Should I stay or should I go? The story of a hand-me-down armoire
May 10th, 2012 § 8 Comments
It’s practically inevitable that despite our best efforts, we all develop sentimental attachments to things: clothes, pieces of art, even furniture.
Growing up my parents had this beautiful 1920s, dark wood armoire that, despite its somewhat awkward size and bulkiness, always managed to avoid being placed on the curb during garage sale season. It moved with us to every house. Even during my mom’s grad school phase when we lived in a tiny 100-year-old duplex, the armoire was there. It’s an enormous statement piece in which my mother kept the family stereo…back before stereos were the size of shoe boxes. I have vivid memories of watching my reflection in the mirror at age 8 as I danced to Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi in our living room.
In college when I got my own apartment but had no furniture of my own, my mom used a jigsaw to cut a hole in its back, converting it to a makeshift entertainment unit/TV stand. She even painted it in colors to match my apartment so I could feel like a genuine “big girl” with fancy furniture. Overtime I have become attached.
Red and green 1920s armoire, painted for me by my mother
And now for the bad. It was painted back when I was obsessed with paisley and doesn’t exactly mesh with the other modern elements in the house. It’s also extremely heavy, probably one of the most difficult pieces to move. On top of that, the mirrored door doesn’t really latch anymore and sometimes swings open on its own. And while it is good for extra storage, it was made back in the days when people were much smaller, so it doesn’t function as a true closet what with the size of our modern-day hangers. Plus, our TV now is too big to fit inside anymore. Finding a true purpose for it these days is not so easy, and it has essentially become a wardrobe to house random knick-knacks and our DVD collection. But I can’t bring myself to toss it. It’s so much more personal than an IKEA book shelf or Target lamp or World Market chair. It’s a one-of-a-kind family heirloom.
Stay it shall. Like most pieces of yesteryear, it just needs a little sprucing up. We’ll patch up the back, grease up its hinges, and slap a more age-appropriate paint job on its surface. And, in true doodle house fashion, I’ve already perused pinterest for ideas to copy.
Another weekend project is on the books.
Home on the road
May 9th, 2012 § 3 Comments
Last week I posted about my mini internal struggle with balancing my desire to nest and create a sense of home with my desire to explore and travel and enjoy new experiences. The debate got me thinking about what “home” is in the first place and what things, thoughts, people, food, etc. make me feel most at home. Heath, for one. And the doodles. Any place where breakfast tacos are attainable within 5 minutes. Yes. Those things feel pretty homey to me.
And then I thought of Laura and Casey. Two friends who know all too well that home can take on various forms. Most recently “home” has been The White Buffalo, an old school bus converted to run on vegetable oil that the Laura and Casey share with fellow Bloodroots Barter bandmates and their dog Roamona when they are on tour.
The Bloodroots Barter and the White Buffalo
The bus has traveled with them all across the North East and while the window views, the weather, the roads and the people are ever changing, the White Buffalo remains a symbol of home. There’s no flat screen TV or king-sized bed. There’s no wall of family photos or matching curtains or perfectly coordinating vintage decor. Instead, it’s a place of refuge from the stresses of touring, a familiar nook in a sea of the strange, a place to feel safe and comfortable among friends. There is little I can think of more like home than that.
Boarding the White Buffalo
Roamona on board the White Buffalo
Jamming out on the White Buffalo
Laura behind the wheel
A tight squeeze
While the White Buffalo won’t be home to the BRB forever, it’s been a beautiful symbol of how home is a state of mind.
ZEN-trification
May 8th, 2012 § 4 Comments
I don’t customarily blog about the bathroom for two reasons.
1) Gross
2) Ours is nothing to write home about.
It’s small and there isn’t a lot of storage. Heck, there isn’t even an electrical outlet in there. (I know it’s an old house, but come on. Since when do people not need electricity in the bathroom? Weirdest. Thing. Ever.) The only thing I really liked about our bathroom when we moved in was the old school tile work. Other than that, gag me.
So as you can guess, I didn’t spend a ton of time sprucing the place up. I sort of thought it a lost cause. But after 6 months of living with a lack-luster water closet, I finally decided we deserved something a little grander. I drew some inspiration from other bathrooms that were like mine in either size or color.
Heck, if these poor souls can turn crappy (pun intended) into cute, so can I! I finally decided to make a few changes and updates that resulted in a MAJOR difference. Plus I did it on a major budget….for less than $100.
