diane - thanks for your comment. I actually have heard the same thing regarding paint vs stain, so I will have to get more info. on that. Thanks for the caution. Regarding the door and shutters - I have a replacement door stored in the garage because my new door warped inside of a year - and I was going to paint it BM Homestead Green - which is lighter and more aqua after the door gets replaced. I don't know why someone would put a brownish red roof on a white house but they did, so I feel like they fight each other. The shutters were already painted that color which is SW camelback. I have a detached garage with the same roof and siding, and I picked a yellowish cream garage door - probably should have gone with white. So to connect it with the house I left the shutters their goldish color. I painted the door its current color because its a richer color to corrdinate with the roof. Do you have any suggestions for the door and shutter color? When the door gets replaced I am going to get a new screen door because that one is not in very good shape - I thought I would get one with a white frame. I really like the BM Homestead Green for the door, can you suggest a shutter color that would look good with it and still coordinate the garage to the house? What you suggest for landscaping sounds lovely, but I really am not ready for that, and I love the simpler design that Yard created. I work a lot of hours so simpler is better for me. I see a lot of yards that are all garden and they really are beautiful, but I like the idea of just mowing over grass for my needs. I aso prefer a more "woodsy" look, to a lot of flowers, even though they go with the cottage look, I think a flowering vine, a good window box and the flowers around the entry shrub give enough blooms to go with a cottage look. I would love to hear back about the door and shutter colors if you have any suggestions. Thanks again!

Thank you both. I hadn't considered the water factor Carol. I was just thinking thicker is worse for heat penetration especially since I was going for the low sugar honey version and there was no extra processing time. But that does make a lot of sense. I am with Planatus though, for my own piece of mind, and because I am feeding it to two toddlers as well as two adults, I will err on the side of caution and over process this one a little until I am more comfortable. I did produce exact yields on this one, but I usually tend to over produce by one jar almost everything I have to reduce down. I never seem to reduce anything exactly right. I have always been afraid of over reducing and having a density issue that I haven't yet been afraid of not reducing enough. (great, now I have a new fear!) I know, they test these recipes for a certain amount of yield failure, but I am a bit of a paranoid person until I know I REALLY know what I am doing. (I get the feeling that could take a long time). Thanks again for all the help.

Craftlady- Blue raspberry vodka with lemonade...that sounds good and very pretty. You're right, better to find out now, than with half of the house missing! LOL ae2ga- Butterscotch schnapps and Bailey's Irish Cream. Wow! That does sound good...I've got to tell my mom about this drink. She doesn't like very many alcoholic drinks, but I think she would really like that one! Boxerpups- You are so sweet! Thank you for the wonderful pictures and the very nice message. That lavender is so beautiful! As for my new plan, it's really an older plan that I started out with...and looking at it again, I really like it! I made a few changes and added some ideas (like the bump out window seat) but I think it could be even better than the old plan. For one thing, the living room (not shown) doesn't look small, compared to the kitchen/dining area...and the porch is a whole other living space, which is kind of fun. It gives me another room to decorate, too :) Here's the plan, with the work table already pictured, instead of an island, and lots of bookcases (I love books). Bookcases opposite the marble topped work table, against the oven/microwave and a short antique bookcase (my grandmother's) against the wall, by the table. Above that, I have a really pretty gold painted, metal tea cup and saucer holder. I need to take a picture of that and post it. The hutch (not purchased yet) is on the other side of the table. The laundry/pantry area has storage on either side of the bench or table at the far end (which can be easily moved) and the storage is for things like Christmas presents and sewing stuff, I don't use very often. The washer and dryer are on the kitchen side, with a counter for folding, with pull-out hampers below, and upper cabinets above. On the other side (from the small window) is the freezer, the farm sink we found, under another window, with cabinets on both sides and a bench with hooks over it (mini-mudroom). Across from this (backing up to the fridge wall) is a small pantry for larger items. The porch has a hutch and small bistro table, with two or three chairs. The hutch will be full of tea accessories (I have always wanted a place for tea) and the table is the perfect size for two or three people to share tea and conversation...and lavender cookies! The seating area is probably wicker and cushions, with a very small woodstove in the corner and a bench with plants, under the window. Best part...I can put a little crystal chandelier, over the bistro table and a fan over the seating area. Maybe these roof lines, making me change my plan again, is a really good thing, after all! :)

I'm not sure the status of your plans, but I did work on a couple, based on your current plan. Traffic...I would definitely try to direct traffic through the left side of your kitchen rather than the right. Through-traffic will be in the way of any work being done if the right side is utilized (that's where all the primary work zones are). This means making sure you have a clear path on the left, not cluttered with stools, etc. if the aisle is too narrow. If it is cluttered, people will perceive that the right side is easier to navigate and will use it...even if someone is working there! Seating at an "island"...If you don't really need the storage on the left wall, you might consider eliminating the bookshelves (see Layout #4 below for an example of what might be possible). Pantry/Laundry Room...Just how much pantry storage is there in the "Pantry/Laundry Room"? It looks to me like you have a 30"x12" pantry and a 21" x 24" or so broom/utility cabinet ("Br"). I don't know what "F2" is. How would you feel about moving the door to the Porch and installing a corner pantry? A walled-in pantry might help to reduce the impact of the laundry's steam/heat on the food in the pantry. Plus, it will be "hidden" in case your pantry isn't always "photo ready". See the very last layout for what I'm suggesting. Tall Cabinet or Shelves...As to the bookshelves vs a utility/pantry cabinet to the right of the range, I would actually recommend getting rid of it altogether...unless you really need it. You can store baking supplies in drawers and upper cabinets...meanwhile you gain "permanent" working and landing space b/w the range and oven. Refrigerator...To be able to open the refrigerator door fully (assuming there's a door w/a hinge on the left), you will need to either reduce the depth of that wall to approx 24" or pull the refrigerator out so the refrigerator carcass/box is flush with the "end" of the wall. Some modification (or pulling out) will be needed regardless of depth...counter or standard. I don't recommend a refrigerator with one door with the hinge on the right...it will make it more difficult to get things out of it and place them on some landing space. OK....here they are: .. .. .. .. .. And...no set of layouts is complete without at least one with a prep sink! :-D .. Pantry/Laundry Room: (12" deep shelves on the left; 15" deep shelves on the "top")