4401 East Bobfather

The depressed economy + a great foreclosed property + (mostly) LOVE have seen my oldest bro, The Bobfather, do something he has sworn for the last couple of decades he would never do: purchase a house. Bobfather is a straightforward, very simple guy with simple space needs, and to-date disdained the many blisses of homeownership (weed whacking/lawn mowing, A/C filter changing, bathtub leak caulking, every Wednesday night at Home Depot, etc.) for apartment living with just him and my nephew, call the landlady when a problem reared its head, and spare time for guitar-playing and The Sopranos watching. Then came a lovely senorita from Hermosillo, and a year+ later? See below!

Today, my entire clan gathered for truck loading, box packing, and getting as much SHITE as possible from Point Apartment to Point 4401 E. Bobfather. Numerous other relatives, realizing what a Monumental Event this is, asked me to be sure to take photos, so you're getting as many as I could possibly sneak in between unloading boxes! Tomorrow, more Clan action, getting the rest of the big stuff moved, and cleaning. [To say I am sore would be a drastic understatement -- I can work like a machine UNLESS I happen to sit down; then it takes an act of Congress to get me back upright.] SOLD!!! SOLD!!!! GO, BOBFATHER! Here it is! 4401 East Bobfather! So exciting! Gigantic yard, front and back, in need of MUCH TLC. But boy, when it's TLC'd, it's going to be luscious. And my very own Double BB happens to be one of those guys who loves applying TLC to outdoor spaces. Enough pictures, Bone! Let's go get another load! My nephew's room, in the front of the house. So light! These shelves were added when the water heater went to live in the laundry room. All my family and I love these kinds of little nooks, built-ins, oddities. Cool place for extra storage, and who doesn't always need more of that? Main bathroom on the front side of the house, to be shared by little Florencia [My Love, Ciera's, BFF] and my nephew, Alex. Sink and shower/bath. Love the tile. Long end of the L-shaped Hermosillo Room - which is kind of a second living room which we suspect might have been used as the master bedroom in a past life. This is actually perfect for the different uses: TV, computer/office station for Bobfather, an art corner. On the opposite end, off the short side of the 'L', is a guest bedroom that also has arcadia doors leading to the back yard. This is going to be walled in on the Hermosillo Room side, and opened up in Bobfather's 'master' to create a closet in that room. Currently there is none for him or his senorita there. The closet (next photo) in the Hermosillo Room will serve for his clothes, for now, pending renovations. One more Hermosillo Room closet, likely to become Art Central for the youngest member of the household, Miss Florencia! This is a half bath between the kitchen alcove and the 'Hermosillo Room' (so named because Bobfather's love is from Hermosillo, Mexico.) The bath is accessible from both the alcove and the Hermosillo Room. I just happened to like the sink! For now, appliances remain. A counter is going to go in to allow for prep, stove-side, fridge is also located just right of the stove for now. The kitchen: dated, small, not so much counter space, NOT the selling point of the house whatsoever, but ideas abound and Bobfather will make it right -- he's a chef-by-passion and the chief cook in the household, so that area will be addressed muy pronto! This is an alcove between the kitchen and Bobfather's master bedroom. The fridge is already relocated to live beside the stove. This alcove is going to become more of a pantry/prep area. Tub in the 'master' bath. I covet this tub. I also love the tile. There is SO much light in this bathroom -- actually, in the entire house. Awesome. Door between garage and house, but this door is being moved to the front of the house. Double pedestal sinks overlooking the HUGE back yard, in what will be the master bath. I wanted to get artsy fartsy with these -- no time. Built-ins in the room Bobfather will be using as the 'master'. He, like ALL my family, is a book fiend ... these will be jam packed as soon as he unpacks! I just liked this door inset. Didn't have time to get artsy fartsy with it like I wanted. Laundry/water heater room, just inside the garage. Garage. Except this is where my nephew, Alex's, band Trinsik will rehearse. Both the garage door AND the side doors open. Kinda weird, kinda cool. The garage is on the side of the house that backs up to a street, so the band runs no risk of irritating neighbors. Corner built-ins in the alcove between the master bedroom and the kitchen. Our happy homeowner! Oh! He has such a Bruce Willis grin, doesn't he?

Friday Karma

How do I break this bad-bidness-on-Fridays? Some SHITE always hitting the fan, on top of the regular stress I feel getting payroll done? No matter how I visualize, pray, ignore, visualize more ...

like just now. 3 hours after payroll is run and all my reports are finished, suddenly I'm informed of something that impacts ALL of the above, requires re-running the entire thing, starting over ...

nothing like communication.

I am always fighting tears by 11:01 a.m. on Fridays.

I HATE FRIDAYS.

May 28, 2009 Dreamscape

background sounds - sitar, crickets, a metronome.

Sound Advice for Toni

Don't Do Crackle.

And that's all I have to say about that. Take 1.
Take 2.
Take 3.

May 27, 2009 Dreamscape

Speaking Volumes without Sound

This, by far, is my favorite Julification technique to-date ... because I am a texture fiend AND a vintage wallpaper fiend and this turns the page into something that offers both feels. I'm still watching the videos at work and taking notes, then reviewing them at home without sound, but THIS technique resonated! Take 1. I don't think I like the drips, ever, on any page, but certainly not on these pages. I'm using Bombay inks with a deliberate 'vision' in mind but it's not happening -- yet. Take 2. Just not feeling the drips, at all. Still using Bombay inks and fiddling with rubbing it mostly off. But oh this luscious TEXTURE!!! Take 3. Still using Bombay Ink drips, then 'distressing' them mostly OFF the page. Awesome texture effects, though.

All the ephemera/images on all of these pages is from my bubbling fountain of wonder & generosity, Beth!

Frivolity in Wishes

Today's prompt over at Jamie's is What Frivolous Treat Do You Wish For? Because I'm going to England, my long-time love for Wellies has surged forth ... I don't, necessarily, want to purchase a pair, but I wish to be able to try some on, fun and funky colors all! And slop around the shop in them making Wellington Boot noises ... just so, after returning to this Phoenix desert where Wellies would never be needed!, I'll know precisely how they feel, smell, what they sound like! Details!

Julification Without Sound

First run, I tried to do from memory, as my laptop was visiting elsewhere! They were so bad I didn't even bother with drips! (smile) Last night, I discovered the sound on my laptop was kaput ... GEEZ!!! So I only did Part 1 of the second videos, following along without sound. At least I'd had a chance to watch them at work a couple of times first. I really love how this page turned out, actually!

May 26, 2009 Dreamscape

When you dream, do you ever have sensory reactions/sensations? In this dream, it was as if one of those patio mister systems ran throughout the entire dream, a soft soft sheen of water on my skin, on the clothes and parts of the dream, also coloring the FEEL of everything with a sweetly blurred white-blue. mmmmm.

La Belle Journal

I've started the backgrounds for a new journal. This time, I'm working on loose heavy bond sheets, which I'll bind at the END of completing the backgrounds. I want to try wire-binding for easier opening, and access for writing (lay flat!) I've been working on these since I mailed off My Queen, Holly's completed journal. Words. Windblown. Vandalia. Up At the Villa Totally Strong. Timeless Beauty. One of my first 3 Julification attempts, which I despised, and look at it now. Wowza. Summer Sunday. Shabby Chandelier. Moonscape. (one of my Julification pages). Ciera found this brochure/booklet thingie in the neighbor's yard (vacant house), perfectly weathered, splattered, paint smeared ... so I used one of the pages here. (Thanks, Ciera Beara!) Ledger Laundry. June. Hello? Garden. Dragonfly. Creme de Menthe. Candy Wrappers.