Proof that time slips by entirely too fast because it seems like we just got done shooting with these guys…only it was a couple of months ago already! The spring issue of the Do It Yourself Magazine just hit the stands and it has loads and loads of fun, creative ideas for you guys to grab hold of and make your own. Pick one up or check them out online. These gals and guys work hard to fill the pages with a variety of innovative things you can do yourself. I shared my enthusiasm for the hollow core door canvases in this issue and hopefully everyone will now look at those drab doors with fresh eyes before ever tossing them to the curb. It’s an exciting way to repurpose, and they do make the most magnificent, versatile surfaces for just about any type of art application.  They are an inexpensive alternative to traditional canvases, they have a nice deep edge and they’re lightweight to hang. Bi-fold closet doors, interior doors….they’re available in various widths…..and you can use them in their entirety for a LARGE canvas or cut them down into the desired sizes. You can repurpose them out of your own home, pick them up at places like the REstore or, even buying them new is VERY economical as opposed to the cost of traditional canvases of that size. They’re literally the cheapest kind of doors you can buy. We share the how to in the pages of the magazine as well as some different techniques for you to try….you can also get a glimpse of the process in action through one of our courage to create video quickies available online at diyideas.com/easyartvideo….this project is titled “wall art from an old door”.

Yesterday marked another fun day with the gang from the magazine, only this time we spent the afternoon in our bathroom sharing another fun, unconventional idea for people to play with….. do it yourself vanities. It’s so exciting to take your passions or collections and to transform them into functional home decor so you’re surrounded by what you love.  I LOVE old toolbenches and they’re a big part of what I do for a living, so we took one from an old school shop class, cut it in half and turned it into his/her vanities.  It’s a daily reminder of my love for how-to, tools and salvaged materials in a very UNEXPECTED place.  It’s also a truly SIMPLE project that any one can do or replicate with just about any piece of furniture. The how-to lowdown will be available in their next issue, as well as online through our video quickies and in an upcoming episode of b. organic. In the meantime, if you’re in need of a vanity…this will give you something to think about that may steer you in the repurposing direction instead of relying on the standard fare available at home improvement stores.  (We have so much more to share on this subject, but I’m going to hold off until everything hits the stands, as they say!)

When you do things yourself, you can DO WHATEVER YOU WANT…..and I LOVE THAT!

My dad jokes that he never knows what day it is because my mom won’t let him hang a calendar anywhere in the house because “they don’t go with the décor”…something I must have inherited because I don’t really like the look of calendars hanging all over the place either, but if there is something that will get me to hang a calendar…it’s having one that my Dad is in….(on my birthday month, nonetheless)  I’m so proud of my dad and what he chose to do with his life for all these years.  He had a passion for fishing and has been sporting hip boots, and a boat and motor since he entered kindergarten.  His father and his grandfather were also fishermen.   It’s certainly not a glamorous life, LOADS of hard, stinky, dirty work for not nearly enough money, but he LOVES it and at 62 is still doing it….and I don’t see him ever stopping until his body tells him he just can’t do it anymore.  He’s in better physical shape than a lot of guys half his age, and it’s very inspiring and a testament to nature and working hard at what you love to do.   His favorite time of the day is sunrise and the daily doses of fresh air are great for the spirits because he’s always relaxed, happy and positive.  He knows the Mississippi River like the back of his hands, and has the most respectful approach to what he does and how he goes about doing it.  He fishes year round, regardless of weather, he builds his own nets, he’s respectful of his catch and maintaining the healthy growth and life of the river.  The river is an amazing, beautiful place, and the art of commercial fishing on the Mississippi is becoming a lost one.  It’s my goal this year to dedicate some time to preserve and document all the experiences and knowledge that this commercial fisherman I call dad, has acquired over the past 62 years, and to tell some naturally good stories before they truly are lost.  There’s something to be said for doing what you love for all the right reasons.  

I come by my love for nature naturally….and I have my Dad to thank for that.  Love you Dad!

He even dresses up once in a while!

