The Red Chair Blog

How to Outsmart a Paint Chip: Lesson One

2013-05-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

Paint chips can be sneaky little guys, but you can outsmart them! As a decorator, I've learned a few paint color selection tips along the way. Here is the first in a series of paint color mini-lessons. Enjoy!

Lesson One: Never Trust a Paint Color Name

I have a theory that paint color names come from one of three places:

Paint Color Name Source #1: SAT Test Preparation Booklets

This is the source for unhelpful color names like "Effervescence" or "Vicissitude".

Paint Color Name Source #2: Mad Libs

Remember Mad Libs? Nouns, verbs, and adjectives randomly strewn together to create an uproariously funny, nonsensical story? I'm convinced that paint company employees use Mad Libs as a tool to come up with useless "Adjective + Noun" color names like "Jaundiced Panda" or "Wistful Igloo".

Paint Color Name Source #3: Maps and a Dartboard
This method is simple: the paint company employee throws a dart to pick a location at random from a map and then adds a color tag at the end. This is the source for meaningless color names like Milpitas Mauve.

The lesson, folks, is that color names are silly, and you should never take them seriously! Trust your own eyes and not the color name. I repeat: do not trust color names!

An example of a misleading paint color name is "Concord Ivory" by Benjamin Moore. When I think of the word "ivory", I think subtlety. I think wedding gowns. I think piano keys. Concord Ivory is a great color if you're looking for a bold, Tuscan yellow, but it's not ivory! Benjamin Moore's website describes the color as "a saturated golden-yellow with a quiet apricot undertone". Which I guess means "ivory" in paint company speak!

Another example is "Truly Taupe" by Sherwin Williams. Taupe, by definition, is a brown-gray color. But "Truly Taupe" is truly...purple! Check out the swatch; it's a neutral purple (and a neat color) but purple nonetheless. The Sherwin Williams website even classifies it in the violet color family.

This misleading color name came in handy once when I was working with a couple who couldn't agree on a dining room paint color. The wife adored purple and wanted a purple dining room. The husband felt that no self-respecting man would ever agree to a purple dining room. He wanted a neutral dining room. I reassured them that we would find a color that they could agree on. "Truly Taupe" came to the rescue! The name sounded so innocuous that it slipped, undetected, past the husband's purpleshield. The pro-purple wife saw the purple undertones and loved the color instantly. In the end, both parties were happy with their color choice--a win-win!

Have you had any experiences with misleading paint color names?

The Return of the Faux Chocolate Bunnies!

2013-03-29T14:05:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter! Though the title of this post sounds like the name of a campy horror flick, it is actually a confession that a portion of this post is a re-post from last Easter. Well, let's just say that the post is made from recycled materials--just like the faux chocolate bunnies!

Before the bunnies return, here are a few other Easter-related images.

First, I was tickled to find this cute, glitter-embellished Victorian Easter sign at my local Dollar Tree store. It's about 12" wide and 11" tall. I used to play a little game with myself to see if I could spot the tackiest decor item whenever I visited the Dollar Tree. The competition was usually fierce as the ceramic kitty cats duked it out with the ceramic fishermen! I have to give the Dollar Tree credit for improving their "coolness factor" to the point where there are some decor items that can actually be displayed in the home without first being spray-painted, decoupaged, swaddled in string, or otherwise "altered" first!

I also wanted to share this Easter vignette created by my four year old daughter. In the interest of nurturing her creativity, I have surrendered all efforts to "direct" our seasonal decorating. She has an artist's eye and delights in arranging and rearranging our seasonal "displays" on a low bookcase that we have designated for this purpose. I love how she used the halved papier mache eggs to create little "baskets"--these would make a cute centerpiece lined up along the center of a long table with Easter grass scattered around. Sure, the grass can be messy, but a little extra vacuuming is a small price to pay for Easter joy! Here, we see the Easter Bunny hard at work in his "factory". :)

And now, with no further ado, I give you The Return of the Faux Chocolate Bunnies!

If you've got aluminum foil, plastic bags, a shoebox, and some brown paint, then you can make these adorable faux chocolate bunnies, which are perfect for decorating your mantel or your Easter buffet table. Super-sized, these guys would also make cute, affordable store window displays for a shop. In this post, I'll explain how to make both the "wrapped" and the "unwrapped" versions, as well as the foil-wrapped "chocolate eggs".
Using carbon paper or by tracing, transfer 3 bunny outlines onto 3 pieces of shoebox paperboard--or other sturdy cardboard / tag board. You can find my PDF "chocolate bunny" template here. (I based my bunny design on a photo of an (edible) chocolate bunny that I found on the Internet--with a few tweaks--so I hope that sharing my template with you here falls within the realm of "fair use".) My bunnies are around 10 inches tall. I made three--two face to the left and one faces to the right. Be aware of "bunny directionality" as you trace your bunnies.Burnt Umber (dark brown) acrylic paint gave the "unwrapped" chocolate bunnies their color. I enlisted the help of my three year old for the painting portion of the project. Our paint was thick and left visible brush strokes, which I thought made it look more like chocolate. Note our "palette": a lid from a large oatmeal canister. Oatmeal lids make fantastic palettes for painting, finger painting, and hand prints (they are the perfect size to fit a little hand). If you have a toddler or preschooler, I recommend the long-sleeved Crayola art smock as well; you can find these on Amazon for around $5. As you can tell, ours has seen heavy use.Our bunnies curled a bit as the paint was drying, but they flattened out once the paint was dry.
Once the paint is dry, use duct tape or hot glue to attach a "stand" to the back. I used part of the edge of the shoe box lid. You can leave these "chocolate" guys plain or adorn them with flowers--silk or paper--or ribbons.To make the foil-wrapped "chocolate" bunny, start with the same cardboard bunny shape. Use hot glue or duct tape to affix the cardboard "stand" (see stand photo above) to the front of the bunny, and make sure that it is close to the same width as the base of the bunny. Use masking tape or painter's tape to attach and mold rolled / "smooshed" small plastic bags onto the cardboard bunny shape, starting from the base (plastic newspaper bags are perfect). Crumpled newspapers or tissue paper might work for this too. When you finish this step, you will have this poor guy, who I think looks like a hapless kidnapping victim from a bunny horror film:Here's what the back will look like; there is no stand on this side, as you already have the stand in front:
Next, wrap the front with aluminum foil. Mine has the less-shiny side facing out. Tape the back to hold the foil in place. This may take a little trial and error. If you need to remove your foil and start over, just smooth out your foil and try again. Add a bow at the neck.

While you have the aluminum foil out, why not use it to cover a few plastic eggs to make them look like big chocolate eggs? Use a piece of foil large enough to wrap all the way around the egg with a good-sized "tail" left over. With the egg standing "upright", wrap the foil (non-shiny side out) tightly across the front and gather the excess foil at the back of the egg. Snip excess at the back with scissors. These eggs can be painted (we will be adding some polka dots to ours soon) or kept plain. I imagine that a colored Sharpie marker could be a fun way to decorate these too:
Add a little Easter grass and a chalkboard, and you've got an easy Easter mantel. I made my chalkboard from a piece of thrift store artwork; I painted the gold frame white and then painted the chalkboard paint directly onto the "canvas" art. If you've never painted with chalkboard paint, I invite you to check out this post about my chalkboard table and this post about my chalkboard tray for DIY info.I think that these bunnies look good enough to eat, and even though they aren't edible, they would probably taste better than the real chocolate ones, which always tasted like foil to me!

Happy Easter!

