  I want to have a big picture of the rock & creek which is the main water source for the Distillery.   We used to have his shot glass collection on the wall beside the bar in the other house but, I was afraid he might hit it with his shoulder if we hung it behind the bar. 
 
Here’s a “shot” of his shot glass collection.  His clock (Jack Daniel’s of course).  The frame holds his certificate declaring him a Squire.  He owns 1 X 1 inch of property which makes him a squire.  At times he gets funny letters saying “there is a cow wandering on your land”.  I think it’s about the bragging rights & the 10% discount when buying “Jack” supplies & collectibles in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
 
This case is FULL of his “TREASURES”.  The collage has kind of crummy lighting.  Sorry but, I really wanted to show you how many unusual things he has.   Shot glasses, a bar set up tray for cherries, limes, & such.  A cool piece of a barrel made into a bottle holder.  I can’t figure out how that doesn’t fall….  No support just balance (bottom right photo).  A Jack Daniels ink pin, flasks in different sizes, carriers… Everybody has their own thing right?  Me, Mannequins & Bling            Him… Jack Daniel’s STUFF.  Does two wrongs make a right?  NO!!!! It makes a house full!!!!  But, now we both have a place for our treasures.   I wanted to share all of this remodel stuff with all of you regulars but, I also wanted to share this with everyone on this 238th Metamorphous Monday at Susan’s wonderful blog Between Naps on the Front Porch.  Hope all of you enjoyed the visit.

Speaking of TREASURES & VISIT’S.. Is there anything more treasured than a friend?
I Don’t Think So!!!!!
The photo above is of my beautiful friend Tiffany Marshall.  She is an amazing artist & that is her blog banner for her MAGICAL BLOG!  She has created many of my banners that I like to switch for my blog (not the princess one but, the one with the little French Girl & the Fall/Halloween).   CLICK   HERE to go visit her blog as it is beautiful.

Tiffany called & wanted to come see my new house.  I assured her that is was a MESS!!!   I think there was 4 or 5 phone calls & a few visitors  (my son, the guy to repair the French Doors & Hubby came home & had to input) during the time she was there.  She said “Wow, it’s kind of Grand Central Station here”.  Yes, that is why I can’t get much done… GRAND CENTRAL STATION!  She brought me a beautiful box with MANY treasures wrapped in book paper & stamped with some really sweet images.  THANK YOU Tiffany I love it all!  But, most of all I LOVED our visit.  I have missed seeing you.  Now, it’s my turn to come see your new house. 
I hope you enjoyed the visit of the Jack Daniels Room & a peek into the progress (Or lack thereof) of our new home.  New to us yet soooooooooooo many things to be redone.  Come back & see what’s next. 
HUGS!    Charlene

Moving is HARD WORK!

Welcome to my Entry Hall today.  Soooooooooo many of you have wanted to know about the move & see some photos.  So, I thought I’d start the tour.  WE ARE FAR FROM DONE!  But, I’m done for now.  We started this “journey” back in January.  Hubby had never adapted to the smaller lot that our last house was on.  We had down sized yard when we moved out of Arlington 14 years ago.  Thinking we wanted less yard to care for.  He just never adjusted.  You know what they say… You can take the boy out of the country but, you can’t take the country out of the boy.

Here is the entry on the day we looked at the house in January.  That’s our Realtor's little girl running through.

We didn’t like the “honey” colored wood on the stairs or any of the cabinets.  And we really hated the pink tile floors with wide dirty grout!!!! 

That is all gone now.  We had beautiful neutral colored tile put down (I wanted Travertine but, I didn’t want the up keep of it).  The front door was repainted on the inside.  Down the road it will be replaced.  There is no decor on the sideboard but, hey…. I’m working on it.  A promise I made myself is to not rush & do things I’m not happy with.

We painted the entire house.  Upstairs & down.  All the walls & all the trim.  3 hard workers for 7 days!

