the other blog

I wanted to give notice of another blog I started. No prose, just pictures of art. We've been in the process of cataloging much of the art that we eventually plan to sell. (Originally, we had hoped to have sold it before the downturn in the market.)

All of the pieces are from the Brown County Art Colony, Brown County, Indiana. Most pieces are also from the earlier years of the colony, from the 1910's to the middle twentieth century. Joe and Kris were avid collectors, and we would have better use of the capital it could possibly generate than to have it all gracing our walls.

Click on my Blogger profile, and you will see it listed as another blog I own. Enjoy! (and if you are interested in any of the pieces, use my gmail address and let me know.

To make viewing even easier, here's the link: http://browncountyartcolony.blogspot.com/

Halloween was a Hoot, now back to bidness...

To have the priveledge of living in a house like The 602, I am more than happy to embellish the facade for Halloween. I spent a good three hours decorating the front porch and yard on Friday afternoon, and the crowd never seemed to cease. Probably around 300 children graced our front steps, and the nearly $90 worth of candy I purchased was whittled down to just a few handfuls that are now tempting me each time I walk past the bowl. We had Bethanie and Charles help us hand out treats (and douse the children with the hidden fog machine at the top of the steps), and then later on, Steve and Lynne brought their kids, their kids' friends, and one of the kids' friend's Mother... at about the time we wrapped up our treating. One thing about it being on a Friday night this year, I was uncharacteristically partaking of the spirits. I paid for it this morning, too. I'm a lightweight, so when one considers the two beers (actually, Irish Red ale), and the entire bottle of vino that I consumed, I was toast by the end of the eve.

Today, I have spent the majority of the day in the attic. Not your typical attic, I should add. The 602 boasts an attic the size of the average American home. Some 2000 square feet, with ceilings that reach around 14 feet (give or take), at it's highest point. My plan is to have the attic become a landing spot for much of the boxed goods that are scattered about the house. Some things will land there permanently, such as luggage and wrapping paper, and empty boxes, and Holiday themed stuff... but some things just need to have a place to land for a little while.

Since we repainted all of the upstairs last summer, things have never gotten to a state of normalcy, simply because of the sheer volume of 'stuff'. If I can get most everything up there that is now in our way, I plan to have the main house completely staged for normal living by Christmas*. Perhaps my library will not be painted by then, but to have The 602 livable in each room will do my psyche a heaping bit of good.

Last week was mid-term grade reports, and I am very pleased to say that in Accounting, I have a very solid "A", and in Business Law, I have a "B". Since getting back into the swing of school while working full time, I cannot imagine the folks who take a full load and still work. I realize that my two classes may be more time consuming than they are difficult, but these 6 credit hours are whipping my be-hind! Of course, my job is somewhat demanding of my time too... so I suppose it's a combination of both that are doing their number on me.

I guess that's it..... Check out the picture of the chandelier I installed in the front hall last weekend! Very blingy.























I installed a dimmer switch on it just before trick or treaters arrived last night, so that made the mood of The 602 even more dark and mysterious!!!

New Toy

I'm a sucker for old classic cars. Recently, we've been serious about tracking one down to actually buy and enjoy. It just so happens that on Memorial Day, I actually had the winning bid on this lead sled. A 1971 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. She needs a little attention, but nothing too drastic (I hope).

I had mentioned naming her "Divine", but that was more fitting of another car we spotted... a 1967 Buick Electra 225, and Joe happened to come up with a more fitting name.

We will name her "Endora".

I will also post different pictures of her. I stole these from the E-bay listing...

Artful Dilemmas

The hallways have awaited a response from either of us since being painted and refinished, to display the multitude of artwork that is begging to be hung. The stumbling block for us has been what method to use, and the cute cartoon above clearly demonstrates our angst, but finding the appropriate hardware has been an exhaustive process. We clearly want to use a picture hanging system that blends into the period of the house (1887-1892), but just about all I can find up to now has been more of what one might find in a home fully appointed by Ikea. (I enjoy that look, but only if it can blend... which here, it will not.)

I'll try and remember to take some before and after photos...

I Screamed

This is no ordinary movie poster. I thought that is was, but should have known better. Joe asked me to help carry it down to show Bethanie and Ann, since we were talking about Joan Crawford.

It was wrapped in a thick moving blanket, and when it was revealed I screamed. We all screamed.

It is NOT an ordinary movie poster. It is the master template. After that was disclosed, I felt a little queasy.

BTW, that poster is 6' tall.

Preview

The Master Bedroom is nearly complete. Here_is_a_reminder of how it used to look. Yesterday, Charles helped me move the essential furniture into it, and Joe and I were able to spend our first night in the new boudoir. I made sure to dress the bed in the new 1000 thread-count linens. Pure Heaven. Here are a few preview pics with more to come after the room is accessorized completely:





























Note the painted door behind the bed... so as to hide it. We do not use it (it leads into the adjoining bedroom) and I think it was a great idea to do that. The bed would not have worked as well against any other wall. I suppose it could have worked in the bay, but the headboard is high enough that it would block access to the windows.

I am glad that Joe and I thought about the chandelier for this room. It's Checkoslovakian. I do not know how old...but thinking from the 1930's. Charles re-wired and hung it for us. It definitely needs a dimmer switch now.

We Took The Dogs

out for a walk last night. Our path followed the usual route: the historic Jewish Levi Hospital, turn of the century Victorian dollhouses-three in a row-that are appropriately called "The Three Sisters", then into the commercial district of downtown. We passed by a private courtyard on Exchange Street that I had just noticed for the first time. (I'll try and get a photo soon). It's amazing how there are several little treatlets in this town, undiscovered, even though I've called it home since 1994.

And when our walk led us past The Aristocrat, I sidestepped the slippery grates... much like Dick VanDyke sidestepped the ottoman. Well, no...but given the memory of the pain from falling horizontally atop it, I woulda if'n I needed to.

We came upon several of the new antique shops on the upper end of Central Avenue. Several of them really did their windows well, as they stopped us dead in our tracks. Saw a couple of palace-size urns (Asian) complete with their wood stands, a sterling trimmed crystal pitcher for $1000, and two very cool Yugoslavian beaded lamps (Joe sucked air when he saw the peacock). It was gorgeous. Couldn't see the price tag, though. I may go back and check when the shop is open...just to know. We've got several other Yugoslavian beaded lamps and they are real treats to the eye. Especially if they're the only illumination in a dark room. Intricate, delicate and feasts of color.

We (I) noticed the coolest lighting scheme in that shop. There were cables stretched across the room in pairs-about 4" apart. Along these cables were many small light fixtures that were aimed directly at the artwork. I made mention at how little impact that lighting scheme has on the structure, i.e no holes cut into the ceilings or walls. The fixtures were either halogen or LED.Joe lit up with curiosity, as we've been discussing how to illuminate all of the artwork upstairs... and to add additional lighting, as it is indeed a VERY dark house.