The Cranky House

space clearing and much more

2010-05-08T00:42:00.000-07:00

there is just so much i have realized within the past week and a half. i wish i had time to record it all right now, but i don't, because its 230am! rafe is sick with fever and keeps calling out for me, and i can't sleep anyways because of the crazy revelation i had about the very true realness of feng shui and energy and symbolism and...oh! i wonder why this had to dawn on me in the middle of the night! bad timing!

i will simply have to make notes for myself and fill in the blanks later:
scarface shirt
stuck energy and heat
symbolism of our belongings
naming your home
creating reality...is so very real...the things we say, even while we might mean them lightheartedly, are so very powerful (hence, no more "crankyhouse!")
my new rhealm of exploration: shamanism, space clearing and feng shui
the book "true love" by thich nhat can't remember how to spell his whole name
untying of painful heart knots
beginning a new blog about shamanism and the energy of spaces

okay, i think those are the major points.

poor rafey. better get him again.

Exterior Paint Job Completed Mostly

2010-04-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

BEFORE.....

AFTER......

IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS.....

What might keep me from doing any more blog stuff is, oddly, not the fact that only 2 people read my blog! ha! because it really is mostly a selfish indulgence, after all! BUT the fact that I have such a hard time getting pictures from my camera to this blog is really frustrating. And then I really feel like a dunce that I don't seem to be able to rearrange the pictures after I upload them...it drives me nuts! Because you know - I just don't have half an hour to play bloggie! I have maybe 10 minutes. Anything beyond that is really beyond the limits of my attention span and/or the neediness of my other obligations.

What do you think of the mostly finished job? I haven't worked to remove that blob of paint on the brick. I think more will come off if put some elbow grease into it. Or not. And I'm getting shutters which are going to cover that paint blog somewhat. Hopefully, ALLwhat. But probably not. Worst case scenario is I have to paint the brick. Or have to look at a blob. And at this point, I'm more likely to opt for looking at blob! Kinda indifferent at this point!

I'm very very happy to see the rotten board replaced and the flakey paint fixed up, things sealed and tidy. But I'll be honest with you (tina, the only person with the patience to read this) that I'm not 100% behind this color combination. I think the colors are great together, and they really suit the house. The are kinda arts/crafts and go well with the door style, the timbers, etc. But, dear reader, the colors are much more drab and dark than I realized they would be. Like I say, I really do believe it is a huge improvement and it suits the house very well. But does it suit my style perfectly? Well, no. But then, it didn't really match me before, either. At any rate, it is a project done well! And for that I'm so happy! I might wind up having to paint the shutters a deep green/blue to add some cheer to this color scheme, though. I think the wood door complements the whole thing very well. I just need...I dunno, a little flash of brightness!

And, because I am a color nut, I'm a little disappointed that after all the time I took to make a decision, I still didn't manage to find a color which works perfectly with the color of the grilles on the windows. Now, for some people this might seem ridiculously picky! But you have to understand, I'm insanely sensitive to color! So forgive me! But the color of the window grilles is a purplish/pink/gray. And it just doesn't jive with the trim color, although I'm fond of the trim color, godblessit, I truly am!

What I learned from this: just pick colors you like, dammit!

Stella's room design service available. Please contact me for details.

pictures at last!!!

2010-04-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Trying to pick out paint colors, and decide whether or not to paint the very red brick. I decided that painting the brick a lighter color (body color) would look wrong...but I'm still not crazy about the brick red. Might try doing a "wash" of body color on the brick once everything else is finished being painted.

Laundry room project! I would like to put a countertop over the washer/dryer. Obviously the dryer would need to be replaced (more $!) to make that work! Would also need to have a cut-out in the counter to allow for the water to the washer. Got an estimate for a stainless countertop at $800!! Wow! For some reason the laminate is much cheaper, more like $300. Hmmm. Hmmm. Well, obviously these are all extra pleasant things I would like to have, but are not necessities. Might do that part of the project another year!

You can see here the side entry door which has not been opened in years! Well, not completely true, opened it this winter when the sliding door was frozen shut. Here is the plan: remove this door and window, make one larger window in their place. Between the window and door was a short wall and door into the laundry room. This made the laundry room very small. By removing that door and using the previous "hallway" as part of the laundry/pantry, it will make one more spacious room instead! Awesome!!! I'm so excited to see that wall removed!Of course there have been hitches in all this! What kinda house project doesn't have those?? Turns out I had no more of the floor tile. I ordered more, and the color and size of the tile has changed, or at least is so inconsistent that now we need to track down more tile that is the appropriate size. And all that is really needed is about 20 6" square tiles. Lotsa thought for a very small tile project!
A fun side effect of the whole project is that this secondary stair (to the right) is now gone! They needed to get the rotted deck out of the way to do a thorough job with the extra siding that needed to be added once the door and window were removed! This also means that the air conditioner gets much better air circ now because it is not blocked by the deck overhead. Super! And some day, when my tile is found, when my window and my pocket door arrive, and are painted, and installed....I will have a new picture to post! It will be a happy happy time in the laundry room!!

Happy Spring to everyone!

exterior

2010-03-11T18:59:00.000-08:00

did i already post this one of the yucky backside of my house? what i need to find is one of my really good front photos, because my neighbors are sorta irritating to me when i try to stare at my house and figure out colors. i've had 4 neighbors comment, sarcastically, that i just need a few more colors to look at. (actually, ive only got about 6 colors out there, which isint bad considering i need at least 2 in the end!) funny, it sounds like i must be out there a lot to have so many comments! ha! actually, it all happened on 2 nice days we have had, and every able bodied human being went outside to try to recover from the horrible winter we've had! yer also liable to come across a lot of neighbors here because i live in retirement-ville - someone is ALWAYS walking their dog! some of the neighbors walk their dogs 3 times a day!!!

funny picture of my in-laws gorgeous barn. to be honest, i would rather just live there! its a beautiful building. and the colors are really nice, too.

cleaning and fixing - just weird?

2010-02-27T19:37:00.000-08:00

it seems like time for me to redirect my energy.

i think i've justified my interest in decorating and house projects as being a nice break from constantly thinking about the more constant pressures of raising children, and the somewhat redundant tasks of maintaining a house and family. fooding it up, wiping down, scrub, vacuum, polish. calming tempers, carefully observing rashes. the constant battle with entropy. sure, it's not a battle you can win, but i feel responsible to try as hard as i can.

at least, i've always thought it is important to be as clean and organized as i can be. of course these ideas all come from how you are raised. my mother was a very, VERY (obsessively) clean and organized person. and even though it might not have been the healthiest approach for her, it did always give me a feeling of security to live in a home that always felt fresh, smelled clean, my clothes were clean, there was no clutter to trip over. (clutter is a tough one, though, because i think children do like to create clutter while they play, and if someone is constantly picking up your playthings, well, i think this can limit creativity. clutter is a separate subject, though. but briefly, i do sometimes wonder if it made it less fun to play knowing that my mom was dying to return everything to its appropriate space... i for sure allow a LOT of play clutter, and i allow huge messes, especially when stella is into a "project", i don't want to interrupt by trying to control the chaos.)

but back to my point - i felt that the cleanliness of my childhood home gave me a sense of order, calm, and security. interestingly, i don't think my siblings felt the same way about it. but i personally am thankful to my mom for being a great homemaker. i suppose some of that comes down to our "nature" and whether we feel calmer in cleanliness or just restricted.

hmm, i know this is a lot of detail. it may even seem overly analytical. but when you come from an over-the-top clean home, these things seem important. and when your job is taking care of a home and it's occupants (and most adults consider this to be at least one of their jobs) it seems like a worthwhile topic to reflect upon.

i wonder what it would be like to be a person who was just sloppy and never questioned whether this was "okay" or not. and of course there is that weird "cleanliness is next to godliness" issue, as well as "idle hands are the devil's, um, playthings? puppets?" you get the idea. i often think it would be really freeing to not care at all about mess.

industriousness and hard work - things that i was raised to believe are SO very important, so important that they contribute or detract from your overall Goodness. Is this a common struggle that people have? or only people who, like i've described in my situation, came from a perfectionistic home? or is it an American obsession? puritanical? and, related to the cleanliness obsession - how about our society's current obsession with germs and hand sanitizer? seems a little creepy at times... i am always seeing moms slathering their kids in bottles of that stuff. im not saying that i never use it but - doesn't it seem a bit extreme to anyone else? the super strong cleansers we use to clean our homes - similar issue, isint it?

well, at any rate, i think most people are affected by this cleanliness ethos. probably just subconsciously. it is interesting to watch my inlaws reacting to a spill on a piece of furniture. they go into complete panic mode. their tempers flare, they are rushing around like a fire is about to reduce their home to ashes. the spiller is bound to feel about the size of a crumb, too, by the way. and they seem to be operating the dark about the WHY of their perfectionism - it's just, well, how it IS!

going off on a tangent here, in a way... what i was originally thinking about was less about cleanliness and housework and more about how we feel about our houses, and the drive to improve them (or the lack thereof). it seems to me a pretty basic almost primal instinct to want to "feather the nest" - picturing: cavepeople fighting over cheetah skins. i enjoy nest feathers. not so much cheetah skins. i think most people do enjoy sprucing their homes, to differing degrees. and of course most improvements need cash, so it is a luxury to an extent. but we obtain such a sense of security from the feathering. and i guess, what i've been trying to remind myself, lately...all the feathering in the world does not keep a family safe, or together, or happy. thinking of buddhist principle that desire is the source of all suffering, because it is feeding into this illusion that things we desire will bring us happiness, etc...

i always believe in the middle way. i know the answer, or at least the safest bet, lies somewhere there in the middle. caring, but not making it a priority. checking in often to ask: what is my motivation? am i focusing so much on the external as a way of ignoring the deeper and more difficult questions? being aware of excessive materialism. i know i would never surrender completely to the entropy, give up on keeping the children reasonably clean, keeping the toys tidy enough that they are promoting creative play rather than hindering it. and though my children very rarely put vegetables in their gullets, i will continue to try to offer them with, um, moderate frequency (hey, ya can only look at SO much food being wasted, right?) and im never probably going to stop being bothered by the cracking paint outside my house, or the bedframe that i would love to replace that causes huge thigh bruises if you work to close to it.....

ah well, an inexhaustible subject in my mind, but surely exhausting for everyone else. that is, for both of you who read my blog :)

more basement

2010-02-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

awesome room, eh? but i think i saved it mostly for those wooden posts.

this is a nice way to use a basement space. i love metal shelving. love the homey touches, too. i think this is what i am hoping for in my basement. i dont want to try to make it look like some opulent living room, just a basement that is finished enough to be comfortable for use.

love the stair rails. also, the open glass of the windows. my ceiling is of course about 13 feet lower than this.

the dark painted ceiling thing. hmmmm. nice, but this ceiling is much prettier/tidier than ours. ours has a million "sister joists" and a kajillion nails poking through. perhaps they would not be noticeable with dark paint?

had a picture of white ceiling, too, but cant find it.

i've called so many posts "random things." let's try "radon things" for a change.

