diy | copper pipe wall sconce

DIY: Copper Wall Sconce

the dressing room,
the room i keep talking about
but haven’t shown you,
is the smallest room
and has the lowest ceiling
in our humble abode.
there is a small & tall window
in the corner
that peers out
onto the fire escape.
it’s all so very urban,
but you can imagine, it’s
a dark room.
in my humble opinion
for it to be a successful
room to dress in
it requires good lighting.
and that’s exactly what i
received when i told dw
that i absolutely cannot
get dressed in the dark anymore,
for fear of looking like
an assclown
(um. you guys.
who dressed me back then?!)

i showed dw what i wanted
and let him have at it
and like
jesus gawd
a boss
he made light.

DIY: Copper Wall Sconce

as inspired & adapted from Camille Styles

materials
led bulb – $12.99 x 2
1/2″ tube strap – $0.29/each x 4
elbow 90 1/2″ – $1.29/each x 4
reducing elbow 3/4″x1/2″ – $3.49/each x 2
outlet adapter – $1.88 x 2
white heavy duty switch cord – $3.82 x2
1/2″  wood screws – $1.18/pack of 12
IKEA hemma cord set – $5 x 2
1/2″ copper pipe, cut to size: 3″, 5″ 8″ (2 of each) – free! this was because the salesrep was having a hard time cutting the pipe, felt bad and gave it to us as “scrap”. it would’ve cost approx $7.50, which we would’ve gladly paid

total for both sconces: $60.86

DIY: Copper Wall Sconce

things we already had on hand:
piece of wood, reused from broken down dresser – 3 1/3 x 9 1/4, 1/2″ thick, painted white
screws – 1 1/4″ wood screw to mount wood to the wall
plastic wall anchors, for same

  • connect copper pipes in order, with no glue. (insert them like legos, the tension holds them together). set aside.
  • the hemma cord is 15ft long, if you want cut it to desired length.
  • feed the cord through the copper pipe starting at the shorter end (you’re going backwards). *tip: as you’re feeding it through the copper, do not have the pieces assembled, go through each piece individually and then connect once the cord is all the way through.
  • when it’s all the way fed  through, attach the outlet adapter according to instructions on the package.
  • choose how high you want the switch to be attached, and hook it up according to instructions on the package.
  • the original inspiration did not pull the cord taut to the pipe, but instead kept her bulb danging. we decided to pull it to the hilt, but it’s up to you.
  • now you have a fully wired and connected lamp cord fixture. now prepare the wood against the wall.
  • place wall anchors and screw wood into the wall.
  • we opted to have the screws dead center of the wood so that the pipe would cover it, you don’t have to be anal like us. the last step: affix the fixture using two tube straps.
  • Plug in and BAM!

DIY: Copper Wall Sconce

previous dressing room shenanigans:
diy | linen board

diy | linen pinboard

DIY Linen Board

after what seems like
an eternity
the dressing room is done!
depending on how photos turn out
(i BROKE my tripod)
i might include a dressing room reveal!
just kidding
i was gonna show off the dressing room
anyway

DIY Linen Board

if you know me
you know that i don’t usually do
accessories.
i almost didn’t wear earrings
for my wedding
i take off my wedding & engagement rings at night
(i’m not the only one who
when she sleeps sometimes ends up
with a ring crease on her face
or forehead from cradling her
head in her hand, right?)
but
having said that
i do have trinkets,
lovely ones,
tucked away in drawers
boxes
out of sight
and never worn.
with the creation of our
new space
i wanted to use up some wall
real estate,
showcase some pretty.

enter the linen board.
it’s not a revolutionary item
and the diy route,
while economical,
can be time consuming,
especially if you don’t have all
the materials & tools readily available.
our method worked for us
but i have read
various other ways
of creating it.
do what’s comfortable for you,
for your skill level,
and for your convenience.

diy linen board
as inspired by elephantine & this.

materials:

