Amazing Kitchen Update

Oh man...am I excited about this one!

The kitchen transformation continues. Piece by piece. Step by step. The latest? The backsplash! SFX: trumpet fanfare.

Let me back up a little. Here it is before we started working on it.

And here it is after the cabinet and countertop updates. In case you missed it the first time around, the cabinet refinishing story is here and here

Today's reveal shows the magic of lovely paint and a backsplash.

My new kitchen color is Olympic's Gold Buff, which I love for the warm glow it gives to the space.

Source

For the backsplash I chose decorative thermoplastic panels by Fasade.  My panel design is Tradition 1 in Bermuda Bronze. For the most part I followed the directions they provided and it went up relatively smoothly. I choose to attach the panels with double-stick tape rather than glue, just in case I don't keep this up forever-and-ever-amen we won't have to replace the drywall underneath.

Here's a look at the process.

This is what we've been looking at for the past five months. Drywall backsplash. Bleh.

I used newspaper as a template for each 18" x 24" panel. This worked well since, as I've said before, the house is wonky. Even though the upper cabinets are level and the countertop is level, the space between is not the same distance. Weird, I know. So, folding to mark the bottom edge....

...as well as marking the outlets worked extremely well.

Attaching the template to the panel allowed me to cut each piece to fit. I started out using the craft knife, but turned out scissors worked better. The craft knife was good for starting the outlet openings.

In a couple places, the upper cabinets were hung unevenly. My paper template worked wonders to get a custom fit.

Okay - almost there! After eleven custom-fitted panels and an additional trip to the supply store, I was ready to caulk. The instructions didn't say to do this, but there was a slight gap between the countertop and the panels leaving a light colored strip visible.

Using colored caulk, I filled the gap. Besides, the extra seal sure won't hurt.

Next step, outlet covers. A matching sheet of sticky paper allowed me to cover the covers!

Lovely, don't you think? I even found some bronze screws in Brian's stash to replace the old white ones. For a minute there I thought I was going to have to break out the fingernail polish. :-)

Are you ready? Tada!

Hello there, Gorgeous!

I can't even tell you how happy this makes me! It was absolutely worth the effort!

We went from this....

...to this...

...to this.

The Graduation Open House countdown continues and I am reevaluating my to-do list.

Looks like painting the downstairs bathroom will have to wait.

The debate goes like this: we can have yummy snacks at the party or a freshly painted bathroom.

Hmmmm - yummy snacks. Painted bathroom.

Nevermind - I'll just clean the bathroom and put up the new shower curtain.

Yea! Yummy snacks win! 

Thanks so much for stopping by A House and Yard today.

I hope you enjoyed my kitchen update.

Pre-Party Pandemonium

There is nothing like the knowledge you will receive a multitude of guests into your home in a matter of days to provide incentive to kick it into high gear. What's the occasion, you ask? Daughters #3 and 4 are graduating from high school and we're having an open house on Sunday!

Aren't they cute?

Their senior pics were taken by 

this talented young lady at 

Kentiga Photography.

Sydney and Shelby started kindergarten together at the ages of 5 and 4 in our little homeschool.

Have thirteen years really gone by already?!?

Okay - onward to the project list....

The backsplash will be installed. I am SO excited about this one! Here's a little hint of my new wall color.

Don't you just love my messy before pictures? Makes the finished product so much more beautiful.

At the other end of the kitchen is this little corner in need of organizing.

The downstairs bath will get a quickie update with a new shower curtain and paint job.

The entry needs paint. I've taped off the area where the living room color ends and the entry color will start. It's been interesting dealing with the absence of trim to define the boundaries.

The entry color will go on up the stairs and down the hallway, as well as into the area directly to the right of the front door.

Brian's been working on the sunroom.  He's got some of the windows in already!

I'll be dishing up some yummy snacks for the party, so will keep you posted about the menu and the finished updates. Guess I better get out of my chair and get moving again!

Sunroom Project

There is progress on the 

sunroom addition to the house!

To refresh your memory, here is the deck before it was made bigger

and the original railing and cover removed.

This is what it looks like now with ceiling panels installed.

Following are some shots of the progress....

After making the deck bigger to accommodate the size of room we wanted,

the demolition began.

Goodbye, old deck cover.

See you later, old framework.

Here you can see both the sunroom framing and

the exterior wall extension that is needed for our room.

Frames are up...

...and vented ceiling panels installed.

While installing the ceiling panels, Brian discovered this little froggy.

I hope you appreciate these pictures, because I had to get up on his shaky old ladder 

to get them and I do not like ladders of any sort - shaky, sturdy, old or new!

He appeared to to be quite comfy up there, but

was gone the next day when Brian needed to continue installing the panels.

Clyde was oblivious to the construction going on around him.

He must have had a long night of mouse hunting.

May continues to be busy month at A House and Yard.

There is a double graduation open house to plan

as well as a family outing to celebrate my mom's birthday.

Not to mention the never ending list of projects 

that slowly, but surely are being checked off the list.

Keep your eyes open for updates.

Have a blessed day!

What's Growing in the Yard?

Spring has sprung in the yard!

