Please pass the potatoes ....

<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">May I just say you guys are the best!  You really know how to make a new gal feel welcome here in blogland.  I've loved reading all of your thoughtful comments, of which I do not deserve!  Thank you!  And, I have to give a special "shout out" to Cindy at <a href="http://cottageinstincts.blogspot.com/2010/01/mi4m-highlights.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CottageInstincts+%28cottage+instincts%29">Cottage Instincts</a> (for highlighting my humble guest "loo" redo), Beth at <a href="http://bethcrabtreehunter.blogspot.com/2010/01/mantel-party-3-review.html">The Stories of A to Z</a> (for sharing my fireplace/mantle tranformation) and Kim at <a href="http://kimsdomesticbliss.blogspot.com/2010/01/do-you-suffer-from-this.html">My Domestic Bliss </a>(for mentioning, and relating to, my admission of my ADD (Attention <strong>Decorating</strong> Disorder)! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you feel like staying for a bit, I'd love to show you our breakfast area, highlighting a few changes we made to it.  As always, feel free to enlarge the pics by clicking on them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>BEFORE</strong>: Imagine a big ol' red wall (RL Stadium Red) ... try (AND try) as we did, nothing seemed to work.  ANYthing we put there seemed to get swallowed by the tall wall with vaulted ceiling.  And, as the kitchen cabinets share the same wall (I'll take you there soon), symmetry and balance went by the wayside, which drove me ker-azy!  Sorry this isn't a better pic:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpL0ImSXVUotNk3nT2iH_38WHFGi2l9IMlBh6YtUDE6ugGOju9cUmRAwHD0Dv5i2wL0ZuDWPo1mzuv-kI_BsGN0qoLLC5xGMia1JFraasloLNeY1RmnaB3bmoVKISP8gv0oVVa4QrQA/s1600-h/076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpL0ImSXVUotNk3nT2iH_38WHFGi2l9IMlBh6YtUDE6ugGOju9cUmRAwHD0Dv5i2wL0ZuDWPo1mzuv-kI_BsGN0qoLLC5xGMia1JFraasloLNeY1RmnaB3bmoVKISP8gv0oVVa4QrQA/s400/076.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>AFTER:</strong>  Welcome dry bar (magically built by our friend, Paul)!  We're super pleased with how it turned out ... love how it fills the space.  We wanted it to have a few different features than the kitchen cabs, so we chose rope-accented molding, legs and feet ... a metallic backsplash ... black countertop and glass accent doors.  I love that the center cab is shorter and bumps out (Paul's idea). </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jQq0wcTPidZQGpZZ3e50me9GWwE4F1YMFuEyWuTfLJpTliLpM7Oz7e0YDYuqHwIaLGvIaxMhmlP4U5h2Xi_13Zk6T51EyQvhxzPk0gZYsaFgrubaDaMvxPuvXZ2WxtIKE4vAFhwaWQ/s1600-h/071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jQq0wcTPidZQGpZZ3e50me9GWwE4F1YMFuEyWuTfLJpTliLpM7Oz7e0YDYuqHwIaLGvIaxMhmlP4U5h2Xi_13Zk6T51EyQvhxzPk0gZYsaFgrubaDaMvxPuvXZ2WxtIKE4vAFhwaWQ/s400/071.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We really enjoy the convenience of the wine cooler ... Chardonnay? Shiraz? Champagne? Sparkling Cider? What can I get ya'?</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges6K3zluTeJYBLUt9w09phO-gEE5z1aXl-pZKUWX1BmZo30ZqjZ5flAKrwZoO-6YeH-epsAzXL_BfsxjK-LBVyqQDQ2elFzgUuvRI2VI783SQDY90mIU-4ldWXEJi-YueLqlOVBt9fw/s1600-h/061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges6K3zluTeJYBLUt9w09phO-gEE5z1aXl-pZKUWX1BmZo30ZqjZ5flAKrwZoO-6YeH-epsAzXL_BfsxjK-LBVyqQDQ2elFzgUuvRI2VI783SQDY90mIU-4ldWXEJi-YueLqlOVBt9fw/s400/061.JPG" width="278" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did a not-so-great job of adding the metallic backsplash (from Lowe's), hoping for a bit of pizazz.  And, when the budget allows, we plan on changing out the counter to Golden Beach granite, which would then match our kitchen countertops:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5FhVSkf2rx5PzihYTIwpDi1va6OCeqfwP42gMiq1i85VWlnIfTgEpZhkJrR_Fsz9V-DtIYNnAmjsy2mFglWD7fZT1J87G1Xiqbvr2837Yt-otSdkzK71KNvvuVt-bLH3E1LculHiGg/s1600-h/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5FhVSkf2rx5PzihYTIwpDi1va6OCeqfwP42gMiq1i85VWlnIfTgEpZhkJrR_Fsz9V-DtIYNnAmjsy2mFglWD7fZT1J87G1Xiqbvr2837Yt-otSdkzK71KNvvuVt-bLH3E1LculHiGg/s400/057.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I cannot tell you how much I've loved having the extra storage, too !!