5 Minute Decorating: Layering With a Glass Dish

2013-02-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

My daughter and I love to make handmade Valentines. For the first half of February, we keep a Valentine-making "station" set up on our table stocked with a tantalizing array of art supplies--from classics like doilies and foil hearts, to fabric scraps, ribbon, stickers, markers, crayons, and the new preschool staple: glitter glue.

Sometimes we invite friends over individually or in small groups to make Valentines with us. One of my favorite tricks for creating an instant Valentine-themed serving platter is to layer a doily between a white plate and a clear glass plate. Voila! An instant, themed serving dish that can later be dismantled...and partially incorporated into a homemade Valentine!

As you might recall from this post where I discussed using a jar within a jar, I always appreciate the versatility that glass offers for creating layered, changeable seasonal/holiday decor. Happy "Valentining"!

Nature Play At Home

2013-01-28T23:15:00.001-05:00

If you love kids, nature, and gardens, then you will love this wonderful free publication developed by the National Wildlife Federation and the (NC-based) Natural Learning Initiative. Nature Play At Home, A Guide for Boosting Children's Healthy Development and Creativity is a free, downloadable, printable PDF booklet.

In Nature Play at Home, parents and caregivers will learn how (and why) to create wonderful Nature Play Spaces TM for children.

Projects--which are ranked by difficulty according to the number of "shovels"--include creating a sensory garden, an edible garden, a vine teepee, a water garden, balancing logs, grass mazes, dedicated play spaces for sand, water, mud, and acoustic play, and a miniature fairy village, among others.

Click here to download the booklet (you will be asked to provide your first and last name, email address, and zip code). Here in NC we are expecting warm weather tomorrow; why not take advantage of this opportunity to spend some time outside with your kids?

Please note: I have used the vine teepee photograph with permission from the Natural Learning Initiative. Please do not repost or reproduce this photograph without their permission.

How To Save Marigold Seeds

2012-09-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

In my post last year about Almost Free Gardening, I mentioned how easy it is to save marigold seeds to plant in the spring. Looking back at that post, I realized that more detailed instructions would be helpful. Today I'll share some photos to illustrate exactly what I look for when I'm collecting seeds to save. I know that there are other methods of marigold seed-saving (eg: collecting and drying the whole flower), but I prefer the foolproof route that I'll outline here.

First, here's a picture of a flower bud--definitely not ready for harvesting!

This guy is also not ready--still too green:

These are nice and dry and getting closer, but they're still upright, so ideally I'll wait a little longer:

I like to wait until the little flower heads are completely dry and bending over--ready to aim their seeds at the ground. When you see them bent over like this, (whether they are open at the end like those in the photo below or closed so that they look like tiny beige ears of corn) they are ready to be snapped off.

If you gently roll the dry flower head between your thumb and finger, the shell will come off revealing...seeds!!!

Now all you have to do is wait until spring to plant them! I recommend saving the seeds in an envelope rather than a jar; I've learned the hard way that jars can seal in moisture and cause mold to grow. All of the marigolds that you see in these photos (including the three foot wide bush in the photo at the beginning of this post) grew from seeds that I collected last year (which grew from seeds collected the previous year). Happy gardening!

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Styrofoam Tray Printing

2012-09-13T11:35:00.001-04:00

My preschool-aged daughter and I have recently started experimenting with foam tray printing. Have you tried it? If you haven't tried this fun, easy, and inexpensive art form, I urge you to give it a try! It's a great "kid art" project that has "grown-up" card-making, gift-giving, and home decor applications as well. Plus, even in our high tech age, there's something pretty darned cool and magical about creating your own little DIY printing press.

I first read about foam tray printing on the Chocolate Muffin Tree--a great resource for anyone who likes to make art with young kids.

Materials:
Foam Trays--We used veggie trays from store bought tomatoes, but styrofoam take-out boxes would work as well.
Scissors
Blank Paper
Pencils--You will need one dull pencil and one sharp one
Acrylic Craft Paint
Paintbrushes

Instructions:
1. Cut the edges off of your foam tray so that you have a flat piece of foam on which to work. This picture is an overly-dramatic, crime-scene-like illustration of this step!

2. Draw your image on a piece of blank white paper. If you incorporate any words or symbols, remember that your end product print will be reversed.

3. Place your drawing on top of the foam, and use a dull pencil (or similar object) to trace your design, pressing into the foam to create an indentation as you draw.

4. Remove your drawing paper from the foam.

5. Using long paintbrush strokes, brush paint onto your foam. You may need to experiment to find the optimal amount of paint to use.

6. Gently place your foam, paint side down, on your paper, and use your palm and fingers to press all over the surface of the foam. You can also use a rolling pin or something similar.

7. Carefully lift your foam off of the paper and admire your design!

Once you master the basic technique, the sky is the limit!

Here are some of our prints. My daughter created this design by drawing with the dull pencil directly on the foam to create the template. She absolutely loves to draw "heart butterflies". Most of her butterflies have long, flowing antennae, but she found it harder to draw on foam than on paper. We made these printed greeting cards for her friends. Each print is unique. This process is not about perfection.

I applied the same heart image to some dish towels. You can buy special additives to make acrylic paint permanent on fabric, but in my experience, --and when I say "experience", I'm referring to a ridiculously-geeky, hand-painted Wonder Woman Halloween costume that I made in my early twenties--acrylic paint never washes out of fabric. Ever.

Foam printing would work on a t-shirt as well (place cardboard inside the shirt so the paint won't bleed through to the back). You can also use this method on fabric to make unique throw pillows.

When I created the owl design below, I was aiming for a cute, baby nursery owl, but I ended up with this kind of stern, eerie Halloweeny guy. This template with black paint on orange paper would make a fun DIY Halloween greeting card. The black one on white paper pictured below could look cute framed in a Halloween display with other black and orange items. Note how the image is reversed on the foam.

A friend is decorating her baby boy's nursery around a frog nightlight. I had her in mind when I played with this design, which is inspired by a nightlight that I found via Google. Note how different paint colors and paint application styles change the result. This image is not very crisp due to a crease in the foam (see foam template lower L).

I love learning a new technique like this one, because it opens up so many fun new possibilities--from birthday cards to home decor items.

As an added bonus, it's a great way to repurpose styrofoam, which many municipalities will not--or cannot--recycle. Once you have the foam templates, you can reuse them indefinitely to create more art!

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DIY "Ransom Note" Magnets

2012-08-15T00:04:00.001-04:00

Back in 2009, I posted a tutorial about how to create a set of DIY meal planning magnets using the magnets that arrive in your home cloaked in junk mail or affixed to the back of a phone book with a giant rubber cement blob.

Just in case you've been yearning for another excuse to hoard junk mail magnets, I wanted to share a second project that I made using junk mail magnets. I call these fun alphabet magnets "Ransom Note Magnets" though I do not endorse the use of real ransom notes--magnetic or paper--by real live villains!

Creating and arranging these magnets is:

Note to self: must make magnetic commas!

To make your own magnets, you will need:

Junk mail magnets (any flat magnets will do: pizza delivery, dentists' offices, credit card solicitations, etc.)
Magazines (or glossy junk mail fliers)
Scissors
Clear packing tape

Hunt through magazines for letters, and cut them out, leaving a square of "background color" around them. Then use the same method that I described in this post to "laminate" them with packing tape.

If you opt to create only capital letters, and you want to make at least one of each alphabet letter, you will find that the Scrabble point values of letters are actually a very good predictor of the difficulty you'll have finding each letter in capital form in a magazine. In other words, "J" and "Q" will be tougher to find than "E" and "A". On the upside, the letter hunt is fun and educational for kids, and it can be an ongoing project if you build your letter collection over time.

My preschool-aged daughter loves to play with these magnets to make words, names, and even consonant-heavy nonsense words, which I attempt to sound out for her.

