Elf on the Shelf

Aren't they the cutest? We have a small collection of elves that pop up in a different place each year. This year they seemed to find the kitchen the comfiest!

I think it was in November that I decided to finally move my milk bottles (they were still upstairs in Mandy's room!). So most of the kitchen shelves also got rearranged! For what better place for milk bottles then in the kitchen! 

 My milk bottle collection started with finding a couple at our local antique shops and then finding a few in Ohio when we would go to visit our grandpa. This one Mandy brought home from Vermont when she visited our aunt. I was trying to collect a bottle from each state/town I had been. It is really hard to find milk bottles in Texas though...…

 This little elfin always hung on our tree growing up, she is my Mom's.

 This bottle was the one that really started my collection. I found it in my Grandpa's garage in Ohio. Love the name of the dairy! The strawberry sugar pot is also a memento from my Grandma. She collected strawberries.

 I made sure I put this bottle on the lowest shelf at eye level. It always makes me laugh! 

 The larger milk bottles I put up on the shelves over the stove. With a few Shiny Brights and an elf tucked in among the glassware it is quite festive!

This week is looking like it will be a lot calmer than last week. Most of the presents are finished and packages shipped. Now I am contemplating baking another batch of ginger snaps! They are so fun to make and eat!

A Finished Kitchen

 This post has been a long time coming. But as this room is a very hard working kitchen, it has been hard to find a time when it was tidy or close to being tidy, with no meal times upcoming, plus a nice sunny day.

Finally this past Sunday as I was getting ready to make applesauce, I realized it was the perfect time to take a few pictures! And a few beautiful red apples made a nice accent.

So here it is, a completely trimmed out kitchen!

(I had also been waiting to finish up the last of the kitchen baseboard. We didn't quite have enough time to get it done in June when we did the bathroom.)

Oh how I love my windowsills! When I bought this little cottage, the kitchen was rather sad. It's last update was about 1950. It had forest green carpet, wood stained cabinets, tiny ranch trim around the windows and no baseboards! One of my pet peeves is mismatched trim, so when I was ripping things out, out went the ranch style trim. Once the new 1920s style trim went back in, new windowsills were also needed to look correct. They are now thicker and wider. Which means they are perfect for perching things on!

 Doesn't it look like it has always been there? 

Of course, with all the beautiful trim I had to have new curtains that didn't cover it up! Since I already had vinyl roller shades, I took the shades apart and re-used the hardware to make fabric shades. Isn't the fabric the perfect shade of Pyrex aqua?

I am still working on gathering little things for the shelves. This was just what I could find around the house. The shelves were original to the kitchen cupboards and at first I wasn't going to put them back up, but I changed my mind. They add a very vintage touch, don't they! Unfortunately, the original boards where so stinky I had to have replacements made. (They smelled very much like cat, though I am not sure how that is possible. No amount of sunning, bleaching or priming could get it out of the wood.)

 This is the "other" side of the kitchen. It is very typical of 1920s houses to leave the refrigerator hanging out in space. Hopefully some day I can remedy that, but for now we are utilizing every bit of space around it the best we can!

 The kitchen has always seems "not quite right" to me. There was always something about it bothering me, it felt shabby and not pulled together. I wish I would have realized what it was sooner! The minute we trimmed out the windows I let out a sigh! This is what it needed. Trim! It is amazing how finished and tidy it feels now.

Here is the kitchen when I bought the house, Just after we moved in, last year with new door trim and basement door.

I also wanted to get this post up before the end of the month when I do my annual anniversary post. It will be five years since I owned the little cottage and four since we have lived in it!!

Trimming the Doors

The last two weekends we have been working on trim. It is one of the last things on the list and I am so excited to be getting it done! 

 Just need a bit of sanding and painting and it will be good!

When the kitchen and bathroom were remolded sometime in the early 1950's, they tore out the original 1920's trim and replaced it with a "modern" narrow version. So in the interest of restoring vintage charm, I tore out the narrow trim and am installing replica 1920's trim.(Funny how that works, isn't it?) 

 It is a bit of a multi step process. This is step one of trimming the doors. The original 1920's trim is two pieces, a wide board and a corner piece. The corner piece we will have to make (hopefully sometime this summer!), but for now it is lovely having even a bit of trim up!

 This door from the kitchen to the back door and basement was the first, the trial run. It was also the simplest doorway to do, no counters to cut around, no wonky walls to work with. 

Doesn't it make a world of difference? 

Now that the first part of the door trim is up, we are going to switch over to windows and work on windowsills and trimming the windows in the wide boards. Then we will try to get those corner pieces made!

