Urban Comfort

Spiderweb Lace Printing

How is it possible that it's Thursday already?! It's been a sprint this week, juggling multiple editors, magazines, and holidays. But it's been one of those awesome weeks, with all synapses firing and feeling like I'm in the zone. Getting in the zone, sometimes that's more than half the battle. 

But I thought I'd drop in here and share a quick tutorial from one of the features I mentioned in my last post. This is such a simple craft and it's no different than spray painting through regular lace. But rather than a tidy, ladylike effect, I went for a more organic, spooky feel that's better suited to Halloween.

Although I'm showing this on dinnerware (not food safe!), you can use this process for just about anything you can spray paint.  Try it on paper, bags, boxes, fabric or canvas, bottoms of serving trays (think cocktails), mirrors, even your pumpkin. No special skills required!

Materials:

Novelty spiderweb lace (See Resources below)
Fabric scissors
Repositionable adhesive
Flat, black spray paint or black spray primer
Scrap paper 

My lace looked like the lace at the top left of the photo. I liked the web design, but I wasn't so fond of the spiders. So the first thing I did was cut out all of the spiders, leaving me with the bits of cobweb lace shown at the top right.

Once I had a pile of lace pieces, I sprayed them all with repositionable adhesive (I prefer Elmer's brand) and let them dry for a few minutes. After that, I arranged them on my surface, pressing them into place.  In my design, I left some spaces open, overlapped other pieces elsewhere.  The point here is to get an organic arrangement, so don't overthink it.

After the arrangement is in place, it's time to spray paint. I actually don't use spray paint at all for this - I prefer to use black spray primer.  It's very flat, dries super fast, and since it's a primer, I know it's meant to stick. But if you can't find black primer, use a regular matte finish paint or black floral spray. 

I like to hold my paint can a couple of feet above my design and spray in short bursts, so I get more of a misting effect.  That way, I can add more paint if needed.  I also keep my arm fairly stationary, instead of spraying back and forth. What I'm looking for are some concentrated areas of color and some that fade off a bit. 

Once I'm finished painting, I let it dry for about 5 minutes, then remove the lace.  (I can usually reuse the lace 2-3 more times, depending on how heavy the paint buildup is.)  And that's it. I haven't sealed mine or taken any extra measures and none of the primer has flaked off, even after being stacked.

 

Resources:

Novelty Spiderweb Lace - I usually find this by yard at Jo-Ann, but you can find other lace versions at places like Party City, usually sold as tablecloths or runners

Repositionable Adhesive - I find Elmer's brand to be the easiest and most reliable to work with. It's often a little less expensive as well. It can be found at most craft stores.

Title image by Brie Williams

 

 

 

 

Doom & Gloom for Halloween

I know, it seems a little early to be posting Halloween stuff. (But honestly, who can tell anymore? If you go to craft stores, the Christmas merchandise is already out.) So we'll ease into it. I thought I'd start with Halloween lite, projects that aren't blatantly Halloween in feel - though guests may ask if you're struggling with depression if you display them at other times of the year.

These are a few of the projects in this year's edition of Halloween Tricks & Treats by Better Homes and Gardens. It's on newsstands now, of course, and also available online at Zinio.  

 

 

 

 

All photos by Brie Williams | Graphics available at BHG

Remembering

Time is a funny thing, it plays tricks on your mind sometimes. Thirteen years ago I was waking up on this morning, having just moved to New York a week before, a mixture of hope and nervous excitement that quickly merged into horror and helplessness, watching the world collapse from afar. And yet, it seems like such a very short time ago, certainly not the thirteen years that my calendar tells me has passed. 

There's very little that I want to say about that day publicly, but in remembering my heart catches in my throat even now. It's a day that belongs to all of us, not just New Yorkers, because it was a day that changed a world, not just a city.

Remembering.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Okay, who am I kidding with all of this fall talk? It's still hot outside. ( I tried to fool myself the other day with a long sleeved T-shirt and nearly passed out from heat exhaustion.) So I'll have to satisfy myself psychologically with seasonal projects while accepting reality, namely, the need for iced coffee.

I'm addicted to caffeine. No sugarcoating it. But like most things that become a need rather than a pleasure, I found over time that it just wasn't as much fun as it used to be. I powered through cups of coffee every day in an effort to stay minimally awake. However, as my energy levels are becoming more balanced, I find that I don't need nearly as much coffee to get through my day. It's a relief, it's allowed me to experience the pleasure of ritual again. 

On a sweltering summer afternoon this year, I had the bliss of an afternoon with my friend Natalie and my first experience with iced Vietnamese coffee at The Orange Couch. It was so luxurious, it was almost like having dessert. An occasion to indulge in pleasure rather than simple, greedy refueling. 

It's a DIY affair at The Orange Couch, so I experienced the slow dripping of chicory coffee into a mug already containing condensed milk. Afterwards, a stir to bring it all together, and a pour over ice. No need for additional sweeteners or dairy. It's thick and rich, not the watered down mixture that often passes for iced coffee. I was instantly hooked. 

It's easy to make Vietnamese coffee at home. You can order an inexpensive phin and coffee online, even the sweetened condensed milk, if you desire. Of course, convenience has its place, too, and I'm elated by the bottled version I can buy from Magasin, one of my favorite local Vietnamese restaurants.  Their bottled coffee isn't available for mail order yet, but Caphin out of Houston, TX is now selling their bottled brew online. Buy a case and stash it away for those occasions when the usual cup of joe just won't do.

