The Kitchen

I feel like this post should be the grand finale of the last 3.5 years of Sister projects so I hate to pull it out as the very first Before and After post but the below pictures are the whole reason I have started this blog at this time.  I had posted my "Before" pictures about 5 months ago on Facebook but then got convicted that bombarding FB with all my "After" pics might come across as a little, I don't know, braggy.  Sooooo I started this little blog so those that really want to see my "After" kitchen could visit and those that didn't would never have to grace this site.  

(Footnote: for those that do post Before and After pics on FB please don't stop, I personally love them!)

Anyways..... Let me first introduce you to the Kitchen we moved into:

First up is the eating nook complete with the bubble curtain top that came with the house

Next we move into the main kitchen area.  Certainly NOT the worst kitchen in the world, just not my style and had some dated soon-to-go-out appliances.  

And now the inspiration for the whole kitchen remodel.... the back splash and island tile:

Yep, take a closer look.... Not only did I have chickens and roosters but also peacocks and pheasants grouted into my counter tops.  These feathered fowl kept me motivated for over 3 years to stuff the "kitchen remodel" envelope with every extra penny that came my way. 

Soon after we moved to Sister we did make some small changes to the kitchen with new paint on the walls and on the kitchen island.  Plus we went ahead and took down the pot rack and replaced a few of the appliances out of necessity.   

and the other side

Very livable, but those darn birds still haunted me.  Plus the space above the cabinets completely stressed me out.  And over the last 3 years of living and working out of this space I had cooked up some other ideas that I was hoping I could incorporate into the remodel. 

So in August 2012 I had finally saved up enough to begin the remodel.  Unlike most of my home improvement projects I hired a real live cabinet carpenter to do the majority of the work.  So here is the list of what I wanted to accomplish in the remodel:

• NEW counter tops- cue the Hallelujah choir!!
• New back splash
• Add upper cabinets above existing cabinets.
• Extension of the island counter top to allow for a bar
• Remove upper cabinets above the coffee pot and replace with open shelves
• New Farm House sink
• Add glass fronts to a couple of cabinets.
• Remove nonworking trash compactor and replace with cabinet and spice pull-out.
• Rebuild the oven/microwave unit and add a broom closet.
• Add corbels under upper cabinets to give it more of a cottage flair.
• Paint cabinets.
• New lighting- pendants above island and new light above table.

And after 2 months of complete chaos here is the finished product.  Drum Roll..............

Eating Area with reclaimed turkey feeder turned light.

New Glass Front Cabinets

New Open Shelves.

And the NEW COUNTER TOPS!!!! Bye Bye Birdies!!!!

Granite on the island

Quartz on the Perimeter

And finally the entry area into the kitchen from the mud room.  Oh! and meet Cooper the newest 
member of our family.

Well there it is.  Just have a few more finishing touches and decor I'd like to add but otherwise 
this project is complete.   Thanks for stopping by!!

Two Story Sister

The Lord knew what he was doing when he blessed me with two boys but I gotta admit there is a BIG part of me that longs to dress up a little girl in head to toe pink complete with a ginormous bow taped to her precious head.... sigh.  But alas, I could not talk the hubby into going for baby number 3 so I have had to accept that I will never shop at Justice or visit the American Doll store (double sigh), a fact that I struggled with UNTIL one day it hit me......... I could use the energy and money I would have used to doll up a little girl to dress up my HOUSE!!! Genius!! Now granted, I still worry about who will shop with me on Black Friday and who will take me in when I am old and decrepit, but otherwise, this new mindset has brought me much peace.  

Now the boys do think it is a little weird that I refer to our home as Sister but just think about the many advantages this plan offers:

• Sister won't have an opinion about how I dress her.
• Sister won't talk back.
• Sister won't argue with her brothers.
• Sister won't be dating.
• Sister won't miss her curfew
• Sister will always welcome me no matter the time of the month.

Just to name a few.

So let me introduce you to the entire family: 

My two boys and husband

 and the star of this blog- Sister

(and just like a third child, I could only find this one picture of Sister at Christmas 3 years ago)

I'm Back!!!

Hello World Wide Web!!!  I am soooo excited to rejoin the blogworld after a almost 4 year hiatus.  This new blog is going to be TOTALLY different from the old one in soooo many ways:

1. I have promised my family I will NOT let this blog overtake my life like the last one (really, I won't).
2. No coupons! I mean, I'm not going to promise I will never mention a deal alert, but that's not going to be the focus of this blog. 
3. No daily themes (see #1).  I might not even post weekly! Seriously, this is going to be one laid back blog.

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle my home improvement projects.  Not that I think my projects are extra spectacular its just that over the years I have taken countless ideas off of decorating blogs and more recently, Pinterest, that I thought I would give back just in case someone out there might find inspiration in my projects.

So without further a due, I introduce to you Two Story Sister