Monday, July 18, 2011

Life's little suprises

Last Thursday my friend Sally and I went shopping for shelves. This was my third time and Sally's second time. We decided to go to WalMart, the one place we hadn't tried (well, at least the one place I hadn't tried).


After loading the car with four sets of shelving for me, and one set of shelving for Sally, along with cat litter we both bought, the car was filled to the gills, so to speak. On our way back from WalMart, we decided to go to lunch at a place I had never been, but knew there was an old motel nearby I was hoping to get some photos of. Sally didn't want to get out of the car because we were under a severe heat advisory that goes through Tuesday night, so she sat in the comfort of the AC while I took photos. We were actually "frittering away" time until the restaurant opened for lunch,


which is the building with the red roof in the far back of this photo. Back to the former motel, I was never a fan of the 50s or possibly 60s, whichever this was, but I've grown to appreciate what people are now calling "mid-century modern."


Whoever took over this old motel has kept it in decent shape, even though the glass windows have been replaced with boards, probably plywood.


If you stopped by yesterday, you got a taste of the metal palm trees that once decorated this place. Of course, I cropped the shots in yesterday's post, so you didn't see all the background that went along with this now deserted area of town.


Directly behind the motel was the sign for the restaurant Sally picked.


It's a good thing the name of the restaurant, Bishop's, was written on the awnings, or I would never have remembered it.


The food was decidedly American, nothing special, but tasty enough. I even ate my entire plate.



When I got home, I was anxious to try the technique I had seen on Marilyn Rock's blog that morning. Marilyn was playing around with the misting sprays and a Magic Eraser. I had this watercolor paper I had painted bright yellow, then turned into a mess when I tried a technique over-painting with black paint and salt. Since the page was pretty much ready for the rework pile (I don't scrap large sheets of watercolor paper), I decided to get out a stencil and my Magic Eraser and see if I could turn this into something usable or useful.


Obviously, the Magic Eraser lightened the area inside the stencil, but it also removed some of the paper. So, I suspect the technique works far better when you use the color mists, than it did when I tried to remove black paint. But it was fun to try and I have Marilyn to thank for this latest tool in my art box arsenal.

Also, you might notice my Artsee button on my right sidebar. Thanks to Patty and Terri, I followed the link and signed up as part of this blogging community. You can choose up to three categories and I chose both mixed media and fiber arts. I hope you will drop by and sign up, too if you are an active blogger.Gone and completely forgotten!!

As for the shelves? You can see them after I get them to the basement and assembled. Right now I'm hibernating, trying to stay cool.

12 thoughtful remarks:

Unknown said...

I feel for you with your heat wave- we got a little break this past weekend, but now we're inching back up! It's this time of year that makes me start longing for Autumn :) I really liked your bird; are you planning to add more layers to it?
Have a great Monday!

Ohhh Snap said...

That is a really fun looking motel, and I love the metal palm trees lol. I'll have to try that Magic Eraser technique! TFS :D and sure do hope that heat way passes quickly and if possible just disappears instead of traveling this way lol.

Halle said...

Interesting building. Sad to see closed and abandoned buildings though.
We are in the thick heat and humidity now as well.
Makes me want to stay inside...but I can't. And my poor hubby having to work in it with long pants and sleeves.

voodoo vixen said...

Stay cool Elizabeth! The photos make it look like the place is deserted... not a car or person in sight... sort of neglected so I am glad your meal was nice and I am chuffed to bits that you managed to find shelves!! Now you just have to get them up and you can start the mammoth unpacking task... it will be worth it though, finding all your stuff again!!
What is a magic eraser? It sounds like something I could do with!!

Healing Woman said...

I'm glad you showed an example of how you experimented with Marilyn's magic eraser painting. I also am planning on doing some experimenting with it. Good tip that we must be careful of not ripping the paper under the stenciled area.

Keep cool!

Terri Kahrs said...

Whoo-Hoo!!! Shelving at LAST!!! Bet you can't wait to get it in place and load it all up with your art goodies. Persistence pays off!!!
What an awesome motel - a real slice of Americana complete with those faux palm trees. It's really in amazing shape for its age.
I KNEW you'd like that little kitty!!! Enjoy!!!! Try to stay cool, Elizabeth. The heat is heading our way too. Hugs, Terri xoxo

Darla said...

You finally got shelves? Wheee! I always like to see where people live and this was an interesting slice of your area.

Enjoyed the recent tutorial on backgrounds and now I you've given me the Magic Eraser tip. Looks like I'd better get busy.

Darla

Miss Kitty said...

Greetings Bleubeard and Elizabeth,

The photographs of the hotel are sad since so many part of this country is having empty properties just languishing away. Yet at the same time I am attracted to these structures and cannot help but try to gain entrance and take pictures of the rooms.

I too am no fan of this type of architecture, but it is also disappearing fast to new development.

Warmest regards,
Miss Kitty and Egmont

Sue said...

Hi ya hun
oh send me some of your heat, its like winter here wet, windy, grey, not scoopys sort of weather!!
Great post hun, fab piccies luv the palm trees, it looks like a ghost town, luv the red roof with the blue sky, striking piccie, glad you found time to play, look forward to seeing the new shelves, sue,xx

Marlynn said...

You know, E - I love that bird creation after the Magic Eraser - I find it really cool. I love the 50s and 60s buildings and as others, it is sad to see them sitting empty. By gone years slipping away. The heat way is hitting here on Wednesday-we are headed to triple digits.... stay cool, xoxo

Unknown said...

I love the desolate setting of that old hotel. The starkness of all that asphalt seems to go with the architecture. Weird little metal palm trees too ...

~*~Patty S said...

fun reading the rest of the story on those fab palm trees ... shame to see a perfectly good building (one with history too) sitting vacant...better than torn down I guess

I Love how you get inspired (I did by Marilynn's Mr Clean eraser post too) BUT you get busy and give it a try!

So glad you got on Geri's amazing artsee bloggers site...that is quite an undertaking she has there

good luck with your shelving and stay cool my friend!
oxo