sorta fabulous

What to Do With Stained Wood Floor

2018-06-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Badly stained wood floor

The wood flooring of the back room in our 70 year old house looked pretty bad. I knew the stains were hidden under the even worse wall-to-wall carpet and had been there since we moved in many long years ago. Which was why I put new carpet in the first time I redid the room.

I had refinished the floors in other rooms and a hallway with an orbital sander with excellent results. When we yanked up the carpet in the upstairs bed room, I was shocked to discover that the floor was merely laid down unfinished lumber instead of actual flooring. It turned out quite well when I used the orbital sander. But the planks had no stains.

The back room offered several challenges. Once upon a time, it must have rained in an open window because the boards near that window were stained and slightly warped. Amazingly, that area sanded up nicely. But if I sanded those big black spots any more, I'd sand myself right into the basement.

Unwilling to put in a new floor, I decided to white wash. After reading a gazillion blogs, I went for using Kilz primer because I already had that on hand and was going for cheap. Here's how I did it:

Mix 1 part paint to 1 part water. Stir well and often

Using a paint brush and going with the grain, I painted along the width of the room, following the boards white washing three to four boards at a time. When I finished painting one length of the room, I dragged a clean, dry rag over the thinned paint. (Boy, did that old floor suck up the stuff!) In some areas, I smeared on a bit of undiluted paint to create the unevenness that I was looking for in hoped of disguising the stains.

White wash half and half

The first attempt looked pretty messy but I plugged on.

After allowing the white wash to cure for several days, I lightly sanded it with fine sand paper. Then I applied four coats of neutral polyurethane clear coat, allowing it to dry between the coats. When using any such product, it is best to follow the instructions on the label. I lightly sanded between clear coats.

The paint and the clear coat were both water based. Acrylic products do not fume like oil based paints and finishes. While some experts prefer oil based products for their durability, oil based products will stink up your home for some time. Even with acrylic, you should ventilate the room by opening the windows and running a fan.

You can see from the picture below that the look is slightly uneven but that works for me.

White washed wood floor

Chest of Drawers Update on the Cheap

2017-05-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

Vintage chest of drawers before

This old chest of drawers was looking pretty sad. Grubby and orange with neglect and discoloration, it begged to be spruced up. It was from a juvenile bed room set that belonged to my Uncle George and had traveled from Pittsburgh PA to Baltimore MD back in the 1960s. Talk about an old friend!

I had fallen in love with the whole chalk paint scene and visited the store/workshop franchise of the Chalk Paint Queen. Whoo was that stuff expensive! Thirty five dollars for a quart of paint and more for the wax. I was not prepared to spend much on this funky old dresser.

Experts say that chalk paint is porous so waxing it is a good idea. Wax fills the pores and protects the surface. One of the beauties of chalk paint is that you don't have to sand the furniture before you paint. But the old wood sorely needed some sanding. I could not bring myself to paint over all the gunk.

I took the chest out of doors for sanding and painting. I used a medium grade sandpaper to remove old dirt and ground in dust, then moved on to a very fine grade to create a smooth surface.

Cutting up the side and bottom of a construction size trash bag, I spread it out on the grass to use as a tarp for the drawers. I placed wax paper under the legs of the chest. Next, I removed all the drawers pulls and put them in a plastic bag.

Sanded drawers - they look better already

I used a sample jar of Behr's flat wall paint (the kind that does not need primer). The sample cost about $3.00. The same paint in a quart cost $13.00 and I knew that would be too much.

If I had a lot left over, I'd feel the need to paint more furniture. Like when I went faux crazy with the walls. I had to buy a second jar for another coat but it was still cheaper than either the Behr quart or the name brand chalk paint. See the painted drawers below.

Drawers in dappled sunlight

The gray was paler than anticipated (even though it matched the color sample) and had a dull look. I decided to dark wax the whole piece. I used Minwax neutral paste wax and, after research created my own dark wax.

First, I softened some wax in the microwave in an old bowl, pulsing for 10 seconds at a time. You could also place some wax in a zip lock bag and set it in a bowl of hot water. It was just slightly softer. You don't want it to actually melt. Adding about one teaspoon of black oil paint (from a tube; I hardly ever use actual black in my paintings) to about 3/4 a cup of paste wax, I mixed until it looked like raw brownie batter.

Rubbing the goo over the drawers, I yearned for the detail work and curlicues that look so beautiful after an application of dark wax. After a few (3 or 4) minutes, I rubbed off the wax with a soft cloth and applied another coat, polishing it to a nice, smooth finish.

Just below is the painted drawer. The waxed drawer us beneath. See the difference? The color looks slightly darker and the wax added a depth to the previously flat look.

Painted then waxed

I originally intended to sand and clear coat the wooden drawer pulls. It would have looked nice against a very dark gray but did not work against the lighter gray. Black did not work for me either. There was a bag of old drawer pulls in the basement. Miraculously, I found them quickly! I like the white china pulls with the blue pattern. The bedroom has been going through a feminization lately, with white eyelet curtains and now the soft new dresser.

Painted and dark waxed chest of drawers

Project complete. Maybe not the most beautiful dresser in the world but I works for me. Not fabulous but sorta fabulous.

COST

My cost (not counting the oil paint and sandpaper that I had on hand):

2 Jars Behr's Sample Flat Wall Paint $6.00
1 Minwax Neutral Paste Wax (1 lb.) 10.00

Name brand cost:

Quart of Name Brand Chalk Paint $35.00
Dark Wax (4.22 oz) 15.00

Linen Sheets on the Cheap

2017-02-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Linen

Ever since I became obsessed with linen, loving its history as well as the look and feel of it, I have wanted linen sheets. However, such luxury bedding is beyond my budget. A single linen sheet can easily cost $200.00. And that's for a single sheet, not a set. So my lust was merely a dream. I was content with my handmade linen pillow cases. But, being an avid thrift store maven, the thought of finding linen sheets at Savers or Good Will occasionally crossed my mind. You just never know...

