How to Refinish Furniture

These posts are "How To's" that were recently removed from a popular site due to discontinuation of their writer compensation program.  I believe my work is worth more than the paltry buyout they offered, so I'm posting them here.  Please feel free to comment!

How to refinish laminate furniture

Summer is peak time for garage sales and great finds.  If you peruse Freecycle or dumpster dive for hidden gems, refinishing can be the perfect way to add your personal touch to a find.  This article is for refinishing a laminated item only.  

Can’t tell if you have a laminated item? The easiest way is to check the weight.  A lot of  newer (post 1970s) furniture is a laminate veneer applied over a lightweight plywood or mdf board.  If your piece is held together by staples or glue, it's probably a laminate veneer.  If you have a solid wood piece, DO NOT use these instructions.

As with any other project, the outcome is only as successful as your tools.  Depending on the size of the piece of furniture, you will need:

·         Phillips or flat head screwdriver,

·         (1) small or medium-sized plastic container (preferably with lid)

·         (1 -2) sheets 100 grit sandpaper,

·         assorted paint brushes (often sold in packs of 1-1/2”, 2”, & 3” sets),

·         (1) 3” roller with at least (1) refill

·         (1) gallon primer (depending on size of project)

·         (1) gallon paint (depending on size of project)

·         Several paint stir sticks

·         Painting tape (optional)

·         Cloth rags or paper towels

·         Cleaning supplies (optional)

·         Paint tray & disposable liner (optional)

Begin your project by thoroughly cleaning your item to remove any dust, dirt, or other soils.  As you are working with a laminate piece, prolonged exposure to water will harm the finish and is not recommended.  If you must clean with water, wipe off immediately with a dry cloth.   Remove all knobs, fasteners, hinges, and other hardware with the appropriate screwdriver.  After removed, insert screws about halfway inside the hardware to prevent misplacement.  Place all removed hardware inside of plastic container for reuse.

Use your 100 grit sandpaper to gently scuff the entire laminate surface.  This will make it easier for the primer to adhere to the piece of furniture.  Use a damp cloth to wipe off any residual dust and let dry.  Note:  If you skip this step, your paint may peel away from the laminate surface.

Open your primer (a flat head screwdriver will pry the top off) & stir thoroughly with a paint stick.  Pour a small amount into your paint tray, creating a shallow pool at the bottom.  Using your 3” roller, dip into paint, rolling the excess off in paint tray.  Apply to scuffed surface in thin, even coats.  Let dry.  Apply another coat and allow to dry again.
Once the primer is completely dry, apply the first coat of finish paint on top.  Allow to dry, then apply a second coat.  Use a third if necessary.
When you piece is finished drying, reattach the hardware you saved in the plastic container.

Enjoy your handiwork!   

How to Act at a Networking Event

Sometimes, the old adage is true:  getting where you want to be isn’t always about WHAT you know, but WHO you know.  And there’s no better way to expand your professional circle than attending a networking event.  In one well-attended gathering, you can connect with more people in 2 hours than you could in a month.  Not the social butterfly?  Here are some tips when you find yourself outside of your comfort zone.

