High Desert Diva

That Is All

2010-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

I've decided to suspend this blog. I'm going to make it private as it is a good journal of photos, and sources for me.

Thanks to all who have joined in the fun for the last three years. I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to meet you virtually, and in some cases, in person.

Adios.

Life and Design

2010-07-12T04:48:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I came across a design book by architect Sarah Susanka called The Not So Big House.

Susanka put into words what I had been thinking for years. She believes in designing homes “that favor the quality of its space over the quantity” not "the notion that houses should be designed to impress rather than nurture.”

I’ve always loved small spaces. The home we lived in for almost 18 years was a cottage built in 1925.

840 square feet on the main floor. I loved the intimacy it provided.

In the fall of 2006 we decided to move to the Central Oregon. We knew we wanted another house with a small footprint. We looked at house after house for almost 10 months. Half-way through the process, we realized moving to (at the time) the most expensive part of Oregon, wanting acreage, a house, and no mortgage was going to be a problem. We had to compromise somewhere.

With much grinding of teeth, we began looking at mobile homes on acreage. My husband asked me, “Can interior decorators really live in mobile homes?”

Living in a trailer, with fake paneling, plastic cupboards, shag carpeting, vinyl flooring, aluminum siding and metal slider windows held absolutely no appeal to me.

But after watching our formerly quiet country road in Silverton, sprout 200+ McMansions over the last 10 years, we knew we wanted the peace and quiet acreage would provide.

We bought 5 acres with views of the Three Sisters in Central Oregon’s High Desert.

We have 300+ days of sunshine a year, along with so much privacy I’ve yet to meet any neighbors....and we have a double-wide trailer. Life's funny, isn’t it?

It was late June of 2007 before we finally purchased this...home. A trailer. There was no beauty here. None.

This project has been my biggest design challenge to date. We gutted the entire inside…salvaging and donating items to the Habitat for Humanity resale shop, recycling wood and scrap metal as we went along. We tore out the cardboard and plastic ceilings, rewired and re-plumbed where necessary. We hired a crew to sheetrock over the existing paneling and then we coated the walls and ceiling with both low VOC (Devine) and zero VOC (Yolo) paints. We ripped out the germ-riddled plush carpeting and laid Eco-Timber solid bamboo flooring (using a non-toxic glue) throughout the entire house. We tore out (and recycled) aluminum slider windows, replacing them with energy efficient ones. We repurposed antique furniture into a vanity sink cabinet and linen closets rather than buying new pieces. The kitchen cabinets were purchased from a company who offered a green line of cabinetry. Paperstone (countertops made using 100% recycled paper and a non-toxic resin) was installed in the kitchen. Ten of the light fixtures we installed were found at second hand stores or purchased off Craigslist. We salvaged, reused and repurposed many items making our remodel as green as we could afford, and as beautiful as possible....and we paid cash.

Before and after photos here

Driving entertainment

2010-07-10T05:04:00.000-07:00

"Carry laughter with you wherever you go. "

~ Hugh Sidey

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

Walk into my parlor

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

...said the spider to the fly.

A Hobbit house at the Oregon Garden.

Lily pads and a place to rest weary feet.

A green roof gasping for breath in 97 degree heat.

Weird plant.

Other side of Hobbit house.

It is always interesting to view a place one has seen over and over, with the fresh eyes of one who has never experienced it. I walked through the oak grove at the Oregon Garden for the first time in 10 years. The children's garden is always a visual delight with weird plants, animal shaped topiaries, clay pot figurines and buried dinosaur (!) bones. But this was the first time I remember seeing the Hobbit house. How could I have missed it before?

Gardens on my mind

2010-07-08T04:32:00.000-07:00

Got plans this Saturday?

If you're anywhere remotely close to Eastern Washington, I highly recommend Suzanne St. Pierre and Scotty Thompson's Art in the Garden show at Living in the Garden.

The best garden shop I've ever seen...

