BIG LIFE CHANGES

I know this is a rare Monday posting, but I can finally share the big changes that are happening in my life.

A few months ago I woke up one morning and decided it was time to sell my apartments.

I called a realtor I had worked with last year and told him I was ready to sell. At 3:30 that afternoon he brought me an acceptable offer.

I have owned these apartments for 23 years.

At first I was a bit “sad.” After all, they have been my “career” for 23 years…they are what I do!

The income has provided me with the ability to provide for my children and give them a good life.

I’m only 56…I still feel like I have a few good years in me.

Yes, I am giving up a decent income. I have to roll the profit into other investment properties, specifically rental homes, but they will not produce near the income the apartments have. But that is okey…sometimes you have to sacrifice quantity for quality. The “quality” of my life will be greatly improved.

Yes, I am “starting over” at 56. The new rental homes will not take up near the time the apartments did…so the question now is what will I do with all this free time. Trust me…I am not one to sit around on my hands. I have no doubt I will find SOMETHING to do!

It’s been a stressful few months…I’m usually awake and ticking by 3 a.m. and at this point I feel like I am running on fumes.

So naturally I did what I do when I am stressed and frazzled…I went out and found something else to fret about.

We bought a new home.

For years I have wanted to “down size.” Now that we are empty nesters we don’t need a big house with three empty bedrooms upstairs and a huge yard to care for.

So naturally I went out and found a house that is WAY bigger than what we have now and has a large yard that needs TONS of work.

After a lifetime of owning “projects” I wondered if I might have ONE MORE project in me. I guess I am getting ready to find out.

The new home is waaay more “traditional” than I like…but it has soooo much potential. It has good bones and a workable floor plan!

The kitchen and master bath are complete gut jobs…and after a lifetime of living in “remodel messes” I have decided that this work will be contracted out and we will not move until the big, messy work is done!

The big wall between the kitchen and living room will go away, as well as all the cabinets, and I plan on putting a humungus island smack dab in the middle of the existing kitchen.

The wall on the far right with the glass cabinets will become the “cooking” center with a cook top, wall oven and microwave. And the coolest tile backsplash in the whole world. I can’t wait to share!

No need for lots of upper cabinets because it has a huge walk in pantry!

This is the “sitting room” adjacent to the kitchen…

One way to “detradionalize” this home will be to replace the arched transoms with rectangle ones…a bit of work since it will require brick and sheetrock repair. This is on my list of things to do, but closer to the bottom.

The quickest, simplest and cheapest way to “detradionalize” is to remove all the crown molding around the cased openings and windows! The crown around the ceiling will stay!

Another way is to change out light fixtures…that is closer to the top of the list along with removing carpet and adding more hardwood flooring (yes they are REAL hardwood floors) and refinishing them all with just a clear coat…no stain!

The fireplaces? Yes those will eventually get redesigned…again, not something I will tackle right this minute but it is on “the list!”

The master bathroom…ICK!!!! Suffice it to say, it is a gut job!

Right now I am in the process of “making the plan.” Meeting with tile guys and cabinet makers and flooring companies…getting quotes and ideas. Making a list of what HAS to be done…wants vs. immediate needs.. As always there are things I WANT to do but I might not be able to do right this minute…they stay on the list, just closer to the bottom.

I have a life time of inspiration to pull from but I am still grabbing pictures from the Pinterest and the internet. I pretty much know what I want…

Now that we have closed, it is time to “execute the plan.” We start this week with demo…and then I will work the plan from there.

One by one I will be closing the new rental houses and hopefully creating a “new career.”

These are the big life changes that are going down in my world! Huge!

While the apartments have been stressful and back breaking at times, they were my “career”…they were what I did to provide for my family. Saying good-bye is like retiring and moving on to another career.

This house has been our home for 20 years…it is where I raised my children and I have poured my money, talents and time into this house to create a home.

It will be tough to walk away from both…but that is what is going on in my life and I am super excited about the next chapter…whatever that may be!

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How to build a shop or garden cart...

I’m kinda bad at posting “tutorials.” There are SOOO many tutorials online for just about anything you want to do and my motto is to FIND THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR YOU!!!!

