apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

After getting a floor refinishing estimate of $1000 (due to the mastic residue clogging the machine) for a small kitchen I was going to use linoleum tiles to just cover over the old residue on the floor. I wondered why I couldn't soak it with something that would soften it and do it myself. Murphy Oil Soap disolves the paper and glue to soft gunk that scrapes off with a cement trowel. No machine needed.

Trying to "green" my holiday gift wrapping this year. Bought a roll of inexpensive brown paper packing paper (recycled) at Staples, as well as a roll of natural jute twine. I also bought some small colorful plaid gift tags.

There are obviously better ways of wrapping gifts, i.e., fabric, but I think this is better than what I've done in past years - going to Target and buying cheap, thin, colorful rolls of wrapping paper and tons of polyvinyl bows and ribbons. I think I'm going to dress up the gift wrapping a bit more with natural pine branchs. I'm open to ideas on that front.

David,

instead of buying bows you could buy tag punch machine. This is the one I have:

http://www.simplyspecialcrafts.com/StoreFrontProfiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?c=103565&i=237148121&sfid=120370

I recycle wrapping paper from gifts I received the year before, glue them to cardboard left over from boxes (cereal, etc) and then punch them out with the machine--this works for any holiday or event which is cool, then you only make what you need. (I always overbuy when I buy prepackaged stuff).

Also--don't forget to add something with color! I buy grosgrain ribbon instead of the polyvinyl stuff because it is reusable--and sometimes I dont even have to buy it because I have so much left over from crafts and other gifts I have received.

This is a great idea, btw, keep the eco-friendly wrapping tips coming!

For smallish gifts vintage teatowels (or even tablecloths for that matter) are great for wrapping. Wrap the gift the same way you would with paper, but instead of tape use small safety pins to close it up. I'm not sure about NY, but in Mtl the Dollarama stores have great little coloured safety pin packs (beige, chocolate brown, mint, pink, red, pale blue, etc). Who doesn't need safety pins around the house, right?

Tie it up with whatever you like (twine, ribbon, etc) and call it a day.

Does anyone have a resource for brown butcher-type paper in NYC? I had the same idea as david for green-ing my holiday wrappings this year, but I don't know where to find it.

Thanks!

Does anyone have know where to restore and reupholster furniture in the DC/NoVA area?

To jazz up the brown paper and twine, consider cutting out shapes from the brown paper, slitting a small hole into them, and then threading them onto the twine where it wraps around the box. I'd use a darker brown or a dark green paper for these if you still want to incorporate the small pine bough.

I would personally use a specialized paper punch to create the shapes. Find one that you really like so that you can reuse it for birthdays or year after year for christmas. The easiest or most versatile would be a simple shape like the 1/2" circle or snowflake from blick's http://www.dickblick.com/zz589/29/ or just a giant circle, square, or star (2.5") http://www.dickblick.com/zz589/42/

Martha Stewart crafts has some fabulous paper punches that I'm using this year in this manner - snowflakes from plain white paper over a dark blue giftwrap.

my new cottage style home has zero storage space (built in 1930) the bathroom was a huge problem, with a pedestal sink and no storage space I came up with a solution.
You know those fabric/mesh things that you hang on your closet door to put shoes in? well I hung one over the back of my bathroom door and it is perfect. My bathroom remains clutter free and minimal, but everything I need is neatly organized and tucked away! AND you can wash them.

Mdulop, give me a day and check back here. My mom just had two chairs done about a month ago, and the guy did a FABULOUS job!!

Oh yeah, Mdulop... he's near Silver Hill Rd & Penn Ave in the Forrestville area.

For the brown wrapping paper and rafia, you might want to jazz it up by using dried flowers.

mdunlop , thanks for the great tip!

this was a martha suggestion a number of years ago.
for wrapping paper---asian language newspaper works really well. (can usually find it for free and then we are re-using instead of buying new)
it gives a real graphic look and there are usually fun pictures if you want some color or pizazz.

I just had a new white porcelain kitchen sink installed, and the guys left little globs of clear acrylic adhesive on the sink and countertop. Does anyone know how to remove this stuff without scratching the procelain or staining the counter? Thanks!

Double Posting Into Tips Thread By Request...

I know there's always lots of posts about people needing upholstery work done...so I thought I'd share a great reupholsterer that I found...

Galeano's Upholstery in Sunnyside (Queens) - 718-396-9816. Alvaro is the owner. His son is email accessible in case you want to email photos for an estimate (but call first). Really so pleased with their work (and price).

I am thrilled with the job they did, you can see before & after pics of my chairs here:

http://iloveupstate.blogspot.com/2007/11/chairs-chairs-chairs.html

They also let me use my own fabric without any fuss.

Hope that helps someone!

hh,
did you try just peeling/pulling them off with your fingers? or a credit card?

I Love Upstate, would you mind me asking how much you paid for the upholstery of the smaller chair?

The reupholstery was $350 each. I asked for arm covers which added another $35 per chair. They also restuffed the seats & pillows. The cushions that were in the chair before renovation were so old/bad...they turned to dust when opened. I paid $40 each for the chairs (total steal imho). I bought the fabric on ebay from a great seller down in North Carolina. Hope that helps. :)