Steampimp my ride
The other day we were in front of the house, putting another coat of paint on our steps, when a neighbor called over, “You’re always working!” I replied that there was always something to do. She insisted that we make work for ourselves.
Oh, she’s probably right, but it may be a question of standards. We rebuilt and painted our front steps this year, not because they were structurally unsound, but because they were ugly and had poor UI. Sorry, too many years working in interface development! They could have been more usable; there was no landing at the top and you had to stand lower than the porch door in order to open it. People ringing the doorbell looked like munchkins from inside the house. So, my husband built wider stairs with a deep landing, with railings that were a better fit for our bungalow-style house than the ugly turned posts that were there before. They look great, but including time spent waiting for the wood to dry or the rain to pass, the project took about a month and a half from start to finish.
They’re done. What now? My husband still has a couple of small house projects queued up, but I really only have one (that I dread): sorting through the basement storage and prepping for a yard sale. I’ll make that a June project, I think.
In the meantime, I have something craftier in mind. My bicycle has been bothering me. Not mechanically — it’s a Schwinn cruiser and in good shape — but aesthetically. The paint job is too sporty for my tastes, and it certainly doesn’t look right with my weathered wicker Nantucket bike basket. I planned to put a coat of paint on it, but hadn’t decided on a color.
Well, duh. I’ve got an opportunity to express my appreciation of steampunk! There’s no need for steam power, but I can incorporate some elements of warped Edwardian style. Right now, I’m thinking of using black paint, brass paint, wood veneer, copper wire, and suede in the makeover, plus some vintage buttons and hardware to decorate my basket.
This week I’ll take some pictures of the bike and then alter them in Photoshop until I’ve got a design I like. I’m no purist; some elements of the bike will remain completely modern and untouched, but I’ll change what I can. When I told my husband my plans, he didn’t seem to think I was utterly insane. In fact, he had some good ideas and has supplies that may be much better than what I intended to use.