  • canvas – i went through a phase a few years ago where i painted. i know. i had a few blank canvases lying around that i use to bounce light. purchased at michael’s, value pack probably. free, obviously i paid for it but that was years ago.
  • 1 yard of linen, though you will not use the entire yard. $5.99, purchased from joann’s fabric (for the additional 2 boards we made, i did buy 2 more yards of linen, less than $10.00)
  • styrofoam – leftover from boxes of ikea stuff, was in the recycling bin, reused, so we’ll say it’s free. alternatively, you can use cork board or poly panel insulation boards ($7.25 for 6pk), that’s sold at home depot or lowes
  • staple gun – investment item, which will be used for other crafty stuff. will list price, but not in total. $20.99 BUT 40% coupon so $12.59
  • copper nail tacks – optional, for decorative purposes only, $1.99/box
  • fiberboard – optional, when we did up the dressing room, we broke down my very old, hand-me-down dresser and kept what could be re-used. this piece was one of it. free. it can also be called particle board, home depot & lowes sells them for super cheap and they’ll cut it to size for you.
  • saw tooth frame hanger – it was in dw’s tool box for whatever reason, so free, but it costs like $4.29/pack at the hardware store.
  • wood glue – i don’t know why we have this but we do, thankfully. free.

total for the first linen board: $7.98. take that pottery barn & restoration hardware.

note: dw made two more for me (the man spoils me. i also have a niggling feeling that he liked playing with the staple gun), and again the cost was so minimal compared to what the finished product retails for at designer home stores. keep an eye out for things that you can reuse, recycle, and use COUPONS.

directions:

so the back of the canvas has that space, fill it with either the styrofoam, insulation foam or cork board. measure it out accordingly. the sytrofoams i used were in pieces so i had to glue them to each other and dabbed a bit on the corners so they adhered to the canvas. (the last two boards were made with the poly panel insulation boards. we used one sheet for both boards, and there’s still some left over. super easy to cut, i used an old bread knife. this method did not require the glue, we measured it so it would fit snug int the space)

DIY Linen Board tutorial

if you want, iron out linen piece. measure it to size, you want there to be enough for it to fold over the canvas and be stapled comfortably. lay out the linen piece, place the canvas face down on it and pull the sides up & over it.
carefully staple one side, keeping the staples evenly spaced. when you reach the corners, fold them like how you would wrap a box. when you reach the opposite side of the canvas of the already stapled side, be sure to pull the linen taut. it helps to have someone pull and the other staple.
at this point, the board is done, it can be hung as is, but dw decided to add the backing and picture hanger.

DIY Linen Board Tutorial

cut the fake wood to size and lay down on the stapled side. staple it down onto the canvas.
if using, add the hook to the middle of the canvas.

DIY Linen Board Tutorial

hang and pin to your heart’s content.

BAM!

DIY Linen Board

3 veggie dumplings in spicy sauce

3 veg dumplings

inexplicably
i’ve been stressed lately,
last week i spent an
inordinate amount of time
fretting over the overabundance of greens
we picked up from our csa.
we went all in this summer,
doing a full family share,
with the thought process of
hitting the stores less,
eating salads more,
thereby providing us with more time
to do other things,
like
fret apparently.
by mid week,
with just barely a dent in
our stash of foliage,
i was decidedly despairing
over the potential of verdant decay
in the fridge
before the next csa day.

my discontent has merged
in other areas —
i’ve discovered white strands,
slyly mixed in with the ink
black of my hair,
making it stark in contrast.
i’m so vain i know.
then,
like any other person who goes
through the comparison game
i almost damn near shut this space down.
i’m so dramatical i know.
so what to do?
what do i generally do when i need
some perspective?
i take a break,
i simplify,
i purge.
and that’s exactly what i did.
my rss feed,
purposefully limited,
was trimmed further,
as was the twitter & ig space.
it’s nice to not carry around all
that clutter.
as pushed over the ledge
by this read,
from my fave ballerina baker.

this dish is simple:
3 main ingredient filling,
comprised of summer freshness,
it’s light in bulk
so you won’t be left feeling
like donkey ass.

3 veg dumplings

3 veg dumplings in spicy sauce
inspired by olives for dinner
makes 22 dumplings/gyozas

1 1/4 cup fresh peas, i don’t like frozen but it’ll do if that’s what you’ve got
garlic scape, amount up to you, i used just one coil & it was plenty fine
handful greens, i used dinosaur kale, though chard, arugula, spinach are fine
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 cup (more or less) chickpea flour (any flour would do, i just happened to grab this)
salt/pepper to taste
dumpling/wonton wrappers (the kind i had on hand were made of wheat flour, but if you’re able to find rice flours ones, then this dish would be entirely gluten free)

sauce
1 TBL light soy sauce
1 tbTBL dark soy sauce
1 3/4 cup​ ​hot homemade stock
2 TBL chili oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar

in a food processor whiz up the garlic scape and greens, you want it to be fine and almost mushy. next, whizz the peas, you don’t want it mushy, you want it to be kinda chunk, there may even be some whole peas. transfer mixture into bowl. add in the sesame oil and salt/pepper. if the mixture is wet, add in the flour, you don’t want it super dry, but you don’t want it wet that it will soak the wrappers. use your best judgement.

