Month: September 2022

National Bee Day and emerging garden educate about pollinators | News

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
GARDEN

The third Saturday in August was National Honey Bee Day, but if you missed it, you still have local opportunities to learn about a very useful insect. Even more important than the delicious honey provided by bees is their role as key pollinators, since three quarters of the world’s flowering plants, including our local avocado crop, depend on pollinators to reproduce. 

A United States Department of Agriculture website,  www.farmers.gov/pollinators, cites an estimate stating “one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators like bees, butterflies and moths, birds and bats, and beetles and other insects.”

The Agriculture Museum of Ventura County recently celebrated the 13th anniversary of Honey Bee Day with a “Save the Pollinators” exhibit, some of which is still on view. On Aug. 20, the museum hosted many clever and informative activities. Among other activities, volunteers helped kids craft bees out of pipe cleaners and make candles from wicks rolled into small sheets of bee’s wax. 

Eduardo Flores, owner of Ventura Bee Rescue, hosted a display and explained how he captures bee swarms and relocates hives. In addition to finding new customers for those services, he hoped to find more local farmers interested in hosting colonies he establishes and maintains.

Bob Cromwell, the museum’s manager of education, offered honey sticks as rewards for children who eagerly raised hands in answer to his informative kid-oriented presentation, danced the bee “waggle” to imitate bee’s communication through motion, and sang along during his song session. Bee-themed songs included an altered Beatles song, “Let It Bee.”  When not educating and entertaining, Cromwell served as DJ for the event, queueing up on his sound system bee-themed tunes ranging from Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s classical “Flight of the Bumblebee” to The Rolling Stones rock classic “I’m a King Bee.”

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She’s Got it Made! Local Writer Hired to do Marketing for American Craft Made

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

After years of engaging with a national nonprofit known as American Craft Council by attending marketplaces and reading articles in American Craft magazine, a queer Minnesotan artist named Kasey Payette recently joined the organization as a marketing specialist. Payette brings over a decade of marketing and communications experience to the organization, which will undoubtedly uplift artists supported by American Craft Council. She is a published author of stories and essays who is looking forward to the upcoming American Craft Made marketplace coming to Saint Paul RiverCentre on October 7th-9th.

In its 35th year, the marketplace is the place to find unique handmade goods and connect with hundreds of nationally renowned artists. These artists specialize primarily in contemporary jewelry, clothing, furniture, and home décor. For those who cannot make it to the show in person, there will be an e-commerce component opening up the show to craft lovers everywhere from Monday, October 3rd until Sunday, October 16th. The event draws thousands of attendees primarily from the Twin Cities, where American Craft Council is headquartered, as well as western Wisconsin.

The esteemed artists include locals such as internationally acclaimed hat designer Karen Morris, woodworker Benjamin Leatham, jeweler Karin Jacobson, wearable textile artist Susan Bradley, furniture maker Craig Johnson, and porcelain ceramic artist Stephanie DeArmond. Hailing from Silver Bay, Leatham locally sources all of the lumber he uses to make his wood-turned bowls and hand sculpted utensils. The jewelry from Minneapolis resident Karin Jacobson includes hand fabricated wedding rings and other unique creative pieces. Bradley’s wearable textile art has been described as luxurious and architectural.

Although Payette is a literary artist, she notes how much writers and craft artists have in common and how vital those ventures are for the queer community. “I think there is a natural resonance between LGBTQ+ folks and

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With a budget of $100,000, two young architects turned a ‘murder shed’ into a quirky tiny home in LA. Take a look inside.

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME IMPROVEMENT
The LA shed before and after the two year renovation.

The shed before and after the two-year renovation.Keith Marks, Nick Marx

  • A derelict shed in Silver Lake, California, was renovated into a sleek, 350-square-foot tiny home.

  • The architects behind the two-year transformation said it was once nicknamed “the murder shed.”

  • Today the one-bed home is an incredibly in-demand listing available to book on Airbnb.

This 350-square-foot tiny home in California wasn’t always the dreamy hideaway it looks like today.

The property is located in Silver Lake, California.

