Small Apartment Big Ideas

Bedding - Martha Style

2009-01-08T08:40:00.004-05:00

I have been so freakin' Shabby Chic lately, not even Martha can stop me! Ok, so this JPEG is WAY to little to see, so please, click on the link and check out the HOT price, $100 instead of $250 from Martha Stewart. (Oh yeah, she's having a bedding sale!)

2009-01-04T18:29:00.002-05:00

It's MONSTER. And he eats. And eats. And eats.

This! It's Wellness Super5Mix. It's fabulous for health, general wellness and for finicky eaters.

Try it out! It might just have some great results for your puppy!

Eco Friendly Bath

2008-10-15T10:55:00.002-04:00

Try bamboo towels.

From CB2 - $3.95 - $24.95

There's a range of colors (orange, white, green, brown) - though bright, pretty inexpensive compared to what you'll find at places like Pottery Barn or Gaiam.com.

Why it's good to not use plastic and to use sustainable stuff:

In 2006, Americans drank about 167 bottles of water each, but only recycled an average of 23 percent. That leaves 38 billion water bottles in landfills.

Bottled water costs between $1 and $4 per gallon and 90 percent of the cost is in the bottle, lid and label.

According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006 that number jumped to 28.3 gallons.

It takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture a year’s supply of bottled water. That’s enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.

Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.

In 2007 we spent $16 billion on bottled water. That’s more than we spent on iPods or movie tickets.

Plastic bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill.

If everyone in NYC gave up water bottles for one week they would save 24 million bottles from being landfilled; one month would save 112 million bottles and one year would save 1.328 billion bottles from going into the landfill.

Fiestaware - For Cheap!!!

2008-10-15T09:36:00.003-04:00

I grew up with Fiestaware. Who knows now if that was stuff that had lead in it, but it was still pretty! My mom has all the different colors, mix 'n match when it comes to Christmas & Thanksgiving (though this year, we'll be cruisin!)... And so the stripes bring me back to childhood. These were found at JC Penney, which is pretty much the cheapest place to buy Fiestaware -

Fiesta Bongo striped chair pad: $36, originally $52

Fiesta set of 3 mixing bowls: $129.99, originally $189.99

Enjoy the cheapness while it lasts!

PSH

Napkins

2008-10-15T09:32:00.005-04:00

So as I'm surfing the internet about more green ways to live, I've hit myself in the forehead. Buy cloth napkins. Less waste in the landfills. So I bought some, but I still have paper napkins. What the hell do I do with them? Well, I guess I can bring them to work and donate them to the party box or something...

Pier 1 apron, $12

Pier 1 napkin, $2.50

Enjoy!

Doggie Do Do, What Do You Do With It???

2008-09-22T16:16:00.002-04:00

We compost it!

We use BioBag Doggie crap bags. They do actually biodegrade. They are available on Amazon for quite a bit less than what you might find in stores. I buy the bulk. We do have a golden, so the large doggie bags are the best to buy. Seriously - they work well picking up poo!

Awesome Domino Deals...

2008-08-09T20:36:00.001-04:00

Domino Deals...

Chairs. Yes, Chairs.

2008-08-09T20:08:00.003-04:00

I need an actual chair for the living room. And a rug. And storage. And this. And that. Blah.

I want this one from CB2:

But then, I can't blog about it more:

I really want this one from Ikea. It's cheap and it's in stock in Ohio!

PSH

Bad News Bears for 7th Generation

2008-05-21T09:19:00.003-04:00

Ugh. This stuff makes me itch like a madwoman! Has this happened to anyone else? You'd think since its so environementally friendly that it's also people friendly too. Method products don't make me itch. Use Method instead if you're trying to be green. You won't itch so much!

PSH

Bunched Up Bath Rugs???

2008-05-15T16:07:00.005-04:00

Welcome to McTatty & Bimmer Man's bathroom. We have a bunched up bathrug. What the heck do I do?

Oh yeah, and it's teeny tiny too! I'm looking for a fabulous, non-bunchy bathrug. Why? Because this is what my bathroom looks like AFTER my Bimmer Man is done.

I just got a 20% off coupon in the mail for Bed, Bath & Beyond. Hopefully they actually have THIS rug. For $19.99 it's not too expensive and it looks like it's heavy enough to stay in place! But I need it in green or blue. I'm on a hunt.

We'll see what they have. Otherwise I'll be shopping online.

PSH

Cinco de Mayo Margaritas - And a Recipe!!!

2008-05-05T14:45:00.003-04:00

If you don't already have margarita glasses for tonight (or for those of you lucky enough to have the afternoon off), stop by Macy's and pick up this set for $29.99 on SALE.

Then, head over to Patina to pick up some onion goggles, to make this fabulous guacamole. From McTatty's Personal Kitchen.

McTatty's Green Guacamole

2 – 3 avocados, peeled and sliced
2 lemons, juiced
½ large red onion OR 1 medium red onion
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper
½ cup cilantro, ROUGHLY chopped
2 – 3 tbsp olive oil, can be EVOO

Throw everything into a food processor except for the olive oil. Drizzle in the olive oil to desired smoothness. Process so that the guac is evenly green and no jalapeño pieces are showing – those who are not used to the heat may not like guac after getting a taste of a hot pepper! I usually top with a pinch more salt, a small sprig of cilantro and pray to the avocado gods that they don’t turn brown overnight, with this much lemon, no worries!

Enjoy and have fun tonight!

PSH

Happy May Day!!!

2008-05-01T09:02:00.002-04:00

May is . . . .
Better Sleep Month
National Good Car Care Month
National Photo Month
National Salad Month
National Egg Month
National Barbecue Month
Revise Your Work Schedule Month
Date Your Mate Month
National Hamburger Month
Fungal Infection Awareness Month

Hm. Fungal Infection Awareness Month. I'm going to have to tell my husband that. In any case, get out there and enjoy the BBQ - that's what the nice weather is for!

PSH

New Fav Website

2008-04-23T10:55:00.005-04:00

Brocade Home is my new favorite semi-shabby chic website to go to in search of fun and funky inspirations.

I'm so girly that I love their Berry collection for bed linens.

They also have a lot of inspiring black and white furniture - so if you have accent pieces or artwork that you'd like to stand out in any of your rooms, go for broke and get one of Brocade Home's pieces. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much better your beloved accent pieces pop out in your home!

A bit extravagent at $49, but these winestoppers would dress up any $3.99 bottle of Sutter Home! HOT TIP: Head to Pier 1 Imports to find some knock-offs...

Whatever you do, don't forget to look at their sale section -

There's velvet pillows, outdoor dining, sconces, fabulous rugs and even a super cute side table for only $99!

PSH

Ready to Assemble Furniture Finds - C&B SALE

2008-04-23T08:51:00.002-04:00

Try the table-in-a-bag from Crate and Barrel. It's $39.95, plus there's a cute tablecloth to go with - that's only $12.95. Yippee - a camp table from C&B!!

Plus, there's a plastic 18 piece set of flatware on sale for $5.50. How cute would those be for a book club meeting???

Currently, I'm scouring websites in search of a firepit or something like it for August when we move. Target has some - I don't want to spend more than $80, so I have a good budget to work within... maybe I'll wait until some go on sale to post...

PSH

Organize Those Magazines!

2008-04-21T11:23:00.006-04:00

I've been keeping too many magazines lately, it's not that I don't recycle them when I'm done, I bring them to the laundromat to share with everyone else. I just like to covet the magazines for awhile and scour the pages looking for pretty pictures and good recipes.

The Thomas Paul Magazine Holder from See Jane Work is $17.50, but if your a realy DIY'er, purchase one of these from Ikea, find your favorite scrapbooking paper and let your fingers do the glueing!

