Straw Cottage

Livin' Life in Laveen

2011-04-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

I find my self in Laveen. AZ. What's that you say? Where the heck is Laveen? Until my niece bought a house here, I hadn't heard of it either. It's a bedroom community SW of Phoenix that used to be a farming community, and still is in some places. Not a mile from her house is a big dairy with lots of cows packed into a small area surrounded by tract homes. And lordy, lordy, lordy does it stink when you drive by-no way should that many cows be in one place at one time. I grew up in the country with a huge cow pasture within site of my house and it was nothing like that.

But, I digress. I'm here in Laveen hanging out with my newest great-nephew! Every new mama needs a helper for a while and I'm so happy to be able to act as her postpartum doula/lactation consultant. Nate is entering into his third week of life on this planet and I think he's fitting right in. Her certainly has the eating and pooping down.

He's a keeper, for sure.

Refinish Fail!

2011-03-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Remember this?

I took a few inches off the bottom, stained the top and it was looking much better.

I then had a great idea! Add some pretty paper to the back wall of the shelf...

So now I get to practice my scraping skills.

New Furniture

2011-03-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

Found this at the thrift store yesterday and yes, I am happy. It will be perfect for my current project-well, after some work. It's a twin headboard now but it's raison d'etre is about to change.

I had to bring it home tied to the stop of my car with twine-thanks to the guys at the store. Most things will fit in the back of my little car but this was just big enough and oddly shaped enough that it had to ride on top. I should have taken a photo of that.

Had to wait for the sons to get home from school so they could unload it. Younger son's comment when he saw the piece: "So, you decided we needed another craptastic piece of furniture in the house?"

One can never too much craptastic furniture! Especially if it's only $2.95.

Still Kickin'

2011-02-22T07:18:00.000-08:00

Even went to the doctor yesterday! Something I try not to do but sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girls gotta do. Now I'm on ANOTHER antibiotic! Seriously, I've never taken this many abx in my entire life but, enough about me.

I have had some fun in between fits of coughing that included working with this great fabric:

Pretty, huh?

Christmas in February-an old project

2011-02-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

One thing about being sick in bed, once you can stay awake, you can catch up on things. I've read the entire Internet in the last 6 days. No, really.

I do feel a bit better today, if only my head belonged to someone else and my bones didn't hurt. But, the cough is much better! Things are looking up.

In spending lots of time with my computer and trying to get some order to my photos, I realized I never shared this project. Remember when we tore out the massive adobe hearth that ate the living room?

What was I thinking?

Love these guys!

The wall after plastering.

And finally this. Wow, that tree is bright!

We needed something to store the media center computer, DVDs, game stuff but it needed to be narrow. I tried a couple of different options but in the end and old wall cabinet fit the bill. So, we built a box for it to sit on and I painted in a nice gray/green. I experimented with a copper look door.

Acckkkk!

Finally, chalkboard paint makes it less obtrusive and adds some fun.

So, that's it. Except the top still isn't finished so I'm using a piece of burlap until I figure that out.

Merry Christmas!

Sheeeesh

2011-02-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

I think I have the flu!! I haven't felt this bad in...ever. I thought I felt better this morning but was up for about 30 minutes and then had to go back to bed. This is day 5, people! I blame in on the flu vaccine. I never get the vaccine but did this year because I was going to Honduras and so here I am with the coughing, hacking, headachy, sneezing, muscle aching, skin hurting crud. (I don't really blame in on the vaccine, it's just so coincidental.)

And I have so many fun projects I'd love to be working on. First there is the tiny strawbale house I'm working on with my friend, C. Her family is making the courageous move to simplify and live on a piece of rural land hidden right in the heart of SE Tucson. This also allows them to be near their horses. Right now they are living in travel trailers but C is interested in building and wanted a more substantial place of her own so she came up with a plan and here we go.

Yes, I realize there are no posts on the deck near the house wall. That will be a separate structure with the proper support.

This is drawn in Google SketchUp, which is my new love. My days of graph paper and pencil are gone. I think C's settled on the gable roof style which will have a dormer on the roof face which now appears to be transparent. She really wanted an entrance to the skydeck from the loft so she can sleep outside when the mood strikes. There is also a great view of the Catalinas from there.

This is the south facade but the dormer will be on the north, I just couldn't figure out how to flip is over to that side without a lot of work.

We're working on the foundation and I am anxious to get that done and on to bales. We're using as much recycled material as we can which requires quite a bit of creativity and thinking outside the box.

The foundation, which was hand-dug by C and friends.

I told you it was a TINY house-8'x14' as a matter of fact. It'll make the perfect hangout space for C and friends. There won't be a bathroom as those facilities are close by.

Great views of the horses.

The foundation is going to be rubble trench and now has gravel in it, I think. Definitely more to come.

I also have another fun project which I will get into next time. Now, I think I need a nap or some medicine or something.

WASH YOUR HANDS!

Looking for direction

2011-02-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

I'm looking for a direction for this blog. I've been thinking and thinking and so far, nothing. It will come.

In the meantime, I've been busy. I spent 10 days in a small village in Honduras with a medical mission. A friend invited me to help paint a mural on the wall of the hospital there and I jumped at the chance. I also got to do some nurse-y things.

Here's what I wrote on Facebook about the experience:

My trip to Honduras came about by happenstance when I stopped by to say 'Hi' to a neighbor. She had gone the previous year at the invitation of the organizers and was going back to create a mural to brighten the drab hospital walls. I said: "I've always wanted to do something like that!" and the rest is history.

The organizers are a retired orthopedic surgeon and his wife who hail from Minneapolis but winter in Tucson. They have been making the Honduras trip for 5 years. They gather together a team of medical professionals that this year included 2 orthopedic surgeons, a retired neurosurgeon, an ob-gyn, 2 anesthesiologists, 2 CRNAs, an MD-MPH whose day job is epidemiology, 2 PACU (recovery room) RNs and 2 pre-op RNs. And then there were the "kids", 4 pre-meds and 1 youth ministry student who kept us all energized with their enthusiasm and seemingly boundless energy. And even though everyone had their professional titles it was often of matter of doing whatever it took to get the job done. When there was a flood in the OR one evening at 9:30, most of us were down there doing whatever we could to make sure the room was ready for the surgeries scheduled for the next day.

This week a new team organized by the same people is there. This team includes a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and an eye surgeon.

The first 2 days on the ground, the orthopedists see patients in clinic. People flock to be seen and put on the list to get a new joint the following year. The logistics of an endeavor like this are mind-boggling as they have to keep track of how many knees, right and left and how many hips need to be brought to Honduras. You would hate to show up with all right knees! We also had to carry in most of the other supplies, including instruments, needed for these big surgeries. All of the supplies are donated. The Minneapolis crew even brought an orthopedic instrument tray that their hospital donated for use during the time they were in Honduras.

Those having ortho surgery this year were seen last year and put on the surgery list. One woman who was seen last year called the hospital to see when her surgery would be done. She was told if she could get there she could have it that day. So she walked, and I'm not talking from across the street. She walked several miles on a bad knee. Amazing.

They gyn cases are seen and evaluated as they come in or referred by a local physician. Gyn surgeries can start as little cases but you never know what you might find once the surgeon is in there. There were several little cases that turned into big cases. I know one day 7 total knees were done along with various gyn cases. The hospital has 3 ORs that are reasonably set-up with old anesthesia machines, a cranky vacuum (for suction in surgery) system, an intermittently functioning autoclave but a lot of willing help. There were a couple of days that surgeries went on until 10:00pm. The smiles of the Honduran people made it all worthwhile.

I did some pre-op and PACU the first 2 days while my friend finished her preliminary design. We put a chalk line grid on the wall and then with charcoal transferred the design. And then we painted and painted and painted some more.

I'm so grateful to have had this opportunity, I've never done anything that has brightened so many faces.

To say that something is life changing sounds so cliched. But this trip was.

It happened at Goodwill

2010-12-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

I fell in love...again...with another chair. (I don't usually name furniture but I'm calling this guy Don Draper. I have this whole Mad Men/mid-century thing going on. Seems appropriate.) After first seeing it, I knew I was a goner but kept telling myself that we definitely didn't need one more piece of furniture. I kept sneaking back to see it, sit in it, measure it. Every time I pulled up to the GW, my heart would race. Would it still be there? Had someone taken my heartthrob? One day I walked in and it had been moved-ACK! But I found it and sat in it again, and measured it again and looked at it from all different angles...and walked away, again.

Then on Sunday, I got finished with work early and told myself I'd stop by just one more time, and if Don was still there, he was MINE! And he was and best of all, he was half-price!

I may not do anything to this guy except a good cleaning.

And the media cabinet that this is perched on, I'll tell you more about that later.

New Plaster Wall

2010-12-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

Remember this: Demolition Day?

So now we've gone from this,

to this,

and then this,

and this

and finally, this,

a beautiful earthen plaster made from Kaolin clay, silica sand (60 grit) and flour paste. This picture does not do it justice-it's a beautiful soft white with just a touch of texture, sort of like crushed velvet.

Well it wasn't tomorrow...

2010-12-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

but Ta-Daaaaaaa!

Love the sassy curve of the back legs!

But my favorite part--the buttons!

Project Rampage

2010-12-02T06:55:00.000-08:00

I do this just about every year-decide I have to get all these things (whatever has been on the list for the last 3-4 months) done! Before Christmas!

This...

Is now this...

And hopefully tomorrow will be back to its new, old self.

More Cabin

2010-11-30T07:17:00.000-08:00

When we bought the 4 log walls, there was a bit of construction "stuff" left lying around that also became ours. Unused logs, 2x8s, 2x4s, scattered around on the property, what some folks might want to haul off to the landfill. But. not. me. To me they were treasure, just waiting for the right use.

