Veggie Hater/Island Lover

I am a former picky eater.  And I don't know that I am totally recovered.  If it looks weird (i.e., green, orange, etc.), has an off smell, or is something I have never eaten before...my inner 3-year old goes "ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."  I know, it's horrible.  Well with my running, I have been reading a lot of Runner's World and other running articles and apparently runners are supposed to eat healthy.  I know, right?!  Annoying.

So I have been branching out.  Over the past year, I have added celery, asparagus, carrots, green peppers, red peppers, broccoli, and green beans to my regular eating.  I would on occasion eat this BEFORE.  But like 3 bites, and I would have been done and moving on to the cheese.  I try to eat my 3-4 servings of veggies a day.  Sometimes I don't like it.  Sometimes I choke it down.  Sometimes I repeat to myself "I'm doing something good for my body" like the entire time I am chewing.  Especially for carrots.  I hate carrots.  But every now and then I eat it and it's delicious!  And I sing to myself "This is good for my body!  This is good for my body!"

Being a busy and lazy person, I know if the veggies aren't readily accessible I will totally reach for a cookie because it's fast.  So each weekend I do my bargain shopping where I find the cheapest veggies in the local ads (I check out about 4 of them) and go to Walmart and do their price-match guarantee.  Then I prep!  It only takes about 45 minutes to prep all these veggies and they last all week (sometimes longer if I do, by mistake, reach for a cookie)! 

Veggies ready to prep.  Asparagus, carrots, green beans, red & green peppers, broccoli 

Step 1:  Wash all the veggies.  While this is happening boil water in 2 pots.  (About 1 inch of water in each pot.)
Step 2:  Begin to steam/boil carrots on medium heat.  (I HATE carrots and this is the only way I can eat them!)  I steam the carrots for 35 minutes so they are nice and mushy!
Step 3: Cut the broccoli and begin to steam.  I steam the broccoli for 20 minutes.  

Step 4:  While the broccoli and carrots are on the stove steaming, cut the asparagus woody (the white part) end off.
Step 5:  After putting asparagus on cookie sheet (put parchment paper on it for easy clean-up!), drizzle a little olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper.  This time I added Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb---yum!

(Step 5)

Step 6:  Bake asparagus at 350 for 12 minutes.  While this is happening, chop the ends off the green beans.  (This is also typically where I throw in a load of laundry!)  You might also have time to cut the peppers.  I seriously had to look up a video on you-tube for how to cut a pepper!  I cut mine in strips.

Step 7:  Take asparagus out of the oven.  Preheat oven to 425.  **At this point, the broccoli is done so turn the heat off of that.**  Put the asparagus in a container and use the same baking sheet and parchment paper (reduce/reuse/recycle) for the green beans.  Drizzle olive oil, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and salt on the green beans.  Put in oven at 425.  Bake for 10 minutes, then shake the pan and bake for another 5 minutes.

(Step 7)--While these are baking, you can finish up cutting the peppers, begin putting veggies into containers to refrigerate for the week, or cleaning the kitchen.  

Veggies are done!  Ready to reheat for lunches and dinners for the week!

j

The goal is that I would reach for these veggies BEFORE something else.
I might need to wash it down with a Corona too though.  :)  

On a completely unrelated note, I got a kitchen island from IKEA and did a bit of a flip on it!!  Here is what it looked like in the store.

Bekvam Kitchen Cart $59.99 at IKEA

Here is MINE!  My dad stained it with a dark wood and added a towel rod (also from Ikea).  

My dad put the dark wood stain on before even putting it together.  He also added the towel rod.  He then put a clear polyurethane coating on it to protect it from spills.  (Like when your friend spills Corona on it....)

The kitchen with the rockin' island!  

So pretty much it's been super exciting here for me!  I am eating my veggies and enjoying my new island.  :)  I am also a little injured from running so I have been trying to take it easy.  It's REALLY hard to not run, but I know that my knee needs to heal or it will just keep getting worse.  It needs to feel better STAT because I have got a half marathon in like 10 weeks!!

Let me know what you think of my IKEA flip and my veggie prep!  I'd love ideas to streamline it more!

Furniture Fashion

Sometime in my life around the age of 12, I discovered the Pottery Barn catalog.  I am sure I was their only 12-year old subscriber   But anyway, I have pretty much always loved looking at those catalogs.  I love how classic, chic, and homey it looks.  It looks beautiful but livable at the same time.  Dream home stuff.

Well as the 25-year old "adult" that I am now, I realize that Pottery Barn is DANG EXPENSIVE.  Seriously, who can afford $200 for a dining room chair?  If I were ever able to afford that stuff, I don't think I would let anyone use the furniture.  (Or more likely, I would have ONE really nice Pottery Barn chair and the rest would be folding chairs!  Classy, right?)  Maybe, I'm just cheap.  But I still love the look of Pottery Barn.

