Project dissertation

Dissertation Group

After several years of struggling to write my dissertation and even considering quitting the degree, everything changed when my department began a dissertation group.  I study music theory and our dissertation group includes all the academic disciplines that are part of our music department: music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology.  Dissertators of all stages are part of the group (between 6-10 folks per quarter), those who have just passed their qualifying exams, to those that are polishing full chapter drafts.  There are already former members of the group who have finished and are now working as music faculty in prominent universities.

The workshop is led by one of our musicology professors, Professor Stephanie Tcharos, who saw a real need for the group and worked hard fighting for this course.  As a group, we discuss all aspects of writing sometimes as an individual topic (for example, "introductions") but mostly as they come up in the writing itself.  The general format of the class involves one or two folks circulating their work in progress, usually a chapter draft, but sometimes a draft of a conference paper.  One person from the group completes a close reading and leads the discussion (1.5 - 2.5 hours meeting time).

I was hesitatant to join the group a couple years ago because I was not being productive and thought that I had nothing to contribute.  The truth is, I learned more and was inspired to write just by reading my colleagues' work.  The interdisciplinary nature of each writing approach is helping me to produce something that will undoubtedly be richer and stronger than what I would have otherwise produced.

We began the year by circulating abstracts of our dissertations which (1) gave everybody who is new, a chance to get familiar with everybody else's work, (2) allowed others to polish and tighten up their abstracts while noting how their projects have evolved.  As the year has progressed, we have met weekly and read several near-completed chapter drafts.  It has been really exciting to be a part of someone's scholarly development and there are many rewards from being a part of this group that I had not anticipated.

The real challenge in writing is clarity.  After reading and discussing others' drafts, I learned how to approach the project and organize my work.  Two years ago, my work was one, long, amorphous sketch.  Over the last three quarters I've majorly re-organized my work several times.  This is part of the process and is supposed to happen as you flesh things out.

I hope to continually update the rewards of being in this group as well as the tribulations of working on this project.

project armoire

Restoration Hardware St. James Armoire $2395

When you live in a small space like me, you must go "up" when it comes to storage.  I needed a large armoire and I wish I could afford a piece from  Restoration Hardware.  Recently much of their furniture features a beautiful driftwood-style patina--really light, aged and distressed wood.  I'm really attracted to their pieces because the finishes feel bare, simple and rustic.  Not fussy or glamorous, yet are still chic. 

Pictured here is the St. James armoire from Restoration Hardware in an antiqued natural finish.  My project was to try to achieve a similar finish with a slightly more grey undertone and to do this, I would have to attempt several techniques that I've never tried before, including, bleaching wood and color washing.

Armoire before any treatment

I found this large 6 foot armoire for $60.  It had spent the last few years on the previous owner's covered porch so luckily for me it had naturally aged.  Most of the poly finish on the surface was gone.  I started with a thorough sanding with high grit sand paper (60), and then did a bleaching process.  Using straight undiluted clorox bleach, I applied the bleach with pop-up sponges I had from Trader Joes.  I made sure to wear gloves, but still ended up getting burned by the bleach.  Be careful!  The problem with applying the bleach using sponges and working on a vertical surface, is that it's messy and it dripped everywhere, especially down my arms puddling at the edge of my glove.  I applied two coats (drying in between) of bleach, then decided to spray the bleach instead of using sponges because my arm was burning. I filled an old spray bottle from Bath and Body Works, filled with bleach and sprayed it on.  This worked well because the spray bottle created a nice, even mist of bleach that I didn't have to rub in.

after bleaching

Bleach burn-actually much worse than it looks here

After color wash and wood wax

There are other ways to bleach wood: (1)oxalic acid, (2) two part   hydrogen peroxide and sodium peroxide applied separately, and (3) lemon juice.  I decided to go with bleach because I already had it on hand.  The next day I noticed I had accidentally left a sponge in the bleach bucket and it was completely disintegrated.  Potent stuff!  The next step was to apply a charcoal-grey wash.  I diluted acrylic paint I already had from an art store (Daler Rowney acrylic DR120 $5.50), with water (about 20:1 ratio), and applied two coats (drying in between) using those same Trader Joe's sponges (they come in a big pack!).  You can also apply color washes using two rags, one to apply, then the other to wipe off.  I thought the sponges worked really well, the only obvious problem is that it is messy and I got it all over myself.

