Furniture and Veggies

Although I didn't watch as many chick flicks as planned this past weekend (okay, I actually didn't watch any) while hubby was away, I did enjoy my quiet nesting time.  I organized files, played with produce and worked on a furniture project.  I also slept a lot and devoted all of my movie-watching time to food related documentaries. All I have to say about that is that I'm really glad I was eating a completely vegan meal while I watched Food, Inc.  But, anyway; about the furniture and veggies...

Shortly after we got married, hubby and I worked on the inside of this wonderfully whimsical antique china cabinet that used to be his grandmother's.  The inside used to be that 1970's pale mustard-ish yellow.  We re-painted it (including the under-sides of the shelves) and the stemware racks (which we installed - aren't you impressed?!) a warm cranberry red to match the red panes of glass in the doors and we added mug hooks to the bottom of one of the shelves.

China Cabinet

 
That was our first furniture project, and since then, we've been relishing in learning about, acquiring and revitalizing antiques.  Lucky for us, hubby's dad owns enough antiques - many of them just piled up in his attic! - to open several shops, so we can do our own "shopping" whenever we want.  We recently brought home a "lawyers shelf," several layers of which supposedly belonged to this guy, an ancestor of hubby.  This is what I worked on this past weekend.

The Lawyer's Shelf (Before) - dusty and dry

When we brought the shelves home (each layer is separate and stackable), they were covered in dust and the wood was very dried out.  We still need to replace one missing pane of glass and some hardware, but with the help of some trusty tools, more than a few rags and some good ol' elbow grease, we now have a gorgeous piece of furniture in our living room ready to be filled with well-loved books and treasured objects.

Trusty Tools

 

 

 

 

After

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After

 

 

Aside from working on furniture, I also played around in the kitchen and experimented with making Kale chips.  They are super easy to make and very tasty, but my one piece of advice: Don't over-salt them. 

Kale Chips

one head of Kale
olive oil
salt and pepper OR any variety of seasoning salt

Wash and thoroughly dry Kale.  Tear leafy parts into bite-sized pieces.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.  Using hands, toss Kale to coat leaves evenly.  Sprinkle (sparingly) with seasoning salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Enjoy immediately!