Monday, February 28, 2011

Renovation Reality and Kitchen Reveal!

If you have been following my blog at all, you know that on Dec. 28th we demolished our kitchen and started our remodel.  It certainly has been a process.  We tore out a closet, which ment walls and sheetrock, electrical work and water pipes had to be moved. (only one small mishap there)

Lights had to be re-done and outlets added.  Ceiling in the basement torn out for new water pipes to be added and some re-routed.  (Thank goodness it was in our storage room)

More sheet rock was installed. Then there was the taping and texturing.
(This process is sounding way easier than living through it! - What a mess!!)

and finally PAINT.  It starts to feel like we are making progress...until...
we start on the wood floor.  You see, we had to find flooring to match our old floor, which they no longer make (of course, that would be to easy) and then we had to patch it and re-finish the whole wood floor from our front door to the back, dining room and kitchen, so it would all look the same.  So that led to taping plastic up to block off all the rooms in the house so they could sand the floor all down without getting sawdust everywhere (it still ended up in every crack in the house). This is the dining room with a lovely sheet covering the drapery valance to try to keep some of the saw dust off.

The worst part of that was we were banned to the basement to live for a week.  I hesitated to show this next picture because we look a little like the people that you see on the hoarder shows, but we had to put all the food and dishes from the kitchen somewhere!!! I promise, every single thing is now put away in that room and it no longer looks like this.  So you are seeing reality.
We barely had a path to the couch so we could sit for a minute.

The day the floor was done and the plastic came down was a happy day!
The floor is so beautiful!  Totally worth all the mess and wait.
(Yep, that's my studio on the left where you see the Cotton Way sign. Part of the remodel and post for another day.)
But an even happier day was when they started to install the cabinets!!!!!
and the day they installed the granite was another good day!
and finally the plumbers came and hooked up the water and the appliances.  We had to install the backsplash and light fixtures. Clean, clean, and clean some more.  Here it is...
Before...

and after... two months later...
My new kitchen!
It was so much work to design every inch and plan out every detail,

but I am really happy with the way it turned out!  It is so light and cheery!

I am still looking for fun things to add in the windows. 

I love my hutch!

In the bottom part is a baking center with my Kitchen Aid mixer, measure cups and spoons and all the things I need to bake something yummy.

The candy jars...those are to spoil my grandchildren with and will be filled regularly.

The bunn feet... so pretty.  By the way in case anyone locally is wondering, my kitchen was built by Merrill Woodworking and they were amazing!  Thanks Kent!

I love the detail in the posts on the island,

and the posts on each side of my oven pull out for spice racks!

So there you have it!  I feel so blessed and love how new and clean everything is.  No, it doesn't make me want to cook, I don't want to get anything dirty. I just want to sit and look at it.

My family room is opposite my kitchen.  The walls got re-textured and painted and I changed some of the pictures around.  Still have more details to add but there is to much to do to go shopping.

I added pictures of all my grandchildren.

Britton, Bailey, Sydney, Anni, Aiden, Canon, Nicholas, Kai, Cal and Livvy.

We initiated the kitchen the other night with an impromptu pizza party.  Wish all the family could have been here.  I hope it will still feel like home to everyone even though the kitchen is new.  Old memories are still here. It will always be home to me!  Our Gathering Place!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentines Day!

I thought today would be the perfect day to announce our winner for the Moda Pillow Talk Blog Hop.

It is going to be an extra Sweet Day for :  Wilma NC  

she said she has been quilting:  "Since 1978...33 years!!! Wow. Love your patterns".

Wilma, I need to apologize, but your goodie bag isn't really going to have anything in it, you can blame Moda for that. You see, this "Bliss" fat quarter bundle just would not fit!  Along with the sewing bag this fat quarter bundle is also headed your way.  Thanks Moda! and Congratulations to Wilma!

It was so much fun to read all of your comments about how long you have been quilting, the quilts you have made and who you have made them with.  It was great to hear from lots of long time quilters and you new ones as well.  I was going to add up all the years collectively, but it turned out to be a little overwhelming!

Have a Happy Valentines Day,
Bonnie

Friday, February 4, 2011

Pillow Talk

Welcome to my blog and the Moda Pillow Talk Blog Hop.  For those who may not know, I am the mother of 5 and a grandmother to 10.  I live in a very small town in the country and am a 4th generation quilter. I like to go boating in the summer and stay indoors in the winter (I hate the cold).  I love to spend time with my family.  I have had my pattern company Cotton Way for 21 years this month.  I feel very blessed! 

We were each asked by Lissa to design a pillow that tells something about us and then answer some questions.



My pillow has 21 dots, one for each year I have been in business. I love the color red, so the dots are some of my favorite red fabrics I have used over the years.  The last dot is a sneek peek of our new fabric line coming out later this year.  I chose the border from our "Bliss" line because it is my current favorite piece of fabric that I want to use in everything.  During the past 4 years I have had the opporturnity to design fabric with my daughter, Camille, for Moda.  It has been like the frosting on the cake to be part of the Moda team. They are all such amazing people! 


What is a little known fact about yourself?
One thing most people don't know, aside from my close friends and family, is that when my husband and I got married, he had casts on both arms. He had surgery on his wrists because of some old basketball injuries and was supposed to get one of them off before the wedding.  It wasn't healing right, so we polished his casts with white shoe polish the night before. When people came to congratulate us, my husband told everyone that I twisted his arms so hard to get him to marry him that I broke both his wrists. 
How do you relax?

