A Makeover For a Sentimental, Retro Doorbell Cover

Remember how I said the platform we made for Szuka (so she can ride around in the truck more comfortably) was the weirdest idea you'd see all day?  This is weirder...

My grandparents have had this doorbell cover in their house for as long as I can remember - I think my Papa made it.  Originally it was black, but somewhere along the way it got a coat of cream spray paint.  It kind of cracks me up that the windows look very 1970s, because it demonstrates that no house is safe from the trends - not even a fake one.

Before

I can't actually fit this over my doorbell but my Papa was adamant that I have it because I always loved it as a little girl.  I'm touched that he remembered, so I think it will find a spot in the studio space I'm dreaming up (currently "the fishroom" in our house tour).  But first it needed a whole home renovation: new exterior paint, new windows, and lighting ;)

Before painting, I gave it a good scrub with a toothbrush and some dish detergent, then rinsed it off and let it dry in the sunlight.  Once dry, I gave it a few good coats of Rust-Oleum gloss white (the same paint I used for the painted terracotta planters).  The paint job refreshed it beautifully, but the windows had to go so I ordered an acrylic sheet from Inventables.  They have a great selection of acrylic for various projects, but I fell for this soft blue ("pacific blue").

We cut the acrylic sheet with a jigsaw and then used our favorite 5-minute epoxy to affix the new "windows" in place.

For fun, I bought battery powered LED lights from Michael's to slip inside (these ones are similar).

Now this little house perfectly matches my aqua and white colour palette and lights up, so it makes me smile.  I just need a little Komondor pup figurine for the balcony and some doll-sized Pyrex and I'm all set!

If I needed one, this would be a pretty awesome night light...

Thanks to Inventables for collaborating with me on this project - and for being so enthusiastic about my super weird idea!  They have some seriously cool project supplies.

Our DIY Painted Bowls + A Gift Idea for a Kid Who Has Everything

My city is currently renovating the marina and, while the reactions to the development are mixed, I really like the Arts Centre building that was built there.  It's housed in a renovated, historic freight shed and overlooks Lake Superior. 

They offer various classes and last month Hubs and I took our niece to a "paint a pot" workshop.  We were provided handmade bowls, glazes, brushes, etc., and given two hours to work our magic.  The centre has amazing light and we spent a blissfully peaceful afternoon painting.

Want to see the fruits of our labour?

This one is, quite obviously, my bowl.  I set myself up to fail by choosing an aqua glaze that happened to dry super quickly and I overworked it, so that's why it's weirdly patchy.  I haven't done anything pottery related since I was a kid myself!

You might not be able to tell, but I actually glazed the entire outside of the bowl with white because the natural colour was sort of ecru.

Handy Hubby made an adorable bowl.  He struggled with the glazes too, because some went on smoothly but some were chunky and uncooperative.  I had joked before the class that if his bowl didn't look good it would be a "work bowl" for him to use at the office.  With each defeated brush stroke, he'd mutter dejectedly, "yeah, this isn't working, this is going to be my work bowl".

When we were driving to the waterfront to attend the class, I kept teasing our niece about what we were doing because we'd kept it a secret.  Among my tall tales, one really resonated: I told her we were going to shovel grain (our waterfront has a lot of grain elevators) and this bizarrely piqued her interest, so I explained how we'd get paid $5.00 an hour to shovel dusty grain all day, with no breaks to use the bathroom.  I described in great detail what dusty, terrible work it would be and she believed every fib.  When we arrived at the paint a pot class, I said, "Surprise! We're painting pottery bowls!!! (insert jazz hands here).  Well, the tall tales blew up in my face because at first she was totally bummed that we weren't going to be shoveling grain.  After a few minutes she got more interested in the pottery and was eventually totally engrossed - although still deeply disappointed to miss out on $5.00 an hour doing manual labour.  I was so impressed with her focus; I think she could have worked on her bowl all day.

