Kitchen make over part two.

This is a picture of my dining room before the new paint color. I am still searching my archives for a before of the kitchen! (I realize that it doesn't show the before color on the sides, if I find a better one I will edit this post) I move my furniture around pretty often, at least 3 times a year!

Here it is after, it feels so much lighter! I am working on a craft project for the corner of the dining room, using recipe cards and frames. =)

Here is another view.

This is above the microwave.... I am waiting for the hubby to install a little puck light up there for me so it will light up.

The corner of the kitchen.

Another view, I am waiting for the hubby to install a bamboo shade on that window too. Bamboo shades are soo popular right now, and they are so inexpensive! $19.99 at Home Depot! I would like one for the dining room window too, someday!

The hubby's little area. The coffee pot for his 5:30 am rising, and his two full jars of treats! I am trying to decide on a vinyl saying to go over the opening.

I am happy with the paint! I think it has made the kitchen more me... and paint is pretty cheap if I decide to change my mind again! Which I do alot!

Koko pouted all day, because I ignored her needs. =( But I got sidetracked AGAIN! Hehe! and started organizing.

This is the junk drawer. I swear I organize it every year! But this year I bought....

a junk drawer organizer for $7.99!

much better!

Now I am working on the drawer of oversized cooking utensils...

I bought this for $9.99 at Lowes. So off I go to organize!

Have a great day and thanks for visiting!


Updated to add before picture of the kitchen with the peanut butter colored walls... sorry about all stuff on the counters, a craft party was going on!

A little kitchen makeover! part one.

Quick post today, I'm keeping busy this week before I head out of town for another 10 day trip! This time I am headed on a girls trip with my BFF and spending some time with my sister and brother and their families. This will probably be my last trip this year!
Anyway, I am finally painting the kitchen and the family room! The kitchen is almost done... I hope to have it all decorated by the end of the day and post pics tomorrow morning.

The color is a Martha Stewart color called Lemongrass. It is a nice soft green, it compliments the living room color nicely.
The family room is the same color as the laundry room color. I am finally finishing the fireplace too! I am hoping to finish that up tomorrow for a post Thursday morning. Well, not completely finish, because if you remember I gave the furniture from that room to Genna and Justin, so a shopping trip is in order! Haha! Actually, I have everything all picked out, just waiting for a couple more things then we will take the trailer to IKEA with my list.
Have a great Tuesday!


PS my signature is back yay! Not sure why it wasn't working but it's back that's all I care about! Ha!

A day spent with the hubby!

I had to break out the boots yesterday! Yay! Means FALL is really here!

We had a rainy Sunday. Normally, we would stay home, have tea, I would read while the hubby dozed and "watched" the history channel. Maybe have a fire in the fireplace, nice "keep warm and dry" type things.

This rainy Sunday was different. We spent the day with the airplane.

It is a little on the cool side with the wet weather and being in the hanger so I brought Koko's travel bag with food, water, a towel and toys.

I brought a book and my second Starbuck's of the day! The hubby brought the chairs and a blanket in case I needed it. =)

He worked on cleaning the airplane, and waxing the airplane.

She played. She was recently groomed and they put bows in her hair, usually I tell them not to, but I forgot this time. Ooops!

He worked for about 5 hours with only a couple breaks for food and water.

I have a feeling we will be spending many rainy days here, but thats okay... I'd rather be with him than anywhere else! And luckily, he feels the same! =)

We had some visitors when we came home, so cute! We haven't seen as many of them this year, so I was happy to have them come for a visit. I think maybe Koko keeps them away more than I realized. She keeps a pretty good patrol on the yard! Haha!

Hope you stayed warm and dry this weekend!

Laurie

Purple starfish and a new hobby.

I am not sure what is going on with my signature line in my older posts... but I am aware they are not showing up.
We had a gorgeous sunset a couple nights ago. Love all the purples and grays. This was the sunset from our front window, one of my favorite things about this house.

I wanted to share a necklace that my friend Jessica made for me. I love the purple starfish!

I love all the little knots.

I am going to learn to make them for Christmas presents. Jessica said she would teach me. =D

I have decided to take up a new hobby too! Do you know what is in these boxes?

Does this help?

Hand stamped metal jewelry is very popular right now, my hubby just happened to own these boxes of goodies, he was using them to label his tools! But I have stolen them. =)

image from Beaducation

I want to make things like this! Etsy has tons of sellers of this kind of jewelry too, if you are interested!

The hubby's airplane.

My hubby has been saving for an airplane for a very LONG time! I have been with him for 16 years and we have been many places to look at an airplane that he was interested in buying. We have gotten close MANY times. My hubby is a bit picky. He claims he is picky because he needs to make sure I am safe and happy with his purchase, but I think it was more it wasn't the right plane. Anyway, he finally found one and everything fell into place. He is now a proud owner of a 1995 Maule. Now you may think it is a huge expense, but it is about the same price as a new car. His truck is over 10 years old, so I think he deserves a new "car" don't you?! Here are a few more pictures...

He can't fly it yet, hopefully Sunday, but it didn't mean he couldn't move it on the ground!

Yes, that is him driving it on the ramp. The airport in Bellingham is closed until September 22, so it is on the ramp in Skagit for the next couple weeks. I am so happy for him!

We are going to the Greek festival this weekend, and hopefully I can pull him away from his plane long enough to go on the Farm tour too!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Laurie

Whole Wheat Spritz Cookies

This is my second post for today... to get the recipe for my homemade chicken noodle soup you don't want to miss the earlier post!


While I was visiting my Dad in California, his neighbor brought over the BEST cookies! They were whole wheat and made with sugar substitute! PERFECT! So I asked for the recipe. I finally had a chance to make a batch yesterday.


Whole Wheat Spritz Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 cup Stevia or Agave or sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, and salt.  Beat with a spoon until smooth.  Add extracts and eggs, beat until blended.  Stir in flour just until incorporated.  (Divide dough into 4 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a log that fits into your cookie press.)  Press out onto cookie sheet.  Bake till golden brown 12-17 minutes, cool on tray 5 min then on wire rack.

My Grandma gave me this cookie press that was hers, many years ago... I think I have been using it to make Spritz cookies since Genna was 4-5 so about 20 years! I love it!

When she gave it to me it was in this old flour sack, and that is where I still keep it! 

The recipe made about 4 dozen cookies. When I made mine I substituted agave. I also didn't separate and roll out the 4 sections, I just plopped it all into my cookie press, and began pressing them out.

Mine took about 12 minutes to bake. I think next time I will place a sliced almond in the middle of the flower. She also brought a batch over that had peanut butter in it, so I am going to try to mix 1/2 butter and 1/2 peanut butter and leave out the almond extract and see how that turns out.

A nice healthy treat! The hubby tried a few when he got home from work, and said they were okay, he would eat them for breakfast because they are not overly sweet. 
If you bake them, let me know what you think! My sister made some and she and her kids enjoyed them.

Laurie