Lemon Favorites!

JR Watkins Lemon Creme

Pala by Patriece

Quick post about one of my current obsessions:  lotion. Add another layer to that = lemon scented lotions.

I'm not talking about scrub the floor, clean the toilets, pine scented lemons lotions. This is creamy, lemon meringue, fresh baked lemon bars scent.

I just discovered the delicious JR Watkins Lemon Creme hand and body lotion at our local PCC:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Free
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate Free
• Paraben Free
• Phthalate Free
• Mineral Oil, Petrolatum free
• Dye Free

I have always been a fan of this Etsy Shop by Patriece.  All of her rich ingredients are:

• Certified Organic
• Certified vegan
• No petroleum by products
• No mineral oils
• No Synthetic Fragrances

What's your favorite lotion? Are your favorite lotion scents dependent on the season?

Found Art

Watercolor - Possibly Portugal Scene?



Coordinating Fabric



Fabric

Unframed Oil on Canvas

On a recent trip to Langley, WA (where my folks reside), my friend Ann and I went on our usual thrift store digs.  There are some wonderful thrift stores on the island and although we don't always find items to bring home, this visit was a slam dunk.

I love to rummage through the art area, grabbing anything that catches my eye. With Ann and/or my mom in tow,  I can benefit from their discerning eye(s). 

How do you like my recent finds? A beautiful framed watercolor, possibly a scene from Portugal ($14.00). As well as an unframed oil painting on canvas ($10.00). This painting is in great condition. A gentle cleaning to remove the dust and it was ready to hang.

As an added bonus, we stopped by a fantastic fabric store:  Wholesale Decorator Fabrics in Freeland. The owner, Ann Flynn, stocks high end upholstery and decorator fabrics at rock bottom prices. Her selection is beautiful, unique and affordable. I couldn't resist the striped canvas and coordinating twill. Not sure what I will make yet, but how great do they coordinate with the colors in the painting?

What art treasures have you scored at thrift stores?

Felted Soap



Fiat Luxe Felted Soaps - Anthropologie

These felted soaps at Anthropologie have always caught my eye. Have you been to their store to see the huge basket filled with these beautifully colored soaps covered in felted wool? They would add such a unique touch to a guest bathroom: a couple of them on top of a basket of white towels?

Etsy.com, search felted soap for a large selection of these handcrafted items.

I have always wondered how they were crafted. On YouTube, I found this:

This project seems easy enough. With some nice bars of soap, colorful wool batting and a washboard, you can make your own? Anyone know where I can find a washboard?

Have you ever made any felted wool items, i.e. ornaments, scarves, pillows, or even felted wool soaps? Please share the details, I would love to know more. Thanks so much!

Chalkboard Before/After

$30 Restaurant Chalkboard from 2ndUse

                         $12.98 Tintable Chalkboard Paint Home Depot      

                         

6 Coats of Paint

Random Notes

For months, I had my eye on a large restaurant chalkboard catalogued in 2nd Uses' online inventory.   I finally made it to their warehouse and finding it in stock. A bit of negotiating and cramming into my car and my new purchase was home with me.

This project couldn't be easier, especially considering the varieties of chalkboard paint available today. There are many colors you can select with the tintable chalkboard paint. I went with a dark charcoal gray. I ended up painting 6 coats to ensure coverage.  For optimal outcome, allow 24 hours between coats.

I delayed posting about this chalkboard project because I envisioned having a beautiful drawing or some great inspiring quote on the board before photographing. And here you have it... a Mom list left by college boy, a note from our neighbor, cross country meet score and my attempts at an inspiring quote along with a stick figure drawing. This dining room chalkboard will never be perfectly "coiffed" but it will always perfectly depict life at home.

Subway Sign Art

Recently I visited Restoration Hardware where these huge hanging Subway Signs caught my eye and have had me obsessed ever since. There is one wall in my living room that needs a large vertical hanging. I love letters and numbers and the black and white graphic aspect of these art pieces. Priced at $795 each, this is a definite DIY project. Armed with inspiration, I am hoping to figure out the best way to reproduce subway sign art at a fraction of the cost.

