My New Kitchen

I promised you pictures of my new kitchen, so here you go!

The quality of the pictures isn't great, apologies for that. It's a dull grey day today so they're a bit dark. Here's what the kitchen looked like before:



A tired old kitchen.



Here's during, when I was losing it at having my fridge in my living room for over a week:





And here's after. Not fully cleaned, but you get the idea.
I love the shelves we got here to hold our chilli & pepper plants. The tea-making stuff isn't going to stay there! All the appliances are now integrated too, which I think looks much neater.



This is a cool little extra we thought of. Using waste space to put up a metal sheet so we can stick all our holiday magnets up!



I love my granite worktop from Italy and the under counter lighting. I think the Kitchen Aid looks great in that corner:



Another Italian element, the cooker hood. I think it's cool:



This gadget is amazeballs. It's a Quooker tap that provides constant boiling water. No more kettle!



This is the main kitchen tap. It swivels. I love it, I think it's like something from a sci-fi movie.



This is a brand new element. The kitchen table & chairs used to be here. We have our new enormous fridge (LOVE IT) and either side we have pull out pantries. Loads of storage for the dry groceries. There's also a bookshelf at the end for all the cookery books.



This is hubbys favourite bit. He designed the curve in the counter front that has curved drawers & granite, with a matching curve in the top presses over the cooker hood. The induction hob is pretty impressive too, it's brill! Only problem is none of our old pots will work on it, so we have to go searching for a new set. The magnetic knife racks on the wall are really handy too.



You can just make out the ovens at the right of the photo.

This picture is very dark, sorry. This is the ovens and the full length presses. One for the ironing board, etc, and the other one is shelved for bits & bobs including Alice's card making stuff.



So, whatcha think? I *adore* it. Worth the hassle I think, and once it's finally deep cleaned it'll be perfect. We've been cooking up a storm in it so far, pumpkin pie, homemade rocky road ice cream, southern fried chicken etc etc etc. Yum!

Lots of knitting to show next post, so until then Good Knitting!

M.I.A.

Where has the time gone? I've been so up to my eyes over the last 3 weeks, I haven't had a chance to post at all.
I apologise in advance to those people whose blogs I usually comment on, I feel bad for ignoring you all!
It's been a real roller coaster ride. We got a complete new kitchen installed, and it's been a nightmare. The mess! The noise! The lack of a kitchen to cook in! At one stage I had the fridge in the living room. Which was good for speedy access to ice-cream, but that novelty wore off quickly. The kitchen is almost finished, tomorrow it BETTER be. It's just a last couple of niggling things. Pics next post, it's AMAZING.

I have been knitting though, I got loads done. I couldn't block any of it coz the house was so filthy with dust, so it all queued up and I did a huge block last night. Loads of FOs!

A fellow Dublin knitter lost her husband tragically young to Leukaemia last week and the funeral was last Saturday. It was the first humanist ceremony I'd been to, and while it was desperatley sad, it was also a beautiful send off for a lovely man. It was so personal.

In memory of her husband, a few of us have decided to knit some items for the hospital nurses and the Irish Cancer Society. Brendan bravely blogged his way through his illness here: http://www.zen.org. While he was in hospital, he took up knitting and was attempting his first lace project, the Party Lace Scarf. In honour of this, we all agreed to make one ourselves. Here's mine:


Pattern: Party Lace Scarf by Lisa Sisk, co-owner of This Is Knit
Yarn: Feza Kid Mohair, 1 skein
Needles: 4.5mm

It was quite emotional knitting this. I put lots of prayer & good wishes into it. I decided to make something else as well, every little helps, right?


Pattern: Multnomah by Kate Elsa
Yarn: Zettl Treviso Sock Yarn
Needles: 3.25mm

This was a lovely shawl to knit, nice & easy pattern to memorize.

I also finished my Kip Wip socks.

Basic 64 stitch socks with my usual slip stitch heel. Meh. I don't really like them. Should I donate these too? I haven't worn them.

I also whipped up this adorable baby bib:

Pattern: Whooo Loves Ya Baby by Elaine Fitzpatrick
Yarn: Granstudio Bomull Lin, 1 skein
Needles: 4mm

I loved making this bib. Can you see the Owl pattern? The designer has loads of cool bibs for free on her site, Down Cloverlaine. My owl obsession continues.

I've been off work for a week already, so 5 more to go! I plan on getting out & about a fair bit. I had to sit in every day last week waiting for workmen for the kitchen. Drove me nuts. I enrolled Alice in a week long summer camp at the local Aquatic Centre which started today so I have from 10 - 4 every day to myself! Squee! I started by going shopping this morning.
With the help of loads of lovely Twitter-ers I bought a dress! OMG! I never wear dresses, but I would like to feel a bit more feminine.
I settled on this one.



Sorry about the crappy picture, it was taken on my phone in the changing room so I could tweet for help! I don't like the cardi, I didn't buy it. I bought this yarn instead to make something:



It goes well, don't you think? It's DK weight cotton. Now I need to pick a pattern! Any suggestions?

I've loads more news, but this post would go on forever if I let it. I'll be back soon (promise) with kitchen pr0n. I heart my new kitchen!

Good knitting!