The Play Kitchen(s)

Well, so I've definitely figured out my photo problem on Blogger.  If I shoot my photos horizontally, then things work fine, but if I shoot them vertically, they're close to impossible to edit in here.  The problem is that I usually take most photos vertically!  But, in instances where I know I'll be blogging, I'll make a point to shoot horizontally, such as in this case. 

So, one thing I'm always on the lookout for while thrifting is a vintage play kitchen.  For a while we had a modern plastic kitchen with the boys, but it just didn't hold their interest.  I decided that when Avery was old enough, she should have a nice wooden kitchen, preferably vintage.  Well, I never seemed to run across a vintage one, and I've seen such an assortment of cute homemade kitchens out in blogland, that I was willing to give it a go.

Allow me to introduce you to The OLD Play Kitchen, purchased for $5 (at 75% off) from a thrift store:

Cute enough, but in need of some repairs, and a little too pastelly/cutesy for my tastes.  But I couldn't pass up the price for a wooden kitchen.  Plus, I like that it is fairly small, and  has both oven space as well as refrigerator space.  And I could see that it definitely had Potential with a capital P!

So, now allow me to introduce you to The NEW Play Kitchen:

Ta-Dah!

 I even thrifted some storage containers to organize things on the inside!

As you can see, the changes were pretty easy for such a dramatic makeover.  New paint, new hardware, a pretty little curtain, a pretty little decal, and a new oven door (courtesy of my husband).

The "oven knobs" were in the clearance bin at Anthropologie for $3 each, and were pretty much exactly what I had in mind! Red and vintage-looking!

 I am absolutely thrilled with the results!  If you head over to my Flickr page, there are a few photos of the kids playing with the kitchen (they were shot vertically, so won't work here!).  I had intended to save it as a gift for Avery for Christmas, but there really wasn't any place to store it for a month, so what the heck!

And so, you thought my story was done there, didn't you?  So did I, frankly. We have an adorable little kitchen that both my husband and I put lots of love and work into, and the kids seem to love it.  That's just what I wanted, right?  But, oh, wait, what's that behind my little blue kitchen in the above photo???

Ummmm, yeah.... another play kitchen....

As luck would have it, not two weeks after finishing the little blue kitchen, what should I come across at Goodwill but this wood kitchen for $7?!?  If I had dreamed up a vintage wooden play kitchen, it couldn't have looked more perfect than this!  Absolutely exactly what I would have wanted!   There's no way I couldn't buy it, is there?  You guys are with me on this one, aren't you?  (If you are, let me know, because at this point, my husband really thinks I'm crazy!)







What a dilemma! 



Very luckily for me, my parents just bought a house in town, and my mother offered to keep one of the kitchens at her house.  Whew!  Because, honestly, I really don't think I could have parted with one!  Now, I just need to decide which one goes where, which is no easy task either, but at least I can change my mind if I decide I miss one! 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my long-winded adventure there!  I still need to post photos of some of my other projects- our new playroom and shared bedroom for the boys.  Both turned out great, and I'm excited to show them off!

Hope you're all having a great season so far!