Sign content - I decided on names of places that are special to my family and I.

Fonts - sizing and spacing on a Word Document. This is what I have so far (this may look a bit different than the final project due to compatability issues with word and blogger):

CAPE GIRARDEAU

3630 ½ SENECA

DIAMOND HEAD

SAN LUIS OBISPO

R E D M O N D

S U G A R B E A C H

HAYDEN LAKE

C A R M E L

Today I am off to the print shop to figure out how the least expensive way for me to reproduce the exact fonts and spacing I want onto a large blank stretched canvas.

My sister-in-law, Wendy is working on this project as well. Visit her post on SimplyBrookes for her point of view. If you have any ideas, or are inspired to join in, please comment.

Hopefully I will soon be posting a terrific replica of this Subway Sign art.

2010 Graduate

June rolls around and our mailbox begins to fill with lovely traditional graduation announcements from children we've watched grow up. We could hardly believe our own son was 18 and graduating, let alone the kids who used to come over for play dates, swimming adventures and walks to the park.

A friend had sent a unique announcement in 2009, his card motivated me to try something different too. While a fan of the traditional, I wanted my son's announcement to be personal (his own sentiment), include senior photographs, and be informative (he attached a card with college and new contact information).

And I confess, my timing is off if you wanted to consider using this idea for a spring graduate. If inspired, tag this post to use next year, and in the meanwhile compile great photos for the project.

I typically use Shutterfly to print photos. Their site is simple to use and offers many different card/stationary project options. Considering price, value and layout, I chose to use 4 x 8 photocards. This layout allowed for a 3 image upload with text variations below. Shutterfly walks you through the upload steps as well as sizing the images to fit the project. Edit, finalize and pay and the postcards arrive in home roughly 5-8 days later.

This grad photocard has received rave reviews from friends and family. I hope this post inspires you to consider unique options for the class of 2011!

Piles of Pears

Artist and Mom, Pat Brookes
Did you know that my mom, Pat, is an artist who continues to evolve in her craft by the day? She and my dad live nearby on Whidbey Island, about an hour plus a ferry ride away. I speak to them regularly and just today my mom was ecstatic over her latest art endeavor: pear cards! For the past few months she has been successfully exploring texture, shape and design with her unique pear paintings. The originals have become so popular, she had the best selling reproduced 4 x 6 art cards sold in an assorted package of 6 for $16.00. Visit her Etsy page or website: PatBrookes.com to purchase or view more.

Now the bargain shopper in me can see these note cards framed individually with a wide matte border and sleek, simple frame. Grouped in a kitchen or dining room, they would make a strong impact with flair. I have always liked pears. I appreciate their beautiful shape, varying shades of color and simply satisfying sweet taste. Now captured in my moms' art work, I can appreciate them as her inspiration too.

Salvage Yard Finds

In a previous post: Salvage Scavenger, I discussed my favorite salvage yard. As a follow up on that post, I decided to share some of the many items I have found and used throughout my home, all salvage yard items from 2nd Use in Seattle.


Additional front door that has a screen or storm insert to change with the seasons. This was my husbands pick. While the storm door option doesn't offer much draft protection the look and sound of a good old screen door nods to his Kentucky upbringing.


This purple locker isn't pretty but it sure is useful. Housed in the garage it holds lots of running shoes. I remember buying this 14 years ago for $30! They currently charge up to $150 for lockers as they have become a popular item.


I love this cute little mailbox. I spray painted it and hung it in the entry way. There isn't anything in it and I don't use it at all, but couldn't resist the scalloped edges!



The yellow magazine rack was found just when the kids were going to elementary school. It has always been the perfect spot to place all of those school forms and projects for safekeeping. I didn't even paint the rack, just cleaned it and added the metal hardware.


For $10, metal gym baskets are endlessly useful and usually available. I keep gym supplies, cleaning supplies, towels or reusable grocery bags in some of my baskets.

Hope you enjoyed viewing some items I have saved from the salvage yard. I hope to have more to post about 2nd use soon.

Thanks again for taking a look!