Have a stainless fridge? Your kiddo might enjoy playing with these on the side of the dishwasher, the side of the washer/dryer, or even on a cookie sheet.

Create a Closet Craft Space from a Hollow Core Door--No Power Tools Required!

2012-07-06T00:02:00.002-04:00

In my last post, I shared how I transformed a closet into an office space. Today I'll explain how I created the tandem craft space that you see above using a $5 hollow core door from Habitat for Humanity...and NO power tools!

I started by measuring the interior of my closet to determine the dimensions of my future desktop. When measuring, be sure to take into account the dimensions of your closet door casing (the decorative wood around the edge of your closet opening), which may impact your measurements. Another consideration is the height of your existing closet shelves--you will need to be able to angle the hollow door desktop up as you maneuver it into place in the closet.

I knew that I wanted to use a hollow core door to create my desk surface. Hollow core doors are smooth, lightweight (ie: easy to transport and cut), and affordable. As I browsed the door aisle at Habitat for Humanity, I came across a beauty for just $5. This door was brand new and already primed on one side. Best of all, it was a "no-bore" door! Yes, this door was the life of every party! Just kidding; "no-bore" means "no holes (bores)".

The door was perfect, but it was too deep for my closet. At first I felt discouraged, as I didn't want to resort to using power tools to "rip" (handyman term) the door down to the proper size. Then, in an unprecedented moment of Math Competence, I did a little mental Tetris and realized that the door might work if I cut off the corners and allowed the desktop to protrude beyond the interior of the closet. (See the diagram below--click to enlarge.)

Eschewing any lifting help from the Habitat volunteers (remember, these doors are light as a feather), I carried the door to the register. I probably even lifted it over my head in a noticeably-uncool display of mock brute strength. I paid my $5 and, thanks to a little more mental Tetris and some string, fit the thing into the back of our old Honda Accord (the rear seats fold down to reveal an opening to the trunk).

Cutting the hollow core door proved to be fast and simple. The hardest part was getting through the solid wood at the edges--after that, the door was, well, hollow! As I sawed away at the door, the thin wood reminded me of the Wasa-type crackers that I used to eat as a kid (my dad is Scandinavian). In fact, I think the crackers would have been harder to cut with a saw than the door was. If you've ever eaten those crackers, you know what I mean. They could make doors out of Wasa.

Being a recycling-minded person, I realized that the rectangles that I had cut from the door corners would make nice, sturdy art canvases. My daughter painted on them, and then I finished the edges with cardboard and ribbon and we gave them to her two grandmothers as Mother's Day gifts. Guess I got my money's worth out of that Habitat door, eh?!

This is what the door looked like when I had finished cutting it. The longest edge is the side that went against the back of the interior of the closet--the chairs sit next to the shorter of the two long sides. I could have painted it, but instead I opted to top it with some white contact paper, which is very forgiving of all of our rubber stamp smudges and glitter glue blobs.

Now, I suppose you're wondering how I supported this light-as-a-feather desktop without using any power tools? Well, here you go: I laid each end of the desktop on top of a (filled) cardboard bankers box topped by a wooden crate. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done and provides a little additional storage space. This has held up beautifully for us so far. Note that the crates support the front edge of the desktop more than the back, as we tend to put more weight on the front when we are working.

To finish the space, I brought in two wrought iron garden chairs so that my daughter and I can work side by side. I spray painted them with Krylon outdoor paint in a color called "Lime". I plan to add cushions at some point. A small lamp adds extra task lighting; its power cord is plugged in via an extension cord which, now that I see the photo, could probably be a little more discreetly placed.

The sides of the desktop, tucked as they are into niches in the wall at each end of the desk, offer a great place for easily-accessible craft supply storage. The mini drawers that you see below tuck in nicely and corral rubber stamps, paper punches, and smaller sheets of scrapbook paper. Drawers can be removed and placed on our work surface when we need access to a whole drawer's worth of supplies for a project.

I chose to leave some of the art supplies out in the open on the desktop; to me, there's something very inviting about a table with art materials all laid out and ready to be used, so I tucked the pens, pencils, and crayons into clear plastic cups. I love how accessible they are and how the cups reveal all of that colorful potential.

So there you have it, a craft desk (which my three year old generously calls "The Art Room") from a $5 hollow core door. Happy crafting!

Closet Office / Craft Space (Part 1)

2012-06-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

When my daughter was born, she claimed not only our hearts, but also my former office/craft space. This meant that I needed to find a creative way to fit a queen sized (guest) bed and all of my office furniture and craft supplies into a 10' x 10' room. My solution? A closet office...which later morphed into a closet craft space.

In today's post, I'll share details about the quick and easy DIY closet office that I created using freestanding furniture (photo below). In my next post, I'll share how I reinvented the closet office into the tandem craft space that you see above, using a $5 hollow core door and no power tools!

To transform my regular closet into a closet office, I:
1. Removed the closet doors and replaced them with curtains.
2. Painted the interior of the closet.
3. Moved in some furniture!

Here's what my closet office looked like at that point:

Was this my "dream" workspace? Well, considering that my dream space would involve enormous windows, a long range view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and a time-locked Oreo cookie dispenser, I'll have to answer, "No." Did it function well for me? Sure. For the most part, I used what I already had on hand.

I often advocate using furniture "placeholders" to test how well a space will function. An example of this would be placing a folding chair in a corner where you're considering placing a new upholstered chair.

If you're considering a closet office, start with freestanding furniture (even a card table and a folding chair) for a "test run" before you invest in new furniture or built-ins. There are definite feng shui drawbacks to working in a space like this. The word "closet" comes from the Latin "clausum", meaning "closed space". Think of the symbolism alone--can you think "outside the box" while you're...in...a box? Can you overcome writer's block when a literal block (wall) is several inches from the tip of your nose? These are things to consider before you dive into the closet. Now, back to the "how-to":

Curtains

The "curtains" were a no-sew project: I simply hung twin-sized, white, flat sheets from a curtain rod using clip rings. Fold these at the top unless you like a "puddled" look at the bottom. Similar twin sheets can be found for about $5 each at Walmart.

I saved the closet doors and hinges in our attic. If we ever put our home on the market, the first thing I'll do is replace the closet doors and turn this space back into an ordinary closet. Why? Nothing screams, "Small House" to a prospective buyer louder than a closet office!

Paint

I painted the interior of the closet using a $5 "Color to Go" sample sized jug of paint from Sherwin Williams. The paint store color-matched Behr's "Corn Husk Green" paint color for me. Yes, I am well aware that sample paint is not intended to be a topcoat, but the paint police haven't tracked me down yet. I like how the different paint color defines the closet space as a "mini room". The walls in the rest of the room are "Lighthouse" by Benjamin Moore. "Lighthouse" is a nice, soft yellow that infuses rooms with the feeling of gentle sunlight--it's great for nurseries and bedrooms (these photos aren't true to the color).

The framed prints are "Wild Roses" and "Begonias" by Kim Parker. I framed them in simple, inexpensive Format frames. The beauty of decorating the inside of a closet is that nothing has to be perfect because, hey, it's just a closet!

I had enough sample paint left over to paint this little wooden stool. This chameleon stool keeps changing colors because it only takes 5 minutes to paint it. I added ball fringe for fun. I used regular Elmer's glue to attach the ball fringe, as I wasn't in the mood to break out the glue gun. It's held up for a few years now with no major ball-fringe-related incidents to report.

Storage & Accessories

I left the closet rod in place for guests to use for hanging clothes when they visit. Again, for resale, a bedroom by definition needs a closet, so I didn't want to alter this space too much.

