Shorehouse chic.

Snow day.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:07:00 +0000

That is my car at about 8:30 this morning. Perhaps we will see her again in the spring.

The Jersey Shore surprisingly got more snow than just about anyplace I've heard of. We never get snow....n-e-v-e-r. A couple of inches is a big deal. Mike and the Maggie dog are trapped like hamsters in a habitrail.

Mike, clearly a descendant of one of the original Wise Men, made me get in his car yesterday morning in my pajamas to get out of there and back to our apartment. Today, I will be hosting an abbreviated version of the annual cookie exchange here for about eight women who are intrepid enough to come out (it should be noted they all have small children at home. ;-).

Having a ball, for four bucks.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Since first embedding at the shorehouse, I've scooped up a number of Christmas balls -- mostly at rummage sales, but also at a flea market and a yard sale.

Last year, our first Christmas at the house, I sprinkled out a few. But by this year, if you'll please pardon the expression, I had a lot of balls:

These things are readily and cheaply available, you just may need to do some digging since vendors typically bury them (they're not exactly big movers apparently). Despite my voluminous collection, a little investigating on this here blog showed the entire lot cost me around $4.

I needed to do something other than squirrel them away like a furry nocturnal creature on a pre-winter bender. So this past weekend I finally dragged them out of the basement, inspired in part by the Victorian Holiday House Tour in Ocean Grove, NJ, that I went on which made me feel like a total decorating-challenged underachiever.

I started by placing some of the more dainty and vintagey looking ones on a small but mighty tree I bought at the supermarket:

Then I moved on to jars...

...and bowls, including the one I just got at the SPCA thrift store for $3 specifically for this purpose...

...and my great-grandma's pressed glass compotes:

Then came the mack daddy of them all. I took a wire hanger (free with overpriced dry cleaning) and strung up a collection of blues, and silvers and golds...

...and created something that, if he were alive to see this, I'm sure Elvis would proudly hang in the living room at Graceland.

I turned to the now ubiquitous Eddie Ross model for guidance. I trimmed about eight inches off the hanger with a wire clipper to make mine smaller, and wished I had followed Eddie's advice to glue the metal caps to the balls before I started stringing the ornaments. A few broken balls and several slivers of finger skin later, my gaudy little star was born. The tinsel was a scrap I grabbed at an everything-in-the-bag-for-a-buck sale and kind of forgot about until I dumped the ornaments out of the bag. I tucked it in to cover up the wire in some spots it was exposed. It's not glued down so if I want to make it a little less Vegas, I can easily remove the garland.

After all was done, here's what I'm left with:

Not bad for a day's work.

A happy "How-To," just for you!

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:30:00 +0000

What if you could take all of the Grandma Helens, Nonni Roses, Nana Frans and Babcia Katerinas in the country, get them in one room (granted, a big room) and ask them to share their best homespun wit and wisdom? You'd have How To Sew a Button (And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew), a fabulous and witty compendium by author Erin Bried that spares you the logistical nightmare of the above mentioned Grand Grandmere Convention. She interviewed grandmas throughout the U.S. who shared their best advice and shortcuts on everything from how to wear red lipstick, to how to unclog a drain, to, well, how to sew a button!

Speaking of buttons, Erin happens to be cute as one. Click over to her YouTube channel to see her demonstrating how to fold a fitted sheet, which may have actually changed my life.

The book's official release date is December 15, so there will still be time for you to stock up for stocking stuffers. But guess what? You could win a copy right here! And to make it a little more fun/challenging/exciting than your average giveaway, leave a comment with your favorite piece of wit or wisdom that you learned from your grandma/mom/aunt. Author Erin Bried will pick her favorite from among the entries (oh yes, she will!). A copy of the book will be on its way to you, along with a few buttons from le grand sac I picked up at the Paris flea market so you'll be able to put that whole how to sew a button advice to good use.

You have until midnight Eastern on December 15 to leave your comment on this post. And, hey, maybe you'll even give Erin enough material for the sequel.

(P.S. Actually got the Christmas tree decorated last night. Phew! I'll have to see if Erin's book includes any "How to avoid procrastination" advice...)

How lovely are thy (bare) branches.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:30:00 +0000

December 9? Really? Trouble. With a capital "T." And that rhymes with "tree" and that sounds like...well, tree. (My tribute to show tunes is a little spotty today.)

We actually bought the tree Sunday night for our city abode (that's where we host Christmas). And it's one big beauty. She's got her lights (thanks to Mike):

And two ornaments. Two.

Here's where the rest of the ornaments have been since Sunday when I pulled them out of storage:

Ugh! Maybe I can have a blog contest...winner gets to come decorate my tree?

And that tree photo is awful because I took it at dawn, which is the only time I'm home anymore. All work and no play is making Laura a dull and unproductive-in-matters-of-the-home girl.

The good news is, I did my holiday shopping throughout the year so no last minute shopping for me. The bad news is, I went back to my homeland this weekend where there were an inordinate number of flea markets and crafty good time holiday fairs. Talk about trouble!

This is my face upon realizing that most of the ~~crap~~ stuff in my mom's trunk now belongs to me, right down to the fabulous knit hat on my head (hey, it started snowing. So I needed a hat, right?) which I bought from a knitting club's table at Sailors' Snug Harbor Cultural Center for $5!

(Photo by The Brother, who may have been guffawing at me at this point.)

I am so in love with it I've worn it every day this week.

Among the other highlights...

At one church's fair, there was an adorable older couple who sell the husband's paintings, mostly of east coast lighthouses and other beachy fare. I have a couple of his mini paintings already, and let me tell you the price is always right.

See these two paintings?

This was the price they were each marked:

BUT...since I liked both he said I could have the two for $20. Original art, people! I mean, really. I couldn't leave them there.

He also decoupages random clip art and old advertisements onto pieces of flotsam and jetsam:

At 25 cents each, these are cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) than greeting cards and that's exactly what I plan on using them as.

