Kitchen Makeover

Winter is a time where I enjoy working on our house -- with Chicago winter weather outside, it just seems like a good idea to enjoy the nice weather while I can and save my home improvement projects for a time when the weather turns chillier.

This winter holds an ambitious list of home improvements, the first of while was to re-paint our kitchen/dining room area. Upon moving into our home in 2006, we painted the kitchen a rich brick red and added a wide crowne molding to accent the ceiling. Four and a half years later, it was time to brighten up our kitchen a bit, this time with Martha Stewart's Opal Blue paint.

See these photos of the painting process -- only 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of paint to go from brick red to a very light blue!

I worked up a combination of dark walnut wood furniture and black wall decorations to best show off the blue in the new paint. The chandelier is original to the house (circa 1999) and was originally a delightful hunter green and brown crackle paint. I purchased one of the Martha Stewart paint sample bottles for $2.49 (complete with a brush built in to the cap) and painted over the crackle to produce a matte finish.

Tips for painting a chandelier: Remove the light blubs and place painter's tape over any areas you do not want paint.

Comments

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Raise your hand if you LOVE washing dishes? Yes? Then this recipe isn't for you. Because dinner is done in one pot. Set it and forget it while you change into something more comfortable after a long day. Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 onion, diced 2 c broth or water 3 c (24 ounces) pasta sauce (marinara or tomato sauce recommended) 1 lb. any pasta (I used whole wheat high protein spaghetti) 2 T Italian Seasoning 1 t Onion Powder 1 t Garlic Powder 1/2 t salt 1/4 t black pepper Instructions: Set your pot to "Saute" and cook the ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the onion to the ground beef and they will cook together. Once it is cooked through (about 4-5 min), do not drain out the fat. **If you prefer to use frozen meatballs, skip the above steps, start with the meatballs in the bottom of your pot, then go from here: Mix in all seasoning (Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper) Layer in ...

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

Day two with my Crock-Pot Express (CPE), aka Instant Pot. Tonight, we are making Chicken Marsala, one of The Captain's favorites. Since I'm preparing to get back into the 21 Day Fix starting on January 15 (with the new 80 Day Obsession plan!), I'm going to enjoy the chicken and green beans only, while the rest of the family will have egg noodles with their chicken. I found a simple enough recipe on Pinterest that I'm going to adapt to work for our family's tastes a little bit better. Here is the plan: Ingredients: - 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless - 1 T olive oil - 1/2 t garlic powder - 1/2 t salt - 1/4 t black pepper - 1/2 yellow onion, diced - 1 pint sliced baby Bella portobello mushrooms - 1 c Marsala wine - 1/4 c chicken stock or broth - 1 T minced garlic Instructions: - Set device to “Sauté” and add oil. Allow to heat for 1 minute. - Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder - Add chicken to pot and sear meat for 3 ...

Easy Guide: How to Address Envelopes for Wedding Invitations

So often I receive questions about how to address envelopes to guests with various professions and relationships. Here is a little quick reference guide I've put together for future use. To a Married Couple Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hampton A married couple with the same last name should be traditionally listed as Mr. and Mrs. followed by the male's first and last name. It is not incorrect to also list a married couple as "Mr. Albert and Mrs. Samantha Hampton". To a Married Couple That Use Different Last Names Mr. Ryan Paxton and Mrs. Marion Parker When space permits, list both members of the couple on the same line. Each should be recognized with their own salutation and last name. To an Unmarried Couple Living Together Mr. Hunter Allen and Ms. Anna Peterson List the male's name first and both names should be listed on the same line. To a Same-Sex Couple Ms. Salina Redding and Ms. Georgia Browning You can include either member of the couple'...

Sunday Southern Days

Search This Blog