Breakfast Room Before and After

Here are some good pictures of what our breakfast room looked like before I painted the kitchen cabinets.  I apologize for how dark all the pictures seem.

The curtains were actually tablecloths cut in half and pinned up to create the v effect.  I loved these, but since the kitchen was getting such a big face lift, I couldn't leave this side of the room out!  I got the rug from Pottery Barn years ago, and it has been great!



I love the look of mismatched chairs at the table.  It is such a quirky look, and I love anything quirky!  However, most of the chairs were found at flea markets or estate sales and they weren't in the best condition.  I really feared for people to sit in them sometimes.  How tragic would that be, if someone sat down and tumbled to the ground!!?  So, I was on the hunt for some fabulous chairs!



I think the new chairs are a showstopper!!!  I purchase these chairs at Weir's furniture store.  If you live around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area you have heard of Weir's!  It is a Christian family owned store and everything they have is to die for!



I took down my beloved curtains and opted for bamboo shades instead.  We found these at Lowe's.  We lined them with white privacy liners, which was very easy to do, and hung them up!  I think it gives the kitchen a more updated and cleaner look.



I still have a lot of red touches in here, but I tried to add more white.  I really wanted a less cluttered look and adding white and taking away some color is a good start.  My father painted that picture for me years ago!  He took some items around my kitchen and set them up and started painted!  Sometimes, I am just amazed at the things he can do!  I took a dingy looking frame and dry brushed it red.



I have mentioned it before, but in case you missed that post, this is NOT real beadboard!!!  It is actually wallpaper made to look like it.  It came in several colors, so it is not the paintable kind.  One day, my man says he will put real beadboard up for me, and I am patiently waiting!



O.k, I don't know why I am showing you this!  I told you I giggled the whole time I had my picture taken!  I couldn't help myself.  I just thought the table and flowers looked pretty.  So ignore the crazy red hair sitting at the table!



 Here is a shot looking in from the kitchen.  I just love how it all has turned out!



I will be linking up here

Savvy Southern Style
Somewhat Simple
The Shabby Nest
French Country Cottage
Frou Frou Decor
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod vintage Life

I Dream in White

I really do!  I dream of white cabinets, dark hard wood floors, dark counter tops and white subway tile backsplashes!  It is a sickness!  These are just a few kitchens that actually make me drool!!!

~Enjoy~

I love the exposed brick on the right.  And, the hood over the range is beautiful!



I adore the chippiness of this kitchen.  Is that a word? 



The painted background of the shelves is such a great contrast.  The wooden counter tops look gorgeous in this room!



Hope you were inspired by these pictures.  I know I am!  Have a blessed day!

I am Linking up (click on name to bring you there)

Cottage Instincts

Between Naps on the Porch

Mini Cheesecakes

These Mini Cheesecakes are so yummy and easy to make, you will want to bring them to every get together you have!  Get ready to fall in love!

Here is what you will need:

2 - 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

nilla wafers

beat each ing. in order one at a time

Line your muffin cups with 1 nilla wafer

fill each cup with cream cheese mixture

Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 mins.

I doubled the recipe because I was making it for a party.  That is why there are 4 eggs set out.

Cool and store in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to serve you can top with anything you like.  I topped mine with cherries.  Just spoon 1 Tb. of cherry filling on top.  But, you can use apricot preserves or whipped cream.  Be creative!   They are a huge hit!!  Hope you enjoy!





Painting drawer pulls

Before I painted the cabinets, my drawer pulls were a satin nickel finish.  I found them at Pottery Barn.  The bin pulls were a fabulous price and I couldn't resist them.  I got the knobs at a discount center for super cheap and they work well with the bin pulls.

Drawer pulls are serious jewelry for your cabinets!  Without them, my cabinets were pretty much lifeless.  When I painted the cabinets the creamy white, I really thought the pulls needed to be darker, and coordinate with the appliances.  But, I really didn't want to buy new hardware!!  My man, would not have liked that!  So I did the next best thing!!  Enter, paint!



