TIME TO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT

   
Spring cleaning time is here! The longer days and new energy we derive from the sunshine give us an uncontrollable urge to clean. Well, most of us. This is the perfect time to get your house in shape for the entertaining and general awesomeness of the months ahead. How can we do that sustainably?

I am often torn between the speed and efficiency of dangerous chemical cleaners and the gentle safety of greener ones. Contrary to what some companies claim, I find that natural methods sometimes take a little more time and patience. But it is well worth it. 

Instead of using bleach to clean your bathroom grout and toilet bowls, a mixture of vinegar and either baking soda or borax make an effective scrubby cleaner. Make a paste of the mixture for cleaning grout and ceramic tiles, or spray a vinegar and water solution on surfaces. Leave the mixture on for an hour or so and rinse. Some toothbrush scrubbing may be required, but you will be able breath during the cleaning process, as opposed to using bleach, which can irritate the upper respiratory system. Another great product I love is Sun and Earth spray cleaner. It smells like orange peels and is a super general cleaner. Spray and wipe countertops and other surfaces. Between the vinegar and orange scents, your bathroom will smell like the most amazing salad you’ve ever had. I promise you will never want to smell bleach in your bathroom again. If you are concerned about germs, a little rubbing alcohol will do the trick on the toilet seat.

This time of year is a great time to go down in the basement and clear your home of any dangerous chemicals or paints that may be laying around from a home improvement project. These items can leech dangerous VOCs into your home and impair air quality if not properly sealed. Most townships offer a one day opportunity to drop off hazardous waste. Keep your family safe by disposing of them properly. Never, ever pour paint or other chemicals down the drain.

Dust! We tend to keep track of general dust on surfaces, but spring cleaning demands more of us. Baseboards, lamp shades, draperies and electronics attract lots of dust. Vacuuming or wiping these items will improve your indoor air quality. It is always satisfying to unload the vacuum cleaner chamber multiple times after a day of cleaning and see the result of your effort.

Set aside one weekend day this spring to get your house in shape. Then open the windows and take a deep breath. That first breeze of spring air blowing through your clean home is intoxicating!

  

  

This article was submitted by Kathryn Robbins of Kat Robbins Interiors.

 
Kat Robbins Interiors
610-291-4220
Wayne, PA 19087
  
Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.
 
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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog
  

LED Lights Viable Option for Your Home

     
LED (light-emitting diode) lights are becoming a viable option for home lighting. Over recent years, LED lights for home use had hurdles to overcome – that bright blue offensive color, non-standard bases, hassel of retrofits and Expense. In the past we mostly used LEDs in christmas lights, flashlights and as indicators lights.  Now, we are on the cusp of new developments that can be game changers for the light-emitting diode.

Today, we have the CR6 as the latest in a line of energy efficient LED lights made by CREE. This light addresses some of the issues of the earlier lights, allowing dimming down to 5% and having a compact, light-weight package at about half the cost of earlier models. It draws only 10.5 Watts yet produces as much light as a 65W incandescent bulb. Source - Ted's Tips

Another option is the Pharox 300 dimmable LED bulb. This is a standard Edison bulb, so you can use it in just about any fixture. The light is bright white and it stays that way as it dims. The Pharox is surprisingly bright for a bulb that only uses 6 watts. Source - Ted's Tips

LEDs are also becoming standards in many home kitchen applications.

Why Should I Change?


Incandescent light bulbs produce 15 lumens for each watt of power they consume; by comparison some LEDs are are approaching 150 lumens for each watt. This means that a 65 watt light bulb produces 975 lumens. To generate the same amount of light the LED requires just 6.5 watts. That saves energy, which saves you money.

Longer life – exactly how long?  LED life estimates range from, 25,000, 50,000 and there are even claims of 100,000 hours. Compared to 1,000 hours for tungsten bulbs it is safe to say that LEDs last years longer.


Durable – no moving parts, no glass to break

Energy efficiency – up to 90% less energy

Non-toxicity – no mercury

Versatility – colors, small size and durability allow for a wide range of applications

Cool – generate less heat, which means less air conditioning->less energy->saves money

TIPs for using LED lights in the home

Remember that the light output of LEDs is somewhat directional. Check the LEDs light pattern to make sure it is suitable for your application.

Check to see if the LED is dimmable and if so, determine compatible dimmer switches for that particular LED.