Check out Michael's for acid free glue - remember to flatten out the paper too so you don't get any wrinkles, spread your glue out VERY thinly as well!

PSH

Earth Day Deal - Seeds!

2008-04-21T09:39:00.002-04:00

Seeds of Change Free Shipping

Enjoy your own garden growing - get free shipping!

Coupon Code: DAILYGREEN8

Offer good until the end of April.

Actually, how about a link to 30 DAYS of Green Deals???

PSH

Small Space Storage Solutions

2008-04-14T19:37:00.006-04:00

If you're like me it means that you live in exactly 620 square feet and moved a three story house into a one bedroom apartment.

Kind of.

I can't convince my Beemer Man into donating a whole entire box of unsharpened pencils to a school, nor can I convince him that dirty clothes need to be in the hamper and when the hamper is full to wash what's in there. Um, no. He buys more socks. And underwear. That's only one problem.

Here were my solutions:

Kitchen Hutch from Target - $149
I whole heartedly admit, it's not the prettiest, but it's large and fits the needs of our small kitchen. ALL the baking stuff is stored along with the utensils.
For $39.99 the Rexbo storage unit is easily used in the office area. It holds the law school books along with a few reams of paper and one 8x10 framed wedding picture. Who knew that I would fall in love with red?

These are only two solutions to the many -

Closet organizers - boxes, baskets, an over the door shoe holder houses my bras & socks, a plastic closet doubler, purses that hang on what are supposed to be pants hangers (stuffed with tissue paper), plastic shelving under the bathroom sink...

Honestly I could go on forever (need more room for new glasses - use an old coffee mug for a pen & pencil holder) - sometimes ideas come to you that you would never think. I bought an old restaurant utensil holder (kinda like now what the six pack case is with the napkins in it) and it's now used for the address book, errant pens, a lighter, the stamps and all the remote controls.

Amazingly, you'll find something you love that you have to use for something. No worries, more solutions to come!

PSH

$6 Wallflowers

2008-04-11T11:00:00.001-04:00

At Bath & Body Works.

Enjoy the discount - there's also a coupon code on the top banner of the website.

PSH

Buying Furniture

2008-04-11T08:21:00.006-04:00

Wow... I haven't actually BOUGHT furniture in so long...

I'm a little shocked at shipping prices (finally, the Ikea in Ohio opened, so I'll be going there in July!), disturbed by the lack of not finding more dining sets and not so enthusiastic about going to furniture stores. Hmm. I think I like online shopping better.

For $499, this table will fit into the new kitchen of the new rental in August. It's mod, coffee colored and seems to be stable. But for $499, you also have to put it together yourself. I don't know if I LIKE that part! This is from West Elm (I think, whoops, I totally forgot to bookmark it for later!) or it could also be from CB2.

When shopping for furniture I have a strange obsession with shabby chic things for myself - Rachel Ashwell is the definite Shabby Chic decorator (Confession: I own Shabby Chic bed linens from Target) and I just can't seem to stray from the clean, comfortable lines and lovely feeling that you get, it's like when the sun shines down upon your face and you suddenly smile.

The above chair is the PB Basic Grand Chair. It comes in several slipcover colors - whoops, I mean like 50 - with different prices attached to it too. For $1,000, it's not in my budget, but check out this likeness from ikea:

For $249, the Ektorp comes in several colors as well, newly fashioned in pink! This is more of my budget, with a brightly colored throw and some fun pillows, what a fabulous reading chair this would make (with a glass of wine...).

PSH

Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products

2008-04-05T14:44:00.002-04:00

Most people don't realize how bad Formula 409 is for the environment. Great for cleaning, but incredibly toxic! Follow these simple steps to cure your toxic cleaning habit...

Clogged Drain? Try this:

Put 2 - 3 tablespoons of baking soda into the clogged drain, then pour 1 cup of vinegar over it. Let fizz and bubble for about 5 minutes. Then pour boiling hot water into the drain to flush out the clog.

Smelly Carpet?

Sprinkle baking soda over the trouble carpet areas, then vacuum up. The baking soda works on carpet just like in the fridge, sucking the smells right out!

Microwave like a nasty frat boy has had it for years?

Mix vinegar, water and a little lemon juice in a medium microwave safe bowl. Nuke for 5 minutes, then let the steam soak into all the gross areas. Open the door and wipe away! It may take several tries, but it works wonders!

Toxic agents by the numbers, thanks to Treehugger.com:

1. 17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, only 30% of which have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.

2. 63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.

3. 100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.

4. 275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.

5. 5 billion: the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.

6. 23: the average gallons in chemicals (87 liters) that a janitor uses each year, 25% of which are hazardous.

PSH

What's Your Low Impact Living Score?

2008-04-05T14:35:00.002-04:00

Try out this Low Impact Living Calculator. At the end, it gives you suggestions of what you can do to live an even more low impact life.

Love it!

PSH

Pink!

2008-04-02T13:08:00.005-04:00

Check out the new Conversation Pieces by Crate & Barrel. At moment, Blogger's not letting me upload photos. Damn.

The new Savoir chair is the perfect shade of pink for an eye-catching Spring room. Yeah, $899 for a chair - probably not for my cheap budget, especially for trading out furniture seasonally. Still, it's perfect Spring color brightens any room!

My perfect idea of where all of my lovely paperback books and wedding gadgets should go:

For $269, the Bergsbo cabinet comes in 2 colors, white & red. I say make a statement. Go for the red.

There's this red one too:

The Linnarp for $349 (which is my personal 1st choice, why, I'm not quite sure, maybe it's because it's on the front cover of the 2008 Ikea catalog).

Enjoy!

PSH

McTatty's Top 10 Things She Cannot Live Without

2008-04-01T15:08:00.010-04:00

1. Burt's Bees lip balm

2. Diet Mountain Dew

3. The "Chunky" Sweater from Banana Republic. A reprisal is needed every spring in Minnesota of my biege, black, brown, white and gray chunky sweaters.

4. Seventh Generation Trash Bags - I actually do bulk orders from Gaiam.com.

5. Method hand soap - Sea Minerals. It seriously smells like the spa. How can you NOT deny something that's biodegradable and good for you? Plus it's only $4.00 online. At Target it's usually $2.99 OR $3.99. Get it, you'll never turn back!

6. The Young & The Restless (my soap opera). I read this religiously.

7. Aveda Replenishing body Moisturizer. No need to elaborate anymore on Aveda. I'm from Minnesota and have been addicted ever since my first smell at the Southdale Mall.

8. My 2 year old Nikon D70s. I got it when it was brand new. Now people have the D80 and don't know what ISO even is...

9. The GoogleReader. How the heck would I keep up with blogs like The Pioneer Woman Cooks or Apartment Therapy?

10. The song "Otherside" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Or anything by Tom Petty. Or Dave Matthews.

PSH

April Is...

2008-03-31T10:13:00.001-04:00

International Guitar Month, Keep America Beautiful Month, National Anxiety Month, National Humor Month, National Welding Month, National Garden Month, and Uh-Huh Month.

Hmmm.... I'll be interesting to see if anyone advertises these... I especially like National Welding Month.

PSH

Steal of the Day

2008-03-29T10:06:00.002-04:00

Bright Stripes Floor Cushion - $59.99 On sale from $100

Find at: Urban Outfitters

I want this!

PSH

Wall Art

2008-03-29T09:50:00.005-04:00

For $99.99 you get some fine Marimekko non-art art. $24.95 is the cost of the hanging hardware that you need (or upon closer discovery, you can probably find something cheaper). CB2 amazingly has some great stuff that's more hip than the regular Crate & Barrel.

Or here's another Marimekko print. This one's just a bit cheaper ON SALE at $69.95. Take advantage while you can - Marimekko is pretty darn expensive every once in awhile.

