HI everyone,
We have been trying to catch up on some things around here before “things” really start happening. We’ve been quite busy…
We raked the gumballs and the Magnolia pods and then I hauled them off in our garden wagon…(6 loads of them).
The grass was probably 6 or 8 inches tall in the courtyard, by the fountain, so I used the push mower on it. Our neighbor mowed the rest of our grass with his zero turn mower! Thanks Mike!
I took pictures of the hens and listed them on Craigslist, and sorry to say, they are all gone.
We disassembled the chicken coop and cleaned up that area.
My hubby pruned some trees and I hauled off the branches.
Then my sisters, Cindy and Deb, came for a visit! YAY! They have been helping me in our kitchen… It’s wonderful having them to bounce ideas off of! Today we got the insides of the upper cabinets painted with Polycrylic and they are wonderfully smooth now. I might get to start putting some stuff in them tomorrow!
I had already done that to the drawers that you saw Kevin put in last week. So they are ready to be primed and painted. My family has already made themselves at home with the new counter tops… how dare they…before I even got a good picture of the cabinets and drawers!
(the gaps under the cabinets will be covered by the toe kick…)
Cindy and Deb helped me pick out a color for the new tongue and groove wall. I was having such a hard time trying to decide on a color, so Deb suggested what she just painted her whole house in, and Cindy said her daughter, had just painted her whole house in this color too. I guessed it would work for me… It’s called Agreeable Gray, but it’s a warm gray and not a “concrete” gray, as my hubby calls them.
The paint was a Sherwin Williams paint called Infinity and Cindy said it was really creamy and smooth to paint with. It really makes my kitchen look nice! I can’t wait to show you a picture of the color in the daylight. Tomorrow it will get a second coat and look even better.
Cindy used the Boiled Linseed Oil and rubbed it on the short planks Keith just put up last week on my frig wall. They look so much richer now… not all dried out. They aren’t exactly “even Steven” or “matchy matchy” in color, because some of the planks were probably from different woods. They are much richer and just like the rest of the wood all around the top of the room. I like it much better.
My hubby worked at getting the electrical outlets and switches changed to “white” instead of almond like was in there. He also planed down the door frame that stuck out past the new tongue and groove boards. My trim is ready to go up next! It’s going to be beautiful next to my new wall color.
A friend came over and helped line up the vent stack… he had to offset it about 1″ to be in the middle where my hood vent will go.
Tomorrow, we might work on priming the drawers on the frig wall and possibly get some bead board cut to finish the ends of the cabinets.
I wish I had more pictures, but I promise to take more the next time!
On another note, we heard from the nurse up at St. Louis today and she said it might be a few weeks before we have my hubby’s surgery date. More waiting…
I’ve missed you all, but the harder I work, the closer I’ll be to baking that cake and us all sharing a “virtual” slice together!
I’ll see you when I can,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, wow, Jeanne, your kitchen is going to be GORGEOUS when you are done! Although I probably wouldn’t choose gray for my walls out here in Seattle (we have So Many gray gray days out here–I want a nice pastel color like yellow to brighten it up), it looks really pretty on your walls, and I can imagine on those bright sunny days that you get (a lot more often than we do! LOL) it will be easier on the eyes.
Yes, that would does look so much richer with the linseed oil. No need to be all matchy-matchy, either; the wood colors blend, and look really lovely.
Thanks so much for the updates, both on the kitchen and on George’s upcoming surgery. Prayers continue.
Ooops, that should say, “that WOOD does look so much richer…” Sorry about that!
That’s a lovely gray, and it’s beautiful with your new rich walls and your beautiful splash-backs. The first picture shows how nice accent colors are going to look against the neutrals you’ve chosen. That big window has always been one of the best elements in your kitchen, and the new colors are going to frame your view perfectly. I’m really looking forward to seeing the hardware you choose for drawers and cabinets, and I think we all are anticipating seeing the over-the-sink lighting fixture. This project is really coming together. Your sisters are true blessings for you, as you are for them. I love this project and have really enjoyed seeing it come together.
As Charlotte says, prayers continue for George, his doctors, and the upcoming surgery. It will help to have a date for the surgery, but that will come, and in the meantime, it’s good to have this time for the project. Coming home to your beautiful “new” house will be wonderful.
It’s looking really lovely in your new kitchen. I can’t wait to see the finished product. You two are still in my prayers and I will continue to pray for a speedy date so you won’t have to long to wait to put this all past you and get on with life.
Oh, WOW Jeanne! Your kitchen is just going to blow away anything you see in magazines! I love the way it is coming together, and couldn’t agree more on the choice of gray for your wall! Maybe that could also be the color for the tin backsplash?
I got kind of nervous to see Cindy, or was it Deb, standing there on the sink painting the wall! That’s something I could never do! She is certainly brave and has good balance!
Bless your sisters hearts, they came right in the knick of time to help out!
Oh, sweet gum balls and magnolia pods, they aren’t any fun to gather up, are they? While we don’t have those in our yard, I do have several magnolia trees at church to keep up with.
We had a huge storm last night, thunder and lightning all night it seems, and I see you are getting it now. Well that mean the last vestiges of Easter will be put away, since this will be an inside day for sure. Loved the warm weather we just had, but now its going to be colder. Up and down all the time in the spring!
I, like so many others of us are glad you are back and we MISSED you! Lov e to you and George! Prayers still coming!
Perfect! It is said every room needs a touch of red and gray is the perfect foil. All you’ll need for decoration on those counters is a red Kitchenaide stand mixer. Just kidding. Imagine what this is doing for the value of your house, let alone for your spirits. It’s great fun to see the progress and see people come to help just at the right times.
