Saturday, July 25, 2009

Cutting through the Clutter


"Each morning sees some task begin,

Each evening sees it close;

Something attempted, something done,

Has earned a night’s repose." – Longfellow

Can you relate to this quote? I'm telling you, it surely fits me. I love to create whether it's decorating around the house, sewing something up, or baking a dish. I HAVE TO CREATE! The problem is I like to see it DONE FAST! Just like the quote above says, I like to start something in the morning that I can see completed when the day is over (and sooner is better). ;=) Can anybody relate?

My current dilemma is that I have a BIG project going on which is going to take a little longer than a day. You see in a few months, my SIL will be heading to Iraq to serve his country in the National Guard. My sweet pregnant daughter, grandson, and two dogs will be moving in with us while he is away. This, as you can imagine, provides me with lots of opportunities to create while rearranging my house which now occupies only two empty nesters. Can you say PANIC?!

Don't get me wrong. I'm so glad to have them join us, but as I'm making plans and starting my renovations, I haven't earned my "night's repose" and I can't even see it getting close. If you're a person like me who needs instant gratification, this can be a problem. :=)

So that brings me to tonight's post. (Bet you thought I'd never get here.) Now here's a project I can get done in a day! And so I did and oh, how I feel better...sigh. Can you say THERAPY?!

My kitchen was overdue for a spruce up. Nothing major, but I had previously decorated the tops of my cabinets with old vintage items and intertwined them with greenery and grapes. Well, I liked it when I first put it up, but it's been up a while and lately I've been waaaay past it! I wanted a cleaner look and, well, let's be honest, something I could get done in a day.
The photo above is a "before" shot. All of the tops of my cabinets looked something like this - filled with clutter! Isn't it funny how when you first decorate, you think it looks divine and some time later, it looks like clutter! ;=) Do you ever think that way too or is it just me?

I thought about clearing everything off the top of my cabinets, but after looking at it for a while I thought it looked a little sparse, so here's the same cabinet after I got rid of most of the greenery and rearranged my vignette.


Here's another...

And another...

Next, I decided to stencil a favorite quote above my sink. "If a pot is cooking, the friendship's warm." It just makes me smile every time I look at it. :=)
What a good feeling it is to clear and cut through the clutter and "earn a night's repose".
And what a good feeling to share with you and check out all of your changes at Susan's Metamorphosis Monday.

35 comments:

Sonia said...

I love the stenciled quote above your window! I also really like the color of your walls along with the clutter free area above the cabinets. Miss Bloomers

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Love the redo, Marsha! I do that too. I seem to do more and more decluttering these days.

Brenda Pruitt said...

You have such a cozy, inviting kitchen, first of all! I love what you did above the cabinets. I know just what you mean. I'll decorate something. And months later, I look at it and say to myself, "What were you thinking???" I wish I had the nerve to stencil something like that. You did a great job here!
Brenda

Roeshel said...

What a gorgeous kitchen! I don't dare show mine ... maybe next year. I love the stenciled quote!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Oh it looks gorgeous. I love it. Your kitchen is beautiful. I really like it. I did the same thing a while back. I had tons of greenery and tons of things. I still have quite a bit, but it is was less than what I did have. Love your new stencil. Hugs, Marty

Cindy said...

I like the decluttering. I do that when we have houseguests (which is often) but, real quick decorate (clutter) again. Sigh. Maybe it's just my lifestyle!

Tracy said...

Your kitchen looks so warm and cozy! I do the same thing, I decorate and think it looks so good I can't stop looking at it, then I stop noticing it, and then before you know it I'm looking at it again thinking, "that has to go!"

Unknown said...

your kitchen is so warm and inviting! Love the change! Such a wonderful quote!

Tina

Glenda/MidSouth said...

You have a pretty kitchen. I can relate to a lot of what you are saying.
I need to declutter around here and finish a lot of projects.
Thank you to your SIL for what he is doing.
Glenda

Blondie's Journal said...

Well I think you did such a great job!! And I admit...I put things up to fill bare spaces and after I think, "Oh, so much more to dust!" or secretly know that it is all held together by dust!! But CHANGE makes us move. It is a good thing!! If we never had someone walk through our doors we probably wouldn't even empty the coffee grounds out of the pot!!

You are all going to have a ball together and my heart and prayers go out to your soldier.

xoxo
Jane

Michelle said...

Your kitchen is so warm and inviting. I love the delighted sign about your door.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Not my DIL but my daughter & her family! :-) There is always so much going on with my bunch, I am surprised I remember half of it.:)
Glenda

Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

How lovely!!! Your kitchen is so warm and inviting...I love the little changes...perfection!!!

I love the quote above your sink area and your window treatments and your table and chairs and...I love it all!!!

Have a wonderful Met Monday!!!
XOXO
Cathy

Karen Valentine said...

