My Little Red Island

Question:  It's 10:30 on a Saturday night.  What are you doing?

A)  Sleeping

B)  Sitting with your husband watching TV

C)  Painting an antique washstand RED.

If you answered C, you might be insane.  Or you might be me.

To make matters worse, I got up at 5:30 am on a Sunday morning to put on another coat or three.  Who does that?

Oh.  Me.

Here's what it looked like before I lost my mind painted it red. (Remember, it was close to 11:00 pm by the time I got myself together to paint.  Not exactly the best time to take pictures!  Even the cat thought I was nuts.)

My mom bought it years ago from an antique store and refinished it.  Eventually she painted it white, and after a while she gave it to me when she couldn't find a place to use it.  

I put it in the study and topped it with a linen runner and a milk glass bowl.  While we were putting down the new floor, we moved it into the kitchen and plopped it in front of the cooktop.  I got used to it being there, and decided it might make a cute island.

Joey suggested painting the base red, so we used some of the leftover paint from the kitchen door.  I love it!  It really stands out against the cream cabinets and light colored floor. We added a few strips of wood to the base to make a shelf (that still need to be painted), and now I have a place for my "crusty" enamelware collection that holds the potatoes, garlic, onions, and shallots.

We attached a few hooks on the back and sides for oven mitts, tea towels, and cooking utensils, and filled the drawer with tea towels and dish cloths.  My cutting boards are easy to access, and the marble slab gives us another heat-resistant surface to plop down a hot dish. 

Eventually we'll build the top up to counter-top height, maybe using a nice chunk of butcher block.  In the meantime, we're enjoying have a spot near the fridge for pouring a drink or making a quick snack. And the price was right :)

The last of the floor molding and trim went down yesterday.  A little paint, a little stain, and a more than a little patience...and it will be DONE.  

Linking up with:
DIY Project Parade,
Tickled Pink at 504 Main
My 1929 Charmer
Cedar Hill Ranch: Cowgirl Up! 
Rustic Crafts & Chic Decor
June Before & After Party at Thrifty Decor Chick 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
Fine Craft Guild

 

Sun-day

Joey was out inspecting the garden this morning, and there was a swarm of tiny little bees in the sunflower patch.  

Diamond Jubilee

We're celebrating our British heritage and the Diamond Jubilee!  In our own way, at least.

source

We're flying the Union Flag this weekend, and Allie and I are having tea tomorrow with our Royal Albert Old Country Roses.  It's not much, but it's as close as I can get without a plane ticket to my aunt & uncle's house.

We moved to England in 1977, just after the Silver Jubilee.  We were there for the Prince & Princess of Wales' wedding, and I remember all the flags and bunting being put up in the villages around us.  Many of the shops had photos and displays for the wedding in their windows. When Prince William was born, my mother planted a row of Sweet Williams in the garden in his honor. 

For more information on what's happening, visit the official Diamond Jubilee website.  Laura Ingalls Gunn, from Decor to Adore, has written a fabulous post on Queen Elizabeth (complete with an amazing photo gallery). And The Fabulous Mom's Guide is sharing a batch of Jubilee printables - everything from cupcake toppers to water bottle wrappers. 

If you have a Twitter account and would like the "unofficial" scoop on the Jubilee, it's well worth following Elizabeth Windsor (@Queen_UK).  I've been laughing myself silly over her tweets lately, and I'm buying her book from Amazon this weekend.

Enjoy your weekend, and God Save The Queen!