Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets

Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets are an easy DIY craft project that Resurface and updates old or outdated kitchen cabinets into a fun and colorful new cabinets. Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets are also a great way to tie in a love of Fiesta Ware in Your kitchen.

The addition of Fiesta Ware plates made into tiles is all you need! Well, the Fiesta Ware plates tiles and some time!

This easy DIY craft project is perfect for anyone who Fiesta Ware. Fiesta Ware plates made into tiles are the perfect material when you want to Resurface a kitchen cabinet in a vintage, colorful, and even Southwest look in your home.

Working with mosaics can sound a little intimidating, but you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it really is!

To make Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets you will need to spread it out over a couple days; so working over the weekend will probably work best. While you won't be working on the craft project all day long, you do need to allow for time for materials to dry.

To Make Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets You Will Need:

Fiesta Ware plates

Kitchen Cabinets

Grout

Tile Adhesive

Blue Willow Plates

Hammer

The first step is to take your kitchen cabinet doors off of the wall. You will need to lay them flat on their back to work on them.

These Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets work well on cabinets that have that recessed area in the middle of the cabinet, but you can really even do this on flat surface cabinets.

Everyone will have a different size kitchen cabinets made of different material, so I can only give you tips on how to know how to make your Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets.

The entire insert of the kitchen cabinet doors Will be covered in tile made from Fiesta Ware Plates.

Now, you need to establish the pattern or lack of pattern you want to create eon your Fiesta Ware Mosaic Kitchen Cabinets.

You can mix and match colors or stick to one color.

The first step is to take your Fiesta Ware plates and put them inside of a paper bag or pillowcase. Lightly break them with a hammer until you have tons of small tile pieces. This is a great way to break up some vintage Fiesta Ware that have damage on them; you bought on the cheap at a yard sale, or even reproduction Fiesta Ware plates.

Once you have your pattern established, you need to start working on your Fiesta Ware tiles.

If you want to save money and the Fiesta Ware Plates are just too expensive you do have some another options. Chose plates that are solid cheery colors, they can also be broken into small tiles and will still give the vintage Fiesta Ware Plate look.

Now, to start applying your Fiesta Ware Plate mosaic tiles I recommend working in sections. This means, add some glue to the back of your individual tile and then place it in the correct location on the kitchen cabinet.

Now, once the Fiesta Ware tile pieces have dried in place on the kitchen cabinets you can grout. Be sure to read how long your specific tile adhesive needs to fry before you grout.

You can use pre made grout or mix your own to save money.

Use a trowel to apply the grout liberally over each Fiesta Ware Plate tile. Let it dry to a haze, then wipe a way with a sponge until clean and clear.

Now, once the grout has dried on your mosaic glass tiles you are finished!

Now, rehang your resurfaced kitchen cabinet doors and d you are finished.

By RS

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How to Decorate Your Kitchen in a Western Theme

Decorating your kitchen in a Western theme is a creative and fun project that the whole family can do together. The kitchen is usually the central hub of the home and a Western theme is perfect for family members of any age. Depending on how you feel about theme kitchens you may want to try some or all of these nifty ideas on how to turn you everyday kitchen into a Western themed bonanza.

One of the first things you can do to install a Western theme in your kitchen is change out your traditional light fixtures for fixtures that have a Western theme. Heavy iron material will always work well. Try looking for those light bulbs that look like flickering candles.

Secondly, you might try hanging bead board on appropriate walls in your kitchen. Bead board is durable and makes a nice addition to the lower portions of your wall. Add a chair rail on top to finish it off neatly. Painted bead board can work well in A Western kitchen theme, but I highly recommend staining your natural bead board in a beautiful wood stain. Stains can dry quickly and you can purchase water based stained that do not smell as toxic as their oil based counter parts. Bead board also looks great as a back splash. Be sure to seal the stain properly with several coats of varnish so that it will with stand the test of time.

If you are really a do it your selfer try hanging some wooden beams on your ceiling. Nothing screams Western like some heavy wooden beams. You can find fake wooden beams out there, but the difference will be noticeable and possibly give your room a slightly seventies look.

You can make your walls look like a Western log cabin simply using paint, painters tape, and a little faux finishing technique. Start by painting your entire wall a putty white color that looks like the area in between the logs. Take long pieces of the painters tape and rip is along the length of the tape. Youwant this long natural line so that your logs are not perfectly straight. Next start taping off equally portioned lateral lines on the walls you wish to look like logs. Place the jagged edged of the ripped tape in so that it makes the outer line of the log. Generally a log should be about one foot tall and as long as the length of your wall. In the spaces that are logs paint a base coat of brown. Let that dry over night. The next day mix equal parts glaze medium to equal parts darker brown paint. Roll this glaze mixture on with a foam roller brush. Only do one log at a time. Use a rubber wood grain tool to drag along over the glaze. This will reveal your lighter brown paint beneath and give the appearance of a log. This rubber tool can be found in the paint and faux finish area of any Lowes or Home Depot type store.

