Category: Life Hack

Concrete countertop

On By CarynIn Life Hack

I love the concrete countertops in our house. I don’t have to worry about setting hot dishes on them, and the installers finished them silky smooth. They had started to develop rings and water stains, though. I used a mixture of baking soda and olive oil to rub them down, then added vinegar to the paste before wiping it off. I wiped the whole surface with a wet towel to make sure the vinegar was gone, then applied a sealing product used for butcher blocks. The sealant is made of natural oils and waxes and is food safe. The counter soaked up the mixture, so I did two applications, then buffed it with a dry towel. The counter looks new again, and I tested the water resistance by sprinkling it with water. The water beaded up and did not soak in.

Photo description: brown concrete countertop with a lovely luster, Howard’s Butcher Block Conditioner bottle sitting on the surface

So here is another Howard’s product I can recommend. But no, I’m not paid to do so!

Cord wallet

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

I tried a few different ways to organize my headphone and charging cords in my purse, but they all ended up in a tangled snarl. I thought what I might need is more pockets. (Pockets!) I exercise my antique Singer treadle machine by sewing together scraps of quilting fabric, making larger bits of scrap. I took two of those pieces and made a three pocket strip by sewing the right sides together, turning it right side out, folding it in half, and stitching the sides and pocket dividers.

Photo description: three connected pockets sewn from scraps of quilting fabric on a model 66 Singer Sewing machine
Photo description: other side of the pockets shown with headphones, charging battery, and charging cords sticking out of the pockets.
Photo description: view of the top of the filled and folded three pockets
Photo description: view of the side of the three pockets when they are accordion folded into a wallet

I did not put a zipper or closure on the pockets, because folding the wallet does a good job of keeping the cords in place, and the wallet goes in my purse upright, so there is a low possibility of getting turned upside down. So far the wallet works well because I have not reached into my purse and encountered a tangled mess.

Throwback Thursday: paint lines

On By CarynIn Life Hack

In September of 2013, I was repainting the rooms of our house and discovered liquid paint block. Essentially it is clear latex paint that you apply over the edge of the painter’s tape so that it sucks down into the cracks and crevices not blocked by the tape, rather than the colored paint. It makes for much crisper color changes, especially for inside corners.

Photo description: inside corner with blue paint on the left, and yellow on the right, with my hand holding a bottle of Frogtape liquid paint block

This has become a Throwback Thursday post not only to share the trick, but so that I have it documented in a different place and will perhaps remember it when it comes time to paint again.

And because it is May Day, and I can’t make it to get flowers to everyone’s porch, here is a picture of white bearded iris blooming in my current front yard.

Standing up

On By CarynIn Life Hack, music

I received a synthesizer from a neighbor who was cleaning out. It has a “learn” function, something my 1928 upright grand doesn’t. What it doesn’t have is a music stand. (My upright grand has an awesome music stand that can hold many piano books.) I looked up the manual online and saw that the issued music stand was just a thick wire fitted into two holes. Hm. I took an old wire hanger, snipped off the hook, and bent the rest into the right shape. I took a second hanger and made a page stop at the bottom, which does not stop the sheet music from bending and sliding out the open wire frame. Hm.

Photo description: music stand on a synthesizer made from wire hangers

To fix the open frame, I used a grocery bag to make a sheath over the wire. It works, and was a zero cost solution. A little washi tape on the channel works better than the wire to keep pages from sliding.

Photo description: wire and grocery bag music stand on a synthesizer

Sheet music is my crutch. I’m struggling with the teaching method on the synthesizer, since it only shows the note on the staff when it is played, not before.

Fat quarter travel pillow

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

I don’t like the U shaped travel pillows. I’ve tried several, and the bulk pressing against the back of my neck (really anything around my neck) drives me nuts. So I made a different kind of pillow. It is ideal for reclining chairs because it has two side pillows so my neck doesn’t twist too far, and no stuffing behind my head. The best part is that I made it with one fat quarter, some thread, and poly fil stuffing.

Photo description: fat quarter (18”x21”) of quilting fabric with a pineapple motif

To make the pillow, fold a fat quarter in half lengthwise, right sides together (9” x 21”, doubled). Sew along the edges, leaving two 4” gaps on the outside thirds of the long edge (for stuffing later).

Photo description: fat quarter folded in half and sewn with two gaps on the far edge, on a model 66 treadle sewing machine

Clip the corners and turn the pillow right side out. Fold the case in thirds, mark the line, then sew seams along the lines. This divides the pillow into three parts.

Photo description: pillow case divided into thirds and being sewn using the fold as a guide

Fill the outside sections with stuffing, then sew the gaps closed. I usually do this by hand, but the foot on my model 66 has such a nice tiny toe, I thought I would try on the treadle sewing machine. It worked well.

Photo description: sewing the pillow gap closed using a treadle machine fitted with a standard foot
Photo description: finished travel pillow laying on the work surface of a 1916 Singer treadle sewing machine

It amuses me that the fabric coordinates with the “red eye” decals on the sewing machine. I can report that the pillow works great, especially for naps.