Especially interesting were the 2x8s that had clearly been laying out for quite a while and had seen a bit of weather. They were beautiful and I wish I had a picture of them in all their cast-off, silvery-gray glory. I also wish I had a picture of my husband's face when I told him I wanted to use them for the interior window framing. He looked like he's been hit by a 2x4!

These old photos don't do them justice but they were beautiful.

Bedroom before it was all purty'd up.

The final product. The nightstand was a freebee as I recall. It was dark wood which I painted yellow (probably the first thing I ever painted yellow), dark glazed and sanded back. Looking at it now, I still like it. Yes, those are IKEA shades, which I believe are no longer available. And the ubiquitous wood lamps which I love and have bought several over the years because they can be painted to fit with any look.

Cabin in Creede

2010-11-28T06:49:00.000-08:00

We had a cabin in Colorado, Creede CO to be specific, for a while. A short while. Creede is a funky little town in the San Juans of southeastern Colorado that is nothing like her more trampy sisters on the front range.

Anyway, we were traveling through Colorado browsing. We had money in our pockets from selling another of our projects and thought an investment we could visit from time to time to remove ourselves from the hellish Tucson summers might be nice. It was September, the aspens were aglow and we fell in love with the beauty of the area, the lack of glittery tourism, and the relative proximity to Tucson. And then we found this:

Now, this looks easy to fall in love with. But picture 4 log walls, just walls. No roof, no interior floor, no framing, nothing, nada, zilch. Just a view out one of the windows (no glass, just an opening) of the mountains with rivers of golden aspen flowing down to the valley; that's what we fell in love with.

Over 2 summers my husband and the tall boy who was about 14 at the time, finished the cabin. And then we sold it. We hadn't been able to rent it as we had planned, real estate was getting hinky and we were starting the house we live in now. We did OK on the deal and found that owning a cabin a 12 hour drive away wasn't for us (remember relative proximity, not so much for a weekend visit).

But I sure had fun planning and decorating the place, all from second-hand and thrift stores. I wanted the feel of an old cabin filled with things that had always been there.

I think that fridge cost $15 dollars and at one point we had to tie it closed. It was due to be replaced, because Beverly Hillbillies was not the look I was going for.

A second hand table attached to a cabinet turned into extra eating or work space. And see the corner wall cabinet without a door, that eventually got a cute leaded glass door that we had to order and wait and wait and wait for. Building 2 hours from the nearest Big Box is an interesting adventure to say the least.

The table I received as partial payment for some wall painting I did for a friend. The chairs came from a church tag sale. The floors in this photo are the plywood subfloor stained blue. Flooring for the living areas was in the next year's budget. The bedrooms and bathrooms did have flooring.

While the inside is cute and cozy and all, here is the best part of the cabin:

the view of the La Garita's from the front porch...which was to get a swing....eventually. And where you see the evergreens, that's the Rio Grande River. Yeah, it was nice. I'm glad we were lucky enough to spend some time there.

Feeling Inspired

2010-11-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

This is an inspiring TED talk by Dan Phillips, a builder in Huntsville, TX. And although his topic is building, his words are true of so many aspects of life. Hope you enjoy and are inspired. Now, I have projects to finish.

I've been called out!

2010-11-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Lady With a Knife, who writes:

: I need you to go faster and get those pictures of how you installed the clips,;D My have disintegrated as well and I don't like pleats either. I am visual as well and am thrilled you are posting "as you go" pics. Thank you!

I'm finally catching up on some project blogging, specifically putting the curtain tabs on my pleatless curtains. When Ladies with Knives ask, I deliver!

Here is the beginning of the curtain saga, omigosh, a year ago! The curtains have been up all this time, really.

So here's the rest of the story,

Once the curtain itself is complete you have a large rectangle of fabric which is easy to work with. Remember there will be a lot of stress placed on the fabric where the tabs go so the top header and the bottom...well, it's not really a hem, I guess it's a bottom header, need to have some weight. My fabric is very lightweight so I lined the curtains and also used buckram, which you can find at most fabric stores. You can see that process in the post I mentioned above. The buckram also keeps the top of the curtain crisp looking.

Just an example of measuring placement-yes, this shows T tabs and G tabs

I used a mixture of new and old plastic tabs, and those we purchased came without elastic. I used some 1/2 inch elastic I had and cut it to approximately the same length as the original tabs and then threaded it through the tabs. I did this while watching a movie on TV. I then lined up an old curtain header with the new curtain header and marked placement with a pencil. Also make sure to measure your new curtains top to bottom with the old. If your tab placement is off lengthwise it will make the new curtains either too "blousy" or too tight and very difficult to open.

When I had the placement figured out, I pinned the tabs to the wrong side of the curtain header. I then set up my machine for a narrow, close zig-zag like that used for buttonholes. Make sure your thread blends with the outer fabric as the stitching will be quite noticeable.

I then started sewing, going forward and then reverse and then moving on to the next tab without breaking the thread. This goes quickly.

On the right side the stitching is barely noticeable. See the 2 tabs close together? That's the end that meets the other curtain in the middle of the window. It's a good idea to do this. The tab on the end allows the curtains to look neat when closed and the other tab gives uniformity to the soft pleats that form when the curtains are open. And as this is where the curtains are pulled on to open and close, the 2 tabs give a bit of strength which defrays that repeated stress.

These snaps come from that big box store that starts with W and ends with a T. When I first made the curtains I hadn't decided I wanted to use these, but after a few trips it seemed that these would make the curtains look more finished. They are easy to do but require some thinking. Practice with one on some scrap fabric if you've never used them before. The instructions are on the back of the box but I think it helps to mark the pieces that go together before you start. This size fits the receiver snaps on our Airstream.

I marked placement of the snaps with the curtains in place at the windows. If you plan to use snaps, give yourself a little extra fabric at the sides. If your fabric is lightweight, a small square of a heavyweight fabric should be used to beef-up the area where the snap goes.

And, there you have it. Not a difficult job, just takes some planning and thinking. Next time it will be a snap!

I have another Airstream story to tell about our aborted visit to Gilbert Ray Campground but that will have to wait until later.

Sometimes all we need

2010-11-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

is a gentle reminder...Chillout

Catch-Up

2010-11-02T07:28:00.000-07:00

I looked back through the blog and realized I have a lot of projects to catch-up on and to catch-you-up on. I've been in a bit of free fall for the last month of so. I can't pin-point why other than it's been almost a year since Mom died and last fall was the beginning of her downward spiral. She and I spent a lot of time sitting outside in the cool autumn breezes and just the feel of the air, or the angle of the sun brings back memories of that bittersweet time.

And that leads to reassessment of my life, where I am, where I'm going. What's the quote from Emerson? "Life is a journey, not a destination."

Tis a gift to be simple

2010-10-31T08:49:00.000-07:00

The title comes from an old Shaker hymn,

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Probably my first introduction to living simply, aside from being raised by depression-era parents, was as a teenager, visiting the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Ky. It was a revelation that less stuff could make life more enjoyable and free the mind for pursuits other than acquiring, and then maintaining that which we acquire. Shakers created beautiful furniture. We've all had Shaker-style cabinets and chairs at one time or another, haven't we? They did not procreate, thus the decline in Shakers. And, they shook, or danced and spoke in tongues-early Holy Rollers.

But, I digress. I've been following a new blog, To simplify and the title reminds me of that old hymn. Not that he's living an Shaker life but on a scale of simple compared to most Americans, he's off the charts. And he makes great music.

Top of the World

2010-10-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

We took a long weekend and headed to Fool Hollow in Show Low. It's always a bit cooler up there and by this time of the year we have had it with the heat. Enough with the heat already!

On Sunday we took a drive over Rte 260 to Heber since we had never traveled that road before. As we were traveling we realized that 260 is the northern border of the area burned by the Rodeo-Chediski fire in 2002 and the damage is still very evident. It's coming back but it will take a long time to fully recover.

As we were driving along, I was looking around trying to imagine what the area might have looked like when fully involved, if that's the correct term. I had this sense of actually being at the top of the world and it took me a minute to realize that I could see no mountains, no land higher than I was. There aren't many places in Arizona that you can't see mountains or mesas that are higher than you are.

Judy's Fix-It Shop

2010-09-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those times in your life when most things seem to be going just about right but then there are one or two that are just not working? No matter what you do? I'm not a person who thinks things will ever be perfect in every aspect, believe me. If you could walk around in my head you would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that that isn't me. But I think we all know when something isn't working and probably won't because there are things beyond our control or other people are involved or, not involved, as the case may be. I'm a bit, well, maybe a lot, of a controller. I think being a controller keeps me safe, really it just makes me tired.

The difficult part is deciding which things to keep, because a controller thinks she can fix everything and make it work. She's Stronger, Faster, Smarter! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a speeding locomotive yada, yada, yada.

I have a hard time with the concept of broken beyond repair.

Day 2

2010-09-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

It's like the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in here! But I'm liking the look.

Day 1

Day 2

More to come...

DEMOLITION DAY

2010-09-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

See this:

It will soon be gone. Bad design decision that's pretty easy to remedy, well, it is if you pay your 2 sons to git'r done. That's all adobe used to add more thermal mass to the room along with a bit of rusticity. However, it got out of hand and now just takes up too much space. Everytime I look at it, which is everyday, several times a day, all I can do is think about how to change it. Not a peaceful state of being, so it's going! Yes!

The stove will return to that position and will still be used to heat the house, the 3 times each winter its actually needed. I tried to get rid of it, too, but was voted down.

The wall behind the adobe will be an opportunity for creativity but I have some ideas. At the very least I will have to paint the whole wall because that's custom made clay paint.

The good thing about using adobe and some other natural materials is they can be reused. The plan is for these bricks to be the foundation for an earthen oven at a friend's house. We're even saving the mortar, which is basically mud. It will be reconstituted and used for mortar again.

