wichser studio

new year's part 2: a cabin of friends in upstate ny

2012-02-08T01:00:00.000-05:00

So before June rolls around, I'd love to share the second part of our New Year's in a photodump. A weekend at Coxsackie, NY! Yea, that's right, Coxsackie.

Photos by Jeff, who's birthday is today!! Happy birthday my love<3

i am job.

2012-01-30T08:39:00.000-05:00

Hello Monday
Hello hump days
Hello "please, just 7 minutes more"
Hello catching up
Hello morning rush
Hello running out the door

A day in art and antique restoration

vintage painting of apples just newly relined using a beeswax mix and an iron

i love worshop storage

getting ready to stretch the apples painting back onto it's original stretchers

filling in and touching up old artwork

adding some ornate leaves on the corners of a frame

more workshop

look who i found

restoring a vintage photo plaque that was broken into pieces

And BAM! I'm back in the grind.
This will be my third week in and so far, I really love what I'm doing. I'm also happy to be at a place that doesn't leave me desperately trying to astral travel at my desk everyday (unless of course, it was my crazy job to).

aquascaping

2012-01-21T04:09:00.001-05:00

I posted this video once before of our aquarium update last year.

:NERDALERT: It's been an up and down battle since then dealing with algae blooms, cloudy water, and frustration with plants growing in really slow, if at all. After a little research, Jeff tried some key things to get it green and healthy again. He added a pressurized co2 system, changed the biological and mechanical filter media (to enhance aquarium filtration), built custom plumbing for a much quicker, no fuss way of doing water changes, added fertilizer to the substrate and put in stronger lightbulbs to encourage plant growth. The tank is finally showing signs of good conditions and new growth is kicking in fast! The biggest sign of success is seeing moss we attached to the driftwood finally growing after a year.

'Big Tank' Aquarium update January 7, 2012

Little by little, we're observing how plants grow in and tweaking the composition. The latest additions to the aquarium are some small rocks and those floating plants you see to the upper left hand corner called 'water lettuce'. OH and that grass you see in the foreground of the tank is also new, but unfortunately our freshwater crustacean resident, Thierry, keeps pulling them out! We're not sure what to do about that yet.

The aquarium is currently at it's growing out stage, but our goal is to eventually build a lush and active little eco system. I'm quickly falling in love with this hobby for so many reasons and I'm really happy because it also gives us a chance to get some green plants into our home. We haven't been successful in growing many house plants since we don't get a ton of natural lighting in here.

Ok confession. We're OBSESSED!! We already decided that we're going to have 3 freshwater aquariums in our little house. The second one being my old 20gallon long tank that we just set up in the office. How perfect does it sit in that bookcase? And the third one being huge and in our bedroom.

'Little Tank' Aquarium beginning

Nothing much is going on in the little one for now. I just shoved some plants I liked into the substrate and filled it up with water. Currently in the tank are giant hairgrass in the back, a leafy bush plant called hygrophila kompakt, some dwarf hairgrass, babytears in the bottom left hand corner, and water lettuce floating uptop. I'll see how they grown in, move them around, and add more as I go. I also need to change that hanging filter to a small canister one that will stay on the lower shelf with a tube to the tank.

I guess we'll see if this aquatic garden survives or if my thumb is brown underwater too! Once these plants grow in healthy, I'll add a few fish to start. Updates on this little tank!

new year's part 1: a jolly good fellow

2012-01-16T10:13:00.000-05:00

[joins hands and cracks fingers] So we meet again in 2012! There couldn't be a better time to dust off the ol' blog. So here I am. Now, where was I..

For a very special fellow in my life, this New Year was a long awaited dream come true. My dad retired from his place in New York after giving many years of his hard work and dedication to one company. He loved his job, the city it was in, and the friendships he built working there. And now a new chapter in his life opens. He bids farewell to the corporate world!

I could see how happy he is lately. Like really really happy. He just can't hold back a chance to smile or laugh or say "take it easy man". Ha, it makes me so happy too! I know my dad can't wait to get back to his bench. He's been a watchmaker everyday after work and on the weekends for as long as I could remember. I could imagine how excited he must be to get to work on his craft full time (I'm sure most of you could too). We helped him ring in the NEW YEAR of new beginnings!!

sitting in my old bedroom with my lovely cous ricci chattin up on our resolutions and goals for the new year

introducing jeff to my creepy childhood friend again. my first doll EVER that my mom likes to keep around. it winds up in the back and plays an eerie music box song that i'm positive i'll never forget. it even tilts its head from side to side while playing.

mom cooked up lots of yummy home filipino cooking for the celebration

we sing "for he's a jolly good fellow" for my dad

his cake! time for him to eat it too

happy and proud:)

the first cut for good luck

photography. another love my dad is eager to run with again

a new chapter begins. i'm so excited for them!

My dad's got many plans for this huge life change and now on his own clock (or clocks). And he tells me he's starting by growing his hair long, never shaving his face again, and donating all his work slacks. He deserves the best! THE best! We're so proud of him and couldn't have asked for a happier New Year<3.