What's on your watch list?

Today after my Jayhawks spanked Missouri at the field house I made a run to the grocery store, and as it often is, it was Gay Day at the market. I ran into Bryce, who's off to Las Vegas next week, which sounds wonderful. Then again, he's going with his mom for a work function, so I'm only marginally jealous. Unrelated note: Bryce still lives with his ex Jeff, who never speaks to me, and today was no different. Perhaps he can read minds and knows I thought his tweed driving cap looked ridiculous.


I also saw Andy and Chris. Andy and I were at KU at the same time, and while we didn't have common classes, I was in Textiles and he was in Graphic Design so we were nearby. We also frequented some of the same coffee shops. Before we parted ways in Produce he said "Are you on Facebook?" I said "No, I'm anti social networking." He said "Of course you are" and off they went.


Working down my shopping list I was thinking about how I see no purpose or reason for Facebook and the like, and it hit me: When eBay started I thought it was awful too. Why would you want to bid against people you couldn't see? And how could you sell something online, what if they didn't pay? My, how far I've come.


The last thing I do on Sunday night is my weekly eBay search. There are a number of things I look for. Some the same each week, and other new searches depending on what I need or have going on. So for fun, here's a sampling of what I'm currently watching:


Among the same weekly search, yellowware bowls and pitchers. You've seen the collection, a few of which were eBay buys. Currently I've been looking for a small pitcher to use for spoons in the kitchen. Yes, I know there are spooners for that, but something like the little banded pitcher above is more my style.

This is an Austin sculpture taken from a cast of the original at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. Yes, Austin makes a number of things I'd never have in my home, but also a surprising number of things I would. I have an abstract bull sculpture by Austin on the credenza in the den and I love it. I'm not sure where the figure above could go, but I've got some ideas. It's big and would be gorgeous in the right spot. Incidentally, I saw the original when we were at the V&A and it's really wonderful. If you go to London DO NOT MISS the V&A.

Mrs. Blandings occasionally runs across good pieces of Wedgwood in her hunting and gathering. Either she or Stefan at ArchitectDesign recently mentioned the egyptianware. I was looking around eBay when I found the piece above. Much like antique dealers not pricing things at shows, here's a selling strategy I couldn't hate more. This seller's auctions all have a $1000.00 Buy It Now or Best Offer. Their text says "Of course we know this item isn't worth $1000.00, it's just our gimmick to get you to make us a fair offer." Besides annoying me, I think they're hurting themselves. The auction ended when they accepted someone's offer of $36.00. That's less than I would have thought they'd take, so if I ever run across something I like in one of their auctions you can bet I'll low-ball my offer.

I pick up lots of little prints and engravings, and invariably they need new mats and frames. This seller is offering 52 feet of moulding in 4 different styles, all for 55 bucks. You can't pick what you get, but if you see one you really hate he'll pull it out. This would be perfect for reselling art. WHY did I sell my miter saw?



And finally, this seller is offering a pair of these small Barbara Cosgrove urn lamps in either the black or white base, for $112.00. I adore the black, and as soon as I figure out where I can use them I'm buying. Who am I kidding, I could buy and store just as easily.

So what about you, what are you watching on eBay?

Shocker

Think back to the election...Tina Fey...Maverick...yay, we won! Remember Joe the Plumber? Didn't it turn out that he wasn't really a plumber? Anyway, he got a book deal, with a ghostwriter I'm sure. Here he is shown above at a reading of his new book. The post I read said he sold a whopping five copies.

THIS is what is wrong with America. We don't (often) reward knowledge or experience, or even eloquence. We reward whatever idiot happens to be standing in the right place at the right time. Joe the (not really a) Plumber gets a book deal for...what exactly? Whipping up the conservatives to breath some fire into a dying campaign? I suppose I should just be grateful no one has put him on TV. (If someone has I do NOT want to know.)

What seems most tragic to me is that the man agreed to it. I'm sure it was good pay for minimal work, but my God, there's not enough money in the world to make me go out and read words I didn't write about ideas I never had in front of people I don't know. I know times are tough but just how much is the going rate for ones dignity?

What happened to critical thinking, and when did so many of us abandon it for whatever message gets shouted loudest? Shouldn't our collective experience strive to be something more?

Rooms We Don't Have: Second in the series

We still don't know if we're going to try to sell our place or not, but never one to let firm plans get in my way, I've been thinking about bathrooms and looking at fixtures.

First up, the Powder Room: What is it about the guest bath that tempts people to go crazy? Paint colors that don't appear anywhere else in the house, overly-ambitious art installations, inadequate lighting, tiny mirrors, you've seen one if not all of the above. They're the rooms decor magazines describe as "a jewel box."

Don't get me wrong, I'm always for a bit of style, and I don't even mind a little drama, but not at the expense of function. And the function of your half bath is for folks to relieve themselves, wash up, and check their look so they can return to the party. For mine I want simple, clean, and modern.

What could be more simple or more modern than the Kohler Purist hatbox toilet? Simple and stylish, and in white it works with anything.

Also from the Purist suite, the towel holder above is clean and simple. I'd use a lav faucet from the same collection, they make one in any configuration you need. All in polished chrome.

Turning to the master bath, this is where I think more is more. It's where you start every day, so why not make it a show-stopper. In our next bedroom I'm hoping to cover the walls with a finely scaled grasscloth in a pale silvery gray, so I want to stay with whites and grays, polished chrome and black.