(The shots above were taken after the paint-wash)  The color wash worked its way into the grain which I really liked.  Although I was starting to get the color I was after, the finish looked really dull and dry.  I sanded with 60 grit and then 150 grit paper, and rubbed on wood finishing wax paste (Minwax).  At this point I thought I was done.  The next morning, however, I thought it was too grey and the wax brought out a little redness in the wood.  So using 60 grit sandpaper, I sanded and sanded and sanded.  Essentially I was sanding out the wax which took a lot of muscle (I cannot wait to buy an electric sander).  I went over that with 150 grit, and finally finished with several coats (1 spray can) of satin polyurethane.  For the finishes that I like, lots of sanding seems to fix any problems.  I finished the piece with "Hard Candy" clear glass knobs from Anthropologie ($2.95 each on sale).  (finished armoire below)

Lastly, I reconfigured the shelving and hanging bar  inside the unit to maximize space.  I moved the hanging bar lower, and installed two upper shelves.  For one of the shelves, I used scraps to add a divider and a smaller half-shelf above that.  I did not create all the narrow shelving on the right!  That was already in place.  I had 3/4 inch pine cut at my local hardware store, and used an electric drill for the shelf holders.  To keep the “T” of the divider in place, I drilled in both pieces and used an some extra wood pegs from an IKEA piece I was no longer using to secure them in place.  Another project down the road will be to do something creative on the surface side doors and possibly the surface of the shelving as well.  Extra benefit: now that my clothing is organized and everything has a place, I think twice about any purchases.  If something comes in I know something else has to come out.   

Overall this was a fun project and I completed it over the course of a couple weeks.  Compared to the Restoration Hardware piece, I figure I saved myself close to $2300. 

project dining table

I bought this dining table for double duty use as a desk and dinner table.  I really liked the chunky legs and weight of the piece, a steal for the price of $20.  Unfortunately the measurements weren't quite right. I needed the table to be a little bit more narrow, so I took it to my dad's shop to have it cut down.  He's a boat builder and watercraft designer and was able to knock this out in 15 minutes (unfortunately he didn't let me use the power saw).  After cutting out about 12 inches lengthwise, we glued it back together using an epoxy mixture and heavy duty clamps.

The epoxy glue had squeezed out during the drying process, so I sanded that down and painted the legs white using a satin paint.  The top of the table went through a few phases.  First, I painted it white like the legs.  After living with that for a while, I got bored and wanted to do something bold, so I came up with a multi-color "nature" pattern.  Bad, really bad!  Oh well, I did it free hand and I was trying to be creative.
Finally, I settled on green.  It's my favorite color and lately I've been attracted to lime greens.  So I painted the top green, and stenciled a damask pattern (from Michael's) on top using the same green diluted with white to create a lighter shade of that same green.  I finished with a coat of high gloss polyurethane which is really great for a table that needed constant cleaning.

 
 

project dyed duvet

I love my white shabby chic duvet (Target, white smocked duvet set by Rachel Ashwell Simply Shabby Chic line).  After a couple years though, it started to get dingy, not to mention I have been trying to move away from the shabby chic style.  I saw a display at Anthropologie in their Santa Barbara store (my favorite place for inspiration) that looked like a similar duvet.  Anthropologie's display really appealed to me because the bed was layered with a colorful quilt at the foot along with tons of their stylish pillows.  I love beds that look sumptuous, so this is the look I wanted to achieve. (below is the Anthropologie Cirrus duvet set). 

