For the kitchen: aprons.

It's been a while since the last "for the kitchen" post, way back in December! Now for something a bit more springy - colorful aprons! Andrew bought me two lovely aprons from Williams-Sonoma for Christmas and I absolutely love them. They're both functional (with pockets!) and feminine - what girl doesn't want to look good in the kitchen? And with all the brunches and dinners happening this weekend, you'll want to make sure to wear an apron to keep those Easter dresses looking their best.

Below are some more of my favorites, just in time for upcoming spring and summer parties...perfect for hostess gifts and Mother's Day! And how adorable is the last one, for the chef-in-training?!

{1 / 2 via Crate & Barrel} // {3 / 4 via Anthropologie} // {5 / 6 via Williams-Sonoma}

For the kitchen: Christmas decorations.

Decorating for Christmas is so much fun, and I just love when there's a touch of holiday sparkle in each room of the house. What better place for Christmas decorations than the kitchen, a room that's full of warmth and cozy places to gather with family and friends (for some reason, Ukrainians always seem to congregate in the kitchen)? 

Pinterest is not lacking in ideas on how to bring Christmas into the kitchen, ranging from setting up a gigantic decorated Christmas tree in the middle of the room to hanging snowflakes made by the youngest members of the house from the windows. Some of my personal favorites are below. These touches are a bit more subtle and would still allow one to actually use their kitchen...all just Christmasy enough to make the room look and feel special for the holidays.

Photos (1), (2) via apartmenttherapy.com; (3), (4), (5), (6), (7) via Pinterest. 

For the kitchen: herbs.

Cooking with fresh herbs brings dishes to a completely different level, one that's bright, vibrant, and full of flavor. I'd love to be able to bring in bunches of fresh rosemary, thyme, basil from outside to use in my kitchen...but unless you have your own garden this likely is a bit of a luxury (actually, it's a near impossibility if you rent, like us, and have no private outside space). For now, we improvise, wrapping up fresh herbs that we bring home from the store with wet paper towels and then sealing them in individual plastic bags; they'll keep in the fridge a surprisingly long time that way. But just for fun, here are some inspirational photos to get you growing (hah!) inside your kitchens.

 Photos via: Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, and apartmenttherapy.com

For the kitchen: spice jars.

For those that know me, it'll come as no surprise to you that I like things organized. Part of the fun (yes, to us it's fun) of moving in to our new place was getting to organize everything from scratch: setting up our bookcases, folding everything neatly into the closets, and arranging our spices, baking supplies, and cooking utensils into their neat, non-cluttered new home. 

That being said, our pantry does not (AT ALL) look like this one below. 

In all likelihood, ours will never look like this (and really, whose does?) but we're determined to keep our pantry organized. While the space we have now is much more carefully set up than in our previous kitchen, we're not finished yet. Currently, we're on the hunt for spice jars that don't take up too much room in the pantry and are wide enough to easily accommodate a tablespoon. We don't want a pre-filled revolving rack, but would prefer individual jars so we can fill them up with our own spices. Tangent time: the Whole Foods in Milwaukee recently stopped having their spices available in bulk...not cool, Whole Foods, not cool. I hate having to spend $8.00 on a jar of a more exotic spice when we only need a teaspoon of it for a specific recipe. I think a lot of people are discouraged from experimenting with new flavors and tastes because of the fact that they'd have to buy a full jar and use so little of it, concluding, in the end, that it wouldn't be worth it at all. 

Alright, tangent over. 

As we continue to search for the perfect spice jars, here are some inspirations and ideas from around the web. Readers, what do you do? Any solutions to suggest for us? 

Photos via: Pinterest, Houzz, and Etsy.

For the kitchen: flowers.

It's cloudy, windy, and a bit gloomy here today, so I figured, what better way to bring some sunshine into the kitchen than flowers? I love how just the tiniest bouquet can brighten up the entire room. A colorful and happy way to decorate and easily changeable with the seasons? Yes, please! 

*Photos via apartmenttherapy.com

For the kitchen: chalkboard.

I love the idea of using chalkboard in the kitchen. It evokes charming bistros and sidewalk cafes, bringing some of the fun of going out for dinner right into your own kitchen. Besides being versatile, it allows you to make your kitchen space truly unique and personal. From grocery lists and menu options to daily reminders and little love notes, having chalkboard in the kitchen lets you get creative. The best part: you can erase and start all over again! 

 Photos via apartmenttherapy.com