7-25, The Evolution of a Studio

"Oh, but our remodel won't be painful-- we're just making a few changes...."   LOL.... yeah right, famous last words.  I'm glad I didn't actually say those words, but I know I was in fact thinking them.  When we were house hunting in the Denver area, one of my top priorities was a house with space for my photography studio.   This house had the best match for that particular requirement of mine.  It wasn't an exact match but it would work.  And, it did work.... for awhile.  But the more sessions I booked and the more time I spent hauling all of my equipment in and out of the storage room (via the bathroom no less!), the more frustrated I became.  I was wasting so much time on the senseless things and I was still restricted with what I could actually do in the space.  The weekend after my husband's Navy retirement ceremony, my realtor mother-in-law, another photographer friend and I were discussing my basement studio possibilities.  It was the single most productive (and expensive....hahahaha.....) brainstorming session I've ever participated in.  Within 30 minutes we'd theoretically remodeled the entire space.... and I was so excited.  Ha..... then I had to clue my husband in on the developments that I just knew would be taking place soon in our house.  The debate I was waiting for never happened.  The endless reasons not to remodel the basement were never spoken.  (How lucky am I?!)  Within two weeks we were contacting and interviewing contractors.  Our gut told us to go with the first contractor we met with (although he wasn't the only contractor we interviewed) and I'm so glad we did.  Although this basement was a BIG THING for us, we are well aware that there are much, much bigger fish in that sea of renovation yet he never slighted us in the least.  Although the process was still painful, it was not painful because of the human element just the general process of breaking down to build back up.  The reno cost twice as much as we expected and took twice as long (more?!) as originally outlined (the contractor was right-- the clients DO keep adding things on to their wish list!).  But, boy, when the studio was finally, finally done and I walked in-- WOW.  I loved it.  I still really love it.  The space is so beautiful and so conducive to a variety of sessions.  I no longer have to store everything in the storage space, and for those things stored in the space I don't have to access it through the bathroom!  Now a door separates the studio from the rest of the house yielding the privacy needed when working from home.  Oh, the list of pros goes on and on.  Ok, enough words!  Come take a virtual our of the before, during and after of my studio.  And, be so glad you don't have to breathe the insulation, smell the stain, and hear my run-on complaints as my poor family did during this two-month process.  

Welcome to my new studio-- the home of As Eye See It.

Umm... yuck.  That's the best caption I can come up with for this photo. 

The first impression when walking into my make-shift studio before the reno.

The view looking back at the basement entry-- BEFORE.

This quirky wall divided the space in a very unusable way.

The room(s) had the space but not in a way it could be properly accessed. 

I didn't mind the style of the carpet, but I DID mind how unkept it was from the previous owners.

The original plan was to remove this non-load-bearing wall.  The first contractor, the guy who ended up doing the job for us, burst our bubble revealing that although the wall itself was not load-bearing the presence of this strangely placed post was.  (Insert profanity here if you so choose-- I know we did.) 

My dear husband was hard at work prior to the contractor coming in.  He ripped out the carpet, the drywall, the wall and Kilz'ed the floor.  LOL.... and took down the drop-down ceiling.  

This is the resulting beast needing to be conquered first.  This is the beam that needed to be replaced by steel in order to  remove the pesty post.  

Thank goodness they didn't have to cut a hole in the exterior wall of the house to get the beam in.
This crew was AMAZING.... and STRONG!!

They built walls on both sides of the post and beam to suspend the weight in order to remove the old beam and take out the post.

This single change gave the most impact.  Not having a wall or post in the middle to divide everything really opened up the space.  See our new steel beam?  Yep, pretty proud of that baby.  It's crazy though.  The week after this part of the reno, we noticed that our interior doors closed differently (either tighter or more loosely) and most of the pictures on the wall were askew.  Thank goodness this critical component of the job came off without a hitch!!

Since we have a lower and upper front entry into our home, this basement entry always felt awkward.
The next big change was to add a wall to close off the room from the entryway.

Welcome to the framing nightmare.  Yes, I did say 'nightmare'.   One afternoon I left for a hair appointment and my husband, daughter and contractor were home.  When I returned several hours later, there were bandaids scattered all over the driveway and NO ONE was home.  I hadn't missed any calls or texts.  The time between that moment and getting a call from my husband was awful.  I didn't know who was hurt, how badly or where they were.  When my husband finally called, he said the contractor had cut his thumb on the table saw (almost off) and he was rushing him to the ER.  Yes, that was scary and very unfortunate.  Thankfully the thumb was saved (of course, our reno timeline took a hit, but hey, who's being picky at a moment like this?!).

The insulation.  WHAT. A. MESS.  We thought it would be a good idea to have insulation blown into the ceiling of the basement for heat and sound.  What we didn't expect was the reverse snow storm that blew out of every open vent in the house.  I'll say it again..... WHAT A MESS!!!

But, now we almost have a ceiling.... and  a much higher ceiling than we originally had (thanks to happy accidents). 

Drywall.  Awesome.  And we thought the insulation was messy......

I just love this picture.  To me me it's the ultimate symbol of family.  It's my studio, but that's my husband and my dad helping me speed paint in the day we had between contractors.  Keep in mind that my parents don't even live where we do-- they were visiting at the time.  My dad was such a trooper to lend a hand in any way he could.  We were so grateful for his help-- especially on this long, exhausting day!  (Thanks, Dad!!)

Beam removed- check.  Framing done- check.  Ceiling in and lights installed- check.  New floors safely covered under the cardboard- check.  Doors- check!

Every time the room started looking cleaner it got more messy.  This next step was another mini-nightmare.  All the trim and doors got stained--- I won't say the 'wrong color', but it was definitely the 'wrong color' for us.  Do you know how happy a contractor is when you tell him you're not happy with the stain color AFTER that step is completed?  Yep, felt like an arse but the truth just had to come out.  Through the miracle of Sherwin Williams and a very experienced staining crew, we were able to salvage the disaster and end up with a stain color that couldn't have matched any better!!  Whew!

Drumroll......

Look at that!!!

Hah-- had you fooled.  You thought it was done, didn't you?!

Not until the new doors and stairway carpeting get installed.  Oh, and just so you know, I  guess I remembered incorrectly.  Everything wasn't done before we went on vacation-- the stainers had to come back after we returned to stain the front door.

But THEN, it was done.  My studio was finally complete.  Ready?!.......

 How's that for a difference?!  I know, I know, amazing.  Like I said, I love it!

7-18, Bannack, MT

I have a minor obsession with ghost towns.... like having a volume of ghost town books and the desire to stop at every one along the way.  It all started here-- Bannack, Montana.  This is the first ghost town I'd ever been to.  And back in the early '80s on a frigid autumn day, the aura of the town was nothing like it was compared to this renovated town we recently visited on a perfect summer morning.  "Cold and creepy" would be describe my perception of Bannack when I was young.  It was definitely intriguing and it definitely opened my eyes to a time in history unlike anything I've ever experienced.  I've wanted to revisit Bannack ever since that first visit, time and distance always being the obstacles preventing that from happening.  On our most recent road trip back home (as you all know, MT will always be my home regardless of where my actual house may be located), we made the time to tour Bannack.  I couldn't believe the changes.  It was so much the town that I had remembered yet so completely different at the same time.  It was no longer so much creepy (ok, there are certain stories that send chills down your spine) as a step in time waiting to unfold.  With a lot of time and money, these buildings have been renovated, the doors swing open to welcome you inside and a thick brochure tells the history of this town during its prime in the mining era.  As you stand in Skinner's Saloon, you can almost imagine the gunshots ringing out as cross words are spoken and patience is tested.  As you enter the Bessette House, you can imagine the cries of the quarantined individuals that met their untimely deaths from diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria and whooping cough.  As you stand beneath the gallows, you can sense the intense final moments of Sheriff Henry Plummer who walked both sides of the law and hung as a result of his criminal ways.  In places like these, I get lost in the stories and history of the people that used to walk these streets, mine the ores and do their best to make a life for themselves during challenging times.  It's incredible to me.  I've never been much of a history buff, but there is just something about ghost towns that I can't resist.  Thank you, Bannack, for letting me relive your stories!

"Bannack Schoolhouse"

"Inside Bannack"

"Hotel Meade Lobby"

"Seat with a View"

"Main Street Bannack"

The view of the prison from the building next door.

The red brick building was originally the courthouse and eventually remodeled into a hotel.

"Bannack's Hotel Meade"

Can you hear the sound of the children's voices?.....

"Lace Curtains and Picket Fence"

The Bannack Gallows

The cemetery on the hill.

The view of the town from the cemetery.

7-6, What a Fun Family

As a child, I couldn't have imagined not living close to my extended family. Weekly time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins was just part of my normal.  As an adult, I can't imagine what it would be like to replicate that aspect of my childhood for my own children.  We are separated from any family by at least 1,000 miles.  Being transplants to the Denver area, I look on in wonder at the families who have always called this area home.  Families, like that of my childhood, where the lives of the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins intertwine on a regular basis.  It's beautiful to see the closeness of these families, and I admit that it always makes me miss mine.  

I had a special family session last week.  I have known Britt for about four years now.  I have known her since her boyfriend was a finance, a finance a husband and husband now a father.  I have seen their little family evolve and grow.  I have learned more about them the more our paths cross and I respect and admire these truly good people.  It was an honor to be given the opportunity to photograph their family.  It was fun to see the grandparents interacting with their children, their children's spouses and their grandchildren.  It was easy to see where the "goodness" comes from.  On the inside and out, this is a beautiful family.  I hope I have captured who they are at this moment in time, so even when the littlest ones grow up they too can remember their close family bonds. Feist Family, thank you so much for giving me a glimpse into your world-- the smiles that came easily and those that had to be lured out, the jokes provoking those smiles and the simple kindness you all possess.