You may remember other posts in which I've sung the praises of cardboard, economy weight banker's boxes for home organizing. Here they are again, storing fabric on the top shelf of the closet office.

To make the chalkboard labels, I painted chalkboard paint on a thin, plastic-coated paint sample board, cut the board into label-sized pieces, and glued the labels onto the boxes. Chalkboard contact paper would have made this even easier.

I was inspired to make this little cloche accessory when I saw some baby photo pixies on The Shabby Nest. The "cloche" is actually a vase from the Dollar Tree which I placed upside down on top of a saucer. These photo fairies are simple and fun to make; I even used regular printer paper and our home printer to print the photo, since I was too impatient to go to the photo store. (Are you detecting a theme of impatience here?) They can be customized for different holidays--for example, you can add a Santa hat to make a Christmas cloche.

In my next post, I'll share details about how I made a craft desk using a $5 hollow core door and no power tools!

This post has been linked to The Open House Party at No Minimalist Here.

Organizing Tip: "Perma-notes" & Post-Its

2012-05-19T23:25:00.001-04:00

There was a time when I had a pretty reliable brain--a brain that could remember things, a brain that even produced enough decent thoughts to earn a couple of medals and awards for me back in my undergraduate days. Then, I became a mom. If you're a mom, you know what I mean. When you become a mom, your heart grows... and your brain shrinks. You start to forget things. You wait for your old brain to return. You wait and you wait, but friend, it's gone. Then you realize that you need either a) a new brain or b) better systems. Here are a few simple systems that have worked for me:

My Laundry "Perma-note"

Our washer and dryer sit behind bi-fold doors in our kitchen. To cut down on noise and visual clutter, I close the bi-fold doors while the washer and dryer are running. The problem, of course, is that as soon as the bi-fold doors close, my shrunken brain thinks, "Laundry? What laundry? And, by the way, how long has this piece of toast been sitting in the toaster?" [Answer: 12 hours.]

My solution: I used a photo laminating sheet to create a "perma-note", or reusable note, to serve as a visual reminder to myself. I store the note on a hook inside the laundry closet. When I put a load of laundry in the washer, I hang the note on the outside of the left doorknob. When I move the laundry to the dryer, I move the note to the right doorknob. Once the dry laundry has been put away, the reminder note goes back on the hook inside the closet. This system works because the note moves, so I am more likely to see it and notice it, as opposed to, say, popping it in the toaster.

My Dishwasher "Perma-note"
I created another laminated "perma-note" which gets placed on the kitchen counter right above the dishwasher whenever someone turns on the washer to run a load of dishes. In my experience, notes or magnets on the front of the dishwasher get overlooked by anyone who happens to be taller than 1' 5", and the little "clean" indicator light on the dishwasher itself is utterly useless. We store this laminated note in a drawer next to the dishwasher. The note stays on the counter until all of the clean dishes have been unloaded and put away. This way, if we only get halfway through unloading the clean dishes for some reason, we all remember not to add more dirty dishes to the dishwasher. Once all of the clean dishes are unloaded, the note goes back into the drawer.

Post-Its for Food Storage

Whenever I put leftovers in the fridge or I open a new jar of something perishable (like apple sauce or tomato sauce), I take a moment to date it with a tiny Post-It note. This simple habit has helped me to waste less food overall; I can confidently eat or serve something when I know for sure that it's fresh. Thanks to the Post-Its, I also know for sure when something is past its prime and needs to be discarded, even before it sprouts telltale green Muppet fur. Now, I never have to rely on my brain to "just remember" how long things have been languishing in the fridge.

Do you have any systems to help compensate for "mom brain"? Feel free to share them in the comments!

A Chair After My Own Heart

2012-04-22T22:22:00.001-04:00

Today I am excited to introduce you to Red Chair Blog sponsor Dutch Design Chair.

This unique product gets an A+ grade in my book for a number of reasons:

1.It’s environmentally-friendly, as it is made from FSC-Certified corrugated cardboard. I grew up reading decorating, design, and craft books from the 1970’s (which reflected that era’s earth-friendly ethos), so a cardboard chair sounds like a fantastic idea to me!

2. It’s multi-functional. I love stools in general for their versatility; they can serve as seating, bedside tables, footstools, end tables, coffee tables, etc. I own one little wooden stool which has literally been painted 4 different colors over the last seven years because it has been moved around our house so many times to serve so many different purposes--it has even migrated to our covered front porch. The Dutch Design chair takes versatility a step further by also having the capacity to stand on its head and serve as a storage cube. It was originally designed for use at festivals--festival-goers could carry their picnic items in the box and then later use it as seating.

3. It’s lightweight, but also incredibly sturdy. Though it weighs only 2 pounds, the Dutch Design Chair can support up to 440 pounds of weight. This design element really impresses me. Think about it: even ants, nature’s amazing weight-lifters, can only support up to 100 times their own weight. This chair is stronger than ants!

4. It’s priced well--at just under 25 Euros (around 32 USD), it’s a unique piece at a sensible price.

5. As a decorator, I must point out that the chair is also neat-looking. It’s one cool stool! My favorites are the Tree Trunk and the Beechwood.

I think the Tree Trunk would be a fun addition to a contemporary setting:

The Beachwood would be equally at home in a shabby chic beach cottage as it would be in an urban, brick-walled loft:

And now for the Dr. Seuss question: Where, oh where, can one buy that chair?

Well, the chair is produced in The Netherlands and has been a big seller there. It is currently available in France, Germany, the UK, Denmark, Spain, Korea and Japan. Unfortunately, there are currently no US sources for the chair, but it can be purchased through the Dutch Design Chair Website. Shipping to the US is 35 Euros--about 46 USD. Orders over $150 ship free, which may inspire some local entrepreneurs to order them in bulk!

To see more styles and learn more, please visit the Dutch Design Chair Website.

Unique DIY Birdhouses On Display

2012-04-14T21:23:00.000-04:00

Today I took my daughter to the 12th Annual Birdhouse Competition at The JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. The entries ranged from whimsical "flights of fancy", to houses made from recycled materials, to expertly-crafted specimens of miniature architecture. It was a fun and inspirational event and a great excuse to get out of the house, check out some unique bird house creations (made by children as well as adults), and then enjoy the lovely surrounding gardens.

Here are photos of just a small sampling of the houses on display; I hope that they will inspire and delight you.

In the "Serious" category, I loved the mix of woods on this beautifully made house titled "Bird and Batten". It was made by Patrick Fullwood from weathered redwood, alder, reclaimed antique heart pine, and Long Leaf pine wood. [Update: this house won first place in the "Adult Serious" category.]

The eco-roof on this contemporary birdhouse was a nice, green touch.

"Rapunzel's Nest", a ceramic birdhouse, was my daughter's favorite. Each contest visitor was given a penny to use to vote for his or her favorite house (you can see plastic cups full of voting coins next to the houses in some of the photos). At the mere mention of the word "Rapunzel", my daughter emphatically dropped her penny into the cup next to this bird house.

I loved the look of this "clam shack" birdhouse. [Update: This house was made by Beth Greene, and it won second place in the "Adult Flights of Fancy" category.]

This house, called "Road Home", used maps and upcycled license plate shingles to emphasize the travel theme.

There were several birdhouses shaped like musical instruments.

This creative house made from repurposed vinyl records was one of my favorites.

Look closely at the song title for a laugh.

This rustic house, which looked to be made from a hollowed-out piece of tree trunk, caught our attention as well--talk about a place where a bird would feel right at home!

This whimsical, "multi-family", martin village was one of the larger entries. [Update: This was created by Shawn Hobbs, and it won first place in the "Adult Flights of Fancy" category.]