The property is located in Silver Lake, California.Nick Marx

Architects Corie Saxman, 30, and Keith Marks, 33, told Insider they were hired to transform a derelict shed in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, into a modern accessory dwelling unit (ADU).

The duo said it all began in 2018 when one of the owners, Roger Merians, contacted them through Instagram.

Saxman and Marks – who met at graduate school and now run the architecture firm Ham Design Group – had never taken on a project alone, they said.

“Roger just cold messaged me,” Marks said. “He said, ‘Hey, I saw your thesis project. I love it. I got this tiny thing. I was wondering if you could do something for us, something exciting and not typical.'”

As thrilled as they were to land their first solo project, Marks and Saxman didn’t love the original structure, which they nicknamed “the murder shed.”

Saxman said the shed was "falling apart" when they first saw it.

Saxman said the shed was “falling apart” when they first saw it.Keith Marks

Seeing the shed — which lies on the same property as their client’s home — for the first time wasn’t exactly love at first sight for Marks or Saxman.

“We nicknamed it ‘the murder shed‘ from day one,” Marks said. “We definitely knew we had a lot of work ahead of us.”

But any apprehension about the project they faced was eased by how lucky

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Haverty Furniture (HVT) Stock: Ready For The Next Recession

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
FURNITURE

Haverty

J. Michael Jones

While there is a lot of back and forth among politicos and politically aligned economists around the definition of a recession and whether the United States is currently in one, we think it’s best to ignore the noise and instead focus on recession-proofing portfolios and portfolio holdings. One of the areas of the economy already starting to show signs of the American consumer straining under the weight of higher inflation is the retail sector. We have already seen teen retailers disappoint, think Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), and everyone remembers the Target (TGT) fiasco that still seems to be playing out, so we think that even for the casual market follower, it is quite obvious that something is happening within the retail space.

So What Should Investors Do?

We think that investors, especially those who have to have exposure to retail, should focus on companies who have solid balance sheets, are generating cash today and have a decent amount of cash on hand with little to no debt. To be clear, when we discuss debt, we are referring to it in the traditional sense, not the new form of accounting which takes into account a company’s lease obligations. While the lease obligation line item can give you insight into the future annual costs of maintaining a business’s physical footprint, we think it clouds the picture on a company’s ability to navigate a recession.

The fact is that clothing stores are out. Retailers geared towards the teen crowd or trendy approachable fashion should be avoided. Instead, investors should focus on retailers with a niche that has minimal downside and can create cash flow during a rough period economically.

Haverty Fits The Bill

One name in the retail space

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Low supply, high demand: Alternative decorating ideas

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
GARDEN

Many have come to expect the rising costs and shipping delays that stemmed from the pandemic, especially when it comes to home goods. Now local sources share some encouraging news along with alternative solutions when shopping for furniture and décor.  

While custom upholstered pieces still tend to have long lead times, Jackie Schwartz, owner of Home Interior Warehouse in Walled Lake and Plymouth, says some companies have improved. In the meantime, she says artwork, accessories, lamps and mirrors that are ready to go can do a lot for a home when waiting for custom orders that might be delayed.

Accent furniture and artwork are ready for buyers to take home the same day at Home Interior Warehouse in Walled Lake and Plymouth.

“People are learning to not wait until the last minute when they really want what they want,” she says. “At the end of the day, it’s worth the wait, even though it’s frustrating.”

Accent furniture is easy to find, from end tables and chests, to credenzas and chairs. Signing up for email notifications can keep customers informed about other opportunities like floor samples that are available on occasion.

Personalized or not, there are better options now. “With custom pieces, the wait is not as bad as it was a year ago, and you get what you really want,” says Schwartz. “There is also so much in stock like all the extras that make a room great and seasonal décor.”  

New identity

Reimagining what you have can be another solution with sources like Daviddi Antiques in Farmington Hills, where they repair and refinish wood furniture. As co-owner William Daviddi explains, they work with pieces damaged by moving companies, auction houses, disaster restoration, family heirlooms and antiques dealers.

