keep calm and eat bacon

via dream book design

OK, I'm on a roll today, here's a pic of another really cute kitchen, but more than anything, it's the print that caught my eye.  I know a lot of people are getting really tired of the Keep Calm and Carry On posters, but I happen to love them... and this poster/print is one for my husband... Keep Calm and Eat Bacon.  It's perfect.  We are always saying things like... you know what would make this sandwich better?  Bacon!  You know what would make this salad better?  Bacon!  You know what would make this ice-cream better?  Bacon!  Everything is better with bacon.  :)

inspiring spaces indeed!

Have you been over to My Sweet Savannah yet?  I love her blog!  It's one I check out daily, because she always (ALWAYS) post such inspiring pictures... whether it be photographs she has taken or pictures she has found on the Internet.  Well, today I'm just borrowing her post, because I loved every pictures she posted.  Inspiring spaces... indeed!

Love this Eames chair and vintage desk!!!  first chance I get, I'm making a frame like that... without the gilding, because I'm not a gilding kind of girl, but I love that idea... isn't it fabulous!

I love the stacks of silver platters in this kitchen... and all of the bird cages... very quirky, but I like it!

I love this fire... box?  How cool is that!

Nice breathing space....

Organization!!!

Look at those chairs around the dining table... I've seen similar chairs at Target!!!

What can I say... I love the chairs and I love the GREEN.

all photos via

the perfect weathered wooden floor

There is something clean, simple and fun about this space.  Love it!  The large mirror makes the space.

• the perfect wooden floor (via nicety)

Nice Space

Not my usual style, but not necessarily not my style... there is something about this room that speaks to me.  Most definately the green chair.  Love the wood floors and clean walls.  This is a nice space.  Simple.  Clean.

• vertical bookshelf (via nicety)

vintage chairs

I wish I had a space for something like this... I love this look!  Whatever this is!!!  These chairs are great.  The tables are great.  The lights are great.  THIS is great!  Something different to inspire you. 

I told you... I'm a very square peg.

• vintage chairs (via desire to inspire - desiretoinspire.net - w plus b)

IKEA kitchen

And really, what's not to love?  It's a beautiful kitchen.  It's earmarked with all my favorite elements.  It's IKEA.  I wonder if IKEA designers make house calls?  Hmmm...

• functional IKEA kitchen (via Honestly WTF)

On a side note, you have to love a website/blog named Honestly WTF!  That's gutsy ;)

kitchen details

A must have for the new kitchen... I love these drawer pulls.  Classic cottage kitchen and easy on the hands.  I'll only need two, since we only have two cabinet drawers (I'm telling ya, our kitchen is small)... but I may go ahead and get some for my free standing "counters" so everything matches.  The cabinet doors will get simple knobs.  Speaking of my free standing "counters" they are a natural looking wood at the moment... do I want to keep them that way or paint them?  Hmmmm... just thinking out loud here.  Feel free to comment.

Another love... these canisters.  They're big, they're practical.  They're beautiful.  If I had the counter space I'd do something just like this, but as it is... I'm trying to hide as much as possible, because I'm trying to reclaim as much visual space as possible.  AS POSSIBLE!!!  Wish me luck on that one.

Sign me up for these plates, because they are A-MA-ZING!  Period.  Must do a Google search on numbered plates... or better yet, make my own.  We have a Paint that Pottery here in town... easy as 1, 2, 3!

Just a few details that I keep going back to on one particular kitchen photog... must mean that I really like it.

...and now for something completely different...

Living with Lindsay

I have to find some cheap books to tear apart... I want one of these wreaths!

Wabi Sabi

the style files - wabi sabi



What is Wabi sabi?  Well, Wabi sabi (侘寂?) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".[1] It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印, sanbōin?), specifically impermanence (無常, mujō?), the other two being suffering (dukkha) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (sunyata).

Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.

And I love it!  I love the mix of Wabi sabi and modern.  I'm a very strange character when it comes to my likes and dislikes... it's a fusion of English cottage (without the clutter), French country (just a touch... I mean a small touch... a little goes a long way for me), Arts & Crafts Style and/or Mission Style with a huge dose of Asian influence... toss in some Scandinavian/Dutch modern and I'm a happy girl.  See... kind of complex.  You can't put me in a category, no, I take that back, I'm eclectic! Very square peg will never fit into the very round holes... and I like it that way.  However, there must be a lot of other people like me... judging by my Pinterest boards!

What I love about the picture above... same as some other pictures I've posted... the rough old table and the smooth modern chairs.  There is just something about that combo that turns me on!  I can just see that table laid out with plain white dishes... I can see them rocking because the table isn't even (and I love that)... the beauty is in its imperfections.  Just like us.

