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. 

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!!

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!

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!

ORC Fall 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

Thursday #5 Check-In time!!

One Room Challenge time really flies. Like warp speed!!

I am still painting, painting, painting but the big news is.....

that the black tile island top has been replaced by very gorgeous white carerra marble tile.
This was my longshot project on my "wish list" for this challenge waaaay back on Week 1.

I don't think I've ever shown such chaotic pictures on my blog before!! 

I must be tired or lazy or something!

Keeping it real - I am not able to maintain calm and control of any part of my house when a project is underway. It all goes to pieces!

In the middle of that chaotic kitchen mess I decided to paint a big ol' orange pumpkin 

for Trunk or Treat at church. 

I believe that expression is a reflection of mine!! 

We are definitely going to need a Week 7 around here to have a finished product for the reveal!! 

Be sure to follow all of the One Room Challenge progress here.
I've definitely enjoyed finding some favorite projects/inspiration and watching the progress!

ORC Fall 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

Check In Time!! Thursday Number 4!

A lot of painting has happened. Like, a lot. 

It doesn't make for a fascinating post but it has made a huge difference. 

I found out that my "white kitchen" was actually a dingy, dirty, yellow-y off white kitchen. 

Like, embarrassingly dingy.

But lots of white paint to the rescue.

(Look at how dingy the previous white had become #mortified)

 I am using Sherwin Williams Super Paint in basic, bright white.

 So far paint is basically all I have purchased for this ORC:

One gallon of a soft blue for the eating area ceiling that I diluted with some white I had on hand to get the shade I was after, 2 gallons of white and a gallon of Naval, Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2020!

(Mollie scraped all 48 window panes for me. Bless her!!)

We also got the microwave relocated to the book cases. We had to add a wider shelf but it works perfectly. I've wanted to do this for years to free up more counter space.There are definitely ways to place your microwave in a kitchen that is a bit more stylish but I'm working with what I have and what I can realistically expect to get done.
 Add in paint and some thrifted items and there you have it!

 (I am realllly sharing the unstyled, disaster area space that is my kitchen right now!)

One of the things on my to-do list was to change the black tile on the island. I considered it to be a longshot. I priced white marble slabs installed, not installed (just not something we can physically do ourselves right now), formica faux marble countertops and more. I just wasn't willing to spend what any of the above was going to require right now. BUT then I found 12 x 12 gorgeoussss white marble tiles the other day for under $5.00 a square foot!! So while a big seamless slab would be amazing this is going to be the next best thing, look so much better and cost under $75.00!! 

I cannot wait for the tile to be glued down and the island cabinetry painted Sherwin Williams Naval. 
Here's the back door "in progress" with just one coat of Naval. Already gorgeous!

And since every picture in this post is pretty scary...

...here's my cute terra cotta pumpkin collection all ready for the big night!

I found them all in thrift stores this year. They've been a big hit on IG!

Follow along with all of the other great projects on the One Room Challenge blog.

ORC Fall 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

Thursday Number 3 Check In!

Painting commenced and I started with the ceiling of our eating nook. It's vaulted so I though it could lend itself to a little drama plus I'm from the Low Country and I paint porch ceilings blue. I painted our master bathroom ceiling blue. I guess it wasn't long before the kitchen nook followed.

It's difficult to tell (because of lighting and the porch on the back of the kitchen) what the exact blue looks like. It does show up well against a white background :)

Please see the tip of Cooper's nosey nose for reference!

#ohcooper

I'm painting the walls, cabinets, beadboard, trim - 
everything with a fresh coat of glossy white paint. 

See those huge picture windows?
Painting them is "pane-ful" #punintended

So this weeks update is this: 

The kitchen is a wreck, painting is going on everywhere 

and Cooper just wants to go outside and play!

Sounds about right for the Week 3 ORC update!

I'm just happy with any progress - the expectations for this ORC are different from any others so I'm just enjoying what does happen! #perspective

Please check out all of the great rooms, projects and progress here!

ORC Fall 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

Week 2 Check-In.

Paint was mixed and purchased. 

Then, paint was remixed.

If you call me and ask me what color you should paint something, anything, I can decisively tell you in a very short period of time. My friend Dawn called me once and asked for my top 3 grays. I gave her a shortlist within 15 minutes and one worked perfectly - bathroom, light, etc. completely unseen. 

For myself? Not so much.

I'm 100% on the Sherwin Williams Naval for the French door. 

The one in question has been the eating nook ceiling color.
(I just took a bit of the 1st gallon mixed for the ceiling and diluted it with a ton of white paint and now it's a go!)

We had some ceiling repair hanging over our heads (So punny!) but we got that completed 

and 75% of the sanding dust cleaned up :)  It just goes everywhere. 
That is not spilled white paint that is DUST! And after sweeping once already. 

