Character

Character is what makes a space your space.    Last year i picked these up at a garage sale.  They were purple but after a quick coat of paint, they will support the counter on our buffet turned island.

I plan on painting/staining the island black.  We have decided to add a platform to the base of the buffet to give it some height and to have something to sit the storage baskets on. 

Here are the other character building pieces…courtesy of my mom and goodwill.  The bottom of each leg will be cut off and attached to the base of the cabinets to make the cabinets look more like furniture instead of cheap oak cabinets…stained to look like  cherry.  You get the picture. 

Have a great week… We are off to Omaha to search for more knobs for the drawers… Wish us luck.

Blessings

Roxanne

Believe it or not, I’m walking on air…

Actually… I’m walking on new flooring that is AMAZING!!! And this is the man to thank….

It’s my Dad:-) Sunday afternoon after church and dinner, my dad said let's get busy... and we did!

Lance had worked and worked on the flooring on Saturday and really had some issues laying it. I think he was just flat burned out from already installing some cupboards, cutting some trip so on and so forth.

I have always wanted flooring like this... and might I say my dad and I made a great pair. In fact the next day he called and told me to have the island room ready and he would be in after lunch and help me with it as well! He didn't have to tell me twice.

So this is what I found under the carpet. It was hard to cover it up but I knew I couldn't get it to match the kitchen. I started cutting the laminate and had about half of it cut by the time Dad made it in. We put it down in no time.

We still have some trim to do. Stay posted for the floor reveal...coming soon.

Blessings

Roxanne

Compromise…gotta love it

This kitchen has taught this wife compromise.  Never before in my married life has my husband had an opinion,given advice or input on how I have decorated our home in any way whatsoever.  So what do I do when I began this kitchen remodel?  Asked his opinion.  Guess what?  He had one!! Wrong time to ask as now I am learning compromise.  Now don’t get me wrong.  In many areas of our 18 years of marriage I have compromised but not in my precious design for the home.  So what have I compromised on?

I wanted painted heirloom white cabinets with mocha glaze.

He wanted stained wood.  Guess what we have?

I wanted white bead board as backsplash and 3/4ths of the way up the wall with a chair rail.

He didn’t.  I now once again refer you to the picture above. 

Compromise….  

BUT do you remember who said, “Hey honey let’s remodel the kitchen with my overtime funds!” ?  That would be my baby of 18 years..

   Compromise… I hope to live with it for 18 years times 8.

Blessings

Roxanne

Pants to the ground

Okay so this post has nothing to do with “Pants to the ground, pants to the ground, looking like a fool… but I love American Idol and was so glad to see our Brett Favre sing this now famous song after his big win on Sunday. Go Vikings! We have been Viking fans for way too long and how exciting it would be to make it to the Super bowl.

Okay now back to the pics of the remodel. Last Saturday my oldest daughter had speech in Valentine and my son had basketball games in Valentine so at the break of day I headed out to run back and forth between gyms and this is what i came home to.

Partial installation of some cupboards and my dishwasher in place waiting to be hooked up. oh dear new dishwasher of mine… my new friend. Oh how i can’t wait to hook you up and no longer wash dishes in the tub.

Lance and middle daughter had spent the whole day taking taking out base cabinets and sink and setting up the new cabinets. Thanks you two. What a wonderful surprise.

Somehow i deleted the pictures of the kitchen completely gutted. i hate it when that happens…. So we are a week in and this is all we’ve accomplished..

1. old cupboards out

2. new cupboards stained and polyurethaned

3. walls and ceiling textured

4. walls and ceiling painted

5. base cabinets along west wall installed.

Stay tuned for the next installation where you’ll see a man in cowboy boots and hat installing some amazing new laminate flooring…Compelling i tell ya:)

Blessings

Roxanne

Island Hopping

So I have been dreaming of an island in the extended part of our kitchen redo.  After pricing the purchase of an island or the products to build an island I began to think that I had best give up my dream.  And then I was reminded of this piece of furniture in my basement.

