Kitchen Organization: DIY "command center"

 We'll start with the window pane. I think it came from my friend Hope, as she was trying to slim down her Canton window collection. I was more than willing to take this off of her hands. It's come in so handy around the new house. 

It had it's first go-around above the mantle with pumpkins 'n such for fall. 

and, then it was ready for Christmas with red ribbon and pine cones. 

Now, it's been given a new life. 

Enter my Kitchen Command Center! dun dun dunnnn.. I feel like I belong in Star Wars.

Here's the view coming around the corner from our dining room. 

Blake built that stand all by himself, so proud! Then, we stained it "driftwood" which is really fun to say. And, there you see my best attempt at kitchen organization/command center.

Yea, I put some plywood we had laying around from our Custom Headboard Making Business on the back. Yea, I spray painted it with a bottle of CHALKBOARD PAINT from Home Depot. Yea, I also cleaned that sucker off and spray painted the entire thing a nice coat of glossy white. 

Lauren:1 Kitchen clutter: ZERO.

that basket holds BBB coupons (how do we get so many of those? all the time??) extra keys, and random other coupons. 

Just a shot of my $4 picnic basket from the Thrift Store. Not to rub it in or anything, but we picked it up on a day the store was having a 50% off sale. Four bucks. We're taking a picnic to the concert in the park deal at the Dallas Arboretum later this week, and I couldn't be more excited to use my PICNIC basket. I'm having flashbacks of Yogi Bear.  

Hanging from the twine that stretches across the open panes are the cutest little clothespins. They hold onto recipes I want to try soon, one staple of a recipe from my grandma - for Sweet Rice, two tickets to the Fort Worth zoo that Blake won for us... that we need to remember to use soon, and a packing list for camping. We're headed to New Braunfels for Memorial Day weekend, and I cannot wait! I just can't!

on the bottom rung, a homemade post card from katelovephoto that was gifted to us when we arrived in Hawaii for her wedding, one of my most favorite people on earth - little baby Kyler, and a polaroid from said Hawaii wedding. oh the memories..

and, the reason for the season... the Johnson household weekly menu, on my DIY chalkboard!! I have a slightly boastful grin on my face right now. It was just so fun to make, and will be so fun to use!

The chalk. FIY plain white teacher's chalk is extinct. I went to 5 different places Sunday evening and ended up going with your classic sidewalk chalk. Who knew. 

So, there it is. I feel so in control of my kitchen now, and dinners, and schedules, and expiring tickets/coupons. I'm mostly excited about planning out weekly meals and posting them up there so Blake can get excited about the week too! He's already voiced his anticipation and joy, seriously though.. he has.