Sunday, June 7, 2009

My Favorite Corner



Hi. My name is Ronda. I must confess, I am not much of a meme player. An Internet meme, pronounced meem, is an idea or a concept that passes from one person to another, like a story, list, or concept, via the Internet. I have all kinds of excuses, but probably the reason that comes closest to being truth is that I am always really busy, personally and professionally. Time seems to get away from me and, for the most part, by the time I get around to completing them, they are no longer relevant. I end up dispatching them to the cyberspace graveyard.


Every once in a while, I attempt a meme just for practice. This one was created by the lovely Leah, author of the introspective The Weather in the Streets blog . It is called "A Favorite Corner in Your House." This meme is one I can do, although, I do confess that, since she posted the meme on May 20, 2009, she probably has forgotten all about it by now. While, to me, it is a current event. That's how "on it" I am. Well, best get to crack-a-lackin.'


My husband and I bought our house two months before we got married in 1976. Since then, we have been on an endless round of remodels and renovations. Our house is probably on its fourth incarnation. It was originally built in the downtown area of Redding as a residential structure. When I worked in dialysis, I learned that my clinic administrator had spent many years in this house. Her best friend lived in it and they would often play together. Years later, it was used as a bank. And, in fact, my husband was one of their first 100 members. To this day, we retain a charter account with free checking. After the bank generated enough profit, our house was removed so a traditional, commercial bank building could be built.


Thank goodness they chose to move the house rather than have it demolished. It was moved approximately six miles from its original location into a quiet neighborhood. It appears to have been built in the early 1900's but when we purchased it, it had been renovated in the 1940's Mission style.


I have many favorite corners in my house. But today, I am going to focus on my ceilings. When I get tired of looking at all of the things we NEED to do and redo, I kick back, look up and get lost in the interesting and intricate, old style, high ceilings my husband crafted. They are one off creations treated with a variety of colors, textures, shapes and mediums.





The stained glass pictures are of our downstairs bathroom ceiling. The panes of glass were cut and leaded by my mother, Barbara. Originally, she made them to adorn our 70's style water bed headboard. Remember those? The large pane of glass was in the center where, usually, a mirror was inserted. The two outer panes were mounted in the side doors. When we finally decided to retire the chunky, dark, rustic, wood headboard, I told my husband that I wanted to save the stained glass panels. Maybe we could use them somewhere else in the house as a reminder of my mother. As she had Alzheimer's, I knew she would never do that kind of work again. A few years ago, for our anniversary, he surprised me. He had taken the panels to a glass artist, had them expanded, then he mounted them as a ceiling light cover in our bathroom.


Below is a photograph of our living and dining room ceiling. It has the styling of embossed, tin ceiling tiles and a light fixture enhanced with an art deco style medallion.





The photo below is of our bedroom ceiling. My husband is an upholsterer. We use the materials and skills that we have at hand whenever possible. Because, mainly, we have more skill and creativity than $$. He used thin, wood veneer door skins, padded with layers of foam cut into designs and relief patterns, and then covered them with fabric. He made numerous panels, butted them end-to-end, to cover the expanse of ceiling.

I just love my ceilings, light fixtures, and husband. Although, he was testing me tonight. He had an EBay project that he couldn't kill and didn't get off the computer until after 11:00. Usually, I can count on him to go to bed by no later than 10:00. So, as I got a late start tonight, I will have an even later finish. Someday I will show you my padded rooms. Yes, I have padded rooms. REALLY! Okay, cut the wisecracks...sheesh.

21 comments:

Mike said...

That Stained glass is pretty cool! My house is so boring LOL!

Brian Miller said...

ha. looking forward to seeing the padded rooms.

those ceilings are simply amazing. this says a lot about you as well...maybe that you are always looking up. At least i would be with ceilings like those. your hubbys got talent.

have a great day ronda!

Leah said...

I love how you did this one! Very neat that those are your "favorite corners"--

When I was little, I used to lie on my back on the floor and stare up at our ceilings. It was so relaxing.

Your ceilings are interesting and beautiful; I love the stained glass and am so impressed with all the hand-crafting ability of your family!

Mary said...

I love your posts - there is so much depth to them. And how amazing are you and your husband ?! My ceiling is a huge issue - 1200 sq. feet of chipping tin. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE it - but it is 16 ft high so I am looking at scaffolding and months of work.

I also am touched by the story of the stained glass and your mom.

wonderful

Unknown said...

So pretty. I can tell that you've got a lot of class. Love it!

Megan said...

How cool is this post? So glad they saved the house rather than tearing it down. That is an incredibly creative idea for saving the stained glass.

Anonymous said...

