Kitchen Renovation....Phase (I can't remember)

It was 8 months ago when we officially started the kitchen project.

                                           Before

After

 At first it was just a project to paint the cabinets,(post found here) but that was just the beginning. 

 The project grew and grew.  We added beadboard and corbels to the island (post found here)

                                           Before

After

Extended the fridge (post found here, and here)

Before

After

We lined the interior of the extension with cedar planks and filled it with some of my favorite things

(post about the meaning behind some of my favorite things found here)

And now on to the pantry!!

Before the door was just your standard builder grade white door.....and now its this...

Ric built the entire door from cedar and then stained it with our favorite stain

Watco Danish Oil Finish in Dark Walnut

Add a few hinges and a handle (this is actually a garage door handle that we purchased from...wait for it....HOME DEPOT  (are you shocked?) :)  

They say that paint is a decorators best friend, but Im telling ya, I think an accent door is number 2 on the list.  It totally transformed the look of the entire kitchen.

So, what is next for this "little" kitchen project of ours?? Well, here is what's on the list:

*Add chicken wire to the cabinets above the desk area

*Farmhouse faucet

*Copper apron sink

*Storage organization in pantry

*These barstools from Ballard Design (which are on back order until late August) but will be here soon!

With all this going on in the kitchen, we always seem to have a side project to keep things new and exciting. So, yesterday we ripped off all the carpet from the stairs.(blog post coming soon)  :) AHHH! I am beyond excited!!

Have any projects you are working on, just completed?? I'd love to hear about all your reno adventures!

Fun Fourth!

Projects...photo booth...family...cake and FUN!  We had a great fourth!!!

4th of July Project:

I love the American flag! Around this time of the year you see it everywhere. Waving in the air on the front porches of homes, in store front windows, and lining the sides of streets. But, I want to see it all year long!!   With some pinterest inspiration and some scrap wood I found while cleaning the garage I made some wall décor for the boys new bathroom (a remodel in the works).   A short DIY project that was seriously easy.

What you will need:

*piece of wood (any size)

*paint or stain (I used leftover paint I found in garage)

*painters tape

*star stencil (I made my own)

*foam brushes (so you can just throw them away)

Step one:

Found this piece of wood- mine is 48"x 24"

I wanted the colors to be muted and natural so I put a light coat of stain on the entire piece of wood.

(Stain used: Watco Danish Oil in Dark Walnut)

Step two:

Tape off stripes (I did approx. 2" stripes)

Step 3:

Paint!

I used French Vanilla chalk paint for the white and left the stain for the red stripes.

Step 4:

Star Stencil

I made my own stencil.  I just printed out stars on a piece of paper and used a razor to cut them out. 

Tape the stencil on the edges and paint!

Project complete!!

Time to Celebrate this Land that I love!!!

Family, photo booth, fishing, food, cake and FUN!!

YUM!

My Fisherman!!

Love Photo booth props!! HA!

Happy, Happy, Happy

Don't wait for the storm to pass

 AHHHH! It has been a month since my last post.  Where did the time go?  I have soo many post to catch up on, so it is time for some "Speed Blogging".  Grab some coffee or sweet tea- multiple posts coming your way...ready...set...go! 

Learning to Dance in the rain:

This southern girl loves her sunshine, so when weeks of rain flood  your life (literally) it would be easy to get bummed out.  I took my first vacation so far this year for the week of the 4th.  Plans for a stay-cation with my family filled with days at the pool, Six Flags and White Water ended up being a week of non-stop rain and days spent inside.  This could have sent me into a panic...however sometimes the unexpected turns out to be a blessing.   This vacation week was an eye opener for me.  As a person who thrives on organization and schedules...I was faced with 7 days of no plans...and no plans turned into finding joy in the simple things again.  Family meals were one of my favorite times during this week. (an event that is few in our house of ever changing work schedules)

From big pancake, egg and bacon breakfasts to southern feasts of ribs, turnip greens and cornbread...I loved the time sitting down for meals everyday as a family. 

In this electronic driven world we live in... board games have become a thing of the past.

 So my kids were not exactly thrilled when I first suggested playing one.  But, sometimes you need to get back to the basics.  One family board game of Yahtzee turned into a week of board game tournaments of Rummikub, Scrabble and Yahtzee...oh and one of my kids favorites Spot it.

From early morning games with coffee in hand to late night games with S'mores.

            My cup runneth over for days like this!!!

As a working mom and wife, days get hectic and rushed thru and the everyday tasks (aka-cooking, cleaning, laundry) usually feel like work.  The slow pace of my "stay-cation" week brought me back to a life I love. I actually enjoyed cooking  these big meals....blasting country music while doing some deep cleaning was actually fun...and laundry...well it was still laundry...but a week inside where your entire family wears their pajamas all day made for a lot less laundry...score!  

Thank you Lord for these storms last week...and thank you for teaching my family to dance in the rain!

Family

A few weeks ago a friend of mine offered me a wonderful opportunity of contributing something for an auction to raise money for a sweet family who is adopting a special needs little girl from China. 

