Progress in the Kitchen

Another weekend of kitchen demolition and re-construction! This time, D had the help of our son who provided some much needed muscle and also his math skills to double check those measurements! For the better part of the day on Saturday, I was without a sink, dishwasher and counter. But by the end of the day, it was pretty much all back in place, even if we do have to use the old sink and Formica top for a few more weeks. Sloooooowly, it's taking shape! Hopefully by next week, we'll be ready for the measurements for the quartz tops to be taken so we can get them ordered. I still need to find a kitchen faucet, tile and lighting. While all this was taking place at my house, I was over at our daughter's house helping her with a garage sale. Now I'm not a fan of garage sales. I know some people can't pass them up and know how to find some treasures, but it's just not my cup of tea. I have held a few over the years and every time I do, I wonder why I bothered since it is almost more profitable just to take the stuff to Goodwill or somewhere and write it off as a donation. But it is kind of fun, especially when it is a neighborhood event like this one was. I was able to help her out, got rid of a few things ourselves, and spend some time with B and J and little J (who were here with our son, J. Confusing isn't it!) The weather was finally turned beautiful here. This weekend was gorgeous. After boxing up the last of the leftover rummage, I enjoyed the rest of the day and played with my grandson. He loves to sit in the grass and be outside. Of course he was wearing his new Harley shirt, so I had to get a photo with the little cutie! We've been lucky to see him pretty often for the last couple of months but I swear, he changes so much each time!

Pre-Travel Tidbits

Progress on the cabinets will slow again as we are getting ready to gather our leather jackets and helmets and pack the Harley and trailer for a few days on the road. Hopefully the weather will clear and we'll have a dry trip. But if not - all the more stories to tell, I guess.

Thought you might like to see one of the new features of the remodeled kitchen that I'm going to really enjoy. My big Kitchen-Aid mixer will now be at finger tips notice to mix up something sweet and fattening! I used it today to mix up some oatmeal cookies and it was great! D thought he should raise the butcher block just a little to be even with the counter top (this is still the Formica - new ones will wait til June) but I like it a little lower. Since I'm short, it makes it nice to see what's going on and easier to add ingredients. When stored - it is out of the way and not taking up counter space. I lost some cabinet space but I think it's a good compromise. You can see above the base cabinets on either side of the new gas range. The doors aren't quite ready for the uppers but he'll be able to finish that up soon after we return. I'm actually kind of liking the open shelves for now. Having them open makes me make the effort to stay relatively organized!
Beamer has a new best friend! Meet Mr. Automatic Feeder. He is nearby at 7:00 AM waiting for his breakfast and again at 6:00 PM when he is expecting his supper. This will come in handy though when we're gone next week and our neighbor won't have to worry about getting here at the same time every day to feed this poor starving cat!


A few weeks ago I received a package from my sister. Inside were two aprons. One was my first ever sewing project for 4-H and the other was this. Neither one of us is sure where it came from. We think it is possible that Mama made it for her mother back many, many years ago. There was a time when she made some projects using gingham and cross stitch. But the condition that it is in makes me think it is probably newer than that and perhaps someone gave it to her or she made it when we were both expecting our first babies back in 1978. Although it's kind of big on me and not the most attractive style, it's fun to reminisce about our sewing heritage but sad to think there are some questions that will remain unanswered. So chalk one up for blogging as our grandchildren will have some way to go back and have access to the tidbits of our lives!

Now you'll have to excuse me as I really should be doing laundry and packing for the motorcycle trip. Fitting everything in is much easier now with the little trailer but there are still some things I have to limit ( such as shoes!). I might be able to get a post or two from the road - so check back in a few days to see where we end up!

