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Williams-Sonoma Knock Off Halloween Crow Wreath

Here is my version of the Crow Wreath and below is William-Sonoma Halloween Crow Wreath or $69.95.  I made mine for the pennies on the dollar.

About a month ago I saw this wreath at William-Sonoma.  I'm often found this time of the year browsing their wreath section.  When I saw this I thought, "How simple is that to make?" I already had most of the items on hand except the Spanish Moss and Crow, which I picked up at my local 99 Cents store.  I alsoe picked up a few more to add to my mantel with I'll share in a later post.

This grapevine wreath originally had a Country like sign on it that I got at a yardsale...I took it off because I wasn't going to use it..but after the crow wreath  was completed I thought it needed a little "something-something".  So I ended up using the wooden sign that was with the wreath.  Here is how I made the William-Sonoma Knock-Off Crow Wreath......

First:  Spray paint grapevine wreath with black paint, let dry.

Second: Hot glue Spanish Moss to inside bottom part of wreath. 

Third: The black crow has wires on the bottom of his feet so I wired them on top of the moss to the wreath.

Fourth:  Paint your wooden plaque with chalkboard paint {I have this on hand too, you can get it at Michaels or Home Depot, either in a spray can or brush on paint, I have used both and prefer the spray}  The font is from da font called Sketchy , I thought it looked kind of creepy so I went with it.  I downloaded it into my word program and sized it to fit my plaque and printed it out.  I cut and placed it to fit my wood chalkboard plaque. I traced it with my pencil tip so it would leave an imprint.

Here is the  imprint after I traced it. I followed the curve of the sign with my letters and made sure it was centered.

I then traced the pencil marks with my Chalk Markers and made some squiggly lines inside and outside of the letters.

Here is my finished Beware sign..if Iever want to change out Beware to Happy Halloween or Spooky then I simply erase it and start the process over.  

Here is my William-Sonoma Knock Off Crow wreath up on my fireplace mantel. I used a black statin ribbon to suspend it from the shutters. I have another Halloween Craft Project with candles and I am excited to show you this years Halloween decorated mantel.  Hope you came back and see all the spooky projects I have to share. 

I'm so excited to start my Creatively Homemade for the Holidays ECourse ...it starts today....

House of Horror 2013

I know that I've been missing from my blog a bit....no I have not been abducted by Aliens.... but there have been reports that some East Whittier Children have been abducted...a flying saucer has been spotted and some eyewitnessess say it landed in the EWMS soccer field on a foggy night last Wednesday.  No no I'm just kidding but as it  happens everytime this time of year,  I become consumed with the East Whittier Middle School Music Program's 4th Annual House of Horrors.  Tonight is the last night to come to this very scary Haunted House, it opens at 6 tonight and runs until 10 p.m.  $5.00 entrance fee.  If you LOVE to be creeped out, you don't want to miss it!  The Harvest Festival with Pony Rides, Music, Games, Good Food and Craft Vendors starts at 5p.m.  

All I can say it is really a "horrific good time" in the House of Horrors this year....

You'll find the "walking dead" in the Funeral Parlor.....

A creepy old cabin...where feral children are living with a spirit who is looking for her baby who was taken away from her as she was put into an Insane Asylum.   

Where oh where are you Lilly and Victoria?  Where can you be?  Mama is looking for you.....

If you live in the area I hope you can come...and I'll be back with more Creepy Pictures of the House of Horrors 2013 and some craft ideas perfect for the month of October!!   

Fall Decor at Roger's Gardens

For the past several years I've browsed one of my favorite seasonal decor shops called Roger's Gardens located in Orange County, you can go here, here, here, and here to see past posts on RG.  Everytime I've gone it has been during the holiday season, but this time I went to get ideas for our annual House of Horror, a Haunted House fundraiser I'm involved with for my daughters' music program at her Middle School.  Check our Facebook page here to watch a video of the House of Horror 2011 or this post from my first year being apart of the House of Horror!!  I LOVE being apart of it every year..the creative people involved with this fundraiser is outstanding. It is so exciting to see the end product on opening night every year. This year The House of Horror is at the beginning of October, October 2nd-4th between 7p.m.-10p.m at East Whittier Middle School.  If you live in the area or close by you should check it out!  We also have a Harvest Festival that begins at 4, it is great for the little ones.

