Monday, September 5, 2011

Scratch Another Couple Things Off The List

We got the sink permanently installed today and the faucets on, too. But I'm saving a picture of them for tomorrow. The masking tape pattern and sealer oozing out from the edges of the sink will stay until tomorrow when I can remove them. Already I can tell I'm going to be very happy with this sink and faucet combination.

Today I also did more polying outside.

This storage unit needed one more coat on its top and doors. The doors had already been put on with the hinges to make sure they were a good fit so I just removed a few screws in order to take them outside. Same with the top; it wasn't yet fastened to the cabinet.

When finished, this cabinet gets smooshed up tight against the cabinet on the left in the picture. I put the first coat of poly on the end piece of that cabinet today also. It had to be done in the house so we've got ventilating fans going as I write. Phew-ey!

After they were about 98% dried outside, I decided to bring the top and doors inside tonight to finish drying as our temp is down to 45 degrees now at 8 p.m.

The center island is (temporarily) in the spot where it will go. We have to move it out to do the tile on the floor so we haven't permanently attached the counter top to it yet. The island itself weighs a ton as does the top so we wanted to be able to move it in the two pieces. I haven't made up my mind which pulls and knobs to use on this unit, but I think the decision is going to come soon 'cause I'm getting tired already of trying to open doors and drawers without them.

We also got the last of the pull-out shelves installed today. I'm sure I'm gonna love the four of them that are in the island unit.

Here's my good, ol' faithful spice rack wanting to be hung on that wall. I bought this rack in 1972, used it in Illinois and then in our kitchen in our first place up here in Minnesota. When we moved to this place and my teenie-tiny kitchen, I had absolutely no place for it. Of course, Chicken Mama remembered it being in our kitchen for as long as she could recall so asked if she could use it until I again had room for it. She did and there was a short time there when I was worried she wasn't going to give it back to me. I had to wrestle it away from her and now it's ready to be hung in my new kitchen.

A little history of the spice rack: It was in a gift shop in Illinois and I lusted after it for months! I would go to visit it regularly and was always afraid it would be gone the next time I went to look at it. Problem was it had a price tag of $20 and in 1972 that was a lot of money to spend on what my hubby said looked like it had been made of trash lumber. Finally, I made the decision that since I still really, really liked it after looking at it for so long, dang and drat, I was going to buy it. And I did.

The following Sunday morning, the two-story gift shop burned to the ground in a terrible fire. I don't know what made me buy the spice rack when I did, but I've always been very grateful something urged me on to do so.

17 comments:

Judy T said...

What a great story about the spice rack. And good work on the kitchen/storage. I've got a couple of those pull out racks and I LOVE them! They are in my island by the stove and I use them for my pots and pans that aren't on the hanging rack. They even hold up to all the cast iron pans weighing them down.
Hang in there- it seems like you're entering the home stretch!
Judy

Anonymous said...

The kitchen is looking SO beautiful! Love that counter top with the natural wood combination:) You have mahvelous taste!
What a great story about the spice rack...you definitely can't let Chicken Mama keep it after all that lusting:)

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Wow - good progress. We had slide out shelves put in every lower cabinet - under the counter and in the island and I love them. A real estate friend said that it added 2,000.00 to the value of the house - and we sure didn't spend that much - our son-in-law did them. I say a dozen times a day how much I love them. You lose a little space by having the slide out shelves but it is worth being able to find everything without all that bending and searching.

Sparkless said...

I have a couple of those pull out shelves and I love them. No more trying to get to the back of a shelf in a cupboard. I can't wait to see what type of knobs/pulls you put on your cabinets.
Glad you got your spice shelf back. Isn't it fun how such a simple thing can hold such wonderful memories?

Sue said...

Now there's a spice rack with a tale to tell.
Why do we do that--put off buying something that we truly love? I'm glad you went for it. And not only did you gain a spice rack, you got a great story to tell too! Good deal for $20.
We're at 36 degrees right now--and we still have a couple hours of dark---eesh-I think I lost my brandywines!


3 am

3 am

3 am


:D
Call me-I have the coffee pot on!
:D

Rebecca Shockley said...

Maybe that spice rack has a good karma attached to it and it keeps coming back to you [ sort of ] I really envy a lid drawer-no more pulling out 20 to find 1.I hope we won't hear in a month that you wish someone would install all that hardware on the cupboards and drawers,hard on the fingers

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

Wow what a story to go with a spice rack. I would have been scared to death to have let it leave your house since when it does it seems to leave with a bang. But isnt it funny the things we form an attachment to and 'have' to have. I am struggling with that feeling with a mixer right now. I am trying to give myself to the end of the month and if I still want the thing.....

Erin said...

And just think of that spice rack now, amortized since 1972, a great buy since you still love it! I love the island and drawers!

dr momi said...

Absolutely love the counter top!

Susan said...

It was meant to be. It's important to follow our strong feelings, I think. Your kitchen is shaping up into a gourmet wonder! Pull out drawers? Oh, be still my beating heart!

Mama Pea said...

Judy - Yup, I've already got my pots and pans on one of the pull-outs!

Stephanie - Why, thank you, dahling!

Jo - I was hesitating over the expense of the pull-outs over regular stationery shelves, but my dear husband reminded me this was my chance for my dream kitchen . . . so why not?

Sparkless - In our throw-away society, it seems we have so few things that last and we use and enjoy over a number of years. So I think we should treasure those we do have.

Sue - I've given up on seeing any ripe cherry tomatoes (even!) also. Fall has definitely arrived here, too.

Woke with 5 a.m. alarm this morning to get my husband off and was going to stay up but he encouraged me to sleep in. So I did and had AWFUL nightmares. Tomorrow . . . 3 a.m.! :o}

Mama Pea said...

judy - Why can't I make up my mind on the hardware for the cabinets?? It shouldn't be that hard.

Jane - Geesh, I never even thought about the spice rack leaving a building with such a dramatic exit! Glad I didn't think about that before hand!

Now, Jane. Order. That. Mixer. Now. Okay? (It's sure not going to be any cheaper by the end of the month and may go up in price!)

Erin - I never thought of it that way! Let's see, I've had it for 39 years, it cost $20 . . . :o}

dr momi - Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Susan - It better not turn out too gourmet-ish. I've never cooked a gourmet meal in my life!!!

Leigh said...

Amazing story about the spice rack. You've obviously gotten way more than your $20 worth!

Your kitchen is coming along so well. I love all the lightness in your colors. And I love, love, love those pull out shelves! I'm just getting started thinking about cabinetry, so I'm taking not of all your good ideas.

The Apple Pie Gal said...

Well CM is a good daughter. I probably would have thrown a tantrum begging and pleading. But I would have given it back too...dang and drats! Mighta kicked something on the way out tho. ;o}

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - If you possible can, go for the pull-out shelves in the cabinets. Sooo much more useful and handy!

APG - She did.

Kelly said...

Intuition. We have it, but most of us have learned to just ignore it which is too bad. You my friend, obviously are quite in tune. :) Great spice rack.

Those pull out shelves are the best thing....I have toyed with replacing some of my cabinets just to get more of them in. I will be sure to check back and see what you decide on for nobs, so many choices with the pine doors.

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - We got the spice rack mounted on the wall the other day but with our current company, I haven't had any time to fiddle around filling it. Soon, I'll get at it soon!