M&I rent a storage unit upstate. We have had it since we moved back from New Mexico and until about three weeks ago we went there about twice a year, once to get the air conditioner, and once to drop it off. For whatever reason we finally decided that three years was enough and we needed to take action. To make the task a little less daunting we have been removing a box at a time and bringing it back to Brooklyn with us to unpack. In some cases we had empty boxes in there (don’t ask, there isn’t a good reason) so we could clear out a few at a time. It has been terribly cathartic. I can’t tell you how wonderful it has been to open a box, deal with its contents and break it down. In most cases whatever was in the box is being donated or freecycled. We actually found the last of our tea cups which I figured was gone for good. This story reminds me of our project and made my chuckle. There have been more than a few situations where one or the other of us would cock an eyebrow because of some sentimental object that can’t be thrown away. via
Budget Calculator
In these iffy financial times it might not be the worst idea to do a little budgeting. Even if you aren’t noticing a real hit it doesn’t hurt to do a little planning. M&I recently decided we would be cash only during the week and set a limit. It is interesting how different it feels to only have a certain amount in your wallet and when that runs out… well let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I have been thinking about things much differently when faced with a should I buy it or shouldn’t I situation. This handy budget calculator is the next step in really coming up with a number that will help us save a little. via
Leafy Greens
In recent years I have come to love dark leafy green vegetables. Swiss chard, kale, collard greens. They take only a second to make which makes them and ideal side dish when I just don’t feel like cooking, and I love the taste. I saw this recipe for Lasagne with Chard, Tomato Sauce and Ricotta on Tastespotting. It looks delicious and has many of my favorite things. I have actually never made lasagna before, but this seems like a good recipe for my first try.
Tricycle
If someone came up to me and told me they rode a tricycle and they were over the age of 5, I would probably look at them as if they were crazy. Until today. My cousin and her boyfriend found this amazing bike for $6.89 at their local Salvation Army and restored it to its current fabulousness! And yes, that is not a typo, $6.89. I love the basket, and I love that it has three wheels. I have often thought it would be great to ride a bike to work, but I have to admit I am a little scared to try. I might feel a little safer with such sturdy transport. Below is a before shot so you can appreciate how much work went into this project. Maybe I can get them to come and rehab a bike for me. In case you were so jealous that you wanted to get your own an didn’t mind shelling out a little cash, you can buy one here.
Making the Old New
In our kitchen we have a chandelier. We rent so we can’t really change it as much as I would like to. It is brass with plastic “crystals”. We cleaned it as best we could when we moved in, but it didn’t help much. A while ago we had an idea to wrap the whole thing with christmas lights. The one thing holding us back was we didn’t like the idea of having to hide the cord and we couldn’t find the necessary hardware to get around this easily. Enter this terrific light by Tom Raffield. We both love bent wood and I think we could do a DIY version of this without too much trouble. While I would love to buy the real thing, it will have to wait for when we have a place of our own. via
Chattering Teeth
This past weekend M&I were upstate making our push to complete the ReadyMade before full on winter sets in. We have been camping the last few times we were up there so we figure we would pile on a few more blankets and all would be swell. Unfortunately it was way too cold for me to be camping and I was freezing the whole night. This coupled with a late start on Saturday meant we didn’t make nearly as much progress as we had hoped we would. The plywood floor is in and painted, and all the wood has been purchased for the frame. Columbus day we are spending most of the weekend having fun, but Monday our task is to make all the cuts so that next time we get out the nail gun (thank you Dad!) and start assembling. Anyone want to help?
Jerky
I love beef jerky. Love it. There is a rule that we only get jerky on road trips, otherwise I would eat it all the time. It is the perfect food for long trips in the car. I was super excited when I saw a recipe to make your own on Tastespotting. I had seen Alton Brown make jerky once, but it seemed too complicated and involved an air conditioner filter and making your own smoke flavor. Apparently it isn’t that hard.
Dwell
I love Dwell Magazine. There is something in just about every issue that catches my attention and makes me happy we are just about in the position where we are thinking about buildings and how they will look. This issue had an article that was especially interesting to me. Apparently some crazy recent art grad decided to buy a house and totally redo it with the help of his dad. Oh and he did it all on a recent art grad’s budget. Lots of recycled materials, lots of thinking outside the box and lots of trips to the ReStore. Once the house was complete it didn’t seem right to plop in just any furniture so he designed and built pieces himself. Wonderful! You can check it out at Rural Theory, there is a PDF of the Dwell article and many more pictures. My favorite quote from the article is, “I didn’t want my Grandmother to feel like an astronaut when she visited.” I can’t wait to get to the point where M&I are picking out materials. Thanks for the inspiration, Blake!
Relax Chicken Little
Maybe you have heard that we are in a bit of a finacial situation. Personally I have been in a total panic and blissfully ignorant somehow all at the same time. Well someone has laid it out with links so that even I can understand what is going on. The bottom line? Stay calm. via
I Finally Met a Crisp I Couldn’t Eat
I don’t know what is wrong with me lately. Every thing I have tried to bake in the last few months has been practically inedible. Last night I attempted an apple crisp. Something I have made with a certain amount of success in the past. This time I tried to get creative and did a few things that weren’t in the recipe… big mistake. Now I have a fairly large pan of apple crisp that I won’t eat. M managed to eat some, but I think he was deperate for something sweet. We think we can salvage it with some apple cider and a little more time in the oven, but I am not so sure. Until I learn better, I am just going to have to stick to the recipe.
iamlizbeth.com 