The Great Kitchen Demolition... and a little craft too

Have I mentioned that The Duchess is getting a new kitchen?
Well, she is, and we're tickled pink about it.
This is actually a long anticipated and auspicious event in the family that has been 36 years in the making. Mom and Dad built their home in 1974. Over the years, they added, updated, and improved just about every other area of their house.

But her kitchen, the heart of the Duchy, has received only cosmetic changes. There are several reasons for that:

1. The kitchen was built smack dab in the middle of the 1970s. This means, of course, that it reflects that era, complete with built- in oven and counter top range. To update her kitchen is no minor task, people.

2. The Duchess is fond of the big “TA DA”. She had determined that when she did renovate her kitchen, it was going to be the Big Kahuna… cabinets, counters, appliances, and floors in one big moment.

And big moments take time…
And planning…
And cash…
Well, of course.

But when she walked into the kitchen that Sunday after church and sniffed the air… and didn’t smell her ham cooking, she knew that old oven had given up the ghost. And she also knew that the she could wait no longer.

And so she sketched.
And planned.
And designed.

And Finally, we began the process of tearing out the cabinets.  I say “we” because I played a vital role in the endeavor.

I narrated.

Actually, it was Newlywed Nephew who stepped up to the plate for the big demolition.

Here he is, studying the little mess that the women had made in our enthusiasm.

That’s his new mother-in-law looking over his shoulder.

The Duchess was slightly to her left.

 I took the picture.

Because every new husband dreams of flying solo
tearing out a kitchen... 

 filled with family heirlooms,

 spectating in-laws,

and an oddball with a shiny red Kodak.

Well, of course.

We He demolished the entire room.

We kept that coffee pot going until the last possible moment.

We do have our priorities you know...

We even found this little fellow wedged between two cabinet sections.

Then we helped by lugging cabinets to the lawn for garbage men
or clever bloggers
to collect 

I wanted to take some cabinets home myself, but they wouldn’t let me.

Let’s just call it an intervention and leave it at that.

I do have to confess to returning later and grabbing some cabinet doors and hardware. I had a project in mind that I wanted to try.

You will be very proud to know that I actually did bring that craft project to completion. It's nothing special, but it's the real subject of my fabulous Friday yakabout. 

I started with this 

I had to sand all that shiny white paint from her first kitchen makeover.

Then, I just repainted it with some nice heirloom white

 and decoupaged some scrapbook paper to the insert.

And reattached some of the original handles to the side.

I really love the old handles.

And TA DA, a  pretty little tea tray. 

 Total cost: $0.42 for the paper. Not too shabby.

Now, what I’m going to do with all of these,

 I am not sure...

Shhh.

Stay tuned.

And please stay tuned for more reveals of the Duchess's Great Kitchen Adventure... which is a whole lot more stunning than my little tea tray.
Here's a little sneak peek in process...

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