To really find something fabulous in a thrift shop you have to be either lucky, or a frequent shopper. While pouring over the contents of a gigantic store filled with used stuff may take too much time, it's not hard to learn how to skim. I rarely shop for a specific item. That only leads to disappointment. Instead, I quickly browse my favorite racks. Moving along a rack of, say, fabric, curtains, or bedding, I can easily spot the sort of thing I prefer. You certainly don't have to pause and look at every item. You can see from the edges if an item is made of a preferred fabric.

I spotted the large hunk of pale taupe linen right away. Of course one can make a mistake. So I grabbed the edge of the duvet cover and hunted out the tag in search of information. Not only was the cover 100% linen, but was manufactured by one of my favorite companies!

My bed is an old fashioned double. The duvet was for a king. Realizing how huge the thing would be, it would hang like a bedspread. Then it hit me. I decided to purchase the cover and cut it in half using each side as a flat sheet. Now you younger folks may not know but back in the old days, there were no fitted sheets! Beds were made with two flat sheets. The bottom sheet was tucked in under the mattress. I'd make my bed the old fashioned way. And if that didn't work, certainly youtube had a tutorial on how to make a fitted sheet.

When you think of a deal, you have to look at the time you spend on improving it. For instance, if you buy a chair for $18.00, spend $100.00 on upholstery fabric, and take a gazillion hours to redo it, you may not really have a bargain. But if you buy something for $9.90 and spend and hour and a half cutting and hemming - now that's what I call a SCORE!

The linen is stone washed so it's very soft. I often hang my laundered sheets outdoors, but I put these in the dryer with a couple of those dryer balls and the sheets come out wonderful.

(When buying fabric at a thrift store, make sure to give it a good whirl in the dryer. The heat kills unwanted pests like bedbugs.)

Paint by Number Mid Century Kitch Catches On

2016-09-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Last Supper was a popular Paint by Numbers kit

Paint by number kits, once seen as the decor of choice for the congenitally low class has experienced a major resurgence. Between the Smithsonian's 2001 homage and modern craft shop kits, the old PBNs are showing up everywhere, appearing in popular magazines as a decorating choice for lovers of mid-century, country, and vintage decorating styles.

First developed in 1951 by Max S. Klein for his Palmer Paint Company, the kits were based on a concept of the artist Dan Robberts. After World War II and the standard 40 hour work week, America became suddenly interested in hobbies. People had time on their hands and the leisure industry was created to capitalize on a middle class with more time and money than ever before.

Despite being ridiculed by the art world, the kits became a hit. Kits included paints, brushes, and pasteboard covered with amoebic shapes whose numbers matched tiny pots of paint. Popular themes included religious motifs, landscapes, animals, rural scenes, and clowns. Some kits were simple featuring bright, primary colors while others offered more detail and muted hues. Some vintage examples can be downright hideous, offering a kitchy charm with flat perspectives and lurid colors.Some vintage examples are downright attractive.

PBN Jesus - religious themes were popular

Today, you can buy new kits in craft and hobby shops. Country Living Magazine offers some beautiful kits in their Simple Country Pleasures feature for $35.00.

If you don't want to go to the trouble of actually doing it yourself, you can find vintage Paint by Number paintings on Ebay and etsy. Prices for mid-century pieces run the gamut from $10.00 to hundreds of dollars. I picked up this charming winter scene at a thrift shop for one dollar!

Vintage Paint by Number Scene

Below is a landscape that I spotted at a thrift shop.

Vintage Paint by Number Landscape

Recover a Victorian Chair

2016-08-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Eastlake style Victorian chair before

My Eastlake style Victorian chair had been looking pretty sad for years. Not only was the circa 1970's fabric grimy, I never did like it. Plus the cat did a real number on it. I recall a time when it was covered in a crushed and ancient burgundy velvet. That's when I fell in love with it. My grandmother's chair set beside the French windows in her Victorian living room. But the thought of using velvet made me wince. I did this during an August heat wave and the very thought of velvet made me queasy.

While drawn to larger patterns, I realized that a large print would cost more in yardage. So I limited myself to a smallish print, one that was on sale. The elephant print in my chosen fabric made me smile. It suited the chair as well as the rest of the room. Think British Colonial India. Think PG Tips black tea. Think gin and tonic with a slice of lime.

The fabric needed to match a long piece of trim that had been on the shelf. Why waste it. That stuff's expensive!

As I pried off the old Laura Ashley style material (just what a 1970s mom would pretend her teen-aged daughter actually wanted for her bedroom) I noticed some nasty scratches. Rooting around in the supply closet, I found a bottle of Old English scratch cover for light wood. I also found a bottle of cheap liquid shoe polish. Blending the black polish with the oil on a piece of very fine steel wool, I rubbed the chair frame using a little elbow grease on those disgusting, glormy oft touched spots. The next day, I went over the wood with a soft cloth.

I filled all the old tack holes with wood filler. Face it, that chair had been redone several times in its long life.

Before attaching the fabric, I stuffed new batting under the old padding and resewed the padded roll around the bottom of the seat. After all, I wanted the chair to be comfortable as well as attractive.

After watching several youtube demonstrations, I decided not to use the old fabric as a template. Mistakes can be made. I jut laid the fabric on the chair, lining it up in a pleasing manner. Then I tacked it down first on one side, then the opposite repeating for the front and back leaving 3 inches or so between tacks.

It's a good idea to keep checking and smoothing as you go.

After the initial tacking (or stapling if you prefer) fill in the gaps between the tacks so there is only 1/2 inch or so between fasteners.

I once made the mistake of hemming fabric before tacking it down on a chair. This made the edges too bulky. Adding the trim with a hot glue gun will prevent fraying.

