The Thing About Progress...

The countertops are in and the dishwasher is finally installed.  All we have left to do is paint the walls and ceiling, put up shelves, tile the floors and backsplash, and install lighting.  Hmph.  This still seems like a lot.  Thank goodness for progress.

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whim HOME Hits the Road

Both the BroFam dining room and the Mamasita's kitchen are coming along slowly but surely.  More on those to come...  For now, I wanted to share some brainstorming.  A couple of weeks ago I started a new project that I am particularly psyched out of my mind about (phrase a la ELF, the movie).  While I was up in Ohio at the end of August, I visited a long time family friend who just bought a new house in the Hyde Park area of Cincinnati.  I love Ohio and I love Cincy, particularly Hyde Park with all the curves and hills and charm.  The Reese home is lovely, brimming with potential, glamour and a mischievous sense of humor.  After a few hours of touring the home and sharing ideas, I had a new and very exciting project to focus on.  One of the many beautiful features of this home is a proper foyer with a staircase and a formal living room to the left.  We decided to start at the beginning and are in the first stage of design on the entryway.  Here are the idea boards I sent to Mrs. Reese for approval.  Much to my delight, she chose the first one. 

Mrs. Reese has an eye for unique thrift and estate finds.  It will be so exciting to see how this project evolves as we go.  More to come...  

Gemutlichkeit!

Just when we thought everything essential was almost complete in the kitchen, another hiccup.  The plumber CAME BACK to my client's (aka mama's) house yesterday to 1) install the sprayer for the faucet because the countertop guys forgot to drill a hole and 2) install the dishwasher because there was no electrical hookup when he came the first time.  The sprayer was installed and he set everything up to install the dishwasher without any problem.  He opened the box the dishwasher came in and Voila!  A huge ripple right down the middle.  It's at a point where I just had to laugh.  We'll have a completed kitchen around Christmas... Maybe.  So in the meantime, I am thinking positive and dreaming about my current favorite FINISHED kitchen.  It is by no means my inspiration for my client's kitchen from hell, but I love it. 
If Hansel and Gretel were a sassy Swedish ex-pat couple with a summer home in Minnesota, this would be it. 
Eat your heart out...

A Nightmare on Kitchen Street

At this point, we are just hoping that this kitchen project is completed before Christmas.  We started in April and you would think Murphy himself was the general contractor because it has been somewhat of a disaster.  It started pretty smooth and we thought that going through Home Depot would make it more convenient.  Wrong.  Communication between all of the subcontracted parties has been nonexistent.  The first screw up occurred when we received all of the cabinets only to find out that the guy who had measured the kitchen was three feet off on one wall.  Whoopsy daisy.  I understand a few inches, but three feet?  Really?  We then had to send back some of the cabinets and reorder others.  The woman at the Home Depot had the nerve to call my client (my mama :) ) and ask if she could bring back the cabinets that didn't work because they were pretty backed up.  Shphincter say what?  I wish this was the end of it.  On the first day of cabinet install (a month later) the worker cut his hand and had to end the job.  He didn't lose any limbs or phalanges, which is really all that matters, but he did put a screw right through the wall and into my mom's bedroom.  It's a lovely addition to her artwork.  This is just the start.  There is much much more and I won't go on.  I really hate to rant and rave.  I don't like to post anything negative on my blog because there is too much negative and I don't like to spread poison.  Please note that I am not angry or bitter.  We can laugh about this because in the whole scheme of things, it's really insignificant.  It's quite a story to tell-almost unbelievable at this point- and I am learning so much from all of this.  So anyway.  It's going to be beautiful when it's finished and I wanted to post some during pictures.  Things have since progressed- we now have running water- Great success! So... here she is... in all her topless glory.  (counter-top-less that is)

DURING

Stay tuned.  The next episode of A Nightmare on Kitchen Street should be a good one.  Ciao!

DIY: Wallpapered Cabinets

I've never been "afraid" of patterns.  My mom has sewn since I don't remember when and there has always been fabrics full of pattern and color around.  I would cover everything in my home with fabric and wallpaper if my roommate (husband) would allow it.  I love those Waverly ads that have the taxi cabs or newspaper bins covered in colorful fabrics with the caption "In a Waverly world..." 

Unfortunately, most people don't share my affinity for Toile de Juoy or my flare for florals.  So, while I can't decoupage my trash cans (or perhaps I could...?...), I can cover a small part of an otherwise unfun room in a pattern that makes me happy.