I have been anticipating new growth this first Spring season in our yard. Besides Grandma's peonies, which are coming up beautifully I might add, there are things popping up all over the place. I know the names of some of the blooms, but will have to wait until the others decide to show their pretty faces before I can name them.

The peonies by the front step are the tallest so far.
However, every one on the divided plants is growing like crazy!
I'm so excited to show you more when they finally bloom.

Can anyone out there give me a good reason to keep this yucky yucca that's growing at the front fence?

We discovered this moth just emerged from it's cocoon.

It was about four inches from antenna to wingtip.
I waited and waited for it to open it's wings,
but it was being private.

Having always admired redbud trees in other people's yards,
I was thrilled to find out this beauty was in my own backyard.

I woke up one morning to find the bunch of sticks beside the
porch had burst into yellow blooms!

Nothing says "Hello Springtime" like forsythia.

Plants aren't the only things growing at A House and Yard.
Bonnie and Clyde are getting bigger every day.

Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. 

They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon 

in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 

And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today 

and thrown into the fire tomorrow, 

he will certainly care for you. 

Matthew 6:28-30 NLT

I hope this Spring finds you happy and blessed!

Beauty for Clutter

A couple days ago I bemoaned the presence of clutter.


Part of the reason for the accumulation of clutter is the fact that I've been directing our church's Easter play. We have dress rehearsal this afternoon and it will be performed Palm Sunday morning. Of all the things I do, theatre work is one of the most satisfying to my soul. 


There is absolutely nothing like taking a bunch of words on paper, assigning flesh to speak those words, adding simple furniture from daily living, and weaving the emotion of music throughout in order to bring the printed matter to life.  


Our congregation is in for a real treat tomorrow morning!


But anyway, back to the clutter. Really? We have to get back to the clutter? Well, we all deal with it, right? Here's something I do. When I simply can't conquer it at the moment, I add something pretty. For me that means fresh flowers. My flowers usually come from Walmart, the city market, or my yard depending on the season. All that looked good a few days ago were the carnations. Oh, and I scored on some pansies as well.

YIKES! 

(Yes, I watermarked this because I know you're totally going to want to Pin my clutter.) 

Now, just so you know, the kitchen has since been tidied up. But still - see my carnations on the right? Flowers just make me feel better.

Sitting next to my carnations, are the duct tape roses my son made for me. Aren't they lovely, too?  He's so creative!

At the moment my little mantel is extremely random, but the stems that were too short for the other arrangement went into my new bud vases. Aren't they cute?

At the entry way there were clothes baskets, paper, towels and mussed up pillows among other things you can not see in the picture. However, see the pansies peek-a-booing at the window?

Hello there, pretty pansies!

I don't know. There is just something about placing the living in the middle of the dormant. Something beautiful next to something ugly. It can make the transition bearable. 


Until I could get to the cluttered mess, it helped me to have something pretty to look at.


A little like life, don't you think? There's always a bit of clutter, but there's usually some beauty to focus on in the midst of the mess. 

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

Saved By Love

Where has this month gone? What have I been doing?

I haven't the faintest idea!

Everything. And nothing.

This morning I sat in my livingroom, watching today's forecast (severe weather in the Midwest) and pondered my day. 

There's clutter. Clutter everywhere. In the livingroom. In the kitchen. In the dining area. In the yard. In my mind.

I had coffee with my Bible and My Utmost for His Highest. Did anyone else read today's?

"Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, 

and always in the most illogical connections." -Oswald Chambers

"You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour and a moment 

when you do not anticipate it." Luke 12:40 AMP

Thanking God for His Word and asking for focus for the day's tasks, I moved on.

After lunch, I determined to tackle the offending areas. First, I gathered my necessary tools: iced tea and music. This afternoon's selections? Black tea with blueberry. Amy Grant Greatest Hits.

Imagine my surprise when not too many songs into the album, Jesus met me right there in the kitchen. I don't mean in the flesh, but in the song, streaming from my computer speakers. 

The song spoke of family love and the love of Jesus. I was overtaken right there in the kitchen with the knowledge of Jesus' love for me.

My reading this morning rang true. You don't know when Jesus will appear in your everyday life, but be encouraged He is there.

Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? 

You have the words that give eternal life. 

We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” 

John 6:67-69 (NLT)

Book Review: "You're Already Amazing" by Holley Gerth

   

Book Review: 

You're Already Amazing

Embracing Who You Are,

Becoming All God Created

You to Be

by Holley Gerth

I have to admit.

This is not a book I would normally choose to read.

However, I must say, although I had intended to skim through

and give a little overview of the content,

I found myself stopping to consider 

the truths I found on those pages.

Truth about God.

Truth about me.

At the time of this writing, I'm about half way through

and looking forward to continuing at the same leisurely pace.

Holley uses loads of personal stories, as well as other

real life examples from her work and life.

There is also plenty of Scripture.

Each chapter contains exercises to help the reader

focus on the topic and examine herself.

I found these helpful in order to make

personal application.

This book would be appropriate for individual or group study.

 

 These cards were included

 in my packet for review, as well.

Colorful and pretty, they're high quality card stock as you would expect from DaySpring. I have a list of friends I know will appreciate getting one of these.

Read more about Holley Gerth's You're Already Amazing 

and encouragement cards here.

I received this book free from DaySpring to review and all opinions stated are my own.