How much do I love this 1X2 carrera mosaic in a herringbone pattern for the floor? Actually, I'd line the walls with a six inch border of black marble for definition, then fill in with this. Stunning, and $9.45 a square foot on eBay. Eric Negrete, a designer here in town once said to me "it's never about money, it's always about style." Plus there's always somewhere else to spend more.

The same seller offers a matching carrera 3X6 subway tile for $7.45 a foot. That's a deal, so lets take it all the way to the ceiling in the shower, around the tub, behind the sinks, and leave ourselves one accent wall that we'll paint a beautiful flat black. Polished chrome hardware again, thick white towels, graphic and timeless.

For sinks all I want is a roomy white undermount, although I'm not sure what I want for the vanity. The toilet above is from the For Loft collection by Michael S. Smith for Kallista, and I'm choosing it because I'm totally digging the base. The problem is there's no matching (or coordinating) bidet. I know, bidets are an anomaly in America. When we were in Sitges there was one in our hotel room so I thought "what the hell." Frankly I don't know why they're not more popular here, I think they're fab. Brett still talks about his high school trip to Europe when he and his classmates deduced that it must be a bathtub for babies.

So there we go, bathroom basics for more rooms in my head. Next up, I'll plan the new kitchen. Or we'll decide to stay put, in which case we'll be freshing the decor here at Chez Malaise. I've already measured and that Ethan Allen lantern will totally fit in my entry. Decorina, I had a friend who worked at EA too, and you're absolutely right about how they treat their designers. If I go with it I'll be sure to order one in-store.

Hostage!

Something's up. I can post, and I can edit posts, but I can't view my own blog at home. I can at work, but my personal laptop just brings up an aol search page every time I try. And I'm not even using AOL, just plain old Internet Explorer.

Have you ever had a similar issue?

Got the light, all I need is the dining room

Our realtor showed us a house last week, so I'm shopping again for the rooms in my head. The dining room in this particular 1952 ranch has great mouldings and a coved ceiling. This polished nickel lantern is 14 inches in diameter by 24 inches long. Imagine a pair of them hanging over my dining room table. Sorry the picture is so tiny, the website would only let me crib the thumbnail.

***Update*** I totally forgot to give credit. The lantern is from Ethan Allen, believe it or not. $619 each. Not inexpensive, but you could certainly spend a lot more, it doesn't seem out of line to me. If you want to see a bigger picture, they've redone their website, and I like the new look and functionality. It also appears that you can buy most non-custom items online now, which was looooong overdue. There are plenty of us who don't want to go in and work with their design consultants, but would be happy to order something online.

I have to learn to upholster

Alright, that chair I want to recover has turned into those chairs I want to recover. I'm trying not to fill the workshop to the ceiling, but when it's a solid old Drexel lounge chair with klismos-like lines, and you can pick it up for five bucks, I really can't pass that up.

Halfway there

What have I been up to? Painting the secretary, and not much else. The undercoat, or more correctly undercoats, were finished today. A small roller has been my friend, used for all the flat surfaces, especially the cubbies inside the cabinet. A fully loaded brush painted the corners and spots where the roller couldn't reach.

Should you ever decide to take on a similar project, you'll no doubt remove any drawers and take off the doors. Here's my tip, take off the back panel as well. Access from both sides makes painting MUCH easier and faster. Sorry that second photo is oriented wrong, Blogger's being a jerk again.

Topcoating and aging begin tomorrow, so I should have a complete before-and-after to show very soon!

I'm horrible

There was just a story on the news about some poor girl who was working at a car wash when her scarf became wrapped around one of the rotating brushes. (scarf? way to go glamour puss) It strangled her and caused her to pass out as it sucked her closer and closer to the rotating bristles. A customer managed to free her, and other than multiple cuts and facial bruises, she's resting comfortably.

The reporter described the girl's memory of the incident as....spotty.

Coming attractions

Alright, it's time for some before shots! The platter above I picked up at the auction last week. As you can see, it's covered with darkened scratches ("utensil marks" as they say on eBay, because it sounds less like a flaw) and a bit of brown staining. The back, which I did not take time to shoot, is almost entirely covered with brown stains. Connie, always my buddy, has learned from Laveigh how to make that all go away. She took it home to work her magic, and when I have an after shot to go with, we'll revisit.

Sales continue to be good at my mall so I'm trying to get some things ready to go should they call to tell me I've got an empty spot. I've had this little secretary sitting around since late last summer, and just wasn't sure what I wanted to do. That blue chest of drawers was apparently a big hit, so you won't be surprised that I'm doing something with that color again.

I got started this weekend first by filling the split in the drop front, and then scrubbing the whole thing down with a cleaner and deglosser. Those cubbies were going to be impossible to sand properly even after I removed the back panel, so I've tried a new paint additive called Extra Bond. It's made to mix into milk paint for use on previously finished surfaces.

When I went back to the workshop this morning, before even taking off my jacket, I ran over and scraped a fingernail over a painted corner. And my basecoat stuck! I'm really excited because not only will this save me major time on things that I can't easily sand, but it increases my confidence in the longevity of the finish.

I've always said that I don't expect people to keep my furniture forever (bully for me if they do), but that doesn't mean I don't care about the quality of the job. This isn't fine furniture and I price it accordingly, but I'd like to be sure when people stop using something they bought from me it's because their taste has changed and not because it hasn't held up

I hope to spend a bit of time working on the piece this week, so when it's all done I'll take a few more shots and walk you through my process.

What is this?

I probably should have asked this question before I listed it on eBay, but do any of you have any idea what this is? I picked it up at an auction (surprise) and someone said it was a honey pot. That makes sense I guess from the shape of it, if you had some honey still in the comb you would want some room under the lid. It's yellowware, of indeterminate age, but not new.