I was quite happy with the result. At the time I was recovering from a personal tragedy. Grief can leave you feeling unmoored. But following logical steps toward an obvious conclusion allowed me to focus and gave my life some sense of order and accomplishment. I may still be sad, but at least the chair looks good.

Victorian chair with its new look

Close up of the old chair with its British Colonial look

Mrazck Czecho Peasant Pottery Made in Letovice

2016-03-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

Pottery produced in the early 20th century by the Czecho Peasant Art Company is easily recognizable by simple, brightly colored designs based on traditional peasant art of Eastern Europe. Joseph Mrazck who emigrated to the United States toward the end of the Great War purchased a DIY ceramics kit from Macy's Department Store in New York City. The kit contained a dish, paint brushes, and paint. Once decorated, you could take the item back to the store to be fired.

Mrazck Pottery Plate

Joseph experimented with the process, soon producing enough pottery to sell to neighbors and friends. He bought a kiln, quit his job, and opened The Czecho Peasant Art Company. On a visit to Czechoslovakia, he located a site for a factory in the town of Letovice. You can see the name of the town on the back stamp shown below.


Mrazck Pottery Backstamp

Moving his operation to Letovice, Mrazck hired workers and began producing pottery pieces painted with simple designs. The factory operated until 1933. The distinctive pottery is collectible today and easy to find on ebay and other sites.

The pieces displayed here belonged to my mother. She bought them at a flea market when she was in a I'm-buying-this-item-because-it-was-made-in-a-country-that-no-longer-exits phase. What a fun collection! The trouble is that I have, like many baby boomers, way too much stuff and am really wanting to get rid of some. Some of my inherited dishware is very old and quite beautiful. Say what you want about Mrazck pottery, but beautiful it is not. Or to me anyway. The other thing about my favorite possessions is that most of them have a story as well as belonging to someone that I either loved or am related to. Okay, the pottery has an interesting back story. But when you are trying to cut down on china, what's a girl to do? I packed it in a box of stuff to get rid of.

The stuff to get rid of box goes to a thrift store after friends and relatives rummage for anything they might like (just as I, sadly, rummage through theirs). One evening, while pouring through a book on dishes with my sister, I spotted an example of Mrazck pottery. Because it was there in a book with lots of really cool dishware and because I liked the story of Joseph Mrazck, I began to regret tossing his wares off so lightly. I knew that someone at the Goodwill store would snatch up the bowl and plate and make themselves big money on ebay. (Not really that big, I checked the next day, but still). My regret began to annoy and amuse the rest of our little party.

(Below find another photograph of the pottery for your viewing pleasure. You can see the pretty yellow inside the bowl.)

Czecho Peasant Art Company Bow

Sometime later, my sister, who lives in a different town, came to visit me, bringing a gift. It was a surprise! I opened the gift bag and there, wrapped in tissue were the Mrazck pottery pieces that I believed gone for good! My sister had rooted them out of a get-rid-of box. We laughed. How wonderful!

So these little dishes will stay with me until I die. Not that I find them particularly attractive, but they have not one but three stories attached to them. And all the stuff, whether old or pretty, it's all about the story.

Mrazeck's bright colored, simple pottery

(If you have a piece of this pottery with a back stamp that has been painted over with a black bird, then you own an early version of the product when it was still being made in the USA. Those old versions are rare and quite valuable)

Keep Potted Geraniums Through the Winter

2015-07-31T06:09:00.000-07:00

Geranium in Full Bloom

Geraniums are a popular and old fashioned container plant, decorating porches and front steps during the summer. They are not expensive, but if you want to be thrifty and save the plant for next year, geraniums can be overwintered in a cool spot. These cheerful plants are not annuals, though we treat them as such, but tender perennials that don't stand up to cold temperatures. The first frost will kill them.

Native to South Africa, English botanists introduced them to Europe hundreds of years ago. The plant we usually call Geranium are actually Pelargoniums. They thrive in full sun to part shade and grow in tidy mounds reaching two feet tall and wide.

Here is a picture of my red geranium when I brought it in last Fall. The flowers look a bit skimpy as I had stopped feeding the plant as the weather cooled. Planning on winter storage, I did not want to encourage new growth by using any kind of fertilizer

Geranium in container

I brought the container indoors when the weather turned cold and a frost was predicted for the evening. Setting it in a sunny window to introduce it to the indoors, I soon decided to move it to a cooler location so the plant would go dormant for the winter. Though some of the following pictures show a pretty sad little plant, the geranium came back beautifully by the following May.

Here is how to overwinter your geraniums:

Remove any flowers as well as flower buds.

Cut back one third.

Set the plant on a basement window sill by an east facing window. The plant does need some light. Temperatures in our basement are quite cool in winter. When heat vents are closed, the temperature feels close to the mid 50s Fahrenheit.

Water sparingly, maybe only once a month at best.

When Spring returns and evening temperatures rise to the mid fifties, return the geranium outdoors.

The geranium looked pretty sad and I did not have a lot of confidence in its return. You can see that most of the leaves were brown and shriveled. A few healthy leaves reached toward the light.

Mostly dormant Geranium looks pretty sad.

Cut back all the dead leaves. Now it doesn't look so bad.

Geranium - cut back dead leaves

Water thoroughly and place in a sunny location. Begin to lightly feed with your favorite fertilizer. I like to sprinkle some bone meal on the soil to encourage blooms.

By June, the overwintered geranium had perked up quite nicely, producing leaves and beautiful red blossoms.

There are other methods of keeping a geranium indoors

over the winter months. Some people like to store it bare root. Lift the plant from the container and shake off soil. Trim off flowers and most of the foliage. Enclose in a paper bag and hand upside down in a cool, dark place. Once a month, remove from bag and mist lightly.

