blogwatch: where we’ve been clicking this week
If you haven’t done so already, then skip the trip to Hallmark and make mom a beautiful pop up card, with this easy tutorial at Martha’s Crafts Dept.
Unclutterer gives us some great advice on how to limit “media over-consumption”.
While you’re busy not watching Netflix streaming, how about tackling the bathroom? Curbly’s making it easier with this helpful cleaning cheat sheet.
Liven up that boring ol’ chain link fence, CasaSugar style!
May is the best month for outdoor painting, reportedly, so jazz up your exterior and paint your front door, at DIY Life.
With a name like Umami butter, it HAS to be good. Make your own, with this recipe at Delicious Days.
Juxtapoz magazine is featuring a roundup of fences made of unconventional materials, some with better results than others…
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friday fun: the ‘home alone’ house is on the market
It’s been making the rounds on the internet this week, but if you haven’t seen it, here’s a fun injection for your Friday: the expansive home where little Kevin McCallister was left alone while his family spent Christmas in France is on the market! Located in the historic town of Winnetka, Illinois, the expansive house can be yours for a cool $2.4 million, which certainly buys you enough space to make forgetting a kid or two a semi-believable parental faux pas, no? (The logistics of actually leaving a child behind by accident were always lost on me. Maybe this sheds some light?) For more information including floor plans and photos, click over to the Home Alone Home Facebook page or stop by its official website, Homealonehome.com. –- Sarah C.
photo: Coldwell Banker
strangely appealing: ceramic head vases by tania da cruz
I noticed these at Street Anatomy, who picked them up from Coolhunting. These ceramic head vases from Milan artist Tania da Cruz are simply wonderful, I think. Sculptural enough to stand on their own and simple enough so that even the floral arranging impaired would be able to create a striking display. — Mary T.
this company will build you a secret lair
If you’ve been reading us awhile, you may remember the hidden bookshelf door how-to from a few years back. Well, if you’re really into the idea but are too busy in your laboratory (pronounced “la-BOR-uh-tory,” of course) to take on a construction project, check out Creative Home Engineering, the subject of a recent article in Wired. They’ll build you hidden entrances and secret rooms to your heart’s content, including features such as “a door that opens when certain piano keys are pressed or when pieces on a chessboard are arranged just so.” I am both frightened and intrigued! — Mary T.
five things we learned last week
1) Ikea fabrics: WIN. Even if you don’t like other aspects of Ikea, the fabric selection is an all around winner for selection and cost, and the proof is in Rebecca’s adorable pillows. Susan Abramson says: “I love the orange and white – such a happy colour and design!! And you can’t go wrong with an Ikea fabric – it’s almost always 100% cotton and priced great so it won’t owe you anything once you tire of it.â€
2) Book cataloging sites are helpful in theory and in practice. Shelfari and GoodReads are two options that count Shelterrific readers as fans. SarahB says: “I started using Shelfari 3 or 4 years ago, when someone in my book club told me about the site. I’m an avid reader (I read 63 books last year), and Shelfari is a great way to keep track of what I’m reading, what I’ve read, and what I want to read in the future.â€
3) Subtle wall stencils have mass appeal. Rebecca F.’s idea to paint a stencil in the glossy finish of her bathroom wall color has fans. We love the subtlety! Christina says: “Oh I love this! Great stencil and I love the idea of stenciling the same color on a wall but in gloss. Thanks for the awesome idea.â€
4) Toothpick holders have a following. Very collectable, they have multiple uses and might make great Mother’s Day gifts! Kimberj says: “One thing I always keep an eye out for is cut glass salt and pepper shakers. I only look for singles that have no mate. I fill them with some kind of lovely organic spice or a cinnamon sugar mix and use them as hostess gifts for parties, holidays, or even a housewarming. I never thought about toothpick holders. What a lovely idea. They could even be filled with festive party picks for appetizers or specialty cooking salts.â€
5) Money saved on booking a non-Saturday wedding is worth it for many of you. Our reasons for Friday weddings differ from those of Will & Kate. Sara says: “I got married on a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. One of the best parts was that our rehearsal dinner was a catered Thanksgiving dinner. We did save some money on the venue because it was a Friday. Another bonus was that guests had time to travel home on Saturday instead of Sunday.†Did you save money by avoiding a Saturday wedding?
photo by Kletia Garies
