Recaptured Charm

Sometimes things happen

2010-03-10T11:39:00.002-05:00

Well if you’ve seen tumbleweed flying down my street in Blogville, I’m just here to say, ‘YES’ I’m alive and kicking.
You ever start a project, and even though its a big one and you think you have it all planned out in your mind… things never quite go as expected?
My kitchen has been at a bit of a standstill lately. Although we are in the final stages of putting finishing trim work on, the range hood has proved much more complicated than anticipated.
“What’s so hard about making a box with a fan in it?” I asked naively. “How hard can it be?” I questioned, in my best smart-ass tone.
I shoulda shaddap. It’s HARD!
Spending weeks in a cold garage priming, sanding, painting and glazing 24 cupboard doors was nuthin’ compared to this. Oh, but I will have a tutorial on it! You can count on that. After all the bugs have been worked out, I will finally lay it out in easy to follow steps for someone else to have a much simpler time at assembling one (and I’m sure in a fraction of the time spent)
For now, my DBF has one of these on his hand, thanks to me. I now officially have table saw nightmares. Yup, it’s happened.
A nice sunny Saturday to be spent working to finish the kitchen, instead was spent in the emergency room acquiring a few stitches for Mr. Charming. I feel terrible. However, he is on the mend. (Looking around…… shhhh…... I’m already planning this weekend for finishing the job.) Poor bugger.
A big kiss for Mr. Charming, he truly IS my hero.
Any man who needs stitches and would rather put duct tape on it and keep working is worth his weight in gold.
Update coming this weekend!
Thanks all.

the kitchen chronicles – Part 7

2010-02-21T13:49:00.003-05:00

Yup – I’m still working …

Alright. Time for another update. It really feels like forever since I’ve started this project, but working full time while renovating does not make for a quick makeover.

So here is the work in progress. The cupboard doors are going up, the counter has arrived and the new faucet and kitchen sink has been installed. It’s really starting to shape up.

Here is a quick comparison - The drawers on the left are the old plywood version and the cupboard doors on the right are the new improved version. The kick plate still has to be installed as well as the backsplash and light valance.

It’s really hard to make something look so pretty when the wall behind is so ugly !

Being in the middle of reno’s doesn’t stop me from baking.

Mini blueberry muffins…….mmmmmmmmmmmmm~!

Coming up..

Backsplash

Make Your Own Range Hood - Tutorial

Converting an old wine rack to shelf

Finishing Moulding and Trim

what’s your kitchen style?

2010-02-11T15:19:00.003-05:00

As I’ve been in the midst of redoing my kitchen, I’ve also been scouring the net for ideas, styles and colours. But I’ve come to realize something. It really doesn’t matter what’s new on the market, or what the current trend is. My style is still my style. And I always gravitate to the Rustic, Country or Tuscan style kitchen. Anything too streamlined, new or too shiny, simply doesn’t appeal to me. It’s strictly a personal preference.

Take a look at this kitchen. Everything about this rustic style grabs my attention. The warm feel, the wood floors, the brick. The textures and colours are warming and appealing.

I could grab my spatula and move right into this one.

Can you just imagine the view from this place? I’m left with a burning desire to see the rest of this house.

I can just smell the wood burning fire in this home. The rustic table legs, columns and beams are fabulous. Check out the chairs at either ends of the table.

(I really do have a thing for black islands)

I simply adore the floor in this kitchen as well as the textured treatment on the walls.

No.. wait!! Maybe my spatula and I will move into this one!!

So there are a few of my ALL TIME DREAM KITCHENS!

What’s your kitchen style?

the kitchen chronicles – Part 6

2010-02-06T19:38:00.004-05:00

Update on Island Stools

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll or left me an email with with your valued comments. The majority of you thought the stools should be painted cream to match the new cupboards. (NOT the cupboards seen in the pictures below, new cupboards will be hung very shortly.)

So, to recap… Island and stools before….

Island and stools now.