2010-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

i adore this type of light. and i went out on a very thin limb, more like a holly branch, and purchased a similar light for my front entry, which is currently lightless. oh, oh, how much attention this will draw, and im afraid it will be mostly negative. but, my dears, my dears, it's my house, so, ta ta! ta ta!!!

hello, you are my favorite place. well, nearly. i would have to add a few colorful french chairs and frou frou it up a bit. but i think the contrast would be magnifique. and radon-ish, as well.

my old house! i thought this light was just sooo perfect for the house. put it in right before we moved. i hope the people there now enjoy it! i also loved the little copper doorbell. again, a radon picture i just happened across.

basement. windows. hmmm.

2010-02-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

this used to be our front door. just came across the pic and thought i would put it here. for some reason this door and i really did not get along. im so glad he is gone.

ah, good, i found a picture of the rear of house. its an old picture, but not much has changed. its not the best view for considering this dilemma, though... you cant see the doors. we are wanting to make the windows bigger and use glass doors to let in more light. i think it is important to try to keep consistancy but... sometimes it also can be nice to use contrasting styles. i was thinking it might be interesting and fun to use big open glass for lower level, rather than the small grilles in the more traditional windows on the rest of the house.

i think this is a decent idea, but im not sure where to stop/start the style difference. for example, we will be replacing a few windows on the SIDE of the house and i dont know if those would be better being traditional to go with front, or modern, as i would like to do in this area by the concrete patio. i think i will go try to channel the spirit of an architect right now.

im thinking that it would look best to have the glass doors and all basement windows facing the back of the house be similar - ie, no grilles, or more contemporary. it's just those side windows im unsure of. also we are going to try painting the beams a dark color and hanging track lighting (the thin metal band type, not the white thick 80s kind) so contemporary is sort of the theme...

look how tiny stella was!!! wow, we've been working on this place for a very very long time. she is now almost 6!
i need to take a new picture of the rear of the house for this project. otherwise i have to stand out there in the almost-snowing cold. with rafe.

laundry room

2010-01-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

HEL--llooooo laundry room!!! i'm going to eat you up!!! forget the bedroom, i think i will sleep right on that lovely little blue-gray-legged gem in the center, thank you!

cement. as countertop. i keep hearing people say that it's so indestructable, cheap, etc...really? i wonder. it looks cool but i can't imagine it being cheap to have someone custom create a heavy piece of colored concrete for ya.

if i could have a door to the pantry/laundryroom area. or, if you are matt, you just say, "why don't you just keep the laundry room perfectly clean and then we won't need a door?"

i wonder what is kept in those pretty drawers? seem too nice for dirty clothes, right?

i really like this playful mix of tile colors in squares. i think i've posted some other similar pictures.

random photos i've saved

2010-01-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

rustic modern

couch i love

fan window would be neat over front door

ideal window for laundry room

kitchen - style, layout (fireplace by kitchen) beams, lights, etc.

another beautiful kitchen

Thoughts on the Dungeon

2010-01-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful space, isin't it? So many neat things. The lighting, the ceiling...the funny purple stool. I think being a photographer of spaces must be so interesting. Or maybe, being the stylist of the space. I always wonder about the person who turns every item just the right way, arranges the flowers, angles the chairs...I guess they are called "stagers"? Do people get paid for that? fun! but mostly saved this picture for the finish on the cement floor. I love the look of the unfinished ceiling, but our basement ceiling is too ugly to be chic and industrial looking.

Here - saved this for the countertop. Actually the whole console. Would make a great looking countertop/workspace for basement.

Amazing lighting!!! It makes the space, doesn't it?

Just wondering how to lay out doors/windows. Would be nice to add natural light down there for the dragon.

How much would I love to paint the floor white...I wish I knew someone who had a white painted floor so they could give me the scoop on the maintainance. is impossible to keep clean looking? We will paint the cement floor, not going to try to cover with some expensive flooring. Not sure exactly what the options are for cement. Have seen "acid wash" I think, and "staining", and epoxy. Will need to do some cement floor research. Not sounding very exciting.

happy thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

look how tiny stella is in this picture...gives you an idea of how long we've been working on this place! i forgot that the bedroom window was picture (didn't open!) - i'm thankful it's not like that anymore! ha ha! but really, even though this house has been a 5 year project with no end in sight, i am thankful i have a home. a nice home with heat, with food, with lovely people living in it. thanksgiving should be a more regular part of my life, since i too often focus on what i still would like, rather than what i already have!!! what a shame, right?

bareness, walls

2009-11-20T23:18:00.000-08:00

the hallway where i can't hang a picture because i still haven't finished fixing the patch/painting...

a corner which is no longer bare. i found this retro foal print and thought it was perfect for rafe's room, since he is interested in cowboy things...very exciting because i did always love those little boy rooms which are decorated so "western," especially with a 50's feel would be lovely. i think a rustic wood wall shelf on another wall might be just right.

my bedroom walls are extremely bare. but an unscarred wall is such a perfect thing! no nail holes yet makes it pretty in it's own right. it's also my way of being picky and saying that i won't hang up just anything in my bedroom. i'm going to wait until just the right (also cheap/free) thing comes my way.

and i am the opposite bedroom wall, also naked, 'cept for wallpaper. and i don't have a picture, in part, because someone thinks i should have a window right in the center of me. sigh!

and here is a freebee for you - some sweet sunshine, yellow hair and all. sweetness, sweetness, sweetness.........

fireplaces and tvs, and why

2009-11-18T12:54:00.001-08:00

fireplaces and tvs?
well, looks as though we are on to another project, leaving the previous and untouched project (the exterior) in the dust. and, knowing matt this project might also be destined to gather dust. it often happens that matt says he is willing to commit to a project only to change his mind. hmmm, maybe because i am the person most interested in these things, and he is afraid to tell me no? it's puzzling, but it happens often.

so - why tvs and fireplaces? well, new open-ended project is sort of fun and possibly relatively simple? can i say that? finishing the basement! now, this is a project that matt has said for a while that he would like to see happen. i have been pushing more for a paint job, our house looks flakey and sad right now.... however, it IS wintery outside, so a much better time to pursue something indoors. I took some pictures of the basement but haven't downloaded them yet. downloading pictures is a project in itself - it always takes me forever to remember how to get them off of that little memory disk into the right place. at any rate, it will be fun to see the transformation if we ever do fix up the basement, even a little - because it currently is pretty dismal, even for a basement! it was built with teeny tiny windows, even though larger windows would have worked. it also has double doors which are solid - and could be glass! this would make a huge difference down there. some paint and some of that cement epoxy (?) on the floors would be huge!!

being a bit of a junkie for renovating, i've already gone ahead and measured the place and have been contemplating different uses for the huge space. there is a jutting-out spot where the upstairs fireplace comes down and makes a basement fireplace. the fireplace is finished in a yucky red brick with blecky grout, exactly as it was done upstairs. this area in the basement seems the obvious spot for a seating area with tv. there is not much wall space, so i began to investigate this new phenomena, well, 2 new phenomenas: flat-screen tvs and flat-screen tvs mounted above fireplaces.

oops, this one is not a tv, but the picture could easily be one...liked the stone and wooden beams, actually.

i have absolutely no idea how this business of a tv on a wall works. i imagine there must be wires involved. and electricty. and there is the volume knob? you would think i am 75 rather than 35. at any rate, it seems to me that putting the tv above the fireplace would double-duty the wallspace, provide an obvious focal point, and also give me a good excuse to cover up the blecktastic brick with something...drywall, plus pretend stones, mantel, ??? the fireplace has a big ledge that im sure has a name - ive considered just smashing it to pieces and having the firebox be elevated off the ground, maybe creating a sort of contemporary fireplace...hmmmm.

diversions, diversions! there are times that i feel sort of guilty that i devote so much brain power to projects such as these. but i suppose what a person doesn't see in a blog is that i also devote so much time to children and food, and in particular, dealing with a child who seems to have a mental illness. mmm, im dropping a bomb in a way, but all two or three of you who actually view my blog i suppose already know all about this so it's no suprise. honestly, thinking about decorating is a creative outlet for me that keeps me hopeful and gives me something that i feel i can actually control. it gives me respite from the emotional rollercoaster of stella's moods.

