bohemian hellhole

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

Dear Alice, I noticed you have wood floors. Any tips for cleaning them without splurging on chemical laden floor cleaners? ~Susan

via Homeseed

Dear Susan, Wood floors are a mixed bag. While I would never trade them for carpet, there are times when I feel like they are always dusty or dirty. Winter is the worst for this, since we are always walking in and out of muddy wet northwest sidewalks and yards. I am also not a fan of a giant bin of shoes right by the front door, so we keep ours on most of the time. What I do know is that regular sweeping and spot cleaning with a damp cloth will cure most of these ills. Regular vacuuming will get rid of all the dust that stays behind a broom. {After years with a Swiffer, I have officially sworn them off. Too expensive, too smelly, too much filmy residue}

via VivaTerra

For a more heavy duty cleaner, you can mix one cup of vinegar into one gallon of water, and damp mop your floor. Try another variation on this recipe at the Bastyr Center. Some sources will say that vinegar is bad for floors, but in my experience that statement is always followed by a sales pitch for a chemically based product.  Usually you won't need anything other than a damp cloth. Not even vinegar. I usually try to dry as I go with a clean towel.

via calvary carpentry

My favorite scratch 'fix' is to rub a walnut on the damaged wood. It's pretty handy, unless you don't have walnuts.

Vinegar Tips has an overload of information on how to use vinegar for pretty much anything.

How to Clean Stuff has a comprehensive list of tips for removing stains and spills on wood floors.

Also, you can use spent tea leaves to help sweep up dust and dirt. It smells nice too!

Eating cereal, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

The William Morris Project, Week 7

 "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." This is week seven of the Pancakes & French Fries William Morris Project, happening every thursday in 2012.

This week I finished cleaning my office. Let's ease into it.

Pens, pencils, hole punch, papers, camera charger, and assorted who knows what...

Many of you have been working on cleaning out offices, or clearing off desks, so hopefully you can sympathise with me. The space I have for my 'office' went from a whole bedroom at our last house, to the corner of the kitchen at this house. For some reason I thought I could fit all the same stuff in here. Wrong. While unpacking, I did purge quite a bit. Still, it only amounted to a few bags of recycling here and a box of donations there. My big clean-out didn't really have the impact that was needed. There was simply too much stuff. After trying to manage it for a few weeks, I started taking mental notes about the things I was actually using daily. Those things were: my computer, notebooks, writing utensils, my camera and....pretty much nothing else. About every week or so I would refer to one of my binders full of magazine pages that I have saved over the years, and every so often I would reach for some sort of office supply like glue, or staples or something like that. I decided to pack everything else back up, and put it into the storage room. I know what those boxes hold, so if I ever really need my woodburning kit I'll know exactly where it is.

Stepping back a bit, hoping this doesn't send you running....

Last week I took care of the recycling issue, so the pile of cardboard and cans behind my chair has since disappeared. I also moved the dog food into a bin in the garage. {which is about five steps away from where it was, so still convenient enough!} What a relief! Not seeing those things when I walked into the kitchen was so rewarding. It always amazes me that I can walk by all kinds of mess without actually noticing, but when those things are captured in a photograph, I am truly horrified.

After taking these photos, I really got to work. I had to be able to live with a picture of the whole area, not just a close up of the desktop. The whole thing. All the tools, household items such as lighting parts, spackle, paint,  screws, drills, etc, were moved to the tool boxes {what a novel idea!}. Again, these were just a hop, skip, and a jump away, in the garage. The myriad of pens and pencils were moved up off my little side table onto the lower shelf. Out of the way, but not out of reach. All the books had to cozy up on the top shelf, but that worked out perfectly, since organizing experts and designers agree: put like things with like. Plus, they stack well. I hung up some art, finally framing the skeleton poster I have carried around with me for a year, and in turn adding some intention to that blank wall.

One of my many habits is to want all the tiny little things I love out where I can see them all the time. I took a breath, and put all of them into a memorabilia box, easily retrievable in my desk drawer. Now, I can look through it anytime, but not all the time. The windows are much happier now. {I did leave out my playmobil dwarf set, just because} I will need to add some sort of curtains so that when I am using my computer during the day my eyes don't fall out of my head. Usually I don't notice, but the other day it was actually kind of bright outside, and I could hardly stand it.

If you are wondering about the 'art' in the corner, please refer to yesterday's confession.

Obviously my work here isn't over, there are bits of fabric hanging from my chair, the floor is awful and there is cove molding everywhere. I haven't painted, and I probably need a rug or something. But, you'll have to agree with me that there is improvement!

