Sunday, November 10, 2019

ORC Fall 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

This is Thursday #6 and for many of the ORCers it's the BIG REVEAL.
I'm very excited to check out everyone's amazing "new" spaces. 
One Room Challenge™


Our kitchen is looking better and better but as I stated in the first post - I have a lot of extenuating circumstances, I'm not expecting to have a BIG REVEAL this week and I'm happy for any progress I have made. I'm in VA again this week with my parents and I've had a lot going on (more than normal everyday crazy life) BUT progress has been made and I should tie up the loose ends before Thanksgiving so that is pretty exciting.
Maybe you'll check back in a couple of weeks.
I'm excited about some of the accessories I've thrifted for my "reveal" and my new island countertop is so bright and pretty!

Most of my pictures on IG have had a big ladder, paint cans, and general messiness in them.
That's still the status :) but I am sooooo close to wrapping that up
and doing fun things like putting up curtains and hanging art.

Somehow, right now, all I have is one late night blurry photo of the fabulousness that is the island painted SW naval and sporting its new marble top.


Here is "the List" from week 1. I'm going to share what has been done and where I am on the rest.

So here's the "Dream List" and I'll cross off as many as possible
 and get to the rest when I can!

1. Paint cabinets and walls white again. It's been a few years and it just needs fresh paint.
Still painting but what has been finished looks so fresh and nice!
2. Use the coral leopard print fabric to make curtains I bought last attempt...
Haven't pulled this fabric out yet - still too much wet paint around!


  And use Ballard bamboo curtain hardware I bought on deep sale but give it a coat of white paint.
The bamboo curtain hardware has been sprayed white. I love it.
3. Take down dated wood valance over sink. Adjust glass shelf over sink.
Nothing has happened here - yet. Still hoping!
4. Replace fluorescent over sink light with a recessed light.
Again, still hoping!
5.Paint dining nook ceiling pale blue.
Check!
6. Change island top. Paint island.(This one is a stretch)
This one WAS a stretch but it happened. I talked about the marble tile I found last week and the island just needs one more coat of Sherwin Williams Color of the Year, Naval. What a major improvement in the looks of our kitchen.

7.Put bamboo shades at windows.
I think just the one over the sink once the dated wooden valance comes down.
I'll make a final decision once the coral leopard curtains are hung.
8. Paint back door? Amazingly Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2020 was already in the running before they announced! I'm feeling rather on top of that :)
We are scraping the window panes. This looks soooo good. Naval is an incredible color!!Image result for sherwin williams color of the year 2020

9.Paint ceiling fans navy blue.
Nothing on this yet...
10. Runner in front of sink?
I have two options but, again, this must wait until painting is over.
11. Clean floors and use a wood restorer. I cannot take on refinishing floors right now. And remember 80 lb puppy is in a hard cast. 
This will happen in the clean up phase. And Cooper only has another week before he sees the vet again!!
13. Re-fit cookbook book shelves and move microwave from counter to new shelf. 
Completed!! I love it. More counterspace is always a good thing. And purging cookbooks we hadn't opened in years was good too. 
14. Cover lampshade on light over kitchen table. 
I actually bought a lampshade at World Market as a little splurge but it's going back. I just didn't love it in the space. So now I'm back to thinking about covering the existing white shade with fabric I have. I'm waiting until the curtains go up.

So that's where I am in this whole process. I'm still moving forward and I'm thankful for what has been completed to this point. 
See you in a couple of weeks - let's meet back here and see my "finished" kitchen.
Meanwhile I'm off to look at every single room and cheer for everyone's exciting new spaces!
Thank you to Linda for organizing this season after season - no matter how much I have left to do at the end of the challenge my spaces are always improved and I'm always glad I gave it a whirl!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Blue and White Chinoiserie Christmas Preview

I did wait until after Halloween to post what I've been making lately.
(And I have been eating Halloween candy while doing it!!)


The biggest project has been this blue and white plate wreath that was inspired by @tortoiseandharevintage on IG. She installs a plate wall wreath in her shop! 


A lot of people have asked "how?" on my IG feed 
and on my @elizabethandpayne IG account.

It's pretty easy - just takes a little time.
That is a faux pine wreath. I bought it at a wholesale florist and it truly looks real but there are faux wreaths for sale everywhere right now.

I gathered an assortment of thrifted blue and white plates  
then laid them out on the wreath to get an idea of placement. 

Next I adhered these amazing plate hangers to the back of my plates.
They dry over night and then I added my plates to the wreath and tied a big plaid bow for the top center!


I did the same thing for this smaller wreath 
and just used a single plate to fill the center opening. 
I forgot to take a better picture :( and sorry about the price tag but I didn't have a spare moment to take a cute, styled blogger appropriate pic before it went to the booth.

And then I've created some little Winter Wonderlands 
in blue and white teacups and bowls. 
They will be great as hostess gifts and to just add a touch of Christmas to places like a powder room where there isn't a lot of room for more decorations.


This one is so small and cute. The tallest tree is only about 2 1/2 inches tall!


And lots of people are creating these Chinoiserie blue and white ornaments. 
Just hit up Pinterest if you need tips on how-to!
These are good sellers for us and I enjoy drawing them.
I made my first one a few years ago for this little tree and I haven't stopped yet!


There's definitely more Chinoiserie Christmas to come but that's a little sneak peak for now!