Oregon Shopping Fun!

 

Last week when we had our floors redone, we had to be out of the house for several days.  So we headed to Oregon to see our son at school, and family and friends.  Of course there was lots of fun shopping too! 

Our first stop was Monticello Antiques in Portland.  We found this scale and really, really considered it, but ended up not buying it.  By the time we left Oregon, the truck was so full that we wouldn't have been able to fit in anyway.  But it would've been a fun project.

My friend Heather and I had a great day shopping in Eugene.  We did not buy this leather horse for $4400.  It was neat, but I wonder how big a house you'd need to have a full size replica horse in it??

Our shopping trips always include one of our favorite stores, Treasures from the Heart Gifts and the very sweet owner, Barb. 

 

At Barb's store, we each found a seltzer bottle.  I was surprised to find that the straw in the middle of it is glass.  I love the way it cleaned up. 

 

 

I also found this galvanized bucket.  A mum that's just about to explode with blooms fits perfectly in it.  I set it in a milk bottle delivery box that I found at a garage sale a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another favorite place to shop in Eugene is Colby Cottage "The Barn".  I found these pumpkins that are so cute!  I'm not a huge fan of orange, so it's great to find off white pumpkins. :)  I put them in a box I made and put them on the dining room table.  

 

 



 

Thanks for your visit!

 

Pam


I am linking to the following parties:

 

 

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Home Improvement Painting Tips

Painting your home may not be much of a overwhelming task, it can often times be a great and enjoyable way for families to bond and be more involved when it comes to their homes. But as much as we would like to spend a whole day painting the entire house, the smell that comes out from ordinary paint just makes it too hard to handle. Studies have shown that fumes coming from paint can trigger a headache and other untoward reactions, which can be harmful to the body. As a result, companies have developed a great way to enjoy painting your homes and that is through the use of odorless paints.

Yes, odorless paints. After years of research and experiment, companies were able to discover a way on how to deal with the painstaking smell that comes with paint. As a result people do not have to move out of their homes while painting jobs are ongoing. No need to stay in a hotel for a few days to wait for the paint to dry up and the smell to subside, no more hassle, no more headaches. This is the reason why a lot of those whose homes are on FSBO listings patronize this product. 

Not only do these FSBO home owners save time, but they also get to save money since they can even do it on their own. Aside from the fact that these paints are helpful to those whose homes needs improvement, the main reason why people are celebrating this odorless paint, is because of the fact that it is eco-friendly. For certain you are aware of how volatile chemicals can ruin the environment, and with this paints, the level of these chemicals are lowered therefore reducing the smell and saving Mother Earth at the same time.

But the good news does not stop here. With continuous improvement, companies were able to develop a way to make painting job easier for the newbie’s and that is with the contemporary matte finish. This contemporary matte finish was developed to help improve the painting results. If you are not a paint guru, I’m sure you knnw what I mean- and that would be uneven paint job. Now with this new development, painting job has never been made easier not just for adults but even kids can do it as well. The contemporary matte finish ensures that the entire paint job is evenly done and that all paint surfaces will appear even and well balanced.

Lastly, drying time as we all know may take days. And so like all the above mentioned dilemmas that most FSBO proprietor encounters during home improvement, companies were able to find a way to make it better. They did it by cutting down the drying time to 2-4 hours. You can now get into the details of other painting jobs like certain wall painting or frame paintings, since the main coat has already dried up. So you save yourself another day or two with this job.

So what are you waiting for? If you think your house needs a new paint job but just can’t stand the smell and don’t have much time to waste, then odorless paints with cotemporary matte finish is the best thing for you.

The Beef

I am a meat lover. 
Pretty much always have been. 
I especially love meat cooked on a stick.  (Brazilian BBQ anyone??)

{image of Brazillian BBQ by Klaus}

 

When my husband & I got married, one of our favorite wedding gifts was the Showtime Rotisserie from my aunt & uncle.  (You know, the "set it and forget it" one??)  We use it all the time.

It makes these:

{image from here}

 

 

My dad's side of the family has a thing for meat...  maybe one of the reasons I do.  In the cooler months (and during lots of the warmers) we like to have a "beef" on Sundays.

 

 

(one of our favorite sayings...  said most of the time in all seriousnes ;)

 

Sunday's hot beef leftovers become Mondays sandwiches.  (If there are any leftovers.)

 

 

...A tradition my Nanoo (Grandfather) always followed.  He's the one in the middle of his brothers & sisters in the photo above.  We all miss him and I often think of him most when I'm eating certain things.

 

 

The Maestranzi's are kind of a loud, energetic type of family...  Eating is one of our favorite things to do and everything is centered around it.

 

{some of us}

 

My cousin-in-law, Brian, (I think that's his right arm & half an eye at the edge of the pic) has said he's writing a book called The Beef, with a chapter for each Maestranzi.  He makes fun of how often "the beef" comes up in normal conversation.  "It's always about the beef with you people!!!!!"  

(But I think he secretly likes it.)

 

My favorite beefs were my dad's cooked in the open Faberware set.  He used to pour salt & pepper & spices on it and say "abracadabra!" and tell my that's why it was so good.  

