Birnysw's Profile

Display Name: Birnysw
Member Since: 10/6/11

Latest Comments...

Actually, that used to be a TV cart. TVs used not to be the focus of our lives, and so they would be rolled out for viewing. My grandparents had that same cart.

I like the white color - it lets the liquor (or liqueur, what have you) stand out.


Before & After: Thrifted Microwave Cart Turned Bar Cart She's No Martha
11/18/12 8:19 PM

They did the same thing in #9, with the wine over the fridge. Not only is it too hot up there because heat rises in the room, but also because of the heat coming from the fridge motor and condenser. Really bad idea.I like the books, though. Keeps my daughter from pulling them down.

Also, in #14, I assume that's dog food in one of the pails. That's also a really bad idea. Dog food is high in fat, and so it needs to be covered, not just for freshness, but to keep bugs out, and to keep the smell from permeating everything else under there.


15 Smart & Creative Storage Solutions from Our Kitchen Tours
8/28/12 11:49 AM

In pictures #3 and #4, how do they mow the grass? It appears to be very well manicured and on a dangerous slope for a lawn mower. Any ideas?


Grassy & Gorgeous: Green Roof Inspiration
8/21/12 1:41 PM

We tried cloth diapers, but we found that the velcro and snap area caused horrible irritation on our baby daughter. We tried everything with that particular brand, but it had gotten to the point that she would cry just looking at them. I'm glad that they worked for you, but we had to switch to disposables. In exchange, we decided to make sure that our daughter gets potty trained as quickly as possible. My brother and I were both trained by around a year of age, as was normal and usual in those days. For some reason, parents now wait 2-3 years, or more, which I think is outrageous. I think my use of disposables for only a year is certainly better than the average user of 3 years.

By the way, lest anyone suggest that I'm traumatizing my daughter by "forcing" her to train too early, we wait until she shows the signs of going (usually a blank stare and maybe some grunting) and quickly run her to her potty. She actually enjoys sitting on it and we read and sing songs together. We also make sure to put her on it first thing in the morning, and right before bed. If she goes in her diaper and we miss the opportunity, we put her on the potty anyway, just so she builds a connection. It's really no different than training our puppy. Quite the same, actually.


A Look Inside Cloth Diapers: An Update
6/21/12 11:40 AM

How did you go about getting these barrels from Pepsi? That sounds like a great way to help a horrible product redeem itself by providing rain barrels for my garden!


Rain Barrel Art Roundup The Gardenist
6/21/12 11:15 AM

BTW, you can't make Martha Stewart "envy", but you can, however, make her "envious".


Hot Tip! Coffee & Tea: A Coffee Maker Two-fer
1/11/12 4:08 PM

Many foods contain glutamate, which provides an umami flavor. Yes, many people get sick from it (it gives my mom horrible migraines), but it exists naturally in so many foods it is hard to avoid. Also, I remember a chef-friend telling me that his professor at the Culinary Institute taught them that to make true Chinese food, you have to add MSG.


Our Readers' Favorite Food Discoveries of 2011
12/7/11 11:37 AM

Also, if you put a few drops of vanilla extract, or your favorite extract, into the paint before stirring, it helps to reduce the odor of the paint.

Done it. Works.


Hot Tip: Use Bucket Of Water To Remove New Paint Smell
10/28/11 3:07 PM

I went through the whole process with 1BOG. I was very excited to get my new house off the grid and start making some money back from the efficiency by which we live. But I was greatly disappointed to discover that where I live (NJ) there are laws that prevent me from a) getting more solar panels than I need (as determined by an energy company audit), b) selling back my excess electricity, and c) if there is a blackout, my solar is shut down to protect the grid. So how, exactly am I off the grid? Instead of allowing me to sell my energy, they offer SRECs (energy credits) that I can sell every other month. It's sort of complicated, but I am REALLY disappointed (as I already said). It's totally keeping me from going solar. I tried to explain to the sales guy that I am already sold on the benefits of solar, but I really wanted to be able to have at least the possibility that I could sell my solar back. What do you guys think?


Solar Power Near You: One Nation Off The Grid!
10/6/11 5:19 PM