There's Nothing Like a Little Light Plumbing in the Evening...

Funny the things that get a person to write. For instance, this evening as I was fishing about with a clothes hanger in our disgusting basement utility sink, searching for the ancient drain - or more specifically, whatever nasty bit of muck was keeping laundry water from draining through said drain - as I was doing this, I was inspired to jot down some recent happenings here. I really can't say where that connection formed, but here I am (C went for the drain cleaner).

I have been living the glamorous Arts Festival life for the past two weeks - early mornings, cold fingers, running noses, lots of coffee and disgruntled artists... and then the ones that are so happy to be there, the ones that actually enjoy what they do and have beautiful work that they are inspired to share with the world!


And then there are the customers; they grumble about the weather and make the same jokes over and over and over and over and over (you get the picture?) and they ask the same questions and complain mainly the same complaints (there is always someone who comes out with a new way to complain, that can be counted upon) but then they go through the show and they have a glass of wine and taste the chocolate and fruit crepes, they walk through the tents and talk to the artists, and maybe have a nibble of chocolate or taste the maple candy, and when they come out they are exclaiming what a fabulous day it was, how they should plan their Vermont holiday around this festival next year and maybe the year after that, they take me aside to compliment the management on the gorgeous bathrooms, and, my personal favorite, they comment to no one in particular - perhaps even just to themselves - how very much fun they had. And they don't want to leave (the wives, that is. The husbands, weighed down with purchases, have no problem getting themselves through the exit).


So, over all, its not a bad way to spend a few weeks. Tomorrow we head out to another, our last of the fall season and what looks like it might be the chilliest yet. I can't say I am particularly looking forward to spending the weekend in a cold and most likely wet fairgrounds in central New Jersey, but at the same time I really do enjoy knowing that what we do makes possible what a lot of other people do, and what they love to do, and gives so many other people the opportunity to become inspired by this handcrafted creativity in such a real way.


And those are my evening plumbing thoughts. I will be back for another installment when the sink clogs up or the toilet overflows... or hopefully not.

Studio Revamp

Where have the last two weeks gone? wait, three weeks? oh my.

I was out sick for a good week or so, including three days home from work and the discovery that sudafed is not remotely helpful for my particular body. After all that time on the couch, I was full of energy and immediately attached my studio, emptying it all out and then painting, a fabulous clean, bright white. I put up some shelves and made two desk areas.


How does this fit in that tiny room that was almost full to bursting before, you ask? Surprisingly well!


Apparently all the pictures I took are of the upper walls. You can see how seriously I take keeping paint off the ceiling. It actually has to be painted too at some point, so...


Did I ever tell you about my serger? I got a serger!

Home Improvements

This:


recently became this:


(stove)

(and floor)

And to celebrate I made these:




Even better? There is more Home Improvement on the way! (That pink ceiling is high on my list, and the buzzing fluorescent light - I swear, those cupcakes were not at all green in real life...)

Five Signs You Have Been Watching Too Much HGTV

#5: Your house is a complete disaster because you are waiting for Carter Oosterhouse or Kim Myles to knock at the door with their teams of designers and builders.

#4: You can't walk down the street without evaluating the curb appeal of each house you pass.

#3: The only subjects on which you are able to converse are the cost of kitchen remodels, techniques to add interest to your dining area, and the relative price of a three-bedroom home in Missouri versus Maine.

#2: You have a deep desire to own a nail gun.

#1: You narrate every home project you do, taking care to leave a dramatic pause before the final reveal.

Back on Maple Ridge

When I went to Wisconsin, I stayed with my very dear friend Kathryn. Kathryn happens to have just moved into the house where I lived as a young child, from age 3-6; a grand old farmhouse on the top of a windy ridge in the middle of nowhere and yet the center of so much south-western Wisconsin. Pulling up in the yard after my 20+ hours of first-time-solo driving across the country, I was overwhelmed with a strange feeling of coming home and yet being entirely unaccustomed to the place.


That house holds so many vague memories of my early childhood, half remembered, more images than anything else. It is something like my version of Plato's ideal chair - when I hear "stairs" I see the dark wood staircase with the landing that we sat on with out stockings on Christmas morning. "Porch" brings to mind the wrap around porch where the dog had her puppies.