2009-11-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

more nice exterior pictures. i love the dark shutters and door here, and of course the amazing driveway/walkway.

don't remember exactly why i saved this picture but, it is an exterior, so ill just throw it in here.

luckily, i already have the right man for the job.

spying on others: took these pictures of somebody's garage doors. i think this style is perfect.

a stone i am considering (though have no idea about prices of these things yet!) called harvest mix by earthworks.

playing house summore

2009-11-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

here is an architect's rendition of what we could do to the front of the house. wow, he is a really good artist, huh? threw in the cupola for good measure, although we would obviously not need that extra expense, ah-hem.... yes, tear off all the brick and the cedar designs (half-timbering), and replace with brick. i think the plan is a good one except for closing up the entryway with the stone wall. it would look great from the outside looking in, but the view looking out would be even more obscured than it is already. the door would remain where it is currently, but where there is currently a single post, there would be a wall. to about where the broom is standing in this picture. rafey, get back to your sweeping!

it's all such a lovely distraction right now - since we haven't actually gotten a bid yet for how much this renovation would cost...

the research photos

2009-11-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

it there is one thing i learned in school...it's that tequila is not meant to be drunk by the mug-ful. in addition, you might as well do your research. in fact, i remember sometimes having the problem that i would in fact do too much research. i would get distracted by interesting details and go off on a tangent. and lose sight of the big picture. okay, so maybe what i really should have learned is that i shouldn't get too focused on details? what? something about a mug? what? ugggg.

oh ya, i remember now. research. yes, i tend to want to get a lot of information before making decisions. rather than simply paint the front of the house, there is a grand new plan....replace the schoolhouse red brick with STONE. please nod politely while i say - stone is almost always superior to brick! unless you are a post office or a hospital.

so STONE. talk about a research project. composite stone? oh yes, it is manufactured something-or-other that is made to look like stone! stone veneer? that is actually REAL stone. then there are stone suppliers and retailers and even just plain stoners. it's terribly confusing.

you might be wondering, and what about this house? this house is so pretty, isin't it? so many details that i like, in particular the stone and the trim color, and also the shutters. and it's got a cupola, for goodness sake! and it happens to be for sale, so i looked it up to see if there might be good pictures online? this house is for sale for 2.2 million dollars. have you ever heard of such a thing?? maybe in california? shocking.

but all of that is really irrelevant. i went and took my own pictures. i was hoping that a builder person might be able to tell me what this stone is, and i also wanted to try to match the trim color.

how about i just move here? sigh! could this house be any more darling??

another example of colors and stone.

i'd like to end with a picture of my actual house but guess what? i still can't figure out how to move pictures around on the page. i try to drag it, it pops back into place.

exteriors again

2009-11-11T03:09:00.000-08:00

EXTERIOR COLORS

2009-11-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

LOVELY houses! none of them mine, obviously! but looking for ideas of color combinations.... picking out a color for one interior room is nothing compared to trying to do this outside, when the sun changes things so much, and you have to account for multiple colors (trim and body) plus window and gutter...yikes! this is not likely to be figured out soon enough to complete this fall.

bo's kitchen tile

2009-10-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda predictable in this: if you ask my opinion on something, I'm gonna do a google search and find pictures for you! I love projects. I love tile, too. My mother in law is redoing her kitchen countertops and backsplash and I can't wait to see how it turns out! She has probably already made all her decisions, but I thought I would throw out some ideas in case she has not. t the first photo - i like the small squares with slight variation in color, thought she might like that, as well

i am thinking that the mix of shapes in this tile pattern might be nice - could be monochromatic, but have a little interest to it. i think this would work well if all countertops were off white.

again, the mix of rectangles and squares (not in these colors)

more of this idea: the squares of multiple shades of the same color.

and again, but on the diagonal. I also can picture all countertops dark green, the small brick pattern in green, with off-white+green for the diagonal square pattern. actually, I really like this one a lot. I like this sort of "trim piece" look that the brick layer provides.

distractions called rugs

2009-10-05T10:25:00.000-07:00

okay, so this is not a rug...but i wanted to post it before i lose track of it...the most beautiful kitchen in the world, most likely. can't put my finger on the why of it.... i like the modest size. the stainless with the gray finish, the stainless lights. it's got that "pretty" of martha stewart style - pretty but practical (speaking of the lighting) and tidy. i love it.

speaking of martha stewart, here is a rug that i just love in the m.s. line from safavieh (spelled wrong, i think). i love the coolness of the colors and the retro pattern.

i would love a faux bois rug, of course.

and this one is so darling, too.

did i mention that the rug is for the front hall? and i'm absolutely not buying one any time soon. that's why it's only a distraction, not a project.

thoughts

2009-09-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

this time of year is beautiful, no question. but i have to say, i get a little nervous when the leaves start to fall. i have to keep reminding myself that they will come back again. i love the green living things and i love to be outside, and i get so lonesome for the green things when they hibernate. stella made this flower decoration - she poked the stems of the flowers through the wide leaf, to keep them all together.

i took this picture at the beginning of summer. tiny plastic streamers can be incredibly beautiful in the sunshine.

random bedroom picture which i may have even posted before! i love the colors, the striped paper, and of course, the lamps.

another random picture i have saved. i think so much of a beautiful room comes from the architectural details. imagine this room without the wall panelling and i think you will see what i mean. i don't think anything that i've put inside this my house would look very good if it weren't for the fact that we replaced things like the old flooring. unfortunately, it's those structural things that are most expensive to change! unless you're terribly handy, which i am not. if i were, i'd be tearing the old chair rail down from the hallway, putting up crown moulding, and installing bypass closet doors right this moment!

i so very much want to go to sleep, and i know i will get woken up before too long. sleep deprivation is a cruel thing. rafe is lucky he is so very darling that i can't help but worship him, even though he steals my sleep every night.

exteriors

2009-09-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

we need to reside the house, but can't afford that this year. still, i am in my idea-collecting mode and have a few pictures saved. here they are!

wouldn't do this, really, but thought it was neat the way they made it look old in a pretty convincing, non-cheesey way!

Painted brick? love the gray of the shutters, and the shutter locks.

heh heh

more my style...isin't this a sweet house? we won't tell them it's bad feng shui to have a tree blocking your entrance, huh? ha ha! very cute house.

kitchen - lauren

2009-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

I have a feeling you might hate this, Lauren, but....here is a photo of the type of light I'm talking about. It's not exactly what I was picturing, but the same idea. I believe it's a paper shade. The one I was picturing is more of a "mum" shape. Now that I look at it, I think it would be too out of place. I still think you could do a contemporary light, but maybe something with metal, instead.

Arts n Crafts door with Fancy Glass.

This would be a typical arts and crafts door....

Ah! if only i could figure out how to rotate a picture...but that would take too long! (i DID try, and sadly enough, couldn't figure it out!) note the blue/gray and red cabinets - i think it's very cute. maybe too "country" for you?

this is the ottoman i mentioned. see how there is a tray in the middle? how awesome is that!?

found the old pictures!!!

2009-09-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

here is the old fireplace, obviously! and the very very dark beams with ultra-white paint between.... sh iver ! actually, i really do understand what they were going for in this house originally....an english tudor type of thing, with the dark beams and rails and stucco walls...the only problem was, they did it in an ultra ugly way! ha! seriously, the finish on the wood was dreadful, shiney, dark and splintery wood, too. the masonry of the brick is, i think, pretty yucky, too. they made super deep grooves between all the bricks which is weird. same as on the exterior.

the original kitchen! well, after a little tearing out. originally we were going to just paint what was there. oh man, am i ever glad we changed it around beyond just painting cabinets.

front hall light fixture - quite hideous, you've gotta admit. the front door was wood but had bad hardware and a million coats of paint, as well as a little window at just the perfect height for people to stare in at you before you even know they are there.

wish i had more pictures of the original master bathroom. i have already posted the "after" shots. it's SO MUCH BETTER NOW!!!! before, closet on the outside wall, no window. weird angled vanity. weird, weird, and more weird.

this is the room where we now have the piano. there was much questioning of my desire to replace this light fixture. can you believe it? sigh! the front of the house used to be all these double-hung inefficient windows. it was pricey to replace them, but it made a HUGE difference in the appearance of the house from the front. now it is 3 casement, two sides operational, middle one not. love em. much better looking.

this last photo so you can see the window difference. so much better. yes, we still need paint and repair to the wood stuff on the exterior, etc etc.... but ah, i have to say the i think windows are so important!

hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane!

random things

2009-09-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Stella's room, which I haven't posted before. Here it is.

I did this painting yesterday while Rafe took a nap. I wish I had more time to work on it. The sky is dorky, but I like the foreground. This heart painting I did for Stella, as she was in a phase of giving hearts to show love. Funny, the colors are exactly the same as the painting I did yesterday.

This one in the white frame is a painting of a pool that Stella did a while back. I like it. The white frame used to house a baby room print - I popped that out and inserted her painting in it's place.

stressed, time to blog

2009-08-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

follow up time! 1st room is now-white piano room. okay, okay, i admit, it's a bit stark. but i'm enjoying it. i have to say that if i were doing this whole house thing over again, i would start out with everything white! then you take the time to look at the light, your furniture in the place, and then come to an educated decision about color. white allows you to envision other possibilites. once a color is there, it's so hard to imagine anything else. at least, for me, this is true.

I had to take a picture of my living room while it was clean - and even had flowers in it?? this lasted about 3 hours. which is all i wanted it to last for, anyways. my dad and brother were visiting. i like to make a good first impression. after that, i let it all hang out. (such a graphic phrase, isin't it?)

Photo of the one corner of my house that i am completely, entirely at peace with. i still am in love with this console/kitchen island piece of furniture. i got it at such an awesome price, and it fits this corner perfectly. i feel that this corner is now completely absolutely done and exactly the way i want it. that is, until i have to come up with some other floral arrangement....but in fall, an easy solution would be just branches. they are bad feng shui, but the height (and $) will make them just perfect. the only thing new in this corner are the lamps.

and finally! the lamp to end all lamp searches! i'm so happy to be done with that search. this lamp is robert abbey "harriet" and was $180. yes, this is a lot of money, but for the size of this lamp, a good price. trust me, because i have looked at EVERY LAMP ON THE PLANET!!! even the target lamps of comparable size were $220+. at any rate, no more house purchases for me for a long time, now! and by the way (tina u.) this lamp is one that i saw about a year ago and loved...after looking at Every Lamp O. T. P., i wound up back with this one. crazy, huh? but according to this mathematic principle that tina told me about, apparently it is not crazy. something about the chances of the perfect choice being amongst the first several you look at, yadda yadda, im way too tired to try to get that one right!

nearly perfect! still some things i need to change (cheap curtain rod is barely hanging on to wall, for example, and mattress is only 3 years old and sags terribly) BUT i'm getting somewhere with this room!!! hooray!

after visiting my in-laws vacation home and just loving the fact that they painted their ceilings the same color as the walls, i've decided that i need to paint the ceiling in this room! but rather than continuing with the gold, i think i want to do a pale blue. wouldn't that be smashing, dahling? speaking of their vacation home, i might do an entry on that next. it was totally beautiful! i took pictures, of course...wonder if they would mind me posting them? for both of my readers to enjoy?

love and love,
kelly

what's been goin on?

