If I Could, I Would Marry This Room. Just Saying.

Awhile ago I mentioned that I/we had been working on my studio. My Special Place. It is with a completely and utterly adoring heart that I share these updates with you. Sometimes, even though it is not even close to being finished, I just go up and sit in there. It is such a calming and happy space for me.

First update is the shelf. We actually have four that we acquired at the end of May. They were going to be thrown out. So instead, we stuck them in the back of the Forester. Two immediately were hung in their current condition out in the garage. The other two I sanded, primed, and painted white. One will go in a guest room and then one went in my room.There are little hooks that Jeremiah took off while I was fixing the shelves, so at some point those will be screwed back into their proper places.

It is directly above my gorgeous desk (which is not being shown due to the fact that it is a disaster and has not been organized yet). The shelf obviously is not filled yet. For awhile Maddie Vache slept in the bigger basket.

The next update is the lighting. Sadly, the three guest rooms are not hardwired for any ceiling lights. They all have one switched outlet. Any light that is to be hung must be swagged. For about three years, I have coveted this capiz chandy. Dreamed of it. Whispered to it every time I saw it at the store. For Christmas, Jeremiah's parents graciously provided the funds to get me the light of my dreams.

I can't even describe how much I love it, but I will try. When it lights up, it looks like shimmery gold.

If the AC is running, it almost sounds a bit like wind chimes. I love it.

The framed picture is a print that Jeremiah gave to me for my graduation present in December. I had seen the artist's work up north in a gallery and loved it. The girl is in the woods and is slightly whimsical looking. I identified with her. The wall to the right will be filled up with more art/posters/photographs.


Lastly. Holy crap. The Borders shelves. I purchased three (and fit all three of them in the back of Old Red). When we got them home, Jeremiah liked them so much he immediately bought one from me for his music stuff.

Two of them are going to go in my room. They are huge, reaching almost all the way to the ceiling. I need a foot stool to reach the top shelf. The process for sanding, priming, and painting is a long one. They are so big that only one can be done at a time. In addition, this one was done during the summer and the garage was easily one hundred twenty degrees while I was working on it. I think it took maybe five coats of paint? I am nothing if not a perfectionist. Totally worth all the work, though:

I have books grouped by genre so far, and I am sure to keep it that way, but the second book shelf will help immensely. I am almost out of room already and I still have books throughout the house.

So those are the updates. I seriously am so happy with it. I wish you a space that makes you as happy.

p.s. I have read two exceptional books lately. The first one is Her Fearful Symmetry, which I could not get out of my head when I was done. The second was Homer's Odyssey, which is about a woman who adopts a blind kitten named Homer. Incredible. I cried numerous times. Any one else reading anything good? I have been reading like crazy since I finished my degree.

It's Like a Chair, but Longer.

This summer, Jeremiah and I moved things around in the living room. The idea was, we have this sunny backyard with a beautiful pool and the window that faced out to the backyard was partially blocked by the couch.

After much debate and a little loud discussing (read: fighting), we moved the TV and the stand to the right of the window and the couch to the wall on which the TV used to be located. We also rearranged the desk area and have plans to relocate the shelves to be above the desk.

One problem that has plagued us since the beginning is that we never wanted the TV to be the focus - which is why things were open and the fireplace became the focal point. Now we have the window to look out and the fireplace. But the space did not feel defined. We were also left with the issue of not enough comfy seating. We had the couch and a few chairs. When we have company, though, we want them to feel as though they can lounge luxuriously, too.

We discussed purchasing a small loveseat (not a couch) to face directly across from the fireplace. It would help define the area AND AND AND offer that extra comfy seating for guests.

Saturday while strolling around Salvation Army (Am a total liar. I was giddily picking up books for twenty-five cents and gushing about a lamp that I wanted for seven bucks.), I found the perfect loveseat. Small. Big, movable back pillows. ALL slipcovered (and not some cheap after market thing). It was clean. Spotless, even. It was marked at $175. It was Saturday, though, which means 40% off. We were sold. When we got up to the register, it rang up at just under $70, and that included my lamp and books. The woman said that it was being additionally discounted. Whatevs. I am not about to question it.

There was some doubting as to whether it would go IN the Forester or ON the Forester, but Jeremiah's spatial giftedness won out and the doubtful Salvation Army worker and I had to eat our words.

The entire damn thing fit in the car. With the hatch closed.

We got it home, I immediately washed all the covers (By the way - underneath the covers? Spotless. Like new.) and set it up. We LOVE it.

 It has a texture to it, which is nice, because anything that can help hide spots (or fur) is a huge plus at our place.

We discussed it last night and decided that we have good couch karma. My first couch I bought at Salvation Army and sold it for a profit a few years later when a co-worker gave us her gently used leather sofa. We then bought a fun purple suede couch for the front room for only $250 at a consignment shop. And then we sealed the deal for about sixty with this little guy. Not bad.

Anyone else buy something fun this weekend? Anyone have a car that ceases to amaze them? Because my car is amazeballs.

