Author: Christy Baker

With all of the projects that are going on around this home of ours, my husband and I are jonesing for a place to put all of our lumber, tools and ephemera.  Thus, a new and necessary project is now underway: a shed. 

The saddle shop where my husband works gets leather trucked in on giant 8′ x 4′ wood pallets every few months. This sparked the idea that he could use those pallets for the walls of our backyard shed. Patiently, he lugged those bad boys home one at a time. Meanwhile, I scanned for more pallets that might suffice, noting the name and phone number of the businesses where I found some that might work for our purposes. 

In the end, Aaron collected enough pallets for the walls and construction began. We had some leftover 2"x4"s for connecting pieces (Although, we did have to go by Nature Neutral and Lowe’s, ugh, to supplement.).

Stage one: the pallets are up

We used the last of my credit (from the wall-collages that I made) at the Habitat Store for two windows and some metal roofing. Our neighbor, Eric, came by yesterday with leftover plywood in tow, and helped get the walls covered. The roof supports are up and we are on the hunt for more roofing, siding and some doors. So far, we’ve spent less than $100 (not including the windows from Habitat) and have kept plenty of usable material out of the landfill.

Stage two and three: roof supports up and plywood up, mostly

The shed isn’t finished yet, but it is amazing to see what you can do with what’s around you if you keep an open mind and a roof rack on your car!

Any ideas about what to use for siding on our ‘salvage shed’?

I just came across this article all about sheds in the Washington Post’s Sunday Magazine… Awesome!

 

One of my favorite things to do is fix things. Whether it is a torn book or a wobbly table, I love to make things usable and enjoyable again.
I work a few days a week at Circa and I am the go to fix-it gal. Jackie, the owner, often returns from auction with a full truck and a few “projects” for me. Sometimes it is a simple repair job: a glue and screw. Other times, I find myself recreating the hand-painted floral motif on the side of a chest of drawers or reconstructing the chipped woodwork of a carved table. And still other times, I repaint, refinish, recover or just spruce up an ailing object.

Table before… (The little white sticker says, "Fix this.")

 

Table (detail) after!

I think what I like about fixing isn’t all about the finished product, it’s more about the challenge in the process. How can I recreate the finish on this table without re-doing the whole thing (mix oil paint and wood stain to match)? What can I use to replace the missing pieces of this mirror (spherical beads painted gold)? How can I cover this desk top that’s missing its veneer (decoupage with old maps)?
There is something deliciously satisfying about breathing new life into a broken piece of furniture by way of chopsticks, mismatched screws, nail polish and a little Restor-A-Finish.
Sadly, fixing appears to be a dying art. Whenever I explain to a curious passerby how and why I am fixing something, they seem slightly confused and, simultaneously, awestruck. Our cultural attitude seems to be: if it’s broken, it’s useless. Instead of: how can I fix this?
Take a trip to your local hardware store (emphasis on local) as some of the older folks there are still artists of fixing. And you can always come see me at Circa and I’ll see what I can do!

Rescued table, painted green, of course!

What would you like to know how to fix?
What do you know how to fix?

 

 

It’s been awhile since our first flock has gone on to the big Run In The Sky and we are looking to remodel. After run-ins with hawks, rats and foxes it has become apparent that although darling, our coop could use some tweaking (Don’t worry our bantam flock in the Annex is doing just fine!).

The first order of business is to raise the netted “roof” over the whole run. We did not consider the fact that the unpleasant task of cleaning the house would be made that more cumbersome by having to duck down to avoid capturing our noses, hair, etc. in the loosely draped netting. My better half, who is 6’ 1”, is heading up this aspect of the remodel.

Fixing the coop

The next task is to put in a new perch, as the branch that I installed in the house is just too thin. In the next few days I plan to head down to the Rivanna Trail and pick up a cedar branch that has fallen. Then measure, cut, sand and screw. Easy.
Finally, we’ve got to tidy up the joint. I’ve got some winter rye seed that I will sow in the run. Last time we let the girls go wild in the garden when the rye was high their eggs had the brightest orange yolks I had ever seen! Plus, I think it reminds them, on some ancient genetic level, of their jungle fowl roots. We’ll give the house a thorough scrub down and touch up the paint. It would probably be a good idea to clear coat the “Fried Chicken 79¢” sign, too. Oh, the girls will just love that!

Any tips for a remodel? What do you love about your hen house? Or if you don’t have a hen house, what does your dream hen house look like?
Do you believe in a chicken heaven? Just curious.
 