Our bowls were fired and ready to be picked up about a week or so later.  Although mine turned out a little wonkier than I hoped, Hubby's is cute enough to be a home bowl and our niece was thrilled with hers.  I'd definitely go to another class with a kiddo and I decided to share our experience in case anyone is struggling to find a gift for a kid who has every toy under the sun.  A gift certificate for something like this - a one day, crafty class - would be so much fun for kids.  It cost $75 for the three of us to attend this class, but it was better than buying a toy, I think, because we spent an afternoon together, making memories.

Next time I have a much cheaper outing in mind: shoveling grain it is!

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Throw Pillows Are Part of My Heritage

When I told Hubby I was getting four new pillows for the living room, he eyed me suspiciously.  He tolerates my love of throw pillows, but he'd prefer that we each have a pillow for sleeping and/or lounging that we carry around with us to avoid absolutely any excess of pillows.  Guests would be required to bring their own.  I tell him that I'm not even that much of a throw pillow enthusiast because other people switch them out seasonally.  But he says that no one does that, that's just madness.

Not to worry, I now have the best excuse ever for a plethora of pillows: having an abundance of decorative pillows is actually part of my Hungarian heritage.

That's right...

Now, if I'm being honest, I still have to do some research on this, but, at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, you can see examples of dowry displays, which would have been paraded through a town and put on display before a wedding.  As I understand it, the quality and quantity of the handmade pillows was an important part of a dowry and would be judged by fellow townsfolk. 



Here's an older photograph, demonstrating the practice:

Found on Pinterest, unsure of original source

See?  If anything, I've been slacking in the pillow department - a total embarrassment to my ancestors.  Here's an inventory of my embarrassingly small collection, starting with my new Marimekko pillows:

My old Marimekko pillows, sewn by Mom, got the boot from the living room, but I've been toying around with layering them in with the green silk bedroom pillows in the bedroom...

The bedroom could actually use a pillow refresh, because I've had the same silk throw pillows and orange paisley print pillow since 2011!!  My plan for a new embroidery one was set on the back burner but I'll get to it this year.  Maybe.  (Who had money on it taking four years for me to finish?)



Apparently I am abnormally committed to my throw pillows. 

It makes sense that I hang onto pillows because I take my sweet time finding the perfect fabrics.  Remember my struggle finding THE perfect print (I'm so picky) to mix in with the existing patterns on the sofa in the townhouse?  I had those for years too, only switching them when we moved to the lakehouse because the fabric was becoming threadbare by that point and I was starting to favor more aqua and blue hues.

I think I should get bonus points, though, because even my office book boasts three throw pillows - a pale pink silk pair sewn by Mom and my little embroidered one.

Hardly enough to impress the townsfolk! 

P.S. If you've been eyeing up something at FinnStyle (can I recommend some throw pillows?), the Dans le Lakehouse 20% coupon code expires on the 24th!  Click here to get it.

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Why I'm a Bad Wife: Part II

Last year, so many of you got a kick out of my special anniversary post, chronicling why I'm a bad wife.  Did you think there were so few reasons?  I'm flattered.  I have a whole second list, in honor of our fourth wedding anniversary (which is today!) . . .

11.  Hubby had to come to Hungary with a mostly empty suitcase and completely empty carry-on (that must have looked suspicious) to trek home all the stuff I bought here.  Really Hubs, three pairs of gotch?  Why so fancy pants?

12.  Hubby gets volun-told for a lot of tasks.  Like painting my Grandma's fence.  Replacing my Mom's door knob.  Shimmying into my parents' attic to lay insulation.  And, for 2013, making a treadle desk for a member of my PhD thesis committee! 

 
13.  I'm still learning the words to songs he hates, but now I'm insisting he learn half so we can do duets on road trips.

14.  I don't know how it comes across in text, but in 3D I'm quite the cut up - always cracking jokes and making funny faces.  But I'll never be a great comedian because, even if it goes over like a lead balloon, I won't bury a bit.  Until laptops become obsolete, every time I have an open laptop across from Hubby's open laptop I will yell, "You sunk my battleship!" (even if it gets the Hubby eye-roll).  I also laugh so hard at my own jokes that sometimes I can't get the punchline out, but Hubby patiently waits for me to get it together.  