Cheers to inspiring fathers everywhere…..and of course, those who love havin’ their calendars out in the open! ::)

michele

I recently read that quote somewhere and it got me thinkin’….I’ve always questioned the whole concept of dumping the old to run out and replace it with the brand new, greenest alternative.  Is that really the best option, or is it best to wait until there’s a need and then explore those replacement options.   Few people really use anything up until it wears out anymore.  It’s more that they simply tire of it, it doesn’t look the part anymore, or there’s the excitement of getting the newest, latest, greatest.   What happened to use it up and wear it out?!  What if we’re just more efficient with how we use the old?  Doesn’t that count just as much as having the most energy efficient option.  Or if we do decide to get new, what are the absolute best ways to deal with what we’re getting rid of….donate, recycle, use elsewhere? During our kitchen revamp, we were initially going to replace the water heater that was sticking out in the middle of the room with a tankless version like we have at our offices.  They only heat the water that is needed and of course tout substantial energy savings…..however, how much hot water your household uses varies the percentages and in my opinion a LOT more water gets wasted waiting for it to heat up at times.  And in some cases they recommend that you have separate ones installed for the things that use a lot of hot water in your home…..Well, that means more money spent, more consuming and are we really being that much more efficient and green?  We ended up deciding to keep the original water heater that really isn’t that old and just found a new home for it in the pantry closet.  We’ve decided to approach things with the mentality that, unless it’s ridiculously inefficient or doesn’t work properly….let’s make it work and simply be mindful of HOW we use it.  

For those who like to ponder….here are a few other quotes/thoughts that I read that were interesting to think about:

“Even though you make the ‘green’ purchase when consuming a brand new product, you are still making an impact on the environment……and that a second hand item is better than a brand new green product because it’s already manufactured…the damage is already done.”…..  One could also say we continue to do damage though by using inefficient, wasteful appliances……..There are multiple ways to look at things and that’s what makes the ‘green’ choices we make fun learning experiences and ultimately choices of many ’shades’.  What do you think?!

Cheers!

michele.

My friend Dee stopped by over the weekend and brought with her not only lots of laughs, but also a christmas surprise from our friend Lynda.  I took paint classes from Lynda several years ago, and while Dee and all the gals still get in on the paint action each week, I haven’t had the time to be able to keep up with it.  

Lynda is so incredibly thoughtful and always includes Madeline and I in her gift exchange each year and treats us to some of her handmade treasures.

This year she made these adorable driftwood paintings for everyone.  Dee got a handsome guy in a yellow slicker to add to her collection, Maddie got an angel, and I got, well it looks like ‘me’ sportin’ a sack of feed, some gardening tools and my drill!   And let me just say, nothing startles you more than pulling yourself out of a bag! It’s made out of driftwood and a few other ‘organic’ trinkets.  Lynda and her husband Norm travel around the country in their RV every year for a few months (which is what they’re doing right now) and all the pieces of driftwood were picked up in her travels and she meticulously painted on every one of them for all her friends.  Such a fun gift from a very ‘gifted’ lady!  

Funny story about this painting I was doing in Lynda’s class: it was of this little garden shed that I was dreaming of building. I even bought this book that laid out everything I’d need to get it built. It wasn’t quite what we ended up building, but it was definitely the inspiration to my studio and now home to a zillion and one creative ideas, memories and experiences! Crazy thing is…we got the building built, but I’m not QUITE done with that painting, yet!!  Need to get back to Lynda’s class!

Cheers to the naturally creative friends in your life!!

michele.

Do it yourself flooring can come in many shapes, sizes and styles.  When you challenge yourself to work with what you have and don’t resort to just going out and buying new, it’s exciting to see what your minds and hands can make happen.   We’re in the process of gathering up what wood planks we have lying about to see what kind of random pattern style we like for our version of a cobblewood floor.   It’s as simple as creating ’tiles’ by slicing up timbers and using the slices with the end grain facing up.  We have about 240 square feet to cover and when Jon started doing the math, he figured that someone could do a floor of this size for $50 worth of 2×4’s.  Now that’s something to get excited about! And, when you’re using reclaimed timbers, the cost is even less.  It would take about (24) 8-foot 2×4’s which run around $2.00 a board.  When cut into 3/8″ slices, we’d have about 4500 pieces to work with….so obviously it’ll be a project that requires more of a time investment than a monetary one.  We’re going to mix in some larger pieces and that, so we’re not just relying on the 2×4’s for our material. We’re going to use the 2×4’s we removed from the wall, along with a few other pieces that my dad has leftover from my grandpa’s wood stash.   I would even like to incorporate some of the lettering that’s stamped on the end of a few boards, but the sanding process may prevent me from doing that.  There’s something very cool about using wood for your projects that has a family tie-in or story.  It makes whatever project you’re doing even grander.  (Not to get off task here, but one of the first projects we built for our house was our dining room table out of some old lumber that my grandpa had….made it all the more special and we’ll have it forever!)

