Redemption by Beauty Everlasting

Low Tide

2010-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

My world.

Low tide in the Pacific Northwest.

This post is being linked to:

My World Tuesday

One Little Word: A New Kind of Resolution

2010-12-29T11:30:00.000-08:00

Below is a reprint of a post from Christine Kane's blog. I found this approach to be so inspiring last year -- and DOABLE. Looking back, I can see how applying just one word really did positively impact my life.

How to Make 2011 Your BEST Year Yet

by Christine Kane The regulars at the gym were joking about it early in December.

"Have a good workout now," they said. "Cuz you know what it's gonna be like in about three weeks!"

That's because all the folks who have made their New Year's Resolutions will show up. They'll stick around for a while. Then, around Valentine's Day, the regulars get to have their old gym back.

The hosts of a satellite radio talk show were discussing the most common New Year's Resolutions and the average success rate. Among the most common were Get Organized, Be More Spiritual, Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, and Spend More time with Family.

I don't know about you, but this kind of To-Do List approach to life-transformation does NOT inspire me. And it doesn't surprise me that the success rates were low.

Why Resolutions Don't Work

The reason most resolutions don't work is that they address only one level of your life.

The DO level.

It's the DO-HAVE-BE model.

It goes like this: "I will DO this thing." (i.e., Lose weight) "So I can HAVE this other thing" (Self-Esteem) and I can BE this thing. (Confident.)

The average New Year's Resolution doesn't address the core of the issue:

The "BE" level.

The best order for creating positive change in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model. This means you start from the BE level. When you begin changing on the BE level of your life, then the DO level and the HAVE level follow more easily.

When you start only on the DO level, then the blocks on the BE level will often become the obstacles you can't overcome.

How to Tap into the True Power of your Intention

Several years ago, my friend Kathy and I decided that, instead of making resolutions, we would pick a word that would guide us throughout the year. It would be our touchstone. It would remind us of living our lives at the BE level.

This didn't mean that we didn't take action. It meant that our actions were inspired from the BE level. In fact, I took more action than ever with this new approach!

For several years now, I've blogged about this inspiring way to begin the year. The response has been huge. So have the success rates! I regularly hear from people who have created big changes in their lives because they focused on one word.

How to Choose A Word

Look through the list below. Get quiet and listen to your Wise Self. Pick a word.

Then, hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action.

Here's an example:

Let's say you're one of the many people who would normally choose "Get Organized." You're tired of chaos and clutter. So, you think, "I need to get organized. That'll be my Resolution."

But then you read this article. You decide to try this new approach.

You sit with your clutter. You spend a few days pondering words. You realize in an "Ah-Ha!" moment that you hold on to lots of things. You're scared to let go.

So you choose the word "Release" because it inspires you in a bigger way than "Get organized."

So, every time you approach your clutter you remind yourself of that word. "Release," you say softly. You start to let the clutter go.

Eventually, you realize that you're still holding on to lots more than just physical clutter. You realize that you hold onto resentment at old relationships. "Release," you remind yourself.

You realize that holding on is affecting your diet and health. "Release" applies to some of the extra weight you've gained as well. Throughout the year, you can see clearly how much you hold on. "Release" is your touchstone. It grows you throughout the year. It becomes your guiding force, not your harsh standard.

Your clutter became your teacher simply because you shifted your intent towards it. This wouldn't have happened if you'd opted only to "Get Organized."

What word to choose?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

As you read through the list of words, see if one stands out. It's tempting to choose four or five, believing that you can do it all! (Or that you're so messed up, you can't possibly narrow the mess down to one!) I recommend that if you can't choose just one, choose no more than two.

One is ideal. It gives you focus. If you master that one word, you can choose another one in June.

Compassion

Delight

Generosity
Effortlessness

Wealth

Gratitude

Abundance
Creativity

Willingness

Change

Growth

Freedom

Mastery

Kindness

Health

Presence

Acceptance

Courage

Confidence

Self-Love

Action

Forgiveness
Forgive

Release

Trust

Knowing

Patience

Friendship

Fun

Grace

Laughter

Love

Expansion

Exploration

Adventure

Openness

Discipline

Awe

Awareness

Risk

Gentleness

Choice

Spirit

Prayerfulness
Power

Allow

Artfulness

Attention

Beauty

Joy

Focus

Ritual

Heal

Order

Clarity

Pioneer

Peace

Laziness

No

Yes

Deliberateness

Commitment

Savor

Integrity

Listen

Note: Click here to download a powerful journal writing tool that I created. It's called The Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool. Give yourself the gift of connecting your hand to your heart and write about what you want to create in the coming year. This tool works! I promise!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:
Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine's blog at ChristineKane.com/blog.

