Ask Brini: Lamentable Laminate? Try the Self Adhesive Face Lift!

This week, David in San Antonio writes: "Brini, I recently moved into a new space. The office area has built-ins (which are great) and a desk area. The desk is a very unattractive 'white' formica. Besides replacing the whole piece of formica, is there anything I can do to jazz it up? Something to make it more Brini? David in San Antonio"

Sprucing up our new home with temporary fixes until we can afford to go whole hog is as American as apple pie. Many an old laminate surface has mucked up an otherwise charming room. Until you can get to replacing the top completely, why not try contact paper? This self adhesive wonder is available in many different styles and colors. If you can't find any you like, search eBay and Etsy for vintage varieties.

Careful application is important to achieve a clean look and avoid bubbles. This may not be the desktop you want to live with forever, but it will certainly do until you can replace the surface!

AskBrini.com: Banish Hard Water Stains for a Sparkling Spigot

This week, Timothy from Ontario asks: "Hello Brini, I can't seem to get my bathroom plumbing as clean and sparkling as I would like. Do you have any clever tips for cleaning taps and faucets?"

Keeping your faucets festive shouldn't be a problem. Mine wipe clean with just a touch of foaming bathroom cleaner and a few passes of a sponge. This may not be the case if you have hard water stains. These pesky white spots cling to your chrome and brass like nobody's business. They can be polished away, however, with a little toothpaste. Keep them sparkling by drying them after use or applying a little automobile wax.

Here's to a shine you can see your face in!

Ask Brini - Adored Aural Adornments - What To Do About Lost Earring Backs

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THIS WEEK! ...

Brini from the Vault! ... Welcome to Ask Brini!

In this mail segment from the vault, Brini shares a tip about lost earring backs. There are several things you can do to retain an earring from which you've lost the back.

So... What's Your Problem?!

Ask Brini Anything at http://AskBrini.com ...

Problems with soap dish jelly? Recalcitrant egg-whites? Cranky spouse? Should your carpet match your drapes? Proper etiquette while eating a corn-dog with Republicans? What else can you do with that stripper pole in your bedroom? When is an ice-cube in your mouth a good thing? Whatever it may be, Brini is here for your every need and ready to serve you.

MORE ABOUT BRINI! ►

Described as part Donna Reed, part Mary Tyler Moore, Maxwell makes kitsch feel classy through her unparalleled personal flair for home design, entertaining and savvy household tips. Inspired by a divine thrift shop purchase of 1950's nesting bowls, she first began sharing her vintage/classic know-how with other Manhattanites in 1998 through her self-titled cable access television show. With an emphasis on uncompromising fabulousness, Brini quickly garnered a devoted fan base and established herself as the go-to-girl on vintage fashion and mid-century modern treasures. After five years on the local airwaves her show was picked up by the Style Network. The subsequent series has been called a delightful success and has attracted a diverse audience thorough its national platform.

Ask Brini Anything: http://AskBrini.com

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Glazed Napkins by Brini: http://amzn.to/GlazedNapkins

Put a Little Spring in your Sleep - Restoring a Sofa Bed

Don't get me wrong, I love my new vintage sofa bed. The problem with buying a used sleeper sofa is that the bed is frequently pretty uncomfortable. This was the case with mine. The middle of the bed sagged horribly - so much so that I had to be creative about sleeping positions, lest the bar in my back cut me in half. I've started to take steps to rectify that, however. The first one is to replace the springs that hold the mattress deck taut.

The spring on the right is one of the old ones. You can see how stretched out it is. On the left is a new spring, all shiny and ready for service. I found the new springs at Planet Bed. Count the turns in your springs and then find the match in their catalog. Over the years these springs can become sprung, allowing the deck to sag in all the wrong places. Replacing them isn't a complicated procedure. It does take a bit of muscle and some ingenuity, however.

I had intended to use pliers to pull the springs into position. The tension is too much for the pliers, however, and they kept slipping from the grips. I ended up using the sturdy hook on a good quality wooden hanger to pull them tight. The first hanger broke after I was about half done, but the second one survived to finish the job.

So did it help? Yes, indeed! It's revived the bed beautifully, actually. The deck doesn't sag anymore and sleeping in it is much more pleasant. Taking the time and effort to revitalize something old instead of throwing it out and buying something new is a good step to take to combat the disposable nature of our consumer economy. My reasons for doing it really had to do with how the sofa looked, but it's been a lesson in sustainability as well. Why not try and upgrade something you've been thinking of replacing? If you do, I'd love to hear about it.

04-09 Neat and Nifty - Iron your Fringe

Hello people! This week we have an episode for those of you that are particularly anal retentive. I’m showing you how to iron fringe. Keeping all our strands going in the right direction is important!It's a simple three step process - you'll need a wide toothed comb that doesn't have any burrs on the teeth, so as to not snag the delicate fibers of the fringe. Start by taking a small section of fringe and combing it out on your ironing board. Then run the iron over it. Repeat the process 3 or 4 times, then lay the fringe flat, put the iron down on it near the "roots" and, applying medium pressure, pull the fringe out from under it. You'll be amazed at the results!

In addition to that, we have lots of things to talk about. I was recently featured on the cover of the online crafting magazine “Snippets”, which is a part of the delightful UK site Cut out and Keep. The article is a lot of fun. Be sure and have a look! The aprons featured in the article are available on Felix Populi and we’ve just reduced the price from $32 to $25. They make great hostess gifts and are fun and practical in the kitchen. Be sure and have a look!