Community Supported Agriculture

Photo Courtesy of Seattle Farmers Market Examiner

Today, my sister-in-law, Wendy, blogged about volunteering: SimplyBrookes.blogspot.com. Her post had me thinking about the volunteer time I spend each summer at Root Connection in Redmond.

Root Connection is a 14 acre CSA farm located near the Sammamish river, just a few miles from my home. CSA members purchase "shares" in the farm's bounty from June to October, and get the satisfaction of reconnecting to the land by eating local, chemical-free food. Members are also able to harvest herbs, greens and flowers on their pick up days.

On my first visit to Root Connection, I was drawn to volunteer. Beautiful produce growing in a river valley so close to home with flowers, herbs and greens (swiss chard, mustard and collard greens) to harvest, meshed with my homesteading nature.

Field work at Root Connection isn't easy, you are harvesting, hauling, weeding, and cleaning, all while trying to keep up with experienced employees. My goals in volunteering were to learn about organic farming, be introduced to different seasonal produce and of course, meet new people.

Look for the opportunity to volunteer or become a member of a CSA in your area. You will be helping to protect farmlands from development, supporting small farms and providing your family with delicious fresh produce. And, as I have, you will come away with a bounty of knowledge, discovery and new found appreciation for real food.

Favorite Kitchen Tool

I would emphatically state that a great cup of coffee is the only way to start your day.

A few years ago, I had breakfast at a friends and she served a beautiful, frothy cup of coffee. The milk was frothed and foamed with the aerolatte milk frother. At that time my husband and I were trying to wean ourselves off the hydrogenated oil laden french vanilla creamer that we added to our coffee each morning. The aerolatte milk frother did the trick.

The steam free frother works on cold lowfat or non-fat milk by quickly whisking the milk to a perfect foamy top. Add a little raw sugar and coffee and you have a perfect cafe style cup of coffee at home. I love this frother so much, I travel with it.

I have tried less expensive frothers and the aerolatte brand is the best. The motor is stronger and outlasts other brands. You can purchase on Amazon.com for $19.99. Wouldn't they make a great hostess gift too?

The Pursuit

I had a great time at the salvage yard yesterday and will have photos to post early next week. But hey it's Friday, after a long week I am ready to embrace the weekend. My weekend plans will start this evening with a new CD: The Pursuit by Jamie Cullum and a cosmo.

If you have heard any of Jamie Cullum in the past and even slightly liked him, you will love this new CD. Critics say he is unconventional and spontaneous as his songs span jazz, pop and hip hop genres. I am not a music critic, but this album is smouldering and through his musical and vocal talents, his magnetism pervades. Even more so with a perfect limey martini!

Cosmo Recipe:
1/2 oz real cranberry juice (no fruit cocktail version please)
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice (no need to measure, just keep squeezing)
1/2 oz triple sec
1 oz vodka

shake with ice and pour into super fine sugar garnished martini glass

Shed Chic

What a great day! The sun is out, spring is just around the bend, March Madness begins and my kids have their first track meet of the season! Until I head off to their meet, I will be cozied up in a sunny spot devouring this incredible book: Shed Chic by Sally Coulthard. I have touched on backyard structures in a previous Modern Shed post, but this takes additional living space to a whole new level.

Would you create a digital free haven for reading and writing, a purpose-built home office or a guest annex? So many charming possibilities are brought to light in this beautifully photographed book. There are a couple of "sheds" that I could just live in and need nothing else. Add this book to your list, you won't be disappointed.

p.s. If you read the book, I would love to know your favorite sheds. Please send me an email (heather.runners@gmail.com) or comment on this post!

Island Cottage

IMAGES BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER/THE SEATTLE TIMES
I love Sundays. Whenever possible, a Sunday morning means coffee in bed with the paper. My favorite part of the paper, (I save it for last), is the Pacific Magazine. Every week it is full of fantastic articles on gardening, cooking, and northwest living.