The Cone of Shame

2010-11-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like Aslan's beach days are behind him for a few weeks.

Somehow, he's gotten his skin sliced open on his belly, it's gotten infected, he's "coned", on antibiotics, and awaiting surgery first thing Monday morning. Poor little guy. It really hurts him, and he was crying in his sleep last night, but he still wanted to go for a walk today (not allowed)...

The designated dog walking area of our rooftop garden.

...and he wanted to play with the other dogs we saw on our rooftop garden dog tinkling area.

We had to take the top off his kennel so he could get in it and turn around when he needs

to feel more secure. He's old and arthritic, though, so he never stays in there for too long before he needs to stretch out again.

Of course, he cannot be left alone during recovery, and our house raising contractor (we're raising the fixer-upper we bought nine feet) is scheduled to start work on the beach house next week. Not sure how we're going to manage that. Maybe my husband will be able to work from home so I can go out to the coast to supervise...

Okay, so his eyes are looking a little satanic here -- so much for the red-eye

function on the flash! Truly, he has the sweetest dark brown calf eyes.

Aslan is fourteen years old, and he's been a good and loyal dog, and he's kept the tigers out of our town, so we really want him to be able to live out his days at the beach house with us. Hopefully, we'll get this infection under control, and the surgery and recovery will go well.

A Photo Shoot on the Beach

2010-10-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit out to the shore, we meandered out along a path to the beach.

Our fourteen year old Aussie mix came along, of course. He's such a sweet dog, and so much fun to have along. His name is Aslan, after Aslan in the Narnia Chronicles.

Sometimes I call him Azzie, but my husband usually just calls him Harry Dog.

Azzie looked so handsome and so happy (going to the beach is his favorite thing) that we decided to do a little photo shoot.

Did I mention he's a bit of a ham? We think he's a photogenic fellow, as well.

Q is for Q

2010-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm going out of town for a few days, and won't have access to a computer, so I thought I'd type this up early and get it in the queue, and ready to link up to Jenny Matlock's alphabet meme on Thursday.

image source: flicker

This week's post is about Q. My baby, not the letter. My youngest little one. Who happens to be 6'1"! And who turned 21 on Mother's Day this year. His name isn't really Q. That's just his initial. But, somehow, that became his "cool" nickname. So, we went with it. I gave him his daddy's middle name. It means "fifth", or "holding five", and he made our family five.

image source

His dad was the fifth child in a Catholic family, and all the boys got saints' names for their middle names! So, our Q is indirectly named for a saint.

A depiction of the atrocities suffered by Saint Quintinus

the Martyr. Learn more about Saint Quintinus here, at the

Persecuted Church website.

We are so proud of our Q! He's just one of those bubbly, good-natured people. Of course, that effervescence got him in trouble a few times in school!

This post is being linked to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.

To see this picture again, and to link to more Q-related posts, click here!

His teachers loved him, but sometimes, if Q was home sick, I think they enjoyed the peace and quiet. My husband has always said, if we could just bottle up the "feel good" chemicals in Q's brain, we'd be millionaires. But, actually, we are pretty rich.

image source

Q was my happy baby. And he was a happy toddler. And a happy preschooler. He was just a happy kid! There were a couple of years where hormones wreaked some havoc, but fortunately, with his cheerful disposition, he handled those days with grace. His father and I were grateful. (And lest you think we got off easy, just remember he's not our only child!)

The day before his twentieth birthday, Q graduated from college. He received a math degree and a bio-chem degree (the math and science genes did not come from me). Now, a year later, he is a computer science grad student, and he is preparing to apply to med school. When I asked him why he is pushing through school so quickly, he said it is because he really doesn't enjoy school, and wants to put it behind him as soon as possible! Okay then.

So, you're at a concert, and have the chance to meet the band

and get some autographs, but you don't have anything to

write on? No paper? No problem!

Everybody remembers Q, and he remembers everyone he has ever met! He's a memorable "rememberer". Which means, no matter where you go with him, someone will say "hey Q", or he will say "hey you"!

image source: Buzzilions

When Q was growing up he was long and skinny, and very white, with fluffy white blond hair, so, it was inevitable that somewhere along the line he would pick up another nick-name-- "Q-tip". Now, I know there is another famous person who uses the same nick name, but the other "Q Tip" really doesn't resemble a q-tip at all, so I just don't get it....