But if you like Marimekko or any other Finn designer, check out FinnStyle, based in Minneapolis but online everywhere...Or go completely retro and remember the 70's with this bright and bold Blondie print from Urban Outfitters. It's more on the affordable side too at $24.00. With three others to choose from, you could have Bret Michaels, David Bowie or the Monsters of Rock.

PSH

Odd Kitchen Gadget Find

2008-03-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Do you really need a lettuce knife for $2.99?

Ummm, probably not. But it looks pretty cool!

PSH

Indoor Greenery... For Non-GreenThumbers

2008-03-29T08:40:00.004-04:00

Peace lilies are supposedly the best plant to have indoors. My mother never had one. My father never had one, and personally I think that it looks like the hostas the neighbor had growing up.

I digress.

They have large leaves - which means it cleans the air in your home better and to be quite honest, after reading some care instructions, they're pretty easy to take care of!

Bamboo is another possible alternative to those like me. No green thumb. I can kill absolutely anything, trust me. We only kept a rosemary bush alive for two weeks, thank you!

Smith & Hawken, is of course, a home and garden store not just that expensive outdoor living store you find at places like The Galleria in Edina, MN.

The lucky bamboo above is found here, $49.00 for nice thick pieces of lucky bamboo. Since it is a tropical plant, they do need humidity and water every two to three days (But then, I also live in South Central Indiana and I'm looking at bamboo plants out my window right now and they're doing ok).

Smith & Hawken also has tons more foliage plants that are great for cleaning the air in your home as well as helping to brighten up your day and bring spring closer one day at a time.

Plus, save 20% more on their sale stuff!

PSH

Upcoming Weekend Blogging

2008-03-26T16:50:00.002-04:00

Vases, plants, indoor plants (I specifically want an AeroGarden, http://www.aerogarden.com/)

What does your closet look like??? (Mine's a landmine waiting to happen)

Eating utensils

Home office fun among other things...

Get This, Treehuggers!!!!

2008-03-25T15:07:00.002-04:00

Bye - bye to the plastic bottle! I'm so glad that ONE hotel is doing this... I know, I know, it's not quite a decorating post but I can't help but praise this hotel for NOT selling bottled water! I do LOVE my FIJI water every once in awhile, but whatever... I'm more for the environment!

Oh yeah, Indiana residents, if you're a true treehugger, go ahead and apply for THIS greenpeace job!

And NOW for the Big Ideas:

Biokleen - http://biokleenhome.com/

A fab place to find cleaning products that REALLY work. And GREEN cleaning products too!

Ok, enough digression about the environment today... (I'm actually supposed to be working at my REAL job)

PSH

Apothecary Jars - Cheap or Expensive?

2008-03-22T08:32:00.003-04:00

All the apothecary jars that I've seen so far have been kinda expensive. Just enough to where you think twice about spending your money on them. I've found them at several places - Target, Pottery Barn and a wholesale outlet.

Try all three of these places, you'll end up incredibly happy knowing that you don't have to spend all your hard earned money on just ONE jar!

English Creek Gardens

This small jar is $17.95 - the larger ones are obviously more expensive but trust me, this is the best place I've found so far for your toiletries or fun stuff for decoration.

PSH

Shop: Umbra

2008-03-16T11:23:00.004-04:00

So, in my spare time I browse the internet.

A lot.

And I found this cool store. Umbra - it reminds me of those stupid shorts that people had when I was little, like 6th grade or so for playing soccer. When I actually got a pair, I was so pissed that they kept riding up, I gave them away. My mom was mad. This is a different Umbra.

This is one European treasure that you'll adore. Storage to decorating to furniture to office stuff. Browse away, because I can't stop!

A grassy organizer for your desk, the bathroom (I want one for my brushes) or any small kitchen stuff is $9.50.

Plus their selection of paper towel holders will amaze you - even better than Bed, Bath & Beyond!

They even have a pretty selection of wallpaper - if you're feeling adventurous! The above wallpaper is $39 for 55 square feet, a bit expensive, but pretty for a bathroom or a reading nook - imagine sitting in a warm, cozy alcove with the soothing blue and reading your favorite book with tea (or a martini for me!).

Enjoy!

PSH

Pictures... of Letters... For Your Home!

2008-03-16T09:45:00.002-04:00

There are so many websites out there that offer photographs of letters so you can create a sign, may it be "welcome" or your last name or first names or whatever.

Check out this website to offer you some creative ideas for what you can do along with examples of photos.

I've been thinking about offering to do this - but just developing the photos (5x7's) and shipping them off to whoever wants this.

The hard part: going out into the cold and finding creative parts of architecture that look like letters. I think I might start offering it on my photography website, www.psphotographyonline.com this upcoming April.

I better get to work! Outside of my living room window, I see several pieces of architecture that could be letters, "I," "H," "A."

PSH

B-Town Happenings...

2008-03-06T15:40:00.002-05:00

Luna Moth Gallery At The Caldwell ECO Center
December 10, 2007 - December 30, 2011
Times: Hours M,T,W &F 1-5 • Open most 1st Fridays
Location: 323 S. Walnut St. • Bloomington, Indiana 47401
Phone: 812-345-5774
Admission: Free

The Luna Moth Gallery at the Caldwell ECO Center exists to bring attention to art based on nature and/or ecological principles while also bringing attention to the activities of groups under the umbrella of the Caldwell ECO Center -The Center for Sustainable Living, Heartwood, Hoosier Environmental Council, Indiana Forest Alliance and the Caldwell Center for Culture and Ecology.

The Kinsey Institute Gallery - "Women of Pleasure" exhibition
January 18, 2008 - April 4, 2008
Times: 2:00 to 4:00 M-F
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org
Location: The Kinsey Institute Gallery, Morrison Hall, Indiana University
Phone: 812-855-7686
Admission: FREE

The Kinsey Institute Gallery presents an exhibition titled “Women of Pleasure,” which explores the depiction of women in 18th and 19th century European erotic art. The exhibit contains paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, books, and other materials from the Institute’s extensive collections. Highlights of the exhibit include a pair of engravings by British satirist William Hogarth and several rare editions of "Fanny Hill; or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure," John Cleland’s 1749 erotic novel.

SARAH FITZSIMONS Fusion Culture: Transportable Living and the Landscape
February 19, 2008 - March 7, 2008
Times: Tuesday - Saturday, 12 - 4pm
http://sofa.fa.indiana.edu
Location: Indiana University School of Fine Arts, Bloomington, SoFA Gallery
Phone: 812.855.8490
Admission: FREE

The School of Fine Arts (SoFA) Gallery at Indiana University is pleased to announce Fusion Culture: Transportable Living and the Landscape, an exhibition of sculpture, installation photography and video. Fusion Culture: Transportable living and the Landscape will explore ideas about environmental change related to global warming and inventions created by visual artists in response to these changes.

Argentine Tango Classes
February 20, 2008 - March 26, 2008
Times: 9:00pm - 11:00pm
Location: Blooming Lotus Studio, 106 E. 6th St., 2nd floor
Phone: 812-339-1361
Admission: $60 per person for 6 weeks/$30 for full-time students with ID

Learn to dance Argentine tango! New beginner series starts on February 20th and meets for 6 consecutive Wednesday evenings. Absolute beginners welcome. No partner necessary.

PSH

Etsy Find

2008-03-05T13:18:00.006-05:00

Corkboard. Easy to use, easy to buy and looks incredibly pretty! Corkboard is surprising sustainable for a green home - reusuable and earthfriendly, I'm in love with this etsy find! Uncorked is a great shop for neat interesting corkboard finds. $28 gets you the corkboard above with layers of the artist's personality!