My little side table is now free to be my sewing table, a plan I have been excited about for quite some time. The legs have little casters on them, so the whole thing can move around to where I am sitting. I will have to store fabric and notions separately for now, but that's ok. Not having to lug 40 pounds of metal out of the closet anytime I have a seam to mend is really nice.

Even the inside of my drawers got some attention. I only put the things I really use in here, like my Victorinox, camera card reader, paper, paper cutter, sharpie pens, and the memorabilia box.

Please don't ask me why King Kong is on my desk, I really couldn't answer you. I have been collecting vintage 'Imperial' dinosaurs and two headed dragons for a long time, and he just ended up here, because he too, is vintage Imperial. Sometimes those things just end up in strange places, like holding my jewelry, or warding off disarray from my desktop. The little tray is Limoges, I keep it out, with a couple pens in it because it's beautiful.

Next week should be exciting because in the last two days I got materials for about 5 big projects, and I can't wait to get them done!

Trying on Warby Parker glasses, Alice

 

Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
Week 4	Week 5	Week 6
Week 7

Butch Anthony's Dogs, Cats, Deer, and a confession.

via museum of wonder

via Dolce Vita

via Teen Angster

via Emma Bunny

via museum of wonder

I was recently looking through some notes on my VivAlabama series, and was reminded again of how much I love Butch Anthony's work. Until yesterday, I mistakenly believed that he only painted skeletons on people, but then I found these animals. They are so fun! I love the pug dog, and think maybe a chihuahua portrait would be perfect.

Painting skeletons doing living activities has roots in folk art, for sure, the Day of the Dead being the most obvious example. Plenty of people have drawn skeletons on people, or doing people things, or in normal life situations for years. Butch is different somehow, his paintings have humor without being goofy, and are a bit fantastic without being unimaginable.

My confession is simply that once, I had a bottle of white out and a couple pictures from the Goodwill. I had just read about Butch for the first time and was all amped up on skeleton painting ideas. So...I made my own. I never intended to actually like them, it was more of an experiment. The trouble is that those pictures ended up two of my favorite art pieces in our house. I say this because they are both seen in the before and after office images you will see in tomorrows' William Morris Project post. I didn't even think about it at all until I was telling a friend about these Butch Anthony animals and I got paranoid. Never in a million years would I want to pretend that my white out art was his, or that I was an artist peer of any kind. {a second-handing kind} So- that's my confession. While Butch has a wit and wonderful style about his paintings, I will have guilt about my two images. I still like them, but I hope to someday own the real thing.

Reading the 'Gallant Gallstone', Alice

 

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

Photo: Timothy Gerdes, Flickr via Slash Food

I posted this recipe before, like two years ago. That was about a week before my dad died, this was his recipe. The reason for telling you this is simply that I think of him at more during the last couple weeks of February. Not that I don't think of him often throughout the year for reasons like wondering what to do with a certain plant {he was a crazy gardener} or trying to imagine his advice on a woodworking project {he had a woodcarving business during my childhood}. There was a period of time where he was renovating an old victorian house that didn't have a kitchen. I actually lived right next door to him then, and we would go out for breakfast almost every week to give each other counsel on our most pressing home improvement puzzles. We went from parent and child to friend and neighbor. Looking back at our relationship, one of the best things we shared was our fenceline. Had we not lived that close, we may never have gotten to know each other the way we did.

Even without a stove, he kept an electric skillet on hand to make these pancakes. We ate them off paper plates with plastic forks. They were always mysteriously good. When he gave me the recipe, I thought it was a little strange. Trust me, I have changed my mind. These are great.

In honor of Pancake Tuesday, and my dad,  here is the recipe he gave me. {I usually don't follow one at all, but that wouldn't really be very helpful.}

Oatmeal Pancakes:

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups buttermilk

The night before, mix these two things together and let them sit in the refrigerator. {if you are doing this last minute, just microwave the oats for a minute or two or use instant oats}

The next day:

Add 1/3 cup melted butter and 2 beaten eggs to the oats.

In a separate bowl mix:

1/2 cup flour {of your choice. for wheat gluten free options try a flour mix and add some flax meal}

2 T sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add the oat mixture to this and mix well.

Cook in a hot skilled with plenty of butter for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they are nicely browned.

Serve with yogurt and maple syrup, or fresh fruit.

Setting up ant traps, Alice

Ashley Goldberg: Everything you do is Art

via the Ashley G and Drew Etsy Shop

How wonderful are these little architectural prints? I love the color palettes Ashley uses, and the pairing of detail and simplicity. Visit her website to view more work, read her blog and shop online.

