Saturday, March 12, 2011

A Party in My Pantry


Well, a couple of days of R&R later...
and I am feeling like a new woman!
It really took all of two days though...
I think I was exhausted and didn't even know it.


So.....
 Last night, I was feeling so much better,
I hopped up off the sofa and started on my project of the week for...


This is a project that I have been putting off for weeks and weeks...
One of those things that really, really needed to happen, which bugged me daily...
something I had kind of started, but never took the time to finish...
which meant that, for a few months now, I have been in...
Pantry Limbo.

Let me explain...

This past December, just as the holidays were rolling around...
Mr. Shabby and I came across a very large piece of furniture that we decided we couldn't do without.

You see, *somewhere in our future* there is a kitchen makeover... 
and we've been on the lookout for some special pieces for that future kitchen...

so when  my mama  my personal shopper called from an antique shop 
to say that she had sent me a photo that I better look at...
and when I squealed when I saw the photo and then squealed some more when I heard the price...

it was time to call Mr. Shabby and arrange a very quick trip down the road to see this piece of furniture...
before somebody else snapped it up!

So that's how we ended up buying this antique Irish linen press for each other for Christmas...



...within a few days it moved into our kitchen...
and there it sat while the holidays whirled by....
Looking pretty... and Empty.


And then after the holidays, I guess I hadn't really decided exactly how I wanted to use it...
so there it sat...


Eventually, I started tossing stuff in there... 
but still didn't really have a plan....
Finally, a plan came to be, and last night, I made it happen.....


So, you know this pretty little corner of my house
that you may have seen once or twice before? ;-)


Well, this little corner is in my dining room...
and for the last 7+ years this little jelly cupboard has been my pantry...


You see, there's no pantry in our 1950's kitchen...
and we've tried moving this cupboard into the kitchen before, but it just didn't work in the space.
Having pantry shelves at waist height and below wasn't exactly my ideal either...


So, the idea of having the pantry actually in the kitchen and above waist height 
became pretty darn exciting to me...


and since I never really knew anymore where anything was, 
in the old pantry or the new pantry...
it was time to git 'er done...
A Feeling-Better-Pantry-Organization Party!


After two days of lethargy, I suddenly had all kinds of energy... and boy, did it feel good.
I hauled everything that was still in the old pantry to the new one 
and re-organized everything in the new space
{all while making Thai chicken soup for dinner...}


Bulk dry goods and baking supplies on the left... close at hand :-)



in the middle door, snacks and treats...



on the right side, canned goods, potatoes, pasta, beans...



in the bottom drawers I finally have a great storage space for table linens.




...and there you have it!
I must say that my pantry has never looked so good...
This cupboard can make anything look pretty ;-)


And now that all that stuff is out of the dining room...


there's room in there for things that belong in the dining room...
{and were in a living room cupboard!}
extra dishes, silverware, the old bottle collection...
and space left over! Hallelujah!


It feels great to check this one off my list...
and to use that "new" cupboard, instead of just look at it!




more soon, chickadees...

oneshabbychick






Sharing at...


My Romantic Home
French Country Cottage
At The Picket Fence
Common Ground
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
The House in the Roses
A Beach Cottage



24 comments:

  1. love it!!! nice personal shopper you have there...wish I had one :)

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  2. Looks great my dear sister-in-law! Love the cabinet too!

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  3. I love your new pantry, you lucky girl! We have a pantry space, however, it was not constructed to be very practical. On our to-do list.

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  4. Thank you, girls!!! Yup, I am very lucky to have my personal shopper... she's a keeper ;-)

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  5. Wonderful! It must feel so good to have that done!

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  6. That is one gorgeous piece of furniture! Great find.

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  7. Absolutely love it! How lucky are you....What a great spot to organize as a pantry.

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  8. Your mom did really good. The linen press is beautiful.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  9. GORGEOUS. Who knew a pantry could be so pretty? Treasure that personal shopper of yours... what a blessing.

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  10. What a fabulous piece. Your pantry is just wonderful ;-)

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  11. Nice job! Isn't a "free standing" pantry called a "larder"? Very nice. I need to do that project too, but don't have as nice a piece to do it with (yet..I will keep looking)

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  12. That is a gorgeous piece and what a brilliant idea to Use it as a pantry. It looks amazing.

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  13. Oh love your new piece!! How absolutely beautiful!! It is perfect for your pantry too- well done to your Mom!! Thanks for sharing at FNF! :)

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  14. Your personal shopper did a great job, what an amazing piece of furniture. It holds a ton of great stuff,and it's just beautiful. Thanks so much for linking up with VIF!
    hugs,
    Debra

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  15. The linen press turned kitchen pantry is beautiful. I love that the jelly cupboard now holds things needed for the dining room. I am so very happy for you!

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  16. Gorgeous piece of furniture... love them! and thanks for participating in Show Off Your Cottage Monday and bringing us here! I shall be back!

    Cielo

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  17. Thank you, thank you! I am really enjoying using the cupboard! It feels like a working part of the kitchen now, instead of a new wall :-) And I got to check it off my list... yay!

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  18. Nice home for a pantry and nicely organised too

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  19. Oh my Lord! I am coveting...COVETING that linen press. It is gorgeous! Your mom did a fabulous job finding that piece and you've done a beautiful job transforming it into a pantry. I'm just a tad bit jealous of you having it...but I'm happy for you. :) Thank you for linking up to Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence.

    Heather

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  20. This is unbelievable. I am so impressed by how much food you have! I couldn't fill up that linen press if I tried ...Isn't is a great feeling though to be organized? I did my little pantry cupboard just after New Years. I bought Ball canning jars for the smaller dry goods and spices and cracker jars from Walmart for pasta, etc. It turned out pretty good. I really enjoy your blog. Don't work so hard! ~Ann

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  21. Thank you, Pearl Maple and Heather and everyone!
    Ann, I have three hungry boys in this house, 1 grown and 2 growing. This is how I keep up! I didn't have any trouble filling it (and I have a basement pantry, too!) I'm so so glad you are enjoying my blog.That makes my day!!!

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  22. That's one beautiful piece of furniture...and I THINK I see two boxes of New Orleans famous beignet mix at the bottom!!!

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  23. Thanks, Kiwi! And yes, good eye, two boxes of beignet mix... total impulse buy around Mardi Gras :- )

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  24. What a cool house that you are staying in, never seen one like it. Have fun

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