CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Nick Stagg's Turned, Reclaimed Wood Bowls

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:00:06 -0700

Woodworker Nick Stagg lives in rural Oregon, where he operates Moonraker Turning from his farm-based studio. Using reclaimed wood whenever possible, Nick shapes rough pieces of wood into beautiful, turned wood bowls, vessels, and vases. I recently had the chance to ask Nick about the craft of woodturning, and he explained the ins and outs of the craft. Also, check out his shop to order some of his beautiful turned wood pieces.

CasaSugar: When did you start woodturning?

Nick Stagg: I started woodturning in 2003 after seeing some turned tool handles in someone's shop and I thought that I could do that! I had an old, inferior lathe and poor tools, but was able to make some small oil-filled lamps for family members. Shortly after that I upgraded my lathe and slowly purchased better tools and continued to turn. I joined a woodturning club and checked out all the books and videos I could from the library and spent my spare time trying to improve. As time passed, I've hosted instructors from Engalnd and Australia in my shop to give classes to other turners. I'm now confident enough that I can offer help to beginning turners and, perhaps, make their journey into the woodturning arena less painful than mine!

To hear about how Nick makes his turned wood vessels, read more.

CasaSugar: How long does it take you to make a bowl? Nick Stagg: The time involved with a bowl varies on several things. Most of the time I twice turn my bowls. This means I turn them to a thickness greater than the one I need and coat them with a wax to minimize cracking as excess moisture evaporates. They are then left to air dry, in our climate that's about 13 percent moisture. Different woods take longer to dry and can distort and crack. Oregon white oak is very difficult to dry without some degradation, Pacific madrone needs to be boiled to stabilize it. Big leaf maple is in abundance in Oregon and dries quickly and has more character than oak. I like to turn maple. The rough turning of a 12-x-5 inch shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. The finish turning and sanding, depending on the style of the bowl, should be accomplished in 45 minutes. I don't apply any finish to the bowl on the lathe. I sign the piece and give it several coats of Danish oil over a period of days, depending on how porous the wood is. The oil is left to thoroughly cure and it then goes through a three-stage buffing process.

CasaSugar: What type of wood do you use? Nick Stagg: Most of the wood I use is reclaimed. I gather wood from power line trimmings, trees cut down for safety reasons, or as a result of building/ housing developments. Other turners hear of trees coming down in their neighborhood and the homeowner wants it cleaned up in a day, so we gather a group of people and clear the area. None of my bowl or vessel pieces have ever originated from a tree that's been cut down for the sole purpose of turning. Wood turners are generous and are always willing to share.

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Crave Worthy: Gregor Jenkins Profile Table

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:44:53 -0800

The Profile Table ($4,500) from South African studio Gregor Jenkins Design combines the traditional, curvy look of turned wood with the striking edge of industrial steel. It's a sophisticated compromise for a couple with tastes on opposite ends of the classic/contemporary spectrum. I'd love to see it surrounded by classic café bentwood chairs to add some depth and a natural texture. Although this South African stunner is built to outlive me, I'd still have a hard time convincing myself to drop nearly five grand on a table.

Crave Worthy: Jonathan Adler Drysdale Chair

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:00:27 -0800

I can't believe that I've never noticed the Jonathan Adler Drysdale Chair ($1,595) before; it's so me. Button tufting, check! Turned legs, check! Throw in white wood and pale-blue upholstery and you've swept me off my feet. The regal, oversize back of the chair is oddly, but fittingly, proportioned to its small legs. I also love how the back legs are so simple; it brings attention to the chair's wonderful turned front legs. And, this is a strange analogy, but do the slightly splayed back legs remind you of an athletic wheelchair, or is it just me? Regardless, I'd kill to have this knockout in my living room.

Designer Spotlight: Robert Austin Gonzalez

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:03:45 -0800

This weekend I stopped by the impressively well-curated FIVEten Studio as part of my monthly traipse through Oakland's Art Murmur open studios night. FIVEten was filled with gorgeous art and design work by the likes of Nolan Niu and Ross Lovegrove, but my favorite pieces were the turned wood furniture crafted by designer Robert Austin Gonzalez.

As you may already know, I'm a big fan of turned wood. I used to love watching my grandfather create turned wood furniture on his lathe when I was little. Robert Austin Gonzalez's turned wood finds have a distinctly contemporary feel, and the chameleon-like combination of clear glass tabletops and reclaimed wood in his tables would make them perfect for a variety of interiors.

To see a gallery of work and to find out more about Robert, just read more.

