Echoes of the Southwest

My Off-Grid Art Studio

2025-12-31T10:23:00.001-07:00

One of the things I wanted when we decided to live off grid was an art studio. I needed my own space to create, paint, and do DIY projects. After we got here in January, we started looking for a building for my studio. We found a repo 10x20 shed home. The inside is 10x16 with a 4' porch. Since it was a repo, the price was perfect. Here is a video of the progression of the studio from when it was delivered until now.

Updates on Our Property

2025-08-05T11:47:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted in a while on our property updates. We get so busy and I forgot to take videos. I have posted some updates on our deck and bunkhouse/mancave. I will add the links to those videos. Also, I will be doing more videos on our house, my studio, and the entire property.

We have been living out here full time since January 6th. So far we have survived the cold winter, nice spring and hot summer. All the critters are out and about right now. We are getting used to seeing them. The mice ate wiring on my Jeep and we had to get it fixed. Our wonderful neighbors gave us advice on how to deal with them. Those bastards are not making a meal of my Jeep wires anymore!

Anyhow, I will try and post our property updates more often along with other places around the area we live in.

Time Machine Miniature Museum

2024-07-28T06:30:00.008-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have loved miniature homes and assessories. I bought mini house kits with furniture and other items to decorate it. I love recreating a home in a tiny 1"=1' scale. When we moved, I had no place for my mini creations, so I gave them away. Someday, I hope to make a house from scratch and decorate it with handmade items. When Sharon told me of the miniature museum in Tucson, I was so excited to see it. I did not think it would love as much as I did. I will definitely be visiting that place again.

(from their website)

Mission Statement

The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and advancing the art of miniatures for all.

Vision

Building on the Arnell Legacy, the vision of The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures is to be a leading institution that celebrates, inspires, and connects people with miniatures.

The Mini Time Machine was created from the imagination and dedication of Founders, Patricia and Walter Arnell. Pat’s fondness for miniatures began in the 1930’s, when as a young girl she received her first miniatures—a set of Strombecker wooden dollhouse furniture. It wasn’t until the Arnells moved to Tucson in 1979 that Pat began collecting in earnest.

To read more of the history of the place and how the Arnells started the museum, also other info on the place, check out their website: https://theminitimemachine.org/

Hotel Congress

2024-07-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

I wrote a long and wonderful post on this place and our stay there, but my computer decided not to save it, so I am pissed. I will say that we had a wonderful time at Hotel Congress and the employees were the best. We stayed in room 220, which is a haunted room with a spirit named Vincent who seems to still be there. We didn't have much activity, but we think he answered our question during the seance. The food was amazing and cooked from scratch every morning. They have bars downstairs in the lobby, which is great because they don't want you to bring your own liquor to your room. You can however bring your drinks from the bar to your room. The rooms do not have TVs, but there is a nearby lounge with a comfortable couch and TV. You park in the garage next door, which is a short walk. The hotel is located in downtown Tucson and near lots of activities, stores, bars, and restaurants.

To read more on the history of this hotel and other information, check out their website:

Hotel Congress | Downtown Tucson's Most Unique Hotel

This is Vincent, the spirit that hangs out in room 220. That is the room we stayed in.

Primative Decorating

2024-06-04T09:33:00.004-07:00

I always had a special love for antiques and old worn-out furniture. Whenever I went to an antique store, I was drawn to the wood cabinets, baskets, antique cookware, crocks, and all things that were less than perfect that time has taken its toll on. Basically, organic items that looked like they decorated a home in colonial times. I knew that it was a Scandinavian style that I loved but didn't know it had a particular name.

One day I was checking out my recommends on YouTube, and I saw one that was posted by Bridgett's Primitive Passion. The thumbnail on the video showed very old decor and she was doing a house tour. This definitely caught my attention, so I watched it. Oh my, this was definitely my type of decorating. The house looked warm and cozy with all the primitive items throughout the entire house. My decor style had a name.