Chewing rockstar gum, Alice

Movie Monday: All good Things

 
via rooms ayaya

A recipe for creepy love, or how to design your dining room. Start out with the furniture, pick up a simple, classic mission style dining set. Amish Round Tables has some really beautifully made pieces. Sometimes you can find something similar at a thrift store or craigslist, if you are diligent in searching for one.

Gold rimmed dishes are a must; the set pictured reminds me of the china featured over at Small Shop Studios. Even if it's not what they used in the movie,  Bamboo Flatware would be perfect here! I am biased, since it's my personal favorite of all time. {Mine is from my parents wedding, but you can still get it from Target, or you can snag a silver set of Tiffany's Bamboo flatware from eBay or Replacements -if you have a spare bag of money}

via design your wall

There are many places to get fun vintage wallpaper, Etsy has a ton, as well as eBay. You can use it to line the drawers or back of a hutch, or actually wallpaper your walls.

via Fine Home Lamps

Pair a yellow floral pattern with a nice brass lamp to complete your look. {don't forget a horrible sweater!}

via allmoviephoto

In the bedroom, {rather than fighting for your life} add a gilt bamboo mirror over your dresser. Use the corners to hang your favorite necklaces and scarves.

via curious sofa

If you can't find one that is already gold, just paint it. There are usually all sorts of bamboo or rattan items at the thrift store that are fairly ugly at first glance. Try imagining those items as golden...you might find the perfect thing.

via French Gypsy's Etsy shop

The Queen Decor Etsy shop has all kinds and colors of vintage brocade curtains for sale. If you want to paint your walls a pale cream, try Farrow & Ball's Pointing.

I love a good warm cream and yellow color scheme, contrasted with wood and metal tones! I also love Kirsten Dunst. {Even though I totally liked Bring it On better!}

Watching White Collar, Alice

If you're getting married...

Teal Typewriter Studios has some pretty fantastic wedding invitations. I don't think I've seen anything quite like the storybook invite that Kirsten has put together. She also does fancy screen printed cloth napkins! In the fine print she says that custom orders are available, so it's possible she would do an invitation or napkin for some other event other than a wedding, but don't quote me. Food for thought as wedding season approaches....

Making late night tea, Alice

How to fix a lamp with superglue and tape

Meet the worlds best finder of things that require parts that don't exist. Me. Yes, I get good deals sometimes, but the price I pay is in hunting and gathering the strange {sometimes unorthodox} pieces needed to make them fully functional. Even then, it's not uncommon for those items to only really work when I use them. {because they need crazy special treatment or carefully choreographed moves} All of that said, this lamp is no exception. While I was out antiquing with my brother in law a few years ago, I found this lamp. We kind of fought over it, but it was mine. It made me think of some strange east india trading company, Caribbean colonial, almost haunted house kind of lamp. It had no canopy, just the curved arch ending in the part shown above. That part has a corresponding other half which allows the socket to be adjusted. I hurriedly found a canopy for it, but didn't really bother to put it together right, there is a threaded end on that part that I figured would be easy to find a nut for later on, thus securing the canopy and preventing the shade from swinging around on the wiring alone. I was wrong.  During the move,{all my stories start this way:} the canopy that was held on by the lamp wire alone was bumped around and generally abused. When I went to set up our living room, the light didn't work at all. It was as good a time as any to fix the whole thing properly. First things first, I thought, find a nut for that socket holder part! Simple right? Nope.  That thread size and shape cannot be found. I have carried it in my bag for months, lurking in the plumbing aisles and electrical departments, testing and fitting, and failing.
The solution I came up with is less than glamorous, and most likely will not stand the ultimate test of time, but it should work until I hone my craft as a metal smith and make my own fittings for it. I chose to use a standard threaded rod, and then superglue it inside the hollow of the other threaded section. The glow of resolution only lasted until I realized that the threaded rod was slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the socket holder piece. Not close enough for superglue anyway. Normally in this case I would suggest JB Weld, because it's awesome for fixing anything. The superglue was already purchased however, so I went with plan B. Tape. I chose masking tape, purely because it was easy to find. The threaded rod only needed a few wraps around to make it a snug fit, and I gooped it up with Locktite as I went.

Once the glue had hardened, I was able to slip the canopy on, and thread the rod onto a standard light socket housing.


