Running with Sun Run

by Amy Kirtland

View of roof panels

I just signed a new lease. No, not for a car, not for a piece of property, but for photovoltaic panels.  The panels are “parked” on the south facing roof of my house, and they were installed a few weeks ago. I put $0 down and have signed a 20-year lease agreement that will essentially fix my electrical costs for the next 20 years for a price of $45 a month.  The 13 panels on my roof make up a 2.8 kW array that will produce enough energy to cover 96% of my family’s electricity usage.   If the system produces more electricity than we use, our utility meter will “run backwards,” and we will receive the credit from Xcel.

Our Favorite Things: Volume 5

by Maggie Flickinger

I stumbled upon Michael McDowell - aka Mudpuppy’s – studio last week at Rino’s First Friday, and promptly fell in love with his hanging Airplant Pods.  Hand cast and glazed, and suspended on unassuming twine, they are a perfect blend of organic and modern: my favorite aesthetic.  I’ll be picking up a few to compliment my Boskke Sky Planters, creating a veritable hanging garden!  Well priced – from $30 – $42 depending on size & glaze – and available via Michael’s Etsy shop, along with other whimsical ceramic explorations.

Puma recently has partnered with Biomega to produce a line of crossover bikes.  They’ve taken five cycling archetypes – BMX, City, Foldable, Cruiser, and Cargo – and blended their features, effectively creating five new bikes.  I’m particularly drawn to the Disko, their version of a folding bike.  While saddled with a hefty price tag (starting at $970) it’s certainly a stylish entry in the urban commuter class, and functionally combines upright seating with BMX handling.  

Amy’s recent holiday in Steamboat Springs led her to David Taylor’s exhibit at the Steamboat Art Museum, running through October 16th.  Taylor, a  graphic designer by trade, has been quilting for 10 years moving from a more traditional style to a stitched applique style.  Taylor’s award-winning quilts are recognizable by their density of stitching and faithful photographic translations – and are true pieces of art that should be seen in person to fully appreciate! 

While developing the sustainability program for Twin Buttes, we did some research into in-home energy monitoring.  The surprising fact we came across is that simply having such a device can prompt home owner’s to fine tune their usage – without making any sacrifices – and save 15% on their energy bills.  With increasing numbers of SmartMeters being installed across the nation, devices such as Tendril’s Vision will truly put the power of conservation into homeowner’s hands – by allowing us to see real-time impact of use & conservation strategies.

Come In, Come in!

by Maggie Flickinger

Welcome to our refreshed blog!  You may have found us via our new enewsletter.  Things have been busy here at the studio, and we’re excited to use this blog and our enewsletter as a way to share our news, fun finds, and events in our community.  Of course, all of this will be informed by our commitment to sustainable and resources & ideas, with a modern twist!  We’re excited because everyone at the studio will be a blog author, giving a diverse perspective on our practice and our personal interests.  We might not always agree with each other, but that’s what the comments section is for!  With some work, we hope to establish a lively dialogue with each other, our clients, and our community at large.

Entering the Fray

by Maggie Flickinger

Ah, the inaugural post. The possibilities are endless, stretching out before us into a gorgeous springtime sunset. Here, we hope to share with the world our ideas, art and photo endeavors of our doing, and links to fun stuff that makes us happy to be in the world today. Our little group of eight wants to welcome you to our creative flow!