Primitive decorations are a colonial period style. All the cabinets were very old with chippy paint and was full of antiques. Each room looked like you stepped back in time. These homeowners have been collecting for 30 years or more, so their houses were loaded with this style. I will never reach that level of collecting because we are moving to a small place, but I have enough primitive decor that I either got from my parents or from antique malls.

I will link some of the YouTube primitive channels I subscribe to:

Bridgetts Primitve Passion

The Cape on the Corner

Spring at the Riparian Water Reserve

2024-06-01T11:08:00.007-07:00

The Riparian Water Reserve is one of the places Sharon and I like to go in the spring to take photos. That place never disappoints. This is what we saw on our latest outing.

Hiking the Salt River

2024-05-29T10:48:00.036-07:00

A couple of friends and I decided to hike along the Salt River near the Superstition Mountains. It was a beautiful day in spring and the area was amazing. We did go there for another reason, bigfoot. Yep, I said it. Apparently, the big fella has been spotted there by several witnesses. My friends had rocks thrown at them the last time there we there and saw many areas where grass was pressed down like something big had been lying there. They wanted to go back to see if they experience anything else and I wanted to go with them.

The hike was beautiful, but since I am not an avid hiker, it got grueling at times, and my bad knee didn't like it. I really need to get into better shape. Anyhow, we did see several hidden places where some sort of large creature made itself a bed. Was it bigfoot? Who knows, but we sure thought so. I am sure my friends will be back and continue their investigation.

Scottsdale Boardwalk

2024-05-26T10:27:00.001-07:00

Along the 101 freeway in Scottsdale, AZ, is a wonderful place to visit. It is loaded with museums, restaurants, and unusual statues. Sharon and I decided to explore this place and visit the UFO Experience and Ripley's Believe it or Not museums. We had a blast like a couple of kiddos. If you are ever in the area, be sure to visit. We plan to go again and check out the butterfly exhibit and Museum of Illusions.

Walls and Bathroom Window Done: Arroyo Ranch

2024-05-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

The paneling and walls are done in the interior of our home. We also hired someone to finish the roof of the bath house. Gary did lots of organizing as well on his last visit. We are talking to a contractor on building our perimeter fence. That, along with the bath house door and window, pony wall and house's bathroom/closet wall are Gary's next items to get finished. I am excited to get the perimeter fence up to feel more secure and safe against predators.

Gary can do lots of work on our homestead, but what he can't do we are hiring out to locals for help. He is getting a quote on the fence along with help to put in the back door and wood burning stove. I will be going up with him soon to put in the kitchen. I am excited to have the kitchen put in. It will feel more like a home. I will definitely take pictures of that.

Superior Cemetery Photography

2024-05-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

I know some people don't like photos being taken in cemeteries, but I feel different about that. I don't take photos of newer graves, just the old ones that are historical and a bit worn with time. I see the beauty in those photos and of how time has taken its toll on these headstones and statues.

Urban Exploring in Superior, AZ

2024-05-14T09:36:00.001-07:00

Even though Superior is showing signs of growth, we were still able to find several abandoned structures. We haven't urban explored in a long time, so it was nice to be able to photograph some of these places.

Superior, Arizona 2024

2024-05-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Sharon and I have been to Superior many times since 2011 and have seen lots of changes. Superior is east of Phoenix and is a small mining town. It has hit on hard times like many other places and almost became abandoned. What we saw on our visit last month was a town growing and thriving. Many of the derelict buildings are being restored and businesses are opening up in them. There were lots of murals on many of the buildings and interesting statues. It has definitely become an artist community which we love.

I will add links to my posts of Superior, along with my latest photos, so you can see how much it has changed.

