Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Befores and Afters, for Real This Time

In a fit of "I-can't concentrate-until-I-get-things-organized" I cleaned the studio yesterday and had the good sense to take photos of it before I let it get all messy again. I'd still like to improve the storage setup, so more of my supplies can be tucked out of sight, and coordinate the furniture some more, but for now, you can consider these the Official Befores and Afters (more renovation pictures way back in these posts and here and here).

BEFORE




AFTER

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My new, lovingly hand-oiled oak desk and hutch. It's red oak, and, unfinished, had this dusky rose color, but unfortunately, finishing the desk meant getting rid of that color, and I had no choice, because I am always spilling things. A shame.

The funniest thing about this picture, in my opinion, is the Diet Mountain Dew, because I swear I hadn't had a Mountain Dew in ten years before this week. I'm a Diet Dr. Pepper girl myself, but when I run out, I need something carbonated, anything, as long as it doesn't have sugar. I just don't like the aftertaste of sugary sodas, which is also funny, since most people say the opposite. But at least Splenda doesn't ferment in your mouth.

The thing that is characteristic of me is that there are three beverages right next to each other. I've been known to have up to four at one time, and I will drink periodically from each one. You never know what you might have a taste for at any given second. And those beverages are also right above the computer. Also characteristic. I like living dangerously.

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(That's, clockwise from the bottom left: a drawing from when I was five that my mom framed and recently gave to me (but I broke the glass), in which Cinderella apparently has a baseball glove on her right hand, which I think is just so cool; my college graduation gift from my grandmother, which really should also have glass over it; a beautiful art heart from Tinker with a golden Gypsy singing to the stars; a cool ceramic hanging that I bought from the local high school kids at a craft fair; and a 50 cent Paddington Bear print I found at a thrift store. You know, now that I think about it, maybe it was Paddington Bear who inspired my love of travel. Hmmmm.)

As you can see, we have yet to put outlet/switch/open-hole-in-the-wall covers over anything.

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My work surface, complete with freshly stretched watercolor paper (which is why I had time to clean). By the time I realized the first shot I took was blurry and came back to take a second, it was getting dark, but this is usually a nicely lit place to work. It's my new drafting table, which is cheap and flimsy and handles the abuse of spilled ink and my elbows very well without complaining, too much, although every once in a while it shifts suddenly, as if there were a small earthquake, which is quite nerve-wracking when I have a freshly-dipped loaded pen in my hand. But hey, life is meant to be an adventure.

The treasure chest holds my good pen nibs. Appropriate, I'd say.

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The mousepad I designed and the monthly calendar that does its collateral duty beautifully: soaking up the coffee I spill.

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The magnets I unceremoniously stole from the fridge.

I've fixed the links on the last post. Have a good Wednesday, my friends.

Friday, March 09, 2007

I Can Fly!

Not really, although it is one of my dreams.

Actually, what I can do is spread my arms all the way out and not touch the table on the left or the bookcases on the right. That's a big deal in a room that's only nine feet wide. I'm 5'9", so that's almost six feet of furniture-less space (Did you know, your fingertip-to-fingertip distance is the same as your height? You're square, or circular, according to that Leonardo guy).

So here's a before picture:

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As you can see, it was a bit of a mess. Now, I've tidied and left all the junk that wouldn't fit on the dining room table. Where it belongs.

And now:

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In the process, I spent some good quality time with my books and made more fun discoveries. Like this:

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I have no idea where that came from. That's my spare change tin. Usually I open it and find quarters, dimes, nickels. You know. American money. Since I live here, that's what's I find to be most practical. But yesterday, I opened up the tin, and that's what I saw. Five shillings.

Very strange.

It is fitting, however, since this is the outside of the coin tin:

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Maybe it's a magic coin. Which would explain why I can't find my coin tin today, at all. It's not even in the pile on the dining room table. Clearly, it's been spirited away by whoever left the five shilling coin.

Yeah. I read a lot of fantasy novels.

Speaking of coins, Montana, Montana, where are you? I'm waiting...

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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Weaving Our Home Back Together

You know how you never really notice how things were until they've changed?

I had no idea exactly how far-reaching the chaos caused by our renovations stretched. But we do live in a small house and removing all the furniture from one room meant the rest of the house had to be almost entirely rearranged. Not only that, but the armoire that I had been using as an art supply cabinet is taking back its place as a "china/tablecloth" cabinet in the dining room (only I would use a china cabinet in an office, an armoire in a dining room and a dresser in the living room. Although the last one is just temporary.).

Now we are slowly putting the house back together. And what surprises me the most is how good this makes me feel. Just to be able to put the placemats in one place, and the tablecloths in that same place... that's serenity. I feel so much calmer already. And I didn't even realize how un-calm I really was.

It will take us a week or so to get it all back, but I'll post a few "corners of my home" pictures then.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Teapots

Carolyn's post on teapots prompted me to take this picture of the two teapots my grandmother gave me a few years ago, sort of off-handedly, out of her own collection. They're sort of an odd couple, wouldn't you say? But especially precious to me now, since Nana died in June.

I pulled them off their crowded shelf to take this picture, and promptly discovered that the blue and white one is filled with Hershey's kisses and a few Lindt Lindor Truffles, the discovery of which made me feel wonderful. Now, I happen to know that Al gave me that chocolate for Christmas last year, but I don't think it could be bad, do you? I might have to try it and find out.

Does chocolate go bad? Hmmm. Usually I can and will eat anything, but in my weakened state (can you hear Ferris Bueller right now?), I don't know if it is such a good idea. If it made me sick, well, do you think chocolate-induced illnesses are covered by health insurance?

What a debate to be having with myself, when really, I should be making some dinner.

Friday, December 01, 2006

The studio...

is pretty much done. At least, I'm back in it.

You can see pictures of the renovation process from beginning to end here.

It's beautiful. I'm very proud of it.