Sorry got a little sidetracked there....where was I? Oh yes...Roger's Gardens.... every year they have the most beautiful seasonal decor at this garden/gift shop.....and I always come away with some great ideas for my home and garden and this trip was no exception.  

White Pumpkins!!!  My favorite!!  Something so scuptural and luminous about them.  My Trader Joe's doesn't have them yet..and that's where I pick up one, oh ok...more like ten!! You can never have too many White Pumpkins, can you?   

Here is the spooky entrance to The Night Gallery {the Halloween decorated rooms}  This is also part of the garden area and they have quite a varitey of plants and I spy with my little eye more WHITE PUMPKINS!

If you saw in my past posts they specialize in succulents.  They use them in concrete planters, make them into wreaths, use them in Christmas Tree topiaries and in gourds...I'm fond of the White pumpkin planter ones.  As I made a planter out of one last year for my Harvest Table.  The past couple of years these hearty plants have grown in popularity, you see them in the magazines and gardeners love them for their ease of care.  My Mother loved them and all California Native Plants, she was a proud member of the California Native Society.  She had a green thumb and her garden was so beautiful, I get my love of plants from her, {sadly she passed away a few years ago from Alzheimers} and everytime I go to Roger's Gardens I think of her, that was one of the last times we spent together.  Miss you Mom!  You would be proud of the gardener I've become.

Look at this gourd they hollowed out..

The succulents have great texture don't they?  Right now Trader Joe's has them in small terracotta pots for $2.99.  I'll be planting in white pumpkins as soon as they get them in.  On to the more sPooKy pictures which is why we went there in the first place.  Please excuse the lack of quality pictures because of the lighting. Without further ado...I  bring you the Night Gallery of Roger's Gardens.

Skeleton dude...all wired up like a Sci Fi guy...

They have lots of bones, skulls and skeletons in this freaky deeky room..

This room is sort of a cross between Mad Scientist and Graveyard...

 An organ sprayed in silver paint with lots of computer mother boards attached....that's different.

Lots more skulls, skeletons, critters, creepy crawlies,...and magnifying glassess to spy the crawlies.

Artist collectibles can be found at RG such as Wendy Addison or Nicol Sayre...

some Santos Dolls...

I really thought this doll was super cool...it has a Raven inside the wire skirt...can you see it?

I have a wire Urn like this...I should try to make a doll like this....ummmm NOT!  

This skeleton bride and groom are creepy in their lantern home....what a work of art?

Another bride a groom, aren't their costumes exquisite?

Love these DOLLS...a little like the Nightmare before Christmas, I'll take the one on the far right please.  Darn already SOLD for $200.00. 

The El Dia de Los Muertos Room...you can go to this post to read more about this Mexican Celebration.  It seems like lots of stores are carrying sugar skulls and The Day of the Dead type decorations.  I found this great tutorial that I pinned on my board this week.

Wouldn't this be great sitting on your porch? A carnival booth.....with a Madame Skeleton inside...

Reminds me of the part from BIG, the movie with Tom Hanks where he gets his wish....

"OPEN SESAME"....

Hope you liked this "virtual" tour of one of my favorite seasonal haunts jaunts. If you are ever in the Southern California area you need to make a stop at Roger's Gardens....it won't disappoint. I won't lie it is quite pricey on most of their items.  I picked up one small item for my garden which I'll show you soon in another post, no surprise it involves succulents.  

 

Creatively Made Home Class

 Nine creative ladies will be hosting and teaching the Creatively Made Home For the Holidays online class. The online course will be filled with Holiday ideas and will launch in October just in time for your holiday sprucing.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

* Each week you will have amazing truthful videos from the nine teachers.

