Finished Kitchen!!!!

I cannot tell you how happy I am that my kitchen is finally finished! It's crazy how much a little paint and new drawer pulls can change a kitchen and my feelings toward it.  I loved being in my kitchen before-cooking or baking up some yummy food but I really didn't like my cabinets.  I was very glad when we bought our home that the kitchen was bigger than others we looked at and it had twice as many cabinets and counter space as the other homes as well.  However, the oak finish just isn't me.  I knew we would never have the funds to get new cabinets, so when Steve agreed to paint them black I was thrilled!

Here are some before and afters:

before

after (my sweet baby girl posing for the camera)

before, wish I had a picture with the cabinet doors on so you could really see the difference that made

 

after

my favorite cabinet

Maybe one day we can get new appliances but for now I am extremely happy with my cabinets and my kitchen! Now all I have to do is figure out what to cook!?

Incase you're wondering what paint we used on the cabinets it's Valspar color: Cracked Pepper and the finish: Kitchen & Bath Enamel.

I would like to say a special and HUGE thank you to Steve, my husband who did most of the work and did a fantastic job! I LOVE YOU! 

Coming Along...

I got to cook in my kitchen for the first time in almost 3 weeks! Unfortunately it wasn't anything too exciting: Turkey Burgers & bacon.  You're probably wondering, "Bacon? With turkey burgers...that sounds bad".  It was going to expire in a few days and the Turkey Burgers weren't really appealing to me so I fried up some bacon for a BLT.  Except I had no lettuce and no tomato so it was really a BMC (bacon, mayo, & cheese-provolone).  What I wouldn't give to have had a nice ripe tomato to place on top my bacon :) Ah well. It was still good. In fact, I ate two :) Anyway...

My kitchen is still not complete; we lack the drawers and cabinet doors.  This is probably going to take a lot longer because we plan to only do a few doors and/or drawers at a time so we don't get overwhelmed and so I can actually use my kitchen.  We aren't big into eating fast-food for dinner and that's what we've been doing far too much since I wasn't able to cook in my kitchen. To me, it's still a depressing mess but it's functional.  And I know once it's all complete I will be a happy cook once again! 

Also, I think my painting is just about done.  After a few days of priming and painting I thought I was getting a sinus infection but then I figured out it was just the paint getting to me and my horrible allergies.  It started with just being stuffy and sinus headaches everyday then turned into nose bleeds. Every time I try to paint, my nose feels very dry (I even tried using a mask) and then within 10 minutes it's "running" but it's blood...EWWWW!!  It's awful, painful, and GROSS!

Here are some pictures of the progress:

The doors are staying off this one

able to put stuff back in the cabinets :)

There is still so much to be done!  We have only lived in our home for 2 years and I was determined that I was NOT putting everything I took out of my cabinets back in.  In just 2 short years I have acquired TOO MUCH STUFF! All my cabinets were completely full.  So far I have been able to part with some extra wine glass, coffee mugs, and random glasses and a few bowls.  I still think I have too much stuff but I honestly use ALL of what I kept! YIKES....We'll have to wait and see if I can bring myself to part with any other items :)

One last picture just because she's my baby and I love her...

Kitchen Update

A few of my friends and co-workers have been asking to see pictures of my kitchen progress so here ya go....

This is also why I have the BEST husband in the world!  Those of you who think your husbands are so wonderful and the best, well you're wrong.  They can be 2nd, but mine is definitely 1st!  Here's why....Steve works his tail off all day (10 or more hours) outside (it's been in the 90's here) then comes home and mows the yard, plays with Greta AND still has the energy to work on the kitchen ALL weekend and nights after work! He's amazing! And I can never tell him enough how much I love and appreciate all he does for me!


Warning...it's not pretty so brace yourself for the mess!

Putting up trim

 There used to be a nasty piece of trim that connected my cabinets that are separated by the window, so Steve fixed that for me! It looks so much better this way!

Issue with the nail gun

some of my kitchen stuff that's being "stored" in the extra bedroom

Not everything was even in there yet. I still had 3 cabinets to unload! YIKES

Priming

Paint in my hair from priming underneath the cabinets-I dipped into my paint bucket :(

More Priming

Finally the BLACK begins!

shelves

My little helper! Notice her tail is burred (she is ALWAYS waggin' that tail)

We have made a lot of progress but there is still so much more to be done! We haven't even started on the doors and drawers and we are probably going to need 2 coats of paint! I will try to keep you posted!  Are any of you doing any home projects?

OH, by the way I HAVE been helping...I did a lot of painting, just don't tell my allergist. :)