Feel the burn: Turn cheap pine into a pretty shelf

Before and after on a plank made from simple pine. Photo by Monica Jones

Copper shelving with burned pine plank. Photo by Monica Jones

This copper shelf from StoutandBurg makes me want to slap some gears on a corset and travel to an alternate universe. Only problem: It ships without the plank.

Devon had been eager to learn a woodburning technique he ran across on Inspire Woodcraft, and I wasn’t going to stop him. It came out great, and we were happy to save some cash by dressing up cheaper wood.

When life hands you chives, make vinegar

Chive blossoms and leaves infused in white vinegar. Photo by Monica Jones

The 16th-century English poet Thomas Tusser wrote, “Sweet April showers do spring May Flowers,” modernized to “April showers bring May flowers.”

I’m sure this was a sage gardening trope for his village of Rivenhall, but in Colorado, only a fool plants before Mother’s Day. I taunted the gardening gods by planting the day before Mother’s Day, and I had to cover my baby plants with cups and buckets to shield them from the hail that struck hours later.

Do not fuck with the gardening gods.

Since our garden hasn’t been in the ground very long, I’m not expecting tomatoes and squash until August, but our chives have been flourishing for months.

The flowers are edible, but I never bothered with them until this year. Chives are in the same family as onions and garlic, and the blossoms have a mild onion-like flavor. This batch of chive-flavored vinegar is almost ready to bottle. Pretty pink vinegar calls for pretty glass bottles, so I’ll splurge on a few for myself and friends.

I had so many blossoms that I quadrupled this recipe from The Spruce Eats. I added a handful of chive leaves for stronger flavor, but feel free to use just the blossoms.

Feel our wraith!

What do you call a ghost's favorite ride? A wraithcar! HAHAHAHA!

I’m not even a little bit sorry for that one.

Devon painted these Artisan Guild Skutagaard Wraiths mins for Frostgrave’s Thaw of the Lich Lord. To re-create this paint scheme, you’ll need the following paints. Get 10% off Monument Paints by clicking from this page.

ProAcryl Olive Flesh
ProAcryl Bright Ivory
ProAcryl Shadow Flesh
ProAcryl Dark Flesh
ProAcryl White Blue
ProAcryl Grey Blue
ProAcryl Faded Ultramarine
ProAcryl Dark Grey Blue
ProAcryl Coal Black
ProAcryl Silver Metallic
Citadel Colour Gore Grunta Fun
Citadel Colour Snakebite Leather
Citadel Colour Drakenhof Nightshade
Citadel Colour Contrast Skeleton Horde

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