Pre-Spring Cleaning: Kitchen

I spend a fair amount of time in my kitchen, especially on the weekends, when I tend to bake up some treats.  Through the week the microwave gets in on most of the culinary action.  It's always nice to take the time to tidy up the workhorse of the home, though.

On the daily I use tea tree all purpose spray cleaner from Common Good because it's eco-friendly and smells nice.  Usually it takes just a few sprays, which sit for 3-4 minutes, and then a quick swipe of a towel.  Ketchup dots, rogue powdered sugar, and toasty crumbs are drawn in like magnetism.

For the pots and pans, which I don't trust to the dishwasher, I use method's clementine-scented dish soap to get the job done.  Grease is no match for this stuff.

If I need just a teensy bit of abrasion on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, I turn to the power of baking soda.  It's super cheap and green.  (In fact, I just use boxes from my baking cabinet that are not so fresh any longer.)  Drip a bit of warm water on the surface of the dish, sprinkle generously with baking soda, and rub with your fingers.  Tah dah!

You can also use baking soda to clean the sink, faucet, and stovetop.  A quick lap with the vacuum, and I'm done!

Pre-Spring Cleaning: Bathroom

I'm in the midst of a no-spend first quarter yet again, and so far I give myself a grade of B.  A must-have night of skee ball at Dave & Buster's plus outrageously expensive gummy bears do not a resolution make.  Whoops.

But that got me to thinking about a quote I read somewhere.  Or I may have seen it on a rerun of The Nate Show.  Anywho, it goes something like this...It doesn't cost much to have a clean home.  I know this sounds awfully trite, but think about it.  You're hopefully following a regular cleaning regimen as it is, so you're already investing in cleaning supplies, even if they're minimal.

Not much is better than walking into a clean, fresh-smelling, and tidy place.  I know I've blogged about it before, but Sundays are typically my day to make this happen.  And I try to do so in the greenest way possible.  I thought I'd start a new lil' series about pre-spring cleaning.  What better place to start than the ol' bathroom?

I have oft proclaimed my love of method.  And these three products are some of my favorites.  I (try to) use the daily shower spray every time I step out of the shower to keep mold and mildew at bay.  The ylang ylang fragrance is quite nice, and it makes the whole room smell so fresh and so clean, clean.  Don't forget to spray the shower curtain liner, too.  It really does make a huge difference.

I use the antibac toilet bowl cleanser about every 2-3 weeks with a scrub brush.  And the bathroom cleaner spray is handy for the sink, faucets, and countertop.  

That spray, along with a plain ol' toothbrush, is also good to use as follows.  Pull the drain plug in the sink; spray the stopper, basin, and faucet.  Let it soak for about 5 minutes, and then use the brush to make everything sparkle.  Run hot water to rinse.  

About once a week I use these Scrubbing Bubbles flushable toilet pads (with reusable plastic wand), just to keep things hygienic.  (Does anyone remember Ally McBeal and the guy who liked a fresh bowl?) 

When I start to see pink and black spots creeping in to the tub/tile, I douse them with a bit of this Lysol Bathroom Cleaner.  Let stand for about 10 minutes, and use a heavy-duty brush.  Turn on some hot shower water and rinse clean.  Ahhh.

I also empty the bathroom trash and run the vacuum over the bathmat and floor.  Tah dah.  Sometimes I'll spray some glass cleaner on the mirror as well.  That's really about all it takes.  Normally I'll put in a load of laundry or some other chore while the cleaners are soaking and doing their thing.  I hope this little guide helps you scrub-a-dub.

What are some of your favorite products?

Thom Filicia Style

It seems that I've been on a design-book kick as of late.  First there was Nate, and then came the Novogratz edition.  Now we have Thom Filica Style.  This book debuted in 2008.  I found it whilst trying to reserve his latest book (American Beauty) via public library.

Divided into two main parts, this book first covers the process of decorating and then moves into case studies.  The process section includes Thom's ten tips in detail (ex. "There's truth in the texture"), ten different moods that rooms can have (like organic or refined), and ways to pull everything together.