Off to the Oregon Garden

2010-07-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a desert friend to my former hometown of Silverton for a tour of the Oregon Garden. We're going to stay overnight at the Oregon Garden Resort which offers a smokin' mid-week deal of guestroom with a private patio and fireplace, dinner at Oregon Garden Resort Restaurant plus one bottle of House wine, admission to The Oregon Garden and full American buffet breakfast...all for $89. Unbelievable.

Keeping the sun out

2010-07-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

I recently found an Apartment Therapy article regarding the use of a transparent welding curtain as an indoor sunshade.

Being the wife of an artist blacksmith, I found this creative reuse intriguing. But I have to wonder about the off-gassing of sun heated vinyl. Perhaps if it was placed outside, rather than inside...

Time for Margaritas!

2010-07-04T19:42:00.001-07:00

We finished the patio area!

Before shot:

After shot

Happily, it doesn't look like the back of a trailer anymore....

Last year before we built the deck & ramada:

The long, skinny, metal box.

Happy Fourth of July

2010-07-04T00:18:00.000-07:00

"Let freedom never perish in your hands."

~ Joseph Addison

Vintage flags and image - Beryl Lynn

Free!

2010-07-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

“The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world's joy.”

~ Henry Ward Beecher

Free of the leash - elation sets in.

Click Hey Harriet for more shadow shots

Progress

2010-07-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Patio is coming along, but we ran out of pavers....and then it started raining.

Trux is looking mighty unhappy, but he wouldn't come inside. Silly dog.

Collaboration

2010-06-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

I just finished a charity design project full of collaborators. The High Desert Design Council, specifically Mindy Lyman & Martha Murray, plus a handful of wonderfully talented volunteers and generous business owners, transformed the great room/kitchen of a women's and children's shelter.

We only had one week. And we had zero budget.

Amazing what can be done when people come together.

The biggest visual impact came from paint. Such a simple thing, really. But the WOW factor definitely comes into play when two gorgeous color are paired. No more white walls!

See more images here.

Huge thanks to Yolo Colorhouse for donating ALL the wall paint.

Only the lonely

2010-06-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Some days this is just too remote...

Books as Art

2010-06-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

“Book lovers will understand me, and they will know too that part of the pleasure of a library lies in its very existence.”

~Jan Morris

From the creative mind of Frederico Uribe

Art?

2010-06-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

No, a radiator.

Ingenious.

Splash radiator by Runtal

The chair

2010-06-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

“"I am," I said

To no one there

And no one heard at all

Not even the chair

"I am," I cried

"I am," said I

And I am lost, and I can't even say why

Leavin' me lonely still.”

~ Neil Diamond

Mac shot.

Click Hey Harriet for more shadow shots

~~~~~

Get a Grip Contest Winner

Announced here

Twilight

2010-06-25T04:11:00.001-07:00

"The summer day is closed, the sun is set:

Well they have done their office, those bright hours,

The latest of whose train goes softly out

In the red west."

~ Bear Bryant

The Guardians

2010-06-23T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a charity project with the High Desert Design Council this week. Yesterday, while doing prep work, I came across this print and recognized the work of Silverton artist, Ann Altman.

The Guardians by Ann Altman

Altman's work is perfect for the redesign of Saving Grace. Our color palette is bright and cheerful, and multi-cultural artwork is highly desired.

We'll be searching for similar pieces to display.

Get a Grip - Contest

2010-06-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

The name I drew for the contest winner is Victoria - only she didn't leave any contact information. I'll give here until noon today to get back to me, then I'll draw a second name.

12:29 pm here...haven't heard back from Victoria, so I drew a second name. The new winner is Karine Swenson! Congrats Karine! I just sent you an email...

~~~~~

I received a blind e-mail a few weeks ago from a company called Appliance Art. Typically, blind e-mails end up in my trash. I blog because I want to...not to advertise for corporations. But I was intrigued by the product, and free merchandise was offered...so what the heck, I decided to try something new.

Appliance Art makes magnetic, vinyl and metal foil covers for dishwashers and refrigerators. Their philosophy is: "Don't replace a working appliance just because you don't like the look of it, cover it with an Appliance Art, it's easier on your wallet and the environment."

Makes sense, right?

Can't help but think they'd work great in a rental as well.