 

{My dad in the Faberware days}

 

And me:

 

{"WHERE'S THE BEEF?!!!}

 

 

I now always say "abracadabra!!!"  when we do our own beefs in the Showtime rotisserie. 

 

 

I'm lucky that my husband also has a thing for the beef & enjoys getting nice cuts at the butcher and cooking them.  (I'm more the eating-type.)  The best thing about our rotisserie is that you can "set it and forget it."  It's prefect for our boy-filled life because we can just pop it in & come back an hour or 2 later with amazing yumminess waiting for us.

 

So, it's becase of "the beef" that I began searching for an range oven that had a rotisserie function for our new kitchen...   (You know those internet searches when you're just begging to find that thing you want and all along you're wondering why in the world no one makes it yet???)

 

I already had a round-up of attractive yet stll fairly budget friendly 36" ranges I was considering...  I wanted something clean & functional-looking for our house.  I especially like ranges that don't have any sort of rounded backsplash with buttons above the burners and I wanted square straight lines.  Here are some of my more budget-friendly finds:  (And "budget-friendly" is a relative term here because "professional" type ranges are more than the typical range.)

...

 

ikea

{Ikea's Praktful Pro for $2000...  made by Whirlpool}

 

 

Smeg:

{smeg (an Australian company): in the mid $2000s.. so pretty}

 

 

Bertazzoni..

(I read somewhere online that it has the same "guts" as the Ikea range but that the knobs are metal vs. plastic.  I think it's +/- $1000 more... It's a beauty!)

 

I settled on the Smeg because of its look, price and reviews.  (Although, have you ever read through internet appliance reviews?? It's all "Best purchase ever!!" followed by "Buyer Bewares"...  really always leave me wondering if I'm buying the coolest thing ever invented or a P.O.S.)

 

Anyway, I wasn't happy with spending this much on an oven (the smeg) when this guy (below) was going to be sitting on my counter every Sunday, cooking its little heart out while the new range just chilled, empty:

 

 

..So I kept searching...

 

I had of course found a few... Thermador makes a wall oven & a few other high-end brands make them too...  (GORGEOUSNESS!!) But I don't have room for a range (or an unlimited budget) & wall ovens so I  really wanted a rotisserie inside my range. I came across a list of the "top ten" rotisserie ranges...   some weren't even rotisseries (because you know how internet searches are) and most weren't so pretty... BUT!!!!  There was a SMEG on there that was beautiful!!  eeeeeeeeeek  Was it fate????

 

I started googling furiously and found out that Smeg did once make a range with a rotisserie.  Every time I followed a link to the exact model on online appliance stores, it came up as "discontinued."  (It looks like the lucky Australians still have the rotisserie option but that the US ones are gone.)  I called local places with no luck.  I finally decided before settling on a range without a rotisserie that I would call the internet appliance stores and give it one last go.  On the FIRST phonecall, I gave them the model number off the discontinued Smeg to the salesperson so he could see if he had anything like it and I could NOT believe it when after a pause for magic stock-checking I heard: 

 

"We actually have 1 of those left."

 

I almost screamed, but instead I calmy said, "The A1XU6 Smeg Opera 36: Duel Fuel Range???"

 

"Yes m'am."

 

"I'm so excited!!!" I yelled into the receiver. 

The guy said nothing.

But that's okay.

 

I was getting THE BEEF!!!

 

{The Smeg Opera...  Not exactly as pretty as the other smeg, but good enough in my book and it's what's inside that counts, right???  Especially if it's rotisserie skewers!!!}

 

This piece of wondefulness is in my garage now. 

 

I can't WAIT to set it and forget it.

  ps-  To any appliance companies out there listening...  bring on the rotisseries!!! **update** thanks so much to  Heidi who let me know that Smeg is actually an Italian company, GO FIGURE!!  (I was just perusing the rotisserie functions available in Australia!! hahaha oh this lovely world of internet shopping!! ;)

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Creating a Safer Bathroom For Those With Mobility Issues

For people who suffer from mobility issues, the bathroom is often the most dangerous room in the house. With so many slippery surfaces and fixtures that splash water around, there are many potential hazards in the standard bathroom. With the help of some of these handy tips however, you can create a bathroom that is much safer and simpler to navigate around no matter what restrictions you may have.

Bathroom Access

Getting in and out of the bathroom needn’t be a stressful task, so be sure the path to the room is clear and has no obstacles such as shoes or laundry baskets on the floor. It may be the case that the user cannot bend to move objects from their path, so all walkways should be left clear and tidy for them, allowing them to access the bathroom when and if they should want to. Adding a battery powered ‘push light’ to the wall at waist height can help with late night bathroom breaks, eliminating the need to stretch and search for a light switch or cord.

If the user requires a wheelchair then extra space and the width of the doorway must be made to suit their needs; if the doorway is too narrow it may be worth refitting the frame to leave more space. Finally, look at the door saddle at the floor of the door way; the ½ inch raise from the ground may seem like nothing, but for someone using a walker or cane, this could cause trips or falls. If you cannot remove the saddle, advise them to sidestep the saddle to cross the doorway safely.