These turned wood (and turned lacquer) creations are part of Robert's series "Grace." Robert also designs, builds, and constructs furniture and interiors for both professional design clients and homeowners alike. When he's not working or spending time in Brooklyn Heights with his family , he can be found, depending on the season, pursuing his passions of surfing and skiing.

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Trend Alert: Turned Wood Reborn

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:00:30 -0700

Thanks to AT:NY, I've been turned on to the turned wood trend. You might be thinking that these shapes are a thing of the past—and you're right, they date back to at least 1300 BC. Curvy furniture legs and turned wood home accessories have been experiencing a renaissance in modern furniture shops as of late, though.
The classic wooden shape has been re-imagined with a modern twist, as well as in other materials like glass, cork, and aluminum. There are plenty of alternatives at various price ranges, and you can even DY a shapely legged coffee table if you're up to the challenge. Click the images below to see the good looking furniture pieces and accessories that I've turned up.

Source, Source, and Source

The Vampire Diaries "The Turning Point": The Good, The Bad and The Bloody

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:15:00 -0800

I was already bummed knowing this was the last week of new episodes of The Vampire Diaries until January; and now, having seen it, I'm freaking out a little bit. I knew there was going to be an epic cliffhanger, I just didn't know how epic!

With new vampires, violence and passion come "The Turning Point" - a title that would apply to many things that happened this week. So as usual, let's break down the good, the bad, and the bloody of this week (plenty of spoilers ahead!) when you read more.

The Good

Stefan and Elena finally gave up on their "are we or aren't we" dance and got together. I mean, together together. Vampire boots were knocked, but there wasn't a happy ending. More on that later.
Logan's vampiric turn made for gruesome excitement, especially now that Damon is trying to be on his best behavior. It also brought forth new mysteries; why did Sheriff Forbes bury Logan and write emails on his behalf instead of saying it was an animal attack? And who did turn him? My money was on Alaric, but now I'm not so sure. I also enjoyed his interactions with Damon, despite their constant shooting of wood bullets at each other.
OK, fine: I do like Caroline and Matt together now. Their coupling is just kind of sweet, and the fact that they bonded over So You Think You Can Dance?! I felt like it was my birthday.
I'm a fan of cool guy teacher Alaric, even if he is probably a vampire. I like to think he's more exciting than that - could he be a good vampire like Stefan? Interestingly, I don't think that Stefan or Damon has actually interfaced with Alaric yet, which is telling to me. If I had to guess, I'd say they knew each other. And what of him also being a "daywalker," when Stefan and Damon are so secretive about their rings?
I need to know more about the Gilbert family legacy, especially since Jeremy discovered an ancestor who wrote fiction about monsters. I like that the show made me care about more side characters I hadn't previously, like Jenna, Jeremy, and even Tyler. About Tyler. . . I don't want to speak too soon, but I think there's something very interesting happening with him.

The Bad

Isn't it a little too early to be saying "I love you," Elena? She even wants to see and make out with his scary vampire face when he gets turned on. Weeeird.

The Bloody

Newborn Logan is literally out for blood, but that pile of hoarded bodies that Logan was keeping made me sick to my stomach.
Anyone else feeling sorry for Caroline? Girlfriend's always getting bloodied up. Someone give her a self-defense lesson.
So basically unless you're Stefan or Damon, if you're a vampire you will only last one episode before being staked. Logan gets staked by Alaric by the end of the hour, which is unfortunate for Damon, because Logan had just promised him there was another way to break the spell holding Katherine and the other vampires under Fell's Church. Guess we'll just have to wait to meet little Miss Vixen.
It might have been time for Stefan to hide the Katherine photo, or at least have come clean about their resemblance. Lord knows finding a photo of my doppelganger at my undead boyfriend's house would freak me out too. That's what happens for Elena, who leaves Stefan's in a devastated rush. When someone stands in front of her car, she has a gnarly crash, which is terrifying in itself. It gets much more horrifying when the "person" she hit uncracks their limbs to stand up and come toward her. Yeesh! (BTW, did that scene remind anyone of Tara in the first season finale of True Blood?)

I don't know how I'm going to deal with the show's hiatus for two long months, let alone waiting that long to find out what was coming for Elena. Or, who Alaric is; did he kill Logan to protect Jenna, eliminate a problem-causing newborn, or something more insidious? To talk more about the show (especially in the next few weeks without new episodes) join the Hooked on Vampire Diaries group in the Buzz Community!

Photos courtesy of The CW

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

It's Tuesday, which means new DVDs hit shelves to fatten up your entertainment library! Trying to decide which to add to your Netflix queue? Check out these three releases.

