I have measured out my life with coffee spoons

I want to mix things up a bit in our kitchen. A very subtle change, but a change none-the-less: in the form of our coffee cup display. We have a great collection of mugs that would be much more appreciated on open shelving or wall hooks. Below are a few of my favorite coffee mug stylings in kitchens from around the interwebs.

Subtle White Ombré Barstools

We have moved four times in four years. That's a lot of opportunities to clean out and take furniture inventory! Every space has been so different from the next, so we have loyally stuck to Craigslist, thrift stores, and flea markets for our furniture. While renting our apartment, I find myself not wanting to spend a whole lot on furniture, knowing that one day, when we are home owners, the space might call for something completely different. Of course our bed, our couch, and a few vintage pieces from my Grandmother are going to be perfect in any home we end up in. But the odds and ends--like barstools--I opt to go cheap and DIY. 

We've never had a high counter until moving to Denver. Its so great to have a large tall space! This counter serves as a multi purpose area, housing messy painting projects, candlelit dinners, and a catch all for the daily movement through our little home. I found these rather plain barstools on Craigslist for $10 when we first moved in. I had been putting off painting them for a year, literally, because I demised the fact that I would have to sand them down and strip the coating. One of those projects I always put on the end of my to-do list...

Rust-Oleum & Our Vintage Wire Chairs

About an hour after I posted about the wire chairs I found on Craigslist, that were only 7 miles from my house, I decided to call the guy and inquire about them. Story is, he got these chairs from a train engineer who found them on the side of the tracks back in the 70's. They are straight out of the 1950s, and painted a retro pink and black (reminding me very much of a poodle skirt). He's had them in his house for years, and now his wife gave the chairs the boot. Lucky me!

Although out of my price range at first glance, two of my friends continued to send me links to chairs, just like the ones I posted, that were $150-$400 PER CHAIR. Like, really? That much for a chair? Wire on chairs on Etsy are pretty ridiculous also. So, with all that in mind, I got in my car and drove to north west Denver to a little antique shop where I had to see the chairs for myself. Although $349 seemed to pricey at first, I figured maybe I could bargain him down a bit. And BAM, I did! The chairs even have their original hardware. I absolutely love love love them! And I think if ever we got tired of them as kitchen table chairs, they will make an absolute wonderful patio addition (i.e., that reclaimed wooden table with these beauties. Why, yes.)

My Morning Cup.

This week I have been sharing with you a few simple things related to design, diy, organization, thrifting, style, etc. In case you missed the short, sweet, and simple posts this weekso far, you can check them out here and here. Life has been so full and so lively, I've had to set my paintbrush, organizing, and thrifting aside a bit {Because I recently was offered a new job and start this Friday!}. I am sure you can relate to crazy busy. 

Confession, coffee has become my latest vice. I'm not sure when this turn came about in my life. But its here. And although I am so busy lately, I still try to enjoy my coffee time each morning. I love that warm cup of Jo--yet, if you are like me, the start of your day is on this sort of time table where every minute counts, and sometimes making coffee can take too much of that time! I have had to compromise my a.m. routine a bit so that I can enjoy a few minutes out front with my lab-shepherd mix Shelby each morning before I head off to work. During these minutes out front, this is vital: Warm cup in hand, cool breeze to start the day, and a  9 year old pup running about the dewy grass. 

A system that has really worked to give me that extra morning time and still provide me with a warm cup of coffee, is to have an organized prep area and coffee grounds at the ready. We buy our coffee as whole beans, and in bulk, to be a bit more frugal. I love my beans whole, because I can taste the freshness, which I love {don't you?}. But this means the beans need to meet the grinder. We've gotten in the habit of grinding beans for a few days worth and storing them in an air tight container {it still keeps the freshness!}. This takes away the entire grinding process in the morning. One less step means more time for something else! Keeping all of our mugs, beans, filters, and french press in one place also helps with coffee prep. Less time moving about the kitchen!

