In the midst of all of our organizing and unpacking, Joe and I decided to meet up with another couple from Joe's school for breakfast and a trip to the Madison Farmer's Market. This market is renowned in the Midwest, and is one that I visited with my family as a kid, usually on football game days when we came to visit Madison. While I enjoyed it as a child, I can appreciate it much more as an adult. The market boasts over 200 vendors, who display their produce and other products surrounding the entire Capitol Square. The venue is fantastic, and the produce is just as good!
Here is a list of the goodies we picked up today:
Spun honey
basil
scallions
Chinese lanterns
raspberries
cilantro
cantaloupe
tomatoes (for salsa)
maple syrup
pepper jelly
popcorn
tomatoes (heirloom)
Eggplant
Zucchini
Summer Squash
I think we will be busy cooking this week :)
I will be posting about some of our delicious creations this week (at least that's the plan...). Any suggestions?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Kitchen is all unpacked!
I know I have been posting lots of ideas and inspiring photos of kitchens, and now, I am ready to show my own kitchen. Now, it's not totally done, but it is painted, unpacked, and just about as clean as I can get it. As I said before, the paint is Behr's Ice Folly, a nice, light blue.
Things I have done thus far in this room:
- Painted the walls, cabinet panels, and fake backsplash above the sink
- Added wood cutting boards on the counters to hide the gross, stained laminate counter tops
- CLEANED! This place was filthy when we moved in.
- Not to mention, organized EVERYTHING and fit EVERYTHING (read: a lot of stuff) into the cabinets and other storage in a neat and orderly fashion
Projects on the To Do List:
- Get the cabinets to close. This will involve sanding some areas and probably adding magnetic closures to others. I think the hinges are either mostly broken or are so thickly layered with old paint that they just pop right back open once they are closed.
- Remove and paint the cabinet pulls. I don't know if you can tell from the photos, but they are tarnished brass with lots of splatters of old paint and goodness knows what else. I plan to paint these with a black semi-gloss lacquer.
- Replace the filthy mini-blinds. Landlord offered to pay for new window treatments, too, as long as they will stay in the place and "look nice."
- CLEAN THE WINDOWS! They need it badly! Landlord is a good guy, but I will never get over him saying, "I didn't do anything to clean the windows since they get dirty again so quickly." Same thing happens to my hair, buddy, but I wash it every day just the same!
- Level the fridge.
- Paint the toe-kicks on the cabinets. They are currently wood, and it looks like maybe there was some adhesive rubber there at one time. At this point, they just look dirty.
- Replace the light fixtures. The landlord has agreed to pay for them and install them, I just need to buy them. I'm thinking of some sort of cool pendant light for above the sink. He wants to put in a ceiling fan in the center of the room, which I am all for (we do not have air conditioning).
- Install a shelf/pot rack thing above the stove. This will be used to hang my All-Clad utensils and hold a canister with spatulas, wooden spoons, etc.
- Hang art! I have a great little painting for above the sink, and a few others that need homes.
I'd say, not bad for only being here one week! I will add more pictures as I complete the little projects (and as I recruit Joe to help with some of the more manly ones, haha). There are more rooms to come, with more completed projects and more To Do lists!
 | ||
| Before (previous tenant) |
 | ||
| After! |
 | ||
| Before (with icky cream-sicle paint)... |
 | |
| After! |
 | |
| Lots of light! |
 | ||||||||||
| Stove and fridge (and no, that's not your eyes - the fridge is horribly crooked) |
- Painted the walls, cabinet panels, and fake backsplash above the sink
- Added wood cutting boards on the counters to hide the gross, stained laminate counter tops
- CLEANED! This place was filthy when we moved in.
- Not to mention, organized EVERYTHING and fit EVERYTHING (read: a lot of stuff) into the cabinets and other storage in a neat and orderly fashion
Projects on the To Do List:
- Get the cabinets to close. This will involve sanding some areas and probably adding magnetic closures to others. I think the hinges are either mostly broken or are so thickly layered with old paint that they just pop right back open once they are closed.
