A Haven for Vee

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Accomplishments and Giving Thanks Challenge

The burning question is whether anything was accomplished yesterday, right? Well, John has the driveway fixed enough that we don't have to park our cars on the front lawn anymore. This is very good with Halloween coming next Monday. I had visions of the cars being egged and keyed.

(The neighborhood's actually had trouble with a gang of boys who don't have a lot of scruples because their parents don't either. They stole $300 and a GPS from my neighbor's car one evening last week. It certainly gives us all pause. Nothing will come of it as per usual. I'd like to think that a stern talking-to by the town police will work, though past incidents would suggest not.)

Back to accomplishments. I swiped some paint on a cupboard door and then promptly removed the door. I'm still deciding whether to leave it off or put it back. It's the glasses and mugs shelves and the cabinet is always sporting dirt. I'm not saying that the dear man who has been digging ditches and putting it all back together is responsible or anything... < insert whistling >

Say, do you have any open shelving in your kitchen? How do you like it? Tell me please!

Then I decided to paint the door in the living room area the same color as the kitchen cabinets...you know...when I actually do get around to painting them. This is the other side of the green door.



Before and After

The color is Linen Cloth from Sherwin Williams in a gloss. I need to be able to scrub off fingerprints easily. Originally, I had thought I'd paint the door something punchy. I've now decided neutral is the way to go and light. It's a dark enough room. I need to do the second coat this morning.





Have you noticed that Leah at South Breeze Farm is hosting the 5th Annual Giving Thanks Challenge? It has always blessed me to slow down long enough to think about those things for which I am truly grateful. Last November was a difficult month in many ways for my family and me so participating in this challenge kept me focused on the gifts of life that make living worthwhile. There are so many!

Leah will give you all the details soon and she's already started telling about it. Won't you consider joining in? And if you've already celebrated your Thanksgiving or if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, it won't be held against you. =) It may prove to be a fresh way to center yourself in the month before Christmas and the New Year and to share it with your readers.

I'll put my growing list in my sidebar and sometimes I'll talk about it in a post in a more detailed way. November 30 will be the post where I save the entire list so that I can return to it again. If you'd like to see my 2010 list, you can find it *here.*

Hope to see you at South Breeze Farm soon!

Now have yourself a sweet day...

29 comments:

  1. I don't have any open shelving, but think it looks wonderful in magazine pictures.

    How very sad that these young boys haven't had the right influences at home to make them want to do the right thing.

    I visited the "Giving Thanks Challenge". What a beautiful thing to do during this season. Thanks for sharing the link.

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  2. I'm already to go! Can't wait!

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  3. I don't have open shelving. I like the look, but I have had decorations on top of the cabinets in the past. I know how dirty (kitchen air born grease and dust)they got. I would think open cabinets would be hard to keep clean in a kitchen.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  4. we did sort of a compromise..we put glass in several of the shelves..love it! I it opened up and lightened the look..however I am soo ready to get rid of the wood tone and paint them all white..

    I will visit the blog..sounds like something we all need..to be reminded of what's right and what we need to be sooo thankful for!

    have a good day my friend :-)

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  5. I have one open shelf/cabinet, a spice rack above the stove. ALSO, I have a list of thanksfuls a mile long, lol. I will visit that blog soon. Blessings

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  6. Fantastic accomplishment on the door! I am so glad the driveway was mended and your car can stay closer to the house. It is just so sad that some just can't leave alone what doesn't belong to them.
    I was so sad that some that visited the booth we were at this last weekend, helped themselves while no one was looking.

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  7. Isn't it sad that parents are raising children to be as sorry as they are. We see so much of it and it just breaks my heart. With a future son-in-law as a cop I hear stories that make my skin crawl.
    I love the idea of open cabinets, but just can't seem to gather enough courage to make it happen. With teen daughters who half-heartedly put away dishes from time to time I am afraid of the mess that everyone might see! ;0)
    Your neutral door looks good on the inside. Don't you just love the way a subtle variation of color makes everything look so much better?
    Hope you have had a wonderful week!
    Jen

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  8. I have thought of doing open shelving but haven't done anything about it yet.

    How sad about those boys...

    I hadn't heard about the Giving Thanks Challenge, and will check it out...so much to be thankful for!

    Deanna

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  9. I don't have open shelves, nor would I want them. But that is just me. Others have them and apparently like them. As for me, there is too much dust coming into my house. It amazes me how dishes behind closed doors can get dusty!

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  10. Vee,
    We have a new front door ordered to replace the old original front door that I had such a terrible time giving up. We live in an old house and I love the beveled edges on the glass which isn't available in most doors that we can afford. The draft coming through the crack in one of the panels of the old door could not be fixed. I'll be painting the new door once it's up and ready, but I'm so afraid it will stick out like a sore thumb in this old house.
    Hopefully I'll start my kitchen cabinets this year too!

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  11. Good morning, Vee!

    I don't have any open cabinets in my kitchen. I do store some large items and decorative things on top of my cabinets, as Penny said they need to be taken down and washed frequently. I have limited storage space so I don't mind the upkeep.

    Your door looks very nice -- I like white!

    I only had a problem with Halloween damage once, when the teenagers next door had a raw egg fight that made a mess. Most teenagers use shaving cream which is a lot easier to wash off. Most of the stores around here won't sell eggs to minors at Halloween so that helps.

    I do love to see the young children in their costumes --soemtimes the whole families show up dressed in a theme ..even the family dog!

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  12. Just popping in to say hello...looks like you've been keeping busy and enjoying your Fall like me!

    I've been traveling for the past month, haven't been blogging as much as usual.

    :)

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  13. Look at you go! So many happy projects at your place.