Window Plant

This cute little plant is actually a grapefruit, it resides on the kitchen window sill.

Our Grandma gifted it to us after she poked six grapefruit seeds in a pot and they all came up! She has the brightest green thumb in the world.

Vintage Kitchen Inspiration

Here are a few vintage kitchens from Antique Home. I think I have mentioned this website before, they have a fabulous collection of house plans and interiors from the 1900-1960. One of my favorite place to go for inspiration! 

I loved seeing how kitchens changed over the years. From simple and functional in the 20's to colorful, modern and efficient in the 50's.  

These two 1920's kitchens are mostly concerned with a functional and sanitary place to prepare meals. Not a lot of cupboard space, but massive sinks with hot and cold running water!

This 1934 kitchen is a little warmer. Still not much cabinetry and did you notice the ice box by the back entry? Easily accessible for the iceman. I love the breakfast nook, a favorite in the 20's and 30's.

The 1940's brought big changes to kitchens, lots of new materials like Formica and plastics. Color everywhere and modern appliances like the dishwasher!

I love how so many kitchens included places at the counter where you could pull up a stool and work. Something that would be nice in today's kitchens.

For the 1950's it was more of the same, more bright bold colors, efficient features like pull-out cutting boards, drying racks and a more compact work triangle.

This one was one of my favorites! 

I hope you enjoyed this inspiration, visit Antique Home for more!

Kitchen Updates

I am not sure if it is the weather or the time of year, but I have been ready tackle projects and make some changes! Unfortunately, there has been a lot going on and little time to get projects done.... So I dream and hatch ideas and obsess a bit. The kitchen has been my latest obsession. I have been dreaming of all the things I could do to make it better, all the things I would love to change, how I could incorporate a cute idea from the internet.....

Then all of the sudden I realized what I was doing and took a step back. My kitchen is cute, it is functional, bright and sunny, very vintage (which I love!), and a whole lot bigger then the little apartment kitchen we were crammed into a year and a half ago. Of course there are a few things I would like to change and a few small projects on the list, but that doesn't mean I need a whole new kitchen!

These pictures are the newest change in the kitchen (which actually happened in November!). We decided the kitchen needed a little color and since the cupboard doors are so plain, a little interest and texture.

 So I unscrewed the hinges on the doors over the stove and gathered all of my favorite vintage kitchen things! An improvement don't you think?

My glass pitcher collection...... tin cake carrier.........

 favorite Pyrex bowls......

 vintage canisters which hold cookie cutters.......

I love to dream, but sometimes the dreaming gets a little out of control!

So I will enjoy the new look and be happy with the kitchen............For now.....

2nd Year Have-Done-List

Can believe it?! I have owned the little house for two years! What busy years...... I have decided to  write another Have-Done list, like I did last year.

Front Yard
I re-did the flower beds and have been adding plants all year. They are coming along nicely, but it is so different to what I am use to as the beds are all shade.

Porch
Last year, the front porch was just a dropping ground. This summer I transformed it into another living space, and boy did we enjoy living in it! Painted wicker furniture, made cushions and pillows and re-arranged the furniture a dozen times.

Entry

The biggest thing on the list was getting a coat rack! I also hung the mirror and baskets for mittens and keys. Very exciting accomplishment!

Living Room

Not too much going on in the living room, but we have big plans! Purchased a new rug for in front of the couch and added another couple of coats of shellac to the floors.

Dinning Room

Also re-coated the floors. Hung up my fruit illustrations and finished up the blue side chairs. Turned the table the other way, which really changed the look of the room!

Front Bedroom

Still have a bit more picture hanging to do here. But we finally figured out what would work in the closet, good old basic shelves! I am planning on sharing them soon.

Bathroom

Installed the medicine cabinet!! Put shelves in the linen closet and re-organized everything again.

Back Bedroom

(This was the only picture I has that even shows the back bedroom. Do you see the bed through the hall? That is it!) Didn't change a lot in this room. Bedrooms have to be decorated slowly. They are such personal spaces one has to take their time.

Kitchen

The kitchen has been a busy place this year! Made curtains, bought a new vintage table, installed tile back splash. Still have trim to do.

Book Nook

Moved more shelves in, organized books, and purchased a chair. I am in the middle of working on the foot stool and pillow now.

Upstairs Bedroom

Not much done here either. Because the sewing room was better organized, I was able to de-clutter a bit.

Sewing Room

Bought cube shelves and bins, re-organized everything, found a new sewing chair. I will be getting together a post on this room soon!

Back Yard
Painted both my garage and the neighbor's garage with fresh white paint. Bought a raised garden box, planters and planted an apple tree!

Happy Anniversary Little House!