Lastly, I wired the socket with a pull chain, and pushed on the socket housing to enclose the electrical contacts.
Shade on, light in place! {on a side note, I feel that this chest may not be the right scale for this corner...any thoughts? Maybe a taller table of sorts? A bookcase?}

Turning up the heat, Alice

 

Ask Alice: Spray paint or Brush?

Dear Alice, Is spray paint really the best way to update lamps, tables or other things? Can I use a brush and regular paint instead? Thanks, Mikki

via The Frugal Girl {who has great tips on brush painting furniture}

Dear Mikki,

I am afraid I am not an expert on the subject of spray paint. I have a friend who swears by it, and paints everything, and it all turns out fabulous. Once, after visiting her house, I got all excited about spray painting some picture frames I had. I bought paint, went out to the garage, and made a drippy, awful mess. There was a fine coat of paint all over my arms and shirt, and pretty much everything in sight. The picture frames themselves were uneven and gross looking. I think I sneezed out pink paint for a few days after that as well.  {I will add, there was once a chandelier that I did spray paint with some measure of success. It ended up looking good anyway. I think the difference was that the metal was not smooth, it had a pattern embossed into it. Maybe it was just the fact that it was made of metal? Or that I never looked at it up close since it was up on the ceiling?}

For me, I would way rather just use a brush. Sanding between coats with some crazy fine sandpaper* will do wonders for the final finish. The argument of 'spray paint is less messy' holds no truth for me. Rinsing out a brush and not breathing in a mist of chemicals sounds so much better. To each his own though, and I have seen remarkable transformations using both methods.

I feel skeptical about the overuse of spray paint, the same way I do about hot glue. It should not be the band aid that is put on every single item available. Just because it 'could' be done doesn't mean that it 'should'. {Thank you, Dr. Ian Malcolm}

When it comes to lamps, and items that have a super smooth surface, spray paint is probably the only way to go. Check out these resources for more accurate information on how to do it right.

Here is a blog post complete with a printable tip sheet on spray paint.

Real Simple has a classy lamp makeover here.

This post has all kinds of FAQ's regarding the use of spray paint, and yet another post on the same blog has a pro/con list for spray paint. She even has a how to video on the subject!

Another friend of mine repainted all her kitchen cabinets. She wanted to achieve a smooth surface, but didn't want to spray. She used a fine foam roller rather than a brush to avoid stroke marks. {Sanding* between coats and attention to detail are important when painting large flat areas.} Her kitchen cabinets turned out really great!

I think doing a bit of research on the specific item you are hoping to paint before you start will really help you figure out the best method for the project. Get a second opinion on your plan, color choice, method, etc. from someone whose color picking skills you trust. 

One more thing, My Perfect Color will mix ANY color for you in spray paint form, and in any sheen. You can buy one or a thousand cans. That is pretty fantastic in my opinion, especially given the limited color palette offered by Rustoleum and Krylon.

*Mirka sandpaper is by far the most amazing stuff I have ever used. Thanks to Alexis Kane, who I was lucky enough to learn some classical refinishing from. Also, if you ever have a piece of furniture that is worth something, but needs repair or restoration, call/email Alexis. She is really gifted and has a staggering portfolio.{ Also, she would never want you to paint your furniture. }

Brushing my teeth, Alice

Ask Alice: What am I doing wrong?	Ask Alice: How do I put up wallpaper?	Ask Alice: Is it hard to re-wire a Lamp?
Ask Alice: What's your Secret?	Ask Alice: Open Shelves or Cabinets?	Ask Alice: Spray Paint or Brush?

Ask Alice: How should I clean wood floors?

The William Morris Project, Week 6

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." This is week six of the Pancakes & French Fries William Morris Project, happening every thursday in 2012.

**What you are about to read is highly non-linear, and will not make sense in outline form. Consider yourself aware, and don't complain later if you think 'that made no sense at all!'.**

I swear last Thursday was yesterday. The week has slipped beneath me like the floor of a haunted house...and I'm Shaggy, trying to escape. Sometimes I really believe that time is relative, and that while some days are longer than others, some people have shorter hours. Other times I think it must all be very scientifically precise, and it's just me who is inconsistent, or an unreliable steward of the time I have. {I will hold back any Lord of the Rings quotes here, even though I don't want to...} Looking back I would say I spent most of my time 'tinkering'. Not really inspired by any one project, but irritated that I couldn't just do everything at once. On Sunday I reupholstered this chair.

Sewing has been on my list of things to do since we packed up shop and moved south, and it was quite satisfying. The sound of scissors being placed on a table, cutting material, or snipping thread is so nostalgic. It never changes. Sewing always sounds and smells the same. My sewing machine remained on the table for all of Monday, because I was sure I would do all my fabric related projects at once. It didn't happen, so I made myself put it away.

