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I do not have a whole lot to say today.

The photos I am sharing, I took during the early evening in the old house. Besides morning,

it is my favorite time of day. The light is different at five in the evening. The old house is happy with a soft, warm glow. It inspires me to straighten up and decorate and listen to my favorite jazz stations.

We will be starting the smallish kitchen tune-up tomorrow. I am excited to share with you our progress,

so please check back in. Our part is slow-going... you know, the kitchen cabinet restoration. Sigh.

- traders joe's daffodils, vintage postcard, vintage flower frogs -

- the light from the dining room windows -

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I can't make myself crawl into bed before midnight. Morning is early and cold.

Blankets of white that give solace and warmth have been absent for much of the season.

Winter is lingering.

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scenes from our kitchen

I spent 15 minutes removing from a kitchen cabinet, one,
painted over too many times, original, made in 1908 nickel hinge. As I was standing there, cursing (in my head of course) the people that slopped the paint over these beautiful hinges, I began to question
my stamina for another big project.

There are 28 hinges, and 15 minutes is actually quick. Hubby spent 30 minutes on one a few weeks ago.
So, that's 28x15=420/60=7. Seven. Seven hours. Seven hours spent removing hinges.

After they have been removed, off they go to the crockpot spa for a 24 hour soak, and then back in our hands for another 15 minutes to pull off the paint, scrub and polish. Another seven hours.

7+7=14 hours of 106-year-old hinge restoration is feeling so much longer than 14 hours.
We started this whole process a few weeks ago, and now we have eight to go. The upper cabinets are complete. The lower cabinets are this weekend's project.

here are some before/during/after photos:

- before - five layers, including green and bright pink -

- after! - amazing, right? -

- lots to see in this photo - new plants, wine, nasty peeling paint -

- contact paper removed, bead board installed, and no more peeling paint -

- lots of sanding -

- glass installed, it's called german new antique -

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Are you curious what the plan is for the rest of the kitchen?
It is not a complete overhaul; perhaps, if this was our forever house, we would consider something
on a larger scale. For now we're just going to freshen up the original cabinetry, and overhaul the right side
of the galley (see photo below).

The right side will get new butcher block countertop, an undermount sink, tile backsplash, open shelving,
new gas range and a few other fun, small touches.

- this is from a few months ago -

- this is from a few minutes ago -

 
You can see above that I've tested out the chosen paint color for the lower cabinets. I'm excited!
More to come as we make progress!

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in the details:

let me know if you have any questions about anything you see!

crockpot spa for stripping old paint- idea seen on rehab addict, love this show

2/14/14

I think I've mentioned before that valentine's day is not my favorite.

I did, however, want to share a few fun things we did on this day. We remembered our teachers with homemade bouquets, and we made super chocolatey and super delicious cookies.

 

Recycled jars and fresh flowers from Trader Joe's (duh!).

Recipe from one of my new fave's, The Pioneer Woman.

 If you haven't already, check out her website and peruse one of her cookbooks.

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master bedroom: progress

Remember last year when I told you we were going to focus on the master bedroom? Ha.

Sadly, it was not "our next project". Today, though, I am happy to report that we made progress!
I had our Seattle poster framed, and I finally hung a few of my finds on the wall. These finds have been in my closet for a year now, waiting for me to hang them up. I recently found an old record cabinet,
and it looks great as hubby's nightstand.

We also purchased a dresser. Yep, hubby spent the last few months sans dresser, digging for clothes
in piles stacked up on a chair. Forgot about that chair. In fact, now that it's been uncovered, I'm not sure
I like it anymore. Alas, my ten dollar wicker seat will have to do, because on our list, new bedding,
area rug and nightstand (for me) outrank new chair.

The current bedding I do NOT like; we've had it for years. There will be no more flowers.
We are purchasing a white duvet, stripe sheets and kilim pillows (check them out on etsy). We need a bed skirt too. As for the rug, well, area rugs are tricky. There are so many choices, even if you use price/ color/style filters. We have one picked out, I just need to click the place order button.

