Where People Work/ V. G. Cleaning...and More!

Ed's Office

I now have joined millions of Americans who have TOO MUCH STUFF by putting the overage of STUFF into a storage.  It's daunting and I will be purging, but for now I had to get my STUFF to Storage Mart.

Rather than take my STUFF one bin at a time, a friend recommended Ed Martinez.  What a guy, he was polite, on time, and his prices are so fair.  He looked at my STUFF, packed it up on the pick-up and got me to Storage Mart...... easy peasy.  He made a stressful moment a hole lot less stressful.

Oh yeah, Ed also does cleaning, 

V.G. CLEANING 516-330-8314

Message To Hardware Stores

You will recall my Hardware store experience when I was putting on a new door knob (They Said It Couldn't Be Done). Well here we go again.....
I recently saw this video tutorial Product Photography Tutorial.  In the video he uses 2 CLAMPS to hold the board that becomes a back drop.  I stopped in Wankel's Hardware to pick up 2 CLAMPS.

Here is my exchange....

"Hello, do you have CLAMPS?"
"Do you mean like these?" holding paper clips with an odd look on his face.  He asked me this question a few times.
"No I want CLAMPS those are paper clips, I am looking for CLAMPS"
"Do you mean for clothes on the line"
"No I mean CLAMPS they are larger than that.....(with a huff) let me see what you have"
He then directs a sales person on the floor to help me, telling him to show me the  clothes pins.
I explain to the the sales person, that I am looking for CLAMPS and he got it. The CLAMPS were in the front near the register.  I asked him is this called CLAMPS or something else.
He said "No you were correct."
"...just because I am a woman doesn't mean I don't know what I am looking for.  This was really annoying"
 

This happens a lot at Hardware stores.  They are notorious for this type of exchange with women.  Even if you ask for it by name, company, serial number, and size, the salesmen act as though you said "Do you sell  something, that looks like this thing that is on the door of that building on the street where I live?" 

Hardware stores please stop and listen to the customer.  Some of us know exactly what we want.
 

PS the floor sales person made an effort to listen and find what I wanted.  I don't know who it was working the register, but he is an IDIOT!!

 Below the video tutorial.

Painted!

This ongoing saga, ends with it being scraped, spackled, and painted.....I hope.

Before

Scraped

Spackled

Painted

I'm Getting Sick Of This

So the bathroom wall is still an issue, but the last visit the inspector said the wall was dry and they can paint.  Let's see what happens.  I am going to schedule it to be painted, then it will it will be a wait and see game.

Here We Go Again

This bathroom wall is the bane of my existence! In a post last year, Wow That Was Fast, I explained the issued of this bathroom wall, which maintenance fixed, painted, and all was right with the world.......not so fast.

As I prepared myself for doing something creative in the bathroom, I noticed, again, the paint was peeling.  I called maintenance again.  That visit did reveal another leak.  These pipes are over 40 years old, leaks are going to come.  To replace all the piping would be so costly to the Co-op, they have opted to fix when something needs fixing.  Problem is that some shareholders have leaks that require the maintenance to check other apartments.  Every neighbor is not so neighborly.  I THANK GOD, do not have that problem.

Chuck, Jeff, or whoever came that day.  Went upstairs and ran the water.  They saw the drip (I did too) and a plumber was called.  He came, looked, checked, etc.  Another plumber came and told me, the problem was not in my wall, it's upstairs.

The pipe was fixed and the next step was to scrape and paint my wall.....not so fast.  The wall is still wet, after about week and a half.   I called maintenance, again, they came......

The cabinet comes off the wall and they check for leaks.  One of the men go upstairs and the neighbor again is asked to run the water while in my apartment, he looks for drips.

The only thing Mr. Ford said "I saw little drips, not water pouring down".  This was pretty much inconclusive.  However, they thought that the shower head of the above apartment is very close to the wall and maaaaaybe the water runs off into an opening that goes inside the wall.  I believe they put a sealant around the shower, faucet, and knobs.

While both of them were out, tried to take some photos behind the wall, which is what this is.  It just looks like a wall.

In conclusion, is there really an end to the wall saga, I have to wait and see.  The wall needs to dry, then they will paint and...

If anyone has any ideas please share.  For now stay tuned.

 

The Kuumba Couch

Roz is one of those creative spirits that where ever possible, she will make purchases from local artists, including me.  She even hired me one summer at The Brooklyn Children's Museum, as an art instructor.  I only worked 4 days out of the week, and I just couldn't wait to get to the art closet, it was heaven on earth.