Before, During and Other

I've been talking about this for almost two years now and I bet you all thought it would never happen. But we're finally ready for the next phase of the kitchen remodel. There's a before shot..... Now here it is during, complete with the mess of the contents of half of the cabinets spread across the counter tops. Since we are doing the demolition and re-construction in stages, I think I'll be seeing a lot of this.
And here's another "during" photo. The upper cabinets are installed, but doors and shelving won't be up until later this week. But what this doesn't show, are the completed lower cabinets, new microwave and the under cabinet lighting. So progress has been made! I'm hoping have most of it completed by Memorial weekend when we're expecting house guests. But since we've got a vacation planned for a few days before that - we'll see! Before the kitchen became a construction zone, I did a little baking. This is Rhubarb Crumb Cake using a recipe from Smitten Kitchen. We used to eat a lot of rhubarb when I was growing up. Especially Rhubarb crisp but this recipe combines the crumbly, sugary goodness of the topping of a crisp with a nice moist cake and not quite so much rhubarb. Yum!



On to the list of other random things here at the home front. Last year, the pink dogwoods were so beautiful around here that I decided to (have the garden center) plant one in our backyard.

Oops, someone planted a nice white dogwood instead! At least the garden center admitted their mistake and instead of digging this one up and re-planting a pink one, they gave me a good deal on a second tree. Hopefully, this one will be pink!

Sewing project this week was putting the binding on the little quilt that B pieced and I quilted for her little "peanut"! If anyone ever hears me say I'm going to put satin binding on a quilt, please, please, please, stop me! Maybe it was the combination of the Minkee backing and the satin, but I had the worst time getting this done and I'm not proud of my workmanship at all. But maybe little "peanut" won't care and he'll just enjoy cuddling the softness. I actually remember having a "blankey" with satin binding on it when I was very little and my mother had to replace the worn out binding because it was so well loved. I appreciate her efforts so much more now!

Hope you all have a great week. This will be a busy one around here!

Happy Easter!

Did you have a nice Easter? The Easter Bunny has paid a visit to someone special!A family tradition: the Russell Stover chocolate marshmallow bunny. Don't underestimate the satisfaction of chewing on the package if you are too young for chocolate!

Beamer loves the warmer weather now. He's discovered a better view of the birds from the table. D's been extremely busy with his real job, so the kitchen project has slowed. But we did get the hardware last week so he's been working on the drawer fronts. Sometimes you just have to really get into your work to get the job done.


Last Thursday I hopped over to Among Friends Quilt Shop for a Handi-Quilter open house. That's on my wishful thinking list. The nice folks from Handi-Quilter were there for demos so I visited with them a little. Right now, there is no way I would have room to set one of these up the way I'd like plus I would certainly have to commit my time to a major learning curve. Maybe someday when the kitchen is done and we re-arrange the office/sewing room...... It would be so nice to be able to finish a quilt myself from start to finish like so many of you quilty gals do. But I did manage to win a door prize at the open house (a nice set of scissors, etc.) and of course I couldn't leave empty handed so there were a few purchases too!

Come back later this week for more of my adventures in St. Louis as little J and I get re-acquainted. I'm sure there will be some fun to report - at least for Grammie!

Have a great week!

Complete Randomness

I can't believe it's been a whole week without a new post here. Sorry to those of you who've taken the time to stop by and have found that I've been MIA. So now you'll be forced to endure a blog post of complete randomness (sp?) because I guess that's been my week.

The things you learn on Facebook. Yes, I've succumbed to the monster that's taking over the cyber world. It is almost as time draining as blog hopping but with a shorter attention span required. But I did learn that the Oklahoma niece is a fan of this tea. So while at the grocery this morning I found Stash's Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea. I understand her obsession. This is my new favorite too! For the rest of you in the Monday Losers with Sharon, this is my tip of the week. A little green tea is good for you and can help ward off the snacking urge. (Note the Breville one cup coffee brewer which we love. It works great for a quick cup of hot water for tea too.) Have you heard about the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day? Just one word - yummy! The dough is mixed with only four simple ingredients and kept in a container the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. I've yet to master the technique to form the perfect loaf but who cares what it looks like, right? Next time I'll try the recipe that has more whole grains since we don't eat a lot of white foods any more.
D continues to stack up the kitchen cabinet doors. Beamer loves to go in the workshop and check on the progress.
He's even gotten some of the doors stained. The beautiful grain lines of the quarter-sawn oak are even more apparent with a little stain. The doors (and the kitchen) will be a Mission/Arts and Crafts style. We finally decided on door hardware this week so hopefully will have that to show soon. The first bid we got for counter tops was pretty scary so the search is still on. I'd like to have quartz (Silestone or similar) or granite.
I've been in the sewing room too. I completed this Bunny Hill Jelly Bag using a portion of Tula Pink jelly roll and there's a knitting project in the works too. I'm having a good time with that one - but that's all I can say right now! A little progress has been made on the nursery bedding. More to come on that in the future.

