ooooh... almost!

I finished the backsplash - just a minor hitch in the faceplate, wrong size (who knew there were sizes?) And E has most of the plinth installed under the cabinets - just the fussy part where the hood vents out - requires a saw and it's too late to saw today.

We are planning a kitchen unveiling party for the 22nd (of September) I hope you will all come and oooh and ahhhh over the finished product!

grout + backsplash = pain in the butt!

the effect is nice though - guess it was worth the effort

installed plinth - looks all professional and stuff


and the island looks real too... just have to pick up the stools and finish the vent!

Crazy cheap gene

Do you ever get halfway through a project and think to yourself "Self, why the heck are you doing this?" That was definitely me last night... grouting a backplash is a lot more difficult because the area is small the the tools are meant more for floors and wide open spaces I think. plus you have to bend over and reach way out to do the work... not fun, but it is complete! Still doing some cleanup - but that should be good later. It's so humid the grout isn't setting up very fast - finally I just went to bed and this morning I was still able to wipe quite a bit of it away! Oh well. I'm definitely hiring a contractor for the bathroom - no question.

Some progress...

So we did make some progress this weekend... Saturday we went to an open house for free burgers, then decided that Mexican food sounded better! We did some shopping for some art for the condo, found some barstools that we'll pick up one of these days when we have a zipcar handy. Then pretty much recovered from the Mexican food (or more accurately, Mexican beverages)

But Sunday we got some stuff done, E got the baseboards trimmed out and they ready to install (almost - IKEA shorted us by ALOT so we had to run out there... just a note, this weekend was "Everyone go to IKEA and buy your kid crap for college" weekend). But I got the backsplash halfway finished. Monday when I get home from work I just have to do the grout. I think it came out pretty well for an amature tiler! And I got the top seam of the closet started. So this week I'm hoping to really work each night and complete the backsplash, the closet (mud and primer, then paint) and get the final big wall in the living room painted. Then next weekend I am going to start in the far corner and put everything back the way it should be and get the loft organized and finished off. **sigh** That's the plan anyway... I've had a lot of those on this blog!

starting the stainless tile - hard to work under cabinets!

stainless tile adhered to wall - just need to grout in 24 hours then silicone caulk everything!

Let there be more light!

E got the track lighting up over the island... It is crazy bright in here now! I added 4 mini spot lights to the track that shine on the new cabinets. They are also handy when staring blindly into a cabinet looking for inspiration to strike! We ran into a snag with the toe-kicks... apparently we needed the legs under the kitchen to be unscrewed all the way (thanks IKEA, that was helpful to know in advance). But E is going to ask one of our friends in the building, they have a table saw, so that will make short work of that.

Short update, but I have a cold - been running around too much. My Dad and Uncle checked my Gran into a nursing home. It was the right decision for her best health, but running up and down the road doesn't help MY health!!

And a quick congrats to our blogger pals the gharaiblets, they are adding a new member to their family! Congrats guys!!

A working weekend...

Well, this weekend we locked ourselves in (a little tooo tightly - sorry Grandma & Grandpa R). And we worked worked worked! We have ALL the cabinets installed, the granite has been fixed - thanks to Granite Design of IL, the door pulls are all installed and I have about 80% of the kitchen stuff put away. The refrigerator was delivered and the old one taken away. We had a plumber in this morning and he installed the dishdrawer, faucet, drain, and fridge ice/water line. I need to do some modification so I can add a pull-out self... but we're doing really well! Here are some pictures of our progress!!

Running water!

genius dishwasher/dish placement - put dishes away without straining myself!

the island - Almost!

Lighted front glass front cabinets for my beautiful crystal and barware

Cabinets with pulls and all installed! - we're adding a door over the microwave (above the dishwasher)

Cabinet doors open - with food and such inside!

End of island - we're ordering panels to cover this area (expansion for stove hood) the panels will be the same as the cabinets from Scherr's

And this photo accurately reflects how E and I feel! (My crazy kitty Kisses)

Granite is finished!

While I was away this last week the granite was delivered and installed! Whoo-hooo... I saw the new sink last night when we got home and it looks awesome - it's HUGE! (Maybe it only looks gigantic because I've been using the bathroom vanity for so long!) I did get all but a couple of pulls on last week - I was waiting to install the doors by the sink until that gets hooked up. And now E can get the last cover panel and big cabinet installed and we can move on! I can still see the light at the end of the tunnel - I know it's possible to finish eventually!!! E sent me this photo from his phone...

Delays prevail!

So the kitchen has been kind of on hold because my Grandmother is ill, so E and I have been up and down the road to Galesburg a lot to visit. BUT E did manage to get the cabinet rebuilt for the dishwasher and we are now ready for granite (again). I think my guys are busy because I can't seem to get in touch with them, but I'm sure they'll remember I owe them a bunch of money so I have no doubt they'll call back soon!

This weekend (after Harry Potter, of course) I'm hoping to get all the pulls installed and the new closet mudding finished. Then I have to run out to IKEA to get 4 stupid plastic things so I can finish the drawer fronts.

Then once the granite is in I can put up the last big cabinet and cover panels and we can have the dishwasher installed once the sink is hooked up.

**sigh**

I'm hoping to be 90% done this weekend... just waiting on granite and the sink!! Here is a photo of E's handy work!