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UsedBlog Cross-Canada Tour of Awesomeness: Bakelite

From left to right: original Schick injector razor with a Bakelite handle via UsedPQB, Bakelite expansion bracelet via UsedCalgary, 1930s napkin ring & elephant pencil sharpener via UsedNanaimo, working 1947 Zenith Bakelite radio via UsedOttawa, set of 6 stainless Steakmaster Deluxe knives with butterscotch Bakelite handles via UsedPEI, working 1960s Bakelite rotary dial phone via UsedOttawa

Bakelite is the world’s first synthetic plastic developed in 1907 by Belgian-born chemist Leo Baekeland in New York. Baekeland was originally trying to come up with a new varnish when he accidentally created the hard moldable material he called Bakelite. Because of its high resistance to electricity, heat and chemical action, Bakelite soon appeared in everything from lightbulb sockets to machine guns and by the time the 20th century rolled around it was being used for kitchenware, radios, jewellery—you name it.

Today, Bakelite is a popular collectible. Unlike lucite or other plastics, Bakelite hearkens back to a bygone era of quality and craftsmanship. That and it’s lovely. It has weight. It feels good in the hands and some of the jewellery or novelty items are etched with amazing detail. So, yeah. If you didn’t before, you now know a little bit about Bakelite. If you’ve never seen it up close, I suggest you visit your grandparents, scour your local flea market or check your local Used site and get your hands on some.

 

Camping adventures with the family

My family and I just got back from our annual camping trip. It was, in a word, great. But once again I was reminded that everyone has a different idea of what makes a great camping experience.

Some people’s idea of camping is entirely about loud conversations while sitting next to a roaring campfire flanked by a stereo on one side and a case of beer on the other, with 1980s thrash metal filling every stretch of quiet that may sneak in there.

It’s kind of interesting, don’t you think, that some people eschew every comfort, while others won’t leave home without their brand of quilted toilet paper and a flat iron yet call themselves campers?

We are somewhere in between. We are car campers, which means that we pack a lot of stuff and use our vehicle as movable storage. We’ve been doing it for so long we now have packing and meal planning down to a science. (Well, most of the time.)

Allow me for a moment to reflect upon what I love most about camping:

• campfires
• food cooked over the fire
• the silence
• nature
• hiking, and exploring new places
• quiet contemplation (marginally related to “silence” in the list above)
• canoeing on calm waters
• sleeping outdoors
• … in my cosy sleeping bag
• … on an inflatable mattress
• looking at the stars
• collecting cool rocks
• napping in the tent
• reading
• birdwatching
• swimming in the lake
• staring at the water
• fireflies
• feeding the chipmunks

Speaking of which, check out this greedy little guy:

Here are the things I do not like about camping:

• the preparation, the risk of forgetting something important and then having to take the flack for it later (“Moooom, how could you forget the maple syrup!”)
• when neighbouring campers blast their music (often from tinny car stereos), let their dogs bark on the site, or roll out the big screen and projector for a family viewing of Indiana Jones.
• stinging bugs, flying bugs, hairy bugs
• the smell of bug repellant
• outdoor toilets (although I will tolerate them)
• sand in the tent and/or in my shorts
• leaky tents and soggy sleeping bags
• getting up to pee in the middle of the night
• loud tent zippers

Things that could bother me, but amazingly, do not:

• wearing the same shorts for days at a time
• unwashed hair
• rain

I realized the list of things I do not like about camping is a lot shorter that my “like” list. I think that means we’re going back next year.

Are you a camper? And do you agree with my lists?

 

Creating Artists in the Cradle of Confederation

One of the coolest things about Charlottetown PEI is the punch it packs, arts & culture-wise, for its size. It only has 35,000 people, give or take a few. But as a provincial capital, it’s a rich hub of music and theatre and art and learning at a level few small cities can match.

And in the literal midst of it all, on one of the key corners of historic downtown Charlottetown, is the Confederation Centre.

