Faux Subway Tile Back Splash and Kitchen/Dining updates

So, our kitchen is slowly being redone.  We have been working on little projects here and there and it's coming along.  It's nearly impossible with a hubs who works full time, I babysit and spray paint things, we have 4 heathens and a plethora of other things going on, to completely tear apart our kitchen for the sake of aesthetics.   Slow and steady wins the race for us.  Plus, I lack funds to go much faster. Keepin' it real.

I am dying to have a subway tile back splash.  It will happen, but not until spring break.  So, I started out by painting the wall white.  It was already so much brighter.  I was going to patiently wait for subway tile.

One wild hair up my ass and a sharpie later and I drew on my subway tile.  I have had some people over and they went, "Hey you got subway tile, then I say nope just paint and a sharpie marker!! Plus Mr. TSL put up/made some shelves for the kitchen :)

Before we moved in:

                                Currently:

-ripped out the nasty ass crapet (yep tile looking disgustingly filthy carpet)
-painted the subfloor (temporary)
-moved the cabinets up and added a shelf underneath
-took out the cabinet above the sink and replaced with shelves
-put in above stove microwave
-changed all the appliances to black that we scored sweet deals on and/or got from craigslist
-took out weird pergola top off island and straightened the island.
-replaced the light with barn lights from upstairs
-replaced faucet
-painted walls, trim, pantry doors and shutter door medicine cabinet.


Now on to the dining room, the view from the kitchen when we moved in:

and now:

more dining room pics and some simple fall decorating:

my i will survive planter....i gently ease plants to their death, so i was hoping for a planter that encouraged survival!

xoxo

Candy Corn Toes and Pumpkin Cupcakes

Revisiting a previous fall post:

I can't seem to like painting my fingernails.  They just chip and piss me off.  I do ALWAYS have my toes painted though! Seriously, I have had my toes painted as long as I can remember.

Plus, today I made pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream frosting.....to die for delicious!!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Frosting

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl

4 eggs (at room temperature)

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

1 c sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 c oil

mix all above ingredients and fold in dry ingredients

pour into muffin tins (I use muffin cups too.)  fill 2/3 full.

bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (I do 25 minutes)

Maple Cream Frosting

8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)

3 tbsp butter (at room temperature)

1/4 tsp maple extract (it's like vanilla and located near it at the store)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c powdered sugar

mix all ingredients except powdered sugar, fold in powdered sugar 

allow cupcakes to cool before frosting....unless you're like me then wait until they are warm and not hot :)  

These are so good you will thank me for introducing them to you or curse me for doing so....yum!

  

xoxo

little green school chairs

mr. tsl and i are recyclers of all things.  he and i are both teachers too, so that means when the school throws out old furniture, lighting, anything salvageable really, mr. tsl brings it home for me. love that man!

scored these two little school chairs for free:

before

xoxo

Lots of stuff going on around my house!

So, the other day....a few weeks back I was cleaning the bathroom and decided it needed to be painted white.  So after I cleaned the toilet, I put on paint clothes.  It's all painted, but not restyled yet, so I'll show you soon.

I also am pushing for the kitchen to get started.  I have begun hoarding things for the redo and have been doing the simple things I already can do, just to start the ball rolling.  The cabinets would be mid-paint job, but we are throwing Audrey and Oliver's combo birthday party on Saturday.  And I didn't want to be like, hey family come over....no don't sit there that's where the cabinet doors are drying, no not there either, that's the prep area. ugh.  So, I will wait until the beginning of October to paint it all.

I scored this set from Craiglist:

The long dresser will hold the TV, the short dresser is Audrey's, the mirror and the headboard I haven't decided on yet.

Plus on Saturday I get a new couch!!  I am so excited! Like ridiculously excited!!

I am currently obsessed with this space:

and this kitchen is what I am going for in mine:

xoxo