And said “You ARE painting this right?” so I chuckled and said “well of COURSE!  We can’t sell it looking like this!” thinking I was being funny.  Without even looking at me, she responded “Ok good.  What color are you painting it?” I believe my exact words were:  *blink*

Now, I really would be repainting the kitchen and I realized I had no idea what color would work.  WHAT TO DO!?

ooh right, ask for help.  Crazy idea!

So I asked Nancy for suggestions, and do you know what her brilliant idea was?  You will NEVER GUESS:

Nancy:  Just paint it the same color as your living room
Me:  The light tan color? (as I peek around the corner to make sure I had that right)
Nancy:  Sure, it’s neutral and will make the white pop
Me:  *blink* never thought of that

So we painted.  I can’t even pretend it was really all that hard since it’s a rather small (and ok OLD kitchen) but it was a hell of a lot more fun when my neighbor Catherine came over to help!

I never knew I would like tan in my white kitchen with green counter tops… the consistency with the living room is fantastic.  Yet it still looks different and fresh and new in the kitchen.  All I had to do was ask!  Frankly, I wish I had asked Nancy about 5 years ago.

Funny how sometimes in life that nagging question about  what should you do next is just the same thing you have done before, applied to a different part of the room, situation, you.  Light shines differently on the old thing re-applied to the new space, now it looks like something new and exciting with the added comfort of familiarity.  I’m pondering this nugget of wisdom as we decide what to do after we sell.

What are your next steps?

I was reminded of this when we went to my mom’s for a little vacation.  When we were growing up, my sister, my best friend, and I would all sit around the table with my mom and talk and laugh and paint little ceramic or wood things.  Random things my mother would pick up on sale at craft stores (haha past tense, like she doesn’t still do this!  She SO does).  Once in a while we would *gasp* make our own plaster creatures using molds.  But the fun was more in the painting and chatting!!  Bonus – mom was up on allll the latest high school gossip!  (or bonus was we got to do crafts?  win/win either way!)

Honestly, I kind of forgot how much fun that was until we were at my mom’s last week.  8:30pm two days before we were set to leave and she breaks out the CUTEST little guys to paint.  I should have gotten a picture of the huge box of paints.  Let’s just say the 4 colors that comes with the set are not sufficient (and not enough paint!) to make cute critters!

AAhh ok guess which one my artist husband painted and which ones I painted?  I admit it, I was intimidated when he sat down to join us.  He has actual talent, not to mention training!

The best part?  It soooo doesn’t matter!  We had a great time just painting and chatting

(ok ok!  in the picture of the four, he painted the 3rd one and I painted the rest!  My mom was too chicken to send me a picture of the ones she did.  *ahem*)