{Jeanne Oliver, Jennifer O’Brien, Jennifer Rizzo, KariAnne Wood, Anne Marie Klaske, Carol Spinski, Andrea Fowler, Edie Wadsworth and Cathy Penton}

* There will be 30+ project videos.

These will be incredible videos that include everything from cooking, gift giving and decorating.

Tons of beautiful house photos from each of the nine women

*Supply lists and PDFs for each project

*A digital recipe book of the recipes shared in this course

This course is about loving your home, loving your family and blessing those around you….and having fun doing it.

Registration is open NOW and you will have access for one full year!

*******************

The price is $58 for this awesome e-course that starts in early October.

You can go to Jennifer Rizzo blog here ... or Raised in Cotton, Carol Spinski blog to register for the class that you don't want to miss.  

A few weeks ago Carol Spinski had a drawing for one lucky winner to take the class and when I opened my inbox today....there was an email saying I won!!!  I am so excited to take this online course.  I hope my dear bloggine friends, you will join me and sign up for the class.  These ladies have skills and blogs I have long admired......I've been following Carol Spinski blog for such a long time...her photography and styling is spectacular!  So hurry on over and register...

Charging Station

In our old house this vintage desk which I bought from a good friend, {one of my fellow Scrapanos..Hi Pam!!} was in MacKenzie's room.  The bedrooms in the Cottage on Cullen are a bit smaller so we can not fit as much furniture in them, so we had to relocate this desk.  I LOVE this desk because of all the vintage details on it; the bowed belly, the curved legs, the painted hardware.

I was not willing to part with it under any circumstance, see what a beauty she is! Kenzie has a vanity in her bedroom which she uses A LOT, well she is 13, and does her homework on the dining room table so she did not need it in her room being that real estate was in short supply. 

Not only did the desk turn into a Family Command station, I turned the main drawer into a Charging Station.  I really dislike wires hanging all over the place.  We do have a ton of outlets in the kitchen and everyone would be charging there phones, cameras, ipods, you name it and cords would be all over.  Not only that I have teenagers in the house and this year I've had to clamp down on the hours they were spending on their phones and or ipods.  Yep..everyone needs to unplug themselves and plug into the charging station before bed.

This outlet which was smack dab in the middle of the wall became part of a solution...who'd a thunk?

I took some wrapping paper but in hindsight I should of used contact paper it's sturdier but I had it on hand and it matched my  kitchen rug.  I'll have to search online for a contact paper company that has more of a selection then Home Depot has.

Mr. Incredible cut a whole in the back of the desk at the same level as the outlet...which worked out perfect. We inserted a surge protector and the computer cord inside the desk.

Now that the liner is in...I needed to pick up my fasteners from my local office supply store.

I wanted the patterned paper to show through so I used clear clips by Command.  I use a lot of their products for hanging wreaths or garlands and I like that when I'm done with them I pull the tab and off they come.  

I pulled the little velcro squares from Scotch and put them evenly on the back of the surge protector.

Then I put the other side on it and pressed down the power strip to the paper.

To corral all the excess cordage I used the clear fasteners to keep them from going all over the place.  I repurposed bread ties {because I am a cheap} and used a sharpie to label what cord goes to what device. Now we have a place that does the job without a jumble of cords and wires all over the kitchen.  This project only set me back about $7.00 for the fasteners everything else I had on hand. Go HERE  or HERE for some colorful versions on labeling and organizing  your electonics. Go HERE  if you'd like to see another DIY variation on labeling your cords.  Now no more playing guessing games on what goes with what.  

I'm super happy with my new Family Command Center and the Charging Station.

The NEW Family Command Center

A few weeks back, I had a post on Sprucing up my {office/family command center} Space as I was promoting the Cost Plus World Market "Spruce up Your Space Sweepstakes".  I've been diligently plugging away on this paticular niche in the kitchen prior to the promotion due to the fact we put in a dutch door {the current door needed replacing because the window became broken and I took that opportunity to finally put in the dutch door that I have always wanted} which consequently is having a domino effect in the kitchen.  