The only other materials we’ll have to purchase will be the plywood to sturdy up areas of the subfloor, some adhesive, the sealers and the sanding papers.  Wood is such an easy material to manipulate, too.  So I anticipate all those hard to reach places, curves and everything else will be very easy to accommodate. It’s also a very durable flooring choice.  Through my research I’ve learned that this type of installation has been around forever and has been used for high/heavy traffic situations such as paved streets, factory flooring and can last a lifetime. The patterns and designs are endless depending on the woods you use, the sizes, and how you arrange.   

I love that we’re seeing more and more examples of this type of flooring being installed  these days and am even more excited that we’re only a few days away from installing one ourselves.  Looking forward to experiencing it all firsthand. 
Will share the process so those of you who are interested can take a stab at things too!  It’s also part of an upcoming episode and all its’ companions, so there will be plenty of  support.

Cheers to naturally good methods!

michele.

Touched on it a few posts back regarding our kitchen revamp, but wanted to elaborate a bit further on a few of the exciting things we uncovered and rescued for future use.    

2×4’s

Even with just the minimal amount of deconstruction of one wall and a couple of soffits, we were able to salvage a LOT of useful wood. It takes extra time and effort to remove all the nails and such, but it’s time well spent.  For any of the pieces that didn’t come apart ‘clean’, we just cut off the jagged edges and added them to the firewood pile.   

plumbing

We had to remove the plumbing that was coming up out of the floor and will be reconfiguring it elsewhere in the room, but there were some leftover pieces of copper pipe that I can cut down and use in the making of trellises for the garden, stakes for garden art, or picture frames.  Will also be able to reuse the water spickets in the garden.

flooring

We used the circular saw to remove the floor in sections.  It of course was covered in linoleum, but the solid square pieces will make awesome work surfaces for the studio and workshops.  I will simply smooth the edges, clean up by brushing over the top with a coat of paint.  This step is not necessary but it gives the pieces a cleaner look than that of old, dirty flooring.   Will also add a few cork pads to the underside, and they’re ready to use. The bare linoleum pieces can be cleaned up, fresh seal of paint, and I have a few more workmats for the shop. I wasn’t able to save ALL the pieces of course, but quite a few, the little bit remaining will find its’ way to a construction recycling center.

drywall pieces

With the line of work that I’m in, I always have a need for a ‘canvas’.  Some of the larger pieces that broke out of the wall were cut and shaped into manageable pieces and primed and they’re ready to use…They are awesome painting surfaces for myself, the kids, mockups, etc.   Will research what recycling options are in this area.  Have also heard from people who have used any unpainted, ‘clean’ drywall scraps as a soil amendment in the garden. People have buried pieces, and planted on top. They’ve added smaller, broken down pieces into their compost bins, but the breakdown time is slower than when it’s constantly kept moist underground.  There are of course arguments to both sides on this subject, concerns with the fiberglass and other additives in some and I do not know enough at this point to speak on behalf of repurposing it in the garden either way, but it’s definitely something to research.   

wiring/electrical boxes

The boxes were in good shape, the wiring was good, so when we reconfigure, we’ll definitely use it where we can.

What I haven’t figured out a use for is all the wire nails, staples and screws that were removed. Not a huge pile of metal, but I always like to explore the options.  Ideas?

