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