Something Iconic

So yesterday I waxed on a bit about the need to not be materialistic and today I'm going to talk about some of the great stuff I've bought. I know...it's very ironic.

Perhaps it's no surprise but the two most "together" rooms in our house are the living room and Margot's bedroom. Both rooms we use A LOT and both are rooms where we have added new furniture. But I think what sets these two rooms apart is that they both do a nice job of incorporating things we had with some iconic new pieces. Our house is funny. It is a very early mid-century modern and while aspects of it are classic examples of mid-century modern design there are still some traditional elements lingering. We are trying to bring out those mid-century elements with some furniture but in a way that works with the traditional elements we have, like that sage marble slab in the fire place. 

 I love the way our living room is coming together. I was so worried before we moved that our stuff would just look bad in here. That salmony-pink-rose-colored carpet had me all kinds of freaked out. But the yellows and oranges we had actually work well with the carpet.

In this room we brought with us the two yellow patterned chairs, the white couch, the little vanity chair and the ceder chest behind the couch, as well as the photos, blanket, pillows and toys. All of it works. But what we've added I think really makes this space. I found the two little teak TV tray tables and the coffee table at a furniture liquidator store and was able to get all three pieces for $75.

 The gold lamp was my most recent purchase. I found it at a local antique store and was able to talk them down to $120 (original price was $175). And the cadenza, which is not in perfect condition, was a steal at $95. I stalked it for months as they kept lowering the price. All of this furniture was used, is somewhat period appropriate for the house and brings out the honey teak/oak wood tones in our doors, which I think contrast nicely with the darker walnut baseboards and fire place. I think all of the warm wood brings out the warmth in the carpet and makes what could be a large cavernous space into a very warm and inviting space. And the iconic style of both the cradenza and the lamp (which I know is circa the 1960's not 1950's) help to highlight the mid-century architecture already going on in this room.

 Best of all. Every single one of the pieces was used and reasonably affordable. It's come a long way from where we started. 

Even from where we were a month ago.

There is still a lot we'd like to do in here. Namely paint! I also am not convinced I like the configuration of art on the mantel, I'm always tweaking what's on the coffee table and I have mixed feelings about the pillows. So I'm sure it's a space that will continue to evolve. In the meantime at least it's furnished which is more than we can say about several rooms in our house.

Examinations

From time to time the need arises to stop and examine certain values. I suppose for me this is particularly true surrounding certain life changes. I know I referenced some new goals when we moved into our house but these are small things, doing the dishes, walking more, waking up early. I mean the big things our values, beliefs and priorities. 

For years now reading blogs and remembering these goals and values has been a constant challenge. I don't watch a lot of TV and the TV I do watch is without commercials and I read very little magazines so most of my media is coming from blogs. They are the place I learn what is "in", new products, ideas and often they cultivate wants. This isn't to say I don't want to read blogs or that they are inherently bad. But it presents some challenge and will power to not be overly swayed by the plethora of pretty things that fill my RSS feed on a daily basis. 

This is particularly true in this season we are in. A new and bigger house creates a lot of temptation to buy. But our values are still there, though perhaps after almost three months of acquiring and still not organizing, they need to be pulled out and dusted off. Examination may just be in order. 

So what are these values?

• That our life include time and space for the people and communities that matter: volunteering, developing careers and making new friends are all well and good as long as they aren't detracting from our focus on each other, Margot, our family and church community
• To be financially sound, frugal and giving with our resources: just because we have the money doesn't mean we should spend it especially since we are still working to pay of law school loans. As my grandmother would say, frugality my friends, is a virtue
• To be stewards of our environment: this is really important to us especially as we turn to large purchases such as furniture. Always trying to buy used first, limiting unnecessary consumerism, and being mindful of the materials and substances we put in our home and near our family.
• Good Food, local and sustainable food and healthy food. We are family that loves food. We love to cook and eat. While we strive for frugality in many areas we want to allow for spending in the areas that are really important to our family. For us this means buying good, local organic whole foods that are healthy and delicious.

I'm not sure why this is on my mind so much today. Maybe it's the transition into the holiday season? Maybe it's that we bought our 8th piece of furniture in 3 months or maybe it's looking ahead to a new year. Regardless, I never want to convey on my blog that a home requires stuff. I hope rather to convey that loving a home, being a family in a home and being creative with the resources you do have are what makes it.