Roz's love of unique items does not live in a dream for her, she will save her pennies to get that coveted what ever it is, then find the highest mountain, to share the artist with the world. 

Like myself she has been fixing up her apartment.  Her striped walls (From Living Space to Loving One), inspired me to create my wall (YES I CAN).  Literally, she is the one that gave me the paint!

Her latest creative submission is her re-upholstered couch. A perfect example of 6th day of Kwanzaa: Kuumba, creativity. 

Here's what Roz says about her couch:

Price Custom Re-upholstery is a small shop with a bright yellow awning, located close to the corner of Maple Street & Brooklyn Avenue. Don't let the small size deter you from going in and seeing some of the high quality of work that happens inside this magical work setting. Chairs, settees and sofas that are worn, torn and beaten up are transformed into works of art. Mr. Price is not only highly skilled at his craft but he is creative and is a visionary. He is able to go beyond fabric and wood to produce exactly what the client wants.  
  

You will note that I embrace and like to integrate bold, colorful fabrics and patterns with traditional elements. I found Mr. Price's craftsmanship and professionalism to be incomparable in my experience of this type of work. 

Of course, I would highly recommend him to those of you who require this kind of service. If pieces of furniture that carry great meaning for you but needs refreshing or and update, then Mr. Price is the man for you.

Wilfred Price

Price Custom Re-upholstery

545A Brooklyn Avenue (bet Maple & Midwood Sts.)

Brooklyn NY 11285

718.221.2210

718.495.7442

347.265.2153 

YES I CAN

The apartment has not been painted in over 20 years, which meant it was long over due.  The walls were dingy with dark marks, scraps, and it had faded.  I thought one day I will paint, when I could afford it.  That day came, a friend gifted me about 8 cans of paint.  No excuses, I can paint.

I decided to create a mural on the front closet.  I taped off the design and began to paint.  At first I used the blue tape, it looks so easy on Design Star, NOOOOOOOT.  It still bled.  I got the Frog Tape, which was better, but not perfect.  

On the train one day I see a painter and asked him, "How do I stop the bleeding."  He says "No matter what you just have to correct it with a small brush."  

As I painted shapes and peeled tape, I had a new found respect for street artists.  I worked late at night and it was tedious, but in the end it was gratifying.

My First Big Paint Job from Cassandra Bromfield on Vimeo.

Now onto the next big wall

I Can't Stop The Bleeding

My first big painting job begins at the front closets.  Being  ambitious and inspired by Design Star The White Room Challenge.  It seemed so simple, just tape of a design and paint.............NOT.  

I tape of a complicated pattern and begin to paint, buuuuuuut when I remove the tape there is bleeding.  I used the Blue tape which professes to prevent bleeding and will give a you a clean line............NOT.  

Anyway, I went back to Home Depot to get some help.  He tells me I need Frog Tape.  I pick that up and it still bleeds.  

Today on the train I see a guy with paint stuff and I asked him how do you prevent the bleeding.  He said "You can't, you have to take a brush and touch up.  It drives us crazy all the time." 

Thanks to a stranger, I now know bleeding is apart of the painting process.

Wow, That Was Fast

There is an update on my leak (Oh No, A Problem).  Yesterday, a note was slipped under the door that the water will be turned off in the A and B apartments.  Maintenance would be working on the leak.

Today, Maintenance came to check my bathroom.   Which was really strange since I didn't know they were coming.  I thought he was going to just look at the wall and feel for dampness, but I had to take everything out of the medicine cabinet.  1, 2, 3 my cabinet was out of the wall and he was looking into the black hole.

He left for about 20 minutes to check another floor.  When he came back it like an AH HA! moment, he found the leak.  It is coming from the 18th floor, they begin work tomorrow.  

Wow, that was fast.

OH NO, A Problem

 

As you can see, the shower has a paint, bubbling, pealing issue.  A friend suggested a funky tile configuration using broken ceramics.  Plus she had some left over grout and sealer she said I could have.  HURRAY, FREE SUPPLIES, all I needed was the adhesive.  So today I went to Home Depot to pick up some stuff to help me begin the project.

 

I begin to peel the paint away and I notice the wall is damp.  The more I scraped the damper it felt.   However,  I continue on, it's the shower and maybe it should feel that way.
 

