Home Decorating: 2004 Archives

Which hasn't always been the case. Like seafood, I was once allergic to Christmas. A lot of it was because I used to work retail. And people are just evil when shopping during the holidays. I would work twelve exhaustive evil hours on Christmas eve, and then hurl at the thought of "celebrating" something every angry young heathen opposes on principal anyway.

Some time in my late twenties I rediscovered the christmas tree. And bright sparkly ornaments. And creepy santas. And over the years I've reclaimed the holiday for myself. I love the smell of the tree, and roasting a turkey in my tiny apartment size stove. Last year Mr. Kallisti and I celebrated our first Christmas together and it was sublime.

So. We got up early and went and picked up our christmas tree. Yip! Last year we bought grab bags of olde ornaments at Thrift Town in The City for $3 a bag. Lots of crap but got a lot of gems too. So we actually have a bunch of ornaments already.

Also. Mr. Kallisti's mother sent three huge boxes full of presents. Some wrapped, some old heirlooms she wanted us to have. Like old victorian postcard and scap albums. And his grandparents kewpie cake topper. Eeeeeeeeeee! She knitted me a pink froofy scarf to match my new coat, and knitted one for Fifi too! Ah!

So, back to cleaning the house and setting up the glowing gnome and creepy santas.

The kimono is coming out FAB. I should be done in a day or two. So fun. I'm going to go start my "All Creatures Great and Small" marathon.

I have to do it. It is driving me nuts. My books are caving in on me.

This is looms right over my side of the bed, there is about 8" seperating the two. Please excuse the clean laundry basket overflowing at the foot of the bed here.

I love our cottage, but the bedroom is so small and narrow, and it is the only space with room for my giant bookcase (5' x 6'!) and all our books. They're stacked and stuffed in crevasses, spilling onto the floor, and there are numerous crates already in the garage of old paperbacks. I pulled a box of unwanted books a few weeks ago but it didn't even make a dent!

I'm going to be getting rid of some books. Oh, my beloved books. It is going to be hard. And then, from what is left over, we will store some in the garage, so we can get this monstrosity of a bookcase (that I LOVE) out of our bedroom.

Maybe.

Oh, and *snoopy dance* I won the winky Lusis face last night off of YJP. And for a lot cheaper than I got the orgasmic face. D'oh!

Well. After two weeks of diligent searching and returned furniture items, we finally found a storage solution for my storage problems. We couldn't find one massive unit full of drawers to replace all the smaller plastic storage units. So we started back at square one and got a white melamine armoir that fit all the little drawer thingies we already had. We just need to add one more shelf inside and it is all good! I'm so relieved we found something not ugly at IKEA. I switched out the knobs myself, even though they had nice little white glass ones, these will match the ones on the hutch opposite. SO. The smallest room in the world has two hutches, an armoir and a kitchen table in it. Wowie. And thanks to Mr. Kallisti for putting up with my endless searching, whining, and for putting it all together. Mwah!!! K. I'll shaddup. Here's the pictures.

This first one utilizes mood lighting. Sorry about the flash on the rest of them.

How much does Demelza love her dress form, huh? And, by the way, that is my great grandmother's pin cushion rolling around next to the sewing machine. My grandmother used it all the years I knew her and it was apparently her mother's! I cherish it.

K, I know you want to hear about the "granny pr0n" first. We've been suddenly struck with a severe case of summer. In the Bay Area that generally lasts from sept. 1st through sept. 29th. And then it rains until March (when we're not having a drought). So. It's been to hot to stay indoors, Saturday we tried driving around but all exits from the area were clogged with Labor Day Weekend Flotsam so we scooted sideways over to antique shop mecca -- Martinez! Found my dad an old, hand smithied cowbell that he wanted for his yard gate. That was gratifying, actually found random item we were looking for. But the random item we WEREN'T looking for was even more fun. Some vintage 1930's fabric caught my eye. Hrm. Pink pot holders. And then the neon sticker on top "Naughty Pot Holders." Wtf!?! A quick inspection had me giggling insanely and scuttling for the counter to quickly pay my devastating $6 for the two potholders. I call them "granny porn" because it tickles me to think someone's grandmother stitched these. Without further adieu:

The best Valentine of all... Mr. Kallisti graciously suggested I take over our wee dining room as a work room. Hither-to-fore my work stuff has been in plastic bins chucked all over the house, and everytime I had a project it all got yanked into the middle of the living room floor.

So here 'tis:

It is small, but the cutest room in the house. It has a built-in in one corner with art deco edgings, and another corner cabinet we bought in the other corner. It is also the best lit room in the house, perfect for projects.

I'm so happy I could MAKE SOMETHING!