Set Design Begins

Well, its that time of year...the middle school musical goes into production. Time to make Willy Wonka Jr. come to life. We did auditions before Christmas break and rehearsals are now in full swing. The kids are mostly off script and really putting a lot of effort into blocking and their acting skills. As that continues, the adults begin to really focus on the stage and technical aspects of the show. How hard can a middle school musical be? Slap a little paint on a tarp, string it along the back wall of the stage...drop a microphone or two from the ceiling and shine a couple of shop lights up at their pretty little faces. Right? Nope, not here. There are EXPECTATIONS. We are so very fortunate to have way more than that at our disposal. We run a profit every year and reinvest into the stage. Every year it gets bigger and better. We have the ability technically to put on a production that is of a higher caliber than most of the area high schools. So, the next 6 weeks I will be focused on the set, the props and the tech (lights, sound, special effects). I'm in charge of the scenic design, the props for the set and actors and the lighting scheme design. Hubby gets the sound, and special effects. Of coarse, there are others that are art of the production team, and they have a laundry list of responsibilities too. And we always stick our noses in each others' business.

Today, I thought I would share some of the images that are inspiring the look that I will be creating, and sharing with you, over the next few weeks. First, let me preface to say that Walt Disney is my hero. His vision and imagination are something to truly admire. While Disney did not do Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harper Goff, one of the designers that worked with Disney on The Jungle Cruise River Boats, the path of the river and the Golden Horseshoe Saloon (all of Disneyland fame) was the set designer for the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Oooh, I forgot, much of Main Street USA is his design as well. I'm in darned good company and cannot hope to compete. But, I want to be sure and do it justice. I will have my renderings for you over the next couple of days, but for now, here are some of the more memorable images that are shaping my design. 

This is the Journey to the Center of the Earth Terravator in Tokyo Disneyland. I love the steampunk feel and see this bit of inspiration shaping the outside of the factory. Keep in mind that we are modernizing the play just a bit to better relate to today's audiences, but still want to keep the original ambiance. 

Of coarse, the inside of the factory I see looking something like the original. I don't have the space to do a flowing river of chocolate or the maze of pipes, but the back wall that will be seen as we travel through each factory room will look much like Harper's original. I want it to be immediately recognizable. Big, multipaned windows, the aged brick wall...

But, before you get to see the inside of the factory, everyone must enter through Wonka's front gates. Once the gates are opened the backside of them will help create the factory, specifically the backdrops to the Chocolate smelting room (here comes the pipes) and, on the other side, the Choco Vision Room where we shrink Mike Teevee. They will be standing guard until then, reminding all that the factory is not open to all. 

Since my gates will actually be solid, I thought I would paint the factory as the background and create the gates with colored card stock...we shall see what time allows. Maybe I will paint the gates and do just the large W that will be emblazoned on the front of the gates this way...

I see Charlie's mom in front of this fireplace cooking their cabbage stew and the bed with both sets of grandparents right in front of it. Minimal utensils, everything utilitarian except for one beautiful keepsake on the mantel. Something from better times. Clean, but worn out, well used, past its prime. Where the inside of the factory will be bright and colorful, the Bucket Shack will be dark and dingy.

If you could recreate Wonka's world, how would you see it?

My Word for 2012...Share

I am not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. Goals are fine, but stead fast things I am supposed to do bring the rebel out in me. I automatically want to say no. So the idea of choosing a word to guide me throughout the year is a much better fit. I want 2012 to be a year that I choose to share. 

³share

 verb

sharedshar·ing
Definition of SHARE

transitive verb

1

: to divide and distribute in shares : apportion —usually used with out <shared out the land among his heirs>

2

a : to partake of, use, experience, occupy, or enjoy with othersb : to have in common <they share a passion for opera>

3

: to grant or give a share in —often used with with <sharedthe last of her water with us>

4

: to tell (as thoughts, feelings, or experiences) to others —often used with with

intransitive verb

1

: to have a share —used with in <we all shared in the fruits of our labor>

2

: to apportion and take shares of something

3

: to talk about one's thoughts, feelings, or experiences with others

— shar·er noun

 See share defined for English-language learners »

Examples of SHARE

1. They shared the last cookie.
2. We shared the money equally.
3. The children need to learn to share their toys.

First Known Use of SHARE

1590

Related to SHARE

Synonyms: participate, partake

[+]more

Synonym Discussion of SHARE

share, participate, partake mean to have, get, or use in common with another or others. share usually implies that one as the original holder grants to another the partial use, enjoyment, or possession of a thing <shared my toys with the others>. participate implies a having or taking part in an undertaking, activity, or discussion <participated in sports>. partake implies accepting or acquiring a share especially of food or drink <partook freely of the refreshments>.

