Thursday, February 12, 2009

A Rose and a Clarification

Last night at church, my 10 year old prayer daughter, Kim, gave me a rose for Valentines Day. Wasn't that sweet? It's nice to feel loved, especially by a child! :)


This picture was taken at Joy's birthday party. Kim is the one with the short hair in the front on the right side.



About the clarification part of my post, I'm afraid that I didn't make myself clear and my cabinet pictures were a little misleading. As a matter of fact, when I look back at the pictures, I can see where it was hard to see the difference. But if you look closely at my walls above the cabinets, you will see that this is a space that I can't SIT anything on at all. Everything there would have to be hung and that is one reason why I want to be sure before I put anything up there. The wall actually comes out to the front portion of the cabinet and goes up to the ceiling (I think it's called a furdown)? I'm not sure that's how you spell it. In other words, I wouldn't be sitting anything ON TOP of the cabinets because there is no top of the cabinets....it is met with wall.



It is a narrow strip of about 14" of wall space all the way around my cabinets (3 walls worth). So now, do any of you have this kind of space above your cabinets or have any ideas knowing this? I loved the ideas you named and had it been a place to sit things, I think those would be great and I actually wouldn't have as much trouble finding things to put there.

I did notice in the current CS magazine, (Earlene's home on page 23), she has muffin tins hanging.



She has the type of space that I have above my cabinets. If you want to look there, you can get an idea of what I'm talking about. Again, any ideas?

And I would like to say Tonya, if you're reading this post today, I love ya! Thank you for your friendship! :)



Have a great Thursday, everyone!

~ Tammy ~

28 comments:

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

AHA!! Now it shows more clearly. Around here we call it a soffit! I have that too. In my case, my wall stencil that goes around the whole room happens to be at that height so it is stenciled. But I have seen ideas like Earlene's and I have seen wall words or stenciled words. One hgal I know has a collection of old kitchen tools hung there. I am sure other bloggers will have some great idea's too!!

Susan said...

I like the muffin tins. But you're right, they would be monotonous. I also like Linda's idea of old kitchen tools, too. Let us know what you come up with. Have a great day!

Shelley said...

That was a good illusion! I still like the muffin tin ideas - but also what Susan mentioned above w/ some kitchen tools!

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Before we redid our kitchen in the late 90s, I also had the soffit above my cabinets, I really didn't like it cause it was so hard to decide what to hang. Since DH didn't like me putting a bunch of holes in the wall when it went up it had to stay. I had collectors plates over mine of old farm houses and barns and farm animals, DH loves old barns. I know collector plates aren't in style now though. But when we remodeled I got the soffit removed and now I have my collection of Halls Tea pots setting on top.
I agree with the other lady who suggested stenciling saying around it. Just my opinion

Never So Simple said...

Oh my goodness I would have never noticed if you hadn't of shown us again. WOW! I like that better actually than the space above the cabinets. I have a space above mine and just have random things but Tammy it gets so dirty up there. It's a bear trying to clean the top of those cabinets. Ok here is my suggestion which I think is something I seen on Linda's blog? Hang things in groups of 3. Like maybe one big and two small beside it. Now in my mind I see one big star with two smaller beside it. Just a suggestion. I am going to think more on this one. :)

What a beautiful rose and a beautiful little girl.

Donna

Colleen/And Baby Makes Five said...

We have a soffit like that as well around some of our cabinets, but it's fairly narrow. I can't wait to see what you come up with ... all in good time. Your kitchen is so inviting!

As to your question about the "love" stitchery: The areas that are colored were done with the kids' Crayola crayons. I colored the muslin and rubbed it a bit with a scrap of fabric. Then I stitched and coffee dyed everything. That's it!

I hope you're all well and looking forward to some Valentine's Day fun...

Leslie said...

Tammy,
It's called the soffit :) I don't have that. My MIL came up here one day and loved how I had everything displayed. She wanted to do the same so she and my FIL actually removed the soffit above her cabinets and it's all open now.

The muffin tins are cool! You could use things like that and enamelware pie pans and other items, graters, molds.....I see copper looking molds at the TS all of the time. You could paint them and make them look old if you liked.

I have a skinny wall between my living room and kitchen that I have a bunch of graters hung on in a line. There are so many neat kinds!

Happy hunting!

Leslie

CozyGirl said...

I say stencil ! stencil ! Stencil ! I love stencils can't you tell? I think a stencil would look so good up there and you could still hang a couple things over the stencil if you wanted to. That's where I have my pineapple stencil ~ above the cabinets in my kitchen. Have a good day Tammy !

Mandy said...

OK, now I get it! Yep, I agree with the kitchen tools idea and some nice wood signs mixed in too. How about Cheese graters, muffin tins . . . anything flat!

Have we all thoroughly confused you now?

Oh, and it just melts my heart to receive a gift from a child!

Blessings,
Mandy

Susan said...

Yes the rose, and the thought, are so wonderful!!!

