Millie's Kitchen

The divine Ms. Ness from Marley & Lockyer has challenged me to show you my kitchen and what I love about it - hah, what a joke! I feel like that commercial for toothpaste that goes along the lines of 'This man's a Dentist, so we can't show you his face.'....well, Millie's a cool chick, & she doesn't want to show you her revolting kitchen! However, in the spirit of the wonderful world of blogging I will, but please keep in mind that this edition is just about to feel the might of MOTH's sledge hammer & soon I will have the kitchen of my dreams & I promise you, there will be endless pics posted then!

When we moved in 2 1/2 yrs. ago, the kitchen was the original 1972 disaster, although the oven & laminate benchtops had been replaced about 10 yrs. ago. It was made from varnished marine ply wood (oh, joy!!) with the ubiquitious Mission Brown floor tiles. Behind the kitchen is an even grottier laundry & a corridor leading to the back door. We knew that re-doing this whole area was going to be our biggest project, so dear MOTH quickly slapped a coat of paint onto the kitchen cupboards to stop me from crying & whingeing in the interim!

So here's a few pics of the wreck I'm currently having to live with, a few of my favourites that make my day a little easier & precious pieces I couldn't live without.

Looking into the culprit from the meals area - corridor leading to back door in far right of shot.

MOTH quickly used this sheet of plasterboard to cover up the most horrible wall of brown wooden cladding I'd ever seen - totally yuk!

I picked up the wallposter for $4.00 from a bargain bin at Pottery Barn on a trip to the U.S.

My most precious object in the kitchen is a book of my Mum's hand-written recipes. She started it on her honeymoon & it's a journal of the towns we lived in as I grew up. Most South Aussies will immediately know that we we were living in Clare at the time Mum wrote down our neighbour Mrs. Knappstein's Little Buns (Rock Cake) recipe.

This recipe for Ginger Fluff Sponge was my darling Dad's all-time favourite. I love to open each page & see Mum's very distinctive school teacher hand-writing. It brings her back to me in so many ways - my boys love it too, so it will always be in good hands.

I positively can't do without Bill in the kitchen!

Recycling at it's best - drink the contents & use it's packaging!

....and I also can't do without Helen & Annette - this book is my all time favourite & in constant use.

A must-have for creating the recipes from the gorgeous Spirit House.

Couldn't be without my Nature Nurture Hand Wash & Lotion from Mr. Kenneth Turner.

Son # 4 happened to call in as I was taking these pics. He gladly picked up MOTH's sledge hammer to illustrate what's just about to happen. Just love that Breakfast Bar.

Need some light relief, it's all too depressing, so here's my favourite fridge magnet, with apologies to our American mates, but I did buy this in Washington!

This is a plan of our current kitchen.

Our new plans - with the Laundry moved into cupboards near the newly relocated back door & the space converted into a Butler's Pantry - yah!!!

Ignore the kitchen in this pic, but this is our inspiration for opening up the whole back corner of the house where the new kitchen will be. Floor to ceiling windows (or a 'Tree-Walk' as our lovely Draftsperson has strangely named it!) Our garden outlook is almost identical to the pic, so it will be fantastic to welcome this magical outlook into the house through all the glass.

1.What colour is the kitchen? Solver Parchment x 4 strength.

2.Describe your kitchen? You're joking aren't you.

3.Describe your dream kitchen? Refer to future post.

4.Fave activity in kitchen? Leaving the bloody thing!

5.Name 1 thing it is lacking/missing? Curtis Stone.

6.Do you cook and bake a lot? In my dreams!

7.What don't you like & what would you change? Oh, pleeeeeeease!

8.What do you love about your kitchen? Leaving it.

9.Worst kitchen activity? Coming back to it.

10.Tea or Coffee? Coffee please- I've never had even a sip of tea, can't stand the smell!

11. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla anything at every & any opportunity.

12.Do you like to prepare food or eat it? No contest here - a resounding BOTH!

13.Do you prefer to serve meals in the kitchen or dining? Neither - try the Stirling Pub's Bistro at least 4 times a week - we'll be there!!

Now I challenge...
Debra - Lifescapes

Coty - Coty Farquhar

Rosemary - Content in a Cottage

After the trauma I've been through, your posts will be a steal girls!