And, want to take a guess at who this was "SOLD" to?

I know. Shocking.

I have always wanted a punch bowl but thought it would be a storage issue. And you know what? It will be! But, I mean, three bucks for all this. (By the way there are actually 15 cups, despite what the sign says. I think perhaps math may not be an Episcopalian strong suit? My father, however was both an Episcopal and and accountant. But I digress...) How could someone like me (who clearly is one step away from being on that show Hoarders) walk away from it?

The punch bowl set will make its debut on December 20 at my annual cookie exchange party. Where...fingers crossed...I will also be selling some pieces from my debut sewing collection to help raise some money for the babies of Hudson Cradle, my favorite charity. So if you're in the market for made-with-love (but not necessarily with talent) crafty bits, have I got the item(s) for you!

So two questions:

1. What kind of punch do I make?

2. Are you planning on being near Hoboken, NJ, on December 20? If so the cookie party is the place to be, and the more the merrier!

I'll even pour you some punch.

Once again...

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:31:00 +0000

...I have found another thrift shop. And it's actually named Once Again.

I can't tell you how many times I've driven past this place (on Route 35 in New Jersey, across from Fort Monmouth) . And when it looks like this...

...and has a thrift shop sign in front of it, it kind of makes me think I may have literally been asleep at the wheel.

About 80% of the store is clothing and kids' gear, but in the "dining room" (or what I imagined was the dining room when it was a house...I can't walk into an old home with redecorating it in my mind!) there were quite a few shelves of goodies. And that sign you see below says "25% off all housewares." Joy to the world, indeed.

There was some really good vintage tucked on those shelves, like this super old cup and saucer in great shape ($5.25):

This set of highball glasses ('cause you just know many-a-highball has been served in these!) had golden images of Francs, Deutschmarks, and other fantastic foreign coins replaced by that nasty Euro. The set of four? Seventy-five cents!

Here comes the bride, festooned in vintage lace and plastic orchids. I loved this though couldn't really justify the purchase (as if I can justify half of the junque I buy) . But at only $1.50 I think I should have gone in...

...if only to get better photos to play around with. I did snap one close-up and began playing with the contrast a bit:

I think with a little more work it could make a great vintagey wedding card image.

Naturally, I didn't leave without buying. That would be crazy talk.

I scooped up a new-with-tags Martha tree stand:

We're thinking of putting up a small tree at the shorehouse (the monster tree actually goes in our apartment, believe it or not). I'm not even sure if this fictional tree will require a stand (maybe I'll buy a potted tree?) but I figured for $1.50 I'd take my chances.

The reindeer napkin holders leaped right into my heart and shopping bag. These set of six brass beauties also only set me back $1.50.

This tall milk glass vase might be the deal of the day at 75 cents! I think it will make a great hostess gift, filled with flowers from the grocery store or evergreen branches for the holidays.

Or I may just keep it myself.

Ironically the Monmouth SPCA Cats and Dogs Thrift Shop is on the way (well, kind of on the way) so I popped in there to get more 50 cent men's ties for my wine carrier craft project:

And I also grabbed another milk glass bowl that I do plan on keeping and filling with some of the many (if not hundreds) of vintage Christmas balls I've picked up thrifting over my last two years at the shorehouse.

It was the most expensive thing I bought all day.

And it didn't exactly break the bank.

The Cheating Baker

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:10:00 +0000

The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.

OK, here's the deal. I've always wanted to be a good cannoli maker. I grew up on Staten Island. My people are from Brooklyn. My first job was at a pretty popular Italian bakery. I mean, this should be in my DNA. But I never could make those shells. I tried. I gave up. I took a class at the Institute of Culinary Education. There were about 15 people in the class, a couple of them who baked/cooked for a living. We made delectable cannoli cream. Brilliant cassata. And pretty much every one of us made awful cannoli shells. Seriously. Awful. More Chinese won-ton than Italian cannoli.

So I panicked a little when Lisa Michele announced to The Daring Bakers that her challenge would be cannolis. But armed with chutzpah and a pasta maker, I decided to try again.

And I failed again.

I was a really pressed for time and I think my dough sensed that I was trying a little too hard. On Thanksgiving eve I had to surrender.

I decided to turn to the Italians.

I know, I know. I'm a total cheat. I'm the Milli Vanilli of the baking world. And Lisa Michele's hosting the challenge. She's a baker! She's a Yankees fan! I could not let my bloggy friend and kindred spirit down. So I picked myself up by the bootstraps and to make it up to her I made my own ricotta cheese from SCRATCH on Thanksgiving morning. I even used her recipe.

Click here to check out the recipe. It's really, really true: If you can boil water you can make ricotta! I can't wait to do this again.

The yield is really minimal -- four cups of milk reduced down to this:

There was quite a bit of liquid left, and I think the next time I will use the remaining strained milk to make a bread pudding so I'm not so wasteful.

To further ~~kiss up~~ make it up to Lisa, I made her pumpkin cannoli filling. I am so glad I did! Delish. A little looser than a traditional cannoli cream due to the addition of the pumpkin so I'd definitely give it a little longer in the refrigerator to firm up. I've posted her recipe below. It would also be brilliant as a filling in a layer cake.

I toasted and chopped some pecans to dress my cannoli, in lieu of the more traditional pistachio.

Does this mean I'll never try cannoli shells? I'm no quitter. Just like the bubbles on Lisa's picture-perfect shells, I too shall rise.

PUMPKIN CANNOLI FILLING

1/2 cup (123 grams/4.34 ounces) ricotta cheese, drained
1/2 cup (113 grams/4.04 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (122.5 grams/4.32 ounces) canned pumpkin, drained like ricotta
3/4 cup (75 grams/2.65 ounces) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 to 1 teaspoon (approx. 1.7 grams/approx. 0.06 ounces) pumpkin pie spice (taste)
1/2 teaspoon (approx. 2 grams/approx. 0.08 ounces) pure vanilla extract
6-8 cannoli shells

1. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner’s sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated).

