More Architecture...

Last week I joined friend E Joy again in the East Charleston neighborhoods to ogle architecture and re-visit the Huntridge neighborhood home that she is thinking of occupying. Because the house is still "under renovation" I put my dibs on these external sconces - just in case some yay-hoo decides to replace them. There are two, and we agreed that they should stay with the house they have adorned for the past 50 or so years.... but if we ever return to find them removed....! (A dumpster-diving we go.)

After that little visit she showed me to another nearby neighborhood, around 15th and Oakey -

That being the corner where this beautiful... and vacant house sits. I came home and googled it, and came to read someone refer to this as the ridgeview neighborhood, but I am unsure. Regardless, driving past this house, unaware of its existence, well, it was exciting. So exciting that I busted out my camera and started staking out the place.

These are my best drive-by angles... I came home and searched for this house on the MLS, after I noticed the lockbox, and dead lawn, but I did not see it listed. Too new, or too late. Either way, there are about to be some new souls in this old home.

There were other house that I noted on a more thorough drive-through with Hubby that night. All with their low slung roof lines, bold architectural details, and trees! I love the old neighborhoods here for their landscaping... even palm trees give shade when they're old and big and bushy enough. This house, and this neighborhood bears the distinction of being the best house stumbled-upon. Someday I will take the time to share some photos of the best houses that I went out of my way to see.

And here are a few views from the same block:

Smokestack? Awesome shingely roof-decor? Both...fantastic.
And this last house, so olivey, under the massive olive trees out front. I love the tiny bungalow styling, and the way that it looks like it fell right from that tree and planted there, then flourished.

Home Improvements!

As with most of my projects, this one has no pictures of the true "before" state, but that is because on the day that our impromptu renovation began, I had no camera. Well, after holes were torn in walls, pipes moved, drywall replaced, and reconstruction of the shower was complete, this is what my master bath looked like. Now, due to my own personal effort, there is a fresh coat of paint in the inspired scheme below, which is over new custom texture. There are touch-ups and finishes to be made for sure, but it is the most positive step we've seen - almost feels like we really WILL have a bathroom again someday.

This fixture is going to get a coat of green before the original shade is replaced... And this window sill and other brown trim-color elements will be given a special "surprise" treatment. Surprise because it is an experiment for me, and I will be surprised if it works good! Just Kidding. Ish.

Now the thing to do is get these tiles in. We just received our 10 cases, and we are almost ready to install. Now the biggest obstacle facing us is the lack of time... oh yeah, and lack of knowledge and experience. So we will be taking this step SLOOOOOOOW.

And one more slight improvement (unless you ask Super Soul) is the presence of these guys: two baby cats that we have the pleasure of watching destroy our stuff for the next 3 weeks or so.

Awwwwww!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Not the first thing this summer, but at some point, I re-upholstered my kitchen chairs with the fabric that I will be covering the valances in and making curtains of - it is a cute orange and green based floral, that basically matches everything I own.

As you can see (a little) from this picture, there is a glossy sheen to the fabric - that is because I used a commercial fabric laminating product over the top. I bought the stuff while living in Germany and never did use it, despite the thousands of things I was convinced I would do... thereby necessitating the entire bolt that I purchased via the Internets. So yes, this was the first time I used it. Also the first time I ever even examined the product or opened the box... so I guess I was lucky that it did actually fit this application, because there was no way I could use a white-field fabric with a 3 and a half year old regularly abusing these chairs. This is what it looked like before:I know, yikes. I swear that big yucky stain is just spilled beverage, but its making was the absolute final last straw. I used to put pretty cloth napkins over the chairs when guests came over :( But now there is no need! The chairs are looking snazzy, the spills just wipe right off... worth the minimal effort for sure.

