Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
This Old House...
So we did all our little fix-it projects last summer when we were going to try to sell the house. I had one more project in mind... we have a peninsula in our kitchen that has cabinets under it and one is cornered with the dishwasher, so it's a huge space...that is pretty unusable. My mom has a very similar set up but since my dad built hers, she was able to request a door into that space. So I decided I wanted one too.
THE space where I was envisioning a cabinet.
This is the other side, see that corner?
look at all that space back there! I wanted it!
I started off at Home Depot where I learned such a door would put me out $114 including hinges and I'd have to wait 3-5 weeks. Well anyone who knows me knows... I'm cheap and I'm impatient. So I headed home to think about things and have some lunch and looked online and found Re-Store in Seattle which is a non-profit that takes usable remodeling materials and resells them. Cabinet doors there are $5. Mine was in excellent condition and solid oak and unfinished, so I got it for $7. In fact, I picked up a couple to try because at $5 and the fact I could return them for store credit, I could well afford to try a few. I also found some other treasures there, but I'll post about them when I use them. Let's just say it is a pinterest person's haven.
By the time I stained it with $6 of stain and heavy duty hinges for $13 from McClendon's hardware, I'd already saved myself about 3-5 weeks of wait time and $90 (if you don't count the 3 doors I bought to try that didn't work out that I plan on exchanging).
So first off, I drew a line around where I wanted the door to go. I then made a few mistakes. I started by trying to cut right on the line when I should have gone about 1/2 inch at least, esp on the top, bottom and right sides (my hinges were to be on the left). Also, I started cutting with drilled holes in the corners, which was correct to do because I then used a jigsaw, however, I used a 3/4 inch drill and promptly drilled in places that weren't really ideal. My top left was not even into the cabinet and also into a cabinet square holder, my bottom left was almost below the cabinet. Note to those wanting to try this... drill tiny pilot holes where you think you want the corners of your hole to be and then have someone shine a light in them while you peer into the cabinet and make sure that these are indeed proper places for the corners. THEN you can cut bigger holes if you like.
So then I used my jigsaw to cut my hole out. I evened things up and went looking for my iron-on stainable veneer from my laundry room project, but couldn't find it. You'll see in the picture the outter cap of the cabinet and the inner back cabinet wall which make the inside of my hole (that no one can see) a little rough. As soon as I find the veneer, I plan on installing it (cut it down to the width with scissors, Iron it on flat, then stain. It will look much nicer-it's really easy)
look at all that space!
Then I took scrap lumber I got from McClendon's (they also gave Carter a free birdhouse kit!) and cut it down to about 4 inches by 26 inches and used 3 drywall screws to screw it into the cabinet wall
I then installed my hinges per directions in the package. I did also find hinges for about $1 a pair at Re-store, but since the cabinet door already had holes drilled in it for the regular hinges, I sprung for the $13 ones as then I won't have exposed hinge. I also, very classily took a minute to open a bottle of wine to try to solve my hole problem and wouldn't you know, the cork fit right in there (Paul is hoping I'll put a strip of veneer over that as well, I probably will punch a 3/4 inch hole out with my hole punch in my craft room and put it over the cork :) ) you can't see it in the picture, I think because the drill cord is in the way...
That's it! All in all, with all our bungling and not the driving around time to get supplies, I'd say it's a 2-3 hour project.
How the final product turned out from the outside
I know it looks a little wierd because it's darker than the back of the cabinet, the back plate has been in the sun side of the house for 15 years, it's a bit bleached, but look at the other side and you'll see it fits well with the rest of the kitchen...
Updated to add the final touches:
I found the veneer! You can just cut with scissors or exacto knife or box cutter to cover the edges, I did have to remove the door to do this because my hinges were covering one edge.
Then use an iron to heat set it. The iron activates the glue on the back. Be very careful as you are ironing in a tight corner and can burn yourself as I did, ouch!