I have not tried this as sometimes my basement feels a bit damp in winter. Dampness can cause the growth of mold or mildew. I have not been successful in storing tender plants bare root. But the method I have suggested worked very well, as you can see!

Though geraniums are not expensive and this will not save you a lot of money, it's nice to keep your old friend over the winter. Of course, if you have several, saving them over the cold months is a thrifty practice.

Baltimore's Biggest Salvage Warehouse - 2nd Chance

2014-06-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Second Chance is Baltimore's biggest salvage yard. Located at 1700 Ridgely St, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 near the Raven's Stadium, 2nd Chance is a series of warehouses filled with industrial salvage, antique furniture, used hotel furniture, antique hardware, used restaurant equipment, old appliances, office chairs, patio furniture, salvaged kitchen cabinets, and granite counter top material.

Vintage Stoves

Look at these beautiful vintage stoves! Here is an old Chambers stove all polished up and ready to go. Many of the gas stoves feature an insert where you can place a pot of soup, an early slow cooker! There are some old electric stoves as well.

Old Tin Ceiling Tiles

2nd Chance is a great place to find flooring and other old building materials including tin ceiling panels. The wall above is covered with old tin ceiling squares - isn't it awesome? Several rooms have been set up to display just what you can do with salvaged materials.

Large sections of old flooring have been used to create this unique wall. The old salvaged wood makes for a very modern look!

Visiting 2nd Chance is like going to a museum of cool stuff. I love to shop there and recently found an old wicker sofa for $10.00! I've bought ceiling tin which I used to create a wall hanging. Several years ago, I found a metal relief of Lenin's head from a building in the old Soviet Union for my husband's collection of the heads of famous men. (I started that collection for him)

Recently, I spotted a beautiful old religious statue. It had seen better days, all cracked and crumbling but somehow the deterioration added a time worn look that caught at my heart.

Architectural Salvage in Baltimore - Housewerks

2014-06-27T11:59:00.000-07:00

I love salvage shopping and Housewerks is one of my favorite spots in Baltimore. A visit to Housewerks is worth it even if you just want to look at the 1885 building. Here is architectural salvage at work; the owners have restored a 129 year old building, the old Gas Valve Building, once involved in the manufacture of coke gas, a fuel used before natural gas. In 1904, the Baltimore Gas Appliance Manufacturing Corporation used the space to produce the old Oriole Stove.

Vintage Commercial Coca Cola Cooler

Outside, the salvage yard is filled with old tubs used for candy making at Hershey's; vintage metal patio furniture; disassembled
fountains; pieces taken from the front of an old church, and interesting things you don't know what they are. I love this old commercial Coke cooler. It reminds me of stopping by a country grocery store on a hot summer day.

The steps that lead indoors are lined with buckets filled with chunks of colored glass from an old glass works. Inside, find religious statues; industrial lighting; old signs; beautiful antique saints' industrial clocks and much more. I love the high ceiling with its white supports and huge windows. Head down to the wonderfully spooky basement for more odds and ends.

Housewerks is located at 1415 Bayard St. in Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

Make a Linen Pillow Case For Next to Nothing

2014-06-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

Linen Pillow Case

Linen pillow cases are wonderful. With its, dare I say, magical properties, linen keeps you cool and promotes restful and peaceful sleep. I've wanted a linen pillow case for some time but prices run from $15.00 a piece on Etsy (one wonders if it is 100% linen) to $40.00 a piece at Restoration Hardware; $50.00 a piece on Amazon; and $25.00 a piece at Pottery Barn.

While shopping at a thrift store, I found a nice 100% white linen skirt with a nicely done hem. It looked to be a perfect size for a pillow case so I bought the $5.25 skirt. (If I'd gone on half price day, I could have had it for $2.63!)

Here is how I made the pillow case. It's an easy project.

First, cut out the lining.

Soak in hot water.

Place in dryer. You want to shrink that fabric before you cut and sew.

Next, use a standard pillow case as a template. Place the pillow case on top of the fabric. Measure and cut fabric 1/2 inch or so beyond the edge of the pillow case.

Place wrong sides together. That's right - you are sewing the seam up on the right side! This will create hidden seams.

Iron

Trim away excess fabric as close to the stitch line as possible.

Turn your linen pillow case inside out and sew another seam making sure to enclose the already sewn seam. You don't want your luxurious linen pillow case to have raggedy seams.

You can see in the picture below that the edging is embellished and oh so pretty. Thanks to the pretty skirt hem, the decorative edging was no work at all. I am so thrilled with my pillow case. Now I must look for a skirt for my husband! I'm sure that he would like a linen pillow case too!

Linen Pillow Case With Embellished Edge

Baltimore's Best Thrift Stores - 2nd Ave. Essex

2014-02-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

Thrift Store Coat

Second Avenue located in the store formerly known as
Village Thrift at 10 Stemmers Run Road in Baltimore, Maryland offers a huge selection of clothing, textiles,
shoes, toys, and books. Although it is a chain, the size
of the place and their wide variety of goods, keep
me coming back.

As in any thrift store, the best way to shop is by following
sale days, which seem to change often. I like to stop in with an open mind; that seems to be the way to find the best as well as unique items. If something is dropped off and set out, if it is totally fabulous, it won't last long.

My favorite purchase at 2nd Avenue is the coat pictured above. The long robe like coat has a label that says "Sofia New York." It is made of cotton with a beautiful vintage style lining. The black decorations are actually long zippers. There are no fasteners. It is so soft, I am wondering if it was originally a robe. I can find no information on it online. This was not picked up on a sale day, so the beautiful coat cost me a whopping $12.00. I have heard people complain about the prices here, but you can't beat finding something this special for that price.

My husband always finds clothing here and I have found everything I need for my cheapo wardrobe.

Thrift store vintage silver plate flatware

Against my own best advice, I have found brand name shoes with no wear at all. I once found vintage plastic curtains, hideous yes, but they were like new.

