google reader alternatives

i was surprised to learn today that google reader will only remain available until july 1, 2013. i thought this article from lifehacker.com included a number of good alternatives.

which reader product do you use/recommend?

i was surprised to learn today that google reader will only remain available until july 1, 2013. i thought this article from lifehacker.com included a number of good alternatives.

which reader product do you use/recommend?

framing advice

i need some advice on framing. i just acquired 4 paintings/drawings (two singles and a diptych) that will need to be matted and framed. i have used joann's but never have used michael's. my usual m.o. is to cobble together mats and frames from various sources (dick blick, target, resale shops, etc.) and do it myself. but in this case, it's time to call in the professionals, partly because they are all odd sizes. what are your favorite resources?

untitled landscape by Darren Burge

i need some advice on framing. i just acquired 4 paintings/drawings (two singles and a diptych) that will need to be matted and framed. i have used joann's but never have used michael's. my usual m.o. is to cobble together mats and frames from various sources (dick blick, target, resale shops, etc.) and do it myself. but in this case, it's time to call in the professionals, partly because they are all odd sizes. what are your favorite resources?

untitled landscape by Darren Burge

think spring shop sale!

one of these days, spring is a-comin! to help you get ready and brighten things up, use coupon code THINKSPRING for 15% off in the shop.

one of these days, spring is a-comin! to help you get ready and brighten things up, use coupon code THINKSPRING for 15% off in the shop.

custom terrarium project

i was recently hired to do a home reorganization and rearrangement project and, while we were celebrating our success at the end of a long weekend with a glass of champagne, the client asked me to create a custom for her living room.

custom terrarium for C.C.

i knew right away that i wanted to keep the cost of the vessel low, since i had already helped her spend a heap of dough on the reorganization project. if you have extra scratch to spend on a lovely vessel, i highly recommend the recycled glass terrariums at sprout home (sprout also happens to be one of my happy places).

so, i set off to tjmaxx and landed an anchor hocking 2.5-gallon jar with lid for a mere $20 + tax. think creatively to save money and figure out a work around! my client is a lover of all animals, but particularly of pigs, so i added a vintage plastic piggie to personalize it for her. i watered everything before sealing it up with the lid. i can't wait to give it to her tomorrow!

step 1: get the goods (jar)

step 1: get the goods (plants). zamioculcas (Z plant), tricolor fern, polka-dot hypoestes

step 2: river rocks on the bottom

step 3: activated charcoal

step 4: plants and finishing touches. here, i've included a dried
mushroom at left and a vintage plastic piggie on the right. 

i was recently hired to do a home reorganization and rearrangement project and, while we were celebrating our success at the end of a long weekend with a glass of champagne, the client asked me to create a custom for her living room.

custom terrarium for C.C.

i knew right away that i wanted to keep the cost of the vessel low, since i had already helped her spend a heap of dough on the reorganization project. if you have extra scratch to spend on a lovely vessel, i highly recommend the recycled glass terrariums at sprout home (sprout also happens to be one of my happy places).

so, i set off to tjmaxx and landed an anchor hocking 2.5-gallon jar with lid for a mere $20 + tax. think creatively to save money and figure out a work around! my client is a lover of all animals, but particularly of pigs, so i added a vintage plastic piggie to personalize it for her. i watered everything before sealing it up with the lid. i can't wait to give it to her tomorrow!

step 1: get the goods (jar)

step 1: get the goods (plants). zamioculcas (Z plant), tricolor fern, polka-dot hypoestes

step 2: river rocks on the bottom

step 3: activated charcoal

step 4: plants and finishing touches. here, i've included a dried
mushroom at left and a vintage plastic piggie on the right. 

product review: urban outfitters / industrial dresser

due to an odd-shaped spot in our bedroom between the closet and the window, i've been searching for the right piece of furniture for quite a while. we used to have an armless slipper chair in that spot, but it just ended up with a pile of clothes on it. so i finally bit the bullet and purchased this dresser, since it was the only one i've found that would foot the bill. the first one arrived with some damage, and, after a confusing and slightly misleading exchange with a customer service representative, unpacking, repacking, and unpacking the 78-pound box (not to mention getting it up into and back down from our apartment), i received a solid, good-to-go replacement. overall, i'm happy with it – i knew the drawers would not be too big or of the best construction. for now, it's what we need and what we have!

due to an odd-shaped spot in our bedroom between the closet and the window, i've been searching for the right piece of furniture for quite a while. we used to have an armless slipper chair in that spot, but it just ended up with a pile of clothes on it. so i finally bit the bullet and purchased this dresser, since it was the only one i've found that would foot the bill. the first one arrived with some damage, and, after a confusing and slightly misleading exchange with a customer service representative, unpacking, repacking, and unpacking the 78-pound box (not to mention getting it up into and back down from our apartment), i received a solid, good-to-go replacement. overall, i'm happy with it – i knew the drawers would not be too big or of the best construction. for now, it's what we need and what we have!