Here is the same view of the master bedroom from last February and then from today:

- only five months after we moved into the old house -

- flowers, yuck - picture all white with fun pillows -

I feel excited about the progress, even though it is slow. Hopefully I will have we're done photos to
post for you in the next few months.

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- very old church bench, $15 garage sale -

- where hubby and i met and used to live -

- cast iron horse is one from a pair - my friend, kerry, has the other -

- new, clean, simple, white dresser -

  

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in the details:

Seattle poster purchased from Ork Posters - check them out

dresser is from IKEA

sunday antique fair

My friend, J, and I went to a local antique fair yesterday.

I love antique fairs, sales and cute stores full of all things vintage. You readers know this, of course.

It was nice yesterday to stroll through the aisles, imagining what we might do with the 595 dollar, perfectly worn farmhouse table. Or, all the cute littles (a few of which made it home with me).

We also got caught up on the everyday life of the past week. I am so thankful for Sunday antiquing.

- my vintage finds - wooden letters, valentines, wood-handle bottle opener, bottle brush tree, ornaments -

- vintage ornament (eyed first by J) - most likely from west germany, mid-century -

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I purchased the little pictured below back in December. Also a trip with my friend, J, we took an hour

and popped over to a couple antique shops just a few blocks away. This little girl was sitting on a shelf in a

glass display cabinet. I saw her, hesitated for awhile, but finally asked to have the case opened.

Once in my hand, she had to come home with me.

- cast iron toy, only 1.5 inches tall - rare and likely early 1900's -

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one of my favorite things

Dishtowels.

Here are a few I received this holiday season. You all know me well.

I have plans for a few of these. Yes, I do use most of my dishtowels, but yes, I also have a small collection
that remains crisp and clean. My Mom and I always talk about framing one. I think it may be time to
give the idea a try.

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in the details:

a few of my favorite places to find dishtowels-

crate&barrel, anthropologie, and be sure to pop into the local kitchen and gift shops

in your city or when traveling

new year, new windows

I started this blog one year and four days ago with a post about windows, and so, it seems

appropriate to start this year with another of the same. The old house, with its 42 windows, has provided much inspiration for my writing and sharing with you.

This Fall, we replaced seven more windows. This second round was not any easier.

You all know by now, that we are old house purists (within reason). Removing something original from the old house is emotional and goes against our daily work towards restoration. Here's the but-

But, there are certain windows, with ice-cold air pouring through them, that just need to be replaced. Rotting, frozen over bathroom windows that do not open, drafty (understatement) windows next to the boys when they sleep, north-facing windows in our room that keep it 15 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.

We also replaced the stairwell window. When it was done, it felt like a 25x55 hole in our house had been eliminated and suddenly we had a semi-temperature-controlled upstairs. Because we are doing this in rounds, we have to be strategic with our choices. If we finish out the last six windows upstairs, then we have

heating/cooling issues. I think we will move into the kitchen next. The kitchen has seven windows,

and since hubby and I got new windows in our room, the kitchen is now the coldest spot in the old house.

Winter temperatures in the kitchen are miserable, actually. And, like most families, we spend most of our time there. It is no fun to sit next to a drafty (understatement) window, shivering, and try to gulp down your dinner before it freezes. Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

- we did some of the windows on our own this time -

- careful hubby! -

- we needed the help. thanks, J! -

Each bedroom in the old house has four windows, and now each bedroom has two new.

And can I just say how wonderful and amazing it is to have windows that open! The things you take for granted when you live in a new house:  garbage disposal, level floors, on-suite bathrooms, walk-in closets, laundry rooms, kitchen islands, windows that actually open. This does not conclude my list,

but I think you all should know that I have a list equally as long (maybe longer) of the joys of living in an

old house. The first is:  42 windows.

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