I’ll admit it: I’m a crazy cat lady. My two “furry kids” are the light of my life, so after years of slumming it with ugly cardboard cat scratchers, I recently upgraded to this cool driftwood scratcher from Phoenix Feline Furniture. Made from driftwood sustainably sourced from the beaches of Vancouver Island, BC, each piece is unique. The driftwood is pressure washed and kiln dried before assembly, removing any lingering crawlies or brackish aromas. Prices start at around $30 for the smallest pieces like mine, and go up from there — some of the impressive tree-like creations go as high as 7 ft., but are still quite affordable. I found mine at a local pet store, but you can contact the site for purchase — and custom designs! –Megan B.

I broke up with Starbucks recently, citing the economy (we just couldn’t agree on finances) and it has been a rough few months. Even my parents are upset, because they used to love when I’d bring him around. Despite it, I still love the indulgence of sitting down with a better-than-average cup of coffee from time to time, so when I learned about the Aerolatte, I was instantly obsessed! This little guy allows me to whip up a luxe latte anytime in my apartment without breaking the bank, totally erasing my desire to run out for coffee. Available in five different finishes (including the cute cow print!) the Aerolatte starts at around $16 on Amazon.com, and pays for itself in just about three cups of joe. It’s also perfect for making whipped cream, milkshakes, and other fab drinks in a snap! For fun, frothy recipes, click here. –Sarah C.

1) Bread storage stirs debate. Most of us seem to store bread in the refrigerator, though K cautions: “I have read more than once that bread stored in the fridge still goes bad but without the warning flag of mold. Confirm/debunk required.” Anyone? Meanwhile, Melissa says: “I just purchased a vintage tin bread box a few weekends ago, so I haven’t really tried it out long enough, but so far I like how fresh my bagels have stayed.” Read about new and old bread bins here.

2) Antique posters are still quite relevant. Like us, you love the vintage food conservation poster. Tiffany says: “Wait, why isn’t that poster for sale somewhere? It needs to be in my kitchen, stat! Oh, and yay to her for giving up processed foods. I’m working on something similar myself, although it takes some time.” See the poster and blogwatch here.

3) Reusable sandwich wrappers? Better than old baggies. Jamieofalltrades says: “I should get these so I’m no longer a grandma and carrying around all my plastic baggies to re-use.” Jamie, grandma-ish you may be, but alone you are not. Click here for the reusable sammy wraps.

4) Banana bread is always a pleaser. Genelle says: “I make a similar banana bread except instead of the dates and semi-sweet chips, it’s peanut butter and milk chocolate chips. So tasty! My husband just requested that I turn all 8 overripe bananas sitting on our counter into bread this weekend. Apparently it’s a favorite with his coworkers.” Banana bread worth marrying for is here.

5) Fun anecdotes are pleasing, too. Tiffany S. likes Katie D.’s writing, saying: “‘About a month ago, my fiancé and I won a very fancy Cuisinart food processor for doing an amateur fox trot.’ Best opening sentence EVAH! Hilarious.” Also at the banana bread post.

Photo by Asif Akbar

Not that we’re obsessed with ReadyMade, but this week Amy is giving up processed foods, and the poster she used to illustrate her post caught our eye. It’s a 1914 FDA poster found via The Art of Food, and we want to buy it right now.

We are, however, obsessed with before-and-after photos. If you are too, you’ll enjoy Country Living’s September issue, which is all about the makeovers.

House Calls at iVillage is the latest place to discuss raising chickens.

Embroidering on metal — why not? — at Sublime Stitching.

CakeSpy has the Little Debbie Death Match — now you can find out exactly how well those enduring treats will endure.

We love a good repurposing, like corrugated metal siding as a fence, at Casa Sugar.

Small, stylish houses, and some interesting questions on the origins of style, at Cote de Texas.

A bathroom beautiful enough to hang out in at Shelterpop. So jealous.

Enjoy 20% off select furniture and upholstery at The Conran Shop. We like: the Ernst Chair, regularly $325, now $260 — what’s not to like?

So many great things are on sale right now at the MoMA store. We like: popup snowflake — just $1.99 will add sophisticated sparkle to a Christmas tree or winter display.

Get a $30 rebate on a Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel 10-Piece Cookware Set at cookware.com. We like: the set in yellow — bright and fun.

Save 15% on Forecast Lighting at csnlighting.com when you enter FORECAST15 at checkout. We like: Embarcadero-Organic Modern Chandelier in Satin Nickel with Wood Accent — looks a little bit like the light fixtures at Pete and Trudy’s place.

Save 15% when you spend $125 on furniture at Target. We like: American Simplicity 42″ Round Pedestal Table in Black — simple, elegant, and gets great reviews.

Save up to 50% during Cloudberry Living’s August Sale. We like: Pia Wallén Crux Wool Blanket — simple and beautiful.

At a recent photography exhibition, I was fascinated by this Magda Biernat photo of San Zhi, an oceanside grouping of futuristic structures that were abandoned in Taiwan. (Sadly — though probably good for public safety — San Zhi was recently torn down.) I had to find out more about the pods, which were planned as a luxury resort before being abandoned to the elements and the imagination. My search led to this comprehensive 33-Part Guide to Abandoned Places at WebUrbanist. There are photos and information on abandoned temples, cities, boats, and subway systems worldwide. Like the structures themselves, you could get lost in there for hours. –Mary T.

Photo © Magda Biernat. Her work is available for purchase.

If you like to make sandwiches, you can make yourself a sandwich wrapper — Betz White has a tutorial on making a washable wrapper that will keep your BLT separate from your Cheetos. It looks nice and simple, but if you’d prefer that someone else does the work for you, check out these very cute versions by chez sucre schez. For $8.75 you can get a buttoning wrapper made of translucent oilcloth or hip faux bois. Just one more way to add a little green to your lunch. –Mary T.

My favorite author, Chuck Palahniuk, once wrote about how he’d like to deduct money on his tax return for copies of his favorite books, because he buys them over and over again every year. The problem is, he lends them out and “what happens is they never come back. Good books never do.” Don’t let it happen to you! Arm yourself with the personal library kit from Knock Knock at Fred Flare. The kit comes with everything you need to be a stern librarian including self-adhesive pockets, insert cards, and an old-fashioned date stamp (cat eye glasses and nubby sweater not included). At $20, it’s a great, inexpensive gift for any forgetful bookworm or soon-to-be-departing college student. –Katie D.

I’ve written about some cool Clopay garage doors in the past, and now there’s an online feature that I also really like. The Door Imagination System lets you upload a photo of your house (or use one of their supplied photos) to see how different types of garage doors will look with it. As someone whose husband “painted” our house in several colors via Photoshop before we bought a single gallon, I can really appreciate the niftyness of this device. –Mary T.

About a month ago, my fiancé and I won a very fancy Cuisinart food processor for doing an amateur fox trot. Our prize included a cookbook that features recipes utilizing our new culinary toy. As a thank-you to my fiancé for being dragged to a fox trot competition, I baked a loaf of banana bread from my new cookbook. Like Pandora and her box, I had no idea what I was unleashing. Ever since that first loaf, I’ve been averaging two loaves a week (in our household of two). The recipe is after the jump, but be warned — it’s highly addictive. –Katie D. Click for banana bread! (more…)