15.  To celebrate our one month of being married, we made a scrap book of the wedding day.  Oh gosh, if his work buddies knew his list of skills include gluing pretty corners on pictures . . .

He looks happy enough, but I'm sure he's glad scrapbooking and I didn't really get along.  Ask me if we ever finished that damn scrapbook? Stupid scrapbook.

16. I am a typo-making machine.  Despite all my edu-macation, I also make oodles of grammatical errors.  As a result, Hubby is well versed in feminist theory and philosophy from editing everything I have ever written, since we started dating (back in high school for those keeping track).  Oh, and he has the login info for the blog, to fix mistakes here too.  It's more efficient to cut out the middle man on that one.

17.  He's my favorite treasure hunting partner in crime, even though he hates the smell of all thrift stores and most antique stores.  Yard saling he likes, because it involves sunshine, driving and the occasional hot dog.  But here he is, in one of my favorite antique shops (loitering near the door, by the way).

18.  He thinks it's super swell I'm so into action movies while other wives insist on watching The Notebook again.  Yup, I'm into action movies alright.

Muscliness Via

Suuuuure I'll watch The Transporter, or Transporter 2, or Transporter 3, or The Italian Job, or Death Race, or The Bank Job.

19.  I put a copy of Twilight in his hands and told him it was about vampires.  He is so removed from popular culture, he had no idea it wasn't on par with Blade!  He read all four books (even if you hate the first one, how can you not want to know how it ends?), called it "literary crack" and is now wary of all my recommendations.  I think admitting, on the internet, that I read the series myself is penance enough, no?

20.  I tell anyone with ears (or an internet connection) that Hubby used to cut my hair.  I'm not sure this is something he wants to brag about, given my propensity for volunteering him for tasks (a high school teacher once asked if Hubs was available for appointments) and also because this skill might fall under the same category as "scrap booking," when it comes to being teased horribly by friends.  But I'm so proud of him!  He did such a good job that I am seriously considering going for the DIY'd choppy cut again.  Where are the kitchen scissors??

Me, circa High School graduation time, rocking my DIY hairdo.  Oh boy that was a long time ago.

Happy Anniversary, Handy Hubby.  Thanks for loving me, even when I rook you into another trip to the thrift store by pretending we're going to Le Baron.

That's us, on our wedding day!

 

P.S. Tonight, (on the night of our wedding anniversary, remember? I didn't), we're meeting my Hungarian friend to go to a pottery painting place, then we're meeting up with her boyfriend and making palacsinta (Hungarian crepes).  I'm just getting a jump start on next year's list.

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This Will Make You Laugh. Promise.

I am starting to live like a messy teenager here in Budapest, flinging stuff on available surfaces instead of putting things away ("I'm too tired," she whined).  This is so unlike me!  My bra is obviously unimpressed:

I can't believe I just showed you all my mangy bra (I seriously have better and prettier ones!) but I had to show you because I almost died laughing when I saw the scowling "face" that had appeared overnight.  Can you spot it, or have I been spending too much time in the mulled wine?  I can't even look at the photo without bursting into giggles.  

Laughing is good, because my Mom's flight home leaves tomorrow :( 
We're off for one last adventure.  And mulled wine.

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Blogiversary Embarassment

It's November 16th and that means I've been sharing my DIY feats and failures (plus sources of inspiration) for two years!  Last year I held a fun giveaway, but I'm so far flung on the globe right now that doing a giveaway would be a bit complicated.  I promise two giveaways in 2013 when we re-open our Minden Vintage shop and launch a NEW etsy shop as well (wonder what I'll be selling) . . .

Last year I listed a few blogging successes before the giveaway, but now that I have a press page that's old news (although I am still pretty jazzed I have another DIY project featured in a magazine).  I thought what might be more fun is to share 5 cringe worthy posts from my early blogging days!!