Another good find - earrings! Yeah, yeah, I know they're not exactly home decorish - but still - you just can't deny a good pair of homemade earrings! For $18, the earrings above are a pretty good deal. Made by Elizabeth Williams, you'll find so many cute things from her shop, that I'm sure you'll find a few presents for others as well as yourself!

Time for another DECOR ITEM:

Prestige is the manufacturer of this lovely lamp (now I regret registering for lamps for wedding presents, but then you don't know crap about decorating until you start to learn what you like and what you don't like along with what goes together and what doesn't). The seller's marketplace, Sea Glass Vintage, also includes items like goblets, hand thrown pottery, a candy dispenser and awesome gadgets for displaying on bookshelves (hint: look at everything and you'll find SOMETHING you love!).

So onto Etsy it is... Happy hunting!

PSH

Inside Out

2008-03-02T09:33:00.006-05:00

I grew up in Minnesota - I'm huge fan of outdoor living. When I nannied in the summertime, I don't think we spent more than 1 hour inside. Whether it was so hot we'd be sitting on the front steps drinking pink lemonade or running around at the park, being outside was so incredibly freeing - it was as if we didn't have any constraints. Lovely, just lovely one of my co workers would say!

Pottery Barn has always had some of my favorite outdoor furniture, yet it's still way out of my price range for almost anything! Above has been a favorite look, but it's just not personal enough for my tastes - it looks like it should be in one of those HGTV home selling shows. Blech.

Smith & Hawken has sets under $1500 - talk about a deal (if you find one that you like)!

S&H also has a great BBQ grill - shown above - that's not too seriously expensive. Since they do sell things at Target - they can't be too bad, right??? (ha ha, I love s&h!)

Light up your outside world with some copper oil lamps (but don't forget the oil).

Outdoor spaces need to be decorated just like indoor spaces. Don't forget the details, otherwise you'll end up with something that just seems unfinished. Get an outdoor rug, candles, bring your bar outside in the summer and voila! An outdoor space that you'll never want to leave!

PSH

Desks? Create your own? Seriously?

2008-03-01T09:35:00.003-05:00

You can now create your own at JC Penney, seriously!

Boy was I shocked when I read that...

I say take advantage of it if you can. It seems pretty cheap, plus you can always find online coupons for free shipping and delivery. The only problem - I'm not so sure of the quality, then again I'm the person who goes out and buys bookshelves from Ikea. So this furniture has to be better quality!

The only bad thing, they don't "put it all together" for you, so you have to imagine it first. And measure!

JC Penney is also having a rug sale and what I wouldn't do for a shag rug! It's on sale from $99 to $449. Did I mention it's shag? I'd like it in the bedroom, for right when you wake up in morning - I love feeling soft and cozy first thing in the morning.

Enjoy!

PSH

I'm BACK!!! From the depths of personal assistant life...

2008-03-01T09:20:00.004-05:00

So I have a new day job. I'm an assistant, more like a personal assistant to a Vice President at a major university. Yes, yesterday I was creating a Flickr account for his photos...

Which literally had me thinking that maybe I need to focus on things I like when I come home, back to my new year's resolution!

And aha!

Welcome to Acacia!

You'll be welcome to find all the recycled materials and zen-like flavor it offers for peace and tranquility.

Take for example this stone pebble door mat. For $45, it's really not a bad deal for pretending to walk in water, right?

Ha! No, but I love the feel that it brings right away to your entryway, front door, it reveals a calming sense of your home for visitors.

Looking to show of some lovely drinks, maybe your fabulous foodie creations? Try this utsukushii tray (means beautiful in Japanese). $29.95 can bring you the creativity to host a Japanese themed dinner party, purchase some Japanese prints and maybe a budha or just enough inspiration to find more decor that you absolutely love!

I could seriously link to everything (including their lovely sexual intimacy DVD collection), but I just can't help showing the ones that I purchased this past week.

Enjoy!

PSH

Cool Clocks

2008-02-11T19:43:00.001-05:00

From UrbanOutfitter's, this classic comes in three colors - black, orange and turquoise. Take your pic of bright, fun spring colors to outfit your own decor or stick with the basic black. It's online only for a steal at $24, plus you can even shop for clothes and fun stuff to entertain.

Check out the cool clock above - it attaches to the wall on the side, so you have two views. It's a definite splurge at CB2 for $80 bucks but worth it if you only have one clock in your small space.

PSH

The Entertainment Center

2008-02-11T18:55:00.000-05:00

Enjoy organization with this DVD storage set. It's $60 bucks, but totally worth it for the sanity of all who search for that missing DVD (I'm currently looking for The Mexican with Brad Pitt, anyone seen it?). Plus, you can finally get rid of those thick DVD cases that take up room and force you to buy more DVD racks that take up precious wall space. For the most part, you can drop off those cases at your local recycling centers but sometimes they don't take them. In that case you have another option! You can recycle those by mailing them to this place:

Plastic Recycling, Inc.

2015 S. Pennsylvania
Indianapolis, IN 46225

Phone: (317)780-6100

Above is the entertainment console that we need to corral all of our stuff. With a PS2 & a PS3 along with a DVD player, tuner, wireless headphones and countless other television gadgets, they can all be thrown in one place. I love the doors - close off what you don't need and put the items that you use every day in the middle. In fact, I think I might even be able to find a place for the 4 remotes and controllers! Love it! This one is dark wood, but Ikea has a fabulous set of options and many more styles to choose from.

In fact, I might have a hard time of doing this, but I might even try convincing Beemer Man that we need to get shelf speakers instead of the big tall ones that are sitting by the television now. They're ugly. They just don't look good. Bose makes shelf speakers that are full of volume - one pair is about $160 at Best Buy, (search at www.bestbuy.com for Bose Speakers) so for that much money, you get speakers on your shelf, more floor space and enough sanity to actually enjoy looking at speakers!

Happy DVD organizing!

PSH

I Don't Have a Balcony

2008-02-05T11:57:00.000-05:00

And I've decided that now I'm glad I don't have a balcony because it would've been on the North side of the building! Completely wrong place for growing tomatoes!

With our old South facing apartment in Saint Paul, Minnesota we used to store stuff on the balcony. Tires, a grill, chairs, pretty much anything and everything that we could keep outside in the Minnesota cold. Even beer every once in awhile. I just wish that I would've been creative enough to get rid of more stuff (ok, get rid of my husband's stuff) and to have a cute little balcony escape!

Keep your feet free from deck nails and toe stubs with this wooden indoor/outdoor rug from West Elm. Even if you're only living in an apartment for a year - this will become a handy mat for your future deck or patio.

Wooden indoor/outdoor rug -
2' x 3' $49.00
2.5' x 7' $159.00
3' x 5' $129.00
5' x 8' $299.00
8' x 8' $549.00
8' x 10' $599.00

Dining Set - $799

On the cheaper side of life:

Overstock.com has amazingly great deals this time of year if you're looking to re-do your outdoor teeny, tiny space! The set above is $229 with of course, the O's $2.95 shipping. I say paying for the shipping is going to be the worst part, unless of course you're at Home Depot and happen upon a cheap plastic set...

From a renter's experience I can say simply one thing, don't ever nail anything into the siding, you can't cover it up with toothpaste! Also, don't get a birdbath or a bird feeder unless you want to be walking around in do-do and powerwashing your deck. Instead, take from your small home what you already have - vases filled with glass beads, seasonal accents or grilling accessories that you can't exactly find a perfect place to store! You can even get the planters that hug the deck railing and fill with your favorite herbs, sweet peas and other fun plants for the summer months.

Happy balcony decorating! And don't forget to go to Tuesday Morning and Marshalls, you never know what they might have! Sometimes you find the neatest things at the oddest times.

