alamode Stuff

Lighted exit sign - DIY trash to treasure

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Several weeks ago, I told you about an army surplus store that C and I found. We bought this great red cross flag that we hung in our game room.

I also found an exit sign for $5.00. I really like collecting signs and thought this would be a great novelty piece. I simply unscrewed the back, placed some white holiday lights into it, and now we have a fun conversation piece sitting on our bookshelf for less than $10.00.

Now they're just rubbing it in! [Flickr]

alamodestuff — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:12:05 PST

alamodestuff posted a photo:

Sophie in silhouette #weimaraner #weim #dogs [Flickr]

alamodestuff — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:44:40 PST

alamodestuff posted a photo:

A sign you need a vacation - OM [one moment] meet up

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:19:00 +0000

my snugglebunny, originally uploaded by Brian Rawson.

You know the trend; people who wear slippers in public. We won't even talk about pajama pants. These are things that make me cringe.

Well, I'm no stranger to trends and this morning I almost joined the ranks of those who wear their bed gear out of the house.

Heading to school, I realized I was still wearing my slippers. It wouldn't have mattered much (they look like black ballet flats) except that I was going to the gym after dropping E at school. So, amidst histerical laughter from E, I turned the car around to retrieve my sneakers.

I'm so glad I could make E's morning with this blunder.

Have you ever done something similarly forgetful and embarrasing?

Day 9: front door - it's orange and has original 1968 door knob. #midcentury #midcenturymodern #architecture [Flickr]

alamodestuff — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:33:09 PST

alamodestuff posted a photo:

Grey Skies - by Crafted by Lindy - Fab Finds from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (craftedbylindy) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

1. White Cloud Necklace in Concrete - DrCraze

2. Double Flower Garden Crown - littlehoneypies

3. White Flower Kiss Earrings - AkulaHopeDesigns

4. Rustic Garden Votive -DarlingLovesDapper

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

5. Chestnut paper origami lampshade grey - nellianna

6. Valentine's silver heart pendant - DreamofaDream

7. Grey Hooded Dress - MIRIMIRIFASHION

8. Chainlink - Organic from Daisy Janie's Shades of Gray Collection - sewfinefabric

[Lindy lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, son and daughter. Besides blogging, she enjoys running her stationery business and creating new designs for her Etsy shop. You can read her own blog here]

Woman on a ledge [Flickr]

alamodestuff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:16:33 PST

alamodestuff posted a photo:

Push button in case of emergency

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:53:00 +0000

Well, hello. I know, it's been a while. Have you ever had one of those days...or 4 or 5 in a row?

I finally have my PC back and in working order. Mind you, it's not without a few glitches. But, I can get back to a few of my projects. Plans are in the works for a new Mac!

Max has been sick this week. Miserably sick. The kind of sick that makes a mom feel helpless. Ethan was home yesterday, too, also not feeling well. Fortunately, working from home allows me to stop, drop, and roll when it comes to these circumstances.

Throughout this mini "hiatus," I was able to keep up with my #Febphotoaday challenge. I did, however, mix up yesterday's challenge with today's. So yesterday's photo theme was button but I'm posting it today.

There are days I wish I had an emergency button, so I made myself one.

How have you been?

Day 8 (7): button - in case of emergency #febphotoaday [Flickr]

alamodestuff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:47:49 PST

alamodestuff posted a photo:

The importance of eating together as a family - OM [one moment] meet up

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:02:00 +0000

DINNER ON THE FARM-OHIO STYLE., originally uploaded by Collage-Nikov2010.

I'm still without my computer and, to be honest, I'm kinda liking it. Working off a portable MacBook allows me to move freely about the house. And, I've not been anchored to the computer like it's a ball and chain.

Someone asked me this week how often we ate dinner together as a family. Incredibly, we eat together more often than not. We may not have a big home cooked meal, but even over leftovers, we sit together for dinner most nights. I hadn't really thought about it much.

