Your questions answered...

Okay, I think I've bored you all to tears now but I'll finish up the trifecta of personal posts by answering the specific questions posted in the comments. Those that emailed me should all have responses by now.

Debra of Lifescapes asked: I love your kitchen- just think it's the best use of space. Is it not a joy to work in? I have wondered how your blackboard paint worked on your pantry door? I would love to try it- but want to know it's merits first.

Thanks so much Debra. We really enjoy working in our kitchen. Our last kitchen was very ineffcient in terms of layout so I definitely love having everything in easy reach. I'm also so glad I insisted on not doing a tiered island as our architect suggested. It just gives the whole space a much more clean and open feel. As for the negatives, the storage space at the top is quite difficult to reach so I still haven't gotten around to putting much up there. And the galley style is a little cramped when we are both working on something together like one cooking on the stove and the other emptying the dishwasher but thats the way it goes when space is tight.

I have to come clean and admit that I have yet to use the chalkboard feature. I really SHOULD use it to write down what I need to get at the store, etc but I haven't gotten into that good habit just yet. I do use the magnetic nature to stick up announcements and invites which I find is a nice way to see them often without cluttering up the place. It was a very simple project so it was definitely worth it for me even if it's just for the smile that it puts on my face when I see it.

Debbiejune of Okie Needling asks: I do love Brooklyn. My daughter moved there from Oklahoma, to work in Manhattan. She got married and they live in Park Slope. I often wonder if I have walked past it on a visit there.

photo from New York Times article on my neighborhood

Well, I don't live in Park Slope so you probably haven't walked by. I live in Windsor Terrace which is a more residential side of Prospect Park. The brownstones & limestones you see on your visits aren't that different although they often have one more floor than my house.

Tamstyles of Get it Girlstyle wonders: I have never been to Brooklyn, but based on what I have heard in songs, read, and see, there are different sides. No?


Yes, that is definitely true. Brooklyn is varied. We have more population than most US cities even without adding the other boroughs into the mix. So there are distinct neighborhoods each with their own look and feel. All that said, most movies seem to exaggerate some of the characteristics where it becomes comical to anyone who lives here. Anyone who comes to Brooklyn for the first time generally says things like "Wow, I expected something totally different!" which just goes to show you how wrong the portrayals tend to be.


Katie of Bower Power asks: What celebrity do people say you look like?

I don't think anyone has ever said I looked like a celebrity. I guess this is weird since most people seem to have at least one answer to this question. Since you have all now seen what my mug looks like - what do you think?

JeepChick asks: I love your white dishes, can I ask where you got them? Also a question on your soapstone counter top, how do you like it so far and where did you get it do you have a number to research the product? love love love your kitchen faucet. Do you happen to have the manufacturer or name of faucet?

My dishes are from Kmart's Martha Stewart Everyday line. Take that fancy china people! We got them years ago while getting ready to host our first Christmas. They were cheap and have been extremely useful.

I love the soapstone. Its not for everyone but I did my research and its been exactly what I hoped for. Even Mr. Limestone has warmed up to it after being very against it at first. Our stone came from M Teixieira.

Our kitchen faucet is made by Rohl. I don't remember the model number but they only make a few bridge faucets so it should be easy to find.

Rayelaw wrote: Oh oh oh! I would love a walk-through via a video (youtube?) of each room.

Sorry, can't help you there because I don't own a video camera. I wish I had borrowed one before we started the reno just to have it to compare but we never got around to it.

Jeremy&Kathleen asked: Did you do a big move-in post?

Hmm...I don't think I ever did because we didn't do one big move in. We moved over a few weeks time slowly until one night we just decided to start sleeping here. If I recall, that happened last Feb sometime but I don't remember the exact day.

Jen wanted to know more about my graphic design business: Where can we see more of this? I love the invites and stuff you do, as seen in flickr. Do you have an etsy shop, by chance?

I haven't really mentioned this bit before because I don't want this blog to become a way to pimp out my business. I realize that is not smart from a business side but I guess I feel a little weird tooting my own horn when money is involed. That said, since you asked my website is here. I don't have an etsy shop up yet because I generally do all custom things but Im considering it. Not sure if its the right way to go for my business model or not.

Linda of Lime in the Coconut asks: When standing on your front stoop...what is your view of your neighborhood?

I don't really have a view of the neighborhood from my stoop. Just a view of the houses across the street. This photo I took out of my box room window gives you a good sense of my "view".

Joyce asks: I'm wondering, if you and Mr. are to have kids, which room is it going to be the nursery?

We don't have any immediate plans so its not something we have decided. I suppose we'd use the box room as a baby nursery since its right off our bedroom door. And then when baby limestone got a bit older, we'd move her into the guestroom or my office.

Linda of Restyled Home wonders: What type of camera do you have? Also, is Photo Shop hard to master? I have never used it before, but may consider spending the dough to get it, as the Rebel and the required lens is mucho dollars...

Most of the photos you see are taken with my Nikon D50 but I also use my husbands point & shoot when I don't want to lug the big one around. Whether photoshop would be hard to master would depend on your desire to learn. Its not that difficult if you don't mind fiddling around with it for a while. I'd say that if you don't know what you are going to use it for, its probably not a good investment for you. That said, photoshop is NOT a replacement for a camera and lens. For one thing, editing all of your photos on the computer is extremely time consuming. But more importantly, photoshop can't add details that aren't in the photo to begin with. If you take a bad photo with any camera, photoshop might be able to make it better but it can't really make it good. I'd definitely suggest getting aquainted with your camera and learning how to use it before bothering to learn photoshop or buy a new camera. It will be time well spent. On the same topic, you do not need an expensive camera. Most cameras are perfectly fine and do essentially the same thing. The camera is not what makes a photo good or bad.

Sheesh - another super long post. Sorry about that, I certainly can ramble on and on. Hope that answers all of your questions. Any else you want to know, just give a shout.