This article about an Island Cottage on Vashon Island jumped off the page. The architects, Vandeventer + Carlander, designed a home that "speaks to the water". Just that phrase alone captured my interest, I love anything that speaks to the water. And it is a dream of ours to own a waterfront home. The views, the storage, the clean lines and open floor plan are right up my alley. At first, I thought, too stark, but as I continued to read, the homeowners describe: "Outside is a table laden with fishing poles, rods, tackle. Nearby, inner tubes and kayaks await the call to duty. River otters, seals, osprey, eagles. A boat trip over to Gig Harbor. Built-in cabinets downstairs hold the TV, Wii, a place for wine and puzzles, and Twister." That sounds like a cozy, family home to me.

What do you think about this streamlined home?

A Homemade Life

First let me apologize for blog tardiness. My laptop is down with a virus and with one less computer at home, allotted blog time is limited.

I am filling a little of my extra time reading: A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg. She is the genius behind one of my favorite food blogs: Orangette. The baker, homemaker side of me connects to Molly and her cooking. Recipes are woven into family stories and you quickly discover that her passion for cooking is evoked by the memories formed in the kitchen. There is a reason why they say the kitchen is the heart of your home!

I wanted to share this book with you because it's an enjoyable read, the recipes sound fantastic and you are immediately reminded of some simple concepts. My favorite one: "clean up as you go". What a great reminder to take a few moments throughout your day and tidy up as you go along = less mess in the end.

So that's all I have for today, a great book to pass along and a great reminder:

"Clean up as you go".

Kilim Ottoman

Restoration Hardware
Grand Oriental Rug Gallery
Grand Oriental Rug Gallery
Estate Sale

I know I should be happy with my giant coffee table. The perfect height, lots of storage and room on the table top for games, snacks and beverages. It has endured toddlers through teenagers and only has a few marks of wear. A little refinishing with a darker stain could revive the piece and may put it back in my good graces. I am just so bored with it.

Especially after I discovered beautiful, unique and vibrant kilim covered ottomans! Kilim rugs are flat woven, (no pile), and can be found in many different patterns and colors. While at an Estate Sale last week, I saw this beautiful ottoman upholstered with a kilim rug. Once home, I began my search for more of its kind. I have only included a few options in this post. Aren't they gorgeous? Could an kilim upholstered ottoman take the place of your coffee table?

In Pursuit of Light

Lately I have been feeling like Goldilocks searching for just the right table lamp for a small side table in my living room. I have scoured websites and found little that make the grade. Here is what I am looking for:

• No taller than 18 inch
• Great shade
• Non-bulky base
• Stand out/unique feature, preferably related to nature

After wandering from website to garage sales to flea markets and more, this is the best I have found:

West Elm, love the bone base, especially in gray. Too squatty though?
Maison Luxe, the crackled glass lends a beachy feel.

Maison Luxe,stand out design. I love the natural coral look and sleek base.
Jason Home & Garden, this may be just right. Good height, slender base, and totally unique lamp shade.

Do you have a favorite? Great lighting is a crucial element to the feel of your home. Our 70's house has such horrible lighting, I am always on the lookout for great additions. Where is your go to place for lamps?

FrogTape

I have been a little behind on my posts due to finally painting our master bedroom. During the process, I discovered FrogTape. For years I have been painting without taping, I use a really good brush and dig deep for the utmost patience at ceilings and baseboards. The problem with my method is time consumption. But after disappointing results with blue masking tape, I felt it wasn't worth the effort to tape.

I can now 100% recommend FrogTape for clean, perfect lines. FrogTapes' micro-barrier activates when latex paint comes in contact, creating a seal. It really works. Check out their website for more information: FrogTape.

Stainless Steel Straws

photos-brooklyn farm general store


This is the latest item I have been on the hunt for. A very eco conscious friend of mine had jaw surgery last week. While dropping off smoothies and magazines, I wanted to add some stainless steel straws to the mix. I couldn't find them at any of our local stores. With a quick internet search, I found many places to order them from, the least expensive at ChefTools. $9.99 for 4.

What a great alternative to plastic straws. Because of my daughters' 3 or 4 plastic straws a day wastefulness, I no longer purchase them. These polished steel straws are reusable, dishwasher safe and very cool. Stocked in my vintage martini shaker they would add a great touch to my mini bar cupboard:



Wouldn't they be a great hostess gift as well?