There is a famous director, whose movies I love, who shares Q's given name.

When Q was about six years old, purely by coincidence, a new partner joined my husband's company, and he had the same name, and the same nick name! It could have been a recipe for confusion, but the New Q came up with a solution. When the two were together, we referred to little Q as "Lower Case Q"!

I supposed it doesn't matter too much what we call our Q, and who else uses his name, because to his mother, he will always be a saint.

image source

Okay, I know this halo is crooked. I also know my Q isn't actually a saint, (I'm not really one of those moms) and if I didn't know it already, his siblings would be sure to "clue me in", but it's nice for a mom to pretend sometimes, right? And he is a pretty good kid!

what I see in my world

2010-04-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

This is what I see in my world.

When I walk to the post office, or to the market, or rush across the street to catch a train.

Sometimes I am struck by the beauty of the cheap, colorful wares juxtaposed against the dingy gray concrete.

And I love the rich history of the neighborhood.

Sometimes the extreme poverty that exists alongside the bustling businesses gives me pause.

The homeless woman camped in a doorway, the local shopkeepers opening their doors each morning, the commuters stopping off for a cup of coffee before grabbing a train, the businessmen rushing into their office buildings, and local shoppers choosing their produce...

... all of this is my world. It hasn't always been my world, nor will it always be. But for the moment, I will appreciate being exposed to a different place, different lifestyles, and a different point of view. See the world through the eyes of others, here.

sometimes a moth is just as nice as a butterfly

2010-04-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

I just found the nicest blog. It's called

The Vintage Moth, and I love it. I like it so much,

I've added their button to my sidebar. Abigail,

the blog owner, has gathered and scanned a million

really cool copyright free images and graphics

just to share with you and me!

If you're wondering what all the cackle is about, let me show you...

Abigail is a talented collage artist (check out her stuff while you're there), and she uses these neat old images in her work.

She has a huge variety of images to choose from, including this really sweet patriotic image.

These dragonflies are especially nice, but she has plenty of other insects to choose from.

Of course, The Vintage Moth would have to have a vintage moth!

I'm probably a little partial to the old-fashioned nature drawings....

But then, I also really like this old post card.

And what water loving, boat sailing, Navy mom, coastal living, wanna be cruiser wouldn't love this? Not that I'd want to sail on it, but she certainly was a beauty...

And Abigail has even photographed vintage wallpaper from a family home to share with you!

Go check out The Vintage Moth. And let her know I sent you! (And did I mention that she's having a give-away right now?)

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day I thought I would share a blessing the Saint bestowed upon the peoples of Munster, Ireland.

Even in translation,
the words are beautiful,
and the sincere heart of this
man of God is evident.

Pictured are two views of the Rock of Cashel, where you can see a little of the landscape described in the prayer. See the "bare flagstone" peeking though the rugged hillside?

A blessing on the Munster people —
Men, youths, and women;
A blessing on the land
That yields them fruit.

A blessing on every treasure
That shall be produced on their plains,
Without any one being in want of help,
God's blessing be on Munster.

A blessing on their peaks,
On their bare flagstones,
A blessing on their glens,
A blessing on their ridges.

Like the sand of the sea under ships,
Be the number in their hearths;
On slopes, on plains,
On mountains, on hills, a blessing.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11554a.htm

Top picture from wikipedia-- in the public domain

Bottom picture from

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sunny Side of Ireland,

by John O'Mahony and R. Lloyd Praeger

This post is being linked to Alphabe-Thursday

at Jenny Matlock's blog, and Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday

giver's log, a gifting blog

2010-02-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

Well, today I found a really sweet blog, via Kudzu's blog, Bits and Pieces. I fell in love with this seed gifting idea when I saw it on Kudzu's blog. Isn't it sweet?

Then, I linked over to Giver's Log, and found another version.

Really, they are both absolutely sweet. I can't decide which I like best! And wouldn't they make great favors for an Early Spring Brunch???

Isn't it wonderful when you run across a great blog you've never seen before? It feels kind of like being a kid at Christmas, as you continue to open new posts, and follow new links! Here's one example of a link I followed from Giver's Log....

Instructions for these "designer" party favors can be found here, on Utterly Engaged.

Giver's Log is just full of fabulous gifting ideas-- not just any gift ideas-- these are thoughtful gifts! After all, who doesn't want homemade caramels?

