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New Online Craft and Vintage Shop!

New Online Craft and Vintage Shop! published on 3 Comments on New Online Craft and Vintage Shop!

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There’s a new kid in town ready to compete with Etsy. EFreeMe is a freshly launched, easy to navigate, craft and vintage shop that is totally free for sellers (except for the Paypal part). Right now they will also give you $5 if you create a store and list 20 items! Yes, THEY are paying YOU to list!

There aren’t tons of sellers on there yet. The site is brand spankin’ new.

The image above is from Atozillusions. Look at real close, like. It spells out the word “music”. How cool is that?

So, how does EFreeMe make money? No clue.

Blog Love. Some Old, Some New.

Blog Love. Some Old, Some New. published on

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As promised, welcome to part II of my Brooklyn Blogfest post. No matter how good the planned program, my favorite part of the evening is the schmoozing at the end. I get to put faces with the blogs and get to hear about new blogs-a-launching. Most of these are food blogs, as my break-out session was “food, crafts and home”.

So, I met….

Paula from Undomesticated Me. I believe we bonded (She friended me on FB!). Like me, Paula can’t cook, clean or entertain. But unlike me, she is learning. And that’s what the blog is all about. It’s witty, charming and she uses some cool 1950’s imagery. What’s not to like?

So Good TV is another established blog. Heather and her husband are professional filmmakers and do cooking videos on the blog. There are recipes and such, but I couldn’t find the menu and call-for-delivery section. Heather does, however, have a wine section for those of us whom just refuse to cook but want to know all there is to know about the drink.

Historic Cookery. So, as if cooking in 2010 isn’t difficult enough, Carolina Capehart cooks using early 19th century techniques, ingredients and recipes. That means her microwave is an open fire hearth. She mentioned to us that she didn’t own a blender or mixer. I was like “Yeah, neither do I. But I own a phone and microwave.”

A Cake Bakes in Brooklyn. Susan LaRosa doesn’t reach quite as far back in time as Carolina, but she too, uses old recipes for her baking…and reports about it on her blog. Susan obtains her early to mid 1900’s recipes from flea markets and estate sales. Everything looks so yummy on her blog! Weird thing is…she was pretty thin.

I met Ameet from Rice of Life last year. Now, HIS recipes are right up my alley! They’re all vegetarian! And they look good! Now if I could only get someone to cook them for me. Note to self…work on the husband. PS: Gluten free too.

Miss Masala joined us in the group, as did freelance writer Julie Knapp who blogs about fitness. I had a good 10 minute look at her blog this morning in lieu of working out.

The gals from Brooklyn General Store stopped by because they will be launching a blog and wanted to learn the ins and outs.

But the new blogs! Exciting and awesome!

OMG, OMG, OMG, you have to check this out! Brooklyn Flea vendor Lon Black (whom I know as “the postcard guy”) started a Bad Postcards blog. Awesomely funny mid century kitsch.

I saved Dinevore for last because I have a feeling it’s gonna be BIG! The web application is currently in Alpha now (yeah, that’s before it gets to Beta….I never knew the lingo) so to get a preview of the site, you would have to email founder Jeremy to receive your username and password. It’s kind of like Yelp and Facebook combined for restaurant reviews. You can see where friends ate and what they thought of it. Huge database of restaurants! I didn’t comprehend half of the computer geekiness Jeremy was spewing, but all I’m gonna say is that he’s the next Craig Newmark. Just search Dinevore on FB or Twitter to get updates if you don’t want to join yet.

Bloggedy Bloggedy Brooklyn

Bloggedy Bloggedy Brooklyn published on 2 Comments on Bloggedy Bloggedy Brooklyn

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Brooklyn Boro President, Marty Markowitz trying to steal the show.

The Brooklyn Blogfest was super professional this year! Not that Louise Crawford aka Madam OTBKB didn’t do a fabulous job in the past, it was just totally streamlined last night. Of course, having Absolut Brooklyn as a sponsor and Spike Lee to launch the new vodka flavor might have had a little something to do with it.

