Lighter and Calmer in the Kitchen- My New Color

Hi All! Quick post before I attempt to drive in to work today.  After 3 days off with this crazy winter weather I am ready to get out of the house.

I didn't want to run off without showing you a quick peek at the new color in the kitchen.  

And here it is!  The new color I went with is called Muslin by Sherwin Williams.

I chose this color for one reason and one reason only.  

It's lighter and brighter and NEUTRAL!

Here's a quick peek at the old color as it showed in these Christmas photos.  Do you see the problem here?  Well, it didn't always look quite this harsh as shown.  However, in my photos and in the mornings early light under my incandescent ceiling lights it did in fact have quite a harsh glare.  Every morning I woke up to that glare and just couldn't take it anymore.

Doesn't this look so much better?  So much more at ease!

Here's the old color, again showing too much glare.

I still have roosters floating around the kitchen. 

A few more are making their way in as well.  I seem to be moving towards a more frenchy look in here.  I am finding myself being more and more attracted to fleur de lis decor then ever before.  It will be interesting to see how this room continues to evolve.

Loving the new color now, so I am redoing the den soon too!

Have a great day!

Hope you are staying warm, and cozy.

We are drying out here in SC today.

Goodbye Snow!

A New Kitchen Vignette

Hey Friends! I know I don't need to tell you that nothing feels as great as rearranging things in the house to come up with a new look.  Recently, I decided I wanted to change things up a bit in one of my favorite spots and after one thing led to another I ended up with a new look in the kitchen too.

Here's the new look!  I moved the bakers rack from where it was outside on the screened porch to inside in the kitchen.  I just love it!  I can't believe I have not put this in here until now.  I guess since I bought it just to go outside that's where it's been, that' is until now.

Here is the desk I used to have in here in the same spot.  It's still in the kitchen, just over by the coat rack now. 

I am really lovin the way this looks and fills the space so much better.  Especially since I have a space to decorate and display some of my collectibles now without having to install shelves.

Speaking of shelves, let's see how I loaded them up.

I just couldn't resist bringing out the few roosters that I have along with a few new and older items.

I bought these fantastic woven wired basket trays as a set of three at one of our local antique thrift stores.  I think the contrast between them and the silver I inherited from my in-laws is just wonderful.  I love mixing things up!

I think the last item to go in this vignette was the crowning touch!  After searching around the house for something to complete the look of this shelf. I was just a tad near giggly at how well my new tea towels from our very own blogger friend Debbiedoo's fit right in.  The stenciled wording look on these totally made it, don't cha think?  I sure do!

  I am so glad I commented about wanting to buy some of these from her.  She really has quite a skilled hand at stenciling.  She is considering doing more stenciling to sell, so if you like them hop on over to her blog and ask about more.  I'm sure she would love to help ya out cause she's like that ya know!  Thank you...thank you...thank you Debbie!

On my next shelf I have a wooden garden box I bought on clearance from Michael's.  It has four divided compartments perfect for and keeping a place setting of flatware and napkins handy.  And right next to it is a stack of dishes.  Four dinner plates and four desserts of course! 

And on the very top is my favorite Roo of all.  I think he loves sitting up top.  Don't they all!

I still haven't spruced up my old season block like I thought I would, but honestly it's starting to grow on me now just as it is.  

Down on the bottom is this wonderful crate I got from my old job at the gift shop.  I had been using this thing as a bread box but decided it will make a better storage box here.

It really was very large for a bread box on the counter and bet I can store a good amount of table linens in here instead.  Hopefully!  I didn't put the old wine bottles back on here just yet and now I am thinking I might be able to store some of my goblets on those racks instead.  What do you think?  Maybe?

Okay, so that's my new look!  How do you like it?  

Do you want to see why I moved this off the screen porch?  

Well, to make room for the hammock on the porch again.  I can't believe it's been well over a year since I've had my hammock on the porch.  It takes up a lot of space but it's so enjoyable especially in the spring and fall.  I'm not quite ready for Fall just yet, but a few cooler evenings relaxing on the porch sure would be nice.

I am linking up with the following parties today for;

Seasonal Sunday

Metamorphosis Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

Please be sure and visit the links above to see so much more!

Hope your having a great weekend!

Time to Rise and Shine!

Good Morning!  Rise and shine sleepyhead!  That's what I used to wake up too every morning as a child and teenager.  Well almost every morning, to be completely honest, there were lot's of mornings when my mother would just yell from the door...time to rise and shine!  

It's hard to get excited about rising and shining when the weather is so dreary outside.  It sure has been quite overcast, drizzly and foggy lately!  Luckily for me I am off to work and will not be looking at this dreary day for long.  That's one advantage of being inside a building for an 8 hour stretch, wouldn't you agree? For someone like me who loves being outside it's great to have an excuse for being stuck inside on a day like this.   Hey, you gotta look for the positives in life friends, always!