Stay tuned.

Beautiful Ohio

2010-08-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

We were in Ohio for a few days attending our high school's alumni banquet. 2010 is the 35th anniversary of my high school graduation and I had a blast seeing people I hadn't seen in many years. For me, many of them went from being crazy high school kids to grandparents in the blink of an eye. To borrow a phrase from the time-mindblowing, man!

Rick graduated a year ahead of me, so we know all the same people. The student body totaled about 450 back in those days, so everyone knew everyone and many of our classmate's parents were classmates at the same school. Except my dad, who was raised Catholic and attended the Catholic high school in town but was still considered a "West Sider" and not quite up to snuff by the nuns who ran the school. You see, in some places people grow up on the wrong side of the tracks, but we were on what was considered by the townies to be the wrong side of the river-the West Side. A bunch of ill-educated, ill-mannered country bumpkins who populated the hills and hollers where the land rose up out of the bottoms on the west side of the Scioto River. We were definitely country, when country wasn't cool.

This was the first trip back without a living parent in the picture. My family roots are deep in the area. The Cooper branch goes back to pre-Civil War, but the majority of my ancestors immigrated from Germany in the mid-19th century. Most were dirt-poor farmers; I can remember visiting their homeplaces as a kid and being amazed at the lives they had created from nothing. My great-grandmother, who was a big part of my childhood, was born in 1881 and was boarded out and worked as a housekeeper as a young woman. She didn't marry until the age of 22, an old maid for sure in that era. My grandfather (her son-in-law), used to tell the story that she had been engaged to marry a young man but one day her beau drove to her house in his wagon with another young lady and invited my Granny to his wedding. What a way to break an engagement!

Great-grandmother, Elizabeth-back row, right

She went on to marry in 1903 and she and my great-grandfather moved to town so he could work at the local steel mill. Sadly, she was widowed when my great-grandfather was killed in a horrendous accident at the mill. She then moved back to the country with her five young children so she could have a cow and a garden and feed her family. It was a hand to mouth existence augmented by the generosity of relatives and neighbors. The boys left home as soon as they were old enough. My grandmother, Daisy, had completed the 8th grade when they moved but never attended high school.

Daisy married my grandfather in 1925. They lived in town for awhile but eventually moved to the West Side where they raised their children, 3 biological and one adopted. They always had "extras" living at their house, various relatives or friends who were going through a rough patch and needed a place to stay and food to eat. My grandfather was a very tolerant man. A wonderful country cook, Daisy worked for many years in the cafeteria of the grade school I attended. Still today people will reminisce with me about her great cooking.

Grandmother, Daisy-front row, left

My grandparents moved my great-grandmother into a house across the street when she was no longer able to keep up the farm and she eventually moved in with them after a fall resulted in a hip fracture. After recuperating, walked with a cane which was never away from her side. This was a woman who was used to ruling her roost and woe to those who committed an infraction of her rules within reach of her cane. She couldn't move fast but she could certainly poke you if she could reach you! Yes, my grandfather was a very tolerant man.

Now there are very few of us left in the area. I got to see an aunt and an uncle and a few cousins while there but most have moved off for better opportunities in other places, the same search that led our ancestors to the rich and plentiful farmland of southern Ohio and back and forth across the Scioto River.

My trips to Ohio over the last 7 years have been filled with family responsibilities, illnesses and deaths. There was hardly time to catch a breath and still get everything done. This time was different. I could actually sit and enjoy being in what is a very beautiful place. The wildflowers and butterflies put on a spectacular show and the weather couldn't have been better.

No matter where I am, the hills of southern Ohio will always be a part of me.

And I ate real tomatoes every day. Thank you, Ohio.

More on The List

2010-08-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

I posted about The List here. One of the items on my list was improve my Spanish and through a fellow MondoBeyondo-er, I'm getting the opportunity to do just that. Kimberley is starting an online Spanish course called, Dreaming in Spanish: Connecting Language with Heart and I get to be one of her primer estudiantes. I think this first class is filled, but check out her site to find out about future opportunities.

I also have some friends here in town who speak Spanish and have graciously agreed to meet for coffee and Spanish. It's so much easier to make mistakes in front of friends.

This will be the week to make reservations for the trip to Honduras. My traveling buddy and I spent Friday morning hammering out details. I will be helping the medical team for part of the week and also working on the mural. Some other folks that I've worked with through the years will also be on this trip, so it will be interesting re-establishing those connections. This is going to be such a great experience in so many ways.

Que tengas un buen día!

Just a Spool of Thread

2010-08-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

I had to go to JoAnn Fabrics yesterday. No really, I had to. Remember that dress I'm making-no thread, or at least no thread that coordinates with the fabric.

Just a quick stop for thread.

But of course I had to walk right by the Red Tag fabric and I refuse to pass that up. There might be something I really need there. I looked around, but nothing this time.

As I was leaving the aisle, something in the outdoor fabric section caught my eye.

"The colors are perfect for the Airstream interior." "But I just recovered the dinette cushions." (This is me, talking to myself.) "But you hate them, and the fabric will never hold up." "But, the work." "Every time you walk in the Airstream you think, 'I hate those cushions'. And what does that little sign say?" "60% off and I really do love this fabric." Conversation over.

The lines on the flowers and leaves speak to each other and the fabrics relate without being too matchy-matchy. (Candice Olson language)

So, another project.

I even remembered to get the thread.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2010-08-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

This may only be funny if you sew.

I'm in the process of making a dress from a pattern I've never used before. As the dress has a close-fitting bodice, I wanted to make a test piece out of inexpensive fabric to check the fit. This is typically made of muslin and is therefore called "a muslin."

What's funny about that, you ask?

I was watching People's Court one day (we all have our peccdillos) and the case involved a real housewife (heretofore known as RH) from somewhere suing a dressmaker/couturier for breach of contract. The dress he was contracted to make for the plaintiff to wear to a society soiree was not completed in time and she then had to rush out and spend more than I've ever spent in a year on clothing for a family of 4 to buy some off the rack piece of crap. This of course caused her great mental distress because she was humiliated to be seen in this OtR piece of crap.

Still not funny.

When Judge Marilyn was asking about the process and fittings and why it took so long, RH replied: "I don't know what the hold-up was, but he took measurements and said he had to make an Egyptian!"

There's your funny!

The Power of the List

2010-07-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

I am a planner and a list-maker and yes, I like control. I feel more in control when I can write things down and then cross them off the list. My lists are usually made on paper with a #2 pencil. There is nothing like the feel of that pencil scratching along the paper turning thoughts into actual written words. And the cross-off part is important. I'm not much for checks, I like grabbing that #2 pencil and revel in the tactile sensation of making a heavy, dark line through the item in question. Now that's satisfaction.

Groceries, errands, things to do around the house, work-related tasks, all those types of things populate my lists. At my work, we have a checklist of tasks that need to be done to complete the birth process from the clinic point of view. 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, single-spaced, Times New Roman 10 pt. and the sheet is full. I don't know the actual number of items but it must be 44-45 and most of them have nothing to do with actual "nursing" care. But without it, I would most likely forget many of the minor details when attending a birth in the middle of the night. You know, like resetting the thermostat. So lists keep me on track and somewhat successful in both my home and professional lives.

But here's what I've realized since taking the MondoBeyondo Course a couple of months ago: I've never used lists to keep track of things I want and need to do for myself. I guess those are only to be done when I "have the time" and I haven't seen them as important enough to warrant a list. Wife, mother, daughter, sister, employee, professional, member of a community, all those identities come with their own lists of tasks that I have given position over those things that are just for me.

The things that make me, ME.

So, here are some things on my list:

Ride my bike at least 3 times a week
Take a bike tour of at least a week.
~~Travel to another country and provide healthcare~~. Going to Honduras in Jan 2011!
Take an online course on the Constitution. (seems everyone is a Constitutional expert these days, I might as well join them)
See a good movie and have lunch at least once a month and not worry about the time.
Preserve space and time for art.
Start that cob tiny house.
Improve my almost non-existent Spanish.
Remember every morning that this is the only day I have.

These are a few of the more short-term items. My MondoBeyondo list is probably about 50 items, although I haven't really counted. There is no ranking as far as importance factor and I'm sure some items will change as time goes on but the value lies in using the list as a reminder of where I want to go and what I want to attain.

That is the power of the list.

Back to the World

2010-07-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

Our vacation,

We are so lucky to live within driving distance of many beautiful areas of the southwest. These are memories of Silver City, NM, Luna Lake near Alpine, AZ and Hoyer CG, in Greer, AZ.

It is monsoon time in the southwest and that means rain so I got to do a lot of reading in the last week. My favorite was Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. What a wonderful job the author did of relating the life of an English butler in the early 20th Century. It was as if I was seeing the story unfold. (Yes, I know there is a movie which I haven't seen and probably won't.) I also enjoyed The Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson-laugh out loud funny if you grew up in the 50s and 60s. I have read several Bryson books and he always provides a good time along with some knowledge.

I started Bel Canto by Ann Patchett for the second time, the first attempt was back when it was originally published. I've gotten halfway through this time and will probably finish but the only people I care about are Gen, the translator and the young priest. For all the praise this book received it's a disappointment after reading Ishiguro.

Readers out there, if you've read these books what are your thoughts?

In Progress

2010-07-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Do you do this? Have a new project to start but have to sit with it for awhile? This has been auditioning in the living room for a week and I think it has the part.

Needs some work, has some rough edges but it just what I've been looking for in the role. I found it in the parking lot of a thrift store here in town for $2.98, right in my price range. I bought the fabric a couple of years ago and although it has tried out for many parts, has never made the cut. I actually like the green chenille that's on the chair.

I'm sure it's original to the chair and it reminds me of a couch we had when I was a kid, but it's pretty worn and the seat needs to be repaired as the springs have sprung.

