Weird Ass Kitchen Window

I have a weird ass kitchen window and I thought you crafty/creative ladies could help me out with what to do here. My house was born in 1981 and so it’s bit dated. It has VERY WHITE walls, dark trim, and a kitchen with oak cabinets (*shudder). I really have to level with you here. For those of you who are long time readers, you should already know I can get shit done when I need to. But, I have no creativity. None. At. All. Really. I could look at a picture and copy it. I can embellish with the best of them but only as long as I have  a photo to copy. I’m horrible at coming up with anything on my own. Hence my problem here. I recently bought this house and am trying to figure out how to un-80’s-fy it. We are starting by painting. The walls will be tan and the trim will be painted white. The brass fixtures (*shudder again) will go. The almond outlet covers will go. Here’s a basic layout of my house. It’s very poorly drawn. I did it freehand in Paint.net. It would have looked better if I had just drawn it with a pencil and taken a picture of it. Anyhoo, I’ve got this window that opens between the kitchen and the main living area. To put it bluntly, it’s just weird. People always look at it with this strange look on their faces when they first come to my house. It’s in a weird spot and it’s just plain weird to have it there.

I was going to add “Front door” to my drawing but forgot. Oopsie. It’s the darker squiggly mark at the bottom of the picture.

 

When I moved in, they had a fabric curtain that hung on the kitchen side of the window to cover the back of the microwave. It sort of looked like this. Still weird.

 

I’ve tried to take pictures from far back in the room so you can see just how weird it is. I hung wine glasses in the top and I like that. The other shelves always look cluttered though and I’m not sure that’s the first thing I want people to see when they walk in my house.

 

 

Do I add a full length curtain? Still weird.

 

 

Do I hang a large piece of art over it? It’s a good option but it’s in a weird place in the room for a large piece of art. I should also mention the ceilings in this room are tall, like 20’ tall in this particular spot. Having something so close to the floor with just a tall space seems weird. 

 

 

This is just to give you a idea how the new wall paint and trim will look. Although it kind of presents a problem. The other side is in the kitchen with all the oak cabinets. I can’t really have white trim and oak shelves on one side and oak cabinets on the other side. The shelves would have to be half white (to match the outside wall) and oak (to match the kitchen). 

 

 

This is what it looks like now. I added to picasso painting a long time ago to be funny. It makes me laugh anyway. You can see the hated oak cabinets through the window.

 

 

Here’s what it looks like from the kitchen side. Here you can see the cabinets. Not only are they the 80s oak cabinets but they are the oak cabinets with the arch on the top. Ugh! I need to figure out what to do there too. I don’t want an expensive remodel but I might try painting them or something. That’s another project for another day. Today, I want to figure out what to do with this weird opening.

If I can figure something out, I think I’d like to keep the area somewhat open. It actually lets quite a bit of light in the kitchen (the other side faces the door and it’s facing south) and I like to be able to peek out of it when someone is at the door.

So? Ladies? Any thoughts? Ideas??

Jalie 2804 – Empire Cross Top

I made another Jalie cross top. I’ve made a couple of these. I made a sleeveless version with the cute little shoulder ties and two long sleeved versions. On those versions the empire waist was just a tiny bit high so I lowered it by about an inch on this version.

I really like this pattern. It’s a timeless staple. I think this type of top always looks nice. An inch may have been a little much. I could have probably lowered it by a half inch. Now I have to wear a camisole with it. I made this out of a mid-weight jersey from JoAnn’s. It’s really cozy. Nothing too special about this top. Just a nice, easy one to make. I love Jalie.

Next? Well, my kids are begging for some jammies. I’ll have to see what kind of cute embroidery I can crank out.

Burda 12-2008 #127B Bathrobe

I told you guys I had been doing some sewing. I’ve been needing a house robe for quite a while. You know, when kids get up in the middle of the night, when you have house guests, when you cook breakfast in a house with no blinds, it’s probably better to not run around in your skivvies.