Urban Exploring in Superior

MacPherson and Magma Hotels

Changes Are Happening

Arroyo Ranch February 2024 Update

2024-02-19T12:04:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have uploaded a video. We had to wait for winter and rainy weather to pass in order to get on the land. Gary and friends had been up there several times since I was able to go. They dropped off lots of tools, materials, furniture, heaters, and other items. They were able to add the heaters in, find temporary places for our compost toilets, add a compost area, add insulation, and work on the bathroom. It looks like a mess right now, but everything will be put in its place soon. We plan to be living up there fulltime by July, but we have lots to do to get us there. Next time Gary and the guys go up, we will have a 40 ft shipping container delivered, vaper barrier the walls, add paneling to the walls, install solar panels and electricity, add a rainwater catchment system, more water tanks, add the kitchen in, finish the bathhouse, and add a perimeter fence with electric wires to keep predators from getting in the property. There are lots to do, but I am confident the guys will get it done by July. Gary and I will work on flooring, the deck, and garden when we move up there. I am sure there will be lots more projects to do. I am hoping to get up there again in late May or early June and will be able to document all the changes.

Arroyo Ranch Update

2023-09-11T10:13:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I updated you on what is happening at Arroyo Ranch. We haven't started any projects, but my husband has brought up lots of materials, tools and furniture since my last post. I was hoping to add to my YouTube channel with up dated information, but since we have not officially started, I felt there was nothing to report.

The weather has been the biggest factor on why we have not started on updating the homestead. It has either been very hot, cold or lots of rain. He is hoping to get up there soon, maybe next week, to begin working on our house. We want our house to be ready first so we can move up there and work on what we need to make it a self-sustaining homestead. We realize that the back and forth is not working and we need to be physically up there to get it done.

What needs to happen for us to move there? We need water and solar electricity in place. That is going to happen soon. We need to finish the main bathroom and add a half bath in the main house next to our bedroom. We will put in composting toilets in each bathroom to save water and use the compose for our plants. We need to run wires throughout for our plugs and ceiling fans. We will be adding a back door for more light and to be closer to the main bathroom. Then comes heating and cooling units, insulation, paneling, flooring and trim. We want to add screens on both doors for cross breeze when the weather is just right. Of course, we want Wi-Fi to have all the comforts of home.

Once we are there, we can add decking around the house, guesthouse and bathroom. We want a shipping container for storage and a small art studio for me. We will add a rainwater catchment system to the houses and eventually to our garden. The one thing we also must have in place before moving there is a perimeter fence for our dogs and to keep predators out. We will add electrical wires to the fence as a deterrent.

Even though we have been met with negativity by some because of our ages, 66 and 65, we don't think that is a factor to squash our dreams. We will sell our house in Mesa and bank the money to improve the ranch. We will live there as long as we can, until it is physically impossible. If we keep busy and take care of ourselves, there is no reason we can't put in a decade or more at the ranch. This is our dream and the future for our children and grandchildren. We are ready for this next adventure.

Building Deliveries and Tour

2023-06-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

I am a few months late to post these videos. My laptop decided to break down and not start up for me. I had to send it out for repairs. After I got it back, I had to find a video program that I could create videos for YouTube. I also had to find time to figure out the program which wasn't easy. I am happy to say I figured it out enough to do simple videos. I am hoping to get better at making more elaborate videos.

The first video I created was on our guest house and workshop being delivered. I decided not to add music and let the sounds of the wind, our voices, and the delivery truck be what you hear. It ended up turning out just fine. My second video was a tour of the property. I photographed everything around the ranch to give everyone an update. These videos were made in March and things have changed since then. Gary has brought up lots of stuff that we wanted up there and we organized a bit.

The boys had intended to work on the bathroom a week ago, but one of them got sick and it put things off. Their stuff are still in the main house and will be removed so Gary can work on the interior of the house. The first thing he is doing will be the skirting around the bottoms of each structure to prevent wind and critters for getting under the buildings. After that, he plans to get started on the inside of the main house and add heaters to both houses. Right now it still feels a bit like camping, and we want it to feel like a home instead.

