Crazy Summer

Good afternoon! I'm still alive and kicking here at the old Twice Remembered Cottage, but summertime has brought with it much activity that has kept me away from the computer for the most part. I've noticed over the years that this is how goes for many bloggers during the summer - kids are out of school, trips are planned, and the days are spent either go-go-going or being completely relaxed and lazy at home. I've been all of the above:)

In my last entry, I wrote about how I was laboriously removing paint from my backsplash. Well, it may not surprise you to learn that I've changed my mind about the distressed backsplash look. If you remember, I was on the fence not too long about whether to leave the "freshly painted" look or to go with the aged and distressed look that would require removing much of the paint. After seeing and studying the two "looks" side by side for quite some time, I've decided that the distressed brick just looks too busy with pattern on my countertop. For me, there's just too much going on. Now, if my countertop was more of a solid color, I think it would look great. So...it looks like it's the crisp, freshly painted look afterall. I just have those spots that I've already distressed to repaint, then the backsplash is DONE. I have those wrought iron brackets to install but I have to think if I want to leave them off white or paint them more of an oil-rubbed bronze color.




I bought a little piece of art recently (haven't hung it yet) but I thought it looked so pretty against the painted brick backsplash. This is what really sold me on the idea that the solid white looked better to me. And I love how the red in the art, the cabinets, and my "faux" candy seem to work well together.

In other kitchen news, I found some old-fashion curtains for the kitchen window! Of course, I got them at Goodwill. They are actually 84 inch long curtains that I just doubled over the rod - this created a fuller effect. I found some oil-rubbed bronze tension rods last week that will look much better than the standard white one that I'm using. If I would have known I was going to find these curtains, I would have picked one up...I'll just have to make another trip to Old Time Pottery:)

Next month with my *all* my children going off to school, for the first time in 12 1/2 years, I'll have hours each day to myself. You know, I've been feeling pretty anxious about that! It's like a graduation of sorts for me - graduating from one stage of my life to the next. I want to devote two to three of those days each week to my ministry, one to volunteer at the kidlets' school, and the other days will be for me to work on crafts, (such as the faux candy in the photos above, etc.,) for my online shop. I don't know how the shop will work out - whether I'll want to stay online with it or just create things for local craft fairs or flea markets. So many decisions... Do any of you have an online shop? How is it going? Do you use Ebay or Etsy or just your own website? Any tips and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I set up a Twice Remembered Cottage Etsy shop to get the feel for it, but I'd love to know what your experience with it has been...

Speaking of appreciation - *I* appreciate all the mail I've been getting and your lovely commnents in my last entry! Thank you! I said in my last comment that I'd answer many of your questions in my next post, but I went ahead and emailed them personally. If I forgot anyone, please let me know! One of the questions I've been getting is about my shop, when it opens, and if I'm selling more of the faux candies. Sometime in August is my goal...I'll have some items to sell including faux candy. Thank you for your interest!

Now, you see those beams in the kitchen in the last photo? I am determined that those are going to be primed this week! Today, hubs and I (okay, just hubs) will be filling in any seams with wood filler and tomorrow he'll sand so that I can prime. It really should be against the law to have to work on remodeling projects during the summer:)