I don’t make jewelry or mosaics, but I love how beach glass looks, and I’ve picked up a surprising amount of the real deal on beaches around Seattle — tiny bits up to big pieces of colorful bottles sanded smooth by the ocean, not a tumbler. With summer upon us (due to arrive here in Seattle any week now…) I went searching for creative ways to display my beach glass finds. The simplest may be the best: put all your beach glass in a jar in a window, and enjoy the light shining through. But here are more ideas:

The Sea Glass Journal (an entire blog devoted to the stuff!) had a nice idea: use your sea glass in a candleholder and watch it glow. They use autumn colors, but of course you can get creative with that.

Apartment Therapy shared the idea of sprinkling it in with rocks around a potted plant, or using a whole bunch of it as mulch. (I consider it cheating, heh, but you can search for manufactured “beach glass” or “sea glass” and buy it in bulk for landscaping.) AT also had a post on using glass jars as bookends – your sea glass display would look nice there, as well.

As this idea for wedding centerpieces demonstrates, beach glass looks nice displayed in a large shell, too.

If you want ready-made decor, you can support an independent artist with a purchase on Etsy, like the wreath above from beach grass cottage. L.L. Bean has a sea glass wreath for sale right now, too (more expensive and a lot less handmade). Rather make your own? Check eHow for directions.

Even if you don’t live near the shore, you can still hunt for some sea glass of your own — a good place to start is good old Etsy, searching for sea glass or beach glass in “supplies.” And if you want it in bulk, but want it recycled, Megan B. is a fan of Bedrock Industries for tumbled, recycled glass.

And this may be the best tip of all: the North American Sea Glass Association has a guide on how to tell if your beach glass is actually from the sea. — Mary T.

Top photo by Flickr member ravensmagiclantern.

For some people, that old saying of “home is your sanctuary” becomes a little more literal. I’m feeling one deadly sin in particular (envy!) gazing at these amazing pictures that originally ran on Chicago’s RedEye blog. This 4,000-square-foot (!) Chicago home is a former Lutheran church. Not only does it feature dual oak staircases and gorgeous stained glass windows, but a bell tower, pulpit, and stage. Hallelujah! — Katie D.

It’s safe to say that pretty much any airline you fly these days is going to charge you to check a bag. To avoid as many fees as possible on our last trip, my husband and I combined all our clothes into one large bag. Of course, the next challenge was being able to pack all of it and come in under the weight limit. So I was psyched to find this NPR story that led me to onebag.com, a site for folks who intend to travel light. There’s a handy folding diagram, suggestions for what to pack depending on your destination, and links to online packing lists. (I had some issues trying to make the Universal Packing List work — the interface seems a little outdated — but I loved the simplicity of the Rick Steves packing list.) A final note, though: please don’t try to pack everything you own into a carry-on and assume you’re going to find plenty of storage once you board. Everyone else is trying to skirt the fees the same way. And your fellow passengers (me) will seethe, waiting to board while you attempt to shove your overstuffed bag into the overhead bin. — Mary T.

Remember my enthusiasm for the Lollipop Pottery mugs? (Still have them, still love them.) Well, now my dogs could also enjoy their morning chow in similar style. Cheengoo has two exclusive pet bowl designs in the unmistakable Lollipop style. I still love those monsters! And if those bowls aren’t your bag, there is a nice assortment of other products for those looking to upgrade doggie (and kitty) dishes. — Mary T.

1) You really want a Perfect Rug. We asked you to amuse us, and you are delivering. Desiree says: “We just moved into a 102-year-old home with tons of southern charm. But we don’t have any thing for our ‘paw-lore.’ Please, help me avoiding being the talk of our neighborhood amongst all the older ladies bringing us housewarming goodies!” Click here for your chance to register to win $350 from The Perfect Rug — you have until 5 p.m. EST today!

2) Flickr is a go-to for renovation inspiration. Christy says: “One of my favorite ways to search for ideas is on Flickr. On a search for ‘basement renovation’ I came up with this set that looks like a nicely done, yet not overly expensive basement.” If you have more sources for basement before-and-afters, share them here.

3) Regrets, you’ve had a few. Of all the comments on purchases that you lived to regret, our favorite is from The Ric, who says: “Two Words: Mobile Home.” Enough said! What purchase was pure folly?