When I am at home I can't relax!   There is always to much to do.  I have to be busy or have a hand sewing project in my hands especially when I am riding in the car or watching a movie at home.  Just sitting around drives me nuts.  The only time I can really relax is when we are on vacation and I am laying on a sandy beach soaking up some sun!

What do you sleep in - PJ's or NightGown?
PJ's for sure, I hate waking up and being all twisted up in a night gown.  Camille gave me these red poka dot PJ's for Christmas last year and they are my very favorite.  They are warm and soooooo soft!  And for those who haven't heard, this week, here in Idaho, it was -20 degrees! Yes, minus 20 degrees.

 What kind of pillow do you like, Hard or soft, foam or feather? And why?
I like my memory foam pillow that shapes to my face when I sleep, but when I am watching TV or reading in bed I like a big fluffy pillow to sink into.  In the winter I can't live without my electric blanket.

 Do you sew in bed? Read? Watch TV? eat?
Sometimes I bind quilts in bed when I am really on a time crunch and to tired to think.  I try to read every night for a few minutes and I love to watch the news before I go to sleep.  I rarely eat in bed because my husband has this thing about crumbs in the bed. If I had my way, I would eat Doritos in bed.

How many nights have you or your spouse spent on the couch?
We have had a few, but not to many for being married 31 years.  Sometimes he snores and I can't sleep so I end up on the couch.

Nighttime toddy?
Do peanut butter M and M's count as a toddy?

Early to bed or all-nighter?
I used to stay up late most nights when I had teenagers at home that I was waiting up for.  I have had many all nighters, especially at Quilt Market time.  For the last year I have tried to have a more balanced schedule and am ususally in bed around 11:00. 

Who would you most like to have a pillow fight with?
Probably my grandkids.  They are so much fun! 

Now, if you made it through all that, you deserve a chance to win something!

I would love to send someone this little sewing bag filled with goodies, including my 3 new patterns!
To enter the give a way, tell me how many years you have been quilting. 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to hop on over to Fig Tree Quilts tomorrow for more Pillow Talk!
Bonnie

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Is it Spring Yet?

I don't know about most of you, but I am really, really ready for Spring.  The winters are waaaay to cold and waaaaaay to long here in Idaho.  The only way I can get through it is have lots of projects to keep me busy. 

As I said before, we tore out our kitchen December 28 and are in the process of putting it back together.  Well some of you may know how that goes. "Since we are re-doing the kitchen, lets tear out that carpet and paint that wall and since we are painting that, we might as well paint that...".  Well, that's what happened at our house.  We decided to also re-do my studio, which is right off my kitchen and re-texture and paint the family room too, which is on the other side of the kitchen.  We re-finished the wood floors, got new light fixtures and painted the hall...... I have been painting, cleaning and organizing half the house and the other half has all the stuff in it that had to be put somewhere so we could paint.  Can anyone relate?  It's pretty crazy around here!

It's almost finished, (next week is what they keep telling me-6 weeks without a kitchen is getting a little old).  Check back for the AFTER pictures. I can't wait to show you!  My 1989 kitchen looks SO much different and I finally have my Studio back together. On Saturday, on my Pillow Talk post, if you pay really close attention, you will see part of my updated Studio.  Hint - Aqua!  It's been so fun to sew again.

Well, back to hoping for Spring and sewing projects to get us through winter.  I have designed 3 new patterns that will certainly give you something to chase those winter blues away.


Hearts Content is a great pattern for Valentines Day.  It is filled with a sweet table topper, apron and two Valentine pouches to put your favorite treats in for your favorite people.


Reversible Charm ~ Spring and Summer is a fun Table Topper that is two-sided.  It will brighten any table. You can use it for Spring and then turn it over a few months later for Summer.

Jack and Jill is my new baby or toddler quilt. So fun and easy.  Both quilts have a 9-patch block and the Jill quilt has a rick rack edged dot in the alternating block.  The Jack quilt has a soft edge dot in the alternating block.  The perfect quilt for that special one to snuggle in.

Check these out on our website.  When you order any two new patterns, you can get the third one for free!

I hope you can all find a project that will brighten your winter.
Think Spring !
Bonnie

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Moda Pillow Talk Blog Hop starts today!

Happy February!  What could be more fun than starting off the month with a blog hop from some of the Moda Designers. It starts today:

1-Feb   Comfortstitching 
2-Feb   Blackbird Designs
3-Feb   Jan Patek Quilts
4-Feb   Bunny Hill Blog
5-Feb   Cotton Way
6-Feb   Fig Tree Quilts
7-Feb   Kansas Troubles Quilters
8-Feb   Kate Spain Designs
9-Feb   Kathy Schmitz Studio
10-Feb  Simplify
11-Feb  Me And My Sister Designs
12-Feb  Minick And Simpson
13-Feb  Oliver And S
14-Feb  Pieces Of My Heart
15-Feb  L & J Blog
16-Feb  Sweetwater
17-Feb  Barbara Brackman
18-Feb  Deb Strain
19-Feb  American Jane
20-Feb Primitive Gatherings

My day is Saturday.  I will be giving away something that will make your life more blissful, so don't miss out on the fun! 

Bonnie