Did I mention?

Hubs and I installed interior plantation shutters a couple weeks ago. And that's when I decided that I needed to become a shutter installer. It took about 15 minutes to do ALL of them. And I'm in love. I just wish I felt the same about my flooring.


I'm also working on my island this week. I decided to put the picket fence panels above the cabinets and do bead board on the island. Thanks for all the suggestions!

The one that got away

A couple years ago I went to the flea market in Canton Texas. I saw a beautiful rusted iron road sign that I wanted SO bad but had no idea how to get it home. And it was a little pricey at $125. So I passed on it.

It was one of those things I regretted and thought about all the time. I almost bought another one off ebay over Christmas but again passed.

So then I went shopping a couple weeks ago at the most ridiculously expensive antique/ home decorating store in Scottsdale. I like to go places like that occasionally to make myself feel better about having the same look without spending an entire pay check for one pillow.

I had about enough when I walked into this circular part of the store that was outside. They had really cool vintage industrial things there. And that was when I saw it.

It was basically the same sign as "the one that got away". I walked over to it, took a breath, and glanced at the price tag. $65!!!! WAHOOOOOO! This baby was mine!

I may have even put a seat belt on it on the way home. I know, I'm weird. Now it sits atop my t.v. armoire in my great room.


If you're interested, they had two more!

Personalized address signs

I've had a lot of interest in the address sign I made a month or so ago. I made another one for my friend Jen and I think it turned out pretty cute.

So I'm doing a promotion on personalized address signs. I'll take orders for the next 3 days and you can have a custom, personalized address sign.

The large address sign (probably only for people who live in Castlegate and have that weird alcove thing above their doors) are $65. If you have an interesting place you'd like to put the sign and have exact dimensions, you can let me know and I can do the sign to size. Here's a picture of the large one...


The small address sign with the Monogram, est. in, and address is $45. Here's a picture of the small one...


I can do a small version of the large sign (just with No. and address) for $45 as well.

They are available in black, brown, red, gray, or a custom color of your choice. I can do the writing in black or white.

Like I said earlier, I'm only taking orders this weekend and all signs will be completed early next week. LIMITED TIME!

E-mail me at nikki_grandy@yahoo.com for orders or questions.

Advice....

I hate my kitchen island. Flat paint + messy kids = me scrubbing my island nearly every day. So I figured I may as well put up some sort of bead board or paneling to give it a little more personality while I'm at it. The whole thing is going to be white, but I was thinking of something that looks like this...


Or this wainscoting...


The problem is, I'm considering putting bead board on top of my kitchen cabinets all the way to the ceiling. The little pop out pantry would stay painted drywall.


So will the bead board be too much? It is a lot to have it as the island, back splash, and above the cabinets. Should I not do it above the cabinets and just have it on the island and backsplash? I was thinking I could put my chipping picket fences above the cabinets instead of bead board. OR should I do a combination of the paneling and bead board like this...



So here's an easier way to vote

1. Bead board above the cabinets
2. Picket fence above the cabinets

A. All bead board (first picture)
B. Wainscot paneling (second picture)
c. Combination of bead board and wainscoting (last picture)

Just choose 1-A or 2-C... you get my drift. Help me! I can't make a decision!

*All images are via pinterest*

DIY skeleton key art

I did a mini project on Saturday morning while I was waiting for my husband to get home from playing with his friends. I had some extra zig zag fabric from my couch pillows and hot glued it onto the cardboard backing that was already in the frames. Then I hot glued some old skeleton keys to the fabric. If you like the fabric, you can get some here.




I also bought this great bar stool at the barn sale back in March. I love her cheery yellow paint!

Rest of the great room

Back splash and pantry project

I decided since the kitchen in my new house is smack dab in the middle of the floor plan, it needs to be done soon. And since it's in the center, it doesn't have a single window to it's name. It makes me sad, actually. Although this house is twice as big, it just doesn't have the same light feel as my old home and I miss that. Here's before we moved in...


The cabinets really are beautiful but they're just SO dark. I told my husband that I would wait at least a year before I painted them. The paint on the walls throughout the house is also a darker neutral so once we paint over it all, I think it will help brighten the space. In the mean time, I put up a white bead board back splash and it did help. I want to install bead board on top of the cabinets too, all the way to the ceiling. I think that will help too.



I used thicker molding to finish the edges and I love the chunkier look of it. The whole project took me about 6 hours because I had to wait for paint to dry. I used the new miter saw we got from my husbands grandpa and it cut my molding like butter. I'm spoiled I tell ya.



Here's my new pantry doors. I got them at Merchant Square Antique Mall in Chandler during one of their flea market sales. I actually met a reader while I was loading them up. It was funny to meet someone who reads my blog.


And here's the inside of my pantry before. It's kind of embarrassing to tell you the truth.


I used the template from Jones Design Company (one of my favorite's by the way) found here for the painted wall paper. If you remember, I did it on some pillows a while back and couldn't get it out of my head. I debated about doing a chevron print but I felt that was something I'm probably going to be over in a little while.



And here it is pre-food with all my clearance Hobby Lobby baskets and some others I had laying around.


And finally with all my food in it. I don't know how, but I guess I've been collecting cans of vegetables. Specifically creamed corn. I have 11 cans of creamed corn. I've never even eaten it! Maybe my husband bought it for fishing or something.


One last picture of the whole kitchen. I'll show some of the rest of the great room next.