Built in 1964 to commemorate the meeting of the Fathers of Confederation next door at Province House, Confed Centre is a high modernist concrete ode to public space and Canadian culture. Outside, its unique architectural imprint dominates the downtown landscape and encourages on-foot discovery, as its concrete grounds host a multitude of creative and inviting spaces for humans. Inside, it houses the largest mainstage theatre in Canada east of Montreal, the city library, a chic restaurant, a variety of studios and a two-story art gallery.

Underneath it all, though, in the “art bunker” more formally known as The Schurman Family Studio, is the space that perhaps matters the most, in terms of fostering Charlottetown’s arts & culture identity.

That’s where the art camps take place.

Artisanal skills and spirit are the heart of any arts & culture community, and the Confed Centre’s art camps give children the opportunity to build those skills and spirit, hands-on, in the midst of Confed Centre’s thriving summer scene.

Run by art educator Gail Hodder, the summertime camps are a week long. The kids try different media, sketch Province House, do amazing chalk art on the concrete expanses outside, check out the art gallery AND spend  lunch hours in the ampitheatre enjoying free musical theatre by Confederation Centre’s Young Company. It’s like a cultural bonus tacked onto the arts curriculum: by the end of the week, my kid knew all the words to Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy!

At the close of each weekly camp, the young artists proudly host an art show.

They showcase their comic strip creations, replete with real genuine Confederation Centre gallery namecards for mama to frame.

They showcase their tie-dyes.

They showcase their sculptures.

They showcase their collaborative enterprise: a tiny town, replete with foliage, built out of their own individual imaginative buildings. Oscar’s was a hotel-hospital, he told me.

It was totally steampunk.

All the parents ooh and aah and take lots of pictures…

And then we emerge from the art bunker, all loaded down with papier mache, to where the children’s hand-made fans blow in the wind with Province House as a backdrop.

What more could you want to foster artists of tomorrow?

Be a great lake guest (and get invited back!)

One of the best ways to enjoy summer is to spend some time beside one of our country’s beautiful lakes.  Fresh air, sunshine, easy access to water – these are all ingredients for a fabulous summer holiday.  When you add in campfires, hikes, and getting dirty…well, you know summer memories are being made.

Enjoying summer by the lake

 

But reality sets in at some point – many of us don’t own cabins where we can spend every weekend.  And who wants to constantly invite themselves to other people’s cabins all summer long?  Well, there are ways to not only get more lake time in your summer, but also to ensure you aren’t wearing out your welcome if you are a guest at someone else’s cottage retreat.

First, make your own vacation plans.  Rent a cabin, plan some camping weekends, and do what you can with your own resources to spend time by the water.  Doing this will help remind you how much work it is to pack for the cabin; to organize meals, shopping, bedding, and all the other details.  Once you’ve had to do it, you’ll have more respect for future hosts.

Second, wait to be invited!  Not every weekend should be open season for every cabin owner.  Let people decide when they want to be social and when they might want just a few days of quiet, without entertaining.  If you are invited, be sure to let people know if you are coming, and if your plans change, get in touch as soon as you can.  You may not know other people are making plans to accommodate you, but they certainly are.  Assume you should bring something, even if bringing a prepared meal is too tricky due to driving or refrigerator space.  Extra groceries, ice, mix, treats, or supplies for campfire s’mores might all be welcome.  Certainly bringing your own alcohol or other beverages, plus extra to share is thoughtful.  Remember that your hosts may not be able to accommodate dietary restrictions as easily as they might have done in the past, so bring what you need.  Grocery stores or lakeside shops are often small and limited in their selection.  If you aren’t sure what to bring, don’t be shy!  Your hosts would probably love you to ask ahead of time so you bring what you need, rather than feel awkward later on.  Don’t forget a host/hostess gift just for them to express your thanks!

