CasaSugar

How-To: Remove Red Wine Stains

CasaSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:00:28 -0700

Sometimes you can get away with treating stains at a later date, but when it comes to red wine stains, it's best to treat the spill immediately. If you find yourself with a ring of shiraz on your favorite white tablecloth, or a drip of pinot noir on a beautiful blouse, take these steps as soon as possible. I'll tell you how to banish stubborn red wine stains when you read more.

First, make sure to blot (not rub or scrub) the stain with paper towels. However, if the fabric is "dry clean only," skip this step and get it to the cleaners posthaste.
Position a dry washcloth between the layers of the fabric (such as the front and back of a blouse) to prevent staining on the back of the material.
Mix one teaspoon of laundry soap or dish soap and one cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Dip a sponge in the bowl, and gently blot the stain.
Review and follow any special washing directions for the type of fabric.
If the fabric is machine washable, wash in cool water and air dry.
If not, wash by hand with a mild detergent.

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Cool Idea: Spiral Wine Cellars

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:00:19 -0700

I've always wanted a wine cellar, but they're hard to come by when you're house hunting, and it's not so easy to build a cellar for a house that's already built! That is, unless you call up Spiral Cellars. The design firm will essentially dig a hole in whatever room you want a cellar, with a trap door to match your flooring if you want, and install a wine cellar that you access via a spiral staircase beneath the floor. Depending on the size of your collection, you can choose from four depth options, allowing you to store up to 1,600 bottles. The cellar is insulated by the surrounding earth and has an air-flow system so that it requires no power to maintain its temperature. Essentially, it's similar to having a custom closet installed. It's a one-time cost, and then it's up to you to stock the cellar with your favorite wines!

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 . . .

Love It or Hate It? BettyLou Cordless Lamp

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:30:24 -0700

The Mmckenna BettyLou Cordless Lamp ($275) is a cordless rechargeable lamp that sits on a wine glass and shines for over seven hours, until it needs to be recharged on its base. If you're a wino, this is probably right up your alley. But then again, you might be tempted to use the included glass to serve yourself some Sauvignon Blanc . . .

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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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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DIY: Wine Glass Candle Lampshades

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:00:22 -0700

In your blog travels, you may have come across the Dekoop Gorgeous Helen Wine Shades ($20), which tops off your wine glasses to make easy votive lamps for your parties. I couldn't get them off my mind for months when I first saw them; I thought they were so clever. Then, lucky me, I came across a DIY to make them. The project is fairly simple, and allows a lot of room for creativity. You can leave yours as plain vellum, or punch decorative holes in them, screen-print them, or even paint them! It's up to you, but regardless, this project is fabulous, inexpensive, and perfect for that wedding you're planning! And for all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

Supplies:

8-1/2" x 11" sheets of vellum (one per lamp)
Scissors
Decorative bladed scissors
Decorative paper punch
Glue pen
Wine glasses
Tealights or a LED battery-operated tealight
Candle putty (floral clay)

Here's how, from Save On Crafts:

Download and print out this lampshade pattern.
Trace the pattern onto your vellum sheet. Cut out the shape with your regular scissors. If you want, you can use decorative bladed scissors along the bottom edge to add another element to the shade.
If you like, use a paper punch to punch holes evenly or haphazardly throughout the shade, as shown in the PDF.
Using the glue pen, apply a thin line of glue to one straight end. Wrap the other end over the glued end, and adhere together, forming the shade.
Secure the tealight with the candle putty, and set the lampshade on top of your glass. Fini!

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DIY: A Mailing-Tube Wine Rack

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:30:43 -0700

If the wine racks for beginners I featured earlier today don't fit your look or your price range, then perhaps you'll be interested in this project from ReadyMade on how to make your own wine rack from mailing tubes. The process is ridiculously easy, and the results are surprisingly cute, so you can have a bevy of bottle storage in no time.

Bottle Pocket Wine Rack via ReadyMade

What You'll Need

Cardboard mailing tubes (ours were 3 1/2" in diameter x 36")
Paint (optional)
Round color-coded stickers (optional)
Plenty of wine
Measuring tape
Pencil
Hand saw
Sandpaper (200 grit)
Paintbrush (optional)

For step-by-step instructions, read more

How to Make It

Measure the space where you want to install the wine rack. If it’s a shelf, make sure it’s strong enough to support all those bottles. (We put ours on a bottom shelf to be safe.)
Measure and mark your tubes in increments of 9" (just enough to cover most of a wine bottle).
Cut the tubes along your marks with the hand saw, taking care to keep the cuts even. Sand off any cardboard fragments.
If you want to paint the tubes, do it now. Make sure they dry completely before continuing.
Stack your tubes.
Gather your wine. OCD types may want to come up with their own systems of categorizing bottle caps with color-coded stickers (to parse out which vintages are for everyday drinking and which are special occasion Pinots).
Raise a toast to your not-so-hard work.

Bold Wine Racks for Beginners

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:45:03 -0700

Before long, even the most casual wine lover needs a wine rack. I'm hardly a wine cellar-worthy oenophile, but I still have at least five or six bottles in my house at any given time. So I've been on the lookout for a well-designed, eye-catching wine rack that's just big enough to accommodate a small but significant collection.

After finding a few lovely choices on Hostess with the Mostess, I've discovered a number of wine displays that are as bold as a good Syrah. Many of these are also expandable, so you can add storage as your collection grows. To see my picks, click on the photos below.

Trend Alert: Wine With Everything

CasaSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:30:34 -0700

Drinking wine is more popular than ever, and now the oenophile trend is extending to home decor as well. Lately, I've noticed the iconic stemmed wine-glass shape is showing up in clever serving pieces - such as this Jansen + Co. Ming Oil and Vinegar Set ($28) - as well as candle holders, light fixtures, and one very cool doorbell. To see my wine with everything finds, just click on the photos below.