To create a unique and Western style dining table take a weekend or two to scour local flea markets, yard sales, and thrift stores for a vintage looking wagon wheel. Attach the wheel to a base and lay a piece of heavy beveled glass on top. Instant western charm! You can also sew slipcovers out of fabric that looks like cattle hide, faded denim, or red and white checks for your chairs.

Dont let the decorating stop there. Chunky pottery plates, mugs, and bowls also make great additions. Red handkerchiefs are great Western napkins! Outdoor stores also have a large variety of colors and styles of outdoor lanterns that can provide great mood lighting in your Western kitchen. You can also decorate the walls with lassos, horse gear, ironwork, and anything that has a Western feel. Dont over look the small details like door pulls on your kitchen cabinet. Try to find something that is chunky, heavy, and iron. Use old cowboy boots for lamp bases or plant pot covers. Most of all be creative and think outside of the box. You may be surprised at how easily some of your existing pieces incorporate themselves easily into your new Western themed kitchen.

By RS

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Top Ten Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Cook

Having been married for a while, I know that I could use an update in many of my kitchen utensils, gadgets, and appliances. Many of my plastic spatulas have become stained from tomato sauce; I have broken several of my nice goblets, and most of my knives have become dull. Plus there are items I've never gotten or was never given at my wedding shower that I still need. So, here is my top ten list of what I and many other cooks might be thrilled to receive as holiday gifts for this Christmas season.

Salad Spinner
One way to save a cook from having more mess than she needs in the kitchen is to give her a salad spinner. The Salad Spinner by OXO brand is great, since it works to spin a salad dry and then store the same salad. It comes with a plastic bowl, a net-type basket which inserts inside the plastic bowl, a lid with a pump on it (to spin the salad dry), and a regular lid. After cutting and washing some lettuce leaves, one simply dumps the wet leaves into the basket (which should be inside the plastic bowl), puts the pump lid on top of the bowl and pumps until the leaves are dry. Then, one removes the basket from the bowl, dumps out the green water that's in the bowl, transfers the lettuce from the basket to the bowl, and puts on the regular lid. The salad's done and can go into the refrigerator in this plastic bowl! This saves the cook from having to wait for the salad to dry on its own and finding another bowl to store it in.

Kitchen Organizers
If the cook in your life could use some help with kitchen organization, consider getting her several kitchen organizational baskets, racks, or caddies for her cupboards or countertop. These organizers keep things like pot lids, spices, coffee cups, or even plastic wrap out of chaos and in their correct spots. Now, you don't want to offend your favorite cook, of course, but if she's ever before mentioned that she'd like to be more organized, you could consider getting one or two of these kitchen organizational items.

Stainless Steel Colander
When I got married, I received 2 colanders. One was a plastic purple one and the other was a wire one. They are both great to have, but I would love to have a nice stainless colander, just because it looks so professional. I've seen some of the Food Network pros using this type, too, so I know stainless steel colanders are desirable to have in the kitchen!

Colorful Plastic Spatulas
Like I mentioned in the intro, my plastic spatulas have worn out and turned colors over time and with use. It's very possible that your favorite cook's spatulas show some wear, also. That's why the fairly new colorful plastic spatulas are something I'd recommend as a gift. These plastic spatulas are not cheap like the regular white plastic spatulas, so I don't feel that I can go out and get myself several of them, so 2 or 3 of these plastic spatulas would be a nice surprise gift for your favorite cook and fit perfectly in her stocking if you wish it to.

Bamboo Cutting Board
Last year my husband bought me a bamboo cutting board for Christmas! (He got mine at Kohl's.) It is still in good condition because now I know how to keep wooden boards such as these clean. Perhaps your favorite cook could use a new cutting board as well. It wouldn't even have to be a bamboo cutting board, just a new one. A wooden one or glass cutting board would be a welcome addition to almost any cook's kitchen supplies.

Pot Rack
I don't know about your favorite cook, but I have quite a few pot sets that are stacked on top of one another in one of my lower cabinets. Every time I need a certain pot, I have to dig for it and make sure no other pot falls out of the cabinet. Every single time! If your cook has room in her kitchen, she would probably love a pot rack installed on the ceiling or wall on which to hang her pots. That way, she can just look up to find the pot she needs, instead of getting on her hands and knees to rummage through miscellaneous pots and pans.

Teapress/French Press
Please disregard this suggestion if your cook does not enjoy a good cup of tea or coffee, but for those cooks that do, either of these items would probably be the luxury item to get her. These presses are so fun. They are made of clear glass so you can see the color of the tea or coffee and how the process is coming along. Your cook will not have to use her coffeemaker because she will be able to press her very own coffee right in this glass container and pour it straight from there into her cup! She will be excited to get one of these!

Mixing Bowl Set
For years I cooked and baked with only 1 large mixing bowl. Yes, that's right! I would have to use the same bowl to mix some ingredients and wash it out to use it for another set of ingredients. It was a pain! Now I have that bowl, plus a mixing bowl set which came with about 8 glass mixing bowls. Now, an 8-piece set is probably too many for your favorite cook, so I'd recommend a set of 3 or 6 at the max. Either stainless steel or glass bowls would make a desirable gift.