Look for LEDs that are advertised as a warm light or have Kelvin scale, K, of 2700K-3500K. The 2700k is similar to an incandescent bulb and 3500 is similar to a fluorescent bulb.  Warmer colors promote relaxation while brighter colors can enhance concentration; so, this is something to consider when choosing your lighting.  You probably don't want a bright colored light in an area where you want to relax.
Determine the base and whether your fixture will accept that particular base.

History of the light bulb

The development of the light bulb began around 1809 and in 1880 Edison created a light bulb that could shine for 1,200 hours; sounds like today’s standard Edison light bulb. The history of LED lights starts in 1907, but it wasn’t until the 1960s until LED research intensified. Fifty years later LEDs appear to be light source of the future as the incandescent bulb dims into history.

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Local, New Hope Pa, Couple Create Tsunami of Silence

     
Ted Inoue is a contributor to the Superior Woodcraft Blog and is involved in many endevours that focus on improving people's lives.  Now Ted and along with his wife, Evelyn, have created  the Tsunami of Silence to help the people of Japan.  Their current project is very personal to both of them.

The Tsunami of Silence was conceived of by Evelyn & Ted Inoue, of New Hope, PA.

Ted and Evelyn are  half-Japanese Amerasians, with deep roots in Japan.

Evelyn’s Mother, Kimiko, survived the Tokyo firebombing during World War II, though many of her relatives perished in the ensuing conflagration.

Ted’s father, Shinya, has been honored by the Emperor of Japan, for his lifelong dedication and discoveries in the biological sciences. Shinya’s father served as an ambassador for Japan and his mother was Lady in Waiting to the Emperess.

Evelyn is an award winning author of children’s books who writes under her mother’s name, Kimiko Kajikawa. Her latest book, Tsunami!, is illustrated by Caldecott award winning illustrator, Ed Young. Evelyn has set up a Tsunami relief page on Facebook.

In his spare time, Ted helps people make their homes safer and more energy efficient. His blog of practical energy efficiency tips can be found at TedsTips.

Superior Woodcraft thanks both Ted and Evelyn for their work.  Ted's contributions to the Superior Woodcraft Blog have helped many of our readers.  We feel fortunate to have Ted and Evelyn as part of our local community and we are proud that they are our friends and neighbors.  Superior Woodcraft supports the Tsunami of Silence.  Thank you Ted and Evelyn for your continued efforts to making a difference in the world.

By acting together, we can all help each other through these trying times.

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.



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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Fresh Spring Soup - Recipe

    

Rooting through seed catologues , putting shovel in dirt, the anticipation of farmers markets brimming with fresh, local foodstuffs, the Bucks Beautiful Garden and Home Show. The farms alive with newborns, the first batch of chickens getting ready to hit the outdoors so they can be ready for our tables.

This is what spring means to me. What to do with the first tendrils reaching out of the ground to welcome us.

Here is one recipe to bring in the spring.

Fresh spring peas cooked with a bit of onion and seasoned with mint makes a refreshing, surprisingly hearty welcome to springtime. Stir in cream, if you like, use it as a garnish, or omit it - the soup is rich and "creamy" all on its own.

Minted Fresh Green Pea Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. fresh in-pod spring peas (a.k.a. English peas or garden peas)

• 1 small onion (a spring onion is nice to use here, if you have one)

• 2 Tbsp. butter

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 tsp. salt (if broth is homemade or unsalted) plus more to taste

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish

• Heavy cream (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation:

1. Shell peas. You should have between 5 and 5 1/2 cups.

2. Peel and chop the onion.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes.

4. Add broth and salt, if using. Bring to a boil.

5. Add peas, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until peas are very tender, about 5 minutes.

6. Add mint. Whirl in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, or with a hand-held immersion blender until very smooth, at least 2 if not 3 minutes. This will seem like a very long time, but it will result in a much smoother, velvety soup.

7. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream, if you like, and heat gently. Serve garnished with more mint and a grind or two of black pepper. Alternatively, you can drizzle each serving with a tablespoon or so of cream

Makes 4 servings

This article was submitted by Marc BrownGold of JustEat by BrownGold.
  

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.

  
Marc BrownGold

JustEat by Brown Gold

JustEat Facebook

267-247-2605

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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.