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There was a performance by Aaron Costa Ganis, Charlotte Maier and Natalie Paul for starters. “Blogs Aloud” was adaption of posts from several Brooklyn blogs through the years. Video: Part 1 and part 2.

After a photo blogger video tribute by Adrain “Brit in Brooklyn” Kinloch, Lemon Anderson came out to rap his ode to Brooklyn. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it looks like that’s the Absolut Brooklyn ad.

Then it was time for Spike. He skirted the issue of gentrification and let us know that Fort Greene was fine just the way it was back in the day. He only hinted at the divisive issue and spoke mainly of Absolut, his relationship with Brooklyn and took questions about breaking into film.

Andrea Bernstein of WNYC was the moderator for the panel discussion. Panelists included Heather of So Good TV, Atiba from Visual Stenographers, Brokelyn‘s Faye, Jake from Gothamist and Petra of Bed Stuy Blog.The question was posed to the panel “Why does Brooklyn breed creativity?”Some nice anwers…. (I’m putting them in quotes but they’re not the exact words. My bad.)”It has attitude.” Heather”Newcomers feel we must live up to the reputation.” Petra

“People have an attitude problem 2 minutes after moving here. We’re always giving advice. We wanna tell people how to live.” Jake

“We’re full of ourselves.” “Everybody gets a chance to show their stuff.” Faye

“Brooklyn made NYC in 1898…..People will defend Brooklyn to the death.” Atiba

Towards the end of the evening, we broke up into smaller groups. I’ll post part II tomorrow and fill you in some awesome new blogs in the works!

How To Help With Oil Spill

How To Help With Oil Spill published on

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1. Volunteer for surveillance and clean up with National Wildlife Foundation.

2. Get a haircut! They take pet hair too.

3. Adopt a bird.

4. Text 20222 to donate $20 to NWF.

5. Donate to Sierra while giving Rush Limbaugh a what for.

BP is getting much of the blame and rightfully so! Let’s not forget that we’re all guilty of oil consumption. Just like poachers and fur trappers wouldn’t be killing innocent animals if there wasn’t a market for it, oil drilling wouldn’t be necessary if nobody was buying.

The obvious thing to do is cut down on driving. Walk, bike, take the train. But FYI, there are sooo many things made from oil….it’s pretty scary.

Are you ready for this? It’s gonna blow your mind….

1. Plastics. This means your water bottles, TV, phone, the computer you’re looking at right now, condoms….CONDOMS!

2. Pills. That’s right, honey. That Advil you take for cramps? Oil.

3. Faux Fur and Leather. I’m guilty. Don’t want to kill the animals, but I’m helping to kill the environment.

4. Ink

5. Dog Toys

6. Paint

7. Floor Wax

8. Soap, some of which has animal fat too. Dr. Bronners is safe, y’all!

9. Cosmetics. Yuck! Keep painting your faces, you harlots.

10. Breast Implants

So, what to do? It’s impossible to live without oil by-products. There are alternatives and solutions, so consumption can be cut down significantly. Shut lights and a/c when not in use, refill your water bottle, wear natural fabrics or vintage clothing, shop for eco-friendly cleaning products, um…use the pull out method.

Every little bit helps. And can you imagine if each of us did one little incy wincy thing to cut down? It would make a difference!

Open House on Sunday!

Open House on Sunday! published on

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So, after just 4 weeks, we’ve decided to reduce the price on our Beacon house. We are motivated sellers! Although, not so motivated that we’ll go down much more because we haven’t left ourselves with wiggle room now.

A 4 BR friggin drop dead gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian for $379,900. We already hate the people who are going to buy it because they’re ripping us off. But it was our decision to make. We’ve moved on, so holding onto the house for several months just to make a few more bucks isn’t going to do us any good.

This Sunday will be the first (hopefully the only) OPEN HOUSE! So, if you’re thinking of moving to Beacon but didn’t want to bother realtors because you’re not ready yet, here’s your excuse to check it out.

I’ll even plan your day for you….

Take Metro North.

Go to DIA.

Walk up to Main Street. Lunch @ Homespun. Continue to walk through the crappy mid section of town….there’s more at the other end. Make sure you get to the waterfall on the east side of Main.