So many demolition/remodels are done carelessly and everyone automatically resorts to tossing every bit of waste in the dumpster.  I do, however appreciate the extra time, effort, hassle factor but every little bit we can do to just be a bit more thoughtful and resourceful about the process, it all makes a difference.   A good online resource for finding out what recycling centers and options are available in your area is earth911.

Our first ‘put back’, if you will, is going to be the flooring.  Something budget friendly, repurposed, durable, and NATURALLY beautiful!  Been wanting to tackle this type of project for YEARS…and the opportunity has finally arrived.  SO excited.

Cheers to being resourceful.  It feels good, and surprisingly, it makes the whole process less overwhelming and a lot ‘tidier’. 

michele.

 
Going snowblind.  The drifts are piled high.  Jon’s vehicle is buried somewhere along the roadside between our house and the building, waiting to be uncovered.  It’s another day off school and  I’ve accepted the fact that it is going to take MANY warm, sunny days before I see the bare yard again.  The scenery all around is absolutely beautiful, but I’m not going to deny I’m counting down the days til spring.  The pets are a bit stir crazy with a definite case of cabin fever, which makes more work for us all.  Junie B. loves the snowy weather but when she comes in from her brief fresh air runs, it sounds like she has little tap shoes dancing on the hardwood floors from the mini ice cubes that have gathered on her paws.
  

We’ve whipped up lots of ’snow cones’, built forts, climbed the drifts over and over again, and are enjoying it best we can.  

It’s been fun observing how the neighbors too are creatively enjoying the white stuff.  (Well done, Phillips, Well done! ::)

Maintaining the indoor plants, creating the garden plans, and prepping for seed starting gives me that much needed reminder that spring is just around the corner, while I sit back and listen to the winds howl, feel the below zero temps, and watch the drifts continue to grow.   

Cheers to the chilly grip of winter! 

michele

A couple weeks before ripping out your kitchen probably wasn’t the best time to start cooking for your dog.  However….our seven month old collie will NOT eat storebought dog food, so that’s exactly what I had to start doing a few weeks ago.   I have tried everything from holistic to more of the mainstream brands…god love ya Rachael Ray…I even tried yours!!  I’ve done all the ‘tricks’….adding moist food, sodium free broths, EVERYTHING.  She is not fooled by any of it.  Can’t say that I blame her, there hasn’t been a bag yet that looks or smells like yummy eats to me either, but dogs everywhere are eating it up…what’s up with mine?!   I’ve been doing the home baked treats, which are great and not time consuming and I feel good doing it….but to create your pets full menu each week is another task entirely!  I’ve always had it as something to look into in the back of my mind, but didn’t really know enough about it and wasn’t ready to take action….(I still don’t know a ton, but I’ve jumped in whether I was ready to or not and am figuring it out as I go.) Most important, I made sure to learn what NOT to feed your dog….(avocados, chocolate, fruit seeds and pits, fresh garlic, grapes and raisins, mushrooms, nutmeg, macadamia nuts, onions, tomatoes, uncooked dough…and I would think things like alcoholic beverages and coffee would go without saying, but you always see them on the lists…..)  I also want to make sure she’s getting the right nutrition every day and that everything agrees with her and then there’s the teeth cleaning benefits that they supposedly get from dry food that she of course isn’t getting with the cooked dishes….does regular brushing suffice, the granola chews that she likes, and the rawhide? So many questions I have to research now…..(I didn’t have to do this much studying up to learn how to feed my daughter, for heaven’s sake!!::)  But so far, seemingly good. Junie gobbles up every bowl…appears to be very happy and healthy.   I’ve been using ingredients like ground beef, shredded chicken, brown rice, eggs, cooked oats, potatoes, carrots, green beans, some fruits, etc..I’ve been adding some recommended puppy vitamin supplements and things to the concoctions and am researching, researching, researching.  Finding just the right book has been a challenge.   I’ve been perusing several different ones, but most focus on the occasional treat recipes….others make it not very ‘approachable’….and I haven’t found one yet that really offers any feasible menu ideas, systems or practical approaches for everyday people to go about it efficiently AND economically.   Have yet to do the math on the economics behind it all, but that’s next because I’m pretty sure so far, the home cooked versions are outpricing the storebought…and I need to create affordable solutions.