Last, pitch in!  Remember that lake life is a different than city life, and you are joining someone in their holiday zone.  Don’t expect to be waited on hand and foot.  Help cook if you can, set the table, wash dishes, and offer to take things down to the beach or run out for missing ingredients.  If all of these things seem taken care of, play bartender!  Make sure your host has a drink, offer to serve the other guests, clear empties, and stock up on ice and glasses.  If you aren’t sure how to help, taking all the kids out for a nature hike or scavenger hunt can give your hosts time and space to do what they need.  Even just deciding you’ll be on clean up duty all weekend when needed can be a relief – jump up and hang towels, clear garbage, tuck away beach toys, fold and stash lawn chairs at the end of the night.  Often an extra set of willing hands is enough to be sure your hosts aren’t working too hard during your stay.

If you want to go one step further, think of things you can do to make your stay even easier on your hosts.  Perhaps you could invest in a few items so your hosts don’t need to keep so many multiples on hand.  Lifejackets are a great example.  Your hosts likely have enough for their own family, or for whatever number of people are allowed in the boat, but may not have specific sizes for your children, or enough to go around if people also want them for swimming, dockside play, or canoeing during a busy entertaining weekend.  You can find affordable used life jackets so why not pick up what you need for your family so you can arrive with your own?  You can do the same with wetsuits if you know your family will be skiing or tubing, fishing rods and tackle and absolutely do it with lawn chairs and beach towels.

O’Brien CCG Approved Youth Life Jacket (27 to 41 kg = 60-90 pounds) ~ $18

 

And don’t stop there if you really want to make yourself a welcome repeat guest.  Pick up something fun like this inflatable beach boat, or some other large toy for the kids and help keep them entertained in the water.  Or, if your hosts are supplying a cabin you’ll be using often, why not use some of the money you’re saving to buy a larger item that you can all enjoy?  You can find used canoes and kayaks easily enough for much less than what a single cottage rental would cost you.

What a great contribution this could be to the group’s memories!

Coleman 15.5′ RamX Canoe

 

If you want to be a great lake guest, and be invited back, just try to imagine what your host is doing behind the scenes, and do what you can do reduce their effort and expense.  If you can achieve that, you’ll have fun and keep your name on the guest list for next time!

DIY Oak kitchen table makeover that's so easy even I can do it!

So last week I told about how I started exercising my DIY muscle and/or bone and tried a couple of super easy DIY projects that were basically fail proof. My picture frames turned out wonderfully and my watering can works great.

The finished products! These babies look brand new now!

 

Since I was feeling rather good about myself and my DIY capabilities, I decided I would tackle a project that has been sitting in my basement for the last few months, haunting me. I bought a really nice solid oak kitchen table from UsedVic and I planned to repaint it to match these brand new leather dining chairs I bought (couldn’t find any used but got these on super sale, of course).  I wouldn’t normally even think about taking on such a tricky DIY furniture challenge but I just can’t stand the look of that flimsy, non-wood material that affordable dining sets are made out of these days. They’re so light my five year old nephew Noah could probably hoist one over his head….he’s pretty strong anyways. ”They just don’t make’em like they used to” said someone once ….no idea who, sorry!

Cost only $75 on UsedVic! Awesome deal!

 

I brought the table home and called up my mom who told me I would have to resand the entire table before painting.  This sounded difficult, tedious and just plain scary.  I pictured myself sanding the table so far down that it would crack and then I would crack and cry for ruining it.  Not fun at all!

Luckily no tears were shed thanks to fellow UsedEverywhere blogger Andrea Tomkins!  She recently wrote a blog post about a woman who refinished these beautiful antique doors and turned them into headboards. And instead of having to strip and sand the doors of their ugly paint job, she simply painted them with an all in one acrylic primer.  I’d never heard of such a product before but turns out you can buy it anywhere now. Don’t you just love evolving technology??

I headed out to Home Depot and bought some CIL Smart Any Where Primer which will bond to any surface.  There were a couple of other brands as well that I think would also work. Then I simply painted the kitchen table with the primer and let it dry.

It actually looks pretty good white!

 

The guys at HD told me that I only needed to cover it once and it didn’t matter if it wasn’t solidly painted…it just needs to be on there for the next paint to adhere to.

