Sugar Spoon - launches soon!

So excited to finish up all the little projects related to Sugar Spoon!

Almost done with Kickstarter - The page is all set but a certain someone (*cough, D, *cough) needs to assist me in getting the video portion of my begging for cash. The fees involved with setting up a small business are pretty high! I was surprised at how much regulation costs - business registry, insurance, website, materials, marketing, licenses, food workers card, getting your kitchen certified or signing a lease with a commercial kitchen, packaging, and tons more make this a huge investment. None of that even considers the time I've spent in the kitchen making samples and trying recipes, going to houses to collect product, trips out to buy jars and lids and rings, rearranging my whole kitchen into a little cannery...it's a huge commitment. 

So, if you help me out with fundraising I'd be ever so grateful. The Kickstarter page will go live in a week or so. I'll update again when the video is all finished.

Last weekend I went to Seafair on Saturday to enjoy the jets - D and I found a good spot away from the large crowd and in the shade. I was pretty happy actually since last year with the sunburn, sweat, long walks, and pressing crowds, had me somewhat dreading the event. 

This year was much better. I lounged in the shade and enjoyed watching the jets rumble by. My favorites are the older prop planes with the shiny aluminum and rivets. I think about how, while I'm enjoying them as a historical art show, there are certain people who would be unnerved by the demonstration. Myself, I get a little uneasy at times. These aren't toys - they are killing machines at their core. Even though they are being used to make an airshow - throwing smoke ribbons, loops, and death-defying acts to entertain, they were originally made to kill people. 

Similar to a gun show - there is beauty, and they can be used to entertain, but they weren't made with those things primarily in mind. 

I didn't go back to Seafair on Sunday. Instead, I spent the day rearranging my kitchen for Sugar Spoon. I have a limited amount of space - it's a small apartment after-all, so everything needs to find a place. This includes the massive jar collection I'm growing and the ingredients and associated supplies with the business. 

I also wanted to add some color and details to the kitchen area - you'll see the "after" in the video, but the "before" was pretty plain. The biggest issue for me is the cupboards. I hate them. 

Yeah, not joking - the horrible mouse brown that shows every fingerprint, yeah, I hate that. 

But, I can't do much about it - I tried to brighten things up with a rainbow of other colors. I'm using lots of red, yellow, and orange to try brightening up the room. 

I stained the wooden shelves a bold, bright red, using some acrylic paint, water, and a sponge. 

I layered on the watered down paint in thin coats so that they wouldn't have that sticky, heavy acrylic, feel to them. Also - full strength paint would've covered the wood grain and stuck to the bottom of my heavy mixing bowls. ... plus...I'm frugal and paint is expensive!

Also, I went to my favorite Goodwill and found some bright lemon meringue kitchen towels. I also found a new Gorgeous Item. It's an Technique brand enamel and cast iron 4qt round cooking pot with a heavy lid embossed with roses and topped with a little bird. 

My pretty kitchen find!

It is fantastic and I can't wait for the cooler months when I'll make sukiyaki, roast chicken, chili, and slow cooked black beans in it. It cost me $20, which is a ton for me to spend on anything at Goodwill, but I consider this an investment. This is a heavy duty piece that should last me forever, I can and will use it, and it is a beautiful addition to the apt that brings me joy to look at and use. 

Also, I found it on Ebay for $168.

There are still some things I'm keeping an eye out for in the kitchen - pegboard, trivets, and wall art or multi-use items that can be used as wall art. But, overall, I'm pretty happy with the results from Sunday. 

It was a busy weekend. 

This week I have plans to see Imelda May on Wednesday and then Guardians of the Galaxy on Friday. 

If you'd care to stalk me, well, I guess I just made it pretty easy. 

Also, I've got to squeeze in some kitchen time for Sugar Spoon, and side jobs cleaning and walking dogs, and meeting friends, and running amok. 

It'll be a busy week!