I left the tops as is as I didn’t want to have to deal with scratched, chipped, marked painted tops. These stools get a LOT of use! The tops might change when the kitchen is completed, but for now, they’ll remain wood. (Notice the beautiful background in this pictures.. yikes!!)

I am still finishing the cupboard doors, and I’m hoping to have them hung this week. The new countertops will be coming shortly as well. There will also be a tutorial on how to build a range hood cover.

For now….. I have worked till dusk. Time to relax…. that wine is starting to look good.

Flowers courtesy of my Mr. Charming. Thank you sweetie.

the kitchen chronicles - Part 5

2010-01-31T21:49:00.003-05:00

Island Transformation Preview

Now on to the Island. If you've been following The Kitchen Chronicles you've seen the Island was built and painted red for this kitchen. It's been red for almost 3 years.

But now as this part of the kitchen goes through some changes, so does the Island. This change in colour is in preparation for a new countertop, (coming soon).
As much as I loved the red, the black really pops in the kitchen and will be a terrific contrast to the aged cream new cupboard doors. The distressed areas of the island show the layers of paint this piece has gone through giving off a true aged look.

Now you can help me out with the 'stool' situation.

Take a look at the poll over to the right --->

Let me know what YOU think should be done with the stools?

Thanks !!

This post linked up to Make Your Monday @ Twice Remembered

the kitchen chronicles - Part 4 - glazing cupboard doors

2010-01-30T20:15:00.002-05:00

Glazing Painted MDF Cabinet Doors

Ok.. So we've covered the priming and painting of the cupboard doors, and after a day or two of drying time it's time for the next step. Once the paint has thoroughly dried take a sanding block and once again lightly sand the doors, just to smooth out any remaining bumps.

In this picture I have lightly sanded the paint and distressed edges in preparation for glazing.

Apply the glaze in the edges first and on sanded, distressed areas.

Wipe down with damp cloth leaving glaze in the crevices and on the raw edges.

The doors on top are finished

Here is a little sneak peek of what it's going to look like with the hardware

We're getting there!

Next Up.... Island Transformation Preview

Linked up at Talented Tuesdays @ My Frugal Family

apple pie in a jar – a little diversion !

2010-01-28T11:37:00.001-05:00

I’ve been so busy sanding, priming, sanding, painting, sanding, sanding, painting, that I just needed a sweet diversion. And here it is!

Apple pie in a jar. In case any of you have missed this phenomenon in blogland, here is where I found it. These gals are amazing!!! Our Best Bites has the recipe over there. Check it out.

These little babies were a hit in my household !

Ok… Now back to our regular scheduled sanding, painting, sanding, blahhh ..blahhh… blahhhhhhh

the kitchen chronicles - Part 3 - working with mdf

2010-01-26T13:25:00.005-05:00

Painting MDF Cabinet Doors

Replacing kitchen cabinets is a very costly undertaking. Since the actual cabinets in my kitchen were good, I decided to go the less costly way and replace the doors. I checked the price of doors at Home Depot and other stores and the average cost of a suitable door was $95-$120.. that's Canadian, folks, (far too much since I have quite a few in the kitchen.)

I decided to go with MDF doors. I had someone make the doors for me. If you've never seen a CNC machine at work, take a gander over at youtube and watch one in action. They cut doors from MDF like a knife goes through butter. It's facinating.

The price of these MDF doors? $7 - $20, according to size.

Here are the raw MDF doors as they were delivered to me. I decided to finish them myself.

Painting MDF is very different from painting wood. MDF soaks up the paint as it's 'cut' surfaces are somewhat FUZZY. Don't bother to sand the fuzzies too much in it's raw state, you'll be there forever.

The first thing you need is a REALLY GOOD PRIMER.

The best primer I've found BY FAR is KILZ. This stuff sprays on amazingly! Try it and I assure you, you won't use anything else. It's a primer, sealer and stainblocker. The best out there. You'll use HALF of what you would use with another product, and because it goes on so great, you'll have less overspray in the air.

Another thing you need to know about MDF is it is very absorbent. Because of its absorbency, using a lot of latex products on it can sometimes swell the MDF. Something you definitely don't want. Use all oil based products if you can.