I have this urge to acquire stuff. Maybe it’s a power thing, maybe it’s a girl thing, or maybe it’s a culture thing. Regardless of the cause, compulsive consumption is thwarting my attempt at living simply.

One way to satisfy my desire to acquire without the consequence of finding a home for more things is to borrow.

I have always loved libraries. Some of my fondest and most distinct memories are set in libraries. From the pillowed kids’ corner in the basement of the Vineyard Haven library on Martha’s Vineyard to the Tiffany glass floors of the Pratt Library in Brooklyn, I have found wonder and comfort in these spaces.

Pratt Library, Brooklyn (photo courtesy of bbusby)

The weather could be blazing hot, rainy or perfectly pleasant, when I ask my boys where they would like to go on any given day, “the library!” is the destination of choice (sorry, Belmont Park and Discovery Museum).

The other day, we headed over to Central Library on Market Street with a stack of books and a DVD to return. Inside, we checked out the trains in the display case, picked out some new arrivals and got cozy by the wrought iron staircase and carpeted window seats.

Central Library, hooray!

Usually, we’ll leave with a few books and maybe the coveted Fire Trucks DVD, but not today. Content and full with new ideas, vibrant illustrations and classic adventures, we hopped through the giant stone columns out front with empty bags.

When my husband and I were living in a trailer on a friend’s ranch in Yreka, California we frequented the local library. Not only was the library an endless source of entertainment in this rural Northern California town, it also served as another type of lending resource. A card-carrying library patron could also check out tools. There was an area where drills, saws, even ladders were available for borrowing (This type of lending was not new to me, as I had experienced a tool library before when I was living in Michigan.). Sadly, these types of lending programs seem to be few and fading.

If recent political discussions are any indication, libraries are seen as obsolete and at the very least, expendable. As part of a consumer-driven culture it is easy to miss the value of lending, however, I for one hope that by sharing we can change our culture of consumption to one of sustainable community. How satisfying!

Borrowed any good books lately (or tools)?

 

*Update*

Beyond the library: 

New resources are increasing becoming available online to assist the traditional neighborly exchange of goods. One era’s next door request for eggs is now a logon, search and email exchange finalized by the egg drop at some mutually approved location.

Craig’s list offers listings for barter’s. Freecycle offers goods and servics for, well, free. Other sights such as ShareSomeSugar help you to invite members of your local community to join you in setting up a swap group. There is also Freecyle and more. Set up a swap group and get sharing!

Along with my love of all things previously used, worn and mended is my complete enchantment with re-purposing of these items. Also known as “upcycling”, the new life breathed into the old is the ultimate green craft.

A dear friend of mine, Kim Boggs Goldstein, is a master (mistress?) of the art of upcycling. She finds beauty in the flaking paint of a broken chair, the wooden handle of a hairbrush, the pattern of rust on a twisted toy. She collects all of these treasures and glues and rivets and nails them together into magical and lovely sculptural collages. Her MO is to use objects as she finds them, highlighting what she finds most intriguing and beautiful about them.

Stella

My favorite piece is a sculptural wall hanging that shows a landscape of undulating greens and blues and a solitary spherical, aqua water tower. The piece is made entirely of found bits of painted wood, which Kim has arranged carefully to create a calm and graceful image with a tint of irony.

A Quiet Place

Far from being cliché or trite, her work is intimate, familiar, often humorous and entirely fresh.

Reprisal

She also makes unique bags out of vintage prints and jewelry from bits and pieces of unexpected treasures.
Kim shows her art under the moniker Second Chance Studio. You may have seen her work locally at the Blue Moon Diner, Sticks, Craftacular in Open Space, and more. It seems she always has a show up somewhere!
Her etsy shop showcases her amazing work and can be found by clicking on the link below. And be sure to friend Second Chance Studio on Facebook!

Second Chance Studio on etsy
 

Have you re-purposed any objects yourself?
 

The other day, a mommy friend of mine echoed an ancient parental frustration: "My kids only eat chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese."

My boys love mac and cheese too, so I understand the magnetic pull of grabbing a box of Annie’s nearly every day.

