Our Thanksgiving Day

EC soaked our free range bird in brine made up of pure cranberry juice, rosemary, sage, thyme and some other things.  I photographed her here as EC is putting a butter concoction underneath her skin BECAUSE SHE'S PURPLE!  I LOVED that she turned purple because of the brine!!! (ok, just so you know, I don't really know what brine is but I can tell you that if you have the countenance for soaking a huge turkey in gallons of cranberry liquid for a day or so and then playing with it - yuk - with your hands in butter - - TOTALLY WORTH IT! - including losing her in the brine bag as she flipped into the cooler that was NOT cleaned out and was loaded with dirt and grass - "who are these people that they don't clean their coolers before putting them in storage?" OH. Well.  Perfect, I am not.)

All of that being said:  It was the most delicious turkey I have ever eaten.  Everyone else enjoyed her too!

I only managed to take a few pictures this year.  Here they are:

Another friends gathering!

 The cards contained words of appreciation and love specific to the person!  I LOVED this part!

 Simple table decor!  Patricia brought the most gorgeous wreath along with a basket of Asian pears and a pineapple!  I wish I had taken a photo of her walking up the patio to the front door!  She was a natural vision of beauty carrying those gifts!

Jeff and Dylan brought the ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream for the many choices of gluten free "traditional" desserts!

The food:  fabulous

The atmosphere:  sweet and warm

The conversation:  kind and lively

The best part:  the love that was expressed throughout the day and evening!

with a grateful heart,

We went on a date today! Dreamy!

Saturday morning, EC and I dropped the boys off at choir practice then went on a date.  Girls, it was a lovely crispy morning.  We grabbed a cup of coffee at TH's and set out to HD and L's.  Be still my heart!  I'm not complicated.  I don't use fancy creams on my face or wear expensive clothing or jewelry (well, except my shoes....darn size 11's...gotta get 'em from Europe....oh and that VB laptop case I bought while shopping with Denise) but I digress.)
The point?  
We went to pick out some goodies for our bathroom remodel that will begin after the holidays!


Here are some of our current choices:


When you open the door to our main bathroom you will be greeted with Allure flooring.  Easy to install (we've read and seen)!  The color is Alpine - which is more like a white washed grey in real life.  I LOVE the name.  And the color.
(these strips are applied right over our 1970's old tile - which means EC won't need to tear up the floor!) We watched a video and found them from Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

If you need to wash your hands,  we've chosen a chrome finish for our goose neck faucet (is that what it's called). We were leaning toward the nickel finish, but I'm not convinced that this stuff is scratch free.  Our current faucets are chrome and they clean up so easily without chemicals.  I like that.

Since we are adding a stand up shower to this current powder room, we decided to go with a pedestal sink - open bottom clears up some visual space.  I like that, too.  We'll hang towels on fun hooks and store bathroom items on cute shelves!

Here's the shower!  This will be a nice addition.  Currently, if you remember, we all share a tub/shower through a door that adjoins our master bath with this bath.  Makes life interesting when we have guests and they don't know there's a bathroom on the other side of that door - especially if someone is in there at the same time.  Oh the screams and yelps!!!  Well, with two growing boys PRIVACY is a must!


I haven't begun the creative application yet.  I figured once the bones are in, I'd let my mind wonder (you know, go visit your blogs and see what your bathrooms all look like and give you the highest form of flattery!)


Have a splendid weekend!
love you gals,

You know what I like?

 I like a lot of things...but something rare and wonderful happened to me yesterday.


I sat on my sofa - right in the middle of it.


Relaxation happened over me.  It was a monumental occurrence (well, I really noticed it).  I'm a mother 24/7, not only in heart, but in deed.  Since having our two boys I have become the constant of all constants.  I can NOT NOT be.  When I'm out with a friend I feel like I need to be home with my boys.  Oh, the guilt is not extremely weighty, but it's there.  Being a mother is heavy and serious business especially raising two young boys who will become men.


I mentioned this to EC last night - the relaxation happening. He was glad of it.  
I like him.


