Clutter Clean-up

Type-As generally stay clear of clutter, while the laid back few tend to overlook such offenses. Right? That's pretty much how it rolls in our house. I have been blessed (and cursed) with both type-A and creative leanings. I love to create, but I can't seem to stop myself from cleaning (picking up as I go) in the midst of the creative process. My husband, on the other hand, is just straight up creative. About the only time he goes type-A on me is when it's time to cut our boys' hair. Otherwise, he steps over messes without missing a beat. And yet, I have somehow managed to allow myself to clutter up our open-shelving in the kitchen. I'm all for "the more the merrier" approach, but sometimes it just gets out of control. Yesterday, hiked up my big-girl panties and cleaned out the clutter.

I packed up the teapots and brought out the milk glass. Packing up a lot of the dishes and serving pieces freed up a lot of space and gave the shelving an instant dose of freshness. Ahhh... I can breath again.

I did a little remix too be bringing in my favorite jars from the living room. They definitely weren't getting the attention they deserved. Now they're front and center. As it should be.

I even managed to create a little coffee section with our beloved espresso machine and mini-biscotti from Trader Joe's. Easy access for our early morning java fixes that are mandatory first thing.

This new clutter free space makes me so happy I could sing. And maybe dance a bit. I might actually want to be back in the kitchen again. The angels are singing... can you hear them? xo

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Kitchen Gadgets

A good kitchen gadget knows no end. From broken wooden spoons to old rolling pins, the everyday item has multiple uses. Here are just a few...

 rolling pin | mashers | corks

straws | matches | egg beaters [source unknown]

I'm currently recycling some vintage pot lids. I'll show you the final product next week. What have you recycled lately? xo

\\wooden spoons via fine little day

For the Love of Coffee

I love coffee. The aroma. The taste. The way it warms you up in the cold. And the way it wakes you up in the mornings. It's not just a drink, it's also a bonding agent. My friends and I gather over coffee often. I drink my coffee while I meet with God and read His word.  To me, coffee just goes hand in hand with the warmth of love of community. Silly I know. It's a bean. 

Now, let me tell you what I don't love. Fake. (Well, unless it's fake fur.) And because I love my coffee along with the pure joy it brings me... I don't want any fake in my coffee. I have tried a number of coffee creamer recipes found via Pinterest and much to my dismay, they have all disappointed. Until now. I have finally figured it out. It's all in the ratio. Ratio. Ratio. Very important, otherwise it's not sweet enough or the flavor is just all wrong.

Here's what you need to make the perfect creamer - Yes! I said perfect and I mean it. (If you're wondering why the two mason jars? - ratio! One can of sweetened condensed milk makes about 1.5 mason jars of creamer.)

 <half of each per container
.>>

Once you fill your container with half of each milk, add pure vanilla extract if you like French Vanilla creamer. One to two tablespoons depending on your preference. Before stirring, your creamer will look like this...

Mixing your ingredients well is also very crucial to a good consistent flavor. That's where the trusty blender (one of my most beloved Christmas gifts ever) comes in handy...

That contraption/mixer/extension or whatever you call it, is uh-mazing...blending all of the ingredients to absolute perfection.

Yum. Yum. Yummers. So simple right? Half and Half. Sweetened Condensed Milk. Vanilla. Three ingredients. Here's the kicker - not only does it taste great, but it's inexpensive and lasts us 2 weeks or more. I also use it in my tea, both Chai, pictured above, and Chamomile Vanilla. (I think I have a thing for vanilla. And sugar.) How do you take your coffee or tea? xo

PS - the hubs and I got an espresso maker for Christmas. I die!

Adios Cooking Woes

Food. It's a love/hate relationship in my kitchen. I love to eat. I hate to cook. I have my staples that keep me and my family from going hungry and don't require any planning. I don't meal plan and I try to only go to the grocery store once a week (less if I can get away with it). It's simple and that's the way I like it. Or should I say, liked it. We have been trying to eat less meat and much more healthy for the past several weeks. In the beginning I wanted to cry every time I walked into the kitchen to cook dinner. But alas there is hope for me yet! (Ahhh... the angels are singing.) I am starting to enjoy trying new things and I swear my tastebuds are starting to change. I actually like foods that I would have gagged at in the past - avocado and cantaloupe. And I'm finding that flavors really do compliment each other. ( I know - duh!)

My new favorite meal is the many varieties of the beautiful burrito. Sometimes there's rice. Other times corn and black beans. Sunday night I even threw in some cinnamon and butternut squash. Yum! I could go on and on. The point is this...don't be afraid to try new things in the kitchen. What's the worst that can happen? It goes into the dog's bowl? It goes down the drain? Oh well. My Dad used to say, "the best four letter word to say is next." He was a salesman. Can ya tell? He was right though. The next meal could become a new favorite! 

