Kitchen counter confidential - handmade

Have you ever heard the saying "one person's trash is another persons' treasure"? Well, my friend knows this saying well...I think it's her personal mantra! Let's face it, it takes someone with true vision and talent to make the successful transformation from trash to treasure. This week I am introducing you to a woman who has both the vision and the talent. My friend Mary-Ann enjoys talking about art supplies as much as I do. We have lengthy conversations about peg people, stamps and sewing...awesome! So, today we venture into her kitchen and get some insight into the roots of her passion for vintage and the handmade.

I'm a stay-at-home mom to three amazingly creative and smart kids (9, 7 and 4 years old) and wife to an amazing dad and husband (you go, Kevin!)

I am a thrifter, yard-sale junkie and DIYer. Some of my favourite things in my house are things I've scored from a yard sale or (ahem) from the side of the road. I try to be as DIY as I can - I tend to tackle most things with the attitude of "can I make it/do it myself?" Not everything works out, but I really appreciate having things in my home that have a history or are handmade.

I am kinda/sorta obsessed with vintage children's books - search them out everywhere. I was a huge bookworm as a kid so it's been a real treat watching my kids enjoy the same books I adored as a child and become bookworms themselves. I can also justify all of my purchases by saying "you know, for the kids!"

In a perfect world, I would have one or two appliances on the counter and the rest would be housed in sliding shelves (oh sweet, sweet sliding shelves - how I long for you). But given the fact that my tiny galley kitchen barely has enough storage space for food, the few appliances I do have, are out on the counter. Right now I have a toaster, percolator and microwave on my counter - all of which are used daily - and a KitchenAid mixer close by.

- my green bin - my green bin is actually the bottom half of a big, deep salad spinner that was rarely used (not that I don't wash my greens - it was just too big and cumbersome to use)

- my toaster, which sees almost daily use. When I was little I was sure that I could spend the rest of my life eating nothing but hot buttered toast with homemade raspberry jam and be perfectly happy..and yep, it still sounds like a good idea.

- vintage metal bread box - I love, love, love my breadbox! I will 'fess up to a bit of an obsession with old metal bread boxes - I have three more in my house! I love their design, plus they are great for storage/hiding clutter. My current breadbox is two-tiered so there's lots of space for all kinds of bready things - plus, in a pinch it's a terrific spot to hide sweets from the kids.

- a glass teaspoon holder that used to belong to my grandmother. It sat on her kitchen table - which I'm lucky enough to also have. I have such wonderful, loving memories of my grandmother's house and especially her kitchen, that having little pieces of her kitchen in my home makes me very happy.

- shallow enamel bowl that serves as my "junk drawer". Having three kids means that every surface in my house somehow is covered in tiny bits of things - pieces of Lego, bits of games, tiny loose toys - so it all gets scooped up and dumped into this bowl. Also, because it's on my counter it means it gets cleaned out fairly frequently, which is a bonus.

Not much of a surprise here - I wish it was bigger! Right now the space is so tight that it's a squeeze for an adult and child to work side-by-side at the counter - not to mention throw another child or two into the mix. I know exactly where things go and what will fit and what won't, but it would be nice to have a little bit more room to play with.

I'm not sure I have a favourite thing to do on my kitchen counter (besides baking - baking is always, always fun) but I love being at my kitchen counter. There's a little pass-through into our sunroom that used to be an old window and when I'm standing at my kitchen counter baking or making meals I can see into the sunroom and watch my kids eat and draw and play and create. There's something about having the view framed by a little window that makes it feel like I'm peeking into their world from the outside and that makes standing at my kitchen counter just about my favourite place to be.

Thanks Mary-Ann. I love her description of watching her children through the window...how totally charming and beautiful. I think maybe Mary-Ann should try her hand at blogging?! Also, I really need a breadbox...now I know where to go to get advice on where to find one. This is the best thing about Mary-Ann, she is a wonderful resource...always willing to share her experiences and tips. This spring I am totally going to have to tag along on one of her Saturday morning yard sale trips...clearly I am going to the wrong yard sales! Funnily enough, my daughter was at Mary-Ann's house last night and reported when she got home that they have "A LOT of books!" Which coming from a kid who lives in a home with A LOT of books - that is saying something and is pretty cool! Thanks Mary-Ann.

Have a great weekend.