Second Avenue displays flatware and kitchen utensils in baggies hung above the shelves. While I used to enjoy pawing through the boxes of mixed flatware in my search for vintage silver plate, the new display allows for a very quick search. Learning to master the art of the quick search is an essential here. The store is so big that it would take forever to look at everything. I scan the clothing racks with certain fabrics in mind. It's easy to spot linen, or a favorite pattern if you just skim along the tops of the hangers.

Second Avenue is located at 10 Stemmers Run Road, Essex Maryland 21211. There is a convenient drop-off truck stationed in the parking lot.

Low Light Flowering Houseplant - Clivea Miniata

2013-07-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Clivea in Bloom

I love houseplants but my house is not the best for the kind of muted bright light most houseplants need to thrive. There is nothing like an east facing window to keep most plants looking their best. My largest window faces north east and is quite dim in winter when the sun light moves south. So I am always on the lookout for plants that like low light conditions.

Clivea Miniata is a beautiful flowering houseplant that fills the bill. In order to get Clivea to flower, decrease the light and lighten up on watering during the winter. Cool nights are a help as well. The combination of these environmental conditions create a rest period so that the plant can store up the energy it takes to bloom.

After a 6 - 8 week rest period, allow the plant to get a bit more light. Of course if Clivea is in a north east facing window, this will happen naturally as the sun "moves" north in spring. Increase your watering schedule and feed lightly with a weak liquid fertilizer. (I say weak because most fertilizers tell you to use more than is necessary)

When you water any houseplant, use water that has been allowed to set out for at least 24 hours so that it can off-gass chlorine. (Funny how it's okay to drink the stuff)

The beautiful luminous flowers of the Clivea remain in bloom for several weeks. After the flowers have faded, cut the flower stem off close to the plant. Even after the flowers are gone, Clivea is a wonderful plant with beautiful foliage. Dust off those deep green strappy leaves every so often.

Clivea produces small shoots from its (rather unattractive) roots. Cut off a shoot and plant it. You may have to wait a few years for the new plant to produce blooms. This easy reproduction will give you the opportunity to have a plant to trade. I love free houseplants and trading is the cheapest way to increase your little houseplant community.

Fixing Up Some Trash - My Free Settee

2013-04-14T12:45:00.001-07:00

Settee found in trash

I found this ugly little settee set out by the curb one day and carried it home thinking it would make a nice piece of extra seating when we had guests instead of the folding metal chairs with someone else's name scrawled in sharpie across the back.

It needed a redo, sad as it was, and I thought that I'd just cover the seat and give it a quick paint job. All sorts of fanciful ideas floated - silver paint with blue and gray fabric, antique white or French gray with a piece of grain sacking. Of course I put if off, stuck it in the basement with the rest of the projects waiting to happen.

Then a party loomed and I was in the mood! The fast, emergency chair redo went like this:

Rummage through the fabric scraps to find something big enough

Clean off the wood and caning

Glue loose parts with wood glue (I just tied it all up with rope for support til the glue was dry)

Cover bench seat - wrap like a gift, tack, and staple (whoops, the bench seat was cracked so I just filled the crack with glue then taped over it)

Cover the seat with fabric

Spray the fabric with Scotch Guard

Screw the seat onto the frame (through the screw holes below)

Once I popped the covered seat onto the frame I realized that it looked just fine without a paint job. The wood that had looked so horrible was now perfectly acceptable paired with the attractive new fabric. I was so happy with the quick change!

My family likes it too! They want to keep it upstairs instead of relegating it to the basement to bring up for company. My son no longer accuses me of stealing chairs from the people whose names were on the backs of the old ones.
Instead of sitting on cold metal, ugly folding chairs left behind (or purloined) my honored guests can sit on a cute little settee that I pulled out of my neighbor's garbage!

2013-02-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

Ice Candle

When the days are cold and the nights even colder, you can make one of these beautiful ice candles. Or you can make a lot of them. They are practically free! Brighten up winter nights or illuminate a pathway with these luminaries created with a block of ice and a tea candle.

Here's how to make an ice candle:

Grease the inside of a bucket.

Fill the bucket with water.

Set outside, away from the house (it's usually a few degrees warmer close to the house).

Make sure the ice bucket will not be sitting in the sun.

After 2 or 3 days (depending on how cold it is) upend the bucket. The water freezes from the top and sides, leaving a hollow at the bottom.

Set the ice block on top of a couple of bricks, or raise it from the ground some way. You want it elevated so the fire gets oxygen.

Set a lit tea candle below the concave bottom of the ice block.

When the ice melts, water droplets follow the ice walls down and do not drip onto the candle.

Of course, it must be below freezing for this to work. Temperatures just slightly above 32 degrees F during the day should not melt the ice. If the temperatures are not freezing, or in warmer months, you can do the freezing in a large freezer. Wouldn't that be pretty in summer?

Ice Candle

Garden Art - Make it Personal

2012-09-28T14:34:00.001-07:00

Savannah Bird Girl in my garden

After spending some years working on my garden by adding and rearranging plants, I decided to amp things up a bit by introducing some art. Sculpture, attractive stepping stones, amusing junk displays, and other man made items personalize your garden by creating a space that reflects your interests.

My first little statue, found in a catalog, was a replica of the Savannah Bird Girl that was featured on the cover of one of my all time favorite books, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt 1994). So maybe the famous Bird Girl no longer graces Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery, but a smaller version stands in my yard, a testament to my love for birds and novels.

Glass Flower

But not all garden art costs money. Or at least some garden art can be had for very little. My friend, Leola, has created some lovely glass flowers from cups and saucers, bowls, and candle holders that she picks up at thrift shops. When the real flowers start to fade, these glass flowers hold the spirit, catch and reflect sunlight, and are just plain pretty.

