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Don’t get me wrong, we struggle with money like most everybody. We scrape to pay bills, we do without a *lot* (cable is a goner and actually I don’t really miss it. Well, except for Jon Stewart). My car is 6 years old. We just got a used lawn mower. Our fridge is getting ready to die.
But also: we’re rich. I am so not a do-goodie type and I moan and bitch with the best of them.
But: we’ve got running water. And heat – and the spring is coming so early, we’re lucky, we’ve got AC too! I have to watch the food budget all the time but we eat EVERY SINGLE DAY.
We have our own house. Well, us and the bank. I have a sometimes-self-supporting at-home job. My DH has a good job though it’s tough and hard on him. We’ve got trees and grass and two happy dogs. We’re mostly healthy, knock wood.
Did I mention we eat every single day?
You tell me that’s not rich? Ask half the people in this world. More than half. A lot more.
Oh yeah. We’re rich.
Getting off the little soapbox now. But think about it.
I’m always peeking at the recycled-and-upcycled offerings over on Etsy – and today I found this great looking pendant light.
It’s made from a colander! And a lot of careful craftsmanship.
Look at all the positives: it’s recycled (a colander!). This could have gone in a landfill – and it shouldn’t have – and it didn’t. It’s handmade, which is always a good thing. (There’s enough big box stuff out there already). It uses the new energy-efficient CFL bulbs. It’s unique. It’s affordable – a pendant lamp for your place and even with the shipping, it’s only $55? Oh yeah, this is of the good.
And of course the most important thing – it LOOKS GOOD.
It’s available from SpokenStitch on Etsy – go over there and take a look, they’ve got lots of goodies, both recycled and handmade. Totally worth checking it out!
Think how great this would look in a loft space. Or a farmhouse kitchen. Or over your dining room table. (Or mine!)
You get the idea I like this lamp? I really really do 🙂
Even though I’m not supposed to say it, I am crazy about these earrings – I love the color, I love the floral accent, and I think the Japanese kanji is graceful 🙂
The deep pink adds a burst of color to your winter outfit – and it looks great in Spring, too. The kanji says Onna, or Woman.
The earrings are lightweight of course, and not too big (about 1-1/4″ long) and the earwires are sterling silver. This is the way jewelry ought to be (I know I’m biased, but still) – fun to wear, a little bit funky or crazy, and comfy.
And did I mention pretty?
I found another great idea over at Design Sponge – truly one of the best inspirational sites you can find. This particular post shows you how to create a desk and/or wall organizer from cardboard boxes.
You know all those christmas packages with the boxes and the packaging you were just going to throw away (in the recycle bin, I hope). Don’t toss them! Convert them into an ultra-useful organizer instead. Like this one:
Start with empty boxes like this:
The full post at Design Sponge shows how they did it. Here’s one crucial clue – how to cut your boxes. I figured a pic would make more sense than trying to describe it!
It’s totally worth reading the whole post. One note – in that article, she wraps the boxes in wrapping paper before mounting them on the backing. Me, I think I’d just spray paint the whole arrangement. But either way would work.
And either way would (1) be free (or practically free, if you have to buy some paint, or maybe glue). And (2) it would give you a jump start on organizing all those odds and ends you keep *saying* you’re going to organize.
Do it! It’ll look great, it’ll help clear away clutter, and it’s cheap – or free!
I’ve put up some new selections with the Japanese kanji “Bijin” – which means beautiful woman, or hot babe 🙂
This is one of the most popular kanji choices at Paper Jewels – which I think is kind of cool. People want to tell their sweeties that they’re beautiful (or hot!) What a nice thing to tell your honey 🙂
Here are some new choices:
You can find them here:
Sapphire Vintage Glass Heart Lariat Necklace with Bijin Kanji
and
Pink and Purple Bijin Earrings
and
and Turquoise Bijin Earrings.
Tell your sweetie she’s hot – you’ll make her day!
Now this is very cool. Take an old phone book (yeah, we’ve all got them, and who uses phone books anymore?) – and turn it into a useful, funky, and attractive pencil cup holder for your desk.
I found this nifty idea over at Chico and Jo’s Blog and they have pages and pages of terrific do-it-yourself ideas.
Of course they also show you how to do it, and as you can see, you can use the phone book “au natural” or choose your own colors. And you’ll probably think of other variations to make it your very own.
So – a useful and decorative way to get a little more organized, and if you’re like me, you can really use THAT.
And it’s fun, and it’s recycled, and it’s practically free. Too cool!
Not surprisingly, the japanese symbol for “love” is one of the most popular kanji choices. Whether it’s used for earrings, a pendant or necklace, people seem to, well, love this kanji!
It goes without saying (well, okay, I have to say it) that “love” is a wonderful kanji to use for gifts, too.
P.S. You know that the first year anniversary is the paper anniverary, right? And the kanji jewelry shown here says “Love”. I could connect the dots here… but I know you can too. what a terrific paper anniversary gift idea!
I know, I keep talking about white rooms – I’m not a purist, truly! I just like the clean feel – and a white room is such a great canvas for whatever personality you add to it.
I just saw this room
at Apartment Therapy.
I love the room! It’s not “grand” – it looks luxurious but partly that’s because it’s not cluttered, and because it has white sofas – but if you look more closely at them, they look to me like they might be do-it-yourself projects – those could be mattresses. And loose slipcovers like that? Entirely washable.
I think I’d replace the little occasional tables, or put a glass top on them – I’m too much of a klutz, I’d drop little things through the wire (if that’s what it is). But that maybe just me.
Look at the ceiling – that too could be a DIY project. Add some scuzzy 2x4s you got on sale or from a reject pile – then paint the whole ceiling white. Instant atmosphere. And it doesn’t hurt that the view through the windows is of the Aegean Sea (I think this apartment is in Greece?)
The actual article was about (drum roll here) concrete floors. Yes, this one too – including the “rug”.
There’s a companion article with tips on how to paint a concrete floor.
All this is do-it-yourself on a big scale maybe; but it’s also useful and affordable and hey, don’t you love that room!
You know I’m always talking about decorating with white – and I really do love it. White, and/or neutral, mostly. But that makes color even more important and vibrant when you do add some. Take a neutral room (make a neutral room) and then add a splash of color – and it really sings.
Imagine how gorgeous these would be in a white room!
I found them at a terrific vintage Etsy shop, Design Through Time. There are lots of goodies over there – you’ll want to go peek 🙂
She also has another shop on Etsy, ModernSpecific on Etsy, where I found this fabulous
Vintage Rosti of Denmark Melamine Yellow 4 Liter Mixing Bowl.
See what I mean about the color just singing to you?
Even if the items I’m showing here are gone when you go look – she’s got lots of treasures. And (I think) all vintage. So: good design, reasonable prices, and fabulous character pieces. Go look!
I found these totally adorable shoes today on Etsy:
They’re available from Tbone4Life and they’re only $12.00 (plus shipping)! If they were my size I would be buying them today. But they’re not, so you have a shot at them 🙂
If they’re gone when you see this, go look at her shop anyway – she’s got some super cute goodies at great prices. And they’re vintage, so you’re being eco-friendly and fashion conscious all at the same time.
Comfy and cute shoes – totally of the good!
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Coolness
DIY
Eco friendly
Gardening
Home Decor
Indie / Design
Thrifty
vintage
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