We wanted to rip the dirty carpet off the stairs & put wood on them.  But, as you made the bend at the landing… the stairs became very narrow & were dangerous.  I knew we didn’t need stairs that you couldn’t place your entire foot on as that was waiting for someone to fall down them.  There were 4 contractors called in & each had what they thought they could do.  But, contractor #4 had the right answer.  The stairs had to be rebuilt (the others wanted to place wood on top but, we feared when you stepped on the edge it would break).    So they were ripped out, rebuilt with solid hardwood & stained.  Our painter was able to sand & stain the ugly “honey” colored banister.

And now they are beautiful!!! And safe!!!  There have been soooooooooooooo many projects.  Not one room is left as we found it.  We still have boxes everywhere & hunt/seek is our favorite game (well, maybe not).  But, it’s a process.  I told my friend Laurie when she was telling us her moving woe's “Enjoy the process”.  Well, that’s bit me in the backside when I sang my woe’s to her.  She reminded me to ENJOY THE PROCESS!  And I am.  We’re making it ours.  We still have a long way to go but, I wanted to share the progress.

Above is a dirty little Ms Elle telling each of you to come back for more tales of the move.   I miss all of you my bloggy friends.
HUGS!   Charlene

Quick Catch Up

So many of you tell me all the time…. “Charlene I envy you all the travel & places you go”.  And I do travel & go a lot but, lately… the photo above shows my life.  My traveling has been between my houses.

Seven long days & three wonderful painters we hired are done with the painting!

The SCREAMING RED room has been tamed (see the little peek of what was left of the red).  The GREEN rooms toned down too.  I went with a nice neutral color to just let things be calm & then I’ll decide how & what each room will be.

The window above is in my Master Bedroom closet.  See the huge gap on the left side?  That’s as far as it shuts.   All the dirt, moisture, mess from outside just BLOWS right in.  Needless to say I’m not putting my clothes in that closet.  Have you ever priced windows?  SIT DOWN WHEN YOU GET THE BID!!! I about passed out.  But, we’ve ordered some.  More than I wanted to pay for I can tell you but, it will be wonderful when it’s done.
So far completed:
Dead trees & bushes pulled out.
Weeds treated (oh we had some beauties… healthiest dandelions I’ve ever seen).
Entire house painted inside (every wall, closet, piece of trim, wall paper gone…).
New doorbell & smoke detectors (yellowed plastic is not my favorite).
Water Softener installed (to save our new things as we have well water & need I say more?)
Windows ordered (well the broken ones anyway & there are still plenty with broken seals but, that will have to wait).
French Double Doors ordered & a new back door too.
New jetted tub ordered & due here on 4/9
New refrigerator….  
Packing, Packing & some more Packing!  WHERE DID ALL THAT “STUFF” COME FROM?
See why I haven’t been around?   But, while I wait for the next step (yes, that’s the bathroom remodel) I am thrilled that my gal pals from California are coming out to go to Round Top with me.

These sweet girls (PLUS MS SANDY) are heading out here for some Texas fun.  We’re hoping Ms Cindy gets well & will be with us.  The shingles have knocked her for a loop.  So stay tuned for more tales……..  ROUND TOP here we come!  And I’m leaving Hubby (& his horrible sinus infection… geeeeez I pray I don’t get sick from all his hacking) here to wrangle the contractors.
HUGS!   Charlene

A Busy Time…

Can you believe that tonight is the last episode of the season????   Downton Abbey is my all time FAVORITE thing to watch right now.  I ADORE the settting, the clothes, the hats, the characters'… all of it.  But, darn it only started back up in January (here in the US).  SEVEN  Shows in all…. Come on PBS you can do better than that.

I wish I was Cora sitting there having tea.  Not a care in the world but, I’m busy as a bee.  If I can grab a cup of coffee I’m doing good.  I’m packing like a fool.  We sign on the new (well new to us) house on February 22 & take possession on the 27th.
What am I most excited about?

Not a very glamorous photo of the new workshop (that’s hubby & the architect heading out to check things out.