Drop me a note if you have an idea. Or a good guess.

Viewer Mail

Part of what I love about blogging is that at times it becomes an extended conversation. What I don't love is that I'm bad about catching comments more than a couple posts back. Luckily, Brett reads my posts and the comments faithfully, so if he mentions something unfamiliar I know to backtrack. With that in mind, Decorina, you should be able to buy the paint at Woodcraft. Their website shows the Denver location is:

6770 S. Peoria St.
Centennial, CO 80112

Call them first in case they don't have it, the number listed is (303) 290-0007

Jamie Meares, does being a wholesaler for AA mean you can get me a better deal on the deep vee summer tee shirt three pack? I'm the kind of boy who's more comfortable wearing an undershirt most of the time. I'm also the kind of boy that likes to undo one more button on occasion, and these are great because they're deep and don't show. (Why are regular undershirt v-necks so shallow?!) Anyway Jamie, my email is buzzcut67@aol.com, let me know whats up. Please include Rowdy pics and as much Rowdy news as you feel like typing.

HG: I was done painting a chair today when I realized I had not taken a Before shot. I'm starting on the secretary tomorrow and WILL shoot it before I get going. Promise.

Soodie: I don't know what's going on with the apparent buying spree. Those candlesticks a few posts below ended up selling for $61.00. They were a nice quality certainly, and fun in a retro way, but I was shocked when the auction was over. Maybe everyone's just had enough of the gloom and doom and has decided to treat themselves, I don't know. Whatever it is, I hope it continues.

Junk in my trunk

There are fewer auctions in the winter months, so it follows that the crowds get bigger. Tonight was the regular Tuesday night consignment auction at Kansas City Auction Company and it seemed more crowded than ever. Jason, the auctioneer and owner, thinks last auction's crowd was bigger but I'm not convinced.

There were a few good things, but nothing I was dying to buy, either for the mall or myself, but my friends Connie and Linda were there with Connie's friend Laveigh, so I stayed. Winning bids were higher with the larger crowd, so it was a full couple of hours before I even bought anything.

Laveigh is teaching Connie to repair porcelain and pottery and she's interesting to talk to. She showed me pictures of a recent project that were truly amazing. It was a clock in a hand painted Dresden porcelain mount that had literally been smashed and put back together with elmers glue and tape. She had shots of each stage in the process and after she was done there wasn't so much as a chip or a paint flake. Connie keeps me posted on what she's learning so I knew that Laveigh was good, but seeing the progression in pictures gives me a whole new respect.

The girls had pretty much bought what they wanted and headed out early, as did much of the crowd. The prices dropped a bit, and I managed to pick up a few pieces that will be good to paint. I paid probably twice what I would have with less competition, but there's still plenty of room for profit. I did get a killer deal on a wall-mount plate rack and some vintage luggage, as well as one lone wood chair that I'll paint for us to use in our office/den here at home. A couple framed classical prints and some unmatted Audubons rounded out my haul.

I've taken the next couple days off from the day job to spend at the workshop, in hopes I can keep furniture moving at the mall. I've set my camera out where I'll remember it, so I should have project shots to share very soon.

Economic recovery

Are you feeling better about the economy since the inauguration?

Some folks apparently are, the blue chest in the post below hit the floor Thursday, and they called me early this afternoon to let me know it sold, leaving a big hole in my space. It was a fun piece and I'm not really surprised that it sold, I am surprised that it sold so quickly. Brett thinks I price too cheaply. I say I'm there to sell, not to exhibit.

When I went to rearrange today another dealer was working in her space near mine. I asked if her sales were up or if she had any idea why my furniture seems to be flying out of there. She thinks that people get their trees and holiday decoration down and end up with some empty spots. I mentioned it to a friend tonight and he thinks that people still want to do things around the house, they're just spending less and getting creative in where they shop. Both sound plausible to me.

I did notice one thing, and for some reason it bugs me. Another dealer bought the cool industrial table, and is using it in their space. They've tagged it not for sale at this time, and I've made my money on it, but it still bothers me. I've seen a couple of my things in other antique malls, and while I don't understand dealers paying retail, I guess it's their call. On the other hand, buying something and just moving it downstairs seems somehow wrong.

Net result, I'm behind the curve on painting yet again. I've got a few small pieces in various beginning stages, and a huge china cabinet that's going to take a while to finish because of what I'm planning to do. I guess the next piece to work on is this sad, small secretary I've had sitting around waiting for inspiration. (HG, I'll try to remember to take some before shots, sometimes the transformation really is amazing.)

So back to the original question. How are you feeling about things? The news still seems pretty grim to me. But not so grim that I couldn't treat myself to a new pair of Mark Nason boots. (yay Bluefly!)

Blue mood

I don't know what's going on over at the mall, but my stuff has been selling left and right. Remember the green chinese chippendale table I posted about? I loved that piece and was sure it would go quick. It sat around way longer than I thought it would, but someone bought it last week. And then some ironstone, a floral pitcher that frankly I can't remember, and the little fat industrial table that I named the dirtiest piece of furniture I've ever bought. I wasn't surprised the table sold within a week. Heavy and chunky with my paint job on the legs and some old paint traces on top, it was very cool, and one of the rare pieces that I wonder how it will be used.

So with space to fill I got going on the chest of drawers above. It's a heavy old maple chest I picked up at an estate sale for five bucks. I've moved it twice but never got excited enough to do anything to it. I love how old maple sands down easily, so with that done I mixed up a pale green latex for the base coat. Painting the case and drawer fronts went quickly, so I went ahead and painted the drawer interiors as well. Sometimes old drawers kind of creep me out enough to not want to put anything in them, and some fresh paint solves that.