And there are cool ideas for mailing 13oz or less gifts....

And ideas for beautifully organizing your gift giving supplies!

Check out Giver's Log if you're stumped for a gift idea, need inspiration, or just like looking at pretty eye candy. Enjoy!

This post is being linked to Melissa's Inspired Room "inspired by" blog party.

dreaming of summer cobblers

2010-02-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, we are in the throes of moving out of our Colorado house. This transition has taken us several months, and has involved going through things, throwing out things, donating things, and recycling things. Just today I was going through what I think is the last small stack of magazines-- ripping off the address labels (why, since I'm moving? I don't know), and flipping through them one last time before donating them. And I ran across this recipe from the August issue of Sunset.

Yum. Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler. Doesn't this look amazing?

Suddenly, I can't wait for summer! I'm going to try this recipe over the campfire. I usually just stick to simple recipes like baked apples, or bananas, wrapped in foil and placed in the campfire coals, but I think I need to get a little more creative this year.

The place where we vacation has tons of huckleberries, so I'm just so excited to try this dessert! Isn't it beautiful? Here is the recipe from Sunset-- you can find this recipe, plus complete nutritional information on the Sunset website, here.

Cobbler:

Time: 1 3/4 hours, plus at least 45 minutes to cool. One of our all-time favorite desserts, with just a hint of spices to pull out the complex, wine-rich flavor of the huckleberries—and also delicious made with blueberries.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar (if using blueberries, decrease to 1 cup plus 2 tbsp.), divided
1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 qts. (2 1/2 lbs.) fresh or frozen huckleberries* or blueberries
Buttery Pastry
1/2 tablespoon milk
1 cup crème fraîche

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a 12-in. ovenproof frying pan or a 9- by 13-in. baking dish, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar (1 cup if using blueberries), tapioca, cinnamon, and cardamom. Gently mix in lemon juice and berries. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for tapioca to soften slightly, 15 minutes (50 minutes for frozen berries; they'll start to look wet). Spread berries level.
2. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out pastry to a 14-in. round or 10- by 14-in. rectangle, lifting up pastry and re-flouring underneath if needed to prevent sticking. Trim uneven edges with a knife. Slide a rimless baking sheet under pastry and ease it over berries. Fold edges of pastry under so they're flush with pan or dish, pressing together any cracks. Flute pastry edges with a finger and thumb to seal.
3. Brush crust (but not fluted edges) with milk and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. sugar. Cut about 6 vents in crust to release steam. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling through vents, 50 to 60 minutes; tent with foil if pastry starts to get too brown, and put a rimmed baking sheet underneath if the cobbler starts to bubble over.
4. Supporting cobbler underneath, carefully transfer to a rack and let cool at least 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool, with crème fraîche to spoon on top.
*Buy huckleberries from specialty produce markets or pick your own, from your garden if you grow them or from the wild. Huckleberries range from blue-purple to red and even white; they thrive in subalpine forests and meadows in many Western states. In the Cascades, respect posted areas reserved for the Yakama Indian Nation.

Buttery Pastry:

Time: 5 minutes
This recipe goes with Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler

Yield: Makes 1 cobbler crust; 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups flour
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Preparation

Put all ingredients in a food processor and whirl just until dough comes together and is evenly moistened. Gather into a ball, then shape into a flat disk.

*the huckleberry bush photo is from the International Wild Huckleberry Association website.

I'm in love...

2010-02-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

It's true! I'm in love-- with these darling felt creations. These adorable little pins and corsages can be found over at Skipping Stones, an Etsy shop.

I can't decide if I like the little pins best, like this sweet valentine pin, that was recently given away (YES! Given Away!) over at The Magic Onions blog...

... or this simple heart...

everything is just so cute!

And how about this corsage?

Or this one?

Wouldn't that be lovely on the lapel of your winter coat?

If you haven't checked out the wonderful shops on Etsy, I would encourage you to take a look at all the handcrafted goods available-- and you might want to start with Skipping Stones!

best bloody mary mix ever

2010-02-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was fortunate enough to attend a girlfriend brunch hosted by a very special lady. The hostess is a really great sport, so when I sent her the recipe for the best Bloody Mary in the entire world, she agreed to prepare a batch of the mix.

Halfmoon Bay Bar and Grill, in Westport, Washington, generously shares this recipe in a tourist information magazine (visitorschoiceusa.com) that is available in Washinton coast hotels.