Herb Garden Kit
Many cooks cook with fresh herbs. Herbs are very expensive at my local grocery store, so sometimes I use the dried ones instead, but fresh is always preferred. Did you know that you can purchase an herb garden kit? The one my husband bought for me came from either Walgreens or Rite Aid I can not remember, but the kit came with 4 small clay pots, soil for those pots, 6 (or so) herb seed packages to choose from, and directions for getting those herbs planted and grown. This was such a fun gift to receive, and almost any cook would love to be able to grow her own cooking herbs if she doesn't already do so.

Decorative Serving Platters
Again, I was not showered with many fun serving platters. I got one or two basic ones, which I am very thankful to have by the way, but I have none like Rachael Ray serves up on her 30 Minute Meals show. If you know what I'm talking about, maybe your favorite cook would like a bit of artwork or color when serving up her dishes, as well.

Except for the pot rack, which would be a splurge, most of the other gift ideas cost below or around $25, which is not too bad for a gift that your favorite cook might really enjoy. If you don't know where to find some of these gifts, see the resources section below as a helpful guide, or do a google search to locate a store that sells them.

By Erika L

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Outdoor Kitchen Islands

Kitchen islands have long been loved for extra cooking and storage space in the kitchen. Now they are available for outdoor cooking and entertaining. An island outside is very functional for cooking and eating outdoors in nice weather. It also eliminates the need for running in and out of the house when cooking in the yard.

Planning Outdoor Kitchen Islands

A summer kitchen is a big investment. You want to spend as much time planning for it as you would for an island in the kitchen. Consider how it will be used and how much use it will get. Consider the climate where you live. Will it be used only in the summer? In some warm climates, an outdoor island may get year round use.

Once you have decided on how the island will be used, take a look at a variety of islands. Pool and patio stores are a great source of information. Many have a variety on display and have brochures with others. See whats available and set a budget for how much you are willing to spend.

Most have a cooking grill that is as good as an indoor range for cooking foods. They are high quality cook tops. The sizes of the grilling area vary. Larger sizes are good when you are cooking for a crowd. Side burners are great for preparing vegetables at the same time as grilling the meats. Multiple zones are great for cooking more than one food. This allows you to use different temperatures for each food.

Grilling Kitchen Island Choices

Grilling islands are available in custom or pre fabricated models. Permanent custom built grilling islands are masonry islands. They are generally made of stone or brick and are a permanent fixture in the yard. They are also very expensive.

The nice thing about custom islands is they can be made to match your home or pool areas. The tiles can match your pool on counter areas. These increase the value of your home. They are a good choice if you plan to use the island frequently and want something that will last for years.

Pre fabricated islands are manufactured in a factory and delivered to your home. You provide the measurements of the cooking surface to be used. Sizes range from a five to six foot rectangular shape and L shaped islands. Round table ends are also available to provide additional space for eating.

There are a variety of finishes, styles and designs available in outdoor kitchens. There are nearly as many options as indoor islands. Durable granite islands or tiled countertops provide function and style. As with custom islands, you can match the tile to your pool and the island to the style of your home. Multiple levels are available for separate cooking and eating areas.

Summer kitchens also provide storage space in cabinets and drawers. This gives you a place to keep cooking utensils and outdoor eating supplies. Storage space makes entertaining easier without having to carry everything outside every time you want to cook.

By: Bianca Bartegi

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Outdoor Kitchen Designs For Added Style

One of the hottest trends in modern kitchen designs is the outdoor kitchen.

An outdoor kitchen design is a room that is designed to be outdoors all year round and is more than just a BBQ or charcoal stove, it is a fully functional cooking area with accessories such as a fridge, ice making machine and a mini bar.

Naturally this means that you will need to be living in one of the warmer parts of the globe to make the most of outdoor kitchen designs. But nevertheless appliances and other outdoor kitchen accessories are readily available that are designed to withstand the process of weathering.

You have probably already prepared food and taken it outdoors to eat 'al fresco' outdoor kitchen designs take this a step further and you prepare and serve the food outside.

An outdoor kitchen adds so much to a house and the enjoyment of entertaining friends and family. There is nothing quite like relaxing in the sun with the aroma of fresh cooking surrounding you.

In addition, for the culinary host who likes to display her skills, outdoor kitchens provide a relaxed environment to show off to friends. They can relax whilst you toil, but in an informal setting.

Good outdoor kitchen designs allow you to socialize and cook at the same time, it all adds to the relaxed party atmosphere.

Good quality outdoor kitchen designs are usually made from marine grade polymer, strong enough to take the effect of weathering, they are designed to last without peeling or flaking from prolonged exposure to the sun.

If you are considering outdoor kitchen designs then I think you will find them to be one of those things which you will never want to do without, especially if you are an outdoors lover. In addition, it can add value to your house and make friends jealous!

Even the most expensive kind of outdoor party can be made a bit more luxurious with an effective outdoor kitchen design. Maybe to keep it simple, you might just want to prepare a simple desert or serve some wine from behind the counter.

Many outdoor kitchen designs are prepared to your specification. That means you can have the appliances and furniture to prepare the type of food you enjoy serving.

By Lorraine Smith

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