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?

Forcing Flowering Branches

Flowering Quince, Housemartin
Crab Apple Branches, Sunset

Witch Hazel Branches, Valeaston

Dogwood Branches, Habitually Chic

I can't say enough about the beauty of flowering branches for an early spring display indoors. Any chance I get, I will trim flowering quince from a friends 20 ft. high quince bush, bring the branches inside and display in a huge vase on the dining room table. The structure and form of the branches alone are visually attractive, and once the flowers bloom, an astounding display!

Just today, while heading out on a walk with a friend, I saw 8 giant yard bags filled with pruned cherry tree branches. The branches were covered with buds and even some open flowers (it has been unseasonably warm this winter in the NW). What luck, just bags and bags of flowering branches waiting to be hauled off to yard waste. One of those 20lb. bags came home with me.

Flowering branches are a simple way to make great impact on any table. Cut the branches at least twice the height of the vase. You really want to maximize their structure. Trim off the lowest leaves, suckers or buds and sink into a vase of cool water. Change the water frequently and you will enjoy their display for weeks.

Card Making

Although Valentines Day has come and gone, if a rainy days comes your way, today's post might be great inspiration for you to gather materials and enjoy creating a pile of unique cards to use throughout the year.

Materials needed:

Card stock and envelopes (different sizes)
Magazines, catalogs, colored paper, photos, etc.
Paper Cutter
Scissors
Eyelet Kit
Hammer

A few years ago, my mom gave me an eyelet kit for my birthday. It's my all-time favorite tool for card making:



Using a paper cutter, trim art from magazines, photos or catalogs:



Align art on card stock, make guide punch hole:



Insert eyelet (they come in many colors, choose those which compliment artwork):



Hammer eyelets down on opposite side:



Voila, a beautiful card:



The Anthropologie catalog is my favorite for finding great images to use on cards:



Cards and mini-cards from Anthro photos:



After just a couple of hours, I am now restocked with many cards. I have dozens of mini-cards, (2in. x 2 in.) for thank yous or little love notes, and a variety of standard 4 x 6 in cards with seasonal images secured to the front. It was great to use materials I already had around the house and end up with unique yet easy handmade cards for any occasion.

Surprise Cleaning Supply

Yes, you heard correctly, add wood skewers to your household cleaning supplies. They are the perfect tool for getting dirt, dust and gunk out of cracks and crevices around the house. In particular, I use them around the window and glass shower pane tracks.

Add wood skewers to your next shopping list, you will find them an essential cleaning tool.

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.

Bookshelf After

Play with Display Project
The "after" of my bookshelf is complete. This seemed like a simple task: clear out the bookshelf and thoughtfully rearrange books and decorative items. It did take some time and rummaging. I wanted to stick to either using what I had or spending no more than $10 for items. The butterfly prints were color photocopies and the frames were unused in a closet. The wood bowl was a garage sale item from years ago, I gave it a new look with several coats of paint. I also added some dimension to the existing magazine holders. The cat is not a permanent fixture, just Zoe's' new survey spot.




My inspiration was this photo:



From a visual and practical standpoint, I loved how they hung art inside of the bookshelf, easy to dust the shelves without moving your display. I also liked the balance of items, the open space and the fact that there wasn't a theme.

Having used only $3 for the color photocopies, I would still like to find some pottery items (similar to inspiration photo), in place of the small bird house (too much brown).

Thanks for checking out my after photos. Let me know your thoughts, would you change this up in any way?

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?