You will need:
Willingness to meet new people

Business cards

Mints or gum

Business-friendly attire

Self-confidence

• Be prepared.  Business cards, contact information, and some form of PDA are excellent ways to give and collect information.   As a back-up, bring pen and paper just in case you need them. 
• Be confident.  Practice your "elevator speech" - a 45 second to 1 minute blurb about yourself and what you do in case you find yourself chatting with a prospective employer or someone you want to impress.
• Be professional.  While networking events are often in bars, bowling alleys, or other laid-back settings, remember why you’re there.  Your off-work appearance reflects as much on your professionalism as anything else.  Dress for the occasion, but keep in mind your motive is expanding your professional network, not necessarily your dating circle. 
• Not comfortable around new people?  Bring a friend to talk to.  Chances are they can help you gain the confidence to speak to someone else, or would be willing to be your ice breaker in meeting others.
• Attend multiple events.  Networking is often not a one-time thing.  Go to more events until you feel familiar with the format and comfortable around other people.   Just like a game, practice will help you be ready to wow the people you want to impress.
• Approach the unapproachable.  If you see someone by themselves or seemingly distant, walk up and introduce yourself.  Instead of being in a foul mood, they may be just as uncomfortable in an unfamiliar setting as you.  Even if they are intimidating, the simple act of surviving the encounter will give you assurance to try to talk to others.
• Try to pinpoint a reason to speak.  Whether it be a nice purse, interesting hairdo, or great pair of shoes, compliment them on it and use that as an opening to a dialogue.  A simple conversation could open the door to furthering your career. 
• Although networking events can be fun, be sure not to cross the line between professional and party.  A bad way to be remembered is for out-of-control behavior at an event.  While it’s fun to have a good time, you are still representing yourself.  You’ve done a lot to cultivate an image, don’t do anything to ruin a good first impression.
• Follow up.  After you’ve made good connections, send a follow up email within a few days expressing your pleasure to meet them.  Mention any memorable part of the conversation, and show your enthusiasm for the opportunity to speak with them.  Consider inviting them to your professional network or add a tasteful plug for yourself if they expressed interest in your work. 
• Be realistic.  Networking is a great way to meet people, but don’t expect instant miracles.  It may take more than one event to feel like you’ve made good connections.  Keep going, and in time, you’ll be networking like a pro.

Pen and paper are also good tools to jot down notes about opportunities you hear directly or indirectly for follow up later.
Leave the skimpy outfits, torn jeans, and wife-beater T-shirts at home.  General rule of thumb: if you have to ask yourself, “Is this professional?” it probably isn't.
Don't oversell or push.  While you met a lot of interesting people, you didn't make any instant best friends.  Even if you are thrilled, keep a cool exterior until any prospect comes to fruition.

Popping a mint or gum is appreciated by all around, but kindly offering it to others can serve as an ice breaker. 

The Art of Regifting

Nowadays, broke no longer seems like a temporary condition, but a permanent description.  Despite our lack of finances, life keeps rolling on.  The invites to baby showers, weddings, graduations, birthday parties, housewarmings and holiday get-togethers arrive in a steady pace; our seemingly eternal broke-ness makes us dread these gatherings instead of celebrating them.  Parties mean gifts (and, in case you didn’t know, gifts = money).   But don’t fret yet; there is a way to attend any festivity AND bring the appropriate gift.  In the spirit of recycling and “going green”, what better way to save the environment (and your wallet) than to regift?

The re-gift is typically seen as taboo – albeit not quite as taboo as not giving anything.  I’m not talking about shining up a pair of old shoes and calling them new.  The true re-gift is an art form, carefully selected and reworked into a brand-new experience for the recipient.  A few rules do apply:

1.  NEVER re-gift an item to someone who originally bought it for you.
2. When in doubt, find something else to give.

Your home is a treasure-trove of regifting opportunities, you just have to learn the correct techniques to spruce it up and give it that like-new shine.

Regifting criteria:

• Find something as close to new as possible.  Items with tags on them (a new pair of earrings, an unworn kid’s outfit, a new book) are the easiest to pass along.  Remember to rip off the price tag that may belie how long the item has been in your home (a gift from a now defunct store is a sure giveaway).
• Remove any packaging that is ruined, stained, or otherwise broken.  New boxes are cheaply found at your local craft store.  Buying an inexpensive gift bag from a discount store is a great way around this problem , if no boxes suit your needs.
• Personalize the gift.  Picture frames are excellent items to reuse.  Inserting a picture of recipient, or a one-of-a-kind item that they would really appreciate.  Thinking of how to please a recent grad?  Consider framing their graduation announcement and their commencement program.
• Unused gift, gas, or prepaid cards are great to pass on as new.  If you decide to regift one of these items, make sure you call and verify the balance.

Follow these tips and you're guaranteed to bring joy without breaking the bank.

Weddings: Depressing or Joyful?

No April rain
No May flowers bloom
No wedding Saturdays within the month of June...

'Tis the season for weddings and love, but for those who don't have it, weddings can suck.  I wrote this article a few years ago not long after I got married.  Check it out.  Your feedback is appreciated!

