DEMO OF THE UGLY DUCKLING KITCHEN! AND BONES OF THE SWAN KITCHEN

  

  It took about 2 hours to demo my Ugly Kitchen and about two months for the kitchen to be put back together.

  When planning a kitchen demo in a small 600 square foot condo I recommend getting a small student fridge, budgeting for take out food and to plan on reducing your food in your fridge freezer to almost nothing before the renovation. I also recommend money, and lots of it!

   We were not planning to do the kitchen for another month but I was luckily already packing and I did not at the time realize how much crap and lack of space I had. On the day of the renovation we midnight shifters were awakened at 7:00 am and still had so much to clear out of the kitchen. We look like drunken college students scrambling in every direction. No longer being on "normal" people hours it was so painful to be awake at the time! We started just throwing things instead of organizing them onto the table and on the floor. We wanted to just get this kitchen done and to go back to bed! The two months renovations and midnight shifts were painful. To have to be up after a long shift or to have to make decisions without much sleep is not a good idea.

    I got to take down the first cabinet with a sledge hammer! That I have to say it is a liberating thing to destroy an inefficient kitchen cabinet. To totally rip the cabinet into shreds and to declare there is nothing in this kitchen that I want to keep and be able to budget to put it back together again.

  There were issues that came up just in the demo. It turns out that the gas was never capped correctly before the demo (not the contractors fault but it was before the demo). So there was a gas leak luckily I noticed and they were back in an instant. The lighting guy could not come for over a week so we had an empty kitchen for over a week. Then there were just so many delays like deciding on different doors, and things not in stock. Then the counters guys could not come at one point and then there was an extra space to accommodate for the counters. Then the sink that came with the counters was actually too big for where the plumbing was... and so we started in October and a couple of weeks before Christmas we were actually using non bathroom water. We had for that period only one source of running water! So you know we did not cook even when all we were waiting for as our kitchen sink. So for two weeks when the kitchen was mostly complete except for the kitchen sink! A lot of it had to do with getting condo board with us or scheduling time to shut off the water/etc because our condo is all connected with all of the condos.

 This waiting resulted in us having to live like were trying to try out for A&E's show "Hoarders" for such a long time. We just wished it was already over since we had to eat out until we got the fridge back (two or three weeks later). It was just us and a cooler and we never seemed to have cool drinks. It was worth it two months later when we got ice maker in the fridge we have now. But all I wanted was iced drinks and we could not get it.

  Jonathan and I who just wanted to be in our kitchen especially as the winter holidays were upon us. We flipped through cookbooks saying-- oh that looks so good! We would drool and wish and wish.

  Enjoy the pictures below and I will update with final pictures in another post.

Don't you love the Martha Stewart paint samples?

This was above the fridge and you could never get anything in or out of it!
I hate above the fridge store unless it goes out as much the fridge and has
storage like I planned for my platters/etc.

The upper cabinets that were so low that you could not wash dishes in the sink without
 hitting your hands on them. Yet there was so much room ABOVE the cabinets too.

 

Normally if I walked into this situation I would be upset, but not today!

The fridge turns out was leaking majorly and when
we took it out it had huge puddle. If it was not for the
three layers of laminate the people downstairs would
have been in a squalor's Venice!

Well Rome was not built in a day nor a week
more like 2 months...



Penny is confused but yet happy there are so many people
in the Condo.



More of the wreckage...

Reminds me of the cover of the Rolling Stone's Album
Beggars Banquet

Penny in the living room aka storage for our Kitchen
materials. She is probably flirting with one of the workers.

Ikea: Stamford, CT location

Our Audition tape for A&E's Hoarders...

More Materials and photos of dogs taken by Me.

You would never know there was a table under there!
Ikea Stamford mix with Sur la Table.

The Floor gets floored! by Ikea I like the flooring design
because it is very Mid Century Modern. I think it looks like
Zebra wood.

Starting to assemble the cabinets!

Penny in the mess that was our living room turn stock room

Base cabinets!

upper cabinets!

Stuff is coming together!



Beginning of the below cabinet drawers by the stove.



The Tools to do the job right!

The penny inspection of the kitchen



Penny is inspecting the cabinets or seeing if there are any treats in there.



Upper cabinets with some of the doors.



The area by the stove.



the beginning of a beautiful kitchen with better lighting!

Penny among the kitchen renovation

Penny once again inspecting the day's work

Oh my Cookbook nook! My favorite
thing that I wanted to be added. I love it!

Penny still inspecting the kitchen and awaiting her treats.

Cabinets by the stove area with the open
nook used for pasta. Yup, pasta I love those carbs!

We have pull out drawers but no handles yet..

inside of the pull out drawers

close up of the drawers





   Wait for the next post to see how this Ugly Duckling of a Kitchen transformed into a Swan!

SUNDAE COOKIES AND SUNDAE COOKIE CUPS

 

SUNDAE COOKIES

Makes about 9 dozen cookies or 2 big cookies with 12 plus big cookies or about 50 Sundae cookie cups. I recommend the Wilton Brownie cup pan with this recipe for a great ice cream parlour party.

1 cup Hot fudge sauce

1.5 cups Caramel sauce

1.5 cups packed brown sugar

1.5 granulated sugar

4.5 cups of all-purpose flour
2 eggs
4 sticks (2 cups) of butter softened
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons of salt


1.) Cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar in stand mixer with the flat blade.
2.) Beat the eggs with a fork and mix in the vanilla extract. Slowly add in one egg at a time into the mixture so that the fat emulsion can spread through out the mix.