So this morning I began thinking about what I like/love....here goes....


kindness - all kinds...from strangers, older folks, children, babies even, animals, the wind, my car, the preacher.  I'll take it all and wrap it up close to my heart and share it and remember it and talk about it for years to come.  That's how much I like it. kindness.


being kind and thoughtful towards people, my family, my home, my clothing, my friends and those new friends that I meet in grocery store parking lots or check out lanes.  I truly love this kindness.  It has a ripple effect that becomes the kindness first mentioned.




love.  I really like love.  I love to be dreamy about love.  I enjoy keeping it alive by making it a part of my day.  It's poetic and lovely and flows and dashes and charms and makes me feel all beautiful inside and out.  It makes me dress up and do my hair and make my bed and eat lightly.  Someone once told me, "Kolein, you live in a dream world, rose colored glasses will get you no where."  You know what?  I believed them.  Until I got my new heart and mind.  It's taken a few years to build up the courage.  But here it is. Nourishment like none other, food for the whole.  I always remember to eat.  With love, it doesn't require great preparation, or planning, and I don't have to sit down at a table.  I just dream about it and there it is, there I am, in it, full of its creation...being adored by it and adoring it. love. (if you ask me how I get there...I will tell you)


water.  I really like water.  The shower spray dancing about massaging my skin and then without a moment's notice my nerves begin to twinkle and I melt; the softness and fierceness as it alters me, heals me, releases me from myself...makes me want to cry. water.


early morning quiet. 


Have a lovely day today!


love you gals,

Color ME-o-MY World!

 Something happened.

I forgot about the other colors

in the box.

One day, one glorious day...

I realized that I wasn't all

taupe

or

cream

or

white

any longer.

No!

I had lost my color.

Seriously?

Like I needed to be just ONE.

I believed that I needed soothing calm

in my home.

I do.

I also NEED something to pop!

It happened a few weeks ago...

...as I pondered the winter months, upstate New York gray skies and traditional decor.

I've never been a traditional

anything.

Ever.

(ask my mother!)

My comfort zone was just interrupted.

I need color.

Now.

Fun.

Happy.

Lively.

Punch you in the eye,

make your nerve endings smile,

color!

Dazzling color!

love you gals,

~K

*photos do not belong to kitchen table productions. all photos are from the web.

Color

We are new.  Everyday.  And some of us are new because we've traveled long distances and gone to different shores.  Some of us grow because we've allowed the out stretched hand of God to alter us by being willing to take a step from where we are in the spirit to where He would like us to follow.  And some of us fly there and back; shaking the universe just a bit for all the rest of us. Yes, some of us fly there and back - while others begin the journey flying and find that soaring suits us best!       kc 2nov2011




love you gals,

Color in the Front Windows

From last year's twigs and gourds...

...to this year's bottles.

I couldn't resist this "bottles in the window box" idea.

It was banging on my head for two days.

So, I ran over to GW and the SA and found these bottles...grabbed my hot glue gun, squished up a moss ball, threw together some pine cones and glued everything inside the window box on a thick piece of cardboard.

The sun beaming in the front windows makes the colors flicker all over inside the rooms!!!

For the night hours I've purchased battery operated white lights to sit inside the boxes, shining up towards the colored bottles!

I'll grab my camera and take a photo of that soon!

Happy November!!

love you gals,

Sorry I didn't return your call...really I am!

I have wanted to let you all know why I'm not blogging...MUCH.


Well.  Much.  Ok. Never.


Oh by the by, 


Happy October!

Isn't it grand how odd I can look?

Today I straightened my hair.

(Denise did it once and shared...got the idea from her!)

As soon as I go outdoors

(above photo is showing you the pouring rain outside our dining room window!)

my straight hair will be no more.  You care, right?

Ok.

This is how I progress into the whereabouts of me, here the blogger person.

I don't have a clear answer as to why.

I'm not blogging much.

I feel the call

to sit and do school with my children.

Or sip coffee with my husband.

Or.

*swallow hard, gasp air

Do laundry.

Life.

You know that thing we all squeeze in between blog posts and photo uploads and creative genius spurts?

I LOVED the creative energy that you all kicked out of me.

And I am a tad jealous that I cannot find the time or focus to devote to that place at present.

However, that does NOT, no, no, no, NOT mean I have left or gone or disappeared or vanished.

I am here.

Still.

I read your blogs in the afternoon or the evening after school is completed and I feel guilt-free.

Cuz, guilt is NOT PRETTY on anyone's heart.

So here's the update:

ready?

MOVING.

EC and I have decided to stay in our house for the next few years. We will be making some, much needed, indoor and outdoor updates!

FIRST OFF... 

EC will be redoing our 1.5 adjoining bathrooms!

can someone shout along with me???

NEW TOILETS!!!

He's turning our crazy designed baths into 

2.

TWO.

DEUX.

bathrooms!

Oh glory to all that is right and sanitary!!!!