Ok, so if you’re too tired, take the loop bus back down Main because the house is back on the west side.

Hit the open house. Put in a really, really high offer because of the bidding war that will undoubtedly be going on.

Walk back to train. Feel superior to all the people in their cars because they don’t live within walking distance to public transit.

The Deets:

When: Sunday June 6th, 1-4pm

Where: 1189 North Avenue (that’s Rt. 9-D south side) Beacon, NY 12508

How: Metro North to Beacon station. Front of train (That means walk to the back at Grand Central). Walk up the hill to W. Main, take left, then left on 9-D. House is third in from corner of Tompkins. There is a 33 on the door, but no 1189. JonCar Realty sign out front and if the agent is any good, there should be balloons or something.

Driving? 9-D South from Rt 84. Park on Tompkins (beyond the house) as it’s a tight driveway for too many cars.

* Don’t forget to bring your mortgage pre-approval and check book! 🙂

101 Uses for Vodka

101 Uses for Vodka published on

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Who knew vodka can be used for lots of stuff other than getting sloshed? Well, I didn’t. Vodka is the new vinegar! You heard it here first.

Actually, I heard it from Retro Renovation. Someone wanted to get the smell of cat urine out of a vintage sofa and everyone was recommending vodka.

So, I did a search and sure enough, vodka does it all!

1. Mix with water and spray on stinky clothes, rugs or upholstery.

2. Dab it on poison ivy undiluted.

3. Insect repellent

4. Mix with shampoo for oh-so-shiny hair.

5. Spray on mold as you would bleach.

6. Polish chrome, porcelain, jewelry and cutlery.

Ok, that was just 6, but I bet there are 95 vodka drinks I could come up with if I had the time.

See also: Daily Green’s 12 Uses for Vodka

James Cameron To Fix Oil Spill

James Cameron To Fix Oil Spill published on

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Wow, James Cameron really IS King of the World. I suppose by now you’ve heard that he was tapped by the feds to help clean up that oily mess in the Gulf.

As stupid as it sounds, it’s probably better than what BP is doing at the moment. I mean, yeah, we laugh at the concept of some Hollywood dude plugging the hole, but some Hollywood dude was POTUS for 16 years and some bulked up Hollywood dude with a funny accent is the governor of a rather large state.

So, don’t laugh just yet. One of the very first things I learned in photography school was that “photographers are problem solvers”. They have to take any situation and figure out how to deal with it, whether it’s lighting, crying babies or stop motion. I would imagine a film director has to solve problems a million times more difficult than a still photographer. Plus, this guy knows his under water stuff. So, I’m rooting for him.

But if that doesn’t work out, there’s always the Facebook petition to let the MythBusters fix the oil disaster. Now, THAT would be awe-some!

Either way, here’s the FB link to boycott BP, which of course you could do without joining the group.

And this kinda pissed me off. Times UK reports that BP faces criminal charges and the commenters are freaking out about it. Huh? You know, because America is the big evil.

New Paltz Crafts Show Find

New Paltz Crafts Show Find published on

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So, remember how I previously mentioned that we are forced to attend the New Paltz Crafts every year and every year it’s the same tired vendors? Tired as in they haven’t updated their work since 1986. Well, we found one new vendor! Woo-hoo!

After running through the show in record time, we came across Bill Finks and his upcycled doll art. Bill and his wife Marcia have a company called Primitive Twig. The website hasn’t been updated in a few years and there is no doll art on display, but it’s cool stuff anyway and has current contact info.

As a craftsperson at a decidedly unhip crafts show, I was curious to find out how Bill was doing. He said he had done well on Saturday! It was still early when I spoke to him on Sunday.

*Editor’s note: Sorry if I’m coming off as snobbish with my “unhip” nonsense. It’s the same country crafts, color animal photographs, dichroic glass jewelry, stoneware pottery and tie dyes I’ve been seeing since the 80’s. They’re a little dated. But then again, the show brings people in who go crazy for stuff like that, so who am I to complain?