And this irreverent family of "Potheads" gave visitors a chuckle.

Here's a detail of "Cover Girl"--her eyelashes were made from nails (oddly, her pupils were not dilated).

This unique space shuttle birdhouse was also from the "Flights of Fancy" category.

Entries in the childrens' categories were impressive and diverse.

Lucy Overman won third place in the "Children 7 to 9" category for this "Magic Tree House" bird house, inspired by the book series:

Here's a house made from a recycled basketball made by a child in the 7 to 9 age group.

A wine box was cleverly re-purposed into a birdhouse by another child aged 7 to 9.

A bird house with built-in seed feeder and tiled with bread tabs by another child in the 7 to 9 category.

Plastic bottles and test tubes were repurposed to create this rocket birdhouse by Vincent Lorelle, who won 3rd place in the "Children 4 to 6" category.

Another, in the 7 to 9 age group, used a plastic bottle and aluminum cans to create this mysterious, whimsical creature.

This refashioned paint bucket turned out nicely (child aged 7 to 9).

Anna Brown won first place in the "Children 10-12" category for this scene sharing her view of school.

Celia Boldizar won second place in the "Children 10 to 12" category with this art-themed house from a paint can and palette (note the dangling paint "drips").

One 7 to 9 year old did a nice job of "fancying up" a milk carton.

"Feathered Fun House", by Hadley Brickman, won 2nd in the "Children 7 to 9" category and Best-of-Theme Award.

As I mentioned before, this is just a small sampling of the many wonderful houses on display. The birdhouses will be on display through tomorrow (Sunday, 4/15/12). If you live in the Raleigh area and this post has whet your appetite for birdhouses, please click here for more information about the Annual Birdhouse Competition.

Do you have any unique birdhouses in your own back yard? Please feel free to share in the comments:

Decorative Faux "Chocolate" Bunnies from Recyclables

2012-04-01T20:10:00.005-04:00

Twenty Cent Finds at Michael's Crafts

2012-03-24T22:42:00.002-04:00

As I waited in line at Michael's Crafts yesterday, I noticed a display rack of items near the register. The shelves were labeled with tags that read "Select Impulse Items-- 20 Cents".

My first thought was that it was funny that they would blatantly label the items as IMPULSE BUYS instead of using a euphemism. Why would they want to make impulse shoppers self-aware about the nature of their purchases? Who wants to feel like a sucker? Why not call the impulse items "Last Chance Treasures" or something?

My second thought was that there couldn't possibly be anything "good" on the twenty cent shelves. I mean, what can you buy for twenty cents? I'm not a regular gum chewer, but isn't a pack of gum still around 25 cents these days?

As I was having these judgmental thoughts, I found myself browsing the "Select Impulse" shelves, casually at first--just as an interested sociologist, mind you-- and then with a bit more enthusiasm.

First, I found these. They are intended to be ornaments (Christmas? Valentine's Day?), but I'm going to snip off the hanging ribbons and add pin backs. Wouldn't these make cute gifts for little girls to pin on their winter coats or school backpacks? My daughter has already claimed the pink one (not pictured here) for herself.

Next, I found these rubber stamps. I love to make handmade greeting cards, so these will definitely come in handy. The medallion one might make an interesting repeat pattern on a pillowcase border (use a Sharpie marker, instead of a regular stamp pad, to make the design permanent).

When I found this pack of three little baking stencils, I laughed to myself, wondering where I might find an alternate universe in which my baked goods would come out attractive enough to merit a stenciled design. Then I tried thinking like a Martian and realized that a stencil is a stencil, and that my daughter could use these for fine point marker art projects. She has already made several cards with these, and like a good little creative Martian, she has pressed the center of the flower stencil into lumps of play dough to make "sunshine cookies".

Finally, I found pencil cases and a journal. I thought the pencil cases could be recast as purse organizers. The journal...was just cute.

So, they got me! They say a sucker is born every minute. But "Last Chance Treasure Hunters" are harder to come by, as they are only born every 1.5 minutes.

Evolution of Our Front Door Garden

2012-03-18T21:21:00.000-04:00

Today, I'll explain how (and why) I designed and created a DIY flagstone and pebble "mini patio" to make my front door garden prettier, tidier, and--most importantly--easier to maintain. I've mentioned in other garden-related posts that I love gardening, but I tend to be a lazy gardener--or more accurately, an intermittent gardener. This little garden area has evolved slowly over time--the photos in this post were taken over a seven year time period--and I'm still fine-tuning this space. An alternate title for this post could be, "Sometimes Being Lazy Takes a Lot of Work."

When we bought our house in 2005, the front door was flanked by Nandina bushes. For awhile, I barely noticed the Nandinas enough to have an opinion about them. Then one day, my husband and I decided that they had to go! Immediately! I posted a Craig's List ad with the title: "Free Nandina Bushes--You Dig 'Em". Two hours later, the bushes were gone. It was a win-win. Actually, if we consider the Nandinas' perspective, it was a win-win-win.

Since there were already some iris rhizomes and daffodil bulbs in the planting area on the right, I left them there and spent a few years trying to figure out the best way to maintain the area. The photo below is from March of 2007. Not very impressive, right?

A year later, I sat down and listed challenges in this garden area. These included: weed control (summer), fallen-leaf management (fall), unattractive "spent" daffodil leaves in spring (which could not be cut back without compromising the next year's bloom), and plant height, spacing, and grouping challenges. I also added "snakes" to the list, as they are my go-to excuse for garden neglect.

It occurred to me that I could redesign this area to include two "zones": a low-maintenance in-ground planting area at the back and a container garden area in front on a foundation of flagstones and pebbles. The latter would allow me to rotate pots seasonally. Rocks, I reasoned, would deter weeds (and handle fallen leaves) better than mulch. And if I played my cards right, maintenance would be heavily weighted toward the pots rather than the in-ground planting area, which translated to fewer snake encounters. (In case you think that my snake aversion is excessive, I'll share that one of our dogs was bitten by a venomous snake in our backyard. Thankfully, she was OK, though her little muzzle swelled up like a toucan bill for a few days.)

Back to the garden. Step one was to dig up the existing bed. Here's what that process looked like. Yes, I am a messy gardener (also a messy cook). This picture was taken in October of 2009:

Did I make this the weekend project that it should have been, zipping through the required steps to the "after" picture? Nope. My nap-resistant baby girl was one year old at the time, so I ended up placing flagstones directly on the soil and living with that "temporary" look for...awhile. I don't remember exactly how long, but the picture below is from June of 2010. See the flagstones and soil in the background? Busted!

Incidentally, this photo is interesting because the miniature roses were originally a small potted Valentine gift from a grocery store. Transplanted, they have lived and bloomed in the garden for years.

There are no photos for these next steps, but here they are in order:

1. Use a shovel and rake to level the dirt (a real gardener would have called the dirt "soil"). Be sure to dig down deep enough so that there will be some kind of border (in my case, the cement path and driveway edge) to contain the pebbles.

2. Cover the dirt with landscape tarp and pin it down tightly.

3. Top the tarp with leveling sand.

4. Lay out the flagstones in a loosey-goosey jigsaw pattern on the sand. Scoot sand around as needed until the tops of all of the flagstones are relatively level.

5. Between the flagstones, add pebbles (purchased in bags-not-too-heavy-for-you-to-carry from Lowe's).

Now that I write these steps, I'm wondering whether there is a better way to do it. In my garden area, weeds root directly in the sand at times, and the sand gets mixed with the pebbles. I wonder if there might be a way to place the leveling sand on top of the soil and then add the tarp and then add flagstones and pebbles directly on the tarp? Hmm. The challenge would be accommodating the uneven thicknesses of the flagstones. I'm thinking hard about this, and it hurts, so I'm moving on. Please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section if you have tried something like this (the gardening I mean, not the thinking).