Have you ever had the experience of sleeping in the room you slept in as a 5 year old? I never thought I would, but there I was! The wall paper my mother put up for me was there still, the hole in the closet that peeked into my sister's closet was still open. The large mural of apples my mother painted on the dining room wall was unfortunately gone. I think Kathryn would have liked those.

New Studio

Here are a few photos of my new studio/office. Its small, and somewhat cramped (especially right now because there are still more art supplied to find proper put-away places for), but it makes me so happy! I have a window that opens to the back yard and our neighbors' terrific sunflower garden, I have a closet, and best of all, the room has a proper ceiling* and is right off the dining room. It feels real.

It is a bit small, and it does double as a guest room, but I have put that to my advantage, using a stack of twin mattresses for a table. I think its a rather ingenious solution, thank you! They can be spread out for a makeshift guest bed (takes up the whole entire room!), and when they are stacked they are the perfect height!


And the walls still need that coat of white paint. That will feel good.


My cds are in here because they are too embarrassing to have out in public (mid 90's alt-rock hits anyone? Remember the Calling?)


And yes, I already need to tidy! That's what having a studio is all about though: it's totally being used. So much in the works already.


*I have read that ceiling height has been linked with creativity, with higher ceilings being more inspirational. At my old house, my studio was spread out over the upstairs, and I really do think the low, slanted, dormer ceilings were somewhat a stifling. So a proper, square ceiling has been my dream for quite some time. And it came true! How lucky am I?!

Treasure hunt

In perusing around blogland, it seems that many people are on a search for one particular piece of furniture - that perfect piece that has all the individual aspects of design and function personal to the searcher. I am always looking for something, and I have to admit that it changes often. Perhaps I am still defining my taste (in which case I probably should really think carefully about some of the big purchases I am ever so tempted to make!). I love the idea of having a single item that is the epitome of perfection and being able to search around the world for it if necessary. Wouldn't the feeling be incredible when it was actually found?

Truth is, I don't have that kind of patience. Either that or I have incredible luck. I decided to search for a loom and found one almost immediately. And the same with the letterpress. Craigslist and I get along well. But that dear friend has not come through for me (immediately) on my newest quest: the Perfect Buffet.

My perfect buffet actually comes in a few different completely different shapes and sizes. First is what I am going to call 1950s Dutch, although I actually haven't the slightest idea if that is correct:


Its a beaut. Its actually $6800 worth of beauty, which I am sure it is completely worth, but which is also so out of my price range.

Buffet #2 would be thrilling to find. It is inspired by the one in the background in this amazing apartment. What got me with that one is the old wood - do you think I could find an antique workbench hidden and forgotten in the back of someone's barn? That would be ideal.


These are a couple I found on Overstock.com, nice but missing... something...

Room Transformation

C. has been out of town for the majority of the past couple weeks, so this weekend I took the opportunity to start a transformation of his house, with the help of the trusty paint can and roller brush! The house is a sweet little 40s or 50s dream home, pretty wood floors (need to be refinished, they had carpet on them until recently), paneled glass windows, and neat little scalloped boxes around the tops of the windows (the name for those is escaping me at the moment, but you will see what I mean). Very cute. But painted a horribly unfortunate shade of green-tinged off white throughout, with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom which are pink. Very bad. But none of us have had the impetus to get this huge repainting job to a start until now. I am quite proud of myself!



I would like to state here that I love color. I love paint. And I love to pick paint colors. But, sometimes it gets overwhelming, in part because I do like all those colors so much, that I can't narrow down the choices. That is one reason why I love the "Oops" cart at Home Depot or Lowes. I get a gallon of paint for $5, and I don't have to choose. The only decision I have to make is where to put it. I have stockpiled a nice selection of oops paint, so now my decision process for painting a room is to choose a color or two from the collection. Much simpler! I have had these two cans for quite some time, a peachy rusty orange and a dark greenish grey brown, specifically intended for C.'s living room. And I really like how they look. It is amazing what a coat of paint can do.



And yeah, I can't help it. I have to put pictures up. Sometimes before the paint is dry.