I also purchased some semi-gloss paint to match the leather chairs I purchased…you should either get semi-gloss or satin finish paint if you are redoing something that will see a lot of traffic like a kitchen table or coffee table.

Then I simply painted over the primer and voila!

Now I just have to find the time to assemble it and put it in my kitchen!

 

…a beautiful modern looking kitchen table brought to life again from 1982!  It really can’t get any easier than this.

Well,  actually it wasn’t totally voila (you may have noticed this is one of the only french words I know as I tend to use it a lot) as I had to go back to HD once to have them retint the paint as it was a bit too light to match the chair.  But look at this!! It matches the chairs perfectly.  Woot!  Woot! So excited!

Now I can confidently walk into the Vancouver Island Mini Maker Faire this weekend with my head held high, knowing that I do have a little DIY in me after all.  In fact, to prove it I joined up with a couple of the UsedVictoria gals and we spent the last week repainting an antique French provincial couch and chair for the event.  That’s right…painted it!  And it looks absolutely amazing! (Here’s a teaser before pic of the couch)

But don’t take my word for it! If you’re anywhere near Victoria, BC  this weekend, come say hello to us  and see for yourself. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until next week for the big reveal. Happy DIYing everyone!

 

For the love of food and family: Terra Nossa Farm

 

They say a good man is hard to find, but good food, that’s easy, especially here on Vancouver Island. Here I chatted with Evelyn Pereira, one of the owners of Terra Nossa Farm, a 26-acre farm in the heart of the Cowichan Valley.

Terra Nossa Farm is local family-run farm situated in Mill Bay, BC, Canada. How long have you been operating?

We moved from Prince George in 2007 and spent a year cleaning up the property. We started producing meat in 2009.

And it’s a family farm, so tell us who’ve you’ve got working with the animals and the land?

For the first three years our son and daughter-in-law worked with us developing the farm, my mother lives with us and helps out a lot and every weekend we have our grandson with us at the farm — he’s 4 years old ( a farmer in training).

Describe a typical day at the farm.

Seasonally they vary, with the summer being the longest. Right now in July the day starts at 5:30 – 6:00 am and ends when it is too dark to do anything more.

It starts with the morning round of checking all the livestock, putting out feed, moving pens, checking and filling all the waters etc. This happens at mid-day and the evening as well.

It also depends on what needs doing with the berries or produce, setting out irrigation , weeding (it never ends) and of course, harvesting. It takes three days a week to keep up with all the mowing and weed whacking on the property. Depending on the time of the rotation, barns need to be cleaned out and sheep pastures need to be rotated by moving the electric fencing.

Planning for a market day, means getting the freezers and truck loaded.

What do you produce and do you process the meat yourself, ie turn it into sausages, pepperoni etc?

We produce broilers (meat chickens) turkeys, pork, and lamb . The government regulations do not allow for the farmer to process the meat if they want to sell it to the public. All of our livestock is processed at government inspected facilities and the same facility makes our sausages and all our value added meat cuts.

Is all your produce organic?

Our farm is certified organic with IOPA, (Island Organic Producers Association). All of the produce and berries that are produced are then certified organic.

With the livestock that is born on the farm or the chickens and turkeys, they are certified until they leave the farm—we cannot claim them to be certified organic when we sell them because there is not a certified organic processor on Vancouver Island.

Where can we get our hands on it?

We have a store on the farm and we are at the Moss Street Farmers Market in Victoria every Sat from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. We are also at the Oak Bay evening market on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 4-8pm.

I see you grow all sorts of delicious berries, including goji berries and blackberries— my fave. Do you turn any of these into pies,  jam or other fruity goodness?

It’s just the start of the blackberry season and we’re expecting about 15,000-20,000 lbs this year. We’ll be hosting U-Pick, as they are wonderful large berries on THORNLESS vines. I just don’t have the time to turn them into fruity goodness and would like customers to do that themselves. We do offer fresh or frozen berries for sale.

What’s your favourite part of farm life?

When our  four-year-old grandson says “Papa, you are a good farmer, I want to be just like you”

Okay, it’s steak night, how do you prepare your meat?