In this picture below, you can see the 'fuzzies' as the primer is sprayed on the raw surface. It doesn't take too long to dry as the MDF just sucks in the primer. Give it two coats of primer.

Below is a picture with two coats of dried primer. You can definitely see the rough, pebbly-like surface.

Once thoroughly dry, take a sanding block and sand away! A fresh sanding block will allow you to get into the edges with a crisp firm block edge.

I don't think it's too easy to see, but the door on the left has been sanded and the door on the right has not. The difference is really amazing. They turn out very smooth.

Give it a good vacuum and a wipedown with a tack cloth, and paint as you like.

I'm giving my doors a coat of Rustoleum Heirloom White to start.

Here is a picture of one painted, (propped up on canned pumpkin - will be baking later on)

Next up - Glazing Cupboard Doors

the kitchen chronicles - Part 2

2010-01-26T11:10:00.001-05:00

So now that you've seen one half of my kitchen, (the nice half) it's time to reveal the not-so-nice half. The previous owners rearranged the kitchen cabinets from the original layout, and I'm glad they did, but they didn't reuse the original cabinet doors, they made new ones ... out of plywood. Terribly painted plywood cupboard doors, Complete, with a plywood hood cover. tsk.. tsk..... terrible.

Unfortunately, my camera isn't all that great and any real close up pictures I took just came out blurry.. so you'll have to take my word for the fact that these thickly-paint-ladened doors are just plain nasty.

I won't even start the appliance rant! But never the less, I cook, bake and prepare all meals in this lovely setting.... you can see my freshly baked buttermilk pie out to cool!

Ooohhh, now let's take a peek at that GORGEOUS tile countertop, shall we ?? Slightly uneven, ALWAYS hard to clean and I'm sure totally unsanitary no matter how many harsh chemicals I use on it.

How about that devine backsplash?

Now you see it ??

Now you don't !

Next up............ Replacing Cupboard Doors

the kitchen chronicles

2010-01-20T22:03:00.009-05:00

I know I’ve been virtually M.I.A. lately, but with good reason. I am getting ready to undertake a major project. My kitchen is about to receive a well deserved facelift. Since I am not hiring this work out, it is going to take me some time to complete.
Rather than take a before picture and then magically come up with an after picture, (it’s just all too much work to be reduced to a couple of pictures) I thought I would chronicle the process.
Let’s start right from the beginning shall we? Here is the ‘BEFORE before” picture. I call it that because this picture was taken when I purchased my home almost 3 years ago. This is the entire kitchen as the previous owners had it. (Their kitchen table, not mine). See this blue room in the forefront of the picture?

This room was used as a sitting room off the kitchen. (WHY ? I don't know!) …………….. But I had a vision. This room was about to become a larger part of the kitchen.

Here is a shot of the kitchen from another angle. Keep your eye on the pantry cupboards in the right wall.   Now lets move on!

Let’s start by ripping out the parquet flooring in the blue room and remove all the ceramic tiles in the kitchen area. As a matter of fact, we removed all the flooring on the entire main floor.

Unblueing the blue room. You can also see the new subfloor that has gone in and in the process I decided to widen the entrance between the blue room and the kitchen.

SO… out comes the pantry and some walls. The opening between the blue room and front hallway was also closed off. Now for the fun part!

In goes a beautiful archway to open the kitchen wide up. You can see the wall being built to close off the blue room and hallway.

The entry to the kitchen (beside the fridge) was also widened. You can see the hardwood flooring making it’s way down the hallway.

The arch with a little more detail. The popcorn ceiling in the blue room was also scraped off a few days later to match the smooth ceiling in the kitchen area.

This island was put together with cabinets bought at Home Depot, then covered with finished plywood and MDF.

For a little added punch, I painted the island red.

You can see the new place for the pantry (to the left) where the entry was closed off. I can also stop calling the blue room “the blue room”, as it’s currently a nice soft yellow/gold. My little kitchen table appeared totally lost in that area and has since been replaced.