This is from Burda December 2008. I made the longer version B. It’s a super easy pattern with only two pieces; five pieces if you count the two belt loops and the belt. I made it out of a  piece of toasty wool. I bought this roll end of of Patagonia a few years back. I also made a Jalie top (I’m working on the picture links) out of this fabric. It’s toasty warm. One side is wool and the other side is a poly-blend. I put the wool on the inside so I’d always be warm.

I decided to use a Hong Kong finish to the seams on the insides because I didn’t want to line it and I didn’t want to see the serging. I like how it peeks out on the robe and the sleeves.

 

I didn’t add a facing to the lapels because I like the raw edge of the fabric. I did go around and staystitch the entire robe so it would never fray. You can barely see it from the inside (grey striped side) and not at all from the brown side.

 

I did a raw edge for the belt loops and the belt.

I’m so bad. Sweater Knits Sale at Fabric.com!

I don’t know how many of you know but Fabric.com does a Deal of the Day sale. Their deal of the day today is 40% Sweater Knits. I couldn’t resist. I bought a teeny bit of yardage. I’m going to have to bust out some knit tops soon. My stash is growing by the day!!

 

First I bought this gorgeous rayon blend jersey knit fabric for $4.19/yd.
 

 

Then this stretch rayon blend knit for $4.19/yd

 

I bought these super cute cotton blend knits to make girl jammies. It was more expensive at $7/yd but so cute!
 

 

This is a sweater mesh knit. The close-up pic is pretty cool. I love sweater knit and stripes.
 

 

This is purple striped rayon/Lurex. FUN!
 

 

This is a mid-weight stretch rayon sweater knit.

 

 

Along these same lines, I did cut out a knit top last night. It’s a Jalie cross top. Love my Jalies!!

Not Sewing Related–Paint!!

I’ve been on a color kick lately. I think it has to do with the fact that my house is getting painted soon. The inside this time, not the outside. Have you guys seen this website? I love it. It’s called Design Seeds and it’s just so darn pretty. I check out all the palettes every morning. I doubt I’ll ever get creative enough to actually use one of the palettes (I’m boring and a non-decorate-y like that) but I do love imagining it.

This is the color scheme for my twins’ room. Remember the minky blankets I made them? Same colors!!

 

It’s funny. I went through the website and just picked random ones I liked. Once I grouped them here, it’s funny but, many of them are the same. A pink, a neutral, and green. I really don’t like blue for some reason as a paint color.

This is really one that doesn’t belong with the others. I do like the neutrals though.

 

I have some sewing to show you but I need to do the photographs. Do you know it’s dark in Alaska right now? Oh wait, it’s always dark here. I’ll have to take some dark, unflattering photos. My deck is under four feet of snow.

Vogue 8634 Again

I know, I know. It’s been a while. What can I say? I suck! I’ve been busy and life and blah blah blah. It has been very heart warming to get your positive comments and well-wishes. I really have been fine. Just busy. As in B to the USY. I did finally crank up the sewing machines and made this little ditty. I made this last one in October and really like it with boots and skinny leg jeans. Do you know that was the last item I made? Yikes! My life is busy but that is too little garment sewing!

First, let’s all ooh and aah over the outside house remodel. Here you can see the old front (poo colored T-111 and pink trim). Here’s the front door now. It’s a gray green with white trim. We re-sided the front and side so it’s a much nicer looking lap siding. We extended the door to the side and added a side light to lighten up the front room a little bit. The door is a dark cranberry red. I wish I had a full picture of the whole front for you. You’ll have to wait until summer.

 

Here’s the new top. On the last one, I really took a lot out of the sides for a more fitted look. On this one, I left it big so I could wear a chunky belt with it. Overall, this is a pretty boring review. There’s nothing earth-shattering or even technically challenging about this knit top but I did want you guys to know I was still alive.

 

I’ll try to post more than 51 times this year. Wow. 2011 was not my year for sewing or blog posts!

San Diego fabric

I haven't been a good blogger lately but I'm hoping someone will point
me to a good fabric store in San Diego. I'll be here for another week.
Promise I'll post more regularly when I get back. I'll HAVE to if I
purchase fabric lovlies. :)

It's a fabric SOS.