That being said, I am going to TRY to post a tutorial for building a cart…for either your “shop” or maybe a deck or garden cart…or even a little portable kitchen island.

I shared here how I took an old shop cart I bought at an auction and cleaned it up for use as a kitchen island.

The function will dictate the materials you will want to use. If it is something that will be outdoors, you want to use pressure treated wood or even cedar. If it is something that will be in your garage or “shop” you can use plain ole’ pine…if you want something a little fancier, like maybe a kitchen island, you want to find some nicer wood that can be stained and oiled and used in food prep.

In this case, my daughter Katie, wanted something she could put her chop saw and tools on and roll in and out of the house. Kind of like my old shop cart….

…another auction find that I fixed up a tad to use in my garage. It holds my chop saw so when I need to use it I can just wheel it outside so sawdust doesn’t get all over the garage. And the bottom shelf holds many of my tools! Not pretty but super functional!

Since her cart won’t be stored outside, I decided to build the bulk of her cart out of pine 2 x 4s. The tops are 1 x 6 treated decking, but only because it is the perfect sizing…not because I necessarily needed the pressure treated wood.

So my shop cart is my “inspiration.”

The next thing I did was “make a plan.”

Again, whether you are building something simple, refinishing a dresser, or giving a room a makeover, you have to first find your inspiration, then make a plan.

In this case, “the plan” is a simple little drawing with dimensions and a material list.

Originally the plan was based on my cart dimensions…but Katie decided she wanted her’s a tad smaller, 20 x 30, so that altered the dimensions and materials just a tad. I ended up using only 1 of the 2x4x10s and 3 of the 1x6x8s.

Important reminder: a 2 x 4 is actually only 1 1/2 x 3 1/2…2x6 material is actually only 1 1/2 x 5 1/2….only the length is actual. This is important when designing any build so make sure you know what the actual dimensions are of any wood you buy. This chart can be super helpful….

Softwood Dimensional Lumber Actual Sizes.jpg

I could have bought 4x4 material to make the “legs” but decided to just “stack” two 2x4s…personal preference. If you decided to use 4x4 material, skip this step and buy 2- 4x4x6 posts and cut them down to 31” each.

The legs will be 31” because I wanted the height of the finished cart to be around 35”. The wheels I used are 3” high and the top is 1” thick.

Again, I used 2 x4s to construct the legs….

I cut 8 pieces 31”, glued (SUPER important to glue ALL joints)….

….stacked, nailed with my new Mother’s Day gift (LOVE!)….

…then screwed them together with 2 1/2” screws.

I nailed them first just to hold them in place…then I added screws.

After each leg was built, I attached the wheels to one end of each using 2” screws!

Next I built the top and shelf “frames.” Since Katie wanted it to be 20” x 30”, I cut 4 boards 29” (the face) and four boards 16”….the 16” boards are the sides. (1 1/2” thickness of each of the face boards = 3”…basically a 19x29 frame allowing 1/2” for overhang on the top)

I used my kreg jig to construct the tops….

…if you don’t have a Kreg jig, get one! Or you can just glue and screw the top together.

Then it was time to attach the frames to the legs.

I used screws and glue to attach them and since I wanted the screw holes on the front to be a tad fancier, I used my little “hide the screw” trick.

In this case I used 3/8” wood plugs to cover each screw hole…first I drilled a hole with a 3/8” bit about 1/4” deep, then I used a 1/16” bit to finish drilling all the way through the board.

TIP: Predrilling holes will keep the wood from splitting when you use screws!

I attached the legs to the frames using 3” screws through the “predrilled” holes and glue (GLUE IS IMPORTANT! USE IT!)

On the sides, I just used screws…no fancy holes or plugs!

I added the little plugs…just a dab of glue in the little holds, then popped them in…super simple but a nice detail!

After the frame is constructed it is just a matter of adding the tops…again, I used 1 x 6 pressure treated decking boards. I cut them to fit, glued and nailed. Simple….

I added a little handle made from galvanized pipe and fittings….