 

On the topic of coffee and breakfast {and to show you that Potterybarn style can be thrifted} check out these darling letter pressed plates I found at the Goodwill. For one dollar even! It is little lovelies like this that make an 'in a hurry breakfast' not lacking design delight and thrifted elements. Do you find time at the start of each day to enjoy five minutes of a warm morning cup, devotionals, or fresh air? What have you made efficient and organized within your morning routine? 

Hand Painted Tea Towels {Maraschino Red}.

When I first got out my flour sack linen, Tulip soft Fabric paint, and flat rounded paint brush, I had the thoughts of painting my next tea towel with a geometric pattern such as stripes or chevron. Yet something held me back from painting. I love chevron, yet I am beginning to feel its loosing its novelty as every other DIY I come across embraces the zip zag pattern. Believe me, I still love it, and you would most likely wow me with your very own DIY showcasing the pattern, as I am still adding chevron pins to my Pinterest boards--however, I am needing a new pattern to be my new chevron, you know what I mean? And in regards to stripes, my hand felt a bit wobbly, so that idea went out the window!

To try a pattern with the similar zig zag that is near and dear to the chevron lover's heart, yet add in a new little twist, I decided to go with this hour glass shape that I continued to dream about from a recent perusing of West Elm pillow cases HERE. The pattern still embodies that zig zag quality, yet it somewhat tricks the eye with the brush stroke length increasing and decreasing in size like it does. I also love that the pattern goes well with the Ikat prints in my home and compliments the last tea towel I painted HERE.

To start, I used blue painters tape to hold in place the plain white flour sack towel on my kitchen counter. Underneath the towel was a drop cloth as the paint does seep through a bit because the material is rather thin. I started painting from the top left corner of the fabric and worked my way down.  Each vertical line painted was either a bit larger or shorter than the proceeding line (as you can see in the photographs). Each line was the width of the brush I used. I did this purposefully to keep a consistent and easy line width. Below you can see the process of painting one line:

After painting the very first hourglass row at the top of the linen, I went back to the left side of the towel and began line two. To master the zig zag pattern in this hourglass look, each row needs to compliment the row above and below. This means that where the row is in its thickest points, the rows above and below should be in their skinniest. After your first two rows, it is easy to see the zig zag and use that as reference for the spacing of your following rows. The main trick is to stay consistent in spacing of where you start and end each row. Just use your eye and your gut to make the call on whether it looks right, that's what I did! After completing about ten rows, I left it to dry for about 3 hours. When washing, wash on cold and preferably not with your clothing (you never want to chance getting any remnants of fabric on your favorite comfy tee!).

This tea towel is so bright and cheery. I have a lot of aqua blue in my kitchen along with the almost black cabinets and stainless steel appliances. This red really adds a color pop and I just love it! And, like I have said in the past, my outfits always seem to translate into whatever I am painting, designing, or swooning over. 

Its true,West Elm pillows have been a common inspiration for my projects. You can see the fabric chevron inspiration HERE. And in case you missed the last tea towels painted, you can check those out--over here. Any thoughts on the next hand painted tea towel design?

In the Kitchen.

I am making it a goal to spend more time in the kitchen. When truly examining my heart, I can honestly say that cooking is not my strong suite and equally not a strong desire of mine. I would much rather have something quick so that I have more time to swim, read, blog, be outdoors, paint, thrift, and watch How I Met Your Mother. A bowl of greek yogurt, some apples, and a side of sugar snap peas? Yes! That is a perfect meal! Well, it is in my mind but not for the rest of our home. SO. Here I am putting it in print. I am going to cook more, and cook well, and make it fun! And how fun is my kitchen already? An elephant apron hook, I love you in German, yummy smelling soap & lotion duo, encouraging magnets, tiny art prints, and my favorite red, teal, and yellow. Now all I need is more pans on the stove, more aromas in the air, more foods being prepped, and more flavors being tasted. How do you get motivated to cook in your little kitchen? Even during the busiest of weeks? Any design elements that make your kitchen a particular happy place to be?