PSH

Etsy Find: Jen Morris

2008-02-03T11:25:00.000-05:00

English photographer Jen Morris will make your heart happy. Bright colors, flowers and organic photography will bring a spring brightness to your home that we've been waiting for since October!

Oh, It's a Jen Morris Original!!!

She has a January/February sale going on - 2 for 1... Check it out, I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised. She's also a fellow nestie - username is jenmorris.

Etsy is a great place to find art, crochet and even food. There's a variety of artists and media - they even have a vintage section where you can find so much stuff! Most items are priced pretty fairly, plus buying from artists directly is one of the best things you can do to support artists and their creativity.

Have fun browsing! ***It's a little addicting***

PSH

10 Links to Great Online Shopping

2008-02-01T09:27:00.001-05:00

1. Relish
www.shoprelish.com
"Relish is more than a brand.
It is a lifestyle, a mentality, a philosophy.
It is the idea that everyday objects should be beautiful, functional and affordable.
It is the zone between individuality and mass production.
It is a carefully curated collection of emerging designers from around the globe that inspire, elevate and touch our senses."

2. Jayson Home & Garden
http://www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com
With their rare finds in vintage glam and their awesome accessories and lighting, this store provides way more than your average Home & Garden store. They also do custom windows!

3. Layla Grace
http://www.laylagrayce.com
Perfect for girly girls - the wonderful lavish pinks and purple and frills and lace. The second love of my life... right after my Beemer Man smelling like racecars and motor oil...

4. FinnStyle
www.finnstyle.com
A finnish girl in my right, I cannot deny the loveable prints and patterns of Marimekko. Also stocked with more than just one finnish designer, you'll see that even in the far north we still like to have color and happiness in our lives. (I personally have an umbrella - the perfect pick-me-up on a rainy south-central Indiana day)

5. All Modern
www.allmodern.com
Modern furniture and accessories. I can't describe the high volume of moderness sold here.

6. West Elm
www.westelm.com
Cheap, but not too cheap. Stylish and yet doesn't go out of date. This is one of my favorite websites to browse when there's some down time... Lovely!

7. Jamali Garden Dot Com
http://www.jamaligarden.com
Yep, you got it. Gardening. I have a green thumb, my dear Beemer Man kills everything he touches. I'm not so sure what to do about that but put my foot in my mouth and make my dead plants decorative.

8. Home Decorators
http://www.homedecorators.com/
Yes. Literally, home decorators dot com. They have everything from the bathroom sink to mailboxes. You'll be able to get a *few* fabulous deals, although I tend to google online coupons when I know I'm buying something...

9. Gaiam
www.gaiam.com
The green living experts. You can find organic cotton sheets to tampons to curtains to compost bins for the kitchen. I know, I know, I'm more green than I am anything else. But you'll save a few trees if you order online. This is where I find some of the best gifts too.

10. Branch Home
http://www.branchhome.com
sustainable design for living. Another tree hugger website that makes you feel great about yourself after ordering something. I absolutely love this place too!

PSH

Something Pretty For Your Cuisine

2008-01-30T15:01:00.000-05:00

I'm a total Missoni lover. I registered for it for my wedding. I gladly entertained the thought that no one would buy it for me and I would have to buy it for myself. I am high class, my food though, is not - visit my food blog here. At Macy's, they're having some sort of a sale. Missoni may or may not be on sale, but my plan is to eventually outfit my formal dining room table with it. Somehow.

On the other hand, my mother is in love with Fiestaware, which is on sale NOW (AS IN TODAY) at Macy's too. She has a variety of colors - yellow, cobalt, red, orange, teal and who-else-knows. We also have a large family so there's enough colors to go around.

Picking out dinnerware is hard - like me, I move all the time so I just have plain white from Pier 1 that are really maybe 2 - 3 dollars a piece (I would send the link, but Pier 1 doesn't have a online store anymore, dang it!). Now, if we moved to a house, I would get Fiestaware. Cobalt, orange and white maybe. I would definitely pick a variety of colors!

My current mission is to pick out new drinkware for the mother-in-law... good, dependable and reliable heavy drinkware... We'll see how this one goes...

Next on the blog: Couches, sofas, davenports (my gramma's term) - best places to shop???

PSH

GAIAM Online Coupon

2008-01-29T15:32:00.000-05:00

Get $20 off Orders of $100!

Coupon Code: SWST

Grab it before it expires!

PSH

B-Town Happenings...

2008-01-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

Artistic events for your decorating inspiration.

These events take place in Bloomington, Indiana. If you have any events in your area - feel free to submit a comment and I will post the inspirational event!

First Friday Artists’ Reception - Wandering Turtle Gallery February 1, 2008
Times: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
http://www.wanderingturtle.com/
Location: Wandering Turtle Art Gallery, 224 N. College AvenuePhone: 812-330-1990
Admission: Free
“Spirit and Image” Photographs by Darryl Jones & Wood Carvings by James Alexander Thom With Special Music by Curtis Cantwell Jackson

Bloomington Photography Club Member Exhibition February 1, 2008
Times: Monday-Friday 11-5 and Saturdays 11-3
http://www.artlives.org/
Location: John Waldron Arts Center, South Walnut StreetPhone: 812-334-3100 x 111
Admission: Free
Photography takes over the walls as the Bloomington Photography Club holds a Member Exhibition at the John Waldron Arts Center in the Rosemary P. Miller Gallery. It runs from February 1st - 29th with an opening on Friday, February 1st from 5-8pm. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 11-5pm and Saturdays 11-3pm or by appointment. For more information visit http://www.artlives.org/ or contact the gallery director at (812) 334-3100 x. 111.

The Irish Lion - Bourbon Tasting EventJanuary 31, 2008
Times: 7 pm
http://www.irishlion.com/
Location: The Irish Lion Restaurant & Pub, 212 W. Kirkwood
Phone: 812-336-9076
Admission: $25 ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
The Irish Lion and Big Red Liquors present a Bourbon tasting event. Seating is limited. Tickets are $25 per person + tax, includes tasting and complimentary appetizers.

SoFA Gallery: MFA Metals, Sculpture + Textiles Area ExhibitionJanuary 22, 2008 - February 2, 2008
Times: 12:00 - 4:00pm, Tuesday - Saturday
http://sofa.fa.indiana.edu/
Location: Indiana University, Fine Arts SoFA Gallery, 1201 E. 7th St., Bloomington IN, 47405
Phone: 812.855.8490
Admission: FREE!!
These exhibitions will highlight artworks created by graduate Metals students in the Master of Fine Arts Program, and Sculpture and Textiles students in the Masters and Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts, Indiana University. Events are free and open to the public.

The Kinsey Institute Gallery - "Women of Pleasure" exhibition
January 18, 2008 - April 4, 2008
Times: 2:00 to 4:00 M-Fhttp://www.kinseyinstitute.org/
Location: The Kinsey Institute Gallery, Morrison Hall, Indiana UniversityPhone: 812-855-7686
Admission: FREE
The Kinsey Institute Gallery presents an exhibition titled “Women of Pleasure,” which explores the depiction of women in 18th and 19th century European erotic art. The exhibit contains paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, books, and other materials from the Institute’s extensive collections. Highlights of the exhibit include a pair of engravings by British satirist William Hogarth and several rare editions of "Fanny Hill; or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure," John Cleland’s 1749 erotic novel.

Ok everyone, I'm sure by the LARGER font you can tell that I might be seen at the bourbon tasting... haha... Actually, I'm more prone to end up at the Sahara Mart's Wine Tasting events that take place in a tent in their parking lot with plastic cups...

Enjoy and be inspired!!!

PSH

My Bathroom Went to Shit

2008-01-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

But at least I scrub it with Method Tile Cleaner!

