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Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Sweet Christmas Cottage - The Kitchen

Some might say this Sweet Christmas Cottage kitchen is packed full. They'd be right. It's just so hard to fit so many ideas into one little space! I am pretty satisfied with the amount of wonderful things I was able to fit, and to say I enjoyed the process of getting here would be a gross understatement. I really hope all of you find joy in it, too!

I'll likely just post groups of photos and not say much. No one is here for words anyway, right! If you see something and wonder where it came from or how it came to be, just post a comment or send me an email. I am very happy to share the sources or processes.



You'll have to forgive the many and varied light quality and shade differences in the photos. The red shades on the kitchen fixtures create a very warm and charming effect with real life eyes, but the camera just doesn't know how to interpret it. So I took many, many photos. Some with the lights on, some off, and some with the pieces completely outside of the kitchen under my bright white LED bulbs. I also used various papers and materials to filter the light and reduce the shadows when possible. Photography is an art that I am just beginning to comprehend. :O)









My grandma's kitchen was always filled with home baked breads, pies, cakes and cookies. Especially at Christmastime! It was a delight to the eyes, nose and especially the taste buds! I wanted to capture the feeling of my grandma's kitchen. Seven kids were raised in it, so it definitely had it's share of wear and tear. But it was always clean, always welcoming, and no one ever left hungry!





































I want to fill the ovens with baking goodness and stock the fridge, but for the most part the kitchen is finished. I'll likely add some kind of curtains on the window, but will wait until I see where the leaded glass pattern falls before I do. That's part of the outside finishing and will be saved for last.

Now I need to decide if I am in the mood to start on the living room, or switch back over to pulling out can lights, removing ceiling trim, removing the ceiling paper, and redoing it all on the New Orleans. That's a long job and a long story. That post will require many, many words. :O)

To all of you all over the world, whether on hurricane watch or in the clutches of choking fire smoke, enjoying the last days of summer or the last days of winter, stay safe, count your blessings, and make some mini fun! It really is the cure for all that ails you!

Warm Christmas Hugs,
Jodi

37 comments:

  1. jodi, I love the details! so much to discover... like in a real grandma's kitchen :-)

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    1. Thanks, Marion! I always found hidden treasures in my grandma's kitchen, too!

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  2. What can I say? I love it! It´s amazing, I want this kitchen for myself. There are so many things to discover. It is full of little wonders and the whole thing is just marvellous. Great job Jodi. Did you say something about redoing things on the New Orleans? Oh my! I´m not going to ask...

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    1. That is such a wonderful comment, Alexandra! Thank you!
      Oh that New Orleans is a real test of my patience and a challenge to my skill level. But I am determined to get it right, even if it takes me years!!!

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  3. Hi!
    Your Christmas kitchen it´s so lovely. I can smell the ginger bread already

    Britt

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment, Britt! I'm glad you like it, too! :O)

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  4. Gah.. I don't know where to look first! :D I love it! Sooo much detail.. adorable.. the little trivets on the side of the roper and one of the hutches.. I love your aprons & christmas tea towels.. I assume you made them? I love love the taps on your sink.. did they come with it or did you purchase them separately? How great is you little biscuit making scene.. complete with ginger man cutouts!... And all the yummy treats.. now I want a piece of cake.. good thing I have some red velvet left in the fridge from my birthday. :D :D

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    1. Thanks, Sam! It was fun to stuff as much in there as I could, and looking at the photos I realize there is room for even more!
      I did make the aprons and towels, the wall shelves and the crates and stool, the canning jars, most of the food and bottle blanks painted and labels added. All the "bought" stuff got upgraded even if it was to add scratches and dents! :O) I think the making part is my favorite, though I do get impatient and wonder why I can't just be happy with things the way they are!
      Happy belated birthday! I hope you got spoiled and that you spoiled yourself! Red velvet is one of my favorite cakes, too! I even took a cooking class years ago and made one! Yum!

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    2. Thank you!.. Yes the cake was good until I read the calories on the side of the box.. lol
      I could tell that you had upgraded everything.. I love all the dings and shabby-ing. :)
      Your preserves are particularly good. Where do you get your blanks from.. I'm have a time of it finding a source myself.

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    3. Calories shmallories... eat that birthday cake!
      I got this particular set when I was at Auntie Em's in Phoenix. Even though they were empty inside, they had the lids glued on. Luckily I was able to pry them off without cutting myself!. I haven'e seen these kind online in a long time, but if I do find them I will let you know!

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  5. You can not have too much detail in a project it is what makes it great rather than ordinary - yours is definitely great. Love the ordinary details like matches in a box, nails to hang things from, rubber gloves in a bowl under the sink, the cute soap dish over the sink, and, and, and, too many too list... the every day stuff gives things life and stops them looking stagy. Yours is just lovely. M

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    1. Thanks so much, Marilyn! It is amazing how much stuff it takes to outfit such a tiny space, but the ideas just keep flowing! I am so glad that it made you happy, too!

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  6. Oooh! Gingerbread and fruit cake! So Christmassy! I love it. So full of details but nothing makes it too overwhelming. Your stove and fridge are just perfect and your sink with its cleaning supplies is just right.

