DIY Day - Our Kitchen Island!

I've been busy! I know I keep promising updates but really, I really have been busy making this house of our a home we're beginning to totally *heart*. It's comin', it's comin'!

BUT for now...here's a DIY for DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land!

Before...

After...

I painted it red, added a butcher block top, some corbels (I think that's what those are called, right??), a hook for a towel, and some beadboard to go with the "new" cabinets.

I bought the island from World Market for $120 because it was the last one (and the display). I bought the butcher block top from Ikea for $89. The paint was $8, and the corbels were $3 a piece. The beadboard was left over from the kitchen reno so the total for my new island.........$223. A little pricey for my frugal tastes but it's the PERFECT size for our kitchen and will serve it's purpose of housing some little cookie-bakin' hands well :).

I *Heart* My Kitchen (NOW!)

*Edited to include the Metamorphosis Monday button!

Ok, so I know I owe this little 'ol blog quite a few updates. And they're coming. Soon. But I HAVE to jump this one straight to the top of that list.

About two months ago, I found this girl. She's awesome. I'm a little embarrassed to say I have a total blog crush. The day I found her blog I literally spent HOURS looking through the entire thing. I mean, clearly she has great taste. But it wasn't even just that that had me. It's the ridiculous fact that she does all of this stuff herself. Her. SELF! That night my brain started twirling with idea after idea for this little house of ours. All of the things I had always loved but thought I could never afford suddenly became possible.

So I did it. I headed out and bought myself a miterbox and saw. Uh, helllllo, I had never even used a saw before. Ever. And what I did with it ended up being a living room I never thought I'd have. And yes, that would be the perfect opening for a post full of pictures of said living room. BUT after finishing said living room, I apparently earned some street cred from the man of the house and wouldn't ya know it he agreed to let me move on to the kitchen and paint our cabinets! Holler! I jumped right on that and, after psyching myself out a few times, with bated breath, I took the plunge.

And here's what happened:

Before...

and After...

Details to come!!!