Well, as we do not raise beef, it is not usually steak. We BBQ a lot of chicken and we make a marinade with red wine, red pepper paste, garlic and sea salt.

And finally, do you buy new or used and what is your best ever used find?

It depends on what we’re needing. The best used find was the mobile home we bought to put on the farm, the property had no house on it when we bought it. We purchased the mobile home from a farmer up the road and this farmer has become one of our best friends.

UsedBlog Covets: Vintage Star Wars

I know so many nerds friends who would LOVE this vintage 1979 Star Wars book and record found on UsedAlberni. And it’s only $25! This is a crazy good score.

The Second Hand Challenge: Baby Edition

Some of you may remember my blog post from back in January about expecting my first baby and wanting to buy as many used baby items as I could. Before working with UsedEverywhere, my experience purchasing used items online was pretty limited. Needing to prepare for and purchase so many items for a new little person was really daunting to me at first (especially given I didn’t know the first thing about what I needed.)

Actually, to say I found it daunting is a gross understatement. I spent countless hours fretting over how we were going to afford to purchase thousands of dollars in baby items that were deemed by the general public as “essentials”. Early on in my pregnancy I sat in the mall having a complete melt down about the fact that I didn’t want a $1000 jogging stroller (I don’t jog or hike!) and my very rational husband sat me down and said something along the lines of “What do babies in the third world do? They just give them sticks and bugs to play with and they are happy”. He then very authoritatively explained that the baby industry is a completely overblown racket and we didn’t need to participate in it. And just like that, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and my hormonal irrationality cleared and I decided that we were not going to get sucked in. Now, if I’m honest there were some stumbling points along the way… baby stuff is very cute and it’s easy to just start buying. Especially once the “heavy nesting” urge strikes. And for me it struck hard.

But, i’m happy to report that at 40 weeks pregnant, the challenge has been overcome with flying colours! I can honestly say, I didn’t anticipate enjoying the process so much, but there really is a thrill in getting a good deal. It’s much more rewarding than just going to a store to purchase something, not to mention it’s much more affordable and good for ol’ Mother Earth.

Take a look at my baby’s room and all the used items I’ve managed to find online.

When I tally all of the savings from buying these items second hand (plus the $160 I saved on buying used cloth diapers), I saved nearly $500!

Amazingly, nearly all of the other truly essential items, clothes, books and toys I received for the baby were either gifts or passed down to us from friends and family. I had no idea we would receive such an outpouring of generosity and I look forward to someday returning the favour.

I’m still on the hunt for the perfect rocking chair but I have no doubt that I’ll find it soon – and with that, I sign off and wait for this little one to make her arrival in the world. A world full of great deals!

UsedBlog Covets: Commemorative Canadian Centennial Glassware

 

A tall drink in the summer will cool you off, and drinking out of these vintage commemorative Canadian Centennial glasses is just plain cool. (via Usedottawa.com)

Prepare to Meet Your Maker

Sounds sinister, doesn’t it, but I promise you, it’s anything but. This sort of Maker is someone you want to meet— inventive, creative with a penchant for discovery. On July 28th & 29th a Mini Maker Faire is coming to Vancouver Island, (Maker Faires take place all over the world) and I had the opportunity to chat with the coordinator Vanessa about what exactly a Maker is, what to expect at a Maker Faire and how the Maker movement originated.

What is a Maker?
“Maker” culture grew out of the Do It Yourself (DIY) movement and is based on the principle that ordinary people, given access to knowledge, skills and technology, can and will create extraordinary things. A ‘Maker’ can be any person or group who invents, designs, creates, and/or builds objects or information systems with the goal of learning, teaching, inspiring, or improving the state of the world. Makers are re-imagining how our world operates; from manufacturing and production, to farming and agriculture.

