Who: Joe Sheets

Longtime partner/engineer at In Your Ear recording studio, Joe Sheets returns to another love - working with wood and design via his company The Atlee Group.

Here he unveils a hope chest that will be presented to his future daughter-in-law.

Named the Hanover, the cherry chest has two raised panels with beaded trim and drake-neck legs; it will be the first in a limited series of signed, dated pieces.

Working with wife Karan, an art director and designer, Sheets makes commissioned furniture and constructs residential and commercial cabinetry and casework. A recent project: fitting out a new kitchen in a century-old farmhouse with a custom-made Hoosier cabinet, complete with flour bins and an enamel countertop.

The Atlee Group also goes retro-modern in an upcoming project with Cocoanut Jewelry, designing and building cases of metal, wood, glass and stone.

atleegroup.com

What: Spring Clean

Getting ready to launch your spring cleaning routine? Here are fresh ideas from the pros. Marion Aldred, president of A.C.E. A Cleaner Experience Inc., says a house is thoroughly clean only when it's vacuumed once, dusted, and vacuumed again. Her firm specializes in new construction cleanings, and carries a full load of residential clients. "What your house looks like reflects you," she says, "and when I come home every night I walk my dogs and then clean my own house to keep it neat and tidy. Luckily, I'm hyperactive!"

Here are some of her tried-and-true suggestions:

? "Baseboards shouldn't need anything but a dry cloth, maybe with a little polish if you wish. If you have heavy dust on things and you put something wet on it, it makes a bigger mess than you started out with."

? "We use a weak solution of one part vinegar and four parts water for floors, and a damp, but not wet, mop. The mop is important because you don't want to use the abrasive side, just the soft mop."

? "I use little hand towels or micro-fiber cloths from Costco to clean windows," Aldred says.

? "If you have stainless steel appliances, use a special product or rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth, and go with the grain, usually left to right instead of up and down, and don't use a paper towel because that could scratch."

? "Don't spray bleach solutions on toilet seats, because it will make them streaky. Don't spray a bleach cleaner on chrome or gold-tone fixtures because they'll get pitted in a very short period of time."

? "When animals are present whilst cleaning, keep them away from the vaporous fumes of chemicals and keep them off any floor that is wet with a chemical. Animals have a very high sensitivity to smell and they absorb things through their paws."

741-2043 or Acerichmond1@aol.com

More hints come from Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products, now available around town and noticeable for their retro packaging and earth-friendly mission.

? Always wash windows on a cloudy day. The sun causes washed windows to dry too quickly, which can result in streaking.

? When polishing carved wood surfaces, use a dollop of polish on a cloth and insert a small toothbrush tucked into the cloth to polish all the nooks of the furniture.

?To make dishwashing easier, rinse milk, eggs and starches in cold water; greasy dishes, pots and pans in warm water.

877-576-8808 or mrsmeyers.com