Choices for furniture finishes

Recently Ellen asked about 'finishing" furniture and green choices. This area of furniture is definitely "emerging green". By that I mean that there are no hard and fast "green" answers. More research and development has to be done.

Some small furniture makers use an oil/wax emollient. The down side of this is that the wood is not really protected from moisture (glass rings) and not hard enough that hot sunlight doesn't soften the finish. Eliminating poly-urethanes and nitrocellulose lacquers as non-"green" leaves you with pre catalyzed lacquers and varnishes and the water based lacquers.

The general "Green" think out there prefers the water based lacquers (due to low VOC with little off gassing) but they have some inherent problems that need to be addressed before they are universally accepted. They dry very hard quickly and are tough but they can scratch and if that happens they cannot be touched up but need to be stripped off with nasty chemicals and the finish re applied. They tend to "blush" (a pinky/purple color) on certain types of wood and with cooler or moister weather/shop conditions. Also they are thinner and can run easier on vertical surfaces causing "sags" in the finish.

The pre catalyzed varnishes and lacquers have low VOC with some temporary off gassing. They can be tough but if a scratch happens they can be fixed because the touch up will meld into the original layers of finish. They don't have the "blushing" problem. These are frequently the choice of many professionals.

Holly Barbo

Barbo Furniture

Bellingham, WA 

www.barbofurniture.com

Will we see new trends in real estate?

Over a decade ago people thought that the new trend in real estate would be baby boomers, who were close to retirement, would downsize and build smaller but high quality homes. As I look back over the last decade it seems as though the actual trend was to the contrary and that baby boomers were actually building bigger homes – retiring or not. The term "Mc Mansion" was commonly heard. During the last decade baby boomers were also using the equity of their highly appreciated primary residence and buying second homes.

Today we have a different picture. The current economic environment has impacted not just one element of our lives, but several. The most notable being higher gas prices and a significant drop in both our monetary investments as well as our real estate. I believe the severity of the current economic conditions will result in new trends in the way we live. In the same breath, I also believe that since the definition of "home" is different for every person, all styles of homes will continue to be necessary in order to meet everyone's needs.

With that said, I believe the following trends are very probable:

1. Retiring baby boomers will downsize and in the process will determine what aspects of a home are truly important to them. I.e. An office for two people and master bedrooms on the main floor.

2. With the very high cost of long-term care facilities, I won't be surprised if we see more parents moving in with children and, therefore, see more homes and condominiums being built with two master suites.

3. Retirees may own two homes, but both homes will be on a smaller scale.

4. Condominiums in urban areas will be in demand not just for the younger generation, but also for retirees. Many retirees are very busy and they are more interested in volunteering, traveling, etc. and less interested in taking care of a lawn and garden.

5. The demand for "green" building will slowly increase as the cost/benefit gap improves.

6. Urban areas will be in more demand as all generations will seek the convenience and efficiency of urban neighborhoods.

7. City parks within the urban neighborhoods will be important for all generations especially for families with children.

The good news about real estate is that we all need a place to live and we are fortunate to have the freedom to choose a home that meets our individual priorities.

Lin J. Nelson

STERLING REAL ESTATE GROUP
2620 N. Harbor Loop, Suite 17
Bellingham, WA 98225

360-961-0408
lin.sterling@comcast.net

Not All Fruit Juices Are Created Equal

Soda or fruit juice?  Most of us know we should reach for the fruit juice but which one?  Turns out not all of them are created equal.

Health magazine reports that a UCLA study has ranked the top 10 fruit juices based on their levels of disease-fighting antioxidants.

1. Pomegranate juice
2. Red wine
3. Concord grape juice
4. Blueberry juice
5. Black cherry juice
6. Açaí juice
7. Cranberry juice
8. Orange juice
9. Tea
10. Apple juice

So when the urge hits to grab a soda, turn to one of these juices instead.  You'll be more satisfied and give your body something good for it.  Of course, no single food is the answer to health.  Be sure to watch the natural sugars in these juices and don't skimp on water. 

Evelyn Turner, owner

The Easy Entrée

 

www.TheEasyEntree.com

 

Listing in a Home Improvement Guide

Hi Annette
If Allstate Insurance is interested in listing in the Home Improvement Resource Guide you will be in good company as many other businesses see the value of listing in a co-op publication which gives your business much more exposure than providing information on your own. Listing in this guide automatically puts Allstate on a website where you will find all kinds of businesses available to help people live in a more comfortable and efficient way. There are also tips available online so people can discover why improving one's home is a great way to invest your money while enjoying the investment by living in it. We are here to show your business in the best light possible. Free distribution though out the North Puget Sound area guarantees that homeowners will pick it up by their own choice and may subscribe if interested. We appreciate your interest in this product and welcome your comments.
Ellen Clark, listings director

Specialty Salts

That blue box of Morton salt in your cupboard may be getting some company.  Specialty salts are all the buzz.