As I've stated before, I frequented the "auction scene" this fall.  I found quite a few things that in my mind, look like Pottery Barn.  Classic.  Chic.  Maybe a little dusty.  (You might disagree, which is fine.  I'll live my PB fantasy in my head.)  My auction tips are:
1.  Get there early to scope it out.
2.  Get yourself a donut to make sure you have enough calories in your body to think clearly.  Hot chocolate is helpful too.
3.  Find what you like.  Look for well-made and quality workmanship.  If you like modern lines, look for modern lines.  I like classic and traditional and have looked at thousands of PB catalogs so I kind of know the look I am going for, so that's what I look for.  Don't be scared by an ugly wood finish or a paint color you don't like.  These things can be changed!  Be creative!!
4.  Once you have found something you like, REALLY look at it.  Open the drawers, look underneath it, etc.
5.  Decide your "top price" that you will pay.  You have to STICK to this so really think about it.  Questions to ask yourself that help you determine your top price include: "Do I need this?"  (My answer is always yes!)  "Where am I putting this?"  "Do I need to revamp the furniture in anyway?"  If the answer to that question is yes, consider the cost of that when figuring out your top price.

So here is a dresser that I had purchased at an auction for about $15.  This auction really had nothing else except this dresser.  It was a rose among thorns (i.e., junk!).  Also, I didn't really think about HOW to get it home.  I totally had to ride in the passenger side seat WITH my mom also in it.  It was a long 20 minute drive.

One of the wooden knobs was missing.  Also the wood finish
wasn't great looking.  

Step 1:  Degloss.  This probably wasn't totally necessary, but
it did get some of the gross stuff off the wood.  

Step 2:  Begin wiping on the stain with a cloth or rag.  I chose a really
dark stain.  It's important to stain it in a horizontal position so that the
stain doesn't "run."  

Step 2 (continued):  The one on the top has the stain.  The bottom
is the old finish.  

Step 2 (continued):  Staining the sides

Step 3:  Wipe on a polyurethane coating to seal the stain into the wood.  Do
this at least 24 hours after you have stained so the stain is "set."  See that scratch on the
bottom left?  That's what happens when you put too much polyurethane on.  My dad
later informed me that it is NOT like frosting a cake.  He had to sand it out and re-stain it.
Isn't he great?

Finished product!!  My dad had the idea to use the extra knobs
that we had leftover from the kitchen reno instead of the wooden
knobs that were with it!  

                                       

Excuse my not-great-picture taking skills.  It's late and I'm tired.
What do you think though?  I am not totally sold on the mirror being
white.  The old homeowners had left it and was a nice 90s gold.  The
white is much better but it's very whiiiiiiiiiiiiiite.

I'll update soon, I promise!  I have a couple of thoughts for my next entry.  It might be my recent bargain-grocery shopping adventures or maybe an update on my hallway!!!!!!!  We'll see!!  

Resolution & Renovation Updates

Hello all!  I am writing to update about my resolutions and "debut" my kitchen pictures!  My kitchen is DONE!!

We'll start with the boring stuff first.  Feel free to scroll down if you only want to look at pictures.  Just keep in mind that I am cursing you in my head because looking at pictures and not the words IS CHEATING.  At least that's what I tell my students.  You are just cheating yourself out of becoming a better reader.  I assume y'all can read though!  So skip if you must.

Here's the resolution reminders...
1.  Run a half-marathon.---We've had some bizarre weather in Ohio.  I continue to run inside 3-7 miles at the Y depending on the day.  I was able to run 10.77 miles on a beautiful day on Saturday!  So I'm working it.  Not tellin' my time though...  
3.  Go one day a week with NO SWEETS.  I AM STRUGGLING HERE.  Today is my no sweets day and seriously all I want in the entire world is a cookie.  This will be week 3 and day 3 of it and I know it will benefit me later!  BUT STILL I WANT A DANG-GONE COOKIE.  
4.  Work on my abs and legs.  I have been doing the machines at the Y and my favorite pilates instructor added some inner thigh stuff at my request.  Also, each morning since January 1 I have spent about 5 minutes stretching, doing sit-ups, push-ups, and plank.  I look pretty cool doing it in m penguin PJs.  Be jealous.  
5.  Lose 5 pounds.  (Khloe)  We are walking more and I am trying to feed her less.  
6.  Pay off my Sears credit card.  I made a $50 payment this month and plan to make another next pay too.  I don't know I am going to make the May goal though.  :/

.....DRUM ROLL....KITCHEN UPDATE!!

Just a reminder as to what the kitchen looked like before.  Patriotic theme.  Red.  White.  Blue.  Go America.  Old Glory.  ICK.  

Before.

Progress.  My dad took all the cabinet doors off and labeled each one so he knew what was what.  

Taking Old Glory down.  But look, another border!  

You can see the soffet is painted and part of the cabinet base is painted.  

Notice, the cabinets are just builder's grade cabinets.  Totally flat on the front.  On Pintrest, I saw all these great ideas about adding molding to the front of the cabinet.  So after a lot of convincing, my dad agreed to do the labor!  Here were his steps.  