I've been doing a lot of lighter colors lately, tans and greens and grays, so for a change I went with General Finishes milkpaint in Federal Blue for the topcoat. A little sanding to rough it up seemed to make the color even more cobalty, so when it was all done I glazed it with some brown and it toned down nicely. Clearcoat on top, some antiqued iron knobs, and it's good to go.

The old plate pitchers came from a five dollar box lot at the auction. They're all pretty beat up but they polished up alright and I like the look. The white Haeger panther had been sitting around the workshop so I took him over as well.

Unloading this afternoon another dealer saw the chest and said "we had a customer in the other day who was looking for a blue chest." I hope they stop back in soon.

Lovely.

Joe posted this the other day, and tonight I finally had a moment to take a look. Completely charming. Looking around his website and blog, I get the feeling that Matt is as well. I like a man who will write Logo to thank them for playing his video, and take the same opportunity to let them know the advertising on their site sends the wrong message to young gay men. And he's from Wichita.

One Perfect Thing

American Apparel's 50/50 Poly Cotton tee. Cut trim, comfortable, doesn't stretch out of shape, and comes in a ton of colors. Their Medium fits me better than any other tee I've ever owned. Perfect alone with shorts in warm weather, or under a henley when it's cool. I have it in navy, black, brown, and my favorite, heather black, shown above.

Sunday Dinner: Frittata

I like dinner on Sunday nights. Sometimes it's a full meal, and sometimes it's something easy in one dish. Tonight is a one dish night, and I made a frittata.

Really good when you need to clean out the fridge, it's basically an assortment of leftovers baked in eggs. I always throw in some garlic and thyme but everything else depends on what I find. Tonight there is smoked turkey and canadian bacon, whole wheat pasta, shredded cheddar, diced cauliflower and carrots, capers, and some sun dried tomato/basil cheese spread. Scramble the eggs, chop up everything else and stir in, and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. Sometimes I make a sauce, tonight we're eating it plain.

Michael Smith

I was saying to someone that I like the way the new First Lady dresses because she surprises me. Yesterday's Isabel Toledo? Didn't see that color coming. Last night's Jason Wu did the same thing. I never expected white, but I like the gown more every time I see it. (I'm also wondering how many pairs of long, slender earrings were bought nationwide today.)

The same principle applies for the Obama's choice of interior designer, Michael Smith. The photo above from House Beautiful shows a kitchen he designed for a home in Malibu. Comfortable, pretty even, with some unexpected touches. I never would have thought of the antique chinese lanterns with the paneling and those beams, but it totally works. In fact, I think it's what keeps the whole thing from feeling too "country." The trim work on the island (his own design) relates to the lanterns, and its dark color provides some color contrast. The stone top keeps it from feeling too formal for the room. Love it.

And for one moment on that chilly morning...

...the entire country smiled. Then opened photoshop...

Bid now!

I've not sold anything on eBay in ages, and I had these candlesticks at the workshop so I thought I'd get going with that again. I went over them with Howard's Finish Restorer, followed by a coat of Howard's Feed-N-Wax and a buff and they look great.

They look like something Dansk would have made, but they're actually by Tell City Chair Co. I have no idea of their age, but I'm guessing late 60's or early 70's. Of course to maximize my hits from searches I rounded down and referred to them as mid century.

I always give Jason at KC Auction Company a hard time about his pictures, and the often hard-to-gauge scale of his smalls. I went once prepared to bid high on a victorian silver cachepot that from the picture appeared to be about eight inches in diameter. Imagine my surprise when I got there and it was more of a punchbowl than a cachepot, and measured almost two feet in diameter. (Yeah, it was pretty fabulous, and ended up selling for more than two grand)

Jason thinks the soda can, a perennial favorite for giving an idea of size, is too pedestrian. For eBay it works perfectly. I listed these at about 630 tonight, and sure enough I had a bid and two watchers within the hour.

So now that the holidays are over and we're reclaiming our homes from the ornaments and boughs, maybe some vintage wood accessories are what you need. The auction ends next Sunday at 630 central. Bid high and often!

For those of you scoring at home

I bought a new cord and attempted again to rewire the lamp last night. Success! I think the first was speaker wire or something. The second one, the one that worked, was just slightly fatter. Lesson learned: Do not let the dude from plumbing cut cord for you.

Modern Fabrics

Need to recover a chair? A few dining room chair seats maybe. Or how about just a punchy pillow on that tastefully reserved sofa? Here's the hookup: http://www.modern-fabrics.com/.

You may have already known about this, but I was just given the link by a friend today. Reclaimed from furniture makers, yardage varies, as do piece sizes. You can shop by maker, quantity, or style, all at a serious price reduction. Design houses include Knoll, Designtex, Kravet, Donghia, Maharam and others.

There is the issue of buying fabric online with only the color settings on your monitor as your guide. But hey, if you find something you think you might love, but you need to be sure, why not pay your local upholsterer a visit. You can check out the samples and colorways there to make a more informed decision. Or you can be like me and just go for it. If it's wrong you can save it for a later project or put it on ebay.

Now I'm off to find something for the seats on a pair of neoclassical dining chairs.

