Archive for May, 2009

sales that make us happy

Monday, May 4th, 2009


We usually do these on Fridays, but this one is on a Monday to give you time to get in some last-minute Mother’s Day orders. Enjoy! And feel free to add more sales in comments!

Get a 10% discount on the Year in the Country Soap Collection from Beekman 1802. Order by May 4 (that’s today!) for discount and Mother’s Day arrival.

Get a deal on cast iron cookware from Lodge. Save 20 percent through May 25 on these select gift items.

Save 15% off through May 10 on baby and mom gear from Gingerbread Monkeys. Enter code MAMA15.

Save on eco-friendly accessories from Three Stone Steps with this coupon code from Pristine Planet: Take 20 percent off and get free shipping on all orders over $50 when you enter code PRISTINEMOM09.

Get the coolest apron possible at from TAYGA and save $10. Use mother1 at checkout.

Want to try some groceries from Amazon Fresh? Enter code AF20PR04 and get $20 off your first order, now through 6/1.

UPDATE: Save 15% at Tikoli now through May 10. Enter promo code MOM09 at checkout.

five things we learned last week

Monday, May 4th, 2009

1) Fresh, local veggies delivered to your door are a “do” for most of you. Says Jess: “We LOVE it. We’re allowed to swap out up to six items we don’t want (we’re not too big on beets and collard greens), and we can put our box on hold if we’re going to be out of town — all online, too, so it’s super convenient. We end up saving soooo much money on produce, and get some of the freshest, most wonderfully tasty produce around. I’ll never go back to grocery store veggies!” Learn more about CSA here.

2) You found a closet system that will make the most of your space. More than one person mentioned elfa by The Container Store as a help for small closets. Jacki says: “We have tiny and goofy shaped closets and they helped us get at least three times as much stuff in our closets. Elfa is so flexible and you can always switch shelves, drawers, rods out if your situation changes. A great investment!” See all the small closet suggestions here.

3) You love your grilled cheese. The Big Apple Grilled Cheese inspired you to share your own favorite variations. Shannon says: “I saute thinly sliced apples with diced onions and some cinnamon and allspice, and cook up some spicy Italian sausages. It all then gets grilled in a sandwich with provolone – so good!” Learn how to make grilled cheese even better here.

4) People who work on comic books want the comic book shelves, too. Ren says: “aaaaah! i am a comic book letterer and i really love these. i can’t find out how to buy them either but if you figure it out, please post to let me know!” Do you know where to buy the comic book shelves?

5) Sometimes the best fire pits are homemade. Megan wants a modern fire pit, but Llyra suggests: “You could do what we did — dig a hole in the yard and line it with rocks. :D ” Actually, Mary T. did just that at her previous home. Works great, as long as it’s legal where you live!

Photo by Romina Alban

a free, custom mom’s day card from hallmark

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Here’s a cool little thing we thought we’d share. Visit Hallmark online and you can design your own Hallmark Mother’s Day card — a real paper card — that the company will then send to your mom for free. You can edit some or all of the sentiment and even add your own photo. That’s pretty cool, we think! Click here. (Looks like it lasts longer than we were first told, so we’ve amended the post accordingly.)

blogwatch: where we were clicking this week

Friday, May 1st, 2009


Fail blog: a witty decorator just launched a blog dedicated to Design Failures. See if you agree!

Cake not a wreck: an amazing Red Sox birthday cake at Dozen Flours.

Plastic is beautiful: look at plastic bags in a whole new light at Curbly.

People who live in black houses, and they look great, at Door Sixteen.

Sit down and read: modular seating with a very cool lamp attached, at Contemporist.

Impressive: a visit to Hammerpress at Mrs. Blandings.

Things that go bump in the day: remedies for birds bumping into windows at Apartment Therapy.

Let’s dance: 224 food songs — and you can listen to all of them! — at publiccollectors.org, via Trendscaping’s Twitter.

csa: organic delivery from local farms, on a budget

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Every spring, I start seeing flyers in the local coffee shops advertising CSA memberships — “organic produce delivered weekly” — and I’m always a bit intrigued. CSA is short for “community supported agriculture.” A CSA member “joins” a farm for an entire growing season, paying the farmer directly for the produce received, eliminating the middle man, and keeping prices for organic foods affordable. Each member receives a box chock-full of varied fruits and vegetables weekly for the entire harvest season, usually June-October. As a bit of a control freak, I really like being in charge of what produce I buy and consume, so I haven’t taken the plunge. But this year finds me busier and busier, and the idea of getting a huge box full of organic produce for as low as $25 a week (at the CSA I’m considering) is incredibly tempting. Anyone tried it? You can find information on CSA in your neck of the woods at www.localharvest.org. –Megan B.

Photo by Flickr user thebittenword.com.

an unexpected source for cool kitchen gear

Friday, May 1st, 2009

At brunch last weekend at a hip NYC restaurant, I made a wonderful discovery. I was lusting after the super cool stainless steel coffee mugs that littered the tables and flipped one over to find out it was from Coleman! The camping gear company sells the Double Wall Mountain Mug that I so love (even the handle is a perfect size). Next time you’re looking for design-worthy dinnerware, be sure to search your local camping store! –Erica P.