I was wondering what to put in this space. My neighbor girl came over this morning for carpool and says, "oh, yeah, we have a place like that at my house, that's where we keep the art supplies." BINGO! I've stored them in the pantry & the lazy susan in the corner because I need the supplies over the more washable flooring (not carpet) and where I can keep an eye on my little buggers, but both places had a large flaw. They were right where I'm trying to cook. 4-5 pm is insane in my house. All 3 are home, I'm trying to make dinner, they are hungry and getting a second wind and trying to get in their art stuff while I'm tired, cranky and hungry and inevitably I step on a marker and use profanity. Now, it can be on the other side, still in the kitchen, but not where I'm trying to cook :)
Then varnish (I just took a rag and rubbed some on)
Put the door back on and look how nice that looks!
I also added a few screw hooks (make sure they aren't too long that they go through your door) to add some art bibs for painting.
This is the other side, see that corner?
I started off at Home Depot where I learned such a door would put me out $114 including hinges and I'd have to wait 3-5 weeks. Well anyone who knows me knows... I'm cheap and I'm impatient. So I headed home to think about things and have some lunch and looked online and found Re-Store in Seattle which is a non-profit that takes usable remodeling materials and resells them. Cabinet doors there are $5. Mine was in excellent condition and solid oak and unfinished, so I got it for $7. In fact, I picked up a couple to try because at $5 and the fact I could return them for store credit, I could well afford to try a few. I also found some other treasures there, but I'll post about them when I use them. Let's just say it is a pinterest person's haven.
By the time I stained it with $6 of stain and heavy duty hinges for $13 from McClendon's hardware, I'd already saved myself about 3-5 weeks of wait time and $90 (if you don't count the 3 doors I bought to try that didn't work out that I plan on exchanging).
So first off, I drew a line around where I wanted the door to go. I then made a few mistakes. I started by trying to cut right on the line when I should have gone about 1/2 inch at least, esp on the top, bottom and right sides (my hinges were to be on the left). Also, I started cutting with drilled holes in the corners, which was correct to do because I then used a jigsaw, however, I used a 3/4 inch drill and promptly drilled in places that weren't really ideal. My top left was not even into the cabinet and also into a cabinet square holder, my bottom left was almost below the cabinet. Note to those wanting to try this... drill tiny pilot holes where you think you want the corners of your hole to be and then have someone shine a light in them while you peer into the cabinet and make sure that these are indeed proper places for the corners. THEN you can cut bigger holes if you like.
So then I used my jigsaw to cut my hole out. I evened things up and went looking for my iron-on stainable veneer from my laundry room project, but couldn't find it. You'll see in the picture the outter cap of the cabinet and the inner back cabinet wall which make the inside of my hole (that no one can see) a little rough. As soon as I find the veneer, I plan on installing it (cut it down to the width with scissors, Iron it on flat, then stain. It will look much nicer-it's really easy)
look at all that space!
Then I took scrap lumber I got from McClendon's (they also gave Carter a free birdhouse kit!) and cut it down to about 4 inches by 26 inches and used 3 drywall screws to screw it into the cabinet wall
I then installed my hinges per directions in the package. I did also find hinges for about $1 a pair at Re-store, but since the cabinet door already had holes drilled in it for the regular hinges, I sprung for the $13 ones as then I won't have exposed hinge. I also, very classily took a minute to open a bottle of wine to try to solve my hole problem and wouldn't you know, the cork fit right in there (Paul is hoping I'll put a strip of veneer over that as well, I probably will punch a 3/4 inch hole out with my hole punch in my craft room and put it over the cork :) ) you can't see it in the picture, I think because the drill cord is in the way...
That's it! All in all, with all our bungling and not the driving around time to get supplies, I'd say it's a 2-3 hour project.
How the final product turned out from the outside
Updated to add the final touches:
I found the veneer! You can just cut with scissors or exacto knife or box cutter to cover the edges, I did have to remove the door to do this because my hinges were covering one edge.
Then use an iron to heat set it. The iron activates the glue on the back. Be very careful as you are ironing in a tight corner and can burn yourself as I did, ouch!