That tea pot and tea cup is a must have as well.

On a side note... kitchen is on hold for a moment... we (when I say we, I mean Rob) discovered a plumbing issue in the bathroom this weekend.  Apparently, while I was taking a shower Saturday morning, Rob was outside and kept hearing running water under the house... he took a little look-see and yes, indeed, there was running water coming from the plumbing!  The joys of owning an older home.  A plumber will be called today.  Please don't let it be something expensive!!!

***UPDATE***
Plumbing issue resolved.  It was a trap issue... apparently it was made out of galvanized steel or something like that and had just worn until it was paper thin.  $140 fix, thank you, thank you!!!

Thanks :)

Dear Jennifer (chickie @ my local Starbucks),

Thanks for suggesting the apple fritter.  It was A-MA-ZING!

Love,
Betty

Milk Glass

I may have found something to replace my VB (Vera Bradley) addiction... MILK GLASS!  I've always loved it and I only have one piece, a vase.  In fact, it was my grandmother's and it was something that was always in our house, and I always loved it.  I loved the milky white color and I liked the "dots" all over it... it was just too pretty to me.  I always thought it was strange that she never put flowers in it... it was always in the laundry room on the top shelf, so that's where I would go look at it and dream of the day it would have something in it.  So, when I finally got a house of my own, I asked her if I could have it and she said I could.  It's on a bookcase in my living room with willow branches in it and a beautiful dragonfly.  It's one of my most favorite things.  It looks like this:

This isn't mine... this is one from eBay, but it looks exactly like mine.  Apparently it's made by Anchor Hocking and it's a Hobnail vase, and I think it's the most beautiful vase I've ever seen.  Call me crazy, but I do.

Now, speaking of eBay, I saw this little lovely there, while browsing all things milk glass and thought, "oh, yes, this should be mine!"  I mean, is this not the most amazing cake stand you have ever seen?

 Vintage Fenton Milk Glass Hobnail Cake Stand

As Martha would say, "Milk glass... it's a good thing."  Gosh that thing is amazing... looks just like candy!  I want to eat it!

The Lettered Cottage

Layla (and Kev) over at The Lettered Cottage are debating putting down a brick floor in their kitchen... I say do it!  It looks fabulous!!!  Every Home I've ever been in that has a split brick floor looks amazing and it feels surprisingly good under foot. 

Anyway, she posted a picture of another beautiful kitchen that's just my style!  I love the combination of the Eames chairs with the weathered table... so wabi sabi!  My dream combo for a dining room table and chairs.  I can just smell the bread, tomatoes, basil and cheese  in a kitchen like this... ahhhhh.

Before and Slightly During

OK, here they are... the before pictures.  Well, actually they are kind of during because at this point, Rob has already taken off the cabinet doors (so he could begin scraping the wallpaper off of them) and I have already begun some of my de-cluttering and moving things around in the kitchen.

When you walk into the kitchen, from the dining room (the only way into the kitchen) this is the first view of the kitchen you see.  And as you can see there was once a door there that has been closed up.  Rob removed the door several years back and bricked in the wall.  Obviously the door trim is going to have to come down and the cracks are going to have to be filled... or whatever it is that you do for that kind of problem.  You can also see the wallpaper that I hate... I don't know what it is about the paper that I don't like, but it just gets on my very last nerve.  Flooring isn't much better.  I do love the vintage light (I wish they had not painted over the metal fixture).

Once you enter the kitchen and turn to the right, this is what you see... sorry for the bright light, it was a sunny day.  We don't have a lot of cabinet space or counter space... so we store a lot of things on top of the cabinets and in the two carts on either side of the kitchen.  My hanging pot rack is a life saver.  My goal is to get these cabinets organized and streamlined.  I've already moved the Rx to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom... where they should have been in the first place.  And shift pantry items to my "pantry" that I created in the laundry room.  I've turned the cart to the right into my "baking cart" and inside it is flour, sugar, oatmeal, raisins... etc.  most things that would be used for baking... and most things that were in my other cabinets.  This freed a lot of space to bring my most used cook books into the kitchen (kind of where they need to be anyway).  I had the cook books in the dining room, but I have plans for that room too... but that's another post.  I'm thinking maybe vintage picnic baskets on top of the cabinets for items that I use, just not every day, so that they are handy, but don't get dusty.  I want to get the counters as clear as possible.