So what’s a Maker Faire?
The Mini Maker Faire festival is “the ultimate celebration of making, crafting, Do-It-Yourself (DIY), tinkering, hacking and sharing” at the Panorama Recreation Centre, Vancouver Island on July 28th-28th 2012. It is the first Maker Faire on Vancouver Island, and an opportunity for local Makers and DIY’ers to demonstrate their creativity and innovations to a Vancouver Island audience of Maker communities (science, crafters, inventors, engineers, hobbyists and the like), DIYers, families and youth – encouraging and engaging the audience to take part in the discovery and playfulness of Maker culture. It can be thought of as science fair meets craft fair with a bit of Burning Man thrown in.

And these take place all over Canada?
They take place all over the world. The inaugural Maker Faire was held in San Mateo, CA and in 2011 celebrated its sixth annual Bay Area event with some 100,000 people in attendance. As Maker Faire has grown in popularity and relevance, additional flagship faires were launched in 2010 in Detroit and New York City. Community-driven, independently produced Mini Maker Faire events inspired by Maker Faire are now being produced around the United States and the world, including an increasing number in Canada (Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto).

Who is behind these faires and when did they start?
Maker Faire is supported by MAKE Magazine and O’Reilly Media. Vancouver Island Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from O’Reilly Media, Inc.

About MAKE Magazine:
MAKE is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects. MAKE unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages. MAKE celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your will. MAKE
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What kind of things would I see at a Maker Faire?
Vancouver Island Mini Maker Faire will take you through an inspiring, energetic and captivating exhibits including demonstration workshops, pyrotechnics, maker groups, interactive performances, roaming exhibitions and general “Happenings” for a small entry fee. Interaction booths are stationed throughout, centered around education: teaching people how to complete a circuit, spin wool, or create their own urban farm in their backyard. Kits required for the workshops, fees may apply, will be provided and include all materials needed to make a tangible object or device.

If I am a maker, how would I take part in one of the Maker Faires?
Most Makers will have their own table that they’re in charge of where you can show off your work, have information on your projects, provide interactive displays, and offer demonstrations and small workshops.

And if I’m someone who’d like to attend a Faire, where do I find details?
You can visit our website (vi.makerfaire.ca), “like” us on Facebook and follow us @vimakerfaire

Are young Makers encouraged to join in at the Maker Faire?
Absolutely! There’s a Young Makers Zone which includes a table where budding Makers can bring their creations on the day and display them by donation, more of a traditional show and tell format. There’s also a Robotics club in the Young Makers Zone, amongst other childrens groups, and there will be activities, workshops, a bouncy castle/assault course and your Maker Faire ticket includes access to the Panorama pool!

What’s been your youngest Maker in attendance and what were they exhibiting?
We’ll have to wait and see who turns up to the show and tell table, but there are middle school students with the Robotics club and there’s a 10-year-old who will be demonstrating/making cardboard automata and showing others how to make them too.

I hear that you have “swap and shop” tables at your events, can you explain what that is?
If you have tools, craft supplies or perhaps some books you no longer have a use for, but perhaps they could be a gem for another budding Maker, we’re encouraging visitors and Makers to bring them along to the Maker Faire where there’s going to be a swap & shop table. If you have anything large, rare or otherwise exciting, let us know in advance! Profits will go to the Victoria Makerspace and we’ll likely have an hourly auction…details TBA!

What’s the craziest/most inventive thing you’ve seen at a Maker Faire?
Possibly the Disaster Area guys I saw at Vancouver who connected a children’s keyboard to a musical, flame-throwing vehicle!

Anything else you think we need to know about Makers and the Maker Faire?
The lead organization behind the Vancouver Island Mini Maker Faire is the Victoria Makerspace, a non-profit society in Victoria, BC that is devoted to helping people make things themselves. With facilities ranging from a woodshop to a fledgling metal shop (including a propane forge that will be at the Maker Faire with Nancy the Blacksmith!), an electronics test bench, a vinyl cutter, a laser cutter, a 3D printer, and the best beer fridge ever. If you want to make something, this is the place to do it! Recent projects include a multi-touch coffee table, quadcopters, and much more. At Maker Faire, we’ll be playing with lasers and you can see what our members have been making!