So here is a shot of the arch, all finished. All previous tiny baseboards were replaced with 8" baseboards.

There’s a story behind this interesting ceiling mount for my pendant lights. When the old owner had their kitchen table where the island is now, they had a medallion and a chandelier. As hard as I tried I couldn’t scrape or sand that glue off the ceiling once the medallion was removed. How to hide the hideous glue ? Build 3 squares in an interesting pattern. It hides the mess and looks like it was meant to be!

So believe it or not……. here is where my renovation STARTS. This is the kitchen I have been living with now for 2 years. What you HAVEN’T seen is the dreamy plywood cupboards and tile countertop I’ve also been living with for 2 years!!!   Auughhhh!   Well their time has come.
This is where the KITCHEN CHRONICLES begins…… Stay tuned!!

Linked up at Funky Junk Donna's Saturday Night Special

rad cover - radically different

2010-01-15T10:06:00.008-05:00

I came across this old radiator cover. Too beautiful to be discarded after its intended purpose. There were definite flaws, water rings on top, chips, and scratches.

To be perfectly honest, this got a coat of white before I decided to go with black. Here it is before it got roughed up with a sanding block.

I stapled burlap to the inside front and sides.

I took a couple of strands of Christmas lights

I stapled the lights to all the inside framed edges, (which proved to be MUCH easier said than done)

Then I covered the open back with another piece of burlap stretched tight to finish it off.

a little peek lit up from behind..

..and from the front..finished...

sunlight from the front door pouring in

It makes a great addition to the front entrance.

Participating in Vintage Black Friday at the French Cupboard!

Linked up here

Click HERE for the DIY Show & Tell Party

Click HERE for Make Your Monday!

letting go

2010-01-01T20:29:00.001-05:00

As I have the week off between Christmas and New Years, I usually make sure I have Christmas packed away before I get back to work. The house is Christmas-free.

So today.... I am in the kitchen preparing an early dinner for my family... no one is home at this moment, I have my lap top on, and Christmas music playing. You would think since the stores have been playing Christmas Carols since October that I would have had enough. I adore Christmas Carols. It's the one part of the Holiday's I have trouble letting go of.

All that remains is a little bit of Christmas still on my kitchen table, and the songs in my heart

new year, new look

2009-12-30T16:35:00.003-05:00

As a new year approaches I always feel the need to make changes. I'm not always able to keep some promises of change, but this I was able to accomplish.

A big thank you to Lauren of Designer Blogs for her hard work and patience in putting together a new look for Recaptured Charm.

Here's to 2010 !

A Little Reflecting at the End of the Year

2009-12-30T10:04:00.008-05:00

A little reflecting is right!

When I got this mirror it was so dirty that I didn't notice the scratch it had right down the middle. I brought it home, cleaned it up and saw the actual mirror was beyond hope. I really wanted to use it as a mirror and just fix up the frame but that wasn't going to happen.

No reflecting for this baby! So what do creative bloggers do with a non reflecting mirror?

I had considered putting some batting and a wonderful fabric over it and just using it as an interesting piece of art...but it was just screaming chalkboard... so that's what I did.

I painted the frame in white and then applied a homemade concocted brown glaze over it and wiped it off.

This beauty would surely show amazing on a dark wall,

but as I don't have a dark wall in my house, this will have to do.

(YUP.. I'm already cleaned up from Christmas! Ha!)

Merry Christmas to All !

2009-12-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Thank you to all who visited and to all who welcomed me into the

wonderful world of blogging.

Here's to the New Year ahead, filled with friends and creativity.

A Wine Cozy

2009-12-20T14:13:00.003-05:00

During gift giving season when we show loved ones how much we care, it's also nice to show our appreciation to others who are always eager to lend a helping hand. Here is a bottle of wine I'm giving to my favourite plumber, who always comes to my rescue (like the other week again!). Thank you Tony!

I started with a clean favourite old sweater, (getting a little too old to wear).

Cut off the sleeve a little longer than the length of the bottle.