 

Here's how to make it at home --

Iced Vietnamese Coffee

2 Tablespoons dark roast ground coffee (see Resources)
2 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove the top screen from the filter, add coffee, then screw the top screen on. Place the filter over a 12-oz. heatproof container or glass that contains the condensed milk.

Pour a splash of hot water into the filter, to allow the coffee grounds to bloom. As the coffee begins to drip through, add enough water to reach the top of the filter. Place the lid back on the filter and let the coffee drip through, about 4 minutes.  (If the coffee stops dripping before 4 minutes has passed, you may need to gently loosen the screw to relieve the pressure.)

Stir to combine, then pour over ice.

Resources:

Something you may not know about New Orleans - We have a large, vibrant Vietnamese population, so Vietnamese food is as much a part of our current cuisine as the usual fare that's synonymous with New Orleans culture.

Want to get into details? Coffee Geek has a detailed analysis (and tutorial) for making the best Vietnamese coffee possible. 

Coffee:  Our own Cafe du Monde coffee and chicory is often used, but you can purchase the tradtional Trung Nguyen Gourmet Blend  online. 

Phins (coffee filter sets) are available at many Asian stores, also through Amazon.  I've linked to the single serving size here, but they do come in different sizes. 

I use Eagle Brand condensed milk since it's the most readily available, but you can buy Longevity brand online.

 

Hanx Writer App

I learned to type at the age of 14, and yes, I learned to type on an actual typewriter, the IBM Selectric. I kind of loved it, the clicking and carriage return. There was something soothing about it and electrifying at the same time.  Just how fast could I go?  

I had no problem switching over to a computer keyboard. Let's face it, that was magic of a different sort. But the typewriter still lingers as a form of romance. The clicking of a computer keyboard will never match the satisfying sound of typewriter keys striking an impression into paper. Until now, anyway.

Enter Tom Hanks (the actor), who's been collecting typewriters over the last thirty years. Working with a developer, he's created an app for the iPad that combines the ease and speed of your tablet with the sound and pacing of a manual typewriter. You can retain that original typewriter speed for deleting, by using the DELETE key for erasing, one character at a time. Or you can turn it off and use a modern delete speed. 

I have to say, it's really fun!  It's also free, with additional purchase options through the app. Even better, you can save your typed documents as they appear on your screen, print them out, and email them. I'm in love! Now, off to write the great American novel...

 

Off the Boards: Grapefruit Bars

My oven sat idle for far too long this summer and I suddenly felt the urge to bake something yesterday, but it had to be quick and simple.  This recipe is both of those, born out of a Pinterest pin from Jennifer at Savory Simple. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but I cannot (though I have to wonder why I never thought of it, as much as I love grapefruit and as long as I've made lemon bars). However, the original pin went back and forth between recipes and I was a little lazy, so I just made adjustments to my standard lemon bar recipe.

I like the grapefruit! It's completely different than a lemon bar, not a wishy washy, could be any kind of citrus bar. Distinctively grapefruit. It's a little tart, not achingly sweet, a good variation of a classic to take you into the fall and winter months. 

 
Grapefruit Bars

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

Filling:

2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons finely shredded grapefruit zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the top is just golden.

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling: 

Combine all filling ingredients (except the zest) in a bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl when needed, until well mixed.  Stir in grapefruit zest.  Pour filling over hot, partially baked crust. Continue baking for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges turn golden and the center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars. 

Tip: Before making the crust, I line my baking pan with aluminum foil (the ends forming an overhang over the edges of the pan), then just lift the whole thing out of the pan after it's baked. I find it easier to cut into bars that way.

 

Stepping into Fall

I am done with summer. It's not the heat or humidity, it's psychological. I'm ready to turn the page, step into a new season. Professionally, it's been fall and winter for the last couple of months already. I've worked on Thanksgiving, thought of 30 different ways to wrap Christmas gifts, and crafted my share of holiday projects. I've just been waiting for everyone else to catch up.

Personally, I'm feeling better and better.  It's a slow process, with ongoing adjustments, but I'm getting somewhere nonetheless. I'm grateful, careful of not squandering what I have, suddenly aware of how little I was working with. I'm also thankful for finding a doctor who listens to me rather than just looking at lab numbers. I wouldn't be in this space without him (and to the many women who wrote to me privately, filling me in on their own medical dilemmas, I would encourage you to advocate for yourselves and keep looking until you find a doctor who hears you and isn't afraid to think outside the box. Don't give up - it's important!). 

Creatively, I'm still in a bit of a mishmash. It's such a busy season for me professionally that I find I'd rather clean my house or move my furniture around in my downtime than pick up another creative project. But soon I'll start sharing some seasonal ideas. My brain is already in overdrive, thinking of things I want to create. 

Happy (almost) fall!

P.S. The butterflies pictured above are an easy DIY. I used store bought Monarch butterflies (found at Michaels) and sprayed them with a misting of metallic spray paint.  If you hold your paint can at least a foot above the butterflies, you can give them a fine coating that doesn't obscure the pattern underneath. Copper, bronze, and gold are all a natural fit for the season. You can also mix the metallics, spraying one color on the body of the wings, then misting the tips with a different color. They're pretty and catch the light nicely.