BEFORE

AFTER

The laundry room is far from being done, but wallpapering the cabinets was a quick and easy Saturday job.  I found the wallpaper at a local store and purchased one double roll.  I could've probably used only the samples they gave me, but because this pattern had to be run a certain way, I had to purchase more.  I will use the remaining to wallpaper our Guest Bathroom.  Maybe.  I sort of love this wallpaper and might want to save it for our permanent house.  I digress. 
The paper did not have adhesive on the back so I went to the local hardware store and bought wallpaper paste and a small foam roller.  I removed the cabinets and sanded them a bit to rough them up, giving the adhesive more to work with.  I then cleaned them with rubbing alcohol and let them dry thoroughly.  When dry, I measured and cut the wall paper being sure that I knew top from bottom, so as to not put it on upside down.  I rolled the paste onto the wallpaper and carefull attached it to the cabinets.  Using a tool I purchased at the wallpaper shop, I flattened any kinks or bubbles.  I folded the paper around the edges, cut off extra and waited for it to dry.  It was a very simple process and if you've wallpapered before, it's a breeze.

B&A: Living Room

Oh where oh where has the Avarice gone, oh where oh where could she be?  With her nails cut short and her hair cut long, oh where oh where could she be?  That pretty much sums it up.  I've been wading in a sea of nursery rhymes and baby food puree.  While wearing my rose colored baby girl glasses, I have also been immersed in a kitchen remodel and trying to keep the inspiration flowing for the BroFam redo.  Life has been busy, but I am grateful.  No more time for the long winded days of old.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the ol' bloggy blog blog.  So... for your viewing pleasure.  (Excuse the blurry pics, but you get the idea)

BEFORE

AFTER

A Visual (and Edible) Tour of San Diego

This April we packed up the fam and decided to head across this fair country and visit beautiful San Diego. We survived the four hour plus plane ride with the babe and arrived feeling jet lagged but excited to see as much of the city as possible in four days. 

Views from the hotel room.

The bar and breakfast at Cafe Chloe.  This place was delicious and we highly recommend it for breakfast and brunch.

Cafe Chloe 721 9th Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 232-3242

The duck ragout and decor at Cucina Urbana.  (Sorry the pictures are blurry- we had the better half of a delicious bottle of wine this night and needless to say we had quite a lot of fun and giggles.   On the way home we hailed a cabby that drove like a maniac. I am sure there were no shocks on his van taxi and every time we went over a bump the interior lights turned on and the radio turned off. He would readjust the settings each time and never flinched. Meanwhile, I laughed so hard that I lost all control of my bladder.  Memories. )  Cucina Urbana may have been my favorite meal in San Diego and this says a lot because we ate at some wonderful places.  The ambiance was romantic yet unpretentious.  We walked in with our giant stroller bus and baby in tow and they were so accommodating despite our lack of reservation.  The server was fabulous and friendly and the food was exceptional.  Two big thumbs up.

Cucina Urbana Banker's Hill San Diego, CA (619) 239-2222

Sunrise. 

Fabulous wares in Coronado.

Cotier 1053 B Avenue, Coronado, CA (619) 435-0791

The enchanting and beautiful Hotel del Coronado.  I would love to stay here next time, but it's haunted and after The Planter's Inn in Savannah, I don't do haunted.  This place is amazing and right on the beach.  Worth visiting if you're in the area.

Hotel del Coronado 1500 Orange Avenue Coronado, CA 92118 (800) 468-3533

Women making tortillas in Old Town.

Immaculate Conception Church, Old Town San Diego

Trinkets and cacti in Old Town.

Papel picado at Casa Guadalajara restaurant in Old Town.  We were told this was the best place to eat good Mexican food in Old Town and we were very pleased.

Casa Guadalajara 4105 Taylor Street San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 295-5111

Food and decor at Brian Malarkey's Searsucker restaurant in the Gaslamp quarter.  I loved the decor and the food, but found the place to be a little stuffy.  Would still recommend it, but leave the kids at home. 

Searsucker 611 Fifth Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 233-7327

All in all San Diego was very kid friendly and people were extremely accommodating. 

Kudos, San Diego.  You are quite a town.

B&A: Rope Lamp

I was in need of some instant gratification this weekend and decided to take on a quick and easy Saturday project.  I had some rope that I bought at Home Depot weeks ago, a glue gun and a lamp that I wasn't feelin'.  Here are the results...

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AFTER