I was able to go up with him a few days ago and took more updated pictures. I will put those together in video soon. I will rely on Gary to take photos of all the projects he works on because I can't always be there. We have two dogs that have to be babysat because they are very spoiled. We have our granddaughter, daughter and Sharon that will watch them so I can go with Gary to the ranch.

We are excited to be moving on this place. We don't know what kind of winter we will get this year, but we want it to be warm and cozy so we can stay there even through the winter.

Winter at Arroyo Ranch

2023-01-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

The wash from the road.

Arroyo Ranch House Delivery

2022-12-03T11:59:00.001-07:00

Yay, our house has arrived on our property. We ordered our 12x40 foot shed house in June of this year. The builder had trouble getting the metal roofing materials, so that is why the build took longer than usual. A couple of weeks ago we scheduled a delivery. My husband and friend went up there so they could be on the property for delivery.

As bad luck would have it, Mother Nature decided to let it snow on that day. The driver could not safely deliver the house, so we had to reschedule. We scheduled the delivery for December 2nd (yesterday), and the weather was on our side.

The only thing we stressed over was could that long truck get through the deep wash. The driver lifted his truck and drove right through it. After that, he drove down the street to the place where the house was to be set. Because they graded the property, the driver was able to get to the location we picked out for the house.

The house faces southeast. The southern view is beautiful, and you can see all the way to the White Mountains. We decided to have it face slightly to the east because it faces all of our property and for wind blockage.

I will be at the delivery of the guest house and workshop in February. You know me, I will take lots of pictures and videos. We have lots of plans for the ranch and can't wait to share.

Photography: Salt River and Wild Horses

2022-11-10T06:00:00.033-07:00

Photography: Riparian Water Preserve 2022

2022-11-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Fog on the Rim

2022-10-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

Driving up on the Rim between Show Low and Christopher Creek, AZ, we came across thick fog. It was scary to drive in since you could not see but a few feet in front of you. As we descended towards Payson, it disappeared.

Getting Ready for the Ranch

2022-09-22T05:30:00.001-07:00

In about a month, our house will be delivered on our land. The boys are planning a trip before then to grade the land where the house is going and the driveway to that location. They are also planning on burying the septic tank and finishing the bathroom. Meanwhile, Gary and I have been doing lots of DIY projects of items we are bring up there and antique shopping as well. This is what we have so far:

The antique sewing machine cabinet we turned into a bathroom sink. I did a post about it.

The vanity I redid. I did a post about it.

We picked up 6 used solar panels. We hope they work well for us.

paneling for our walls

paneling and two butcher block counter tops

I found this small farmhouse table at the antique mall. It is the perfect size for our ranch house.

My addition to our picnic table.

I got this chair at an antique mall. I was wabbly and the seat was not safe to sit on. The wood had some gross sticky stuff on it.

We added foam and a board to the bottom, tightened the screws and cleaned the wood with Oxy and water. It looks so much better and is safe to sit on.

This chair I got from my Mom. It needed some love.

This is after I DIYed it.

We found this farm chair at the antique mall.

This is a food storage cabinet we found at the antique mall.

From Vanity Mess to Gorgeous Desk

2022-08-08T12:13:00.001-07:00

My husband and I bought this antique vanity from an estate sale our handyman had attended. He saw our recycled sewing machine cabinet and thought we might want to refresh this vanity. We accepted the challenge. It was a mess. The veneer was wrinkled and falling off in some places and the drawers' pulls were thin and breaking. I had a vision and so the fun began.

The first thing was to chisel off the veneer. My husband took on that task.

Next, he created a back piece because we think a mirror used to be in that spot. I drew it up and he cut it for me.

Then came the sanding. I pulled all the drawers and sanded them first. Then we flipped the desk upside down so I could sand the bottom and then I sanded the top. I did have to wood glue some areas as well as add wood filler.

All the pieces were brought inside to be painted. I live in the lower desert of Arizona where it is very hot and hard to be outside long. On top of that, it is monsoon season and that brings up our humidity. It is very uncomfortable, and I am usually dripping sweat after 10 minutes. The next was a black primer paint. I used a black chalk paint for the base.

