Where Bloggers Live: My “This Ain’t No Instagram Kitchen” Kitchen Tour
Welcome to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? Every month a group of seven bloggers share their workspaces, homes, towns, and more!
Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Julia at When the Girls Rule
Leslie at Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After
This month’s theme was kitchens.
Please lower your expectations.
A lot.
My kitchen is not entertaining in the least. It’s probably my least favorite kitchen of all time. I’ve lived a lot of places so that’s really saying a lot. A normally-placed window and white paint on the walls would make a WORLD of difference. But. I’m a renter, so. It is what it is.
It does hold a lot of favorite items of mine with stories. That orange painting? One year it rained so many days…day after day after day of just torrential rains, week after week. Everyone’s basements were flooding and so a LOT of cool stuff was going out in the trash. I got Quite a Few Things from The Great Flood. Including the big orange painting.
I’m not a big one for putting a lot of stuff on the fridge…this is a lot for me. Two of my works of art HA HA HA HA, the ER bracelet from last fall’s kidney stone incident, a Valentine’s Day card with googly eyes from my sister (yes, we’re both 12), and one of my nieces just got engaged AND bought a house!
I am also incapable of keeping a well-stocked liquor “fridge-top,” cuz I drink stuff as soon as it comes in! My current fave is boozy coconut limeade. Recipe below!
Another sweet niece gave me this chicken egg timer (which came first? the chicken or the egg timer?) when I first sold my house and moved to Brooklyn. The elephant teapot was a gift from a couple I work with after I gifted them with taking their wedding photos.
My sister gave me this cake tester at my bridal shower…31 years ago. He went missing for a few years with all the moves, but now he’s magneted to the side of the fridge right next to the stove for cake testing.
I bought this lamp at a local estate sale back in my eBay days. I got SO many great things from that woman. She had a sale like twice a year and I got so many wonderful things from her over the years. I always find a home in my kitchen for this lamp, everywhere I go.
I think my sister also gave me this sweet little sugar bowl with the bees on top. Long long ago beyond the years where my memory still goes.
And that concludes our little tour…
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
A 4-minute video where I give a little more in-depth tour.
AND the promised recipe.
This originated from the SmittenKitchen website but I have adjusted it to my liking and convenience and so the ingredient ratios are easy for me to remember.
1 can Cream of Coconut. The sweet, creamy stuff you use for pina coladas. I prefer Coco Lopez over Coco Goya.
1 can (I use the coconut can for my measurements) light rum.
3 cans ice.
Juice of two limes. I just discovered I can put the whole lime (well, cut in half) through my juicer without peeling! Have you ever tried to peel a lime? Then you know what an exciting discovery this was! Juice limes then…
Put the lime in the coconut.
Sorry, I hadda do it.
Blend all for a long time at top speed til it’s smooth and not ice chunky.
You could stick a lime slice on the rim of the glass to make it decorative…or you COULD just guzzle it straight from the blender. But who would do such a thing??
I’ve been enjoying these by the thermos-ful at sunset beach when I’m allowed out. Let me know if you try it.
Make sure to visit my friends today to see their kitchens!
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Julia at When the Girls Rule
Leslie at Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After
xoxo
eva @ StyleMyThrift
aw! love all your precious items! and they are all precious…i would have all these items in my home–even the rum! LOL!…my favorite? the orange painting
xo eva
bettyewp
Thanks, Eva 🙂 I do love the orange painting. I always say if I ever to have to REALLY downsize (or move cross country in my car), the three categories of things that go with me (besides necessities) are my lamps, the little bit of artwork I have, and my chairs. I used to have more of all three categories, but move after move, you winnow down a little more every time. But I’ll never get rid of my Garbage Painting!
Iris
I like your kitchen! I love the cabinet colors and I love that corner cabinet. The lamp is great and my first thought looking a pictures was, “Oh, you have an elephant teapot”. Enjoyed the tour – thanks for sharing!
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
ELEPHANT TEAPOT! Ha, I didn’t even think of the Iris connection!
Em
Dang. I’m sitting at the Walmart grocery pickup wishing I had read this yesterday. That drink sounds so refreshing and delish. Definitely adding those ingredients to my next list…and trust me, I have the rum, haha.
