What — you thought the shed project was enough? Well, apparently I’m not happy until I’ve begun more projects than can be finished in a summer. You may recall that we’ve had some issues with playful dogs killing our grass, so we’ve decided to pave our yard with as many stepping stones as we can, plant grass between them, and hope. Because we’re on a reuse/recycle/don’t spend kick, we turned to Craigslist to source our patio stones. Searching for “free concrete,” we found several local homeowners who had just jackhammered out sidewalks and driveways and wanted someone to take the pieces away. Three trips yielded about 40 decent-sized chunks that we are slowly placing in the yard. The price was right — free! — which is a big difference from the last time we built a stone patio, when we paid $600+ for materials. And because we’re reusing, we’re keeping concrete out of a landfill and we’re not stripping rock from the side of a mountain.

Of course, if you’re using recycled concrete, you have to expect that the pieces are going to have a rather rustic look, but this suits us just fine. The only downside we’ve experienced is that depending on the source, the pieces vary quite a bit in thickness — it does take awhile to dig a hole big enough for a seven-inch-thick stepping stone! I’ll post more photos when we get it all in. –Mary T.

It’s no wonder we tend to put off the projects in our lives. As promised, we are indeed moving ahead on our modern shed project, but boy, is it going slowly. Case in point: it occurred to us that before we could tear down our current shed, we had to find a place to put the lawn mower, wheelbarrow, and other garden tools. The good news is, we found the solution at Earthwise, one of our local architectural salvage stores.

It’s no secret to anyone around me that I just love this place — it’s filled with items that are fascinating to poke through, even if we don’t personally have a use for them. I’ve seen metal doors that look like they came off an old school building, wooden lanes from a torn down bowling alley, and an entire grand wooden staircase fit for a house about ten times the size of mine. Another great thing about architectural salvage places is that you get the weird odds and ends that the folks taking down the building no longer want — the great old office chairs above, for instance.

Before we’d even entered the building, we were able to scratch two items off our list: the first was an old metal garden shed that we purchased for about 1/4 of what one would cost new. It’s a little rough (it will need some new paint and a new latch) but it has modern lines that will go nicely with the shed we’re building. I was also thrilled to find the very first item on the MD100 materials list — concrete piers that will form the shed’s foundation, for about half what we’d pay at the local hardware store.

Next up: finding a door for our shed. To maximize cool breezes, we’re going to go with a sliding glass door or French doors and rework the MD100 plans to match. I’ll keep you posted. –Mary T.

P.S. As several of our helpful readers pointed out, you can build along with us — the plans are available here.

I’ve already written of my love of vintage Pyrex, and now I’m going to share another one of my collection obsessions: Couroc of Monterey. Started in 1948 in Monterey, CA, Couroc made its phenolic resin trays, bowls, and serving ware well into the 1990s, leaving a long legacy of fabulous collectibles — shiny black resin embedded with colorful images of cypress trees, sea otters, and monarch butterflies. Growing up in Monterey myself, I recall going to the Couroc factory outlet to purchase hostess gifts with my mother (whose own serving collection was fortified with Couroc pieces). Earlier pieces feature mushrooms, owls, and many other kitschy delights, such as this funky bear and bull tray on eBay. Bidding ends June 18 — current price is just $9.99. Find a ton more by searching eBay, or just enjoy browsing through photos on the Couroc Flickr page. –Megan B.

At my Italian-American boyfriend’s house, it’s not a cookout unless there are both kinds of sausage (spicy and sweet) and a game of bocce being played. So imagine my surprise when the game I usually see played by someone chomping a cigar and holding a plate of gabagul quite suddenly catapulted to all-the-rage status. In Brooklyn, epicenter of all things hipster, bars featuring indoor bocce are popping up faster than you can say “Ciao!” Union Hall and Floyd are local favorites for casual participation, but you can read The Brooklyn Bocce Ball Bulletin to follow serious New York leagues and their upcoming competitions.

What’s the appeal? Bocce is a precision sport, which means it’s perfect for those of us who get winded just watching Wiffleball. In it, a small ball called a pallino is thrown first and becomes the target. Teams then take turns throwing eight larger balls as close as they can to the pallino. Simple enough, right?

Professional sets can be found at Bocce Ball Sets for $30 and up, but a quick eBay search found used sets starting at $9.99. For a complete list of rules and other bocce facts, visit the Collegium Cosmicum ad Buxas, the preeminent international organization for the sport of bocce. –Katie D.

Men can be famously difficult to shop for, and Father’s Day seems to be the most challenging of all holidays. But I spent quite some time poking around the web (and some polling of the men in my life) and came up with a few fun ideas for dads, all at $50 or less. –Megan B.

Does your dad enjoy a nice glass of Glenfiddich on the rocks? Then maybe he’d love these Single Malt Scotch chocolate bars by Los Angeles confectioner BonBon Bar. At six bars for $30, maybe he’d even be willing to share!

If Dad’s more of a sharp-dressed man (like my father-in-law) the cool, chrome “Country Uncle” shave set (top photo) may be a good fit. It comes with a badger hair brush, chrome handled cartridge razor, and chrome stand. Get it here (also available in red) for $50.

My dad was a guy who spent a LOT of time under the hood of a car – I bet he would have gotten a kick out of this SquidBrite Light by Stanley. It’s a rechargeable LED worklight with flexible magnetic arms meant to tackle even the most unforgiving situations. Heck, I’d like a few of these for myself — they could make a great reading light, too! Available on Amazon for $29.99.

How about giving your tech-challenged dad the gift of music? Since Apple released its new voice controlled iPod Shuffle, second-generation models can be had for a mere fraction of their original cost. Then load it up for him with some of his favorite old tunes — audio books from the library could work well, too.

