A Tour of my Happy Place :)

 Hello lovelies! Today I have composed a detailed tour of my favorite space in my home...my kitchen! There is just such a whimsy, dreamy, light feel of the space, and it shows off my vintage style. I was set on having an aqua/mint kitchen color, despite my husband's shock at the paint chip card, but he shrugged and went with it! (Thank goodness). I have always liked vintage dishware and the 50's housewife look, so that was my inspiration :) I hope you enjoy, and that the little sidenotes on the pictures show you that YOU can decorate on a budget, and DIY a wonderful space. You will be shocked to see the odds and ends on the details, so here we go:

So here's a little overall look into the kitchen. The paint color I chose is by Valspar (which is Lowe's brand of paint) and the color is Aqua Glow. I think it is perfect. Just takes me into the 50's instantly. So let's take a closer look, shall we? The pics are in an order as if you are taking a 360 circle around the kitchen. Let's take a closer look!

This is the wall that my dining table is on. The counter right here faces my living room and front door, which I love. Easy for entertaining and visiting while I am whipping up something good!

Okay, can we just talk about my vintage Cosco high chair? It's easily one of my favorite things about the kitchen. I have always wanted a retro high chair, so I posted a wanted ad on a whim on Craigslist. Sure enough, a kind older woman was getting rid of one, so I drove into look at it and it was only $20. AMAZING! and I love the red and white charm. Most antique stores had some high chairs for $80-$100, so it was quite the steal. 

A closer look at the decor above the high chair. The frames were from a thrifting adventure to Saver's (secondhand store), so I took them home and painted them with leftover paint from the kitchen, and added some leftover fabric behind one, and the other I purchased some lace at Saver's for 69 cents! The hanging tile is another fav, because believe it or not, I went to an antique store for fun and saw this, and the saying says "Bless This Mess". Ahem...my blog name and Facebook page?! Awesome! I sponged paint on the mason jar (leftover paint again) and painted a wooden plaque (got at Micheal's for $4) The flowers are sentimental for me because they are an arrangement Hank got me for our first anniversary, so I thought they'd be pretty to display here. 

LOVE this bright, cheery polka dot tablecloth that I scored at Target for $6! So fun and happy!

Okay, this picture will be a fun one to talk about...simply because all of these decorations were CHEAP. I mean CHEAP CHEAP. The stands, the birds, the white bird vase, egg candles, bird house, and plate were all in the Micheal's clearance section. The prices were between 50cents-$1...woo hoo! Another perk about Micheal's is that they almost always have a 40% off coupon, so I pulled it up on my phone and the clerk scanned my screen at checkout, so I got the dollar ones for 50 cents as well, SCORE! The two mint plates were found at Saver's for 75 cents each, and the little glass bottles were 49cents each. The burlap patterned fabric was actually a single drape, and I scored it at Goodwill for $2.99! I thought it gave a plain little shelf extra character! The owl is actually an old Avon lotion bottle, and he was a whopping $5 at an antique store.

Can I just tell you how much I love Pinterest for printables? Oh.my.gosh. I searched kitchen printables

and found all of these. I love how punny they are ;) The frames were in the $1 bin at Target!

I love my little coffee corner. If you can't tell, I'm totally a coffee girl! Thank goodness my husband doesn't drink it; I have an entire pot and creamer to myself! The mugs were from my mom, who got them at the dollar store to decorate for a table at a church event. I took apart an old rake and washed it to display the mugs. The sign is a birthday gift, gotta love the motto haha!

*Please excuse the clutter on my fridge, but I have lots of odds and ends of artwork. Some from kids I nannied, neighbor kids, and my little sister in law. On top of the fridge are some trays I painted from the youth ranch, and a mint vintage ice box I found thrifting too! I took. The mason jar was a centerpiece from my wedding tables, and the flowers on the cupboard is actually my wedding bouquet...once again, love the sentimental touch!

My favorite part of the kitchen, my Rosie the Riveter metal sign. I have always loved this vintage ad, and it seems ideal to have in the kitchen. Rosie, you remind me when it's time to do dishes, whip up some dinner, and clean house...WE CAN DO IT GIRL! Oh and a girl's gotta have some fun aprons. 

The two circular hangings are vintage lids I found in a free box at a yard sale, and the pictures are prints of vintage photos I like. Who doesn't love that famous Times Square photo?? The bottom pic is of Marilyn Monroe in a Twin Falls potato sack, loved the Idaho touch ;)

My flour and sugar canisters were a bridal shower gift from my mother. I adore the vintage orange daisy timer I found for $7 at a local antique store. It's so cute when it dings when the times run out :)

The birds were also found with the previous bird decor I mentioned on the shelf from Micheals...yes, they were 50cents!! The salt and pepper shakers are from 1963, and I believe they were $3. The bottles were old coca cola bottles I had saved. 