There's a variety of designs: Quotes, colors, art, seasonal, kitsch, landscape, etc. Take a peek.

For a chance to win a dishwasher design of your choice (excluding custom), leave a comment about how you found my blog. (The company has asked that the contest be open to US residents only) That's it, besides making sure your contact information is there. I'll choose a winner on June 27th. Once I get the winner's address, Appliance Art will send the prize.

Let the comments begin!

Back yard re-vamp

2010-06-20T04:07:00.000-07:00

We're starting work on the back patio. Our plan is to have a (cement) flagstone patio, a gravel path, and native, drought tolerant shrubbery to conceal the parking area from the patio/deck.

Before:

Mark's sketch.

Cement flagstones.

The blue flags mark the area where the patio will be...with the exception of the two out by the gravel which delineate the width of the path.

Mark's string system in place to make sure we're keeping the backfill dirt level...and, of course, Trux - supervising.

Gettin' there!

The homemade, weighted roller thing...

sadly, the garden tractor isn't working.

Garden Center Shadows

2010-06-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

"Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy."

~ Astrid Alauda

Hey Harriet's shadow shots - click here for other shadow shooters

River property

2010-06-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

I spent last evening on a deck, sipping wine, and enjoying the view of the canyon and the Deschutes River.

What a gorgeous piece of property!

iPhone photos

Wintercreek Nursery, part two

2010-06-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Inspiration in a waterfall.

Vertical gardens.

Small garden shop.

I like the willow branch fence.

Succulent planters.

All that garden goodness made me want to get out and plant!

Field trip

2010-06-16T00:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Mariposa Lily Garden Club (I'm co-prez) took a field trip to Wintercreek Nursery. A few photos to drool over:

A native plant nursery near Bend, Wintercreek offers plants we (locals) should all be using. No need to ask if the plants will survive our cold winters and hot summers...they will.

Beautiful grounds and test gardens.

Veggie garden.

A pleasure to wander through.

Juniper berries

2010-06-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

I chose the pillows because of the color.

It reminded me of juniper berries.

Which led me to a fresh coat of paint for the metal chairs.

No more bright white.

To finish them off, I'll have the cushions reupholstered in Chilewich fabric.

I'll be able to hose them off.

No more Central Oregon dust....

Still need to get rid of the mildew on the deck.

Pillows by Carla Wesson of Perpetual Pillows

Paint: Norway Spruce by Benjamin Moore

Tactile

2010-06-14T04:27:00.000-07:00

I've been liking the idea of textured walls lately.

Jennifer Prichard's porcelain wall compositions and tiles are interesting.

Love the color.

J. Prichard Design

Glow

2010-06-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

The mountains are out.

Three Sisters, Central Oregon's high desert.

I never tire of this view.

For the Bibliophile

2010-06-10T04:45:00.000-07:00

In lieu of a great bookshop to wander through...

A virtual collection via Bookshelf Porn

source

Bubbles

2010-06-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

Lazy Meadow, an Airstream getaway in the Catskill Mountains.

via Shelter Pop

6 Airstreams, cabins, a lodge....and....a love shack.

Owner, Kate Pierson's (of B-52s fame) "dream getaway".

Blue

2010-06-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

skies had me smilin' yesterday...

until Cammie flipped her litter box.

Since we're not evil pet owners,

she was soon tentatively exploring the outdoors...

(She's an old indoor cat, and the outdoors is somewhat scary to her. She likes to be with us though, and since we spent a good part of yesterday on the deck enjoying the sunshine, she was outside, too.)

Until she exhausted herself and fell asleep on my lap.

Trux crashed out, too.

Capital Gate vs. Leaning Tower

2010-06-07T00:35:00.000-07:00

The recently built United Arab Emirates' Capital Gate building is claiming to be the building that leans the furthest in the world.

I still prefer the leaning tower of Pisa....

Cloud shadows

2010-06-05T04:57:00.000-07:00

"You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds."

~ Henry David Thoreau

White clouds casting shadows on the buttes.

More shadow shots found at Hey Harriet

Two clocks

2010-06-04T04:31:00.001-07:00

Mark completed two clocks of slightly different design.