I understood you needed things to hang, that's why I suggested the items I did.
Susan

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Hi Tammy,
I vote for the stenciling too and maybe on one part of it hang a muffin tin, greater and small star. I wouldn't go all around with the kitchen tools I think it would be to much. The stenciling would look great though and really finish your kitchen off.
Love the rose from such a sweet looking child...love how her hair is cut:)
Rondell

Kindra-At Home With K said...

I can see how that picture can be misleading. I thought it looked like empty space above the cabinets as well. :) I like the idea of old kitchen tools/pans. I picture a long sign as well.

Your rose was so sweet. That was so nice of your prayer daughter. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Tammy,
I have to vote for the stenciling. I have stenciling above my kitchen cabinets, and I looove it. I have stenciling in several of my rooms, and it adds such a special touch. You can find many country patterns.
Janet A.

The Gathering Room said...

You may want to check this blog site...scroll down to about the third picture...I love what she did.
http://primpyourpad.blogspot.com/

Sharon said...

I think stencil.
I also thought that you had a space to put things up there.
I still like stencil.
Have a great day.
God bless

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Tammy---I don't know much about decorating--but the first thing that popped into my mind was some kind of border or stenciling on the wall itself.. I've seen some clever things done using sponges and lots of colors.. Just a thought!!!!

I'm just not sure that hanging a bunch of things would help the looks... JMHO.

Congrats on getting the rose. Wasn't that sweet???

Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

Hi!! Things have been good!! Your kitchen looks great:) I hope everything is going well for you!

Sue said...

The space above my kitchen cabinets is exactly like yours....oh how I wish it were open to sit things on. I have plates hanging that I collect (Blue Ridge) but now that I am more prim...I think the muffin tins and graters, etc. would fit better.

Janene said...

Tammy!
I really like the vinyl wall quotes!
They won't collect dust and do not damage the walls/soffits.
I will post a few suggestions on my post tomorrow!
I can't wait to see what you decide to do!

Julie said...

You could use vinyl lettering sayings. The vinyl letters go directly on the wall. I have a few in my home that I could show you if you would like. I love them!! Your kitchen is so pretty. Julie

Happily Ever After said...

Hi Tammy,

How sweet Kim was to give you a rose. I had never heard of a prayer daughter. You'll have to let me know exactly what that is.

I like a combination of what comments. You could consider using the tins and tools, but use the vinyl lettering to soften the effect. You could have bible verses or a country saying to use between the hangings. Just a thought.
The pics definitely looked like you had an open spot between them and the ceiling. My cabinets go all the way to the ceiling so I dont have any choices...can't wait to see what you do.

Stay happy & blessed.

Gigi

Joy ~ Doodlebug ~ said...

Mom,

Kim is soooo sweet. I love that you got her as a Prayer Daughter. She's my pretend sister!

Love, Joy =D

Farmhouse Blessings said...

I see that now. It was a real optical illusion and looked like it was recessed. We call that a soffit.

I think a collection of old kitchen utensils would be lovely. You can find some nice ones at your thrift and on eBay as well. I have a small wall of them and just love being surrounded by their history.

Of course, if you wanted to be more focused, you could collect only red or green handled utensils. Those are always lovely but may be hard to find.

Can't wait to see what you do!

Kim looks like such a sweet girl. I love her sweet face!

Hugs,
Lea

Back in the Day said...

I like the stencil idea but if you want to hang something I think the muffin pans or kitchen utensils would look great! You can break them up with a long skinny sign.
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Nicole

Anonymous said...

That is so sweet that you got a rose for Valentine's day from Kim. How sweet is that?! Thank you for stopping by my blog and for your kind words about my sister. That was so nice of you and you touched my heart.
I love that you have room on top of your cupboards to display items. I love old tin items, old kitchen tools or old silver trays...but I really like the idea of the words that you can put up. Not stenciling but the ones you just stick on. You can put old sayings or what I was thinking of doing in my dining room, since I am Italian, is put different words about food in Italian.

Birgit said...

I agree with Linda's idea. I was thinking old kitchen tools too and even a few signs with vintage kitchen themes on them. You could add old cheese graters to your list of things to look for to add to your kitchen tools. I have a line of different shaped ones that I've picked up here and there, lining part of the backsplash in my kitchen. It's fun to see the same kitchen tool in different shapes and designs, all old, of course! :)
You got yourself a lovely rose too! Your little prayer daughter is so sweet.
Hugs & blessings to you~ Birgit

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

Oh, you have a bulkhead/soffit over your cabinets! The other pics really didnlt show that very well! I thought you had room on top of the cabinets too! I guess I wasn't the only one. LOL!

Still no reason why it can't be primmed up and look purty! I love the muffin tin idea too! Maybe old cookie cutters would work. I remember a kitchen in a magazine that displayed old food choppers up there and all over one wall. If you do that, make sure they can't fall off and cut somebody! Old wrought iron trivets would also look great. I have my Mam's trivets hanging on the side of my end cabinet.
Can't wait to see what others suggest!
Have a great weekend!

Simply Shelley said...

Hi Tammy,how sweet ,your DD gave you a beautiful rose..have a blessed week,Shelley