Soup Kitchen to Super Kitchen Part One

Hello!

It is amazing how the time passes and how much I think of you all and I often wonder if time passes just as quickly for you as it does for me. I get so many wonderful emails asking me to write more often and I am so very grateful for the encouraging words - as I miss writing very much! Thank you for your concerns and taking time to write me. It often boggles my mind how I let life interfere with my true love - writing.

This will be a quick update and when I return from my very sudden "surprise trip" I will update you more on what I have been up to. My year began with my need to turn our "soup kitchen" into a "super kitchen" on a limited (very limited) budget. Our kitchen will be featured in Romantic Homes' June issue, but below is a sneak peek at the process. It is just a cosmetic make-over.

One morning, after staring and our studying kitchen (again) I mentioned to my handsome groom, Randy, that something just had to be done with our kitchen...I could no longer allow it to remain in this state of repair...I mean, this was no matter of differing tastes, but rather a matter of torn tiles, cracked walls, and burnt counter tops. I am pretty sure the kitchen hadn't been touched since 1940's. I bet him I could re-do the entire kitchen for less than $500. So, being a very competitive couple (remember, we met running in the park while training for a marathon), he took me up on the challenge. Actually, I wasn't so sure I could do it, but I was willing to try.

Actually, as I thought about it some more, I realized that there must be some other people out there in the same position: what does one do when a kitchen needs a total gutting, but the funds are yet a few years away to do it properly and one can't stand to look at it one more day? I was sure I could find a way to do our kitchen cheaply, quickly, and end up loving it, even if the results only lasted a couple of years. Besides, if we do get to gut it and put in a new kitchen like is really needed, I wouldn't want to spend a lot of time or money on it right now anyway.

I won't show you very many "after" shots, but below are some before shots. You will have to check out the June issue of Romantic Homes to get the full deal. I believe it will be a fairly long feature. I do explain the "how to's" and give tips.

I would like to add a personal note about doing our little kitchen. When some of my girlfriends had seen it, they all expressed how much personality went into it and how they couldn't believe the change. While I appreciate their comments and compliments, what I think they were experiencing was something that we all have the ability to include in our homes...and that is our own personal touch. Whenever we take the time to add that little "something" that is truly ours and ours alone, that is when we turn our houses into homes.

Yes, I love my little kitchen, but what I love even more is hearing my handsome husband tell me each morning how nice the kitchen looks. And I enjoy watching him crack open his little soft boiled egg in his little German egg cup,while he is sitting in his Barber uniform, and watching him scoop out the soft yoke with his tiny spoon and he then looks up and smiles at me and says, "I just love having breakfast with you in our little breakfast room...." Beginning our day with our little breakfast, in our quiet, little breakfast room, is the little personal touch that makes our house a home.

Enjoy the sneak peek of our kitchen and more photos of the finished kitchen soon to come!

Also: next posting: More info on the April in Paris show in Kansas City - don't miss it!

From my house to your house,

Elizabeth

BEFORE PHOTOS:

SNEAK PEEK AT AFTER (MORE TO COME LATER):