An elementary school teacher, probably quoting someone famous, said to never compare yourself to anyone but yourself, in the past, to see if you're better than you were.  That's the only comparison that really means anything, he said.  Since childhood I've tried to make this my mantra, which has been hard for a Type A gal like me who needs to be the best at everything.  But the older I get, the more I appreciate the wisdom in that saying (seriously, is it super famous and I'm still attributing it to a grade school teacher?).

So let's see how my current posts stack up to the early ones, shall we? (Note, some of my early posts are a bit grainy because I changed the width of the blog in 2011, so some old photos got a bit stretched).

1.  Clearly an amateur at everything

Back when few people stopped by the townhouse, let alone commented, I posted a few photos of Hubs and I (as young'uns) painting my 92 Dodge Colt lime green.  Although I'm still pretty proud of painting my car (but note we didn't do a good enough job to provide any more of a tutorial than this), I can't decide which is more embarassing: the way I "digitized" my old photos or the painting outfits I shared with the world . . .

P.S. In the late 1980s and early 1990s they were, literally, giving away these sweet little grocery-getters in Hungary (I found these ads in the magazine I'm studying):

Maybe I haven't changed much at all - still snapping photos of other photos . . .

2.  The stories that went no where

When few people were reading along, I didn't really feel the motivational power of blogging.  Now blogging often (but not always) gets my rear in gear so I finish projects, because you're waiting for pics!  But back in the day, some of my plans just fizzled, like this bench I bought for the bedroom but stashed in the basement instead.  You'll see it again in 2013 - maybe - when we finally get to our laundry reno!  But shame on me for just letting this fizzle (and using blurry seller photos from kijiji to boot).

3.  And why are you telling us this?

It took me a while to find my blog legs and find a happy balance between home stuff, DIY projects and a little randomness every once and awhile.  But in the early days I went a little blog nutty and seemed to make note of everything. freaking. thing. that caught my eye, like this pup lovin' on the china.  The only thing I didn't make note of was the source of the photo (bad blogger!).

4.  Only the worst tutorial ever

I eventually learned a tutorial needs good instructions and/or good photos - although sometimes I still get so wrapped up the project, I don't always take gorgeous "process" shots.  Sometimes a project is so simple, a few words and some pretty pics will do.  Other times, some in depth "how-to" photos are required and then I think the procedure outshines the surroundings (hello dirty garage photos).  Without one or the other (ideally both), even a neat idea goes over like a lead balloon.

Did you ever read how I described painting Hubby's sentimental microwave (see how much I love the guy)?  The project really refreshed a perfectly functioning piece, plus it was free because I used leftover supplies.  Microwaves get so beat up during moves and they aren't always cheap, so I loved the idea.  Imagine a fun colour for a funky kitchen or maybe chalkboard paint - even just temporarily, as you save for a new one?  But look at my lame post!  I didn't crop the "before" photo (didn't know how) and didn't style the "after" at all (I was going for sad realism with my three tomatoes and ridiculous number of dented oranges).
5.  A Picture Says a Thousand Words

I was super excited when Apartment Therapy posted my query to readers, asking for help picking bedding for the bedroom spruce (see the "after" in the townhouse tour).  But the post I wrote to say "hey, thanks" was 100% photo-less!!  Isn't that a crime in blogland?  Good grief.  Now I post a bajillion photos (too many?) and try to write posts that, save for some anomalies (ahem, this post), you could skip, or at least skim, the text because, hey, I know you're busy!

Well, there you have five really sad posts from my early days, but, truly, there is a bevvy of doozies in the archives.  It's fun to look back and see how much I've learned about blogging, coding, writing and taking/editing photos, and to think about the exciting things the next year of blogging holds!  Closer to the year end, I'll be rounding up my favorite posts of the year, with a post dedicated to just the DIYs and another one for the random goodness.

I'm looking forward to continuing to improve my blogging habits in my third year of blogging, and wanted to say thanks for sticking around!  I really appreciate the friendships I have made through the blog and always look forward to your comments and emails.  You folks always brighten my day!

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