2. Fill the shells as directed above. I dipped the ends of the shells in caramelized sugar and rolled them in toasted, chopped pecans.

The roast is in the oven.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:44:00 +0000

And by roast I mean this:

Now, now...I just saw you roll your eyes.

For the first time in nearly 30 years as a vegetarian I'm trying a Tofurkey roast. Not sure how this will go, but I marinated it in vegetable broth, orange juice, sage, rosemary and sea salt. So if nothing else, I can drink the baste.

I actually became a vegetarian because I was watching the news with my mom and there was a story on turkeys. I made the connection, didn't eat the turkey the next day, and never ate meat again.

I guess you could say...I quit cold turkey. Ba-da-dum.

We're sending our warmest wishes from the shorehouse to your house this Thanksgiving (Mike wanted to get in on this, too, now that he knows he's a blog superstar). I am thankful for many things, and if you're a visitor to this here blog I am thankful you take time out of your day to spend some time with little ol' me.

Life in black and white.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:02:00 +0000

Are you familiar with Springtree Road? If not, you should be. Maya is a wonderful photographer, and gifted artisan (I've never seen yarn more beautiful than her hand-spun ones, available in her Etsy shop).

For the month of November, all of the photos on her blog are in black and white. I've loved seeing the neutral world through Maya's eyes and lens this month...it's really a spectacular essay and I encourage you to visit her.

This week I've been cleaning-up -- cleaning up my house (three bags went to Sallie's Army), cleaning up my professional life (making piles at the office disappear...or trying to, while figuring out how to get more out of my day job), cleaning my to-do list (Christmas shopping -- pretty much done), and cleaning out some space on my camera...since there were apparently 511 pictures on there. Oops.

Some were black and whites from my trip to Paris last month. They are far from perfect, shot with my palm-sized point-and-shoot, but a few aren't half bad considering I'm definitely not a photographer.

A while back Maya shared some advice on her blog, which I believe was something like, "never, ever, ever, ever use the flash!" So I don't. With varying degrees of success.

Some day I'd like to take photography lessons. But I have a whole lot of cleaning to do in my life before I can make the time for that to happen.

For now I'll just enjoy everyone else's!

Peak-a-boo, we found a pew.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:36:00 +0000

It wasn't we so much as it was he. Here's how Op Pew went down:

Last week, Mike headed out on an uncharacteristically beautiful November day for what I like to call "a Lance Armstrong bike ride." About an hour later, my phone rang...

Laura: Hello?

Mike: I'm at a yard sale.

L: Who IS this? (Ed. note: Mike at a yard sale is analogous to me at a hunting convention. And I'm a vegetarian, fyi.)

M: I saw a pew so I pulled over.

L: OK, really who is this?

(Ed. note: We were looking for something to put against the long wall in the Napoleon Room, and he mentioned how a church pew would be nice. As knocked over as I was when he came up with that, I was now beside myself with pride that he actually found one!)

M: I'm not sure it's exactly what we want...it's kind of plain, has a very high back...but it's $20.

L: I'm getting in the car NOW.

M: But...

L: TWENTY BUCKS!

The pew didn't fit in my trunk, so Mike and our friend Spence returned yesterday to pick it up in Spence's fancy big boy vehicle.

Mike and I wriggled and turned and maneuvered the pew up our hundred year-old staircase (how DID they get furniture up those things in olden days?), and introduced it to its new home in the Napoleon Room. You can see it around the bend when you first peak in the room...

...on the wall next to the bed. We need to do some reassigning of the antique plate rack above it, but I think the pew will work quite well there.

M: Am I going to make the blog?

L: You are SO making the blog.

Update: The feedback's been so great (thank you!) how could I not link-up to Thrifty Thursday? You should head over, too, to see who's thriftier than Mike. Though I can't imagine such a person exists. :-)

Wrapping up the week. And my laptop.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:30:00 +0000

I decided I'd wrap up Thrifty Gift Week here by wrapping up my laptop. Literally.

As some of you who hang out here know I am a novice sewer. On my good days I can sew a straight line. On my really good days I can sew a straight line and get through a project without consulting the Singer's user guide. So when I tell you this is easy, believe me it's true.

I know, I know...this looks a little more hardcore crafty but it's a very basic sewing project. Click here to check out Jean's adorably easy-to-make bags and her step-by-step tutorial. I believe my little Type A friend has whipped up about 107 of them. Give or take.

Definitely click here to follow her directions, because, um, I don't measure or have very good technique. I whipped this up today and with minimal supplies and a bit of patience, you can do this.

My decision to do a laptop cover was guided by finding this scrap of quilted goodness in the remnant bin at JoAnn's:

You don't need a lot of fabric at all so I pulled two remnants out of my pile (you can use one piece if you want to make the inside and outside the same, but two pieces will allow you to use smaller remnants).

I will share the highlights (though that word's a bit of a stretch!) of my project...

Where Jean's directions call for fusible interface, I replaced with the quilting.

Make sure you allow for the depth of the laptop (and seam allowance. And I still can't believe I know what "seam allowance" means!). And since every laptop is different you're going to need to get your paws on the measurements for your recipient's.

You lay your fabrics out just as Jean tells you...nice sides kissing (right sides together), and then stick the quilty stuff (or batting) underneath...

You're going to sew it all together (all sides except the top), and flip it inside out so that the nice side are facing out, and the quilt is on the inside.

Since I, er, you haven't measured, stick that laptop in there one more time just to be sure it works out. Fold up the bottom...and you'll top-stitch the sides to form a bit of an envelope:

The top flap needs to be sealed shut, so you'll fold the flaps in an inch or so, and top stitch that, too:

At this point even I broke out a tape measure. I placed a piece of Velcro in the middle of the flaps that would come together to seal the case shut...

