Long story short, we've had a new oven sitting on a pallet in the middle of our kitchen for about two and a half years. The oven it was meant to replace was dying and then it died fully and completely about 2 years ago. So we've been living without an oven for 2 years because I couldn't find anyone to install it, and we kept hitting road blocks every time we attempted to move forward with DIYing it. (The huddle that we ran into a year ago was the need to move a gas line for the cooktop above - something I was not going to DIY!)
Anyway, we unexpectedly were able to get the oven installed by someone about a week before Christmas! I finally have the ability to bake things again - this time without a computer brain and with a convection option (which turns out is just the old-fashioned term for "air-fry" ).
Now that the oven on a pallet is out of the way, I've been going through the cabinets and trying to reorganize and "lazy-proof" everything. If I can just find a home for everything, we might actually keep the kitchen from becoming a nightmare.
I don't have an actual pantry, so we bought a metal shelf unit for storing all the big things like water, paper towels, etc that don't fit inside the tiny cabinet openings with fixed shelves and put it in front of the pointless door we never use (see photos 3 & 4). Someday, I might wall off the door and put in an actual pantry in the corner, but that is a long term dream for later.
Lazy-proofing involved setting up an organized coffee station for my husband (the coffee drinker) and pulling all the tea options out of the cabinet for easier access since he now enjoys hot tea with me as well. (It used to be an avalanche of boxes and too many things got buried and forgotten in the mess.) Now we can easily see what we have with the tea caddie shelves on the counter (pic 5).
So my kitchen is still a mess because I have to make a bigger mess before things actually get better, but it's almost there. I got a breadbox and a coffee maker slider with a drawer for pods that I haven't taken photos of yet. I refuse to tackle the spice cabinet until after I get everything off the island. Fingers crossed I can get it all put away nicely this week and be basically finished with it - I'm sick of spending time in the kitchen!
I spent the day priming things for paint and then I remembered to shoot a quick video. #SewingStudioBuild
I started cutting all the edges while Janet was away yesterday morning. When she got back after lunch, she pulled out a roller and started filling in. I'll put a pic below in the comments. #SewingStudioBuild
We broke for lunch and then came back with a portal ac unit plugged in to an extention cord from the house. Can't wait until they finished hooking up all the electrical and we have the mini split cooling the room for us - it was stupid humid today! #SewingStudioBuild
When you buy some new socks that look too much like your husband's socks and he already has trouble telling your normal white socks apart from his as it is, it's best to mark them beforehand.
It's getting harder and harder to find women's mostly cotton socks!
I figured y'all would appreciate a good stash organization post. It's been hot and dry here, so I pulled out every bit in the cedar chest and my two chests of drawers where I keep fabric and got it all out and freshened. Since I needed to put it all back (and refold/reroll), I went for it and reorganized - and did a full inventory. I can't think when that's happened.
Anyway. 1) I do not need to go fabric shopping unless there's something specific or I fall head over heels in love 2) Tis Time to Sew! I have a pile of ideas now :)
New question: I want to try making a leotard (for a dancer, NOT for me 🤣) out of this black stretch velvet from our Disney donation stash. However, it’s only 25% vertical stretch. Horizontal stretch is well over 50%, the pattern calls for 50% in both directions. Bad idea? Pattern is pic 2, it has a waist seam, so I wonder if I can get away with it if I make the panty part out of regular 4-way stretch lycra (it will be covered by a skirt), and maybe add a couple of inches length to the top half to make up for the less stretch. Another option I researched is cutting it on the bias. Most people say stay away from anything that’s not 4-way stretch, but the (few) creative outliers have had success. Thoughts, opinions, anyone with experience? Thanks!
