Today I got a call from someone at Chipotle. I knew before I picked up the phone thanks to caller ID and figured it was a sales call. Ugh. Well boy was I wrong! They were calling to let me know that my business card had been picked and I won a free lunch for 3 people! Yeah! I placed the order online (which was so easy and that is totally how I plan to do it from now on) grabbed my coworker and met M. When we got there the manager had all the people working there cheer for me. It was very cute. I heart free lunch.
Street Clothes
I started a couch to 5k program this past weekend. With help from an iPhone app I am alternating between walking and jogging for 20 minutes. It is torture all the way, but getting into shape always is in the beginning. I have even figured out how to work the run into my commute home so that I don’t have the temptation to stay in once I get home. This has me taking a slightly different path to my apartment and on Saturday this meant I passed a few boxes of free baby clothes. Isn’t it lucky that I just happen to know someone who is going to be needing baby clothes in the near future! These are obviously used items and even after giving them a good wash in hot water there are still stains on them. No problem! I have been reading about freezer paper stencils and this is perfect time to try them out. I downloaded some free dingbat fonts printed and cut them out and covered up some of the stains with puppies and giraffes. Emily at paperseed has generously provided templates for a dragonfly, flowers and a butterfly as well. I used the tutorial she suggested as a reference and it worked well. It is a bummer they are single use, but until I get a Yudu, this will do nicely.
Cardstar
I don’t want to sound too much like an infomercial here, but I have to say I am pretty jazzed about a new app from my iPhone called Cardstar. I am constantly losing and forgetting my rewards cards because I flat out refuse to have them on my keychain. It is a designer thing. I do carry a few that I use all the time in the change compartment of my wallet but there are still plenty to fall in the seat cushions, clutter my desk, and collect dust behind the dresser. I loaded up the cards from my wallet (I will have to search out and dust off the others) and I am ready to test it out. The reviews suggest that an anti-glare screen protector (check!) will help and that I may have to adjust my brightness. Hopefully brightness control within the app will be on the way soon. Now when I am fishing around for change I won’t have to dump out my cards as well. via
Freedom
I love this print entitled Freedom by Alberto Cerriteño. So sad and so beautiful. You can check out other illustrations on his website, or even buy one at his shop.
I Want to Go to There
We have been working very hard at making our upstate wilderness a little more tame. I love this outdoor living room featured in Elle Decor. The sunken firepit is wonderful and the curve of the bench is very inviting. I may want a few more cushions though…
The Devil is in the Details
The details are what make a good house great. I was drawn into many of the residential projects done by Shipley Architects, but the detail above is one of my favorite things. So simple and beautiful. It is what separates the meh from the amazing.
Two Great Materials
When I was in jewelry school, I didn’t have lots of money to be spending on silver so I made everything out of copper or brass. The problem is, copper takes on a dingy kind of look to it. This cuff bracelet, a collaboration between Marcus and Nicole Fischer of dustbreeding.com, is a wonderful way to take that dingy quality and put it to work! With the grain and the color you have something that looks very much like wood. And I of course love the felt lining. As Marc points out it gives it a mossy feel. The site is a real inspiration. Make one thing a day for a year.
Moat
One day I dream my “pond” will look like this. Yes, this is from Sunset, what can I say, they have a lot of great ideas!
River of Rocks
In the spring and early summer we have some major water moving through parts of the property which can make areas so muddy you risk losing your shoes if you don’t watch your step. We have already talked about drainage options and how we can bury a french drain to encourage the water to move along a certain path, but what fun is that? I think it would be cool to have a river of rocks to show us when the water is flowing and of course we will want a way to get across this rock river and what better than stepping stones. For some reason I haven’t been able to get this across to anyone yet but luckily Sunset has a picture of almost exactly the thing I am envisioning.
Lounging Outdoors
While out little house in the big woods is coming along, I feel like we are still missing a comfortable outdoor hang out space. We just recently finished the deck which is a big step forward and we have another deck under our gazebo roof started (and it is about time!) but we still need some outdoor furniture. Sunset Magazine is a long time favorite of mine and while I don’t get the print version I do like to poke around online and see what is cooking. I found instructions for this outdoor lounge made of PVC pipe and curtains, but to me the framework is not the most wonderful part. The chairs pictured here are fantastic! Low to the ground with pillows as back cushions they seem like just the think to sink into at the end of a day of work. I can’t see the couch in this view, but I imagine it to be a longer version of the chairs. And the coffee table is so simple but fits in perfectly! I have no idea where to purchase these beauties, but I am already figuring out how I can make them on my own.
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