EPISODE #83 -
SATURDAY JULY 23, 2011
The BBQ is fired up!
The weather may not always be cooperating, but that is not
stopping us from enjoying some tangy tastes from the grill. This
week we have a show that is perfect for the summer. We start
with Clay’s Smokehouse Grill for a taste of summer; we also redo
those old patio chairs. We build a nice little water feature for
relaxing and we finish with a shortbread and berry port sauce
dessert. Ahhh, summer… now if only the heat would get here.
Indoor Fountains
There is nothing like the sound of
flowing water to help you relax and forget your problems. Now
you can bring that soothing sound into your home as well. We
stopped by
Terra Casa (503-577-8242) to learn how to build one with
Nick. Terra Casa is not only a décor store, they also have a
huge array of containers. They just received a shipment of some
really cool small decorative pots and Nick created some
containers that would be outstanding in any living area. The key
to building a nice fountain is recirculation of the water. As
long as the water makes it back down to the pump the rest is
just details. For an indoor application you will also want to be
aware of the splashing. Nick started with a large wide container
and sealed the drain hole in the bottom. Then he took a large
black nursery container and cut it down until the pot was level
with the top of his sealed container. The nursery pot is great
because you can cut it easily. This is good because you will
want to cut a hole for your power cord to the pump and also one
in the middle for the fountain hose. You then assemble the pump
and the nursery pot and flip it into the sealed container. To
keep the water from splashing too much you can adjust the supply
hose on the inside of the feature. These went together very
quickly and looked fantastic. If you would like to learn how to
build one or you want one built for you, stop by and see Nick at
Terra Casa.
Redoing Outdoor Chairs
Today we are bringing you another
great money saving project from Sara Tetreault of
GoGingham.com. Today
Sara showed us how she refurbished some patio chairs to make
them new again. She had found some old patio chairs on the
sidewalk with a sign on them that said they were free. They had
no major damage just some ripped canvas seats, loose hinges and
general grunge. Sara brought them home and they look fantastic
now that she has done a little work on them. The first thing she
recommended was to not throw anything away. The seat cover (even
torn) can be your pattern for making new ones that fit. You will
also want to make sure the slats for securing the canvas are
present and accounted for. Next make sure that all the legs,
cross supports and metal pieces are in working order. You can do
some minor fixing, but if you have to replace major parts it
might be too much. After tackling the seats, look at cleaning
and oiling the hinges, and give the chair a good coat of paint
or tung oil if needed.
Clay’s BBQ
Shortbread and Berry Port Sauce
This week we are back with Janie
Hibler, the author of The Berry Bible to get another great
recipe using fresh Oregon berries. Janie gave us a great recipe
for a Blackberry martini last week and this week we learned how
to make a shortbread with a warm berry port sauce. To make the
shortbread you start with 1 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of
cornmeal, 9 tablespoons of butter and some brown sugar. You mix
that in a food processor with a little bit of lemon zest. Once
the mixture is done it goes in the oven for 18 minutes.
Organic Mattresses
Last week we stopped by
Eclectic
Home (503-224-0551) to learn how to pick out a perfect
pillow. Dennis Rose showed us how to pick the pillow with
comfort in mind before you consider anything else. This week we
wanted to learn about organic mattresses. What makes an organic
mattress is the quality of the materials. The core of most
organic mattresses is composed of natural latex. This natural
material is made into a foam that responds well to average wear
and tear and that can make your mattress last 20 to 30 years.
Plus, once they have reached the end of their productive life
these mattresses can be put in a landfill where they will
decompose naturally. Once again Dennis told us about the number
one consideration for picking a mattress, comfort! One of the
ingredients that adds to the comfort and to the fire safety of
the mattress is a layer of wool. The lanolin in the wool is a
natural flame retardant. The lanolin also reduces the occurrence
of dust mites. If you are interested in learning more about
organic mattresses or any other organic furniture stop by
Eclectic Home. |
||||
Website design and content ©2009-2011 Gustin Creative Group.
Please send website inquiries to
gustingroup@comcast.net. |