 Kiss, kiss dutch door, how I love thee!  I love to open it when I'm cooking and let the breeze in or when I'm at the computer when everyone is in bed and all is quiet and want some fresh night air, oh heck it's open all the time, Nothing says beach cottage more than a Dutch Door.

Here is the space after I painted it Sea Haze by Benjamin Moore, I went with a greenish-grey because the tile on the counter is a light grey and the grout is a teal color.  I would really like to put in a new counter {possibly butcher block, cement or carara marble} and farmhouse sink but at this time it is not in our budget, but paint is cheap and makes a HUGE difference in the kitchen so we will start there.

See that outlet over there...that ended up being a "blessing in disguise"...I was NOT happy it was there, and wondering who in their right mind puts an outlet in the middle of a wall?  Well I came up with a solution..I'll share it in the next few days.

We have moved the computer from the TV hutch/cottage bookshelf to the current location on the desk.  Before if you were on the computer, you had to be hunched over because the hutch area was actually for a TV cabinet {built in the 50's} NOT a computer hutch and IF your back became tired from all the hunching you walked like the hunchback of Notredame for the next week.  We decided to use the laptop on the dining room table and when it ran out of juice we had to replug it in and the cord that was attached to the plug in hutch was an accident waiting to happen, someone would most likey trip over the cord and all hell would break loose.  So this is now how  The Cottage on Cullen Family Command Center is. Can I get a whoop, whoop!  Yea MOM! The cute tricycle red wire tiered tray is for all the paperwork that needs attention, papers to be signed, things that need to be read and then filed away.  

Slot No. 1 is for the parents of the Cottage on Cullen, slot No. 2. for daughter #1, slot No.3 for daughter #2.  It makes it more organized, so I don't have to sift through all the paper to find what I need, If daughter #2 says, "Hey Mom, where is my permission slip to go to Disneyland, did you sign it?" I know to look in that tier or they can look for it themself.  It works for me and I'm the boss.

Tada! The menu/memo board.  Here is where I post weekly the menu for each nights' dinner.  No more "what are we having for dinner MOM?"...they already know and I already know I have all my ingredients to make whats on the menu because I planed the menu {more on that later}.  I like it because I can look and see what I planned for that nights dinner and can get out the chicken to defrost the night before for Cheez-It Chicken on Thursday night or defrost the hamberger meat for Tuesday's Taco Night.  

I used my chalk markers to label each box with the days of the week and added the entree and side dish. I can clip recipes from magazines and add them to my Memo board if I choose to go "old school" {not my pinterest board}.  For some graphic interest I added the chalk banners, got the idea here. My originally idea was to paint the whole wall where the Memo board is in Chalkboard paint but I wanted to repurpose the memo board that I used in my old house in my craft corner.  But yesterday I DID paint a wall in chalkboard paint!!!  Lots to share with you in upcoming posts.

Do you like my new Family Command Center, do you have an office space or Family command center..I'd love to see it, please send me an email at elliemader82@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

One more thing I'm so excited to announce that World Market will be partying at the very first Pinterest Party on Monday, August 26th at 1PM PST (4PM EST). World Market will be partnering up with two fabulous designers Kate Riley of CentsationalGirl and Justina Blakeney of JustineBlakeney.com to share ways to Spruce Up Your Space for the fall using World Markets' new fall collections. Plus, World Markes is giving away (5) $100 World Market gift cards during the hour.

Hope to see you all over there this coming Monday at 1 p.m. Pacific Standard  time and see what fabulous items the designers will be pinnng onto their designer boards.  You saw HERE what Centsational Girl did?  The girl has got it going on!   

Spruce Up Your Space Sweepstakes

Have you heard of Centsational Girl?  I've been following her blog for awhile now.  She is an interior designer located in Northern California's wine country and she has terrific style on a "Pennies Budget".  Not only that she has partenered with World Market in designing one lucky family's dining room.  Here is a sneak peak but click HERE for a redirection to the link.  