Manley Metal Works

Love the detail

Available at Manley Metal Works - Etsy

Creative Reuse

2010-06-03T04:26:00.000-07:00

A tv worthy of being the focal point...

Love this creative reuse!

Got fish?

Image from here

Made me look

2010-06-02T03:30:00.000-07:00

Felted wool stone floor cushions...

an interesting departure from the typical bean bag.

Not sure if I like the stone/flower felted pillow...

but it made me look!

Available from VivaTerra

A place for books

2010-06-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

“These are not books, lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves.”

~ Gilbert Highet

I like the use of the stairwell wall as book storage in this architect designed home.

Check out the stair design, too.

Nice elements.

The stairwell wall/bookshelf

“Book lovers will understand me, and they will know too that part of the pleasure of a library lies in its very existence”

~ Jan Morris

Love the book towers!

Photo credit: Allen J. Schaben/LAT

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T00:40:00.000-07:00

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”

~ Arthur Ashe

Arlington National Cemetery

“Without heroes, we are all plain people, and don't know how far we can go”

~ Bernard Malamud

Exercise in futility

2010-05-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

I planted flowers.

Or, as my husband says, I planted deer food.

I just needed some color.

Maybe if there was a collective chant from the blogosphere, the deer would stay away...

Photo tweaking

2010-05-29T06:23:00.001-07:00

Raining again in the high desert. Sunlight and shadows are hard to capture. A bit of photo manipulation here, but the shadows were interesting.

Click Hey Harriet for more shadow shots

Company coming

2010-05-28T06:44:00.001-07:00

My sister and her girls arrive tonight.

Apple cake baking.

Flowers to plants.

Dinner to plan.

Weather to manipulate...

Spring rain

2010-05-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

So much for high desert sunshine. I'm beginning to question the veracity of the Central Oregon tourism board's claim of 300 days of sunshine per year.

The dark streaks on the cedar deck?

Mildew.

I didn't know this was possible in the desert.

Brooches

2010-05-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

"Put a little pin on and you've got something going on!"