2009-07-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

hello, hello. i have been so busy and haven't downloaded my latest pictures...they should be fun! pictures of family visiting, which was SO much fun. also snapped a picture of the BEDROOM LAMPS! that's right, the lamp topic has finally run it's course - project completed! so next time i will post that photo. no more lost sleep for you, dear reader, wondering if i would ever find lamps for the bedroom. some older pictures - rafe in the playroom! playroom post should be next after lamps post. lamp post? play room is good, though still hoping to find more cheap storage.

this bedroom photo - just one i saved. hm, might have even posted it previously!

i'm currently feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact that stella might be "one of those people" who can't have wheat/gluten - this is a huge deal for me as i'm big on CARBS. the foods kids like best seem to be full of wheat (pbj, pizza, mac/cheese)... so currently, free mental space is consumed by this topic.

happy living to you,

kelly

hallway

2009-07-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

my current fixation: the long narrow hallway with doors to my room, "powder room," and Rafe's room. it also has 4 doors opening to closets. these doors are a real pet peeve of mine - they are forever left open, and also open of their own volition even when intentionally closed by moi. i do like the paint colors i used in this hallway, but i have ideas, honey, i have ideas....

for one thing, this hallway is pitch black all day unless you turn on a light. i would like to install solatubes (i cringe to leave out the "r" but that's how they spell it); i want to replace these louver type doors with non-louver bypass doors which will never be opening into the traffic space; i want to remove the chair rail and add crown molding, and install thicker moulding around the doors. AND, i would like to wallpaper with a blue/white vertical stripe.

mmmmm, yaaaaaaaa... definitely a very long term goal.

the lamp obsession

2009-06-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so lovely, too bad I'm 400 dollars. Yes, people, 400. Who makes up these prices?? Can I please have the real price, now?

this nifty one came up on a image search and i thought, hmmm! neat, but weird enough that surely it's kinda cheap...765 dollars. Yes, DOLLARS.

By the way, I found the picture of the carpet from the room which needs the lamps...

Finally for your viewing pleasure: a Robert Abbey triple gourd lamp. It comes in lotsa colors. Of course Matt says it looks like a snowman. Hey, I don't have anything against snowmen, do you? This one is lotsa prices, but basically around 200. Thats more like it, but I still say that the prices of lamps are, like the 3 dimensional pin the tail on the donkey we got for stella's birthday, strangely inflated.

lampz

2009-06-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

Target actually has a TON of lamps online, though I didn't save any pictures from there for the blog. While I am tempted by Target's lower prices, I'm also aware that those lamps my keel over quickly. I also saw some nice retro lamps on ebay. A vintage pair of lamps would be great as it would be recycling...

After visiting the new thrift store nearby and viewing the mountains of donated crap (which I added to) I was reminded of the fact that --- we have a lot of crap. I mean the collective "we" because I hate to take all the blame (hah!), although I deserve quite a bit of it.

Of course it would be preferable to find something nifty that is used, rather than new. Or, if I'm going to get something new, I would like to get something really nice that is actually going to LAST.

So much of what you see at the thrift store is junky stuff that never should have been purchased in the first place - tchotchskys (sp?), dust collectors... I guess that's the problem with places like Walmart, where things are sometimes so cheap that they get purchased for their cheapness, rather than their quality. Then these objects de crap get tossed away and replaced.

Ug, my constant inner battle between my love and hatred of "stuff." I know that it is possible to make beautiful rooms out of healthy objects, things that are recycled or sustainably constructed or high enough quality to last a long time.... And of course it would be possible to live beautifully in the simplest and barest, minimalist surroundings. There are so many ways to make a space which relates to the humans who reside there, a space that is nourishing and comforting. I think of my grandma's house and how comfy it was - and she had the same giant wooden untensils on the wall for 50 years! Heh heh!

Rambling!

Bedside Table Lamp

2009-06-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like I already made an entry about this but I guess not...Here is the nearly invisible lamp that I found for my bedroom. I like it, it's nifty, and I got it at a good price ("clearance," but with lamps, you know that's still a lotta dollars). Anyhow, I like crystal lamps, but they are definitely a trend, and I try to avoid trends. sortof.
So, I would love to feel like I'm just in love with this lamp, but I'm not. It's not too late for me to return it, so both of you who read my blog (hee hee) need to tell me soon what your opinions are! Pro side of lamp: it's unique, and I like the fact that it's angular, like the carpet (sorry, couldn't find photo of the rug, but I'm sure I had it in a past entry). The con side of lamp: the cord is so noticeable, it's trendy, it's super large, and it doesn't look like this:

This curvy "gourd" style lamp has long been a favorite of mine. I haven't gotten one yet because they are always so pricey. Plus, I honestly don't know what style lamp will look best in my bedroom. It could be that the crystal one is the best choice? I dunno. Any thoughts? And if your thought is, "who cares?", you can keep that to yourself...chuckle...

Food for thought: a lamp I tried in the past. This is when the bed was on the wallpapered side of the room. I still love the wallpaper. See? I don't get tired of everything. Matt hated this lamp, and I guess it's kinda similar to the curvy lamp I like. Hmmm, maybe it's the feminine/masculine issue? Could it be this simple? Matt just likes straight over curvy? Hmmm!

More food for thought - isin't this a lovely room? I'm not fond of the fringe on the lamps, but I like the shapes, similar to the crystal one I'm trying out. I also love the headboard and the colors. I've been really happy with my blue/gold colors in the bedroom, too.

two obsessions in one! faux bois + wallpaper!

2009-06-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

i love this planter that matt so thoughtfully found for me for mother's day. now they have a few at suburban! yay! i think it's an excellent thing for them to carry.

faux bois wallpaper? i almost fainted.

but this grayish beige faux bois is just perfection, in my mind. what also makes this bathroom perfect for me is the mirror! i have coveted such a mirror for many years...i found a few similar online at one point -- YIKES! dollars! the one i really wanted was white twigs and even had tiny painted birds sculpted on it....sigh!

being number one

2009-06-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

happy birthday, rafe!
My mom would croak of she saw my messy attempt at a cake! i chuckled a bunch thinking of that...

here is the handsome birthday fellow, himself!

things i am in favor of

2009-06-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

oh, hello, i'm a cute table.

yes, more wallpaper!

you should make one of these in your spare time.

2009-06-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

forgot to add these recent photos
flowers from our yard, yay!

office - obviously pre-tidying, heh heh, but you can see new color walls and new layout. lovely modern art by our resident artist, stella rose.

stuff i like

2009-06-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

i think because of the simple furniture and lights they could get away with the awesome huge prints...hope tara will see this for the headboard idea.

an obsession of mine - noticing how people hang stuff on their walls - i love how scattered and imperfect this is

yes, the wallpaper subject revisited. couldn't resist this pattern!

yer kidding - more wallpaper?

2009-05-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

one last note before i try to get to bed...i recently saved these other wallpaper photos and couldn't find them when i made my last wallpaper entry...here they are!

now, i couldn't live with pink wallpaper, but, this bathroom is so cool!!

this turquoise print: i realize this makes me sound totally insane, but when i came across this pattern i actually felt choked up. i also cry if i eat very good food. so, this turquoise and white print just does something for me. i feel like it is perfection. to me, it is a work of art. it's the color, but it's also the snowflake-like delicacy. it's unusual, but familiar because it's kinda floral and a little like an aquatic lifeform.

finally, a vibrant poppy print.

don't give the baby milk!

2009-05-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

listen, some babies just shouldn't have cow milk. that's why i am here at 1am playing blog. i'm awake for real.

If you live in England and you are in a position to be shopping for furniture, I damn well hope you are shopping at Graham and Green. Holy cow, I love to love things that are out of reach. Lamp and brown desk photo are from that website. http://www.grahamandgreene.co.uk.com/

And here is another lovely office in the colors I adore...Um, the walls aren't white, it's true... Black and white with blue. It's so awesome!

curtain

2009-05-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Finally made a curtain for the window in master bathroom. I had this small piece of fabric in the basement and it was just big enough to suffice as a window covering. Done! Yay!

And because you've been such a good reader today, you get a special treat....a very sweet Mister Rafey smile!

entryway

2009-05-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Table is new - it took me forever to find something that would fit here! All other objects are things found in my house already. Today I taped up this draggy cord, so now it's lookin swell.

This is a close-up of the beautiful tiny arrangement that is on the table. Stella made this and I think it's gorgeous.

projects

2009-05-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

wow. I just spent the longest time I have ever spent making a blog entry only to have it all lost! Holy shmokes!

So now I will put up the same pictures but put a lot less work into organizing them!

Before: blank wall. After: picture frames I am reusing - they were gold before, I painted them white, put in old sheet music.

wallpaper, again...

2009-05-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

I'm now seeing a great benefit of blogging...when I get that "i have to have it!" feeling, i transform that into, "i have to have a picture of that for my blog!" it's really handy. Here are some extra amazing wallpaper pictures, because maybe there is someone out there who will feel happy when they look at these patterns, the way i do.

This first one reminds me of my Aunt Sharon's house (as it was when I was very small, at least.) They had a deep green rug. It was very 70s. It was very clean. And green.

Tina, if you aren't in love with this wallpaper, I will be totally in shock!!!

Ah, sweet sweeeet!

IT'S HERONS!!! One of my favorite creatures.

wallpaper

2009-05-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

someone i know needs to use this jonathan adler gray wallpaper...i don't know who, just someone...because it's SO AWESOME!!!

the second two are laura ashley. super frilly, for sure, but so lovely. i've seen lots of beautiful wallpapers but only saved a coup'la pics to share. just to get you thinking --- don't you need wallpaper somewhere?

for lauren

2009-05-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Lauren is doing a kitchen remodel in a timber frame house...it's going to be amazing! here are some pictures I wanted to share with her via the blog...
I bet this kitchen is alder? I prefer the copper to the stainless steel hood, though.

Black cabs, like you had considered.

If not white, there are other colors...blue! So pretty! I like the mix of finishes. And how about that blue "pantry"?