Anyway, this scraping is taking longer than I expected.  Not wanting to disturb my neighbor, I let them know what I was doing in the bathroom (we share a wall).  What a stroke of luck, he explained he had the same problem and had repaired that wall many times.  I should not begin my project until they [Maintenance] repairs the leak. 

I'm calling Monday.

They Said It Couldn't Be Done

I purchased these two door knobs from Anthropologie (see more).  I had been thinking about changing the knobs for the bedroom, office, and bathroom door.

Below are the door knobs I would like to change.  They have been there since the 1960's, so that means it is time for a change.

 

Before I began the project I researched on line a tutorial.  This 2 minute + video, seemed simple enough.  So I went to Home Depot to pick up additional hardware supplies for the door.

....and that's where all the trouble broke out.

At the 1st Home Depot, I went directly to the aisle that sold the door knobs (tip: always take measurements and the item, if possible, to make sure all items fit).  I needed help, I didn't see what I needed.  As I showed the salesman my knob (no not that!!) and he found something but it didn't fit.  He told me it's a really nice knob (no no no not that), but 
HD "maybe you need to go to a hardware store"
Me " ummmm, isn't this a hardware store"
HD "yes yes, but I mean maybe a locksmith"
Me "don't you have a locksmith here"
HD "yes, but your knob (again not what you think) is special, they will know what you need"

So I left and proceeded to another Home Depot.  On my way I saw a True Value on Metropolitan Ave.  I took my door knob in and asked for help.
Immediately I was met with a smirk, silence, and a shrug.  I thought the guy didn't understand English.  He called another guy (seems like the owner).  As he looked at me with his glasses hanging on his nose he said...
TV "YOU CANNOT USE THIS, THE ONLY THING.....I WILL SHOW YOU."
From behind the counter he pulls out a door with a lock for an outside door.
Me "no no no, sir, this is for a bedroom door...."
TV "YOU CANNOT USE THIS, LISTEN TO ME, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE......TALK TO THIS GUY, HE IS A DOOR MAN"
There was another customer there at the same time looking for the right size screw (get your mind out of the gutter).  He looks at the knob (out of the gutter I said).  He is a bit calmer but......
TV "you can't use this, let me tell you I am a door guy for over 25 years, and this is an ooooold type of door.  They don't even make these anymore.  You try to put this on your door, you've got problems."
Me "but what if you have a customer that wants this on their door"
TV " they can't have it, this is a problem" 


I finally left and decided to continue on to Home Depot.  I can't believe that Anthropologie, would be selling door knobs that no one can use.  These guys are crazy.

At the 2nd Home Depot, I asked for help again and the sales woman found something I could use, but it was the a whole set, that included the glass, door knobs and latch.  This was an additional $15.00, ugggggh!  I only purchased 1 just in case that was wrong too.

After much ado about door knobs, I attached it and I feel pretty proud.  I now know what to buy and how to do it. 

P.S. I think I will write a letter to those knubskulls at the True Value and include a photo of the impossible job.

Roz's Shiney New Chandiler

After installing her "composite" ceiling fan lighting, Roz discovered that it was missing something. It was cute/interesting/nice - all insipid words really, which was the feeling that the piece evoked. 

Many years ago, Roz purchased a wrought iron chandelier that was both classic and rustic, elegant but with an edge. It was an exceptionally good buy as it was very inexpensive for such a good quality product. She wasn't sure if it was her (style) but there was something about it that said, "this piece is a keeper."    

Most people would not describe Roz as a person who wrap themselves in the classic and traditional. She embraces lots & lots of "real" color, along with the avante garde and the bold but would also totally embrace a re-interpretation of the tried and true, classic, traditional designs. 

For Roz, it made perfect sense to wear red and black tiger striped fur-topped, pointy toed shoes with gray argyle socks. Her friends have never gotten over that pairing, and each time to they tell the story of that particular outfit, ask her what was going through her mind when she chose to wear that ensemble. Roz, felt it was totally fine, and if they didn't get the look they should just consider it art.

But back to Roz's chandelier...Roz thought that it would just too big for her small living room, and so installed the composite fan instead.  But after installing the piece, she asked a friend with 20/20 decorating vision their opinion on the piece.  Roz's friend determined that the fixture was too small for the space,and thought that the iron chandelier would be perfect for the room. And so the fan was transferred to the kitchens and the wrought iron chandelier installed in the living room.  Despite the clutter of remodeling that is the room's current state, Roz thinks the chandelier looks wonderful, and really integrates, enhances and adheres all the elements in the room -paint, crown molding and wall stripes.

Congrats to you Roz!