If I were single, I would have thrown myself off a bridge the other night.  As much as weddings are meant to celebrate the bonds of unity and oneness, they are also depressing as hell for anyone who doesn’t have someone to share those bonds with.  All the songs about love and finding love and losing love and being in love; had I not had the double band on my 3^rd finger (not including the thumb), I would have been airborne off the Big Mac.

I’ve never been the traditional woman attending a wedding; the kind that comes home, kicks off her wedding-appropriate stilettos, points at her man, the clock, and then the door.  Weddings never jump-started my biological ticker, beginning a silent countdown for “he better propose or else.”  Nope, I was always the big hold-out.  I never had the dreams of the big beautiful wedding with me in the princess dress and the tiara, walking amongst a floral wonderland of roses and calla lilies, waving to all of my adoring family and friends as I walked toward the groom.  The groom of course, would be standing in white, smiling ready to receive me and all of my perfection with open arms, holding a diamond rock of Gibraltar with a band attached to it, waiting for the right moment to slide it on my left hand.  That was never my fantasy.  In fact, weddings evoked the opposite in me…fear.  I embraced the stereotypical male reaction: come home, hurry up and turn on the TV, and hope SportsCenter would distract him from talking about it.  He was ready.  I was petrified.  I hated the thought of being a wife and morphing into someone I didn’t recognize.  I didn’t want to lose myself.

My revelation came at my friend’s reception.  She was the quintessential bachelorette, the life of the party, the epitome of all the clichés about being single and loving it.  But standing before me was this woman, stunning in her ivory dress, radiating happiness.  She hadn’t altered, her personality was just as bubbly as before; the major transformation would be in her last name.  And in that moment, I knew I’d be the same moody, opinionated, loveable person I was before the addition of the title “Mrs.”

On our wedding day, as I stood there in my princess dress and my tiara, my groom in white, holding a non-Gibraltar rock which suited my appendages perfectly, I realized although I’d never dreamt it, I was living my fantasy.  I just hoped all of my unmarried family and friends would be too happy for us to notice the depressing music.      

More Good Hair

In this post, I want to talk about the perception of good vs bad hair.  The African American community typically defines "good hair" as wavy or straight, easy to comb, and long.  But what people don't realize is:

1. just because your hair is wavy or straight, it doesn't mean it's more manageable
2. easy to comb may also mean potential problems holding a style
3. long does not equal "good

Here's a clip from Spike Lee's movie School Daze that summarizes the struggle between good and bad hair.

Good Hair

There's been a lot of talk about natural hair.  One disturbing trend I've seen is people saying they can't go natural (hair sans chemicals) because they don't have "good hair".  So, like Chris Rock, I decided to investigate the myth of good vs bad hair.  Instead of making a movie about it (because we all know that's an option), I opted to dedicate a blog or two to the topic.  Let's start by defining Good or Bad hair for those who don't know anything about the controversy.

Bad Hair:  Bald.  Not there.  Missing.

Good hair:  Hair that grows freely out of your head; in more than spots or sections sparsely spread across your scalp.  If you have any question about if your hair is "good", talk to a chemo patient, or someone with alopecia, or someone who is involuntarily rocking the Sherman Helmsley.

Now that we've defined good vs bad hair, let's delve into hair psychology.  Unfortunately, many people who use relaxer or other chemicals to tame their hair are used to seeing themselves a certain way.  And most of the time, if they are using relaxer or other chemicals, it's because their hair doesn't grow out of their scalp like that.  So what we're left with is this inability to imagine ourselves without processed hair, thinking somehow our original texture is now "bad" because it's not bone straight and manageable.  It's all mental.  People always want what they don't have.  If your hair is curly, you want straight; if it's straight, you admire a body of curls.  We're always going to critique our God-given appearance, pick it apart, and find all the flaws.  Once you appreciate your natural look, it will be a lot easier to stop living in the relaxer past.

We'll get into perceptions in the next post.

