Firefighter Mode

With regards to our home (and life, really) we are in "firefighter mode."  We put out the latest blaze.  We respond to the most urgent need.  We are never a step ahead and we're happy if we're only a step behind.  There are seasons of life that are like that.

I was commenting this to a friend and used our new home's draperies as an example.  I was trying to be "good" and deal with things that really mattered.  I was going to be focused like a laser and finish one job before I started another.  And then, the draperies were on fire.  No, not actually on fire.  They just moved to the top of the "this is irking me" list.  It's like being on fire.

Here they are.

Main living room.  It's got "swag."

Dining room.  I "bow" to your loveliness.

And, now, they're gone.  And my friend crinkles her face and says, "Yeah, they were hid-e-ous."

New Home!

New home, new projects everywhere, blog fodder!  Right after (most of) the boxes were unpacked, I confronted it head-on.  The wallpaper.  I'm just not that kind of girl.  Here's the print.  In real-life, this is about a four-inch flower pattern.  It's pretty neutral.  I can understand why it was chosen, in its day.  But that day has passed.

 And this day has come.  The sweet Luna Kitty was very excited with this process!  Even my 12 year-old jumped in to help.  There is something oh-so-satisfying about tearing down.  (Insert husband's eye roll here.)

What you need is "vision" to appreciate the process.  Vision, a year of renting, and too many hours spent on Pinterest.  Here's where I'm going with this...

Contemporary Entry 

by Portland Interior Designers & Decorators 

Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.

                                             

plus

What Would You Do? (Vintage Chicken Feeder!)

Do you ever see something at an antique store that you pass up and then it haunts you?  Seriously, I think I had a dream about it.

This lovely was at an antique mall that I love...American Classics Marketplace in Colorado Springs.  It was in the "warehouse" section.  It was in a little, cram-packed booth.  It was a miracle that I found it again!  But I did and now it's mine!

And I don't know what to do with it =)

There's this cute idea... from conceptfurnishings on Etsy.

And this from http://mysalvagedtreasures.blogspot.com

Or I could get one of these....

I could do this, but I only have one.  (Read her blog!  So cute! http://bucketsofburlap.blogspot.com/2010/06/chicken-feeders.html )

Finally...there's this sweet project from http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/item/15326/dont-be-chicken-nightlight

I was thinking about hanging "S" hooks across it, horizontally---a jewelry organizer? coat rack? key rack? I haven't settled on anything yet and welcome your input!

Once Upon a Window--Update!

 I've updated my window wall a little with a very handmade bunting.  It is made from a couple of fabric quarters, some felt, and pages from a vintage Bible.  I cut out a few of my favorite passages (Isaiah 53, Isaiah 61, Ephesians 6, Ephesians 4) and sewed them on to the fabric triangles.  Everything is hand-stitched onto a piece of twine.  I know these buntings are very trendy right now and this might not be a long-term decoration, but it was inexpensive and it makes me smile.  It also fills in the awkward area above the huge window!  A few close-ups of the current window panels follow.  I made them to be easy to change out, because, face it...I have a short attention span!

Once Upon a Window

Ahhh...adventures in home decor!  Like many other antiquers/junkers, I love the look of vintage windows.  I happened upon one last month that made my heart skip a beat because it was BIG (and not very expensive.)  It was just the right size for the wall I was hoping to fill.  After I got it home, I cleaned it up and let it sit while I mulled over exactly how I wanted to use it.  Over the course of a few days, that window stunk up my house. STUNK. UP. MY. HOUSE.  That putrid, old, musty wood smell.  I admit that I am hyper-sensitive to said smell, but it was bad.  Enter Pinterest.  I happened upon a post that talked about removing that smell from furniture...with cat litter!  The post detailed filling dresser drawers with litter and letting them sit for one week.  Not possible with a big 'ole window.  Garbage bags and packing tape were the best I could do, so I rigged them up and poured the litter in.  After one week, I hesitated.  The stuff was already leaking out and making a dusty mess, but I really wanted this to work--otherwise, the window would end up garden decor.  So, I made a bigger mess, flipped the window so the litter was in contact with other surfaces of the frame, and waited another week.

 After two full weeks, I pulled off the bag, cleaned up the litter and dusted off the frame.  The smell was MUCH improved. Pfew!  (Of course, the dust provoked a pretty good sinus attack...)  Now, to hang the beast...

I hated to do it...because, mind you, we are renting...but this job required butterfly toggles.  Butterfly toggles require really big holes...in your rented walls.  (Note to self: purchase patching kit.)

 And then, the eye screws that I had installed on the window frame sat around a half inch out from the wall surface.  In order for the toggle to work, something solid needed to fill up that space.  Washers.  Lots of washers.  This is what the hanging mechanism looked like once everything was installed.  That window ain't goin' NO-where!

After everything, I don't love the way the window is "styled."  (The iPhone picture is poor, but that isn't the real problem!)  One pane of glass was missing, so I replaced that with chicken wire to conceivably hang memos or photos.  I tried a number of treatments that could be removed and changed, as desired--vinyl decals, Mod Podged fabric, wrapping paper, and Mod Podged vintage sheet music.  We'll see what ends up staying and what goes.  With all that going on, why does the wall still look empty?  Like it needs a swag of greenery above or a mantelpiece below?

 Any ideas?  The couch floats about two feet in front of the wall (just out of view in this picture.)  Comments?  Suggestions?

Parallel Project

I'm a crazy multi-tasker.  This is somewhat "PC" for Adult Attention Deficit Disorder.  In my jewelry world, this means I have a very messy workspace and lots of projects in the works.  Here is another little something that I'm working on and it is very different for me.  Any guesses where I'm going with this?

Art Bead Scene January Challenge

The Art Bead Scene blog features a monthly challenge based on a painting.  I was intrigued by the one from this month, so I started creating.  Whoa, Nellie.  What a mess!

Here are the components I am working with.  It was actually a long trip to get to this point! The "eyes" were beaded. The focal piece was created in mixed-media layers.  The polymer coins were textured, pearlized and drilled.

This Tim Holtz scrapbooking facet was transformed into a jewelry focal with a technique taught by Deryn Mentock in her Alchemy of Objects class.

Good intentions can go very wrong.  I'd say there are two main problems. One: In an attempt to integrate gray (from the inspiration painting,) I forced these Toho Black Diamond seed beads into my design.  Two: Too many stitches in the beadweaving!  Peyote, daisy chain, slopping netting.  Yuk!

Fear not!  I have a back-up plan.  Off to work on it!