Looking back towards the dining room, you see the "baking" cart... which is basically the hub of the kitchen, this is where I do all my prep work... note the cutting board.  We eat a lot of our meals on trays, because we like to watch TV... we are very casual peeps in our house, so the trays are kept on the cart all the time.  It is, what it is.  My cork board squares that run down the wall are going to be relocated to the inside of the cabinet doors, once the kitchen has been painted and revamped.  I figure it will be a great place to keep notes and whatever, but keep the kitchen from looking cluttered.  Again, small spaces + a lot of stuff = junked spaces.  Once we get into the meat of the project, the water heater is going to be replaced.  This one is on borrowed time.  I think we will probably go with a smaller tank this time.  Would love to get one of those tankless water heaters, but that might be out of our price range right now.

And finally to the left, when you enter the kitchen is the stove and frig... an odd couple, but there you go.  If money were no option, we would have the gas line moved and set the stove over along the other wall... under the clock (see first picture).  Maybe we will just move the frig to that wall... it's just crazy having the two side by side.  You can't open the frig all the way, you have to bend yourself in half to clean it and it has to work twice has hard to keep cool when you have to stove on.  Anyway, still lots to decide and plan.  But that is our little kitchen.  It's not much to look at right now, but believe me, we cook some amazing meals in that room.

Updates and Confessions

This was a very short weekend for me, I had to work on Saturday, so that only left late Saturday afternoon and Sunday for my de-cluttering mission.  As promised, I did take some before pictures of the kitchen this weekend, but I haven't decided if I have the guts to post them yet.  There are many reasons why... one would be the wall paper that's in the kitchen right now, I hate it, thank goodness I didn't put it there, it was there when Rob bought the house.  And like I've said before, I'd really love ten good minutes with the idiot who thought it was a great idea to put wall paper on the cabinet doors... but that's another story. 

See, I don't mind that our kitchen is small... our entire house is small and I'm fine with that... it's the whole reason why I'm de-cluttering and finding a space for everything.  When you have a small house, you just can not have clutter!  It totally makes the house look junked and not cute.  Anyway, where was I, oh, I don't mind that the kitchen is small... at least most of the time I don't... it's just that it's really in bad shape.  We've really done zero to it since Rob bought the house (I won't say how long ago).  Who ever did work on it before us, did a really poor job and we've been busy with other parts of the house.  Then it became a, "well, when we get our next house, this is what we want to do with the kitchen..." And so nothing has been done with the eye sore and it's just gotten worse and worse. 

Then I got to thinking... why am I waiting for a rainy day house?  Why am I waiting for this dream house that we might get one day, when I have this cottage right now that I love with all my heart.  Why can't I have my dream kitchen now (on a budget)?  Why should I deprive my little cottage kitchen from being all it can be?  I mean, we are a great team, we pull together some great meals... why shouldn't it look great?  So what if the neighborhood is... questionable.  I can't control the neighborhood, but I can control what goes on in my house and I want my house my home to be beautiful.  I have all of these great ideas that I have been saving for our next house... and I'm not going to do that anymore.  If I have a great home idea, I'm doing it now, because this is the home I have and it deserves it. 

Still don't know if I'm going to show you the before pictures!

OK.  On to confessions... I have a huge Vera Bradley and LOFT problem. 

I always feel like I need the latest and greatest!  What's up with that?  I'm working really hard to get my VB addiction under control and I think now that my favorite Lisa B is no long in production, my problem is solved... however, there is a black and a brown microfiber hobo with my name all over them!  Goodness help me.   

Microfiber Hobo in Black

Lisa B in Imperial Toile

 

As for LOFT, I'm doing really well, I haven't bought anything since spring!  And if I can make it through autumn without a LOFT purchase, I will say that I have made it over the hump.  The last thing my closet needs is another piece of clothes... but it's going to be a test not to go buy this sweater.  Just too pretty!

By the way... I would so love to have her hair... just in my color, or hers, I'm not too picky :)

***UPDATE*** Checked out the sweater today... not flattering on me AT ALL.  Not made for girls with well, a nice set of girl's!!!

Kitchenaid Mixer from H.E.A.V.E.N.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeandgarden/2011/09/whats-your-favorite-room-in-the-house/

Lookie, lookie, lookie what The Pioneer Woman (A.K.A. Ree Drummond) is giving away!  Holy cow ya'll... that's just the prettiest mixer I have EVAH seen!!!  Now, don't you agree that would just look amazing in my soon to be realized dream cottage kitchen!  The orange matches my Honda Fit ;)

That's not my Fit... that's an illustrations... I have the real deal, and it's AMAZING!  I love it.

white kitchen

I'm still on my quest for the perfect cottage kitchen... my perfect cottage kitchen... and I must say, there is something very charming about this one. I love everything about it. I know I've said that a lot... about many different kitchens, but there really is nothing about this one that I don't not like. I love the numbered plates. I love the colors. I love the stillness. I LOVE the hints of green. It's beautiful. Something to add to the pile of pictures (growing pile of pictures) that's going to help me achieve my dream kitchen... on a budget!