I'm guessing the chair and I are about the same age, and some days I feel that way myself.

Sunday Music

2010-06-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

Haunting. I heard this phrase often as a child; as an adult I think it's a two-edged sword.

8:11 am: Enjoying My Front Porch

2010-06-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

But I do have to get up early to do it because at 8:11 am it's already 89 degrees (F). In creating this landscape around our home, my request was for plants that attract butterflies and birds. I'm so grateful for that, as I can sit here and see several types of butterflies, black white, yellow, orange. I don't know their names, but I certainly enjoy their beauty and grace.

Bird song is everywhere, mourning doves cooing, quail calling to the family and hummers chirping at each other. Just a moment ago, I saw a cardinal in the top of the tree across the way.

Now I see a rabbit on the walking path. We have a love hate relationship with them, as they eat plants. Having lost several to their voracious appetites, I think I've finally figured what to plant that they won't eat.

Hope you find beauty where you are today.

The New-Old Airstream Sofa

2010-06-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Before

After

I didn't do this job myself but, it there is a next time, I think I would tackle it. Especially now that the cushions are continuous and the foam was all replaced.

I also replaced the fabric covering on the walls with a heavyweight vinyl. Those of you with Airstreams will know what I'm talking about.

This is just heavy cardboard covered with fabric which I covered with vinyl (I did not remove the original fabric) using hot glue to secure it.

This piece is on the wall along the dinette.

I did the same with the wooden pie shaped pieces on the ends of the upper cabinets but used my trusty staple gun to attach the vinyl.

Here are some pictures of the process for the ends of the upper cabinets.

Quick, easy project, big impact.

I need some photos of the pieces actually in place.

My work is never done.

How to Make a Mistake

2010-06-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

As I said in a previous post, I no longer get too bent out of shape about "mistakes" made in the creative process. In fact, I don't usually call them mistakes anymore because I looked up the definition of mistake:

1. An error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness.
2. A misconception or misunderstanding.

Nahhh, that's not what it is, it's more like an unplanned detour onto a scenic route. Creating something is rarely, if ever, a straight shot from Point A to Point B and you get in trouble when you try to make it that. I've learned so much from those detours.

Like this shade.

I wanted to change the light above the dining room table. The one I had originally bought from Home Depot was serviceable. That should tell you right there that it had to go. And, I broke it before we ever moved in when I bonked it with my big hard head.

How boring is that?

I found a shade of suitable size and shape at the, you guessed it, thrift store.

I removed the black and gold trim and was on the lookout for fabric. I walked into Hancocks one night and something in the right colors caught my eye.

This is the right side of the fabric and it's more rust than the red it looks here. I love the great big print. I liked the "wrong" side of the fabric better and decided to use it.

That great big print was the problem. It is a REGULAR print. I hadn't measured the shade (what? me measure?) and when I did, I found that the bottom circumference was 1 inch larger than the top. That means I would have to cut the fabric on a curve...which means the print would be all whopperjawed. Look, I'll show you what I tried.

See those big darts? Lampshades don't typically have darts. But that's what needed to happen to keep the print running level. Not at all attractive, would you agree?

What to do? Go to your stash. And looky what I found

Similar colors, graphic print but the key is it's an IRregular print. I've had this fabric for a long time (it's probably older than my firstborn) and am thrilled to finally have a use for it.

Mistake, nahhhhhh.

2 Bikes, a Canoe and

2010-06-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

This!

More here. (great music by the way)

Thanks to Kent at Tiny House Blog!

Order, Order, Order in the House, Please!

2010-06-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

I have photos of projects and new acquisitions to share with you and NO CAMERA CORD! And of course the cord for the camera is the only one like it in the house, no robbing from Peter....

I guess I will have to remove the card and use the reader...now where did I see that ?

Every One Has a Story

2010-06-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about my job is the people I get to meet. Last week I got to talk with someone who does radio carbon dating and had been involved in dating the Shroud of Turin. I've met folks who were part of the Hubbell project and the Mars rover and who work on missile systems. One skill I have attained from those many experiences is engineer recognition and no, it's not the pocket protector, they think in a way that is to me, very different.

I've also met minor celebrities and sports figures. Interestingly enough, they aren't that interesting. At least not to me.

Many of our clients are well-traveled, sometimes by choice, sometimes for survival. Tucson has become home to many refugees and I have learned of cultures that I was unaware even existed. I had no idea of the plight of Karen refugees, nor what was going on in Eritrea and Somalia. The story of the Lost Boys of the Sudan became more than a sensational TV soundbite as many of them settled in Tucson.

Then there are our travelers from just south of our border, most are here trying to eke out a living doing work which is much harder than what I do, in much worse conditions, for much less money.

I have learned that if I am willing to listen, everyone has a story. In my 30+ years of attending births and taking care of new families, I have on a few occasions had bad experiences with people. But only a few. Birth is a time of vulnerability filled with stress and high emotion, not all of which is good. But I can truly say that the positive experiences far outweigh the negative. I have learned of places to which I might never travel, unimaginable strife and the cruelty humans can inflict on one another. But I have also learned about hope and the strength of the human spirit.

I have been changed by each story, each situation, each birth. I've learned that despite place of origin, or DNA, or language or religion, at the moment of birth, we have more similarities than differences.

Bringing a child into the world is the greatest act of hope there is.

Louise Hart

Vegetarians need not apply

2010-06-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

The spouse has the craziest, most varied job in the world. And he LOVES it! That's him wielding the A7 branding iron.

What kid growing up in the 60s didn't have some dreams of being a cowboy?

Just a few things

2010-06-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

We got the Airstream sofa back from the upholsterer today! Remember, it looked like this:

I have no after pictures yet as the sofa is still in pieces but should have it back together soon. I can tell you there are NO flowers. We have a vacation coming up in about 6 weeks, can't wait!

A recipe: the spouse made this Mediterranean Portobello Burger for dinner on Memorial Day and it was wonderful! Try it... no really, try it, you'll like it.

Another house plan that I love: Joseph Sandy 350 sq foot house Efficiency with style.

Click the MondoBeyondo button to the right to find out what else I've been up to.

.

Ahhhhh, just in time for summer...

2010-06-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Which in Tucson means the only time I can sit on the front porch is early morning or late evening. But that's OK, it'll look pretty whenever I get out there.

I can say that the paint cost more than any one piece of furniture, and a couple of the pieces were a few different colors before I settled on the current colors. I used to see those missteps as failures, now I see them as necessary detours on the road to ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Building a house is never finished...

2010-05-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

When we poured the concrete floors we decided to go with the rough look, big slab with expansion joints. I opted to leave the joints unfilled, because at the time I liked the look.

After 3 years I no longer like the look, and the joints made the floor difficult to walk on. I just had my first DEXA scan, I can't afford any broken bones. : ) But after being bombarded with those dual energy X-rays, I do feel more like Wonder Woman.

The joints also became the repository for dog hair, A LOT of dog hair. A Lab-mix dog sheds tons (I'm not kidding) in the desert.

A trip to Home Depot for backer rod and Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealer and the project was on. The Sikaflex was easy to work with and though most likely chock full of petrochemicals with unpronuonceable names, it certainly did the job.

The only colors available were gray and sandstone, so I went with the sandstone. I was pretty sure some spray paint would take care of the color problem.

The Grand Canyon

Backer rod in place

Tape to protect the floor

Sandstone, yuck!

Allowed to dry for 3-4 days and then paint

I used 3-4 different colors of RustOleum-my favorite paint, ever!

A couple of days of back-breaking, knee searing work but the hardest part was keeping the dog off it until it dried.

Well worth the effort.

Dead in a Ditch?

2010-05-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not, just needed some breathing room.

I have been working on lots of projects and have some photos to share but today is a work day so that will have to come later.

A Facebook acquaintance (I know the correct terminology is friend, but I think it's too early in our relationship to commit) and I were threatening a cross country roadtrip, AZ to an unknown beach on the southeastern seaboard, and were conjuring a playlist.

Here's one I put on the list. Imagine it's dark and cool enough to have the windows down. All we can see is what's illuminated by the headlights. It's humid and occasionally there's the smell of newly mown grass, cow manure and wet earth. The current conversation centers on what's right and wrong with the world and our lives.

Then this song comes on the (insert whatever music playing machine you have) and we sing at the top of our voices...

I'm Not Ready to Make Nice

What songs would you like to listen to on a roadtrip?

Color Inspiration

2010-04-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't forgotten the wicker chairs or the front porch that we discussed here. But, my color choice has changed based on a recent inspiration:

This is the view out my patios doors every morning, my neighbors newly painted wall and salvia clevelandii (purple sage). It takes my breath away everyday.

This is my neighbor on the other side and the view out my kitchen window and from the front porch.

Unfortunately the lighting wasn't great for this photo but you can see that the door and window ledge are a coral color.

And these are some other views from the front porch.

So, the cushions will be green and yellow with some coral for accents. You really can't go wrong when Nature chooses your color palette.

Sunday Music

2010-04-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

A favorite-Madeleine Peyroux:

Just a place to lay my head.

2010-04-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

When we were at Picacho last, I took a few photos of some of the rigs we saw camped there. If you're familiar with camping, you know that part of the ritual is taking a walk around to check out all the other rigs along with the various camping paraphernalia people just can't leave home without. We've picked up some really good ideas that we've incorporated and we've seen a lot of things that fall into the "What were they thinking?" category.

The photos below are some of my favorite set-ups. Simplicity seems to be the theme.

Our humble abode

The Teardrop

Mercedes Sportsmobile

Vintage Airstream Caravelle

The Classic

Ed. to add: If you want to see some fabulous camping vehicles and equipment, check out Ara's latest post at Oasis of my Soul.

Look what we did!