I saved this one because it is another example of a wood finish (not painted) for cabs in a timber house.

Lauren - here is the copper range hood i mentioned to you? and see the ledge around the cooking area -- maybe just do a ledge, but no bar eating area?

Black cabs with white countertops?

This is a little extra woodsy....um, something tells me you won't have a deer head over your bed? ha ha! anyways, it's a cozy bedroom with seating area, just like you will have when you're all done!

I really like the red runner to add some spice to this bathroom. It's so cozy!

What I think about when I should be sleeping

2009-05-05T00:09:00.000-07:00

Aaaaw! Two darling little spaces!!! What a great idea to add this intense accent color on the trim of a chair...a little suprise. How did they find this little taupe chair that perfectly matches the wallpaper? I'm a big fan of this style - pairing contemporary with traditional. To me, the mustard floral is really traditional, and so is stripe. And yet there is the modern chair and lamp thrown in there. Contrasts are fun. I'm hoping to do some of this somewhere in my house. (yes, of course I have a place in mind right now)

I also just loooove this pink damask chair. I bet it is a vintage one. I've always wanted a round-back chair. this one is round tush, too. i also like the draped lights. it makes me feel inspired that i should just follow my instincts to drape xmas lights on the mantle of the fireplace.

My problem is, I love everything!! I love the absence of color in this room. But mostly I saved it as a cool example of displaying art creatively. That is, if you have an enormous collection of sketchings and etchings, heh heh. I like the combination of frame styles. I'm a student of how designers use color. I think it's a huge part of creating a room that looks really complete. I would love to find completion in a room or two in my house. Ya, I love changing stuff, but honestly, I would really love to get things to feel a little more "done." Not all the way, of course, that would be boring, and I know my tastes will always be changing...

Wainscoting? Just a thought (office?)

beautiful things

2009-05-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

a little eye candy - a break from the boring pictures of my half-done rooms! I love this little console table! sweet!

gray herringbone? oh, i'm so in love! i'm actually going to do a black and white herringbone in my "office" room - i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is not too jarring and stark - it's a true black and true white....

I want to learn how to combine different elements so skillfully as is done in this picture...very different patterns which all work together... i think that maybe it works because the colors are matched so well and there is only really one color (blue) so it doesn't look too busy...

The bluegreen texture on the walls here is so good...with the black lamp shade...perfect! All these pictures are things i found when searching for photos of black/white/blue rooms - i'm trying to figure out how to make this work in my office space. it might not be possible to accomplish such a light feel since i have 2 enormous pieces of furniture that are very dark!

why the house is cranky

2009-05-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

For 3 days I have been almost constantly within earshot of Stella, with no school, no husband, no other activities taking her away for even a half an hour. Matt has been gone every evening until bedtime is mostly done. Did you know that it is possible for a 5 year old to talk constantly? No, I mean, constantly? and also, that a great deal of the talk is really more of an argument than a conversation? So my big fun, my big party time this Saturday evening, is that I'm going to spend 15 minutes playing blog. To say I could use a little time out is such an understatement....

Above are photos of the previously red room - now white! I like it very much. I have pictures of the office painted white, too. Let's see if I can add them, too.

Oh, this is a terrrrible picture! Books not really set up yet, curtain I tucked into the shutter is sticking out all weird...But I guess it will make for a good half-way-there picture. I think that this room needs -- chair rail, beadboard. Do you see the snowball growing ever larger? I am going to try to integrate blue in here somehow, but also keep things light. I'm planning on putting in a black and white rug so that this room will coordinate with the room across from it (in the photos above).

Another recent change - got the strap hinges for the front door! I love it! Can you see how I actually painted the trim of the door a different color than the rest of the exterior? Heh heh, last year I actually told myself that it MIGHT be possible for me to paint my house MYSELF. it's true, I'm completely insane! But the house does need to repainted, siding repaired or replaced, pretty soon...as in, this year or next! shudder! i can't even imagine the cost of that frighteningly enormous project.

Happy Saturday night!

white paint

2009-04-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

the paint is done in the office - it's white now!

moved the desk to the middle of the room...it's amazing how this opens things up to something new and oh! i just have so many thoughts about how to finish up the room now. don't have pictures 'cause don't have the camera dock set up yet.

i'm going to get a black and white rug for the floor (and hope it is not too jarring) and i might hang up some 70s floral print curtains that were given to me years ago. i have a wooden curtain rod in my basement...

as far as returning the black and white prints to the wall - i'm a little intimidated about it. firstly, since the pictures will have to stand alone on an entire wall (no couch underneath) i feel like i need one bigger one somewhere in there so it is not too "busy." i wish i would inherit some cool retro-ie things to put up. i would love to do something funky and different....it will come to me. an object would be awesome...hmmm. have also considered even wallpapering just one wall with a white background print, with a floral/bird motif. anyways, here are some photos i like... thinking about chairs and an office chair, someday, an office chair, something colorful? i'm gonna check ebay sometime and see what comes up. although shipping for furniture is crazy expensive, even if you find a good deal on ebay, you pay through the nose on shipping.

rambling, rambling...

this coral print would be perfect!

Paint Progress and FLOR

2009-04-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the state of the previously known as "red" room...it is taking me forever to paint, but eventually it WILL be done. And a picture of the FLOR tiles i put down in the kitchen. I love that I could make the rug the perfect size for the space. I like the colors. Might be a problem as far as stuff showing on them, though, since there is not much pattern. I chose them because they were supposed to be suited for "high traffic," but in retrospect, a pattern would be better, since it's more of a "high likelihood of spill" area rather than high traffic. anyhoo, it's done, it looks cool, i like it.

Master Bath

2009-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

I think I said I would post some pictures of the bathroom? Since it is actually straightened up and clean, I figured today was a good day to take some. Note the very grouchy mug on stella. uggg!

Just some pictures I've saved

2009-04-15T00:14:00.000-07:00

Looking at these rooms I like I realize, hmmmmm...Matt is right, I do like "girlie" style. suppose there is no cure for that!

Bookcase

2009-04-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

I put some left over wallpaper in the back of this bookcase. I thought it would lighten it up a little. but the real problem in this room is the wall color...but oh, oh, im still not done painting my other room yet. and i dont love the idea of doing another room! it just takes a lot more time than i actually have.

Kitchen

2009-04-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Thought I would post some pictures for a friend of mine who is going to be designing a kitchen soon and likes how my kitchen turned out. Creating this kitchen was a serious "labor of love." It was a long, hard, often stressful process...but now I can say that I have successfully completed a really huge remodeling project - pretty much all by myself. But, reality check here, of course I did NOT build or paint the cabinets. The people who did that were awesome and deserve a ton of credit. The cabinet maker was able to interpret my designs (although I was very detailed, down to the very inch of every bit of this space). The man who spray painted the cabinets and stained the hutch part of the kitchen is extremely talented, and the final white color was from him "getting" the type of white I wanted. I looked and looked and couldn't find a swatch that seemed right, but he must have used this color before and chose it for my kitchen. He was awesome.

I think part of the appeal of the kitchen is the vent over the stove, with the shelf, the corbels underneath. Also the varied heights of the cabinets creates interest and gives more of a "furniture" feeling. They are also of varied depths. Many people have said to me, "why did you make that one part wood and the rest white?" I think that it adds to the furniture and custom look of the room. I wanted to make something that looked like a hutch. There is beadboard detailing in the back. behind the stovetop is a simple tile, it is blueish green. I wanted a white or light countertop and that was really hard to find. Wound up using granite because my father in law loves granite. I think I would have chosen corian because it is so tough and comes in a cabillion colors so I could have had white? But this pretty greenish granite looked awesome in the end. I also love the faucet, it's sort of old fashioned country style. It is polished chrome...nickel? now i cant remember. Anyways, so many decisions I sweated over in this kitchen!!! I can't even begin to detail them all...But hopefully my friend will find the pictures helpful. bye for now!

Thinking about plantz

2009-03-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Oh, I love planting things! It's so warm out and I can't wait to have a minute to play in the dirt! Rafe is loving eating mulch...that's what he was doing while I took these. Why are children determined to choke on little things? Anyhow, here are some outside shots. Thought they would be fun to have for when the day comes that things grow and/or change, to compare...

First picture is of some evergreens we planted last year. I love them!

A problem spot...I tried to plant some grasses and apparently didn't water them enough last fall...don't think they are coming back! this is an awkward (sp?) corner and I'm not sure how it should be landscaped. Don't want to block sunlight into the dungeon, i mean, basement, so has to be low...I think part of the problem is the shape of the bed - it goes to edge of gate, which is crossing traffic flow, and makes bed too deep for simple 2-tier layering of plants. Maybe I should just clarify the path to the gate with stepping stones or something. I saw a pyrimidal holly once - so lovely! maybe could use in here somehow? I also love those pyrimidal dwarf alberta spruce. I know they are so common, but they are so adorable, too.

This is a graceful sycamore which we planted last fall. It wound up in that spot sort of accidentally (couldn't dig where it was intended). I love this tree. Need to go visit it to see if it's doing alright - doesnt seem to be budding and has that very dark trunk at top (can't see in photo)

Um, the rotting deck. What can I say? it obviously needs to be replaced, but decks are so beyond anything we are going to invest in right now. The boards are splintery and moldy! Last year I bleached it, which got rid of some of the mold, but also damaged the wood even more. I'm seriously considering putting some of that pretend grass (plastic turf?) type of stuff on it this summer so that it is not so splintery and slippery. Plastic turf - doesn't fall into the "green" theme, eh? That's alright. As you may have noticed, I have WAY TOO MANY IDEAS to ever get close to tackling this deck as a project.

Which brings me to this thought: i've noticed that the busier and more stressed i am, the more ideas i get! and the more i feel like playing blog! avoidance? stress relief? distraction? i'm not sure. But there are so many things I need to be doing right now and this is not one of them. Better scoot.

Oh, forgot about this one. The other gate that needs some plants. Oh, and the fence is rotting, as well. So many cute things would go well here! Easy straightforward shape - just needs some sort of cute shrub, or perhaps something like 3 forsythia which wrap around the corner. lots of things would look nice. And for the biggest time sucking pretend dream project of all -- i fantasize about painting this fence white. Kinda silly, since it would surely need to be repainted about every year, huh? But I'm a sucker for a white picket fence. Isin't everyone?