I love how she paired a bit of bling, in the gold hourglass stools with the rustic table and chandelier.  Plum and gold, whou'd a thunk those colors paired up would look so great!  If you enter the Cost Plus World Market Sweepstakes you could win the chance to have Centsational Girl spruce up one of your spaces!!!  I would be so excited to meet her if I had the chance and have her take one of my spaces from DRAB to FAB.  

Disclosure:  I don't think I've mentioned this in any of my past posts but recently I've become a Cost Plus World Market Ambassador and I'm over the moon happy about this.  As you know from here, here, here and here, I LOVE their products.  I live less than 10 minutes away from World Market so I'm always able to check out their new seasonal items on a regular basis which could be a good thing or a bad thing. If you too are a lover of this versatile store, which carry food products, homegoods, gifts and WINE come back I have lots to share in future posts. 

Now head on over to enter a your chance to win....a Spruce Up your Space Sweepstakes and you could possibly be that lucky winner to have the fabulous designer, Centsational Girl knocking on your door . Check out my Spruce up my Space {office} Pinterest board for more ideas.

Sprucing up the Family Command Center/Office Space

You know it's coming!!  Yes, loads and loads of paperwork that needs to be filled out by you from your children's school. That's just the beginning but all through the year there will be notes sent home from teachers, newsletters that need to be read, so you know when "such and such" is happening and you won't be rushing the night before trying to find that white button down shirt for the concert on Wednesday night.  You know your kids won't tell you right?  Well if they are like mine..they don't, "oh yea Mom...I need this or I need to get that for"....you fill in the blank here.  I like to be informed about what goes on in my daughter's school.  We have tele-parent at their schools, do you guys have that?  Where you get a phone call right when you just sat down to dinner to say, "Your child did an excellent job participating in class today!".  I do appreciate the calls, I do but in all honesty I don't need to know if she participated or not...did she turn in her homework?  That's what I want to know...and yes..they do let you know over tele-parent if they do have assignments due.  Anyways...since we have moved into our Cottage on Cullen I have not really established a Family Command Center.  At the old house we had a Computer Armoire with all a bulletin board inside and I hung up reminders on it and I had a file basket with all their important papers that I needed to sign or read to be a well informed Mama.  Now it is time for me to get a permanent Family Command Center on the Cottage on Cullen.

This is the space I'm going to turn into the Family Command Center...yep a complete blank slate and not very big {that's one of the issues we have in a house of 1300 square feet}. This is what it looked like when we moved in 2 years ago. The Cottage on Cullen Family Command Center, a place for my kiddos to drop forms to be signed, to plan my menus for the week and a place to post them so everyone will know "what's for dinner" and not have to ask, a spot to check out the great recipes that I've been pinning on Pinterest, a charging station for all our phones and cameras.  That's a lot of stuff to accomblish in this little itty bitty space but I'll be getting some help from my friends at World Market.  I've been planning this "Command Center" virtually on Pinterest at my Sprucing up my {office} Space board. Go check out my board.  Not only that, Cost Plus World Market is having a sweepstakes to help you too get your space spruced up, wheather it be your kitchen, or the family room, or you dining room.  You can enter to win a $5,000 dollar World Market Shopping Spree, plus a personal shopping experience and design consultation with one of Cost Plus World Market top design bloggers and  3 First Prizes of $1,000 World Market gift cards.  Go HERE to enter!! We all could need a littl help and with the great price point World Market has on their products, $5,000 will go a long way to Sprucing up your room of your choice!   But I'd like to take you on a Virtual tour of what I'd like to do  if I could with some extra $$$ to Spruce up my Family Commad Center /Office space.  

In addition you can earn bonus entries for liking World Markets'  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram & Tumblr  pages for a better chance to win!!  Holy tolitos what could I do with this space....here we go.....

First...I would need to paint....

Check that box, that's already done as of today.

Painted in Sea Haze by Benjamin Moore. 

