•12:07 PM
Jonesy and I got rid of our microwave. (~Gasp~) I know, I know. Who doesn't have/want a microwave. Think about it ... what do you use your microwave for? At our house, it is a glorified bagel/English Muffin defroster and occasional food reheater. I would never cook in it. When I was pregnant -all three times- the microwave was my popcorn dispenser. But then I read some yucky information on microwave popcorn and all that came to an end.
So, our microwave was just taking up valuable space. Jonesy took it out and created this big, ready-to-be-filled space. What to do? What to do?
Actually, it was Jonesy who came up with the idea. We organized all our spices and now have them displayed nicely. And, conveniently. Prior to the re-organization, our spices were a disaster. Little glass jars and small tins shoved in a skinny cupboard, unable to reach without some kind of foul language escaping. Some were in bags, from various places - all shoved in a larger bag. It was not conducive to excellent cooking. In fact, it was so bad that when we started going through them, there were duplicates ... 2 nutmegs, 2 fennel seeds, 2 thymes. Ridiculous.
The little stickers are temporary. I want stickers, but not those stickers. Our printer is pathetic and old and pathetic ... similar to me, you might be thinking to yourself. So, when I get myself a big-girl job, I am buying myself a fancy printer that will make pretty stickers. To replace the plain-Jane stickers that must suffice for now. And between you and I, a new printer will allow me to make all kinds of lovely things - for the home and otherwise ... Return Address labels, colouring pages for the girls, crafty projects for the girls. Obviously, I need to get myself a big-girl job!
Now, I ask you ... isn't this a much better use of space? And the little spice containers are adorable. Jonesy found them at ... The Bulkbarn. I'm telling you, the place is a little goldmine. I feel happy when I walk in my kitchen and see them all lined up, waiting to be shaken into something delicious. The only problem is that the stickers must be facing out, of course; so I have begun to liken myself to that scary guy in Sleeping With the Enemy ...
However, there is just one problem. Because now a total reorganization of the kitchen is underway. The very skinny cupboard, that once housed the previous spice failure, was now empty ... so what could I move in there? Tea and children's medicine fit perfectly. Oh ... that frees up some space in the cupboard below.
And, so the story goes. Cutlery drawers have been thoroughly scrubbed and re-organized. All baking and serving dishes have been shuffled. I now have the cutest little baskets holding several different packages of flour ... easily slides out to pick the one I want. Another to hold rice and grains ... easily slides back in to maintain that neat orderly look that control-freaks like myself so relish. Shelves have been re-stocked according to the new (post-infant stage) Mommy - all three of my children spent copious amounts of time in the lower cupboards in my kitchen ... probably because I spend copious amounts of time in the kitchen. Caiden called the corner cupboard, his car; enclosing himself in there and unleashing his imagination. Marnie mastered her first step down in those cupboards. And, it will come as no shock to you if you read this blog often, Addison spent her time re-organizing everything under there. I could never find what I needed. So it was Addie C. who commented one how pretty Mommy's cupboards look.
The other thing that has happened is that I got know all my nice serving dishes again. You know, when you get in the habit of getting stuff on the table as fast as you can, without any fancy presentation or fanfare, you forget all the cool things you have collected in your cupboards. Like a Fondue pot, with the cutest (matching) fondue plates and dip bowls. Oh, and these long rectangular serving dishes, perfect for Asian cuisine. And the pumpkin chip-and-dip bowl. The Italian dinnerware. My Grama's little wooden sauce bowl with the matching spoon ... so adorable.
Oh ... chips and dip ... do you thing there is sugar in chips and/or dip? I could really go for some chips and dip ... in a fancy bowl.
You know ... if we could just get all the scuffs off the walls, the drawings out of the carpet and the toys off the floor, I might actually want to entertain again.
And so, as I look around the kitchen, perfectly organized with new-found counterspace, my creative juices begin to bubble. I actually love my kitchen again ... I feel inspired to create some really good food when I walk in there. But I'm not just inspired to cook ... I am inspired to paint and tile. Because one thing always leads to another.
What? Did you hear that? I think it is Jonesy ... he's groaning. Let's just ignore that. Where are the Home Depot and Rona flyers?
Editorial Comment: I apologize for the truly terrible photographs ... please, add new camera to the list of things I have to buy.
So, our microwave was just taking up valuable space. Jonesy took it out and created this big, ready-to-be-filled space. What to do? What to do?
Actually, it was Jonesy who came up with the idea. We organized all our spices and now have them displayed nicely. And, conveniently. Prior to the re-organization, our spices were a disaster. Little glass jars and small tins shoved in a skinny cupboard, unable to reach without some kind of foul language escaping. Some were in bags, from various places - all shoved in a larger bag. It was not conducive to excellent cooking. In fact, it was so bad that when we started going through them, there were duplicates ... 2 nutmegs, 2 fennel seeds, 2 thymes. Ridiculous.
Now, I ask you ... isn't this a much better use of space? And the little spice containers are adorable. Jonesy found them at ... The Bulkbarn. I'm telling you, the place is a little goldmine. I feel happy when I walk in my kitchen and see them all lined up, waiting to be shaken into something delicious. The only problem is that the stickers must be facing out, of course; so I have begun to liken myself to that scary guy in Sleeping With the Enemy ...
However, there is just one problem. Because now a total reorganization of the kitchen is underway. The very skinny cupboard, that once housed the previous spice failure, was now empty ... so what could I move in there? Tea and children's medicine fit perfectly. Oh ... that frees up some space in the cupboard below.
Oh ... chips and dip ... do you thing there is sugar in chips and/or dip? I could really go for some chips and dip ... in a fancy bowl.
You know ... if we could just get all the scuffs off the walls, the drawings out of the carpet and the toys off the floor, I might actually want to entertain again.
And so, as I look around the kitchen, perfectly organized with new-found counterspace, my creative juices begin to bubble. I actually love my kitchen again ... I feel inspired to create some really good food when I walk in there. But I'm not just inspired to cook ... I am inspired to paint and tile. Because one thing always leads to another.
What? Did you hear that? I think it is Jonesy ... he's groaning. Let's just ignore that. Where are the Home Depot and Rona flyers?
Editorial Comment: I apologize for the truly terrible photographs ... please, add new camera to the list of things I have to buy.
1 comments:
Can't wait to see you in your newly organized kitchen!!!