Gone Fishing

We stayed in a hotel with a nice koi pond. There were all types of fish, most of them huge. They must be used to getting fed by patrons because they swarmed me while I took these pics. But it made me think - when a fish goes belly up, who gets the great job of cleaning it out of the pond? Does someone from front desk call housekeeping and tell them to bring the big net? My friend and I figured there's some company contracted to water the plants, do the landscaping, and scoop out dead fish. If you have the fantastic job of being a fish cleaner, feel free to comment!

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And the Blog Must Suffer

Hubby and I made an impromptu weekend getaway in honor of father's day and our anniversary. Needless to say, my mind hasn't been on my blog. I did see a few things I felt were worthy of posting, like this picture here. We rolled up on a surprise car show. It was a surprise to us anyway...earlier we were at an ordinary half price books and after hours there was a parking lot full of cars and Street Fighter on the building façade. Either way, it was a great way for my hubby, the car guy, to start out his fathers day.

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Tupac lives!

And his 40th birthday was yesterday, June 16, 2011. In honor, I am posting my favorite song. He'll live in our memories forever (or at least until we forget). Look for me!

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The Blog Police Are Coming!

Ok, seeing I'm at day 3 or 4 since I've blogged, I figure I'd better say something before the blog police come.

This picture is of an accident I saw recently. Amazing how a truck jack knifing can mess up traffic. I'm glad the driver was ok and nobody else was hurt.

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No Kids, part Deux

I wish I could say I miss my babies, but after Day 1, my hubby and I are loving the peace and quiet!  We don't know what to do with ourselves.  We're like Doug and Carrie from the King of Queens...

Not quite jumping on the couch naked, but definitely not in the same old routine of coming home, cooking dinner, and getting ready for bed!  I'm going to enjoy the rest of my night doing absolutely nothing.

Silence is Golden

I wish I could post a clip of how quiet it is in my house right now.  This is the first time in - well, ever - that hubby and I've had the house to ourselves for an extended period of time.  The kids are gone for a fortnight, and I bowed out of watching the NBA Finals at my in-laws.  I am officially alone.  To mark this occasion, I'm enjoying a virgin screwdriver (also known as orange juice), watching The Kingpin, and basking in the sweet sounds of silence.  Ahhh.  I'll miss my kids in a day or two, but not just yet.

Italianfest!

One weekend out of the year, several local restaurants swarm on the banks of the Ohio River for Italianfest. They specialize in Italian cuisine that is usually featured on the Sopranos (cannolis, etc). It's not huge, but worth a quick drive over the bridge. These are some shots of the festival Newport on the Levee in full swing.

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World's Greatest

My Facebook friend Butch Gibson posted something interesting today. "What do you think is the greatest invention of your lifetime?" I read through the responses; they were varied but a lot dealt with computers and the internet. Those are great inventions (hey, I'm using one right now), but I think my response ranks right up near the top of the list. Indoor plumbing. Apparently, other people aren't as fond of having their toilets indoors as I am because I ended up in a 15 minute debate about whether indoor plumbing deserved to be considered a great invention. My friend was in favor of the transistor, which is the basis for modern day technology. Yes, I'm glad we can screen for cancer cells, and use telephones as computers, and have OnStar call us when we accidentally hit the button on the steering wheel. But even without all that, I'm happier that I can sit on my commode inside my home instead of squatting behind my bushes hoping the neighbors don't see. I'm aware outhouses don't work like that, but thankfully, I don't know exactly how they work because my bathroom is inside of my house. See what I'm getting at? I told my buddy to try this: I'd go without inventions with transistors if he would go without indoor plumbing. No showers, no washing hands, no peeing indoors, none of that. He didn't accept my challenge. And right now, as I sit in the dark from a power outage, I can blog on my transistor-assisted phone, but I could still shower and use my facilities if my battery was dead. And that is the beauty of indoor plumbing. It's tops in my book.

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Chicken Burgers!

I got this recipe from The Food Network.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground white meat chicken
• 2 cups coarse to fine fresh bread crumbs, divided (not canned)
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk (I'm using 2%)
• 3 tablespoons grated sweet onion (or finely, finely minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse grained salt (I'm using seasoned salt)
• Cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

For this recipe, I'm using Perdue prepackaged ground chicken.  They make an all-breast meat version as well.