Backyard, Revisited

I know I mentioned recently that we like our backyard. We do. It isn't perfect, and if you catch us on an off week it's a puppy-poop land mine, but STILL - We love it. So I thought that I'd share a bit more.

I'm not entirely sure why the pool is so vivid (I didn't enhance it), but here's the view from the patio.
And then a view from inside, looking to the left of the yard. You can see the patio and palms.
We were hoping to sell the fountain (visible in the gourd/Alfred H. post, but not this one) this summer and use the money to create a really nice outdoor living space. Apparently no one wants a fountain that would look at home in front of Caesar's Palace. What's that all about? So the upgraded backyard dreams will have to wait. For now, we are content with it as is.

I think mostly that we love it because it is a tiny bit of green. We only water for about a minute three nights a week, which obviously seems to do the trick. Plus, there are trees, so we have some privacy from neighbors on the back and on one side. Ooh, there is the pool, which makes me happy. Yeah, it isn't perfect, but it makes us happy.

Anyone else have a backyard that they love?

Living Room

Here's a wider shot of the living room. Obviously, we still have one window to finish, some organization things for the desk, the tables will be moved in, Elmer will be painted white and moved, shelves will be hung, etc...But we're so in love with the way things are looking.

p.s. What I'm listening to now: crows or blackbirds outside. So Freaking Loud. All day. And vinyl. Jeremiah has declared it an all-vinyl day.

p.p.s.Hey, would you like more deets on the tattoo experience? A picture of me almost fainting (I'm serious.)? Jeremiah's cool tat? Yeah, me too. Jeremiah has ALL the pictures and isn't sending them to me so I can blog. What a doof. Maybe if someone comments (!) he will feel the pressure and send the photos. And, yeah, I'll still eventually post the stuff. You can continue lurking if you'd like. No worries.

p.p.p.s. Hey. Thanks for all of you that are still voting for me. I see wonderful people in Ohio, MI, and CA (who are you, CA?) are voting. It means a lot. Thanks! Oh, and my mom informed me that you can vote once a day per internet browser (like Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.).

Salvation finds find salvation

A while back (as in, nothing was painted, nothing was finished, we'd just moved in...so actually, a year ago.) I got this mirror at SalArmy. You can tell it was supposed to be on a dresser or something.

But I knew it had potential. If only we could turn it sideways and paint it, too!

So we did. And I also had Jeremiah hang little hooks so I could get these CUTE little letters (our first initials of our last names).
Here's what it looks like finished. The table was also from SalArmy. I paid about fifteen for the table. The mirror was five.
Please ignore the fact that there are two different types of knobs. I'm still deciding. And I'm not sure if I want the top of the table to be black or left as is.
Anyway, here is the setup for a grand total of about fifteen dollars!


P.S. I would like to introduce a little something I call, "What I'm listening to now."
What I'm listening to now: T Rex - Electric Warrior
It's Jeremiah's vinyl and it is one of my favorites. My favorite song on there is "Cosmic Dancer".

Video - Going Home

So I was totally going to post the video but now I am not. If you saw it in the three minutes that it was posted, good for you. I just didn't want my last name on the blog and the video has my last name. So sad.


p.s.
Of all the craptastic things. I remembered to turn down the temp in my fridge at the end of the school year (turn up the temp?) but then quickly forgot about it...what with nearly cutting my finger off. So walking into my room I faced a filing cabinet of wilt-y papers and a moldy fridge filled with water. This is in addition to the cockroaches and crickets dead all over my floor. Shit Shit Shit. Welcome back.

Going Home

Here is the script that I wrote for the movie I made while at Tech camp. I might post the movie, too. But the script I can share now.


Going Home
It's been said that you can never go home again. Until this summer, I disagreed. In the most literal sense, I took yearly trips home to Michigan to visit family and friends. In a more figurative sense, it's hard to feel like a grown-up when you are sleeping in your childhood bedroom with the stars still glowing on the walls at night and knowing that your childhood treasures are tucked safely away in the basement.

And this home? It's just down the road from the lake. If you are a true West Coast Michigander, you call it "the lake" or "the big lake". To everyone else, it is Lake Michigan. A crucial part of a lake shore girl's life.

Sitting outside, breathing in the fresh air, the smell of flowers, and feeling the safety and security that comes from the surrounding trees. Knowing the lake was there if I needed it. Those were my trips home in the summer.

But this summer's trip would prove to be different. On this trip I would be packing up my bedroom of 26 years. Saying goodbye to the home in which I spent the majority of my life. I could never go back to this place. Walk through the woods. Spending evenings on the deck, watching birds, cats, and relaxing.

When I got back to Arizona, I glanced through all the pictures that I'd collected over the years.

Pictures of the lake. My lake. With my family at the lake until sundown when I was little. When I was older, it was long days and late nights at the lake. Then introducing my boyfriend to the lake. Showing him the dunes that I climbed as a child. The channel that had the warmest water. The best place to view the sunset.

It was then that I realized that while I was losing my childhood home, I could keep the memories and I would be okay. Because the lake is my guidance, my compass, my constant.

And I can always go home again. Because every time I put my feet in the sand, I am there.

I am home.