You don’t have to add a handle or you can keep it simple by using a cabinet pull…I just like the “industrial” look of the galvanized material….

I also attached a power strip to the back…again, not something you have to do!

Super simple build! Seriously, this is not hard!

That being said, you do want a little chop saw and cordless drill to construct this project (nailer and kreg jig are option!).

But if you took my advice, you have these tools…and now you have a nifty place to store them!

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Wall planters....

My counter tops will be installed tomorrow… I AM SOOOO EXCITED!

I will share those next week but until then I wanted to share a simple little addition to my kitchen decor.

For some time I have wanted to grow herbs for cooking but I really don’t have the space for planters on my counters. I guess I could put some on the deck, but I just have this vision of reaching over and pinching off a fresh herb while I cook!

(Keep in mind if I have garlic, salt, and pepper, I’m good. And trust me, when these herbs croak, the planters will be filled with fake greenery.)

When I posted this picture last week, I realized I have the perfect spot for herb planters….

On the side of the upper cabinet!!!

So I went searching for wall planters on Amazon.

I found two…these…

And these….

I wasn’t sure which I would like better, so I ordered both.

I like the diamond ones better…

As you can see I only used three….Katie took the “spare.” I had planned to return the other set but she liked those as well, soooooo.

So far I have planted rosemary and thyme…I would like to plant cilantro as well, but in the meantime I used a little fake greenery I had on hand.

This window doesn’t get direct sunlight so I am not sure any will thrive. No biggy…the faux greenery looks pretty decent.

Time will tell!

I worry that the little planters make that space seem kind of “cluttered.” Maybe when the plain white tops are installed it won’t seem so busy…we’ll see BECAUSE THEY WILL BE HERE TOMORROW!!! YEAH BABY!

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ANOTHER KITCHEN MAKEOVER....

The last kitchen makeover was in 2016.

I did a “mini-makeover” a couple of years ago when I installed a new microwave and stove…

….and last year I finally added a new matching dishwasher.

I also did a little makeover on the dining room last year and I LOVE IT!

I sat on my hands long enough that the “white painted cabinet” craze is slowly dying off. Fortunately I don’t have the dreaded “honey oak” cabinets and still like my cabinets…and truthfully I loved the granite tops when I first installed them.

But for years I have been on a quest for “lighter and brighter” without painting the cabinets.

Two years ago I replaced the black bar top with white quartz…and I have coveted white quartz counter tops since!

See the mini makeover of my guest bath with white quartz!

I LOVE IT!!! I have Google and Pinterest searched enough to know that I would love white quartz tops with the “paprika cherry” stain cabinets and a travertine backsplash.

To give myself a “visual,” I bought some white shelf liner and white duct tape and covered one entire side of my kitchen with it…just to make sure I would like a “white” counter top.

I LOVE IT!!!

The “visual” really sealed the deal for me.

For several days I debated on whether I should get tops that have “veining” in them or just plain white. I even contemplated going back to the shop and picking up a few samples of quartz with some movement (the unique pattern of patterns that flow through the piece of stone) in them.

I decided the travertine has plenty of movement and “veining” and really needs to stand alone…I ‘m concerned that any “movement” in the quartz would “compete” with the travertine and make it all too “busy.”

This is my personal preference…either “movement” in the backsplash or top…but not both! I know people do both, but again, personal preference.

So white it is.

They measured and templated this week…

… and the new tops should be installed in next weeks!

I ordered a new black stainless single bowl sink! I would love to have a new black stainless faucet but, HOLY COW, those puppies are expensive so I may wait on that luxury!

I can’t wait to share!

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Today I muse....about "pet proofing" your house!

When we have babies or grand babies, we “baby proof” our house.

But what about our pets.

We know we shouldn’t feed dogs grapes or chocolate…or let them eat mistletoe.

But did you know that there could be other hazards lurking in your home that could be dangerous to your pet?

Like something as simple as a barstool.

WHAT????!!!!

I introduced you to Mr. Jinx last year….

He really is the most precious kitty.

But he has UT issues and last week had to spend 4 days in the hospital…don’t even ask how much that cost!!!