More information on sidestepping is available from your registered G.P.

Non-Slip Surfaces

As mentioned above, slipping is one of the biggest risks when it comes to bathroom safety, so taking some steps to prevent accidents is highly recommendable. Make sure you add non-slip surfaces with a rubberised back on both the inside of the bathtub and on the bathroom floor. Soft, fluffy floor mats may look nice and feel nice to stand on, but often come without a rubberized back which grips to the floor; this can easily slip from under the feet of the user and cause an accident, so be sure to check the back of each mat. Bathtubs require a more waterproof solution; rubber bathmats are available with ‘sucker pods’ which can be pressed down in the bath in order to effectively cling and grip.

Grab Bars

Adding a grab bar to the side of bath and shower areas is a great way to offer extra support when the user is getting in and out of the bath or shower. They can be mounted anywhere and make a huge difference in both support and balance. If the user is currently in the habit of using the towel rail for extra support when entering and exiting their bath, it is highly advisable you add a grab bar; grabbing the towel rails is very unsafe, and could lead to unfortunate accidents.

Creating a bathroom which offers a safe experience for users is a great way to reduce risks and ensure they can access the room with independence.

This article was written by Alexandra, an experienced blogger on the aspect of bathroom hygiene and safety on behalf of Bathshop321 who provide an excellent range of cloakroom suites at excellent prices!

Keeping a Brooklyn Kitchen Kickin'

Long time no type!  As it always tends to as summer fades into fall, business for Click and Improve was a bit, well, busy over the last two months, so we weren’t able to get on here as much as we would like. Hopefully, this will be amended as the weeks go on into fall/winter (fingers crossed!).  Most of this business involved small and singular projects: gutter cleaning and replacement, roofing installation and repair, paint jobs in living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms, and a few large home additions. We did, however, get to perform at least one desperately needed kitchen renovation in Brooklyn a few weeks ago. New cabinets were installed along with countertops; new plumbing and faucet were put in; new refrigerator with hot/cold water was purchased and installed. Pictures are occasionally blurry but we think you get the picture. (Ha! Sorry.)

 

BEFORE:

AFTER:

My (future) Secret Garden

We're really getting into things at our new place!!  One of the biggest changes is the full wall of glass sliding doors in our new bedroom.  Here's the bedroom before we bought the house:

 

We planned to replace the closet seen (above) with a small master bathroom and to open up the bedroom to the small courtyard just outside. 

So...  the door arrived and here's what it's looking like right now:

I'm soooooo excited!!!  All weekend, we kept going in to stare at it.    The courtyard's between our bedroom & the garage and once we put in our patio & plantings in, we'll wall it in.  Here's the view from the outside right now...

 

A little maple tree is centered in the garden...  I'm going to trim it slightly & can't wait to watch it change throughout the seasons from my bed...

 

We're adding an outdoor shower in the right corner and I almost don't believe it!!  When I was a little girl, planning my dream house, it always included an outdoor shower.  When we found the house and I saw that we had a spot for it, I was so excited!!!!

 

 

I'll share more details on the shower itself as soon as I get to planning it. 

{architectural digest}

 

I'm planning on growing vines all over the future wall - which will be metal....   I'm going with Virginia Creeper...  Again, because of the way it changes throughout the seasons...

 

 

{Image from here}

I'll probably grow a less invasive evergreen vine on a trellis on the garage so that in the winter I'm not looking at a little barren place & then also try to add in dwarf hollies or boxwood for more winter greens.  I can't wait to dig in!!

And on another note- The hardwood floors from Mountain Lumber (more on them later = AMAZING!!)  are going in today!!! wahoooo  I'll keep you posted with pics!!



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Floored! And a Winner!

 



When we moved into this house a few years ago, we were thrilled that it had gorgeous walnut floors.  We had Max, our 90 pound chocolate lab, who was pretty hard on them, but we decided that we loved him more than anything and would deal with the floors later.  As many of you know, he passed away a couple of months ago.  We knew it was time to have the floors redone and had a trip scheduled to see our son at college, so the timing was perfect. 

To get ready for them to do the floors, we had to remove everything from every room. We decided that it would be a perfect time to paint. We spent two FULL weekends painting, painting, painting.   The walls used to be a yellowish/sand color on the walls and ceiling. 

(WALLS AND CEILING BEFORE)

 

 

It's kind of hard to see the difference, but now the walls are now linen and the ceilings are white.

(WALLS AND CEILING AFTER)

We finished painting last Sunday and the floor guys showed up Monday morning.  When we got home Monday night, there was some sort of film all over.  It looked weird! 



When we got home Tuesday, the floors were sanded and looking fab!

We left for vacation Wednesday morning, right before they started all of the stinky stuff.  They worked Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  When we got home tonight  (Sunday), the floors looked great and the smell was horrible!  We did have a friend open a window for us while we were gone, but as soon as we got home, every window in the house got opened!  We will spend the next couple of days putting everything back together.

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway from Eco Natural Soaps.  The lucky winner is:

Sandi @ The Primitive Skate
Congratulations Sandi!

 

 

 

 



Thank you for your visit!

 

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

Debbiedoo's Newbie Party with a Twist