I like to place certain items inside shrubs, or under trees, almost hidden from view to add a whimsical surprise. I found a ceramic doll head at a thrift store and just knew she would wind up tucked between some evergreen boughs. She reminds me of a faerie peeking out of the greenery, an elvish face studying on passersby. I figured that few would even notice her, which somehow made her more interesting to me. Well, someone did notice her. They stole her. I wonder where she is now and hope she found a good home. She'd become a bit weathered and her hair had gone ratty. I still miss her and am glad that I took a photograph.

Garden Art - Doll Head

A young friend of mine made this attractive piece from salvaged bathroom tiles, rebar, and chain. The piece hangs on the edge of the garden, sometimes obscured by plants, but revealed when the growing season passes and in Spring when this picture was taken.

Garden Art made of salvaged material

The books in the bike basket below is spewing water. If you look at the right side of the book pile, you may notice water dribbling down. Now, I hate the idea of ruining books but this is one original idea!

I love how this looks like plants growing in a pot. Actually, the pot, one that I loved, a gift from my mother, broke in half. I could not part with it, so upended it in the soil to mimic a standing container. The plants are growing in the ground, but seem to burst out of a container that is much too small. I like containers but hate the constant watering. Using salvaged material is a great way to add interest and a bit of humor into a garden design.

Container that is not a container

I would not want to use this lovely mosaic stepping stone to actually step on, so have set it on the edge of a garden. Mosaics like these are simple to make using concrete and broken tiles. Craft stores offer kits that you can try out to see if you enjoy creating your own unique stepping stone. It's best to bring them indoors for winter storage.

Mosaic Stepping Stone

Upended bottles used to edge gardens, hanging unusual objects from tree limbs, incorporating architectural salvage as an art form - you can create a personal space in your own back yard. You can add one or two art objects, or go wild and turn the place into one whole art piece. And when you think to yourself, that there is no place like home, you will be right.

Collections - The Sentimental Value of Children's Books

2012-09-07T13:20:00.001-07:00

Vintage childrens' books

Somehow, I accidentally own a collection of old children's books. Some were mine when I was a child; others given as gifts.

Some are in poor condition and some are nearly pristine.

The collection is not an investment, nor am I a collector who appreciates the value of old books. These are sentimental items. I love the illustrations and graphics, the adventure, and the old fashioned values. I appreciate how we've changed and old stereotypes seem far-fetched and absurd.

Vintage Bobbsey Twins

Often, children are drawn into the habit of reading by series books. For me, it was the Bobbsey Twins. This old copy of The Bobbsey Twins: Merry Days Indoor and Out by Laura Lee Hope (Grosset and Dunlap, New York, 1904) offers a view of a bygone era when people rode in horse drawn sleighs and happy children yelled things like, "Hurrah!"

If you are not familiar with the Bobbsey Twins, they were two sets of fraternal twins with Nan and Bert the elder set, both sensible and adventurous; and Flossie and Freddie the younger, a bit silly and wild.

As I paged through the book, I found one page featuring Dinah, the African American cook who ran the house and assisted in all aspects of the lives of the famous twins:

"Well I declare to gracious!" she exclaimed. "If yo chillun ain't gone an' mussed up de floah a'gin!"

"Bert broke my boiler," said Freddie and began to cry. One must wonder - where is Mrs. Bobbsey and what is she doing? What the heck is a boiler and why is a kid playing with a boiler?

The Bobbsey Twins at Home, circa 1916, is filled with chestnut hunting orphans, a staged train hold up for the "moving pictures, children lost in lumber yards (where they like to play), and grown-ups leaving 5 year olds to tend boiling sugar. Times were different then.

I remember reading an old Hardy Boys book to the boys where folks are shocked by the sudden appearance of a woman wearing pants. Villains were swarthy foreigners, and all the brats were red haired boys. The boys got a kick out of the way life was presented in the past. It gave them a little window into history, the way people looked at the world. Vintage stories can feature uncomfortable stereotypes. They can appear mawkishly sentimental. Sometimes it was a wonderful world, where kids ran wild with a freedom most kids just don't experience today. Sometimes it was ridiculous.

I hold these books with tenderness. Most of the original owners of these old books are long dead, children who took these books to bed at night, or read them on the porch on a summer afternoon. Some of these books could not stand up to another read. They have cracked spines. They've been read to death. They've been loved.

Old children's books can be found for next to nothing at yard sales and thrift shops. They may be found in your grandmother's attic, or tucked away in a forgotten corner of your own home. They can be found in the way that you live as you suddenly find your favorite hobby or interest presented in one of these old stories. They can be found in your dreams. They live in your heart.

Hutch Display for Collections

2012-07-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

Keeping the same objects in the same place in your home for a long period of time renders those items invisible. Favorite pictures and decorative items seem to disappear into familiarity. Thinking of this and looking at my hutch that held the same old antique glassware for seven months, I decided it was time for a change.

Usually, I like to introduce floral, pinks and green dishware for Spring; blue and white for Summer, and woodsy themes in green and brown for Fall. Now it's time for something new.

Why not display an unusual collection of organic objects, interspersed with old metal, glass bottles, and a few candles for a bit of variety! I like to decorate my living room like a personal mini-museum, like a Victorian cabinet of curiosities. It makes sense to group these objects together.

I walked around the house with a box, filling it with shells, coral rock, antlers, a handmade wooden spoon (made from my dead Japanese maple tree), shoe lasts, artisan tile, a bottle brush bear from the Adirondacks, the thrown out spigot handle from the historic home of someone I admire; and a few fossils that I found at Calvert Cliffs. Arranging the items was fun. The hutch now has a whole new look, with unique items gathered over the years.