I've already begun the process of searching for sinks, faucets, bead board ideas, colors, toilets and toilet handles (they are very important, you know!)

Of course, I will share it with you.  

It might come as a before and after.  

Is that OK?

THE FLOOD.

It took me a lengthy amount of time to get over this.  I felt defeated.  Not only with the loss of valuable items.  But having to deal with the clean up and re-organization of Studio C. I wanted to throw in the towel, but it was soaking wet on the floor.  I didn't go down there for months.

EC did the clean up.  I could NOT.

My little creative life down there was all wet and smelly.

Well.

It's looking healthier now.  I've actually spent some time getting stuff back in there to work its magic.  I had even asked my girlfriend to pack up my paints and brushes and canvases and sewing materials.  But after the room is back in creative order I will unpack those boxes and get going on something.

Maybe.

OUR MUSIC.

Some of you know EC and I sing and write music.  I have another blog for that (still in its infancy because we all know how long some of these creative things can take).

We have found a sound man to assist with our music studio to begin the works on our first CD.

Our beginning date is some time in December.

You will all get a copy of it once it's out.  I promise.  You know, if you want one that is.

It's not the usual kind of music.

No.  Not at all.

But we've performed for folks and they seem to be moved by it.

I know I am.

Can't believe it really.

But I know it's real.

You'll understand more as the release date approaches.

OK.

*serious butterflies right now

There is more...always and forever....

But for now I hope you accept my long overdue apology for being remiss with posts and updates and laughter and silliness.

with my whole heart,

rare appearance?

 Happy September!

I think, I may be back!

Summer has been FULL!

Fall is coming soon!

School started this week here in our house...

there's lots to do!

I hope, really hope, I can fit

blogging in a bit.

It'll have to inspired

cuz otherwise...

it won't be.

love you gals,

Happy Mother's Day

Happiness is wished for all of you,
dear mothers!

Be proud of who you are!

There is no position in life that is greater!

I hope your day has brought you a little love, a dash of hope and a sweet treat!

Here are some lovely photos courtesy of my dear friends who visited England last summer!

These photos elicited joy and comfort and peace...and reminded me of the sweetness of the day!

  

spring tulips by kitchen table productions

love,

A Rose is a Rose!

 Last week I met Rose!

Rose from the amazing

Confessions of a Curbshopaholic

How it all happened, I just can't believe my eyes!

I entered her 'Bat Wing' Giveaway.

I don't usually enter giveaways.

So I most certainly NEVER win.

This time.

I won.

How fun!

And because Rose lives only an hour from me and  comes to our city for work occasionally,

we met for lunch!

Can it get any funner?

(apparently 'funner' is a word)

This is her in the parking lot telling me something about not being photogenic. Na-uh!

She's very cute!!!
And sweet!!

Wanna know just how sweet & cute she is?

I thought so.

She not only delivered the goods!

(you can take a look at what I won over at her blog! 'Bat Wing' Giveaway. oh my!)

She had everything all wrapped up and boxed for me!  And she threw in a few extras!

I really ADORE extras!

Notice that blue scarf?

She knows I LOVE scarves and gave me a vintage one with a beautiful leaf print and in my favorite up-close-to-my face color:

Blue!

That wasn't EVEN the best part!

She knew that I lost nearly all of my novels, poetry and decorating books in our recent flooded basement. I wrote about it in a post and mentioned that some books were vintage.  

(I still have NOT tossed any of them. They are soaked and stuck together and in the same mushy wet box as the day I found them nearly floating in my studio.  Ugh.)

Louisa May Alcott's novels have taught me some of my parenting skills over the years.  

Little Women.  Love.

Jo's Boys. Truly a wonderful insight into my two boys, as well as my husband.

Well.

When Rose was a little girl someone had given her Jo's Boys to read.

After reading my flood post she emailed me and said that she had her own copy which was vintage when she got it.  She had written her name in it when she was younger.

She wanted to give her copy to me.

~be still my heart~

I sat and cried at the computer that night.

Such a touching gesture from someone I hardly know...'cept for the blog!

And Rose being Rose, well, she also gave me Little Men, & Under The Lilacs - both written my LMA.

She also wrote to me to add that she had windows and tables and all sorts of things for the asking, if I wanted.

I wanted.

But we are trying to get our house ready to sell or something and if I brought in more than the box of goodies I won...well, we won't even mention what everyone  might think!

For now,

 I want to thank you Rose,

from the bottom of my heart!

I'm so looking forward to displaying these creative treasures and walking passed them in my home knowing they came from you!

Love,