Our New House: The Kitchen

 I'm so glad we are finally finished with this project! It's very difficult to function in a kitchen that's under construction! However, the weeks of chaos were well worth the effort! I'm very happy with the results. :-) 

The kitchen is so much brighter with the white cabinets and gray walls! 

Before...

Before...

I love the paint we chose for the island!

Breakfast Nook

It has a great view of the yard!

Entry to the laundry room! Notice the tile...that used to be ugly, yellow linoleum!  

I love displaying my china! 

My everyday dishes look great, too!

I really like having a desk area in the kitchen. 

a close up of the island color...

The Pantry! 

Our New House: Pete the Cat

So...I am a HUGE Pete the Cat fan! Pete the Cat is a children's book series that has become very popular in the past few years. Children LOVE Pete and so do I! I was first introduced to Pete several years ago by a teacher friend of mine. She showed me the video of the book Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, and I was hooked! Ever since that day, Pete has become a big part of my classroom. I read all the Pete the Cat books to my students, and they create several Pete-inspired art projects throughout the year. I even have a stuffed Pete in my classroom!

Now Pete the Cat has become part of my home! A few years ago, my family and I were walking down Royal Street in New Orleans when I saw a very familiar little blue face...it was Pete the Cat!  He had his own art gallery! The works of James Dean covered an entire wall of this gallery! I was ecstatic! I wanted to buy my very own Pete painting then, but we walked away without one. However, a year or so later we were back on Royal Street in New Orleans. I went looking for the "Pete Gallery" but it was no longer in the spot that we visited. I was devastated! I thought I had missed my chance to own a Pete the Cat painting. But...as we made our way down Royal Street, I saw that familiar little blue face! Pete had moved to Gallery Rinard! This time I did not miss my chance to own a Pete painting. We purchased a Pete drinking coffee! I was very excited to own this incredible art by James Dean!

I would have been happy owning just one Pete. However, this past weekend we were back in New Orleans, and, of course, we had to stop by Gallery Rinard to see Pete! In the window, there was this wonderful Pete standing on St. Peter Street, and he was wearing his RED SHOES! (His red shoes are my favorite.) Well...I'm excited to say that he came home with us!

Pete the Cat combines two of my favorite things...kindergarten and art! I'm so proud to own these special paintings! In the words of Pete..."It's all good."

That familiar little blue face...

Pete in the window!

He's coming home!

Look at all the Petes! Can I have them all? 

Pete is home!

Sophie likes Pete...even though he's a cat! Ha! 

My first Pete the Cat painting... 

Our New House: The details make it special.

I love all the interesting details we have incorporated into the design of the house! The rustic combined with the traditional make our home warm and inviting. I add new details daily...it's my favorite part of design. :-) 

I love the simple look of cotton. 

We just bought these lamps yesterday! I love them. The burlap detail matches the burlap runner.

Peter's Pottery. It's beautiful and Mississippi Made! 

More cotton. I actually picked this at a local farm. :-) 

What's for dinner? 

More Peter's Pottery...

These are dried hydrangeas from our yard. The hubs made the box from a pallet. The only things I bought were the mason jars. I love free decor! 

Got Milk? 

Old window and mason jar lanterns...made by hubby and me. 

Coffee Table Centerpiece 

More Peter's Pottery and Cotton :-) 

I love the little bird on the old books.

Our New House...The Dining Room

I LOVE a formal dining room! We never use it, but I still love it! Our dining room is almost finished. We are going add mason jar lanterns on each side of the window and add a few other special touches. But...basically it's finished!  Oh...and it's decorated for Christmas. :-)

The barn doors are awesome!

My hubby made these handles...inspired by the handles on a barn door at a local restaurant.  

Oh...these are the only before pics that I took. 

Before...dark trim and goldish wall color.