2010-04-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

A group of quilters in my neighborhood put together this beautiful Cactus Blossom quilt which was raffled off to benefit the Civano Community School and Civano Aging in Community. I'm proud to say my blocks are numbers 5 and 10. Thanks to Joanna Norman of Forever Green Quilts

for heading the project and getting the quilt into wall-hanging condition.

The raffle was the culmination of The 6th Annual Civano Art & Quilt show, which included a concert by Trails and Rails, a silent auction, used book sale, and plate lunches. All in all, over $2700 was raised! The event gets bettere every year and credit for the success goes to the hard work of Mare and Maureen, proprietors of the Inn at Civano and just all-around great community members.

More photos here.

Sunday Music

2010-04-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Do you think life would be boring if we didn't strive to make ourselves better than we are today?

from mnmlist

You can’t change your entire life.

You can only change your next action.

—

You can’t change a relationship with a loved one.

You can only change your next interaction.

—

You can’t change your entire job.

You can only change your next task.

—

You can’t change your body composition.

You can only change your next meal.

—

You can’t change your fitness level.

You can only start moving.

—

You can’t declutter your entire life.

You can only choose to get rid of one thing, right now.

—

You can’t eliminate your entire debt.

You can only make one payment, or buy one less unnecessary item.

—

You can’t change the past, or control the future.

You can only change what you’re doing right now.

—

You can’t change everything.

You can only change one, small thing.

And that’s all it takes.

My Passionate Affair with the Taxman

2010-04-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have a secret and it's not something often discussed in mixed company. Come closer so I can whisper in your ear: I don't mind paying my taxes.

Sometimes I am very passionate about professing my feelings about the Taxman, and if you want to see others get really passionate, just say, "I don't mind paying taxes" aloud. It's purple passion, baby!

I've been writing a confessional post in my mind for a few days but then I came upon this Tax Day Message on Paul Levy's blog (whom I am also passionate about). James Tracy is now my new heartthrob.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Here's an interesing idea...

2010-04-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

From Jacob at Early Retirement Extreme, Building an Intentional Early Retirement Community.

Would you move?

I saw this post at Tiny House Blog a couple of months ago. Sounds interesting but you'd have to drive miles for everything. Been there, done that.

Some neighbors of ours moved nearer to "downtown" Tucson about a year ago. They came to our recent block party and made us all jealous because they can walk to just about anything. Now they're crabby if they have to cross the street to get to a restaurant. They also did a smart thing by buying a small duplex, renovating and renting out one side. The 2 of them are living in about 750 sq ft. (their house here was at least 3 times that).

I could do this.

If I were to move again...

Do Nothing Day

2010-04-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

More great breastfeeding mages

A day with nothing planned, isn't that a wonder! Yesterday I attended a lactation conference in Phoenix with some long-time friends and we had a great time. That boring drive is so much better with friends.

What's new with breastfeeding you ask? Nothing much new, you have a baby, milk perfect for that baby is magically produced, you feed the baby. Done, done and done! The benefits are consistently reaffirmed but there are those who continue to discount them. It's still the best way to feed a baby but it's a bit like tobacco. It look a long time before people would accept that smoking or dipping were bad for you, and there are still those who would argue it today. What else is common to the two issues? Strong lobbies and huge advertising budgets. Artificial Breast Milk (ABM) is a world-wide mega-industry, with companies spending over 45 million in TV, print and radio advertising in 2004. All that money to promote something that only a fraction of the population actually needs and the use of which has been shown to increase risk of Type 2 diabetes by 39%. The world is truly a crazy place. (And yes, I know that ABM is essential to some infants)

Tomorrow, I work. Well, it's more like "enjoying a day with friends doing something I love and get paid for" but I'll call it work. Today is all mine and I have a $5 off card from Ace just burning a hole in my pocket. Spray paint, here I come!

Sunday Music

2010-04-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

Growing up in southern Ohio, coal was a part of life. In school we all learned the difference between anthracite and bituminous. Our economy relied on coal as the larger employers in the area, the steel mill, the railroad and the stove foundry, were based on coal. The railroad carried the coal, the steel mill burned the coal, the foundry used both coal and pig iron, a product of the steel-making process. I can still today bring back the smell of the coke furnace and see yellow hot molten steel pouring from the huge ladle.

There is no coal mining in my home county, the coal fields lie just east and south. Oh, I think there were some small holes that people worked mostly for home use but nothing that went miles back into mountains or underground. But when there was a mining disaster, because of the magic of television WSAZ and WCHS our network affiliates based in Charleston and Huntington, brought it right inside our living room. As a kid, it was heart-wrenching to think your dad might go off to work and never come home. It was sad seeing the families gather together to wait, and wait, and wait. And it still is today.

Matewan

The nation's fleet of over 100 coal plants is responsible for 57 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., more than any other single electricity fuel source. Power Scorecard

When you use your electricity today, think about what it takes to get it to you.

Can't get enough of the wildflowers!

2010-04-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

And with temps nearing the 90s, they won't be around for much longer.

The only thing missing in these photos is the scent of acacia and jasmine...

House Love

2010-04-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

The idea of making "home" in small spaces has always held a fascination for me. I do think it harkens back to my childhood obsession with my neighbor's play house. At 53, I still want to have a play house and to that end, I purchased these plans just the other day. I've been planning to build something small for over a year but with my mother's ill health and death it just hasn't happened. Maybe I needed the long planning phase as I have gone from 120 sq ft stick frame to 120 sq ft cob and now 60 sq ft stick. This looks doable for a fist-time solo build. Now to start gathering all the recycled building materials I can find. There are ~~several~~ lots of houses going up within 5 minutes of mine, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Continuing with the small spaces, I am loving this house. I've mentioned The Canelo Project and the Steens here, here, and here.

And how about this small space?

This little TearDrop was built by a new friend. Betty ordered the kit and put it together herself over a year. She now misses having a project, so plans are in the works to build another.

I love the sassy red and black coordinating accents.

She and I would have had that little play house whipped into shape in no time!

Sunday Music

2010-04-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

This time of year, I live in paradise and cannot wait to go outdoors. Hope you can get outdoors today!

It all started with a chair-

2010-04-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

or really 2 chairs. And as with most systems, you add something or you take something away and the whole balance is thrown off. And everything must change.

I loved these chairs from first sight. Friends had them at their "farm" and they were so worn and graceful and charming (The Chairs, not the friends. Well, they are charming but not so worn). These friends are nice enough to allow us to store the Airstream at the farm and one day as we arrived to do some work, I noticed that The Chairs had been relegated to the dump pile. My eyes lit up, "Do you see The Chairs are in with the garbage?" Rick immediately went into his defensive posture "I'm sure they just moved them over there while they were cleaning up the property. They probably still want them." Yeah right, Bucko! A quick phone call, and The Chairs were mine! Score!

But I need help on what to do with them. Input requested. I was going to paint them both a deep lavender (which looks blue in the photos) and leave all the other chairs alone. However, adding one more color is making the porch look disjointed. Now I am leaning toward painting all the furniture the same color (chocolate brown or the lavender) to give it some cohesiveness and making new cushion covers for color.

So, whad'ya think?

Butter 'n Egg Money

2010-04-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid Mom would sometimes buy eggs from Mr Woodrum. I don't know much about Mr Woodrum, other than he drove an old pick-up, sold eggs and was friends with our neighbors across the road. When we saw him pull-in to the neighbor's driveway, Mom would grab whatever change might be laying around and walk across to buy eggs. As I recall, they were around .50/dozen. As a kid I must admit, I really didn't see the difference between store-bought eggs and "chicken" eggs. Well, let me take that back, as I could see the difference. Mr. Woodrum's eggs were brown, sometimes a bit dirty and when you cracked one open the yolk was a deep golden color. Yes, the visual difference was apparent, but my palate didn't appreciate the taste difference.

It's interesting that even back then we made a distinction between "chicken eggs" and those pristine, thin-shelled, white ovoids we purchased at the grocery which had lost all connection to a chicken. Eggs had become just another mass-produced item on the shelves created by some unknown process, not unlike American cheese slices.

But now, I can appreciate the difference. We buy eggs from a couple of young women in our neighborhood who are sisters, twin sisters (in keeping with the egg theme). They have a few chickens and when the hens are laying we buy their eggs which they deliver to us on their bicycles. The price today, $3.00/dz. I'm happy to support their small business and thrilled to have "real" eggs!

The yolks are that deep, golden color I remember. The shells are thick and take a forceful hit to crack them open. And yes, they usually come with a bit of decoration, maybe some straw or grass and sometimes even a little chicken s#*$.

But you know they're chicken eggs.

Sunday Music

2010-03-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Music The Wilde Boys

The Wilde Boys will be performing at the Vail Theatre of the Arts April 24.

We took the Airstream to Picacho Peak to meet some friends and enjoy the wildflowers. Most people think Arizona is hot, dry and colored only in varying shades of muted greens and browns. Most people would be wrong. The yellows, golds, and blues of the spring wildflowers are so vibrant that they sometimes don't seem real. And they don't last long, so we have to enjoy them quickly because in the blink of an eye they're gone. And we are left wondering if in fact they were real.

Sunday Music

2010-03-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Too much C-SPAN today!

Now for something completely different,

The soothing a capella sounds of

Sonos

Visit the Sonos website

Diamonds OR Rust

2010-03-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

There's a Joan Baez song, Diamonds & Rust...

I bought you some cufflinks
You brought me something
We both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust

Diamonds are fine, but I like the rusty stuff 'cause that's where the memories are. And while I may not know exactly what those memories are, they are there. The Mr, having been on enough treks with me through the desert and thrift stores and salvage yards, knows what I like. Occasionally he'll find something while out working and bring it home to me. This week he brought me these.

Butterflies

Many colors

along with some rust

and mud.

Treasure is everywhere!

