I'm so sorry I have been absent from this space lately! Winter makes me feel so sleepy and lazy and it felt so good to just lean into that for once! But then once the sun came back out and the flowers started to bloom, I got a bee in my bonnet to give the kitchen a little refresh, and it seriously took over my life. We had gotten into some messy habits during lockdown life and they had just become . . . permanent. The snacks piled up. The plastic cups from various venues we'd patronized piled up. The extra cookbooks I hadn't cracked in literally twenty years. So I took a deep dive into the kitchen. I emptied cabinets, threw away everything that had expired in 2023 (ahem — there were thingssss), cleaned the shelf risers and the back walls, and restocked shelves. I got a label maker and labeled jars. Andy painted walls and I touched up trim. I ordered new cabinet and drawer handles (and am still waiting for a few). We hired a lady to come and install a new faucet. And many other things. And I have to tell you, it's been nothing short of an amazing experience. I have loved every minute of redecorating this kitchen. I'll give you a full tour with all the details (thrilling, I know!) as soon as my backordered handles come and I take some nice pictures.
In the meantime, Andy and I have made a lot lot lot of soap, and I am getting that photographed and up on the website for a launch very soon, either this week or next. Please join my mailing list at the bottom of any page of my web site if you'd like to get a newsletter whenever I launch new products. (If you have signed up in the past before February of last year [2023] you will need to sign up again. I have a whole new newsletter management service because I never really had used my old one and it wasn't working properly anyway. But this one is!) We are having so much fun making soap together, and we are learning so much, too! We have some really pretty spring soaps this time and I am getting that all ready. Thank you so much to those of you who ordered items in my Valentine's collection! I am so grateful for your interest and am thrilled to have your support as I explore some new things in my life. It's been nice to take things a bit slower lately, I have to admit. I hope you are all well, and I'll be back with pretty soaps and a prettier kitchen soon! XOXO, Alicia
I've missed you so! Congrats on the kitchen!
So happy to see you back in this space! Looking forward to a full tour of your redecorated kitchen soon!
So, so, so happy to hear from you - can't wait for the new spring soaps!
I'm so happy to "see" you again! I've also been refreshing my home and it is a lot of fun. I can't wait to see what your new kitchen looks like!
Your kitchen looks great, Alicia! I'm painting my solid pine cabinets that look like yours in Benjamin Moore White Dove and will have black hardware. I also got a great deal on a quartz remnant for a countertop and a new undermount sink and faucet. I love seeing what you do to your home because you keep the integrity of the house and do lots of work yourself - just like the rest of us do who can't afford full remodels. Your whole home looks great - and cozy! I do also get inspiration knitting for my friends' kids from the things you've made Amelia. So glad to see you're back and completely understand about the winter.
Did you hear my sigh of relief? It sounded like this: “Ahhhhhh… she is still blogging.”
Even though I stalled forever getting new kitchen hardware, I officially regret that I missed the chance to ask where you found yours. I can’t wait to see your kitchen reveal.
So wonderful to see a new post - your kitchen looks beautiful! And how very tall Amelia is getting.
What a relief and exciting news that you were just remodeling! I have to admit I was a little worried something was up. This looks amazing and love the rug!
Looking forward to the tour. :) And if you’re up for it, I always enjoy seeing which cookbooks other people have— although I have too many and am at the one-in / one-out stage with them. :)
I have always adored your kitchen! So classic and cozy. xo
Those soaps are so sweet and lovely! I've been in the mindset to clean out my kitchen as well. My daughter is off to college and I am tempted to drastically downsize my dishes and whatnots, but she will be home for summers and then will likely need the things I get rid to furnish her own kitchen, so I am holding off. I love how you refreshed yours though. Projects like that are so satisfying, aren't they?