Yesterday, E was asked to share what he liked most about our family. The first thing he said was that we ate dinner together all the time. That made my heart smile.

How about your week?

Be Mine - by Crafted by Lindy - Fab Finds from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (craftedbylindy) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

1. Handmade round beads Necklace - JullMade

2. Organic Valentine Dress for Girl - purepixie

3. Cup Cake Trio-5"x7" Fine Art Photograph - diemdesign

4. Heart necklace - red concrete and silver - lulubugjewelry

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

5. His and Hers Set-Mustache & Lips Coat Racks - SpareTimeWoodDesigns

6. Sock Monkey Popsicle Soap - LoveLeeSoaps

7. vintage spectator pumps // 1940's - RococoVintage

8. French Macaron - themacaronqueen

Project letter writing letter for January sent

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:14:00 +0000

I'm quite inspired (and slightly embarrassed) that most of you got your letters out in a much more timely fashion for Project Letter Writing. I've just made the January 31 deadline. Whew. I've put a letter into the mail for Miss Thang.

This is exactly why I started this project and need reinforcement from you. It should be one of the easiest tasks but for some reason it takes more effort than should for me

What is it about writing a note to someone?

Is it that we are so used to typing more quickly? Perhaps.

Is it that we have to tuck away a little bit of time to compose our thoughts? Certainly

It wasn't that difficult, was it? And I know Miss Thang will love the picture of Lola I sent (and the origami folded letter which I'll show you in an upcoming post).

Thank you for joining me in this project and encouraging me through your participation. Be sure to add a link to your photo or blog post here. Won't it be great to see all our entries at the end of the year. I'm also enjoying some of your photos (tagged #projectletterwriting). It will be a great collection of all our efforts throughout the year.

I've also noticed that my friends @Kobrienjewelry and @madeinLowell have tagged a few Instagram photos with #savetheUSPS2012 and #savetheusps. Since this project is also a direct function of the USPS, I'd like to include those tags as well.

I'll announce the winner of the giveaway later today. Also, some of you may not have received your cards from me yet. You will soon, I promise.

Monday madness and what's to come

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:51:00 +0000

Hi there! I hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was filled with lots of boy chauffeuring (skiing, back and forth to friends, etc.) and dog mayhem. You know, the usual.

My computer isn't much better, although C spent a few hours trying to fix it. We're going to have to call in the experts. So, I'm working off a MacBook. I feel like I've been jilted by my PC, yet again, and the Mac is faithfully standing by bailing me out as usual. I'm editing photos on my iPhone, sending them to my Flickr and blogging from there. Talk about utilizing resources.

I had a small window of creativity over the weekend. I finally created this tissue box cover that has been dancing in my head for years. In one try, I put this together. Seldom is something designed and made almost perfectly the first time. But, I'm very pleased with how this turned out. It simply slides right over a standard cube tissue box.

The plan is to make more of these in various colors and sizes and have them available on my website in the next few weeks. What do you think about them?

Mac haiku - OM [one moment] meet up

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

PC has a bug.
I can't write a post today.
I MUST buy Mac soon.

Take cover, curse words are a flyin' here in my studio! I'm the only hold out using a PC in this house, soon to be back on an Apple computer. Funny, I was a die hard Mac user when I met C many years ago. He's the one that took me to the other side only to now torment me whenever I get a virus.

Have a great weekend. Hopefully, I'll be back up and running (not publishing from C's Mac) next week.

For The Home - by Crafted by Lindy - Fab Finds from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (craftedbylindy) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

1. ceramic buttons, neutral oyster satin finish, set of 6 - karoArt

2. Reservoir Dogs - Pencil Set - oneupdesigns

3. Home fabric Cotton Linen- " I Heart Pipe- Mustard - NewMomDesigns

4. Big Lemon Yellow Balls 6 Pcs - ThreeBlueBees

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

5. Dancing Green Beans. 8x10 Fine Art Photo - joystclaire

6. Vintage Pyrex Mixing Bowls, Nesting Bowl Set - SaltCitySpice

7. 1960s Pink Nightgown. Mad Men. Lingerie - gogovintage

8. Mustaches Set of 12 - Magnets - theangryrobot

Photo collage letters - wall decor diy

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:13:00 +0000

I made these photo collage letters many years ago, but since I took a picture of them for my Day 25: Something you made #Janphotoaday today, I thought I'd share. These usually hang on my wall with various black and white family photos.

