Thursday, March 13, 2008

My Kitchen "Valance"


This is the 'valance' that I have in my kitchen window. I found an old chippy red rake head in a pile of roadside junk that just needed a nice home. At the same time I was collecting the vintage red utensils. Then one day I had one of those "aha" moments and put the two together. The utensils are hung with raffia onto the teeth of the rake with a vintage rolling pin sitting on top. This has been in my kitchen window for at least a year.
This past summer as I was sitting out on our patio looking in the kitchen window, I noticed it looked a little harsh from the outside--like stuff hanging in a butcher shop or a scene from a sci-fi movie!
Then I had another bright idea...takes me awhile to catch on. I've had this beautiful old white sheer/embroidered just-for-company apron that belonged to my husband's grandmother. I hung it behind the 'valance' tied up and decorated with a couple of old round faucet handles. The transformation is amazing! It looks so much softer from the outside yet we can still see the beautiful view from the inside.
This is a former post that I did right after I started blogging. If you've seen and read it already, I won't be offended if you quickly move on...but then how will I know?!
Head on over to Kelli's for more Show & Tell Friday fun!

It's All Good!

34 comments:

  1. This is just ADORABLE!

    How clever! Love it!


    xo,
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cute Brenda. Very clever idea with the apron behind them. That is all the same things I had in our Play Kitchen for my daughter. All of those red chippy utensils. She has sinced moved on in life, but I still have them all for the grandkids of someday. I just love your creativity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aha, you are a clever one, totally unique, it needs to be in a magazine.

    Hugs,
    LeAnn :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is so witty, clever and unique. I love it!!!
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh my goodness...I have some of the same pieces...My mom found them for me.

    cool.

    ~simply~

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's something I would never have come up with, but it is extraordinary, at that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would have never thought of displaying them that way. What a great idea! Looks so homey and cozy. ;o)

    Thanks for stopping by to see my new office!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for visiting my blog. I LOVE your valance in the kitchen. My home does not have a kitchen window over the sink. I KNOW, hard to believe, but I love your idea.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such a cute idea. Yes, I saw it before, but didn't mind seeing it again.
    Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. A very creative display. I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Some people are just flat out born creative! I obviously ain't one of them! Even if it came along later, you had a great idea with the apron! Your comment about the butcher shop made me laugh. Reminded me of the scene from "Twister" when they go into the barn with all of the sickles and saws etc hanging down from the rafters and she says,
    "WHO ARE these people?"
    Connie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Are you sure you didn't read my dream kitchen post before you did this??? :)

    I love turquoise and red together. These look great, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a darling idea. I love it!!
    Kathi

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love the apon background! Thanks for stopping by...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello! That is a very creative idea!

    I read through your party post and noticed that you are in Flagstaff. My husband and I are going to be near there - Sedona - in May for our 10th anniversary.

    I love chocolate also. You've Got Mail is one of my favorites too.

    It's great to meet you.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hadn' seen that--there was another blogger that did something similar but not in a window!! I love the old utensils---I have some that I still use. I also had a wonderful cake cutter with a green handle that I loved especially because of its length---unfortunately it broke when my husband bought a cake (and he didn't realize it was frozen!!). He tried cutting it when it was still frozen solid!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love it. Just love it! And I remember those utensils when they were new! Great show and tell.
    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  18. Brenda, I enjoyed your S and T for today. Very creative. I wish I had just half your imagination. Then maybe I could come up with something neat like this.

    Have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very creative. I think it's great.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for sharing. It is such a different and creative display

    ReplyDelete
  21. I remember seeing these utensils.
    A neat idea on how to display them!

    ReplyDelete
  22. That is so clever...and so cute!

    Thanks for your comment on my blog! It's nice to "meet" you!

    Meredith

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is the cutest...I love it all. It's such a neat idea..it would always make me smile. Linda

    ReplyDelete
  24. OMG! I am just swooning!! I absolutley love this!!

    I added you to my collection of "How to Display Vintage Aprons" on Flickr, you can see it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21597066@N08/sets/72157603688213586/

    Stop on by for a visit at http://anapronaday.blogspot.com. Made some Kiss Me I'm Irish Beef & Cabbage yesterday & posted the recipe. Come on over, I'll fix you a plate!

    ReplyDelete
  25. OMG! I am just swooning!! I absolutley love this!!

    I added you to my collection of "How to Display Vintage Aprons" on Flickr, you can see it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21597066@N08/sets/72157603688213586/

    Stop on by for a visit at http://anapronaday.blogspot.com. Made some Kiss Me I'm Irish Beef & Cabbage yesterday & posted the recipe. Come on over, I'll fix you a plate!

    ReplyDelete
  26. How creative!! Had to lol at the view of the utensils from the outside. Love the use of the rake and the apron.

    ReplyDelete
  27. You are very creative. I love that you used a rake to hold the utensils. Great display with the apron included.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I like that valance just as much now as when you first posted it. I love old kitchen utensils, especially the enameled wooden handled ones.

    Yes Ma'am, I'll pray about the matter you mentioned. I've been there before and it's heart wrenching, whether you stay or go.

    Love, hugs and prayers,

    Diane

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love this! And your decorating evolution sounds like mine - bit by bit I'll put something together, never planned out, but finally perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I like your 'valance' - it gives it a perfect hand touched decorating look.

    Blessings,
    ~Martie

    ReplyDelete
  31. That is so neat! We have an old farmhouse, and that would be perfect. Now I have to go rake hunting at yard sales. :)

    Lesley
    www.pillowcasetalk.blogspot.com
    (Read about how baaaaa-dly March
    is behaving!)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I just came across this, and absolutely love it. You have inspired me! This look would be perfect for my kitchen! I'm going to have to see what I can come up with along those lines. I love the chippy red utensils, but I don't have any... so I'll have to figure out what I can substitute. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to visit with me. I enjoy your comments very much. :)