Kosher salt is the most commonly known, additive-free and coarse-grained with a flaky texture that melts more easily and is less dense than table salt. 

Hawaiian salt has a natural red clay mineral rich in iron oxide to give the salt added beneficial trace elements.  The iron oxide gives Hawaiian salt its distinctive pink color. 

Smoked salt has been smoked with specialty woods such as alder.  Lower grade salts just have artificially smoked flavoring added.  Use on meats, fish, or vegetables. 

Experiment with different specialty salts.  They'll add interest to your meals and provide a great conversation starter at your next dinner party. 

 

All my best,

 

Evelyn Turner, owner

The Easy Entrée

www.TheEasyEntree.com

 

The sustainability of wood

I love the feel and look of wood. Considering all the aspects of sustainability, what is the best wood to choose in the northwest and how is the best way to have it finished.

Ellen Clark

360-927-6743

http://www.homeimprovementmag.com/

Loannetter on Cara Community Financial BLOG

OBAMA Rescue Plan Thread: I recently shared my observations on the state of mortgage brokering with Bill Cara, a top commentator on the global banking and financial system. My letter was published today on his site sparking a discussion among this circle.

http://caracommunity.com/content/president-speaks-well-he-listening 

Members of this community may find this blog relevant to your own investment perspective. I have been following Cara, a noted Canadian trader, now based in the Bahamas, for about a year. He wrote a book titled Lessons from the Trader Wizard as a guide to trading in equity markets. Enjoy his generous perspective! Thanks for supporting your local mortgage broker. Loannetter  http://www.loannetter.com

 

 

 

Facebook backs down on selling user information

Over the past few days many friends and business associates have asked me about the current controversy surrounding Facebook's changes to it's privacy policy that gave Facebook a popular social networking site with 175 million users perpetual ownership of user information presumably to be used as a profit making gold mine of data to be sold to marketers now and in the future.

 

Facebook users and consumer groups revolted in a powerful and effective way. Today, Wednesday February 18 in the heat of intense consumer pressure Facebook made an about face and has agreed to change it's intended policy to sell user information. Here are two very good links that will explain the issue. Read the top link first.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/technology/internet/17facebook.html?em

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/technology/internet/19facebook.html?_r=1

 

John Sedgwick

Vantage21st

Internet Marketing - Online Video Marketing
Great Websites by Design

 

http://www.vantage21st.com

john@vantage21st.com

Where is "away"?

We all throw stuff away. But I would like to ask you: Where is "away"? Most of us don't think about it at all. We throw it in the trash and the garbage man picks it up . Believe me it is not an alternate dimensional universe like in the comic books I read as a child. "Away" is a land fill. What goes in a landfill just decomposes. A portion of it leaches into our ground water and off-gasses into our air. This is becoming quite an issue.
Part of the problem is our buying habits. When we impulse buy we often purchase without looking for quality. It is "cute" and the price is good, or better yet, it is on SALE! So we get it. We don't ask questions or examine the piece for flaws and weaknesses. Then when it doesn't hold up, or it doesn't fit right or it shrinks we throw it away. We do it with everything from clothing to furniture. In the United States, roughly 3 million, 3 hundred thousand sofas end up in a land fill every year. That doesn't count the cabinets, chairs and other stuff that are decomposing right along side! Experts are now saying that our buying practices must and will change. We need to buy the best durable goods that we can afford, that will become classics and be with us over the years. It is a more economical practice and better for our environment.

Holly Barbo
Barbo Furniture
Bellingham, WA
www.barbofurniture.com

The scent of home

A light and pleasing scent can go a long way in affecting mood in your home. It helps put people at ease and makes your home more comfortable and inviting. The smell of fresh baked cookies can help sell a home as it increases the comfort level and stirs fond memories. A clean home is the base point but people go many directions beyond that. Plug-ins, incense, scented candles and diffusers are the most common. I prefer to keep the scent light and not use energy doing it. So I eliminate the first two. Since I like natural things I am picky with the last two.

Many candles are petroleum/paraffin based and actually increase the pollutants inside your home. I recommend 100% beeswax candles. They drip less and burn slower because the wax melts at a higher temperature than other candles. But they also give off negative ions as they burn which bond with the pollutants in the air, making them heavy so they actually clean the air in your home. They smell great also!

If diffusers are your preference then make sure you get those which have pure ingredients. There are many out on the market which have preservatives to prolong the shelf life. Those diffusers can give you or your guests headaches. That isn't very welcoming. Again choose a light scent as many people can react adversely to a stronger scent.
Enjoy your scent quest. It will enhance your home and possibly the relationships therein.

Holly Barbo
Barbo Furniture
Bellingham, WA
www.barbofurniture.com

Adding 3 Foods to Boost Your Health

Adding these 3 foods to your diet is an easy way to boost the health of you and your family, according to Dr. Jonny Bowden of MensHealth. Ladies, keep reading. They're good for you, too.