As requested

Here's the instructions I followed. Let me know how it goes for you.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-do-home-electrical-repairs5.htm

Odds & Ends

Some random stuff before I head to bed:

I rarely watch anything on Animal Planet. Just one episode of Emergency Vet long ago had me bawling, and any episode where they have to go get the mistreated dogs makes me simultaneously sick and enraged, so I pass. But Dogs 101, LOVE IT. All the info you need on 5 breeds in each hour-long episode. Also don't forget, if you're not into football or commercials AP runs the Puppy Bowl during the Super Bowl.

My friend Linda showed me how to rewire a lamp Saturday. I hit the hardware store and got everything I needed and sat down tonight to fix the Haeger lamp. It doesn't work. It seems so easy, I have no clue what I've done wrong. The man at Strasser's who cut my six feet of lamp cord worked in plumbing, so I'm suspicious that he's given me some other thing that just looks like lamp cord. I could have got the kit, but they only sell them with black, brown or white cord, and I find clear the least obtrusive.

I'm sitting near a naked Christmas tree, lit on the bottom half only. This is why I balk at decorating for the holidays, un-decorating sucks.

House shopping

Our place isn't on the market (yet) and we know better, but we did it anyway, we looked at open houses today. Realtors, here are my notes:

House 1: Don't just say hi and then go back to whatever you were doing at the dining room table. When you're holding open a house with that oddball layout you're going to have to dig down and find some sales skills. Not for us of course, we wouldn't touch it. But someone will if you'll make an effort.

House 2: Don't you watch HGTV? Your owners need to depersonalize. The baby and wedding pictures should be packed away, especially if as you said, the owners have already moved. It's distracting. And that mural in the baby's room? Mom and dad loved it I'm sure, but the rest of us are thinking 'office.' A house for sale is not a home, we need a little paint please.

House 3: WHY are you sitting there in the dining room with the owner? I didn't hang around my place while people toured, it makes them uncomfortable. I was excited about your listing too, I came hoping to see potential. Instead I saw a shoddy flip. Shoddy. That's why we were speaking so quietly in other rooms, we had nearly nothing nice to say. Such a disappointment.

House 4: No notes for you really, because I couldnt stop the remodeling in my head. You were around and available for questions, and that's all I really needed. And that was sweet of you to offer to email me when they're ready to sell their mother's mid-century furniture. I totally need the pair of side tables in the living room.

House 5: Sweet little place, this is exactly how a flip should be done. It's a little pricey for it's size, but it's cute and I'm sure you'll sell it quick. We're not looking for turnkey, but if we were we'd totally go for this one.

So yes, our place isn't even for sale yet, and I've found the house I want. I was hoping I'd like house 3 because it's significantly less, but house 4 wins hands-down. It needs everything, but by doing everything the price probably doubles at resale. Maybe even more if we stay a while. Ah redoing houses. We hate to admit it, but we like the process.

***UPDATE*** Brett makes no real estate decisions without consulting our realtor, and they've spoken. She's not crazy about the house now, but has total faith in our ability to impart lovliness. She also thinks it's very good from an investment standpoint. And best of all, she thinks its overpriced. Under for the location, but way over for the condition. (its the worst house on a great street) The market looks like it's picking up, so we'll probably be too late to the party, but you never know. Time to get this condo ready to show!

Smoking kills...your furnishings.

Let me start here with a couple of qualifiers. First, I know this isn't a great picture. It's dark and not close up enough to let you see the glaze on the lamp, but I swiped it from the auction house website and you'll have to trust that it does give you an idea of what I'm looking at. Second, I smoke. I've quit before and I know that I need to make it stick. More to the point however is the fact that I do not smoke inside. Ever. Ok, on with the post.

This is the Haeger lamp from last night's auction. Nice shape, with a greenish black glaze that fades to a medium blue up at the top. The finial, original to the lamp, is for some reason an ear of corn, in the same glaze. I came to the workshop tonight to unload my vehicle, and since I was here decided I'd clean up the stuff I bought.

The lamp was dusty, so I grabbed a paper towel and some Fantastik, sprayed, and wiped. And nearly hurled. Under the dust is a sticky brown layer of what I'm thinking has to be nicotine. So more spraying. And wiping. And then more spraying, and letting it sit. And changing the paper toweling under the lamp that is blotting up the now-brown Fantastik as it runs down the lamp. (and while that's going on, tossing that God-awful shade in the dumpster!)

The lamp is actually a marble-y emerald green, fading to a blueprint blue at the top. And the finial is even lighter. I bought mostly based on shape, and now I'm loving the color. And I haven't even got it totally clean yet. I'm picturing a hard barrel shade, wider than it is deep, lacquered in a pale blue. Maybe a couple tiny green pinstripes around the top and bottom.

But back to my PSA: Smokers, unless you can clean house with the obsessive/compulsive best of them, and plan to often, take it outside. Your stuff and I thank you.

Hello, A Little More Than A Thousand Gorgeous Words

*representation only, not actually HG or her daughter

Thinking about it, I'm not even sure how I began reading the blogs I read. I know Joe.My.God and Towleroad were first, but past that it must all have come from linking. Anyway, I found much to like, and my blogroll reflects that. What it doesn't reflect is that each of those comes with a blogroll of it's own, which I use frequently.

One of my listed faves is Hello Gorgeous, but via her blogroll I discovered her daughter at A Little More Than A Thousand Words. If you're not already a regular reader of one or both, take a look. Vastly different, there's much to like at each.

Recently, Spencer (HG's girl!) filed a guest post, and Raina was dead on when she said that the apple doesn't fall far. Wit and insight apparently are hereditary and it got me to thinking. So I'm just floating this out there: blog together.

Not everyday necessarily, and not instead of your current blogs certainly. But something else, something fun. Wouldn't it be fun? I'd love to see what you'd come up with.