10 years ago when we moved to A-town I was helping my G-ma’s sister clean out her basement and there sat this craftsman style buffet.  it was covered in paint stains and the likes.  Margaret shared that it had been a gift from her students when she retired from teaching in Long Pine Nebraska.  The wood class had made it for her.  She said that her husband had used it as his workbench.  Yes….I said workbench people.  So soon after I received a call from M asking me if I would like Ted’s workbench and I brought it to it’s new home.  So now I’m thinking, paint it black… maybe like a black glaze or stain, add some wooden wheels, a countertop  and waa laaa…. my island.    Stay tuned and here we go….

Blessings

Roxanne

This is staying…

As we begin our kitchen redo… I thought I would show you something that will be staying as part of our kitchen.

Last year for Christmas a dear friend gave this cookbook to me.  I love it. In fact if you look close, there’s smudge marks all over it.  The pictures, illustrations, recipies, and scripture in this book makes it so original. 

Come to the table … it’s a keeper….:-)

Blessings

Roxanne

Good bye my dear friend

For the past 11 years this has been one of my best friends… yup my kitchen.  We moved into my “blue cottage” 11 years ago.  With a very small budget I did my best to make it a place my family could gather and make memories in.  Hospitality ranks high up there in my list of priorities and this room has suited its purpose well.   For Christmas my mother-in-law asked if we would like a new dishwasher and we said uh..yeah!!!  Our dishwasher was at the point of rinsing but not washing dishes and considering a family of 5, i was dearly missing my dishwasher.  So right before Christmas we went to Omaha and stopped into Nebraska Furniture Mart to look @ Dishwashers.. and emerged with the purchase of a  dishwasher, stove, and side-by-side fridge.  Did I mention I have a giving Mom-in-law?  We were scheduled for delivery on Jan 5th of our new appliances.  Then the week of Christmas, a blizzard hit us.  My husband ended up working many many hours of overtime (he’s a utility lineman)  and he decided we should put his ot into the kitchen and update it for the new appliances.  Who was I to disagree?  This is a picture of the island we made after tearing out a wall (that’s a story for another post…believe me)) .  It was made with plates from my childhood, my husbands childhood and plates we found @ auctions and the likes grouted to make a countertop .  I will miss this island and the character it gave my kitchen. Maybe I will use it somewhere else in the home, garden, etc. 

Here’s another look at the old cupboards that have been painted and repainted as well as hinges glued and re glued.  We learned that gorilla glue was our friend.   Is it silly to be this emotional over memories we made in this kitchen? 

Curtains were courtesy of  my Mom who when we moved into our home made or purchased something for each room in our home.. Did I mention I also have an amazing Mom? 

And then there’s this precious Pizza Hut lamp my mom bought when the ph in town updated.  When hubby and i were first dating, it was under this light we shared many a dates.  So good bye my dear friend.  You will soon be given a face lift… Please tune in and see the transformation…

Blessings

Roxanne

The Gift of Giving

When my girls were little, a teenager from our church would have them over @ Christmas time and they would make Christmas cookies together. My girls loved and admired Mackenzie and this Mom was thankful to have someone like Mackenzie as a role model to her girls.

So this year it was our turn to start the same ritual. We gathered five little anticipating angels and five amazing teens for an evening of cookie and candy wonderland!

The evening began with pizza ,salad and of course....VEGGIE TALES!!. People run out and purchase this years Christmas Veggie Tales . You will not be dissapointed. They base the whole theme around the spirit of giving. First and foremost the kids were excited to be eating in the living room and then to watch Veggie Tales with teenagers. What more could you ask for?? I think Katie and I laughed more than any of the kids though.

Then the creativity began

Katie decorated sugar cookies with Brea. Ciara and Madison whipped up some amazing mini cupcakes with amazing sprinkles.

Haley, Libby, and Emma dipped pretzels and then swapped out for some white chocolate dipped truffles.

Kyndall (sp?), Schylar and Allison made oreo truffles. Now people if you know Kyndall, you would understand why there are three teens helping Kyndall. (Just kidding Laurie:-))

As we decorated, we talked a little about giving and telling others you love them.

When the cookies were done, we packaged up our treats into little boxes.