I love the special touches in your kitchen. I think every kitchen should have a lamp on the counter to bring home the homeyness. Definitely need to add one of those…just lacking room at the time🤷🏻♀️.
You all are giving me lots of good kitchen inspiration… I just need to get going (as usual).
bettyewp
I love lamps (as is evidenced from my collection). I’m not such a fan of overhead lighting. This apartment has a ton of that, way too bright and harsh and I cast a shadow over everything! I much prefer lamps everywhere. And I know most people don’t think of lamps as a kitchen thing but I just love the intimate warmth it gives off (when I’m standing at the counter eating peanut butter by the spoonful out of the jar).
Sheryle Birdsong
I love and envy your “touch” with words, objects,—- everything! I could sit right down in your home— with your permission, of course!—- sip one one-or two of those drinks— and read a book!!! You are like a breath of air- filling your rooms with sights, sounds, and coziness!!!
BTW— totally off subject – but at Woman Within/Roamans , I found nice quality Capri length linen pants with drawstring waist , really nice Linen big shirts -stocked up. Requesting a photo shoot now on how, and what to wear with them—- hope you’ve found some now— but check it out— natural, black and white colors. (And yes, I’m the reader who asked how to purge all my clothing!!! -I just couldn’t pass up these linen things that I think I can wear for years— should I feel guilty or lucky?)
bettyewp
Oh I would not piss up good linen pieces when you can find them. It can be too hard. I’ll take a look at woman within and Roamans, thanks! And I know I have a blog post planned in 2 weeks with some other bloggers on how to dress for the hot weather but I’ll see if I can get something else up sooner!
Sheryle Birdsong
I know you are Uber busy—- no worries!!!! Thanks!
Sheryle Birdsong
I know you are Uber busy—- no worries!!!! Thanks!
Bettye- there are several different versions – some not so well done. Text me if you want me to send you pictures — I liked the detail on the ones I got.
bettyewp
Our Big Even went live last night so HOPEFULLY I’ll have a little bit of a respite before The Next Big Thing comes along. Honestly, when I go back into work Tuesday I’m gonna be like, what do I do here?? I’ve been working on That One Project almost exclusively for So Long I can’t even remember what else I used to do!
Haven’t been to WW/R yet, it’s 5:30 in the afternoon and I’m JUST turning my computer on since FRIDAY MORNING, I really needed a break!
jodie filogomo
Drink it straight from the blender?? NEVER….hahahahahaha!!
And those small details that bring you joy, I would be remiss if I didn’t use the analogy to accessories. That’s exactly why my earrings, necklaces and such do for my outfits!!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Sheryle Birdsong
I agree, Jodie!!! Well said!
bettyewp
Haha touché!
Debbie@debbiestyleslife.com
I love your kitchen, Bettye! It looks cheerful and happy and I love all of the special touches that make it yours like the cake tester and that gorgeous lamp! I miss doing Match in Seven with you. Take care and enjoy summer!
bettyewp
AWw, thanks, Debbie 🙂 Well, we’ll still visit one another’s blogs!
Hope you’re doing well…
Daenel T.
I love that you have your mom’s jar opener – so sweet. I’m such a sucker for memory items. My mom had a cast iron pan that my dad fixed with a broken gold necklace… I’d assumed that it would come to me given my love for cast iron…My mom THREW IT AWAY!! She said she didn’t know I wanted it. *grumble*
bettyewp
I’m trying to visualize repairing a cast iron pan with a gold necklace. Like, did he melt the gold?
And doesn’t that just burn you?? When someone gets rid of something they KNEW you loved…? Ugh.
Leslie Susan Clingan
Mmmm, I’ll take a double shot of your coconut limeade. Sounds so perfectly summer. Will be giving it a try.
You have so many special pieces in your kitchen. Those are better than any ole white walls. I have a very small window above the sink but otherwise my kitchen is kind of dark, like the rest of the house. As a young girl, I daydreamed of having my house someday, standing at the sink doing the dishes with the wind blowing through the curtains.