Brick, Brick I love red old brick...this space is "bomb" Oh shoot..the 13 year old slang is in my head.  Having a great little built-in would be perfecto..maybe adding some brick pavers on the right side wall would be nice, since I no intention of removing the garden window. The light that streams in all day right above the desk is really nice.  

Wow!!  I love this vintage door chalkboard from the Maison de Artises line, wouldn't this be great for writing quotes,  reminders and a place to put up the weekly menu.  No more,  "What's for dinner?" because it will be posted where everyone can see it.

Look at the keyhole detail on this!!! Like this was an old door found in the alley way or on the side of the road,  Remember;  I brake for Junk!.  

When I saw this Owen Desk Cubby at World Market I thought..wouldn't this make a great charging station, just drill some holes in back to run the charging cords thru and a place for everyone's phone and camera and labeled to boot! Sweet.

Of course having a great chair, the metal Jackson Tub Chair, which is so comfortable and really hip right now!  I have a couple of these {in the back patio} and I HIGHLY recommend them for their sturdiness and  they are super comfortable too!

 

Here is another image using the Jackson Tub Chair in a small office space...

Now this is what will be the workhorse of the Mader Family Command Center.   The Austin 3 Tier wire tray tray #1 for Mr. Incredible and I, tray #2 for Madison, tray #3 for Kenzie. It will keep all the papers that will be coming into our humble abode all neat and organzied.  It will be much easier to sift through each individual tray to find what I'm looking for.

Every desk area needs a waste basket I like that it is made of chicken wire.

To match some great magazine racks or idea books...

The Austin Metal boxes in red, great for stashing odds and ends that don't fit in the desk or for overflow of office supply items.  I'm a hoarder ...yes I know this, so I have a LOT of stuff.

 

 To keep track of time....so I don't forget to pick up a kid from practice or taking the Roast out of the oven...this Red Magnetic Clock which will fit perfectly on the refrigerator that sits behind the Family Command Center. See those big font type numbers...so I CAN SEE them!! It sucks getting older and I feel like every day my eyesight is declining at a rapid pace! 

Great office supplies right at your fingertips to write a quick thank you note.

I use these "out of " notes which have a magnetic strip on back and they have a home on the front of my refrigerator.  I'll share in a future post how I do my meal planning and some ideas I found on the internet.

You'll find my "bonjour" cup filled with a nice cup of joe ...while I do my biz going through paperwork,  perusing the internet and writing up blog posts.

This great little padded rug to remind you to keep life in perspective when things may get overwelming as the school year progressess.

Head on over to World Market and sign up for the Spruce up your Space Sweepstakes..

I'll be sharing some free printables.....and a really cool idea for a charging station thanks to Mr. Incredible....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen, Organizing the Garage and a cute girl and her shorts

I'm kind of all over the place right now...I'm at a bit of a standstill in the kitchen.  Mr. Incredible has been working all kinds of crazy hours the past few weeks and I need him to help me install a "three pronger outlet thingy" behind my desk in the kitchen {where in all reality I should be making all my Menu planning} so I can hook up the laptop there. Perfect to look at all the great recipes I've been pinning at Pinterest.

There is the outlet...I also need to finish painting the trim...all around the kitchen..but I don't need him to do that but I want to paint a chalkboard wall on the other side of the kitchen behind the refrigerator and I need help moving the appliances.  

So as I've been in a "holding" stage I decided to record all the paint choices we have painted in the Cottage on Cullen so far...I've dipped them in the paint and after they have dried with a sharpie wrote the color, the maker and the room it was painted in.  

Then I'll drill a hole in the end of the stick and tie it with some twine and hang them in the painting cabinet...I also keep the paint chips in my Home...be Inspired book, it keeps all my ideas about decor for our home in one area but have a lot of ideas on Pinterest too!  I love that place!!  

As you can see I have a lot of beachy colors going on..blues, greens and greys...in our color palette.  

As I've been organizing all my "craft crap" this girl has been getting her craft groove on... 

