New Project: The Kitchen.

We have moved on from the living room to the kitchen.

The way the kitchen looked when we first moved in.

When we first moved in we removed the really ugly wood paneling from the kitchen. It was dark. It made the room that I think should be bright and cheery and easy to work in feel more like a dungeon. So we pulled the paneling down. Underneath we found cute old farm wallpaper. We did not know what to do with the wallpaper. It seemed too precious to rip off or cover up. So we left things as they were for a while. But finally decided we could not leave it in a half-finished state any longer.

Kitchen wall with paneling removed.

Bill came up with the idea of putting the paneling back up and covering it. Bill and his brother, John, filled the gaps in the paneling with Spackle. Then they sanded it down.

Paneling is back up, it has been Spackled, and John is sanding it.
(Click on any picture to view a larger version.)

Afterward, Bill primed the wall and radiators.

Unfortunately, the wood stain from the paneling seeped through the three layers of primer.

A close-up of the stain coming through the primer.

Then I painted the wall with Valspar Satin color Churchill Hotel Maple. It looks nice.There is more work to do. We are actually going to pull off another piece of paneling and fill in the wall and paint it. There are a couple of walls with wallpaper that we will remove and paint. And Bill will install trim.

Christmas Cards

We are having "house" issues today, so I feel silly putting up a cute little blog entry, but I really do not know what to do with myself while Bill deals with the immediate effects of the issue. One of our copper pipes got a leak and spewed hot water all over the utility room---it blew with such force there is a spot where there is no more paint or paper (or whatever was covering the wall). There was about 1/4 inch of standing water when I discovered the leak. Bill rushed home to turn off the valve (I do not know what I am doing!!). Then trekked out to Home Depot for a *consumer report* recommended shop vac to clean up the water mess. We still have not called the plumber to fix the problem, but Bill is going to see what he can do to temporarily fix it so we can have some hot water tomorrow morning. What a stressful day!

So on to the focus of this blog entry.

The front of the Christmas card

Bill and I made homemade Christmas cards this year. They were simple, cheap, and fun to make. I cut out the shape of a holly leaf onto green fabric using clip art. Bill cut the paper in half to make it "card sized". I scored each of the cards with a bone folder, so they folded very nicely. I sewed the holly leaf onto the front of the card using red thread. The thread represented the vein in the leaf. Then I used a pencil eraser and a red rubber stamp pad and stamped holly berries around the top of the leaf.

On the inside, Bill---the master stamper---stamped one of three messages: Merry Christmas, Celebrate the Season, or Joy to You.

The inside of the card

Behind the scenes of my photo shoot, Lillie and Cole had to stick their noses in. So I took a quick shot of them too.

"Behind the scenes"

Cinnamon Cookie Christmas Ornaments

This will be the fourth Christmas since I have planned on making cinnamon Christmas ornaments with Bill. I wanted to do it the first Christmas, that way every year we could hang ornaments we made together on our tree. Unfortunately, that year we did not find the time. Nor did we the year after that...or the year after that. Of course, we did not necessarily have Christmas trees those years, either. So here we are 3 years into our marriage, celebrating our fourth Christmas together and we finally did it! And we used the very cookie cutters I bought way back when for this very purpose. So, given enough time, everything will be achieved, I guess.

We made santa clauses, Christmas trees, stars, snowmen, and gingerbread men. They smell fantastic and turned out fine.

We used the following recipe:

1 cup cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup glue

Form the dough, roll into a ball and allow to sit for one hour before making into cookies.
Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, roll dough out flat using a rolling pin until the dough is 1/4-inch thick. Then cut using a knife or cookie cutter. Use a straw to make holes for hanging.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place cookies on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Heat for 2 hours, flipping once.

We found that the ornaments started to turn up at the edges, so we placed parchment paper and another cookie sheet on top to help keep them flat. Then once they came out of the oven, we placed some objects on the top cookie sheet to add pressure and make them lie flat. Only one ended up being a little uneven.

We carved our initials and the date into some of the cookies, as well.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

I spent some time playing with the Make-a-Flake website. It's fun practice if you plan to cut your own for Christmas. Mine are not nearly as good as my sister's, but I tried.

Collage created on Picnik.com, Snowflakes made on Make-a-flake website.

Happy Birthday Cole and Lillie!

Cole and Lillie turned one today!
Happy birthday, Cole and Lillie!

The birthday boy and girl at age one.

This is what they got for their birthday.

Cole Bear playing with Lillie's new toy.

The Valances Are Finished! They Are So Cute!

I spent Thursday through Sunday at my parent's house. The goal: make the valances for the living room. Mom did all the machine sewing. I have to admit I am not a good sewer, don't have that much experience, and am a little scared of the mess I can create with a sewing machine. Besides, working with layers of drapery fabric is not easy! Add to that another layer of piping and you have got one very difficult piece to sew. So, thanks so much Mom for doing the dirty work. I did have a role in the completion of the valances, though. I did the hand stitching of the rod pockets, which made the valances look so much better than the machine would have done (and gave the machine a break). Anyway, Bill and I hung the rods and valances last night and I am so pleased with them.