Sharpie patterns and new summertime mugs.

photo source

I have always loved West Elm, and especially their dinnerware and detailing on plates. They seem to always have fun prints and patterns. When I saw this DIY idea floating around Pinterest (and these his & her mugs on A Beautiful Mess), I knew I had to make my own. I did not have plain white mugs, but I did have two plain green mugs that I hardly ever used (that I got on clearance at Starbucks about 5 years ago). And what not a better way to bring new life to something unused than to add a bit of pattern? 

Materials Needed:

1. A Sharpie
2. Plain Porcelain/Ceramic Dinnerware (Goodwill has a great assortment, ranging from 50 cents to $3 depending on the piece!)

Pick up your sharpie, and make your design on your mugs. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. ( I like the free handed slightly imperfect look, so I did not worry too much about my lines being evenly spaced and straight).

Directions for care: Handwash with soap and water, the dishwasher tends to rub off the design over time (You can always touch it up with your sharpie and re-bake in the oven if this happens!)

(thanks favecraftsblog for linking up to this project!}

Guest Post: What a difference a knob can make.

I met Dacia on a Friday night girl's night just this past year but it feels like I've known her forever. Everytime I am with her, I just love her more and more! This girl knows how to work a pair of heels (she even does mountain climbers in them), has true wit and smarts, is such a loyal and caring friend, embodies classic beauty, and can get down and dirty in her DIY projects (she just shared that she was hand stiching a dog bed cover and plans to feature it here soon!). Dacia lives in California with her husband and the cutest little dog named Roo. 

Dacia and me at More than Waffles!

In her words:

"One day I was talking with my boss.  She told me she was going to redo her kitchen and that she was going to get rid of a tall upright four shelf case with a glass door. She asked me if I wanted to take a look at it before she tossed it. I couldn't believe my eyes...it was beautiful!  I saw the awesomeness of this piece and was so excited to get it FOR FREE!!!  In her house, she had it in her kitchen with various vases and platters placed inside. I, however, had no room in my kitchen at the time, so the shelf became a bookcase in our living room. Just recently, Tyler and I moved to a new apartment that is a little short on storage in the kitchen. Instantly, I knew this piece would go back to being a beautiful case that would hold our mugs, jars, and glasses. At first the case just sat  sat in our kitchen with a drab white knob. We have an open floor plan, making the case visible from our living room, so I decided to spice it up!  

I walked into Anthropologie and there it was, the most beautiful knob in the most perfect orange color. The knob was $10. A bit pricy for one knob, however, I justified it because it was only ONE knob and we were gifted the shelving unit for free. I thought the adorable weathered shelf deserved a gorgeous knob that would make it stand out and be a piece to remember. My husband had to use some heavy duty tools to remove the old, gross, boring knob. He then had to use a special saw made for metal to trim down the screw back that had the threading on it.  

Overall, I think the knob turned the piece from something interesting to unforgettable. I love sitting on the sofa, glancing over into my kitchen and seeing this perfect lady like shelf in all its glory."

How have you transformed a piece just by switching out old hardware? For more knob inspiration, you can read  "Knob Crazy" on Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up.

The (great wall of) Grandma's China.

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you have probably noticed that many of the elements in our home are from my grandma. I love to incorporate things from the past and pieces that are more like heirlooms in the home, because it gives me joy thinking of time spent at grandmas Pat's house each time I see her little treasures. Many of the details in my kitchen post are from her home. I hope one day to share photographs from my cousin Jenna's little abode as well, because she has this same way of mixing heirloom with thrift store find (and is even maybe more true and blue than me in this category). It must be in our genes. Just the other day my family on the other side gave me a big surprise. My grandma Barbara  moved out of her house and closer to family this past year, which meant the ultimate cleaning and sorting of her things. Being the littlest of all the cousins on my mom's side, I did not expect to receive the wonderful gift of ...wait for it....her  porcelain china set! Octagon shaped, dainty floral prints, and a set fit to serve a feast, the china is absolutely lovely. Its classically timeless in my opinion. Where some people might deter from floral, I just love the yellow, pink, deep purple, blue, and green details. The inner girly in me is utterly excited and ready to have a tea party. Who wants to whip up cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches and wear knee length vintage dresses with me?