I was wondering what to put in this space. My neighbor girl came over this morning for carpool and says, "oh, yeah, we have a place like that at my house, that's where we keep the art supplies." BINGO! I've stored them in the pantry & the lazy susan in the corner because I need the supplies over the more washable flooring (not carpet) and where I can keep an eye on my little buggers, but both places had a large flaw. They were right where I'm trying to cook. 4-5 pm is insane in my house. All 3 are home, I'm trying to make dinner, they are hungry and getting a second wind and trying to get in their art stuff while I'm tired, cranky and hungry and inevitably I step on a marker and use profanity. Now, it can be on the other side, still in the kitchen, but not where I'm trying to cook :)
Then varnish (I just took a rag and rubbed some on)
Put the door back on and look how nice that looks!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Recent Videos
Valerie's just getting so cute! I made some videos of her doing everyday stuff...
This is what she did instead of looking for eggs at the church egg hunt.
opening the Easter baskets (buckets)
This is what she did instead of looking for eggs at the church egg hunt.
opening the Easter baskets (buckets)
She's not talking a lot but she does like to make herself known.
It was really nice yesterday so we pulled out the bubble machine.
Valerie was looking for Eggs at my parents' house. I love this video because it shows her very distinctive strut (she rarely just walks, lol)
Drinking from a glass
Children's museum
eating strawberries. I think she ate her weight in them...
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Just an update
So things are still busy here as usual. We're gearing up for Carter's SEVENTH birthday party! Not one of my usual fancy, crazy things, but he's having some kids over, on his actual birthday, after school, they'll eat pizza and build with the 5,000,000 legos we have and everyone will go home with a little lego set (assuming they arrive from Toys R Us in time)
I've been busy putting Valerie's crazy hair that I have yet to cut into pig tails...
I've been busy putting Valerie's crazy hair that I have yet to cut into pig tails...
We went to the Tacoma Children's Museum, which was awesome and also to the Pike Place Market on a rare sunny Saturday and bought some awesome king crab legs and ate like kings on the back deck.
I've been making a new bread recipe that's lighter than the whole wheat one I'd been making. I've been making only 1/2 the recipe for one loaf, but everyone seems to like it enough I may start making 2 at a time. I'm still making my crazy Amish bread in every flavor I can think of and stashing it in the freezer. I'm still cooking 8 meals at a time and swapping with people.
I'm also still on my Jillian Michael's/Green Smoothie kick. Amazing things are happening... I'm losing pounds, my belly is starting to slim down and I'm getting stronger. I am back up to doing 5 pound weights and I'm making it through all my workouts. Even the advanced levels. No one has really noticed except myself and Paul. I'm not buying smaller clothes yet, but my current clothing fits better and I'm needing a belt more often than not.
I'm still adjusting my afternoon as I'm STARVING in the late afternoon... I either need to add some protein or a 3rd smoothie to get me through until dinner.
I think we're also doing well on our grocery budget. I'm sticking to my $500-$525 a month, which, Paul realized with me is $25 per person per week, which is pretty darned good when you think about it.
Even with all the produce for the smoothies. And the last few months we haven't gone over, but we are WELL stocked, in fact, I have lots of diced tomatoes, tortillas, whole wheat pasta, rice and possibly black beans that I need to get cooking into freezer meals except that the freezers' pretty darn full. So most of my grocery stopping is fresh fruit/veggies and milk, esp now that we're making our own bread.
So, same old same old domestic life.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Getting healthy
So we're trying to get healthy around here... making our own snacks rather than processed foods, working out every day, trying green smoothies. Henri's loving the exercising part... what he doesn't have in grace or style he makes up for with enthusiasm.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Don't worry, I'm still in the kitchen!
So I'm obsessed with food right now! Maybe it's giving up treats and my scale for lent, but I keep seeing recipes I want to try and I'm stockpiling ingredients on sale. I literally cannot fit anymore food in my fridge, freezer or pantry. I also put together a price notebook out of a composition book I bought for 25 cents in Sept when back to school sales were on. There were 100 pages, so every 3 pages or so I put another letter and list out in pencil staples we buy and how much I was able to buy them for. I don't generally coupon (and almost never bother with coupons under $1) but want to get my grocery bill down under my current $500 a month, make more of my own foods and see what is and what is not actually cheaper at Costco. I still have to make it pretty with some paper :)
Besides the fruit snacks I posted on Tuesday, I've tried the following...