The section with case studies is very similar to the other books I mentioned in the sense that each one begins with the clients' wish lists and floor plans.  However, this time there are minimum 'before' photos.  The budget is not really mentioned.  

This is not my favorite design book, but it's definitely worth a read.  Thom has nailed that sometimes-elusive classic American style.  He's a bit self-promotional, showing his own homes and product lines throughout the book, but I never got the sense that he was pimping himself out in an overt way.  As with most other media, this one is a great source of inspiration and offers practical tips.  

One of the best takeaways is Thom's list of can't-miss Benjamin Moore paint colors:

A quote from page 190 gives a great idea of Thom's philosophy:

Design that's authentic and that fits your lifestyle is a gift.  The real luxury is to have an interesting life.

Gift Guide 2012: House and Home Edition

For house and home, I like simple, useful items that don't cost a ton of funds.  This year I'm going fairly practical yet stylish, which may not come as a surprise to my regular readers.  :)

A Lotta Jansdotter square bowl by way of Fishs Eddy.  Oh, yes.  At first glance, this may seem to be a mere bowl for snacks, but think of the possibilities as a jewelry holder, coin collector, or paper clip cozy.  $16.95

A cheese tool set from Crate and Barrel.  Right now this acacia-wood-handled trio ships free.  Isn't it handsome?  For a cheese tool set.  $19.95

A nylon watch strap from The Knottery.  Did you think that this came from another retailer?  Like one that induces mass-hysteria in bloggers around the globe?  Well, this piece is half of what they charge.  $10

A set of six white restaurantware plates from tribute212.  You really can't go wrong with a classic.  These are the oxford shirts of tabletop dressing.  They go with anything and last forever.  $26

A bento box set from West Elm.  Let's brown bag it in 2013, shall we?  This makes the job much more stylish and green, with a watertight seal, reusable fork, and a sauce container.  Free shipping right now.  $22

A package opener from The Container Store.  I bought one of these about a year ago, and it has paid for itself many times over in saved frustrations.  Perfect for slicing into packages of all ilk.  $4.99

East Nasty

This weekend I ventured out to East Nashville, which some folks lovingly call East Nasty.  That was really my first true visit there.  I'd eaten a meal or two across the bridge, but Saturday my pal Emily B. and I took our sweet time.  Below are some photographic highlights.

Perhaps my favorite stop was Wonders on Woodland, which is an excellent antiques store on Woodland Street.  Unfortunately, they do not have a website.  What I liked most was that this shop was highly curated.  It is not what Barb (my mom) would call a dig store.  I had office supply envy just inside the door.

Upstairs was this mantelpiece with artwork.  The one in the middle reminded me of Joni Mitchell.

Don't these chairs fulfill your every Mad Men fantasy?

This was a nice deco installation.

This pillow pretty much says it all, no?  It's an item at Old Made Good on McGavock Pike.  At this store, they take vintage items and often rework them to be quite whimsical.  They had a whole men's room, full of old hunting memorabilia, vintage gentlemen's magazines, and lots of plaid work shirts.

And it wouldn't be a complete post without a specs shoutout.  This was a super charming necklace on display at OMG.  (Isn't that clever?)

We also visited Eclectic Design + Boutique on Porter Road, where I picked up a candle from local Etsy seller Oil & Wax.  Hint: there's a great chance you'll see more on this soon.

I hope you enjoyed this min-tour through the East Nasty.  And I hope you're gearing up for eating turkey, giving thanks, and spending some monies.  Mazel!

Keep Smilin', Keep Shinin'

I figured that was a good title for this post, especially since I've been a terrible blogger as of late.  I'm going to try to be a bit more consistent.  For reals.

At work we've been gearing up for a big event, so that has kept me pretty busy, just like my love/hate relationship with the treadmill.  Right now I'm winning, though, so that's good.

And I've finally found a mirror for over the couch.  Here it is.  For now.