Also, during my work and during my free time - okay, so always - I have been thinking about Miffy, and how I love that little bun. I began my collection in Korea, where I spent 2004, and where Nijntje (in Dutch) Miffy (in English) *something untypable* (in Hangul) was finding popularity. I remembered the simple drawings and characters from books in my youngin-days, and I was drawn again to the simple, modern ascthetic of this little bunny, with a little x mouth. Anyway, I amassed umbrellas, watches, art supplies, jewelry, and a special plush that I bought for myself on my 22nd birthday, in the E market in Kunsan City... A toy which now resides with the rest of my collection in the lovingly torturous hands of my daughter. But now there is a Miffy I want to add to my collection - two - in the form of beautimous foot- tattoos. Think think think, and obsess, and obsess. And finally, the other day, I find this this girl while I was googling Miffy tattoos (which I saw none even remotely to my vision). It's not a tattoo of miffy...

http://catrionarennie.deviantart.com/art/miffy-and-tattoo-131994912

(I just typed out that link... how the heck do you paste in?) Like I said, it's not a tattoo of miffy... but it is a tattoo of an SP heart (kinda) and there is an empty plate of chocolate cake, and a glass of milk in a Miffy cup. Is it me, or is this me? I don't know... check out her bangs, it might be Kari.

Somewhere in the midst of daydreaming, I managed to create some beautiful pillows for a friend who custom-requested them. Actually the work was a breeze, and it felt good to do one of those fun and minimally challenging projects that gives you a thorough boost of self satisfaction.

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=18858007

This project also gave me a chance to read about the history of quilt designs, as they relate to the swastka, and to do a broad research of the organizations and religions world wide that proudly utilize the swastika or one of its variants - both before it was adopted by the Nazi party and since. I also became aware of a movement in the EU to make displays of the symbol illegal - which I find an appallingly close minded idea. Instead, with these pillows (it's a small protest, I know) I support a movement that seeks to educate and decriminalize the symbol.

Yay, so I protested, but I also went shopping. Lots of times, for lots of things, and almost always at a thrift store. Sometimes at the antique mall - one time at Heddy's Fabrics on Charleston (holla!) - but only for needles... and one time, due to lapse, and boredom, and heat - hey there is no AC in my car... and it's regularly 100 degrees here - I shopped at the mall. It sounds dramatic, but I really only bought shoes... on sale shoes. And I browsed a hip little joint that didn't look like it belonged in a mall at all - and apparently it had only just materialized as a second location to an already popular local store. They sell handmade and specialized brands, and I bought a neat vintage sticker of Nevada (for hubby's truck). And the beautiful girls that work there were more than nice to me and even let me take their pictures:

That is the girl whose name I can't remember, ringing up my sticker, and that is NOT Amanda. Hi guys! Thanks for being so nice to me!

Below are some nice clothes they had for sale... Cash 4 Chaos.

So that was fun. Proving to myself that the mall in not a complete waste of time. Believe me, It was tough after hitting up the pita place in the food court only to discover that their ultimate falafel was anything but.

Finally, lastly, before I let you stop reading (if anyone has gotten this far) I have to tell you about the fantastic house I was privy to touring as good friend E Joy searched for her new abode. This modest and dilapidated number is in a fascinating neighborhood, behind the historical (and also quite dilapidated) Huntridge Theatre, by architect S. Charles Lee.

I first discovered this neighborhood only weeks ago while I was checking out some thrift store in the area with hubby. We noticed that although small and ratty (haha, not all of them though), the houses here has a distinctive charm... but that was one street over. These homes are much nicer, "lived-in", blue collar, but kept up, as evidenced by this photo of the illustrious Bean on the curbside.
The house that I toured was undergoing a complete and necessary renovation after some tenants left, and took most of this home's pride with them. It's not much at this point, but oh my, those windows... that blank stucco wall, waiting for a wrought iron art piece or some architectural framework. The disappearing corner is one of my favorite looks, and though this house doesn't quite have it, the effect is the same.... or could be.

The Stratosphere hotel and casino is barely visible over the tops of the houses. About that much of the needle is visible from Genny's bedroom window, as well - and probably from all over town.
The bathrooms, as with the rest of the house, were amazing, and horribly maintained - though I was relieved to hear that these original butternut and seafoam tiles will not be replaced, but will be brought back to life through repairs, and by updating the broken fixtures and cabinetry around them.

