Kitchen closeups

Just some details about changes, and re-use / re-cycle. I love to take stuff and use it in ODD ways... So here goes. I had to have my GE Artica fridge. But it was so large, it needed "hidden". Instead of building a wall, this old headboard did the job. Thanks Shellie for giving it to me..it now has a new life ! I had Don add some dental molding trim to one edge, and some turned spindles for "feet". He used brackets to attach it to the wall.. it's good and stable.I Painted the head board an off white called "sugar blossom" , a color I use all the time. I used a "grass green" for the rest. after I antiqued it, the grass green looked more teal green. I spattered it with the same antique glaze. Then used brush on chalkboard paint. Every kitchen needs a chalk board ! It is one of my favorite things in the kitchen.The cheapest thing.. yet one I love.

The bake center...well the stove was suppose to be there according to the original plans..BUT since we were doing it our self..we could change it up.. moving that washer dryer wall gave us the room to put the stove on the other side of the room. Leaving this spot for a bake center, and more counter. Don got the bake center done, then realized there was no head room.. SO a few months later he remade it.. Brought the cabinet out away from the wall... added more counter top.Perfect.. He has re-modeled so many things in the house before we ever finished the house. But he's so patient , and he does great work ! My hero !

Here is a close up of the window film. It is laser cut and comes from http://www.decorativefilm.com/ It's awesome stuff. A tad pricey, but worth it. Easy to put on, has an adhesive, peel and stick back.

Bloggin ' at the Beach

Here we are at Navarre Beach, Fla. Spending two months..time is flying by, the weather is hot and humid, perfect for layin' on the beach under the pink umbrella and reading, nice ocean breeze makes you feel so good, long walks on the beach, shelling in the sugar white sand. We have seen dolphins, large loggerhead turtles. Navarre beach is on Santa Rosa Island, east of Pensacola, very quiet and laid back..just like we like it..beaches are empty this time of year. At night we like to walk the paved bike path. As we were walking after dark last night we saw a huge crowd at a public parking lot..we said" WOW large beach party"..but a local , who writes for the paper said "Turtle hatching tonight".. so we followed him over the dunes to the turtle nest..The turtle ladies..who check for nests each spring and keep tabs on them all summer were there, heads to the sand, listening for scratching sounds. they could be heard. The turtle ladies used red lenses over flashlights, turtles can't see red, so it would not bother them when they hatched, yet we would be able to see the turtles. This nest had been laid too close to the surf in spring, the nest was dug up and moved, 110 eggs) to the dune area. all Last night there were still 30 people there, some had left early thinking it was not going to happen, as we did, and finished our walk. stopped back by,still making scratching noise, no hatching yet..so we left for home.. before we got very far, John the newspaper writer drove up to us in his car and said, we have turtle head showing..he gave us a ride back to the site. Once they turtles started crawling out covered in sand,it looked like boiling water so much movement. they were picked up, counted and placed in an empty cooler.. 20 minutes later there were 80 babies.. They carried the cooler down close to the water,we all scrubbed any scent off our hands using damp beach sand, each of us got a hatching out of the cooler, and were told to place it on the sand a few feet from the surf so it could imprint on the sand..hopefully in 25 years when the females are mature to lay eggs some will come back. The tiny turtles, 1/2 the size of my palm were set on the sand..they quickly headed towards the surf..we were there to keep crabs and any birds looking for a late night snack away..we were all lined along the surf and told not to move, as the surf would push the turtles back towards shore, and we were there to make sure they were not pushed ashore, and NOT step on them. Don and I got to release 2 loggerhead hatch lings each. As we released them into the surf, we noticed glowing spots on the surf and sand.. It was fluorescent plankton. So cool.. tiny sparks coming and going, like stars on the water. There are still 30 eggs in the nest..and they placed a screen over it and will check it before daylight , and release any other turtles this morning.. BUT just in case..we will walk back down tonight to see if we can witness this again.. It was getting late, so we carried our walking shoes, and headed down the beach, walking in the surf (once the turtles were safely gone..)and all the way back to our condo, we saw glowing plankton. Stars were out, but no moon..soft sand and warm gulf water on our feet.nice way to end the perfect day.. Thanks John and Sue for letting us into the inner "turtle "circle ! I look forward to next weeks "beach" article in the paper !

Gotta Bake !

The kitchen is a galley style..I was hoping after it was done it wouldn't be too small or narrow. We moved a wall between the laundry to give us 2 extra feet ..and in counter space that was so worth it ! We used natural maple finish and then dressed them out in a Bombay mahogany stain. We put a fireplace mantel over one door way to display the cobalt blue collections. Saved $$ by laying the marble floor tiles ourselves, and Dons idea to lay in on the diagonal made the room look bigger.We also laid black granite tile for counter tops and back splash, big savings over solid granite. This has nice flecks of gold in it. Trimmed it out in stained wood moldings,and 2 coats of clear varnish to protect the stain. There was full window over the sink, but we closed it up when we had a stand alone garage built.didn't want to look at the back of a garage. Once garage was up, we decided to open part of the window back up, cuz no window...very dark in there. So uncover part of window, hung the glass front cabinet, and used a special window film that looks like Waterford crystal. It actually looks like tiny prisms when the light comes thru.. another place to show the cobalt blue. Next I will show you the details of WHY there is a headboard tipped on its side and painted as a chalk board standing next to the fridge..and the story of the Chicken pantry door..and how the bake center cabinet came to be. I actually painted the kitchen 5 times before I got it the color I wanted..good thing I love to paint..and the room was bare ..so easy to roll it on..! Back again soon !

Bedroom Details

Here are a few close ups in Master bedroom. The Tiffany boxes were sent to me from a friend in New York That worked at Tiffany's...so I had to make a "Tiffany clock" ..cut out an opening that would show my digital clock numbers..that's as close to a Tiffany clock as I will ever get ! I ordered a bunch of galvanized cleats, and I gave them a patina finish, to use as tie backs for all the shades in the house. Notice the fossil ed leaf imprints on the wall too. More on that technique later... I found some decorative birdhouses at Samsclub one year, and knew that dear Hubby could adapt them into lites in the "new house"..and he did.. on dimmers...mood lighting.. I got the sconces at Ross.. I had a blast finding odds and ends to put to good use in the house. One night soaking in my Jacuzzi tub..listening to t.v in the bedroom I came up with the shell mirror.I figured if I hung a mirror on the door just right.. the t.v would be reflected..and I could watch from the hot bubble bath I love to soak in. Just and inexpensive mirror.and glued shells all over it.. and done ! I took a metal plane, and painted a banner of " Always Kiss me Goodnight" ..I painted a full moon face on the plane..and it says "Donnie's full moon flights" perfect ! Next time your out shopping, think of another way to use something.. Think outside the box ! Tiffany, or otherwise !