Out of sight, out of mind is a real and tangible war I am waging.

I don't want to see everything all the time, but I do want to be able to find it.

To remember where I put it.

To be able to put it away again easily.

To have it look nice where it is stored.

When I put away the sewing machine, I was greeted by my linen closet. Say hello!

Nice right? I can't even fit a pillowcase in there, let alone a sewing machine. The linens could not remain this way. I have tried stuffing those dumb blankets in that mess so many times, only to shut the door and hear it 'pop' open again as I turn my back.  I started taking everything out.

It was never ending, like Mary Poppin's bag {in which I might add, she always carries a tape measure!}. The blankets and sheets filled my whole sofa and a chair. There was a roll of wallpaper, my camera bag, board games, drum sticks, vacuum parts, things to be mended, raw material, curtains, table runners, scarves, and plenty of other things that were tossed.
What went back in the linen closet was strictly linens. Bedspreads, spare blankets, sheets, pillowcases and one set of curtains. Everything else went where it belonged, or into the donation bag. Sheets and pillowcases are easy to find, and easy to store. Extra blankets are handy when guests spend the night, or someone gets cold. I will no longer duck as drumsticks rain out of the mess while I extract a fitted sheet.
On to the lower cabinet. When putting away my sewing machine, I realized that my 'most organized' cupboard was really a mess. The board games that were thinned with force when we moved were jumbled about in a heap of yes, more linens. All of it went on to the table for sorting.

Super Master Mind is a game from my childhood. Well, I actually didn't play it for most of my childhood because I was certain that it was an adults only kind of game. Look at that guys' face. He was up to something, probably inappropriate for grade school me. I got over it eventually, and kept the game.
Most of the games fit in the basket, and there are now only games on that shelf.

Monday I opened up the sink cabinet and decided to clean it out as well. Last week Jules wrote about storage, and using items on hand even if they aren't amazingly pretty or even what you had hoped for. This kept coming up in my mind as I pondered what to do about the garbage area of the kitchen. My desk is at the end of the room, where up until Monday we had deposited all our recycling into a bag. This sounds innocent enough, but the bag would inevitably overflow, spilling milk cartons and cereal boxes around my chair. Under the sink was even worse. We were left with very strange rubbermaid pull out bins by the previous owners. I have left them alone, because I didn't really care enough to do anything about them. The one under the sink was smack in the middle of the cabinet, so to throw something away without it falling promptly out of the bin you had to open both doors of the cupboard. Plus, we didn't actually have a garbage can. We had a cardboard box. It was leftover from moving. It was generally the right size and shape, but when a sink leaks onto a cardboard garbage can, eventually it will turn to mush. I kept putting this off because I wanted to buy a new garbage can that would fit just perfectly in the space. I wanted it to be a neutral color, not bright blue or bright green. Does color really matter? It's for GARBAGE.  As I was standing there staring everything that wasn't right, I remembered Jules' post. Should not having the perfect garbage can stop me from having a functional garbage can? One that wouldn't mold? No. Once I picked up two bins from the side of the road in Seattle. They were advertised on craigslist. I used one for dog food and one for rice. Since we aren't having rice and beans night at our house currently,  I don't buy restaurant sized rice bags anymore. This meant that one of the bins was free for another job. I realized if I removed the lid, it was the exact dimensions of the garbage can that was needed. Done. I also had a funny stack-able storage tray destined for the goodwill. That made a wonderful base for my paper recycling bag. {just in case something leaked out, I could wipe out the bin, and not worry about the wood cabinet getting nasty.} Neither of these things are beautiful. They are however beautifully functional. The food waste bin provided by the City of Portland made it's way down there too. I had been boycotting it due to it's poor design and all around bad looks, but let's face it. Banana peels on the counter in an old yogurt container do not look good. Ever. Function won again. Throwing things away has never been more pleasing. My desk area is trash free, the counter is no longer home to coffee grounds and egg shells, and the garbage can is not decomposing.

The cleaning supplies and bucket got moved to the bathroom, except the dishwasher detergent. That now resides in the cupboard next to the dishwasher. Amazing..{I forgot to mention that there was an extra layer of wood under there, which seems to be a spare length of formica counter top. I will be using it to help replace the missing cabinet next to the stove, since it matches the rest of the kitchen counters.}

  Making Dutch Babies, Alice

 

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Week 4	Week 5	Week 6
Week 7