Using iDye fabric dye in silver grey 430, I dyed my duvet in the washing machine and it couldn't have been easier.  I filled the machine halfway with hot water, added the dye and mixed thoroughly, then added one cup of kosher salt.  After wetting my duvet set, I added everything:  my duvet, pillow shams, and bed skirt;  agitating them so the dye would distribute evenly.  I set the washer to the longest cycle and afterwards ran another cycle using detergent.  This is the easiest and cleanest dying method I have ever tried (remember dying jeans using RIT?).  I threw the duvet set into the dryer and the result was a beautiful bluish-grey finish. It made me really happy.  I will probably dye the set one more time to achieve a more saturated color.  I layered the duvet with a gorgeous colorful quilt (Chika) I bought from Anthropologie (sorry I could have done a better job at making my bed before I snapped this picture).

project chair

I love chairs with caning, so I picked up this chair for $35 because it was in such great condition.  After living with it for a while, I started itching for a change.  Impulsively, I found whatever leftover paint I had (exterior paint in beige matte/flat finish).  I inserted cardboard in between the cushion and caning because I couldn't figure out how to take the seat off.  After one coat I already started to regret it, so the next day I  used acrylic charcoal gray paint over the beige.  Both of my paint jobs were sloppy.  Sorry for those that love beautiful wood--I think I ruined this one.   The beige isn't so bad in the pics, but in real life it turned out looking dingy.  Had I thought this one through, it might have turned out nice.  Unfortunately, I got bored and unmotivated to re-do this so I sold it to someone as a project.

I only have a picture of the back of the original chair.  And here is my impulsive experiment.  

project shabby chic dresser

My first decorating style was Rachel Ashwell's iconic "shabby chic" (founded in the early 90s).  This is the style that inspired me to start painting furniture and intensified my love for antiques and vintage pieces.  I thought it was brilliant the way she brought together British cottage and California chic.  The neutral pallet of creams, whites and pinks, slipcovers, and distressed finishes made for easy non-formal living.  I think it continues to attract a lot of people because it's an easy look to achieve, has lovely romantic, charming vibe, and is very comfortable.

After the stress of my qualifying exams, I refinished an entire bedroom including this dresser, a bed, vanity and stand up mirror, as well as a kitchen island.  Yes, I needed to decompress.  Pictured here is the dresser. Unfortunately I do not have any "before" pictures (if I can find pictures of the other pieces I will post them!).

I bought this dresser unfinished ($100) because I liked the lines and it had a lot of nice molding around the drawers.  I took the mirror off for painting and meticulously taped it out.  There were lots of curves so this took a while.  I removed all the drawers to work on separately.  Before painting I epoxy-glued 1 inch rope trim and various appliques, purchased at a wood-working store.  This particular store was going out of business so I just bought what I could without knowing exactly where everything would go.

Although difficult to see in these pictures, I added the rope trim to the right and left perimeter face.  The appliques were added to the mirror, and bottom and top large drawers.  I didn't prime, but instead painted two coats of antique white (from OSH) in a satin finish. Using 150 grit sand paper I sanded along the edges to give the piece a light distressed look.  I was pretty happy with the paint job so I didn't want to over do the distressing.  After wiping off the sawdust, I finished with wax (Minwax paste finishing wax) and rubbed this into the wood using a rag.  I like finishing with a wax because it seals the surface, gives a light luster-sheen, and the finish feels soft.  I completed the look with 1 1/4 inch pink glass knobs that I ordered online    from lookintheattic.com ($2.29 ea).  One final note--some of the drawers were sticky so I rubbed a beeswax candle on the bottom and top edges and they glided with ease.

project flowers in hanging basket

My favorite style of home is Spanish, the older style cottages you see in San Clemente (my hometown) along Ola Vista, around Del Mar, T-Street, and by the pier. Related to this style, I tried to create a Mexican-hacienda look in my tiny backyard.  This was inspired by one of my visits to San Clemente.  I made a trip to Shore Gardens and was immediately struck by their stunning hanging plants, so I asked the folks how to do this step by step.

The process was simple and really fun. I purchased wire frames, moss, soil and several plants. I took chunks of the moss, wet it, and molded it into the frame creating a structure to hold the plants.  I tried to arrange the plants as artistically as I could, varying the colors and textures.  The guys at Shore Gardens had created incredible lush beauties with long vines overflowing in their containers.  One trick was to break open small holes in the front and side of the molded moss and insert plants there.  I really like how they had flowers coming out of the bottom so I tried to do that here.  

Eventually the plants will fill out.  Like all container plants and flowers, these need attention--a good amount of watering and pruning.

project kitchen island

I love cooking and spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  I have always lived in places with tiny kitchens and in my last apartment, I tried to figure out a way to add more counter space to my small galley kitchen.  The solution was to add a peninsula, and in my next apartment, the same piece would function as a kitchen island.