Very nice Ronda! 'Tis a grand feeling to be able to accomplish it yourselves( with minimal help ). And the glass-work is a wonderful use of recycling. Did a lot of that in my former house. Too, those ceiling tiles; you won't find that design in a Home Depot. That's special.

Ed & Jeanne said...

Cool ceiling! I never realized you were in Redding. I have an old girlfriend that lives there. Been around and through many a time.

Ronda Laveen said...

Otin: There's nothing wrong with boring. In fact, it is something to which I aspire:)

Brian: Hmmm, never quite thought about it that way, but I do always try to look up and on the positive rather than the negative.

Leah: I know what you mean by finding it relaxing to stare up at the ceilings. They are like their own little universe. Very meditative.

Mary: I always enjoy checking in on your restoration of the church. I know how much work we have done and your project is probably 5x bigger. Our ceilings are only 10 feet high and we had back and neck aches for months after that project. Can't imagine that much square footage and working 16 feet overhead. It was a good think I'm a massage therapist.

Anna: Thanks. I've also got a lot of glass:)

Megan: I'm glad we were able to save the house. You can't believe what it was like when we started. She had been abandoned by a couple of families who gave up on her. Sometimes my husband surprises the snark out of me with his creative process. Just when I think I have a boring, vanilla husband he pulls out something like that.

Subby: Thanks. It is fun even though it is a lot of work isn't it? I do know a lot about Home Depot though I use it for pieces and parts rather than design concepts.

VE: Thanks. So you know this area. From your profile, I knew you weren't too far away in Oregon. Most people truly remember Redding if the went through in our famous blasted hot summers.

Baino said...

Fantastic. I love little tours around people's worlds. Amazing, who'd have thought of putting stained glass on the bathroom ceilling, perfect for long soaks in the tub (although mines not long enough to contain more than a four year old!) Moulded ceilings are very popular here in the older houses and have so much character. Mine are just plain gyprock with downlights, very featureless. I might pinch this meme too . .I have a few little 'corners' of interest.

Reya Mellicker said...

Oh! I love this post and I actually even love this meme (not so much of a meme fan usually). But it's great to see bits of the space where you live. Beautiful!! By all means, let there be light, Ronda.

Blackfeatherfarm said...

You, who comes in peace. {sorry couldn't resist}
Your comment on my blog gave me a good chuckle. I'll have to thank Anna, because your comment led me here, and I am taken with your blog,so count me among your followers.....

Ronda Laveen said...

Baino: By all means, pinch this meme. I read your post today in which you wrote that you needed a break from blogging. Sounds like unemployment is getting you down a bit. Maybe a few fun posts like this will get you going again.

Reya: Leah made this up all by her little, lovely self. Ingenious young thing she is. I'll have to ask her how many people did this one. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing my home.

Ronda Laveen said...

Black Feather: Your blog is beautiful, just as Anna said. Your horses as well as your jewlery are magnificent!

Dave King said...

A lovely post. Difficult to pick out best, but if I had to I would say the stained glass.

Mrsupole said...

I know you have shown the bathroom ceiling before and it is always so beautiful, your mom did a great job with the stained glass. All of your ceilings shown here are gorgeous. I wish mine looked like that.

My ceilings have popcorn on them. So they have little shadows. Okay they suck. But sometimes I lay on the couch in the family room and look up at them. The grandkids ask me what I am looking at and I say that I am looking for the little tacks sticking in the ceiling and trying to remember exactly where they are. When their moms were young and I had their birthday parties here I would decorate the ceiling with balloons and if the balloons popped I would sometimes forget to take the tacks out. I always used white ones so the balloons looked like they were floating in the air.

The grandkids ask me why I have not taken them out by now. I tell them that someday when I get the ladder out I might, but then I also say I probably won't do it because I have a fear of heights. I cannot believe I used to be able to put the balloons up there, but I am in no hurry to take the tacks out. Maybe next year.

God bless.

Evening Light Writer said...

Holy Moses that stained glass is beautiful. It looks like you have a marvelously beautiful house, a place where you can go and relax and its all yours...that's absolutely wonderful (I think I've used too many adjectives).

Ronda Laveen said...

Dave: Yes, I think it is my favorite too!

Sherry: I loved hearing the story of your daughters and the tacks in the ceiling. So nice to read you out and about again.

Mindy: You are the queen of adjectives; you could never use too many!

Ed & Jeanne said...

I have a memory of going through Redding when it was 128 (I think it set the record) back in the early 80s. I was in my VW bug, air-cooled engine and no AC! I thought the car was going to explode it was so hot...

Candie said...

This is really nice Ronda!

Ronda Laveen said...

VE: I had a bug like that! A sweltering, little tin can in that kind of heat. 128? That does sound pretty close to our record. And that is hot isn't it?

Candie: Thanks. Good to see you're back.