Replacing the blinds with privacy film ($40)
How exactly to handle the bathroom window issue was a head scratcher. I loved having the naturally light but wasn’t crazy about neighbors being able to watch me bathe. The alternative, however, was having to deal with mini blinds, of which I am morally opposed, especially in wet places. After months of talking about it, we finally tossed the blinds and put up privacy film.
Heath installs the privacy film.
No more tugging at obnoxious cords in the nude. Just basking in wonderful natural lighting.
Raising the shower curtain off the floor ($0)
Do NOT underestimate the difference this little maneuver can make. In a small space, it’s a game changer. It draws the eye up, giving balance to the bathroom and making it feel bigger and more spacious. I’m patting myself on the back for this one, though I’m ashamed I didn’t think of it earlier.
Shower curtain hanging higher off the floor and closer to the ceiling.
Replacing the cabinet hardware ($9)
The old handles had been painted over and were chipping pretty badly. We got rid of them all together and swapped them for these little gems. It’s a minor detail I’m sure no one will notice, but it makes me feel cheery.
Replacing the bathmat ($10)
I probably should have done this long ago as the old one was getting pretty rough looking. It didn’t take much foot traffic for it to appear dirty and and dingy. So long as I’m sprucing the place up, might as well invest in a plush pad. Again, in a tiny bathroom, it makes all the difference.
New bathmat from World Market
Installing hooks for extra storage ($30)
I shamefully admit that, with our limited towel racks, I got into the habit of slinging my wet towels over the top of the shower curtain to let them dry out. This made the bathroom look more like a men’s locker room than a spa-like retreat. And since we’re having Bro move in with us soon, I figured we needed a better solution for towel drying. Decorative hooks were the cheapest/easiest/space-savingest solution. Plus, so pretty.
Reorganizing the shelf display ($0)
The shelf once hosted a ridiculous assortment of doohickeys and whatchamacallits. To make better use of the space, I scrapped the silly trinkets and put the real estate to work holding towels and toiletries. That’s right. I dare to store toilet paper and towels in the bathroom. Just call me groundbreaking.
I was very pleased with how it all came together in the end. I no longer have an embarrassing bathroom.
All the new elements coming together. So very zen.
Alrighty! Thanks for listening. I promise never to blog about my bathroom again.
Crossed off the restaurant bucket list: Foreign and Domestic
May 7th, 2012 § 1 Comment
Maybe by the time Friday afternoon rolls around (our unofficial date night), our brains are mush from wrestling with 6th graders and endlessly redesigning marketing materials, and that’s why we find ourselves unable to think outside the box when it comes to our beloved dating ritual. Despite there being a seemingly endless collection of restaurants, food trailers and nifty nighttime hangouts to choose from in Austin, we often opt to return to one of about a half-dozen places we’ve grown most accustomed to: The Alamo Drafthouse, Nomad, Chinese take-out, etc. Not allowing myself to return Trudy’s for the 204327952th time, we opted for a new dining experience: Foreign and Domestic.
From fndaustin.com
Heath and I are not food snobs. We appreciate the attention to detail and inventive flavor combinations created by the artists at Uchi, while also valuing the simplicity of a well-made street taco. Essentially, if the chefs love the foods they are making, chances are we are going to love it too. The cuisine at Foreign and Domestic, which is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Ned and Jodi Elliott, is certainly well-loved, as it features a small, seasonal menu that boasts a collection of items you’re unlikely to see elsewhere, like crispy beef tongue and grilled octopus among others. It pushes the envelope, without question, but does so in a way that is bold and imaginative with about being kitsch and is stimulating without being overpowering.
Seared Gulf Red Fish with Ramps strawberries and brown butter.
Besides mastering its menu, Foreign and Domestic has also perfected its atmosphere. The interior is modern and cozy, the knowledgeable wait staff makes impeccable recommendations, and even when placed on the wait list, a member of the bar staff is there to take your drink order before you’ve left the hostess stand. If you’re craving a dining experience that’s as upscale as it is accessible and as unexpected as it is delectable, consider giving Foreign and Domestic a shot.
Austin folk, if you have suggestions for other notable eateries I should try…we’re all ears.
Party Paper
May 3rd, 2012 § 6 Comments
In preparing for Cinco De Mayo festivities, I have kicked my Google ogling into high gear to find ideas for paper party paraphernalia. Is there any holiday that embraces the paper decorations quite like Cinco De Mayo? I don’t believe so. Works for me, as I love channeling my inner child by busting out the paper and scissors to create party decor that gives me the appearance of being a with-it, crafty, Martha Stewart-esque homemaker. Plus it’s cheap. So, you know, win-win.
Guess what Mr. Heath is going to be helping me do this evening…
Dear diary…
May 2nd, 2012 § 14 Comments
WARNING: This post is personal and includes me talking about my feelings. (Gross!) So if you only like looking at photos of pretty things (which, let’s be real, is what 99 percent of my blog browsing entails) you might want to just skip on over this one.
This post started out innocently enough—me, prioritizing my home improvement projects. Easy peasy, right? Then I started writing and, consequently, started thinking. I hate when that happens. One minute I’m calculating just how long I have until I can buy a new couch, install a dishwasher, put in wood floors, yadda, yadda, yadda…. and the next minute I’m in the middle of an idealogical dilema: Am I a fool (or tool) for wanting to invest beaucoup of money on “things” and not on experiences? When I look at some of my friends and the people whom I admire most for their free spirits and adventurous outlooks (like Laura and Casey for starting a blue grass band in the Kentucky wilderness, or Nick and Melissa for quitting their jobs to go on an indefinite sailing trip through the Bahamas), I think they would tend to say…yes, Kelsey. Yes you are. (Though, they would never ACTUALLY say that because, you know..the whole friendship thing.) What I’m getting at is, when you’re on your deathbed, no one ever says “Oh I wish I had spent more money on trendy design elements.” They say, “I wish I had done more, seen more, loved more, etc…” Consequently, I wonder if my priorities are all out of whack.
I realize I’m not the first or last person to do the whole “what does it all mean” thing. I know EVERYONE deals with this same dilemma in one form or another at one time or another, but now that I’m more-or-less a “grownup” I suppose it’s my turn to get to have that discussion with myself.
The astonishing conclusion I have arrived at (after having spent way too much time writing, deleting and then rewriting this post) is that I’m going to do whatever makes me happy. Living life and having diverse experiences is important, without question. I want to (and will) hike throughout South America and photograph the monkeys in India, but I also want to feel sublimely happy and comfortable in that place we call home. I know “things” don’t make people happy…but building and creating something beautiful on a blank canvas (in this case, our first home) does. So if I want to go to Mexico City for my second honeymoon, I will. And if I want to spend too much money on a goofy throw pillow, I’m going to do that too.
Finding happiness in delightful design or daring destinations? Tough call.
I spend a lot of time here talking about design and do dahs and doodles (and sometimes I’m embarrassed by the seemingly trivial things I post), but I guess what I’m really doing is talking about the things that make me happy. Sometimes it’s trinkets and sometimes it’s travel, and I think that’s OK because all times it’s things that give me joy.
What say you? How do you find balance between home and adventure?
SURPRISE!
May 1st, 2012 § 4 Comments
We’re having a boy!
A 6-foot-tall, 180-pound boy, also known as Bro.
Yes, we’ve reached that stage in life that every young couple dreams of. After you’ve graduated from college, nailed down a respectable job, and bought your first house, it becomes time to lovingly welcome a Bro into your life.
Bro is my little brother, my only “real” sibling if you want to get technical about it. And although he is a complete goober, I am a little fond of him and would (rightfully) do anything for him. So when it became a little tough for this UT anthropology graduate to find a job in “these tough economic times” we thought it fair to let him bunk with us at The Doodle House until he can figure things out.
So the past couple days on the east side have been a little chaotic. Bro hasn’t graced us with his presence yet, but we’ve been plenty busy clearing out closets and rooms to prepare for his arrival. It goes to figure, you get the house set up just the way you like it and then, like that, you find yourself in the midst of a complete reorganization of house and home. Bro will be staying in the office, which means saying goodbye to my peaceful grey nook and hello to a man cave.
That, of course, means finding places elsewhere in the house for the day bed, bookshelf, and desk that currently take up real estate here. The past week this same scene has been playing on repeat:
- I move a piece of furniture to whatever place in the house I think it will fit.
- I live with it for a few days and decide I don’t like it there.
- I move it again.
Bless Heath for coming to my rescue every time I yell “MOOSHY, WILL YOU COME HELP ME MOVE THIS?!” from across the house (it’s been about 4 times a day).
Hopefully by the time Bro’s big move in day arrives, we will have gotten things sorted. Until then, I know how I’ll be spending my evenings. At least I don’t have to worry about lifting weights…
To Bro!
Weekend Getaway to Garner State Park
April 29th, 2012 § 3 Comments
Scoob Sitting
April 26th, 2012 § 6 Comments
Today I shall tell you the tale of Scooby, the newly adopted dog of our friends Zack and Caitlin, who spent a recent weekend at the doodle house playing the role of awkward stepchild.
Scooby is a 3-year-old mutt that might be part German Shepherd, might be part Shiba Inu. We don’t really know. Such is the fun of adopting a mystery dog.
We dog sit all the time for other mutts, but what made Scooby’s case special is that he was a fairly new dog to us and his “forever family.” Scooby had been bounced around through a few other foster families over his life so you never quite know what to expect. So allow me to let you know how some of the weekend played out.
Chapter One: The Chase. In addition to being part dog, Scooby might also be part bunny or antelope because your boy can jump. We learned this when, within 5 minutes of being in the backyard, he promptly cleared the fence to chase after a neighbor cat. (Clearly Scoobs has some long-running hatred toward felines because there was no convincing him that this cat was not worth the effort. Come on buddy, there are 4 chickens and 2 dogs to play with, why are you wasting your efforts on this dopey cat?)
The escape sent Heath into panic mode…panic along the lines of misplacing someone’s child or wrecking someone else’s car, but 10 times worse. Is there any feeling more gut-wrenching than losing your friend’s new dog in less than 24 hours? Nope. Definitely not.
The cat took off toward a busy intersection, followed closely by Scooby, and Heath trailing not too far behind. The cat made a right cut toward some houses and led Scooby to a corner. (Hallelujah!) Scooby tried to break free and continue the chase, but Heath made an epic lunge at the Scoobster and the event was over as quickly as it has begun. Scooby was back in custody and Heath had the road burn to prove it. CRISIS AVERTED. Note to self: maybe don’t let Scooby in the backyard without a leash.
Chapter Two: The Affair. Stella gets along with most dog folk, in fact she’s kind of a flirt. She’s never met a dog she didn’t like and Scooby was no exception. This is not a problem except that it drove Wyatt crazy. He’s not one to “show affection” if you catch my drift, but when Scooby was in town, Wyatt was all about letting him know that Stella was his gal. Though that didn’t keep Stella from falling into bed with this mysterious stranger. Wyatt didn’t take it so well.
Luckily, they have worked things out since then.
Chapter Three: The Good Dog.
I love dogs and I love to be helpful, so volunteering to take on Scooby for the weekend while his parents were gone was a no-brainer for me. It wasn’t until his family had left that I realized this was a big deal…for us and for Scooby.
Until Zack and Caitlin came along, Scooby never really had a stable home environment. And now, the only people who ever really gave him the proper attention he needed, were taking off for four days. Who could really know what effect that would have on a little pup with abandonment issues? Plus, as we saw with the cat incident, we didn’t know all of Scooby’s quirks yet. We didn’t know how he would act in tense situations, or around loud noises, or in the rain. (The list goes on…) Anyone with a pet knows that there are dozens of factors that can sends animals into a tizzy, and there was so much we didn’t know about Scooby, his personality, and his past.
So let me clarify my “awkward stepchild” comment, by saying that Scoobs is a really good dog. There were a few rough patches (or should I say “RUFF” patches? Yes I should.) which is to be expected, but all-in-all he was a welcomed guest. He is amazingly friendly and playful (sometimes too much so) and was a very fast learner. He never chewed anything or had any house accidents and that’s more than I can say about Stella and Wyatt.
I applaude Z&C for taking on the challenge of adopting an older, larger dog, rather than shelling out $$$ for designer dog puppies like we did (yes, I am aware that we are going to Hell). It takes a tremendous amount of courage and patience and love to be able to take on the title of adoptive parents. And in the end, I think Zack, Caitlin and Scooby will all be better for it. Way to be.
Bar carts, please and thank you.
April 25th, 2012 § 4 Comments
Fact: Bar carts are super classy and useful and very grown up.
My mom and my grandfather both have always had these fantastic vintage bar carts that serve as focal points of the house, and I want one. Badly. We don’t keep a ton of adult beverages around other than beer and wine, but what we do have is all stashed away randomly throughout the kitchen. How much cooler would I look if I had a fancy cart topped with high caliber apéritifs, after dinner brandy and other libations? Pretty darn cool, as a matter of fact. It would be very Mad Men of me.
The bar cart at my grandfather’s house.
Oh the possibilities…
