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31 May 2011

let the summer begin... Hole-in-the-Rock

Adventure is in the air as the chilly summer of 2011 commences. Here's to hoping the weather warms up soon, and more adventure- without jackets and long pants- is right around the corner. This past weekend we took a drive out to Hole-in-the Rock, just outside of Escalante. That's 65 miles of dirt road driving. About 50 miles into the drive you come to Dance Hall Rock (the rock formation behind the cactus) where the mormon pioneers used the natural amphitheater to take a break and dance as they crossed the  Utah desert.

Here it is folks- Hole-in-the-Rock, where the mormon pioneers bravely lowered their wagons and supplies on ropes down this canyon and crossed the Colorado River (now Lake Powell) on their way to the San Juan Valley. 

Of course we hiked down to the enticing waters of Lake Powell, the kids couldn't get there fast enough; partly to get out of the relentlessly howling wind and partly because we'd all been sitting in the car for 2 dusty, bumpy hours and needed to get moving.
I'm not going to lie... the water was cold and white capping in the wind. My eldest Q, her father's daughter for sure, dove right in, not caring about anything but getting wet. The rest of us hung our toes in and decided it was a good idea we postpone the Lake Powell boat trip a few more weeks.

Looking back up the Hole-in-the-Rock pass and imagining the pioneers with their loaded wagons, ropes and improper footwear can really make one ponder one's own hardships. 

M, making her way back up the trail.

A visit to Hole-in-the-Rock would not be complete without some staged pioneer pictures. Thank goodness we remembered to bring the bonnet and apron, and that we are so easily entertained.

28 May 2011

local color

If you are paying attention as you drive past Park City (on the 40, Silver Summit exit) you might catch a glimpse of this fella and his corral mates. The kids tipped me off, apparently the owner purchased him at ZebrasRUs.com, just in case you're in the market too.

26 May 2011

desk raising project

I have these two metal desk that we've picked up along the way, back to back in my sewing room. I love the standing/drafting desk. It's the perfect height for cutting. The red desk is another story- it's one redeeming quality is the long drawers underneath for poster/big flat paper storage. Since this room has been moved into I've wanted to somehow raise up the red desk to standing height and make one big work surface.

After thinking for months about raising the whole thing up (like on cinderblocks) I finally puzzled it out... I took off the top and used 2X6's to build a frame that only lifted up the top, and with a lot less weird looking result, I hope.

                             
Luckily, a 2X6 was the perfect height, since my tool selection is currently limited to a circular saw, drill and a few bits.

I had some red paint (that is going on the exterior of my house soon) that matched almost exactly the painted color.

I had to do a little shimming here and there to get the height right. The tops still don't match exactly- good enough- I say.

I needed some way to brace the whole contraption to the desk underneath. Hole in the metal were in place already, so I had to work with what already there. I found these metal brackets at Home Depot which actually lined up, with a little bending and turning. Now I just need to paint it red too.

Finally finished, in the harsh light of day and with a camera flash the reds look a bit crazy together, but in reality, you have to look hard to notice the lifter part is not part of the original desk. I picked up a huge 3 section cutting board I picked up a while back (anticipating this project) with my 50% off coupon at Joann's, I can finally use it. And the truth is I don't really care what it looks like, just that it's done-checked off the list.

24 May 2011

titanic diorama project with lego cast & crew

What's not to love about the 5th grade diorama project? The book the kids had to read was historical fiction, M picked a book kind of like the American Girl series, (I can't remember the name) about a little orphaned girl who was accompanying a friend to New York to try and find her brother.  I think she really enjoyed reading the account of the Titanic sinking, and especially working on this part of the project. Click on any of the pictures to make them bigger.

*If you are wondering what's up with the giant baby in the lifeboat... I asked the same question. Well, there are no real Lego babies (Lego, we'd appreciate it if you would please work on this) so M found this big ole baby to go in the life boat, you know, women and children first.

The boat is a cardboard, toilet paper tube, tape, modge podge creation that was then painted to resemble the Titanic.
The water is made with two different sparkly fabrics, cut into strips and laid in the bottom of the box.
The blue sky backdrop is fabric glued to the back inside of the box.
The iceberg is a wadded up plastic bag hot glued into the back corner and painted over with white paint, we even sprayed some glitter over the iceberg and the the blue of the sky.
The stars and moon are cut out of cardboard and hanging with string.

*Take a look at the Lego dude in the front, none too happy about his unfortunate circumstance.

I could have spent days driving around, casing craft stores searching for tiny people to represent the doomed passengers when we remembered- we probably have enough Lego people to fill a human sized life boat, and life jackets for each of them too. 

*The captain and crew, stoically going down with the ship.

Last minute idea- we printed up the real newspaper articles we found online to cover the outside of the box- thank you internet.

20 May 2011

tiny house week: friday

The grand finale of tiny house week- what our family calls "the troll house". For years we've driven the scenic route through Midway and not Heber on our way to Park City so we could pass by this house- ooh and ahh and speculate on it's history and charm. I still don't know much about it. No trolls or hobbits currently reside within, but they've hired a caretaker who keeps the place looking ship shape. One day my friends, perhaps when Bilbo returns from his journey, I can take over some hot rolls (or whatever hobbits love, I can't remember...) and get a peek inside.