As I started brainstorming what I wanted to make,  I reached out to some friends who had adopted for inspiration.  There were so many inspiring comments! "hope, joy, love, faith, blessing" ...when thinking of  these words in regards to a couple who have prayed for this child and already have a place in there heart for her....and this little girl from across the world who for the first time will have a "family" my heart overflowed with joy for them. 

I wanted whatever I made to serve as a reminder of the hope this child  now has for a future, the joy this couple will experience raising this little girl, the faith it took to go through the adoption process which will change the life of this child forever, and love they will all share as a family. 

I pray that whoever ends up taking this sign home, will hang it up and let it serve as a reminder of Gods faithfulness and grace...and a reminder to keep this family in our prayers as there will be tough times ahead but God has a plan..."For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jer. 29:11

Most would look at this as just decoration, but every part of this sign has a purpose.

First step: was to chose a type of wood. 

I chose Cedar.

Cedar wood -comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world.

Described as : "highly valued, durable, fragrant, and decay-resistant"

This was the perfect foundation!

Step 2: The message..

To sum up adoption in one word was so difficult....but, the one word that kept coming to mind was "Family".  I can't imagine what my life would be like without my family. They gave me a Godly home to grow up in, they gave me love and hope. Now that I have a family of my own my heart overflows with joy everyday for the blessings that my family gives me.

Step 3: the letter "I"

Replacing the letter "I" with a dragonfly was more than just for looks. I have shared what dragonflies represent to me before ... it is a symbol of change and transformation...of adaptability...and of joy.

Dragonfly Story

"In the bottom of an old pond lived some grubs who could not understand why none of their group ever came back after crawling up the stems of the lilies to the top of the water. They promised each other that the next one who was called to make the upward climb would return and tell what happened to them. Soon one of them felt an urgent impulse to seek the surface; she rested herself on the top of a lily pad and went through a glorious transformation, which made her a dragonfly with beautiful wings. In vain she tried to keep her promise. Flying back and forth over the pond, she peered down at her friends below. Then she realized that even if they could see her they would not recognize such a radiant creature as one of their own."

Step 4: Hinges

A hinge is defined as "a bearing that connects two objects"

This couple has been connected to this little girl thru faith in God, prayer, trust and grace.

Step 5: Burlap bow

Burlap is so popular right now, but it has been used for years because of it's construction. 

Described as: "Woven, breathable, durable enough for rough handling in transit, protection from the elements, even used to wrap the exposed roots of trees and shrubs when transplanting, and also for erosion control on steep slopes"

Step 6: Scripture

1 Samuel 1:27

I just want to thank my sweet friend Mary for this opportunity to share in this family's journey. It has been a blessing to be a part of it.

"Adoption is love, Adoption is hope, Adoption is faith, Adoption is joy, Adoption is...Family"

Side Table Sale!

Ever love to just walk around inside a shop just cause everything in there is so beautiful, or watch a movie not really for the story but for the gorgeous scenery that is in the movie?  I do it all the time!!

I have watched "Something's Gotta Give" about a dozen times because her house in that movie is so pretty!  Same is true for a few of my favorite shops...just walking around in them sipping on a cup of coffee and gathering inspiration from all the gorgeous décor is something I love to do.  So the other day I was in one of my favorite places White Rabbit Cottage

Even from the street it draws you in with the cute lil white house and picket fence.

..and there I saw the prettiest little side table! Reaching for the price tag I expected to see a large number but was pleasantly surprised to see a price that was oh so affordable! 

 I received a coupon a few days earlier for 20% off one in stock item  for White Rabbits Spring Tent Sale!

However, the sale didn't start for about a week , so I just kept my fingers crossed that this table was still available. 

(Ric thought I should go ahead and get it without the coupon in case someone else purchases it, but the thought of saving some money kept me from doing it. )

The sale day came...I walked in and it was sitting there just waiting for me to take it home!! YAY! :)

For a price that is less than something I could find at Target, with quality craftsmanship and a gorgeous finish....now that is a good deal!!

The end of the couch is one of my favorite spots (it's where I start my day with bible study and coffee.)

So, surrounding myself with some of my favorite things first thing in the morning is important to me.

This table reflects those things

A picture of me and my mom when I was a baby

A piece of coral that my mom pulled out of the ocean on one of our beach trips growing up, and a huge shell that Carson found at Tybee Island last year.

Reminders of the ocean.. which I love and always seems to give me a sense of calm.

My new turtle and dragonfly found the perfect spot!

This is a stone coaster my sister made out of a piece of tile and a stamp...I love it! A great reminder to "Trust in the Lord" everyday! (you can see my coffee ring on it from my mug every morning...ha!)

My "crew"!  That man and those boys are my life!

Hydrangeas!!

My favorite flower!

Ms. Maggie on the corner of the couch (her favorite spot)

She loves the new table too! HA!

This chippy, distressed, imperfect table is so beautiful!!!