The canisters above my kitchen were also handed down to me. I love vintage labeling, and they are so rusted and charming! The flour sifter is silver with mint stripes, and is holding a bouquet of flowers I received in the hospital delivering Henry. 

My little coffee station. I love the stacked cups, and my vintage tea/lemonade dispenser. I believe it was $2 at a local thrift store.

The little corner nook with vintage odds and ends :)

Another angle into the kitchen.

Alrighty the tour has ended. I just wanted to show you that decorating and thrifting is easy, and FUN! The results are unique and charming in their own way. The key is to check often, and see potential. Some days are good finds, others it's a quick in and out. Know that things can be painted or repurposed to your style, and have fun with it! There is not one way and one way only to do it, just make it your own! 

XOXO, Kess

RAD RANDOMS.

A few of my favorite things lately. :)

This is definitely what I plan on getting and reading soon!

WANT THIS SO BAD IT HURTS...shopaholic probs.

SWOON, I'm a sucker for vintage kitchenware.

These heart sunnies are a dream.

The Sound of Music. Love the songs, love Julie Andrews, love the curtain clothes.

...speaking of musicals, my husband got me the perfect birthday present, tickets to see Wicked! I have seen it before and I am already stoked to see it again April 17th! YAY!

REALLY want to do a Redwood forest trip this year...anniversary trip maybe?

Just a peek into my scatterbrained head :) Don't we all have randoms bits and pieces of things on our minds?

(Please say yes. I can't be the only one!)

XOXO, Kess

A Marriage Post.

Our engagement pictures, 2010. (Boise Train Depot)

Just thought I'd share a little slice of life with you here. I have been working on our much-neglected office, organizing and giving its bare walls some decor, and so with that I always love the charm of decorating with sentiment. Memorabilia, lyrics, colors, patterns...I love adding depth and personal touch to the room. While a midst my de-cluttering, I came across a note in my card stash from my grandma. The words just struck my heart. As I was reflected a little on what was behind it, I thought I would share.

Henry turned one, and since then we have settled into a pretty good routine. Everything is just kind of normal. I remember about a month or so ago driving in the car somewhere with Henry, and I was thinking a little about our life, and it just kind of felt a bit dry. NOT bad, mind you, but it just felt like we had settled a bit. Hank's work was going really well, and I was consumed in my new waitress job at the Nampa Airport, both alternating a workload and home with Henry while the other did the opposite. It seemed as if our days and nights were predictable, you know, things were a routine. Not many surprises, everything was just comfortable. And it was comfortable with Hank and I. We have been married for 3 1/2 years, and I thought, "well, I guess this is it. We are out of the newlywed phase and are just doing life now." Rather than being terribly bothered by that thought, I just went with it. I mean, things were just fine. Just not spectacular, I guess.

Look at those baby faces! (Another engagement pic, Wilson Ponds)

Valentine's Day made it's arrival in a blink of an eye, and my sister in law moving back to Boise from Alabama, she took a gracious opportunity to offer to babysit Henry for us. She said to not bother with the time or hurry back, and to enjoy our time together. I dressed up, wore lipstick and high heels (because when do I get to do that?) and even curled my hair. After dropping him off to his aunt and cousins, we realized we had an entire half of the day with no plans. No bulky diaper bag, no adjusting a noisy dvd player in the car, no nap schedule to adhere to. It felt so good. and freeing in a sense. We stopped at a fancy-ish restaurant and had a delightful dinner. then we browsed along an outlet mall and Hank bought me a beanie just because, went to Dave and Busters arcade because we could, and rounded out the night picking out a gift for our newest nephew. All the while laughing, joking, engaged in conversation with whatever came into our heads. It was amazing. Much needed to say the least.

The next day, I found the time during his quick morning nap to write my grandma back. (sidenote: we write letters back and forth to catchup). I told her about our wonderful Valentine's date, and how reconnected we felt just having some us time, and a several days later I received a letter back from her. This is part of what it said:

"There is no doubt the two of you are in great love, sweet grand daughter! I hope this season in life is causing you and your little family to thrive. It was so wonderful to hear you share about your date together and just what a great time you had. Make sure your marriage is a statement of who you are and what you believe. Love you sweet one!"