They also do some reupholstering and have a showroom open to the public featuring their own collection of vintage and antique pieces available for purchase. Current selections include artwork, clocks, lamps, tables and chairs that

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My O.C.: Crystal Clarity in Renovation

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Illustration by Rachel Idzerda

June 2011 remains clear in my memory. I’d had a hectic school year teaching and was facing scans to monitor my cancer’s progression, so a summer project seemed like the perfect distraction. I had painted my bedroom a soft gray and updated the pine bedroom set we’d had for 10 years with cream-colored paint and updated gold hardware. The gold and gray pairing was magical. But I needed more: a statement piece. Something that had a story. Perusing Pinterest, I saw a photo of a pair of chandeliers over a bed.

After several days of surfing Craigs-list, I found a treasure in Huntington Beach—matching midcentury waterfall chandeliers. Until this point, I’d never owned a chandelier. It brought back memories of the one that gleamed over our formal dining table when I was a kid.

At $70 apiece, they were within budget. The address on the listing led me to a suburban “Leave It to Beaver”-style home, where I was greeted warmly by a middle-aged woman. A patterned scarf held back most of her hair, but a few blonde curls had wiggled free and lay glued to her dampened brow. She apologized for the stifling heat and invited me into a living room bursting with stacks of boxes. Her parents had passed away, she told me, and she was cleaning out her childhood home. She escorted me down the matted gold shag of the hallway to her parents’ bedroom, where the chandeliers hung in a naked room. The bed had left a dusty imprint on the carpet, and dingy curtains blocked all signs of the sun.

When she flipped the switch to show me the chandeliers were in working order, their light was strangled by a thick, yellow dust that coated every crystal.

“My dad was

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Lush opens Eco Concept Store in Adelaide

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
FURNITURE
lush-opens-eco-concept-store-in-adelaide-202209″ data-title=”Lush opens Eco Concept Store in Adelaide”

British-based handmade cosmetics label Lush has launched its first concept store in Australia. 

The brand claims its Adelaide store uses “repurposed furniture alongside ethically sourced and durable materials,” adhering to the brand’s motto “Leave the world Lusher than we found it”.

Post-consumer waste from yoghurt pots and plastic packaging is used throughout the store concept, as well as energy-efficient LED lighting. 

“At Lush, we put sustainability and the ethical sourcing of materials at the forefront of not only the ingredients that go into our fresh handmade cosmetics, but also the design and construction of our beautiful and innovative stores,” said Amy Irvin, retail operations manager at Lush.

Along with the Spooky Refreshment Bar and items like the bath bomb, perfume, and shower gel, Lush also stocks its limited-edition Halloween collection at the new store.

In addition, the company encourages customers to return full-sized Lush plastic packaging to their neighbourhood Lush store for recycling as part of their fresh new packaging returns program. Customers will receive a $1 deposit to use toward their Lush basket for each piece of plastic from Lush that is returned.

Lush was established in 1995 with the purpose of offering beauty products that are environmentally friendly. It operates more than 900 stores across 48 markets.

The brand will also open another eco concept store in Melbourne on September 15th. It is located at Cnr La Trobe and Swanston Street, Melbourne Central.

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Trio of Gardens highlights what’s possible outdoors

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
GARDEN

For 26 years Keep Midland Beautiful’s annual Trio of Gardens has delighted and entertained thousands of visitors with an array of garden designs and planting advice. To get ideas on beautifying your own piece of Midland, you are invited to attend the 26th annual Trio of Gardens from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11. Here you can talk with the Permian Basin Master Gardeners in three of Midland’s most beautiful private gardens and get information and best-practice tips on West Texas gardening.

Each garden on the tour showcases versions of West Texas landscaping. All feature plants and designs that emphasize water conservation and proper plant selection. You may be surprised to see what all is possible.

You may also be surprised that having a beautiful and lush garden does not require massive amounts of water for irrigation, just proper irrigation techniques.

Keep Midland Beautiful will have resources will be available at the Trio of Gardens tour for you to take home and are always available by on the Keep Midland Beautiful or the Permian Basin Master Gardeners websites.

Ticket and Event Information

The 26th Annual Trio of Gardens is presented by Occidental Petroleum, The Morrow Family Foundation, ConocoPhillips, Karmen and Billy Bryant, Fasken Oil and Ranch Ltd, SM Energy, and Republic Services for the benefit of Keep Midland Beautiful. 

