Sunday, July 29, 2012

First Art Project

I find great ideas on Pinterest all the time. I was really excited to actually DO one the other day! Here's Samweli's first art project. He was so cute working on his painting. We used condensed milk and food coloring to make a less runny paint. The paint ended up being runnier than I thought it would though, so we quickly added some newsprint under his canvas. :) 

And since we hardly used any of the milk, we got to enjoy one of his Daddy's favorite treats later - sliced peaches covered with sweetened condensed milk, yummy! 




Here's a few other internet finds that I've enjoyed lately:
Paper Bag Popcorn - I like this article I linked, but my favorite way to make it is to only use 1/4 c. popcorn and add in 1/2 tsp. olive oil along with the popcorn salt before popping.
The Peaceful Mom - I am really into this blog. I've especially enjoyed her recipes and meal planning sections along with her "Brain in a Binder" which I just can't say enough about how well it's helping me organize my life.
Soap Clouds - These are great for times when dirty kids just do not want to get into the bathtub.

Have a blessed week!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Independence Day

They're a little late, but here are some pictures from our 4th of July celebrations.

I didn't make too many plans ahead of time because Noe was going to work in the evening. We hung out at the house most of the day, and Noe did some mowing. Samweli had to be involved of course, and ended up pushing this mower around the yard a little. Noe ended up turning it on and helping him over the rough spots. He is such a beast of a man! I can't believe how strong he is! <---I'm talking about Samweli. :)

Samweli is full of independence himself these days. We went to Letulle Park for the city's July 4th celebration. There weren't too many people there, but that was perfect for my son because he had plenty of room to roam around wherever he pleased. There were prizes (my friends won a trip to Schlitterbahn!), free bouncy houses, water slides, great bands, and the most exciting part...pin wheels:

The last "band" was a barbershop quartet that covered our favorite patriotic songs and led into the fireworks show, which was Samweli's first ever. He loved it!

I would just like to say that Bay City did an AMAZING job putting together our Independence Day celebration. The fireworks show was the biggest in our history (so I'm told), the kids' activities were free, and the park was sprayed for mosquitos. For our little town, I'm pretty proud. Even though there wasn't a huge turnout, I hope they do it again next year. We'd definitely be there!

Friday, July 13, 2012

Kitchen Redo - House Pics Post 2

So, my kitchen isn't finished yet, but it's close enough for me to share pictures. Here we go:

BEFORE:

^^^Please notice the HUMONGOUS slatted doors over the pantry^^^
(left picture)
and the crumbling yellow tile countertop and backsplash (right picture)
along with the mismatched "wood" laminate. 
Did you notice the smoke-stained vent-hood 
and the gaudy, retro knobs on all the cabinetry...
...or should I mention those things too?

AFTER:
We sanded and painted the cabinet doors and replaced the hardware. I couldn't salvage any hinges (although I did try), but I was able to save a TON of money by resurrecting some old cabinet pulls. My mom bought the pulls for me at a garage sale ($7 for 40 pulls). We cleaned, spray painted and lacquered them, and they turned out great! The originals sell on ebay for $7 a piece. We just took off the ugly plate on the back that was making them look so dated!

I took off the bifold doors that covered the pantry because they were poorly hung and falling apart. I opted to leave it open and *try* to keep my food stuffs looking neat and organized on the shelf. I picked up some clear canisters at a garage sale (14/$10) and had a few of my own already. 
It helps to keep everything looking somewhat unified.

Here is our breakfast nook. I still need to pick out fabric, make cushions, refinish the bottom cabinet doors, and do something with the window, but it's coming along. (Samweli enjoyed running through some hanging streamers at a party we went to, so I thought I could set some up in the door to keep him busy while I was getting my kitchen set back up.)

Did you notice that we moved the oven? That's because my wonderful hubby got me a dishwasher! Hmmm...I wonder if he thinks that counts as "helping" with the dishes.

There's still a LOT more to be done, but the bulk of the job is over. Maybe we'll get it finished before we've lived in the house a year, but if not, that's okay. I'm just blessed to have such a functional place to cook.

I know colors don't come across computer screens like they ought to, but if you want to check out my kitchen colors, try these from Sherman Williams (but wait until it goes on sale, of course):
Compatible Cream (walls)
Navajo White (cabinetry)
Dover White (trim)

As usual, I've updated the Fluff Gallery and Family Photos sections with new projects and pictures. Please feel free to take a look and enjoy my family and my fabrics! Just click on the tabs at the top of the page.