Every piece has a story behind it - the twig frame with my favorite camp-site view; a few old bottles that I found in a woods; a block of wood picked up on a beach; a little iron bird from my annual trip to Pennsylvania; a rock my son brought home from a beach in Denmark. The ice tongs are left over from the ice-box days, used to tote large chunks of ice. I found them in my grandfather's basement when he was downsizing. It's funny the things that people keep.

Latest Batch of Homemade Soap

2012-07-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Homemade soap

For my latest batch of homemade soap, I thought that I'd do something different. It's so easy to fall into the rut of sticking to proven winners, the ones that people request, or my own favorites. Of course, my favorites are the soaps I make with inexpensive essential oils. Occasionally, I splurge on patchouli or lavender for Christmas gift giving.

Wintergreen, peppermint, and a splash of eucalyptus make a refreshing blend of scents. I wanted a deep green color so I added some green French clay and some kelp granules. I can't wait to try it! The soap needs to cure for at least one month. Meanwhile my bedroom, where I store it, smells wonderful.

Homemade soap

Though I usually like to experiment with color, I thought I'd leave this batch (below) alone and see how it looked without additional colors. Two ounces of anise give this soap a wonderful licorice scent. Up close in person, the soap is a bit whiter than it looks on here.

Homemade soap

For detailed instructions on how to make homemade soap, read my hub on how to make soap with Crisco by clicking here

A Simple Blue Garden Arch

2012-05-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

I love my backyard garden and am always looking for ways to add an inexpensive special touch. An arch placed at the entrance seemed like a good idea to create the feeling of entering a room. You walk into the garden and leave your troubles at the door, moving into an area of serenity and relaxation.

Of course, I wanted to keep it simple and budget friendly. I purchased two ten foot 4 X 4s to use as side posts and two 2 X 8s for the top. Using a piece of stiff paper, I outlined a quick cutting guide, a simple curve, which I traced at each end of of the top cross beams. Then, using a jig saw, I cut the pieces.

I chose a cobalt blue stain because I find the combination of blue and the greens of garden foliage to be quite inviting. I stained the wood before securing it with screws.

My sons helped me to set up the arch. First, I dug two deep holes. We sunk the side pieces into a combination of rocks and cement.

I was very satisfied with the project. Then, on a trip to the National Arboretum in Washington DC, I spotted an arch that was quite similar and stained the same shade of blue! I love public gardens and often draw inspiration from visits to places like the National Arboretum as well as our local Cylburn Arboretum. Somehow, this time, I was one step ahead. Suddenly, I was no longer merely satisfied with my garden project, I was thrilled!

Portraits in Cheese

2012-04-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

As an amature artist, I have struggled with painting or drawing the human face. Of course, I could attend art classes and learn how to do it right, but sometimes when the muse strikes, you just have to make do.

I felt a pressing need to portray myself, as well as create a portrait of my handsome youngest son. All we had on hand at the time (this was at a party) were red napkins and that so called cheese that comes in a sort of spray can. Spray cheese, actually called Easy Cheese makes for a wonderful art medium.

Here are the results of using this unique method combined with the use of original art materials. It may seem like a waste of food, but I don't think of spray cheese as actual food. In fact, there are probably few ingredients that qualify as what a normal person would think of as food. The portrait of my son was so well received that he used it for his Facebook avatar!

And there am I, in cheese looking a lot like a self portrait I drew when I was about 12. Only then I used a pencil.

Blue and White Dishware - Classic and Beautiful

2012-02-29T12:12:00.001-08:00

Finlandia china

I love blue and white dishware and collect without discrimination. I love it all - my old Victorian Flow Blue, the clean lines of Finlandia patterns (poor man's Royal Copenhagen), and rustic blue and white spatterware and spongeware.

There is something so clean and bright, a simple purity that speaks of home. Oscar Wilde once claimed that he feared he would never live up to his blue and white dishware. Old collectible Flow Blue can cost a fortune. Or you can find blue and white china for next to nothing at a thrift shop.

Blue and white are the colors of the sky, the sea, and the colors most associated with the Blessed Mother. Blue and white china reminds me of the sky on the most beautiful of days, when the weather is dry with a few clouds in the heavens, and the air is fresh and clean.

Transferware, developed in England in the late 1700s used a printing method to decorate dishware. Previously, dishes had been hand painted. The new method transferred ink from copper plates onto tissue paper which was applied to pottery. Quicker, cheaper mass production of transferred designs became popular with England's burgeoning middle class. Blue and white was the color combination of choice though other colors eventually included brown, cranberry, and mixed hues. Popular designs featured flowers, rural scenes, and souvenirs. The plate below depicts Franconia Notch in New Hampshire USA.

Blue and white souvenir transferware plate

Flow Blue

Antique Flow Blue is a beautiful transferware china that originated by mistake in the early part of the 19th century. When the color ran ruining the pattern, sets were shipped to the United States where they caught on.

Tea cup with no handle - vintage Ridgway University pattern circa 1840s

Early British tea cups had no handles. Though handles were common by the early 1800s tea cups without handles (like the one pictured above) were produced into the mid 19th century.

Old blue and white spatterware pitcher

Spatterware and spongeware refer to simple techniques of decorating pottery. Blue paint was spattered onto a piece creating an interesting design. Sponges could be cut into patterns and used to print a design on a surface. The stoneware pitcher above shows a spattered decoration. Here too, blue and white were the most popular color combination.

Paperwhites -Beautiful White Flowers That Smell Bad

2012-02-29T10:16:00.000-08:00

Paperwhites

Paperwhites are beautiful white flowers often grown indoors during the winter months. Grown before Christmas, they make an excellent holiday decoration. Grown to bloom after the holidays, paperwhites brighten up the winter doldrums with their promise of spring.

Members of the narcissus family of bulbs, paperwhites can be grown outdoors in warmer climates. But they make the biggest splash inside. Tall 12" - 18" stems produce tiny white bloom clusters (as pictured on right), that exude a distinctive aroma. So who put the stink in distinctive aroma?

