gift guides

With Mother's Day just around the corner (Oh, my goodness! Is it really next week!?), I thought I would give everyone my top three picks from the store that I would love to give or receive for Mother's Day this year. Remember, we ship if you see something your mom has just got to have! (And our online shopping site is just up and running... more on that to come!) And if you see that little something you just can't live without, feel free to leave this page open on your computer with a little sticky note for your husband... I'm just sayin'...

1. The Pot-of-Gold, Lottery Winner gift...

New Bedding Top to Bottom - linen sheets, duvet, satin pillow cases, euros and bed skirt.

How many of us are sleeping on the same bedding we got for our wedding 10, 20, maybe even 30 years ago? After long days with the kids, grandkids, at home or at work, we all deserve to be pampered when we crawl into bed at the end of the day, right? I am a firm believer that when it comes to your bed, you need to treat yourself to the best. So, for any husbands out there who really want to show their wives how much they love and appreciate them, this is the gift for you. Trust me, she will love it.

2. The always reliable, always a hit, sure to be her new favorite gift...

Jewelry - specifically something from one of our fantastic local jewelry designers, Jewel-ya or Sugar bean. Who doesn't love a gorgeous new necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings? Something new and exciting to make that same old black dress take on a whole new look. And you can help support our amazing local artists at the same time! Husbands, this one is sure to delight your lovely wife...

3. The often overlooked, but quite possibly one of the best gifts (ever)...

A new white tee. Seems so simple, but what mom (especially with little ones) wouldn't love a brand new white tee, especially from the always perfect Michael Stars collection. Pair it with some of our certified organic Milk line, such as the milk lotion (can I just say it is amazing!) or milk candle, and you have the makings of a fabulous gift. Come in and pick it out and we will make up a beautiful Mother's Day basket for you... (and don't forget, we ship!)

And while we are at it, here are our top Teacher's Gift picks, as well. We definitely need to celebrate our children's teachers and let them know how much we appreciate all they do for our kids. And as much as I am sure my child's teacher loves every single student, I don't really think she wants a coffee mug with my child's picture on it... Am I right teachers? So, let's get them something you would buy (and love) for yourself...

1. Cote Bastide Sea Salts.

Cote Bastide is an amazing line all the way from France and we have an exclusive on these to-die-for sea salts. What teacher doesn't deserve to relax in the bath after a long school year?

2. Patriotic Flag bunting.

This adorable and festive bunting could hang in any room of your house, would be fantastic to bring out for the 4th of July and, I am sure, would liven up any classroom. And just look at the cute packaging it comes in... "On a happy day."

3. Fleur De Lis (insulated) Tote.

How stylish and functional is this tote? Gorgeous black and white with a fleur de lis and fully insulated? What's that? An insanely reasonable price, too? Need we say more?

4. A linen dish towel with a bottle of lemonade.

These linen dish towels are one of our very favorite items in the store. And who doesn't feel special when treated to something linen? Pair it with a bottle of lemonade or any other kitchen treat and it would make a great teacher's gift.

5. Garden in a bag.

These lovely little herbs come in the cutest packaging and there is no pot needed. Just have your child make a handmade little gift tag to tie to the top and you couldn't beat the adorable presentation of this gift.

So, there you have it. Hope some of our ideas help and hope to see some of you (or better, some of your husbands with their Mother's Day list in hand) in the store soon!

Does anybody have any fabulous Mother's Day plans? What was your best Mother's Day ever, in terms of a great gift (given or received) or a wonderful surprise? I just love to hear other people's stories. They spark such great new inspiration! So, please do share!

Have a great weekend! See you Monday!

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The Magnificent Mint Mojito

I'm waxing a bit poetic, but if you like mint, rum and lime, this Cuban cocktail was made for you. It's refreshing on a hot day with just the hint of a citrus bite to keep it interesting. On Kentucky Derby day, this wonderful little drink makes a nice change from the traditional mint julep, especially if you aren't into bourbon.

