I have fond memories of Christmas yard art from my childhood, so recently bought full-size U-Bild Santa, Mrs. Claus, reindeer, sleigh. . . the works.
SWMBO thinks it's tacky and is pretty adamant about it.
So I just put the whole U-Bild package up for auction. Any words of wisdom from people who've been able to win over SWMBO in this area...???
"Harvey Chute" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
There are certain topics over which it just doesn't pay to argue with SWMBO. This is one of them, and not just because she's right. And she is right.
A pukey duck by any other name...
If you surrender on this gracefully, maybe she'll let you keep the new bandsaw you ordered just for this project (wink, wink)
Patriarch
"Tacky" only applies if you put it up before Thanksgiving, or worse, display it before Halloween ... or never took it down from last year.
OTOH, go ahead, make it and put in the front yard with a "for sale" sign She might change her mind after she sees how much folks are willing to pay for that stuff ... or you could also just be thankful one of you has good taste. :)
"patriarch snipped-for-privacy@nospam.comcastDOTnet" "Harvey Chute" wrote in
Well, I do agree that a *little* Yard Art goes a long way. I'm not a big fan of the bending-over-gardener variety.
I've got a buddy who developed a liking for lawn art...after his "For Sale" signs didn't work.
It's an art form that I personally find slightly more acceptable than what Jackson Pollock used to do, though not quite as good as Andy Warhol's tomato soup can picture.
Charlie Self "Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half." Gore Vidal
Harvey, follow these steps:
-Brian
What to you think of the "little boy taking a leak?"
My local Fred Meyer grocery store has already put up an aisle or two of Christmas light sets with the blow-up, ripstop lawn Santa watching over us all.
The whole scene jus'bout pissed me off crysake.
Perhaps your wife needs to rediscover her 6 year old inside. Maybe you could make a deal that you'd only put them up 7 days before Christmas and take them down on Jan. 2 - or somesuch schedule.
My 6 year old daughter would _love_ it if her old man would put up such displays.
Christmas Eve to New Year's day is my window for decorating.
Bah, Humbug.
- - LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
Compromise, compromise. Tell SWMBO you had planned to put up the decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving, but in the interest of diplomacy, tell her you'll put them up for only half that time, will have it down by Jan 2, AND be sure you solicit positive comments from your neighbors to reinforce YOUR contention that you are doing the neighborhood a favor by providing a fun holiday display for kids and adults to enjoy. Next year she might even encourage you to put up an even more impressive display by Thanksgiving weekend...
David
Harvey Chute wrote:
Hey who am I to take issue with a classic..? Actually I may scale back to just a 6' Coca-Cola Santa and see if I can get away with it.
I guess I should have known better than to bring up plywood U-Bild projects - especially Yard Art projects - on a serious woodworking forum.
Appreciate the responses though. I think SWMBO wins this round. Anybody want the Santa package? Going for next-to-zilch on a world-famous auction site. I'm going back to building shop projects..!!
- Harvey
First thing you do is get down on your knees and thank God he sent that woman to save you from yourself. :-)
Of course I come from rural Kentucky where a Bathtub Mary is considered high art. It's even better if it is surrounded by an old tractor tire that has been painted white.
Dick Durbin
Make her a deal - you get the yard art and she keeps her Hummels.
Yabbut, what can you decorate in Flor-eye-day? Palm trees?
Depends on the part of Flor-eye-day. Had a nice cedar in the yard that made a dandy outdoor Christmas tree, and the jasmine with the sprinkler on it usually made a nice ice sculpture. That was just a little north of Jacksonville though, not down Miami way.
The one thing about having kids and those kids having grandkids...Always a good place to unload ugly (aka Tacky) Christmas stuff. Then go visit them! It makes them have to put up "your" stuff! And you get to enjoy the ornamental displays with nowhere near the work. It's a gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving.....
heh heh
Philski
Actually, although I grew up in Hollywood, which is down Miami way, I'm now in Ormond Beach, which isn't. Still no snow, though.
There's nothing "a little north of Jacksonville" except Yulee, Fernandina Beach, Callahan, and Hilliard (Boulougne doesn't count). I lived in Hilliard for a little while (worked there for five years). So where were/are you?
- - LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 11:13:59 -0700, "Harvey Chute" calmly ranted:
She's right. But if you were to get about 500 lbs of wood and carve a lifesize replica of a reindeer in 3-D, I'll bet she'd be OK with it if it looked anything close to realistic. If you do that, post a URL for pics, please.
-------------------------------------------------- I survived the D.C. Blizzard of 2003 (from Oregon) ----------------------------
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