Kitchen: Reloaded

This year for Christmas I asked for glass tile for my kitchen back splash.  I have had my eye on this specific tile for MONTHS.  It's black, grey, white, and has squares of stainless steel to match our appliances.  I felt like a "grown up" asking for remodeling tools instead of ... toys?  It's funny how often I feel like a little kid playing house.  I always think "when we have a kid I'll feel like a grown up."  Then we did, and I didn't.  Or "when we buy a house I'll feel like a grown up."  Then we did, and I didn't.  I think that I've finally realized that my idea of a "grown up" is someone who knows what they're doing.  But that's a lie.  I think we're all just winging it trying our best.  Of course when my neighbor tells me I look like I'm 16 that doesn't really help solidify my "grown up" status.  ;-)

Right after Christmas we started installing the tile.  Jake cut the pieces with a little hand tool while I lined them up on the wall.  We had to do all the work after the kiddos were in bed (not very child friendly having glass shards all over the floor, Jake preoccupied with his cutter, and me all contorted on the counter tops).  We were able to get all the tile up in one evening and would have finished it if we didn't run out of grout that night.  The work seemed to fly by since we were listening to Sherlock Holmes mysteries on audiobooks (via Hoopla).

Well, I couldn't stop there... once the tile was up I convinced Jake that we should paint the kitchen and redo the curtains.  I HATE our vertical blinds.  Since we don't have fences in our neighborhood I always feel like people can see us between the slats.  But we needed something that gave privacy and light during the day and curtains at night.  I found this cool track system at IKEA that fit the bill.  I found fabric that would make great curtains and I borrowed Laura's sewing machine.  She gave me a 10 minute tutorial and told me should would come to my rescue if I got stuck.  But as I started sewing - all those afternoons at Grandma Seaver's started to come back to my memory and I was surprised at how much I remembered.  I even had to fill the bobbin and replace the needle (ya, I went through 3 needles.  Oops!)  I felt sew proud of myself when I was done!  haha!  Though, I think I'm done sewing for awhile.

We had a picnic while the kitchen was tore apart (and yes, that's the McDonalds that Scarlett threw up.  Might be awhile before we go back there....)  All the late nights were taking a toll.  He was OUT!

BEFORE & AFTER
You might be thinking... wow Jenni, you are one crazy girl.  But don't let Jake fool you.  He's one funky fresh dude!  He was like - let's go bright!  It's just one wall, we can always change it!  So ya, he's my perfect match!

And a few more pictures...

When we were up late painting, again, I told him thank you for the Christmas present.  He was like "The tile was your present.  I wasn't planning on all this extra stuff!"  Thank you honey!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE my kitchen!  I'm so excited to host book club in a few weeks!  ;-)  

I had a few people ask, how do you have time to do all this stuff.  The secret is actually one of my (many) character flaws.  As Jake puts it "You don't know how to relax.  Even when you finish your work, you find something else to do."  I try to plan the hours of 7-10pm very carefully.  Even now - we just finished this and I've already thought of 2 new big projects to work on.  It's my GSD superpower (super flaw?) that I inherited from my father.  Thanks dad!  ;-)  My Grandma Seaver came across this cartoon when I was in college and she sent it to me, I think it sums up the GSD.  (oh, GSD stands for "Get S#!t Done")