A classic recipe follows. Mint and limes are essential for a

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French Impressionist Landscape

When we travel, we are always on the look out for a piece of local art we can bring back home.  It could be pottery, a hand carved wood bowl or a painting.

When we were in France we spent some time in Art Galleries and looking at street artists in all of the cities we visited.  From Paris to Avignon, we were looking for that certain oil painting that captured the feel of French Country.

We found a charming art gallery on a side street in Avignon that dealt in local artists.  We purchased this beautiful painting called Chemin de Provence, which when loosely translated means "way of Provence".

The painting is by artist, Jean Lescure.  I love the way it looks in our bedroom.

I love impressionism....what type of art do you like?

Welcome Home,

Penny

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French Impressionist Landscape

When we travel, we are always on the look out for a piece of local art we can bring back home.  It could be pottery, a hand carved wood bowl or a painting.

When we were in France we spent some time in Art Galleries and looking at street artists in all of the cities we visited.  From Paris to Avignon, we were looking for that certain oil painting that captured the feel of French Country.

We found a charming art gallery on a side street in Avignon that dealt in local artists.  We purchased this beautiful painting called Chemin de Provence, which when loosely translated means "way of Provence".

The painting is by artist, Jean Lescure.  I love the way it looks in our bedroom.

I love impressionism....what type of art do you like?

Welcome Home,

Penny

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Sparkling Star of Persia

In the shadows before nightfall, the amethyst orbs of Star of Persia twinkle like planets against the purple foliage sky of loropetalum and the constellation of blue scabiosa stars.

Everything looks different in the sunshine as Star of Persia (allium christophii) and the companions revert to their daytime colors. Not a focal point, but an accent—the softball-sized flowers add a hint of sparkle to the garden.

These are first year bulbs, planted in the autumn of 2009. Tucked in tightly among the foliage of daylilies, scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue', a burgundy loropetalum and perennial creeping heliotrope—the alliums were easy to squeeze into my existing gardens. The short stature makes it easy to obscure the stems and foliage of the alliums.

Star of Persia is suitable for zones 4a-8b in full sun, well-drained locations. This allium is deer and rabbit resistant.

For over a week now, I've been watching the allium blooms start out compact and slowly expand to the full size orbs. The color is difficult to describe and even more difficult to photograph as the light changes the bloom to cool amethyst, silver, lavender or burgundy.

I'm not even sure if I like my companion color choices with the shades of blue and lavender. I planted the alliums with the scabiosa and heliotrope for a similar bloom time and was going for a monochromatic color scheme.

In hindsight, I believe shades of pink blooms will be better color companions. A bit of tweaking to do for color when I move the bulbs this fall—but I do like the sparkling Star of Persia.

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks/copyrights/patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

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More Spring Blooms

Spring activities in the garden this year have been rather slow mainly because it is still early weatherwise for us but also because we have our house on the market.  We had hoped to be moving in time to establish a garden at the new house but that doesn't look like it will be happening.  I am plugging ahead working on the area we started last fall so there has been minor improvements there. 

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More Spring Blooms

Spring activities in the garden this year have been rather slow mainly because it is still early weatherwise for us but also because we have our house on the market.  We had hoped to be moving in time to establish a garden at the new house but that doesn't look like it will be happening.  I am plugging ahead working on the area we started last fall so there has been minor improvements there. 

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Jelly Cupboard Build Update

Now that I have had some time in the shop I started working on the Jelly Cupboard Build again.  I need to get that out of the shop so I can get reorganized and cleaned up to start the WIWW nightstand/beach house nightstand. 

I thought I would post a few pics of that I was able to get done tonight. 

This is part of the door frame.  It is constructed with a half lap joint.  There are a couple of ways to accomplish this joint.  There are two ways specifically to accomplish this on a table saw (Well Two ways that I know of I am sure there other ways) one is to use a Dado Set which I have loaned out currently, the second and the way that I accomplished this is to use your regular blade and nibble away that the wood. 