Sunday Music

2010-03-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

We have music in our community on Thursday nights (yes, I live in a great community). Through these Courtyard Concerts, I get introduced to the music of lots of musicians out there "trying to make a living with a microphone" as this song says. Lost in Holland, Josh Hisle and Michael G. Ronstadt, made their audience go, WOW! Great music, interesting backgrounds and funny road stories. There is a clip about Josh on the youtube page if you scroll down a bit and Michael is a Ronstadt, (yes, as in Linda). You can't swing a dead cat in this town and not hit a Ronstadt, and they all seem to be musically gifted.

And I'm a sucker for a cello.

The sound is not great but hope you enjoy Lost in Holland.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,

2010-03-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

I was writing about refurbing the Airstream. By the way, I've now named it the Escape Valve. I did finish the pleatless curtains and I like them, if I do say so myself. We are still discussing, accent on the cussing, what to paint inside the trailer. Here's the deal tho, if I paint while he's at work, and he comes home and likes it, we both win, right?

I say this knowing he has never disliked anything I've painted in the 30+ years we've been together. And I've painted a LOT of stuff.

Anyway, here are the photos.

Dinette

Dinette, looking into living area.

Living area with new roller shade

Side and front window

Notice the farm animals?

Mt Graham from Roper Lake Campground.

What's up with the Masthead?

2010-03-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Something happened to the color in the title. For now just pretend that it says Straw Cottage somewhere up there.

I'm adding a new blog to the Blogs I Follow List! Kelly at Behind Blue Eyes is not only a gifted photographer, but a beautiful writer. I've been reading back through the archives and enjoying every minute of it. Her wintry photos make me realize how much I like Tucson winters. She also has a Dog Blog, Life with Jasper and Toki .

Check her out!

Behind Blue Eyes

Sunday Music

2010-03-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

I love music of almost any genre. Not so much into the techno thing but outside of that, almost anything goes. And since I know you are all clamoring for a chance to hear my musical choices, I am granting your wish.

Carolina Chocolate Drops

We were first introduced to them at Pickin' in the Pines, the annual folk/bluegrass festival in Flagstaff. Loved the music, the singing, the dancing. They literally had the audience on its collective feet (even Rick, which is saying something, believe me).

This is one of their "fusion" numbers. Check out some of the traditional music they do. It's all good!

Do Your Loved Ones a Favor

2010-03-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I want to once again draw attention to The One Slide. We were lucky in knowing what Mom wanted and didn't have to second guess every decision that needed to be made. Knowing her wishes meant no one of us had the burden of making those difficult decisions and it decreased the likelihood of devastating family conflict.

Waiting until "it" happens is too late

Quilting with Mom

2010-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's been two weeks today since my Mom died. And while there is sadness that she is no longer here, I am focusing on being grateful. Grateful that she lived a long, and mostly healthy, life. Grateful that the process of her dying was, although sometimes painful, not protracted. Grateful for my many friends, some who knew Mom, some who didn't, who have offered shoulders, food, conversation, silence. Whatever I've needed, they have provided. Grateful for all those who came to share their remembrances of Mom and helped my brothers and I realize that she did indeed, have a life well-lived.

But one of the things I am most grateful for is learning to craft from Mom. Until her stroke seven years ago, she was always doing something, crocheting, sewing, quilting, stained glass, ceramics, even the crazy punch card wreaths. She enjoyed it all, and today I have a connection with her that will always be with me.

Mom, working on a stained glass piece.

When I returned from the funeral in Ohio, I realized that I had made a commitment to have two quilt blocks completed by March 1st. The blocks would go into a quilt that will be auctioned off to provide funds to help our community school. I wasn't sure I could do it. I wrestled with my dilemma (Mom was also big on keeping commitments) and talked with the organizer. Finally, I decided to try. Making quilt blocks is a logical, mathematic endeavor that when done correctly, step-by-step, creates something beautiful and is very satisfying. Once I began, the process was calming and provided just the right amount of distraction for my grieving mind. It felt good to complete something and a part of my Mom will live on in that quilt.

Wall-hanging I made for Mom.

Triple Irish Chain, hand-pieced by Mom.

Enjoying Tucson Botanical Gardens, Fall, 2009

Celebration In The Rockies

2010-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Ouray in July! Can there be a more beautiful place? Last time we drove through there at that time of year it was, and I know this word is overused, AMAZING! More wildflowers than you can shake a stick at, blue skies, afternoon rains, nights in the 50s, days in the 70s...

And Tucson is sizzling at that time of year.

Photo by Mark Johnson

Celebration In The Rockies

We will BE THERE!

Preparing for Her Comeback!

2010-02-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, I will be returning to all my fans : ), just not today. See y'all soon!

Taking a Blog Break

2009-12-03T09:18:00.001-08:00

How Have I Missed This?

2009-11-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Tucson Birth & Women's Health Center

I found this on the Austin Area Birth Center site It is a beautiful birth center and Austin is very lucky to have it. Having been immersed in birth all these years, I'm amazed that I have never heard this poem before. I received a wonderful, touching note from a couple whose birth I was fortunate enough to attend and it again reinforced that I am so lucky to be able to do what I do. And this poem says it all.

A Poem: Being Born is Important

Being Born Is Important

Being born is important
You who have stood at the bedposts
and seen a mother on her high harvest day,
the day of the most golden of harvest moons for her.

You who have seen the new wet child
dried behind the ears,
swaddled in soft fresh garments,
pursing its lips and sending a groping mouth
toward the nipples where white milk is ready~

You who have seen this love’s payday
of wild toil and sweet agonizing~

You know being born is important.
You know nothing else was ever so important to you.
You understand the payday of love is so old,
So involved, so traced with the circles of the moon,
So cunning with the secrets of the salts of the blood~
It must be older than the moon, older than the salt.

~Carl Sandburg

Mud, Glorious Mud

2009-11-21T17:19:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned the Canelo Project before. It's a beautiful, inspiring place in the Canelo Hills of Southern Arizona. I was lucky enough to attend a workshop there a couple of years and learned what has allowed me to do what I've done with my home.

Check out their latest work: Canelo Chronicles

Post HomeTour Home Tour: And We're Walking, Walk...

2009-11-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

There is no walking, walking in my house, only walking. It's not that big. But it makes it oh, so easy to maintain. While I love looking at the large houses I see online with lots of frou-frou, honestly, the first question is that pops in my brain: "Who is gonna dust that?" It's all beautiful, but I am a low-maintenance girl. I also can't stand The 3 Stooges because when they start throwing those pies around, I'm thinking, "And who will clean that up?" Just a little stroll through my psyche.

The sum total of my fall decor!

So I got a little highjacked from the Home Tour with my sewing for the Airstream, which is coming along nicely, thank you.

So, now we are in the hallway. The infamous border conceived to cover up the infamous drywall boo-boo. Fact is, the border now looks like it's always been there and I can't remember what the wall looked like before.

Watercolor by my friend Mark Johnson.

He and wife Bobbie are both talented artists.

And in this corner...the wall behind the kitchen-cabinet-turned-media-center-server-cabinet, used to be brown clay and it was just too much brown. So it became white and it was another excellent choice as it really brightened up the room. And yes, that is clay paint.

Then behind the sofa, I changed up the sofa table. The lamps (as old as the hills, from Target originally, but that's not where I got them) used to be in my bedroom and of course they used to be some other color. The white "legs" were on the wall behind the wood stove but but they just weren't happening there. So, now they're here.

Much better

And the sofa table itself used to be a coffee table. It had been used in our previous home but had no place here and was actually in the wood pile. I needed a very narrow sofa table, the top being the only part that would be visible. So I picked up a black aquarium stand for $3 at a church sale, cut down the coffee table top and attached it to the stand. Just what I needed!

Okey-dokey, it's 08:29 and my sewing machine is calling. Later...

Fabric shopping, couldn't you just go broke?

2009-11-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

I went to my SAS Fabrics yesterday searching for some upholstery fabric to recover the dinette cushions in the Airstream. The lovely fawn-mauve cut velveteen is just not doing it for me this century. There are big "discussions" in the Airstream community regarding the pros and cons of keeping older models original or updating. Just like politics, there are 2 vocal sides to that isle. I have seen apoplexy over the issue of painting the cabinets. My POV, you pay for the gas to haul the thing around and you can tell me what to keep, until then, she's mine to do with as I please!

But, I digress.

I found the dinette fabric almost as soon as I walked in. It coordinates beautifully with the curtains and has that mod-retro look. But then I made the mistake, or the strategic decision, of "just looking around" and walked by the remnant bins. Now these are cardboard boxes placed on tables with a beautiful hodge-podge of cotton and cotton/poly folded pieces. What could be more fun? I found Michael Miller, Amy Butler, Alice Kennedy and Free Spirit. Yes, they were all hiding in those bins, a bit cramped but none the worse. Can you say Jackpot! I kept circling the table, coming back to the Michael Miller Posey Garden and then I found the other 2 pieces that coordinated. And wouldn't you know, just that morning I was sitting on my front porch, looking at the throw pillows and thinking I would have to recover them due to fading by the sun.
Done, done and done! And all the fabrics, yes even the uphostery, were $3.99 a yard.

Purty, huh?

New Pleat-less Curtains for the Airstream

2009-11-09T20:07:00.000-08:00

I love it when a job turns out to be easier than expected. It's been awhile since I've made curtains or drapes so I was facing this task with some trepidation. But I took time to think through the steps and the job was actually fun. It's all straight sewing so the difficult part is the measuring and cutting. And of course in the Airstream there are no 2 windows the same size, so I had to be very careful about making sure I was putting the right pieces together.

Here's what the curtains looked like before:

They weren't in terrible shape but had some water stains and just didn't suit me. I think the pleats are a little formal for a camping trailer but, it is an Airstream. If you notice, there are pleats along the top and bottom with the curtains being "hung" with plastic clips attached to a small piece of elastic which is tacked to the curtain.