~ Michelle Obama

Anthropologie

Aged and Opulent Jewelr

Crystal brooch - MoMA

~~~~~~~~

A couple of my favorites:

Fake fur flower pin - Stone Buddha

Gray fabric flower pin - Anthropologie

More seating

2010-05-25T04:33:00.000-07:00

Rearranging furniture to accommodate friends for tomorrow's girls night.

People always ends up in this room as it is closest to the kitchen. I figured I may as well plan on squeezing everyone in to begin with!

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.”

~ Tennessee Williams

Good morning

2010-05-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to slightly warmer temps so I can enjoy my coffee outside and watch the sun rise. It is 37 degrees this morning. Too cold.

New Flooring

2010-05-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite, new-to-me products is Bamboo Chilewich. I decided to use it in our camp trailer to cover up the white vinyl floor. (White flooring anywhere, most especially in a recreational vehicle, is ill-conceived.)

Roughing out the template

Trux: supervising (or sleeping on the job)

First fitting

Detail

Completed!

So glad to get rid of the white floor. Talk about inconvenient for camping. It was impossible to keep clean. This flooring, on the other hand, is not only cushioned which will make the camp trailer floor much warmer, but the color and texture are sure to cover up practically anything that is tracked in. And the best part? I can take it out and hose it off. We laid it directly on top of the the vinyl for this very reason. It fits wall to wall, but it is essentially a large area rug.

Grown Shadows

2010-05-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

“Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens.”

~ Douglas Jerrold

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

High Desert Garden Color

2010-05-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

I'm grateful for any color I can get in this young volcanic soil.

Best Buddha

2010-05-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

TtV photo by Hey Harriet

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."

~ Buddha

Odd title

2010-05-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

I'm finding this book quite engrossing.

The art of letter writing...quite a skill.

Arbor Grove

2010-05-18T00:52:00.000-07:00

Buying books for their cover...

I'd buy this.

I'm drawn to tree canopied country lanes,

and try my best to capture them as I'm driving.

Ironically, my very first rental house was on Arbor Grove Road.

In the middle of farmland, hardly a tree in sight.

Perceptions

2010-05-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Looking back:

Words affect one’s perception of themselves, of others.

Age 3 or 4: At a concert with my parents and older sister. Someone boosts Chantele onto their shoulders so she can see. I hear someone offer to pick me up, and then hear my mother say, “She’s too heavy, don’t worry about it.” I stand throughout the concert staring at the adult butts in front of my face. I never saw the band.

Age 3, I'm in the pink tights

Age 7: My mom puts me on my first diet.

Skating with friends, age 7. I'm wearing the red pants.

Grade school years: Family refers to me as "a big girl".

Jr. High: A boy in my drama class calls me Big, Fat & Ugly.

The annual sister cheesecake picture.

I'm on the left, wearing red.

Jr. High years

High school: I don’t date anyone from my school. I’m a wallflower. The friend of the popular, cute, tiny, cheerleaders. Taller than all my girlfriends, taller than the boys until sophomore year.

Senior year of high school: My best friend’s mother tells me confidentially she never thought her daughter would be fat. My friend had recently gained weight. For the first time, we wear the same size.

College: My best friend becomes bulemic, she starts snorting cocaine. She gets very thin, and receives a lot of positive attention about her figure. She is a size 4.

1992: I read a medical report listing me as obese. I am 5’ 10”. At the time, I was wearing a size 10.

1992 with my sisters.

I'm on the right.

Late 90's/early 2000's: My friend, whose mother referred to her as fat and who then became bulemic, has children. Three of them are girls. I hear her tell her oldest daughter she is fat. She isn’t. The cycle continues.

2010: My friend’s are all slim. My face seems to be getting rounder. Technically, I wear the same size clothing I did in high school, although my body sure looks different. I still tower above my friends.

And I still try to make peace with my size.

Fakin' it

2010-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

This curly grass didn't survive the high desert winter...

so I spray painted it.

It will be much easier to take care of this way.

Maybe I should do this to all my plants...

All quiet

2010-05-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

One week ago, I was in the largest city in America.

“There's nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”

~ Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

Skeleton shadows

2010-05-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

“There is something about a closet that makes a skeleton terribly restless”

~ Wilson Mizner

Skeletons in the bar of the Cuba Cafe

New York City, May 10th

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

New York whirlwind trip

2010-05-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Flying in to New York City

Meeting three women I didn't know (Stephanie, Emily and Chelsea) for a whirlwind trip.

Our NY nickname

Looking outside our apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood

Chelsea and Emily

Emily's movie star pose

Outside our apartment

Emily and Stephanie at Cuba Cafe

Being in New York was a great opportunity to meet blog friends. Michelle and Rachel rode the train in from New Jersey to meet me at Cuba Cafe. I've been corresponding with them for 3 years. So glad to have the chance to meet them in person! I wish the photo had turned out better.

Cuba Cafe

And then we went to the Trailer Park bar...

Emily and Stephanie G. eyeing the decor

Kitsch

Chelsea

Note the mannequin inside the trailer...

Fun trip!

ReVamp

2010-05-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Virginia to re-vamp Chelsea's (blog friend of almost 3 years) living room/dining room space....

A few hours

$0 budget

Using what she had on hand,

but not nearly enough margaritas

Before: Computer area

Before: Computer area/living room

Before: Living room/dining room

After: Living room

Moved bench from wall to use as coffee table

Rehung artwork

Moved rug from under dining table to living room

Moved side table from computer area to living room

Added floor pillows for guitar seating

After: Fireplace

Removed tv/video games from above fireplace

Replaced with turtle tank, plants, books, etc.

After: Dining room

Removed rug from under table

Turned table and chairs opposite direction

Rehung artwork

Added centerpiece

Detail of dining table centerpiece

After: Computer area

Moved all computer desks, etc. towards kitchen area in the attempt to get as much separation as possible from the living room.

Rehung artwork

Added elephant trophies from boys' bedrooms

Laundry closet to mudroom

2010-05-14T00:48:00.000-07:00

I don't particularly care for closet washer/dryers so we walled off one side of the kitchen to make space for a mudroom.

Before:

After:

Front load washer/dryer raised to an ergonomic height.

Mis-ordered kitchen cabinets and a $10 garage sale dresser utilized into additional pantry storage.

Much better.

Before - After shots

2010-05-13T00:46:00.000-07:00

Before

Narrow, galley kitchen with small opening to dining room

After

Opening up walls makes space feel less confined.

NY digs

2010-05-12T00:54:00.000-07:00

Our NY rental - pretty cute!

What to do...in New York City

2010-05-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

image from Wikipedia

The Met?

Central Park?

Times Square?

Statue of Liberty?

Empire State Building?

Broadway?

So much to see, so little time!