    Sorry to hear about the lights and ceiling on the New Orleans build. I feel your pain.

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    1. Thanks, Sheila! I am so looking forward to getting it all lit up and finished for the holidays! I hope I can finish in time!
      The New Orleans... So much re-doing, but dear God I still love her and the ideas still want so much to come to life. I have resolved to take my time, re-do what I must, and not settle or compromise. It may take me a long time, but I will get it right eventually!

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  7. Such an array of wonderful Christmas miniatures that evoke memories of a warm kitchen, wafting spicy aromas that manage to fill the entire house and the comfort of family close by at a very special time of the year. So many delightful accessories to admire and that bring this particular Christmas scene to life...I can only imagine how long it has taken you to acquire and then find the perfect spot for each miniature item. A lovely holiday display in every possible way! Cheers, Alayne

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    1. Thank you, Alayne! I am so glad that you like it, too! I have been collecting for a long time, stealing budget money from other things (oops) and planning the really special parts in my mind. I just hope that in the end it will evoke the kind of magic feeling and that childlike joy we seem to connect with at Christmastime!

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  8. Just amazing. I keep coming back to each photo and I find something new, so many details. I don't want to imagine how many hours you spent! Congrats on this room.

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    1. Thanks, Kat! It did seem to take an excruciatingly long time, only because I was so excited to see it done. But the process for most things was really fun, so that kept me excited even when waiting for paint and glue to dry! :O)

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  9. Si, está lleno pero no sobra nada. Encaja todo perfectamente. Has creado un ambiente muy acogedor.

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    1. ¡Gracias, Isabel! Estoy contento de que te gusta y no encontrar demasiado lleno! ¡Usted nunca tiene bastante espacio en la Navidad para toda la maravilla!

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  10. Loving all the tiny details in this gingerbread kitchen Jodi!

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    1. Thanks, Shannon! I am happy to know that you enjoyed the photos, too! :O)

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  11. Wow! What a Feast for the eyes! (And the Imagination!) Every tiny detail is so well thought out and everything looks sooooo Yummy!!! LOL! I can't begin to know where to start! I particularly love the arrangements of the Roper stove... and the gingerbread in the making... and the crocheted pot-holders and the jars of fruits and the fruitcake.... and all the supplies... My oh my you have been having Fun!!! My vote is to stay with the fun stuff now that you are on a roll!:) Christmas is coming too soon... the New Year is soon enough to tackle problems in the N.O. Project! I am really loving this project! :)

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    1. Thanks, Betsy! I like the way your mind works! I vote for staying with the fun, too! That N.O. project seems content to sit and watch me work on the cottage for now...

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  12. Oh, and I wanted to add that I really love the way you have kept the red and green colors looking soft and understated in this Christmas kitchen! It is so easy to get overwhelmed with traditional bright red and bright green! It takes real skill to show so much "Christmas" decor without it shouting at you! :)

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    1. Thank you so much! I am trying to keep 30's and 40's Christmas cards in mind when finishing things. I want it to feel old fashioned, un-fancy, and believable. But with a pop or two of color to stand out. Do you know the style I'm thinking of?

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  13. It really is a wonderful kitchen with fantastic details. Again and again I look and find fascinating miniatures. It looks like no one can go hungry with all the food already on display or in preparation.
    I love it.
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thank you, Drora! I am so happy that you love it!

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  14. Hi Jodi, With the Christmas Season now so much closer, my vote is that you stick with this FANTASTIC Sweet Christmas Cottage because you are on A (jelly) ROLL!
    The atmosphere within this enchanting kitchen, is filled to the brim with activity, comfort and joy! The aromas of Christmas baking and the results of it are everywhere you look. The painting of the individual accessories to make them blend or harmonize with each other shows the patience and the love that you have for those tiny extras that both charm and intrigue.
    There are LOTS of individual tableaus which I LOVE, but what gives me the MOST pleasure is how you have married them all together, and that shows Skill and a Discernment of where to place them to gain the greatest impact and yet not detract from the overall scheme-This is BRILLIANT work Jodi and I APPLAUD you on EVERYTHING! ♡ :D

    elizabeth

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  15. How marvelous!!! Man, do I want cookies right now! You've nailed the details so well. :D

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  16. Hello Jodi,

    this kitchen makes me happy! You did a fantastic job. My biggest complaint are miniaturists who overstuff their rooms, but I think yours is perfect! there are a lot of amazing miniatures, but they don't get lost in the madness. I think you chose items that really create the charm of Christmas...I can almost smell the spices in the cookies. Fantastic work my friend.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Thank you, Giac! I love that the little Christmas kitchen evokes a positive emotion from you as well! My job is done here, lol! :O)

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  17. Oh Jodi, this kitchen is absolutely wonderful! The details are fabulous. There is just so much Christmas goodness in every nook and cranny. I love it! By the way, your photographs are superb!

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    1. Thanks, Sam! I am doing the best I can with my iPhone camera and the lighting I have available. Learning little tidbits along the way so hopefully, they will get better in the future! :O)

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  18. I just came accross this post ABSOLUTLEY BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED. I LOVE LOVE IT

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