I also cut a round piece from another part of the sweater. Instead of sewing up the bottom with one seam I sewed the round to the bottom of the open ended sleeve.

This stops the bottle from teetering on just one seam at the bottom.

Decorate as you like!

Merry Christmas Tony !

Table to Ottoman

2009-12-15T16:16:00.011-05:00

Some things are just meant to be. Like when you walk into a Goodwill store and spot a table for .99 cents..99 cents!

As per usual, my before picture comes about an hour into the project, but here it is anyway with a coat of paint on the lower part.

So for .99 cents we decide on an ottoman project (a project new to me, strictly trial and error) Cut some plywood to fit the table top. Do this carefully as Coco the Foreman inspects everything.

Measure out where you would like the buttons to go. We decided on 5. Drill holes.

Use adhesive to stick foam to the plywood.

Remove cat from batting and cut a piece larger than foam and fit around it.

To keep the cost down on this experimental project.. I used a drapery panel that was on sale at Walmart for the covering of the ottoman. I ironed it up, and cut it to fit.

Using this little package of contraptions to make covered buttons, proved to be harder than expected.

I tried using a long needle to thread the buttons from one side to the other but that just wasn't going to work. Nothing was long enough. Instead I took a thick gauge wire and stuck it through the wood and foam to the other side and then looped the end and dragged the thread back through. On the underside small buttons were used as stoppers and the thread was tied off.

Flip it over and screw the table top to the ottoman bottom.

Wait for daylight.. and take pictures

Don't think I didn't slice into that Panettone as soon as these pictures were taken!

Coco is exhausted!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hoping for a chance at an awesome coffee bean bag pillow, this post is entered at Funky Junk Donna's Saturday Night Special (here's hoping!) Click HERE to go over and see what's goin' on !

You can find this post at Miss Mustard Seed's

Click HERE to link over

Linked up to Cottage Instincts Make it for Monday

A Few Of My Favorite Things..

2009-12-13T09:52:00.000-05:00

Each year when I pull out the Christmas decorations, there are a few things I just can't wait to unwrap. This little Santa is my most favorite. He has been with me from house to house and stood proudly on each kitchen counter every year.

I always lean up real close and stare in the windows of this little village.

Console "Take Two" or is it Take Three ?

2009-12-06T15:32:00.007-05:00

Well so much for waiting till after Christmas to redo my console table.

Everytime I walked by it, I liked it less. So, back to the garage it went.

Sand, sand, spray, spray spray, sand, sand.
If you're interested in seeing the first mess I made of this table click here

Here is the FINAL version..

So let's refresh shall we ?

Original

to this

and finally this

I'M EXHAUSTED !!

Merry Christmas!!

And without the Christmas decorations..

Participating in Vintage Black Friday at the French Cupboard

Linked up to Funky Junk Donna's

Saturday Night Special, Click HERE to link over.

Linked up to DIY Holiday Highlights

Click HERE to link up!

Linked up to the 47th Metamorphosis Monday

Click Here to go!

The "When in Doubt" Console

2009-12-03T22:45:00.002-05:00

I picked up this console table in the summer and in my garage it sat... and waited... and collected dust.

It wasn't in good shape at all. I'm sure this table saw a few rainy days at that outdoor market before I bought it.

Ok... Here's the thing with this console table...

(see if you can see where I'm goin' with this)

#1 I sand it down and paint it white.

#2 I distress the edges.

#3 I like very much... and bring it in the house to decorate it.

#4 (Notice the newspaper on the floor)

I decide its too white and on a whim I glaze it right there in the hallway

#5 I decide I like it

#6 I decorate it

#7 I take pictures

(keep up with me now...)

#8 I take pictures from all angles

# 9 I stand back and stare at it.....

(are ya following me?..)

#10 I hate it.

Stay tuned for the Post-Christmas Post on this console table when it gets yet another makeover!

Carving Up Some Memories

2009-11-29T13:17:00.007-05:00

Now is a good time to share my Carved Santa & Angel with you.

A while back I took a couple of wood carving classes. I thoroughly enjoyed them. I have keepsakes that will be in my family for years to come.

