U P h o l s t e r

Some time ago over the summer I signed up to dabble in a field that has always been of keen interest to me: UPHOLSTERY! I learned so much from my classes yet there is so much still to learn! Here are some images of my first project, an abandoned chair from my former apartment in Buffalo, New York.

before - a chair and a cat

maybe the most fun - stripping the chair

staples AND rusty nails to be removed-grrr

restructuring the meat of it

working on welting

nearly there...

et, voila!  the chair is complete!

Floor 12 Times: a fledgling review

Toronto is a breath of fresh air. Bri Guy and I, together with a pair of our dear friends, visited one of our favorite neighborhoods, the Distillery District this past Saturday. After coming to this city for years, we only discovered this gem of an area when we decided to collect and peruse the Frommer's Travel Guides from all the cities we intend to visit and those we have already had plenty of adventures in. It is amazing how much information is packed into those little books! On this particular tryst we squeezed into what can only be described as the most adorable and authentic looking bakery ever (apologies go out to all other bakeries that I profess to love), the Brick Street Bakery, where I ogled the cookies, breads, and pastries like I had never even heard of sweets before! Of the delightful treats that I sampled (read: ate multiple whole portions of), I will say that the lemon poppy seed cookie is my new love! Move over Brian! It is positively magical, both beautiful to behold and delicious to devour. If you ever find yourself needing a little something yummy and lemony in Toronto, Ontario, this is the place to find it!

lemon & poppy love

Floor Twelve Times : Visit

one half of Pearl & Marmalade, Lee (Char) Dickerson ...

... her husband the chef, James Moore

Weekend with the Dickerson & Moore Duo. This city is a vast maze made soft and familiar with the sounds of close friends' laughter. We dined, we antiqued, we covered much ground. On foot through cutting, icy gusts, and on wheels alternating between sedan and sport utility, we four had a merry time in the inspiring neighborhoods of this charming metropolis...

Floor Twelve Times

Yay! I'm in my favorite of all cities, Toronto, Ontario! The weather is mild, the people are all wearing black wool coats (thank the heavens I thought to bring mine... heh heh), there are restaurants aplenty in my immediate neighborhood! The shopping - we'll see! The hotel - evil...

This morning the fire alarm goes off while I am mid shampoo in the blasted shower (and I can BARELY hear it, I'm actually thinking it is the alarm clock). When I had to force myself from the bathroom after standing there dripping wet, screaming "really?!" I knew I was in for some classic, dom-style mayhem to ensue, and sure enough... I threw on a hat, sopping wet hair partially covered, it took me just about forever to pick a pair of jeans, then to determine that I could survive without wearing socks inside of my shoes, and then to decide to throw on a jacket instead of just a sweater. Next, I stared out the window for a few before deciding that I really should leave the room and find the rest of the hotel guests and right about then I panicked (!) and realized that the building could actually be on fire - or something!! So naturally I went about finding my room key, grabbing my purse, loading it up with the essetials like my phone and chapstick (one could never feel safe without one's chapstick on hand). I thought about calling the spouse who was busy at work and asking him if he thought I should be concerned or not... At some point I made my way to the door and then I froze - should I grab more valuables? Just where are my wedding rings? Where are the keys to the monster rental car? Shouldn't I grab my camera and how about the GPS?? For serious, I probably stood there for about ten minutes until I heard something completely unintelligible coming from the hotel PA system about the stairs. Sooo... wait - can I take the stairs? Don't you always take the stairs in these emergency type scenarios? Or was that helpful staff member saying that there was a raging fire in the stairwell? Perhaps some noxious gas would be waiting for me in that steep, terrible confined space? UGH! Regardless, I went for the stairs.

Our room is on the 12th floor. I went slowly down, floor after floor (slowly because I was being cautious and sniffing for fumes or smoke). I had made it to the 3rd floor when it was announced that it was all just "a false alarm" and it was safe to return to my room. SIGH sigh grumble rumble. I took the elevator back up to my room. And you know, I never encountered another soul the entire time! Not a peep from anyone in the surrounding rooms... Not a one in the stairwell or in the halls. Maybe it was just me and my friendly emergency announcer inhabiting this space from the get go? Maybe everyone else got out of the building while I was still singing classic shower songs to my shampoo bottle microphone?!

Toronto, Ontario, CA