The Food Network recommends using fresh bread crumbs. Here are their steps to making them:  Remove crusts from good bread or don't remove the crusts, tear into chunks and pulse in a mini chopper or food processor. Make a giant batch and freeze them so next time you can skip this step.

I am using a mix of croutons and toasted bread for my burgers.

Place chicken in a mixing bowl. Using a large spoon, fold in milk, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, onion, cayenne, salt and pepper. The mixture will be very wet. Place remaining 1-1/2 cups bread crumbs on a dinner plate.  Divide chicken meat into 4 or 5 patties and using your hands, shape into patties. Coat each patty with bread crumbs. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and fry until golden and cooked through.  

Down N' Out

Nappy Roots pretty much sums up my mood for today.  Hopefully tomorrow (and tomorrow's post) will be better.

The TV C-o-n-spir-a-cy!

I think summertime and regular TV are in cahoots to get kids outside.  I'm sure I mentioned our current streamlined existence without cable/satellite/dish/etc.  Let me tell you, it's torture.  No Style Channel, no HGTV, no TLC, no basketball games because our house doesn't get the local channel broadcasting it.  We have about 10 channels that come in clearly, and over half of them are Public Broadcasting Stations.  There's nothing wrong with PBS, but some days I'd like to watch something other than British sitcoms or the history of pocket lint.  I think I'm going through withdrawal; I lived the first 22 years of my life with no problems only watching regular TV.  Apparently I became bourgeois, since the handful of free channels doesn't do it for me anymore.  I suppose this is my sign to turn off the boob tube and do something productive.   Good thing I still have my wi-fi hotspot...

Brownout

I'm at my desk, doing some actual work, when our power goes out. It's relatively quick, then we're back up and running...or so we thought. The electricity lasted just long enough to get the computers on when we were plunged into darkness again. Well, as dark as you can be in the middle of a bright sunny day, but I digress. Apparently the brownout was caused by some equipment malfunction with an epicenter not far from the job. And not unlike an earthquake, the after effects (server problems, computer problems, etc) are still slowing us down. So until the IT man sees the computer signal in the air and comes to the rescue, I suppose today's work is done. Good thing I've still got a signal on my phone :)

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Confidence

Here's my message to everyone who has to build up the confidence to tackle a big task.  Take a lesson from Mr. Ricky Bobby, who has no problem with his self esteem:

If you're not first, you're last.  Trademark of Ricky Bobby.

Tennis!(?)

It's interesting what a little time sans the multitude of channels on cable can have you watching.  Hubby and I have never been avid tennis watchers, but we got into the drama of the French Open over the weekend.  I watched as Na Li garnered the first singles title for the Chinese on Saturday; he gave me the blow by blow on Sunday's Federer/Nadal match up.  We even had a chat about the style and serve of some other notable players, including Gael Monfils, one of the few formidable black male tennis players I've heard of since Arthur Ashe.  I probably won't run right out and get tickets for Cincinnati's annual Western & Southern Open, but I learned that watching large scale ping-pong isn't so bad either.

The Twist Out

I've been all "naptural" for over a year now.  I rock a twist out, which is simply a two strand twist that is pulled apart to create a curly afro.  I have gotten positive feedback about my hairstyle and I figured this is as good a place as any to explain how I do it for anyone else who might want to give it a shot.
You'll need:
setting lotion or wrapping foam
lock/twist gel or a light to medium hold gel
curl rods sized to the length of your hair (shorter hair use smaller rods, longer hair use larger ones)
a light grease for dry scalp
oil or gloss for shine when finished
blow dryer (hood or hand)
comb
3-4 large alligator clips