Belated Halloween Fun

We had so much fun this year with Margot on Halloween. She wanted to dress up like Minnie Mouse and so I made her a red polka dot pleated jumper to wear over her black leggings and white shirt. Then I found the Minnie Mouse hat online. I wish I'd done a better job documenting her costume as I made it but alas being the night before Halloween and past 10 pm I was just lucky to finish it.

This was her first year trick-or-treating and she loved it! We went with the neighbors and she really mastered "trick-or-treat" and "Happy Halloween".

And now she is ecstatic for the next exciting thing on the calender...her 2nd birthday!

I'm back...plus A llama in a bar and other tidbits

I'm back! After 60 hours of travel and ten days in China followed by 5 days of crazy jet lag I have returned more or less to my normal routine. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of house projects but first I thought I'd do a couple of posts on China.

Later I'll post some "real pictures", you know those rare times you leave the i phone in your pocket in favor for the DSLR??? But since I haven't uploaded the 800 photos from my camera yet I thought I'd start with the random i phone photos that I took. While there may not be any grandiose shots of the Great Wall among them I think they capture a different view of china or at least some of my experience in China this second go around.

Our first real view of China once out of the air port. Just one among a sea of high rises.

Jessie and I riding around the Hutong in Beijing in a traditional Rickshaw 

The liquor shelf in the nearby grocery store = the start to a very interesting night. Major bonus points if you can guess what kind of alcohol one drinks in China

One cannot go to China without appreciating the art sign translations...classic

Jessie and ventured out to the lake district for drinks

We weren't the only seemingly strange things in a bar of only Chinese people, oddly enough the local patrons seemed more surprised by us than the llama

Only in China can you start drinking beer at 2 pm on your tour bus while driving through what was once the most pristine agricultural land in China and is now a smattering of small rice patty fields, large gaudy houses and skyscrapers.

Shanghai by night...just as amazing as I remembered it

Being the transit geek that I am, how could I not jump at the opportunity to ride on the fastest train in the world??!!! Why yes that is how fast we are going, oh and when another train passed us...there was jumping, screaming, squealing. It was freaking amazing!

And finally trying to pack all of my "loot" to take home. Highlights, a fine porcelain Chinese tea service, a little Chinese tea set for Margot, a one year supply of top quality green tea, some art for our house and a silk dress for one Moon pie to open on her birthday.

Procrastinating

So I leave for China (OMG!!!!) in 36 hours. One would assume I would be packing right now. But it seems I'm inclined to do everything but pack. In my kitchen jars and lids are sterilized and ready for chow chow.

While the chow chow drains on the counter awaiting spices and cooking.

Homemade chicken stock is simmering on the stove.

And I've been arranging my new latte bowls on the window seal...

And setting the table for our dinner party tonight...and still not packing.

"mama pumpkin, daddy pumpkin, baby pumpkin"

It is a time honored fall tradition, taking ones child to the pumpkin patch to select their pumpkin. And so it was Sunday afternoon that we set out for the circus otherwise known as Lone Pine Farms. 

 Poor Margot was asleep when we got there and stayed asleep for the first twenty minutes only to wake up to complete chaos. 

Children where running and squealing, there was a cow train ride, a goat sky walk, children's birthday parties and countless first time parents attempting to catch a photo op with their slightly confused infant or toddler and a DSLR. 

But alas we survived, even had fun and came home with several "mama, daddy and baby pumpkins" as Margot says. 

Despite her generally confused expression at the farm she emphatically announced "pumpkin patch fun" once we were in the car. 

 For me, I am glad to have some fall touches scattered throughout my house.

Our fun day ended with a tuckered out Margot and lots of Sunday evening snuggles.

New pipes now the real work begins

With ceiling demo complete we were able to have our plumber remove all the galvanized steel plumbing that was behind it. Coming up the wall from the ground and into the ceiling was the kitchen waste water line.

 There was also plumbing for the kitchen sink, the shop sink and a mystery line that seemed to dead end below the kitchen oven. It appeared to be abandoned during construction of the house. The galvanized was replaced with pex behind the ceiling and onto the the next connection. This way when we are ready to replace another section we can connect to this plumbing without breaking into the ceiling again.

Now that the plumbing has been replaced we will turn our attention to some smaller projects while we save up to have a new plaster ceiling put in this room in this room and a new kitchen floor. We left baseboard stripping mid-project so we will return to that, there is much more painting to do with the sun room, Margot's bathroom and the downstairs next on the list. And we would love to start looking into polishing our concrete floors downstairs.