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 each at www.keepmidlandbeautiful.org. Or look for the QR code on posters around Midland. For your convenience, tickets may also be purchased for $15 on the day of the event at any of the garden locations.

Ticket purchasers are eligible to win a $500 gift certificate to Alldredge Gardens, graciously donated by Alldredge Gardens. 

Other sponsors of Trio of Gardens are The Midland Reporter-Telegram, NewsWest 9, West Texas Radio Group, Julie

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Fugitive Brazilian cop who executed law student outside a club is arrested in Florida

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
HOME DECOR

A former Brazilian police officer wanted for the murder of a law student has been arrested after a decade of evading capture.

Omar Assaf, 42, was apprehended in Orlando on Tuesday by U.S. Marshalls.

U.S. federal prosecutors requested he remain in custody pending the resolution of an extradition request.

The Daily Beast first reported on his arrest.

Assaf, a former Paraná state cop, shot 19-year-old Thiago Klemtz in the chest, leg, and head near a nightclub in the city of Curitiba on August 16, 2009.

Assaf was sentenced in 2012 to 16 years in prison for aggravates homicide, but fled the country and found refuge with family in Kissimmee.

Public records show him as a partner with his uncle’s maintenance company and started his own home decorations company in 2017.

Former Brazilian police officer Omar Assaf (pictured) was taken into custody Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, where he had been living for a decade after he fled his country when a court sentenced him in 2013  to 16 years in prison for the August 2009 murder of 19-year-old <a href=law student, Thiago Klemtz. Assaf is being held pending the resolution of an extradition request” class=”blkBorder img-share” style=”max-width:100%” /

Former Brazilian police officer Omar Assaf (pictured) was taken into custody Tuesday in Orlando, Florida, where he had been living for a decade after he fled his country when a court sentenced him in 2013  to 16 years in prison for the August 2009 murder of 19-year-old law student, Thiago Klemtz. Assaf is being held pending the resolution of an extradition request

A witness told a Brazilian court that Thiago Klemtz (pictured) begged Omar Assaf not to kill him before he shot him in the head and chest moments after he had shot him in the leg

A witness told a Brazilian court that Thiago Klemtz (pictured) begged Omar Assaf not to kill him before he shot him in the head and chest moments after he had shot him in the leg

According to Florida court records, Assaf attended the nightclub with Fernanda Lacerda and had his police department gun placed in a safe.

At one point during the night, a friend of Lacerda, identified as Diego Targino, assaulted a person she was dancing with. Assaf subdued Targino before a security guard kicked him

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Furniture products created and manufactured in Romania

Posted on By Maria J. Glover
FURNITURE

The Made in Romania collection from the portfolio of Mobexpert, the largest Romanian manufacturer and retailer of furniture and decorations, and an innovative brand with a tradition on the market, is at the top of customer preferences. About 60% of the company’s customers buy pieces of furniture and decorations made on the local market.

 

Willing to innovate, but also in the context of constantly changing conditions of the supply chain, Mobexpert has focused in the last year on the development of the furniture collection made in local factories in Târgu Mureș, Dej, Suceava, Bucharest and has invested in the design and production of over 15 new ranges of furniture and over 100 new models of sofas, armchairs, mattresses, and office chairs. Currently, 65% of all products in the Mobexpert portfolio are manufactured in Romania. One of the new furniture ranges is Wave, whose design is signed by the Mobexpert architect, Diana Marinescu.

“The products made in Romania have a great importance for Mobexpert, as they are created by our designers and made in our factories. We are constantly innovating because we want to be as close as possible to our customers and offer them quality products at fair prices. In addition, production in local factories helps us to constantly offer new, trending products with reasonable delivery times”, said Adelina Badea, Mobexpert CEO.

If in 1995, at the beginning of the production activity in our country, the company could deliver a maximum of 200 chairs and 20 sofas in a month, today Mobexpert can achieve this performance in about an hour.

About 700 employees work in the 8 Romanian factories of Mobexpert, which represent 30% of the total employers of the Mobexpert group. Experience, professionalism, and modern technologies allow the constant increase in the number of products manufactured by the

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