Red Room

2009-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

I've taken the first baby steps towards changing this room...with little kids to watch after, you've got to do all projects in baby steps! So, stuccoed the holes, today sanded that. I have white not-so-yucky primer, which will be a necessity no matter what color I wind up repainting this room, since the red is so dark.

Plans for this black chair: I would like to slipcover it in white cotton. It has an enormous ottoman that I would also cover. And put these upstairs. (I am smirking at what a huge project that alone is! ha!)

Blue chair: is really too small for in here, and was intended for Stella's bedroom, anyways. Will move it up there.

This slipcover will be easier to change, if I decide to. The colors of this chair as it is go alright in my bedroom, and I think the chair would do well in there. However, in a land where I have no money or time constraints, I would also make a new slipcover for this chair, again in white cotton, and with a skirt. Since I can remove this slipcover and use as a pattern, this is definitely a doable project, although I'm sure it is trickier than it at first would seem.

I don't know what to do with this room otherwise...still thinking about colors, a rug (some day), and trying to decide - what is the real function of this room? Right now nobody goes in here, nothing happens here. other than the occassional piano playing.

Also, I hope to someday find something I can hang from this chandelier which will make it less formal, and more whimsical. Remove some crystals, replace with --- beads? ornaments? oragami? not sure.

All just thoughts, things to occupy my mind when I would rather not think about the more immediate things I SHOULD be doing! :)

FIREPLACE IS DONE!

2009-03-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Lookie here! The fireplace is painted! It looks SO much better now. Bye bye Temple of Gloom!!

Getting my pretend logs installed and working has been a long, many efforts project (gas was leaking, had it fixed, leaking still, fixed again, 3 attempts to have logs installed, etc etc.) But here it is - all done! and just in time for....70 degree weather! ha ha! Actually, it got cold again, so I've turned it on a few times. Pretend fire - might be better off with just a tv playing a picture of fire? Who knows. But this is the solution for now. The flue is severely cracked so it is not safe to have "real" fire. I'm thinking of Firemarshall Bob, does anyone else remember him? Lordy, that was Jim Carrey before he became super famous! Hilarious!

Also in the picture you can see the little "Valentine's Day" pillows with Matt and My initials. Stuffed with kapok pillow inserts (so soft, by the way!) and some floor pillows, the covers for which were on super sale at Pottery Barn, the store I love to hate.

I am obsessed with learning to paint portraits. I want to paint a great picture of both Stella and Rafe. Right now, I'm at below amateur level, obviously. The grouped ones are quicker practice pieces, and the one in front of mirror is a little better, but still quick - exactly the length of a Backyardigan episode, to be precise. I've considered reworking it to complete her eyes and warm up the color, but I think I am learning that painting without a subject before me is not so great...I really struggled with the big Rafe painting in part because it was from a photograph. So the problem is, i can't actually get these children to sit still, so how will I paint them. Hmmmm. I haven't figured that out yet. Maybe I should find another model, but the only person who might agree to that would be Matt. Hmmm, something to consider.

Going to and from Stella's preschool, I see the wonderful barn I am longing to paint. I imagine being out there in the grass painting it. When would I get a chance to do that? Probably never. I really, really want to do that, but I don't have enough alone time to do it. If Matt is home, we already are always taking turns running out to do errands and stuff. I would really like to have a few more moments to myself. It probably sounds so selfish. I try to give and give to my children and give and give to my home, but secretly, I want to indulge in selfish things, like having time to learn to be a better painter.

Simple Sewing - and recycling!

2009-02-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

It's about time I did something thrifty...Getting tired of the teenie bibs I have but not wanting to purchase something that I could so easily make myself. It was fun! Made 4 bibs out of 1 old sweatshirt, baby sleepsack, and 2 old receiving blankets. Doubled receiving blankets since they were pretty thin. All have tie backs. I love sewing, especially when it's something so easy and doesn't require a pattern or measuring or neatness of any kind.

Redrum

2009-02-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

The room of red....

Don't tell anyone, but I might paint this room soon. The red is so oppressive. I don't have the lamps on the pianie anymore cause of course we don't want the Rafer pulling them down!

Alison, i like your suggestion of a gold color. would coordinate with curtains. or maybe just offwhite. for some reason i also can picture doing a very subtle faux finish in here (for in my next life when i have that sort of time...) maybe two shades of off-white/goldie color, layered, barely noticeable. For red, this is a great one. it's just so dark in this room that it's unpleasant to even be in.

Well, ya know, my dream home is insanely white, white white. White floors, furniture, etc. It would probably be annoyingly sterile, right? It would last a day, then i would start painting colors, im sure. Speaking of white, i need to post a picture of the completed master bathroom. Problem is, it's always messy! Perhaps will just post a messy picture of it.

entryways, again

2009-02-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

This door reminds me of another project (purchase!) that I've been putting off...I think that the front door would look great with some of these false strap hinges. Probably not so ornate, though.

Here is a bird lamp I found which is in the entryway. I have a thing for bird lamps, I get all excited about them. Once I saw a Buddhawithchildren sculpture turned into a lamp on ebay...I wish I had gotten that! I was told once it's not too hard to make your own lamps. I would like to learn how to do that some day.

I've always loved these under-the-stairs closets!!!! I wouldn't store anything in there because I would like to have it be my own hiding place.

Here is a really sweet friendly entryway. No ideas from this which I can use, since I don't have room for multiple mirrors and I have stuccoed walls. But isin't this wallpaper sweet?

I tried moving Broder's 5x7 rug to the entryway...it was much better looking than 2 smaller rugs put together. I thought I had found a cheap orange Moroccan-window type rug that I could put in his room as a replacement but it turns out they are not available anymore. So will keep my eye out for an orange area rug for his room. Hmmm, orange rug...should be easy to find one of those, right? ha!

more about paintings

2009-02-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

ahhh, out of order pictures! some day i will figure out how to do this layout thing. broder - the real one, and the painted one. i think im almost "done" with this picture, simply because i dont think it's going to massively improved. it's alright for an amateur, anyways. sorta cartoonie!
and then my bob rossian style landscape...chuckle! and levitating oranges. landscape is still in progress, but im sorta bored with it so might need to come back to that another time. i do a little when i have 15 mintues/30 minutes where i can safely neglect the children, heh heh... means less laundry done and less food cooked, but more happy mama.

Stella

2009-02-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Stella, 10/06. Let's see, she would have been 2.5 when this picture was taken? I'm biased, I know, but....she was so damn cute!!!

I used this picture because I can't get the more recent ones to work for some reason.

Today Stella went to Kindergarten Roundup and had this to say about it:

"Kindergarten is the life of eeease. Because it's easy but the teachers think it's hard."

I asked her if she wanted to do half day or full day, and she said she wanted to do half day because she loves to play on the computer SO much. I said, "well, what if the computer blew up? then what would you do?" Stella: "get a new computer." Hmmmm. makes sense.

other painting

2009-02-03T10:51:00.001-08:00

praying to the fireplace gods (i think it's looking swell with it's new white facade)

the other day i started doing some actual "painting"...it was so much fun to do again. obviously neither picture is done yet! my sister thinks that this is a sign of me going crazy. i think it's just the opposite! painting makes me happy!

Kapok?

2009-01-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

I was looking for pillows for my living room chairs. I found some neat pillows on Etsy, but still needed to find inserts. Decided to look in to a "green" option for pillows. (You thought I had completely given up on that topic, eh? No, still mulling it all over! Not forgotten!)

I came across this fiber called kapok. It is used as stuffing for mattresses, pillows, and, since it is bouyant/water resistant - life jackets! It comes from an amazing tree called the Ceiba, or Kapok tree, which grows in warm places like Central America and Asia. It is a majestic tree, can grow to be so enormous (see picture!) which makes seed pods from which this kapok fiber springs out - sproing! - like milkweed seed! Anyhow, it's a natural happy substance to stuff your pillow with. And I suppose noone will chop down an enormous Kapok tree if it's fuzzy pods are profitable. One spot said it was a good substitute for down stuffing, but then I read that it is much lighter than cotton. Seems to me the nice thing about a feather pillow is it's weight. Anyways, I still haven't even purchased the pillows because I haven't had time yet to shop around. But wanted to share the kapok info with you. In case you are in need of a pillow insert today.

Did I mention that the pillows from Etsy are going to be small monogramed pillows - a "K" and an "M." I will pretend they are Valentine's Day gifts for us. If you guessed that Matt probably will not be all excited about monogramed pillows, you're right! But if you think I am being selfish (by giving a present that I myself want), then you have never tried to give Matt a present. After years of trying to get him something that he will like, and him being consistantly bored and underwhelmed, I've recently started just giving him things that I think he MIGHT like, but that I know I will like. This way, at least someone enjoys the gift!

Master Bathroom Remodel

2009-01-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some "before" pictures...Funny, I can't find my "after" ones right now! You'll have to wait till my next entry! That's okay, 'cause I waited one year to see the final results! ha! We finally completed this project last year and moved from the small upstairs bedroom into the bigger master bedroom (the yellow room you see here).

It's impossible to understand the layout from these pics. On the otherhand, it was hard to understand it in person, too. Very odd. For some reason the closet was on outside wall and vanity/plumbing on the inside...in other words, there could have been a window but they chose not to do it that way. The 70s must have been a strange time. People didn't like sunlight as much, and they loved dark scratchy heavy beams of rough cedar. Wish I had a picture of the original stair rail....YIPES! I think they were trying to impart a Medieval Tavern feel.

Entryway

2009-01-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

I started moving around some things to see what I could do in the entryway. Previously, it was just the mirror and a small rug right in front of the door. Do you like the tv in the front hall? ha ha! hopefully not permanent fixture. I would like to install an outlet on the mirror wall - obviously the trailing cord is totally unsafe! This last picture is from a long time ago before we moved in. You can see the old door!

***You might also note: the presence of the animals...whether it be children or animals, there is constantly someone looking to me for something. I think my friend Tina put it well when she said, after coming to visit, "You seem to be surrounded by a lot of neediness." (Tina, I'm paraphrasing, my memory isin't THAT good!)