The plastic clip is then threaded into an aluminum rail. And, there are 2 different types of clips to fit 2 different types of rail. Sheesh!

Anyway, here are the basic steps:

Needed items: curtain fabric, lining fabric (I used Roc-Lon Special Suede), buckram, clips

My favorite cutting tools

Measurements-I measured the finished size of the curtain. For the outer fabric I added 1 inch to the sides for a seam allowance and hem. I also added 1/2 inch to the top and bottom. For the lining I used the finished size measurement plus 1/4 inch seam allowance for the sides and added 3 inches to the top and bottom. This was due to a special circumstance with my fabric. Because the fabric is so sheer, the white buckram used at the top and bottom showed through so I made both hems of the lining fabric long enough to cover the buckram. Otherwise I would have added only 1/2 inch top and bottom.

My measurements-I'm very visual so I like to make a drawing with the measurements.

Pin outer fabric and lining right sides together.

Remember, due to the side hems there will be "excess" fabric.

Seam the sides, turn right side out and press.

There's that magically appearing hem

Press under top and bottom hems on outer fabric and lining.

Insert buckram between the layers,

Sew hems and then create the heading by seaming 3 inches below the hem.

And there you have it, a curtain.

Next post I'll put on the clips (hopefully getting the right clips on the right curtains : /) and show some finished photos.

Creating memories

2009-11-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

My friend Michelle, at Figment of My Cogitation, has written yet another great post. This one is entitled The Value of Doing Stuff and will twang a heartstring with all of us DIYers, crafters, creators, artists.

My mother belonged to a Homemaker's Club made up of women in the neighborhood, most within walking distance because those were the days of one-car families. The ladies, probably 6-10 of them, would rotate being hostess. At the meetings they would have a ...meeting and then do a craft project. I remember wrapping string dipped in glue around balloons to make string ball lights (except I don't think ours ever had an actual light) and folding data punch cards (remember those?) into cones and attaching them to cardboard. When sprayed green it made quite the festive wreath.

from Naughty Secretary Club

The best part however, was the lunch. There was always some cool thing that Mom never made at home and dessert! Yes, dessert at lunch. Will wonders never cease?

Create on!

.

In Other News...

2009-11-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

Airstream Redo-

I think I have all the stuff needed to start the curtains. But like any DIY project, there is always that one thing you forget without which the project comes to a complete standstill. What will it be this time?

Tiny House-

Still percolating... But check out this one:

Bill's Tiny House

Post Home Tour Home Tour: Dining...Area

2009-11-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, area, in the middle of a larger room. But not that large, the kitchen, DR, LR space is approximately 14 x 28. Small by most standards.

In order to trick the eye a bit and make it appear larger, I did a couple of things:

windows with views on 3 walls, to carry line-of-sight beyond the walls, and
very high ceilings.

The high ceilings only work to create volume if the eye is drawn upward. This won't happen if everything on the walls ends at the height of 8 feet. I had this problem, so I had to fix it.

Here is a photo of the dining area window before:

and after:

It really makes quite a difference. And yes, that is all done with clay paint on the earthen plaster. I drew a half-circle above the window and taped off the design. I loved doing this project.

I have some other little changes in this area which I'll share in a later post.

Straw Cottage: Post Home Tour Home Tour: MBR, continued.

2009-10-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Post Home Tour Home Tour: MBR, continued.

2009-10-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

This makeover of my bedroom got me out of my earthtone, neutral doldrums. Not that I will never use them again, just not everywhere. I love this look from Fine Living.

But right now, I am so loving the blue! (Update: the paint color in the shower is Behr River Rock)

As I mentioned in a previous post, I finally have a headboard. I read in bed and wanted something that would be comfortable and sturdy to lean against. So, one day I walked into Savers and saw this headboard:

Let's see how it stacked up next to my wants list:

~~Sturdy~~-solid wood, (weighs a ton)
~~Queen-size~~-tale of the trusty tape, 60 inches
~~Padded~~-it's ugly mauve vinyl, but that's easy to fix
~~Tall enough to have some presence~~-43 inches (really, never go anywhere without a tape measure)
~~Price~~- $9.99, need I say more?

It seemed to meet my criteria, a no-brainer, right? So what did I do? Talked myself out of it and walked out of the store! "It's too heavy, it won't fit in my car, maybe it's not tall enough, blah, blah, blah."

By the time I got home, I had to have it! So, I returned the next day. As I pulled up to the store I started to get that fast breathing, heart pumping moment of trepidation. What if someone got it? All you thrifters know that you NEVER walk out of the store expecting something you like to be there when you return. It's a law of the universe. But as I got to the back of the store, I spied it, it was still there! Yes, take that, Universe! A quick call to the boys who were just getting out of class (older one drives and old SUV with lots of room) and my moving truck was on its way. So I took my station leaning against the headboard until they arrived, which was about 20 minutes. You can see a lot of interesting things in Savers in 20 minutes of just standing.

After a little sanding, a couple of coats of Rum Raisin with a little black glaze and new fabric, this is the headboard.

I recovered the throw pillows I had (confession: the 2 in front aren't even finished at the bottom yet : ) H/T to The Nester) and I'm quite happy with the finished product. My grown-up bed!

Here's my window seat.

And a calm spot.

Namaste'

Post Home Tour Home Tour: Master Bedroom

2009-10-23T08:27:00.000-07:00

Take my word for it...it was BORRRR 'ing (in my best JoAnne Worley voice. What? Who's Joanne Worley? Ohhhhh, never mind.) And by boring, I mean that only in a decorative sense. I cast no aspersions.

Again, I have no before photos but trust me, it was just a thrown together room that never looked terrible but never looked good. You've probably had, or have, similar rooms. All it takes is a little inspiration, a little thought, a bit of time and only a little money, and you can have something that makes you feel good every time you walk through the door.

I've had this night stand for several years and love it. I drug it home from some thrift store. And I do mean drug because it's solid wood, and I mean solid, and very heavy. I painted it a rich, dark brown (it was so long ago, I don't remember the paint name) with a black glaze. With a new brushed silver handle for the drawer it's now a sleek, contemporary piece.

My mother-in-law (83 years young) made the stained glass frame. It holds a flower done with Rust-Oleum aluminum spraypaint on a piece of black cardboard.

The Big Ben clock is another thrift store find from several years ago. If I remember correctly, it was all of 25 cents.

Another thrift store piece I've had for quite a while (If I were a better photog, I would probably camouflage the plugs and cords.) I bought this because I liked clean lines, it is solid oak and it had room for books, etc. Since I've had it, it's been various colors but is now painted in the same way as the previous stand.

The 2 pieces on the wall are trivets which were a hideous navy blue. I loved the lacy look of them and they were only .99! I brought them home, roughed them up with some sand paper as they had quite a glossy finish, and sprayed them with Rust-Oleum Lake Blue. I then found some cardboard pieces that fit the back of the trivets which got a new look with the RO aluminum paint. I then called them wall art and hung them on the wall.

See the fake orchids on the left-GONE! Sorry you had to see that.

I do occassionally buy things new! I found these lamps on the clearance rack at Target. Some crazy price like $7.48 apiece. I had just recently moved my bedroom lampsto the sofa table in the living room and since my bedroom was becoming a more grown-up room (with a headboard and everything) I thought these classic shapes would do the trick. However, I knew the color wouldn't, as they would be sitting on tables very much the same color.

What's a girl to do?

Spraypaint, of course!

and a little black glaze.

The shades were a happy find at Ross.

I found this 24in. wooden shelf at Savers for $2.99. Funny thing, it was about the same blue as the comforter in this room. So, I painted it brown. I do know the color of this one: RO Dark Brown. The photos are of my babies who are now grown. The angel is sucking its thumb and actually holding a small piece of a "blankee."

This little shelf is just a reminder of how quickly time passes and once those moments are gone, they are gone forever.

More to come...

Ode to a Shower: Canelo

2009-10-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite blogs is hosting a blog party.

This woman would understand my need to pick up rusty junk in the desert, even brake drums and gears!

The shower needed help.

This house was built to be our retirement house. That is to say, we mean to stay until they carry us out feet first. With that goal in mind, we had to think about things that would make it possible to continue to live here with physical impairments. To that end we built a large shower, large as in, approximately 5x6 with no threshold, so as to easily accommodate a wheelchair and shower chair.

The walls were originally finished with lime plaster, sort of like tadelakt. My mistake (hey, it was my first time), I used sand that was too large grained making the walls difficult to clean. So we had it tiled with a neutral large format tile with very small grout lines (easier to clean). Once the tile was up it became clear that the wall color above the tile needed to be changed. I wrestled with that for about 3 weeks and tried several different colors. I finally settled on a nice soft blue which makes the walls seem like sky. The color also coordinates with my new bedroom colors.

Seeing that expanse of blue got my creative juices going. Those walls were calling out for a tree and birds, so I used a gray-brown Oops that I've had around forever to paint tree and bird silhouettes. That made it seem even more like sky. It's very soothing place now and my favorite room in the house.

But this is still my favorite shower, ever.

Cob-Stone Shower Canelo Project

Partyin' With My Peeps!

2009-10-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

I don't usually do this, but they seem like nice people. You know, got to a party where you don't really know anyone and you wonder if you will have anything in common, to talk about. Well, this party is full of people a lot like me. Paint-stained fingernails, maybe some paint in the hair, always carrying a tape measure, comfy shoes, an outfit that's seen better days and a big bag to carry lunch, water, wallet and TREASURES. They're Flea Marketeers and they're having a party over at Flea Market Style, join us!

I linked to my great lamp find that I like more and more each day!