I used small shards of flagstone, placed on end (two deep at places), to create a border/wall to contain the mulch that would be in the in-ground planting area.

Here is a close-up of the flagstone and pebbles today. Note that there are a few weeds (also little twigs, seeds, mulch, etc.), but there are fewer than there might otherwise be.

When I was planning this space, I had a hard time finding online pictures of patios that combined flagstones and pebbles. Now that I own this combination, I know that there was probably a good reason: when the pebbles get shifted on top of the flagstones, they are like little slippery ball bearings; it's basically an "I Love Lucy" episode waiting to happen. That hasn't been much of an issue for us, as this space doesn't see much foot traffic.

Here's a shot that was taken at the end of March, 2011. The irises hadn't bloomed yet--they usually open in April, though this year they bloomed early.

And here's a picture that I took yesterday. The back portion of the garden is primarily irises and daylilies. The front pots change. Right now, the pots are a scraggly mix of pansies and grape hyacinths. I "should" have staged this picture with better/fresher annuals in the pots, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to snap a picture when the irises were in bloom. In the summer, there will be miniature roses, some wildflowers, and lots of marigolds in the pots. As I mentioned in a previous post, marigolds will grow beautifully from last year's saved seeds.

Is my execution of this idea perfect? Nope. There should be more flagstones and fewer pebbles (I used flagstones left over from another project and didn't want to order more). Also, at some point, I'll "upgrade" to larger, better-coordinated pots with saucers underneath them, for goodness' sake, so that the soil doesn't drain out through the bottom of the pots and provide cheap housing for weeds. I'm sharing my warts-and-all gardening effort here in the hopes that it will give you ideas for your own garden, which I'm sure has no weeds. Or snakes.

This post has been linked to great before and after posts for Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

DIY Repurposed Pen Cap Vase

2012-03-07T17:41:00.001-05:00

This post really belongs on my other blog, but I couldn't resist sharing it here. Why? Because it's green, it's upcycled, it's easy, it's kid-friendly, it's seasonally-appropriate, and it ties in nicely with a post that I wrote last March in which I sang the praises of little vases.

Readers, I give you the pen cap vase (which is, technically, more of a vase cluster). It's the perfect size for displaying the microscopic weed-flowers favored by the preschool set. Materials are simple: you'll need a bunch of colorful caps from dried-out markers, a wider, shallower lid (think: Gatorade), and some hot glue. If you don't have any dried-out markers in your house, then this blog, which is aimed at mere mortals, may not be for you.

Instructions are simple: fill the wide, shallow lid with hot glue, arrange the pen caps in it, and allow the glue to dry. Think "class photo" when you're arranging the pen caps in the lid: tall kids in back; scrawny kids in front. It might look something like this when you're finished (if this were my kindergarten class photo, I'd be the turquoise cap):
To fill the vases with water, you can run the whole thing under the sink (use low water pressure) or for some great fine-motor skill practice, have a preschooler use an eye dropper or plastic syringe to fill it. The final step is to grab your favorite preschooler and go on a weed-flower hunt. If you don't have any weed-flowers in your yard, then you are definitely not a mere mortal, and it's very likely that this blog is not for you.

Happy weed-flower picking!

This post has been linked to other great DIY projects at Tatertots and Jello and Blue Cricket Design.

Remodeling? Buy This Toilet!

2012-01-27T17:25:00.004-05:00

When I decided to write this post, I wondered, "Am I really going to write about a toilet? Who writes about a toilet? And who reads about a toilet?" A poem came to mind--one that I read as an undergraduate. It was a poem about a toilet sliding, snail-like, into a living room, seeking love...and not finding any. Because really, who loves toilets? Even the word "toilet" sounds kind of ridiculous if you think about it long enough. Toilet,toilet,toilet. See what I mean?

And yet, if you buy and install the Kohler Cimarron High Efficiency WaterSense Elongated Toilet in your home, you may find yourself--as my husband and I did--discussing the merits of your new toilet over dinner.

"I really like the new toilet. Don't you?" your husband will comment, passing the dish of roasted green beans.

"Gosh yes!" You'll gush, "It's the best! Shall we replace both of the upstairs toilets too?" At this point, part of your brain will cringe, because your conversation sounds like the script from a failed "Saturday Night Live" skit, but the other half of your brain will still be sighing, "That is one fine toilet."

I don't care how many etiquette classes you have taken or how many Emily Post books you've read and memorized. If you buy this toilet, you will more than likely find yourself inadvertently discussing it over dinner. It's just that good.
What is there to love about this toilet?

First of all, it's a HET--High Efficiency Toilet. It only uses 1.28 GPF. GPF stands for Gallons Per Flush--not to be confused with GPS, which would be a really unnecessary toilet feature unless the toilet happened to be in a mobile home. The Cimarron is one of the "new breed" of HETs; unlike the old "flush 30 times and maybe the paper will eventually go down" kind of water-saving / low flow toilets, this one does the job in one quiet, powerful flush every time.

Second, it's nice and tall--the same height as a standard chair-- so it's more comfortable and ergonomic for most folks to use (older folks in particular). Its similarity to a dining room chair may in part explain why we felt so comfortable discussing it over dinner, come to think of it.

Third, it's easy to install, which makes it a great choice for do-it-yourselfers.

Fourth, both the toilet seat and the toilet lid are designed to "quiet close". In other words, when you close them, they don't slam closed, awakening sleeping babies for miles around. Instead, they close in slow motion--imagine the toilet seat version of "The Matrix". So if you are awakened at 3am, it will not be due to Great Uncle Ernie slamming the toilet seat down in the guest bathroom. Instead, you will be awakened at 3am by Great Uncle Ernie bleating "Happy Days Are Here Again" with gusto on his trumpet because he has never before in his 96 years on earth encountered a toilet quite so swell.

Fifth, everyone loves it. Just read the reviews. It received 5 stars on the Lowe's website. We are not the only weirdos discussing this toilet over dinner, thank you very much.

Sixth, if your existing toilet is a water guzzler, your town or city may even pay you to replace your existing toilet with a HET. If you'd like to see if your local municipality has a HET rebate program, toiletrebate.com may be a good place to start (though I noticed that our town's program was not listed there). For my local readers, I will share that the Town of Cary, NC has a HET rebate program which offers a $100 rebate for each water-guzzling toilet replaced (up to 2 per residential home). Raleigh and Durham offer similar programs.

Seventh, if you ever tire of discussing politics, religion, or great literature over dinner, the Kohler Cimarron will always be there for you, happy to bask in the glow of your adoring discourse.
Curious about the toilet poem that I referenced earlier? You can find the poem in its entirety here.

Finally, for the record, I have not been compensated in any way to endorse this toilet. Though being sponsored by a toilet would really send a message to the world that I "have arrived", don't you think?

DIY "Outfit Hangers" For Closet Organizing

2012-01-12T10:22:00.001-05:00

In my three year old daughter's closet, I use plastic rings to connect two hangers to make an "outfit hanger". These "outfit hangers" keep matching tops and bottoms together. When my daughter picks out her clothes in the morning all by herSELF, (yes, she is a preschooler) she can select a whole "outfit" from the closet (she also helps assemble the outfits when we're putting away her clean laundry). Parenting books call this strategy offering a child "limited choices". I call it dramatically increasing the odds that my kid will leave the house wearing something other than her Curious George footie pajamas.