He came home Monday and seemed to be doing well but I noticed Wednesday he was limping badly. When I messed with his back leg he growled and hissed and I could tell it was swollen.

So back to the vet he went…and sure enough his little leg was broken.

What the heck.

Our vet asked if we had any “slatted” furniture. Seems this is a common injury for outdoor cats caused by lawn furniture and picnic tables….but Mr. Jinx is strictly indoors.

Our bar stools.

The cats are always jumping up onto the bar.

I think he may have jumped from the couch to the bar stool, got his little leg stuck in the gap in the armrest and broke his little leg.

The American Veterinary Medical Association provides an excellent list of home hazards for pets!

Check it out! Great information to have if you are a pet owner!

As far as the barstools…don’t know what I am going to do! I love these bar stools but I love the critters more…so something will have to be done!

Hopefully next week I will have Matt and Hannah’s china hutch finished and delivered…so stay tuned!

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Painted kitchen cabinets and a new entry...

When Matt bought his house over a year ago I promised to share the projects. One year later, I am finally getting around to keeping that promise!

As I mentioned in earlier posts, Matt first had to find his inspiration and make a plan.

His first major project was the entry makeover. My entry makeover was obviously his inspiration but his entry felt SUPER tiny compared to mine.

These aren’t the best before pictures but you can see there is a header across the top of the opening between the living room and the “entry”…so the space felt really tight and cramped…wood flooring (again, a no-no in an entry IMO)…popcorn ceilings.

The “plan” was to remove the closet and header to open up the space, tile the floor and paint the door. Simple!

Before you remove a closet, make sure you have a plan in place for the things you would otherwise store in that space. In Matt’s case, he’s a single guy with two spare bedrooms and closets, a large master bedroom closet and a nice hall pantry. He had plenty of storage space for coats and such…getting rid of the entry closet was not a big deal.

UNTIIIIIL…you start hacking into walls and removing headers that are framed with aluminum studs instead of wood. Interesting to say the least and somewhat of a challenge for a “traditional” builder such as myself.

Lots of sheetrock repair, black paint on the front door that Matt is not real fond of but is living with for the time being, new trim, new tile, new paint. Eventually I think he will replace the light fixture…but it does the job for now.

Here you can see how the entry opens into the living room…before there was a “header” that dropped down 12” and really closed that space in…removing that header not only opened up the entry but it now matches the opening into the hallway that leads to the bedrooms on the other side of the living room.

Matt built the little bench! I found the beautiful metal mirror on clearance at a home interior store.

The fireplace was pretty “dated”…he painted it last year ….

…and we replaced the dated 8x8 beige tile with the same tile we used in the entry. MUUUUCH better!

The very first thing we did before he moved in was built open shelving in the kitchen. We used the “hidden bracket” method I shared here.

His kitchen cabinets were old, nasty oak and he knew he eventually wanted to paint them…but time and finances dictated he wait…the open shelving was a pretty easy and inexpensive way to give the kitchen a tiny update. Since he had his inspiration and had a plan, he knew what colors he wanted to eventually paint the kitchen cabinets…so he knew what color he wanted to paint the shelving.

We simply removed the cabinet to the right of the sink and installed 3 shelves. The cabinet we removed didn’t go to waste…he hung it in the garage above his work bench!

Painted cabinets…this summer he was finally able to complete this part of the plan.

The kitchen before…

The kitchen after…

He hired the actual “painting” part but he did all the prep work himself. He changed out the hinges from nasty ole’ brass looking things to nice new satin nickel hinges.

He also changed out four upper cabinet doors and put reeded glass in them…

The shelves inside the cabinets were old and “sagging” so we built new shelves since you could see them through the glass.

I would like to think I was the inspiration behind that change since I am a tad partial to reed glass cabinet doors!

One element of his original plan was to change out the tile countertops to a solid surface like quartz or granite. Honestly, once the cabinets were painted neither of us found the tops to be nearly as offensive so that part of the plan got bumped to the bottom of the list. It will happen someday, but it is no longer a top priority!