Cabbage. Grab a head of cabbage instead of lettuce. We've known for a long time that cruciferous vegetables offer powerful nutrients that boost your cancer-fighting enzymes with very few calories. Put cabbage on your burger or sandwich as a crunchy alternative to that bland iceberg lettuce. .

Tomatoes. Vindicated in the recent food safety outbreak, tomatoes can take their rightful place at the top of your healthy food grocery list. They also have been found to help avoid sunburn and wrinkles. A study at the University of Manchester found that people were a third more protected against sunlight and had positive effects on their skin appearance. The antioxidant, lycopene, is thought to protect against the effect of free radicals on the skin and DNA.

Cinnamon. One of my favorite spices so I'm happy to hear it's so good for us. The main benefit is in controlling blood sugar. The USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon each day for 6 weeks significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Sprinkle it liberally on your lattes or oatmeal.

Evelyn Turner, owner

The Easy Entree

http://www.TheEasyEntree.com

Umami - The Fifth Taste

 We can all identify sweet, sour, salty, and bitter tastes without much trouble.  Mention lemons or caramels and you immediately know which is which.

What we’re learning now is that there is a fifth taste – umami.  A chemistry professor in Tokyo first discovered that our taste buds are capable of discerning umami.  Loosely translated, it means ‘delicious essence’ and can be identified as a savory or meaty taste.  Think aged cheese, mushrooms, prosciutto, soy sauce, and vine-ripened tomatoes.

Evelyn Turner, entrepreneur

The Easy Entrée

www.TheEasyEntree.com

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Delight your family and friends with this delicious chocolate treat.

Ingredients
1 quart of strawberries
1 package of semi sweet chocolate chips

Preparation tools
1 large 8 to 10 inch diameter sauce pan*
1 large stainless steel mixing bowl*
1 box of toothpicks
2 cookie sheets
Wax Paper
*(You may use a double boiler in place of the sauce pan and mixing bowl)

Procedure

1. Wash strawberries, remove stems. To remove water, roll berries on a towel.
2. Place berries on a rack to dry. Berries must be TOTALLY dry before you dip them in chocolate. If they are wet, the chocolate will become grainy.
3. Stick a toothpick (dipping handle) into the top of each strawberry.
4. Cover cookie sheet, plate or other tray with wax paper.
5. Fill sauce pan with an inch or two of water.
6. Place the stainless steel mixing bowl on top of the sauce pan, let it settle down into the pan. The bottom of the bowl must NOT touch the water.
7. Leave one inch of clearance between the water and the bottom of the bowl.
8. Bring the water to a boil and turn the heat down so the water simmers.
9. Put the chocolate chips into the bowl.
10. When the chocolate begins to melt stir it until it is all melted.
11. Pick up each strawberry with the toothpick handle.
12. Roll strawberry in melted chocolate until the berry is covered.
13. Place chocolate covered berries on wax paper to harden.
14. To hasten hardening put berries in the refrigerator.

Posted by John Sedgwick

Be Aware of the Green Dragon

I have been to China. I have seen the acres of greenhouses, the high rises and the desperate childless couples as a solution of overpopulation. I have also seen the Buddhist temples where hugs are freely given to strangers and factories where jobs are given to children. In America we think this is abusive, maybe it is but these people work harder than anyone else on the planet and they see the green market as an opportunity to cure a problem and keep their family healthy while also becoming a respected global partner. We have been sending them our used electronics long enough to realize they may have something that we haven't considered.

With our labor unions and competitive wage structures are we losing sight of reality? Does it take an economic tidal wave to wake us up? If we propose to be the knight in shinning armor protecting our precious independence it is certainly time to think in less smog, become aware of the boiling frog, and don't wait until next year, next month or tomorrow to go green. Every decision counts.

Ellen Clark, Home Improvement

The Art of Tasting Chocolate

Who knew?!  There's an art to tasting chocolate.  We're talking about the chocolate that's designed to give you an experience rather than a quick snack.  Good chocolate is like good wine.  If you savor it with both smell and taste, you'll enjoy it even more.

So how do we determine which of the specialty chocolate companies make the best chocolate?  Well, there's only one way to find out.  Let the tasting begin!

1.  Clear your palate. 
2.  Place the chocolate in your hands and smell the aroma.
3.  Take a normal bite and let it slowly melt on your tongue.  What is the texture? Smooth or grainy?  What is the taste? Sweet or bitter?  Is there an aftertaste?
4. Clear your palate and begin again with your next piece of chocolate.

Indulge yourself and keep some individually wrapped dark chocolates handy.  It's a small piece of enjoyment that, in moderation, is good for you, too.

 

All my best,

 

Evelyn Turner

 

www.TheEasyEntree.com