Supplies:

Paper or wood letters
I found letters at my local art supply store. They come in various sizes and materials. These happen to be wood. I chose the first letter of each of my boys. They happen to be "M" and "E." I like the narcisistic "ME" it spells out.

Photocopied or printed pictures

Decoupage medium (I use Mod Podge Glue, Matte Finish)

Acrylic paint for edges (I used black)

1) Print your favorite photos of each child in black and white (color would be nice, too).

2) Cut each photo out.

3) Glue them to the letter with the decoupage medium (watered down white glue). Be sure to overlap the photos for a cleaner collage effect.

4) Let dry (no worries, it will dry clear). Coat with another layer of decoupage medium. Let dry again. Repeat 2 to 3 times for optimum coverage/protection.

5) Paint the edges whatever color you'd like.

Hang. Enjoy. This is an easy project that will bring you years of smiles.
Pin It

My Instagram and Photo a day challenge obsession.

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

I wanted to share a few recent obsessions of mine: Instagram and Fat Mum Slim's Photo-a-Day challenge.

First off, Instagram has been around for a while. It's a free app for your iPhone (not sure about others) that allows you to add interesting filters and and share your photos online. I always have my phone with me and enjoy taking photos, so this was a no brainer for me. I've also found a new community of online friends through using it. Here's how...

I've used hashtags (#) for subjects I photograph a lot such as the dogs. I have found a big group of Weimaraner owners who, like me, photograph their dogs doing funny things or sitting pretty. Searching #Weimaraner you'll find over 8,300 photos to like or comment upon.

Other hashtags I use (according to my own preferences) are #midcentury, #midcenturymodern, #home, #shoes, you get the idea. These allow me to find the kinds of photos and subjects that interest me, thus connecting me to people with these things in common. Of course, Instagram allows me to follow other friends who also use this application on Twitter and Facebook.

Now onto my 2nd obsession: Photo-a-Day challenge. I've tried various photo challenges in the past, 365 Project and 52 Weeks of Photos, to no avail. Having no direction each day or week, I found that I would forget to take a photo or scramble to shoot anything just to fulfill the requirement. Not as enjoyable. When I read about Fat Mum Slim's Photo-a-Day challenge, I decided to give it another go. Chantelle created this challenge that has really taken off online. You may have seen photos on Twitter with the tag #Janphotoaday and wondered how/where it originated. She produced a list of things to photograph each day in January.

I actually started with Day 10: childhood but have been following along each day since. Here are my photos so far this month. Click image to enlarge.

If you find yourself on Instagram, look me up under @alamodestuff. Even if not on Instagram, people are using the hash tags on Twitter and Flickr. Simply tag your photos with #Janphotoaday. It's lots of fun. Chantelle just posted the a new list for February (#Febphotoaday). Start there if you'd like.

Are you doing the challenge?

My letter from Lil' Miss Thang :: OM [one moment] meetup

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:19:00 +0000

This week, I received an incredibly sweet letter from my little neighbor in Rhode Island. When we moved into our home there, she was just a baby. We spent 7 years as neighbors and I watched her grow into a lovely young girl of almost 8. It was hard saying goodbye.

Lil' Miss Thang,' as I've been known to call her affectionately, wrote that she missed me. I cannot tell you how much that makes my heart smile. I miss her, too. We shared a lot in common. She and I were surrounded by boys: her 2 older brothers, my 2 sons. We would laugh at the boys and talk art. I would make her accessories that she would proudly wear. I appreciated seeing her smile and wave every morning as we all started our days heading in different directions.