I started with an IKEA Forhoja kitchen cart that I bought used for $35.  The dimensions were perfect and it was only 1 inch away from standard counter height.  I wanted a super high gloss finish, so I decided to use high gloss enamel oil based paint in white.  I made the severe mistake of painting this piece indoors.  Although I had my bedroom door closed, the fumes penetrated my entire apartment and  I woke up suffering from an asthma attack and started wheezing. Curiously, I like the smell of paint and a lot of weird chemicals like gasoline, resin, and glue.

Anyway, lesson learned.  Before painting, I added some appliques and rope trim I had left over from a previous project (applied with epoxy glue).  This piece took two coats of paint and then touch ups.  Enamel oil based paint is not easy to work with.  You have to catch drips quickly or they will ruin the smooth texture finish, plus it's important to apply several strokes so the paint lays evenly.  Enamel oil base also difficult to clean up.  Despite these difficulties, I loved the finish.  It was glassy and high gloss, although my drip mistakes were evident.

I wanted this piece to feel substantial as an extension of my counter top, rather than as just a storage piece.  I found a piece of granite slab the somebody was selling from their kitchen remodel leftovers. $5 if you can believe it!  The width was perfect already because it was a scrap from a counter top, and the thickness added one inch--making it perfectly flush to the counter--it was just too long.  I took the slab to a granite company and had them slice off a chunk to fit my length for $20.  This granite slab was HEAVY, but I managed to get it on top.  Because of its weight, I never glued or attached it in any way, the granite slab just floated on top and didn't budge.

project wrought iron chairs

I'm always on the search for wrought iron patio furniture, probably because it reminds me of my late grandma Marcella who had some of the most beautiful patio sets.  I'll never forget the summer she took care of me and my sister, Shala, when we were kids.  We always had lunch alfresco at her condo in Capistrano Beach.

I bought a set of these wrought iron chairs (4 for $20) because they had such great potential.  Most of you would agree that the rusty white patina is fantastic, and although I was tempted to keep them as is, the rusty parts weren't consistent all over so I decided to spray them.

I went to about three hardware shops to have wooden seats cut to size, and surprisingly, nobody would do it.  Evidently they only do 90 degree straight cuts, and I needed angled cuts because the seat was a trapezoid.  So this ended up being a hassle--warning for those that find awesome chairs like this that just need seats!  It's a lot more work if you don't have access to a wood worker or can't do this yourself.  I ended up doing a barter on craigslist and had the seats made for me.  Before I screwed on the wood seats, I painted them in order to seal the wood grain so they wouldn't completely fall apart due to weathering.  The plain wood seats didn't bother me because I knew I was going to add cushions (BOUGHT not made).   After wire-brushing, I sprayed the chairs a high gloss red (2 coats- 3 1/2 cans) and added cushions from Pier One.

project vintage kitchen chairs

I acquired a set of these chairs (4 for $28) at an antique dealer in Ventura.  I like the sturdiness and the fact that they fold up.  They really don't make them like this anymore.  The avocado green vinyl was lackluster so I wanted to give these another life as bright and cheery beings.  I decided to spray the frames in high gloss white, then re-cover them in oilcloth fabric.  Oilcloth has a great vintage vibe that I thought would suit these perfectly.   After agonizing at the fabric store, I ended up choosing sunflowers and gingham in yellow.








The fabric on the back of the chair was nearly impossible to remove.  It didn't slide out neatly, I had to pry it out by bending it and then working it out of the groove.  The seat cushion was movable after a lot of work unscrewing the back which was all rusty and took a lot of muscle.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to physically remove the seat cushions from one of the chairs, and could not for the life of me insert the chair backing on another.

Oilcloth is not the easiest material to work with.  I had to spray glue the fabric down to a cardboard-like backing, and it was impossible to get all the bubbles out.  I really tried to smooth it out as much as possible.  The material worked fairly well on the seat cushion because I was able to tighten the fabric around the edges.

In the end, this was one of those super frustrating projects that I will NEVER do again.  Nevertheless, I was able to finish two.