Anyway, back the the Reclaimed Home approved vendor….

Bill was telling us that he has tons of the same antique porcelain doll head. They come from Germany and there are so many of them around because the doll maker would throw them out if there was a tiny flaw. They are still being dug up today.

He sometimes gets people dumping their old junk on him (which he gladly accepts) so he can bring new life to it.

Prices were fair. I believe they ranged from the mid fifties to $700 range.

Memorial Weekend Upstate Events

Memorial Weekend Upstate Events published on 1 Comment on Memorial Weekend Upstate Events

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East Side of the Hudson

Bannerman Castle Tours. We did the Bannerman kayak tour last year. It was great (except for the weather). You don’t have to kayak. There are larger vessel trips for the youngun’s and elders but there is some uphill walking involved and this is a hard hat trip.

Pow Wow on the Hudson, Wappingers. I see this advertised every year, but have never been. I’m worried it might be like the time I really, really wanted to go to the Renaissance Faire for a laugh but it was all WTF and not much fun.

Mario’s Biggest Yard Sale Evah! You’ve seen several Mario posts here before. The guy’s got the goods…and the prices are right. Flickr set.

Stormville Flea Market. Only happens a few times a year, usually on 3 day holiday weekends. Huge market for antiques dealers and some crap vendors. Huge.

Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Ghent Playhouse. Ooh, one of my favorite movies! Jack Lemmon, Anne Bancroft? Of course, this is a live performance of the Neil Simon play.

West Side of the Hudson

New Paltz Crafts Fair. An annual trip for me. Every year since we’ve lived upstate, the same Boston via Dublin friends come to stay with us for the weekend. Every year, this is what they want to do. I enjoyed it the first 2 years, but it’s the same country craftsy vendors every year. On the other hand, not a bad way to spend your day outdoors.

East Durham Irish Festival. Probably a thousand times goofier than the Pow Wow. I’m not allowed to go, what with 3 Dubliners in tow. I wouldn’t be able to sustain the complaints and sarcasm. And I’m a New Yorker!

Rip Lives Festival. Ok, so they’re a little Rip Van Winkle obsessed in parts of the Hudson Valley. That’s ok, he was a cool guy. Some Catskill towns will have local Rip-themed art on display for public viewing during the summer months. The outdoor exhibit ends with an auction in Tannersville on October 2nd.

Eco Friendly Expo

Eco Friendly Expo published on

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The Eco Friendly Expo opens today for previews and runs through Thursday, May 27th in Midtown. Cost is $10 to get in or free for the trade.

There will be green lectures on art, products and lifestyle all day Wednesday and Thursday. Plus, of course as any good expo has, plenty of exhibitors.

Among the exhibitors are 2nd Soul,  Eco Supply Center and Cardboard Design. There also some WTF booths, including CNN, The Bloomberg Administration and Corcoran.

Brooklyn Flea Finds

Brooklyn Flea Finds published on 2 Comments on Brooklyn Flea Finds

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This Saturday I was back selling at the Ft. Greene Brooklyn Flea after an extended absence to work on my house. It was kind of nice to go away and come back because it made me appreciate it even more.

The photo above shows a sampling of upcycled light fixtures by Peg and Jon Van Dyne. It’s one of those things that makes me say “Damn, why didn’t I think of that first?” Because I checking out the market only for a few minutes when I was on a an extended bathroom break, I didn’t get a chance to get much info. The company is called French Vanilla. No website, but the phone number is 765-513-0255. No idea what prices are like, but I did notice that they take credit cards.

That large film reel on the right? Still has film on it.

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Fat Dog Fabrication is living in this century. Owner Don Wood has a website. A rather cute one, with a photo of Henry the fat dog on the main page (He doesn’t look so fat). Don also has an Etsy store .

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I didn’t get a chance to have a chat (another bathroom break) but I gathered from the internets that Don is a contractor who creates on the side. He uses recycled materials when he can, such as the pallet bench. The prices are surprisingly low for the quality, concept and location. $25 hand made concrete dog bowl/planter in Brooklyn? I think I spent that on a cup of coffee just yesterday.

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