Kitchen Updates!

Well I am WAAAY behind on posts, specifically house remodeling projects. It’s been a crazy fall and winter season. Lots of traveling and working! So whenever I haven’t been doing either of those things I’ve been doing stuff around the house aaaannnd let’s be honest watching Netflix. It’s cold! But I’ve been doing mostly the other three things. So now that a new year has started it’s time to catch up on the blog. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you’ve been keeping updated but I still have lots of blogs-ta-write. So here we go!

As a reminder: This is what the kitchen looked like before I bought the house. Pretty much unchanged in 50 years. It was in serious need of some cleaning and cheering up. Since it was the most in need of help it’s the last room I worked on.

    

    

The first thing I did when I started working on the kitchen was I took off the old drawer pulls which were pretty rusty (I had to saw off at least one) and painted the bottom cabinets Benjamin Moore White Dove. I then replaced the knobs with really cute new contemporary pulls.

Probably 3 months passed before I did anything else which was having a friend help me take down the upper cabinets. I patched the holes and primed over the yucky walls. I’m planning to put up open shelves.

   

It already looks so much brighter and bigger with the cabinets down!

I bought this cute skinny blue shelf at a store that was going out of business. I’m planning to put it in the kitchen in the small hallway to use for pantry items.

I decided to paint the ceiling Benjamin Moore Cat’s Meow pink!

Annnnd I finally got the beadboard paper put up! It’s so cute! I painted the walls Benjamin Moore White Dove, the same color as the trim and cabinets. In a few months I’ll have the shelving up. I can’t wait!

 

Say goodbye to the old stove! I finally got a stove right before Thanksgiving!

    

    

    

Officially used my oven for the first time to make brownies for Crème de menthe brownies. Yummo!

It is so hard to believe this is the same room and how much was done in a few months. I can’t wait to see how it looks in a few more months as things progressively get completed. Stay tuned!

Have a bright day!

Chelsea

I’m alive!~ Photo a day July & Show and Tell

So it’s been a while since I posted anything. I guess things have just gotten away from me between reading for my book club and starting an almost daily trek to the gym I’ve gotten behind on the blog. I’m foregoing finishing the June photo a day and moving onward and upward with July. Can you believe it’s July!?! Half the year has gone by without me even realizing.


Here’s the July List. My birthday is “upside down!” Let’s hope that’s not an omen!



#Photoadayjuly


July Photo A Day Challenge


1} Self Portrait~This is usually how I’m forced to sleep in some fashion. I’m pretty sure this week Pumpkin has been scratching my face in my sleep to wake me in order to fill his kibble dish. I feel like one of the characters in “The Birds” but my movie is called “The Cats: 5 is enough.”





2} Busy~ Today was a busy day as usual made even more interesting by the fact that all 5 caterpillars emerged from their cocoons and transformed into butterflies! I quickly picked them some flowers and made them sugar water to gobble up. Aren’t they pretty!






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Show & Tell


So in case you didn’t know already I love antique china and have started collecting a few vintage patterns, which of course are hard to find. I bought some things on ebay last month to add to my collection. I think some of these would be so pretty hung as a collection on a wall someday. I even found a few pieces featured on Susan Branch’s blog, drool worthy kitchen and china collection! Take a peep here!
Here is the start of my own collection.

Part of my Tuscan English Bird of Paradise collection. I started collecting the pink pieces a few years ago because, well, I love pink. But the pattern itself is beautiful too. It’s really hard to find online, it’s over 60 years old and most sellers don’t put names and when they do they are rarely the same. I call it “Birds of Paradise.” I found a few mint green pieces that look very pretty with the pink and just got a cup that is a pale blue, I guess they made it several different ways.

 

Susan Branch has several pieces of this Minton Cockatrice pattern featured on her blog {unnamed creamers are pictured}. This hand painted pattern in a bright pink is very eye catching.

For obvious reasons I’ve also started collecting Chelsea Bird in the older aqua blue color. I just found a tea set of dessert plates, creamer, sugar, and cake plate.

I also found this adorable vintage Minton milk pitcher for a steal! The hand painted ribbon and flowers are so sweet, I thought it would be great for fresh floral bouquets.




Meakin Avondale in the lighter sage green color. So pretty! I found a huge collection of this at Scott Antique Market but held back from buying anything until I checked online prices which were MUCH less. I’m all about the deals!

Fresh peaches are the epitome of summertime!

Finishing up my photo shoot, every time I take pictures downstairs this Pumpkin cat comes around.






Is there something you love to collect? Scott Antique Market is next weekend, anything I should look out for?
Have a bright day!
Bright Girl

May photo a day challenge: Days 15-26

Alright so I had every intention of having this be days 15-20 but the week got away from me and it’s now 15-26. Enjoy!
#photoadaymay
Day 15} Love~Actually. Some of the movies I love.


Day 16} What you’re reading~Just got this very Austensian book. A little cheesy but enjoyable because I’ve been to all the places they’re talking about. Gotta finish it up so I can get going on my book club book, “The Book Thief.”


Day 17} Snack~Trying to stock up on more healthy snacks. Almonds are super healthy and I mix mine with craisins and raisins:)


Day 18} Something you made~Funnily enough I made/helped make a lot of cute art this week. I do art with preschoolers at work, one of my favorite things ever! Here are some samples:)
 
  
*Hand print art work for ongoing calendar project.
*Sparky the fire dog for Fire Safety Week
*Bubbly fish swimming through the sea

Day 19} A favourite place~If you want to see some of my favourite places check out my Pinterest page. I have a board for just this, “Favorite places and spaces.” I wish I was anywhere here right now. My home state!


Day 20} Something you can’t live without~ Check out this posting for more things I can’t live without. Maybe you’ll see some things you never realized before you need desperately
I guess for right now I’d have to say I can’t live without my 4 legged children.


Day 21} Where you stand~At work…it requires a lot of this everyday.


Day 22} Pink~I love the color pink! Maybelline 5th Avenue Fuchsia lipstick & OPI Kiss me on my tulips polish. Cosmopolitan on a Friday night. Yum!
 

Day 23} Technology~ High Tech Robots!


Day 24} Something new~Bought new Ralph Lauren sheets. Love the pale green and floral toile.


Day 25} Unusual~I’ve never seen such a thing. This is so funny! I feel kinda bad for the cubical captives of the world. But maybe this would give them a laugh.



Day 26} 12 o’clock~ Working on this posting and Stella came upstairs crying. She needed a hug and a rub.


Excited about my 3 day weekend. Hoping to do some catch up on here, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Springhouse Restaurant, New things, etc. Coming atcha soon!
Have a great Saturday!
Bright Girl