After fixing this mix for yesterday's brunch, the hostess is looking for a reason to host another brunch-- just to have an excuse to make more of these delicious (and gorgeous) drinks! The beautiful picture is from the Halfmoon Bay Bar and Grill website. Check out those amazing garnishes-- you could have this for breakfast! It has pepperoni and shrimp, and several different veggies. It just doesn't get any better than this!

Ingredients:
4 - 46 oz cans of premium tomato juice
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup horseradish
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh minced garlic *we used a garlic press
2 tbsp celery seed (please grind first) *we used a small mortar and pestle
3 tbsp ground sea salt
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 cup Tabasco sauce

Combine all ingredients and mix with emersion blender.....We highly recommend pairing this wonderful
mix with Absolut peppar vodka....Enjoy! *we used an organic vodka from the Midwest

We prepared this mix the evening before the brunch, and "tested" it. It was very good right then, but the next day the flavors had married beautifully, and it was absolutely perfect!

words and give-aways

2010-01-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been frequently visiting a blog site called Mama Manifesto. This is a really great site created by, well, Mamas. Mama Manifesto is full of thoughts, tips, recipes, giveaways, and a million other little "helps" for busy moms. The nice Mamas at Manifesto are hosting a really neat give-away today. The product is from sarah + abraham, an online boutique specializing in children's stationary, birth announcements and invitations. Today's give-away is for twenty-four personalized valentines, but I have to say, I am really partial to the mommy calling cards. Those are brilliant! Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was raising my little ones, these would have been so handy. How many times did I juggle babies and diaper bags while digging in my purse for a pen to jot my phone number down? I love this idea!

Now, I have a confession. I have been friends for years with the Mama of one of the Mamas behind Mama Manifesto. I knew the Mama's Mama when the Mama was just a wee girl. The Mama's Mama was the pastor's wife at a little church we attended in Arizona. She was (is) more than a friend, she was (is) a mentor, a role model, a leader..., beautiful! I suppose it's only natural that her daughter is following in her footsteps. See one of Ali's inspiring blog posts on the power of "one little word" here-- I promise you'll be impressed.

fewer words, more pictures

2010-01-15T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, the new blog is finally up and running. The new blog will focus on home improvement projects, crafts, and design, while this blog will continue to focus on whatever is on my mind on any given day.
Will there be a little crossover in subject matter? Of course! As any designer can tell you, designers are always designing. So, of course, things design-related will always be on my mind, so I will blog about them. But I will continue to blog about house hunting, getting lost, and playing scrabble (by the way, I bingoed, like a gazillion times yesterday)!

Essentially, this blog will have more words, and fewer pictures. The new blog, House Revivals, will have fewer words and more pictures.

At least, that's the plan.

So, if you want to see pictures, like the ones in this post, well, you might find them here. But you will definitely find them on the House Revivals blog!

And, if you want to read about what goes on in a transplanted, empty-nester, interior designer's brain (ummm, that's the interior designer who was transplanted, not the brain), you might find a bit of that on the other blog, but you'll definitely find that here, on Redemption by Beauty Everlasting.

Hey, wait a minute! How did that picture get onto my blog?

The dollar twenty-five Christmas tree

2009-12-24T12:41:00.000-08:00

Well, this has to be our cheapest tree, yet! When you have two days and no money, and your kids are flying into town expecting Christmas, you have to get creative. Of course, I just flew into town myself a couple of days ago, and since all of our Christmas decorations are packed away in our basement in Colorado, I was just a little bit worried. Originally, I thought I would just grab a $14.99 pre-lit four foot tree from Walgreen, and decorate with stuff from one of the Asian dollar stores in the neighborhood. However, the little pre-lit trees have apparently been recalled. Not wanting to fight my way across the city to find a discount store, I hit the thrift stores. At the Salvation Army, I hit pay dirt. A scrawny, straggly, four and a half foot tree for $4.99-- at 75% off! The same store also had tons of evergreen garland and vintage Christmas floral arrangements. I scooped up armloads. The total for the tree and greenery and florals came to just over $6! Next, we hit the drugstore for LED lights at 50% off, then hit the fabric and craft outlet for burlap and paints. The burlap was to fashion a skirt and to cut into strips for a garland. While we were there, we saw the beautiful burlap upholstery straps and found some plastic spanish moss in the Halloween clearance bin. We knew both of those would make gorgeous garlands. After a late night deconstructing old floral arrangements (and painting a million poinsettias to look more burgundy, and less red) and fashioning a huge pile of evergreen sprays, then dry-brushing everything in white to look "snow dusted", we were ready to go this morning. First, the lights, then strips of apple green burlap, then garlands of spanish moss and upholstery strapping. Add the sprays of evergreen florals, and voila! The the Dollar Twenty Five Tree. (Okay, more like about twenty-five dollars after buying lights florals and burlap and paint!)

