25 minute read
Health
little help, the Parks department does have recreational programs, “We’d never offered that particular game before, but it was a activities and even events planned for the city’s outdoor spaces this surprise hit this summer so we’ll move it indoors this winter,” he winter. Although a portion of the programs won’t begin until the says. “We also plan to bring back three-on-three volleyball.” city moves into phase three of reopening, some of the new protocols As to attractions and events in the city’s parks this season, Jones the department has in place for programs and activities include says the department plans to utilize its current tools, such as the increased sanitizing, modifying activities to maintain distancing, renovated pavilion at Riverfront Park, in new ways. reducing class sizes, requiring participants to wear masks, new “We had some success over the summer with re-imagining the check-in procedures and better Fourth of July fireworks as a communication with partici- drive-thru event,” he says. “Many pants. “A lot of it is about build- “This winter will be people enjoyed that change, so we hope to build on that with the ing public confidence, so they attractions, events and programs understand we’re able to provide safe activities,” Jones says. much more dynamic as in these colder months.” One early winter “win” for “We’re in constant communication with health officials, we continue to adapt.” the department was coordinating with the Spokane Regional and consistently review our Health District on plans to safely programs to ensure we’re not reopen the Numerica Ice Ribbon missing anything.” in time for the holiday season.
Winter recreational programs the department is offering include Jones says the department also continues to work with other cross-country skiing and snowshoeing tours, including some by regional partners like the Downtown Spokane Partnership and the moonlight, for smaller groups. Public Facilities District for ideas on new events and cross-promo-
Advertisement
“We’ll also provide a list online of trails at area golf courses and tional activities. conservation lands that have been groomed for hiking and snow- He says one idea being considered is an outdoor winter market, shoeing,” Jones says. that would include participation from area restaurants and local
“Our Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) will be working organizations. with the Mt. Spokane ski program again this year on classes for “We’re also looking at more passive activities, such as holiday those participants,” he adds. “Another of our partners, the Corbin lights, that would allow people to simply walk through and enjoy,” Art Center, is also offering classes for smaller groups.” Jones says. “This winter will be much more dynamic as we contin-
Jones says the department will continue youth creative pro- ue to adapt, so definitely stay tuned for updates.” grams during the winter as well, including a new favorite, cornhole.
LESLIE
Summit Cancer Centers Colorectal Cancer Patient
Call Today to Speak with a Summit Cancer Specialist.
I believe if I hadn’t come over to Summit Cancer Centers, I probably wouldn’t be here. The care, the compassion, the kindness. They’re all wonderful. –Leslie “ ” Your Cancer Cannot Wait
No need to put off your treatment. Our clinic is open, safe and ready to treat your cancer immediately. We are putting the safety of our patients and staff first. Our clinic is taking extra screening and protective measures so you are safe during your appointments.
If you or a loved one have received a recent cancer diagnosis, call us today. You will speak one-on-one with a Summit Cancer Center Physician within 24 hours. Second opinions are typically covered by insurance.
Cancer Immunotherapy Oral and IV Chemotherapy Advanced Imaging Patient Assistance Services Radiation Therapy Surgical Oncology Surgical Breast Oncology Genetic Counseling Supportive Therapy
SummitCancerCenters.com
Pick up your craft kit at Pinot’s Palette and get creative at home. JESSICA PERRY PHOTO
Kit and Caboodle
Why gather supplies when art kits let you get right to work?
In 2020, takeout isn’t just for food. Local arts organizations are also thinking outside the box, repackaging their programs to fit inside a box. It’s not surprising that craft kit sales have soared since the start of the pandemic. Research shows working on a craft or art project helps reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, but it might be surprising to learn it also increases feelings of empathy and tolerance toward others. And when the project is completed, there’s a burst of dopamine-based satisfaction. Here are some kits to consider.
Art Salvage
Art Salvage packages donated art supplies into kits to get your creative energy flowing. Turn wine corks into a display board or make a stamp that’s the perfect size for gift tags ($8). Know someone who loves the PNW as much as you do? The embroidery kit includes all the pieces to embroider a map of Washington, Oregon, Montana or Idaho on a square of coffee sack burlap
BY CARRIE SCOZZARO
($20). There’s a collage kit ($10) with a unique assortment of mixed media materials and an “Upcycler’s Notebook” kit ($15) to create your own book for journaling and sketching. Visit artsalvagespokane.com. Shop online for curbside pickup or shop in person at 1925 N. Ash St.
