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Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Good, The Bad, and the Sloppy. And the Scary!

Happy Monday!

Double post today, with a mosaic for Mary's Mosaic Monday at Little Red House, and also a metamorphosis for Susan's Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch. (Thank you, ladies, for providing us with inspiration and connection!)

Click here for other Mosaics, and here for other transformations!

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First, my metamorphosis, which I call Before, During, After, and Aftermath!

We begin with the "before" -- the front end of our upstairs hallway --
wallpaper and all -- as it was when we bought That Old House:



And, the "during," as the painters stripped wallpaper, repaired old plaster, and painted:




Now, the "after" -- clean walls and woodwork, serene and tidy!






Now ... the "Aftermath!" Look if you dare. What has happened?

Those of you with college age children can guess:


Our daughter Anne graduated, and brought all her stuff home. Oy vey.

(She gets a brief dispensation; she's been out of the country, first in London
and then in Guam, since shortly after graduating. She comes home today.)

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One thing she hasn't yet brought home is her senior art project -- and that's the subject of my Mosaic today.

Anne chose to depict "Ragnarok" in fabric and other media. She sewed, painted, knitted, molded, used feathers, fur --- and who knows what else to create this enormous figure.

"Ragnarok" is part of Scandinavian mythology (fitting, as my family is Norwegian), and it loosely translates as meaning "the twilight of the gods." (Anyone hear Wagnerian music in the background?)

Anne's figure is nearly 13 feet tall, and was hung from the ceiling of the gallery at her college. It is an abstract depiction of a Viking warrior god's armor -- now empty, and in tatters, ruined. . . the gods have lost their powers.

It is power, defeated.




Quite honestly, I found it terrifying. And when Anne gets home she will go back to her school, take down this installation, and bring it home.

Where do you think we should hang it at That Old House?
Anne says she can dismantle it and put it in the attic. I'm sure our ghosts will love that! -- Cass

48 comments:

  1. So much for me sleeping tonight, thanks. Me thinks the Viking gods still have the power to make you pee yourself when you come across this in the dark.
    Actually he is less scary than the pile of stuff she brought home with her.

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  2. This reminds me of when my son graduated from college and brought home all kinds of stuff and deposited it in his room...it's still there, though he is off at lawschool now! :-) Your hallway turned out beautifully...quite a transformation! The piece your daughter did is a little scary...that means she did an excellent job! :-)Susan

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  3. Oh my...I'd vote for the attic for that one. :0)
    The hallway is fabulous!!

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  4. Well I'm sure your daughter's daring creativity and self expression ensured a high grade in the art class. Cheers!
    Happy Twirls

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  5. Wow you did a whole bunch of work !
    Looks great !
    Kids and their stuff !?!?!?! I know
    all about that !
    Hugs ~ Kammy

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  6. OH, Cass! I'm scared! It is terrifying, but your daughter is very good! I get a giggle at all the 'stuff'! Kids! What would we do without them? Love your transformation on your hallway! I love your old house!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  7. I can still see the very pretty transformation! Well done.

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  8. Wow! In the atic?!?!? When my children moved out, I sent a ton of things with them for their new home. :-) Not sure, but think it is in their attics now.
    Glenda

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  9. I'm thinking back porch... it can be a giant wind sock!

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  10. Your hallway turned out beautifully!!! I'm not sure what to say about the other;)!!!

    Happy MM!!!
    XOXO
    Cathy

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  11. Your hallway transformation is lovely.

    Nola

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  12. Oh my, I have seen those after college piles more than once. Every one of the children brought home this sort of "stash". lol Her project is a bit scary, but I'm sure it was appreciated. Hugs, Marty

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  13. I have news for you...some of that cwap will be there till you move! When we sold my mom's house in Huntington Bay, there was still stuff we had brought back from college in boxes! 30 yrs later!
    Love your hallway...I will never have wall paper again!

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  14. I remember those end of college days as though it was yesterday, even though my girls have been out of school for over 20 years!!

    I love the hallway makeover!

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  15. Your attic looks great.Your daughter is very creative.

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  16. I absolutely love your daughter's project! Where to put it in a house would be difficult. Kids and their stuff. Two of my more commonly used phrases are, "can anyone identify whose this is? and stow your gear!" We had an Andy towel that magically appeared in our house at one point, no Andy ever lived in our house and I'm not sure anyone even knew an Andy!
    Valerie

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  17. How funny! You always make me laugh. My Met Monday is about wallpaper too. That dreaded stuff drives me crazy.

    Hope I sleep after that little character. I remember when our children moved back after college. What a disaster it was. The problem is, they leave but their "treasures" stay with you!

    Thanks for sharing.

    Charla

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  18. I guess we were fortunate -- daughter Sarah NEVER came home after she graduated from college -- from college to job (in a town too far away) But whenever I clean and find some of her "things" I often send them to her -- better she than me trashing them!

    I definitely would put the "thing" in the attic -- perhaps bring it out for Halloween?

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  19. Firstly, I LOVE your ha;;way transformation. The color, the rug, the mouldings...so, so pretty.

    SO understand the *mess* from the kids! : )

    LOVE her work! Amazing! Scary yes, but amazing! I am an art geek!!
    Yesl, I DO think your Viking God would take care of any ghosts hiding at That Old House!


    Love,
    Sue

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  20. I hate to tell you that my son has not lived at home for over 10 years now and we have moved several times and we just keep bringing those boxes of his stuff along with us. He has his own home now so we are shipping it to his new house to deal with it. Now the art? I am posting some art on this Wednesday and they say it is all subjective. I would wrap in a sheet and hang it in the attic but put a note on the door reminding myself it is not a ghost when I go up there:)
    Joyce

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  21. I love your post! LOL at the pile of stuff!

    Love your hallway! The Viking is, um, interesting!

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  22. Wow, that is really scary! Glad I didn't see it before I went to bed last night. ;) Love the hall transformation, though. thanks for sharing on Mosaic Monday, Cass!

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  23. Hi Cass, your hall looks wonderful. A great job!!!!

    Barb

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  24. I've seen those collage piles and they never fully disappeared until they moved out! I take that back - not until they bought homes of their own and I brought the piles to their house ;)

    Cool mosaic art project - I kinda found it scary looking too.

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  25. Hi Cass...Wow! The hall looks great! Removing wallpaper over plaster is a lot of hard work! I know...I've done it! As for "Ragnarok"....hmmmm....I'm afraid my grandson would be scared of him, but I'm sure he also represents a lot of work! Does Anne have a room at home???...Debbie

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  26. What a nice transformation!!! Neutral colors go so well with multi-colored gar- baj' on the floor... tee hee That's one scary thing your daughter wants to bring home. It WOULD scare ghosties! :-) Sue

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  27. Hi Cass :)

    I just went through this with Alex. His stuff was supposed to go into storage and then he moved home and we had to find a place for all of it PLUS his giant computer. This house is 400 sq. feet smaller than the last one, so it was a chore LOL Good luck! ;)

    rue

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  28. Love the transformation - it's fabulous! Your story about your daughter made me giggle. I think putting her "project" in the attic is a great idea.

    Blessings,
    Marie
    http://emmacallsmemama.com

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  29. Haha, I have college age kids too!n They're messy when they live at home and messy when they come back! Even with your daughter's stuff in the hall, you've done a fabulous job.

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  30. My son brought lots of stuff back from college, too. It is now deposited in HIS home...but I must say, not anything as scary as this! :O)
    I think the attic ghost NEED a new playmate!!
    xo bj

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  31. My sons seem to have their stuff come and go, then come again!

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  32. Your home is looking lovely! Great job!

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  33. the paint colors are wonderful.

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  34. Cass! Your Norwegian?!!! My grandfather was born in Oslo, Norway, how exciting, ( I'm doing the Norwegian Happy Dance..) can you tell Ha1 Ha!..I think I could deal with Mr. What's his name...It's all the STUFF in Your hallway...Now that my four are married and I've DE-Stuffed...That frieked me out just a tad!!!xoxo ~Kathy@ Sweet Up-North Mornings...
    Glad you stopped by ...

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  35. The hallway looks great! Love the chosen color!

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  36. The transformation is, & will be again, lovely!

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  37. I love the mosaic, this is my first time participating in the meme and the possibilities seem endless.

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  38. OOOO! Maybe he can scare away the ghosts in the attic. laurie

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  39. Your old house seems really happy! Even with stuff in its hallway... its loved! Your mosaic is... interesting & kinda scary at first. Have a great week!
    ~Really Rainey~

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  40. Honestly, I like Anne's art. And the transformation is looking great! Love the hallway!

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  41. Well that fellow is definitly not the same kind of Scandinavian as Pippi Longstocking. Fantastic, though, and more than a little scary - of course not scary to we mothers who have braved the inside of teenaged daughters' bedrooms (but I digress) - fantastic!

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  42. Lovely house. I understand that you enjoy living in this wonderful place. Thanks for your comments.

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  43. That project is scary...It is great that she is creative and getting to travel. Many experiences and memories.

    Your hallway looks great. Thanks for being real too.

    Have a great week.

    Becky K
    Hospitality Lane

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  44. Love the before and after. Aren't kids great bringing all their stuff back to fill our space. Very dramatic work she created there. RYC: It was amazing visiting Edith's home. If you check out the post before the mosaic one there's pictures I took inside! She was amazingly talented both as a writer and designer/decorator.

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  45. Hi Cass.

    I just read your blog comment and your words are so kind. Thank you for sharing them! I can't believe all the similarities I share with your niece! Too funy. I wonder which area of Michigan she is in? I'm near Detroit; was raised near Grand Rapids.

    Ahh, yes, unemployed. I lost my job in February and have been sewing full-time since. It was a blessing in disguise, to say the least.

    I love the pictures of your home and that you were open to sharing your thoughts with me.

    Happy Gus!
    :)

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