I got chicken thighs for 99 cents a pound the other day and got 15 pounds, so I divided them into 7 bags of 4 (2 puonds in each bag, plus 2 thighs leftover) for dinner swap and threw them in the freezer a week or two ago. Yesterday afternoon I made mango chutney for this thai chicken marinade that I put together this morning and threw on the already frozen chicken pieces (I let the chutney cool while I was at curling and refridgerated it overnight). I now have a set of 7 dinners ready for either my regular swap group or if someone needs a meal or my irregular crockpot group. The chicken can be thawed then grilled or cooked 4 hours on high in the crockpot. I'm planning on giving it out with jasmine rice and a can of coconut milk to make coconut rice . I plan to get the jasmin rice and coconut milk at Costco as I think I saw big bags there that I will individually bag and multipacks of coconut milk.
Yesterday I also tried my friend Lora's wheat bread recipe again (last time I had to make up my own mix of flour as I didn't have wheat) I think if I'm going to continue to make it I need pans like hers, lol. My bread looks the same consistency (dense, great for sandwiches to hold up in lunches) but it's a little short and fat.
Also made a batch of snickerdoodles.
I'm trying more to listen to my holy spirit and in the last 24 hours, I've made an entire batch of snickerdoodles... so far I've sent them to a friend who needed a lift and had some to bring to someone who I'm bringing a meal to for having a baby. There's definitely still enough left for our family, but the jars still pretty full... wonder who else needs cookies?
I also was approached while filling up Paul's car with gas last night. I try really hard to put gas in his car after I have Wed night curling as kind of a little "thank you" for being home with the kids while I get out. A homeless man apologized for startling me and asked if I happened to have some change or something, he was trying to get some food for his family (outside the grocery store). I remembered I'd put a bill in my pocket earlier to get a drink at curling, but my skip had bought me one, so it was still there. I said, "no worries, just a minute, I think I have a dollar in my pocket." I reached in and it was a $20 bill. I had someone pay me for their return in cash, so I actually had cash on hand. I looked at it and for a split second thought, "oh, it's a $20 not $1" but was moved, "just give it to him." so I did. When he realized it was a $20, he thanked me profusely and I replied, "it's fine, you need it more than I do." then when he saw my car leave he waved. I'm still thinking about him because I thought... I should have just taken him grocery shopping and talked to him for a few minutes. But I know now a seed has been planted in my mind if I'm in a similar situation.
I wasn't going to share these stories because Matthew 6:4 tells us" so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." I'm sharing these two stories for 2 reasons. Sometimes the holy spirit speaks to us quietly. If you just obey without thinking too hard about it, you are less likely to lose the opportunity. If I'd thought about giving money to the man or cooking so many cookies "I've given up sweets for lent! cooking a whole batch will just tempt me!" I would have probably talked myself out of doing what I did. By just doing what I felt called to do (someone in our bookclub calls them "spiritual nudges") I got an opportunity to do something that just felt right and good. The kids (esp the younger 2 that are home all day) are at kind of difficult ages and some days I'm tired and I yell and don't do what is right, so I try really hard to take any opportunity I can to do something right. Sometimes it's "sit and listen to what your child wants to tell you. give them your attention" sometimes it's "don't yell, they aren't doing anything wrong and are having fun together." The second reason is that it's hard sometimes when we are wrapped up in our own world to realize what we can do to affect another human being. I may be busy and doing stuff, but I can cook stuff up and I can give someone a few bucks. You never know when an opportunity to do something nice can come up, but if you listen and use your imagination and be still, inspiration may come to you.
ok, so I got a little sidetracked. Today's baking was Baked Oatmeal cups which can be made gluten free and are made with stevia instead of sugar, so they are "diabetic friendly" I made most of mine plain because I was walking around the neighborhood trying to find my UPS package that they listed as delivered, but hasn't appearred yet, so they dont' have all the nice toppings that hers had. Maybe I'll melt some chocolate chips and drizzle a little on the tops before freezing them or bringing them to MOPs tomorrow.
ok, I need to get everyone in the car and out the door for pickup. Hopefully you feel inspired to either cook, bake or help someone out :) And if you got some extra wide shoes delivered to your house, let me know, they might be mine!
Besides the fruit snacks I posted on Tuesday, I've tried the following...
