The Marble Table Top Finds a Stand

Saturday K and I were estate sale-ing around town and K stumbled upon this table stand and announced its perfection and suitability for our marble table top. I quickly concurred. We decided to pay full price instead of waiting for the 50% off that would be in place the next day - what if someone buys it out from under us!? So we plunked down our hard earned monies and walked away with the perfect table support. It might be the best $12 we've spent since 25 cent draft night at our favorite bar. Of course if we could have held out a day it would have been six bucks but that might have felt like stealing. Anyway, we are quite pleased to have found a base for our table top.

This area of the room is starting to finally come together. Of course when we eventually get in there and paint and refloor and do all the things in our heads that we invision for the space it will change a great deal. But for now we are pleased with the current situation. But I cannot wait to get in there and make some more dramatic changes [for the better I hope!].

Just a couple of pictures of the reading nook - still one of K's favorite spots in the house!

The Castration of Clarksdale Place [not the cat]

OK. When we first got the house we didn't realize that we had a couple of, um, testicles on either side of the entryway. Over time they began to emerge as giant eyesores that really clutter up the front of the house and make the facade look very small. So we decided to take them out entirely. I was hoping that the front of the house would look wider and larger - elongated.
Eventually we will plant something in their place. We have thought about a long grass on one side and perhaps the true sign of yuppie gentrification on the other - the Japanese maple. But for now we will have to live with absense. Actually a large part of my philosophy is to take things out before adding things on so I am enjoying the openness of the front of the hosue at the moment. So enjoy the images!

In the picture below you can really see how the shrubs clutter up the facade and block a great deal of light.

One down! And one to go:

You can see how the front of the house opens up in the following photos:

Soon we will deal with the lighting situation and I think you will be excited with out decision when I get around to swapping the lights out.

The dead soldiers - there were incredibly overgrown and very heavy:

K recently made an owl pillow as a baby present for a friend so I thought to include it here - looks really good:

Here is Cramer, occasionally refered to as The Little Idiot. He has taken to sleeping like this, usually with both arms outstretched, but you get the idea. He'll stay like this for hours. We should take a lesson in relaxation from the little dude. He is a perma-teenager at heart, another lesson for us.

Sconces and Austin, TX

Here are the new sconces for the bedroom. I am sure you are tired of seeing pictures of our bed / headboard. The summer doldrums have descended somewhat so work on the house - and on everything - has slowed to a crawl. So I am sorry I haven't had an update sooner. I will try and get back on the horse and tackle more projects sooner.
But for now you can check out the new sconces. I was hoping to have some rad art over the bed but that will come eventually.

Jerome is an enthusiastic supporter of the sconces. And he loves the sconce spotlight - vain little bugger that he is.

Some photos from South Austin:

Ok, I know houses are pricey in Austin. But this little guy is 934 sq ft and prices in at about $400k.

Don't believe me? Check it out here:

http://http//www.realtyaustin.com/idx/homes/texas/austin/78704/107-w-milton/2891759.html

The South Congress Cafe where we had a yummy brunch.

There were a bunch of food vans on S Congress where we had brunch. This one is K's favorite.

We strolled through the neighborhood and found this cool pad. It is for sale I believe if anyone wants to pick it up for $1 million +.

View of downtown and the capital across the river - looking north.