I made a coffee bar!  It's not finished in the way I want - but its a start !  I'm actually very happy with it as I have used it twice since last night and it works pretty good. I need to go out to buy some new coffee mugs to help since the few nice ones I have are too few - or t
hey are my 'summer' coffee mugs and are a little too bright for now. Yes, I have "summer" mugs, lol!  Well, you know how it is - any excuse to shop!

But the whole reason I had to create a coffee bar is because of this baby - right here ....

...my brand spanking new KitchenAid MIXER!  Oh yeah! It is getting its initial run this morning - biscotti coming up!  I am very excited because biscotti I love, but my hands hate mixing the dough!

So when this beauty was on sale last week-end for only $199 plus I qualified for free shipping AND they threw in the bowl shield free - I couldn't pass it up!  Besides it still qualified as my 

" birthday week-end"  whoo-hoo to me!  A little present for myself! 

So since I have almost zero counter space - something had to give! Hence the coffee station!

Here it is....I brought out a small desk from my craft room, it was only holding up my printer, so no biggie - my other vintage 'school' desk is doing that now.  Then I put a small, hard, uh, not sure what you call it - oh! Placemat!... one that was so ugly on its front surface, that I flipped it over and stamped a nice design on it with a large background stamp that is a retired SU! piece. I found the placemat and thought it would be cool for something one day - see you just never know. Now it protects my desk from the heat of the coffee machine. 

Next we hung up a small shelf above so I could have some mugs out or something related to the whole idea. I am actually using my china hutch which is situated to the right, as where I can store lots of coffee mugs and small dessert plates - so that will be another project! Sweet!

Click on pic to view larger. 

I made an arrangement as best I could, and I can add things as I find them, so this is a work in progress. I take my coffee black, so the sugar, cream can all come out when I have guests. 

Anyways, feels like fun when I go to my 'special' spot now to prepare or serve myself coffee! 

Now hopefully I'll have biscotti for this afternoon's coffee break! 

Cards a la Carte is one of our special promotions with COUNTRY LIVING Magazine, and like last year features a set that you can use for entertaining.  This year's is very pretty stationary set - elegantly sweet!


This exclusive kit (item 119113) includes the following products:

• Dinner Party stamp set (set of 3)
• Ballet Blue Classic Stampin' Spot
• Preprinted stationery (24 sheets: 4 each of 6 designs)

Here is the collection and a couple of projects that you can do with it.

Project #1 is a Dinner Invitation

Stamps
Dinner Party stamp set*
Paper
Very Vanilla card stock
Very Vanilla envelope*
Ink
Ballet Blue Stampin' Spot*
Accessories
Stampin' Dimensionals




Instructions:

1. Print "You're invited" on Very Vanilla card stock and adhere to strip of Very Vanilla card stock. Wrap strip around So Saffron printed card from Country Living Cards à la Carte.

2. Stamp silverware image in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Cut out, distress one edge, then adhere to card stock strip using Stampin' Dimensionals.

3. Stamp silverware image in Ballet Blue ink on envelope flap.

Project #2   Mr. & Mrs. Card Collection

Stamps

Dinner Party stamp set*

Tiny  Tags stamp set**

Paper
Very Vanilla card stock
Very Vanilla envelope*


Ink
Ballet Blue Stampin' Spot*


Accessories
Linen thread
Very Vanilla 5/8" satin ribbon**
Stampin' Dimensionals
Medium Jewelry Tag punch**
1/16" Circle punch
1-3/4" Circle punch


Instructions:

1. Wrap Very Vanilla 5/8" satin ribbon around stack of Very Vanilla envelopes and printed cards from Country Living Cards à la Carte.

2. Stamp pitcher image in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Stamp flourish image in Ballet Blue ink in middle of pitcher. Punch out image using 1-3/4" Circle punch. Punch circle at top using 1/16" Circle punch. 

3. Stamp "Mr. & Mrs." in Ballet Blue ink on Very Vanilla card stock. Punch out using Medium Jewelry Tag punch. Punch hole in top of tag using 1/16" Circle punch. 

4. Thread linen thread through both Very Vanilla circle and tag. Tie around ribbon. Adhere tag to circle using Stampin' Dimensionals.

5. Stamp pitcher image in Ballet Blue ink on front of Very Vanilla envelope. Stamp flourish image in Ballet Blue ink on front of pitcher.

****

Cards  à la Carte  Stationary Kit Promotion - till April 30th, 2010. * Or till supplies last.