Essentially I like to figure out the width of my cut set my fence that width and make my first cut.  Now if you do this make sure you use your miter gauge with a sacrificial fence, this does a couple of things.  It provides support to the back of the wood as well as giving you some additional support on the board you are cutting.  I make my first cut with the wood against the fence just touching not real tight on the fence you don’t want to cause a bind or have it kick on you.  Now with the first cut made I move the board just a hair to the left to let the blade nibble away at the next piece and then rinse and repeat until I get to the last cut.  You will need to do some clean up. 

If you look at the board you probably missed some pieces if they are large pieces you can line them up with the blade and cut them out.  If they are just fragments of wood hanging there your best bet is a piece of sand paper a 1/4 sheet sander or even a block plane.  I opted for the block plane because I have geeked out on using hand tools as much as I can lately.  I guess you could use a chisel as well. 

Once you have nibbled away at both the boards you will have a joint that looks similar to the one seen here.  Now you can see why it’s called a half lap joint.  This is a pretty neat Joint and I can see using this in future projects.

As you can see in the previous picture I also drilled a couple of holes for dowels.  They are supposed to help reinforce the joint.  With modern glue I don’t really think there is a need for reinforcement however from a cosmetic aspect they fit well with this piece. 

 

Here is a quick shot of the body of the cupboard.  I had some time to paint part of the inside.  I need to finish that up.  Obviously the inside will be white and the outside is going to be a grayish/green color.  Should be interesting.  I am doing it all with milk paint.  I will do a post on that at some point as it is somewhat different than regular paint. 

At this point I need to finish up the door frame and cut the hinge mortise and get everything mounted.  Mrs. Grover will be doing the punched tin for the door.  I’m hoping i can get her setup this weekend and get that knocked out. 

 

 

Have a Great Day!

Technorati Tags: woodworking,hand tools,jelly cupboard,half lap joint,table saw,block plane

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Notice Something Different?

Here is a picture of my powder room, that I have shown you before.....

Here is a picture taken today.  Do you notice anything different?

I found this wonderful porcelain night light in a black toile that almost disappears into the wallpaper!

Here it is with the light turned on....

When we had company over, I felt I needed to leave the light on while they were here.  Now the night light is just the perfect amount of light, so my company can find the light switch when they walk into the powder room.  It is the perfect ambiant light.

I found it on EBAY, simply type in the words toile night light when searching.

It is the little things that make a house a home...don't you think?

Welcome Home

Penny

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Notice Something Different?

Here is a picture of my powder room, that I have shown you before.....

Here is a picture taken today.  Do you notice anything different?

I found this wonderful porcelain night light in a black toile that almost disappears into the wallpaper!

Here it is with the light turned on....

When we had company over, I felt I needed to leave the light on while they were here.  Now the night light is just the perfect amount of light, so my company can find the light switch when they walk into the powder room.  It is the perfect ambiant light.

I found it on EBAY, simply type in the words toile night light when searching.

It is the little things that make a house a home...don't you think?

Welcome Home

Penny

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What Does Not Belong in Your Compost

Composting is the ultimate in recycling.  Food scraps and vegetation are easily turned into the highly desirable soil amendment known simply as compost.  Compost can be used as a natural fertilizer for all garden beds, as a potting medium for most container plants including houseplants and even scattered through out the yard to act as a fertilizer for grass and other ground cover.  There simply

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What Does Not Belong in Your Compost

Composting is the ultimate in recycling.  Food scraps and vegetation are easily turned into the highly desirable soil amendment known simply as compost.  Compost can be used as a natural fertilizer for all garden beds, as a potting medium for most container plants including houseplants and even scattered through out the yard to act as a fertilizer for grass and other ground cover.  There simply

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Miter Saw Tuning

Drum roll please…………

I did it.  It’s done all the pictures are done for the Miter Saw tuning post.  I can’t believe it. 

 

Okay So here we go. 