Rereading this sprung some tears to my eyes. I thought, "you know what, she's right, we are in great love!" This is a fantastic adventure we are living together, how could I ever possibly forget? How blessed I was to have someone reiterate it just when my heart needed to hear it. I don't share this to say, "look at us, we have it all together." because that is SO wrong. It's not the point, and absolutely not the case. The point is we took a time out from everything to reconnect with one another, and it obviously made a difference. It recentered us, brought us back to a focus on husband and wife aspect as well. I have plans to hang that note as a reminder when things feel dry or life gets mundaine. We have a great love, and a great life. It's worth reading daily to really look at this guy who once swept me off my feet with fresh eyes unclouded by the daily stuff that dulls the senses.

(Boise Train Depot)

It's also a great reminder to speak truth into the lives of others when we see it. Sometimes it's exactly what their heart needed to hear.

XOXO, Kess

Wordless Week. [My birthday!]

««23 years young»»

«Chasing Dreams»

I get it.

I get why people stay at jobs they don't love. I get why so many small businesses fail after the first couple of years, and why really talented people don't ever pursue their passion full time. I get why marriages fail and relationships fall apart and people become anxious and stressed over work.

Trying to make something work that has never been done before is hard.

It's real hard.
I get it.

When you put your entire being, everything you are into a project, it's tiring. You stay up all night trying to come up with solutions and new ideas and concepts. And when morning comes, you spend the day doing the same thing.

Chasing a dream feels exhausting.

I remember the first time I was really rejected. I mean, truly rejected from my "future". I didn't make ISU Cheerleading. I cried. And I was ticked off. And I got down on my knees and asked God if I should keep going. Even though He told me I should, it didn't stop the disappointment.

In fact, some days all that I can even think about doing is to sit down for a minute and just cry. Then get back to working.

Chasing a dream feels like a puffy face full of tears.

There's a difference between going to work and actually working. You know what I mean. I remember being at a job I hated so, so much, and half of the time there was literally nothing for me to even do. So I would sit there, or spend a couple hours browsing the Internet. Maybe even writing a blog post or two. That's not working, that's being paid for showing up. Working involves being smart, figuring out how to solve problems you never even knew existed, and not going home until it's either finished, or your eyes are so tired that you don't have another option.

Chasing a dream feels like hard work.

I don't know how many events, outings, dinners with girlfriends, and weekends with my family I've missed. It's countless. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to work weekends while my husband is on his days off. I'll be completely honest. But at the end of the day, it's worth the sacrifice to me.

Chasing a dream feels like sacrifice.

I've never experienced a sensation quite like it... but as tired as I get, I've also never felt so alive and excited to live. I'm fulfilled in a way that nothing else can satisfy.

Chasing a dream feels exhilarating.

The first weeks of motherhood I looked in awe at the little miracle that had been made; I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride over the endless hours and care that only comes from working hard.  Going to school and getting certified in massage therapy, moving to Boise, starting a facebook page to encourage others, becoming a mother, working part time at the Nampa Airport on the weekend... all of these moments in my life have been rewarding in a way that is hard to put into words. But the reward doesn't come from material things, it comes from a sense of self and esteem from nothing this world has to offer.

Chasing a dream feels rewarding.

When work leads to new opportunities, new adventures, travels, friends, and events, it's the most exciting thing in the world to experience. I love opening Bless Your Mess at the start of every day to see what it has to offer. I love the surprises, and how tomorrow can be completely different from today.

Chasing a dream feels exciting.

No matter how many times I feel defeated, deflated, and just so tired, I could never imagine myself doing anything else. In fact, when I try to, I get anxiety in the worst way as I picture myself regretting the life I lived, and never knowing what could have happened with my dream. There's something worth all the sweat and tears, and it's the triumph.

Chasing a dream feels like living.

Chasing a dream feels like truly living.

Keep chasing your dreams, friends.
XOXO, Kess

Fifty Nifty Facts.

Good morning, and Happy Monday to you all! I decided to compile a list of random facts or things about me, just to let you get to know me better. It'd be fun to see you do a list for you as well so I can read yours too :) Here we go:

