Kitchen Window - Check!

A few posts ago I mentioned that I was trying to decide on a window treatment for my kitchen window. I thought and thought about it and just couldn't decide what to do. Then I bought 2 yards of this french check fabric on Ebay.

I sort of had the kitchen in mind when buying this, though not necessarily the window. However, when it arrived there was only one place it could go.

The fabric is like a heavyweight cheesecloth, not sure what it might have been used for originally, (curtains maybe?) it was quite stiff but a gentle handwash softened it up. Being a narrower than usual width, all I had to do was fold it over to make a frill at the top and stitch a channel for the curtain rod. I didn't have to cut it up and I used the largest, loosest stitch setting on the machine so I can easily remove the stiching if I ever decide to use it for something else.

The curtain rod is held up with velcro hooks - I didn't want to make holes in the window frames for nails and the velcro hooks were already there from a garland that had been hanging at Christmas. I hung these red felt stars to cover the velcro hooks, in fact these were the Christmas garland which sort of fell apart when I took it down (mass-produced - shoddy workmanship!) I think I'll replace them with something else at some point, but they'll do for now.

I had the devil's own job trying to photograph this with the light behind it, but I think you can get a pretty good idea from the pics. I am very pleased with the results and I think it will be staying for quite some time.

What do you think of that blue glass bottle in the corner of the window. It's not something I would have normally bought and in fact I didn't buy it. I was at a car boot sale last year and came across a stall run by 3 dear old ladies. Nothing much of interest on the stall but in a box under the table I spied some pretty lace doilies. I had a rummage and pulled out a few bits to buy.

When I went to pay, the ladies said they were so pleased I was buying them, their elderly auntie had died and they were selling her bits and pieces. I asked if they had any more and they had a look in the car and pulled out some embroidered chair backs and other bits. 'You can have those for nothing, otherwise we'll just be throwing it all away', they said, and then starting pulling out all sorts of things and giving them to me, including this glass bottle. I didn't really want it all, but I didn't have the heart to refuse, they were so pleased that someone was taking 'auntie's things'.

I put the bottle on the window sill, just for somewhere to put it, and it's been there ever since. Every so often I notice it and think about getting rid of it, but it's kind of grown on me. I just can't decide!

Later... I took a nightime pic as you can see the curtain better. I thinned out the window sill contents and removed the blue bottle. I think I prefer it without, sometimes you can see better in a photo whether things 'work'.

But then... I put it back again in the opposite corner, I think it balances the blue bread bin. Oh flip, I still can't decide. I think I'll leave it for now.

By the way, one day the windowsill and splashback will be tiled, I just don't know when that day will be. I've had to put some vinyl fabric over it for protection ( just in case you were wondering).

Another new item in the kitchen is this jelly bean machine which Mr. Bloom bought me for Christmas. You have to put coins in to get the jelly beans out and I think the intention was that I wouldn't eat so many as a result (I have a very sweet tooth).

Well it worked, but not for long. I have discovered that if you turn it upside-down and shake it, the jelly beans fall out without putting any money in ... and sometimes the money falls out as well! Hee Hee Hee - you'll have to try harder than that Mr. Bloom!! Oh, I love being a big kid :-)))

Don't foget my Pink and Green Giveaway in the previous post. Thank you to everyone who has left a comment so far, I am working my way around visiting you all. Wishing you all Good Luck! Ends on Sunday.

Must go now, got to give that jelly bean machine another shake!