Hi Marsha! Thanks for coming by and joining the party! I'm so glad you got a bunch of creative ideas to use yourself. But is your studio is anything like your kitchen, it must be full of warmth. I just want to come over and have a cup of tea! You did a great job! I love words on walls too!

Karen
My Desert Cottage

Lynn said...

I love your kitchen! It's my favorite color!
I love the quote on the wall, too. I'm searching for one for me.

Lorna ~ Lace and Ivy Cottage said...

It feels so good to declutter, doesn't it? I love your stenciing and your kitchen!

Kammy said...

Hey Girl !
Your description of yourself sounds exatcly like me. I want it done NOW, perferably !
I love your stecil , colors and your window treatments !
I too struggle with my tops of cabinets, is it too little, too much, too fake, too this, too that..I have researched this without a lot of luck - so I hear you load and clear !
HUgs ~ Kammy

Terry said...

How did you think of that quote? I love your kitchen, it's warm and inviting!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Your kitchen looks so arm and inviting. The touches you've added make it even more welcoming.

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Oh Girl I love your RED kitchen its so warm and welcoming...Good luck to your SIL prayers coming his way...My Grand son goes in Jan also...May you have a wonderful week...Hus and smiles Gl♥ria

Matt said...

The quote is lovely as is your kitchen! Very warm and inviting.

Beth@The Stories of A to Z said...

Oops! LOL. I just posted a comment as my husband! The mishaps that happen when there is more than one blogger in the family :).

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Marsha, I can completely identify with you, clutter, clean, clutter, clean....and quick, quick, quick! We had out son & DIL, and 3 grands live with us (only 3 weeks) while building a house. I have a feeling that your family will be with you longer (blessings on your military SIL!), but enjoy this special time! Linda

Unknown said...

Blessings to you and your family! I love your instant gratification. The kitchen seems so welcoming to make anyone who walks in feel at home. I know you are concerned about your SIL and we will all to praying for his safe return. I know you will enjoy your daughter and grandson.

Gwen said...

You are not alone, I like instant gratification too.

Don't panic with the changes, just breathe and tell your SIL thanks from my family:)

Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss said...

I can really relate to you wanting projects done quickly. It's funny...some projects I don't mind taking a little longer but I want others done yesterday. Right now I have several partially completed things that aren't nagging at me too much but then there's a crown molding project that seems to be moving way too slow and it's driving me nuts!

A Hint of Home said...

It's my first visit and I really enjoyed looking at your blog. Your kitchen looks great and I love your curtains and stenciling.
Thanks for your comments on my blog.

bj said...

I did the same thing a few months back..removed EVERYTHING from the tops of my cabinets. At first, I thought that I'd never get used to them being bare. But, now I LOVE it. I, like you and Pat, find myself decluttering more and more.
Your cabinet tops look nice.

imjacobsmom said...

I love your new stencil - that's a cute saying. It reflects the warmth throughout your whole kitchen. ~ Robyn

Kristen, pajama mama said...

I do that, too! Right now EVERY piece of decor from the living room is on my bedroom dresser because I just can't see how to put it back in the living room with out a cluttered or distracted look....oh, well, these things take time...
love your apron tutorial-so simple I must make one soon...
one question for you-if it's an easy answer-how do you make some of your photos so large? some photos look so much better larger, but I don't know how to enlarge them...any tips?

From the Old InkWell said...

Hi Kristen, I'll answer your question about big pictures here and on your blog since others who read this may want to know too. The easiest way to answer is to refer you to Mary at: http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/2009/04/big-picture.html. and also Susan at:http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/06/welcome-to-21st-metamorphosis-monday.html. They have both given instructions on how to enlarge your photos. Hope this helps!

Anonymous said...

Marsha....I think your kitchen is beautiful!!!! WOW....I love your table and chairs. The window treatments are just perfect and add the perfect touch. Thanks for the tour.

Katherine

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Marsha,
How funny you posted about the exact topic Gary and I were taking about last night. I too have to much clutter on the top of the cabinets in my family room. I seem to have collected to many plates. I had even gone on line last night to look at stenciling for my favorite saying. WE must have been on the same brain wave. I am going to add my saying above the cabinets and put the plates away for a while.
My Nephew will be leaving for his 3rd tour with the Marines sometime in Sept. my niece is excepting there third baby Sept. 10 and so he many miss the birth, this will be the second baby he will have missed.
God bless our men, I will keep your SIN in my prayers along with my Nephews.
Take care and keep CREATING,
Elizabeth

Ldy ~~ Dy said...

You have a lovely kitchen. I really like the color scheme and the new look. Although, I too like the look of things on top of kitchen cabinets. Have a great one!

Dawn said...

I do the same thing. I put things up then after awhile something seems wrong...I guess we just tire of the same old thing. I must say I LOVE your kitchen. I think all the white ones that are so popular look beautiful but I need the warmth of stained wood an color!
Beautiful.
Dawn