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Tag Archive | "Reuse-Recycle"

Reclaimed Zen

Monday, November 7, 2011

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Normally, one photo from a shop review jumps out as the one to feature. I'm usually looking for some colour and an image that gives a good sense of what the post is about. But the choice was especially hard with Toronto's Zenporium (998 Queen Street East, 416.778.1936), a relatively young retail operation specializing in home furnishings crafted from wood reclaimed along the Pacific Rim, particularly Indonesia. To make choosing even more difficult, Zenporium's offerings fall into two distinct camps, the rough and rustic and the sleek and contemporary. Teak root side tables have a foot in each camp (priced around $400), while this dresser is crafted from wood reclaimed from old fishing boats (about $1,000).

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A Red Letter Mooch

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

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My friend Ingrid and I took advantage of the glorious summery weather on Saturday and headed to the Aberfoyle Antiques Market outside Guelph, Ontario (about 1 hour west of Toronto). For some reason we encountered a plethora of old sign letters, always a hot home accessory. My decorating partner Kevin recently spelled out the word "modern" on a client's wall, which they then edited back to simply "mod" — yes, you can have lots of fun with these things. I'm constantly seeing children's names spelled out in nurseries; I wonder if putting the word "serenity" in my bedroom would have a positive effect. If you entertain such notions, definitely head to Aberfoyle where you'll find plenty of fodder for your Scrabble-inspired flights of fancy. The letters range in price from about $10 - $12 for smaller letters to $30 - $40 for really big, free standing ones.

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The Circle of Stuff

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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The world wide web is nothing if not tangled and, of course, endlessly surprising. While researching The Arthur I followed a link to another local blog called The Marion House Book where I saw the photo above (by Kristin Sjaarda) featuring what could very well be the school map of Canada that used to hang in my former home office. What's really weird is that the entry hall in the top pic belongs to a couple named Hayley and Greg, both described on the blog as journalists. It also so happens that I was interviewed by a Globe and Mail reporter named Hayley Mick for a story she was writing about second-hand bargain hunting. Marion House author Emma confirms that her Hayley is indeed my Hayley.

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Garage Sale Saturday

Friday, April 15, 2011

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Just a little reminder that some friends and I have banded together to throw what we hope will be an awesome spring garage sale next Saturday (April 16) at the Wychwood Gallery (601 Christie Street, 1 block south of St. Clair West, east end of Artscape Barn No. 1). We've got stools, tables, chairs, cabinets, rugs, mirrors, art, vases, lamps, decorative items, you name it. The sale starts at 8 am and we'll be there until the last knick-knack is sold. So save the date and plan to join us . . . please. We've got to get rid of this stuff so we can start all over again!

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Strip Brass With Oven Cleaner

Sunday, February 13, 2011

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I've written about stripping brass plate many times but I finally discovered the perfect one-two combination to make the job faster and easier. The secret — and I expect a decor blogger's Hall of Fame Award for this — is Easy Off oven cleaner and a spongy sanding block. In the past I've used fine and super-fine steel wool with Blue Magic metal polish to do the job, but boy, oh boy, it was hard work. The oven cleaner's corrosive action cuts down significantly on the amount of elbow grease required.

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