Monday, March 2, 2009

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
Rosemary - Content in a Cottage

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

21 comments:

  1. Oh Millie! I would just die for a kitchen like yours is now!!! If you could see mine you'd see why. It's at least 40 yrs old (could be older) and would be about half the size of yours. Old wooden drawers that leave sawdust on the cupboard shelves underneath them, chipboard shelves and doors - some of which have swelling from moisture, dark.......... you get the picture. One day, some day I'll get a bigger and better one! lol. Can't believe I'm telling you this. Letting out secrets! :)
    Thanks for visiting my blog too.

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  2. Millie, your kitchen isn't as bad as you make out, believe me, I've seen a lot worse in my time. And, at least your dream kitchen is not too far away. The 'treewalk' sounds amazing - it won't be too long before you'll have trouble dragging yourself away from the kitchen! When I got my new kitchen (after 7 years using the most frightful, dodgy kitchen) I experienced a new found motivation to cook, much to my husband's delight! Thanks for sharing these pics.

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  3. Ohhh Dear God~ O.K.- but only because I love you dearly... give me a few hours, we just said "good-bye" to dinner guests... Coming soon ...to a chaos near you!!!!!
    Be sure to visit~

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  4. My goodness, you humble woman, your home is GORGEOUS! I want to see the rest. I insist!!

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  5. Millie, what a lovely project to look forward to - just think how very much you're going to enjoy your new kitchen and all those wonderful meals you'll be able create.

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  6. Wow, your pictures are amazing! I love the plans and where your going with your new design. Your home looks beautiful! We should challenge you more often!

    xoxo,
    Millie

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  7. Hi Millie...and who couldn't do without Bill in the kitchen...and I like your recycling container!!! Looking forward now to the new kitchen...have a lovely week, Dzintra

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  8. Oh, as Miss Emma would say (oh how I am missing White and Wander!) - "SMACK"! (that is what you get email style when you write something that is totally not true!) - ok, i hear you, it will be absolutely when you open it up and re do - but it's looking pretty good for what you've got to work for, just proof you can turn anything into beautiful lovely lady!! x

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  9. Good for you Millie. You are so brave although it's not as bad as you make out. The new kitchen will be great.

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  10. I love Bill too! I made a "Bill chocolate cake" last week but upon tasting it I realised I had mixed the baking powder with bi-carb!! Yuk! In the bin it went, saved me some calories I suppose! ;) Shanyn

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  11. I was expecting a horror....but what I saw was full of charm and lovely little original touches! The paint is a great stop-gap, and I'm sure the new kitchen will be a dream!

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  12. Millie...I am doing my taxes now and we are having a huge snow. As soon as I give my kitchen a good cleaning I will participate in the challenge...I guess I have been tagged, right? So far I have managed to ignore other taggings so maybe I will incorporate all into one. How's that? It might take a while...but stay tuned.

    I also think your current kitchen looks very nice. Can't wait to see the new one! ♥Rosemary

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  13. Oh goodness Millie, I was expecting a hovel! It's funky and I love the colour that MOTH painted it! Your plans sound fabulous. I love the idea of a tree walk. You will find that everyone will congregate in the kitchen at parties! A-M xx

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  14. Oh Gosh,

    Oh just great, thanks a lot Millie, I thought you were nice.

    Now I will have to scrub every bit of my kitchen so I can photograph it. Never know who might be visiting. I was asked by Vogue Living magazine a couple of weeks ago if they could come and do a story on my house. I said no... to them, still too much to do on the house, could even demolish it at the moment and start over again. Ohhhhh I spose I have to say yes to you though. Ahhhh the pressure.

    Give me a couple of days, as I have a few meetings, then I will give this a go.

    Watch this space...........

    Coty xxxx

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  15. It's not that bad Millie!!!
    I loved your answers though. Thanks for playing, I really enjoyed seeing your kitchen.
    Ness xx

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  16. Treewalk, service courtyard, butlers pantry... I hope MOTH is dusting off his bow tie as we speak!

    Clare x

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  17. Oh Clare, what a hoot! These descriptions on the plans are soooooo not MOTH & Millie! Our lovely Architectural Draftsperson got a bit ahead of herself here with all these somewhat pretentious terms.

    I asked her for a little area where MOTH can drop his grotty work-clothes & muddy Blunnie Boots & so she gives me a Service Courtyard - I ask you!!!

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  18. Millie I loved your post and thank you for showing us around your kitchen. It is beautiful.
    That is so neat you have your Mother's handwritten recipes ~ they are always so wonderful.
    The little buns (rock cakes) and the ginger pudding. ( my Father's fav. was a steamed ginger pudding my Mum made, it was so yummy.
    I loved the fridge magnet - hoot!

    Best of luck with the renovations.

    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  19. Another busy week...but what a great laugh I have had reading over your last few posts. A great way to spend Friday! People used to tell me that my kitchen was not that bad (original 30's number with 2ft bench + a sink painted manilla folder yellow!) - but every girl needs a beautiful kitchen!! I love what you are going to do with the space - it will be fabulous!! Amanda xx

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  20. Millie, I just found your blog and wondered if I can make a copy of the magnet on your fridge that you posted From an AMERICAN couldnt agree more Thank You

    Merri

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And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

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