The Kitchen.....

I am not crazy about cooking. Seriously. It's one of my least favorite things to do - but I do enjoy it more when we have a crowd - isn't that strange? I've got a few picky eaters in the house but when you've got people over who enjoy eating what you cook, then it's a pleasure and not a chore.

But I LOVE to bake! Sweet muffins on a Saturday morning. Ooey Gooey Cinnamon rolls lulling you down the stairs on Sunday. That's more ME! All about the baked goods!

The kitchen is open to our sitting room (previous post) and as with any other room in my house it was an opportunity for decorating!

Let me give you a little tour....

The butcher block that makes it so convenient to pour yourself a glass of milk to go with those baked goods!

Over here is a glass front cabinet that stores my "pretty" dishes or as my 4 year old calls it "Show & Tell". Doesn't matter that I have to stoop down to the cabinet below to get our "everyday" dishes but as long as I have something nice to look at then I can deal with the back problems this causes....;)

To further enhance my "pretty view" -I lined the back of the cabinet with a subtle fruit & bird toile wallpaper. It makes the dishes stand out a bit more and it appears that I have more than I really do! another wink! ;)

Uh Oh! Do you spy another Rooster lamp...? Don't you just love HomeGoods!?......

Then to address the looming space above the cabinets (but I was the only one in the house to think this) I think I have made the most of the soffet..no Wasted decorating space in this house!

An old painting that I carried from room to room for months trying to find just the right spot for...how about above the pantry door?! I enjoy looking at when I am lounging on the couch in the adjacent room...and I do like to lounge!

A pretty antique platter above the stove.... it's mounted with a plate hanger attached with wire to a nail that I hammered into the cabinet -my hubby wasn't too happy with that part! - then I used that poster putty on the backside so it doesn't shift all around.

An iron bull's head that my kids get a kick out of!

I wish I had some exotic story about him being from a French Boucherie' as an advertising sign... but (sigh)... no... He was originally a towel rack with a huge ring through his nose! I would have used him in his original condition but I don't have wall space by the kitchen sink. So we hacksawed off the metal ring and I puttied up his rather large nose holes and dabbed on some paint. So now can I "fib" about his origins?

A little transferware here and there.....

And my sweet hubby brought me back those copper pots from a trip...Now he's finally getting the real me after 12 years of marriage!

The nook that my husband and I spent one loooonnng weekend building benches for....(can you say marriage counseling?)

Had to throw in my favorite pillow - there is a hen & chicks one down at the other side of the bench - the kids know NOT to wipe their grubby fingers on these! Still working on the husband...;)

And finally back around to the sitting room....

Oh! one more thing before you go - How many of you have stainless steel refrigerators? Then you know you can't attach any little notes or cute magnets to it right?




Well I applied a couple coats of magnetic paint & then chalkboard paint to the other side of the fridge cabinet (gasp! I know I had reservations at first too!) to make a sort of message center. Had my husband install some trim around it and I painted it to match the cabinets.

It looks like it was always there... I get a little more organization and the four year old usually doodles up the lower half and leaves us little masterpieces!

Well, I think that about concludes the tour - Now I've got some Baking to do! See you next time!