This kitchen is a relatively small space…kind of a “shotgun” or “galley” kitchen if you will…brightening it up with paint and installing the glass front doors and the open shelving made a HUGE difference!

The next big project on his list is his master bathroom. He wants to remove the tub/shower insert and build a walk in shower similar to mine.

Last week I went to an auction and I was able to purchase enough 12x24 floor tile and subway tile for pennies on the dollar!!! He’s been researching the best way to build a shower pan and of course we are experts at demo! So this little project could commence any day!

In the meantime he is busy being a home owner…mowing and raking the yard, mundane chores and dealing with all the grief after a tree falls on your house during a storm! Yep, it even damaged his brand new storage building he is so proud of!

Such is the life of a home owner!

Next week is Christmas and I may take a few weeks off since the whole family will be here! I hope you and yours have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Decorating for fall and Mr. Jinx....

Since it is time to decorate for fall and Halloween I thought I would take a minute and formally introduce one of my “rescues.” Mr. Jinx…

All fall decors should include a black cat…right?

I shared pictures of him last year at Christmas…black cats are super tough to photograph. When I look at pictures of him I understand why black is a “slimming” color…he is WAAAAY bigger than this picture reveals. The kids say he is fat…I argue he is just big boned and really fluffy.

Half the time his little fangs are showing…he can’t help it…he has big fangs. Kinda scary looking but super cute when he is stretched out on his back asleep with his little fangs and tongue sticking out…

I have more than a few pictures of him on my Iphone!

Funny story about how I acquired this kitty. He hung around the apartments for months…I knew he wasn’t a feral kitty because he was super friendly. He would rub against your legs and then roll over for a tummy rub. He loves to have his tummy rubbed!

One day I was sitting in my car talking with my manager and mentioned that we should probably take him to the shelter since he was a super friendly and beautiful kitty and someone would certainly adopt him. About that time he jumped in my car and made himself at home on my shoulder.

What was I to do?

Naturally I couldn’t bring him straight home since I didn’t know what I would be exposing my other cats to…so I took him to my vet and had him tested for all kitty diseases. Clean. My vet thought he was about 2 years old and because of his size probably a Maine Coon.

I told the vet to neuter him and give him shots.

At that point I had a small fortune invested in this cat…so I couldn’t very well take him to the shelter.

What was I to do?

Brian was NOT happy that I brought home another cat…

So I told Brian we would foster him. I promptly named him Mr. Jinx…because, well, he’s black…and black cats are suppose to be jinxed right?

This was two weeks before Christmas so with the whole family and their dogs here and all the chaos that goes with the holidays, Mr. Jinx’s nerves kicked in.

Another visit to the vet, a few nights stay, a staggering vet bill…now I REALLY had a small fortune invested in this cat.

What was I to do?

I couldn’t very well just GIVE him away…right?

Brian was still not happy there was another cat in the house (seriously, I only have four…that isn’t TOO many, right?)

But after the holidays, calm was restored and Mr. Jinx settled in…and promptly fell as madly in love with me as I was with him.

Two years later we are still “fostering” him…truth be told, you would have to pry this cat out of my cold, dead hands.

EVERYONE loves Mr. Jinx…even the dogs. He is the coolest, most chill cat I have ever owned…and while Molly was a tough cat to top, he ranks right up there with one of the best cats EVER!

Even Brian has fallen in love with this kitty!

What was he to do…lol!

DECORATING FOR FALL!

It is really tough for me to break out the fall decor when it is still in the 90s every day. But it’s my rule…the week before we leave for our annual trip to Colorado, I decorate for fall.

HOPEFULLY, when we get home it will be a bit cooler. Rarely. Usually I have to put the jeans and Ugg boots back in the depths of the closet for a few more weeks. But the decorating is done and I can sit back and enjoy my favorite time of the year!

Not much changes from year to year…a few years ago I painted these little pumpkins and changed up the window decor…

Refurbished pumpkins, deer antlers, fall picks…nothing fancy! Still like this little vignette so it won’t change this year!

A few weeks ago I changed out the dining room light fixture…

I love the new fixture and I love even more that I can still add the fall garland!

