Keep calm and merry on.

You'd think that after painting our dining room

 in December of 2012, and our living room in November of last year,

I'd know better than to start painting our kitchen the day after Thanksgiving,

  but with a 5 day break from work after Turkey Day, it seemed like
the perfect opportunity to quit thinking about it and  just do it!

I've learned that there is one upside to painting during the holiday season.

I'm motivated to get it done quickly!  I couldn't even think about taking out my holiday
decorations until I finished painting and cleaned up my mess.

There are obviously lots of finishing touches to be done, but as long as

you're here, I'll take you on a quick holiday tour of our repainted kitchen.

My valance has been removed in favor of a display shelf

over the window.  It still needs trim added to the edges, but that can wait.
As for anybody sitting directly under the shelf, I've supported it
from above with heavy duty L brackets secured with wall anchors.  No need
to worry about a soup tureen knocking you off your chair.

I hung the green cabinet back on the wall for now, but I've got a wood cabinet
 in storage that I'd like to give a try after the holidays.  I'm not worried about

the dozens of holes I'm making in the walls, because I'll be tweaking
the wall color after I repaint the cabinets..  The current cabinet color is not bad in the
 daylight, but when the chandelier is on they appear to be chiffon yellow.
 No likey.

Do you see what's new in this corner?

The Major Award I chose for 35 years of service at work!

I was hoping for 5 new windows or a spa bathroom with all the amenities, but
 since they weren't listed in the Major Award catalog, I picked a high-tech appliance instead.
  Being the technologically challenged person that I am, it took me 2 hours
 to make my first cup of coffee on Thanksgiving morning!   Believe me,
 I needed my morning dose of caffeine after bathing a frozen turkey in the kitchen sink
 'till the wee small hours of the morning.

*Note to self:  Next year buy turkey in time to thaw before the holiday
or perhaps buy one already cooked, stuffed, and artfully arranged on a platter.

I treated myself to a bottle drying rack from World Market so I could
add seasonal color to this corner of the kitchen.  The red and white striped bowl
 is a steal for only $3.95 at Crate and Barrel!

My sterilizer cabinet is fully stocked with my collection of what I thought

were child size Santa mugs.  I was recently informed that they're actually nut cups. Huh.
Let's see.  One for every nut in our family.

As for the juggling pins?  Being the fitness fanatic that I am,
I like to work on my biceps while the roast beast cooks in the oven.

I've had this old wood shelf tucked away, knowing someday
 I'd find the right spot for it, and now I have.  This is my favorite thing in the kitchen.

Do you remember my green spice cabinet?

I had my handy assistant strip the finish off, only to reveal the u.g.l.y.distressed finish

that I somehow forgot was under the paint.  He tried sanding the dings out,
but whoever was assigned the task of distressing the cabinets at the factory
 must have been thinking about her ex-husband at the time.  Those dings
are clear through to the other side!

Anyhoo, it's now been painted with homemade chalk paint

made from one of my oops cans in our basement.  I'm trying to
get away from my matchy-matchyness, but it's not easy
for a Gold Personality like myself!

Around the corner near the back door the shelf holds a pair of deer
that I made way back in 1986!  I made the sign a few years later.

Next to the back door.....

This photo of my sister, me, and my brother was published

in the Hanna Miner, around 1964.  We're testing out toys at

our small town hardware store.

I'd love a vintage bread board for the kitchen, but until I find the right one
 (or maybe 4 or 5) Arnold Ziffel will do.  snort snort

During my post paint cleaning frenzy I found an Etsy gift card given to me by
our daughters.....who knows when!........and used it to buy myself this ironstone
platter that came all the way from Hawaii!

  Mele Kalikimaka!


Above the stove I hung my old window screen with a seasonal message
spelled out with aluminum letters that are used to mark telephone poles.
For some reason, they don't make the letters X, Y, and Z so I simply
chopped a leg off a K to make the Y.  It's a little wonky, but it works.

Even though I stuck magnetic tape to the back of the letters,
occasionally they'll drop into the dinner I'm cooking, but as the very wise
 Julia Child said,"If you're alone in the kitchen and a few aluminum letters
 fall into your beef stew, who's going to know?"

I strung a few jingly bells onto wire and threaded the wire
through the screen for a little holiday bling.

Well, I've missed joining all the holiday parties out in blogland,
but I was on a mission to neutralize our spicy kitchen before Christmas this year
and there are only so many hours in a day to do it all.  Now I've got to finish shopping,
 wrap presents, dream up a menu.......

Thanks so much for visiting and
Merry Christmas one and all!
Vickie

*I'm joining the parties at:

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday
Knick of Time Vintage Inspiration Party
Mod Vintage Life Mod Mix Monday
Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday