Saturday, April 24, 2010

Happy Birthday Casablanca!

Today, Sunday the 25th of April marks exactly 67 years since the house that would later become The Casablanca was built! How do I know this you ask? After Mr. Martin put down his saw and hammer, he took a pencil and wrote this on the door frame in the kitchen.
Some one later went  over it with Pen, and then I went over it with sharpie to ensure it would not get painted over.  I honestly wish this house could talk, id like to see what its seen over the last 67 years. (I have this one scene in mind  Mr. Martins Wife standing in my kitchen holding a pitcher of water listening to the radio when suddenly a bulletin brings the news The war is finally over!  I see her in such a state of shock the pitcher falls from her hands and smashes on the floor.) This is one of several fantasy's I like to think this house has seen.
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I would however like to tell you of a few things I'v wondered about the previous owners of the house...  (The last doing the most damage and making me constantly want to 'round house kick them in the face' (Please pardon my Chuck Norris...)  BUT SERIOUSLY....
Pretty nice set up isnt it?  Well behind all that hidden in the wall was this....
I realize times changes, and furniture can only fit a certain way but who in the HELL walls up over a window??! With out these 2 windows the bedroom was so dark and small... FREAKING AMAZING....
 Net on the list  of  "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" windows part 2...
I love the wood frame windows on my house, so 40's so great! What I don't love... is the fact the last owners who painted the house slopped paint ALL OVER the glass and just left it... this means long periods of time with a razor and me scraping. There's was one window on the wall with the air conditioner that they COMPLETELY PAINTED OVER window was still there, with screens in it just painted over... took me 3 good hours to get the paint off... Really guys? Its called CURTAINS!  The 3rd owners just went crazy with the paint... 2 tones of white to be exact...  Everything in the kitchen had been painted white. 1 side of the room was a different color white! They painted over the glass on the cabinets...
Iv gotten all but one of them scraped off.
 Another bone I have to pick with the former owners, when they "reno-RUINED" the 1956 add on bedroom, they put all the electrical outlets about 4 inches from the ceiling, I could understand waist high (even though my house isn't in a flood zone)  but to the ceiling really?!  Oh well Who knows...
One thign I can thank them for, is even thought they gutted what was provably the original EVERYTHING in this cabin, they kept all the hardware in a box under the sink, and now after a 15 year absence both the windows & hard ware are now back where they should be. : )

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Now as Promised here are some updates at the good 67 year old C.H.&R.!
I took 1950's Atomic Ranch Houses idea, instead of using the shelf for dvd's it will just hang there and look cool! I am now on the hunt for a drama faces tv lamp! and then this corner will be done ...(crosses fingers)  I realize that I have made the Casablanca more oh a house/ home/ icon than it was evernt ment to be. Another thing I wish is that If only Mr. Martin and his family could see it now!
what do you think!? The art work goes nice with the turquoise walls! The bed will eventually be up on frames and im looking for a different bedside table.
Saturday my mom hosted a curtain sewing party for the Turquoise room! (see I know better than to paint over a windows.)

And last but not least....

If you'd like to join us send me an email at JahJah_Jordan@hotmail.com , If you'd like to join us but cannot all you have to do is take a vintage looking picture of your self print, sign it, and send it to the Casablanca to join us in spirit! (send me an email for our mailing address!)
-Mick-

12 comments:

Zootsuitmama said...

Happy Birthday Casablanca! Thanks, Mick - for caring enough to try and restore her beauty and loving her. It's just a great place! Zootsuitmama

Vintage Christine said...

People who paint over windows definitely either have something to hide or they're vampires. I'm looking forward to meeting your little cottage!

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

What the?! I've never seen electrical outlets that high on the wall!

And bless my own Moms heart, but she did some serious paint slopping on windows in the bathroom here in my own house lol... Oh and on the hanging lamp in the living room, and the fireplace bricks where her brush got a little crazy. But hey, it's all good. =)

The shelves look fantastic just as they are! My eyes went right to them, after the TV.

Remind me again Mick, did you gut the TV and put a more modern one in the back or did I simply imagine you did this? I'm trying to figure out how to do the same thing myself.

The place looks fantastic!!! Lots of hard work but it paid off!

art deco dame said...

Happy Birthday House!

Kathy said...

Happy Birthday, Casablanca! The place looks fab, Mick..I only wish NJ weren't so far away from Tx and airfare not in the budget this summer...too many ongoing projects at my own home. I'd be there with a suitcase full of vintage clothing! Love the curtains and bedspreads, btw...:-))

Welcome to DeluxeVille said...

Happy House Birthday Honey! You wear it all so well...still!

Amy said...

I'm so glad it's being restored! It bugs me when people take everything original out of a property - grrrr

Chickens in the Basement said...

You know, in my previous life, I was a probation officer. I often went into houses where the only source of light was the television. Heavy curtains, cardboard, even paint covered the windows. All lights were turned off. I never asked why. Maybe they didn't want me to see some of the things on the counter, floor, etc. Your house appreciateds what you do for it!

Retro Keith said...

happy birthday to the Casablanca!

Decades a Go-Go said...

LOVE it!! Wow you've done so much work with this place! And I KNOW it drives me crazy when people just SLOP paint all over a window when painting it! But razoring it is a good solution... Still, congrats and I can't wait till the summer!

Miss CherryBubbles said...

Happy Birthday Casablanca!! Here's to many more years of the kind of care that Mick has given you :)

Mick - what a fabulous job you've done on place :D I love love love your kitchen!

50sme said...

Mick, I can't get over what a wonderful job you've been doing on your place! I think it is absolutely perfect and you've proven that you can take a vision and make it very real. With a talent like yours at such a young age I imagine you will be accomplishing great things in your future! By the way, I covet the kitchen table and the coffee table in the living room so much I can hardly stand it!