add about a teaspoon dollop per sheet, and shape however you want, just ensure that it is fully sealed.

you can either steam them, boil them or fry them up. i went the fried and then steamed route.

heat up a pan with a bit of sesame oil. put the gyoza in a fan-like pattern in the pan, fry them, covered, until the bottoms are nice and crispy. pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover, being careful of splatters. steam for about 5 minutes and remove lid, making sure all the water has evaporated.

for the sauce/soup, heat all the ingredients in a sauce pan. you can either dip the dumplings in the thinned out sauce, or you can just pour the soup/sauce over the dumplings.

BAM!

3 veg dumplings in spicy sauce

my other dumpling/gyoza concoctions:
tofu gyoza
soup dumplings

travel | chiang mai, thailand & elephant nature park 2014

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014

we traveled north for a few days
to get out of the city
to see a dear, dear friend
and to walk with elephants

i looked up at the night sky,
the same night sky
that is usually invisible
to our eyes —
what with the urban lights
and smog
and lack of time to pause,
i looked up at the unending expanse,
with its innumerable exploding stars
and gigantic galaxies,
i felt the earth spinning
and i felt dizzy
and small

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014

walking with these elephants,
these intelligent beasts
with their faultless presence
i also felt dizzy
and small

and i will tell you:
it was exhilarating

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014

additional information for Chiang Mai, Thailand and Elephant Park
accomodations: private townhouse
dining: the Riverside, we dined here twice
day trip: sukantara, an eco-boutique resort
shopping: night bazaar
elephant nature park: 2 day, overnight visit

*note: pic of me with my hand in the elephant’s mouth courtesy of dw. he really does capture me at my most random….

Chiang Mai, Thailand 2014

we’ll go back to regular food + dream stuff soon …

travel | bangkok, thailand 2014

Bangkok, Thailand 2014

i’ve been trying to write this
for awhile
from many places
— while walking sidewalks brimming with food vendors
— crossing a busy street, clutching dw’s hand tight
— from cramped airplane seats, recycled air pressed down on me
— early morning thoughts while combating jetlag
— dreary late night musings, preparing for reality

Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014

there is a heat in bangkok
that seizes you
it gets caught mid-breath
and you’re left gasping
for some it’s oppressive
for me,
it’s joyous
i don’t mind the heat,
or the slick tendrils of hair at my temple
or the pit stains
i’m 16 again
wearing slippers, dusty toed
and ignoring hawkers as they
implore & vie for my attention

i’m caught up in the magic
of travelling
of wandering a foreign city with my love
never mind the blisters on
both feet
and
the stink i’m sure i’m emitting

Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014

all i know is
i am in love with everything:
dw
being lost
the dirt
the heavy air
dw
even the lack of soy milk for my coffee

and i am dreaming of our next adventure

bangkok information and resources:
i’m sorry, i won’t be able to highlight every place we went to, i don’t remember & most places were on a whim

accommodations: 1 bedroom condo we found on airbnb. we kept the place even when we went to chiang mai for a long weekend.
dining: no lie, i think we had khao man gai 7-8 times. i asked the landlord for recommendations and then i asked shesimmers, and if i saw a joint that had it, we’d stop for it. i’ll list just the two leela endorsed cus they were gooooood. Khao Man Gai Monkhon Wattana (ข้าวมันไก่มงคลวัฒนา) and Khao Man Gai Heng Heng (ข้าวมันไก่เฮงเฮง). if you really want to know more about those places, email me & i’ll send you the info.
urban kitchen: we met up with dw’s cousin and he took us to this great cafe. i’m now obsessed with bruised cucumber salad and drunken chicken. i will eventually recreate that meal
Methavalai Sorndaeng: dw’s parents visited thailand after their stint in india with the peace corps. they dined at this restaurant, so we did too!
shopping: we hit up most of the shopping malls, whole sale and retail, and bazaars. i could not tell you where i bought the cutest tea cup set, cus i don’t know, and cus it was by luck. i did hit up all these and the weekend market
sights: the grand palace, adhere to the dress code

Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014Bangkok, Thailand 2014

next: our chiang mai leg, specifically, walking with the elephants!

other wanderings:
vietnam 2012
barçelona2010
rochester
pittsburgh