Seriously?

2009-11-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

In the past six months, I've toured dozens and dozens of houses. In my historic neighborhood in Colorado, I toured almost every open house this past spring and summer -- to see how my house would stack up against the competition. I also see lots of house interiors in my work as an interior designer. Now, in my quest for a house in the pacific northwest, I have toured dozens more houses with my realtor in tow. It never ceases to amaze me what counts as "finished" square footage. In Colorado, I would see basements with concrete block walls, peel and stick vinyl tiles, and exposed plumbing referred to as "finished". Seriously! It's really no better here. And why should it be? The more square footage you can claim, the more money you can ask for your house, right?

I've also seen some really bad remodels. I've seen additions that made no sense, and added neither function, nor beauty to houses. Kitchen remodels with low end cabinetry topped with expensive granite or quartz counters. Dangerous spiral staircases (in case you're considering one, spiral staircases are almost always a bad idea). Rooftop decks accessed by ladder only (this is where a spiral staircase would have been an actual improvement). Garages that open only into the master bedroom. Kitchens without, well, kitchens! Beautifully finished spaces accessed only through unfinished spaces. I once saw a bathroom door in a stairwell, but there was no landing in said stairwell-- just a random door sort of floating on the wall. Random step-downs and step-ups into rooms is another favorite. The only sink in one kitchen was a freestanding industrial sink with no landing area for dishes-- the bottom of the sink was so low it would be sure to cause a back ache for anyone over five feet tall! One house had a balcony master suite overlooking the living room--complete with whirlpool tub. Now that won't traumatize some poor unsuspecting kid trying to watch TV!

But, even with all the houses I've seen, in my work as an interior designer, and in my personal search for a new house, this was the first time I've ever seen anything like this. Who intersects a window with an exterior wall? I have seen ill-conceived interior walls "jogged" to avoid intersecting a window, but this? I mean, seriously! How does this happen? Does someone just get their math wrong? Do they honestly think this was a good idea?

This (and so many other bad additions and remodels) is such a shame. People put a lot of energy and money into these projects, but in an effort to save money, they elect not to engage a qualified interior designer or architect to draw their construction documents. Instead, they do the design work themselves; or sometimes they hire their contractor, who may have no formal training, to do the design work. And then they end up with finished projects that don't quite work out, may not be safe, don't function the way they had hoped, and don't add beauty. In fact, in many cases, they actually de-value their home. All in an effort to save money.

2009-11-11T16:07:00.000-08:00

Today was an amazing, warm day. The sun was shining and there was just a hint of an ocean breeze! A perfect day to explore one of the neighborhoods we like in this city. I stumbled across this little shake cottage just half a block off one of the city's very prestigious streets. No one is living there at the moment, so I peeked in a couple of windows. While I was looking around, I was befriended by a sweet old beagle attached to a very nice lady, and we proceeded to peer into the backyard together. She said the house had been occupied for many years by a little old man, and that his family had originally listed the house as a "for sale by owner". After some time, they decided to list with a realtor. This house is in an absolutely amazing location for walking. It's about a eighth of a mile to this really nice sidewalk that follows the water, and about half a mile or less to a quaint little shopping district. Follow some stairs down from the back yard, and walk less than half a mile, and you're at the beach. It's definitely a little gem. If only I didn't have my heart set on a view.... Of course, it has only a one car garage--but the garage is on the same level as the kitchen, which is rare. Anyone who has had to carry groceries up flights of stairs can appreciate kitchen level parking! Well, we'll see. We let the "perfect" house slip between our fingers recently, because we couldn't make up our minds. Maybe I need to give my realtor a call.
photo:www.cbbain.com

word connections

2009-11-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

These days I seem to be playing quite a bit of online scrabble. I love this game. My favorites are the really close games, where you're not really sure until the first person goes out and all the points are tallied up, who will win. Of course, it's always fun when the person with the fewest points goes out with seven letter word and wins the game. I've come to think of the online games as "practice games". Playing traditionally, around the kitchen table, we would never think of playing with an "open" dictionary. Traditional scrabble, at our house anyway, is much more cut-throat than that. The online game we play, however, has a built-in dictionary, and a built-in two-letter word list. You can also drag your letters onto the board to form words, without your opponents seeing what you're doing. This is a far cry from playing with my husband, who will actually watch your eyes, to see where you're looking on the board, so he can block your play! A draw-back to playing online is that I seem to be growing a little lazy, and rely on the tw0-letter word list, rather than my memory. The same goes for the built-in dictionary. On the other hand, my opponents and I are learning lots of new words! We can just type in different letter combinations, based on what is in our rack, to find new words.

