New jar labels-2104- Organizing my Kitchen!

Do you love my new chalkboard tags on my vintage jars?

The shelves above my fridge have always been a handy place to hold odds and ends. Know it is even better. I bought these vintage jars a few years ago at Brimfield antiques and I love them. 

When I was preparing muffin batter about a year ago,  I thought I had added sugar to the batter but it was salt. Listen, I have a salt addition but even I could not eat those salty muffins!

I have been careful since then.  I think these labels will help! I found them at Target while Christmas shopping. Similar ones can be found online but for me the red border around the black label, meant for Christmas, are perfect for my kitchen where red abounds! 

Now I am looking  for  places to put  labels, think it is addicting.I used actual chalk to write on the labels and I love the effect but there is also a pen that writes like chalk and is permanent. 

 Humpty Dumpty, the stuffed guy I made, sits on the middle shelf. It was made by first sewing a egg from cloth and then drawing on it with black marker. Kind of a an egg thing going on in my kitchen. 

Come back for my more organizing ideas from my homestead. 

I love my labels and no more mistaking ingredients!

Thank you for visiting the Homestead,

Karen

Lilacs Say Welcome to My Kitchen

Welcome back to my Federal kitchen at the homestead. Could not resist bringing lilacs from the year into the kitchen, albeit they make me sneeze!

Maybe you remember when I restored the kitchen fireplace wall

 to it's 1796 original look..

Under the wood that covered this and the rest of the kitchen walls

 lurked a beehive oven and opening for wood storage. 

Last post I mentioned that an old portrait of the Brayton Homestead hung over the living room mantle, now over the kitchen mantle. I love the barn board wood ceiling even though it is not authentic!

Baskets on the hearth keep linens handy...

Thanks for visiting 

from my kitchen to yours...

Tan & Black warms my country kitchen

The colors of tan and black are always present in my homestead kitchen but never more than during the wintertime. The golden browns add a  warmth to a New England weather, especially in this 216 year old house!

A favorite egg basket sums up the tan/ black love affair I have... 

Kitchen drawers that have been replaced with baskets add extra texture and contrast against my fridge I painted with chalkboard paint...

A chicken egg plate and little white faux eggs fill the bottom shelf basket.

I took off the wallpaper on my kitchen walls to expose the original plaster walls, a bit rough but I love it...

A barn board ceiling hides a far too gone ceiling and makes the kitchen very cozy. The old game board, in my winter combination of tan and black pull it all together . I hope you enjoyed and thanks for visiting...

Karen

Linked with the lovely marketplace at COMMON GROUND- do not miss it every Monday.

and

My Uncommonslice of Suburbia

 & 

Savvy Southern Style 

& How Sweet The Sound

My Feather Tree

Hope you enjoy my Thanksgiving white feather tree. This tree was a great investment, it works for every holiday and season. It looks great if it simply adorned or elaborately laden.

Here atop the kitchen table, a giant acorn ornament boasts most of the attention but feathers and sugared smaller acorn ornaments add a deeper color to the tree.

Sorry for my absence, had a small health matter.

A closer look beyond the tree shows the beehive oven in my Federal 1796 kitchen...

and a stack of old basket boxes cover the opening for firewood.

How have you decorated for the coming holiday, love it would share your ideas!

thanks,

Karen 

Kitchen updates in white

Painting everything white in my kitchen! Cannot seem to stop. It all started with changing my drawers to basket drawers and adding creamy white vintage dishes.

I took an old frame and first painted it white.

I had painted the bricks white too and used the seem gold glaze on the frame as I used on the bricks.

I am pleased how it is coming out. The plaque was given to me by the town, that is the year the house was built.

 Plan to put a chalkboard in the frame. 

More of the painted brick with kitchen utensils.

So much brighter and fresher.

what do you think?

Thanks for vising the Brayton Homestead!

Karen

Mother's Day Breakfast



Little Mother's Day weekend breakfast.

the table is set with a tablecloth I made from

from a tapestry fabric that I also put in some of the cabinet inserts.

      

remember that the Homestead kitchen dates back to 1796.

French toast will be on the menu...

on my fav vintage red set

so from my kitchen to yours 

and to all moms

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

hope you enjoyed.

Images: all Brayton Homestead Interiors

check love

alternating checks of red and cream

create a pattern

that is contemporary but also traditional

I hope to recreate a portion of this in my homestead kitchen...

Love red and white checks-

hearts I am making to fill my kitchen table wood bowl

Valentine's Day

will be here soon

I hope yours is full of red checks...

enjoy...

Images: unknown 1, Brayton Homestead Interiors 2

a Tuscan Christmas

Loved designing this Tuscan inspired kitchen and dining room for a very special client. Tuscan traditional style reflects her Italian roots and love of fine cooking while contemporary glass lighting fixtures create a great contrast.
Did you notice how the swirl of the knobs repeats in the iron swirl on the ceiling light fixtures?

The back splash in kitchen features a lovely traditional wall tile with modern metal tiles of grape reliefs inserted with red glass tile banding. Traditional with contemporary repeats...

Near the kitchen, atop an old roll top desk, a bird cage lamp repeats the design of the wrought iron cabinet knobs. A vignette of greens and snow have winter charm...

Into the dining area~ The contrast of the trio of contemporary lights against the old brick fireplace wall sums up the feel of the house: new/old and traditional/ contemporary.

Lisa helps with preparations and final touches, thanks...

hope you enjoyed the Tuscan kitchen with contemporary accents.

Merry Christmas!

IMAGES: Brayton Homestead Interiors

Happy Halloween

I created this kitchen sideboard vignette

to reflect the owner's style

and

the season, of course.

Have a special

spooky

Halloween

and

keep on smiling..

Images: Brayton Homestead Interiors

Fall Apples

Sitting on top a vintage mirror

sits my fall apple kitchen centerpiece ~

a chippy old basket lined with red checked napkins

holding a bounty of glittery apples ......

Of course, there had to be freshly baked

chocolate chip cookies

to celebrate....

Peak past the basket
hydrangeas are drying nicely from summer
vintage needlepoint

and a lovely pillow from Petit Coterie

rest on a handpainted bench used to stay toasty
near my 213 year old kitchen fireplace...

ENJOY

Images: Brayton Homestead Interiors

Red and White Check Love

With a crispness yet country vibe, nothing says Summer to me like Red and White check. Reminiscent of country picnics, vintage tablecloths and home baked pies, this classic check is a staple in my kitchen at the Homestead.

Krumpet looks dapper with the summer hair cut I gave him as he lounges on a check cushion. My kitchen table, set for a country breakfast, abounds with checks on vintage glasses and new linens while hydrangeas are tucked into old bottles. Please enjoy....
Images: Brayton Homestead Interiors

Happy Monday

Happy Monday! I trust everyone had a great weekend! Mine was jam backed and wonderful. Listened to live music with friend Giselle (I'm on left with scarf), gabbed with Mom for hours, hung out at the coffee shop, walked Krumpet and accomplished some client work. Also, displayed a few more vintage treasures on a high shelf in the pantry- but kept it simple!

Image: Brayton homestead Interiors