Orphan

All right, so it's not the best horror film ever - for that, take a peek at my scary movie bracket - but who doesn't love a good spook just in time for Halloween? In Orphan, Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard star as parents who adopt a destructive little girl with a huge secret. The movie borders on ridiculous, but if you like to laugh during your fright flicks, it's got a bit of dark humor and over-the-top slasher scenes. Bonus features include deleted scenes and an alternate ending - which should be good for keeping things fresh, seeing as how the big twist has already been spoiled by pretty much anyone who's seen it.

55%

See two more new releases when you read more.

Nothing Like the Holidays

If you're feeling anti-Orphan, then perhaps a Christmas-themed ensemble film is more your speed. Nothing Like the Holidays follows a large, boisterous Puerto Rican-American family as they gather at their parents' home, and the obligatory love-hate relationships ensue. The storyline is a little stale, so I wasn't a fan when the movie first came out - but it may be a solid rental to get into the pre-holiday spirit and for the actors. (Alfred Molina and Freddy Rodriguez are particularly good as father and son.) There's also a bonus blooper real.

49%

Whatever Works

Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry David stars in Woody Allen's story of a crabby New Yorker who takes in a young Southern runaway named Melodie (Evan Rachel Wood). Putting aside the somewhat unsettling older man and much younger woman relationship, the real joy to be had is from the bit character parts. Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr. turn in hilarious performances as Melodie's parents, and dreamy Henry Cavill of The Tudors plays a love interest. If you can get beyond David doing his tiring, whiny Allen schtick, they make the film worth checking out.

48%

I Need Your Help . . . Dealing With Aggressive Dogs on Walks

PetSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Nothing turns a walk time from rad to bad quicker than a foul-tempered pooch. I'd hazard a guess that very few, very lucky pet owners have never encountered an aggressive dog while out and about - even an attempted lunge is scary stuff - and what if it continues on way too far? Community member Beaner explains:

We've been going in the woods off-leash ever since we had our dog and, last weekend, the same dog went after him for the third time. I told the owner he should leash his dog since he's aggressive, and his response was, "Well I think dogs should just work it out themselves." When I saw him again, and I yelled to scare the other dog off, then leashed mine and walked the other way home. Is there anything I can do?

Get more of the story and offer your own advice when you read more.

Here's where the story gets more ridiculous as the offending owner asked Beaner if her dog was neutered - he is - but, when she asked back, he said "pretty much" even though she could see evidence to the contrary. Umm, horrible. Now, it's definitely a good idea to remove any dog from a dangerous situation but, unfortunately, there are some people that just won't do the right thing and ruin the fun for everyone else. Other than contacting the local animal care and control facility to see if there are any policies regarding aggressive dogs, I'm at a loss about what she can do - any tips?

(If you have problems of your own, don't forget to submit any questions to the Pet Peeves group - and we'll help work them out!)

Website of the Day: Canvas Pop

GeekSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:32:45 -0700

So you know all those amazing digital photos that you've accumulated over the years (achieved with the help of my handy photography tips perhaps?) that are sitting in your online photo bins, just waiting to be put to good use? Yeah, those.

Here's something really cool you can do with them: turn your best digital photos into canvas works of art easily over at Canvas Pop. Just upload the photo you want to use, choose your size and style, then enter your payment info (prices start at just $30 for a rolled poster and $49 for a wood-framed eight-by-10 canvas), and your order arrives on your doorstep in a jiffy. What's more, you can even upload pics straight from Facebook or Flickr if you are so inclined, and if you're giving as a gift? Well, they'll even gift wrap it for you.

Have an interesting website you want to share? To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group, read more.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click "New Post" under the website of the day tab at the top of the page.
Give your story a "Title."
Fill in the "Body" with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Type "Technology and Gadgets" in the Categories box
Add keyword(s) in the tag field with relevant tags (for example mine for this story was "Website of the Day").
Choose whether you want the post to be private or public.
Click "Create Post" to submit content.

Ask Casa: How Can I Create an Old Hollywood Starlet Pad?

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:39 -0700

Twitter user DefDulce asked me a question which, judging from current trends, I think is on a lot of young decorators' minds: "How can you turn an ordinary apartment into an old Hollywood starlet pad?"

Without seeing her apartment, I can't offer specific, tailored changes or updates. So I thought I'd respond by offering a few key elements essential to any old Hollywood home. Choosing just a few of them will give your home that overtone of glitz and glamour so evocative of Old Hollywood style.

Lacquer your furniture! And if you can't afford to, high gloss paint will do.
Choose rich materials like silk and velvet for drapery and tablecloths.
Bring in luxe details: crystals on chandeliers, fringe on lampshades, gilt accessories.

See more of these.