I’ve added a few new elements to the den mantel…a tall vase and new candle sticks….

…but the garland and Mr. Owl are still the focal points. The same but different!

The entry…usually void of much because I still haven’t “decorated” it after it’s little makeover…but it’s a great place to infuse a little fall decor…

The seasonal box I featured here…still one of my favorite super simple projects!

I changed out a few pillows and throws….

Even grandmother’s chair got a little pop of fall…

Every year I find pieces of garland, wreaths and picks at the bottom of my storage tubs…I just scatter them here and there for little touches of fall!

Again, little changes, but I love it all the same!

So many don’t decorate for fall because of the cost of buying “stuff.” As I have mentioned before, I usually hit the home decor stores at the end of the season (which seems to be before Halloween these days) and pick up a few things here and there for pennies on the dollar! You may not get to enjoy it for a long time this year, but you will get to enjoy it for years to come!

This is also one reason I strongly recommend sticking with “traditional” vs. “fad” seasonal decor. As much as you might love those teal pumpkin pillows and chevron throws, I promise you won’t love them in a few short years.

I actually bought teal pumpkin pillows this year…

….knowing that I will tire of them quickly. No biggy…they have good forms I know I can reuse in the future!

There is no harm in spending a little money on the latest “fads” but be selective and thrifty. Create small vignettes with the latest trends but don’t blow your entire seasonal budget on it! And check out the blogs and Pinterest…there are thousands of nifty ideas for inexpensive seasonal projects that take little time, effort or money!

Fall may not be “in the air” just yet, but it is certainly “in the house.” Maybe this year it will actually feel like fall outside when we get home!

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Breaking the "rules"....

I don't know if it is an actual "rule" or if it is something I made up in my head.

But who made the "rule" that pots and pans have to be stored in a lower cabinet next to the stove?

For years my pots and pans were in a small lower corner cabinet next to the stove. Total nightmare to dig out a pot or pan....something I use EVERY day!

A few years ago, I installed this nifty pull out for my casserole dishes and mixing bowls and eventually moved the pots and pans to the space to the left...across from the stove. (The crock pots and extra casserole dishes went into the nightmare cabinet!)

Accessing them still required that I move this little stool...

...and crawl around on the floor to get to them all.

(This is one advantage to having a small kitchen...you can put anything anywhere and still access it in just a few steps!)

When I was shuffling things around in my pantry thinking I MIGHT put a microwave in there I found that I had a bit more room than I thought! Again, I am not cooking for a family any more, so food storage is not as big a deal as it was years ago!

Truth be told, there are food items I rarely use (like my daughter-in-law's gluten free flour and boxes of dry goods) as opposed to the pots and pans I use every single day. So that got me to thinking...WHY do I store things I use daily in an inconvenient place? Is there some kind of "kitchen rule" I would be breaking and risk being fined by the kitchen police? Can I not move the things I use EVERY day to an easier space to access and store the stuff I only use occasionally in their place?

ABSOLUTELY! So I did....

I moved the pots and pans to the pantry...eye level and easy to access. I installed another slide out shelf and use it for boxed and dry goods I only need to access to occasionally.

And you know what...I LOVE it!

I guess if the kitchen police show up to inspect I will have to move it all back. In the meantime I will enjoy being just a tad rebellious.

Keep in mind I have "purged" down to the daily essentials...that is something you need to take into consideration when you feel cramped for space! Do you really use 4 identical casserole dishes...or 3 egg pans...or 2 full size crock pots on a regular basis. If you only need them during the holidays or for family gatherings, consider moving them out of the kitchen. I store my large three crock cooker in my laundry room because I only use it during Thanksgiving...no need for it to take up valuable kitchen real estate year round.

Think about it...are rarely used items taking up valuable space...are you storing every day items in a space that is "proper" but just doesn't work for you? MOVE IT!

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The "compact" microwave and new stove....

It is done...the new microwave, stove and tile are installed.

And I LOVE them!

It all started with my quest to get rid of the over-the-range microwave.

As I mentioned here, it really became an issue for me when I read that over-the-range microwaves are now considered a kitchen "faux pas." Truth be told, it has bugged me for years...I hated the big ole' hulking thing hanging over my head while I cooked.

