THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610180063
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO HOME & GARDEN
LENGTH: 61 lines
AFTER LISTENING to many refrains of ``I can't find my earrings'' from his teenage daughter, Clint Stanley had a bright idea. He punched holes in the fabric of her bedroom lamp so she could hang earrings in the shade.
Father and daughter pronounced the shade a gem of a solution but thought the idea needed some polish. The result was the VanityLamp, a 1-foot-high lamp and jewelry box all in one, capable of holding 60 pairs of earrings.
When earrings are slipped onto the shade, no backings are needed to hold them in place, making the lamp simple to use even for teenagers in a hurry or in a fog. Backings may be stored, along with other pieces of jewelry, in the lamp's ceramic base.
Another classy touch: The lamp's design, prevents earring posts from heating up when the lamp is lit, Stanley says.
Since it was introduced last November, 2,300 lamps have been sold, according to Stanley, who lives in Las Vegas.
In ivory or black, the VanityLamp sells for $34.95, shipping and handling included. It is available by mail order only. Call toll-free (800) 526-7463. GOLDEN OLDIES
Two current contests turn oldies into goodies.
If you have a couch that's so ugly even the dog won't curl up on it, you could have a winner. Sure Fit, the slipcover manufacturer, is sponsoring its second annual ugly couch contest.
Oct. 31 is the deadline for sending the company a color photograph of the nasty thing along with a written explanation of why you'd like to cover it. Grand prize is $2,000 toward a new couch. For each entry, Sure Fit will donate $1 to Goodwill Industry's job programs.
Send entries to Mrs. Lee Barry, Sure Fit, 58 W. 40th St., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10018.
The National Plastics Reuse It Contest invites contestants to think of ways to reuse plastic items. The entry with the 10 most creative and practical reuses for one item will win a stay in a former castle in France, now in ``reuse'' as an inn.
For entry forms, call (800) 777-9500 or visit the American Plastics Council web site at http://www.plasticsresource.com.
As inspiration, the plastics council shares these ideas:
Plastic soda bottles can have a second life as bird feeders.
The plastic peanuts used as filler in packages make good stuffing for valances. The peanuts make the curtains look full and fluffy. WATCH WHAT YOU WASTE
According to the latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency, much of what ends up in landfills could have been recycled or composted. Yard trimmings, food waste, corrugated boxes, newspapers and bottles and jars from food products account for five of our 12 largest discard items by weight and make up 38 percent of all garbage.
The data is reported in the current issue of The ULS (Use Less Stuff) newsletter, dedicated to conserving resources and reducing waste. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
CCS INTERNATIONAL
The VanityLamp is a light and a jewelry box all in one. by CNB