CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Steady Your Wobbly Table

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:36 -0800

Are you guilty of tossing wine corks when you open a bottle? Instead of adding them to the waste stream, save those corks for something that won't give you dark circles under your eyes, deathly hangovers, or liver problems. Slice your wine corks into thin circles and use them to steady any wobbly legs of your dinner table. You can use a little wood glue to secure them to the leg itself. Make sure you're adhering it to the correct leg; sometimes that's tricky. If the table is still a little wobbly, try and try again until your cork slice is the correct height. Interested in another easy reuse for your corks? Check out this Casa Quickie.

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Casa Quickie: Wine Cork Place Card Holder

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:00:00 -0800

If you're anything like me, there are already a plethora of wine corks laying around your home this season. So, if you'll be hosting a holiday dinner party this week, why not put them to good use and turn them into place card holders? Use a standard dinner knife to slice a shallow slit into the length of a wine cork or the width (top) of a champagne cork. Then, write your guests' names on pieces of decorative paper or place cards, and slide them paper into the slot. Voilà! A festive, recycled place card holder that you can reuse at your next dinner party!

DIY: Wine Cork Placecard Holders

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:36:07 -0700

I spotted these Wine Cork Placecard Holders ($23.95) at Bright and Bold, which are actually made of resin, and thought they'd make a fabulous and simple DIY for a bridal shower brunch (or any other event). It's kind of a sad fact that these are being mass produced, but we won't get into that. I'm sure most guests would get a kick out of them, especially my girlfriends who are staunch wine fans. If you can handle drinking a few bottles of wine to save up for this DIY, then I think you'll be in the clear, supply-wise. But, you can also have cork stoppers special ordered from an industrial retailer and personalized with "Mrs. X" or "Angie & Brad" etc.

Supplies:

1 wine cork per place setting
Razor blade or X-acto (craft) knife
Cardstock
Calligraphy pen
Optional: Hot glue gun and magnet strip

To hear the steps, read more.

Here's how:

Using the razor blade or craft knife, slice off one side of the cork lengthwise, so it can lay flat on the table. Make sure to use a fresh (sharp) blade, otherwise the cork may crumble.
Then, with the cork set flat on the table, make a slice down the middle lengthwise, but not all the way through.
Cut the cardstock to a rectangular shape (or a fun shape) a bit larger than the width of the cork.
Scribe your guests names using a calligraphy pen.
If you like, you can hot glue a magnet strip to the bottom of the cork placecard holder. If your table happens to be metal, this will keep it in place and weighted down. If not, you can slip an adhesive magnet under your table cloth to make sure it stays in place.

You can also use this cork placecard holder to display photographs or your bridal shower invites at the center of each table. I love the recycling factor of this DIY, but if you'd like to have your corks personalized, some retailers include Manton, Widget, and Amorim.

Casa Verde: From Bottle to Building

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:00:08 -0700

I like my Sancerre, my Sauvignon Blanc, and my Beaujolais Nouveau, and I have been known to drink wine from a box. Heck, I'll try any kind of wine you pour. When all of these bottles are finished, and I toss them into my recycling bin, their corks don't land in the trash; I've been saving my corks for a few months now to make a wine cork mirror. But if cork décor isn't your style, you can still recycle natural cork, thanks to ReCork America.ReCork America takes already used and overstock corks from the wine business, and then recycles them into flooring tiles, insulation, and other products. There are several locations in California and the Pacific Northwest that are collecting used cork in their day-to-day business operations, and hopefully in the future there will be locations for public collection. Do you know of any cork collection programs in your neighborhood?
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Obama Buys $4,800 Recycled Chandelier For Daughters' White House Bedroom

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:56 -0700

In last night's episode of Man Shops Globe, Keith Johnson traveled to South Africa, where he was on the hunt for not-so-typical African crafts. After stumbling upon some unusual pottery and a handmade wooden dining chair straight out of a Van Gogh painting, he wandered into a magical art collective shop called Magpie , which sells knickknacks and décor made entirely from recycled objects. Be it a lid to a dog food can, a wine cork, or a Barbie, the eco-conscious craftsman turned the disposable into the extraordinary. Johnson was blown away by a tall, dramatic chandelier made from found objects, trinkets, and castoffs, and ordered one for Anthropologie.

As it turns out, President Obama bought the $4,800 recycled chandelier for Sasha and Malia's bedroom in the White House. We did learn back in January that the Obamas planned to decorate the girls' room with Pottery Barn and Anthropologie, and that they already have a large collection of African and Asian art, so it's quite fitting actually! While the purchase is certainly expensive for young girls, as is the family's celebrity decorator Michael Smith, Barack and Michelle did decide to pay for their White House renovations personally, and forgo the allotted $100,000 presidential decorating budget, so you can't blame them!

Good, Better, Best: Wine Racks

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:15:53 -0700

A friend asked me to find her a handsome wine rack for her bedroom because her recent grad roommates consistently drink any "booze" she leaves in the kitchen. Natch, I agreed. There are plenty of stylish wine racks, so I knew it wouldn't be a difficult task. There are lots of interesting modern ones these days, like the Harry Allen Pile Wine Rack ($65), Dennis Lin Cru Wine Rack ($150), and Crate & Barrel Shesham Wine Rack ($30), but when it comes to my own vino, I'm partial to simple, functional storage. To hear my picks for the good, better, and best wine racks, read more.