A milestone of sustainability? Hmmmm

2009-10-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

It's a quirky little community full of interesting people and characters. I think I fit in the character category. I can look out my window and see hummingbirds and butterflies and if the windows are open, listen to birds sing and coyotes howl. I know many of my neighbors and have people I could call on for assistance, or to borrow a tool or a cup of flour (organic whole wheat, of course : ) )

I've never regretted moving here.

Civano

Slideshow

Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?

2009-10-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

Parsley, Kale, Bananas and Pears...

My sister-in-law, (pictured above) a woman of many talents, sent me a huge bunch of kale so this morning I got to have garden fresh kale in my smoothie, along with parsley, bananas and pears. Oh , and a few purple grapes. It was deee-lish! This kale had tender stems which meant I didn't have to remove them, making the whole process much easier.

And I did paint a lawn chair...or two. These chairs have been in the family for about 20 years and while not exactly heirlooms, they are still serviceable chairs. I bought them as Christmas gifts for Mom and Dad to use here in their Tucson home, knowing that Mom could never sit for long in a chair that didn't rock. I have inherited that proclivity and when my parents could no longer come here for the winters and we sold their place, I laid claim to the chairs. They were showing their age so I thought some paint was in order. When is some paint not in order?

Here's a before and after. As I looked at all that blue, it came to me that I needed to add something. How about a big mod flower? I used some cheap adhesive-backed shelf paper to cut out a stencil.

If you're following along at home, remember that your stencil is the negative space of the flower. It only took me one oopsy to figure that out. I applied the stencil to the chair and sprayed away. I then cut a round stencil for the center and free-handed the accents.

Groovy, huh?

I must say that I like Rust-O-Leum paint much better than the other brands out there. I bought another type for the green chair and it just didn't cover like Rust-O-Leum.

I have many more projects in the works. Home tour is T- minus 3 days!

Seeking Comfort...Food

2009-10-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

I was on call last night and while it was a good night as call nights go, I still didn't get to sleep until 2am. My eyes flew open at 6am and so here I sit. Attempting to muster up the energy to do something, anything. The home tour is 8 days away and I have so much to do. I am painting lamps (for which I have no shades), finishing headboard, creating a window surround, painting switchplates, painting the shower...I'm sure there's more.

I do love my comfort food on post-call days. I had soft-boiled eggs with toast for breakfast and this Potato Soup just now. ( I know it says Cauliflower Soup but work with me people, exchage one white veg for another.) As I was making the soup last night #2 son said: "It's perfect weather for potato soup!" 70 degrees and it's perfect weather for soup. Desert rat! Anyway, is it ever good and just the right butter:comfort ratio.

Remember this post? Here's the border that I did to create the illusion of a flat wall. If you don't know the story, I had intended to plaster these walls so had the dry wall hung differently and not taped. I then changed my mind and went with clay paint. Bad wall prep allowed the drywall joints to telegraph through and it was devastating. Well, not really but it looked awful and I walk this hallway, oh, maybe 50 times a day!

My solution: clay paint stenciled and then a little gold added to add some interest and glitz. I then distressed it a bit to make it look like it had been in place for years and covered with paint...or lava. You know, that Pompeii look. The good news is, you can't tell it was a screw-up.

I've got to quit because I feel that there are probably egregious grammatical errors in this post due to my sleep-deprived brain. I leave you with this beautiful Tucson sunset.

I think I'll go paint a lawn chair.

My Hero!

2009-10-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Erin at Hands On gets the brush and bulky prize!

If you don't have brush and bulky where you live, more's the pity. It's the time when the city comes around and hauls off those things that otherwise would not be picked up. We get B&B pickup twice a year here as it rotates through sectors of the city. The curbs can be goldmines!

I'm sure he's not thinking goldmine

Why Do I Do These Things?

2009-10-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I repainted the living room and hall. Not such a big job you say-unless you're MAKING the paint! ARRGHHHHH! But I love how it turned out.

This week I'm putting a border on those walls to cover up a mistake made while building. Has to do with the photo above.

More photos to come, I promise.

Why am I doing all this? Our house is going to be on a home tour in a couple of weeks. The last time we did a home tour, we had only been in the house a short time and it was OK to say, "We're going to fix that" or "I plan to blah blah blah". Well, now I have no excuses...and I will be happy the end of October when all these little jobs are done.

In other news:

The curtains arrived from Target in perfect condition but Target then refunded money for the purchase. I think the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing . I emailed them and we are getting that worked out. Great customer service.

Airstream Update

2009-09-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

I waited patiently for my Leaf curtains to arrive from Target. After checking the site daily and seeing that they were still listed as "in transit" 5 days after they were expected to arrive I went to the Target site and sent an email. (The site is easily navigated.) I had a response within a couple of hours explaining that the shipment had been damaged and that a new order was being sent expedited delivery!

So far, I'm impressed. I'll be even more impressed when they arrive. I'll keep you posted.

Lamp

2009-09-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

I love lamps, especially those huge, funky shapes that were so popular in the 60s and 70s. I don't have space in my house for a huge lamp, but can still take advantage of the chunky shapes.

Now, the problem with this post is there is not a photo of the before. I am an impulsive refurbisher and have at times dropped what I was doing to go paint something because it had to be done. NOW! Bear with me.

The lamp itself is pottery and when purchased was brown and beige with a very nice drum shade. I don't think the shade was original to the lamp because it was really too small. I was drawn to the shape of the lamp base but knew that a taller shade would work better with the high ceilings in the room.

The first thing I did was paint the base. I have an overload of earthtones in this room, an easy thing to do when your home is made of earth. I chose a metallic silver paint to add a bright, reflective spot with a different texture to the room.

I found the shade in a thrift store in ShowLow, AZ. (WARNING: Don't travel with me if you have an aversion to thrift stores, I have a built-in radar.)

I had planned to just paint the shade to freshen it up, but happened on this great fabric that added a lot to a relatively plain lamp.

I applied the fabric with spray adhesive after painting the shade with a light spray of the silver metallic paint. Jute twine was then glued in 3 rounds as trim for the top and bottom.

After trying the shade on the lamp, I added some of the jute twine to the neck of the lamp.

I like it!

Airstream Dreams

2009-09-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

We have a 1987 23 ft Airstream Sovereign. We've had a couple of years and it was in pretty good shape when we bought it. It needed some updating and tweaking of the electrical and plumbing but we have been able to use it from the get-go.

Oh, and Rick replaced the floor-how could I forget a little thing like that. Sorry, Dear!

However, the interior is, well, very 80s mauve and IBTDT, thank you very much. I've been searching for inspiration fabrics as it seems that once I find that AH-HA fabric the rest just falls into place.

I think I've found it in this shower curtain from Target.

And it's on clearance. Could I love it any more? So I ordered 4 and will soon get started on making new curtains for the AS. The fabric is light and airy, so won't close in the space too much and the leaves give it an in-tune-with-nature feel without screaming CAMPING. I will post all about the process here. Betcha can't wait, huh?

In the meantime, some inspiration:

Scamp redo

AZ Bambi Decors

The Minnie Winnie

My Future's So Bright...

2009-09-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

I have this window on the west wall, and just about dinner time it let's in enough light that diners on one side of the table have to wear shades. So, instead of keeping extra Ray-Bans around, I thought I would make a bit of a shade for that window. I had some leftover burlap that I used for lath for earthen plaster and thought that it might make a great shade. Burlap is "in" now, did you know that? Look here, here, and here. For once, I'm "in".

So, I went to our SAS, Fabric by the Pound place and bought a whole card (several yards) of trim for 4 bucks,

and some hook and loop for .65, plugged in the glue gun, and Voila! (I refuse to say wa la)

Greer: Calm Morning

2009-09-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

Bobbie explains her watercolor process as she makes a painting of one of my photographs. How cool is that?

Excuse My Blog

How I spend my free time

2009-09-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Reading these great blogs:

Figment of My Cogitation has a thoughtful post on things that bubble just below the surface of our lives in What If You Couldn't Read These Words

I have a new blog love Happy Texas Farm! They're building a strawbale house, among many other things. It's always fun to see the creativity of others, the only problem being, I get the, IwishIhadthoughtofthats and want to change things here.

Ever read one of those posts that make you say out loud "Yes!" This one, Feeling Fierce or is it Just the Boots at Rock The Silver did it for me.

Bobbie has a new blog, called Excuse My Blog (because she thinks she has nothing to say), about her art and life. In this post she shows how she gets from a photograph to a watercolor. Fascinating stuff and she makes it look as if I could do it.

Have a great holiday weekend. Personally, I'll be laboring (excuse the pun).

Painting Chimney Rock Bobbie Johnson

Chill in the Air?

2009-09-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

It was 74 when I got up this morning, time to pull out the winter clothes. No, seriously, in about 2 weeks we'll see people in Tucson with sweaters on.

Cooler temperatures means we will trim up the landscaping. I so enjoy our landscaping because of the birds and butterflies it draws to our immediate surroundings, but it does take a bit of work. Work that's better done with a chill in the air!

Here's a little project that took almost no time, or money but makes me very happy.

I got this chair at GW for $1.99! No, you shut-up, one dollar and 99 cents. (I know, some are asking, "you actually paid real money for that?") I had been looking for just such a thing, rickety, seat half off, useless rockers, sorely in need of a paint job. The cashier at GW even remarked "1.99, that doesn't seem right." I'm not sure if she meant it was too much or too little.

Anyway, we dragged it home and I went to work. First, hacksaw off the rockers and remove the seat. Clean up the rest and lightly sand to remove a bit of whatever was on it. (It's going on the porch, so I wasn't too concerned)

And then my trusty Rustoleum spray trigger and a can of Green Apple and it' s chair love!

This is moss rose in the planter seat. I had some very pretty purple- flowered, viny thing in there but while on vacation, someone forgot to water it...Boys?

(Thanks, Blogger, love the new picture uploader!)