Some sources claim that the scent comes from a chemical called indole, a musky smell that up to 1/4 of the population find, frankly, putrid. So doesn't that make me feel special!

Now, some folks are offended by the smell of Oriental lilies. But I think that they mistake too much for too stinky. One or two Oriental lilies smell heavenly. More than that can be overwhelming so that the heady perfume becomes offensive.

Paperwhites aren't like that at all. They just plain smell bad.

Will I attempt to grow them again? Sure! They are so beautiful that I am willing to forgive the stench.

Paperwhites are easy to grow. For most attractive results, plant an uneven number of bulbs, 5 or more.

Just place the bulbs in rocks, pebbles, or a loose growing medium like shredded coconut fiber. Plant bulbs very shallow, allowing 2/3 or 3/4 of the bulb to protrude above the growing medium.
Add water, filling the container so that the water just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Maintain water level.
Alcohol - some growers add 5% alcohol to the water. The alcohol (gin, vodka, whiskey) prevent the stems from becoming too leggy.
Place potted bulbs in a cool dark place for 2 weeks or until sprouts grow 4" - 6" tall. (45 - 55 degrees F works well)
Move container into a bright location at about 60 - 65 degrees F (a good reason to keep the thermostat turned down).
Turn the container every day or so to help the plants grow straight (they will lean toward the light)

If you want to go all out and have a dramatic show, plant all the bulbs at once. Or you can stagger planting a few bulbs at a time for a longer lasting show.

Paperwhites grown in this way are referred to as "forced." Forced blooms, in general, produce an attractive display, but create a weakened plant. Many people throw out the bulbs after the blooms have faded.

Paperwhites stay in bloom for quite a long time. Remember to keep well watered.

Mercury Glass or Poor Man's Silver

2011-12-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Mercury Glass

Mercury Glass is back in style and featured in catalogs like Pottery Barn and Wisteria, and popping up at my favorite chain boutique, Anthropologie. The glimmering silvery candle holders, lamps, and home accents look elegant paired with white for a dazzling winter glow.

From the 1840's to the early 1930's, mercury glass was produced and offered to the public as a substitute for sterling silver. Called "poor man's silver," this double walled glass contained no mercury. A liquid silver was poured between the glass walls and sealed to prevent tarnish. Old mercury glass was often etched, providing even more twinkle.

Today, antique mercury glass is somewhat hard to find, due to breakage, and so can be quite expensive. The new versions are affordable, even for those on a tight budget.

But living in reduced circumstances, combined with the fact that I already own way too much in the way of decorating accents, accumulated over the years, I think I'll pass on the mercury glass. I will use my vintage silver plate instead, and allow silver to stand in for mercury glass.

Even buying used silver plate is cheaper than the new mercury glass. Thrift stores usually offer lots of silver plate for less than $5.00 an item. Look for the tell-tale black smudges that indicate tarnished silver. Just take it home and polish it up. Vintage silver plate is the new poor man's mercury glass.

Vintage Wood Shoemakers' Lasts

2011-11-21T12:32:00.000-08:00

Wood shoe mold or shoe last

Vintage shoe forms or shoemakers' lasts make attractive home accents. These wood shoe forms, once used in the production of footwear add an industrial yet organic feel to any design motif.

Old shoe forms look great in an urban setting and are particularly suitable for a steampunk design style. Despite the seemingly quaint technology, the single last pictured to the right is dated 1959. Many of these shoemakers' molds bear dates, sizes, and the name of a manufacturer.

Wood shoe lasts were made of a hardwood like maple to maintain shape through constant use. Chemical preservatives helped prevent swelling and shrinking of the wood.

Shoe form

Wood shoe lasts were made of a hardwood like maple to maintain shape through constant use. Chemical preservatives helped prevent swelling and shrinking of the wood.

The North East part of the United States was once a major manufacturing hub for footwear. As American production waned, many of these lasts became available in antique and salvage shops, as well as online sites, and can be quite inexpensive to buy.

Before the Industrial Revolution, shoes were commonly made on straight lasts and not intended to fit the right or left foot. Shoes made in this manner obtained a fit through wear. It was not until the mid 1800's that shoe mills commonly made footwear to fit the right or left foot. Today, most shoe lasts are made of plastic.

Make an Easy Landscape Quilt Pillow Cover

2011-11-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

Some time ago, I became enamored with landscape quilts. I love landscape art in general and have attempted to paint a few landscapes myself. When I first heard of landscape quilts, I was intrigued. After searching the internet for examples, I was flummoxed. No way could I create something like that, or even understand the complicated skills needed to produce such work! The artistic talent, the sewing skills, and the patience were way beyond my humble capabilities.

So I decided to cheat. I made a pillow, covered on one side with the simplest landscape possible. At Joanne's I found several fabrics that would fit the bill, including one that looked like white birch bark.

I made a simple scene - several birch tree trunks in front of a larger forest which I suggested by using a deep green batik as a background. A wavy blue batik became a water feature. A lake!

After washing, ironing, and starching the fabric, I cut the green batik background. Next, I cut a strip of the "water" and sewed them together.

Thinner strips made the birch trunks. I cut the fabric with the slight bark pattern into long strips. I did not cut them perfectly straight, opting for a more natural look.

The edges of the trunks were hemmed with an iron, then stitched to the background.

Using black embroidery floss, I added some dark shadows to the trunks, as well as some thin, black branches.

The leaves were embroidered in metallic gold to give the suggestion of leaves catching a glint of sunlight.

Voila! I made my own little landscape quilt and can honestly say that I am quite pleased with the result. Of course, it doesn't hold a candle to the quilts made by expert artists, but it certainly was fun. Though this project was simple, it gave me a taste of the real thing, and an honest appreciation of and admiration for the people who create those totally fabulous landscape quilts.