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BAUBLE BUBBLE BATH

This my dears is something that if you don't know about it you should.  It's pretty simple stuff and the results are SPECTACULAR.  I call it the 'bauble bubble bath' because that's what it looks like to me. It's how to get your gems sparkly like new.  I have heard many, many bad tips on this subject, one of the worse is to use toothpaste. You might have been able to do this in your grandmother's time when toothpaste wasn't fused with chemicals to bleach your teeth and what have you, but it's just not a good idea.  The best tip I got was from a gemologist, she said to soak in Dawn and warm water, I use a small apertif glass and a drop of Dawn.  I do this every day, not because I am obsessive or anything but I don't like to sleep with any jewelry and I figured I can have a safe place for storage and clean it at the same time.  The Dawn is very mild and cuts out the grease, which is really what dulls your gems.  I just use a soft toothbrush (super light touch here) on it in the a.m. if I am feeling really ambitious, but usually I just use a paper towel or other lint free cloth.

The result always feels like the thrill of a goof magic trick, it just makes me smile:

I LOVE my ring and want it to last for many, many more generations to come, so I try to take good care of it.  My Fancy rolls his eyes when he sees me break out the toothbrush, but sheesh I wanted this ring since I was six years old!  I designed it myself it was inspired  by the Le Tour Eiffel and I love that there are no others the exact same on earth. One word of caution here, if you are cleaning your ring over a sink do make sure the sink drain is not open and I wouldn't recommend doing this over the garbage disposal or anything. This works for most gem stones, I haven't tried them all but so far so good....

SO YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T DRAW...

     One of my resolutions/wish list for '08 is to draw better.  I am under the impression that the more one draws the better your drawings get.  I picked up this little workbook last year since I felt I could use some sort of assistance in this arena.  If you follow the workbook I can't see how you can't improve--REALLY!  I on the other hand got sucked into the author Sandra Angelo's world of master selling.  I am convinced I can not finish the workbook without buying everything she recommends (she's a really good salesperson) and since I can't afford the recommended pencils or the battery operated eraser I have put the workbook on hold BUT I have not stopped my incessant doodling and I do feel that because of my time with Sandra my doodling has improved ten fold.  Give her a try if you want  to improve your drawing, just make sure that your credit card is under lock and key because believe me you too will be impervious to her selling wileys...

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK...

   

      I wanted to add this post about walls, since I have started obsessing over the idea of upholstered walls.  I really believe I can do this project without incident.  I turned to my friend Jonthan Fong, an uber creative and kind designer.   I figured I should let you all know about him because his site (and books) are a wealth of how-to mania.  Even if your style is not like his, you can still learn something and adjust it to your liking.  I really want to make these panels but bigger and spaced out, but he gives you a good step-by-step on the project to get you started.
    I also found this fun video on the process.  Loving the yellow fabric, even though I would never dare go there, I am very sedate in my color palette, one day perhaps I will branch out but for today I really like bright white and espresso brown with some shine tossed in like glass, mirror, lucite, nickel.  I bring in colors via flowers and people even my dogs are white!  Talk about color fear....

THE EVERYTHING ATELIER

So here it is in all of its glory, not even minutely done in my opinion, but better than it was before. The top row shows detail on my newly gilded chair, I really liked how it turned out. There's no paint that I know of that can mimic the sheen of metal and the faux silver leaf does the trick (btw, just so you know I bought the cheapest one they had).  I love the way I was able to establish a worn look to it, so it didn't look like a new chair,( okay, I lie, I was going for the idea of chrome and as I progressed I realized the mistakes were better than my original vision, so there, you caught me, happy?)

The 2nd row is the chandelier (I think all ateliers should have one) and the raised curtain rods which make the ceiling seem like it goes on forever.  The rods are a brushed aluminum and the finials are inlaid mother of pearl mosaic (I'll have to get on a ladder to get you a nice close-up), I got them at Target for basically free but they are really nice quality and feel like window jewelry (I DIDN'T get those beaded pearls). The curtains are sheers from Ikea, it seems to me they're the only inexpensive home retailer that sells their curtains at an extended length, making me think that maybe the Scandinavians have been doing the ol' raised curtain  trick for many moons.

Okay there's Boeuf, my insane Frenchie, in her chair that I gilded for her, (or so she seems to think).  That table is just a temporary, I plan to make an 85"L x 35"W table with a long shelf that runs the length of it so I can stuff all the WIPS and cutting mat, etc under it and look like I am really a neat. I could try drawers, but my woodworking skills are not that advanced, not good to be an easily distracted individual when you decide to venture into woodworking.  The floors are Ebony and were near impossible to do.  Strands of my long hair (that is apparently falling out) are embedded in the polyurethane top coat.  I could of gone with a matte finish or semi-gloss, but with a high-gloss you get a sheen and reflection that makes the floor look like a body of water, the finish makes the room feel larger as well, something I wasn't planning on but a nice treat.  Phew, the last row, first pic is my faux-mercury glass, so EASY, if you like this look you must try!  The last photo is the inside of the closet, which I painted Tiffany Blue (sorry I can't remember the darn real name) BUT almost any Anawalt can mix you a custom color for no additonal cost, yea!

NOVEAU LURVE

I love a new invention as much as the next guy, especialy if it's pragmatic and helps me save valuable time and energy.  I would prefer it to be green, but we can't always have everything we want, eh?  This little diddy of an inventon is pretty damn amazing.  You spray the little bugger on to your wrinkled garments and shake out, hang.  A blink of an eye later they are wrinkle free.  Tough wrinkles you can use your hand to help smooth the process along.  I successfully got the wrinkles out of a thin cashmere t-shirt, a linen shirt dress all of my tissue cotton t's ( a nightmare of wrinkles, always) and the bed sheets.  It does smell a bit like Downey lite, but it's not offensive. This is the perfect in a pinch tool to a flawless wardrobe.  Get yourself some here.