Probably, however, my favorite part about online scrabble is that a record of past games is kept. All of the games are given a title by whomever initiates the game, so when you look back through old games, the game names are a sort of scrapbook of whatever was important on those days. Initially, we just titled the games with our names, and numbered them, but then someone got creative and titled a game based on something going on that day. Now, when I look back at games, I see "Snow Day", and "Between Packing Boxes", and "Waiting for an Interview", and I like that there is this record of all these little (and not so little) things that are going on in each of our lives. In retrospect, I begin to understand that forming new words is not what any of this word playing is about at all. It's about staying connected with friends in distant places, offering support by simply being there to play a word, or making a comment here and there about not having any vowels--or consonants. When I open up "Waiting for an Interview", suddenly I am waiting for that interview, too. And when a good friend titles a game "Between Packing Boxes", I know she is aware of all the work that goes into moving to a new place, and just wants to give a friend a little break from, well, packing boxes. It's always great to pick up the phone and call a friend, or to meet a friend for lunch, but playing scrabble online allows you to connect at 2 a.m. or 3 p.m., or any time in between, and at different times. Playing one turn today, maybe a couple more turns tomorrow. Just little snippets of games, really. Just enough.

something stinky

2009-10-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Is it worth it to buy a house that reeks of cigarette smoke to get this view? Maybe. It depends. Does the smell ever come out completely? And honestly, the only way I could ever afford a house with this view is if there was something wrong with it-- like a deep penetrating cigarette odor. Even so, it's at the very top of my price range. Do I really want to take on those payments?

It certainly is a beautiful home. But it's small. Only two bedrooms. And the kitchen is pretty non-functional. Oh, what to do? It's just had a significant price drop (which is why I can even consider it) after two months on the market. Maybe I should sit back and wait and watch and continue looking at other listings.
photos: cbbain.com

confessions of a technological fake

2009-10-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

No one has ever accused me of being technical. But, somewhere between when I left college to get married and raise a family, and when I returned to college after my youngest was in high school, the world changed. And it seems, to survive in this new world, you need a grasp on technology. Of course, we've always had several computers in the house, but those were used by my husband and our kids -- I never had time to learn about computers, and could never see how they would make my life less complicated. Really, between the carpool, the laundry, and getting dinner on the table, I didn't have the energy, much less the time to catch up on technology.

And then one day it was time for me to go back to school. And almost all my classes required the use of a computer. It was sooo intimidating! I had an email address (one of my children had set it up for me), and had even figured out how to send an attachment, but I had no idea how to save documents, or manage folders, or even how to turn a computer on. Being a non-traditional student, there was no way I was going take a non-required computer class--I just didn't want to take the time.

So, I faked it. And my first computer class was AutoCAD! How scary is that? And then, because I was a design major, I needed to take a computer animation class! And in several of my art classes, I was expected to have a working knowledge of several graphic design programs. Sooo, I was creating construction documents, creating animations, creating elaborate graphics, and creating PowerPoint documents, but I didn't even know how to copy and paste! Really! Anytime I copied something, I did it the old-fashioned way.

Well, I've definitely come a long way, but still have huge holes in my basic computing knowledge. And, I confess that I was nervous about setting up a blog, creating this as a "practice blog", to learn about blogging, so that someday I'll be able to blog. And now I'm trying to figure out how to make a button for my practice blog. A practice button. This button will have some sort of html/java mumbo jumbo underneath it so that visitors to my blog can grab my button and put it in their own blog. Then, visitors to their site can easily link to my site. My practice site. Because I'm only faking this whole blog thing right now. And that's why I created the vintage postcard inspired image in this post. That's the practice image I created (derived from an antique postcard), for a practice button, for my practice blog. And since I'm just faking this technological literacy, I haven't quite figured out the nitty gritty details for successfully creating a button--yet. Just give me a few days--because, as it turns out, I'm a pretty good faker!