Polka Dot Pottery
Remember the fun of going to Polka Dot Pottery and picking a piece to paint? With their to-go kits, you can still do that. Pottery decoration kits are available at two locations: Northwest Boulevard and Pines Road. Go online to see what pre-made ceramic pieces are available (ranging from $5$70, depending on size), choose your glaze colors and follow the instructions to pick up your materials, drop off your finished work and — voila! — pick up the fired piece just one week later. Visit polkadotpottery. com/kits.
GO Art Studio
GO Art Studio’s “Clay-to-Go” is the latest venture from longtime local artist Ginger Oakes. “Every month has a theme with a clay-to-go kit and a Zoom virtual private class,” says Oakes. For $25, you have a month to complete one seasonal clay project, including firing. For details and to sign up, visit goartstudio.com.
Pinot’s Palette
Limited group-based painting sessions, wine and beer optional, are offered at 319 W. Sprague in Spokane. You’d rather stay home? There are two options: Order your supplies (or even use your own to reduce cost) and attend a live, virtual painting session. Or, buy a paint kit that includes your supplies and access to the tutorial on-demand. Take-home kits and virtual classes mean kids can now share in the fun. For a birthday party or to enjoy painting with your besties while safely at home, have everyone pick a kit and join in a virtual get-together. Visit pinotspalette.com/ spokane.
LISTEN UP!
Learning To Get Along
We human beings are not very peaceful. We have been struggling to make peace with ourselves and others for as long as we have wandered the earth. Aristotle said, “Anyone can become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, for the right purpose, in the right way, this is not easy.” He wrote this in the fourth century BC!
In these difficult times, it is most important that we learn tolerance, compassion and understanding. This is clearly not an easy task or we would have figured it out over all these centuries. But I would like to suggest a place to start: questions. If we seek to understand those whose perspectives, whose policies, whose values differ from ours, we can start with curious questions. As a professional negotiator once said, “The purpose of any negotiation is to create doubts in the mind of the other person about their point of view.” No one will let you create doubt unless they trust you. And no one will trust you until you understand and respect their point of view. This is not easy; if it were, the front page of Robert Maurer the newspaper would look very different. But we can start with genuine and basic inquiries about difficult topics.
Practice calmly asking questions such as “What are your thoughts about this?” “How would you think we should deal with this problem?” Try saying, “Please help me understand your ideas.”
The challenge is to truly listen to another’s answers and to put in the effort to see the world through their eyes. If we are to find common ground, then kindness, curiosity and respect are necessary. Benjamin Franklin late in his career realized that approaching others with “decency and politeness” were the necessary conditions for problem-solving. It takes no skill to be harsh, judgmental and dismissive. It takes great courage and wisdom to look for commonalities rather than differences and to see the worth and dignity in each person we encounter whose views differ from our own. — ROBERT MAURER
Robert Maurer is a Spokane psychologist, founder of The Science of Excellence and the author of several books including One Small Step Can Change Your Life.
We focus on major global and nati onal research, to slow progression and improve symptoms for degenerati ve brain diseases
WE ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLING CLINICAL RESEARCH TRIALS FOR: Parkinson’s Disease (PD) • PD Geneti c Testi ng Hunti ngton’s Disease • Essenti al Tremor Multi ple Sclerosis
Businesses are working hard to serve customers and stay safe: Support them and you support our region’s recovery.
HURD MERCANTILE
Hurd Is the Word
Hurd Mercantile lies slightly off the beaten path. Getting there involves taking a scenic drive through the softly undulating wheat fields for which the Palouse is famous, then pulling into the tiny town of Rockford (pop. 486). Among the five or six buildings that make up its center, you’ll find it, one of the region’s largest and most beloved independent home and garden shops.
The proof of Hurd Mercantile’s appeal lies in the fact that, despite distances both geographic and social, shoppers are remarkably eager to make the trip.
“We have had wonderful traffic flow,” owner Jill Townsend says. “All of our same customers through the years have come back to support us, and then new customers have made a point to shop at small businesses and joined that effort. It’s been amazing. Sales have actually been up from last year.”
Although the shop was closed for nearly two months during the early stages of the pandemic, business quickly returned to something close to normal.
