Happiness is.....however you define it!

Good morning son! What a beautiful morning it is too. There's snow on some of the ground but the sun is out and it's predicted to be 50 degrees! Yea, Spring is on it's way! Well, it's always been on it's way, just like every year, but it's more evident today that it's on it's way. Wow! That was a mouthful.

I've been spring cleaning in the kitchen. What use to take me a day now takes dad and I several. I don't know if it's because we're slower or because of what I want to get done and how I want to get it done. But, since we can take our time and it doesn't really matter how long it takes we just trudge along. Actually, it does matter how long it takes because after so long I began to get twitchy. It also could be taking longer because I added a project as we cleaned. 

Before

Our kitchen cabinets are newer and are oak. One of the downsides, if there are any, to leasing/renting is that the landlords generally don't think kindly if someone paints new oak cabinets. But they look so sterile and plain. It's driven me nuts since we moved in. I'm very thankful for the new cabinets but for me, they needed some character/color. So I came up with the idea of making inserts for the recess of the cabinet doors. I should say, the project needed to cost me virtually "nada". I had a couple of sheets of foam core from the Dollar Tree. I measured the recess of the cabinet and cut two

After

identical pieces of foam core. A couple of years ago I found two rolls of blue stripped wallpaper at Goodwill for $1.99. I cut the wallpaper to fit the foam core insert adding 1" on all sides to wrap smoothly around the foam core. I then wrapped the foam core with the wallpaper just like I would if I were wrapping a package tacking the edged of the wallpaper to the foam core as I worked around the insert. I then stenciled a mustard colored rooster in the center. I already had the stencil and paint that I had used on the hutch I had re-done for our kitchen. After two years, the kitchen was an organizational  nightmare. So, I was also organizing as we cleaned. I knew I wanted to create a baking center so I began with that. There was really only one area I could use. It's an old house, 1800's so the electrical outlets are not plentiful but there is one to the left of the sink so I began

new baking cabinet

there. I had already moved my Kitchen Aid mixer there. 

Everything I used for baking, measuring cups, spoons, spices, cooling racks and ingredients were spread throughout all the cabinets. I emptied everything out of the cabinets I wanted to use, Wiped them down with some ammonia and lemon water and began. Here's what I ended up with. I also wanted to get all the spatulas, measuring spoons and cups off the counter and out of the drawers. So, I repeated the inserts on the inside of the cabinet doors too. I added clear Command hooks to the inside of the doors to hang the measuring cups and spoons. The other door is ready for whatever I need. On the outside of the doors I covered some empty boxes with coordinating scrapbook paper.  I'd been saving various boxes from such items as spaghetti, baking soda and such. I attached them to the front insert with several dabs of hot melt and voile', a baking center.

This coming week, along with another project, I'll be finishing the kitchen. I still have the drawers to complete. The fonts of the cabinets will remain the same but I'm going to cover all the knobs in variegated beads the color of our kitchen. Now, a kitchen that feels warm and welcoming and one that says welcome.

 So, here's our next  project. I have four of these beautiful chairs. Well, beautifully shaped anyway. We're going to re-do them in black and white. We bought the paint yesterday; black, semi-gloss Behr paint. It's beautiful paint to use and already has the primer in it so it saves and entire step. In the end, probably an entire day of painting. My hand likes that! I'm thinking black & white buffalo check fabric for the seats but I'll have to see what I can find. I have some beautiful "rooster" toile fabric in black and white but I'm undecided as of yet. I'll have to wait until I get closer to that step. I'm going to teach dad how to cover the seats! Yea, he knows!

So, time changed last night. We "sprang forward" so to speak Grandpa use to say, "spring forward, fall back" so we could remember. Guess it's always stuck. Time changes and Easter approaches. Easter! We just celebrated Christmas and Valentine's Day. How can it possibly already be Easter. It arrives early this year, March 31st.  I unwrapped my Easter rabbits yesterday to put them out and the "mama" was in perfect shape, but the "baby" was smashed into a hundred pieces. Guess he didn't fare to well in the trip across the country. I'll miss him. He's been a standard Easter decoration in our home since you were little. However, as you would have reminded me, he was just a decoration. After all, we believe the true reason for Easter is the resurrection of our Lord. What a glorious morning that must have been. I am so thankful He did. His death and resurrection makes our eternity with Him possible. And along with that comes the knowledge that we will all once again be together. What an awesome realization and truth.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom