R.I.P. Grandpa.
I will miss you dearly.
Ice Cream Guy
Originally uploaded by ErinLangNorris/YellowCanoe
You were, and always will be, one of my favorite people.
I'll do my best to carry on your great sense of humor.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
free
my computer died yesterday.
at first i was mad, but now i am considering it a favor.
the amount of time i spend online is disgusting, which is something i have been well aware of for some time. but since i don't have a computer now, i am realizing even more just how dependent i am upon it.
the internet certainly lives up to it's name; it is truly a web.
it's funny how disconnected and isolated i felt when it died. and ironic how equally free and re-connected i felt. does that even make sense?
i really believe that i have an internet addiction, as lame as it may sound. i have wasted countless hours in a day collecting photos that inspire me. what do i even do with them? look at them and dream? yeah, sure. but what does it even matter when i'm not doing anything? i thought they were an inspiration, and maybe they are. but thinking about it more, i'm not so sure.
what is the point in collecting things for what could be if they never end up being?
anyway, instead of blabbing on and on, i just wanted to let you know where i was. i will probably check in a couple times a week.
i will get a new computer, but not right now.
for now, i will stop dreaming and start doing.
have a good week. thanks for stopping by.
at first i was mad, but now i am considering it a favor.
the amount of time i spend online is disgusting, which is something i have been well aware of for some time. but since i don't have a computer now, i am realizing even more just how dependent i am upon it.
the internet certainly lives up to it's name; it is truly a web.
it's funny how disconnected and isolated i felt when it died. and ironic how equally free and re-connected i felt. does that even make sense?
i really believe that i have an internet addiction, as lame as it may sound. i have wasted countless hours in a day collecting photos that inspire me. what do i even do with them? look at them and dream? yeah, sure. but what does it even matter when i'm not doing anything? i thought they were an inspiration, and maybe they are. but thinking about it more, i'm not so sure.
what is the point in collecting things for what could be if they never end up being?
anyway, instead of blabbing on and on, i just wanted to let you know where i was. i will probably check in a couple times a week.
i will get a new computer, but not right now.
for now, i will stop dreaming and start doing.
have a good week. thanks for stopping by.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Autumn
On one of my favorite scenic roads, there is a farm that is selling pumpkins, squash, Indian corn and gourds.
So Joe and I stopped for some on our way home from the hardware store and the apple orchard.
And then after I decorated with them, I decided that I wanted more.
Partly because I felt like more would look nice, but mostly because it's Sunday and on Sunday Joe watches football.
And I hate football.
So off I went, back to the farm, to get a few more.
Well, a few turned into like 30. But I enjoy having that many around. And I am going to give the small ones away on Halloween to the kids, if they want them. I always liked having small pumpkins in my room when I was younger, so I figure maybe they will like them too.
So Joe and I stopped for some on our way home from the hardware store and the apple orchard.
And then after I decorated with them, I decided that I wanted more.
Partly because I felt like more would look nice, but mostly because it's Sunday and on Sunday Joe watches football.
And I hate football.
So off I went, back to the farm, to get a few more.
Well, a few turned into like 30. But I enjoy having that many around. And I am going to give the small ones away on Halloween to the kids, if they want them. I always liked having small pumpkins in my room when I was younger, so I figure maybe they will like them too.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Treasures
At last. After 2 years of repetitive sifting, I have found the perfect N.
Initially I thought my criteria seemed pretty basic.
It had to be big. And by big I mean over 18" tall.
It had to be wooden or metal.
It had to be thick enough to balance on it's own semi-decently. Nothing flimsy was going to win me over, despite it's numerous attempts.
And it had to be a nice font.
Oh, and a good color.
Not too expensive, either.
A good color was in order, too. And though red is certainly not my favorite, I think it's perfect for this.
'Good things come to those who wait' isn't my favorite saying, but it always seems to hold true. I generally tend to go through great lengths to get exactly what I'm looking for. It probably drives Joe crazy...in fact, I know it drives him crazy. But I think he's gotten used to it by now.
When I wait, I feel like I always have a greater sense of appreciation when I finally do find it. Now that I found my N, I can look for something else. Now I'm keeping a lookout for some neat casters. I'll find them soon, I'm sure.
Initially I thought my criteria seemed pretty basic.
It had to be big. And by big I mean over 18" tall.
It had to be wooden or metal.
It had to be thick enough to balance on it's own semi-decently. Nothing flimsy was going to win me over, despite it's numerous attempts.
And it had to be a nice font.
Oh, and a good color.
Not too expensive, either.
A good color was in order, too. And though red is certainly not my favorite, I think it's perfect for this.
'Good things come to those who wait' isn't my favorite saying, but it always seems to hold true. I generally tend to go through great lengths to get exactly what I'm looking for. It probably drives Joe crazy...in fact, I know it drives him crazy. But I think he's gotten used to it by now.
When I wait, I feel like I always have a greater sense of appreciation when I finally do find it. Now that I found my N, I can look for something else. Now I'm keeping a lookout for some neat casters. I'll find them soon, I'm sure.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
IKEA and CB2
We went to IKEA and CB2 yesterday.
I was able to keep it under $200 at IKEA! Of course there was more stuff that I wanted, but I stuck to the basics this time.
I'm most excited about my CELEBER soy sauce pitcher (which will be used as a creamer for coffee rather than soy sauce) and the new planters for my plants (which have quickly outgrown their smaller IKEA planters). OH and I really like the FARGRIK cups, too (check out the price!). And the hangers. OOOH and how could I forget about my new throws for the couch?! Okay, so I'm pretty happy with everything I got. And I'm already planning my next trip. I am lucky enough to have an awesome husband who had great patience for the 3 hours we were there, but I think next time I'm going to go by myself. Because then I can stay for like 5 hours AND I can visit the same floor like 3 times without feeling bad.
Okay, well today is a really nice day out and probably the last one we're going to have, so off I go to clean the gutters! Have a nice week!
I was able to keep it under $200 at IKEA! Of course there was more stuff that I wanted, but I stuck to the basics this time.
I'm most excited about my CELEBER soy sauce pitcher (which will be used as a creamer for coffee rather than soy sauce) and the new planters for my plants (which have quickly outgrown their smaller IKEA planters). OH and I really like the FARGRIK cups, too (check out the price!). And the hangers. OOOH and how could I forget about my new throws for the couch?! Okay, so I'm pretty happy with everything I got. And I'm already planning my next trip. I am lucky enough to have an awesome husband who had great patience for the 3 hours we were there, but I think next time I'm going to go by myself. Because then I can stay for like 5 hours AND I can visit the same floor like 3 times without feeling bad.
Okay, well today is a really nice day out and probably the last one we're going to have, so off I go to clean the gutters! Have a nice week!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
3 years.
Joe and I celebrated 3 years of marriage a couple weeks ago.
Each year we try to take a fun picture.
Then we put it into our anniversary book that I made for us.
This photo was taken a bit after the date, because we had a lot going on that day and the weather/our schedules haven't cooperated much till a few days ago.
Hope things are going well with you!
Each year we try to take a fun picture.
Then we put it into our anniversary book that I made for us.
This photo was taken a bit after the date, because we had a lot going on that day and the weather/our schedules haven't cooperated much till a few days ago.
Hope things are going well with you!
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Hello
Since moving in, I have refrained from decorating.
Until now.
I just couldn't resist the constant urge any longer.
Just a small area so it doesn't get out of hand.
What's ironic about it is that Kim over at Desire to Inspire featured my crates not once, not twice, but three times in her "Flickr Finds" post. I didn't see it until a few minutes after I put this together! Thanks for the feature, Kim!
Anyway, I'm trying to keep everything in a closet until we have our walls painted and have our new couch.
Speaking of painting, I'm in the homestretch with our kitchen! I can't wait. Having 3 days off in a row is very helpful when it comes to this sort of thing.
Until now.
I just couldn't resist the constant urge any longer.
Just a small area so it doesn't get out of hand.
What's ironic about it is that Kim over at Desire to Inspire featured my crates not once, not twice, but three times in her "Flickr Finds" post. I didn't see it until a few minutes after I put this together! Thanks for the feature, Kim!
Anyway, I'm trying to keep everything in a closet until we have our walls painted and have our new couch.
Speaking of painting, I'm in the homestretch with our kitchen! I can't wait. Having 3 days off in a row is very helpful when it comes to this sort of thing.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Two Things
One:
The DOKUMENT waste basket from IKEA makes for an excellent stick carrying bin after a windy evening.
It's easier than lugging a wheel barrow around and it's so much more Martha than toting a cardboard box. Especially when the cardboard box is stamped with beer logos. I think Martha probably drinks wine.
________________
Two:
What kind of flower is this? I could probably look it up, but I was curious if anybody knew. I'm working on my plant, flower and tree knowledge.
The DOKUMENT waste basket from IKEA makes for an excellent stick carrying bin after a windy evening.
It's easier than lugging a wheel barrow around and it's so much more Martha than toting a cardboard box. Especially when the cardboard box is stamped with beer logos. I think Martha probably drinks wine.
________________
Two:
What kind of flower is this? I could probably look it up, but I was curious if anybody knew. I'm working on my plant, flower and tree knowledge.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Paint
Today I was finally able to begin painting the kitchen and dining room.
Photos to come, eventually.
We are going to Michigan on Thursday to visit friends. I'm hoping to find some stuff for the house while I'm there...they have some great shops.
Photos to come, eventually.
We are going to Michigan on Thursday to visit friends. I'm hoping to find some stuff for the house while I'm there...they have some great shops.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Outside
Before I left for work yesterday, I visited the Morning Dove who decided to make her nest in one of our birch trees. She's very mighty and cute.
When I got home from work, we decided to cook out on our new grill. We were standing on the deck and a huge hibiscus bloom caught my attention from across the yard.
Knowing that it might be one of the last times I saw it this year, I figured I should get a photo, good camera or not.
Then I laid in the hammock to wait for the bats. There are 2 that have been coming to our yard. We've been watching for bats since we moved in and finally saw some a few nights ago. I really adore bats, even though most people think they are gross. Tonight we are going to watch a bat documentary that my penpal Chelle sent to me for Christmas last year.
When I got home from work, we decided to cook out on our new grill. We were standing on the deck and a huge hibiscus bloom caught my attention from across the yard.
Knowing that it might be one of the last times I saw it this year, I figured I should get a photo, good camera or not.
Then I laid in the hammock to wait for the bats. There are 2 that have been coming to our yard. We've been watching for bats since we moved in and finally saw some a few nights ago. I really adore bats, even though most people think they are gross. Tonight we are going to watch a bat documentary that my penpal Chelle sent to me for Christmas last year.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Hammocking
Yesterday our hammock from overstock.com arrived.
We quickly ran to the hardware store to pick up the...hardware...that we needed to hang it.
Luckily I researched hanging methods online before attempting to hang it, because Joe obviously did not. We won't get into that.
Unluckily I didn't pay attention to which drill bit I chose and I proceeded to get a huge bit stuck in our tree. Yes, I drilled into our tree. So bad, I know. Anyway, this was accompanied by lots of swearing and then storming into the house, followed by more swearing. I don't think I've been that mad in a LONG time. I pretty much thought my drill was fucked (sorry) since it wouldn't grab the bit tightly enough to get it out and I knew that we'd been waiting for this moment for so damn long. It was going to be the perfect way to end the long day.
After cooling down, I went out to try again. That's when I realized that I used the wrong drill bit. So off I went to drag out my chair, chains, drill, wrench, hammock, hardware, etc. out to the trees again.
Ten minutes later, we had a working hammock:
You can't tell, but we're both smiling in all of the photos. It was a great time.
Neither of us had ever really been in a tree hammock, but I have wanted one since I was really young. I've always had a fascination with them.
By the way, how do you pronounce "hammock"? ham-mock or ham-mick?
+ + +
I just checked on my flokati rug, and it's on it's way right now! It needs to be signed for, so maybe it will get here before I leave for work. Fingers crossed.
We quickly ran to the hardware store to pick up the...hardware...that we needed to hang it.
Luckily I researched hanging methods online before attempting to hang it, because Joe obviously did not. We won't get into that.
Unluckily I didn't pay attention to which drill bit I chose and I proceeded to get a huge bit stuck in our tree. Yes, I drilled into our tree. So bad, I know. Anyway, this was accompanied by lots of swearing and then storming into the house, followed by more swearing. I don't think I've been that mad in a LONG time. I pretty much thought my drill was fucked (sorry) since it wouldn't grab the bit tightly enough to get it out and I knew that we'd been waiting for this moment for so damn long. It was going to be the perfect way to end the long day.
After cooling down, I went out to try again. That's when I realized that I used the wrong drill bit. So off I went to drag out my chair, chains, drill, wrench, hammock, hardware, etc. out to the trees again.
Ten minutes later, we had a working hammock:
You can't tell, but we're both smiling in all of the photos. It was a great time.
Neither of us had ever really been in a tree hammock, but I have wanted one since I was really young. I've always had a fascination with them.
By the way, how do you pronounce "hammock"? ham-mock or ham-mick?
+ + +
I just checked on my flokati rug, and it's on it's way right now! It needs to be signed for, so maybe it will get here before I leave for work. Fingers crossed.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Flokati
So I took the plunge...and just ordered a 10' round Flokati.
I say plunge because I've heard horror stories about these things.
But I've also heard that brushing it with a dog hair brush and raking it with a small wooden rake help tremendously.
Ordered from eBay seller vibrophil.
I laid down newspaper yesterday as a mock rug and decided 10 feet was the way to go.
Next on the "to buy" list:
Paint.
Sectional.
Room Divider.
Console Table.
Floor Lamp.
As soon as I start my fall/winter job I will be able to buy all of this stuff! Well, not AS soon as, but a few weeks later.
I say plunge because I've heard horror stories about these things.
But I've also heard that brushing it with a dog hair brush and raking it with a small wooden rake help tremendously.
Ordered from eBay seller vibrophil.
I laid down newspaper yesterday as a mock rug and decided 10 feet was the way to go.
Next on the "to buy" list:
Paint.
Sectional.
Room Divider.
Console Table.
Floor Lamp.
As soon as I start my fall/winter job I will be able to buy all of this stuff! Well, not AS soon as, but a few weeks later.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Why Living in the Country is Cool, Part I.
So one of the many awesome things about living out here vs. living in Madison is that there are a lot more cool things to be found...for cheap.
Like this old wooden military box:
It's pretty solid and quite bulky. Probably the best $10 find to date. I found it at an Estate Remnant sale at a church about half a mile from our house. Everything there was super cheap...and they had A LOT. I bought a few other small things, but I only had 15 minutes before heading to work to shuffle through aisles and aisles of treasures.
I'm thinking about putting it on some casters and using it as a coffee table or something like that. We'll see how it looks with the couch that I want to order from CB2. I have no idea when we'll find time to get to Chicago to test the couch out, so I'm pretty close to just ordering it and hoping for the best. Which is generally not my style, but with excellent reviews and my craving for a cool sectional, I just might take a leap. I mean, anything is going to be better looking than what we currently have. Our couches right now aren't that bad, but we don't like them and they are too big for our long and narrow living room (12'x22').
For now I am off to the paint store. My parents are coming this weekend and my mom was wondering if we wanted them to paint at all...then she said "well, you'll probably want to do that yourself though, right?". Haha, yeah right. I'm all for painting but I'll take any help I can get when it comes to large spaces and little time to do it myself.
PS- does anybody know what they used these big wooden boxes for? I always like to know the story behind my cool finds, but in this case, there was nobody to ask.
Like this old wooden military box:
It's pretty solid and quite bulky. Probably the best $10 find to date. I found it at an Estate Remnant sale at a church about half a mile from our house. Everything there was super cheap...and they had A LOT. I bought a few other small things, but I only had 15 minutes before heading to work to shuffle through aisles and aisles of treasures.
I'm thinking about putting it on some casters and using it as a coffee table or something like that. We'll see how it looks with the couch that I want to order from CB2. I have no idea when we'll find time to get to Chicago to test the couch out, so I'm pretty close to just ordering it and hoping for the best. Which is generally not my style, but with excellent reviews and my craving for a cool sectional, I just might take a leap. I mean, anything is going to be better looking than what we currently have. Our couches right now aren't that bad, but we don't like them and they are too big for our long and narrow living room (12'x22').
For now I am off to the paint store. My parents are coming this weekend and my mom was wondering if we wanted them to paint at all...then she said "well, you'll probably want to do that yourself though, right?". Haha, yeah right. I'm all for painting but I'll take any help I can get when it comes to large spaces and little time to do it myself.
PS- does anybody know what they used these big wooden boxes for? I always like to know the story behind my cool finds, but in this case, there was nobody to ask.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Heh. So Joe found a carpool, did I tell you that? I don't remember. Anyway, he commutes with 3 women from Mazo to Middleton Monday-Thursday and then on Friday he's on his own. Pretty sweet deal.
Anyway, one of the women is having this thing at her house featuring 7 or 8 artisans from the area on Saturday.
Since Joe is SO very thoughtful...ahem...he said something like "OH! Erin used to make things, blah blah blah, and she has lots of left over stuff since she's not actively selling right now."
Yes. I do have lots left over...all packed away in boxes...all in need of hooks or brackets or matte finish or something.
After much hesitation (mainly because I just don't have time for this sort of thing right now) and some persuasion from the other side ("oh, well I'll help you with things"...) I finished getting a little over half of my leftover stock ready.
I got up this morning to build a super quick display stand that holds 5 racks.
And all the other stuff laying around the stand are items that I quickly tagged this morning before heading off to work.
One thing that I do not miss about the handmade life is the stress that comes along with preparing for shows. Luckily Joe was able to help me quite a bit with this last minute shindig. He made most of my price tags and he also went to her house tonight to set everything up for me because I didn't get home from work till about 9.
Hopefully some of it sells. It would be nice to have a little extra money that I could do whatever I wanted to with and not feel guilty about it.
Anyway, one of the women is having this thing at her house featuring 7 or 8 artisans from the area on Saturday.
Since Joe is SO very thoughtful...ahem...he said something like "OH! Erin used to make things, blah blah blah, and she has lots of left over stuff since she's not actively selling right now."
Yes. I do have lots left over...all packed away in boxes...all in need of hooks or brackets or matte finish or something.
After much hesitation (mainly because I just don't have time for this sort of thing right now) and some persuasion from the other side ("oh, well I'll help you with things"...) I finished getting a little over half of my leftover stock ready.
I got up this morning to build a super quick display stand that holds 5 racks.
And all the other stuff laying around the stand are items that I quickly tagged this morning before heading off to work.
One thing that I do not miss about the handmade life is the stress that comes along with preparing for shows. Luckily Joe was able to help me quite a bit with this last minute shindig. He made most of my price tags and he also went to her house tonight to set everything up for me because I didn't get home from work till about 9.
Hopefully some of it sells. It would be nice to have a little extra money that I could do whatever I wanted to with and not feel guilty about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