4) You’d switch to see-through toggle light switches. Some of you don’t like the the Forbes & Lomax light switches and covers as seen in Sex and the City 2, but most do. Chris says: “Wow I think these look really sophisticated and cool, where can I buy them from?” How about right here?

5) Get you to the Greek yogurt ice cream! Susan says: Great idea — can’t wait to try it! I’ve been making frozen yogurt with a super easy recipe from Sunset Mag: 4 cups (32 oz) plain yogurt (non fat or low fat, I use Nancy’s); 2/3 cup of sugar (or to taste). Stir yogurt and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Pour into ice cream maker (I use the Cuisinart one) and turn on for 25 minutes or so. Enjoy! I’ll be making this Greek Yogurt Ice Cream next!”

You have until 5 p.m. EST today to comment on this post and tell us why you should win a $350 certificate to The Perfect Rug! Click for all the details.

I bet Dad would go insane for a tray full of these dulce de leche peanut butter chocolate bars Jessie made over at Cakespy.

The Kitchn’s bringing the knowledge: what to look for in a new kitchen faucet.

Have you ever had a seabean? If not, you may have to after reading about them over at Serious Eats — they are crunchy, salty, and absolutely heavenly.

Hi-Fi gone modern: Ray Davone speakers. Impossibly gorgeous, prohibitively expensive. But if we had an extra $6000 just lying around…. Via BoingBoing.

Paola gives us a peek inside her bedroom at mirrormirror. Love love love that bed AND the $99 new Dwell bedding, too!

Finally, something useful to do with those bread tags that end up on the kitchen floor: use them as cord labels to help ease with access, at Lifehacker.

CasaSugar has been our go to source for crafty wedding inspiration this season. This week, we’re drooling over these beautiful papercut wedding table numbers.

Extremely simple tips to eliminate stress in your day, from the Happiness Project. Some of them are ridiculously simple, but they are great ideas nonetheless — tip #4 about keeping your keys in the same place everyday is a particularly helpful tip for one of our contributors (ahem).

Planning a summer soiree? Get started with 20% off all Fishs Eddy patterned glassware through Tuesday, June 22.

The DWR Annex Sample Sale is back in Secaucus, NJ. If you have a way to get there, enjoy an additional 15% off already marked down floor samples from Saturday, June 19 through Sunday, June 27. Not in the area? Check out their summer outdoor sale and save up to 25% from your couch, now through June 28.

It’s summer sale time at the Conran Shop. For a limited time save up to 50% on outdoor living items and 20% off select furniture and upholstery.

This weekend only, save 25% on everything at Fabulous Stationery. Might be a good time to top up those social business cards or personal notes! Sale ends June 20th at midnight.

Kick off summer party season in style with 10% off the entire invitation collection at Rock Scissor Paper, now through July 4.

Designed by a husband and wife team from Cincinnati, all of Paper Cloud’s products are hand printed on either 100% linen or 100% certified organic cotton. Not only are the materials they use eco-friendly, but the hand printing process also uses less energy and water-based, solvent-free inks. Pretty cool. Even cooler? Their fresh, nature-inspired designs. Pillows start at $76 (the blue onionpod is $82 for a 16” x 16” square) and pendants start at $154. Be sure to check out the sample sale section of the site, where you’ll find their yellow vines lampshade for just $74. — Sarah L.

Every year, the Intex Easy-Set inflatable pool arrives in stores, bringing with it the promise of low-rent backyard summer fun. Back when I was suffering through deeply humid Midwest summers, I convinced my husband that one of these babies was exactly what we needed. Now, don’t get me wrong — the pool worked perfectly well, and when people with actual children stopped by, it was enjoyed. But it turned out that any time the pool was not in direct sunlight, the water was freezing. (They do sell a cover that helps heat the water; we didn’t have it.) Soon our dog decided it was an oversized water dish that she could step right into, emptying gallons of it in the process. The last straw was the realization that garter snakes enjoyed congregating in the tall grass around the pool’s edges — I’m not afraid of snakes, but I also didn’t relish stepping on them in bare feet. After we donated the pool to a local school’s rummage sale, we had a huge dead spot in our yard that neighbors called “the crop circle.” Ah, summer memories. Okay, so make me feel better — tell me about a pricey purchase that ended in regret. — Mary T.