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aside from the dry bar, we traded the blinds and panels for roman shades (done in a whimsical polk dot fabric) to add a bit of fun coordination to the cornice (both treatments were done by my great friend and neighbor, Christy). </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrOBUb1392abRglQZx8Wpem960KqFDjUhw0kr1URUKEHfha8ItJTTMUV9mhjPJKNkHa88Ala6xIjj_5czqfeS55Z6Y64loK_AAG7EXbJaReAUyYQATPSUCUPP-tXt9GvGi6c5hC8miA/s1600-h/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrOBUb1392abRglQZx8Wpem960KqFDjUhw0kr1URUKEHfha8ItJTTMUV9mhjPJKNkHa88Ala6xIjj_5czqfeS55Z6Y64loK_AAG7EXbJaReAUyYQATPSUCUPP-tXt9GvGi6c5hC8miA/s400/086.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently grabbed this accent table at Kirklands, which I'm still "futzing" with:</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe2oCdSky45F2NTIOu2eIdX1JzEBvD9BP_QizIDyLSwu2o6BY6hkVThXYEIFTvJf-Gs1yRHR7exSKHgYEnjaRg1rAkDID_5R1BQ1zeTjLEhWdMl9KmDvnsfuPOCHtpmc9Y-D-RBTLhg/s1600-h/065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTe2oCdSky45F2NTIOu2eIdX1JzEBvD9BP_QizIDyLSwu2o6BY6hkVThXYEIFTvJf-Gs1yRHR7exSKHgYEnjaRg1rAkDID_5R1BQ1zeTjLEhWdMl9KmDvnsfuPOCHtpmc9Y-D-RBTLhg/s400/065.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, lastly, I'm lovin' the oversized lazy susan I recently scored at Tuesday Morning ... really like how it resembles the top of a wine barrel and is the perfect fit for our kitchen table. I'm testing out my Southern Living tray on there (which I filled with faux grapes, wine corks and wine glasses, one of which is filled with a small votive *melted* candle).</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIemMvbiwSv_rdImEGEtQnbY7q5SZK-GpBQx7M-KkkTIbQ4_U4XFkKJjMYB-hVMeOKZlehDp7NrrsPjBx2vPBKLwpbu0_qyfMCHHhjmJY8pjh14gwVWD2KnRiXgrranMxa8stT1M8-CQ/s1600-h/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIemMvbiwSv_rdImEGEtQnbY7q5SZK-GpBQx7M-KkkTIbQ4_U4XFkKJjMYB-hVMeOKZlehDp7NrrsPjBx2vPBKLwpbu0_qyfMCHHhjmJY8pjh14gwVWD2KnRiXgrranMxa8stT1M8-CQ/s400/016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, that's all for now ... it's almost time for football and a hot bowl of white chicken chili, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and Scoops ... yummy !!  </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93j9dzvJu5u4qG_YYTpW5uR4eCnwLA2akGm1P4h66WDW-A1UID9UPBiUId8Ub8XtVgRSsdciLJSyVDdlvHMnYr97xwssM05iLlaHMiV9TM0XqKg9KysGFq90yL9ml15Dk9onlF8tvvg/s1600-h/140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93j9dzvJu5u4qG_YYTpW5uR4eCnwLA2akGm1P4h66WDW-A1UID9UPBiUId8Ub8XtVgRSsdciLJSyVDdlvHMnYr97xwssM05iLlaHMiV9TM0XqKg9KysGFq90yL9ml15Dk9onlF8tvvg/s400/140.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Stay warm and be safe if you are one of the many surrounded by snow and icy roads !!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/376/0E491C7006B710EF338F39A43573A7FD.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm linking up with:</span></div><br /><a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/before-and-after-party-tv-cabinet-redo.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Susan at Between Naps on the Porch</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://twiceremembered.blogspot.com/2010/01/make-your-monday-week-11-add-your-link.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://thepersimmonperch.blogspot.com/2010/01/made-it-monday-13110.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Made It Monday @ Persimmon Porch</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sillylittlesparrow.com/2010/02/toot-your-horn-tuesday-paint-snow.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Toot your Horn Tuesday @ A Silly Little Sparrow</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://asoftplace.net/2010/02/diy-day-with-the-rusted-chain/?"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do It Yourself Day at A Soft Place to Land</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://mybackyardeden.blogspot.com/2010/02/make-it-yours-day.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden</span></a><br /><br /><a href="http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/02/sns-16-brings-you-rusted-chain-glamour.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special</span></a>

Please pass the potatoes ....

May I just say you guys are the best!  You really know how to make a new gal feel welcome here in blogland.  I've loved reading all of y...

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