I got the idea from the hangers that clothing manufacturers use for their toddler outfits, in which the pants/skirt hanger is topped by a large ring which slides over the shirt hanger. One day I was wishing that I had more of those hangers to organize my daughter's closet, and it occurred to me that I could just create my own. The plastic rings that I used are called "split rings", and they are actually drapery hardware designed for use on the back of balloon shades. I pulled mine off of some cotton shades that were slated for conversion to tablecloths. (You'll recall from my earlier posts that fabric items in my house rarely serve the same function for long!) I think that regular plastic roman shade rings without a split (found in fabric stores in multi-packs) would work even better, assuming that the diameter was large enough to accommodate two hangers. Of course, I also save hangers from new kids' clothes, such as the Carter's hangers, for the same purpose.

Happy Organizing!

One Organizing Category That You Need--Now!

2011-12-28T18:22:00.036-05:00

Sometime within the next week or so, most folks will start un-hanging the stockings by the chimney with care, un-trimming the tree, and un-stringing all of those wonderful, twinkling lights. Yes, it's time for Christmas un-decorating. But this post is not about color-coordinated Rubbermaid ornament storage boxes, air-cushioned wreath storage bags, or 50 creative places to store your hoarded rolls of Rudolph wrapping paper. This post is not even about Christmas un-decorating. This post is about Christmas Stragglers and what to do with them.
What are Christmas Stragglers? They are stealth Santas, rogue reindeer, and scalawag snowmen. They appear after all of the Christmas boxes and totes have been hauled up to the attic via the rickety drop-down ladder or dragged down three dark flights of steps to the basement. They appear after you thought that you had collected and stored every last Christmas decoration and ornament.
Christmas Stragglers can appear one day later--that snowman tea towel that you forgot was in the dryer--or weeks or months later when you move the sofa cushions to vacuum and you find one of the Three Wise Men wedged there, still solemnly offering his frankincense.

Christmas Stragglers can also be Christmas items acquired at non-Christmas times of year--those cute sand dollar ornaments that you pick up at the gift shop on your summer vacation, for example, or a classic Christmas picture book snagged for a nickel at a rummage sale in spring. Or how about toddler boots, outgrown in February, which can become next year's adorable Christmas decor?The problem with Christmas Stragglers is that--due to the difficulty of putting them away with all of the other Christmas things in their hard-to-access storage spot--the Stragglers tend to become "homeless"; they loiter in piles where they become Holly Jolly Clutter...year round. And as sweet and generous as old Santa may be, no one wants to see him in June.

The solution? Create a Christmas Stragglers storage box as a designated year-round "home" for the Stragglers, and store the box in an easy-to-access location. Add to the box throughout the year as you find or acquire Christmas items. When Christmas time rolls around again, pull out the Stragglers box along with your other Christmas items, and start decorating and making merry!To make a Stragglers storage box, purchase a cardboard banker's box at an office supply store. (I prefer the simple, inexpensive white economy weight boxes from Staples, as discussed in this post.) Print the jpeg image above (or create your own on your computer), and affix it to the front of the box. Done! In my house, we keep most of the Christmas stuff in the hard-to-access "big attic", but the Christmas Stragglers box lives in the "little attic", a smaller storage area off of our master bedroom which is easier to access.

What are your experiences with Christmas Stragglers? Any funny stories to share?

Halloween Mantel and DIY Candle Holders

2011-10-28T22:00:00.004-04:00

This will be a "Frankenstein" post: a few different fall ideas from my home cobbled together just in time for Halloween!

The photo above features last year's Halloween mantel. I was pleased with how it turned out--a nice balance of heights, shapes, and colors. At $6, the large (real) pumpkin was by far the most expensive item. The spider web bowl was more interesting propped on a plate stand than it would have been lying on a table. I didn't replicate this vignette this year because our pumpkin is roughly the size and shape of a beanbag chair!

Here's the other half of last year's mantel. I framed a collage that my daughter made and flanked it with framed scrapbook cutouts. As you may recall from this post and this post, I'll frame just about anything and pass it off as "art"!

One of my favorite tricks is to use nested jars to create a "customizable"candle holder. This idea can be adapted to almost any season, theme, or occasion. To create a striking fall candle holder, use leaves as filler. Start with two jars of equal height, one narrow enough to fit completely inside the other. Place one jar inside the other, and then slide some fall leaves into the space between the two nested jars. Add a tea light candle inside the central jar. Light it. Voila!

Here's an "aerial view" of the nested jars and candle. Probably overkill for instructional purposes, but I loved the contrast of the rough stem and smooth glass:

Pages from an old book are a great alternative "filler" (yes, this is a page from the book that I used to make this old book photo frame). For impact, imagine grouping a bunch of these guys of different heights. To make this more "Halloweeny", add a silhouette of a black cat, hat...or bat!

If you don't have long matches or a wand style lighter to light the candle in the jar, you can use an uncooked spaghetti noodle. Light the end of the noodle with a match, and then use the noodle to light the candle. The noodle may be slow to light, but this is a good thing if you value your eyebrows!

Happy Halloween!

This post has been linked to Primp Your Pumpkin at Fox Hollow Cottage, Fall Festival Friday at The DIY Showoff and Halloween Show and Share Day at Just a Girl.

Vintage Linen Tea Towel Pillow

2011-09-01T09:00:00.004-04:00

A few months ago, I found a vintage linen tea towel at my favorite local thrift shop for 50 cents. I liked the simple brown and cream toile-esque images,and I thought it had kind of a Ballard Designs feel. It's a travel souvenir towel from a place in Kansas called Lindsborg, also known as "Little Sweden". It sits on a bench in my foyer, awaiting the day when a Swede will walk through the door, point to the pillow, and exclaim, "Ah herregud! Lindsborg!" Which I think is Swedish for, "Oh my goodness, Lindsborg!" but which might really mean, "What kind of fool makes a Lindsborg pillow?"

Turning the towel into a pillow was a snap--if you've got a sewing machine and can sew a straight line, you can make one too. Experiment a bit to find the optimal square for the pillow face, (I chose to leave off the "Lindsborg" logo) and use a complementary fabric as backing. A recent cruise on Ebay using the search terms "vintage linen souvenir tea towel" revealed lots of neat tea-towel-to-pillow conversion possibilities, including a Savannah towel in navy and white, some cool London railway maps, and a map of Paris.

Just another little reminder that "decorator fabric" doesn't have to be purchased on a bolt from the fabric shop!

This post has been linked to Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style.

Almost-Free Gardening--5 Great Tips

2011-07-27T17:06:00.002-04:00

I have always loved gardens and gardening, but I can't claim to have a green thumb. Like a chronic dieter who's an expert on nutrition and exercise and yet fails to lose weight, I have an uncanny ability to retain everything that I have ever read or heard about gardening--yet in the end, when the mosquitoes start buzzing, the snakes start slithering, and the heat index tops 100 degrees, I wimp out, rush inside, and leave my garden to fend for itself.

Here are five tips I have learned in recent years that have made my laissez-faire gardening approach a bit more affordable:
1. Basil Will Root in Water
Did you know that basil will root if you place it in a glass of water on a windowsill? I learned this tip from The Tidy Brown Wren a few summers ago. This is a great way to keep fresh basil at hand through the winter (and through the summer too, if you don't want to schlep out to the garden for a few leaves). I have even successfully transitioned these plants to potting soil indoors. Just be careful when it's time to transplant these little plants outdoors--they require a very gradual transition.

2. Green Onions Will Grow From Grocery Store Roots
Here's another tip that even my seasoned gardener friends didn't know: The white portion and roots of store-bought green onions can be planted in soil and will continue to grow and regenerate green, edible shoots. (When you plant them, be sure to leave a little green above ground for photosynthesis.) I was thrilled to learn about this, as I have a bad habit of buying green onions, using one or two, and letting the rest rot in the fridge. This way, I can just snip a few green shoots with scissors whenever a recipe calls for them. They grow quickly, ensuring a long summer of pasta salad...and onion breath!