Auction update

They were Overman chairs (good eye Chris!) and they were in beautiful condition. And they went to a woman who obviously was NOT going to let go. She got a great deal on them, but paid more than I was prepared to spend. It's disappointing, but only mildly so. I've gone to enough auctions and sales to know that something good absolutely will come up again.

The rest of the evening was one of those odd, wonderful nights where I picked up all sorts of odds and ends for nearly nothing. I practically stole a 50's Haeger lamp with it's original finial. When I've got it rewired and wearing a new shade I'll post a pic.

Smile upon me auction gods

The first auction of the new year is this week at my favorite auction house, and they just updated the website. Not a lot of furniture to paint, but this pair of chairs is interesting. You never really know what's good and what isn't until you get to the preview, but these are promising. I'm still hoping to get into an upholstery class, and thinking these would be beautiful in a charcoal mohair. Cross your fingers.

Come on Michelle, make me proud!

This is a couple weeks old, but I had not seen the complete set. I'm hoping she picks the de la Renta, but only for herself, the dresses for the girls are awful.

My second pick would be the Monique Lhuillier, but as MWG suggested, less flare to the skirt.

And last, I like the first Reem Acra, although I'm not sure what color it is.

If she'll wear the Chanel suit for his swearing-in I vow to forgive any and every clothing misstep she might make for the rest of her life.

Game on!

I spent the first day of 2009 at the workshop, and for some reason I'm totally pumped about furniture painting. I think the end of the holidays has cleared some space in my brain and I'm feeling really invigorated about my business.

I had some vacation days I had to use so I spent the last two Tuesdays there, mostly pricing smalls and taking them to the mall, and doing a bit of re-arranging over there. Also I started a sofa table, which I finished today, save for the clear-coating which I'll finish tomorrow. I've also been working on a small table I picked up at auction, which had to have come out of some kind of industrial shop. The legs are old 4X4s, and the top is made up of two thick planks of pine. It was literally the dirtiest piece of furniture I've ever bought. I could have cleaned it forever and you'd never know, so I just threw on my mask and took the power sander to it. The legs and under shelf got a coat of gray paint today. I'll rub the top planks down with a dark glaze and it'll be ready for clear coat as well.

A nice lady on craigslist was cleaning out her storage unit and needed to deload her china cabinet, so I'm giving that a try. It's a huge piece, but it has relatively simple lines and I've got some ideas I've never tried before so I'm excited about that as well. If anyone knows of a good source for scenic wallpaper (vintage, or vintage looking) or really large maps (five foot square or better) please let me know. Everything I found on eBay was too small or too expensive for what I have in mind.

I'm planning another day of painting tomorrow, and I've set my camera out so I hope to have some pictures to post soon.

So how about you, what are you excited about for the new year?

01/01/09

Wishing each and every one of you all good things in the new year.

D.

She's outta here

Tonight, Prada's excellent adventure comes to an end as I return her to her daddy, and things get back to normal around here.

She has traveled the backs of sofas and launched herself from end tables. She's chewed on my shoe and peed (more than once) on my carpet. She has led me through rain and snow across Union Hill in search of a spot suitable for pooping. Her ball and Kong remain intact, while Alex's favorite toy is in shreds. And she has chased and chewed Alex from nose to tail. Just this morning she even goaded cranky old Jack into joining the rolling wrestling match that has dominated the last week here.

She's a pain in the ass, and completely delightful. Brett and I both look forward to next time.

Christmas night

After a relaxing Christmas day, and a late afternoon nap with the schnauzers, Brett and I headed out to a movie tonight. That's rare in itself as I'm not much of a moviegoer, much to Brett's dismay. We headed to the Tivoli to see Milk, going there because it's rarely crowded, and the crush of people is the thing I hate about movies.

You already know the basics of the story. Harvey Milk leaves New York for San Francisco, energizes the Castro, and after a number of failed attempts is finally elected Supervisor. He orchestrates the defeat of Proposition 6 and enacts a gay rights ordinance, only to be shot to death by Dan White (portrayed as an uptight, ego-driven boozehound by Josh Brolin). Still, the storytelling is really well done, and there's probably some things you'll learn while you watch. The Twinkie Defense? That came from Dan White's attorneys, which I did not know. I also didn't know that Dan White served 5 years and was released from prison. Five years for two deaths doesn't seem quite like justice, but he returned to San Francisco and evenually killed himself so in the end I suppose it doesn't matter.

There's also lots of old news footage of Anita Bryant. We Wiki'd her when we got home to see if she was still alive. Sadly she is, but I'm pleased to report that her divorce apparently ruined her in the eyes of her fundamentalist christian audience, and she's filed for bankruptcy twice. She now lives in Edmond, Oklahoma where she runs something called Anita Bryant Ministries. I've never heard of Anita Bryant Ministries, which is just as it should be.

Sean Penn is amazing as Harvey Milk. You start watching thinking "wow, Sean Penn just kissed a guy" but before long it's all Harvey and no Sean. The supporting cast is just as good. James Franco plays Milk's boyfriend Scott Smith, and couldn't be more adorable. Admittedly, I have a bit of a 70's fetish. The hair, the clothes, the mustaches...yeah baby. But even without all that the acting is great.

My verdict: well worth the price of a ticket. Go and enjoy.

Our holiday houseguest

We've got company for the next 10 days! Prada (owned by a cute 23 year old gay boy, thus the unfortunate name) is a year old schnauzer who's staying with us while her daddy goes home to Michigan for Christmas.

