Described as a “very strange” lampshade. It was purple, and she said that it was made from some type of bark. Do you know what I am talking about, and if so, could you tell me about this bark and how to use it in this manner?
My daughter is getting married in September, and we are planning an outdoor garden wedding. She wants some type of overhead arch or pergola that she and her fiancé will stand under as they take their vows. I could use a bit of help.
I live in a wonderful old house. Built in the early 1920s, it is one of the few authentic Mediterranean-style houses in Salem. Although we have never been able to authentic it, I suspect that the original owner must have been either a misplaced and homesick immigrant from Southern France or Northern Italy or he was an escapee from Southern California who brought his architectural convictions with him.
I have a room that gets too much sunlight. I love the light, but it is just too intense, and I don’t really want to lose the view either. What can I do to help with this problem?
OK, I will admit it. I really put off weeding a bit too long and a bit too late in the season this year. I think it was all that wet weather we experienced up into June (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it). So, when I finally got around to going out and taking a good look around, I was appalled at what had taken root (and in some case, taken over) outside. Where did these things all come from?
???
I was in your shop a few weeks ago, and I saw the bamboo-window awning you had done in your large front window. My husband is willing to try something like this in our sunroom, but I need some advice on how that was constructed. I appreciate any assistance you can give us.
Hoping that the weather will permit, we are planning an outdoor barbecue. I could use some “beachy” party ideas.
I have a fairly large patio and could use some ideas on creating my new garden.
Regular readers of this column may recall an article written late last summer about our ongoing project with Oregon Watershed to enhance the stream bank and health of Pringle Creek.
Three weeks ago, I wrote about how gardens were beginning to wake up again after a wet winter. Well, when my husband, Art, and I returned from our trip to North Carolina for the International Furniture Market, our world had changed so much that you would have thought we had been gone 10 weeks vs. 10 days.
To some, the ideal garden means neat rows of little vegetables, all regimentally lined up like tiny green troops. For others, a quiet, meditative, Zenlike serenity may be the ideal. Still others aspire to a perfect and weed-free green lawn.
For the past two weeks, my husband, Art, and I have been in High Point, N.C., attending the International Home Furnishings Market that is held every April and October.
I enjoyed the article (May 5) on the flowering cherry trees. I have two of these in my yard and would love to use these in a floral arrangement, but the stems are fairly short, and I’m not really sure how they could best be used. Any ideas?
Last week, I talked about all the rain we had been having, the lush moss and all the green, everywhere! So, it was only appropriate that two days after I wrote that article that I would arrive at work and be greeted by the most magnificent display of fluffy pink blossoms!
Well, as most of us probably know by now, even if we never listen to the weather reports, we have had an above average year for rainfall this winter. And, we have had surprisingly little really cold weather, creating an environment of rampant growth for certain types of plant material.
I was in your shop last week and saw a number of what appeared to be antique kimonos. I probably would not have noticed them except that my sister just bought one at an antique show. She’s not sure what she is going to do with it – she just liked it. Can you tell us anything about these?
I have been following your articles for some time now, and you have mentioned using handmade paper on a wall, like wallpaper. My question is, wallpapers are long and have repeat patterns that help hide the seams. What do you do about the size and the seams if using handmade paper?
I picked up a vase at a garage sale a few weekends ago that has a wonderful shape, but it is a terrible color and the finish is pretty scarred up, too. I’d like to make the piece look like aged metal, if possible.
For the past two years, we have been planning on re-painting the exterior of our house. This spring, we really are going to do it. My questions is, I am so bored with our old look and would like to try something a bit more colorful, but I don’t want to do something too far out
If you are a regular reader of this column, then you know that I am a big fan of thinking outside the box and a believer that reality and fantasy often have very blurred lines.
Well, if you have taken a look outdoors, then you know that spring is on its way! Tiny little green shoots are beginning to show up all over the place, and I can see the promise of new leaves on the maples that line our driveway.
For the past few weeks, my husband, Art, and I have been taking Sundays off and driving over to the coast. Because of the recent winds and stormy weather, there has been some great beachcombing.
My daughter and her husband just bought their first house (a fixer-upper), and they are very excited about making it their home. It is fairly small with one large room that will have to double up for a variety of uses, including eating, entertaining and as a family room. She could use some help on how to make this room work for these various tasks.
Creativity not something reserved for a select few (02/24/2006)
I love the variety of topics you talk about. I would love to be more creative but believe some people are just born that way. I could use some hints on things I can do to become more creative.
Last week, we were given a few brief, beautiful days of sunshine, and for a short time, it seemed that the endless rain finally had finished.
And we humans weren’t the only ones to appreciate the change.
Dear Sandi: We have been invited to a housewarming event for some dear friends. The invitation states “no gifts please,” but I would still like to take a little something. Do you have any ideas that would be personal but not seem like a big deal?
With Valentine’s Day coming up, I could use a few different ideas. My wife probably is expecting another dinner out, but it would be fun to surprise her with something else. Any help would be very welcome.
Even winter provides goodies in the garden (1/27/2006)
In spite of the occasional (or maybe a bit more than occasional) leak here and there, I really do enjoy our inclement weather.