Haha! If there's one thing that I've always hated to even think about decorating, it's the bathroom. I shared a one bathroom house with 4 females in college. Dirty, nasty, gross. Those three words sum up the bathroom perfectly! I mean, we had a clear shower liner, which I couldn't even bring myself to step into without my dormitory shower shoes, mismatched rugs that I didn't even want to walk on and the smallest mirror ever.

Oh yeah, and everyone but me had a problem cleaning it. Try having 17 people in your family growing up. You gotta do what Momma tells you...

Try organizing all of your fun stuff with the shower caddy above. It has room for razors, shampoo, conditioner, a scrubby thingy for your feet and more stuff. Today it's on sale for $12.99. Original price - $21.

To go green in the bathroom, try a teak shower mat. It's great for your feet and it's also a non-slip surface. Find it at Bed, Bath & Beyond for just under $40. They also have more teak bathroom accesories - though they are spa-like, they are also an environmentally friendly product for your bathroom and things like this are hard to find that are actually stylish.

All the accessories are plain enough that you won't have to worry if your towels aren't bamboo or natural colored. Teak is a great wood for a bathroom, durable, easy to clean and slip-free.

Another bathroom organization tool that you can use in the kitchen OR in the bathroom is an under-sink organizer. It's easy to put together and easy to sort through all of your stuff. I happen to like hiding my accessories under the sink, but if you have a pedestal sink, you're out of luck! This one is $17.99, but I bet if you want to skip for paying the shipping, you find this at your local Bed, Bath & Beyond or something similar at Target.

Good luck and happy bathroom organizing!

PSH

Decorating Green - Air Purifying Plants

2008-01-25T13:21:00.000-05:00

Who wants to spend money on an air purifier and use more energy when you can have some green in your life? Here's a list of some plants that help purify the air. Green living is not about just changing your light bulbs, it's also about making your living environment safe and livable for your family too. Give them as gifts, as hostess presents, get well presents, whatever you can give them away for, please do!

A good rule of thumb - one plant for every 100 square feet of living space. Personally, I could only NOT kill one. But these plants are also pretty easy to take care of too!

Aglaonema sp. Chinese Evergreen

Aloe barbabensis Aloe Vera, Burn plant

Chlorophytum comosum Spider Plants

Chrysanthemum sp. Mums

Dieffenbachia sp. Dumbcane

Epipremnum sp. Golden Pothos

Ficus sp. Ficus

Gerbera sp. Gerbera Daisy

Hedera sp. Common English Ivy

Philodendron sp. Heart leaf philodendron

Spathiphyllum sp. Mauna Loa

Some of these are poisonous, be very very careful of your pets and your small children. Aloe is a great soothing plant for cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc...

Aloe can be grown in your bathroom (we used to do that when I was little on a shelf above a window), ficus can sit in a corner and you can spread your plants throughout your home. Or you can bunch them up together so you don't forget to water one! Whatever you decided to plant, please choose something that will help you live better and make you feel like you've chosen the right plant for your home and family.

Enjoy!

PSH

Wine Racks

2008-01-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

The other night I was enjoying a glass of cab, it was Three Blind Moose for $6.99. A little grapey, sweet, but not bad for $6.99. I would buy a case of it. The only problem - storage. Help me now, please, God, give me just one more closet to put my crap.

Or a wine rack.

A cart ($160.23 for above) would be fine - I could keep it where we have our pot rack. Or in the living room or in the closet or in the bedroom and just wheel it out when we need it.

A buffet would be nice in a house. $836.50 if you're looking at something a little more pricey.

Another cart ($799.95) and a side table ($142.80).

And of course, a wine lover's curio cabinet ($1,520.00).

All of the above wine racks and furniture can be found in abundance with MORE wine racks at the Wine Rack Station. If you do purchase, remember that the shipping will be what'll ruin your budget! Try and find some online coupons for free shipping, I won't list any here, as I will probably forget to update with *new coupons every couple of weeks. Hey, another idea for a weekly post! Thanks!

PSH

Workspaces - What A Girl NEEDS

2008-01-23T13:54:00.000-05:00

See Jane Work

The fun and fabulous site where you can order your fabulous office supplies. At work, I call my office supply catalog my "bible." I look through it everyday and wonder what else I can order for my desk.

Flip no more - only clicking is required here (along with your company's credit card)!

Another aspect that I love about work areas is your mousepad. I was a freshman in college when I stole my first mousepad from the University of Minnesota. It said, "Do Not Remove. Property of the University of Minnesota." Well, technically I still lived on campus. It was still on University of Minnesota property. So that's not stealing, right???

The mousepad shown is only $7.50. I would buy that instead of steal it. But now, if it said, "Property of Indiana University, Do Not Remove" I think that I would use it at work - that's still Indiana University property, right???

Click on over to See Jane Work. I think you'll enjoy the humorous office stuff along with all the girly products. I need a little pink in my work life and this is definitely the way to go!

PSH

Pin-Ups - Worth It or Not???

2008-01-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

Pin-ups remind me of the time I found a 1979 Playboy in my dad's desk at home.

Gross.

But I guess they're coming back in style - the retro look is in. Kind of like the black sweater dress I'm wearing today, if I don't wear it today, I'm going to have to pray to God that I have a daughter who will wear it in 30 years.

to be quite honest - how in the world do you decorate with them? In the boudoir, yes, I can see that. In a bachelor pad? Yes, of course! In my home... I have no idea where I would put them or what I would do with them.

Maybe make postcards and frame them? I don't think I'd actually blow up an image to poster size, most likely because I'm an art freak and would want an "original." I don't know... they're so, timeless in a way, that they're hard to gauge exactly where to decorate with them. If I had my own dressing room, I'd bet my garter belts that I would decorate with pin-ups.

But, I don't want one of these posters in my living room for my husband's frat buddy friends to jack off to, that's for sure! These pin-ups are way too retro!

How To Find:

Google "pin-ups; 1940's - 1950's"

PSH

The Crate & Barrel Online Outlet

2008-01-22T08:40:00.000-05:00

'Nough said.

Enjoy!

Crate & Barrel Online Outlet

PSH

The Walls

2008-01-18T08:39:00.000-05:00

Storage. Design shows usually tell you to build up when organizing and decorating small spaces. Most people don't think about it. It's not a natural feeling - who the heck wants to stand on a step stool to grab a book that you probably haven't seen in three years???

Me!!!

Try this pot rack, where you can see all of your lovely pots and pans. At $79.99, this is kind of a steal, unless you get lucky at your local Tuesday Morning or Marshall's.

This plum rug for Horchow is another favorite for fall/winter decorating. Or even for the bedroom or family room. It goes well with black picture frames with thick white mats (and of course, black and white prints). At $739, you can't beat that price for a large area rug, this is so fabulous that I don't think that I could purchase any size smaller than 5'x7'.
I do also have to admit that even though I'm not a huge fan of painting ceilings (literally, I've been dripped on before), I am a huge fan of accenting what you've got. With this ceiling jewelry (ok, ceiling bling bling), you can really set the mood for fabulous entertaining or a night in with your sweetie (imagine candles, wine, strawberries, for me it would be chicken pot pies & Mich Golden Light). Ceiling mirrors are coming back like the leaves on trees in spring.

So, Happy Thursday... only one more day before the weekend!!!

PSH

Pet Friendly in Every Way

2008-01-16T08:37:00.000-05:00

The Liveable Home Store. The Solution. The Expensive Solution.

I have absolutely loved all of my pets in the past. They are a part of you. But they seem to be a part of your furniture too! The furniture from the Liveable Home Store is just that, liveable - with fabric made to withstand your pets and your kids, you'll never shop at Ethan Allen again.

