Nana Monday, April 28, 2014

When Mom passed away last summer, I did some thinking and talking to myself. Sue Anne, life is so short and is getting shorter! Time to rearrange some things so I can spend MORE time with precious family. I KNOW that many grandmothers would love to do this, but just can't. So, I post these with love for each of you.  I'm very fortunate to be able to have this liberty.

I'm thrilled with what I think my daughter started calling, "Nana Mondays". My post today is about her 2 youngest yesterday, but I'm also getting to spend time with my daughter in law and her youngest on several Wednesdays in May, so more to come!

Yesterday we spent time playing cars, cooking up pretend cupcakes, coloring all kinds of colorful horses with very interesting names, painting with sidewalk paints, and my personal favorite .... finding a little park trail just a few minutes from the house. 

If you "click" on the picture, I think it will bring up the full photo for you. 

DONE!

My husband asked me if there would have been anything I would have done differently. 

Not a thing. I love it. And all the hours spent pouring over Pinterest pictures really, really did help.

So, this post is for those interested in some of the details and also a place for me to list our changes and resources.

Paint/Benjamin Moore
Walls: Latex flat, "Rodeo"
Cabinets and trim: Oil based satin, "Dove White"
Painter for cabinets and trim: Michael Castillo with Contemporary Painting, Round Rock, TX
Cabinetry new doors and drawer fronts: Mark Clark Cabinetry, Austin, TX

Granite
Color: Kashmir White from AG&M, Spicewood, TX
Installer: Top Surface Granite, Austin, TX
Backsplash
3x6 white subway tile from Home Depot
Installer: Top Surface, Austin, TX

Hardware for cabinets:
Home Depot

Broan chimney hood, Gas cooktop, Faucet, Water Filtration  all from Lowe's
Single bowl stainless sink 16 gauge from Top Surface

Shelving, Spice Jars, Wine glass rack, rod and hooks for utensils all from IKEA

Decorative items are from Home Goods, Ikea, William Sonoma, JoAnn Fabrics, Target

I actually prefer black appliances (except for refrigerator) so we kept the oven and microwave and dishwasher as is and chose a black gas cooktop.

The little rolling island was purchased from World Market about 10 years ago...also the wood topped revolving stools and dining set are purchases from World Market a couple of years ago.

I had concerns expressed by others about limited storage space. I make use of the dining table and the metal shelving unit (from Container Store years ago) for a lot of things. Also, my youngest daughter rearranged my little pantry last summer so I have plenty of storage for the two of us. Since we switched to a more "Paleo" based diet in January (and have seen great health improvements) we really could use another refrigerator rather than extra dry storage space. But, with just two of us at home, we have more than enough space for our needs.

The glass/wine rack from Ikea has been great...especially for those guests I anticipate will say, "Where do I get a drinking glass?"

I'm so grateful for my new space and most of all, that we are finished!!!

one more peek at the kitchen...almost done!

The painters are working on the cabinets and the crown moulding...Dove White by Benjamin Moore. The walls are primed and ready to go for Rodeo by Benjamin Moore. You can see a little of it behind the hood. Thinking of getting Ikea's stainless steel kitchen cart to use as an 'island' and keep the industrial feel going. At suggestions from my 2 daughters and my dad, will not put up the half moon shutter on the arched window... Let it go, let it go...

Not sure about the hardware yet. Suggestions? oil rubbed bronze? brushed nickel? 

I would love to get a 4x6 rug (or 5x7) to put in the middle of the room under that stainless steel cart. I'm thinking something that has gray in it, a little fun pattern also. The floor always photographs a little funky, but it is definitely a sandy color and I want to bring some gray from the walls and granite down to that floor.

Yes, I am keeping my black appliances. I'm just not that crazy about stainless steel all over the place. I like the mix of both.

Also, in that back corner William said he will install another little task light. That's most likely where my baking supplies and cookbooks will be used. A few shelves attached to side of the oven cabinet will hold my spices and oils and vinegars. On the side to the right of the sink, I will have one shelf for storing a few plates and glasses. However, I've got my eye out for a nice large poster size print that would have fun bright colors and IF I find the right one, I may forgo the shelf and just have my huge piece of art instead! 

saying goodbye to some good books

When I was a little girl, starting about age 9 or 10, I visited my grandmothers in Dallas in the summer. Both were fun in their own special way. To this day, when I smell cigarettes outside, I think of them. They were both 'smokers'. It's a good smell to me. Only outside, though. Not sure why that is so.

One grandmother had 3 teenagers for me to hang out with. I thought that was AMAZING fun. And it was. I still would love to hang out with Susan, Johnny and George for weeks on end in the summer. We went to the pool at a nearby hotel, they rolled me down the street in an aluminum garbage can, I learned how to play several fast playing card games, ate onion dip and fritos and drank as many, many 'cokes' as I wished. It was through Susan and George taking me to a Young Life Group back in about 1967 that I realized...wow, these super cool teenagers love Jesus and they love me, too. It was my first taste of authentic young people with a devotion to Jesus Christ. Their mom, "Be", was there to make us spaghetti by the potful, brownies and was just lots of fun herself. 

My other grandmother lived about 30 minutes away in Carrollton. I would spend half my time (3 or 4 days) with each.  "MamaNita" had no children left at home, so we would sit in her little living room and spend hours talking. She had a special chair next to a little table with a light so she could work on her needlepoint or crochet. To this day, I appreciate the relaxation I get from just crocheting a scarf or blanket. She also gave me lots of books...paperback books and hardcover classics. I kept as many classics as she gave me. Some had my Dad's name card in it. It read, " This book belongs to Richard Vandergriff". Most of the others said, "To our baby" or "To Peggy" from Mother and Daddy...Merry Christmas. At night we would go get in her bed and read and read until early morning hours.

These books belonged to my Aunt Peggy who had gone on to college and marriage by this time. She had not taken the books with her for some reason, so my grandmother gave them to me. I was visiting with Peggy a few weeks ago and mentioned that I had her books. I asked if she would like them back and of course...she did! She is a big 'book lover'. She wanted to read some of those same books out loud to her 9 and 10 year old granddaughters when they come over to spend the night. I apologized that I had written my name in every single cover of those books as a little girl. She just laughed.

So, this weekend, I pulled them off the shelf, placed them in a sturdy bag and sent them back to Aunt Peggy.

And last week, I enjoyed reading The Moffats  to one of my granddaughters. I still have that one on my shelf. Aunt Peggy gave that to me when I was 8.

Update #2 Subway tile

It's coming along! I'm really glad we have a week b/w each project now. It really gives me time to consider the 'layering' of the colors and hardware I want to use.
Most pleased about the antique white grout. It really helped soften and define the tile. Here are a few 'sneak peeks'! Hopefully, this week, the cabinet doors show up and the painting of the cabinets begins. I've chosen Benjamin Moore's "Dove White" for the cabinets and trim. After about 8 sample purchases of wall colors, I've chosen "Rodeo" for the walls. The walls are primed and ready to paint once the painter leaves. Hope to be DONE by Easter.
Marching on!!! This morning I took time to seal the granite again with Miracle Sealant 511 Porous Plus.