I’m getting a smart phone. There, I said it. To be clear, I have nothing against them; they’re proven lifesavers when you need to consult a map or simulate a light saber duel. My issue is with me. I’m not averse to technology, I’m slightly obsessed with it. Recently, I’ve been making an effort to “unplug” after work instead of constantly doing eighty miles per hour on the information superhighway, and I’ve resisted the allure of a smart phone knowing it certainly won’t help with that. But it also makes sense to upgrade, and I’m embracing my high-tech life knowing that I can still “power down” to relax, and that having a smart phone might actually (gasp!) make things easier. I’m counting the days until I can download Real Simple’s To-Do List app, but what about you? Do gadgets play a big role in your everyday, or would you rather go without, or with less? — Sarah C.

Photo by Flickr member Panduka Senaka

For me, nothing incites a swoonfest faster than a great organizational tool, and this month, that tool is Pinterest.com. Another visual bookmarking site, Pinterest allows users to save images they love from all over the web and organize them into albums, or ‘pinboards’, that can be shared with friends. Members can ‘follow’ the pinnings of other users and even ‘repin’ images they love to their own boards. The site is still in private beta, so it’s not open to the public yet, but in the meantime, sign up for the invite waitlist, follow creator Ben Silbermann on twitter for updates or explore a few pinboards here.

Bonus: Glean inspiration while you wait by browsing through Pin-It-Forward, the home-themed blogger mashup hosted by sfgirlbybay and Pinterest. Each day for a month the site will feature a pinboard by each of ten bloggers in response to the question ‘What does home mean to you?’ Each blogger will also answer the question on their respective blogs. View the lineup and stop by sfgirlbybay blogger Victoria’s inaugural post here. Prepare to be inspired! — Sarah C.

via oh joy!

Last year, quite a few of our readers were enthused about the Soda Stream and other at-home water carbonators. But now reader Christine has a cleaning question:

Can anyone find a bottle brush that fits the bottles provided with the Penguin water carbonator? I can’t find one that is small enough for the bottle openings. Help! Love my Penguin!

We checked around, and enjoyed reading posts like this one at AT, but couldn’t find mentions of cleaning the bottles — any sources for Christine out there?

What better way to dress down high tea than with a nod to England’s original boy band? The tea sub, $14 at Fred Flare, does just that. Made of dishwasher-safe, heat-resistant silicone, it would be the perfect gift for that tea-drinking Beatles fan in your life. Simply fill the submarine with loose tea and explore your favorite mug in style. — Sarah C.

Full disclosure: I’ve never been to Morocco — or even a Moroccan restaurant, honestly. I have, however, become obsessed with its flavors: bold, smoky harissa and lots of earthy, warming spices like cumin and cinnamon countered by the bracing sharpness of pomegranate and sweetness of dried fruits. Moroccan food, it seems, is all about balance: a perfect blend of spicy, savory, sweet, and sour. That’s what my dish is trying to humbly achieve, as well: starting with simple pan-roasted onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes dusted with spices, tossed with chopped prunes and spinach, and laid to rest over a golden bed of saffron-scented quinoa. Oh, and there’s some chopped pistachios and Mary’s obsession, pomegranate seeds, as the crowning glory. Feel free to add proteins as you like to this — I added some leftover smoked chicken breast, and some merguez sausage would be lovely as well — but the vegetables and quinoa themselves make for a hearty and protein-packed meal that’s just as fantastic cold the next day! — Megan B. Click for Morrocan-spiced vegetables! (more…)

I hope we’re not annoying you with too many green cleaner posts, but when I saw this post at Re-Nest on how to scrub the tub with half a grapefruit and some salt, I had to give it a try. The comments at the original post were divided, with one person proclaiming it “Absurd!” (harsh) and more than one complaining that it was a waste of a grapefruit. Well, I figured one acidic citrus would do as well as another, so I bought a large lemon, halved it, and coupled it with some sea salt to take on my own tub and sink. For the tub, mixed reviews, but I’m starting to suspect it’s just my tub. I’ve written before about how our house is a work in progress — it was previously a rental, and it’s become apparent that someone cleaned the tub with something that removed a lot of the shiny finish. So while my tub smelled amazing after a scrubbing with lemon and salt, it didn’t look a whole lot cleaner to the eye. Our sink, however, has its porcelain finish, and it looks fantastic! Shiny as new! I will caution you that some of the commenters warn against using large-grain salt on an acrylic finish because it could scratch. See the how-to with grapefruit here. — Mary T.