I picked her up today, and within an hour or so she and Alex were chasing each other around the house. Jack doesn't really want to play, but doesn't seem to want her playing with Alex either so he just sits and barks. They're on break now and she's sitting in my lap as I type, and Jack is taking a breather on the couch.

Her dad likes her shaggy rather than in a standard schnauzer cut, and while I like my boys trimmed up, I do think she's awfully cute all fuzzy. She got a bath and her teeth brushed for her stay, and she's just as sweet as can be. The boys know to avoid the laptop cords from our computers so once she figures that out we should be all good.

Cross your fingers for us. I don't really mind the mayhem so much, but I worry that Brett's head may explode!

Only slightly stronger than my vanity...

...is my love for the schnauzers. I nodded off on the couch this evening and Brett proceeded to take phone pics of us. Alex is good about sleeping on us. Jack prefers his pile of pillows, but isn't against wedging himself up against whichever of the daddies is close.

In other news, I'm horrified at how thin my hair has gotten on top.

Office party

Over the years at my firm the holiday gathering has gotten bigger and more involved. Until this year, when we had a holiday lunch at a hotel up the street from the office. It was a nice room, and because the hotel doesn't have food service it was catered by Grand Street, and really quite good. Except the mashed potatoes, which were magical.

I work in the Operations group, and have a few vacation days in a use-or-lose situation, so I took today off and put together a little gathering for my co-workers. I think 10 or so is the perfect number for things like this, and that was about what I had.

It was a nice opportunity to use the old white ironstone pieces I've been picking up lately, and I was pleased with how my table looked. The mix of patterns and styles, all in white, against a neutral linen cloth was nice. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was still pulling things together when the first person arrived. (Thank you again Dan for putting together my cheese platter!) My bronze altar candlesticks work with everything, and the bowl I brought back from France made a perfect centerpiece just filled with colorful retro Christmas ornaments.

Everyone came and seemed to enjoy themselves. We're having the most God-awful, freezing, wet weather, so I did some hot ham sandwiches with a mustard and butter spread, and a cheesy potato and corn chowder. For those that just wanted to snack there were cheeses and grapes, hummus, vegetables and dip, and nuts and wasabi peas. (are wasabi peas addictive for anyone besides me?)

Finally, props to the girls behind the deli counter at the Brookside Market. You recommended a ham, which you advised I should taste. When it was delicious and I ordered some, you first asked how I wanted it sliced and then laid it out neatly, making it easy to build sandwiches for a crowd. The other grocery store I sometimes shop at just grabs a fist full, weighs it, and tosses it in a bag.

All in all, a busy day, but a great evening. Here's hoping rush hour tomorrow morning isnt a total mess.

This post is brought to you by the number Eleven

Happy anniversary sweetheart!

All my love-

D.

Bath day at Chez Malaise

When Jack was a puppy I gave him baths in the kitchen sink until it was time for his big boy haircut, then he went to the groomer in our vet's building. The last time he was there they scraped his neck and didn't tell me. I found out after returning home from dinner to find my baby all pink from bleeding and scratching. $170 later at the emergency vet he was bandaged up and much better. I cancelled his next grooming appointment and wondered where we'd go.

A woman I worked with gave me a business card for AJ's Zoom N Groom. Amanda and Jacquie came and showed me around their mobile grooming van. Extended in the back and on top it housed a full size tub, hydraulic grooming table, heating, cooling, and maybe most importantly, lots of dog treats. I got an appointment and hoped for the best.

I worked odd hours then, and was home for Jack's second appointment. We answered the door and when he saw who it was he ran to the kitchen, got one of his stuffed animals and brought it to them. That was all I needed to see.

When I sold the house and moved in with Brett, Kirby and Jack got groomed together. When prices went up we stopped, but before long we were back on the waiting list, and shortly after that back to regular grooming. When Kirb was gone Jacquie cared enough to send a card. When Alex arrived she was happy to add him to the appointment.

It's wonderful to see people who have their own business and a great product do well. The girls run two vans now, each working alone, because all of their routes were full and they were turning away so many customers. It's so convenient to just leave a check on the counter and know she'll take care of everything. More than that, it's worth the price (which isn't cheap) knowing that she'll be good to them like they were her own, and after an hour and a half or so they're back home safe and sound.

She comes once a month, usually on a Thursday, early in the morning. Brett's in charge of AM walks, and says they pull like hell when they see the van. We go off to work as she does her thing, and come home to the clean, handsome boys you see above.

Celebrity Blogrolls

How do you know when your blog is attracting serious attention? When Elle Decor wants to know what you're tired of.

Congratulations to Mrs. Blandings, Decorno, and ArchitectDesign! Here's wishing you all a less styled, less icon-laden, and taxidermy free new year!

Faux Fir

Who knew it would be so hard to shoot a Christmas tree?!

I got home from work, and after a quick walk and getting schnauzer dinner in the bowls, I grabbed the camera thinking I'd take a couple shots of my funky blue, orange, and silver tree. Daylight was not my friend. It seemed to make the tree look oddly flat, and you could see the light wires clear as day.

Once the sun was down I turned off all the lights, set my camera for night shots, and things got a little bit (a very little bit) better. The night setting seems to emphasize even the slightest hand movement, so you'll have to pardon a bit of blur.

Here's a detail shot taken mostly to show you the blue onion ornaments. I loved the shape and color, but because they're plastic I was really ambivalent. You can see the seams in places, and there were only two boxes in the entire place. But I went for it, and on the tree they really don't appear any different from the glass balls. I'm loving the orange glass balls too. I might have to venture back for a few more boxes of them for Christmas future.