With the price range of $954 to just under $2,000 for their "accent chairs," you'll be pleasantly surprised for the quality. Honestly, I thought they'd be more, but with three choices of fabric for each chair, you have a range of options to choose from. I like these, they're not too contemporary and yet they're stylish enough that you know they'll last through at least 8 grandkids, and probably 4 - 5 pets too. Maybe 50 or so years.

If I had more space, I would be purchasing one of these. Okay, more like a few chairs for all over the the house (or small apartment). My current pet situation is nil, but the Mother-In-Law has two dogs and two cats, this would be a perfect solution to her non-declawed kitty-bitch's needs. (Yes, we call the cat Kitty-Bitch, because it really is one, I think it's real name is Gramir).

PSH

Coming Up Soon...

2008-01-16T08:12:00.001-05:00

I have a list of things for your small home that I just don't have time to remember because they're so cool...

Plants for decorating, yes, that's right
Wine racks we love
Pet friendly armchairs, who knew???
Shelving because everyone needs more
Missoni - gotta love 'em for your dining table
See Jane Work. Organize your home/work space.

Coming soon!

Easy, Simple Green Things All Can Do

2008-01-14T15:35:00.000-05:00

To go green or not? That is the question. Here's simple things you can do that most people don't think about.

1. I bring $20 to the farmer's market and purchase all the groceries I need for a week. That's a local thing you can do. Even if you just buy tomatoes (which is what I did for two weeks until I discovered the corn, peppers, potatoes and flowers).

2. Buy soy or beeswax candles. They don't emit toxic fumes like paraffin candles do.

3. Shop at thrift shops and flea markets, whether it be for fabrics, furniture or fun stuff! You're recycling other's peoples unwanted goods.

4. Decorate with plants. They help clear your air of carbon monoxide. I particularly like just about anything that flowers or that I can cook with. I also like bamboo and also the winter bulbs that you can plant in the spring.

I can usually come up with more stuff, but today my brain is stuck. Oh well, tomorrow is another day!

PSH

August = New Rental House

2008-01-14T09:21:00.000-05:00

And wood floors. And not enough seating. The big green dream machine can only fit 3 - plus with the really nice Amish rocking chair we have, that only seats 4. We're screwed if we have a couples night with more than 2 couples!

These floor cushions might do the trick!

I've been to Pier 1 Imports so many times and I'm mad as hell that I can't shop online there anymore! Thank God I had my bridal registry there before they took away the online store! I've seen their floor cushions so many times, I just can't bring myself to buy any of them. When I walk in and stand in front of all the pillows, I can feel myself frowning and slowly backing away and out the door. I'm always disappointed now by the Pier 1 pillows...

The cushions shown are actually from West Elm, my favorite modern but cheap(er) store. The cushions are $59 each but they don't come in a huge variety of colors. You get what they have. I would definitely get the ivory, but Ikea sells floor cushion covers, so maybe that's a possibility if someone spills red wine and the dry cleaners can't get it out!

We'll also have an actual kitchen with space for a table. I NEED A KITCHEN TABLE. My BMW man loves to sit on the couch and eat from the coffee table so he can watch the Simpsons. My plan is to get a 13 inch television for the kitchen so I can watch FoodNetwork and cook my ass off.

And sit at a table to eat like a civilized person! I would like dark wood, maybe some cheap chairs if I can find any at the flea markets around us. I think I'd like the chairs to not match. And be around $10 each. Maybe less!

When we move this August, my plan is to have the rooms already layed out in my sketchbook. I want to move in and know what I want.

And yet I still haven't seen the inside of the cute little historically restored little yellow bungalow with a porch swing in person!

PSH

Why Should We Ignore the Bedroom???

2008-01-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

Oh, hell no... The bedroom is my sanctuary. Kind of.

Amidst the clothes piles and piles of towels and crappola, and my husband's dead father's ashes (Yes, gross, I know but I'm not sure how to explain an urn in our bedroom and if we had it in the living room I feel like we'd get more questions) I have an amazingly wonderful bed where I can fall asleep at any time. Seriously, I'm known for taking naps at 11 in the morning and even at 6 at night. It's all because of my wonderful bed.

Ok, it's because of the down featherbed, the flannel sheets, the Laura Ashley pillows and my soft blankie from Target. Nothing really matches by labels, but that's ok - you gotta take what you can get and let me tell you, I'm giving that Shabby Chic blanket from Target to my mother-in-law for her birthday. I "let" her use it when she stayed for Thanksgiving and I seriously thought she was going to steal it from me!

PSH

Valentine's Day...

2008-01-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

Decorate for Valentine's Day? I don't think I will, my husband's birthday is the same week. So romance will probably be thrown out the window to beer pong and Guitar Hero.

I do have red sheets in the bedroom and a fabulously scented "romance" candle, but with my husband and scents, I don't really know what he likes!

At Crate & Barrel, you'll be able to find some sweet things for your loved one. Try out Barefoot Contessa's chocolate cupcake mix for $10.95 or the sweet mini baking tins for $2.50 each. You can make your sweeties chocolate dreams come true! (Or in my case, yellow cake with chocolate frosting...).

They also have heart ramekins - in which I could try to make chicken pot pies, but I'm not sure how the pie dough would be able to fit. That I would have to try to make BEFORE Valentine's Day!

PSH

Save Energy! Save on your bills!

2008-01-08T08:07:00.000-05:00

Try using these insulated curtains from Gaiam. There's several different colors to choose from - they're also currently 20% off! I personally like the sage or sienna, but most everyone's style is a little different. We also have the big green dream machine (read: big green leather couch that DH has had since he was living in his fraternity) and I think that greens are calming, which I use quite often to decorate for my crazy life!

Also, for something soft on your feet, try this recycled sweater rug. It may be $169, but that's totally worth using recycled products in my opinion. One of my friends back in Minnesota has a recycled pop tab purse. Her's is silver. I like that too!

I tend to go to Gaiam for the earth saving power of their checkout, buy a tree for only $2. I usually buy 2. It's worth it.

PSH

New Pottery Barn Catalog

2008-01-04T07:56:00.000-05:00

When I got home from work yesterday I had a pleasant surprise waiting for me on the coffee table.

A new Pottery Barn catalog. Normally I don't exactly look through them because everything is way too expensive for me to buy. Also, living in a small space, their furniture won't fit into my 625 square foot apartment. Plus, how in the world would I get their furniture up three flights of stairs? (That's right, there's no elevator).

And so I decided to look anyway when I saw that they had some Eco friendly stuff. Looking more closely, no, it's really not that eco-friendly when you spend thousands of dollars when you could go garage sailing and looking on craigslist for cheap to free furniture.

But they also had a small spaces section. I looked found a few things that might be able to fit into my teeny tiny apartment. Not too bad... But if you look at the specs, these are still pretty large pieces.

Also, when living in a small space, you want to be able to store as much stuff as possible.

The tv stand wouldn't work out for us (with the PS3, PS2, tuner, DVD player and about 8 speakers...), but it would work out nicely for me if I wasn't living with a gadget freak.

The couch, that just looks hard and uncomfortable, but think of all the throws, DVD's and other stuff you could store underneath in pretty baskets!

The computer office closet, yes, I want! You can shut off your mess when you have friends over, or you can keep it as organized as you want to. For me, I'd love a MAC, but with laptops, the pull out unit for the keyboard can be used as extra work space (I'm thinking off all the Law School work my husband can do...).

So for now, just enjoy the new Pottery Barn stuff. It's too expensive for me, but you can also find knock offs at other places like Ballard Designs, Ikea and even sometimes at Home Goods.

PSH

Small Space Organization

2008-01-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

Ever wish you had just another 10 square feet for your shoes? Your clothes? Your kitchen?