Over the weekend I went down to Franklin with my pal Anna Beth, and we stumbled upon this gem at the Winchester Antique Mall.  I picked it up for a song.  A friggin' song, I tell yaz.  And I have big things in store for it.  That will be revealed in a coming-soon post.

You can also catch a glimpse of my new cobalt blue pants, which I scored from J.C. Penney's, of all places.  Their new jcp line is pretty great and affordable.  Well, that's about all for now.  I'm going to try to be a better, specs-ier blogger.  I hope you're well.  Thanks for reading, as always!



Sideshow Sign Co.

Over on Valet, I spied some sweet artwork from Sideshow Sign Co., which just so happens to be based right here out of Nashville. 

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I love this guy's work.  From specs to twin brothers, it is so for me.

$90

$130

Sitting Even Prettier

Over the weekend I kitted out my new chair with some additional accoutrements.

The side table is the martini version from West Elm.  The silver lamp is from Target.

This is how it looks at nighttime.  If you look closely, you'll see that I already have a ton of reading to catch up on.  Those magazines just never stop coming, do they?  Well, unless you stop paying the bill. 

The rest of my living room pieces are very squared-off and brown, so I liked the idea of a round, non-wood table to mix things up a bit.  I'm also considering an oval or circular, possibly silver mirror to hang over the couch.  Hopefully your week is off to a great start!  Mine is.  :)

"I Bought All of These"

JK.  I haven't really mentioned it this year, but I'm attempting another no-spend first quarter.  Today I find myself browsing online for more art to go on my walls.  However, I'm basically just torturing myself.  But that's why God (or Steve Jobs) invented the Favorites tab.  The image above is called "I Bought All of These" by Kate Bingaman-Burt over on 20X200. 

Have you heard of this site?  It's been around a while, and they offer limited-edition prints, photographs, and more by all kinds of artists.  It's rather addictive.  Where do you find cool art?

Gift Guide 2011: House and Home Edition

This edition of the gift guide features items to make life a little more cozy and/or comforting, and everything is under $20 (individually).  

These Restoration Hardware down-filled foot duvets for guys or girls are quite nice.  I have a pair (in the color to the left), and when I'm awake and not working, there's a great chance these are my footwear of choice.  $19

Wouldn't this glass carafe from CB2 look great in a guest room or office?  One selling point is that the style can blend in with whatever decor is happening--modern, classic, eclectic.  It's like a glass chameleon.  $9.95

 This funky felt owl from At West End could sit next to that fancy carafe and provide a bit of whimsy.  It could also work in a child's room, of course.  $12

Here's a glass food storage bowl from Fishs Eddy.  I could imagine filling it with sweet treats or spiced nuts and giving the whole shebang as a gift.  $5

Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is a no-brainer.  I use this in the winter to keep my mitts moisturized, and a dab'll do ya.  $13-$20, depending on size

A set of Moonstruck chocolate bars?  Why, yes.  Yes, please.  The included four flavors are: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate espresso bean, and milk chocolate Mayan.  $16.95 

Magnets!

I love a good magnet.  Here are some recent acquisitions.

Remember this artist?  Here's a picture of that doe.

The cool wooden magnet came from Peru, courtesy of my pals Lexie and James.

The three at the bottom all came from Parts & Labour in Austin.  I love them and think that they are hilarious.  They started as buttons, but Lexie manhandled them into submission and removed the pin part.  I stuck on magnets.

Sitting Pretty

I got a new chair!

  



I'm sort of enjoying how it has that British library thing going on.  But then it's a cool blue/white stripe (like seersucker without the puckers) that gives it a little laid-back vibe.

Two of My Favorite Initials: W. E.

Can you even stand it?  My love for West Elm has been rather well documented at this point, but this picture that landed in my inbox almost put me in the (way-too-early) holiday spirit.  I love the mix of materials and colors but with the unified font.

Oh, and I went ahead and tagged this as an ad, mostly because it makes me want to buy, buy, buy.  Who doesn't need a monogrammed ice bucket?

Long Weekend

In three words.  Relaxing.  Flowers.  Stamping.

I picked these up at Whole Foods today.  Just because.

