Holiday Buhh-fay

Or, as I like to call it, our new fence. Let me splain...

Several months ago, our buddy came over to help my husband measure the yard in order to calculate supplies and labor for a new fence. We had put aside some cash for the fence, and were really excited to have it done. Well, after considering the cost of everything, plus the rental of the jackhammer and labor for all of the bedrock we're sitting on... the boys asked me if I'd like a new cabinet in the kitchen.

Of course! I'd been wanting that for-eh-verrr. So, we began the kitchen DIY. Note the large, empty wall in our kitchen. Made no sense to us when we moved in, especially since there was just a small corner for counter space. This wall could definitely use a cabinet.

So, the guys installed 3 sections of unfinished cabinetry from our local home improvement store. Beau moved the outlet to be level with the light switch since the cabinet would otherwise cover it. Handy!

These cabinets pretty much match what came with the house, so we can make it look like it was built-in from the beginning. Actually, I mean to say we'll eventually paint all of the other cabinets to match the new ones. All we had to do to begin the process was prime, paint, install the top, then put pulls on. Really, it should only take a couple of weekends.

After a few weeks had passed, you'll note that we began to use the drawers from the top. They're pretty handy that way. I also hung some old paintings to cover the screws that were already in the wall from our vintage window pane that used to occupy the space.

What pretty much began as a two week project turned into several months. We had to begin with some primer so we used the least offensive, fume-wise. My smart husband put some wood planks across the top so that we could dry the doors, indoors.

Even though it was tough to keep the kids out of the kitchen, it was fun having them help me brush the dust off after sanding. They will be great helpers someday.

Slowly, but surely, we got to sanding, painting, and more sanding. Then more painting. After some concentrated effort and a chair barricade to keep out the little ones, we managed to get it to the next stage.

Yes, that is my colander sitting on top of the paint can. We were working in stages, people.

The bamboo chop block came as an 8-foot piece from Southeastern Salvage. They cut off the two extra feet and made me a nice cutting board, complete with a routed canal. That piece is still waiting to be sanded, but it's there! After installing the now 6-foot bamboo chop block top, the guys very carefully measured, pre-drilled and screwed in the pulls that I found at Target. They had a nice price for a simple brushed nickel pull.

And.... Voilà! Kitchen buffet. It sure came in handy during this holiday/birthday season since we've had two parties, and one more to go. I really LOVE my new fence. Many thanks to Beau West Home Improvement, my husband, and yes, myself.

Maybe if I can remember, I'll get a nice complete picture of it in use. Right now, it's in use, but you don't want to see all of the junk it's been collecting over Christmas!

Yarn Craft: Napkin Rings

My 4-year-old has been asking to make napkin rings for weeks. She saw a craft video on Sprout's web site and has been determined to make the Wrapping Paper Napkin Rings ever since. I kept pushing the project with each holiday that was approaching, and finally landed on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Yarned Napkin Rings

Yesterday seemed like a good day to get crafty, so we started out with the instructions from Sprout. After my daughter counted the expected number of people at our Thanksgiving dinner, I marked up divisions on a paper towel tube that we had saved. Using her "kid scissors," she then cut the tube into 9 rings.

Next, we took out our Christmas wrapping paper (not very Thanksgiving-ish, but I humored the child) and cut 1" strips. Lucky for nerdy-me, there are nice little squares on the back of the wrapping paper to give us 1-inch guides. However, even that didn't help with the results. After wrapping a few rings in the paper, Mommy made an executive decision to switch gears.

"Let's wrap the cardboard in yarn!"

yarn vs. wrapping paper

I mean, take a look at the sample photo. Doesn't the yarn totally beat the paper? Puh-leeeez. The paper just didn't have the same...je ne sais quoi! Am I right, ladies and gentlemen?

Here's the new DIY, folks.

• Tip: if you don't have a paper towel (or toilet paper) roll handy, cut strips from a cardboard food box (cereal, granola bars, etc). Staple the ends together to form a ring of similar diameter to the towel roll. 
• Find some yarn that has a nice color for your holiday of choice. We chose this great chunky burned orange for Thanksgiving. 

• Pull the yarn through repeatedly to wrap one ring (without any glue, but maybe some tape to reduce frustration).
• Unwrap it and remove the tape. Use that yarn as a guide to cut similar lengths for the remaining number of rings.

• Using a hot glue gun, or good craft glue, attach one end of the yarn to the inside of a ring and let the kids help you wrap the rest of the ring. (You could probably use a mini staple to attach the end, as long as you conceal it). 

this is my 1-year-old "helping" the 4-year-old

• When you get to where you started, glue the yarn inside the ring and snip off any extra yarn. If you're using a glue gun, you can try "ironing" down the end of the yarn inside the ring with the hot metal tip. This will keep it from fraying as well as hold it in place. 
• Holiday Napkin Rings in an hour!

Patio Garden Experiment: Fall Update!

FALL

So, PGEII (Patio Garden Experiment -Take 2) was interesting! It was not as eventful as we'd hoped, but we did eat whatever we were able to grow. I think we ate more from our friends' gardens than from our own, but that is to be expected when you're using pots in lieu of a raised bed. More watering and smaller plants, but easy watering and bug/worm picking, with easy harvesting. Just enough to feed us and give our patio a nice border.

the peas & onions before harvesting

We had peas, potatoes and onions in the Spring, a couple of green tomatoes at the end of Summer, and are currently enjoying kale and collard greens.

SPRING

This summer's tomato crop turned out great for the squirrels. Saboteurs! Yes, nearly every tomato (green, yellow, orange) was picked off and nibbled by the little rats that live in our big oak tree. Thankfully, my husband ripped out the tomatoes and planted some kale, swiss chard and collard greens. We've been enjoying these veggies in our soups, sautes and sauces, and it makes up for the lack of produce this summer. I would do it again if I had to, but I think nothing beats growing things in the ground!

SUMMER... for the squirrels

Growth and rest.

2011

For the past three years we have been taking a photo of my daughter in front of the hydrangea plants. She is usually sitting next to our plum harvest since the blooms on the hydrangea coincide with the fruit picking in early summer or late spring.

Last year, we were sorely disappointed when our plum tree did not bear fruit. We had a few little ones that fell to the ground, but nothing worth keeping or eating. This year, to our delight, we had a great harvest! However, the hydrangea decided to take a sabbatical this year...

Here is our daughter with most of the second batch (the kids ate a bucketful, I'm sure).

2011 - with added dramatic flare, "what-EVER will we do with all of these plums?"