Mudroom During and After

DURING

It seems like we always forget to take true "before" pictures.  We tear into a project and then I remember that we should document it!  So...enjoy these "during" and after pictures.  We are fully enjoying our entrance into the Four Sisters Farm house now!

AFTER

Special thanks goes to Pop, our handyman (Pop said I can keep him if I'll feed him), and our daughter, DW who did the cool lettering on the storage crates Pop and I built.

Pop working on the wood storage crates

The World's Best Handyman
(who even built me a shelf with hanging rod above the stairway
just because I wanted it and then he proved it is sturdy)

DW lettering our storage crates

Words on my Wall

I had a space I wanted (okay, needed) to fill up above the "pass-through" window between our kitchen and living room.  I checked out custom ordered vinyl lettering but decided it was a bit pricey.  So like any good do-it-yourselfer, I searched Pinterest and came up with what I thought might be a good solution. (here's a link to one of the tutorials I found.)

So I went to work at my computer and found just the right font and figured out the height to make the letters look right in my space.  Then I printed out what I wanted to say and cut/spliced my paper to put it all together.  This is what it looked like when I taped it up on my wall and tried it out for a few days...

Then I took it down and scribbled on the back side of the whole thing...each letter.

After that, I taped it back up in place and traced around each letter, which left a faint outline of the words.

I just now noticed that the word I focused on for the outlining picture is "love".  I think that is perfect.  It makes me smile.

I used an ink jet printer, regular printer paper, transparent tape (of course you could use about any tape), a regular #2 pencil, black acrylic paint, and a small slanted/angled artist paint brush.

I am really happy I gave it a try...now where else do I need to put words on the walls?

I Love Susan Winget's Art Work!

I first discovered Susan Winget's art work in the form of a 2009 Lang calendar at Cracker Barrel and have admired her work ever since.  One of her calendar pages (September 2010) became the inspiration for much of the decor in our recently renovated kitchen.  I had previously framed select calendar pages for our mud room which helped its dated appearance tremendously...we will soon be tackling that space to update it and Susan's art will show up again when that project is completed!

I kept the colors in mind as I chose cabinetry, counter top, flooring, and paint colors.  I pinned it on one of my many Pinterest boards and showed it to my friends and family as things developed.

I thought I would like the more primitive rooster at the bottom of this picture more than the whimsical ones...but whimsy won out in the end. I love them so much that I meticulously cut them out and decoupaged them onto a box that holds my tea bags and sits near my Keurig!

I also purchased an inexpensive canvas and tried out some latex and acrylic paints, stick on letters, and Modge Podge.  I LOVE it!

Here it is in my kitchen!

And here is a closeup...it deserves it...just look at those roosters!!

Susan lives and works from her studio on a farm in North Carolina.  She blogs, uses facebook, and even has a Pinterest account...which is where she saw my inspiration board containing her awesome roosters!!  I hope you will visit her website and check out her work...the roosters are just the tip of the iceberg!  Enjoy!

Before and After - The Kitchen

Four Sisters Farm Kitchen BEFORE the renovation (photo taken at Wubba's Birthday Party 2011)

We began our renovation on the Four Sisters Farm House main floor in June 2011 when Farm Chick at Heart and EJ bought a beautiful home in the "city" and moved.  We had planned to do it all along but I don't think anything prepares you the task it will be.

We took it all on at once...not room by room.  Since we were living in the basement, we didn't have to live in the mess. (Praise God!!)

We dealt with the surprises as we found them...mouse skeletons, mold, and all.  I will let the pictures do the talking; but I need to say "Thank you!" to all the people who lent us a hand.  We are still planning to host a party but there are so many people involved that we will have to wait until the weather cools so we can utilize our outdoor space as well.

Partially demolished/gutted kitchen

Removing kitchen cabinets...we learned what "clutch" screws are...they are evil...very hard to remove!! The original wallpaper was not visible but I enjoyed getting to see it as we tore things apart.

1. Yucky unwelcome surprise of a rotted wall that had to be replace, 2. Grammy's visual way of figuring out what cabinets would be needed, and 3. Doc, Pop, and EJ making the space for a sliding glass door

Grammy and Pop (left), Pretty Princess and Romeo (center), and Doc and DW (right)

During the cabinet installation

Without Further Ado...The New Kitchen

I know you have been anxious to see the new kitchen so Rock Star came over to take some pictures after things were put away in the kitchen...there will still be some changes but only minor decorating types of changes so here you go...in a later post, I will do some "before and after" shots...for now, enjoy...and maybe  make plans to come see the place (and us).

We Have a Kitchen!

It is real.  The cabinet "guys" are done...the appliances are in place and gleaming...I am happy, oh, so happy!

Pictures will come next week so stay tuned.  The Four Sisters have to come out to:

1. Admire the kitchen
2. Put stuff away in the kitchen
3. Get some ice and water from the new fridge
4. Have a cup of coffee from the Keurig on my new counter
5. and finally...admire the kitchen some more.

I am grateful for:

1. A God Who provides for us
2. A husband who says he is happy when I am happy (coz this kitchen really makes me happy)
3. Family and friends to share our blessings with

Stay tuned for pictures next week!!

Someday I will...have a kitchen again...

like soon...the cabinet maker was here today and will return to complete the work before long!

The peninsula, range, sink, and dishwasher will soon take their places among beautiful new cabinetry!

The fridge, coffee maker, and microwave will join this arrangement of cabinets!

So many projects!

I think that since mankind is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we exhibit characteristics of our Heavenly Father.  One of God's characteristics is creativity...just look at what around you at what He made!  


Because we are created in His image, Pop and I constantly have ideas for new/creative things to add beauty and joy to our surroundings.  For me, it is usually house and garden ideas.  For Pop, it is often bigger things...like conquering the outdoors and building tree houses. So even in the midst of our renovation at Four Sisters Farm, our growing number of grandchildren, a garden to tend, etc., we have all these ideas of creative things to try...


Here are a few of my latest creative projects:

We will continue to chip away at the renovation of Four Sisters Farm.  We are preparing a place that is peaceful and safe for our family and friends...a place they will feel loved and welcome.  I can't help but wonder what kind of projects Jesus is working on in heaven as He prepares a place for us! 


John 14:2-3: My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Renovation Progress Update

Master Vanity

Two become one...two vanities trimmed down to fit into the space for one vanity in the master bathroom that is.  It was a crazy plan but it worked.  Pop figured it out...he always seems to be able to take some nutty thing I think up and make it work.  EJ came over and helped us most of one day and our biggest and best accomplishment of the day was the master vanity.  It makes me happy every time I use it.  

We started with inexpensive unfinished vanities that I painted. Then Pop, EJ, and I cut them down and I found something else to do while they put them together on a base they built so the vanity would be taller. I added some really cool paintable wallpaper that looks like beadboard and some furniture legs and we finished it off with a custom built double sink.  Then I "beadboarded" above the back splash and added trim.  Fantastic! Thanks for the help, EJ...how is that thumb?

I still need the cup pulls and knobs but I could not wait to show it off!

 Bunk Beds - Pop Style!

 Pop came up with plans for a triple bunk bed for the bunk room...he and I gathered up the lumber and supplies and got to work.  We cut, sanded, stained, and partially assembled. Then one day the superheroes came over and helped us complete the bulk of putting together. Little Super Girl made sure we had all the screws we needed. :-) We're pleased with the finished results and plan to build more to accommodate all our grandsons in the bunk room!

Stay tuned...the progress is slow but it is coming!