Tiles and Smiles

Look what I got in the mail today! A while ago I gave away some flannel scraps and fat quarters I knew I would never use. Donnelly was the recipient of those scraps, and this is what she made to thank me! It was wrapped up in this delicate, pretty tissue with the nicest card!

And see what's inside - a lovely, handmade, tatted doily! There aren't many people who practice the art of tatting anymore - Donnelly's work is outstanding! And she said: "I used a vintage Coats and Clark size 30 that I picked up at one of our local thrift stores. I love the feel and colors of vintage threads. The spool still had the original $0.19 sticker on it!" So stop on over to Donnelly's blog for a visit!
Here is what greeted us when we arrived at the Squash House on Thursday - the frosted beach glass tile in the kitchen is installed! I am so happy I can barely contain myself! It is exactly as I envisioned and the installers work is incredible! Already the kitchen feels warm and cozy! There is only one more thing do to in there - new cabinet and drawer faces. We're having them custom built by a local contractor. See those two upper doors on the right side? They will have clear, hammered glass inserts and open from the center out. They will also have hidden European hinges and can be opened without hardware - although I will add it at some point just for decoration.
Here is a closer view of the tile against the stove.
Below is the new sink and faucet. I can pull the nozzle out and fill a pan with water as it sits on the stove! The sink is extra deep at 11 inches (maybe too deep - we shall see). That little fixture to the right of the faucet is a built-in soap dispenser.
And here is the crowning glory - my Maple Bar finished and installed! We had them use the same stain as on the butcher block counters, but because they are two different grades of maple, the stain is slightly darker on the burled maple. That's what I wanted, though - something unique and different! Oh - you can also see that I haven't replaced the switch covers yet. I think I'll use enameled porcelain covers, so I need to look around for different options.
Here is another view - looking the opposite direction.
This is a close-up of the maple burl stained and finished.
More fun things to show you tomorrow - stay tuned!