I never sewed Velcro before, and it was ~~a bit of a pain~~ not too bad. I sewed around twice, just to be sure it would stay in place.

It actually didn't look too bad at all once I finished...

...but I made sure in advance that I had a gigantic button ready to cover it right up...

Did I have problems along the way? You betcha.

Like when this happened...

...because when the quilted fabric folded into an envelope it was pretty thick, and my machine is far from a pro one.

And I knocked over a tray of snaps that I painstakingly had pieced together earlier in the morning.

But I had Project Runway on in the background, and when Tim Gunn told me to, "make it work," I did.

You can do smaller fabric envelopes for gift cards, make-up bags, pencil cases...the possibilities are endless.

But please follow Jean's tutorial. Because I really have no idea what I'm doing.

Monday - Tie one on! Bags from vintage men's ties.
Tuesday - DIY cake stands.
Wednesday - Bake up a thrifty gift.
Thursday - Tea for two

Tea for two. Or more.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:37:00 +0000

It's day four of Thrifty Christmas here at the shorehouse and (shockingly) I'm still going strong.

We blog. We tweet. We text. We work. We commute. We take care of families. We work some more. We walk the dogs. We feed the cats. We clean the toilets. We do laundry. We fall up the stairs running to catch the phone. (Or is that one just me?)

Some people even do it all simultaneously. What happened to the art...of doing nothing?

Here's a gift idea: Take the time to get together with a friend or group of friends and have a tea party. Turn off the cell phones, and just...talk. Laugh. Spend silly time together. I can't think of a better gift than that.

Set-up is simple. Boil the water, grab a festive tea (cinnamon apple's nice), bake some cookies (or the brownies I posted yesterday) -- and better yet, display them on a handmade dessert stand. But before the big day, hit the thrift stores and pick up some tea cup and saucer sets. I really struck gold when I found these at a church rummage sale this summer...

They were on a table of mismatched pieces. My brother and I found some unblemished pairs among the rubble, and the price was right:

The cups were priced separately from the saucers, but still -- 50 cents a set? Score.

After the tea party, everyone takes their cup home with them. And every time they look at it they will remember your friendship, and the day you all made time....for time.

The Mad House and Violet Posy also have super easy tutorials for making soy candles in tea cups, another fabulous thrifty holiday gift. Plus, once the soy's finished the cup is still food safe so it's truly the gift that keeps on giving. Click here and here to hop over to their blogs and you'll be a master candle maker in no time.

More ideas from thrifty gift week:

Monday - Tie one on! Bags from vintage men's ties.
Tuesday - DIY cake stands.
Wednesday - Bake up a thrifty gift.
Today - Tea for two
Coming Friday - ??? (Seriously. I have no idea.)

Bake up a thrifty gift.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:27:00 +0000

It's day three of Thrifty Christmas here at the shorehouse.

I found these jars filled with apple crisp "supplies" at a craft show the other week. Pair it with a vintage cookbook you pick up on a thrifting venture and you've got a gift that will make the baker in your life squeal. In a good way!

The jar has everything needed for an apple crisp (except the apples, which would have been hard to jam in that jar. Oh, and the butter. Because that would be rancid.). A crisp is the perfect thing to prepackage since most of the ingredients just get mashed up with butter and you don't need to whisk, separate, sift, etc. Just throw it in a bowl. My kind of recipe.

This is an easy idea to replicate. Canning jars, or any jar with a tight seal, can be found on the cheap (they're available at many dollar stores, including Jack's 99 Cent Store in Manhattan) and the crisp ingredients are for the most part already in your pantry. The Neelys over on Food Network have a very good crisp recipe, click here to get that one. (The addition of pecans is well worth it, I promise you.) I have tons of fabric scraps, and I think I'd rather use a fun retro fabric than a Christmasy one...I may even go crazy and top-stitch it. And the recipe card is calling out for a funky font and some retro clip art.

Speaking of recipes...yesterday there was a comment from the lovely Pat at Mille Fiori Favoriti asking about the recipe used for the brownies on my cake stand.

Good point! I actually love the recipe, and found it many years ago on a tin of cocoa powder. It's the shortbread crust that makes them super duper. So here it is...another suitable holiday foodie gift:

Brownies with Shortbread Crust

1-1/4 c. unsifted flour
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cold butter
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
8 oz semi sweet chocolate broken into pieces (or chips)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, or omit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup of flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto bottom of 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl beat sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, egg and remaining 1/4 cup of flour, vanilla and baking powder. Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts. Spread over prepared crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until center is set (so not overcook). Cool before cutting.

I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for a couple of the ones above to dress the plate a little, but adding a dash of ginger to the cocoa and using a gingerbread man cutter would be fun...in fact I'm filing that idea away in my mental Rolodex.

Thrifty week ideas from the shorehouse:

Monday - Tie one on! Bags from vintage men's ties.
Tuesday - DIY cake stands.
Coming Thursday - Tea for two (that was supposed to be today...whoops.)
Coming Friday - Jeez, I better get working on that!

Dishing out another thrifty gift.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

I first "dished" on this a bit back in July 2008, but I wanted to bring it back along with some new ideas for your thrifty holiday gift giving consideration.

This DIY dessert stand is not only easy, it's well under $5 US if you play your thrifty cards right.

Get yourself a good epoxy glue. I use Goop, and I have to say it lives up to its promise of being pretty amazing. It's available at most crafty stores (I purchased it at Michael's for a few dollars) but I've also seen it at my local hardware store.

The "bases" are glass candlesticks I find at yard sales, thrift shops, rummage sales, etc. I've never paid more than $1 US for a pair (OK, once I think I paid $2 a pair and was kicking myself over the expense later), and you can often find mismatched singles for much less.