Here are a few new meals I plan on trying this week:

Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich (not too adventurous, which means a good start)

Spinach Burgers

Cheesy Orzo and Garden Veggies (less the fresh tomatoes - I tried them on the burrito above and yup, still don't like 'em)

Sweet Potato Burrito with Avocado Salsa Verde

Veggie Burgers (homemade, not frozen)

And you want to know the best dessert to accompany healthy eating? Uh-huh. You guessed it... fruit! Yummy.

How about you? What have you whipped up in the kitchen lately? xo

Around the House: Two Steps Forward (and an underbelly)

As with any do it yourself project, it always seems that you take two steps forward and one step back. Last week's steps forward? Our new kitchen door that leads to the mudroom and painted exterior trim. Woot! The new door got me all energized to clean the kitchen, move the white tulip chairs back in and host a few informal dinners. Which by the way, I have found the best centerpiece... a tub of crayons. It keeps the littles entertained while I finish cooking and spurs creativity!

(the booster is a nice dose of real life, wouldn't you agree?)

As for the underbelly, with any two steps forward it seems there is a required step back. Our garage is in serious need of help. We haven't parked either of our cars in there for weeks. It has been a dumping ground for all things "in the way." My amazing stud of a husband began the great cleanup yesterday. We can officially get one car parked in the garage now, with the goal of a second car by week's end. God bless him. If my car finally makes it into the garage of this house it will be the biggest turn on ever! (I wonder if he knows this?)

The question still remains, "How and why do we have so much crap?" Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing.  

Tell me, what's the underbelly of your home? xo

Around the House: The Beautiful Mundane

 

Recently I found these vintage silverware/serving utensils for 25 cents each. The detail was too good to pass up - wood inlay and simple engravings. My heart just went pitter patter. Why they don't make things like this anymore I have no idea. Honestly, it kind of depresses me. Every day items are no longer seen as special so they're either cookie cutter or uber expensive. I believe that even the mundane should be and can be beautiful. That's life. And it's as God intended. (At least I think so.)

How do you make the mundane beautiful? xo

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Kitchen Tools

If you're anything like me, the kitchen is the hub of your home. It also seems to produce the most waste. From food containers and food scraps to trash bags and kitchen "tools" there is an endless supply of waste.  Because of all this waste, I am loving the new eco friendly (and quite lovely) return of wood and natural bristles in the kitchen. Mercantiles and General Stores are the latest in a stream of simplistic living trends and I hope they are here to stay. They woo me with their beautiful, yet simple, design.

Kaufmann Mercantile favorites:

mineral oil for all those stunning cutting boards

bottle brush - for all my hard to clean water bottles

wool hand duster - goodbye swiffer

Terrain favorites:

pinch & dash - because all of mother's recipes seem to call for them

veggie scrubber

Brook Farm General Store:

straw handbroom

 horsehair handbroom

 metal straws

enamelware lunch box

West Elm Market:

bubble up dish brush

goodbye detergent cleaning scrubs

tie string holder - for all those sandwiches wrapped in butcher paper

I mean... These products are so pretty I almost want to be in my kitchen 24 hours a day. But for now, I'll stick to the 5-7 hours I feel I'm in there right now! 

Am I the only one in the world that feels like they're in the kitchen ALL the time? xo

*kitchen image here

Around the House: Kitchen Reveal

Hello Monday! The day is finally here where I can show you all the work that we did on the kitchen. That's right; it's the big kitchen reveal. I'm so excited to show you all that we (mostly my husband and FIL) did. When we bought our little fixer upper, I thought we'd just paint over existing cabinetry. Once we got in the house and really looked at things, we knew we'd have to gut it. It hadn't been touched (and maybe even cleaned) since it was built in the 50's. 

Not only did we decide to gut it, we decided to knock out a wall (windows) and make it bigger. We really wanted an island and a breakfast nook that would allow more casual dining in the kitchen.

Here's how she looks today! There's still some work to be done, but she's 90% there.

Since my FIL is a builder, we were able to order our cabinetry from Cab Parts and save some serious cash there. The hubs and FIL built and installed the cabinetry once received. The hardware is all from Ikea as well as the island butcher block. We used the left-over butcher block for the open shelving and painted the back wall a flat black.  We still lack baseboards and and door trim for the pantry and laundry room. The rear door that leads to the mudroom and garage is also temporary (more on that later). 

We are doing as many projects as we can ourselves and waiting for God to provide more income so that we can proceed. We refuse to go into debt over a house. When He provides, we'll begin work again on the addition that contains the mudroom, studio and future master bedroom. Until then, we are thoroughly enjoying what we've done so far. It is a great space to entertain, craft and serve my family. It suits us.

What's your favorite thing about your kitchen? xo