(Tip: This will help the fat spread throughout the batter and when you bake it will have more of an even taste/texture. The fat will be mixed throughout the cookie making the cookie taste much better )


3.) Mix in the hot fudge sauce at room temperature into the batter until well mixed.
4.) Mix in the caramel sauce into the batter until well mixed.


(Tip: I used William Sonoma's Hot fudge Sauce and William Sonoma's Caramel sauce that was already stored at room temperature. I am not sure the quality of the product if you go crazy in a Ice Cream Shoppe or shop or store if you use straight from the hot fudge warmer. I have not been able to test this product as if I were a fat kid in a Candy Store that also has ice cream sundaes).


5.) In a side large bowl shift together flour and baking powder. Then add the salt but do not shift the salt in the mix.
6.) Gradually mix in the flour mixture into the batter using the mixer hood and at low speed.
7.) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until it is firm enough to roll into big cookies or to put in the Wilton Brownie cup pan.

8.) After 30 minutes two options for the cookie dough:

A.) Cookie cups should be baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Spray with Pam with Flour Baking spray.

(Tip: Here you cans see that the cookie cups are too big but I can just trim off the excess or just serve as is. If you aim for perfection then you will want to make sure to fill the cups 3/4 the way with the cookie dough. But still it is just as tasty!)

As I found out later in this experiment these cookie cups except for
the far left cup are over filled. To get perfect cups only fill 3/4 the cavity.

At 300 Degrees Fahrenheit bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden.
Let cool in pan 5 minutes then reverse onto a cooling rack.
You can clearly see that they were over filled.

Do not fret you can always cut the excess after
the cups cool and use on top of the sundae cups on some form.

Later scoop ice cream of choice on top.
If baked ahead warm cookie for 15 secs

B.) The cookies should bake 8-15  minutes or until golden. Let the cookie cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then move onto the cooling rack.



Sundae Cookies 



If the cookies are big cookies you need to leave adequate room
for the cookies to spread.

I froze these a week ago. The cookies look odd now but they come
out smooth and round. I wrapped them in wax paper and froze in
a zip lock bag.

That same cookie as you can see came out smooth without any
wrinkles as seen original in the dough.

REVIEW OF "KING SIZE TOWEL ORIGAMI: 50 FANTASTIC FOLDING PROJECT FOR YOUR BATH TOWELS, BATHROBES, AND BEACH TOWELS"

  
   I love making gift baskets and it started long before I moved to CT. Ever since I saw in the 1980's a teddy bear in a clear balloon at a birthday party I have been interested in gift presentation. Also as a child I had gone to many wedding showers  (I was the one who always gifted the "something blue [and obscene]"). I grew to love and be impressed by cellophane and gift baskets the brides would receive. Because of my past facination with gift presentation those that invite me to their parties know that I always aim outside the norm. They also know that I love packing tape to keep the presentation of the gift together and that is something that I would like to change.I had been wondering about this book on Barnes and Nobles online discount bin for a couple of days.

   For Easter I got a gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles. I used the gift certificate along with a discount code I found on Retailmenot.com and I got 6% back on my purchase through Ebates. So basically when I picked up this item for $7.19 and free shipping I figured what did I have to lose?  With all of that in my arsenal I decided to give this book King Size Towel Origami: 50 Fantastic Folding Project For Your Bath Towels, Bathrobes, And Beach Towels a chance.

   I have to say that I was a bit disappointed. Does that statement sound sad? Is it sad that I was not happy with a towel origami book. But I am inspired to attempt to work from these designs and improve on them. I am not going to use this except for gifts or to make gift baskets. I am not a Stepford Housewife no matter how hard I try I cannot learn to like to do housework. I do not even get to do my own laundry because we do not have laundry on the premise. Sigh, my husband does our laundry and everything is forever wrinkled. That is one of my only complaints of this condo. I wish I had a washer and dryer in my condo. I miss the joys of doing and folding my own laundry fresh out of the dryer.

  First of all I have to say that this book does have very easy to follow directions. Alison Jenkin's directions are broken down into clear steps with easy to follow along pictures as well. I have to praise her for her chapter on "Bathtime Snacks" and "Buildings." Her "people and creatures" were kind of scary but not in the intended way. I did not like her people they looked "off." Lassie, and King Kong were the only good parts of the "People and Creatures" section.

Killer Whale page 102

 Here is a list of the better projects:
1.) Lassie
2.) King Kong
3.) Chrysler Building
4.) Cupcake
5.) Wedding cake (although I did not like the "topper.")
6.) Ice Cream Cone
7.) Burger
8.) Hot Dog
9.) Shark
10.) Whale
11.) Killer Whale
12.) Penguin
13.) Swan
14.) Hippo
15.) Owl
16.) Lighthouse
17.) Sailing boat
18.) Palm tree (although I wish it would stand up by itself)
19.) Clam Shell
20.) Dog Whelk
21.) Crab
22.) Seal
23.) The Parthenon
24.) Sydney Opera House
25.) Big Ben

The below are examples of towel people that are just "off" and I cannot explain so I am going to have to show examples:

Billy Bathtowel page 14

Marilyn page 26



  With the only half of the projects even interesting me I have to say my recommendation is that it is a good library rental. It was great for inspiration and there are a couple of great projects but only with half being good makes it seem like not the best deal. I think I want to try these with perhaps floral wire and start simple and then branch out when I make my towel origami.

All pictures are copyright 2010 Ivy Press Limited taken by Andrew Perris and Calvey Taylor- Haw. The book was publishedby Metro Books  by Arrangement of Ivy Press Limited. Creative child of Alison Jenkins author of this book. I do not claim to have the use of these photographs that I scanned to illustrate.