“When you first reopen, you have a lot of anxiety and wonder about what it’s going to be like,” she says. “But we have an over-8,000square-foot store, so there’s plenty of room for
BACK TO BUSINESS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
customers to social distance. People are actually enjoying themselves and wearing their masks and doing a good job of getting along with one another. So we’ve been real blessed that way.”
All the same, COVID-19 does seem to have had an effect on buying habits. Townsend says she’s seeing customers shopping for Christmas décor and gifts much earlier this year because of the unpredictability of the upcoming holiday season. Among the vast number of items that Hurd carries, the traditional ornaments, artisan candles, specialty foods, holiday signs and seasonal scarves are some of the most popular.
“Because our store is so large, we have almost every category covered,” she laughs. Unsurprisingly, puzzles are also proving to be one of the store’s most sought-after gift items in 2020.
“The companies we’re ordering from have come up with some cool packaging ideas and cool themes like national parks.”
And unlike the many retailers who’ve felt compelled to put some or all of their inventory online, Hurd has — aside from the occasional telephone order — stayed with the face-to-face, brick-and-mortar model that’s helped it acquire such a devoted following over the past 20 years.
“Sitting home and ordering online is probably more convenient, but you miss out on the whole camaraderie of supporting small business,” Townsend says.
Her sense is that Hurd customers generally prefer “the experience of shopping,” which means “coming down and enjoying the Christmas trees being decorated and the scent of candles in the store.” The complimentary espresso bar, which also features cider and hot chocolate, only adds to the warm, inviting ambience.
Which is all to say, the fact that Hurd lies off the beaten path isn’t a deterrent. It’s actually part of its charm. ◆
Hurd Mercantile is located at 30 S. 1st St., Rockford, 291-4077, facebook.com/hurdmercantileandcompany.
HOME, DECOR & FURNITURE
THE KITCHEN ENGINE
ABODE SPOKANE HOME | NORTH SPOKANE Abode Spokane offers a wide variety of home goods for those looking to curate a unique space. Inspired by midcentury design, Abode Spokane stocks several on-trend items with new products coming in almost daily. Although our staples include houseplants, wicker decor, midcentury modern furniture and handmade goods, you’ll definitely find one-of-a-kind statement pieces to complement you and your style! Abode Spokane is passionate about the safety of our customers, which means all areas are cleaned and sanitized regularly. Masks are required while shopping, and customers are encouraged to social distance while visiting. 2321 N. Monroe St., 475-5847, facebook.com/ AbodeSpokane
CASUAL SPACES FURNITURE HOME | NORTH SPOKANE Casual Spaces Furniture gives shoppers a fun, casual, no-pressure shopping experience. We have everything to fill your home with a great selection of furniture and decor. Have a bar/rec room? We have bars, sports-themed tables and unique signs to create your own fun space... Everyday great values! 9312 N. Division St., 919-4806, casualspacesfurniture.com
DAVENPORT HOME STORE BOUTIQUE | DOWNTOWN The story of Davenport Home is one of passion for the finer things in life such as the finest linens and the exclusive Davenport Bed. Also nestled in the Home Store is Davenport Confections. Each batch of gourmet soft peanut brittle is handmade in the Historic Davenport Hotel kitchen using the finest of ingredients and pulled on a marble slab, the old-fashioned way. We are open for business seven days a week. 10 S. Post St., 789-7222, davenporthome.myshopify.com
FARM SALVATION BOUTIQUE | MEDICAL LAKE Farm Salvation provides an eclectic variety of vintage, new and handcrafted items. Representative of over 10 different female owner/ creator business owners under one roof, we are a happy place for our community, customers, friends and family to shop. We are proud to source Pacific Northwest products. We are only 16 minutes west of Spokane on I-90 in the quaint little town where you can always enjoy a walk on the paved path around the lake conveniently located two blocks from our store. 106 S. Lefevre St., 993-1723, farmsalvation.com
THE KITCHEN ENGINE HOME | NORTH SPOKANE The Frickle family opened the Kitchen Engine on Aug. 3, 2006, and it has been an amazing journey since then. Eric and his partners brought an open mind and lots of creativity to this amazing store. Their goal was to furnish all chefs, cooks and wannabe cooks with the very best in kitchen gadgets, cookware and appliances. And that is exactly what has happened. Visit the Flour Mill and you’ll be lured into the store with delicious aromas of coffee brewing, fresh spices, tea and some treat simmering away on the cooktop in the demo kitchen. Come to the Kitchen Engine and “Discover Your Inner Chef.” 621 W. Mallon Ave., 328-3335, thekitchenengine.com
LA-Z-BOY FURNITURE GALLERIES HOME • NORTH SPOKANE Locally owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries store is the only retailer of La-Z-Boy furniture in Spokane County. Our delivery crew always uses masks, gloves and booties before entering our customers’ homes. They are very careful to ensure the safety of each customer and the crew. 10205 N. Division St., 465-4380, la-zboy.com/spokane ...more on next page
Read about more local businesses and how you can be a part of Back To Business at btb.inlander.com
ABOUT Back to business • These pages are part of a local marketing effort in support of the hospitality sector brought to you by leading institutions and businesses to help promote the Spokane County economy, supported in part by Cares Act funding. With the goal of balancing commerce and public safety, you can follow along here in Health & Home, in the Inlander, and via the links below, as local restaurants, shops and more share their stories and invite your support. more to come • Through the end of the year, watch the Inlander, along with Health & Home, for special Back To Business guides, along with special editorial sections, sharing more recovery stories and community business features.