Related:
Putting more green cleaners to the test
Make your own green cleaners

Cult beverage makers Jones Soda have with a new series of carbonated pop candy guaranteed to make you drop your 12-sided dice and fuel you through your “Firefly” marathon. Based on the Dungeons and Dragons game, the Spellcasting Soda series includes flavors with names like Potion of Healing, Dwarven Draught, and Illithid Brain Juice.The limited edition pops are available now: $10.99 for six or $18.99 for 12. — Katie D.

I’ve been trying — as many of us have, I’m sure — to spruce up our beyond-hideous deck for prime summer enjoyment. It’s a great space, don’t get me wrong — it’s just in dire need of a couple of repairs and a new coat of paint or two. But in the meantime (or at least until it stops raining for a few days) I’m planning on just covering it up with a cute indoor/outdoor rug. I’ve scoured the web for some options, and here’s what I’ve come up with so far, ranging from $35- $200:

Dash and Albert have a stunning diamond rug, above, starting at $34 for a 2′x3′.

I love the candy apple red design on this Henri Floral Rio Mat from Cost Plus World Market, $40 for a 6′x9′.

I’ve always been a fan of Chilewich placemats and runners, but I’m absolutely in love with these 24″x36″ spun vinyl utility mats, $75.

If your tastes tend to the more traditional side, perhaps this trompe l’oeil Persian rug floor mat (made from polyester and foam) from Urban Outfitters, $148 for a 66″x46″, is a good choice.

I love the bold geometric design of this indoor/outdoor rug from Overstock.com, a large 7′10″x11′ for $178.

Last but definitely not least is the ultra-cool reversible pegboard rug from CB2, 5′x8′, $200.

I’ll probably end up getting more than one — what doesn’t go on the deck will be great in our sad dungeon of a basement! — Megan B.

Recently, I won tickets to a cage fight in St. Louis (seriously), so I packed my bags, hopped on Amtrak, and played house guest at a friend’s place. It’s a little thing, but I usually end up plugging my phone charger into the first available place and letting the cord and phone pool on the floor, hoping it won’t get stepped on or mistaken for a chew toy. No longer, fellow couch surfers! The Mobile Device Charging Holder from Driinn, $10, has quickly gone to the top of my travel essentials list. It’s a simple idea that turns any wall socket into a convenient, mess-free charging station. — Katie D.

1) You wake up to bagpipers on holidays. Ellie says: “1. wake up to bag-pipers warming up on my front lawn as they prepare to march in the only parade that goes past my own house. 2. go home to parents’ even smaller town to watch their parade; entire town then follows behind end of parade and gathers at flag pole in front of school for veteran’s ceremony, which is just a way of making everyone listen to the marching band and our grandfathers until the chicken barbecue is ready… when the little pre-girl scouts float paper boats down the stream everyone knows it is chicken time.” We’re not even certain we follow that, Ellie, but we like it. How was your Memorial Day?

2) There’s a program that helps you organize your desktop. Amber says: “I use Fences; LOVE IT. Keeps everything organized, and I can change the categories, or add more, with ease.” Read more about organizing your desktop with images.

3) Yard sales make good neighbors. Sarah L. posted about her first yard sale, and Ellie chimed in with a great story here, too: “I had one last weekend and it was awesome! I met so many fantastic neighbors, and had just a great time in general. I also took the lazy way out though and only priced things en masse (this table is $1, this table is 2/$1, this pile is $5 each). I strong-armed an experienced friend into helping me and she repeatedly yelled at me for tossing more and more stuff into the free box. Then when I went to get drinks she sold a few things for twice my asking price.”

4) Everything’s better with bacon…and heat. Jenny says: “Add a little cayenne – maybe 1/4 to 1/2 t – to give it a little more pep. First sweet, then meat, then heat.” We love that line! Make your own bacon candy.

5) Vintage wedding registry items? You’re on it. Ellobie says: “That is exactly what we did! My fiance has the standard pieces of gorgeous Limoges china but the fun-side pieces are kind of hit-or-miss and we have a lot of onesie-twosies. We registered for a bunch of odds and ends on replacements.com! We’ve also used the “Add to MyRegistry” button through myregistry.com to include several items from Etsy sellers. Some of our older relatives are not huge fans of the online method of buying gifts, but they are so eager to get us vintage and one-of-a-kind items that they’ve gotten over their fears of the interwebs.” Something old, something old for wedding registries.