I recently spotted and bookmarked this gorgeous, modern outdoor planter on Apartment Therapy — a wall built of cinder blocks with succulents planted throughout. A few days later, while my mom and I were sprucing up my yard, we moved some stuff around and decided to cover the ugly porch foundation with some old holey bricks stacked in the side yard. After arranging the bricks, we had the bright idea to fill in the holes with succulents! All we did to convert the bricks into planters was fill the holes 3/4 up with pea gravel for drainage, then added soil, and filled in with some precious lil’ ground cover succulents (like sedum). I’m quite pleased with the result — I may end up extending the wall depending on how these little guys fare though the winter. –Megan B.

I’m not sure if this switch is meant to be hooked up to a working piece of equipment, or if the folks at Kiosk feel the same way I do and just think it looks cool. As soon as I spotted it, I started imagining putting it up on the middle of a blank wall and enjoying the curiosity with which friends would inspect it. I love that it’s not a normal up=on and down=off switch. I don’t know about you, but it looks to me like this switch is always on! –Erica P.

1) You haven’t always loved your homes. Some of you have indeed had some extreme living situations. Simone says: “I lived in a closet on the outside landing of a 2nd floor brick row house apartment. I had to walk across a public landing and unlock the apartment to use the bathroom and kitchen. The space was approximate 8 ft x 5 ft – enough room for a single bed and my drafting table – the walls had ornate moulding so I couldn’t add a loft bed or wall shelves….”

2) (Most of) you do love the chirping bird paper clip holder. Ellobie says: “I had one of these little guys and he chirped and chirped his little heart out… until the battery died. Now he lives on a coworker’s desk (she appreciates him even though he’s mute).” Not everyone is fond of his chirping, though, as you can read here.

3) Gummi bear decor is addictive. There’s more than one way to decorate with those sweet bears. M.E. says: “See also the Lumibär light. I think I first saw this at Black Ink (the sister store of Museum of Useful Things?) in Cambridge, MA in 2000; it’s been around for a while. I like it better than the GummLight simply because it’s not so glossy.” Are you nutty for Gummi bears?

4) Magnetic measuring spoons are attractive. Trina says: “I actually have a set of these and I love them. Why didn’t I think of these?….million dollar idea I’m sure. Easy to find, easy to use, they work great.” See them here.

5) Vintage patio chairs will do in a pinch. Charlotte Says: “Great find and post! I printed out some plans to make wooden lounge chairs, but this would be a great fix until I get the time/money to make the investment in cedar.” Click for instructions on re-webbing a patio chair.

This fabulous re-imagined Eames chair seen at Eye Spy would make our lives complete.

Do I know you? Shelterpop noticed some lookalikes at the NY Gift Fair.

A friend (?) shared this link to the PooTrap. We think it’s safe to say that, despite the video’s claim, our dogs would not love this.

Remember the fake grass? Sunset has a not-bad-looking patio with fake turf and an unexpected invader.

More lovely glass terrariums at Remodelista.

We love Casa Sugar’s DIYs, and this one is no exception: how to hang plates on a wall.

Do I know you? part two: Fabric deja vu at absolutely beautiful things.

Magazines’ online redesigns, via Charles & Hudson.

More ice cream love: Posie Gets Cozy makes homemade mint-chocolate chip.

I’ve always been scared of needles. I know that most girls turn 13 and immediately head to the nearest Claire’s to get their ears pierced, but it’s a horror I’ve held onto well past my teen years. My fear is at odds with a deep desire to join the devil-may-care crowd and get a tattoo. Until they figure out a way to get Pomeranians to lick on tattoos, I’m stuck with the phobia and the lust combined in one. The artists at Reddish have (sort of) solved my predicament. Their yakuza coffee table is a clean, simple design dressed up with drool-worthy, digitally printed tattoos guaranteed to punk up any plain living room. Prop your feet up, put on a DVD of Sid and Nancy, and revel in your new found street cred. For more tattoos appropriate for my fellow needle-shy cohorts, check out our post on Jessica Rust’s tattooed dinnerware. –Katie D.

Back in the day (before everything went digital) dropping your film off at the developer meant someone else saw your photos before you did. Well, what if you’d never seen your photos, because you weren’t the one who took them? The Camera From Athens is a disposable camera that contains 27 undeveloped photos from Greece, each shot by an up-and-coming artist. Every camera is different, and you purchase it not knowing which photographer you’ll get. I’d really like to know who shot my pics ahead of time, but I still love it. The $40 price tag may seem a bit steep, but with 27 chances to get a beautiful piece of original art, I think it’s well worth it. Pick one up online at Up To You Toronto. — Erica P.

I have a friend who once lived in a hallway. It was so hard to find affordable housing, he ended up paying for a loft bed in the hall of an apartment, sleeping above the comings-and-goings of his roommates. Yes, you guessed it, this was in Manhattan, but I’m sure that there are other odd stories out there. Anyone had an extreme living situation you’d like to share? –Mary T.

Photo by Sachin Ghodke

If your kids are anything like I was when I was little, you’ve tried everything to get them to eat their lunch. The only thing I’d put in my mouth was a pb&j (grape jelly and no crusts) and chicken nuggets. I was the pickiest of picky eaters, and probably (no, definitely) a huge pain in the butt for my parents. Maybe if they had made lunch as amusing as the folks at Funky Lunch (Via GoodyBlog) I would have been open to trying new things. Some of these sandwiches are almost too cute to eat! –Erica P.

More cute food: Tillamook sandwiches, bento box art.

I haven’t been to Brooklyn Fare (yet) but I’m already in love with the store. It’s a market, cafe, hang-out, caterer, and cooking school in one. Judging by the website and the humorous packaging by Mucca Design, the folks behind Brooklyn Fare don’t take themselves too seriously (except when it comes to their products, of course). Maybe this weekend I’ll make it out to 200 Schermerhorn Street and check it out in person. –Erica P.

They say that good recipes stand the test of time, but I’m convinced that the best recipes also time-travel. At least, that’s how it happened for me with this recipe. I first tried it at a Super Bowl party a few years ago, and was instantly smitten. I asked a friend for the recipe, expecting a tear-out from a recent magazine. Instead, I received an email a few days later with the recipe attached — a PDF image of a crooked, tattered Word document that had obviously suffered a few spills and one too many folds in its lifetime. It was like a note that had been passed by hand until someone had the good sense to scan it into a computer sometime in the 14 years since it had originally appeared in Gourmet, only to arrive in my twenties as a great alternative to cheese and crackers! Despite the passage time, the recipe continues to please. Click the link for the details. –Sarah C. (more…)