I am enamored with my clawfoot tub, which is original to our restored 1911 Craftsman bungalow. It’s is a deep wellspring of contentment. I love soaking, with a glass of red vino, on a chilly winter day. And since I’m sharing, I prefer the water extra hot with an ample sprinkling of … [Read more...]
The Silence of the Lambs Basement of Old Junque
May 18, 2010 By ·
I get a huge kick out of amassing great quantities of old junk. Not just junk really, but “junque.” That’s French and that makes it valuable. I kid, sorta. … [Read more...]
How Little Bug Bodies Give Trim that Warm Historic Look
May 18, 2010 By ·
My favorite old house finish is made from the scraped bits of bug secretions. And when first harvested, the finish is a tempting amalgam of scraped bark, bug appendages, and sticky-lac resin. The female lac bug is the one responsible for this resin and she lives in the trees of India and … [Read more...]
Edible Underwear to Platinum Rings
May 16, 2010 By ·
I've seen it all: crack baggies hidden behind historic Craftsman trim, edible underwear in the attic (No lie and it was still in its original packaging!), houses crawling with German roaches, toilets that dump their nasty contents into the dirt crawlspace, and foyers with giant gaping holes in the … [Read more...]