First and foremost when you start this process :

PLEASE READ, FOLLOW, AND UNDERSTAND THE USE AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SAW AND ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES AND I RECOMMEND HEARING PROTECTION.

MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SAW IS UNPLUGGED DURING THE FIRST SEVERAL PARTS OF THIS TUTORIAL.

Okay now that I have that out of the way.  Seriously please take care of yourself and watch what you are doing. 

Squaring the Blade to the Fence:

You will need a speed square or some kind of accurate square that you can check 90° and 45°.

Make sure your saw is set and locked at the 0° take your square and lay it on the table to check for 90° make sure the it is flush against the fence.  You are looking to make sure there is no gap between the square and the blade.  Make sure that you don’t put to much pressure on the blade as it can cause it to deflect. 

 

 

Now once you feel that the blade is square find a piece of scrap wood and and make a cut with the widest side laying flat on the table.

 

Part of the reason I included a video here was to show some safety precautions.  When you are making your cut you want to start the saw close to the the material make a slow and steady cut through the wood.  Once you have made the cut leave the blade in the down position and let the blade come to a complete stop.  This does a couple of things.  It reduces the risk of you sticking your hand in there and trying to grab the wood.  It also keeps you from possibly causing the blade to catch the wood and at best chipping at worst possibly throwing the piece at you or across the shop.  You will also notice that I keep my hand on the piece through the entire cut, I also as the blade is slowing slide the “non waste” side away from the blade.  I don’t know if this is good or not it’s just something that I gave gotten in the habit of doing.  In my mind it helps keep the blade from catching the piece as well. 

Now once you have made your cut get your straight edge out and align the two pieces against the straight edge.

You will notice that I have labeled one part with a T(top) this is just for orientation.  Now take the one piece and flip it over 180° on its top. 

 

 

 

 

Now you want to check for any kind of gap between the two pieces. 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately for me I don’t have any gaps in my pieces so I don’t need to adjust the saw.  For this cut.  If you do need to adjust this please refer to the manual for your saw.  Typically there are bolts that will allow you to adjust where the saw stops.

 

 

 

Checking the 45° Miter Setting:

Just as we did with the 0° setting take your square and set it to check for 45°.  Again make sure not to press to hard against the blade and keep the square flush to the fence. 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a try square or a combination square and check the miter for square also check to see there there are no gaps in the miter itself.  We are looking good here no adjustments needed.  If you need to make adjustments refer to the manual for your particular saw for adjustment details. 

 

 

 

Checking Bevel

Like checking for square set the saw to 0° and make sure you are still square.  Now take another piece of scrap and place it on edge and make your cut. Once again take those pieces and align them against a straight edge and the flip one piece like you did before and check for a gap.

Hey guess what.  I have a gap.  I will be spending a little time adjusting this.  Again if you have a gap here refer to your manual to on resolving this issue.  Now I need to go find my manual. 

 

 

 

 

You will want to perform a similar cut when you put the blade on a 45° Bevel.

  Take your piece on edge and cut a 45° in this piece and another and set up the miter similar to what we did here:

 

 

 

 

  Again make sure to check for square and gaps and refer to your manual. 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to keep telling you refer to your manual but each saw is just enough different that it is important to refer to yours so you can adjust your saw accurately. 

I hope this helps you in setting up your saw and providing a little bit of safety and usage guidance.  Please feel free to ask me any questions or if you would like to see any other photos please feel free to let me know. 

After making the adjustment needed you should have a very accurate saw that will allow you to make nice square cuts and will allow you make the nightstand with ease. 

Have a Great Day!

Technorati Tags: Woodworking,miter saw,tuning,tutorial

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Geraniums

I love geraniums.  They remind me of window boxes in France.

I filled some of my planters on our front porch with red geraniums and small white and blue trailing flowers.

Some good news about the Potager.  It stopped raining and I have filled two of the raised beds with the top soil.  Mr. Comforts of Home is finishing building the other two raised beds even as I type this!

What is your favorite garden flower?

Welcome Home,

Penny

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