Here you can see the valances in context with the room and decor.

Meet Lillie!

Tiger Lillie: the independent thinker
Breed: Papillon
Birthdate: 12/11/07
Weight: 8 lbs.
Likes: Balls, biting hair, ice, food, and pigs ears
Dislikes: Snuggling, getting in trouble, baths, and wind
Favorite Trick: Shake (AKA "paw")

Meet Cole!

Cole Bear: the little lover
Breed: Papillon
Birthdate: 12/11/07
Weight: 8 lbs.
Likes: Barking, soft fabric, Nylabones, cats, treats, and cuddling
Dislikes: Baths, yelling, the cold, and being alone
Special Ability: To make anyone love him

Firewood Carrier

I made a firewood carrier following instructions from marthastewart.com.
It has already become so handy. Instead of making multiple trips to carry several logs and fatwood from the outside pile to the living room, the carrier makes it possible in one short trip. I made mine from a pretty piece of canvas that matches our living room.

Here's how to make your own:

Materials:

• 2/3 yards of 45-inches wide canvas (22- X 42-inch)
• 30-inches rope
• 4 grommets and eyelets
• Grommet tool
• Hammer

Directions:

• Cut the fabric to 22 by 42 inches.
• Fold the long sides over 1 inch, and then fold them over again to create a 1-inch double
• Press, pin, and sew.
• Fold the short ends over 1.5 inches, and then fold them over again creating a 1.5-inch double hem.
• Press, pin, and sew.
• Measure and mark 4.5 inches from the corners on the short ends.
• Make small holes where you have placed marks.
• Insert a grommet on one side and align the eyelet on the other side.
• Using the grommet tool and a hammer, install the grommets/eyelets.
• Repeat for all 4 grommets.
• To reinforce the knots in the rope, install washers between the grommet and rope knot.
• Cut the 30-inch piece of rope in half.
• Insert rope into each grommet and tie a knot.
• Repeat for all 4 ends.

Pillows

Mom bought us pillows that match our living room decor. Aren't they lovely?

That's my butterfly, Lillie, hovering above.

Living Room: The Interim

2008's Big Project: The Living Room
I thought as a Part II to my most recent blog, I should highlight what has gone into getting the living room to where it is.

The room originally had yellow walls and pink carpet.

First, with my mother-in-law's generous help on at least 3 or more whole days, we scraped all of the painted wallpaper off the walls.





















Next we bought a wood stove. It was probably 25 years old---we found it on Craigslist.










Then Bill ripped up the ancient disgusting pink carpet.

I scrubbed the walls with TSP and then patched the many, many holes and cracks with plaster compound.Next, in order to install the wood stove, Bill built a hearth pad. He screwed a cement board to the floor. Then using mortar he placed tiles on top of the board. Then he put wood trim around it.











Next Bill applied an antique finish to the floor.Then we had to bring in the 400 lbs. wood stove. Three really strong and generous guys from Bill's work helped haul it in and place it on the hearth pad. Finally, we had the wood stove installed. The chimney sweep installed a liner in the chimney and connected it with a T that attaches to the back of the wood stove.











Once the floors were finished and the wood stove was all set, Bill, my sister and I got down to the business of painting. Bill and I added sand to the ceiling paint and gave the ceiling texture to cover up the drywall joints and cavities from nails. Then Elise and I worked on the walls. We applied painters tape, used a high hiding primer, and painted three walls white and an accent wall the color Green Tea by Valspar. It looks fantastic as a contrast with the red couch.




Now check out the following entry to see the before-and-after photos. :)

The Living Room is Nearly Finished: Before and After!

Boy, the living room sure has undergone a transformation from when we first moved here. My mother-in-law helped me strip the yellow painted wallpaper from the walls. We now have three greenish-tinted creamy white walls and one green (green tea) accent wall instead of the overwhelming yellow all around. My sister helped me with the painting. Instead of the 1950s used-to-be-pink carpet which Bill pulled up, we now how beautiful wood floors that Bill finished with an antique finish. We also now have an excellent heating source in the room---a wood stove that sits out in the middle of the room on a hearth pad.

Of course, it's not completely done. There is a wire that goes across one wall that we need to place in a cord-hider. We still need to replace the socket plates. And I have to come back at some point and paint the trim white---probably this Spring.

Note the black boards behind the wood stove. They are put there during the winter months to provide a heat barrier for the wood mantle. Also, it has been rather gloomy around here so the after pictures do not have quite the glow I was hoping for. If time allows and the sun decides to show its face before too long, I will try to update these pictures.