~~~~~

I can't believe it. I'm in New York City and I've got the yucks. Not feeling well enough to explore the city. Hoping to bounce back in time for the Christopher Walken play tonight.

Blog Fest Meet Up!

2010-05-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight in New York City!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T05:21:00.000-07:00

Chantele, Cherelle, Mom, Charmaine, Cherise

Interior Shadows

2010-05-08T04:44:00.000-07:00

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

Front yard progression

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

The previous owner of this property was fond of water sucking green grass.

Spring 2007

Since we live in the high desert with a limited amount of rainfall, we tore out the lawn and installed native, drought tolerant plants in May of 2008.

Two years later, the yard is taking shape.

High desert seasons are shorter than other areas of Oregon. We had snow and hail two days ago. It takes a while for plants to grow here...

"Gardening is the slowest of the performing arts."

~ Mac Griswold

Studio Visit: Melinda Hannigan

2010-05-06T00:12:00.000-07:00

This image capture is taken from the VR photo of Melinda's studio.

The final art studio we visited in the Seattle area was that of maritime painter Melinda Hannigan.

Melinda focuses on the rust and scrapes of working ships, manipulating realist images into her abstract canvasses.

Or, as my husband says, "She can do rust."

Having perfected rust, however, she was interested in new painting challenges. Melinda is experimenting with mixed media and some of her new paintings feature parts of the sail. (Two other paintings in this series can be seen in the top photo)

Melinda's upcoming exhibitions will be at Fetherston Gallery in Seattle May 14 - June 12, and at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria June 18 - Labor Day. If you have the opportunity to visit either of these exhibits, I highly recommend it!

Cafe bar counter design

2010-05-05T06:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I met with a local woodworker to collaborate on a design for the bar counter at the Cove Palisades marina store/cafe. It was one of those happy meetings where design ideas flow back and forth, each of us getting excited as it comes together so easily. This is Nancy's Sketch-Up rendering of the counter, using materials to tie in with the other selections I've made for the remodel.

Butcher block counter

Corrugated metal detail on front & back

Galvanized pipe foot rest and counter brackets (not shown)

Wood trim (to eliminate sharp metal edges)

The bar counter will be placed in the opening near the window wall to fill the awkward space between the post. It will help divide the area, providing a nice separation between the cafe and part of the store.

Can't wait to see it installed!

Cinco de Mayo

2010-05-05T04:10:00.000-07:00

Got your dancin' shoes on?

Reinvintage

Green

2010-05-03T00:43:00.000-07:00

"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's heart, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Oregon Coast Range

65 mph car shot

Trees, moss, green.

My desert eyes love this.

Studio Visit: Gail Howard

2010-05-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

During our recent travels, we met artist Gail Howard in the Georgetown area of Seattle.

Gail was in the process of working on a new piece in her "with the grain" series. The new work is much larger than the 9.5 x 9.5" pieces she has made in the past.

There are to be six long scrolls which will be about 2' wide and 10 to 14' high depending on where they're installed. They're to be hung from a wall or ceiling in the middle of a room so people will be able to walk around and through them. *Envisions a paper forest*

My mind balks at the thought of the tedium required for such repetitious work, yet this is what I'm continually drawn to in all art forms. Gail describes the process of her work as meditative and I can understand that.

Gail's other work:

This piece is composed of a shattered Christmas ornament. It is reflective so it changes as one moves in closer to look at the detail. Quite mesmerizing. I'd like to have this as a ceiling treatment, actually. Imagine...