I’m off to take things to a neighborhood yard sale. I should have started cleaning out closets earlier. Maybe this will be my jump start. Can’t wait to see more of the beautiful kitchen. Glad you heard from the nurse. Soon.
Good morning Jeanne,
The wall color is so pretty and looks awesome with your flooring. Grey is really popular right now but it’s also timeless. Loving the look and can’t wait to see more photos. So happy to see all the help you are receiving, that truly is a blessing in its self. Enjoy your time with family. Continued prayers you, George and your sweet family.
Hugs
Ingrid
Can’t wait to see more photos of the gray color. I know it is so popular now. Maybe once the trim is added I’ll like it more. I guess I was getting used to the white primer. I’m one of those who has to have everything white because of the light. Many years ago, when I first moved from my parents home, the first thing I did was paint the interior of our house white! I was never so happy to leave that yellow bedroom behind. And now, hopefully soon, I’ll be painting that old yellow room again. Bet you can’t guess the color. 🙂 Anyway, the whole new kitchen effect is an amazing artistic masterpiece which should be one of your forth coming books, The Kitchen, by Jeanne and Friends. A companion to the Doll Dresses book.
I know there must be a reason it takes so long to get that date, but I’m glad you are continuing on with the kitchen. And so wonderful to have your sisters there to help too. Keep up the great work and hope to see another post soon.
The kitchen is looking wonderful! I love the grey. I would call it perfect grey. Everything is coming along.
Hope everyone in the path of the winter storm stays safe this weekend. I’m in mid-Michigan where the wind and ice is supposed to hit.
Have a good day!
Take care –
Again, all I can say is the kitchen is just coming along and looking so beautiful. You will be in 7th Heaven when it is done. It’s such a nice size kitchen too…open and airy and now will look even bigger and airier with the colors you chose and the girls chose. I can’t wait to see it all done as I’m sure you are doubly ready for it to be done. Your home is just lovely, Jeanne. You and George must be so proud of it and all the hard work you’ve done over the years on it.
Enjoy your sisters and hope you get a lot done. Blessings!!
Love the photos, Jeannie! So happy you went with the color of paint you used. I know that shade .. it’s lovely and stays “true” all day and after the sun goes down:)
What a gorgeous kitchen is being “born!”
Dear Jeanne, wow it’s almost done! How wonderful for you.
Yes, we are ready for your cake. I will make the tea.
Prayers continue.
Wonderful to hear from you, Jeanne! You HAVE been busy! Your place has been a beehive of activity, and your kitchen is looking just beautiful! When we finished remodeling our dining room many years ago, I was so happy with the results that I wanted to sleep in that room! My hubby would often find me sitting in there after I’d put the children to bed, just staring at the wainscoting, chair rail, wallpaper, flooring, Country Curtains ruffled tieback curtains, and my mother’s repurposed dining set. I was so thrilled it was finally finished and we had a proper place to entertain, and I was so proud that my hubby had done all the work. Do you feel like that about your kitchen, Jeanne? I’ll bet you do!
You have been blessed with help on your project, and I’m so happy your sisters have come to visit again. It seems everyone is comfortable with the new kitchen so far. 😉 I had to laugh at your description of how your family made themselves at home with the new counter on the refrigerator wall, and seeing Reuben’s food bowl made me smile, too. I think I spy one of George’s new switch plates on that wall, and it makes a nice contrast with the shiplap. There are lots of little details that go into finishing a room, and I know you will be pleased to see it completed.
Your sister is just the right height to stand on the counter to paint, Jeanne, and she is doing a professional job! “Agreeable Gray” looks so nice with all the other elements. I love the mix of white beadboard, gray walls, and rubbed shiplap. This was also the first time I really noticed your wonderful sink. It looks to be a generous, deep double bowl porcelain sink with extended drain boards, the perfect thing for your farmhouse. They definitely don’t make them like that any more, and I hope it’s a keeper! Please tell “Chandi” it was nice to see her again too! 😉
Looking forward to your “kitchen celebration,” Jeanne, and a piece of blue cake with ice cream. I loved Dorothy’s offer to make the tea. I will take cream and sugar with mine, please! We’ll be happy to help you take pictures for your future Farmhouse Kitchen book. Don’t forget your cameras, everyone!
Wow! You guys are like the Energizer Bunny…you just keep going and going. lol.
That you got that much done in such a short time is amazing. Glad to see you had some helpers as that makes this difficult time easier. I had to laugh to see your sister standing on the sink as that would have been me. I love the color your decided to go with, as I posted earlier and not fond of white. My mother lived in a white world as everything was white with a fleck of gold for color. I think this grey is just the perfect choice for your floors, the antique wood and counter tops. It will be completed before you know it and you can stand back and look at what you’ve done with joy. Looking forward to the party. Can I bring anything?
More waiting. The waiting is the hardest part and has wished he could have had this done sooner. Keeping you’s in my thoughts.
Morning Jeanne:
Great Update. Can’t believe the wonderful progress you have made on your kitchen. I am running out of words to describe it. You’ve made so many fantastic choices and the grey just ties it all in.
Keeping all in my prayers.
Happy Monday! I hope your sisters are still there and that this is going to be a good week. I thought that since Reuben matches your floor, your paint color should match one of Reuben’s colors, and I’ll bet it does match some of the lighter patches.
The forsythia is blooming here and the crab apple blossoms are starting to show up although they are not ready to bloom. This is Colorado, so more snow will be coming, though perhaps not this month. There’s always one snow after the leaves come out — at least one. That means that on at least one Saturday the farmers at the farmers’ market will be hunched miserably over their wares. At least spring snow melts fast and leaves the grass greener.
Have a wonderful, productive day, and we’ll see you when you have time. Take care and stay well and warm.