PLAY

2009-01-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year

2009-01-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Chinese New Year is almost here - Jan 26th!

So when I get a moment or an excess of caffiene in my system I try to tackle a messy drawer or part of a closet... It's good feng shui to declutter before the New Year and start fresh.

I went through my closet and got rid of an enormous amount of clothing that I don't (can't!) wear. It was sad at the moment, but now when I go to get dressed it's so much simpler. Really all thats left is stuff that actually fits. This may sound over-thinky, but, now when I look at my clothes I feel like I'm being more honest with myself. And I will state the obvious: when you weed out things you can't wear, it's easier to see what you really need. In feng shui terms, you are creating space for new things to come in.

There are several types of feng shui out there. I believe that the Flying Star version, which is the traditional and most ancient type, is probably most effective. However, it's insanely complicated!

It is dependent upon the year your home was built - this gives your house it's Period Number. From there, you need to specifically locate the facing/sitting direction of your home in terms of it's compass directions. Flying Star method divides the home into a 9 part grid (I guess they all do that) and each block has it's own numbers, which have different implications. There is the general chart of our house, the yearly chart, the monthly chart, and, for people with absolutely nothing to do - the daily chart! frightful!

A very common type is called Black Hat feng shui. It ignores compass directions and is based solely on the location of your front door. It is a very recently developed type of f.s. To me, it seems kinda silly. I think if you are considering following this, you would be just as well off to follow just the general principals of f.s. that you read of everywhere (ie, tips like keeping the bathroom door closed, etc.)

Another type is one which holds your home accountable to the compass directions, but does not involve interpreting numbers. The compass directions always have the same meaning, no matter the date of construction or calendar year. Is it called 8 Pillars? Ha! Can't remember right now. At any rate, I keep these ideas in mind in my home, but I don't sweat it. An example would be that the North corner of your home is your "wealth" corner, and you would ideally have water elements here. I think this is a fun type to consider, although I don't believe that painting walls different colors or using symbols having to do with different directions is really very important to the health of your house.

As far as what I actually practice or believe? Ummm, trying to keep the house reasonably clean and comfortable, and hopefully welcoming. I believe that different parts of your home have different types of significance (for example, your entryway is meaningful in terms of how you interact with people and energies outside your home). It makes sense to me that images and belongings in our homes should make us feel happy and reflect who we are. I figure if you can tackle some of the basic obvious rules, simple things like avoiding a cluttered front hall, say....you're doing well! The bottom line is, your home should make you feel happy. If you walk into your home and are dispirited by stacks of papers and messes everywhere, then, obviously that's not good! I'm all about simplicity. I think most people feel more grounded when they have elements of nature around them, and so sunlight and plants are good ways to energize your home. Simple things like this.

One more thing I feel is important to utilizing feng shui: I think it's important to know your gua/kua number. You can calculate this easily (google kua number calculator). It lets you know your most favorable directions. I think if you can possibly sleep with your head pointing in one of your "good" directions as opposed to one of your worst, it's a big help.

Maybe next entry I will give some simple feng shui tips. There are a million of these out there on the internet, but who knows? Maybe someone glancing at my blog would appreciate seeing some tips? Or book recommendations? (I've read many) Lillian Too's books are fun, but have an amazing amount of mistakes in there. Many many books on introductory f.s. out there.

I think the Chinese New Year is fun to celebrate and a good chance to feel you are starting anew...the regular New Year is too close to xmas and everyone is depleted! ha!

Happy New Year! (year of the OX, by the way!)

Rethinking the Blog

2009-01-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

I'm reading Hot, Flat and Crowded. It's frightening me. But, I think we all should be frightened. The environment is being so seriously impacted by our enormous consumption of resources. Of course this isin't exactly "news" to me, but I've been putting off facing my own consumption issues for a while. This is a huge topic that I am going to try to whittle down, and only apply here to how it applies to decorating.

I've avoided buying much "green" for my home, simply because the cost usually seems prohibitive. I'm going to rethink this. Perhaps I should put off buying anything until it is worth the extra cost to buy something that is made from renewable resources.

I recently received this Pottery Barn Teen catalogue. (Barfy! I hope I never encounter a true Pottery Barn teen!) To begin with, I need to get off the mailing list for a bunch of catalogues... again! What a waste! But also, I find it very annoying that PB is telling teens that if they buy crap that says, "I'm Green," that they are somehow doing something good. They would be doing much better to (HELLO) not be buying all this brand new lacquered disposable stuff at all! While I'm not ready to give up all decorating for the truly Simple Living lifestyle yet, I need to think very hard about what I am consuming. Is it worth it? Is it improving the life of my family so much that I should purchase it?

I bet the number one problem with consuming for our homes is this: buying things that are NEW. Ah, hello, antiques! thrift stores! I used to shop much more at garage sales and thrift stores. I LOVE second hand shopping! However, I barely do it anymore just due to limited time to shop. While you can find some amazing treasures in that way, you also need to be prepared to spend some time digging through some, um, un-treasurables. I've always loved antiques, and I have "recycled" lots of furniture that I've inherited from my inlaws. I can't think of when I have thrown away an actual piece of furnishing. (although I have yet to figure out a good way to dispose of a full mattress and boxspring that the dog peed on...grrr! now THAT is wasteful!)

Well, as Ceasar Milan says, "you can't help anyone if you are acting out of fear and guilt." So, I will be careful to approach the environmental issue with optimism about what I might do to help, rather than sheer terror. (ie, i am feeling the urge to give up everything and move myself and my children to live on an organic commune; also, the urge to go to work in the slums of India helping orphans, as I just saw Slumdog Millionaire, too. you can see I tend to be a little melodramatic)

There are already tons of lists out there for everyone to view about how to green up your home. I won't copy them to my blog. I don't think I'll be making a "simplify your life" blog, either, because obviously there are others much more experienced and thoughtful when it comes to doing this. Not sure what I will do. Perhaps give up this blog altogether, as decorating is seeming so selfish and materialistic to me right now. Especially with the terrible unemployment that is happening across the country...

I will return with a middle-ground approach, but am not currently knowing what that would look like.

Hope everyone is well, employed, and having good 2009 so far.

some stuff

2009-01-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

the rug i had bound for the master bedroom. im very fond of the color and pattern. as a bonus, it's good feng shui to have squares underfoot.

and yes, it has happened...i have begun to paint the fireplace. i plan on having it completed by 2010. it looks so stark in this picture, but i am convinced that it's gonna look good when all done. much more updated. i will pretend i live in a city loft and i will pretend im chic. i think with a modern lamp or side table in this room, it's gonna look cool. also will switch the mirror eventually, too. that one is too small.

thats all for now! so totally tired...when will sleep happen at my house? sigh!

December

2008-12-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

And some gingerbread cookies.

Curtains In

2008-12-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. Sleeping only 2 hours at a time is taking it's toll on me! but finally finished the "bedroom curtains" project. I really like how the blue and yellow look together.

Bedrooms

2008-11-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some bedrooms I have liked. I now have some gray/blue curtains that need to be hung in my bedroom. It will be great to no longer have the old red sheet as a curtain. I pin it up every day with safety pins to let in a little light.
Now I just need a curtain rod. I'm not sure if I should find something light, like painted wood, or dark, like iron. I've been looking at my collection of favorite rooms to get ideas. But it seems like curtain rods don't make much of a difference in a room, so I probably need to just pick something and go with it.

Stucco? A definite maybe.

2008-11-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

well, if it isin't my favorite topic again? brick. brick brick yick. the paint looks painty. but the stucco looks - well, kinda interesting!

i think i will be hard pressed to find anyone else who would like this look besides myself. but then, since i might be in this house for, um, ever, i guess i'm the only one whose opinion matters! when i say "i" i do mean husband and self, of course. he is not too fond of this stucco sample...yet. i want to do a bigger patch before deciding. it is an enormous fireplace and so it is hard to get an idea what it might look like if the whole thing were like this.

i did this with "stucco patch." i couldn't find any other plaster-y material to work with. i like the color of the stucco. problems 1. it does crack, due to the huge amount of the glop i have to apply to fill in the enormous grout lines 2. i would need an enormous amount of the stuff to cover the entire temple of gloom. in fact, i actually wonder if the extra weight all that glop would add could be a problem?

A very unflattering, up-close shot of the stucco at night. it looks much better by day!

Boring Projects I Am Ignoring

2008-11-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

I need to remove this very tight bracket support from the wall, fill the holes and sand, paint...Blah!

Water damage in Stella's room - to brand new wallpaper! sigh! need to sand and paint, and find someone to repair wallpaper. Luckily there was plenty left over.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

First, the actual house-related item...again, regarding hanging stuff on yer walls...do you like?

The Master of Disguise!

Picture Hanging, continued

2008-10-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

AFTER
(Wish I could figure out how to reverse order of pictures...)

I think this looks fairly complete. Will probably stay this way for a while. (thank you, tina c. t., for the lovely haystack painting! and thank you, tara, for the beautiful peach watercolor!)

BEFORE

Playroom Update

2008-10-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

The cozy electrical corner (not sure what to do about the cord issue, but thought these lanterns were so cool! from World Market)

Dress up and Kitchen area.

The rug I have had for a while. Only newer thing here is the coat rack, which I found at the Antique Mall.

Some of Today's Stella Thoughts

2008-10-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

I am so sad to be without a camera, can't post pictures of what I'm working on at home, can't take pictures of baby.

But I can share the latest from Stella...

I was so entertained today by her recitation of different stories from "Free to be You and Me." She even closed a cupboard door for the sound effect of door closing.

She also had the idea that she and her brother, her mom and pop, should remain the same age forever. She said that this would mean we would wind up dying at the ages we are now, rather than dying when we are old. Interesting. She insists she wants to be a detective, combined with some other job. For example, Detective Cook, Detective Doctor, or Detective Sample Lady.

2008-10-19T01:28:00.000-07:00

still no camera....sigh!

A Playroom?