Detail of two triptychs

(click to enlarge)

A piece composed of eggshells.

This made an intriguing textured surface.

Gail's studio will be open sporadically for Art Attack.

Check her website for details.

The Pacific

2010-05-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

"I sit listening
To the surf as it falls.
The power and inexhaustible freshness of the sea,
The suck and inner boom
As a wave tears free and crashes back
In overlapping thunders going away down the beach.
It is the most we know of time,
And it is our undermusic of eternity."

~ Galway Kinnell

Reflective shadows

2010-05-01T05:38:00.000-07:00

“The brightest light moving away from us, unless it be reflected, is darkness to us.”

~ Anonymous

Artist blacksmith David Tuthill's work in Ballard, Washington

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

Dana's bath

2010-04-30T04:04:00.000-07:00

I was hired to help fix up a small bath on a tight budget.

The cosmetic fix:

Dana and her father installed bamboo flooring.

Paint: walls and ceiling a cheery yellow.

Cabinet, doors and trim: off-white.

Shower curtain hung over glass door for color/interest.

Bamboo ladder for additional storage/visual interest.

One cabinet removed (hard to tell in this shot, but the larger cabinet was so deep, Dana would bang her head on it.) The smaller cabinet has a much slimmer profile.

New cabinet hardware.

Still to do:

Finish second coat of paint on doors

Paint mirror frame off-white

Paint or find vent that blends better with bamboo floor

Choose pendant lights for vanity

New towels and rug

Artwork

Color makes a big impact!

Studio Visit

2010-04-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

Last week we stopped by Firelight Forge in Seattle.

Owner's Lisa Geertsen and Andy Blakney

show off a little of their work.

Click here for a VR shop photo.