Just make sure the top "lip" is flat, since that's where you'll be affixing it to the dish.

It seems every yard or tag sale in my area has fancy dishes. And when I spy one in decent shape for a good price, I rarely pass it up.

Wash everything in warm soapy water and let them dry thoroughly before you begin. I just run the glass candlesticks through the dishwasher.

Following the instructions on the epoxy you're working with, affix the candlesticks to the underside of the plate and wipe away any excess with a damp towel.

Let them set upside-down for 24 hours, and voila...a bevvy of dessert stands!

The final product is totally hand washable but should not be immersed in water.

If you really want to go nuts, you can bake treats to gift with your plate. Here's my favorite brownies (under the watchful eyes of my four grandparents):

I've been finding a lot a lot glass domes that have been separated from their cheeseboard companions. When they're $2 or less, I pick them up to make the stands even fancier. The total cost for all of the supplies in this one below was $4.49:

Dishes without stands can be gussied up to make nice gifts, too. Here's a three for $4 set I bought at a local yard sale:

I always save packaging and gift boxes that I receive (much to my closet's chagrin), and found the perfect "nest" for one of the plates. I added a silver knife ($1) that I polished up and a vintage postcard ($2) that had a remarkably similar pattern to the dish!

You could look for vintage holiday-themed postcards, or find an electronic image of one you like and print it on card stock. And again, you can pair this with homemade goodies or cheese and crackers for a complete holiday hostess gift.

Yesterday: Tie one on -- wine carriers from men's ties.

Tomorrow: Baking up a thrifty gift.

Looking for more thrifty inspiration? Head over to Bloggeritaville.

Tie one on this holiday!

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Can you believe it's November? I certainly can't. It's only a matter of time before plummeting temperatures (although it was 70 DEGREES in New York today!), crowded malls and shopping-'til-you-drop-'cause-you're-overheated-and-wrapped-in-a-down-coat combines to create the most unwonderful time of the year.

Well don't I sound like the Grinch today.

Don't get me wrong; I love the holidays, and my live Christmas tree and my cookie party and spending time with my family and friends. But despite being a Jersey Girl I'm not a fan of the mall. (Don't tell; they may kick me out of the state.) Especially when they are filled with overzealous shoppers and enough tinsel to stretch from the shore house to China and back again. I like to shop at my local haunts, support local artisans, and make my own gifts.

And speaking of making my own gifts...

Starting today, Violet Posy is hosting a week-long celebration of all things thrifty, so be sure to stop by her place throughout the week, and maybe even contribute a thrifty goody of your own to the idea pool.

I'm planning a post every day this week (oh yes I am!) featuring a different thrifty project. And every single one will be below $10 US to make, but may require a little elbow grease and imagination on your part.

Let's start by tying one on...

Remember when I bought a bunch of ties at the Monmouth County SPCA Cats and Dogs Thrift Shop for 50 cents each?

Now look at them:

This thrifty pouch is also the perfect (and environmentally friendly!) way to wrap a bottle of wine or sparkling cider (which would certainly keep it under $10 total). We have a lot of BYOB restaurants near us, so these will come in handy for toting vino to our favorite haunts.

While I didn't have much of a "plan," I took photos of the second one I made which went quite a bit smoother than my first attempt. So here goes...

Measure out three of your four ties, about 10" up from where the point at the bottom starts:

You can use the bottle you plan on wrapping as your guide. Also try and find at least two wider ties so your bag won't be a super tight fit. Cut and pin them together, with one full tie on the end:

Top stitch them together...

..but leave about one inch unsewn on the tie that is next to the full length tie:

Roll the top (hence the one inch above that you didn't sew)...

...and flip the "handle" around to the tie that will be on the opposite side of "full tie." Now you can run a top stitch across the top, and when you get to the handle be sure to back stitch to reinforce:

Now it's time to bring the bottom points together. As with the side panels, you just sort of pin together on the outside...

...and top stitch:

Voila! I added a button as a tie tack to anchor the flap. You could also top stitch that whole tie flap, which I think I'll do with the next one to both anchor the flap and reinforce the handle a bit more.

Tomorrow: Recycling (in more ways than one) my favorite thrifty gift idea.

A roadside diner day.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:48:00 +0000

And not just any roadside diner, the Roadside Diner. I spied this place on my way to the apple orchards a few weeks back, so we decided to have a lunch date there today. In order to live in New Jersey, I believe the love of the diner is a prerequisite before residency status is officially granted. And how could you not love a place that looks like this?

It only gets better and better on the inside:

Mike ordered the special of the day, fried pork chops with split pea soup, mashed potatoes and veggies. “Are they real mashed potatoes?” he asked, before committing. Waitress, without missing a beat, “Is this a real diner?” Touché. And hello, all that food for $7.95? I felt like we had time traveled to a place where the blue plate special still hangs off the plate…

…and the people are actually nice:

When we got home I did a little investigating. Turns out The Roadside Diner was delivered to the lot it sits in (at the intersection of Routes 34 and 33 in Wall, NJ) in the 1940s by the Silk City Diner Company. According to Wikipedia, “the diner (was) used for filming of a scene for the 1983 movie Baby It's You and also appears on the cover of the 1994 Bon Jovi album Cross Road: 14 Classic Grooves. In 2008, it is featured in the music video for ‘Girls in Their Summer Clothes’ by Bruce Springsteen.”

Well you just don’t get more Jersey than Bruce and Bon Jovi. Clearly The Roadside has “made it.”

Maybe it was the ~~slight hangover~~ crisp fall air that made my fries and grilled Swiss on rye taste that much better. Or maybe it was the door that slid open to reveal a slice of Americana that made me want to indulge in the ultimate diner comfort meal.

Whatever the case, I’ll be back. And I’m taking on the pancakes next time.