Cellar Wine Rack - $39.95	Riddling Wine Rack - $99.99
Design-Your-Own Wine Racks - $29.99

Good: The CB2 Cellar Wine Rack ($39.95) marks the spot! Its criss cross shape is visually interesting and a bit modern, especially when stacked to hold a larger collection. Made of sheet metal with a gunmetal finish, it's sturdy and will hold up well. Each rack holds 12 bottles, which is a decent amount for someone who's just beginning a collection, or the perfect amount for anyone throwing a cocktail party.

Better: The World Market Riddling Wine Rack ($99.99) is in the shape of original riddling racks used by vineyards to store champagne. Riddling is the process of slightly shaking or turning each bottle to consolidate the sediment in the wine so it could be removed. Vineyard staff had the laborious task of turning each bottle a fraction, sometimes over 30,000 bottles per day. Now, there are machines to do this task for them, but I think using the classic design as wine storage is a nice nod to history. This rack holds up to 35 standard-size wine bottles with corks facing down to keep them properly moist, but it is also available in a 12 bottle size.

Best: The Container Store Design-Your-Own Wine ($24.99) is notably less expensive than the Riddling rack, but there are a few reasons why it's my pick for best. For one, its simple, modular design allows for the storage to be expanded upon so if your wine collection grows, you can stack more racks vertically or horizontally. Also, the natural hardwood can be finished or painted to match any décor. And, it's classic and understated, keeping the focus on the collection of wine itself, rather than perhaps a love for modern design, which could be a passing phase anyways. The Container Store will likely always have this product in their inventory, but if not, it's a common design in wood factories, like J.K. Adams in Dorset, VT.
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Crave Worthy: Modern Cellar Skylight Wine Credenza

CasaSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:45:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of any piece of furniture that serves my drinking habit . . . and I don't mean a Tower of Power. I'm speaking more along the lines of a bar cart, but something about them sort of screams bachelor pad to me. So, when I came across a handsome credenza that doubled discreetly as a wine rack, I really had a reason to pop the cork. The Modern Cellar Skylight Wine Credenza (inquire for price) stores wine, stemware, plateware, and serving accessories: nearly all the necessities for a sophisticated dinner party (add friends and food, and blend). Hand rubbed with a walnut oil finish, made of one-pieced sides and top, it's truly beautiful, and will take on a wonderful patina as it ages. And, its sliver of glass on the top reveals your beloved wine collection. Just make sure to store your two buck Chuck on its lower level . . .

Good, Better, Best: Cool Menorahs

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:45:56 -0800

Yes, the menorah might have been around since Moses. But that doesn't mean it can't be 21st century cool. I've rounded up several cool menorahs that'll make even the gentiles want to celebrate Hanukkah. Who says your house can't be stylish eight days straight?

Good: This Fred Flare Menorah Cork ($12) is a menorah that acts as a cork and fits securely into a wine bottle or any sturdy bottle to keep your booze fresh during the holidays. Might as well put your menorah to work, right?

There are two other cooler than thou menorahs to come, so read more

Better: This polished nickel Jonathan Adler Skyline Menorah ($130) is gorgeous. Its modern shape is a nice update for the traditional candelabra, yet its clean lines mimic the straight and narrow shape of its traditional tapered candles.

Best: This hand-sculpted, polished nickel Michael Aram Tree Menorah ($150) is unique and sophisticated, and its organic shape would fit in both modern and traditional homes.

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:59:22 -0800

SFgirlbybay shares her weekend flea-market finds.
AT: SF has a top ten list of cloth napkins.
The Hardware Aisle has a great tip on saving energy and money with the Home Joule.
These cool light fixtures on Sub-Studio Design are made from vegetables.
Better Homes and Gardens reveals nine nature-inspired decorating ideas, just in time for Thanksgiving.
These Markow and Norris woven glass sculptures on MoCo Loco take over 100 hours of kiln time to make.
AT: NY spotted some pretty versatile apple racks that can be used as storage at home.
Design*Sponge's custom baroque-style cork-board DIY project have me reaching for the push pins.
NYC subway grab-holds ($45) are for sale to the general public, and both Danny Seo and I are itching to own a bite of Big Apple history.
Shelterrific and I have our eyes on this pagoda-esque bamboo wine rack that holds nine bottles of wine of choice, just enough to get me through Thanksgiving.

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Casa Verde: Recycled Texas Houses

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:30:59 -0700

Yesterday I told you about some cool tiny Texas homes, and today I'm back with an amazing story about one Texas couple's vision to help anyone who wants to own a house to do so, with lots of hands-on work and about $20,000-$50,000. Phoenix Commotion was started in 1996 by Dan and Marsha Phillips, who mortgaged their house to start a business building affordable houses from free, salvaged, and recycled materials. The company caters their homes to the working poor, including single mothers, who need energy-efficient, affordable, comfortable homes. The homes are built with such unexpected materials as wine corks and frame samples, which are used in beautiful and innovative ways.

This program recently partnered with the program Brigid’s Paradigm, and built their first home together in Huntsville, TX. The next project will be a number of homes in Houston's 5th Ward.

To qualify for the project, potential participants must provide $500, good credit, and proof of a stable job. The homes are built by the future owners, along with mentors who help to guide the unskilled workers. A 1-person home will only be built at 240 square feet, which increases energy efficiency, along with the homes' uses of insulation, tank-less hot water heaters, and rain barrels.

To see a video about Dan's work, just read more.

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