Hungry kids? In Gig Harbor? Most people would find the idea almost unthinkable in this community of lovely homes and a glistening harbor lined with pleasure-boat marinas. The reality is a much different story, as 25 percent of the students in the Peninsula School District receive free or subsidized lunch support. Without a summer lunch […]
craftsmanship
Posted inFeatured, Home
Jewelry For Your Walls
Entering the SJW Studios production workroom is like peeking into Santa’s workshop — seeing the wonderment of projects in all stages of completion, samples, paints, glazes, and moulding pastes, Venetian plaster, multiple hanging samples and job orders. Alluring wallcoverings. SJW Studios was founded by Steve Jensen and John Williams in 1981 in Seattle on Capitol […]
Posted inFeatured, People & Places
Expressing Native Tradition Through Contemporary Art
While many artists excel in a variety of mediums, it’s rare to meet a master who is equally talented as a woodcarver, jewelry maker, painter, glassblower, printmaker and sculptor. For Larry “Ulaaq” Ahvakana, that’s not even a complete list. Known nationally for his sculptures — especially animals and Inupiaq figures — the Suquamish artist has […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Weekend Craft Project: Drift Away Mirror
Do you love looking for “found objects” during your beach outings? If you’re a collector of driftwood, why not turn it into a fun mirror. (Please note: It’s illegal to collect driftwood from some public beaches — please check regulations ahead of time.) A touch of nature brings balance to your home décor with this […]
Posted inFeatured, People & Places
On the Level — A Home for Entertaining… and the Dogs
In the summer of 2014, when Lance and JoAnn Kahn first saw the 1970s rambler, they weren’t all that impressed. The 40-year-old house was dated and the floorplan was decidedly quirky with long, dark hallways that ran like tunnels from either side of the front door. However, the couple had to admit that the place […]
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A New Floor Plan and a Wealth of Custom Features and Cabinetry
It wasn’t just the bright-green Formica countertops that Tami Watts disliked about her kitchen. Watts and her husband, Brad, owner of Valley Nursery in Poulsbo, typically host holiday and birthday gatherings for their extended local family, now three generations. The long peninsula in the 25-year-old kitchen restricted traffic flow between the kitchen and adjacent living/dining […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
What You Need to Know About Using the Internet for ‘Due Diligence’
You often hear people refer to completing their “due diligence” when hiring a contractor for any type of construction project. Officially, due diligence (also known as due care) is the effort made by an ordinarily prudent or reasonable party to avoid harm to another party or own self. Failure to make this effort is considered […]
Posted inFeatured, People & Places
Celebrating the Season with Tom and Donna Torrens
Any time of the year, the home of Tom and Donna Torrens is an eye-catching affair. Sitting on 7 1/2 wooded acres in the Artondale area of Gig Harbor, the house and grounds are liberally sprinkled with Tom’s metal and wood sculptures, including several of the bells and gongs he is perhaps best known for […]
Posted inFeatured, People & Places
Starter Home Gets Major Redesign After Homeowners’ Hiatus
Imagine building a new home, then moving overseas for nearly two decades, and returning to that home that had quietly aged. That’s what one Port Orchard couple did — and when they returned, they knew the old home needed some updates and changes to meet the aesthetics of modern design and both their refined tastes […]