She included a drawing of me in the letter. It's hanging on my inspiration board in my studio.I had planned to write a friend for this month's Project Letter Writing. Now I look forward to adding Lil' Miss Thang to my list. I'll include photos and maybe an easy origami project.

There is nothing like getting a letter from a child. They are filled with so much joy, sincerity, and innocence. Project Letter Writing and my OM [one moment] serendipitously collided this week. January could not have started off better. Thanks, Lil' Miss Thang!
What was your moment this week?

Cute - by Crafted by Lindy - Fab Finds from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (craftedbylindy) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

1. Practical bonnet hat,newborn baby-mustard - zoik

2. Rich Pink Mid Pumps 6 1/2 - slowfax

3. Rico the Dog Doll Eco Friendly Upcycled - babyNoa

4. Party Hat - natural linen - ColetteBream

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

5. vintage 40s 50s shaggy dog chalkware valentine bank - compostthis

6. Two nursery wall art print set for babys room - Raceytay

7. Amigurumi Apple in a Cozy - Crocheted Toy - BubblegumBelles

8. Ferret Figurine - Black-Footed Ferret - BonjourPoupette

Rasterbating in the game room

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:16:00 +0000

Now that got your attention, didn't it?!

Sorry, it isn't as lurid as it sounds. It's actually a computer program that enables the user to print larger tiled versions of a photo or image. It's been around for a while and I've always loved the look. I finally have a wall and space big enough for a multi frame display. Here's what I did:

First, I chose a photo that was meaningful for us. I thought it best to use one with lines and an interesting perspective. This photo was taken from the MOMA a few years ago on our family visit to NYC.

I downloaded The Rasterbator (it's free but be forewarned, it adds Bing to your tool bar which pissed me off). I chose the sizes I wanted: paper and pixel size and overall rows; downloaded the photo and it created a pdf of the photo in 12 sheets of paper. I would have gone larger but 1) I'm cheap and didn't want to purchase more frames, 2) didn't want to use more ink and paper, and 3) wasn't sure I'd be happy with the end product. I like the way it turned out so I'd definitely go bigger next time.

I bought 12 inexpensive 8x10 black picture frame (similar to these) from my local superstore. Laying out my images first, I cut them to size and inserted them into the frames.

I eyeballed the placement of the frames as I hung them on the wall. That was mistake #1 but I'm too lazy to actually measure and install. So, although 12 hanging frames are up, there are about 27 holes behind them. AND they were still hung at a slant. C spent an hour fixing them, while cursing under his breath, on Sunday. Anyway, I love how they turned out. When you walk into our game room, you see the overall layout from afar. What you can't see is that the images are dots, that's why it looks less vibrant than the photo. It has a much more graphic impact in person.

The fun thing is that we can change the image(s) anytime we want. There are so many ways to make this look your own. You could use thicker frames, white frames, hang the images closer together or farther apart. I'd love to see what you do with this.

The game room is still a work in progress and on our list of renovation projects. There are skylights and windows throughout but very little ventilation. This spring, we are going to replace the single paned windows with double panes that open.

We added a newly purchased military red cross flag next to the images. You can see it in yesterday's post.

Sophie had a fun interaction with the cow poster. Somehow she noticed it for the first time yesterday. You can see her funny interaction here:

Picked and purhcased - a foray into surplus store shopping

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:18:00 +0000

I hope you had a nice long weekend. I'm hanging out with E today as he's "not feeling well." Frankly, he just needs to eat more veggies. He and I just dropped Lola off at the vet to be fixed. Poor thing will be out of it today, not knowing what happened. Surprisingly, Sophie is a little beside herself with Lola being gone. We just assumed that since Lola mostly annoyed Sophie, that she'd appreciate the alone time.

Our weekend was fairly low key. Yesterday, C and I happened upon an army surplus store while we were out running errands. As he is not a big shopper (unless it's shopping for something specific and electronic that he wants), he reluctantly followed me in the store. I love going through places like this because you never know what you might find.