And of course there was the whole issue of the black stainless refrigerator and the fact that the range, microwave and dishwasher were black. We bought the black stainless refrigerator almost two years ago, planning to transition all the other appliance to black stainless. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to buy new appliances when the old work just fine.

The microwave worked just fine...but my "obsession" with getting rid of the big ole' hulking appliance drove me to the point of madness...so I bought this awesome little thing. I guess technically it is still an "over-the-range" microwave, but it is really not much bigger than a vent hood and doesn't bother my aesthetic senses at all!

I ordered the microwave in black stainless, knowing one day I would break down and buy the black stainless stove I had been drooling on for several year. Low and behold my oven went out a few days after I ordered the microwave....curses! Now I HAD to buy a new stove. (Honestly, it was just the ignitor....a relatively easy and inexpensive fix...but that is beside the point!)

The only real issue I had with replacing the much larger microwave with a smaller one was the tile back splash. Several years ago I replaced the original tile backsplash with travertine.

I tiled to the bottom of the microwave...but the compact microwave is about 7" shorter than the original, which means I was going to have to add tile. Fortunately, I am a hoarder of "scrap construction crap" and managed to piece together enough scrap travertine tile to fill the gap.

All I had left from the original install were scraps...so to make sure I would have enough (and not have to order a few pieces of this extremely expensive tile!) I made a little template the size of the space and began laying out the scraps. I numbered each piece on the back so I could install it in the proper order!

If you do not have any scrap of your backsplash (and can't buy it), think about adding a little "decorative" accent...Pinterest is full of inspiration!

Another little issue was the fact that I had tiled over the original tile (not something I normally do!)...as a result there was a 3/8" difference in thickness. No biggy really, I just put a piece of 3/8" board (scrap sheetrock) to fill the space then tiled with the travertine!

I picked up a few sticks of travertine pencil liner at Lowe's to create little borders on the sides and under the microwave. Not a perfect match but close enough!

I have one really serious problem now...the dishwasher doesn't match.

Since it was replaced 5 or 6 years ago, I don't see it going out any time soon! Dang it! I'm trying to convince myself that I can live with this unsightly thing....trying!

I have also ordered a new quartz top for the bar...

I have tired of the black and want something "light and bright." Again, I am always looking for a way to lighten the kitchen without painting the cabinets. The granite counter tops now seem a little "busy and dark" but that has to wait. I desperately want to make some serious changes to master bath and that has to be my next big project!

I haven't used either appliance enough to give a proper review but I can say I LOVE the look of both. The microwave is plenty large enough to do what I do...warm leftovers and melt butter. (Whirlpool is the only company that currently makes a "compact" microwave and their "black stainless" blends well with the Samsung black stainless stove and refrigerator.)

I love the new stove top but I have one minor beef...no drip pans. Not a huge problem...I ordered silicone "cut to fit" drip mats from Amazon. Not sure how happy I will be with this solution but I guess I will find out. It has a "wok grate" but I don't have a wok so whatever! The middle griddle is a neat feature but I'm not sure I will use it much...again, we'll see! The oven has both a "traditional bake" as well as convection...and it will automatically calculate the conversion...which is nice for someone who has been cooking with a regular ole' stove for 40 years!

I want to share Matt's entry...he is having his kitchen cabinet painted so he wants me to wait to take pictures until he has his kitchen finished...so MAYBE next week!

Until then...

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Modifying a cabinet...

When I first remodeled my master bathroom, I loved it...honestly, I still do! But someday soon I want to make some major changes just for practical purposes. Specifically, I want to remove the whirlpool tub (seriously, I think I have used it 3 times in the last 20 years!) and add a walk in shower.

As much as I love the existing tile, I know that will mean picking new tile for the shower....which means I will want to go ahead and replace the floor tiles...you know, while there is already a mess! But picking a tile that will carry me through another 20 years is tough for me...I know people say this or that is "timeless" but I can assure you NO home decor is timeless.