Here is the Santa I carved from a block of wood.

All this cost me was the cost of a class, and a few sore muscles.

and from another block of wood, came this beautiful Angel.

(No injuries to report on this one)

While I'm at it... let me show you a couple of other carvings I did.

My little Cafe Sign.

(In case you don't know, I have a thing for Cafe and Bistro signs)

And of course.. A Bistro Sign!

All this one cost me was the cost of the class and a nasty scar on my hand.

Yep another of myTeacup Lamps.

Such a pretty colour

ok, back to the carving...

If you ever get the chance to take a wood carving class, try it.

It was an enjoyable day and I came away with a few things that I'll always cherish.

This post is linked up to Miss Mustard Seed's

Furniture Feature Friday. Click here to link over and have a browse!

As Good As Gold!

2009-11-28T12:36:00.003-05:00

This cute little night stand was dated but still oh so cute.

The before picture.

This piece already had a home, so we matched a colour that would go with a metallic comforter.

We decided on GOLD.

Even though I loved the look of the Gold paint, I glazed it with some Antique Glaze, just to tone it down a notch.

Because this is going to another home, you wont get the full effect with the metallic comforter beside it, but I dressed it up for its photo shoot anyway!

(I just couldn't get my lighting right)

That's all for now !

An Intermission of Sorts....

2009-11-24T10:02:00.002-05:00

You've probably noticed I've taken a bit of a break lately.

I am working on a few projects that will be posted shortly

For now, with Christmas season in full swing, I thought I would post a few inspiring pictures. For those of us who are do-it-yourselfers, these little projects can be easily assembled in time for Holiday decorating! Today I'm concentrating on Christmas Wreaths.

(You can never have too many wreaths in my opinion)

Hang any small wreath in front of a mirror

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

This nifty wreath is made from cutting old Christmas Cards into holly leaves.

Start drinking.. you'll need 22 corks for this one.

Cookie Cutter Wreath.. how clever!

I'm sure every man's closet holds ties he'll never wear again. Round some up for this project.

You know, I bet if you stuck anything to a grape vine wreath and spray painted it white added a bow, you'd have one fantastic wreath. Go ahead, try it.. glue ANYTHING to it!

This is always a holiday favorite and SO easy to make.

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

For instructions on how to do any of the above wreaths

click here

I had to add this one cause I love the idea so much

Cover the label of any wine bottle with silver wrapping paper, tie with a ribbon and use as candle holders.

Amazing!

Courtesty of Good Housekeeping

Tea Cup Lamp Tutorial Coming Soon !

2009-11-18T10:13:00.005-05:00

I linked up to Funky Junk Donna's Saturday Night Special last weekend with my Blue Tea Cup Lamp.

I have received many thoughtful and wonderful comments on it. Thanks to all!

But I have also received many requests to post a tutorial on how to make the lamps.

I will post one soon, as I am just starting another. I have more very different lamps coming up soon.

If you 've been following my blog you've probably guessed that I have a penchant for making anything into a lamp.

Tea Cups

More Vintage Tea Cups

A Bucket

An Old Radio

Thanks again All !

Veggie Centerpiece

2009-11-12T18:54:00.005-05:00

Here's a little something I whipped up for a family holiday dinner. It's so easy, anyone can do it. All it takes is a trip to the grocery store.

2 Medium size artichokes

Handful green beans, enough to go around the candle of your choice
1 bundle of asparagus
4 candles, different heights and sizes
Ribbon to go around beans and asparagus
Any fresh flowers in season. Use fall colours for Thanksgiving or spring flowers for Easter!

Hollow out enough of the artichoke to fit the candle of your choice. Put it all together on a fancy plate, or even better, use a flat pedestal dish.

Use an elastic while putting beans and asparagus around candle. Place the veggies under the elastic to keep it all together. Put ribbon around the elastic to cover it or remove elastic after tying with ribbon. I did this at the last mintue and didn't have candles that were different heights so I used several little espresso plates to bring them up. Anything goes! So Easy.