The Roadside Diner

Wall Township, NJ

Routes 33 and 34 (The Collingswood Traffic Circle)

Phone 732-919-1199

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post...I didn't think there would be much of a "cross-over audience" but I'm pleasantly surprised that there are other Yankees' fans hanging their hats here. What a week!

Oh happy day!

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:26:00 +0000

Thhhhheeeeee Yankees Win! Photo: NY Times

I'll be back to my regularly scheduled programming tomorrow (now that my nights are free!).

Boo!

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:56:00 +0000

Well it's just past 7:30 p.m. here on Halloween and nary a trick-or-treater in sight! We got a handful earlier but the circling cop cars lead me to believe that the holiday was not being supported by the local authorities this year. The worst part is the large bowl filled with chocolate within reach of me right now. Last year we had tons of kids come by, so I bought accordingly. Great. I think I feel my butt growing already.

I thought I'd show you what I did with all of the decorations I found in the trash during the summer.

I stuck the legs in my mailbox, and the ravens are perched on a branch I dragged home while on a walk with the dog last weekend.

I did buy a pumpkin, and used two of the buttons I bought in Brussels as eyes.

That way, tomorrow I can take the buttons off and the pumpkin will be able to hang out on the porch through Thanksgiving.

I did buy this flag, but for $8.95 including shipping (eBay) I think it was a great purchase.

This little guy was in my box of ~~trash~~ treasures, and he's perfectly at home climbing the flagpole.

And let me tell you, a little cheesecloth goes a long way! I bought four packages at the supermarket and cut and shredded it over almost everything in sight. It was a cheap and easy way to make a splash. And a home for Mr. Spider.

The nighttime photos don't do my "project" justice. The house is rigged up with blacklights and strobes and tombstones that "talk" when you walk past them. I'm pretty happy with how it came out. Here's a couple of shots...

Mr. Ghost is a damask yard sale tablecloth ($3). I always snatch those up. You can use them for everything from the intended use to craft projects (pillow backers or tote bag liners) and Halloween decorations! Plus they are totally wash and wear -- a little Oxi Clean and they look like a million bucks. Or at least more than the three or four dollars I pay for them.

He also got a pair of eyes, compliments of my Brussels button collection.

Inside the house I put together a few little vignettes with more cheap and found stuff. This curly branch came off the tree in our backyard. I have no idea what kind of tree it is (curly and thorny branches) but I love using the branches in flower arrangements and here I thought it looked holiday-appropriate all by its lonesome. The black candles are from the Dollar Store.

My great-grandma's cut crystal bowls glow thanks to these battery-operated tea lights, two for $1.19 (half off last weekend at JoAnn's).

In the photos you can see the tea lights, but in "real life" you don't see them at all; just their soft, flickering orange glow.

A vintage trick-or-treat bag turned art:

And a little pumpkin from the farmer's market (50 cents) rounds out the little scene.

I hope you're enjoying a safe and happy Halloween. And that you're not stuck staring at a bowl of chocolate like I am!

Southern living, New Jersey-style.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

When I read that Cottage Living magazine's former editor-in-chief Eleanor Griffin landed at Southern Living magazine, I had to give it a try. And the airport terminal prior to an eight hour flight seemed like just the right place to make that happen.

“We’ve listened to thousands of our readers and we know that the Southern woman is changing,” Griffin offers. “She is busier than ever and wants to cultivate her own Southern style in a new, modern way.”

Well I am busier than ever but in fairness the furthest south I've ever lived is exit 102 on the Garden State Parkway. And that's not exactly near the Mason-Dixon Line so I wasn't sure I was the right demographic.

The cover is sort of what I would expect:

And I mean no disrespect; it's the requisite happy pumpkins and autumn tones and floral arrangements of an October magazine targeting the ladies. But when I opened it up, I think I was briefly reacquainted with the Cottage Living magazine I loved (and still miss. Moment of magazine silence...). Cottages and bungalows and New Orleans, oh my! Be still my Yankee heart.

I learned how to root my rose bush clippings, and may actually give it a shot this weekend. And caramel pecan pumpkin bread pudding? You had me at caramel, and kept me at pecan, and pumpkin, and bread, and pudding.

But my favorite was George's bungalow on a budget:

Maybe it's because I can relate to him. George's collection:

And Laura's:

What can I say. The man has good taste. (And I should have bought those little Eiffel Towers on the street in Paris. D'oh!)

A lot of the magazines I (and all of us) read are no more so I'm excited to become acquainted with a new-to-me magazine that may fill part of the void on my coffee table.

Maybe I'll even start to say, "y'all."*

* I think I already do. Go figure!

I need to catch-up...

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:18:00 +0000

...which reminds me of "ketchup." Which reminds me of fries. Which reminds me of Belgium.

So where was I...right...I left you with a piss boy teaser in my last post from a lifetime (in blog time, anyway) ago. Sorry about that...I've been burning the candle at both ends, burning the midnight oil, etc. (insert your favorite burning idiom here).

Anyhoo...

Manneken Pis, or more colloquially (and crassly) The Piss Boy, is a huge part of Brussels. Ironic, really, because…(pun alert) he’s rather wee. There are many stories as to who this Manneken Pis was – the stories run the gamut from it being the infant Duke Godfrey III of Leuven to being a young child who helped stop the king’s castle from burning down by using his, er, hose? Yikes. Having seen the sense of humor of the locals I’m going to say it’s all likely rubbish and the legends will remain larger than the little statue propped high up on a street corner.

One thing is for sure, the tourists love Manneken Pis. Just look at all of us:

And he’s everywhere. Shelves at all the tchotchke shops are lined with him:

Even my chocolate bar (that, incidentally, I bought to make Marylin’s scones) has his likeness on it:

And quite frankly, that’s a little gross.

Just a bit up the street from our young urinating friend lies another famous statue, that of Everard 't Serclaes whose own claim to fame is his taking of the city back from the Flemish.