perhaps the nerdiest reorganization project of all time

rehanging the living room brought to light the disaster that was our hardware "organization." so, i hopped to and bought a new container (with a proper lock, which our existing one no longer had), sat down with some HGTV and got to reorganizing our nails, screws, hooks, and beebobs. much better!

before

after

rehanging the living room brought to light the disaster that was our hardware "organization." so, i hopped to and bought a new container (with a proper lock, which our existing one no longer had), sat down with some HGTV and got to reorganizing our nails, screws, hooks, and beebobs. much better!

before

after

reorganizing (art edition)

i've been doing the usual new year's purge/organization re-vamp of both the nooks and crannies (eg, bathroom drawers/medicine cabinet and the like) and more public displays in our house. this is the living room gallery wall re-hang i just completed, after having moved some photos in from other rooms (sources included below). nothing looks this crooked in person, i swear.

{click to enlarge} 

1. Jonathan Gitelson Popcorn Machine from "The Scavenger Hunt" 
2. Micro-Fred Small Moose Trophy from Cardboard Safari on Etsy
3. Yellow Tracks Roller Coaster (by me)
4. Locks (by me)
5. Justin Newhall Bear Chasing Captain Lewis, Great Falls, Montana from "Historical Marker"
6. Found branch, West Virginia, November 2009
7. Sarah Bierman Grass Throw from "Four Five Six"
8. Shack, Healdsburg (by me)
9.  Talking Birds from Pistachio Press on Etsy
10. {title unknown} by Rachel Austin on Etsy 
11. ceramic feather from Jayson Home and Garden (so is our couch!)
12. Redwoods re-printed with permission from the Library of Congress
13. Wire Tightener by me – available on Etsy 
14. Knitty knitty by Ashley G on Etsy (we also have Come on in (green) in the attached sunroom)
15. Side Plate from Anthropologie
16. Valley View by me – available on Etsy
 

i've been doing the usual new year's purge/organization re-vamp of both the nooks and crannies (eg, bathroom drawers/medicine cabinet and the like) and more public displays in our house. this is the living room gallery wall re-hang i just completed, after having moved some photos in from other rooms (sources included below). nothing looks this crooked in person, i swear.

{click to enlarge} 

1. Jonathan Gitelson Popcorn Machine from "The Scavenger Hunt" 
2. Micro-Fred Small Moose Trophy from Cardboard Safari on Etsy
3. Yellow Tracks Roller Coaster (by me)
4. Locks (by me)
5. Justin Newhall Bear Chasing Captain Lewis, Great Falls, Montana from "Historical Marker"
6. Found branch, West Virginia, November 2009
7. Sarah Bierman Grass Throw from "Four Five Six"
8. Shack, Healdsburg (by me)
9.  Talking Birds from Pistachio Press on Etsy
10. {title unknown} by Rachel Austin on Etsy 
11. ceramic feather from Jayson Home and Garden (so is our couch!)
12. Redwoods re-printed with permission from the Library of Congress
13. Wire Tightener by me – available on Etsy 
14. Knitty knitty by Ashley G on Etsy (we also have Come on in (green) in the attached sunroom)
15. Side Plate from Anthropologie
16. Valley View by me – available on Etsy
 

cheese box side table

hi again. things have been quiet in the shop, and though i've also been quiet here, i have been working on some fun projects.

inspired by this design*sponge before and after, i picked up this cheese box for a pittance at a local home resale store, added castors, and called it a table. bonus: it's from a local (wisconsin) cheesemaker, and does not seem to have housed a stinky cheese! i might add a protective coat of varnish once the weather's warmer and i can work outside, but otherwise it's just perfect as it is.

cheese box + castors = side table

cheese box side table vignette

hi again. things have been quiet in the shop, and though i've also been quiet here, i have been working on some fun projects.

inspired by this design*sponge before and after, i picked up this cheese box for a pittance at a local home resale store, added castors, and called it a table. bonus: it's from a local (wisconsin) cheesemaker, and does not seem to have housed a stinky cheese! i might add a protective coat of varnish once the weather's warmer and i can work outside, but otherwise it's just perfect as it is.

cheese box + castors = side table

cheese box side table vignette

USPS price increase / TTT coupon code

just a quick note to let you know that USPS will be increasing their pricing effective january 27. shipping prices in the shop will have to be adjusted accordingly, so if you've got an eye on something, you might want to snag it now! to help you get that done, use coupon code beatusps for 15% off on orders placed through january 23 (to ship by january 26).

just a quick note to let you know that USPS will be increasing their pricing effective january 27. shipping prices in the shop will have to be adjusted accordingly, so if you've got an eye on something, you might want to snag it now! to help you get that done, use coupon code beatusps for 15% off on orders placed through january 23 (to ship by january 26).

new wreaths for the new year

two newbies in the shop!

20-inch Pastoral Grapevine Wreath

14-inch Moss & Thistles Grapevine Wreath

 

 

two newbies in the shop!

20-inch Pastoral Grapevine Wreath

14-inch Moss & Thistles Grapevine Wreath