So that is my random Monday post. Oh - yes before I forget, Miss Sharon, I did lose .5 this past week! A completely undeserved surprise when warm, fragrant, yummy white bread has been resting on my kitchen counter next to a tub of butter and calling my name!

Pretty Day = Road Trip

Isn't it great to see such pretty blue sky and warm weather? So it was a good day for a ride. See where a little road trip took me today? It really isn't that far to the Cincinnati area. Not much different than the Saturday shopping trips we used to take when our kids were little and we lived 80 miles from the nearest Walmart. But IKEA is no Walmart!

B found the nursery bedding (at wonderful prices!) she's been looking for. Plus some closet storage units and lots of other goodies. Now we have lots of decorating ideas for the fabrics, curtains, rugs and crib bedding she brought home. She is getting so excited! One of these days I'll post some pics of the cute stuff as it develops.

I went on another little road trip this week too. This is what happened when new knitters are let loose in a cute yarn shop. It's almost like being let loose in a candy shop - or a quilt shop! I apologize for not getting any photos at Friends and Fiber but I was with a couple of new friends who I don't think are familiar with this blog. And I didn't want to freak them out and make them think I'm the paparazzi!

Of course, I really didn't need to add to any kind of yarn or fabric stash this week. There is plenty to keep me busy. However, I've been sort of stuck in a creative rut lately and keep looking to anything for a jump start. The free motion quilting is still an elusive talent and keeping me very frustrated every time I sit down to try it again. I'm beginning to think a trip to the Husqvarna dealership might be necessary to see if there's a problem with my machine. It's probably just operator error though!

In the meantime, D continues with kitchen cabinet construction. He's working on doors now with the help of his new drum sander.

Door parts, stacked neatly. I need this kind of organization in my sewing room!

Hundreds of dowels to hold the door parts together.

Just in case I don't get a post in tomorrow - here's my Loser Monday Report Sharon! I do believe I lost a grand total of 1/2 pound this week! I'll do an official weigh in tomorrow morning. Let's hope I can still claim it!

I hope to discard the valentine cookie header this week. But I'm in search of something new though I'm not sure what it will be yet! That creative rut has tripped me up again. We're looking forward to a visit from a little cupid guest (and his parents!) this coming weekend so I promise some cutie pie pics again! Thanks for checking in! Ya'll come back!

Another Monday Report

With nasty weather most of last week I do have something to show for it. It was good weather to stay inside and do what else, but sew! I started a couple of new projects. This one is sitting in front of me now, waiting for me to get the nerve to do a little free motion quilting again. It's a table runner from the Dandelion Girl leftover jelly roll pieces using a pattern from Heather Mulder Peterson's On A Roll Again book. I think this one is called Pickety Sticks. Finally, on Saturday the roads were clear enough for the delivery of my new kitchen appliances. The cabinets are progressing nicely, but still not ready for installation. But since we're not changing the arrangement of the kitchen, I was able to go ahead and have the new fridge and range installed. Aren't they pretty! The stainless steel really brightens up the room and the gas range is going to be wonderful, once I get used to it. I was actually able to make pancakes on the griddle without burning the first batch! I need to do some serious cooking though to enhance my cooking skills.

I have to admit that this was a diet buster. These are what B and I are calling Brookies. I found the recipe at Bakerella. If you haven't visited her blog, you're missing some yummy recipes and food photos. Check out the box of "chocolates" she's got on there today! Sorry I got sidetracked - these "brookies" are actually a box of brownies, made according to the directions, then a package of chocolate chip cookie mix, made according to the directions, and then dropped onto the brownie batter. The final touch is a chocolate ganache - not shown here, but yes, I did add later! We had a few friends over to watch the Super Bowl so I really did have an excuse to bake. Most of them are now in the (awesome!) freezer of my new fridge, waiting for our next guests!