- Remove and paint the cabinet pulls. I don't know if you can tell from the photos, but they are tarnished brass with lots of splatters of old paint and goodness knows what else. I plan to paint these with a black semi-gloss lacquer.
- Replace the filthy mini-blinds. Landlord offered to pay for new window treatments, too, as long as they will stay in the place and "look nice."
- CLEAN THE WINDOWS! They need it badly! Landlord is a good guy, but I will never get over him saying, "I didn't do anything to clean the windows since they get dirty again so quickly." Same thing happens to my hair, buddy, but I wash it every day just the same!
- Level the fridge.
- Paint the toe-kicks on the cabinets. They are currently wood, and it looks like maybe there was some adhesive rubber there at one time. At this point, they just look dirty.
- Replace the light fixtures. The landlord has agreed to pay for them and install them, I just need to buy them. I'm thinking of some sort of cool pendant light for above the sink. He wants to put in a ceiling fan in the center of the room, which I am all for (we do not have air conditioning).
- Install a shelf/pot rack thing above the stove. This will be used to hang my All-Clad utensils and hold a canister with spatulas, wooden spoons, etc.
- Hang art! I have a great little painting for above the sink, and a few others that need homes.
I'd say, not bad for only being here one week! I will add more pictures as I complete the little projects (and as I recruit Joe to help with some of the more manly ones, haha). There are more rooms to come, with more completed projects and more To Do lists!
Dog won't listen!
This is the funniest thing I have ever seen. I think the new neighbors might think I am crazy after I was laughing so incessantly at 8:00 this morning. Enjoy!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Getting settled, for real this time!
Hello, friends! I apologize for being away through this exciting time as we get moved in and settled. My mom, Joe, and I have been hard at work CLEANING (the place was pretty filthy when we got it - windows and window sills were the worst!), PAINTING (Benjamin Moore's Sail Cloth in the bedroom, Behr's Ice Folly in the kitchen and hallway, Behr's Rhythmic Blue in the living room, and Behr's Porpoise in the bathroom), and ORGANIZING our excessive amount of stuff. I will post about each room with photos when they become presentable. I'm sure there will be many little projects around the place, but we are looking forward to feeling settled and organized.
In other news, Joe began orientation last Wednesday. He has been working hard at getting to know his classmates and preparing for the endeavor ahead. I've been participating as much as I can (there have been a few events to which I've been invited), and looking forward to getting to know other spouses and significant others. So far, everyone seems great - very warm and friendly. I'm continuing to look for a job, and had an interview last week that went really well. I've got another one this afternoon, so let's hope for the best!
In other news, Joe began orientation last Wednesday. He has been working hard at getting to know his classmates and preparing for the endeavor ahead. I've been participating as much as I can (there have been a few events to which I've been invited), and looking forward to getting to know other spouses and significant others. So far, everyone seems great - very warm and friendly. I'm continuing to look for a job, and had an interview last week that went really well. I've got another one this afternoon, so let's hope for the best!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Dream kitchens
These kitchens might be the perfect color combinations! I love these blue kitchens, especially with the red and orange accent colors. I think they would look great with my black and white floors.
The blue cabinets, red pans on the stove, and artwork on the walls are so cozy and classic. I'm not sure how Joe would feel about the chandelier, but I love it!
I also enjoy the open shelving above the counters, and the stainless steel ranges. Unfortunately, I don't think my rental kitchen has these upgrades...
These colors highlight the fact that this kitchen is brimming with natural light. That's something that I think we do have in the new place :)
Photo credits: Apartment Therapy
Love it!
The blue cabinets, red pans on the stove, and artwork on the walls are so cozy and classic. I'm not sure how Joe would feel about the chandelier, but I love it!
I also enjoy the open shelving above the counters, and the stainless steel ranges. Unfortunately, I don't think my rental kitchen has these upgrades...
These colors highlight the fact that this kitchen is brimming with natural light. That's something that I think we do have in the new place :)
Photo credits: Apartment Therapy
Love it!
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