I do all the time! In fact, my kitchen is only about 10 square feet. I have a teeny tiny stove (four burners and only 2 pots can fit at a time), an actual icebox for a refrigerator (open one door for everything and then another door inside of the fridge for the freezer) and NOT ENOUGH STORAGE. We bought a butcher rack at Target and I still can't even find time to organize that. Talk about me trying to organize everyone else!

I finally stumbled upon the Container Store's fridge and freezer section of their website. Absolutely awesome ideas. Who knew that me, the world's most lazy organizer could possibly actually use some of these things???

And so now I'm off to shop online and get some great stuff to organize my fridge.

At least one thing that I use daily will be organized, right???

PSH

The Decorator Goes Green

2008-01-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

Right now, I've decided to be a greener person.

I've always been pretty green, but as the new year is here I realize that my husband is NOT very green at all.

Here's some tips of mine that I (yes, me) do on a daily basis. They're all pretty easy and most are money saving too. Remember, the less you buy the less you throw out.

1. Buy Energy star products for your home. Less emisions equals more time on our planet. I particularly like this chandelier. Totally chic, ready to plug in and save you some money!

2. Use glass canisters for storing your food. Plastic leaks chemicals into your food, glass doesn't. Isn't that enough to be said? Oh yeah, and you can also wash glass canisters and reuse them. Most people just throw plastic away.

3. Buy Method cleaning products. Or make your own. Either way, you're not dumping chemicals down the drain (though I always think, isn't bleach better than human feces??? Answer that one green do-gooders!!!). And don't forget the microfiber cloths. They're useful for EVERYTHING and ANYTHING. Especially in the bathroom. (I still can't get away with using anything but paper towels while scrubbing the toilet, I like to know that I'm throwing away the bleach with germs stuck to it).

4. Buy an old phone. Get a restored one instead of hitting up your nearest Target or Best Buy. In fact, if you want a cordless - I have one in my closet that someone can have. Message me about it and you can either a) pick it up or b) I can ship it to you.

5. Remember to bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store. I bought some animal print ones at Pier 1 for $1.99 each.

Yeah, I'm slowly turning. I'm a treehugger. I'm an earthlover. And I like snowboarding and being organic. It's hard to start new habits when you're so used to doing old ones. Start off easy by picking up the cleaning products. You'll first notice that there's no harsh chemicals, then you'll notice that you don't need as much lotion on your hands. You'll feel super dorky with the reusable bags, but that's ok - it's better to be an earth lover than it is to be an earth hater and getting those plastic bags that you'll never reuse!

Next on my list - organic sheets and towels. I want to be healthy for the new year!

PSH

Cheap Shit

2007-12-19T16:52:00.000-05:00

Ok, so originally I was going to keep this blog nice and clean. But who can resist writing cheap shit when they actually find it???

Part of not having any money is going to discount stores. Another part of not having money is stealing the coupons from the paper at work.

And so that's exactly what I did.

Check out all this cheap shit before christmas has begun, or be like me and wait until christmas is OVER to buy gifts. And then go to the Mall of America. I can't wait to be able to browse the stores while people careen past headed for the biggest sales. No, not me. I walk and walk and walk and eat and go to Barnes & Noble. Then just when you think I'm done, I keep on window shopping until I find the perfect gift!!!

Yes, I do love shopping, but no, I do not love shopping this time of year.

PSH

In The Kitchen........

2007-12-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

Does anybody really use one of these? Seriously? I just watched Michael Chiarello on the FoodNetwork roast his chilis right on the grills of his stove. Well, no more burnt chili sticking on to YOUR stove. This chili roaster above is on sale at Sur La Table. Funny thing is, I didn't know they were popular enough to be out of stock!

Eh, roasting chili's isn't quite my thing around the holidays, but it would make a great gift!

PSH

No Drawers in the Kitchen???

2007-12-13T08:57:00.000-05:00

Try one of these on for size!!! Just attach to the wall with screws, and then drink away! Urban Outfitters is another of my favorite spots to shop here in Bloomington, Indiana. (B-town is definitely NOT the best place to shop for fun, trendy items)

Also, if you're entertaining during this holiday season, couches are the best to update for the holidays. This one would be especially fun for decorating for the holiday season! Image fluffy red pillows, a great cashmere throw... And the size is great if you're ready for a change too!

Warm, Fuzzy Things for Winter

2007-12-12T09:23:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love slippers, fuzzy blankets, big sweaters, socks, etc... And of course, the heating pad, which I use to warm up the bed before I get in at night.

FinnStyle is one of my favorite stores in Minneapolis. Growing up Finnish, I've grown up around Marimekko, finnish vodka and more finnish swear words than I'll ever really care to remember.

The slippers shown above are only $22, they're comfy, sweet and come in a variety of colors that make you want to smile all winter long. I would personally go for either the orange ones or the dark green and light green ones. Either way, I know that they'd make me happy to be home after a long day of work. They also come with matching robes, if you're a matchy matchy type of person, but those are a little on the price side, $130...

Click here to see the slipper prices from FinnStyle in Minneapolis - you can order them online or of course, show up in the store to see other fun finnish styles.

And then there's the soft pillows for your teeny, tiny couch (or we call ours the Big Green Dream Machine). Just perfect for a nap, I definitely wouldn't mind showing either of these off in my living room or bedroom! I also wouldn't mind paying their price, $29 each is better than going to Marshall's for a cheap version of a Ralph Lauren (though, I do buy kitchen stuff there all the time).

PSH

Artwork for Your Small Walls

2007-12-11T11:18:00.000-05:00

Picasso. One word. One picture that will look great in your office, the bathroom, a hallway. I want it. And I want it now. Picasso's rendition of the dog is on sale for a great price. Just remember, sometimes the simplest of artwork is the best for your space.

Going Green At Home

2007-12-11T10:03:00.000-05:00

It's actually easier than people think. Take a look at Gaiam, the company that gives you yoga, pilates and more exercise equipment than ever.

You can also find some great items that make you feel better about your footprint on the earth! I've found my relaxation tool - a fabulous massage mat that's shown in the picture in the top left.

They also have a fab jewelry tree, that doesn't really look too granny-ish. I think I'm more excited about that! It's not as big as I would like it to be, but then again I only have about three necklaces and 7-8 bracelets. I have more earrings than I know what to do with, so I'm still looking for something that I can see ALL of my jewelry at once and that I can store in the bathroom!

I'm also trying to go more green by bringing my own bags to the grocery store. For $6 you can get a ChicoBag that comes in three colors and you can carry in your purse. At Kroger they don't exactly ask you if you want paper or plastic, they just assume you want plastic (and I don't have a pet, so I don't exactly have an everyday use for them). A few months ago, you could purchase these in sets of three, which is way economical. I'm hoping they offer that again soon so I can stock up!

PSH

Need Christmas Ideas?

2007-12-11T09:02:00.001-05:00

Try out West Elm. They have a section for gifts and sale stuff too. I found the perfect reed diffuser for my mother-in-law (sorry, Diane, I didn't mean to ruin the surprise!), cute glass lanterns that you can hang from the ceiling and for the "green" person in your life, organic towels! They also have super cute ornaments that anyone can use to decorate with.

Two years ago I bought all of our Christmas ornaments at Ikea. They were a combo of red, white and blue ornaments. This year I only put the red and white ornaments on the tree. Just three days ago, I realized that I had decorated in Indiana University colors. Not my alma mater, but it will be my husband's soon.

I decided that next year, I'm decorating in maroon and gold.

Go Gophers!

But back to the Christmas gifts...

Also try looking at Red Envelope. I've always found my mother the perfect piece of jewelry. For Mother's Day it was green shamrock earrings and now for Christmas, I think I've found the perfect gift - she said she wanted gardening stuff...

PSH