The legend is that he brings luck to all who touch him. Some can be found going in for a quick swipe, hoping not to be caught:

While others sort of man-handle the poor guy:

I don’t know what the redhead above was wishing for but judging by the zest with which she groped him, she is now engaged and/or pregnant and/or rich.

Turning the corner from Mr. Serclaes was one of the most beautiful town squares I have ever seen, The Grote Markt (Grand Place). And, wow, is it grand. In my humble opinion it’s worth the hour train ride from Paris alone...

That was one sweet trip. And I do mean sweet:

Get thee to Brussels! But if you’re American you may want to wait until the dollar is worth more than a ball of lint. Just sayin’.

More Brussels? Visit my most excellent travel companion Jean. Bonus: See me out cold and practically drooling on the train ride from Paris.

Boy am I tired.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Everard 't Serclaes, Brussels, October 2009

After a whirlwind trip to Paris and Brussels the harsh reality of the real world smacked me square in the face yesterday within minutes of arriving to my office. That, after a nine hour flight seated next to an asthmatic dog. I wish I were kidding, but I've got the video to prove it. But enough about bad work days and worse flights...let's go to the Brussels flea market!

Minutes from the Brussels train station (which is only slightly over an hour from Paris...incredible, really) is the Place Jeu de Balle flea market.

"The Place du Jeu de Balle or Vossenplein is located in the heart of the Marolles, the Brussels working-class district par excellence. This square was also known as the 'Vieux Marché' (old market). ... You will meet antique lovers, strollers, occasional visitors. ... You should definitely make a stop at an outdoor café with a delicious beer and enjoy the live music, especially during the summer."

It's also apparently known for its whack array of product, mostly all of which is buried in boxes or strewn across blankets. And by "whack" I mean:

Yup; weird (which is not to say that the sassy blond with the dirty doll didn't totally become my Facebook profile photo faster than you could say, "Passez le bier!").

And EXPENSIVE. The harsh reality of the failing dollar was omnipresent during this trip. Yikes.

But there was no way I was going to a flea in Belgium and coming back empty handed. I scavenged a few buttons buried in boxes of sewing supplies:

They are quite large (at least 2" each) and lovely, but at about 90 cents U.S. each (EACH!) they are going to have to go on some very special bags or pillows. That glass domed tortoise shell one is yummy, though.

I also picked up a pair of Napoleon dishes (you know where those are headed) for 5 Euro each (about $7.35 each) which is so totally out of my normal thrifty price range.

But they are way cuter than an "I went all the way to Brussels and all I got was this rotten tee-shirt...and a fistful of buttons" shirt (or whatever the equivalent is). And I just looked up the markings...

...and found one of the plates listed on eBay for $34.95 (and saw similar versions later on at a Paris flea for much more). So now I feel a little better.

Tomorrow: The piss boy and the fondled statue. Now if that doesn't make you come back for more, I don't know what will.

"Knock, Knock."

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:04:00 +0000

Le Grand Door Knocker, Notre Dame, Paris. October 8, 2009.

"Who's there?"

"Laura and Jean."

"Laura and Jean who?

"Laura and Jean who are in Paris!"

Keep the blog fires burning, and I'll see (and visit with you) real soon!

Visiting the Visiting Nurses. And buying stuff.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Susan and I did it: We conquered the 75,000 square-foot madness that is the Visiting Nurses of Somerset Hills Rummage Sale. Described as, "a bargain hunter's paradise" and "New Jersey's largest rummage sale," we found ourselves describing it as "exhausting," "overwhelming," and "wow...WOW!"

The VNAers are super organized, super friendly, and each genre of "item" has its own (ginormous) tent, most with long stretching lines of people champing at the bit to get in. One problem we found is that unless you've been there before the tent labeling system wasn't always intuitive. Like, lamp shades are in the "Electronics" tent, because lamps get plugged in (I thought the tent only had beat-up toaster ovens and microwaves). And "Vintage" has its own tent, but I found vintage Fenton milk glass in "Housewares." And later on, more vintage Fenton in "Bon Ton" (Susan and I are still trying to figure out why the "Bon Ton"...'cause I personally wouldn't consider a 1970s needlepointed Napoleon high class). And so on, and so on. You sort of need a PhD in Thriftology.

As mentioned I did score a large and lovely Fenton hobnail milk glass vase, with an equally nice price:

I did have to climb on a table and really, really s-t-r-e-t-c-h to reach it, possibly whilst exposing my butt crack ever-so-slightly in the process, but it was worth it. I got some jealous glances, particularly from the less limber of the bunch.

And I passed on these pilsner glasses, but had to snap a photo. They were in absolutely flawless condition, and I really hope they found a good home. Just look at those golden crowns:

Now that I sew I look at bedding and table linens in a whole new light. This floral tablecloth will make a couple of great beach bags, or outdoor pillows since the fabric is basically permanent press wash and wear:

I think my favorite find of the day was this twin sized chenille bedspread for $8:

I almost feel bad about cutting it up (for baby quilt and pillow backers).

And in the "Holiday" tent, I scooped up six mid-century Santa mugs ($20 total). Each is different, and a few are marked "Japan" which adds a tiny bit of a collectibility factor to them. Do I collect them? Well, I do now. Plus who doesn't want Santa winking at them?

I passed on this chair, but for $6 and some elbow grease, a bright coat of paint and a fabulous fabric seat cover this could be a fun piece.

Susan is a big book person, so the "Books" tent was like her Mecca. I found one little cookbook ($3), and just couldn't pass up the cover...

...or the amazing old school Italian recipes!

I just can't believe authentic Italian cuisine like this was available to American housewives in 1948 and they still ate vegetables out of a can! I can't wait to make the San Giuseppe pastries, and an epplant parm recipe I spied as well.

