Pinterest Inspired Pantry Remodel

Something about the New Year gets me itchin' to clean out and organize EVERYTHING! I am not an organized person by nature. I want to be, but as a busy mom with 5 kids, the clutter tends to overwhelm our house. Every year it seems my resolutions include organization. I have not kept it a secret that I have a Pintrest obsession... I am convinced that Pinterest is the solution to pretty much any problem I have. It is therapeutic and it gives me hope for my unorganized home! I am constantly starting a conversation with "Guess what I saw on Pinterest today?" It makes Matt cringe and my kids roll their eyes.

So in honor of the New Year, I have been on the hunt for the best organization pins. I have spent many blissful hours over the last couple months finding solutions for clutter, unorganization, and to be honest, just plain ugliness. One thing I saw over and over was the use of glass jars with chalkboard labels in the pantry.

PINspired by this idea, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought several sizes of jars with metal lids and self adhesive chalkboard paper. (Hobby Lobby often runs a 50% off glassware sale- so the jars are very affordable! I have made it a habit to grab a few every time I go so I can gradually build up my stash.)

When I got home I went to work and cut out several cute labels and started organizing some food into my new fun jars. Excited I placed my new jars in my old pantry- and was disappointed that my pantry didn't instantly look like all the pins I kept finding.


This is a snapshot from the doorway of my 100 year old farmhouse pantry:

Chaos. Unorganization. This pantry does not scream to me to "cook something"... instead it makes me happy that I can just close the door and not look at it anymore.

Lucky for me Pinterest has a solution for this!

(and I have found hundreds of drool worthy examples- you can check them out here)

I completely emptied the pantry and got to work. I painted all the wooden shelving black. The shelving is old and rickety and since we are not planning on replacing the wood anytime soon, I decided a good coat of black paint would camouflage the flaws and give the pantry an instant face lift.

I had found a roll of pretty textured wallpaper on the top shelf of a closet when we first moved in, and I have been saving it for a special project. I decided to wallpaper the walls behind the shelf.

Matt and I spent a weekend working on this project, and I LOVE the results!

Here are pictures of the new pantry:

here is a closeup of the wallpaper:

I know the flash put a glare on it, but you can see the pretty detail! I love it!

See the shelf at the top with the notches? I *think* that is for drying herbs? If anyone knows, please tell me.

Now that the pantry is finished (minus the new wood floor we will be putting in sometime this year) I am taking the opportunity to go through all the food that was in the pantry and to clean out and organize it.


Here is the final project: My Pinterest Inspired Dream Pantry!!!

There are still several things that I would like to end up in jars, but I will continue to grab a few every time I go to Hobby Lobby until I have enough.

Everyone that has seen it is very impressed, especially me! I love my new farmhouse pantry! :)

Goat Playground

The goats love to be free in the yard and to follow us around. 

They have never left, but I still don't feel comfortable having them free
when we aren't paying attention.
Anyone familiar with goats probably understands,
goats have a tendency to get into things (trouble) just like toddlers.
You would never leave a toddler unsupervised and just like toddlers,
unsupervised goats are trouble magnets!

So a couple weeks ago, I came up with the brilliant idea to build an outdoor goat pen that connects to their stall in the barn. That way they can go in and out as they please, but they are still safe. As with all my brilliant ideas, Matt looks at me skeptically and tries to understand what exactly my vision is,
and how much work is involved for him to execute it.
Lucky for him, there is a whole pile of scrap wood that was stored in an
old building on the farm. Anytime I have a project, we go to the "wood shed"
and get what we need without having to spend a bunch of money at the lumberyard.
We found what we needed and hauled it over.
Here is our progress:

*****
Day 1: The western fence goes up

Day 2: The east & south fences go up

Simon is going to join in and help dad

I would like to think that Matt is patiently teaching Simon something here...

Day 3: the north fence and the outside gate is finished

See Jack?

I am QUITE sure he is already trying to figure a way out of the pen

Hopefully this gate latch will do the trick and keep him in

Day 4: the goat door & play ground

Jack is checking out the progress

Now Sundance is checking out the doorway...

from both sides... looks good to him!

Simon also tries the door- a little tight, but he still fits

Matt does not fit.

After the door/ ramp is attached, the babies can get in and out too

Next Matt is building some toys for them- 

Goats love to climb, so this will provide them some entertainment.

In no time at all, the goats test it out and approve!

And now everyone is happy!

Another completed project!

Thanks (again!) Matt 

Brooder Time

Well the babies are coming home tomorrow, 

and they need a safe (cat proof) place to live...

So I sweet talked Matt into building me a chick brooder for the dining room. 

"Chicken Scratch" style

Thanks Matt :)