1.  Take cabinet off wall.
2.  Degloss cabinet with deglosser.  This eliminates the sanding step and helps the paint to really "stick."  
3.  Add molding with Elmer's wood glue.  Secure with clamps.  Let sit for at least 24 hours.  Fill in any gaps between wood with wood caulk.  
4.  Paint one side.  Dry Completely.  Do a second coat.  Then paint the other side with the same process.  We used Sherwin Williams ProClassic because all the blogs recommended that.  It supposedly can deal with the wear 'n tear cabinets naturally get.  
5.  Add door handles and pulls.  I purchased these from the Home Depot in the bargain bin.  The handles were $1.50 and the pulls were $1.99 each.  I think they were Martha Stewart brand.  

Dad's supplies.  

My dad added the molding.  They were $1.99 for 4 ft. of poplar board.

My dad likes to make sure things are secure!  He let them sit like this for 24 hours.  

FINISHED PRODUCT.....

Cabinets!
My mom made the Roman Shades with fabric from JoAnn's.  

Close up of the cabinets.  What do you think?
You can see the added flat molding on the door and the new pulls.
My dad added the mini-crown molding on the bottom too.  

Roman Shade by Mama!  What do you think of that light?
It came with the house.  It's not awful, but something might be better....

Close-up.  

I love the handles and pulls!

Other side of the kitchen!  You can see the aluminum sheet my dad added
to the left above the oven to prevent splashing.  

My favorite corner to stand and spill stuff at.  

The white tile was with the house.  You can barely see where we painted over the Old Glory
border.  One day I might add 2 rows of subway tile to really cover it up.  My dad hates tile work though,
so I'll need a new contractor!  :)  

My pull-out trash can.  Bargain find from dad.
Don't you love how I took out the trash for you?

Pull out kitchen-cleaning supplies under sink.
Dad installed!

My dad found this wooden drawer that didn't quite fit for $5.
He added  2X4s on the side to make it fit.  

Another drawer by dad!

So from this.....

To this....
I lived with the open-concept kitchen for a lot of weeks.
It was great.  I always knew I didn't have any food.  :)

FINAL PRODUCT!!
The walls/soffet are Sherwin Williams Gateway Gray.
The cabinets are SW Dovetail in ProClassic.  

What do you think?  I am totally in love with it.  Like I said I would love to add some accent tiling eventually and maybe a new light.  But that can wait for now.  I got really lucky with the counter tops matching being really neutral and matching perfectly.  I don't totally love the floor.  It seems cheap to me.  But for now, it works.  

Now, we are working on painting the trim and doors in the hallway.  And finishing up the living room totally.  It's 95% done.  My reupholster-er (i.e., Mom) is still working on a chair.  

I'll keep you updated, but I'd love to know what you think of my kitchen!

Revamp the Lamps

Okay, I am not that clever of a person, but HELLO was that not a clever title?!  I thought of it while running my 9.86 miles the other day.  (Oh yeah, I increased my mileage again!!!!!!!)

Anyway....upon moving into my house I immediately realized how DARK it was without lights!  It didn't matter how cute my sofa was if no one could see it.  So I started looking at table lamps and floor lamps at stores.  IMMEDIATELY I realized how EXPENSIVE lights were.  For goodness sake, did you know a base to a lamp can be like $30?  Then the shade is like $20!  And if we are talking  a floor lamp plan on like $60.  Not cool.  Didn't God say, "Let there be light"?  So why does lighting have to be so expensive?!  And of course I have expensive taste and couldn't even bare to look at the ugly cheap ones.  Forget it.

So for a few weeks I sat in the dark (with no TV) and pretended to be Amish.  That got old fast.  Then my mom came up with the idea of secondhand stores.  GENIUS MAMA!  It takes a bit of creativity and paint but you CAN find a lamp with a shade for under $25.  And it can be cute!

Before:  Look at this "beautiful" lamp!  It had a shiny wood finish to it.
Goodwill $3



I used this sanding deglosser which is like my favorite thing.
It gets the shiny finish off of anything without sanding.  Just rub it on with a towel.
You can see the change in the color of wood as I deglossed.

After!!  I spray painted the base with Rustoleum Hammered Spray Paint
in a steely gray color (Conveniently found in my parents' garage).
The shade was in the bargain room at IKEA for $3.
New lamp for around $7.



Before:  This metal lamp had a reddish brown color with black
specks on it.  Purchased for $8 at a local secondhand store.



After:  I used the same color spray paint for the base.
Had to do a couple layers on this one because I had to hold it
upside for the very bottom.  The shade was 50% off at Shopko for $10.
Total:  $18 lamp

I am really liking my new lamps!  I honestly like them better than anything I found in stores for mega bucks!  I like getting what I want for cheap!  So go to Goodwill or another secondhand store and use your creativity.  A bottle of spray paint can be your best friend!  

I also bought a floor lamp base for $10 at Goodwill and a shade for $20 at Shopko (again, 50% off).  It's not my total favorite base but for $10 I can't beat it.  I am debating on spray painting it because right now it is a tan and so is the lampshade.  What do you think?  I can't decide.  Don't worry, I don't think it is actually going to go in that place either.  Opinions are welcome!!  

Only 7 days until Christmas break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This teacher is excited!