 

I soon discovered there was more than just china in those boxes. What, more? That's what I was thinking!

It's in the details.

Handmade by my talented Grandma. Bright and cheery yellow.

How adorable is the worn in yet girly look of this little plastic box?

This ring isn't mine to keep, but I tried it on anyways!

Chunky gold bracelet to dress up my wrist. Loving the over the top pearls on this costume piece.
 (And the blue flower pin inspires me to make a bouquet like this...)

Photo credit: Bluebird

Quite possibly, the best for last.

I'd love to have a place to display my china like this.

This color palette is bright and airy. Pinkies up! 

Photo credit: Bluebird

And now I can't stop browsing images of ways to use and make the china functional in my home. This post at Vintage Origami makes me want to get out lacey gloves and do lunch in the sunshine. How do you use your china? Are you a "special occasions only" gal, or an every day functional "I eat my microwave meals off that porcelain ware" kind of woman?

My mix and match kitchen tour.

Mix and match comes with the territory of bargain hunting. My style really is a collection of lucky sale finds at otherwise pricey stores like Pottery Barn and Anthropologie, mixed with inexpensive yet classic finds from Ikea, garage sale hunting, craigslist, thrifting, Ross, and Home Goods. Whenever we travel I like to pick up something for our home, adding something functional and unique. We do have some really nice things we got as wedding gifts too, and those things are special because each time I use them I think of the person who gifted it. The kitchen is a perfect example of mixing and matching, taking what you already have, and coming up with cute ways to arrange and set everything up. Pinterest has a way of making me want to start from scratch and do a whole new design and color feel, but I like to challenge myself to figure out ways to use what I already have, or DIY it for cheap, and style on a dime. Our kitchen doesn't have one set color theme, because it is a collection of things from the past to now (Yes, I even thrifted for house items before I had my own home....you should ask my mom about the closet situation I had during my teen to young college years. At one point there may have been lamps, artwork, kitchenware, and linens stored up in there. Dowry? Hope chest? Quite possibly my version). This kitchen has already doubled as my project area and makeshift dance studio.  It is also our dining area for when we have guests. I spend a lot of time in this room, so I want it to feel pretty, bright, yet functional. It is so much bigger than my last kitchen! (disclaimer: lots of photos in this one.)

Mexican hutch: Garage sale

Soon to be made over stools: Craigslist

Cushions: Home Goods

Rug: $10, Urban Outfitters Sale

Antique cake pedistool: Wedding gift from Caitlin

Match stick cup: $2 votive from Anthropologie, diy 

Spoon rest: Find from our Mexican travels

Egg timer and Russian doll cups: Anthropologie gifts

Dog treat containers: Thrifted jars and diy paint touches

Cork Board assembly and inspiration  here.

Table with expandable leaf, Chairs, cushions, step stool: Trusty Ikea (I'm in need of a fitting table cloth or runner, and that stool could use some sprucing up!)

That fish bottle opener I found, yet again, on sale at Anthro. I gave it to Matt for Christmas one year and it is maybe one of my favorite things in the kitchen.

Repurposed pottery made by Matt, and Ikea.

Anthropologie Pure and Good Hand Duo (gift, but I would have splurged, because you can refill it with inexpensive soap and lotion. Money saver in the long run.)

Turtles: From my grandmother

    

Utensil crock: Made by Matt.

Dark wood cutting board: Made by my grandpa.

Other wares: Gifts or sale finds.

Rug: Home Goods

Flour and Sugar containers: Repurposed from our wedding day decor

Indoor/Outdoor Rug: Tuesday Morning bargain

Dog: The best bargain hunting of my life, Burbank Animal Shelter

Elephant hook: From my grandma's kitchen