Etsygazing (an ongoing saga)

It's been far too long since I had an installment. Never fear readers, I've not neglected the website, just the blog.

This pattern has been in my favorites for at least a year. Now, if I just gave a flip about learning to sew....

(shop: Fabric Flair)




I would use this for the body....

(shop: fabriccloset)



and this for the trim.

(shop: fabriccloset)



This artist I discovered about 3 weeks ago and find myself in her online "gallery" at least 4 times a week. This one is called "She liked to rustle her red crinoline". And who could blame her? She has great legs.

(shop: janethillstudio)





And this was a belated birthday splurge. I had been given money by my mother for something wholly for myself and completely self-indulgent. She thought a manicure, and then I saw this purse. Crazy, crazy cute.


(shop: tanneicasey)





It's been far too

Kitchen in transition

Our dining room first served us as a master bedroom, and now an interim kitchen.


Here's the cooking station- complete with toaster oven, microwave, and a griddle for when I get really adventurous for pancakes and eggs.



Tada! The dining room as appliance warehouse. We bought these appliances as floor models and they have been sitting here for months. I'm excited to have my gas range and oven back in one unit together. The bottom drawer is actually a lower oven, with a depth for a casserole or cookie sheet. The warming drawer was intriguing but didn't make sense for the way that we lived. I didn't realize that it actually is humidity controlled, meaning that if you put a dish in there to keep warm, it wouldn't change in taste or texture for up to 8 hours. I thought the lower oven might get used more over the long haul. The double ovens that I took out were only used once in 9 months of living here, but I could see the usefulness in having the option. The thing I'm most excited about is the 5th burner/grill on top. Fajitas anyone?

When the walls come tumblin', tumblin'

Down!!!! ( sorry Mellencamp)


This view from the foyer down the hall always makes me think of ET. You know, when the scientists walk around in hazmat suits and make plastic tunnels out of everything? EL- iottt!!!



Where there once was a wall is no more. We thought we might keep up more of it to house the phone and some shallow shelves, but I still felt closed up, or at least like a diner window. The basement door (to the right, outside of the pic) will open up into the half wall, but we decided to remove as much as possible there too, since the door is almost always closed anyways.


The soffits are gone! Hooray! The pantry is being widened up too.




The wall to the right is the new half wall and underneath will have the sink and dishwasher. The doorway is to the dining room.

Three Days

This is what took hours of backbreaking labor for Jeff. There were 2 layers of linoleum and subfloor. These staples were at every seam and I never managed to pull up any to help. He ended up pulling half of them out and hammering down the other half.


You know the saying, "It's going to get worse before it gets better"? I swear this kitchen has only improved so far. Funnily enough, it does look smaller without the cabinets, but enormously lighter without those dark cabinets. The wall to the left will be removed up to sink level so that I can see into the family room on the other side. The bay window will get a built in window seat, but I'm getting mixed reviews on how large to make it. What do you think? The options are around all 5 windows, or just the middle 3.



Bye, Bye 80's soffits. The new shaker style white cabinets will go to the ceiling.





My daughter, who slept through the whole demolition, just beneath her.

Hit the Road Jack!

Goodbye troll kitchen

Be gone dark corners



unidentifiable dirt. Blech!

Kitchen remodel day 1.

Hairdryers (and other miscellaneous appliances that give up far too early on you)

So, I had a hairdryer from high school that passed away after 15 years of faithful service. Yes, it's amazing, mystifying, but a true story. Naturally I assumed that all hairdryers should last so long. I bought a new one at Target that lasted all of 3 years. Figuring it was just a poor purchase, I plunged in with more money and bought this one in racing red.





It died peacefully last night, and smartly so. My husband was about to use it to dry caulk.

Frankly, I'm annoyed. Do I have to replace a hairdryer every year to only toss it's predecessor into the landfill? Should I walk around with wet hair in protest? (This is a emphatic no, I tried today, and it was NOT pretty). I stomp down to Sally's Beauty Supply with toddler in tow and bought a salon quality model with a warranty for a sale price of $50.

Glaring at the receipt with $50 next to the word "hairdryer", I get more frustrated. I found the instruction manual with minimal difficulty (remember, I am a consumer science major who studied Ralph Nader) and think "Ha, Ha! They didn't count on me keeping this miniscule piece of paper!" Lo and behold, there is a 2 year warranty on said hairdryer and I am only 1 year in. I called up the number preparing to do battle and was greeted by a friendly voice who apologized! Within 2 minutes, my information has been secured and my replacement hairdryer is on it's way via FedEx.

Isn't it nice when a story has a happy ending?