Urban Outfitters is also a surprising source of some great gifts on the cheap. If you’re looking for the perfect accessory for Dad’s new outdoor wood-fired pizza oven, may I suggest the Pizza Boss? It’s just $18. If he’s more of a delivery-with-an-ice-cold-bottle-of-suds guy, maybe this cast iron Handyman Bottle Opener ($28) would suffice.

When swissmiss blogged about the book Never Use White Type on a Black Background: And 50 Other Ridiculous Design Rules by Anneloes van Gaalen, I immediately headed over to Amazon.com to buy a copy. Well, the book isn’t yet available, but I did pre-order it for just under $13. Read the description from the site below:

Design has many rules that claim to be big truths and full of wisdom. Designers all go by rules that work for them. However, their rules may not work for someone else, or for a particular piece of design work. When a rule is forced upon you, it stops working and becomes a joke, like “Never use a PC,” or “Leave it until the last minute,” or the most famous of them all, “Less is more.”

The problem is that every rule related to, or governing, design is ultimately ridiculous. In this book we have collected the most talked-about rules and the viewpoints of designers and thought leaders who live by them or hate them.

Now try to resist pre-ordering your own. I dare you! — Erica P.

1) IKEA KULLA lamps need a mass exorcism. Angela’s KULLA lamp isn’t the only one seemingly possessed — lots of you are having the same issues. Kris says: “it happened with my white floor version. freaked me out the first time it happened – it was (i swear this is true) a dark and stormy night, i was home alone, and the lamp started switching itself off. i got so annoyed i said out loud ‘i need some light!’ – and it switched on again. eek!” How’s your KULLA lamp doing?

2) Lisa has declared it the summer of the potluck! Mary T. hosted a potluck BBQ, and Lisa (dinner party) says: I am totally with you on this! I want to make this the summer of the potluck.” Check out Lisa’s link for great tips, and see how Mary saved money with her BBQ here.

3) Topsy-turvy tomatoes aren’t for everyone. Sarah says: “Kinda hating the topsy turvy. Spent the $20 because it said it would last more than one year. Doubting that. And when I add water, it pours out the bottom seams and splashes everywhere. Had the plant in since May 15 and no blossoms or tomatoes. Have used the basil I planted in the upper ports, so that is at least good. Next year I go back to pots, unless it starts doing better.” Click for more ways to grow (we hope) tomatoes upside down.

4) Hand-crank washer? You’re better off just using your hands. Some good and some bad opinions on the hand-crank washing machine, but judyofthewoods pretty much has the last word: “The plus side – it works well, the minus side – the plastic version is flimsy. The handle feels like it will break, the pivoting pins keep slipping out of the anchoring holes, and I ended up turning the drum without the handle by pushing and pulling at the whole thing…. If you are lucky enough, you may find an old metal or enameled version on ebay or in a junk shop – I have found both, though I don’t know how widely they were used…. I now mostly wash by just soaking the laundry for a few hours.” Read all of the portable washing machine opinions here.

5) It’s that time of year: margarita recipes! Here’s one from the oldies-but-goodies file. Readers are still weighing in on a two-year-old but still quite relevant post on finding the best frozen margarita recipe! Royphil345 says: “A third vote for miriam’s recipe! …This recipe really is delicious! The balance of lime, tequila, and triple sec is the most perfect I’ve tasted and you couldn’t ask for an easier recipe.” It’s only Monday, but we think we will be revisiting that recipe post ourselves!

Photo by Hady Onaissi

The Beach Cocoon — want, want, want — at MoCo Loco.

Tillamook has a fan club! We knew we liked that cheese.

PlushYou! has an interview with Jessica Marquez — her embroidery is fantastic, and she also has a “message in a bottle” service.

Casa Sugar wants to know if you love or hate mirror tiled steps. We’re leaning toward LOVE — you?

Virtual getaway: summer camp at beachbungalow8.

Here’s seven ways to annoy a flight attendant (and probably everyone else on the plane) at Yahoo Travel. (Via PR Blog.)

Books out of control? Here’s some ways to stash them, at the Washington Post. (Via Home Savvi.)

We like fire pits. We like cheap. AT has how to build a fire pit for $28.

My mom, who is very design-savvy (and knows my taste well), sent me this article literally torn from the June 2009 issue of Country Living. She thought that the look and unconventional materials might appeal to us, as we’re currently planning a bathroom remodel. Contributing editor Ryan McPhail transformed a 35 sq. ft. bathroom from a cramped eyesore into a crisp and tranquil space for a mere $1000. Admittedly, he is a carpenter, so he saved on labor, but still quite a bargain. Many of the ideas featured were smart and attractive (and notice Mary T’s favorite shower curtain) but what stood out most to me was the idea of creating a gorgeous shower surround out of corrugated galvanized steel coated with clear enamel — those materials cost $21! This seems like the perfect solution for our bathroom remodel, and at that cost, it’s worth a little elbow grease, for sure. –Megan B.

I have notepads and Post-Its and journals all over my apartment. I don’t keep a diary, but I love the look of a leather-bound book. More often than not, their pages are filled with to-do lists and mindless doodles. Like so many people I know, I’ve fallen hard for the moleskine line of journals. With a variety of sizes to choose from and a sleek and sophisticated look, it’s hard to not find a reason for purchasing one (or three). I’m perfectly happy with my standard black leather moleskine, but that doesn’t stop me from lusting after these funkier patent leather planners. I’m currently on the hunt for a simple ruled journal in that amazing laquered red. Let me know if you find it! — Erica P.

Image via CoolHunting