After washing and conditioning the hair, pat dry with a towel.  While hair is still damp, section off a row at the base of the neck.  This will become your first row of twists.  You will make the row as wide as you want the twists (for smaller twists make a skinnier row, for thicker make a larger one).  Use the alligator clips to hold the hair above your parted row.  Comb through the row, then apply a moderate amount of gel to the entire row.  You should have enough gel to cover the hair without saturating it.  Start at one side of the row and section off a piece of hair.  For small twists, use less; for larger ones, use more.  Split the sectioned hair into two pieces and using firm pressure, twist them together.  Use a curl rod to loosely roll the end (about 1/3 way up the twist) and keep the twist from unraveling.  Repeat for the entire row.  If you don't have many curl rods, you can combine 3 or 4 twists on one rod.  Use this method for the entire head.  While the twisted hair is set on rods, grease the scalp.  Dry the hair with the hood or hand dryer, or let it air dry.  After it's dry, remove the rods and pull the twists apart at the middle.  Use the oil or gloss to add sheen.  Rock it and go!

*NOTE*  The image above is not me nor did I take the photo.  The hairstyle is representative of the finished look of a twist out.  Click here for the website I got the image.

Free Stuff

I'm always on the lookout for a bargain.  Here are a few things to do in Cincinnati that are fun and (almost) completely free.

1. Free Fridays @ Union Terminal.  Select Fridays throughout the summer are free from 4-8pm.  Three museums are included, but parking and the Omnimax theater are extra.
2. KidsFest Cincinnati.  Tons of free, kids-themed activities on the river.  Last year my son caught three catfish, which we promptly gave away (I like my fish fileted BEFORE I get it).
3. Cincinnati Fatherhood Celebration.  Sunday, June 19th - free activities for dads and kids on Sawyer Point.
4. Cincinnati Art Museum.  It's free admission daily; you may possibly pay a small fee for parking.  Visit the gift shop for some tasteful, artful jewelry.

For a list of other Free events, check out the Cincinnati USA website.

June 3rd, 2011

I've been falling behind on my blogs so I'll try to catch up.  I am feeling some kind of way right now...not sure how to describe the emotion.  Maybe it's easier to sum it up in one word. Old.  I feel old.  My eldest niece graduated from high school last night.  My husband and I reminisced about when she was two and loved to watch Bill Nye the Science Guy; when she got older and first got her braces; how excited she was when she got them taken off to reveal a bright and beautiful smile.  She's not the first youngster in my life to don her cap and gown and move on up to the collegiate world, but for some reason hers hit home.  Hard.  It could be because I distinctly remember her at two, running around the house, pigtails and hairballs swinging with every happy step.  This is a child I'd see often; a kid that seemed to morph into an adult overnight.  And now I look at my own children, sprouting up like weeds on Miracle Gro, and I feel so very old.  When did I grow up?  When did I become this somewhat responsible adult?  When did I lose track of time? I need time to slow down a bit.  Yes, my kids drive me nuts, but I will miss these days when they graduate and leave the nest as my niece is about to do.

Sharing Sucks

I hate to share.  I am fine with giving, or volunteering, or donating, but I can't stand having to share something that is unequivocally mine.  My car, my clothes, my computer - I'm not fond of taking turns with any of it.  I guess my attitude comes from never having anything to truly call "mine".  Growing up, my family was pretty solidly middle class, so it was never a matter of money...more like a matter of logic.  I have an older sister and a handful of female cousins who always grew quicker than I did.  So, my new clothes and shoes were hand-me-downs, as well as my toys, roller skates, and bikes.  I didn't care as long as they still fit/worked/rolled.  I used them proudly and sent them on to their next owner.  But as I got older my desire for non-previously owned merchandise grew, and I began to save my money.  My first real purchase was a $99 white metal daybed; I was so proud to plunk down a wad of cash made from my allowances, Christmas and birthday presents, and rewards from a school year of straight As.  My bed was mine.  I could honestly appreciate the fruits of my labor.  It shouldn't be a surprise when you fast forward to today and I'm holding onto my car keys and my computer password with the kung-fu grip.  I can't stand sharing, but I'm not a complete hard ass.  My kids have their own username on my computer; my husband has a key to my car.  I simply don't like to give up my things without a fight or at least a promise in blood that they'll come back relatively close to the way they left my possession.  I don't think that's a horrible thing to ask.  Do you?