Then I stamped up some birthday lovin' for my niece. 

Don't worry about this spoiling the surprise.  She's not a blogger, although I did have her text me her current favorite colors.  Aren't kids funny that way?

What did you do over the last few days?

Care for a Danish*?

I just love this--from the cool Scandinavian lines of the table to the stripes on the rug.  I'd probably do something different for chairs, but these do the trick fairly well.

At a cool G, the Oslo table would be a bit of an investment for me, but it should last a really long time.  Plus it seats, like, 30 with the extension.  :)

Thanks, Crate.  Thanks, Barrel.  I heart yaz both.

*(I realize that Oslo is in Norway, and my title refers to Denmark, but it was cheeky. And I was feeling it.)

Anywhere You Go, I'll Follow You, Down

I don't guess I've blogged much over the last couple of weeks.  Perhaps I'll say a little bit more about what's been going on in a later post, but I wanted to catch you up to speed on my latest purchase.

It's not these sweet sheets.  Oh no.  I still lust over them, even though they're mine, but it's these new pillows from Cuddledown.

Really, I can't say enough about them.  Or about down in general.  I have a down comforter that I got last year from Macy's.  It's currently encased in this.  And I like a down jacket for the winter.  And a down throw for the couch.  These pillows complete the set.  (Tip: Check out the final pages of apparently any issue of House Beautiful, as I did, to get a link to a sweet deal for these pillows.)

If you're allergic to down, you could go with a synthetic material to get a similar loft and cushy feel.  I bought a fairly lightweight comforter so that I can use it year-round.  In the summer, I use it with just a top sheet (and fan), and then I add blankets as the mercury drops.  My first down comforter was from Lands' End, and it lasted for years.  I still miss it sometimes.

When I read blurbs that say we spend a third of our lives in bed, it makes me realize the nice-ness of outfitting one's bed in a thoughtful way.  I like to take the time on Sundays to strip the bed, let the mattress breathe for most of the day (a Real Simple trick), and then start the upcoming week fresh, with clean bedding.  Right now my bed (pictured above) is subtly calling out to me, aided by the Aveda candle burning on the nightstand.

It's a great way to wrap up a weekend, whether it was go-go-go or slow-slow-slow.  Consistency is a quality sorely lacking in most places I look today, but this is one area that I know I can count on.

I Zigged.

I framed another little piece of somethin' somethin' recently.  This one came from Linda & Harriett's sale!  The frame came from Wal-Mart (for about $9-ish), and I scored this awesome piece of paper for about a buckaroo.  It's one-of-a-kind, aesthetically pleasing to me, and totally replaceable, in case it can't handle the steam.  (It's in the bathroom.)

Again, I apologize for the lack of great lighting.  I tried it with the flash, and things went from ehh to ugh.  And I had to do a wonky angle so you didn't just see a splotchy reflection of me on a Sunday afternoon.

Anchors A'cheap!

Whilst perusing my local Target over the weekend, I ended up in the kitchen/dining section, which is not at all unusual.  However, this time I stumbled upon this nice glass trifle bowl from Anchor Hocking.  Immediately I pictured it above my kitchen cabinets.  Or maybe on top of a bookcase.  Or filled with delicious figgy pudding.  Ok.  Not figgy.

Then I looked at the price tag.  $10.50.  What?!  I knew that I had seen similar pieces at Crate & Barrel for way more--and not nearly as nice of a shape. 

Exhibit A:

The Miranda.  It is a cool shape, but it is also three times the price of the Anchor Hocking piece.

Exhibit B:

The Charleston.  It's fifty dollars.  That is 5-0.  And it's glass--no platinum or rims or anything.

Granted, the one I bought is not pristine, in the sense that you can see a seam here and there, but turn the thing around!  Sheesh.  I think this would be a great way to display flowers, seashells, potpourri (if you're into that), Christmas ornaments, etc.  You can't beat the design or the price.  With this brand, you know it will last a long time.  Mine will probably just remain a stylish space-filler above mostly empty cabinets for now, but it has tons of potential.