The second definition is what I have in mind. "to partake of, use, experience, occupy, or enjoy with others and to have in common" 

I have been a stay at home mom most of my adult life. Mr Shawn and I chose to begin our family young. No really, we did choose. No choices were made for us. I love being a mom, it has been my primary focus for many years and still is, but...oh, the big but...

But, my children are really no longer children. They are young ladies getting ready to burst onto a scene that they will create, instead of remaining inside the scenes I have created for them. Miss K is in high school. She just returned from her first out of town trip with her peers sans parents. And she survived. And came home with extra money. And had way more fun than any teen should be allowed. I kid...kinda.  Miss H is only two years behind her.

I know my job will never be done, but it is transitioning. I am at the point where I get to do something for me. It may still benefit the girls and Shawn, but I get to set a new scene for me. I am an artist by nature. I have inherited it from both sides of the family. And I have always loved creating a home. So, my home is my canvas. That has always been true and will continue to be, but I need to expand my experiences. Here is where the share part comes in.

I have never taken the leap to share my self with anyone beyond friends and family. I share selflessly in many ways with them and will always do so. Entertaining, cooking, keeping a home that is always welcoming has been the center of that. In recent years I have expanded the experience of share to include my daughters' middle school music program. I am a proud part of the production team for their annual musical. This year it is Willy Wonka Jr. But, I only have this year and next left. Then Miss H is off to high school. No more props to gather, no more sets to design and create, no more lights to do. Besides, its a school function and therefore an extension of sharing with family and friends. I have recently expanded a bit further, into the campaign to bring the Winter Olympics to our wonderful region. That effort will continue. Again, it began with Mr Shawn and his involvement...and extension of friends and family.  I know that sounds like a lot of sharing and it is, but I am craving something more. 

I want to share more of myself. "To partake of, use, experience, occupy, or enjoy with others and to have in common" And so I created Sagebrush Ridge. Its for me. My girls and hubby know about this place, they support what I am doing, but no body else does...at least that knows me face to face. I've kept it to myself. So, I suppose I need to share this place with them. Again, I want more than that. I want to partake in all of the beauty that surrounds me, use the many talents (some unknown) that have been blessed to me, experience more of what the world has to offer me, occupy the little slice of the world that has been designated to me, and enjoy all of it with others that have something in common with me (no matter how small the commonality may be). So how do I use Sagebrush Ridge to do all of that? And not make it all about me?!

Beauty is every where and I especially enjoy other's efforts to share it; I want to partake in more, expand my horizons. And I want to reciprocate. I want to share what I do with you, in my home, at school, in the community, with my family. That requires me to continue to create, craft, and write; to use the skills I have on a regular basis and continue to develop them. But I need to learn new skills too. Like photography. I want to experience learning new skills, trying new things, creating new ideas, and pushing my own comfort zone. I want to occupy my slice of the world in a bigger way. I want to be seen and heard, here in blogland, but also out in the face to face world. I want to push myself out of my safe zone. Out from behind the computer, the light board, the backstage aspect of designing sets, programs, invitations and PR. I want to enjoy my talents and what they can do for others when I share them here on Sagebrush Ridge, with my friends and family and out in the world. That requires me to participate and to partake....the synonyms to my word for 2012...SHARE!

That's enough about me, myself and I. What's your word for 2012? Join the party and share with Layla and the rest of blogland at The Lettered Cottage. 

Knife Block Makeover Tutorial

Today was a good day. I think I have decided on what I want to do in the entryway alcove above the little table. The project has begun. I hope it works out as well as I envision. But, while I was working on that larger project something kept yelling at me. In my head anyway. That never happens to you? Ah, well...

So, this sad, decrepit knife block got a little makeover today. Replacing my knife set is a must do at some point this year, but until then I thought it might be more appealing if it had a facelift. Out came the sandpaper, the paints, the printer, a sharpie and a little food safe wax.

Tada! A new lease on life, however temporary. Fortunately, it took about 20 minutes and didn't cost a darned thing.

I began by giving the whole thing a light sanding, wiped it off and gave it a quick coat of red. The one I had on hand happened to be a tomato red craft paint. It was dry in a matter of minutes. I roughed it up a bit, especially along the edges and where normal use would rub the finish away. Another quick wipe followed by a coat of watered down burnt umber craft paint. .

I grabbed the computer to create a little word art and let the paint set up. Dice, chop and mince were natural choices. Captain Obvious is in the house! To transfer the words to the surface, I rubbed the back vigorously with a pencil, being sure to cover the letters completely. Then line that little piece of paper up where you want the word to appear and trace the edges of each letter. The bottom right pic shows how the pencil transferred. Its really light, but that's really all you need.

I then went over the pencil outlines with a black sharpie and filled in any blank spots. Perfection isn't necessary. As you can see above, I messed up the e ever so slightly. Then rinse and repeat until you have all of your words in place.:)

I chose three different fonts, but sized them to be the same width.

I wanted to keep the look old and weathered, so I sanded a bit of the black sharpie off, again concentrating on the areas that would normally be rubbed off with everyday use. Notice the top of chop isn't as sanded away?  After wiping away the dust, I swiped another lite coat of the watered down burnt umber. After that had dried I rubbed the whole thing down with a little food safe wax that I had lying around just to protect it from various spills, wet hands and the inevitable splashes from the stove.

And there you go, a mini makeover in the kitchen. This should hold e over until I replace the set entirely and retire this one to the camping gear. In case you were wondering, the towel was a handmade Christmas gift that came with the hand turned salt shaker and pepper grinder that share space on my cutting board. I love useful gifts, especially when somebody (or in this case two somebodies) take the time, energy and love to make me something that they know I will love.

Inspired by the 2012 HGTV Dream Home, wrap up

Welcome back! The 2012 HGTV Dream Home is something of a cozy stunner, don't you think? I believe every room that has felt the touch of the human hand deliberately attempting to make the space beautiful has something that can inspire. So let's take a look at the last of the rooms that we haven't been in the last few days and see what inspirations await!

We kind of skipped the family room...How on Earth did I manage that? I LOVE the big sectional, not sure I would have blocked the french doors on the left of the room, but the sectional screams movie night to me. I can totally see my family piled on watching Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Trek. Live long and prosper. This room makes me want to stay. Its cozy, and the organic feel that the majority of the house has is really obvious here. The browns, creams, and reds envelope you.

This is a little room off to the side meant specifically for the kids. While the theme in here is obnoxious as all get out, in my humble opinion, the idea is stellar. I see bean bags, video game consoles and more of the cozy color scheme the rest of the family room has.

Yeah, those colors as seen through the miniature door. I feel like I fell in the rabbit hole.

Back to the family room...The smokey glass of the lamp and the black and white photography piece all say warm comfort. The white wing chairs would probably go upstairs to replace the blue checked ones though. Open the space up a bit so I could unblock the french doors.

But that's not the point...back to the inspiration. The hanging lights instead of can lights are a big win in here. They help with the cozy factor and break up that long expanse of fairly low ceiling creating dynamics visually. This could easily be done in most newer homes to bring some interest to the ceiling space. I know my living space has four can lights that might look really cool converted like this. hmmmm

Through those amazing french doors has got to be one of the coolest outdoor living spaces I have ever scene. Its not fancy, its not pretentious, its just plain ol' family and friends ready. Can't you see yourself watching the dogs running through the grasses while sitting here with your laptop? This is just the beginning...

Yep, just the beginning of a very relaxing experience. I wish I had this kind of space. It does inspire me to rethink what space I do have, and possibly spread out a little bit.

Maybe create pockets of seating for different activities...oh, and I love that the colors tie back to the family room on this side of the house.

I can see a boardwalk like this connecting a hidden garden to the main back patio with grasses or sagebrush...

This side is all about the fire pit. We have one that we use a ton in the spring, summer and fall. Nothing this fancy, but fire doesn't need to be fancy. You just need s'mores.

The benches could easily be built in my court yard to help accommodate more people when we entertain, and they'd be dog friendly to boot.

Another cozy spot to sit with a beverage and while away the day.

And we find ourselves outside of the main great room. Notice the colors tie back to that room on this side?

Living room type details with an outdoor twist. Including the panels that you can pull closed on cooler evenings, or seclusion. I can definitely see a romantic dinner for two as the sun sets.

I've always wanted an outdoor kitchen, but they aren't exactly realistic when you don't have a covered space. This makes me want to add a counter type space anyway.

Yep, I can still see my family in this house. I know it won't be mine, but I can certainly take the pieces that make it darned near perfect and utilize them in my own home. 

Well, that wraps up a Sagebrush Ridge first. Did you see anything that inspired you?

HGTV Dream Home Inspiration Part III

Howdy All! Welcome to part three of Sagebrush Ridge's first series. I thought we could all find inspiration in HGTV's 2012 Dream Home that could actually be used in our own spaces. If you missed the first two, you can see them here and here. Now, onward! Today is all about the private spaces. Ones we can call all our own, the bedroom suites.

Miss K called this room as hers immediately! She loved the soft femininity of the entire room, without having a lick of pink in sight!

If you have the space, a sofa or hall table would make a fantastic bedside table. Lots of room for all of your bedside essentials with room to spare for pretty display. These frames hung low, below the windows are such a great idea too. What a wonderful way to bring your own personal touch to your bedside. Miss K would have her Disney drawing collection in here in a heart beat!

I've never been a big fan of table lamps taking up valuable real estate on the little bit of space most rooms have n the night stands. The pendant lights are the perfect solution. My only question is, Do I have to get out of bed to switch them off? As long as there are two switches, one being next to the bed, we are set!

I might have to attempt to duplicate this as my next craft...

THis is in the hall leading to the bedroom. Notice the color? Its pretty darned close to Pantone's Color of 2012, Tangerine Tango. Interesting...

I love the contrast of the modern drawer hardware, with the slightly distressed, painted cabinetry in the adjoining bath.

In the second bedroom's bath, they utilized the same hardware, but a darker cabinetry finish. It gives it a more masculine feel. Which is fine, although I liked the other finish better.

Bedroom two just doesn't do much for me. I like the simple bed stead and the comforter pattern. 

And the frames awaiting personal inserts...But the rest?

Eh. Maybe its too geometric for me? I don't know. I think its missing charming details...There isn't anything here that inspires me to replicate it or seek something similar.

The Master is a different story...

I love the colors in here. Its warm and inviting. The coppers, taupes, and bits of green are perfect.

There's an organic quality in most of the room's details. The chandy, the candle sconces flanking the bathroom door...

Even the bedside table and its accessories offer it up. Its clean, yet rustic and pretty.

Now, that green in the adjoining sitting are is a bit much for me.

Especially paired with the gray baseboards that are throughout the house.

Otherwise the room serves me well. Hubby especially liked the leather love seat. I love the coffee table. I want it for my family room. They managed the same organic qualities that have enamored me in the rest of the house in here as well. And the barn doors are to die for! Our previous hoe had the perfect spot for these, but you couldn't find the hardware without paying a small ransom for it. Now that you can easily find the hardware, I don't have a spot they would work in. Boo, hoo.\

Instead of pulling the apple green out of this fabric for the walls, I would have chosen the copper or taupe. Just sayin'

Yep, a copper or taupe on the walls would be a much better transition in the color story. I love the chandy up here too. Its a great statement piece as you enter the loft.

See?! They brought the copper into the bathroom. I might have to utilize these glass tiles to frame our builder mirrors in our master bath.They are so pretty.

I think I'll just take up residence in that tub. NO need for inspiration for my own home. I'm gonna win this one! Ya right. See you tomorrow with the final installment.