rain + light = comfort

Abstract: Rain (iphone processed instagram inkwell) Healdsburg, 2012 © kristin chapman, creativebleed
This weekend I got to go on a micro adventure to the North Bay. It’s been a few years since I have gotten some alone time while traveling. This time was much needed and well deserved. To be free from obligations, distractions and taking absolutely nothing on allowed me time to wonder and relax my mind.

rust comes down © kristin chapman, creativebleed
My adventure took me to Healdsburg, California where I stayed at the H2 Hotel, (a little Christmas gift from my love). Yep, it’s one of those “eco-chic” hotels backed up by a LEED gold certification for new construction. And I must say it’s pretty impressive with it’s cradle to cradle design. The hotel has a living roof, solar panels and much of the materials and construction debris were recycled, salvaged and locally sourced. The rooms featured low flow showers, duel flushed toilets, balconies in every room, a ceiling fan,  and filtered water with glasses made from recycled wine bottles, nice touch! What impressed me the most about these rooms was the modern and simplistic decor pulled from natural elements. The walls white, the ceiling a tint of blue, a botanical line drawing that is timeless and an appreciation for wood grain and rust, my kind of people! When I came in from the pouring rain, my room was airy and filled with light, it was instant comfort.

H2 Hotel Healdsburg, CA © creativebleed
I spent a few hours after lunch browsing through Healdsburg’s antique stores, oh how I just love old things. I stopped in a few galleries like Studio Barndiva and Healdsburg Center for the Arts which currently has an elementary school exhibit up which is really fun and worth checking out.

Moustache Bakery, Healdsburg, Ca © creativebleed
On Sunday, it poured but it didn't stop me from taking a walk through town in the pouring rain and stopping off at the Moustache Bakery for some yummy treats to take home. I was hoping to go on a little bike ride, since the hotel offers complimentary bicycles but with the rain, well that wasn’t happening. And sadly I didn't get much of an opportunity to shoot, which was also a bit disappointing because it’s rare I get to take a walk or drive with my camera like that any more. But I did find comfort and left Healdsburg feeling refreshed and rested and very well hydrated, if I might add! k

Crab and Artichoke dip from the Spoon Bar, Healdsburg, Ca © creativebleed

Learn more about the H2 Hotel sustainable design, here.

Some other cool places in Healdsburg, California:

Cafe Gratitude

Mill Street Antiques Plaza

Copperfield's Books

Oakville Grocery Co.

One World Fair Trade

Bear Republic Brewery

A Simple Touch Spa

WIP: Caretto dresser and site redesign

antique door knob (iphone photo processed in snapseed) © creativebleed

The Caretto dresser is almost complete! I began painting it last week when I was so rudely interrupted by the stomach flu, yay! So things came to a screeching halt as I curled up on the couch with the little one, a bucket, some saltines and Finding Nemo.

painted drawers (iphone photo processed in snapseed) © creativebleedAlthough the dresser has been slow going, I did manage to get some more work done on the web site, as you can see things are looking a little different. My goal is to merge my old portfolio site with creative bleed. I have a new portfolio that I have been working on over the last several months, so I am excited to get things back up and running. Til next time. K

Pardon my dust

WIP: Caretto Dresser © creativebleed

Now that the holidays over and I have had some time to relax, I started working on the Caretto Dresser I posted about back in November. Today I finished sanding and filling up indentations in the wood with a wood filler. I get the impression that this is a piece that must of been sold unfinished and the consumer gets to finish it. Things start to look pretty sloppy once you start peeling back those layers. The wood is beat up pretty good which I do like but think it would be best to paint it. So I have decided to try milk paint. I am really excited about it!

Besides the dresser I have started to redesign the site and finally get my portfolio up again. It has been down for over a year, so I started working on it over the weekend and I hope to launch it by the end of the month. Most likely sooner. So if the site starts looking a little wonky that is why. Even though I am working from a disabled template, it still alters the live site, damn you Squarespace! With that being said,  pardon my dust while I sand, paint and move things around. K

Let's get cooking!

Kitchen Playset after© creativebleed

Wow, this week went by super fast! Even though we started this set a few weeks ago and most of it was done, it was all the little touches that ended up coming down to the wire. The sink got the biggest make over, we decided to paint the whole thing white to give it that apron sink feel. We removed the cabinet door and made a curtain instead. The original faucet was missing so my husband used a plastic "J" pipe for the faucet and bathroom replacement knobs. He even drilled a hole in the bottom of the sink. How cute is that?

Sink After © creativebleed

While installing the faucet, the top accidently got cracked, so we thought it best to tile it to cover our bad. It was suprisingly easy. We got a sample sheet of small white tile from a local tile store and grouted that sucker in. It came out surprisingly well.

© creativebleedThe stove didn't need much just some new paint. The tea towel was screen printed by our friend Jennifer J, who also made some little menu cards to go with. We added a Green Toy pot and frying pan and stocked the fridge with some empty food packages.

© creativebleed

For the used set and materials we probably spent around $140, which is a little over budget, mainly because of that darn magnetic paint. Sure we probably could have purchased a new set for the price, but what fun is that? Plus, we kept the money within our community and gave our daughter something custom for Christmas. And I am happy to say it's been a big hit we have been cooking all morning! K

Materials:

Used play kitchen from Valley Care Thrift, Tile from Western Tile Design Center, Fabric from In Between Stitches, Cherry Blossom Montana Gold Paint from Richards, Hardware and paint from OSH and Lowes.

 See before pics here.

Pimp my fridge

Play fridge before © creativebleed

Santa's elves have been slaving away during nap time the last week to get one special girl's kitchen play set tricked out in time for Christmas! We have removed handles and doors and begun painting. But before I get into the remodeling process, I must back up to the day we found the set. As we were configuring how to fit the two piece set into my car (along with the jogging stroller already taking up most of the trunk), the clerk came out and said, "the guy just dropped off the fridge, do you want it?"

"Of course!" So now our two piece set is a three piece set. One elf drives the sleigh with a fridge and a stove while the other runs through town with a jogging stroller and a sink, Merry Christmas!

Prep to paint © creativebleed

So lets get to work! We started by cleaning the set up and removing all the handles, small parts and doors. We chose to leave the set white and repaint the doors magenta with silver hardware. 

Painting fridge door with magnetic paint © creativebleed

Starting with the fridge, we thought it would be cool to have it actually be magnetic. I had some left over magnetic paint from a project last year so I started painting the front of the door. Of course after the second coat, I came to the conclusion that the paint was no longer good, there was not the slightest pull. My mind already set on a magnetic fridge we broke down and bought more paint (the stuff is not cheap). In the end the fridge got 6 coats of magnetic paint, then a thin layer of white paint before the magenta went on. Does it work? Of course! Although the darn thing chips easily and the surface is a little rough from the foam roller, it does work and is cohesive with the rest of the set.

Close-Up of dispenser on door. Note the texture and where the paint seeped through the mask. ©creativebleedFor the ice dispenser in the fridge door I painted the inside white and then masked around the levers and painted the levers silver to match the handles. One problem I encountered was the silver paint which caused the white paint beneath to bubble. I am afraid to know the answer to why that happened, but I ended up having to completely remove all the white paint from the levers before painting it silver. I still have some touch ups, but I think it came out ok, and the best part is you can stick magnets to it, just like a real fridge. K

Fridge after ©creativebleed

Too be continued.