However, I also can appreciate the fact that many people find the endless gray weather a bit depressing and the enforced banishment from our gardens frustrating.
Dear Sandi: Last year, we bought one of the older cottages in the beach town of Neskowin. Our daughter and her husband spent Christmas with us there. She loved the little house but thought we should make it more beachy and whimsical. I want to try my hand at doing something like that for the reading lamps that sit on the nightstands in the guest bedroom. I could use some help. Thanks.
I need something clever and easy for the guest bath in our vacation house in Neskowin. The house is older and the bathroom small, and there is no place for guests to put their personal items such as toothbrushes, razors, etc.
There is no built-in medicine cabinet, and I hate the look of the new ones that hang on the wall. We have hung a small, inexpensive mirror on the wall, but it really doesn’t look right either. We have kept the 1940s character of the house, so I don’t want to add something too new or shiny looking. I need some help.
Last month, we bought a new house in one of the newer subdivisions.
We really love most of the things about this house, but like so many of the new ones, it has this huge sunken area over the fireplace for an inset television.
I really don’t want to put a TV here, and I need some ideas about what can be done with this big hole. Thanks.
I am a house painter. My customers sometimes have trouble choosing the right color for their house, especially exterior. I am terrible with choosing colors, so I can’t offer advice. Do you have a strategy for choosing good colors that will make a house look sharp?
I saved your two articles on the drying and coloring of hydrangeas and tried it myself. I must say that I am very pleased with the results.
Now I have these beautiful flowers and would love to make a wreath, but I never have done one before. I need some fairly specific directions, please.
A friend gave me some of those clear glass balls that you can decorate. The problem is, I don’t really have any ideas about what to do with them. Would love to get some help. Thank you.
I attended the presentation that one of the people from loose ends put on at the Straub Environmental Learning Center.
The lady giving the presentation talked about natural, recycled and renewable materials being used for Christmas decorations and presents. I found it very informative and would love to have more information.
If you’ve been reading this column with any regularity, you know I am a big proponent of thinking outside the box. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds for many people. By the time we are grown, we usually have pretty firmly established ways of looking at things, and much of it is automatic and subconscious, so we are not even aware of the preconceptions that color the way we view things.
I was interested in getting some information on a handmade bowl I saw in your studio. I think it might have been made of paper and some other type of fiber. It was holding a potpourri mix. You briefly explained how it was made when I asked, but your store was very busy, and I would love to try making it if you can tell me more about how to do it. Thank you.
Sunday was going to be my day of rest, but when I pulled up to the building and got out of my car, I was appalled to see how many weeds had come to roost in the past couple of weeks.
Last year, I think you wrote some articles on themed Christmas trees. We have always had a traditional Christmas, but this summer, we moved into a new house, and I would like to do a number of trees throughout our new home. I would love some early advice. —Becki W. Salem
Is there a way I can get instructions to your projects? Or a way to get design tips from you? I’m a fan of your Web site and weekly column but would like to know more. Thanks.
I know you like to work in the garden and sometimes use plant material for various crafts, etc. What can you tell me about preserving and working with my hydrangeas?
I was one of the people who stopped by your place last week when you were having some type of dedication ceremony, and I saw the big trucks and heavy equipment. Someone said you were widening the creek. I have enjoyed walking through your gardens a few times this summer and would like to know what you are planning next.
I am getting ready to redo our dining room, and I understand it is possible to use handmade paper for wall covering. I would like to have more information on this.
I understand that your company has a certain type of paper that can be sewn on. Can you sew on paper, and if so, what type? Can you please give me some more information on this and a bit about how to work with it?
We recently moved into a house that has a number of landscaping challenges. Next to the driveway, the former owners had a short cement wall built to act as a retaining wall for a raised planting bed for vegetables. The problem is it is very inconvenient to maintain, and of course, in the winter, it is going to look particularly bad. What can we do that would be easy to take care of and still look presentable?
Our last daughter will be leaving for college next month, and I am finally going to have a room that will be devoted to nothing but my crafts and artwork.
I paint watercolors, do pottery work and have recently begun to experiment with paper.
I really want my room to be a fun and stimulating place for me to work in. What would you suggest?
My 11-year-old always is bringing home rocks, sticks and other things like that. Any ideas on something we could do with his stuff?
I have been saving old bottles in interesting shapes for some time now, and I would love some ideas on something decorative that I could do with them.
A friend of mine said she saw you turn a glass vase into a lamp. I have a large vase that belonged to my husband’s mother, and I think that it might work for this.
I was at your store last week, and the first thing I saw, near your front door, was how tropical it looks. I almost thought I was in Hawaii or someplace other than Salem. Can you give me a few pointers on how you have achieved this look?
Twice a year, once in April, then again in October, the huge trade show for the furniture, home furnishings and design trades is held in High Point, North Carolina.
I was at your free demo a couple of weeks ago, and you were showing us how to put dried seaweed on windows. I understand the window process now, but I don’t think I have enough information on how and what type of seaweed to dry. Could I please have more information on that?
