for my mom on Mother's Day...

a lovely little vintage locket...
love you mom!

from here...

a refinishing quick fix...

So I have this great coffee table my mom refinished years ago. It is probably one of the most used pieces of furniture in my apartment. The apartment is a bit on the small side... and since there is no room for a kitchen table, the coffee table serves that purpose. Also, I no longer have a desk... again, small apartment... and so I use it for homework and crafting as well. It is a very well used and loved coffee table and so the finish on the table top has definitely seen better days. It was looking quite dry and had... cringe... water rings. 

I was planning on completely refinishing the top, but my hubby came home one day with Restor-A-Finish. I was so surprised at the result. The water rings were gone and the wood was restored to its former beauty. The process did not require any stripping or sanding... I just had to rub it on and then wipe it dry. Simple!

Howard Products

I still think the coffee table could use a proper refinishing due to it being used so frequently... some of the dry areas have returned. But this was a perfect quick fix until summer rolls around. I think this Restor-A-Finish is ideal for restoring lightly used furniture, blending out scratches or water rings, or simply bringing the life back to a faded finish.

before...                                                                        after...

before...                                                                        after...

I hate this week...

weheartit

The week is finally over... thank goodness!  What a busy week... a Spanish exam on Monday, advanced Inorganic chemistry exam on Wednesday, biochemistry exam on Friday, taught 4 chemistry labs, went to classes, and had a research presentation on Thursday.  

hello weekend... I have missed you...

the market is open...

I am very happy to announce that the crochet café market is now open... the crochet café market

I have listed 3 sets of corked tile coasters (in custard, white, and rust). The coasters are made of porcelain tile and are fully backed with thick cork. I stain the cork in the shade of your choosing (honey, hazelnut, amaretto, or coffee bean). I love cork, so it only seemed right for it to have as much focus as the tile. I made some for around the apartment... my hubby loves them and I do as well. Nice, durable coasters...

I plan to list crochet works as well... some bracelets and scarves... but they are not quite ready yet.

Have a look around the market... you may see something you love!

green thumb...

I am in the mood for spring... here is a little bit of springtime for my apartment...

I finally had a chance to plant my ponytail palm in this terrarium. Looking back, it sure is crazy how time can get away from me. I have had the palm for almost a year now and the fishbowl for about two years... boy was the fishbowl dusty! I got a super deal on the fishbowl at TJ Maxx... so if you are ever in the market for nice, affordable glassware... that is the first place I check...

Terrariums can be closed or open systems. In a closed container, most of the water lost through transpiration and evaporation remains inside, creating a humid environment. This type of terrarium requires the least amount of care... with infrequent waterings you can pretty much just plant and enjoy. In an open container like my fishbowl, more frequent watering is necessary, but less so compared to a completely open planter. I like the open fishbowl for grass-like plants like the ponytail palm since there is more room for growth. For this terrarium, I layered (in order from bottom to top) peat moss, sand, activated carbon, rocks and gravel, more activated carbon, and potting soil.  The activated carbon reduces odors and the rocks and gravel are for drainage to prevent overwatering.

I love how apartment friendly terrariums are... they take up such little space and require so little care. So lovely...