Superior Woodcraft Blog

Wash Tyme Cleans Up At Bucks County Locavore~Buy Local Event

Wash Tyme participated in the 2nd Annual Locavore~ Buy Local Event hosted at Superior Woodcraft in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA.  There were local vendors present who brought samples of their breads, wines, chocolates, beers, raw chips, coffee, ice cream and other great local foods.  Wash Tyme provided a helping hand with  their with their soaps so we could all network with clean hands and eat and drink more great local foods.

  
 
      

   
    
   

Thanks to our friends at Wash Tyme for participating in this great Bucks County Business Community event.

Wash Tyme specializes in making natural vegetable glycerin soaps that clean exceptionally well and are gentle on the skin.

Superior Woodcraft is a local provider of custom made cabinetry and is located in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA.

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Wash Tyme Blog
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Superior Woodcraft Exhibits at The 20th Annual Bucks Beautiful Garden and Home Show

  

The 20th Annual Bucks Beautiful Garden and Home Show is the largest in Bucks County. Don't wait for spring to arrive. Get out of the house and visit the garden show for a refreshing spring experience. And, visit Superior Woodcraft's display.


Bucks Beautiful Garden and Home Show:

March 18th 5-8 pm


March 19th & 20th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location: Delaware Valley College, 700 E. Butler Avenue, Doylestown, Bucks County.

Directions


   
    
Roger Swain, former host of The Victory Garden and our 2007 seminar speaker stated; “The Philadelphia Flower Show is grand, but your Show is like a cupcake with extra sprinkles on the top. One of the best regional shows I have been to.” Beautiful displays!
        
Main Attractions:

Superior Woodcraft Display

Over 70 exhibitors featuring the latest products and services for the garden and home!

Seminars with tips and techniques for gardening and home projects.

Friday, March 18th, Preview Night

Free children’s programs.

Invest in your community.  Buy Local and support your local Bucks County businesses that help make Bucks Beautiful and a great place to call home.

Superior Woodcraft is a local provider of custom made cabinetry and is located in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA.

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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog
  

Buy-Local Networking Event Draws Overwhelming Community Support

    
Superior Woodcraft, Inc. and the Doylestown Business and Community Alliance (DBCA), welcomed more than four-hundred local business representatives to Superior Woodcraft’s showroom on February 24th for a Buy-Local Networking and Business Card Exchange. In attendance were Pennsylvania State Senator, Chuck McIlhinney; State Representative, Marguerite Quinn; Rob Mitchell, aide to Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, and Doylestown Borough Councilwoman, Joan Doyle

The event gave attendees the opportunity to network while learning more about the exceptional quality and diversity of locally available goods, products and services. Guests mingled amidst an array of sustainably grown and specially prepared gourmet foods, beverages, and delicacies.

Read more....


"Sustainable local companies create jobs, strengthen the local economy, and provide needed revenue for schools, roads, and other critical services "

  

Superior Woodcraft is a local provider of custom made cabinetry and is located in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA.

   
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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Brad's Raw Foods Thanks Superior Woodcraft

Recently, Superior Woodcraft, Inc. hosted a Locavore event that celebrated local businesses by allowing them the opportunity to display their products while networking with one another and the community. Brad’s Raw Foods was honored to accept their invite to the occasion. These events are so important because it’s our local people that help to build the brand we work so rigorously and passionately for.

Superior’s showroom was the perfect backdrop to this event. Its masterfully crafted woodwork not only delighted the 400 plus attendees, but also made them proud to be part of a community that manufactures these innovative products. It was evident how much talent and precision goes into their cabinetry.

Unlike Superior Woodcraft, who has been a well-recognized name both nationally and locally for decades, Brad’s Raw Foods is somewhat new to the neighborhood. Since the start of selling our raw chips and kale just a couple of years ago, we have made it a priority to attend events such as this because we know that, above all, it is so important to remember where we started from. It’s a company’s neighbors that help carry them to success.

For these reasons, Brad’s Raw Foods would like to personally thank Superior Woodcraft, Inc. for their hospitality. Because of you, we were able to connect with people that didn’t know that “the world’s healthiest chip” is produced right in their own backyard. Our combined goal is to continue delivering high-quality goods to our community so that they will continue to call Superior Woodcraft to design their cabinets and then stock them with chips and kale from Brad’s Raw Foods.

Superior Woodcraft is a local provider of custom made cabinetry and is located in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA.


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Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog
Brad's Raw Blog