Another Treasure Found

Sadly, at 4'8" I can't reach a lot of things - even in my own kitchen.
I came upon this in a local shop the other day. I have kicked myself over the last few days for not inquirying if it was for sale and it's price.
I was so excited today when it was still there and she told me it was for sale. I quickly brought it home to test. I love that it's old. I recall one along the same concept in a home that I used to visit as a kid. I always had to pull out the 'step'.

**Shop located in Salibury next to The Right Stop (NBLCC) on Horsman Street. It is a flower shop that also carries antiques, jewelry and more. "Flowers & Treasures"**

Almost Done!

Well, we almost there. We need only to clean up the mess! AND to remember where we put that which we have already put in the cupboards. My goodess what a difference. See the sidebar for the before and after shots.

Almost done - Wahoo!

Almost there! This is my 'pretend' kitchen. Do you notice anything? I have a floor!!!!!!!! Yes, I know, sounds simple; however, it's been missing since we started this reno.

Check below to see what it looked like before...I will do 'before' and 'after' once we are done.

LOST beneath this mess ......

LOST beneath this mess.............I am still hopelessly lost in the renovation stages and will be back to blog as soon as I can. We have set a deadline, therefore, I must run. Even the dog stops to rest once he gets tired of searching for his dishes. Take care for now. Chat soon.

UPDATE: 04/24/2009 We are almost there! Wahoo by week's end I am thinking I might be washing dishes in the appropriate sink.

FURTHER UPDATE: 04/25/2009 Well, the kitchen's painted! Wahoo, now to move EVERYTHING else out so the cupboards can come in. We are seeing lots of MESS but we are also seeing progress.

Busy, busy as a Bee oh what will become of me?

Okay, so I felt like being 'outside the box' today. Well, the cupboards are cleared and my house is lost. Why DO we keep so much 'stuff'? Is it because "Aunt Mary gave me this I should keep it"? Well, I am sorry 'Aunt Mary', but somethings have just got to go.

Thank goodness for 'take anything' days, too bad it's another month away - the garage is full now. Well, to the storage I guess..........basement somewhere..........lost forever.

I am under the weather today, so I am headed back to bed for more rest.
Thank goodness for helpers!

Take care - we'll catch up again soon.

Quirky finds within my cupboards …and more

Well, I have made it through about ¾ of my cupboards only to confirm that I have too much ‘stuff’. I can’t begin to count the number of times I thought (or said) ‘where did that come from’ or ‘I wondered where that went’. Oh, so you aren’t like me and haven’t dug into that back corner in over 20 years? Perhaps it’s that you don’t want to admit such a mystery exists?

One such find was this. What do you think it is? I find it to be a bit quirky but I like it.

It’s a coffee perk. I like that it has a personality and not just ‘silver’ like you would expect. Here are pictures of a teapot (sidebar) that we had given Patty to add to her Teapot Collection (see Wilson’s Disease in the blog archive-February).

This brings me to ask you – have you visited Gwen’s site Desideratum? You really should. She and hubby make jewellery (plus more) and one pair of earrings is a coffee pot and tea cup as in ‘coffee or tea’ (I have a pair and love them!). She just introduced their latest earrings which is a book and a coffee mug. I am picking mine up in a week or so. Check them out – there’s a link to your right.

Well, I must get back to it – I truly think we all should consider convincing ourselves that we are selling the house about every six (6) months. But then, I like a little mystery in my life -as long as it’s not scurrying. (This coming from a person whose teen has a pet rat).

Home Renovations

I like to change things around as much as the next guy - BUT. .. why is it when you begin one room it seems you must do more? The 'trickle down effect' my friend calls it. I call it - time for a serious and embracing reality check.

You see, we started this project because of one thing which requires painting of all the walls in that room, then we decided but wait that wall in the next room would look good in that color, and then it was the hall that needed attention now that you have done that...and oh wait, now this room looks like crud (this is the room the dog thinks he should help with).

BUT --the bathroom will need to wait! Oh but I have all the stuff for that one in my living room the vanity, toilet (still in the box - no privacy otherwise lol), and new lighting. So, that will come in the fall...at least the tub is in the garage.

Back to project 'A' as my teen is home for the day, she can help. Catch you later folks.

PS> My teen thought she would multi-task by coloring her hair the same color as the paint on the wall (not intentially of course). Too funny. Poor kid.

Good Valentine’s morning to you my friend by the sea,

Maybe it’s the time of year, maybe it’s because we had so much loss in our lives last year, maybe it’s my age, maybe…….it’s because it’s so much as in life that it ‘struck’ me. But I had to share.
Restoration is the gentle part of peeling back the layers of time, revealing the original intent of it's architectural design.
This sentence, taken from an article I was reading, struck me so as a reflection of us in life. Life throws us curve balls - which helps to mold who we become and in those changes, sometimes we lose the person that we were. If one takes those ‘curve balls’ and gently peel back the layers of ‘crud’; keeps the ‘bones’ of who we were and adding the ‘curves’ of what we have learned through the experience – we become as an old home. One that was perhaps in disrepair and sad to one of splendor of it’s ‘glory days’. One that someone has touched with their heart, soul and creativity.
I absolutely love that and wish I had the artistic ‘design’ within, and of course the resources, to travel on such an adventure. My husband grew up in an old farmhouse that was cold, drafty, and electrically not safe perhaps.…but that has been touched by modern additions and is now a cute house. The original staircase and such has been restored, but as with the times some things were updated and made modern. His brother still lives there and although I appreciate what he has done, I would have continued and given the kitchen a more ‘old’ feel and such..but it’s not my house.
I can have the appreciation through the antique furniture in our room, my grandmothers piano and the things that remind me of her when I was younger, etc. In the changes we hope to make to the bathroom we have salvaged an old claw tub to be combined with a vanity that is much like an old piece of furniture that is marble/granite topped. In doing the hardwood floors in ‘cottage grade’ a few years ago, I personally think our home is ‘warmer’ and more inviting. Boy when when begins to do their own work – man it’s work. Hubby and I put down the hardwood (which is various lengths/color variations) by both the nailer and by hammer – wow! We sure nailed that one