I chose a white semi-gloss for the topcoat. My plan was to sand distress the entire piece and have the black paint underneath show up. I lined the drawers with a soft liner that doesn't slip. We also replaced the drawer pulls. I really like how gorgeous it turned out.

Halloween in July

2022-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

We may be moms and grandmas, but Sharon and I love Halloween. It is the beginning of our fall fun. Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather cools down and lots of holidays to enjoy with your family and friends.

Every year we like to take fun creepy and spooky pictures for our Halloween files. We will take our Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees masks and see what situation we can put them in. This year we took the photos at my house. Here are some of the ones I took. Hope it gets you in the mood for the fall.

Just being goofy!

DIY Project: Antique Sewing Machine Cabinet

2022-06-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I found an antique sewing machine cabinet at an antique store in Payson, AZ. I had always wanted one to use as a desk, so I bought it. It sat in my art room at our last home, and became a plant stand at our current home.

We bought land in the high desert of Arizona. The first thing we are having built is a bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. We felt that was important even if we had to camp on the land for a while, at least we had a nice bathroom which is currently being constructed. They will be putting a sink in, but I had a different idea.

I have saved several pictures of sewing cabinets that were turned into bathroom sinks and loved the idea. I told my husband about it, and he liked that idea too. Next thing we know, the plant was taken off the cabinet and we brought it outside on our patio. We had to remove the sewing machine and other parts that we didn't need.

I had all intention of sanding it and keeping its natural wood color. As I started sanding the top and drawers, I realized that the only way to make it look descent was to paint it. We found a sink we both loved along with the faucet and purchased them. We picked one of the colors in the sink and I matched it up with a color called Cowboy Suede. My husband cut a hole for the sink and then I was able to begin painting.

After putting wood putty in all the holes, I used white primer I had on hand to start painting it. There were many water stains that I was afraid would come through the paint, so I felt it needed priming. I did a couple of coats, let it dry for several days, and was able to being painting the topcoat.

That cabinet was not easy to paint around the area where the drawers sit. I am a messy painter anyway, so you could imagine how messy it got. After a couple of coats, we added back the top piece with the sink hole and sealed all around the seams. After that dried, I was able to finish painting the cabinet. I chose to paint the drawers inside the house because it was hot outside, and I couldn't be out there very long.

I repurposed the sewing machine and wood to use as decor.

Finally, it is finished being painted. After the paint was completely dried, I used several coats of polyacrylic to seal the paint and make it waterproof. I love the color we picked. It goes perfect with the sink. We will assemble it at the ranch and use the current sink as an outside sink. I can't wait to see it in the bathroom. We finally ordered a shed home, and it will be delivered in October. I am excited to start decorating it and making it a home.

The Greenhouse: Growing in Arizona Heat

2022-06-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

This will be the first summer having our greenhouse. We were concerned with it getting too hot inside and the plants all dying. We started misting inside the greenhouse at the beginning of spring when the weather was getting warmer. That was keeping the temperature down and the humidity up. The plants loved it.

Our concern was, what about our summer heat? We didn't think misting once or even twice a day was going to cut it. We added a solar fan, but it was bringing in the heat. My husband suggested using our portable cooler, put it in front of the door, and see if that keeps the temps down. That worked well.

We now mist inside the greenhouse in the morning, 9am to 10am, and around 11am, we need to start the cooler. We usually keep it going all day until around 7pm, more or less. This is keeping the temperature around 75 to 80 degrees with the humidity around 62%. We need to fill the cooler with water every two hours, so it runs properly. Our plants in the greenhouse are flourishing and I couldn't be happier.

As for our plants growing outside the greenhouse, they are doing well too. I have them located behind the shed and greenhouse. They get morning sun and are shaded at the hottest time of day. They are doing well too. They just require more water which I am happy to give them.