hunting duck

2009-10-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, since my husband has been in this city for several weeks longer than I have been, he's fallen into some new routines. He announced last week that Friday night is duck night. Lots of the markets around here have these beautiful Peking duck hanging in the window. So, last week, on Friday afternoon, I went off in search of duck. Everything went smoothly. Last night, however, I decided to try a different market. Everything seemed okay until I tried to pay with a credit card--seems "cash only" is the the way things are done around here. I never have cash! So away I went. Empty-handed. Not too worried, I figured I'd just go back to the original market. I had a little extra time, so I meandered my way through a couple of gift stores and a bookstore before heading into the market. When I got to the duck counter, there was NO DUCK LEFT! Of course, it's hardly rained all week, but about this time it started pouring outside. And I start walking. And market after market was either out of duck or was "cash only". By the time I found a duck and made it back to our apartment, I was completely drenched, but I had certainly gotten more acquainted with the neighborhood! Of course, when we sat down to eat, my husband's first comment was "where's the rice?" In my hunt for duck, I had completely forgotten to pick up little "extras" like rice and veggies, so we ate our Peking duck with frozen green beens and french bread!
photo: source unknown

a different point of view

2009-10-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

It's been been just over a week since I rolled into this city. I got here just in time to enjoy a twenty-fifth anniversary dinner with my husband. Since he's been here for several months, he's accustomed to the view from our apartment window. I , however, am amazed anew each morning. The beautiful art deco building on the hill is an old VA hospital, but now houses Amazon offices. Sometimes the dog and I just sit next to window and enjoy watching the city.

It's funny that I needed to move to a fast-paced city to slow my own pace. In Colorado, I rarely had time to sit and watch the world go by. When the kids were little, I would sit out on the porch steps in our historic neighborhood and watch the kids play, taking in the charming Norman Rockwell like views. But as time went by, more time was spent shuttling kids to activities, returning to school, doing volunteer work. As our lives get more and more complicated, it's easy to start drowning in busyness, and we can forget to sit back and take in the view. This transition to a new city has been my reminder. For now, at least, I am grateful for this new point of view.

wayfinding

2009-10-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still learning my way in this new chapter of my life. Funny how sometimes we think we know the way, steaming ahead, looking neither right nor left. This is what happened to me today, as I went off in search of Costco. I was sure I knew the way, so didn't bother with getting directions. After driving in circles for some time, I finally admitted defeat. Coming home, I Googled the address and realized that the way had been mapped out for me all along. If only I had stopped to look, I could have saved myself much time and frustration. Isn't that the way life goes, sometimes? We think we know the way, barging straight ahead, full of false confidence (or pig-headedness). Later, we're frustrated about never quite arriving at our destination. Sometimes, we go back, and look for a map, ask for directions, seek information. Sometimes, we (well, not me, of course) stubbornly refuse to find those roadmarkers that are almost certainly laid for us, and just continue blindly forward. Tomorrow I will head out to find a Costco once more--this time I will be armed with information, knowing which roadmarkers to watch for--we'll see how it goes!

(empty) nesting

2009-10-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

We're settling into our new city apartment slowly. This whole transition from Colorado's Front Range to the Pacific Northwest is happening slowly. It needed to be done this way. For us, for our young adult children, for our sanity. You can't just pack up and leave the home and community you have known for sixteen years without taking some time. It takes time to remember. It takes time to sort, and give things away, time to decide what to keep. It takes time to visit good friends one more time. It takes time to cry. During the packing process, I kept running across sweet little reminders of my children when they were small-- a handmade greeting card holding a place in a cookbook, a letter to Santa Claus, a school craft project, a photo of my husband and daughter garbed in fifties costume before the girl scout sock hop. Sweet reminders of the blessed life I have shared with my husband. And a few not so sweet reminders were also found! A marginal school report card. A broken mirror from a long ago door slamming incident. There were plenty of these "not so sweet" reminders of the growing up years. But I wouldn't trade those hard times-- I count them all joy! Those were the years that made us strong, that gave us wisdom, that taught us what love is. It's that strength and that love that will carry us through this long transition to our new home, and our new life together.

transitions

2009-10-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Transitions are a time of great opportunity. Opportunities to create, get organized, reinvent, reacquaint, or to do that thing you've always planned to do. Today is my opportunity. A suddenly empty nest. A move to a new city. A job change. Time alone with my husband after more than two decades of kids and pets and a million activities. Time to appreciate the past, and look forward to the future and the opportunities it holds.