A house, in the style of Flemish architecture (06-26-12)

During the first session of the Cartooning class I teach at the Milwaukie Center, I gave the kids the assignment to draw something without letting the pen leave the page. While they were busy, I decided to work along on the whiteboard.
It's funny, but as I started drawing a house, the style that immediately came to mind was that of Flemish architecture, tall houses with crenellated gables and small windows, as one commonly sees in Belgium in such cities as Brussels, Bruges, or Ghent...

Left: As drawn from memory           Right: A random example of the real thing

A Vintage Sale... at my house! (05-15-12)

Farmhouse Vintage Sale (Oak Grove - Milwaukie)

---

Date: 2012-05-15, 11:10PM PDT
Reply to: your anonymous craigslist address will appear here

---

Friday May 25 and Saturday May 26, 9 am - 5 pm. NO EARLY BIRDS (no kidding).

VINTAGE ONLY SALE hosted by No Ducks and Bunnies Vintage.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to attend a sale featuring fabulous VINTAGE items in a lovely park-like setting: home decor, china, sewing, garden, small furniture, chairs, dressers, trunks, -even bridal dresses-, and more...

From Mc:Loughlin Blvd./Hwy 99, West on Oak Grove Blvd; South on Linden to 2323 Creighton Ave.

The Ducks and Bunnies house is the charming old yellow farmhouse behind the green doublewide at the corner. The property is accessible by foot via driveways on Creighton Ave. and on Sarah Lane.

- PLEASE USE STREET PARKING -. 

Lovely in Springtime (06-20-11)

Here are some photos of the house at its best, when everything around is in bloom...

Haiku: The Buyer's Lament (02-23-10)

A poem by Pascale Steig

House sold; moving on
Looking for a house
Alas: slim pickings.

Frantically looking
Days on end, reading the ads
Hoping for wonders

It's all said in code
Where "Lovingly Restored"
Means total mess-up

Mongrelization
Of styles, periods, and uses.
Sage green, brown and grey

The tiles, all the same
Gone the trims, the cabinets
Gone, the wood built-ins

The windows, vinyl
Gone, the charm, the history
The doors, hollow core.

Done in the name of
Updates, home improvement:
Obliteration

My heart beats faster
For two words: "Historic Charm"…
Perhaps this is it..?

Alas, alas, no.
With walls, leaning to the side,
The house is crooked.

It smells; well, it stinks
Unkempt, drafty, moldering
Unfit for humans.

The agent, he smiles;
If not this house, another...
...Or another yet.

Photos of Kitchen (ca. 09-08)

Photos of my kitchen, designed by Yours Truly.

Since the house is for sale, I figured I might as well post a couple of photos of my favorite space: the kitchen I designed. I think the project turned out fabulous, especially with the color tiles on the wall.

I really enjoy watching house redo shows; it makes me laugh when I see "experts" walk in a house, criticize everything and turn it into a "staged" space that makes it look bland and banal. Unlike some of the houses I see on these programs, I like houses with personality.