And right now…. the current owner has this full of boy toys but, that will change!!!!  LOVE the sky lights with all that natural light.  This will be an amazing workshop/studio.  I will have room to spread out!  I will have room to set up places for sooooooooooo many of you to come play.  I have soooooooooooooooo many plans, dreams & ideas.

The back yard has plenty of room for the expansion of another connecting building…  And although the grass is dormant since this was taken in January… I have so many plans for all this space.  It’s 2.5 acres in all.  It’s not Downton Abbey but, I can’t wait to start making it look & feel like home.  And believe me… THERE IS MUCH TO DO!  I’ll share before & after photos as we go.  Have a great week.
HUGS! Charlene

Fall Decor

Boo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t you just LOVE my new Ms Pumpkin Head?  I do!  A little outing this past week to TJ Max scored this baby!  I told myself I’m not doing much for FALL DECOR as it is our year to do Christmas NOT Thanksgiving so the Christmas decorating will begin early & be intense.

It’s still HOT here in Texas so to get into the mood for FALL is difficult!  It’s not still 105 degree’s but, 90 something just doesn’t feel like FALL either. Yet, I needed a little “FIX” in decor so AWAY went all the shells & mermaids.  Out came some of the FALL goodies.

Above you can see the fireplace in my living room (that we just had refinished during our big bathroom remodel).  While we had the tile guys working in the bathroom they tore off the old builders white tile & I had them put up this beautiful white stone.  LOVE IT!  The fireplace vents to the back so we don’t have a typical mantel.  Instead a big shelf that I always like to add pretties to sits above the fireplace.  And a pretty fan shaped window to bring in the light.

A pumpkin filled with FALL colored flowers…

A few velvet pumpkins (I want to try my hand at making some of these.  Have any of you tried it yet?) again found on my TJ Max trip…  I’m thinking I need a piece of burlap crumpled under there so I don’t have such a plain/shinny surface under the pumpkin.  What do you think?

I love the vintage red glass Martini Shaker Hubby & I found in an Antique Shop near Houston.  My friend JoAnn gave me that pretty red cut crystal decanter.  It makes me think of her every time I see it.

Not much Halloween (although I LOVE it) this year but, who can pass up on of my favorite cards (above) by Susan Wheeler framed & always making me smile.

BEST FRIENDS another card sits on my counter by the kitchen that always makes me laugh (JoAnn made that for me too).

I love my witch silhouette sitting between the living area & kitchen.  This photo is taken looking into the kitchen where you see my plate stand sitting behind her. At night she is so cute with the flickering candle lit in her lantern.

 

Happy Haunting her cone says…

Up on top of the refrigerator is a little vignette that says “AUTUMN” spelled out in Scrabble tiles.  Does anyone else like to use these other than me?  A tea pot all crackled & crazed dated many years ago & sold by SEARS.  My Daddy (&Hubby) worked for Sears for many years so this is just sort of an old time feel good.  Vintage hotel silver tea pot found last year at one of the Flea Markets in California.  Another pumpkin filled with flowers, a vintage oil lamp (I LOVE the fluted globe on this one) ^ a beautiful “Autumn” metal plate that I won in a give away years ago from Nan.

Our little breakfast table with the vintage buffet.  The table was from my Grandmothers days of living on the farm in Iowa where my Daddy was born & raised.  One of my most precious pieces because of the “history” & stories.  Oh how I loved them both (Grandma Zella & Daddy & how I miss them so….).  The picture above the buffet is a print we brought back from North Carolina.  We love the Autumn color along the Snake River there.

Last but, not least the beautiful silver tray found at Vignette's Antique Shop during Kim’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s Art Event.  I LOVE that tray & wish I’d bought more.   The glass pumpkins were from a gallery in Asheville, N.C. that hubby & I both adore.  Hope you liked the little tour of Fall here in my home.  I am enjoying the change.  Have you decorated for fall?  Leave me a comment & I’ll come visit you too. 

HUGS!  Charlene