I recently wasted $6.99 on a roll of what appeared to be fresh, all natural…a lot of the same stuff I was putting in mine …..it looked tasty, even smelled good…and I thought it would be great for an easy readymade backup when needed.  She didn’t eat a bit of it.  I even let her ’sit it out’ over the course of the day, and kept her really active…thinking if she got hungry, she’d eat it.  NOPE…There’s something in those prepared foods that she just isn’t into, and just like us, maybe she’ll be all the healthier because of it. 

She just appreciates naturally good food as much as we do, I guess.  If I come up with any sort of system, menu plans that get some sort of ’stamp of approval’ and are worth sharing, or learn of anyone who already has something out there, I’ll definitely let y’all know!  And if you know stories of those who are doin’ it up themselves for their pets successfully, that are willing to share a few tips, please send them my way!

and a final note to my brother….who really razzed me for thinking about adding a few chickens to our homestead (he’s convinced that there’s no way in the world we could use up all the eggs each week)…….Well, this and maybe a few other ‘lively’ additions may be necessary to continue keeping things self sufficient and economical. ::)  

Lots to learn, but that’s what it’s all about!

Cheers to finicky pets!

michele.

2010 is the year that I’ve commited wholeheartedly to a series of real life applications that celebrate living the do it yourself life to the fullest.  I’m experimenting with a number of different exercises to portray a modern day approach to creatively building an even more sustainable, efficient lifestyle at home, at work, and at play.  What does that look like? What is the plan?  The thumbnail includes maximizing my gardening efforts, consuming less, streamlining my idea of simplicity, diligently connecting with more like-minded people and LOTS of physical doing and learning.  Where to start…  Well, on the home front it is starting with a bit of ‘completion’.  My home is my work, my work is my home…they are so intertwined (which is a good thing in my case, because I genuinely LOVE to work.  And by work I’m not just speaking to the act of being employed but rather the whole exertion of effort for any given purpose) and being surrounded by unfinished tasks for an extended length of time is very frustrating for this gal.  It cuts into the ‘peace of mind, everything in order’ vibe when you walk by them every day, so now is the time.   One of the big ones has been our kitchen.  As I maximize my gardening efforts and explore new cooking methods and preserving, and prepare for a lot of shooting in the kitchen area, I really need to get it cleaned up and reconfigured this month….which is exactly what we got a jump on this past Saturday.  We basically needed to pull everything out and remove a wall. 

Not bad for a day’s work.  We’re being as efficient with the transformation as possible to make the space more ‘our shade of green’ and more rustic, and challenging ourselves to creatively work with what we already have  to make it all happen.  (the table my parents gave us for christmas is a big part of what kind of look it’s going to have)  

Most of the cupboards will get reworked and reused…we’ll build some things ourselves, and we’re trying to send as little to the landfill as possible…all the 2×4’s, and wiring and electrical boxes that were removed were salvaged, all the trimwork, etc.  Our deconstruction was careful and thoughtful so everything that could be reused and put back in, would.  It’s now a blank canvas….ready for anything we’re willing and able to do ourselves…how about some sort of built in countertop garden for herbs and things year round….what goes into building your own pizza oven?   What about a natural log-slice tile flooring?  So excited about the possibilities and the ‘completion’.    

Cheers to creating new with old.
michele.

The Wrapping Paper

Instead of balling all that used wrapping paper up and throwing it in the trash, run it through the paper shredder.  Set it aside and you are now well stocked with filler to use for gift bags, gift baskets or shipping packages at any time of the year. It can get re-used over and over again this way.

The Lights

White lights are extremely versatile for other occasions throughout the year.  Something as simple as coiling them up and setting them about in glass jars is an easy solution for accent lighting anytime, anywhere.   (Beautiful accent lighting as you bring in the new year tonight!)

Shorter strands can be used as under cabinet or bookshelf lighting.  Add it to a thin product called cordmate (typically used to disguise cords along walls).  Cut to size, drill holes that are spaced and sized according to your light strand, insert lights, snap shut and install using the adhesive strip included on the back.

Cheers to re-inventing in the new year!

michele.