    Sorry to hear about the bad boys in your neighborhood. Uggh.

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  14. You accomplished a LOT yesterday - good for you! The door looks so pretty, just waiting to be gussied up with a wreath or whatnot. Living out here on a farm in the middle of nowhere, I wouldn't dream of cabinets with no doors. Ha! I do like the idea of glass fronts though. Happy you'll be along in November. Thanks for letting your readers know.

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  15. Never had open shelving. Except for a tiny, corner one, with glass in the door. I wonder, is it easier or harder to maintain the items (which are on the shelves), with open or closed?

    At first I'd think, closed would keep things more dust free. But... I also know that closed cabinets allow dust to settle on glasses, so. :-)

    I know! Naughty me! My first thought is... "How hard to maintain?" Fly Lady will not be amused. -giggles-

    Nope, not really meaning that about FL. She sounds like a sweet-heart. Not the Grumpy-Grinch, which I thought she would be.

    Gentle hugs,
    "Nothing beats a haunted moonlit night on All Hallows Eve.... And on this fatal night, at this witching time, the starless sky laments black and unmoving. The somber hues of an ominous, dark forest are suddenly illuminated under the emerging face of the full moon."

    ~Kim Elizabeth

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  16. Yes, the inside door paint is best in neutral or matching wall colors. On the outside "pop" colors make the doors look inviting, but what invitation is being given on an indoor door...to leave perhaps? Grin...

    I like an open shelf or rack for frequently used mugs or large bowls. There would be a need to have a blind eye to clutter if more kitchen items were on open shelving...my fung shui disorder would probably do me in in an all open shelf kitchen!

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  17. I don't have any open shelving in the kitchen just my hutch.
    I like it though and think its a good idea.

    I'll probably do the Thanks Challenge. I did it last year.

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  18. Good for you for getting the door done. The only open shelving I have in the kitchen is the microwave shelf. After reading your post yesterday I got up and cleaned the Master Bathroom and washed some clothes. Pats herself on the back...

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  19. Hi Vee - well, so sorry to hear about the vandalous boys in your neighborhood. So sad that those parents haven't taken them to task. But their parents probably did a sorry job with THEIR kids, too. All you can do is just keep everything locked up tight. My daughter just had her GPS stolen out of the car, too. She was so mad PLUS it has all our addresses in there! I'm sure all those will be erased should that thief decide to hock it, but still --- they are NOT cheap!

    If you don't wanna do all your shelves open, you could do like one commenter said and just leave one or two open for frequently used items OR, if they are paneled, John could take out the inside panel on the door and replace it with glass! I did that in my old kitchen - got some old timey bubbly-looking glass. I loved that, too!

    You are in PROJECT MODE! Actually both of you!

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  20. I had open shelving in my last kitchen and loved it. I kept my glasses and mugs on the bottom shelf for easy access. On the upper shelf sat my teapots and some pottery. Yes, I had to wash the pottery every so often, but that's okay.

    I have open shelving here, too, but it's mostly decorative items - and a teapot.

    A reminder to be thankful is always appropriate.

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  21. So sad to hear about the neighborhood boys...

    You have got a lot done..yea! Happy Painting, I know it isn't the thing you enjoy the most, but the end results are great.

    Thanks...yes, I am listing mine.

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  22. I love the newly painted door color! I don't have open shelving but opted for 2 glass doors in my new kitchen cabinets. There's just too much dust and dog hair floating around here. lol Last winter several homes, garages and sheds were broken into down the road on the same night while people were sleeping in their beds!!! They never caught the theives yet. The police are always warning to lock up and don't keep valuables in your vehicles or in plain sight. Scary stuff. I'm thankful they didn't come up our way - yet!

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  23. Hi Vee!

    Such a shame about the neighbors car! Even in my small community, there is lots of car break-ins and theft. We keep our automobiles in the garage,locked up tight! Such a pity that you can't trust these days... :0(

    All of my cupboards have doors - although I would love to have some open shelving, for cups, glasses and those things I use the most.

    I love the idea of the Giving Thanks Challenge - we all have so much to be thankful for - and I like hearing what others are thankful for!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  24. I know you are relieved the driveway project is complete, congrats to John too. Congrats on getting the back of your door painted, I'm sure it will help cleaning fingerprints. Nope, no kitchen shelving in my kitchen (to have to dust/clean). My challenge is simple, less is more. I've got to start pitching things, not making space for more.

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  25. o open shelving for me...though I do like the look.

    It never hurts to be reminded to have a thankful heart...whatever the season!

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  26. We had a kitchen with open upper shelving, and I very quickly tired of it. I love collections, but I don't want to see 'things' all the time. I missed the 'quiet' that doors brought to the kitchen scene.

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  27. Your new door color looks great.....you've really been on a roll of getting a lot of projects accomplished. I wish I could say the same......
    No open shelving in our kitchen, but my eyes are always admiring those who have it.

    Too bad about the delinquents....it's unnerving to have people in the neighborhood like this....

    Have a good weekend!

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  28. I was waiting to hear how it was going with the driveway! Excellent news.

    Funny that you should ask about open shelving. I just had my husband remore doors from one section of my upper cabinets to see how I like it. I have mostly glass and white dishes placed there and think it might work. But I'd like to trim it out with other molding someday. I don't care for the cluttered look with cans and spices (I tend to overcrowd) but for dishes and accessibility, I think it gives it a homey, yet updated look.

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  29. Hey, look at that pretty paint job! Me likes!

    Hmmm, I'd love to do the challenge, but an every day commitment is something that I just don't think I can manage right now. This next month might get a bit frantic. Shhh, nothing official to report yet.

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