We wandered through the building and a large yard of all kinds of random stuff. I felt like we were on American Pickers. It took a few minutes, but I could tell that C was warming up to the eclectic mix of items I'd picked up: an old exit sign and incense storage display. He comfortably negotiated the prices down (something he is good at and I hate to do).

Back inside, C saw this old red cross medical unit flag hanging as a display along the wall. Since he had asked about several other display pieces (none of which were for sale), I figured it wasn't up for grabs. I also thought he was purposefully going for items that were clearly unavailable to us just for sport.

"I'll give you X for it," he blurted to the sales person.

Wait a minute. That came out of his mouth a little too comfortably. Maybe American Pickers has seeped into his subconscious.

The guy called the owner who accepted his offer and we now have this flag hanging in our boy's game room.

I think it looks great next to the rasterbated photo I hung last week (details of which will follow in another post). C loves that it's medical related. I love that he got into the spirit of the experience.

What did you do this weekend?

Howling at the moon || OM [one moment] meet up

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:28:00 +0000

There was a full moon on Monday.

Chris and I both sat up straight out of bed around 3:00 AM at what sounded like a pack of Coyote howling, chomping, grunting. The sound was right outside our bedroom window.

The windows that are directly above our heads...at ground level. Yes, sitting up in bed we are eye to eye with all living creatures.

Sophie and Lola slept right through it. Some watchdogs they are. Actually, I' m glad. Had they heard/seen the wolves, we may have had a bed full of dogs - both wild and wimpy.

Did you have anything strange happen to you during the full moon?

Project Letter Writing Details and Jan giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:55:00 +0000

See January's giveaway from Modern Printed Matter details below.

Giveaway Closed

Cyn, Congrats! Your name was chosen (via Random.org) to receive the card set from Modern Printed Matter.

Here are the details for Project Letter Writing 2012 and, I must say, I'm pretty excited. We have some great stationers joining us and a few collaborations in the works. I see some fabulous giveaways throughout the year and I'm eager to write my own first letter.

I'd love for you to join me and encourage each other throughout the year. There are no hard and fast rules, just mail a card or letter to someone each month.

If you post about it somewhere online (your blog, Flickr, Tumblr, Instagram) please leave us your link below so we can see what you did.
If you are on Instagram or Twitter use the hash tag #projectletterwriting so we can follow together.
Let me know if you are a stationer. I may buy from you for my personal stash or for giveaways throughout the year. I will add you to the list of stationers supporting this project. Oh, and you can participate, too!

If you'd like to support and share this project, please grab a badge for your blog.

_______________________________________________________________

For January:

Everyone who joins me this month will get a card from one of my favorite stationers. Yep, you'll have a card to send to someone next month. Simply leave me a comment below and we'll send you a card.
PLUS, your name will be entered into a giveaway for a set of botanical note cards by Anna Cote of Modern Printed Matter (please, one entry per person; name - must leave contact info - will be randomly drawn via Random.org and announced on January 31, 2012 at noon PST).

From chewed to reviewed: How my dog made me appreciate my accomplishments

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000

Lola! This puppy will chew on anything. From a new pair of Max's Vans (just purchased this past weekend)...

To my mom's vintage tomato pin cushion (which I'd schlepped with me from childhood to now).

I came home yesterday to find my studio floor covered with a chewed up photo album. Luckily, it wasn't my childhood album or Max's baby album. It was photos of the first handbags I made some 5ish years ago.

As I gathered the torn pages, I couldn't help but look at the photos. Wow, I've come a long way. I started out making reversible bags in simply geometric shapes. I've kept some of my styles and have moved away from others. I used to carry this album to trade and craft shows so that my customers could see my work. Surprisingly, I liked what I saw and felt a tinge of pride in the collection of items I had documented. I may have never looked at these photos again for years had Lola not chewed them to pieces.