HOme, decor & furniture
MARILYN'S ON MONROE
ANTIQUE/VINTAGE • NORTH SPOKANE A unique and fun store that has the best for less in antiques, vintage, collectibles, specialty items and much, much more. New treasures to discover every week! Come say hello and take a walk back in time at Marilyn’s On Monroe! We provide free masks and sanitizer to everyone who may need it. All staff always wear masks for protection. Find us on Facebook. 3111 N. Monroe St., 474-1556
LIBERTY ACRES MERCANTILE BOUTIQUE | SPOKANE VALLEY We are a winsome, locally owned, new store with “Something for Everyone!” Toys, arts, crafts, fabrics, thread, quilting materials, antiques, books, hats, birdhouses, collectibles, decorations, antique kitchen, pictures, clothes… You name it! 18223 E. Appleway Ave., 414-0051, libertyacresmercantile.com
OVER THE MOON RELICS VINTAGE | NORTH SPOKANE Over The Moon Relics buys and sells new, gently used and secondhand sentimental and collectible items. We sell many different items that range from old and new toys, vintage radios and records of all genres, to beer memorabilia. We just had our first-year anniversary and would love to share our relics with you. We provide weekend hours for your convenience, or if you want to miss the crowds, we have late hours during the week. 604 W. Garland Ave., 998-7660, facebook. com/OvertheMoonRelics
SCULPTURED GARDENS
GIFTS/GARDEN | SPOKANE VALLEY Sculptured Gardens is a year-round gift shop, garden center and nursery, and we share our customers’ passion for the outdoors, nature, gardening, pets, art and artistry. Shop here first for unique plants and gift items you won’t find anywhere else! Our garden center is stocked full with everything you need to be successful, both in the garden and with indoor houseplants. We also offer reduced-capacity workshops and classes. In addition to the state’s re-opening guidelines including masks and extra sanitization, we are also offering online ordering of select items, phone ordering and curbside pickup for all items. 15614 E. Sprague Ave., 290-6866, sculptured-gardens. com THE TIN ROOF
The Hanley Legacy Goes On
The Sprague Union District is an up-and-coming shopping destination, with historic character and a number of great places to stock up on furniture and decor. Leading among those has long been Tin Roof Furniture, owned by local design maven Heather Hanley. But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find the Hanley family has been tending the neighborhood since 1945. The roots run deep.
Now she’s building on the legacy even more by opening a third shop, Bide and Burgeon, in the very building where her grandfather started it all.
“My grandfather and his young bride, Arch and Helen Hanley, moved out to Spokane in 1943,” writes Hanley on the Bide and Burgeon website. “He served in the Army Air Force stationed at Fairchild, originally called Geiger Field or Galena to the locals. Having both been raised on farms in Missouri during the Great Depression, the allure of the lush green landscape and sweeping vistas of the mountains of Spokane inspired them to put down roots. On October 15, 1945, Arch Hanley opened ACME Electric to sell and service small electronics.”
This October, 75 years to the day later, Hanley opened Bide and Burgeon at 1730 E. Sprague Avenue, joining Tin Roof and Reskued on what could be called Hanley Street.
The focus of Bide and Burgeon is “accessibly priced” items, so no special order pieces, says Hanley, who is stocking the 4,000-square-foot showroom to the hilt and keeping a large inventory of quick-ship items.