As for progress on said kitchen... it's slow going, but that's OK. Right now, I'm still in clean out and organize mode. Goodwill loves me. In fact, the same guy has been working the past three days (all in a row) that I've gone by to unload my car... "geez, lady, you moving or something?" "No, just clearing out the clutter." she says with a smile. Feels good! I want my house and things to have breathing space. It's coming... I can feel it. It's just like autumn, you know it's coming, it feels like it's never going to get here, and then it happens. Ahhhhh.

In other news, speaking of autumn, I had my first Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (soy) of the season, on Wednesday. I love this time of year and I count down the days until it gets here. There was a cool breeze on the air last night, so we took our beers on the roof (yes, on the roof) and enjoyed the night air before dinner. I was so excited I pulled out all my pumpkin candle holders and autumn scented candles and lit them as soon as we came inside. I love this time of year! You know it's almost autumn when the Halloween stores start dotting the shopping centers. Ahhhh!

I think I'll document my kitchen in photos this weekend... don't know if I'll post them or not. That's a lot of dirty laundry to air! You know what I mean? I don't know, you might enjoy the transformation. We'll see. Anyways... happy weekend ya'll. Catch you on the flip flop.

• white kitchen (via thehandmadehome)

Urban Grace Interiors - Kitchen

I love it when people have a fantastic sense of style and can blend old and new seamlessly.  Erika, over at Urban Grace Interiors, pretty much has my kitchen!  She has a great example of open shelves.  I guarantee those are her most used items and she do not have to worry about them getting dusty, because she’s using them daily! 

And even though I’m leaning towards a white kitchen, her SW Rosemary green kitchen is amazing (green is my favorite color… hence the apple green interiors of the cabinets).  Check out her blog post on her kitchen intervention, she breaks it down for you (it’s not all high priced shopping). 

 I love her pantry… funny enough I have the same “pantry” rack and I was telling Rob this weekend that I need to get some baskets for it to keep it orderly.  Boom!!  Now I see this… I must be on the right track.

Man oh man, what I wouldn’t give for a week with Urban Grace Interiors and The Lettered Cottage.  Between those three, they would have my little cottage kitchen rock’n and roll’n!  Click on over and check out Urban Grace… she’s pretty fabulous.

http://blog.urbangrace.com/2011/kitchen-intervention-details/

Chalkboard Pantry

One day, I'm going to have a house with a proper pantry... and it might look something like this. Maybe :)

chalkboard paintry (via justinetaylor):

SMEG

Boy, would I love to have a SMEG in my kitchen! A white one... that or an old Coke refrigerator, the kind with glass front doors... anyway, I love the vintage look of a SMEG and they come in every candy color under the sun. Now, I know I said I was getting rid of the cluttered look, but there is just something about this picture that speaks to me! I love every little thing in it!

informal living + baby blue SMEG (via thestyletree):

Farmhouse Sinks

What's not to love about a farmhouse sink? You could practically bath in them. I pretty much love everything about this kitchen... or what you can see of it. Nice cottage style kitchen. As for my nice cottage style kitchen, not much work was done on it this weekend. Right now I'm in a cleaning out phase... if it's taking up valuable real estate and not being used, it's time for it to go. Goodwill is going to love us!

cozy kitchen envy (via pinterest):

Two Tone

The Lettered Cottage

OK, no, this still isn't my kitchen... but I've been toying with the idea of doing a two tone.  You know painting the upper cabinets white and the lower cabinets another color.  I love the grey color that Layla and Kevin used on their cabinets (photo above)... check out their blog/website, The Lettered Cottage... they are basically amazing!  Anywho, I'm thinking that maybe either a grey, taupe or sand color might be nice.  I'm still painting the inside of the cabinets apple green, so I think it would look awesome.



Still Dreaming About Kitchens

http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/beautiful-designer-kitchens

Nope, this isn't my kitchen... yet.  Yep, that's what I want to do to my cabinets.  I love the apple green inside the cabinets, it's just so happy.  There's no way that we are going to have glass fronts, but I'm going to love that surprise color every time I open the door.  However, I still don't know if I want to put the doors back on the upper cabinets.  Still thinking about that one.

Anyway, it's Friday!  Thank you all that is good and holy!  So, we will most definitely work, and by we, I mean Rob, will work on the cabinet doors... he's just spectacular that way. And I will work on cleaning the cabinets, organizing and deciding what can stay and what needs to G-O.

I guess I should take some pictures of this little process.  Missed last weeks fun with the scrapping of the wall paper off the doors, but oh well, we can just imagine.  OK, I'll take pictures this weekend and post on Sunday.  Trust me, they won't be pretty BH&G and House Beautiful pictures... yet.  But they will be.

I do so love that apple green!