3. Tomatoes Can Be Frozen Whole
This tip may or may not save you money, but it will definitely save your sanity...and your hands. If you grow tomatoes, you have probably had the experience of cooking all day (and burning your fingers with tomato juice) only to produce 3 lousy jars of tomato sauce. Take heart! There is a much easier way to save surplus tomatoes. Gently wash and dry the tomatoes, cut off the stem end, and put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a Ziploc freezer bag. The best part? For use in recipes, just rinse a frozen tomato under hot water and the skin will slide right off in your hand! Revolutionary, I tell you!

As a side note, the watermelon in the photo above was also grown in our garden. Watermelons are easy to grow from last year's seeds...if you live in North Carolina!

4.Marigolds Are Ridiculously Easy to Grow From Last Year's Seeds
[Edited fall 2012 to link to my new how-to post]
Seed saving sounds like something that only die-hard plant propagators do, but I'm here to tell you that it is absurdly easy. You can find instructions on my other post here. Or, if you're even lazier than this, wait for last year's dropped seeds to pop up on their own as seedlings and transplant those microscopic marigolds to optimal locations.

5. Hydrangeas Can Be Propagated Without Rooting Hormone
The hydrangeas above are from my garden, though this picture is from last year--this year we have lush leaves and no blossoms, thanks to a frost. I learned how to propagate them from Manuela at A Cultivated Nest. If you have never visited her blog, you're in for a treat!

Happy (Cheap) Gardening!

Reverse Psychology--A Fun Fabric Tip

2011-06-22T23:05:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick and easy way to think outside of the box when you're working with fabric in your home: check to see whether your fabric is "reversible". The dragonflies in the frames above were made from two squares cut from the same piece of fabric. The first is the front side of the fabric, and the second is the reverse (or back) side of the same fabric.

I was introduced to this concept years ago when I read Rachel Ashwell's books. Ashwell, founder of "Shabby Chic" style, advocated using the back side of cotton fabrics (chintzes, for example) for projects such as pillows to create a soft, worn, vintage look. Here is an example of this concept in action. This photo shows the front of a bold Ralph Lauren fabric (this is a sheet)--the second photo is the back side of the same fabric:

Not all fabrics are limber enough to accomplish these acrobatic feats, but this is a good tip to keep in mind when you are refreshing a room on a budget and trying to work with what you already have. Remember also to think like a Martian. Whether you're looking at curtains, sheets, or a tablecloth, it's all just fabric in the end--fabric that can potentially be transformed into something else!

"My Really Favorite Room"--The Importance of Empty Space

2011-06-04T16:01:00.001-04:00

This morning, I decided to move the glider chair out of my two and a half year old daughter's room. With the recent addition of her first dollhouse, the room was starting to feel crowded, and I wanted to give her more space to play. Lately we've been reading bedtime stories on her "big girl" bed, so we haven't needed the chair as much as we used to.

I wasn't sure how my daughter might react to this change--after all, that glider was the site of lots of snuggles, songs, and stories, not to mention the 3 am (and 4 am, and 5 am) nursing sessions from her baby days. I felt a little wistful as I heaved the glider through the door, and I mentally prepared to comfort her if she expressed any sadness.

So I was more than a little surprised--though maybe I shouldn't have been-- when I returned to her room after carrying out the chair and found her twirling in the middle of the carpet, her little pink purse full of LEGO people practically flying off of her arm as she spun. She was belting out a song that she made up as she went along:

"It my favorite room! It my lovely room! My really favorite room! I like my roooom!"

She has never offered any opinion about her bedroom before (in spite of all of the pretty, color-coordinated touches that resulted from my overzealous nesting phase during my pregnancy), so I asked her about her song. She explained that she was happy because she had more space to play.

I looked at the corner by the window where the chair had been and where the dollhouse now stood. The dollhouse, a pastel, plastic, 3 story structure made by Fisher Price, is not attractive in and of itself--particularly since we lost the toilet and now use a hinged spice jar lid in its place-- but sitting in front of the window on its little fabric-draped decorator table, with lots of sunlight and empty space around it, it looked pretty. Or maybe more accurately, the space around it looked pretty; the absence-of-chair looked pretty. The potential-for-play looked pretty. Lovely even.
My daughter's reaction to this change reminded me of two things:

1. How sensitive human beings are to changes in our environments (children in particular), and how a simple change can truly shift the "energy" of a space. Forgive me if my California roots are showing, but it's the truth.

2. The power of "subtraction" in redesign. Sometimes removing one element from a room can make such a positive difference. As Lauri Ward says, we need to give the eye a place to "rest" in each room. Subtraction is one of the easiest--and most affordable--ways to change a space. After all, even in the worst economic times when many can't afford to buy something new, anyone can afford to remove something! And, as my daughter pointed out, it's not about losing "stuff" as much as it's about gaining space...for living!

Have you subtracted anything in your home lately? Do tell!

Our Light Fixture Fruit Bowl, or, How To Think Like a Martian

2011-04-16T21:20:00.014-04:00

We've recently completed some kitchen upgrades in our home. One old element that I was thrilled to vote off of the island was this dated, mammary-esque light fixture. (The popcorn ceilings are gone now too. Hooray!)

As my husband teetered on a ladder in our kitchen disassembling the old light fixture, I was itching to toss it out. But when he handed me the glass shade, I couldn't help but notice a few endearing qualities about it that I had missed when it had hung above my head in the kitchen, taunting me with its sheer 1987ness:

It was made of thick, heavy, frosted glass.
The edge along the top rim was smooth and finished.
It was deeper than any of the mixing bowls in my kitchen cupboards.
It had a flat spot near the hole in the bottom, which suggested that it wouldn't roll to one side or the other if I were to place it on a flat surface.
It appeared to be capable of corralling fruit, and, as fate would have it, I needed a fruit bowl.

I rinsed it out, filled it with fruit, stuck it on the counter, shrugged, and murmured, “Cool.” And that is how I came to own a light fixture fruit bowl.

I share this story because it illustrates a special kind of thinking that I use often in my interior redesign work. (For those of you who are not addicted to HGTV, interior redesign is a fancy term for redecorating using what you already have.) You might call it “creative thinking” or “divergent thinking”, but I like to call it, “thinking like a Martian”. If you can learn to think like a Martian, you will end up with a much more unique home.

So, how do you think like a Martian? You examine your possessions with fresh, Martian eyes. A Martian wouldn't use the term “end table” to describe an end table. A Martian would call it, “A 26 inch high object with a flat surface on top capable of balancing snorks and zeenies” (books and drinks). If you don't limit yourself to the label “end table”, you open up the possibility of using a stack of picnic baskets, a pile of suitcases, a dresser, or a bar stool to serve as an end table. Or you may, as one of my clients did, use an enormous flowerpot as an end table by fitting it with a round top!

With Martian thinking, you don't see shower curtains, pillowcases, tablecloths, sheets, cloth napkins, and blankets. Instead, you just see: fabric! Thanks to my tendency toward Martian thinking, I live in a house where pillowcases are made into curtains and curtains are made into pillowcases, coat hooks serve as curtain rod brackets, rusty metal burners from an old tobacco barn fill in as candle holders, costume jewelry dangles from the bathroom chandelier, and my most-beloved vases might be referred to by non-Martians as “juice glasses”.

What are some examples of Martian thinking in your home? Do tell!

This post has been linked to Tidy Mom.