So now that you know what I may or may not have indulged in lately, I can report to no one's surprise that I did not lose any weight again last week. Oh well. At least no gain.

But there is someone who has gained weight! Not too much, but just the right amount and looking very glowing too! Isn't she cute! I was able to tag along for her OB appointment last Friday and was able to hear grandbaby #2's little heartbeat and meet her nice doctor. Then we made a short trip to the mall to find some new clothes to cover her expanding tummy.

One last photo. When the sun finally came out last week, nature's beauty was abundant. Too bad that so many people are still suffering without their utilities and that so many trees have been damaged by the ice. Luckily, the trees at the subdivision entrance were spared and proudly wore their icy decor.

See you later!

Join the PIF !

I've been debating whether to join in, but took the plunge! I'm not sure who started this, and I apologize for not giving them proper credit, but there is a special "challenge" going around the crafty/quilter blogs that I read. It is called PIF or Pay It Forward and it is based upon the idea from the movie where you perform a good deed without anything expected in return except that the recipient do the same for someone else. But the twist of this one is that you send something handmade. Connie has an excellent explanation over on her blog so stop by there for complete instructions.

When I saw that Deb was looking for some one to join, I signed up! I can't wait to see what she makes as she is one talented girl! So now I am looking for the first three bloggers who comment on my blog that they would like to join in (you can comment without joining!). I will send you something handmade - within the next 6 months. I'm not sure what it will be yet but you must post the same on your blog and pass along the fun! Any questions?

D continues his passion for woodworking in his basement workshop. He is veneering the wood for the doors and it is quite an undertaking. I should go down and take a pic of him working in his pj's and setting up his veneer press. But I'm not sure how he'd feel about that! The reality of a new kitchen is setting in though. Yesterday we purchased two new appliances at Bargain Supply. They have some amazing deals on scratch and dent units from the manufacturer. I found the GE Cafe gas range and the GE french door fridge that we've been looking for and both have only slight cosmetic damage which will not show when placed in the cabinets. Yippee - mucho $$ saved!

You can't tell too much from this photo so this is the picture from GE's website.
I'm getting excited about these! Maybe I'll have to take up real cooking again. Oh wait - I have to cook healthy now don't I! Stop by tomorrow for my update on Sharon's Diet Challenge.

Back to Work!

The Christmas decorations are all down and put away. So continuing on the cleaning binge I went downstairs to organize and straighten my sewing area(s) after the last minute gifty rush. But I got sidetracked. I discovered the unfinished 2008 BOM packets from Among Friends. And since I've already signed up for the 2009 series and the June through December were still in their little plastic packets. I decided to get busy and crank these out. I've not been sure if I like this colorway and all year I've been wishing I'd signed up for the brighter option. But it's growing on me and now I'm looking forward to getting the whole quilt put together. I've got the finishing kit so hope it goes together easily. This year I'm going to have my favorite machine quilter (Sandi) finish this up for me. Last year I had a different lady quilt my BOM quilt and I was very disappointed in her work. Not much I could do about it, but it seems such a shame to put so much time and effort into a quilt only to have an in-experienced LAQ mess it up. Lesson learned!

You might remember that we are supposed to be in the process of remodeling the kitchen. This project has definitely not been forgotten. Since the Harley is put away for the winter, D has turned back into the master woodworker! The day that we actually have to start ripping out the existing cabinets is still a ways off, but the new cabinets are stacking up in the basement. This is just a portion of them. All of the drawers are complete and now he's starting on the doors. Maybe this will be the year!

My first few days as a member of Sharon's Dieting Blogger Babes has gone well. I've been faithfully exercising every day. And we've been eating healthy this week too. Lentil soup, grilled chicken, vegetable soup (yes, we like soup!), baked sweet potato fries and even some broiled hamburgers, but all within my WW points. D says he's already lost several pounds. How do men do that?!!