Our Kitchen Remodel Part 1 - A Hutch Cupboard...

As I've been hinting - we've just remodeled our kitchen.  

There are still unfinished areas -  but operation 'move everything

 back into the cabinets' is finally finished as of today.

Since we changed the layout of our kitchen a bit - I had room to do

 something 'different' at one end of the cream painted cabinets.  

I did this... 

 Inspired a bit by this...

Via Better Homes & Gardens/Pinterest

Here is a glimpse of this same area 'before' and 'during' 

the mess of deconstruction...

And now - I have a pretty and safe place for my 'fancy' dishes...

(which I actually use fairly often - call me 'old fashioned'.) 
This is not a separate piece of furniture - rather just
standard kitchen cabinets from Kraftmaid that we 
put together to look like a 'hutch'.

When arranging things on shelves - it's good to vary heights and

 leave some blank space for the eye to rest.  My 'hutch' doesn't have all the 

blank space it should perhaps - but the dishes are in there and I'm happy!

Formerly they resided in the glass doors wall cabinet you see here.

  They were crammed in there! 
(Just trust me when I tell you our former kichen was very cheap and showing much wear - 

photos can lie!)

Glass dishes do not show up well in dark cabinets.  

So we put in a light colored back wall.  White doilies also help...

The few depression glass dishes I have were from my mother.  

So of course - they are special to me...

I would have liked to fit a desk into the kitchen but there wasn't enough room.  

Turns out - the bottom of this cupboard may serve us well as a

 computer/telephone center.

I'm sure I'll continue to play with what goes where - 

but I'm truly enjoying my new 'hutch' cabinet.

More kitchen pics in the days ahead!  ~Joyce

Vintage & Co. - A New Shop...

A friend of mind recently opened her very own brick and mortar store.

I'm most proud of her.  She put it together in record time and it is

 just delightful to the eye and full of projects and inspiration.

(She runs circles around me in this antique business...)
 

Let's take a peek...

 I love this view of the 1st room as you enter.  Love that stone wall!

Many items in the shop received a bit of an upcycle - 

like these cheese boxes...

 ...and who can't use a little wooden storage tote...

This industrial file cabinet has its own custom built 

wooden surround (built by the owner's hubby)...

And if you're into pallet projects - 

this one is just begging for some succulents...

For those who like all things French...

And of course - for us cottage and somewhat 'girly' gals - 

there's plenty for us too.

  Don't you just love her tags?

It's a corner shop with a great front door...

Welcome to Vintage & Co nestled in a little village in

Lancaster County, PA!

 Wanna see more? Head on over to my friend's blog 

and give her some love.  

And if you're not local - 

you can still do some shopping on her Etsy store.

 Thanks for joining me for the tour!  ~Joyce 

A Bouquet A Day...

This time of year - there really is no excuse for me to not have a

 fresh bouquet of flowers happening somewhere.  Right now - 

this is what's delighting our front porch at the summer cottage...

I added some white 'baby's breath' - that isn't baby's breath - 

but is a perennial that works just as well.  

Gypsy White Achillea and Pink Yarrow (Achillea)

Lotsa perennials in my beds means blooms most of the time.  

And when there's not - ornamental grasses work just fine.

Summer flowers - how I love thee!

Do you have perennials?  ~Joyce

Favorite Find - Salt and Pepper Shakers...

Lately I've found myself on the look-out for salt and pepper shakers.  

I haven't sold any in years - but I've been looking anyway.  Why?

  Because our current shakers at our summer cottage have metal lids.  

Metal lids + lots of humidity = rusty lids and rusty salt!  Yuck!

 Looky what I found!  

The perfect little vintage glass set with plastic lids... in red...

... to go along with the rest of our red and vintage kitchen decor.

They look unused - were only $1 and are just too cute!

Once again - an unexpected yard sale stop yielded big dividends. 

I'm thinkin' there's gonna be a whole lotta shakin' going on!  ~Joyce

Of Cabins, Hunting Camps and Bears...

There is a cabin we have the privilege of getting to on occasion.  

It is not a fancy cabin...

It's the 'pump water into buckets' kind of cabin...
(Incidentally - it's amazing how much water we use in a day!)

 ...with kitchen cabinetry that has been there since who knows when...

We're talking NO running water of any kind...

We eat our meals on the porch.  It just feels better somehow...

Time at the cabin always includes walks in the woods...

 ...along the creek...

...and out the lane to view more cabins...

and structures.

It's fun to see other cabin owners' pretty touches...

A few people even call this neck of the woods 'home'.  

This house was once a scruffy cabin - but look at it now...

...complete with an awesome 'settin' porch...

  My love enjoys getting in his nature shots.  

Here he was aiming for a black squirrel (not sure if he 'got him' or not.)

On this visit - we were rewarded with a bear visit in the yard...

...that came incredibly close!  Ahhh!!!

The multi floral rose was in full bloom...

And some of us practiced our campfire building skills.

A few parting shots of the cabin and grounds...  

Thanks for taking part in our cabin trip.

I must say - I'm happy to back to a 'running water' kitchen!