I got chicken thighs for 99 cents a pound the other day and got 15 pounds, so I divided them into 7 bags of 4 (2 puonds in each bag, plus 2 thighs leftover) for dinner swap and threw them in the freezer a week or two ago. Yesterday afternoon I made mango chutney for this thai chicken marinade that I put together this morning and threw on the already frozen chicken pieces (I let the chutney cool while I was at curling and refridgerated it overnight). I now have a set of 7 dinners ready for either my regular swap group or if someone needs a meal or my irregular crockpot group. The chicken can be thawed then grilled or cooked 4 hours on high in the crockpot. I'm planning on giving it out with jasmine rice and a can of coconut milk to make coconut rice . I plan to get the jasmin rice and coconut milk at Costco as I think I saw big bags there that I will individually bag and multipacks of coconut milk.
Yesterday I also tried my friend Lora's wheat bread recipe again (last time I had to make up my own mix of flour as I didn't have wheat) I think if I'm going to continue to make it I need pans like hers, lol. My bread looks the same consistency (dense, great for sandwiches to hold up in lunches) but it's a little short and fat.
Also made a batch of snickerdoodles.
I'm trying more to listen to my holy spirit and in the last 24 hours, I've made an entire batch of snickerdoodles... so far I've sent them to a friend who needed a lift and had some to bring to someone who I'm bringing a meal to for having a baby. There's definitely still enough left for our family, but the jars still pretty full... wonder who else needs cookies?
I also was approached while filling up Paul's car with gas last night. I try really hard to put gas in his car after I have Wed night curling as kind of a little "thank you" for being home with the kids while I get out. A homeless man apologized for startling me and asked if I happened to have some change or something, he was trying to get some food for his family (outside the grocery store). I remembered I'd put a bill in my pocket earlier to get a drink at curling, but my skip had bought me one, so it was still there. I said, "no worries, just a minute, I think I have a dollar in my pocket." I reached in and it was a $20 bill. I had someone pay me for their return in cash, so I actually had cash on hand. I looked at it and for a split second thought, "oh, it's a $20 not $1" but was moved, "just give it to him." so I did. When he realized it was a $20, he thanked me profusely and I replied, "it's fine, you need it more than I do." then when he saw my car leave he waved. I'm still thinking about him because I thought... I should have just taken him grocery shopping and talked to him for a few minutes. But I know now a seed has been planted in my mind if I'm in a similar situation.
I wasn't going to share these stories because Matthew 6:4 tells us" so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." I'm sharing these two stories for 2 reasons. Sometimes the holy spirit speaks to us quietly. If you just obey without thinking too hard about it, you are less likely to lose the opportunity. If I'd thought about giving money to the man or cooking so many cookies "I've given up sweets for lent! cooking a whole batch will just tempt me!" I would have probably talked myself out of doing what I did. By just doing what I felt called to do (someone in our bookclub calls them "spiritual nudges") I got an opportunity to do something that just felt right and good. The kids (esp the younger 2 that are home all day) are at kind of difficult ages and some days I'm tired and I yell and don't do what is right, so I try really hard to take any opportunity I can to do something right. Sometimes it's "sit and listen to what your child wants to tell you. give them your attention" sometimes it's "don't yell, they aren't doing anything wrong and are having fun together." The second reason is that it's hard sometimes when we are wrapped up in our own world to realize what we can do to affect another human being. I may be busy and doing stuff, but I can cook stuff up and I can give someone a few bucks. You never know when an opportunity to do something nice can come up, but if you listen and use your imagination and be still, inspiration may come to you.
ok, so I got a little sidetracked. Today's baking was Baked Oatmeal cups which can be made gluten free and are made with stevia instead of sugar, so they are "diabetic friendly" I made most of mine plain because I was walking around the neighborhood trying to find my UPS package that they listed as delivered, but hasn't appearred yet, so they dont' have all the nice toppings that hers had. Maybe I'll melt some chocolate chips and drizzle a little on the tops before freezing them or bringing them to MOPs tomorrow.
ok, I need to get everyone in the car and out the door for pickup. Hopefully you feel inspired to either cook, bake or help someone out :) And if you got some extra wide shoes delivered to your house, let me know, they might be mine!
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