“You can spend a whole afternoon there,” Hanley says. After all, the Hanleys have spent 75 years there, too. ◆
SUPERFOOD
Matcha Benefits
Matcha green tea is a unique product from Japan, and it’s packed with nutrients and antioxidants
Attributes
Matcha is grown from the same plant as common green tea, known as Camellia sinensis, but this doesn’t mean that matcha and green tea are one and the same. Matcha is grown with special techniques by Japanese farmers. The plants are shielded from sunlight for three to four weeks before harvesting, which increases phytonutrient concentration and chlorophyll, giving this tea its unique bright green hue. Veins and stems are then removed from the tea leaves, and the remaining thin skin is dried and ground into a fine powder.
Super Powers
In the weeks when the tea leaves are shielded from sunlight, the plant ramps up its nutrient production — pumping its leaves full with catechins and other nutrients. Catechins are a powerful natural antioxidant that neutralize damaging free radicals in the body. The catechins in matcha have been found to be up to 137 times more concentrated than in other green teas. Additionally, since matcha tea is consumed as a fine powder of the whole leaf, no nutrients are lost by removing the leaves after steeping as with other teas. One study done in humans found that 4 grams of matcha increased cognitive functions like alertness, memory and reaction time compared with an herbal placebo. Other studies have linked green tea extract to improved brain and
The Sunshine Vitamin
Should I take a Vitamin D supplement as a preventive measure against COVID-19?
Several studies have suggested that this may not be a bad idea, but there are many variables to consider. Here’s the evidence so far. One study in Spain reported that 80 percent of the COVID-19 patients in the hospital conducting the study had deficient vitamin D levels. The Mayo Clinic did a study of 489 individuals being tested for COVID-19. They reported that patients who had a vitamin D deficiency were more likely to test positive.
One small study looked at high dose vitamin D supplementation in patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and found supplemental vitamin D was associated with dramatically improved outcomes. Just one out of about 25 patients who received vitamin D required treatment in the ICU, while 13 out of 26 who did not receive vitamin D had to be admitted to the ICU.
Another very recent study reported that vitamin D or Omega-3 supplements were associated with a reduction in rates of infection (including COVID-19) in a group of over 2,000 people age 70 years or older.
The possibility is intriguing enough that multiple clinical trials (currently 60 are listed in clinicaltrials.gov) are underway evaluating the impact of vitamin D on COVID-19.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in the Northwest; it’s probably due to the sometimes liver function, as well as protection from certain cancers. Most of these studies, however, were done on isolated tissue in a lab rather than in humans, so take them with a grain of salt (or sugar).
Weaknesses
Although caffeine can be a lifesaver for some, it can also be a source of jittery anxiety for others. Matcha also packs more caffeine than common green tea — about 35 milligrams per gram of matcha. So if you’re avoiding caffeine for your health, you might want to think twice about matcha and opt for a caffeine-free herbal tea instead. That being said, matcha also contains a compound known as L-theanine, which has been shown to enhance the beneficial effects of caffeine while decreasing the crash in energy levels later.
How to Use It
In terms of nutrition, matcha is best enjoyed as a tea. Matcha tea is traditionally made by pouring hot water over the powdered leaves and whisking with a specialized bamboo matcha whisk until dissolved.
In addition to tea, people all over the world have gotten creative with this beautiful green powder by baking it into donuts, cakes, cupcakes and more. Matcha mochi (a Japanese rice cake) is a delicious way to use matcha powder — matcha mochi ice cream treats are even available in many local grocery stores.
— STACEY AGGARWAL
With a Ph.D. in pharmacology, Stacey Aggarwal writes about biology, health and nutrition while running a lavender farm in North Idaho.
intense cloud cover and resulting lack of solar exposure we experience particularly in the winter. Given the important role we know vitamin D plays in immune function and hundreds of important biochemical reactions in our bodies, the lack of vitamin D toxicity if taken in reasonable doses, and the low cost, it makes sense to consider supplementation. It’s interesting to note that Dr. Anthony Fauci has indicated that he takes supplemental vitamin D (as well as C). If you want to consider taking supplemental vitamin D, please talk to your prescriber or your pharmacist first about an appropriate dose. Vitamin D can be toxic if taken in large doses. — JOHN R. WHITE
John R. White is the chair of the Department of Pharmacology at WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences based in Spokane.