Spray paint, to be exact!  Rust-oleum has the best collection of colors to choose from.  Here's how I did it.

1. I took all hardware off the doors, cleaned them in hot soapy water and laid them down on paper in the garage.
2. I used the Rust-oleum primer and gave them all one coat.
3. Then I took the metallic spray paint and did two coats.

I flipped the bin pull down instead of up this time.  We constantly had crumbs in the handle, and I couldn't get to it to clean them out!  Gross!!!  This way, my bin pulls stay clean!  YAY!

 



I was pleasantly surprised at how easy all this was!  In no time at all, I had a completely new look!  The key is the primer.  DO NOT skip this step!!!  You will end up with chippy drawer pulls.  The paint just won't stick to the bare metal!  I tested that theory out on one knob.  So, if you've got pulls that need to be updated and you don't want to buy new ones, get busy!  Start painting!

Halloween Partay!!

My sister Megan and I, hosted our very first costume Halloween party!!!  We had a blast!  It was so much fun decorating the house and getting it ready that we may have to make this an annual thing!  Here are some shots of the house decked out!

I'm not the best at putting out the fake spider webs!  It is an art I have discovered!



I cut out every one of these bats!!!  My Dad made me a template and I put 5 sheets of black construction paper together and cut.  My hand got pretty cramped, but I just knew it would turn out great!





 I was a geisha.  I had so much fun dressing up!

My sister was hysterical as "Snookie" from the Jersey Shore!  She played the part to a t!



Here are just a few treats we had out.  We had chicken fajitas, Spanish rice and queso for dinner.  Everything was just yummy!



My husband was an aging samurai!!!  He cracked us up with the facial hair and eyebrows wiggling!



Here is a shot of the front of the house.  My man had a fog machine going and a strobe light on the tombstones.  It looked great at night!



We have the best group of friends that really went all out, but I think they might shoot me if I put them on display!  Hope you all had a great Halloween!

Dear Lillie

I love Dear Lillie blog and Etsy store so much!!  This is her daughter Lillie AND her little model.  She is a living doll!!  She has the best women's shirts and children tutu's, you have to check her out!

If you love the classics like me, then you will love this collection she has!  When I saw she had an Anne of Green Gables shirt, I had to have it!!!  I love all things Anne!  I'm kinda obsessed actually.



I bought this Mary Poppins shirt for my sweet friend Laura's birthday!  She ooh'd and aah'd over it!

My daughter and I love to watch Little Women.  Anytime it comes on T.V we have to watch it.  It doesn't matter which version.  This quote from Little Women is too sweet!

If you go to her blog you can enter a chance to win this precious hat that Lillie is wearing in the first picture.  I know once you check her out you will be hooked like me!  

Felt Flower Headband

Here is my easy tutorial for making felt flower headbands!  It is super easy and fun to make!

First, find some cute felt and cute out a circle.  You can cut any size you want.  The bigger the circle the bigger the flower.  Notice, my houndstooth felt is an oval.  That's o.k, it won't affect the flower at all.   It doesn't have to be perfect!

 Next, cut a spiral out of the circle.  When you get to the end of the spiral make sure you leave a small circle.  This will be hot glued down to the flower to hold everything in place.

Next, take the end of the spiral where you started your cut.  Then start rolling it up till you get to the end.  Make sure you start it out very tight.  When you get to the end, leave a small circle so you can glue that down to the back of the flower.   Can you see the flower in this picture?  That is what the back of the flower should look like.  Next, you will cut out a circle of black felt and glue it down to the back of the flower.



Here is the black felt glued down.



Next, take your headband and hot glue directly to the flower.  Make sure you position the flower exactly where it looks the best on your head. 



Then cut out another circle of black felt and glue directly on top of the flower and headband.  See above picture to see how it should look.



And there you have it!  A beautiful and quirky headband for you or your little girl!!



 Hope you love it as much as I do!  I can't wait to make more!  You can also add smaller flowers to the sides of the bigger flower to make it look fuller.  Have fun!

I will be linking up here

Just a Girl