Ah, Photoshop…

Astonishingly, my kids do eat veggies. In fact, when I brought in yet another zucchini from the garden for lunch they yelled delightfully, in unison, “Zoo-keen-eee!”
Now, I don’t think my kids are omnivorous paragons but I do think they benefit from having a close relationship with their food (and I’m not talking about mashed potatoes in the ear canal). Pierce and Judah both helped plant carrots, peas and lettuce in the spring, helped transplant tomatoes and pull weeds from the squash in the summer and feed the chickens and bring their eggs inside (well, they try).

Pierce helping to plant carrot seeds in early spring

I’ve watched them spend hefty amounts of time plucking mulberries from tree branches and carefully looking for strawberries in the raised patch. I’ve had concerned neighbors tell me that they saw the boys “put something in their mouths from off of that plant” when I’ve gone inside to get the laundry. One afternoon, they pulled up, and actually ate, about a dozen radishes leaving only their leafy stems strewn about the grass.

Cooperative peach picking!

Of course, they are still kids with strong, seemingly irrational preferences. “I don’t like apples!” Pierce tells me. “Nooo.” Judah whines when offered green pepper slices (his favorite until last week).

As they grow and their preferences develop, my hope is that my sons will continue to maintain a relationship with their food. Whether knowing the names of the cafeteria workers at their school or planting a melon seed at home, being aware of their connectedness is fundamental to a life well-lived.

Proof! (That’s Eppie’s broccoli in that maw)

Do you have any “eat your veggies” tricks?
 

Don’t fret, you’ll have a full 36 hours to recover from the excitement of watching the Charlottesville Derby Dames (tonight at 7pm at Augusta Expo Land) before taking in the sights, smells and sounds of animals of a different sort.

The folks that bring you the City Market invite you to their second annual ‘Meet Yer Eats’ event. Many of the vendors from Charlottesville’s three farmer’s markets will be opening their doors, gates and greenhouses to the public from 10am until 4pm, September 6th. Visit Market Central’s website for tour information including: maps, ticket sales and tips on what to wear, bring and expect. Many locations will be offering workshops, site-specific guided tours and other special programs, which are listed on the website as well.

The purpose of this event is to establish an even more direct connection with our food. Many of us know the faces, and maybe even names, of the Market sellers but seldom do we follow them home and check out their digs (that would be creepy and perhaps illegal). These brave vendors have given us, the community, an official invitation to ask silly questions, stomp around in inappropriate shoes and scare their cows (maybe not that last one).

Photo courtesy of Davis Creek Farm

Eighteen growers are participating this year and all are within an hour’s drive (more or less) from Charlottesville. Market Central offers some suggested routes to follow but it seems prudent to keep your touring goals reasonable. Perhaps, aim to visit two or three farms, especially if you have kids.

 

Photo courtesy of Radical Roots

It’s supposed to be a gorgeous day on Monday so, enjoy the drive, take in the country and don’t forget to eat your meets (Or meats. Bring some cash-money for all the fresh from the field bounty!).

Which farm do you plan on visiting?

 

I set out with good intentions: a new fangled way to maximize on space and grow tomatoes sans stakes. What I ended up with, now that tomato season is winding down, is a crop of sorry looking stems hanging out of some white plastic buckets.

Don’t they look lush?

In recent months, my interest had been piqued by reading about these Topsy Turvy numbers (a friend even added one to her bridal registry). So, naturally, I figured that I could fabricate one that looked better than a bag on a stick (fail number one: my "planters" are uh-gly. But recycled!).
After asking around (and driving slowly past the back doors of bakeries and the like) I landed several five gallon plastic buckets. 

First, I cut out a hole in the bottom of the bucket (about 2 1/2’ in diameter).Then I laid strips of newspaper cris-crossing close to the hole.

Bucket supported underneath by bamboo poles- ready for plant insertion!

Carefully, I placed the little tomato plant (started from seed back in March), leaves first into the hole. I supported the root ball with one hand while I put more newspaper strips next to the stem inside the bucket so that the bitty plant wouldn’t fall out of the hole. I filled the bucket three-quarters of the way full with organic potting soil. Once the plant was stable and soil added I planted a few seeds of flowers and herbs on top to act as a green mulch, of a sort. I hung the buckets, using screw hooks and salvaged clips, in sunny locations and gave everything a thorough dousing of diluted fish emulsion (from Fifth Season).
To look at those “plants” now you would think that first watering was also their last. The tomatoes (and lone eggplant) shriveled in this summer’s blazing heat. Daily soakings might have helped but, really, who has the time? I did manage to coax a handful of cherry tomatoes from one plant but everything else went crispy.
Ah well, there’s always next year.

