Between Two Pheasants...

Hey friends and family! The last few months have been wild, but seriously productive as we made progress on the plans for our laundry room and bathroom.

Another year has come and gone and so much and so little has changed. I think we can all agree that the dumpster fire that we anticipated in our federal administration is actually here. Instead of feeling sad and frustrated at all the things that we can't change, I'm choosing to focus on the things that we can...like home renovation (and fueling the resistance in small ways)! It's been a great year as we've made progress inside and out on our 1915 American Foursquare . The year started off strong with a renovation in Cinderella's room (I just posted that final project even though it started in February--eek)... And, the Handyman and I spent a super sexy weekend without kids insulating our attic. Can you spot the African Tribal wallpaper in the closet? 😆 In the Spring, we started on the kitchen remodel and O-M-G! It's made a huge difference in how we cook and spend time in there. Still So.Very. Small, but light, bright and modern! And how about...

Going back a FEW months, I wanted to update you all on Cinderella's Room. If you don't remember how we started this project, click on  link to the 1.0 post. Do you know how hard it is to keep a six year old's room clean? Especially when there is a two-year-old little sister running around. Tough!  I can't remember when I snapped these pics, but I assure you that this was the last time it was this clean. Tada! The brown prints, "Beauty" and "Grace", are from one of my favorite shops in Kansas City, called Hammerpress. Seriously, check out their online store . Another item from the nursery is this white rose metal frame. During our move across the country, the mirror within broke and it's been sitting in a closet every since. I decided to add some cork to it so Cinderella can display the copious amounts of art she produces.  Finally, the bird cage and an heirloom from my childhood, the Troll. Kidding. The Troll is new. How crazy is it ...

We are done (read 98%)! The tile is in and the appliances have been put back in place. We have a rug and something hanging on the wall (gasp!). It's been a looooooooong twisty road, but so worth it. I couldn't be happier with how it has all come together. So, about that 2%, here's what's left: Toe-kick under cabinets need to be painted. Quarter round trim around baseboards. Chips in paint from moving the fridge and the counter installed. Electricians back to figure out what's going on with two electric outlets. New oven and stove. I'll let you know in two years when we finally have it 100% over the finish line. So, how about some final pics? Yeah!

It's already mid-July? How did that happen? Of course we are still plugging along on the kitchen remodel. I think this marks two months without an oven/stove and a mudroom since our fridge takes up most of it. But, who's counting? By the end of May, Jesus had finished painting and we had our new Schoolhouse Electric Lights installed. Here's a close-up of the over-the-sink light. Since this picture was taken, we've exchanged the bulb with an Edison bulb. It's not as bright, but it's more period-appropriate.  Here are a few side by side shots of before and after painting. What a difference! Next post will be all about the floors and there is some drama involved!

One month later and a lot of progress has been made on the kitchen. Ugh, but it's not done. We are inching toward the finish line. OF COURSE it always takes twice as long as you originally plan. After the cabinet doors and drawers were in, Tom and Nate took out their aggression the counters and back splash. By far it was the most gratifying as well as messy part of the reno. We are so lucky to have talented and amazing people in our world. Tom and his lovely wife, Betty, are our neighbors who have renovated/restored several homes. (They also give us fresh chicken eggs and figs from their tree) They gave us the confidence that we could take out the counters ourselves and even offered to help. While they worked, I pulled out all my mom-tricks to keep the girls occupied outside. In process pics:

Remember this kitchen? Yellow cabinets, goldish yellow linoleum floor, heavy curtains, portable dishwasher, beige tile and oh so beautiful wallpaper. The wallpaper wasn't actually too bad and I've seen this large scale print come back into fashion but it was being held to the wall, in some places, with duct tape.