1. My name is Kessie Darae. My parents came up with it by combining their names, which are Jessie Dean and Kim Larae.
2. If I was a boy, my name would've been Kody, and some other names that were possibilities were Samantha or Shiloh. I'll take Kessie!
3. Although I have ZERO acting or singing talent, I have always wanted to play "Frenchie" in a production of Grease, or "Penny" in a production of Hairspray.
4. I have ALWAYS wanted to be a mom. I remember coming up with names and dreaming up my "future family" for years.
5. A pet peeve of mine....MAKEUP MASK! or when a girls foundation doesn't match their skin color and there is a definite line.
6. I'm either extremely outgoing or an extreme homebody, I can be both ends of the spectrum.
7. I am self conscious about my nose (which has been broken) and my thin light eyebrows.
8. I can be a hopeless romantic, but also realistic.
9. I love vintage, retro, or antiques. I frequent antique and thrift stores regularly!
10. I prefer to not watch the news, it gives me major anxiety and fear for the world my son is growing up in. Also, politics. Newsflash, ITS ALL OPINION. and EGOS.
11. I had severe postpartum depression and Henry had an extreme case of colic for 4 months. Wouldn't wish that on ANYONE. Such a hard season in life.
12. Growing up, I asked Santa every year for a chihuahua haha. I really wanted a little purse dog, and I finally got one when I got married, aka my Ernie :)
13. I was proposed to on top of  the ferris wheel at Lagoon.
14. My husband and I fell in love with each other as we were friends, and actually helped each other get over our own recent heartbreaks.
15. My mom's mom (my grandma) comes from a family of 6 girls, which are 3 sets of twins.
16. I've always been the passive friend, haha, the one that gets bossed around.
17. I love Boise. It's become my home.
18. My favorite colors are aqua(mint) and yellow.
19. I feel like career Barbie. Seriously, there are tons of jobs I think would be fun.
20. My favorite holidays are Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
21. My favorite season is fall.
22. I secretly wanted to take the auto shop class in highschool, but didn't out of fear people would think I was too stupid or make fun of me.
23. I want a 195something Chevy Truck so bad.
24. Something off my bucket list was to adopt a shelter dog. Check! My sweet Annie :)
25. I feel like I'm the ugliest sibling out of us five haha.
26. I HATE when people have their "favorites". Favorite kids, favorite students, favorite grandkids. I feel like that is so low.
27. I won a Nokia cell phone (you know, the cool kind back then...with Snake! :) ) on the radio by guessing the song "Lonely" hahaha. Needless to say, my parents did not go pick it up, they did not think it was necessary for a 6th grader, bummer!
28. I don't want to "plan for kids" or have a "set number of children" I want. I'll let God cover that one!
29. I love Portland. It's such a culture shock from Idaho that it's such a fun change up to visit!
30. I get too emotionally attached to tv show characters. Jim Halpert. Sawyer from LOST. Kelso. Nathan Scott. Brooke Davis. The list goes on and on haha.
31. I originally set up an email in highschool and the password was "henryscott" (hank's legal name haha) I still use that email, and little did I know at the time I was using it that I would marry him and that would be my future son's name, eek gives me chills! :)
32. My dream ideal vacation was going to the Bahamas, and I went in 2012, and MUST go back.
33. I collect and am obsessed with vintage kitchenware. Bowls, plates, saucers, canisters, you name it.
34. Cats freak me out, I had a childhood cat named Pepper who was the only exception, but other than that I will never own one, they scare me!
35. My favorite indulgence is getting my hair done.
36. I have never had fake nails! I've had cheap-o glue on ones from the store, but not an actual set.
37. Personally I don't think I would like a tattoo on me, but I like them on other people! I tried a henna one out on my wrist and it drove me CRAZY. I felt dirty, isn't that weird?
38. I've always wanted a moped scooter, especially in the summertime.
39. Growing up I did not like my name, I always wanted to be named Ashley, Chloe or Roxy hahaha.
40. I love to write. I've wrote several books and poems. But hesitate to let anyone read them and wouldn't ever try to publish them.
41. My fashion style is extreme "rocker" or the extreme "classy", such different ends of the spectrum!
42. When I was pregnant, the sight of a "relish chili hot dog" Sonic billboard had me full on throwing up in the car. YIKES.
43. If I could, I would relive Henry's birth over and over, MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE. WOW. Truly a gift from God himself. Too perfect.
44. I love country music, but not so much of the newer hits. The sound has changed, and I don't like it.
45. I listen to Dixie Chicks every day. I'm not even kidding, and I'm not ashamed. They are my all time fav.
46. When I was 15, my parents gave me a triangle-cut birthstone ring with diamonds on either side of it. I remember saying I wanted my wedding ring to look like it. I had misplaced it, and when I was later proposed to, Hank had picked a triangle DIAMOND ring with diamonds on either side of it. He had never seen that ring! It turned up when I moved to Boise, and I had to prove it to him! Freaky huh?!
47. Favorite verse is Proverbs 4:23
48. I am addicted to ziplining, even though I've only gone once in Mexico. Must go more in my life.
49. My favorite board game is Scattergories.
50. I eat grilled cheese sandwiches with jelly spread on top. Don't hate, try it first!