Speaking of positives, I thought I'd share a little kitchen vignette that I set up in the kitchen with my cheery and colorful rooster.  After I took the Christmas tree down in the kitchen I decided to put my black desk back in the kitchen instead of the painted fruit table.  I like how the black coordinates with my dining table and stools and provides a great background for bright colors to bounce off of.

After bringing my colorful rooster back out I decided to stay with the whole rooster theme and keep going with it.  So, out came the little salt and pepper shaker I got from Cracker Barrel last year. 

Now, I know I'm jumping the gun a bit here with the spring flowers but I just couldn't help myself.   A big bonus is they have been especially cheery to see every morning with  all this dreary weather and I really needed some height here in my vignette.  Lesson learned, just because it's cold and dreary outside doesn't mean it has to be that way inside.

Checked napkins in a basket and stacks of dishes and I was just about done.  Very country huh?

I love seeing stacks of dishes sitting out, do you?  I especially love it when the dishes are interesting and colorful too.  I wish I had one of those cute little willow and wire chargers to sit this on but just can't quite talk myself into spending what those things cost.  Please someone let me know if you ever see them go on sale anywhere.

 These rooster dishes are from Fitz and Floyd purchased at TJ Maxx.

And because I had a cute little cubby hole and more dishes small enough to fit in there I added them too.

Nice and bright and cheery!

Cock-a-doodle-do!  Rise and shine Yall!

I am joining Marty today for a very special 

Tabletop Tuesday.

She is celebrating her 100th linky party.  I am very happy to be able to attend and have already been checking out a few fabulous vignettes.  I can't wait to get back home tonight to check out more for lot's of beautiful decorating inspiration.  I sure could use it!

Congratulations Marty and Thank you for hosting such a wonderfully inspiring party every week!

Hope you all have a beautiful day whatever the weather is in your neck of the woods.

Thanks for stopping by!

I've got a new Roo!

Hey Friends!  It's been quite awhile since I've joined one of Marty's parties (hey that rhymed!) over at A Stroll Through Life.  But today, I've got just a little something to share with you that  I think a few of you might like to see.  What it is you say?

Do you see it? Nope! It's not the cookbook ladies!

Yep!  It's the new Roo of course!  See, didn't I tell you, you'd like it!  Now don't you worry, I am still not going to get caught up in all that Rooster collecting business, no NOT me! 

But... I do know a few good Roo's when I see them.   Especially since I have been looking at quite a few of them almost everyday for months.  We sell this collection and another set at Stein Mart.  So, after looking at this set everyday for over 3 months now I finally broke down and bought this decorative plate when it went on sale.  I love how the plate is in the shape of a rooster!  

Of course, I knew that the black on the rooster would also fit in quite well in my kitchen.  I knew exactly where I wanted to display it too, right here in this little nook in my kitchen.

It's over here tucked away with the bread box and cookbooks.

And the cute little clear jar that started out as a pecan jar after seeing you fabulous bloggers using these last year.  Then after the nuts were gone it turned into a hot drink packet jar, then quickly became a tervis tumbler "tops" jar.  This jar sure is versatile, isn't it?

Anywho, back to my new Roo!  Isn't he purrrrty!!!

I am really being so good because there is such a huge collection that goes with him.  There is a huge cookie jar, utensil holder, platter, salad plates, salt and pepper shakers, ect.  I am trying my best to not to add anything else but the coffee mugs are starting to call my name too.  Look out!

I thought he would look wonderful over here by a cookbook so I pulled out a nice comforting one for the winter.  Maybe this will give the Mr. a few hints too.  Ya think?  

Then, when I was trying to figure out what napkin or tea towel I wanted to add to this vignette I remembered my new plaid napkins. I purchased these from work on the day after Christmas sale.  They also have black in them so I thought it would look great.  What do you think?  Still, nice and wintry right?

And because I promised awhile back to show you these but got to busy to do so, here they are!

For those of you who do not know what I'm talking about I bought all of this at 75% off the day after Christmas from Stein Mart.  I was surprised they had not already sold but was quite pleased to be able to add them to my home.

I have a set of six placemats and six napkins.  I love the red,black,hunter,blue and white in the plaid.

I was also lucky enough to score two sets of silver and red beaded napkin rings at 75% off too for a total of eight each!  Can you believe that?  I know I can use those napkin rings year round! 

Well, that's it!  I just wanted to share a little vignette with you all today.

Thanks for stopping by! 

I hope you have a little more time to visit many more pretties over at 

Tabletop Tuesday.

Have a great day!