So -- will we go back next year? Hard to say. I mean, it's a good cause which we were happy about (Susan told her husband we were going to a "benefit." Good one, right? "Honey, I didn't buy junk, it was a benefit!"), but at the end of the day our own neighborhoods have great tag sales and the like without the lines and thousands (yes; there were thousands) of people.

But who am I kidding. I'll be on Susan's doorstep at dawn next time around.

Perfect together.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:20:00 +0000

While doing a little “walk through” at the shorehouse, it occurred to me that the ship painting I bought at the Ocean Grove Flea Market way back in May 2008…

…and the frame I found in the trash this past February…

...are a love connection!

I’m not sure if they will remain “an item,” but I think they look happy together. I picked up that cute little “Rooms for Let” sign last weekend for $3 at one of my favorite antique stores in Point Pleasant, NJ.

And speaking of things found in the trash, this weekend I’ve started to sort through my bins of Halloween goodies to try and develop a POA (Plan of Attack) for the outdoor display. I’ve got a lot of materials to work with this year, thanks to a massive trash haul this summer.

My neighbors down the road were moving out of state and had a “contents of home” sale. She made a comment about if it doesn’t fit in the POD, it’s not coming with us. When I saw the Rubbermaid container filled with their outdoor Halloween décor (marked $10) I had a feeling it wouldn’t sell and I decided to wait it out.

I was rewarded. Under the cloak of darkness I picked the entire container out of their trash.

It was filled with all sorts of goodies – I even found extension cords and bags of seashells at the bottom of the bin.

I’m trying to figure out what to do with the ghouls and goblins and tombstones. It’s a bit too early to set up the outdoor display, but I’m already jockeying to be the best (haunted) house on the block.

Rockin'.

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Our lovely neighbor across the street is moving. She assured me it had nothing to do with us. (We seem to be losing neighbors like leaves off an autumn tree! I'm starting to get a complex...)

The one and only good thing about her moving was the sale of her house's contents. In addition to scoring a shelving unit for our basement and a much-needed dehumidifier, I bought this purple velvet rocking chair for $100:

I didn't buy it right away, but after seeing this Victorian glider at a local auction earlier this month...

...and falling for it but not for the $275 it sold for, I had vintage purple velvet rockers on the brain. So when the neighbor's rocker didn't sell the first weekend of her sale, I went back in the second.

The woodwork is in great shape, and has lovely detail:

And while at first I wasn't 100 percent sure where I'd put it (oops), after some shifting around it found a perfect home in our almost-completed master bedroom next to the dresser that is still one of my favorite thrifts:

This makes the MBR almost ready for prime time. The one "situation" that still needs to be addressed is the closet doors:

When we moved in the room was what I would describe as Very Dusty Rose, and the metallic lilac-washed (!) closet doors with lavender (!!) curtain panels seemed right at home in the pink palace. Mike's first reaction was to rip the doors off the hinges. But they are old and charming (I could insert "just like him" here but I will resist the temptation. Oops! It slipped out...). Just look at the doorknobs:

The people we bought the house from salvaged the doors and the knobs (separately) and built the closet around them.

I started my long-awaited door improvement project this past weekend by sewing new panels out of inexpensive white faux linen, which definitely softens them a bit:

Now, do I paint the doors white? That was my original intention, but with all the dark woodwork I fear they will stand out like a bad set of over-bleached choppers on a Hollywood starlet.

Any ideas? Stripping the doors is really not an option, I don't think. With all of the layers of paint on them it could take me into 2013 easily. As it is, scraping paint off the glass took me about six (wo)man hours.

Bay Head Bargains

shorehousechic@gmail.com (Laura @ the shorehouse.) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:45:00 +0000

This weekend I went on the Kitchens by the Sea house tour in the upscale seaside community of Bay Head, NJ. We got to sample the food of ten local restaurants and caterers in some of the nicest kitchens my sandy toes have ever stepped in. I wasn't really supposed to take pictures of the homes ~~but I did~~ so here's a little bit of an idea of how nice this town is -- this is one family's backyard:

That would be the Atlantic Ocean.

Are you as jealous as I am?

Each house had tables decorated by local designers and florists, and this one was done by my friends James and Spence:

They showed these ladies who lunch that a festive table can be had on every(wo)man's budget. A combination of yard sales, Target, Home Goods, the hardware store (for a painter's dropcloth to drape over the table, and plumbing parts used as napkin rings) and a floral arrangement supplemented with flowers picked from the home owner's backyard kept the entire tablescape at under $200.

Speaking of budget...Anyone who's familiar with the area knows that "Bay Head" and "bargains" really never appear in the same sentence together. But I stumbled onto a church bazaar while we were in the town, and the rest is thrifting history.

And guess what? Even though I was late to the party, I arrived ten minutes before the "stuff-everything-in-a-bag" for $3 started. And you know how much I love that. (Click here, and here, and here for some of my earlier stuff-it-in-a-bag conquests.)

Game on.

Unfortunately, the salt air must work wonders because the Jersey Shore elderly are limber and quickly beat me to a lot of quality ~~crap~~ stuff while I was deciding if I wanted to play the game.

I didn't fill my bag (!) but I did get some interesting things:

The scarf is one of two, but the other found a home immediately on my friend Karen's neck. One of the church ladies knitted them for the sale, and I'm just sad I didn't scoop them all up! (See aforementioned limber elderly.) They would have been great little holiday gifts.

The black striped fabric is three perfect yards of thick cotton, and the blue and white ticking (hard to see) is two, half-yard pieces.

This sweet little easel will be a great perch for vintage postcards, or a slate announcing the evening's meal (which may just be "Pizza from Asbury Pie" but at least it will look classy):

And this set of six silverplated footed bowls really rock my socks...

...especially since I scored a new Cuisinart Ice Cream maker for $10 at Trinity Church in Asbury Park the week prior. I think I smell an autumn ice cream social!

The large vase was grabbed as I headed for the door:

I figured Spence could help me do something fabulous with it! (No pressure, Spence...)