She is learning how to sew.....she watched a tutorial on youtube...and made

these old pair of jeans into....

shorts.....

with the cutest bows on the back pockets! She was so proud of herself! Looking good girl!!  I'm sure you'll be getting lots of orders from your friends soon....

Kitchen....whatcha gonna do?

I know I keep saying I'm going to show you the dutch door....but for the reveal I was looking at the kitchen walls around it with it's white primer paint still hanging around...I wasn't quite ready.  That led me to well...painting the walls, which lead me to painting the trim, which is leading me to paint the cabinets, which makes me think I need a new ceiling {because the old owner when they took out the fluorescent lighting fixture, left the big drywall scars on the ceiling, which sanding it out is NOT working}. We just finished the Cottage on Cullen Bathroom in April so all the funds went to the redo so there is not a whole lot of mula left to revamp the kitchen. Here is our kitchen...

Here is where the dutch door is now...which I am so happy about....and now I have a deep grey walls I painted in Sea Haze by Benny Moore....to coordinate with the grey tile {which I wish I had the $$$ to change out}.

Here is the sink area....I love washing dishes with the window open and feeling the breeze come through as I watch the neighbors walk by...

If we end up winning the lottery, here is what I have in mind to redo my kitchen......I can maybe take a few of these inspirational ideas and incorporate them now....but not all, but a girl can dream...right?

                                                                           {source}

We have a skinny cabinet up above our sink right now cramed with flower vases and all kinds of empty jars {shhhh, this is my hoarder stash} but I would love to rip that cabinet out and put a cute display shelf....very similiar to this shelf AND I'll take that sink, thankyouverymuch.  I love the little metal light hanging down....so charming so I'll see what I can muster up that won't cost me and arm and a leg to get that look.

                                                           {source}

I also LOVE the idea of a linen skirt below the farmhouse sink...I think I'd do a ruffle on it too....I love her style and recently she painted her her Barn Room in Sea Haze from Benjamin Moore, so thats why  I went a put that color of paint on the kitchen walls....  I'm curious to see how it will look with the cabinets painted all white with black hardware, like this gals.

                                                           {source}

I adore Clarita's Kitchen over at her blog, the blue on her walls, the white cabinets and black hardware.  I also want to replicate her butcher block counters, I think it is such a Cottage Classic look.  I also love how she opened up her cabinets with the added crown moulding to the top.  My cabinets go all the way up to the ceiling so I can not add crown moulding, "bummer...in the summer" {didn't you used to say that when you were 15?} 

                                                                  {source}

Here is another sink area with the cute shelf above it and chalkboard paint around it...I'm soooo doing this!!!  I know my family will think I'm nuts...well, I am!  If you could really get to know me in "real life" you'd know!  And more open cabinets....I have such a mish mash of dishes...I'd don't know if it would look messy if I had all of my cabinets open..but maybe one would be cool...

Here is the other side of the kitchen....where the stove and refrigerator {Mr. Incredible would like to take down that wall and have an open concept kitchen and make an island between the living room and the kitchen..I like that idea but on the other side is my cottage bookshelves which I'm very fond of {because I'm a hoarder collector}, it was one of the reason I was sold on this particular  house.  Keep playing the Lottery honey...

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because I think we should do this instead..  Oh be still my beating heart.....I'm so completely IN LOVE with this stove hood and I really want a vintage stove to go with it...{my parents had one and I wish we brought it with us when we moved, hindsight is always 20/20 they say}

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Right now the microwave is above the stove but having that beautiful scalloped hood means I'd have to put the microwave somewhere else...maybe putting a smaller micro one in an open cabinet like this would work?  Hmmmm my wheels are turning...

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Here is another look of another scalloped hood...I love the hourglass shape it has...

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I would love to find an antique milk glass light fixture like this....from Country Living magazine...or maybe I'll reuse my daughter's chandelier there instead....hopefully I'll be done with all my kitchen sprucing up this weekend...and I'll have the full reveal post up next week.