Kitchen Before & After!!

Remember this? Although I am one of the slowest unpackers ever, I did actually get the kitchen together so Eleanor didn't have to eat in a towering Mousetrap. Can you find her amidst the clutter? Somewhere to the right of the diet coke. So it was put away, but not cute.

Then I decided I was so in love with the color Peacock Blue that I had to put it somewhere in my house. Being renters, I had to put it somewhere small, so that when we move in 2 years it will be easy to paint over. I chose the back splash. I love the look of lacquered walls and venetian plaster, so I did my own DIY version. Since the back wall was super beat up from when they changed out the counter tops a few years ago, I decided to go with the textured look of venetian plaster. I used cheap wall putty to make it look like plaster, painted over it with my glossy paint and then wiped a rub-on poly over that to make it really shine. This is just the paint color test. But you can see how truly awesome it looked before. Ha.

And here is a picture where you really can't see the texture at all. Go Marianne! But you can see that I moved my measuring cups and salt off of my little ledge and made it an actual "display" of sorts. Pretend those are air quotes around the word display. P.S. The empty knife magnet thing is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I think everyone should own one. You can even install them inside of your cabinets! They are so handy! Um, paper towels are never cute, but what can you do?

I also finally got around to hanging some pictures up and making little curtains for the windows. So I declare that the kitchen is done! Maybe. Either way, here are the before and after pictures. Please ignore the after pictures garland. That was for a baby shower that was at my house. It's not permanent.

Before....

After!

After!

After! P.S. Did I mention that I found the cake stand I have been looking for for over 6 years? My sweet Bishop's wife from my singles ward (What up Wendy!) had one that I adored and I have been searching ever since. Also didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for one. This one was $16 at TJMaxx! Early birthday present to me!

More after.

Close up of the curtain fabric. I searched in vain for something less than $49 a yard. Finally I found this coverlet from Urban Outfitters and made it into curtains for two rooms! I plan to use more of it elsewhere. I have a ton left over.

Here are a few close ups of the art I hung in here. I have so many family photos in our living room (blog to come soon) that I only wanted art prints in here. Here is Queen Esther by one of my favorites, Minerva Teichert. I got this for Clayton for his birthday last year. We have a problem of buying each other gifts that we want for ourselves.

The Lost Balloon.

Disaster & Accident in the Italian District

Doll jumping rope with cats. Yep. Underneath, Rainbow circle? Sadly I find these images off of public domain sites (and a few, cough cough, other sites) and don't know the artists info.

A close up of a Carrière self portrait and a robot escaping on a pony.

Menier Chocolate advertising poster by Firmin Bouisset. Chocolate graffiti?
I can get behind that.

And a gratuitous treat shot. The baby shower had some serious good eats. Pinwheels, homemade salsa, apples with caramel, chocolate caramel cookies, coconut cupcakes, veggie pizza... Happiness. I decorated with an aqua and red theme, but it wasn't very clear. Oh well. The adorable red magnet board is actually from Eleanor's room, which is ALSO done. I know! Three rooms done? What is up Marianne? I will post them all soon. That is my goal. But you all know how I am with goals, so...

And because a post should always contain something of Eleanor.
Here is a sneak peak at the living room.