New to You
Vintage furniture gets a fresh start in the hands of savvy DIYers
BY CARRIE SCOZZARO
Upcycling is a catchy term for what’s actually an age-old penchant for savvy humans: Rather than starting anew, why not just adapt a gently used tool or outdated object into something else?
With that mindset, local upcyclers are searching out castoff furnishings and, using a variety of techniques, refurbishing even the most unlikely items into unique and serviceable treasures that add a personal note to their home decor.
The Thrill of the Hunt Minus the club and caveman attire, the thrill of the hunt is very much a part of the upcycling process.
“I’ve always had a fondness for all things vintage and began casually shopping garage and estate sales in my early 20s,” says Sandi Schulte, who sells industrial items, vintage furnishings and home décor, some of which she refinishes, under the name Sandi’s Shabby Shed.
Initially, Schulte only bought items she could use in her own home. After her children were born, she repainted several pieces of furniture for their rooms. But eventually she ended up selling some pieces on Craigslist. And then she was hooked.
“I could do what I loved and make money, too,” says Schulte, who is a vendor at both Spokane’s Paint in My Hair and Tossed and Found, two of a number of regional outlets that share Schulte’s passion for upcycling. ...continued on next page
Deep teal offsets dark wood (above) or farmhouse cream (right) in these refinished dressers at Midtown Home & Vintage . MIDTOWN HOME & VINTAGE PHOTOS
In Idaho, Megan Eatock is a kindred spirit.
“It always seems like when we are looking for that perfect piece of furniture/decor to complete the look, we can never find it,” says Eatock, an avid upcycler who created Midtown Home & Vintage Market in Coeur d’Alene, formerly called Junk.
The fun, says Eatock, is in the process — looking for interesting items and considering how to make improvements. Sometimes she’ll find the perfect piece, she says, but sometimes she’ll buy something that isn’t quite right. No worry.
“Luckily with all of the shopping sites such as Facebook marketplace and Craigslist, it’s easy to resell used items if you find something better,” says Eatock, whose Midtown Home & Vintage Market occasionally buys back items to resell.
Spokane offers numerous such outlets and vendor malls, including Boulevard Mercantile, which last year relocated from North Monroe to 1012 N. Washington St.
Among their 14 current vendors, Boulevard co-owner Joellen Jeffers says two are avid DIYers: Jennifer Pluid, known for her “party animals” (vintage rubber critters wearing little embellishments), and Jane Wood, whose business goes by Travelled Treasures. ...continued on page 26
Before (above right) and after. SANDI SCHULTE PHOTOS
That just right pop of color can take your piece from ordinary to ‘Oh, my!’
— SANDI SCHULTE
For those interested in DIY, Jeffers recommends exploring the shop’s textiles — what they call the “cutter” section — comprising salvaged wool blankets, Pendleton shirts and other fabric finds.
“Our customers like to utilize these fabrics for pillows or reupholstering furniture or repairing or creating clothing articles,” says Jeffers, who created the company five years ago with her husband, Dave Jeffers, and a third business partner, Dan Webb.
Another popular spot for creatives is the shop’s “spin bin” — a display of whatnots and trinkets including laboratory glass, hooks, pulls, knobs, Scrabble letters and even miniature figurines.
“It always amazes us to see and hear what our customers are creating with the objects they find at Boulevard Mercantile,” Jeffers says.
Selection Savvy Not all furnishings and décor are created equally when it comes to their upcycle potential. Plastics, including laminates, for example, can be problematic, requiring a range of problem-solving when it comes to refinishing them. Wood, however, offers a wealth of opportunities, and it’s both Schulte’s and Eatock’s preferred media for upcycling projects.
Both of them look for solid pieces that are structurally sound and, in a perfect world, unpainted.
“A lot of the antique pieces have been built to last, compared to new pieces that are made out of particleboard,” says Eatock. However, older pieces can be quite heavy, cautions Schulte, who has a list of preferred attributes: “dovetail joints, only needs minimal repairs, easily remedied flaws, no funky smells.”
With the project piece selected, it’s time for some prep.
“I always start by giving the item a thorough cleaning, which could include removing any grime, wiping off loose dirt or debris, and even a quick vacuuming,” says Schulte.
Both Schulte and Eatock use versatile chalk-type paints, which Schulte says not only stick to wood, but can also cover metal, stone, laminate and even cloth. Usually the paint can be applied directly to an object, though occasionally she’s noticed that varnishes and oil-based paints can bleed ...continued on page 28