2008-10-13T18:21:00.001-07:00

Playroom.....hmmm, sounds extravagant, doesn't it? At least, I always thought it did... And having a guest room, that sounds extravagant, too. But, here I am now with a bedroom that is neither of those things. It is - just a wasteland of stuff!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, my camera is missing, so you won't get to see the "before" of what I have decided to designate "playroom." I'm hoping that if I can make this room pleasant and well-organized, toys and children will gravitate towards it. Thus, perhaps, my livingroom, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, etc., will start to seem a little more appropriate for grownups, rather than Lilliputians. I've grown used to clutter, I really have. And I know I will live with toy clutter for a long time to come. But, dare I dream to have a little bit less of it in every corner of my house?

I haven't found any fabulous playroom ideas, yet. Playroom storage stuff ranges from really flimsy and cheap to unbelievably expensive and Mod. I hope to find something in between. Well, closer to the cheap end, actually. I have a braided rug that is pastel colors that was in a different bedroom - that will be the color for the floor. I finally bought some paint. Stella and I both really like blue and green, and, oddly, she suggested the same wall color I had been considering - green on two walls, blue on other two. I am thinking red as accent. Had considered doing very stark white, like I have seen in some very modern rooms...but don't kids prefer color? I think so.

If anyone has any thoughts, has created a play place before, please share!

How do YOU arrange your objects d'art?

2008-10-09T01:25:00.000-07:00

I've inherited some pictures, and have collected some cheap art when I come across it, and I have been given some really special things from friends... I've always a little cautious when it comes to putting nails in the wall. Lately, been trying to be more brave.

I like the idea of groupings. I'm trying to group things in a more creative way... Not sure if it's working or not, but this is better than the blank wall that was there before! I like the idea of grouping things by color, either of frame or content. This wall is a work in progress (isin't everything?) It is still changing. Obviously, I eyeballed the placement of these pictures! But I like how it turned out. I plan on continuing to build towards the left.

How do you like to hang pictures in your home?

This is a sweet arrangement. (love the wall color, too)

Including objects in your arrangement, neat idea.

Using same frame repetitively.

Oh, I also have started a wall grouping of family pictures in black and white. Don't have a picture of that yet, but will add it when the grouping is closer to complete.

Attic dream...

2008-10-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

Apparently, lots of people have attic dreams. My sister says that in hers, she finds lots of neat old furniture, etc. In mine, it's usually, um, insulation and dust. I'm afraid of what that might mean! ha! Here is one silly theory about attic dreams that I found while googling the subject...

"The attic, being an upper room, shows you have lofty aspirations that you will have much difficulty with, but will win out to your goals after an extended period of time. If the attic is well appointed, and brightly lit, then you will have luck with either love or matrimony. The attic can also represent the mind, and if the attic is chaotic this will be a sign telling you to organize your thoughts for better living.

THE ROOF

2008-10-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

Here is Roof before...

Finally! new roof time!
I took several pictures of attic beside upstairs bedroom. To me it was totally strange to see all this daylight coming into this space. For one thing, why did they not encorporate some of this space inot the bedroom? Plus, perhaps others can relate to me on this: lots of dreams about attic-type spaces makes this extra fascinating to me. The free and open bright attic is a nice thing to see compared to the creepy dark spaces I sometimes dream about.

Note in this picture: my roof is held up by a few leaning 2x4s. is this proper building technique??? Doesn't seem so stable to me.

yes, supporting the whole corner of my roof. nobody sneeze!

AAAh! That's better! I think the new gutters are going to make a big difference, too. A roof is such a sickeningly huge investment. I feel like it should do something besides just sit there looking gray. How 'bout some flashing lights. something?

Thank you to the roofers who did this. They worked so hard and so fast. They also were insanely picking up stacks of the old cedar shingles with nails sticking out everywhere while they had NO GLOVES ON. I was very worried about the workers and nails. I think a lot about how hard these people work, from 7am to 7pm, hammering away on roofs. Hard work. I hope they are paid well (doubtful)

Another call for advice on the Fireplace of DOOM

2008-09-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Brick painted white. I like this.

Here is brick that actually is nice. Generally, I have to say, I'm anti red brick. But in this house, it'salright.

Another white brick fireplace.

Can you tell I'm getting close to painting it white?? Unless someone interferes with my evil plans, I will soon attack the brick with some primer! Okay, maybe not soon, since I don't actually have time to paint the fireplace anyhow.

Stella-isms

2008-09-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

The latest from Stella:

"I'm not just ANY farmer, I'm a lonely kid farmer!"

"Get a grip, lady!"

I find Stella in her room, playing Leapster...

She raises an eyebrow at me and says, "What are you here for?"

"It's picture day. I came to see if your hair needs to get washed."

Stella, "It absolutely does NOT."

2008-09-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of when the window in the bedroom was replaced. It looks so cool with now window. You can see the neighbor's nice pond in this picture, too.

2008-09-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Isin't this a nice entryway garden?

This picture is from Rafe's room. I love this wall decal thing I found on Etsy. You can pick the colors for the leaves and fruit. It's cheap and I think is so much fun.

Bedroom picture. See, I can't even be bothered to move the remotes for a picture. Too much work! ha! Anyways, I liked these lamps but Matt said that they were like alien's had landed next to the bed..... I don't know what he's talking about, but, whatever. We considered hanging some wall sconces but he made a big drama show about how impossible it would be to turn off the light while laying down on your back in the bed. For god's sake, man! the day you can't even sit up to turn off your bedside table light is a sad, sad day indeed.

At any rate, the bedroom looks diff now. Bed is in front of window and bedding is different. We badly need curtains as the red sheet held up with tacks (tacs?) is getting annoying.

The Prayer of a Perfectionist

2008-09-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

"May the beauty of my decor

Compensate for the mediocrity

Of my personality."

- me

Stella's Mushroom

2008-09-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Stella says, "I like mushrooms, but think they are kinda weird. I like when they get really thin. I have to say, I like touching mushrooms. They feel like gooey. I found this mushroom in the yard. I left this in the ground for very long." This mushroom was 9" across!

2008-09-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about this bed for my bedroom. It comes in lots of different colors.

I'm an expert scanner, right? heh heh
Love this room!

I defy you to find a better bedroom anywhere on earth. (did i mention i'm prone to exaggeration?)

Trying to talk to my husband about making our gold-walled bedroom encorporate some blue, as well. SIGH! Sometimes I wonder why I try to talk to him about this stuff. His response is always negative. I'm tempted to show him this picture to change his mind...

House Pictures

2008-09-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

A picture showing the wobbley shingles. The roof has to be replaced this month! Today the water was pouring down the wall in Stella's room!

This red room picture is mostly for Tina! I stole the chair from Stella's room for this room. It's still not quite right, but better than having the b and w couch in there? That was too big. I want to make this room so much lighter. The red is too strong. I wonder if I could go white and still ahve the curtains and wallpaper (not seen in this photo) still look good?

Again, sort of for Tina...I got the curtains up on the pantry! I've had these curtains for a while and so glad I found a use for them. Got them off of ebay a million years ago. Had to hem and iron them. They were the PERFECT width for the pantry! YAY!!!

Trying this arrangement for the living room. Feels more open this way.

And moved the black couch to the office. Matt says he doesn't want me to paint that room brown! I was suprised! It looks blue here, but is actually drab green.

Rafe

2008-09-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

So easy to love.....

2008-09-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

This lavender shade room is soooo dreamy....
More Swedish style...

Tina visits

2008-09-10T04:50:00.001-07:00

Ug, I can't figure out how to move pictures on a page yet, so these are out of order!
This is one of 2 pictures of the bed Stella made for Rafe. (Aunt Margie - recognize that blanket??)

Recently, my good friend Tina came to visit from Seattle. Stella loved playing with Tina, and I loved getting to spend time with her. I guess we have been friends for about 10 years, now?

Look, quick! Stella is interacting with her brother!

Stella made a special bed for Rafe with this pillow and elephant. Her intention was to install this bed in the closet in order to keep him off of her own bed.

rooms i like

2008-09-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

let me start off by acknowledgeing that i am, well, sort of "stealing" these photos. I apologize to anyone out there who cares! I have been saving these pictures to my computer for my own reference and so I never bothered to note the source of them. But seeing as how this blog is just for my own fun and no profit, I'm assuming it won't bother anyone too much?

Ah! It's just so pale! I love it. You can see why I dislike my own dark fireplace. I love light colors.

This dining room or kitchen area is, I guess, totally "girlie." My husband recently pointed out to me that I have decorated the house in a very feminine style. This is a topic I would like to discuss with others: how to create a masculine/feminine balance in your home if you, um, totally love very feminine looks! Honestly, I'm not sure what a "masculine" style would look like. I just know what I like.

I love monochromatic rooms. Perfect for control freaks like myself. I don't decorate this way, but I like to look at it!

The FIREPLACE of doom

2008-09-08T16:47:00.001-07:00

This is my attempt at creating a "whitewashed" look - or something....SIGH! i dont know if it's better or worse this way! I would need a very tall ladder to finish the top half. And definitely need to do something about the shelf - maybe wider and more like a pine look instead of that dark dark stuff.

As seen in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom!

Here is what it was like before...I think that this picture has in its favor that it was taken before we moved in and there is obviously no mess or anything!

LOOKING FOR ADVICE on changing this fireplace!

Any thoughts? questions? comments?

Would I be better off just painting it straight white so it doesn't look too faux-ie?

2008-09-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the kitchen in 2007

And here are the "before" pictures in 2005
(backwards because I don't know how to do this blog thing yet!!)

This is where the kitchen/dining room are today!
The outside before we replaced the windows and landscaped!

The kitchen before staining and painting

Let's Begin

2008-09-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

I am creating this post to try to connect with other people who love playing house. I love discussing decor, changing things around in my home, brainstorming for new ideas, etc. I'm hoping to get input from others about my house projects and to share ideas. My 2 little children are also fun to photograph and I think this might be a nice way for friends and relatives to see what we are up to!

Thanks to anyone out there who would like to discuss home life with me!

mwa! (kiss) (is that too personal?)
Kelly

n.b.:i have very little free time so please excuse typos, stupidity, lameness, apparent insanity. i just want you to see my fireplace and tell me what to do with it!