About my balls

In an effort to smack ourselves into the holiday spirit we've put up the Christmas tree. As I've said in the past, I don't like a lot of holiday decor, but what I do decorate, I want to decorate well. Our tree began with clear lights, followed by pearl balls and more balls in three different shades of silver. I also threw in the 9 Pottery Barn mercury glass drops I bought on after-Christmas clearance a few years ago. (these are wonderful, I wish I'd tried to get more, eBay has none at the moment) It was sort of monochromatic (which I like) and simple (also good), but seemed to lack something. Brett said the something was color.

I'd taken the green balls and put them in a glass urn on our new cabinet in the entry. The red and blue ones went in a huge glass hurricane on the sideboard in a subtle Christmas nod to our alma mater. And the gold ones...they stayed in their boxes in the plastic tub. I have some gorgeous brown ones as well, but no real use for them this year. And my small collection of retro Radko Shiny-Brite are on the dining room table in the white ironstone bowl I brought back from Paris.

The point being, I have a thing about buying Christmas balls. In a few years we'll have a complete wardrobe of them in every color, because it seems I can only handle a limited pallette on our tree.

Our office closed at 4pm today because of the ice and snow. Frugal shopper (and 4-wheel driver) that I am, off I went to Hobby Lobby to find some half off bargains to pimp our tree.

You could burn about 80 percent of that store at no real loss, but there are a few things there I can put to work. I found a couple sets of onion-shaped ornaments in a really great blue. Think blueprint rather than navy or royal. I also picked up a box of 12 sort of swirling, ribbed, tulip-shaped things that were that blue over silver. They're plastic, and I thought they might be awful, but they've turned out to be just fine.

And then, there in the aisle of glass ornaments, was what I had in the back of my mind but never thought anyone would have: burnt orange Christmas balls. I bought three six packs. Finally, some blue plaid organza ribbon for garland finishes it nicely, without being overly visible. (Note to lower-price-point ribbon manufacturers: There is still a market for ribbon without wired edges. Please remember us going forward.)

So the tree trimming is complete. Not overly traditional, but not at all out-there, and we're way pleased with the result.

(my apologies to anyone offended by this post's title. I'm afraid I'm just the kind of boy who cant resist a good ball joke)

Craftsman Corner: Ed Gilliam

Not long after I started working at my company I joined a few of the ladies for a day of antique shopping and a craft show. It was there that my co-worker Judy introduced me to her brother-in-law, Ed Gilliam, and his carved wood Santas. I loved that they were clunky and imperfect, and often times sort of angry looking. Judy said for that reason they were all self-portraits, although Ed was always just as nice as he could be to me. I believe that Ed worked for the railroad until an injury put him on disabililty, and then he started carving.

Brett fell in love with them as well, as evidenced here. We've picked up a few each year, and while we have a couple of the Father Christmas figures, we like the Santas most, and they make up the bulk of the collection. Brett also bought his mother a few as gifts over the years as she liked them too.

Some of them have things in their hands, a gift or a flag, or a sack of toys. Some just stand. We have a couple cowboys and one in his union suit. There's one vaguely shaped like a top, one like an egg, and one shaped like a Christmas tree with Santa faces on three sides.

I love the ones that don't smile.

Although the ones that do smile are fun as well. The little one on the right above is probably my favorite of all.

Ed was getting up there when we met in the 2002, and now isn't able to work anymore, so these are it. He and his wife sold their place in Paradise, Missouri (north of Smithville) and got an apartment in Smithville to be closer to family.

While it's sad that he can't carve now, it's nice to think of how many of these he's left behind. He sold them all over the country and had a nice little following, so there are lots out there. I think that sort of legacy would be appreciated by anyone who makes things for a living.

First Impressions (and another old lamp)

Last month Brett and I went out to First Friday because Harriet Bigham, my high school art teacher, was showing at Barkley down in the Crossroads. I'd always liked her work (still do) and I'm so glad she's painting again.

It was cool enough to keep the crowd down (you'll never see me there in the summer when it's more beer garden than gallery walk), but not so awful that you hated to be out. After a few galleries we walked over to Pizzabella for dinner, and then down to see what was new at Black Bamboo.

I've long been a fan of old asian lacquered furniture, and you can always count on Black Bamboo to have some great pieces. Our entryway has needed attention for a while now, and Brett really liked some of the old lacquer cabinets. Still, I wasn't sure that red or black lacquer was exactly right for where we had in mind. There was a small piece in a gorgeous burnt orange, but on our two-tone brown marble floor, hmm, maybe not.

Last weekend we stopped in Kincaid's at 45th and State Line, across the street from Mrs. Blandings favorite, Christoper Filley. Kincaid's is exclusively asian casegoods, architectural, and ceramics. She's got some really wonderful things, including the Chinese cabinet pictured above which now lives in our entry, and totally jump started us to get that room in shape.

Tonight after dinner, completely on a whim, we painted the walls. We'd been planning to since we moved in, but with the cabinet and the print (relocated from the bedroom where it was never really visible), and some paint we had on hand (Sherwin Williams Restrained Gold), we got on it.

The white crackled ceramic lamp (yes, there's always a lamp) was a six buck estate sale buy that I had rewired and waiting for the perfect spot. The new small black barrel shade and silver greek key finial from The Light Shop give it more the scale of a buffet lamp. The lines, while not expressly asian, work great with the old lacquer cabinet. A small round raku box, a preserved boxwood wreath from Nell Hill's, a candle, and we're good. This will be great to come home to each evening.