This gives ‘sun-dried’ tomatoes a whole new meaning

Anyone have success with upside-down veggies this year?
 

If you haven’t tried Relay Foods (formerly Retail Relay) yet, you are missing out on something awesome!

I may have mentioned the fact that I share a fridge and family meals with three hungry boys (two toddlers, one adult husband). These guys have the metabolisms of Hummers. Long gone is the bi-weekly grocery run. We now need to restock one to three times per week. This is where Relay (as it is referred to by its users and staff) saves the day.

My heroes (photo courtesy of Relay Foods)

The way Relay works is simple: you log on to their website, select from an extensive list of groceries (and gifts, cleaning supplies, etc.), pay with your credit card, select a pick-up location (or home delivery), then go get your necessaries in one easy trip. They even put the bags in your car (bring your own reusable totes for extra greenie points)!

The first time I placed an order I was pleased to finally have a reasonable and comprehensive way to support local businesses. Relay Foods is locally owned and operated and nearly all of its offerings come from local sources. Many of the City Market vendors offer their nibblies via Relay. You can even get Carpe Donuts (complete with instructions on warming them to meet red caravan standards)! If you don’t see what you’re craving on their list of goods you can always drop the Relay folks an email and they will get back to you when the item has been added. It works- I’ve done it.
There is no minimum order amount and there is no fee for the service (except if you are having your order delivered to your door). The prices are barely higher than your big chain grocer but your time-savings makes Relay beyond worth it! On the green side, you can’t get much more Earth lovin’ than one stop, local farm shopping.

For another option for exquisite local produce and beyond check out Central Virginia Specialty Crop Buyer’s Club by contacting Mark Jones via email: mark@sharondalefarm.com.

Have you tried Retail Relay or another online grocery service?

*Update!*

Ceci (from Relay) just let me know that Relay Foods would like to offer Green Scene readers a discount of $10 off any order of $100 or more! Enter GREENSCENE in the coupon box during checkout. Hooray and thanks, Ceci!

The finds keep coming! I love thrift-shopping, as I am sure that I’ve mentioned before, and one of my favorite thrift activities is upcycling used clothing, especially t-shirts. In essence my definition of ‘upcycling’ is reworking some existing thing in a new and exciting way, giving it new purpose and value. Example: giant, baggy t-shirt sewn into flattering, funky top.
A choice local spot for all things donated (no, I won’t give away my secrets!) offers t-shirts in wire bins at five for a dollar! Even if you just need some cotton rags, a twenty-cent double XL can go a long way. Usually, I gravitate towards the vintage, campy or just plain silly ones.

Once I get my T’s home I get out my dress form (from college fashion-class days), chalk and scissors. I draw a new neckline and eyeball the sleeve cuts. To make a shirt more fitted I will use straight pins to mark out haphazard darts, which I then stitch on my sewing machine.

T-shirt into halter-top

Derby-bout freebie altered

Not a t-shirt, obviously, but another way to alter a thrift store find

My favorite shirt of the moment is a bright blue number with “Holland” screen-printed in orange in its front. I cut a more flattering boxy neckline with a “v” back. I loped off the sleeves and stitched them back on so they are ruffled and poofy. Using a piece of the original neckline, I added a horizontal line through the open part of the back. Using my trusty dress form I was able to add what could almost pass for princess seams down the front. I top-stitched the added seams and cut off the remaining fabric leaving short, raw edges on the outside of the shirt. The finished top is fun, odd, and personal.

Altered ‘Holland’ t-shirt 

The key to any upcycling effort is to not let the original material become too precious. Yes, it may be one of a kind as it is but it won’t be fabulously unique unless you are willing to get messy. You may have to hack off pieces and cut holes in others. True, a shirt may become inappropriate for public display with one ill-measured snip so keep your vision flexible. In the end, even if you can’t wear your upcycled adventure as a shirt you can always use it as a headband, dog collar, purse, hat, belt, quilt square, framed art, wallet, pillow, stuffed animal, pot holder, book cover, or, of course, a rag.

If you would like to take a more directed approach to t-shirt mutilation check out this book. Or maybe I’ll let you borrow the one I found the other day in the book bin at the Salvation Army…

99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim & Tie Your T-Shirt

Have you had any adventures in upcycling?
Repurposed any t-shirts?
 

Make your own dress form using duct tape and a willing friend: http://www.instructables.com/id/Duct-Tape-Dressform/