This will all happen as soon as I can find the perfect tile person to construct the shower. I do not want to hire someone who isn't VERY experienced because one of the worst things that can happen would be a shower that leaks!

There is one other tiny detail that kinda bugged me...the "medicine cabinet."

While I love the look, it just wasn't practical. Why? Because everything in the back half of the cabinet goes there to die! Seriously, I found a bunch of products and pills that had expired years ago.

I cut down my kitchen pantry several years ago and have never regretted losing that extra 12" of space. I like how the smaller cabinet opens up the kitchen a bit! And again, everything in the back of the cabinet had a tendency to expire before I got to it. (No, I don't have a picture of the pantry before I cut it down...that was "preblog!")

So I knew cutting down the depth of the cabinet in the bathroom was doable!

The first thing I did was take EVERYTHING out of the cabinet and took inventory. Major purgefest! I made sure that what was needed or wanted would fit comfortably if I only had 6" of depth. Yep, all but the basket of old prescription medication and most of it had expired.

Once I knew that cutting down the cabinet wouldn't pose a logistical problem, I removed the cabinets from the wall, cut them down, rebuilt the back and reinstalled them. (Did I take pictures of this process...of course not...who knew I would share something so mundane!)

Sounds easy...honestly, it wasn't. There was an electrical outlet to deal with and the trim detail and then of course there was the exposed sheetrock boo-boos from the old marble backsplash...curses. I always think a project will be easier than it is!

But again, it was doable, and after a day of cutting and cussing I had a smaller cabinet.

The sheetrock boo-boo was an easy fix...mud, sand and retexture. Since I am good about keeping old paint for touchups...no biggy. Except it had been so long since I painted the bathroom, the paint had hardened. So I got to repaint the entire bathroom! Yippee!

Fortunately I had a couple of left over gallons of paint from when I painted my living areas...

Now I am eyeballing my kitchen again. I am a sucker for the "power of suggestion" so when I read that big ole' hulking over-the-range microwaves are now a kitchen "faux pas" I decided I want to remove the microwave above the stove...which means I have to find a place for a smaller microwave. The counter is not an option since I have a small kitchen and limited counter space. Hum...the pantry...maybe I can put it in the pantry. Well, I could if it weren't so stinking shallow...remember I cut it down so now no microwave more than 13" deep will fit. Thank goodness for the internet...I spent days researching microwaves. Fortunately, I found a few that would work so that's one hurdle! Small little things but honestly the only thing I use a microwave for is to boil water, warm coffee and melt butter.

Hurdle #2...can I afford to loose shelf space in the pantry? Again, I pulled everything out and start measuring cans of beans and moving shelves around.

Doable! Keep in mind we are now a family of two and I don't need the food storage space I use to!

Hurdle #3...when I take down the over-the-range microwave...what then?

Honestly, I didn't know.

And then I found a solution that changed my whole plan...

A compact over the range microwave by Whirlpool!

I would post a picture but the site won't let me steal the pictures so just go look at it!

How cool is THIS! It's only about 10" tall so I won't feel like I have a big ole' hulking appliance hanging above my head while I am cooking.

I ordered the black stainless even though my stove is black.

I hate to buy new appliances when they work perfectly fine so I thought I would live with my old black stove for the time being.

(Fortunately for me the ignitor went out on the oven this week. Yippeee! Perfect excuse to order the new black stainless stove I drool on every time I go to Lowe's! God forbid I fix it with the $30 part!)

Now I don't have to give up pantry space or counter space. I guess it is still technically a "kitchen faux pas" since it is an "over the range microwave." But you know what...I'm okay with it. I'm probably one of the few who hasn't painted my kitchen cabinets, I have no shiplap in my house and while I would love to retile my entire kitchen and dining area with beautiful, light travertine tile, it's not happening...so I'm okay with bucking the decor trends!

The only problem I have is the space that will have to be tiled after the big ole' hulking microwave is removed. Fortunately, I am a pack rat and kept all my scraps from when I retiled the kitchen backsplash! Yea me! Thank goodness because that stuff was E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E!

So when I get the new microwave and stove are installed and the tile work done I'll share...can't wait!