Andy's work.

~~~~~

Lisa's copper work.

Don't you just love Milo?

More of their work can been seen at Firelight Forge

Cove Palisades Remodel - progress

2010-04-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

The marina cafe/store remodel at Cove Palisades is progressing.

The wall with the door opening and the wall to the left will be covered with corrugated tin which will be distressed a bit so it won't look shiny. All the light fixtures are to be switched out to industrial looking pendants.

The peg board was a surprise. I didn't know it was ordered, and can't really see anything redeeming about it. Also, I specified dark stained slat wall (slats) to tie in with the color of the wood floor. Not wild about slat wall to begin with, and this color looks anemic.

This shot shows the two different wall colors the best, although my photography skills aren't doing the colors justice.

The before shots can be seen here.

I'll post more photos once the tables, chairs and barstools arrive, and the bar counter is installed. I'm looking forward to seeing all the elements together.

Work = Fun

2010-04-28T04:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a firm believer in happy office spaces.

Jonathan Adler's stationery items + my office.

Yep.

Photo: Philip Clayton-Thompson, Blackstone Edge Studios

New Fave

2010-04-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

Terrain, from the creative minds at Anthropologie

The Road Home

2010-04-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

Negotiating Seattle with a camp trailer.

Fun times.

Seattle

2010-04-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

Entering the city...

Great window display in Ballard.

Traveling, cont.

2010-04-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

We have a really cute dog.

Lanes with trees so thick a canopy is formed.

Cammie rides up front with us.

Water.

Traveling

2010-04-21T04:28:00.000-07:00

When we left the high desert.

Lots of dry vegetation, and juniper trees...very brown.

Heading west...towards the water and greenery.

I always feel restored at the coast...

Anniversary

2010-04-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

19 years ago today, I married the man I fell in love with.

So glad I did.

Beauty

2010-04-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

"Beauty deprived of its proper foils and adjuncts ceases to be enjoyed as beauty, just as light deprived of all shadows ceases to be enjoyed as light."

~ John Ruskin

Shadows at home

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

The Patio Project

2010-04-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

Last year's summer project was the back deck and ramada...

This summer's will be the patio area.

This is the product I want to use.

Preformed cement flagstone looking blocks.

It is one of the most expensive products at the landscaping place.

Of course it is....

Sigh.

New York, New York

2010-04-14T18:54:00.001-07:00

Here I come!

image from here

A trip to visit blog pal Chelsea in Virginia is turning into a whirlwind trip to New York City May 10 & 11th.

We're planning some sort of blog fest meet up...somewhere.

Michelle is in...anyone else?

Rachel?

Yes!

Elizabeth?

Coffee-Wednesday?

Tameka...

do you need to go home to New York that week?

Anyone else?

So excited!

Metal furnishings

2010-04-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

I had this photo in my files...it is listed as a Casa Midy piece, but I can't find it on their website, so I'm not sure where I actually pulled the photo from. I do love the idea of a metal settee though.

I would use Chilewich upholstery so it could be an indoor/outdoor piece.

And I would, of course, have Mark fabricate the metal as his work is superior.

Pampered pets

2010-04-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Yep. Spoiled.

Mark decided Trux needed a canopy so he could have a dry spot to sleep when we take our camp trailer out...

Cammie gets to sleep inside the camp trailer...

Facebook

2010-04-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

I created a fan page on Facebook for Manley Metal Works.

Check it out.

Become a fan!

Selections

2010-04-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

Sample board for Cafe/Store

Existing flooring

Yolo interior paint

(color looks off on my screen - it is actually more orange than beige)

Corrugated tin on a few walls and bar counter

Industrial vibe for the lighting...

stools...

and chairs

Teak and aluminum tables...

It's all coming together.

Sunlight

2010-04-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

"Live in rooms full of light."

~ Cornelius Celsus

More shadow shots at Hey Harriet

Featured

2010-04-09T06:43:00.001-07:00

Stephenie at Decorating Addiction featured pictures from our remodel (as well as that of Theresa Smith's) on her blog the other day. Many thanks!

Facelift

2010-04-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

I've been called in to help give the Cove Palisades store/cafe a facelift.

Wall color, window shades, counter tops....

Not a bad place to spend some time....

Simplicity

2010-04-07T04:01:00.000-07:00

found here

Field trip

2010-04-06T04:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we stopped by the R.S. Stapleton Company Showroom to see the display of Mark's ironwork handles.

The company is owned by my friend Elena and her husband Scott. The cabinetry is built by Scott while Elena does custom paint finishes. She also recently took a class on applying a cement product as a countertop. She's showing off some sample boards here:

I loved the finished product.

New fave countertop.

Elena also creatively used picture molding trim as the finish pieces atop the backsplash. Adore this look.

Ceiling tiles

2010-04-05T04:57:00.000-07:00

Easter was spent with Mark's family at his sister Kathleen's home. One of my favorite displays in her home is the double-stacked benches and ceiling tile all of which she happened to get from me when I used to sell antiques.

Found a similar look at Design Style Guide

Easter

2010-04-04T04:44:00.001-07:00

Vintage postcard from the Postcard Shoppe

It's dark

2010-04-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Crystal light fixture shadows and gilded Shakespeare:

"How shall we beguile the lazy time

if not with some delight?"

Hey Harriet's shadow shots

FabCab

2010-04-02T04:43:00.001-07:00

The latest on the prefab market from a Seattle design company.

See the slideshow here

From the website: FabCab is a new venture that has been started for the purpose of creating and selling pre-fabricated and kit-built environmentally-friendly dwellings.

Cute!

Of a Certain Age

2010-03-31T20:15:00.000-07:00

Anyone else old enough to remember the sound of a dial phone?

Not the ring, particularly...

the ch, ch, ch, ch sound the dial made as it spun.

It seemed to take forever,

especially if one had a 9 or 0 in their number.

These vintage beauties are available from Russell Johnson Imports

"The telephone, which interrupts the most serious conversations and cuts short the most weighty observations, has a romance of its own."

~ Virginia Woolf

Blog update

2010-03-30T20:08:00.001-07:00

Many thanks to my uber talented virtual blogger pal Chelsea for updating the look of my blog!

I stole this photo from her Facebook page...

and then went to her blog to lift her business cards to show off. I think this two-sided card is one of the best I've ever seen.

Nifty, eh?

Love

2010-03-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

This man,

this cat,

this photo.

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved - loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."

~ Victor Hugo