Update: We have a winner. Stay tuned for a new contest in February. My monthly contest to win a “Love the House You’re In” custom collage will continue this year, with collage artist extraordinaire Mel Kolstad remaining with scissors and vintage ephemera in-hand. Do you realize that Mel’s collages are just 4 inches square? A bit smaller, even, than what you see on your screen. To get us started for January, I asked Mel to make a collage for Susan, who was the winner of my first annual “The Hard Way” award. I love it! Click on through if you want to enter to win our next collage -> .
Meanwhile, Mel explains her journey in crafting Susan’s collage:Susan’s house is wonderful in that it incorporates so many different textures: wood, brick, stone and glass. It was the first time I’d ever “made stones” and I really loved the process. It was also a hoot to feature many of her kitties on the collage as well!
😀
Mel
Thanks, Mel! Read more about her work on her cool blog, Ephemeraology.
Annie B. says
Congratulations and welcome to the Kolstad Kollege of Kool Kollages. The #2
4×4 jewel above is my very own humble abode.
Mel, you’ve done it again. Another trophy. I’m still adoring mine.
Mel says
Oh, you are too sweet, Annie! 😀 Thank you so much and I’m so glad to hear you’re still enjoying your collage! 😀
wendy wisniewski says
After 7 looooong months of exile living in a temporary apartment, we are looking forward to moving back in to our CMR (cool mid-century remodel) in just 90ish short days. Phase I complete – – lots more phases to go! It’s going to be a loooong work in progress for our 1949 gem.
Amanda Mann says
My husband and I purchased our 1956 modern rancher last month. The beautiful thing was that we were able to meet the 92 year old owner. The home was owned by one family and the neat thing is that it was designed and built by the architect husband. Inside we have found numerous proposal books for our local airport in Cheyenne, WY that he helped design along with lots of blueprints for schools he had worked on.
Our first project was removing wood paneling from the 70’s which exposed Pepto-pink paint in the kitchen to go with our fab Geneva cabinets. 🙂 There is something vividly spiritual about being in home that was so well taken care of and we have loved every moment in our new retro-sanctuary. The previous owner told my husband and I this at our home closing…”I’m so glad a young couple has bought it. I just loved all the windows and had so many happy years there. You two will too!”
So…just getting the wood paneling off to reveal what lies beneath is our first start.
Laura says
I’m with effika – SHOULD do boring things like add insulation in the roof. snore. But will be restoring El Pinko, my pink bathroom.
effika says
My hottest poject this year? Hmm… I SHOULD replace the 48-year old furnance… SHOULD replace the 20-30 year old roof… SHOULD get a new rangetop (one that won’t melt part of its wires when a certain (now removed) burner is on)… SHOULD get a professional to help me figure out how to fix the yard drainage issues that are contributing to our possible foundation issues… SHOULD install vents in the bathrooms… SHOULD fix the drain on the spare bathtub…
But what do I really, really want to do? I want to make the closet in the master bedroom useful! First things first, right?
Jay Emery says
The big project is refinishing the original front door on our ’62 California ranch house. Everybody in our tract has “upgraded” their front doors–incorrectly–and I plan to buck the trend.
Alan says
The hottest project for the new year for my wife and I is to get our 1955 Youngstown cabinets re finished with ultra modern hammered black and to re-laminate the countertop with a wood grain. We have been inspired by two other posts on this site (Can you leave your metal kitchen cabinets unpainted – stripped down to the steel or with a clear gloss?) and (Painting metal kitchen cabinets: Jay and Jamie’s Nashville condo with retro renovated Youngstown cabinets) under the steel kitchens section! We will definitely post when its completed to share our experience. We just want a face lift and feel the over all color scheme we’ve decided on is super neat! My wife would love to win a collage! crossing our fingers and AWESOME SITE!
Mel says
Thank you Alan! Good luck to you (and your wife)! 😀
Laura says
I scored a really nifty 50s door on craigslist for $20! It has circle and semi-circle shaped windows in it. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can clean it up and hang it up. My only torment… does it want to be painted orange or aqua?
Michael says
We accomplished a lot since purchasing our 1950 home from its original owner last spring, and have come to realize what we thought would be a “2 Year Plan” will more likely be a “5 Year Plan”! Finally finishing the powder room is first priority, with window coverings coming in a close second (fishbowl living has its challenges).
pam kueber says
I’m gonna enter my own contest, cuz can you believe it, I don’t have a Love the House You’re In custom collage of me, my family and my house yet! Not sure I’ll really award it to myself if my number comes up. Anyway… my next hot project is to create a “drop ceiling” to hold my two 5’x12′ sheets of aqua boomerang Formica laminate — being discontinued in less than a week — that I bought just in case we needed them in years to come. Also, need to keep cleaning out and organizing the office. And basement. And garage. Have to get two vintage lights rewired and hung as well. After all this, I am in pretty good shape, as I did tons of projects last year (most of which I was too busy doing projects to blog about) and I am FED UP WITH PROJECTS.
Mel says
Pam, I would love to see what you come up with for me to do if you win – an exterior, or perhaps an interior collage? The sky’s the limit! 😀