It is healthy to look back at what you've accomplished. It will gratify you, surprise you, and perhaps energize you. If you haven't already, I highly recommend putting together a portfolio of your work. If not for your business, for yourself.

Have you looked at your past work lately?

My state of being today

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:51:00 +0000

Bliss, originally uploaded by CLimage.

Kids are back in school after two weeks of being at home for the holidays. I feel lighter in step. It's quiet. Ahhhh.....bliss.

Where are you today?

Kitchen time with the boys :: OM [one moment] meet up

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0000

[source]

My boys are still on vacation. Two weeks is a long time. It has been very dry here in Reno and the mountains are still without snow so we haven't been skiing as planned.

Max is now 15 and Ethan 10. It's strange to see those numbers written. I have found it difficult to find common activities any more. I'm not much of a gamer, my bad back has limited my physical activities with them (although I still play some basketball and ping pong). I've put my foot down on watching anymore Bourne Identity movies. Really, how many times can they watch those things?!

As vacation dragged on my patience began to wane particularly when it came to feeding them.

"Mom, what's for lunch?"

"There's nothing to eat."

"What's for dinner?"

"Can we go out to eat?"

"When are you going to make us food?"

"Pizza, pizza, ice cream, pizza!"

I've always wanted the boys to learn their way around the kitchen and enjoy cooking. I've always felt guilty about not teaching them to fend for themselves more than boiling water for mac & cheese. Chris, after all, is a fabulous cook. He can whip things up w/out recipes and with few ingredients. He cooks more than I do in the house. And he enjoys it. Me...not so much. I'm an non-experimental 'follow the recipe' kind of gal. I decided to put them to work. I began to tell them that I wouldn't make them meals without their help. "You wanna eat? Get in the kitchen."

Surprisingly, my 15 yo was eager and willing to go through cookbooks. He chose several meals and made them with me from start to finish. We had a blast. The meals were great. I can tell he is feeling more comfortable in the kitchen. And the quality time we spent together is priceless.

One night when I was particularly exhausted, I told them they had to make dinner by themselves. I sat in the family room area to answer questions, but they did everything from setting the table to cleaning the dishes. They made a small ham, scalloped potatoes, and green beans. Not one complaint was uttered from their mouths. As a matter of fact, they insisted that I not do one thing to help. I could tell they were proud of their accomplishment.

It's sometimes hard for me to let go of daily tasks but there is no better way to teach the boys than to let them do things on their own. I will be doing this more often!

Have you been surprised at what your kids are willing and eager to learn?

Keep Warm - by Crafted by Lindy - Fab Finds from Etsy

noreply@blogger.com (craftedbylindy) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

1. Yellow crochet scarf - infinity chunky wool - violasboutique

2. Scarf Collection Breezy 1950s to 1980s - CheekyVintageCloset

3. Chunky Circle Scarf - Grey Sweatshirt - BlueBirdsFlyBoutique

4. Super soft turquoise teal blue collar scarf with ruffled edge - LittleShopofCrochets

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

5. Infinity Scarf. Circle Cowl Scarf. Spring Floral. For Her. Cotton. - handmadetherapy

6. Infinity Cashmere Scarf - Winter Accessories - Ayca

7. Crochet Infinity Scarf - Mustard Yellow and Cream - HandmadeHarvest

8. CROCHET PATTERN PDF- Leah Infinity Scarf - ArtsyCrochet

Replaced interior doors - This old (new) house Project #1 completed

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:21:00 +0000

I promised to share completed photos of our interior doors. The original doors were (and many still are) louvered. Love the look. Hate the lack of privacy and dusting. We replaced the bedrooms and 2 bathroom doors. The work in progress shots are in this post.

Above are the pocket doors on the boy's (main) bathroom. We originally wanted interior barn type doors but the hardware cost was extreme. The original doors, albeit louvered and always off their tracks, were pocket. I love how these turned out. They allow natural filtered light to enter the hall but still provide ample privacy.

This is the larger part of the hall. The bedroom door was replaced as well. Directly across from the pocket doors are closet doors (louvered). Note: carpet will eventually go.