Then each angel chose someone in their lives that they wanted to give their boxes of goodness to. It was fun to listen to who they were going to share their treats with.

And here you have it folks, the end result. They enjoyed themselves so much and relationships were bonded and mentors gained. If you're reading this blog, thanks Mackenzie for being such an amazing role model for my girls! It was wonderful to see you at Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas to you all and let's keep the gift of giving alive!

Blessings

Roxanne

Next Up...The Mantle

Isn't it sad that we have to work for a living?

If I had my way, I would be home for the next couple of days decorating for Christmas instead of WORKING!!

I know, be happy for having a job, right? Right!! I praise the Lord for that! Here are a few glimpses of the beginning of the mantle. My silver deer are from last years after Christmas sales. I think I got them for 90% off.

Be back with more.

Blessings

Roxanne

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

La da di da di da da.....

Well the living room tree is complete. I added turquoise this year to the mix of reds and greens and am really happy with how it looks.
Poinsettias are adorned here and there.....

I love these little reindeer! Wish I would have bought more!

All different types of icicles adorn the tree as well.

These turquoise icicles were found in a thrift store @ the bottom of a box of ugly Christmas ornaments. Digging is worth it I tell ya!!

I found these poinsettia leaves @ our local flower shop and thought they too added a pop of color.

I am enjoying every one's Christmas decor and am inspired by them.
Blessings and thanks for stopping by!

Roxanne

1st Christmas Tour

For the longest time I thought there was something terribly wrong with me. You see I love Christmas. No, really love Christmas. I love decorating all year long actually, but I seriously have a Christmas decorating fettish.
And then I met you, my dear blogging friend, and found out I am not alone. One of those wonderful people that share the same love of artisitc expression is Tracey over @Notes From A Cottage Industry. So come along with me as I share with you a few pics of what is done so far in the Philben Christmassy Home!

I love the mercury red candle holders above and decided this year to try to add turquise to my red and green theme and I think it worked! Right in the middle of the candles you will see one of our "away in the mangers". My middle daughter loved nativity sets as a child and asked for away in the mangers for her Christmas gift. We're talking 2 1/2 years old people. Lucky for me that means that I have a little partner in crime when it comes to decorating.

We found these spools of thread @ the thrift store and once again the ladies at the register just nodded their head at me with bewilderment as to what I was going to "knit with all of the thread". It's too pretty to touch I told them. It will sit in an old basket lined with an old Christmas runner in front of the fireplace. Okay they say. :-)

Forgot to turn the lights on in the greenery. Oops. Thinking I need to add some ribbon up here to to add to the look. So little time....

I purchased these wreaths at a high end department store @ 60% off three years ago and usually line the front windows with them. This year I decided to adorn our game boards with them instead. Too crazy? My husbands coffee buddy thinks so. But what do they know? If they had their way everything would be decorated with pheasant feathers and the likes. Hmmm. Come to think of it, I'll have to try that.

I also have found a liking to Christmas trees and here are the ones I have found so far. Silver and sparkly and green and glittery and blue and .... Can't think of anything to go with blue. Please forgive me.

In our main bath you will find chocolate draped with turquise. Man, now I'm hungry. Chocolate is such a wonderful food.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I promise much more to come.

Make sure to head over to Tracey's blog @ http://acottageindustry.typepad.com/a_cottage_industry/ to see so much more Christmassy goodness.

Blessings

Roxanne

Tis the season

I love Christmas!!

It is my favorite time of the year. As we celebrate the birth of our savior, I trully go crazy decorating the home and embracing family and friends during this time. I always begin decorating on Veterans day. All of our christmas decor is in the attic and the family makes a line and down come the containers, boxes and trees. This year is no exception. Lance begins to ask @ the beginning of November when it's gonna start smelling like Christmas? I love that they love it as much as i do. So here is the family Christmas photo for our Christmas cards. We took it out @ the ranch I grew up on on top of a hill out in the pasture. I love how it turned out. Hope you all are enjoying the season as much as we are! And make sure and take time to do something unexpected for someone who has touched your life this Christmas season as this is what the season is all about!

Blessings

Roxanne