After I went home and eagerly googled the theatre (again) and it's surrounds, I came across a couple interesting links -

www.lasvegasnevada.gov/TextOnly/FactsStatistics/4705.htm

Which has the application for placing the theatre on the national registry of historic places, and also a couple tiny pictures... for some reason, there is not pic available, not that I can find, of this grand palace in its heyday.

Hmm, and one other link that I can't seem to find now! Well, then. Anyway, is was referring to the Huntridge Diner, which is apparently directly across from the theatre on Charleston and Maryland Pkwy. It is a squarish drugstore on the outside, but inside there is an honest to god 60s diner. So, now I have to check out his place... and revisit another, at Decatur Drug, where I have been told there is another Diner-inside-drugstore. I have been in that building and never knew there was a lunch counter, so hopefully it is still there! But according to my friend and former resident of the (Decatur) neighborhood, it has been alive and struggling for decades. I even photographed (poorly) the signs inside of Decatur drug for the cashier and service desks because of their true to the time period look and feel... So guess there will be pics of that next week, after I treat myself to breakfast Monday morning when I drop off Genny at her Montessori pre-school :)

A Rocking Horsie Pt 2

So, this was about the state of Wilbur when we last discussed him:

He is black, and all taped up. Under the tape are his red details (reins, saddle, tale, rockers), and his original blue Mohawk.After the tape was removed he looked like a new horse! The next step was to tuck the selected fabric in around his existing hairdo to cover it. Rounding out the new facial features, are the new and improved eyeballs - all expression that was carefully masked off, cut-away, painted and touched-up. The result it pretty nice, with a gold flare above the eye, which Genesee says makes him look mean... I think he looks tough. Just like a little boy's pony should.

There are a few finishing steps yet to be performed - touching up a couple areas of over spray, stitching the hair cover in place so it isn't promptly removed by the new rider, and use of a clear-coat to seal the surface decorations and make the entire finish more durable. We're almost there!

A Rocking Horsie... Pt. 1

What's that you say? There is a birthday celebration for the young son of a person I have never met? I'm on it.

Meet Wilbur:

This is the dilapidated rocking horse that was passed on to my daughter from a family with two boys... so this is his condition after 3 kids worth creative playing. Now that Genny is nearly 4, and she's beginning to lose interest in her once-beloved plaything, we first asked her permission to put him in our yard sale (with promise of a "new-from-the-thrift-store" toy with the proceeds), to which she consented. Of course the bugger didn't sell (poor boy's missing his eye stickers!), so instead I use the opportunity of a friend-of-a-friend's son's birthday as an excuse to re-do him.

This is a picture of him once the rest of the stickers were stripped, and we had convinced him to don that ridiculous plastic bag shower cap. Not surprisingly, I had a heck of a time getting the stickers off... though somehow my daughter made it look so easy.The next treatment he received was a nice coat of Rustoleum primer for plastic.... and then his red parts were given a couple thorough coats of Rustoleum Red for plastic.After drying for quite some time, the red parts were carefully masked off, and the horse himself was painted black, with paint from the same plastics line. Finally (for this installment), Wilbur was again thoroughly dried. The result at the end of this work, was a two-tone red and black horse lacking detail... except for his original blue Mohawk, which now looks shockingly out of place.

Made Better By (Grand)Mommies

Psssht! This would be PERFECT for Genny's little kid life.

When I was a little kid my Grandma would make me clothes occasionally - after dragging me through the local fabric hut, ignoring my opinion on fabric and pattern selection - only for me to not wear them and grow up with a negitive opinion of home-made clothes.

Teachers Pet Cardi, Simple Tee and Poppy Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Oh Grandma! I love and admire you. And I draw inspiration from your frugalness, your craftiness, and your sense of style... but you just made me some really dorky outfits. If I knew I would grow up and feel this way, I would have worn them more than once, and without out feeling obligation... but let's face it, I really didn't need to draw any further attention to myself; the clothes I thought were 'rad' were bad enough.

But you know, if anything, I have learned that no matter what I make, my kid just doesn't like it, and so I figure no matter what Grandma made, I would have thought it lame. ...Still, neither Granny nor I ever made an outfit as cute as that!