I was delighted to discover a number of artists at the Salem Art Fair and Festival this year. I was particularly impressed with the imaginative and whimsical nature of some of the work exhibited.
My mother-in-law gave me a few pieces of those papier mâché forms found in craft stores. I’m not too sure what I’m going to do with the one that looks like a small reindeer, but a couple of the pieces are different vase shapes. I’d like to do something with these for my family room, maybe something Oriental looking. Thanks.
I recently bought a really interesting old ladder at a garage sale. I’d love some ideas on how I could use it in my house. Thanks for anything you can suggest.
I have always been a bit of a fan of some weeds, and as long as they behave in a somewhat civilized manner, I am willing to give them their day in the sunshine.
My daughter is getting married in August Her theme is coastal, and a friend of mine said they saw an article in some magazine about a year ago that showed how to make escort cards using some type of shell and that the article gave your company as the source. Can you provide me with some additional information on what type of shell, what was done, etc. It sounds like a great idea for our rehearsal dinner.
Next month, my husband and I are having a fairly large dinner party featuring sushi. I would love any ideas you might have for the decor.
I want to try something new for the walls in my now-grown daughter’s room. I’d like it to have a casual, coastal feel since I have a lovely old collection of seashells inherited from my grandfather. What color or treatment would you recommend?
I just caught a rerun of a television program you were on where you were making a number of different lamps from seashells. The one that really caught my eye was one where you created a shade made with capiz shells and a handmade paper base. I would love to know how this was done.
This spring has been one to remember
I have some beautiful marbleized papers. I love paper and want to use these in some project. Please give me some ideas.
I would like to paint a couple pieces of furniture. Can you give me some advice?
What can you make with a sewing machine and paper?
How do I make a seashell mirror?
Can you give me an idea of what textures and colors go well with each other?
With all the flowers starting to bloom, what are some ideas on some interesting new ways to display them?
How do I use color effectively?How can I give my kitchen a Tuscany look?
How can I spice up the kitchen?
Blooms are nice, but don’t miss the wildlife
What table decorations can I use for a garden wedding party?
What is popular this year at European trade shows?
How do I give old frames a fun look?
Can I use handmade paper for wall covering?
What should I do with old wine bottles?
What will I find at home shows this year?
How do I spruce up an old leather couch?
How can I revive old furniture?
What is the large sphere sitting in your tree?
How do I give character to porch lamps?
How do I give a room a wild safari look?
What can we do with pods and dried grasses?
What can I do with some old, interesting hardware?
Do you know a unique way to display holiday treats?
How do you create a woodland scene?
How do I decorate my Christmas tree with shells?
Can you suggest unique ideas for Christmas trees?
Can chairs be refurnished with paper?
What is lurking in my garden?
How do I clean stained marble?
Can I paint my linoleum floor?
How do I turn an old lamp into a romantic reading light?
How do I make spooky ghosts?
Where can I get creative ideas?
How should I decorate windows with seaweed?
How should I display my collection of birdhouses?
How do I give a guest bedroom a romantic look?
What's new in home decor?
How can I bring nature's beauty indoors?
How can I make blue and yellow kitchen storage boxes?
How do I trade in my American garden room for an English conservatory?
I want flowers; my husband wants vegetables. Which is better for a tiny garden space?
Do you have ideas for a barbecue/Caribbean Bon Voyage party?
How do I dress up some plain light fixtures?
The natural and organic thrust in home furnishings has become a trend
How can I create a tropical, tiki room?
How can I give my kitchen a Tuscan flair?
Do you have any fun ideas for a small party among neighbors?
How do I fill a garden room?
How can I combine my two passions — gardens and flea markets/yard sales?
Do you have ideas for garden design?How can I build a home for fairy dolls?
How can I cover ugly kitchen cabinets?
What styles are up and coming?
How do I add zip to a black-and-white kitchen?
How can I disguise an ugly crack on a vase?
Any ideas for a craft party?
How can I add tropical touches to my home?
What are some ways to fix up old wooden kitchen chairs?
How can I use natural fiber on walls?What are some ways to personalize a home?
How can I fill an empty alcove?
Do you have suggestions for coloring walls?
What else can you do with 'nature windows'?
Are pressed flowers unusable after a couple of years?
What are some makeover tips for furniture?
Do you have suggestions for making unusual journals?
How can I brighten a dark kitchen?
How do we situate all our stuff into a smaller home?
How do I make the perfect den for our new home?
I like a variety of decorating styles, but I'm unsure how to put them all together. Help!
How do I introduce antiques into a modern home?
What will be the trends in home decor this year?
Do you have decorating ideas for showcasing old barn wood?
How can I dress up plain terra-cotta pots?
I want to do something different with my Christmas wrappings this year. Do you have any ideas?
Do you have any creative craft ideas for pressed autumn leaves?
Do you have any suggestions for something fun and festive that is not red and green?
The kids are gone, and my husband and I still want to decorate for Christmas, but I really want to do something entirely different and not try to re-create our past holidays when the kids were little. I know that your company likes to do theme decorating. Any ideas I could use for changing my look this season?