This is our master bathroom door. The bathroom has a skylight so the light filters into the bedroom entry nicely. We chose very nice solid doors (pricey but necessary), so I can't even hear the shower running when C is in there in the morning.

A last minute addition in our renovation was that we dry walled the bar that separates the family room from the kitchen. This area had original cedar shingles which can be seen throughout the house. Our goal is to try to stay as true to the original house as possible. However, there are some areas that can be updated without detracting from the overall original appeal. In fact, I believe that updating a few areas will do the home some good. This was one of those areas.

You can see in the picture (taken when we were first looking at the house w/ C, my bff, and Realtor) the shingled bar in the background. Several shingles had fallen off and frankly they made the room feel dated and dark. After much debate, and I'm sure to the chagrin of the previous owners, we removed them.

Immediately, the room felt lighter and brighter. You'll note in all these photos how much wood and stone we have throughout the house. I think the contrast was much needed.

This is a photo before the final coat of paint went up. Please excuse the cluttered counter. We had extra chairs (stackable outdoor surf chairs from Crate and Barrel) at our table due to the Thanksgiving crowd we were expecting. The 1/2 wall (bar) runs along the entire expanse of family room/eating area. On the left you'll notice our easy rider bar and to the right our kitchen. I'm not typically a white paint person, but in this house the white feels right. The back kitchen wall will likely be painted as well. We also updated the lighting along the bar (an interesting project in itself) and over the table (Possini white flower pendant).

So Project #1 is finished. Project #2, mentioned here, has also been completed. I'll try to take some photos of that one to show you. Project #3 is likely to be some major window replacement. 5,945 more projects to go. Sigh.....

The lost art of letter writing - Project Letter Writing 2012

noreply@blogger.com (alamodestuff) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:39:00 +0000

personalized cards by Angie Allen Stationary

When I take down my displayed holiday cards each year, I always tell myself I'm going to write my friends a letter or card sometime throughout the new year. This has been a pipe dream of mine for years. To sit down in an evening, choose a random friend, and write a note to them on beautiful stationary. It's a great notion but one that is often squashed by reality.

As the postal service is having financial issues, letter writing is becoming even more obsolete. I've used the USPS for all my shipping needs and have been extremely pleased with their service. It is truly amazing to me that a package or letter can get across the country in a matter of a few days for very little money. And what about the convenience of having something brought directly to your home daily? As much as I complained about the rising cost of postage, 44 cents can be found under the floor mats of my car or sofa seat cushions. It's embarrassing to think how much I willingly spend on a cup of coffee from YouKnowWhobucks.

I love the art of letter writing. I love beautiful stationary and cards. I have a box full of cards for every holiday. I have gorgeous pens, nibs and inks. If better organized, I should be able to send at the very least a birthday card a month. It's all been a lovely notion.

As I pondered this idea for the ?? year, I thought that even a card/letter a month isn't a huge task. I just need to commit to it. So, that is what I'm going to do. Would you like to join me? I'm going to write a letter or send a card to someone at least once a month (maybe more but at least once). I'll document it here with a photo. If you'd like to make this commitment, too, just share your post or photo and I'll post it along with mine for the month.

Do I have any takers?

Captured: Untitled

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brennan) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:10:00 +0000

Untitled | Lina Scheynius All rights reserved

I'd like to thank Diana for sharing her photographic finds with us since July of 2010. This is her 68th and last post on the a la mode Stuff blog. Like you, I've enjoyed each post. She introduced me to photographers whose work I had never seen but will certainly continue to follow. I look forward to seeing where Diana goes with her own photography. Thank you, Diana, for sharing your finds of nature, mystery, and the ethereal world through the lens.

[Captured is a weekly column curated by Diana Brennan of D. S. Brennan Photography. Diana lives with her husband in Rhode Island, where she spends her time immersed in photography, gardening, cooking, and home renovation projects. You can read her own blog here.]