I've been out of town in Virginia for more than half of this work week

 so I haven't really done much more than that!! And what I have done isn't picture worthy. 

Just dry spackle and such!!

I did, however, decorate my porch barcart for Fall. Because this is my process.
Chaos in one area seems to make me need to decorate elsewhere :)
And I found huge, gorgeous purple mums in VA for $6.00 so it seemed necessary!

Here's to having more to share next week. 

Check in with all the other ORC'ers here.

ORC FALL 2019 - The Kitchen (yep, again)

Are you thinking "Get it together, Marcie?? We've seen this kitchen thing before!
You did your Guest Bedroom ORC twice!!! Are you crazy?" 
So, yes, I did try to pull this off in the Spring. 
I knew I was crazy going in but I tried anyway. #orcfail
And on the doing the same ORC room repeatedly thing I seem to have going on maybe we should just look at it like this - I like to keep on trying until I succeed!

Well, I'm even crazier to try it this round.
(If you don't follow me on IG then you may not know that our Summer was a bit unusual. I will say up front it could have been far worse and a lot of people deal with serious stuff regularly but our daily lives and routines have been impacted so taking this on is a bit crazy! We went to the FL Keys on vacation in July. My husband had a stroke on day 2 of our vacay. What followed was 3 ambulance rides, 8 days in ICU, step down Neuro ward, inpatient rehab all in Miami. Mollie and I stayed in the condo the first week and it was an 1 1/2 hour drive one way into Miami. Then she flew home and I stayed another month in a hotel near rehab. I worked remotely with help from a very understanding boss and staff. We came home to more rehab and I was driving hours each day to appointments, etc. Meanwhile back at the ranch our 80 lb puppy broke a bone in his foot and had to have it casted and he required a lot of my time as well. He also ate a good bit of the couch in the family room so that's another situation to be dealt with another day!! We had another family situation going on in VA and I'm still trying to work from my phone, my ipad -whatever I have from wherever I am in a waiting room. So I'm waaaay behind on, well, everything but I'm so ready to do a fun project and be a bit creative! 
Soooo, I'm just crazily going for it!)

BUT, I will be ecstatic with whatever small progress I make.

So maybe I should call this - The Kitchen - Baby Steps.

 I am shortening my to-do list and lowering my expectations 

on what I can accomplish this Fall.
This is a light refresh with a lot of paint and some fabric 
I bought the last time I attempted this and not a major redo or renovation
because (medical bills, vet bills....) budget.
But, again, I say that I am very excited to be doing this ORC!

It will feel great to have the kitchen spiffed up a bit before the holidays. 
I may even get to add in a little Fall seasonal decor. I painted these Chinoiserie pumpkins with the idea in mind that they can stay in the kitchen until Thanksgiving.

Last time I thought I was going to paint my cabinets something other than white. I love a white kitchen but thought I was ready to make a change.
Apparently not. That was one of the hold ups last time. 
I confidently slapped a swatch of paint on my cabinet door, and boom - indecision. So it has been just like that all these months. I know, embarrassing. 

But now we know - we are white kitchen people. At least in this house where 
our big screen porch affects the light in our kitchen.

And this is my all time favorite kitchen "pin" - Serena Crawford's former kitchen!
If you are wondering what my all white dream kitchen looks like in my head :)

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.

2. Use the coral leopard print fabric to make curtains I bought last attempt...

  And use Ballard bamboo curtain hardware I bought on deep sale but give it a coat of white paint.

3. Take down dated wood valance over sink. Adjust glass shelf over sink.

4. Replace fluorescent over sink light with a recessed light.

5.Paint dining nook ceiling pale blue.

6. Change island top. Paint island.
(This one is a stretch)

7.Put bamboo shades at windows.

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 :)



9.Paint ceiling fans navy blue.

10. Runner in front of sink?

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. 

12. Re-fit cookbook book shelves and move microwave from counter to new shelf. 

12. Cover lampshade on light over kitchen table. 

What's staying?

1.The vintage faux bamboo kitchen table and chairs. 
2. Coral faux bamboo server
 (which is basically the only thing I accomplished last time.)

3. The vintage industrial storage cabinet we use for spice storage.

4. The collection of blue and white on top of the pantry cabinets in the eating nook.

So here I go - with an adjusted perspective - just hoping to accomplish enough on the list above to make the kitchen feel fresshhh, bright white and maybe a touch updated!

If you would like to see my previous ORC's then please look here!
(Scroll to the bottom of the post for links.)

If you want to know more about the One Room Challenge or to see what everyone else is accomplishing along the way then be sure to follow along here.