19 May 2011

tiny house week: thursday

OK, maybe not the tiniest house, but way up there in 'quaint' points. Straight out of a fairy tale,  I think I just saw Hansel and Gretel walk by...

I used to turn my nose up at all of the Swiss scenes and folk art flowers freely painted on shutters and houses everywhere in this town, like the one above. 
Well, I've changed my mind (not cheesy but charming!) and turned over a new leaf. My new attitude is, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Yes, I'm doing it, putting folk-artsy-flower-painted shutters on my very own house. I've got the paint and the shutters all ready to go. The minute it stops raining (and snowing) I'm gonna get started. Pray for sunshine and warmth so that I too can have my own fairy tale looking cottage with bikes, skate boards and scooters parked all over the front lawn.

18 May 2011

tiny house week: wednesday

No, this isn't a house on the Mississippi river, this little pond was meant to be. I wonder if they have a pedal boat parked in a shed somewhere. This house isn't the smallest but makes the awesome list because of the quaintness of outbuildings, pond, bridge, house- even the woodpile looks perfect. They're even sporting American pride- 3x2 with the reflection, no accident I think.

I hear angels singing when I see outdoor spaces like this one.  And someday when my house grows up... my yard will look like this. My yard's guru and mentor- straight up.

17 May 2011

tiny house week: tuesday

I think the 2 little pigs collaborated on this one, the smarter two hogs of the trio. Look, the last little pig even built his side of the house with wheelchair access.

16 May 2011

tiny house week: monday

Tiny spaces are so intriguing to me.
 I think I can pinpoint when it all started.
When I was in elementary school there was a fabulous, intricate, brightly painted two story playhouse on a trailer parked on the side of a major road we used to drive everyday. The dollhouse/playhouse has a sign posted near it that said- 'Enter a drawing to win this playhouse.'  I begged my mom to stop and enter the drawing. Once entered, I was certain I would win. How could I not when I wanted it more than anything or anyone else?  I dreamt night and day about what the playhouse looked like inside, how I would carpet, paint and decorate it. I was obsessed, like only a naive 10 year old can be. But as entries in all drawings and giveaways go (in my world), I didn't win. I was devastated- perhaps still am.
Something in me still longs for that pint-sized playhouse of my childhood. Now as an adult, when I see a tiny house/shed/outbuilding, I have this overwhelming sense of longing and, let's be honest here, covetousness. (Also, that thing- like when you see a cute baby or a fluffy cat- I clench my teeth, raise my voice an octave or two, say 'cute' a lot, and want to squeeze the guts out of the cute thing.)
As the weather warms up,  I've been running and biking around my tiny, quaint new-to-me hometown. It's a pleasure to get out of the car and see details, all the wee buildings- like the garden shed above. I mean are you kidding me?? It's like 10 sq.ft. tops and couldn't be more perfect.

So I'm dedicating the week to tiny buildings. If you've got a favorite in your town, link it up here and share the love.

13 May 2011

upper east side of a dumpster


Meet Stefon- one of the best SNL characters ever.  I just had to share this last Saturday, Mother's Day episode.  When the actors are trying not to laugh, you know it's good times.

11 May 2011

there is beauty all around

Living in the country affords views like this- who knew a field of dandelions could look so spectacular?




Then I saw this truck bed as I walked across the library parking lot. What is so odd about this pile of crap is that it looks like it's been there a while, like longer than the truck has been around. The rusted tin cans and matted dirt pile are saying 1953 to me.

10 May 2011

picnic blanket thing

Based on a quilt top that my mother-in-law made for me a few years back and in the true spirit of reduce-reuse-recycle... it's the 'picnic blanket panel thing'. 
Both M and quilt are looking very cute here, modeling spring reading fun-in-the-sun.

Here we go with another... all ready to piece. Not as easy as it looks, wait, let me rephrase that... Yes, as easy as it looks if you like to spend hours, days and weeks cutting up squares of random fabric and sewing them all back together again.
Ahh... what some would consider 'fun'.

09 May 2011

bazaar finds

Here are some shots from the Beehive Bazaar this past weekend in Provo. Oh how I love this building (this part of it, not the bathrooms...) the Women's Center it's called, and I don't think it will be around for much longer. The building and others around it are slated for demolition for the new Provo Recreation Center sometime this year. So, for the sake of nostalgia... a few pictures of the Women's Center looking it's best.  The morning sunlight streaming in the colored glass windows on fabulous handmade goods.

Watercolor prints by Ashley Mae. 


Recycled wool felted goods by Carrie Poulsen of Big Brown House.


Felt sushi, pita pockets and so much more by Bug Bites Play Food.

The softest, cutest cleverly named dollies by Urban Patchwork.
A mind bending amount of work by so many talented artists and crafters go into making the Beehive Bazaar so unique and completely handmade. Thank you everyone who participated- vendors and shoppers, it was better than ever!

04 May 2011

ribbon dollies

My Q has been making these ribbon dollies for the Beehive Bazaar this weekend, aren't they so very cute?
To get a dolly for yourself and about a thousand other way awesome things (we just set up the show, so I got a sneak peek...) head out to the Bazaar in Provo UT this Mother's Day weekend.

03 May 2011

Honey, I'll just take the horse.

You know you are living in the country when one can ride their horse to the soccer game and park him at the dumpster.
This sight was a great opener into that timeless parent-child discussion/lesson/nostalgic glimpse into the past, you know the one... "You know, when I was a kid..."

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