Igloo Letterpress
If you are lucky enough to have people in your life who do nice things for you, it really is wonderful to send a thank-you note to express your gratitude. There are few things better than receiving a lovely card that says you are appreciated.
We have lots of artists in Central Ohio who make cards (all of the above artists are local), and you can buy them at places like On Paper, Igloo Letterpress, Collier-West, and Peabody Papers.
Jewelry is like Legos for grown-ups. There are a million tiny pieces that get stuffed in a drawer or a box, frequently get stepped on, and leave you feeling you need more…ok, not really like Legos, but you see where I’m going (right?). So what do you do with all of your pretties? Here are some ideas.
Divide and Conquer- First, of course, get everything out and evaluate what you have. You will probably have some things to get rid of, so put that in your going-to-the-thrift-store bag or box (you have one, yes? Excellent.). Earrings without mates can just be tossed. If you have a bunch of necklaces that are all tangled together, spend a few minutes separating them (you may want a glass of wine for this, as it both tedious and frustrating. Also, small children seem to think this is great fun- exploit them if possible.). There will likely be things that you want to keep but are not part of your regular rotation- put them away in a lovely box and move on to what you actually wear. Once you have decided what you keep, you can move on to how to keep them.
Vertical Storage- Putting your jewelry on display is nice because you can see everything you have do that, you can re-purpose drawers or frames with cork or fabric (or metal!).
Small Containers- I love to use teacups for this, as it gives purpose to beautiful things that often get lost in cupboards, but you can use anything that pleases you- spice containers, baby-food contains with the labels off, small tins, etc.
Sculpture adornment- If you happen to have a bust lying around (I actually do! And it really is where I keep my jewelry.), I think this is gorgeous, actually.
Artful displays- I love the idea of making a mobile with sticks from outside gatherings to use to hang jewelry- brilliant.
{images from bluebirdheaven, log home ideas, real simple, gadora wilder}
Every year, Pantone, the international arbiters of color (that sounds so silly but it’s true) pick a color they think will both be everywhere in the upcoming months, and reflect the mood of the times. This year, they picked Honeysuckle, which, apparently, “elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life”. That’s a lot of responsibility for one color. Last year’s color was turquoise, because we needed calming? It was a difficult year for many, so I guess they got it right. While I find it a little astonishing that a color would have its own press release (although, certainly, it should), I do rather like the color. I have had pink rooms before, and I loved them; one extra benefit is that everyone looks lovely! If a whole wall feels like too much, you can use it as little pops of color throughout a room. Or you can just get a new lipstick, of course.
{images from designsponge, elli pop, o magazine, lonny}
Does Central Ohio have a disproportionate number of talented artists? Just lucky, I guess.
As anyone who’s ever met me knows, I am not a fan of winter. I dread it for months, complain bitterly about its gifts of pretty snow, and have to be coaxed out of my nice warm bed more than once a day- the second someone’s back is turned, I’m right back in it, too. Everything is harder in winter- driving, walking, dressing. Fresh vegetables are not so fresh, and I don’t really want a salad, anyway. My nose is cold even while sitting at the table.
But. I am trying to not be miserable- because, how boring, really- so here are the luxuries I am finding to get me through til spring.
Tea- Never having been a coffee girl, tea is my constant companion on a chilly day. I am terribly pedestrian in my home tea drinking, having been addicted to Peppermint Celestial Seasonings since a was a child, and occasionally rising to Stash teas before tumbling back into routine, but going elsewhere for tea is a rare outing that sounds appealing in the winter. My favorite is Zen Cha, a lovely tea boutique in the Short North. Zen Cha serves artisan teas in an elegant, calm environment, and coming here feels like a special occasion. When I was little, Biddie’s Tea House was a huge treat, talked about in anticipation for weeks- I guess I need to start taking my daughter there, to extend the tradition. In addition to tea, they have a high tea menu, with lovely sandwiches and other delicacies. For more everyday tea outings, Cup o Joe has several outposts here in Columbus, one of them right here in my neighborhood, so if we are feeling brave we will walk over for a cup of Earl Grey.
Cashmere- Sweaters, hats, mittens. Blankets, socks, water-bottle covers. Whatever. If it’s cashmere, it will be warmer, softer, and more beautiful than anything else. If you’re feeling flush, go to jinny in the Short North for some really stunning sweaters and coats, including a cape that I feel a little lusty about. Vintage sweaters can be found at Mad4Mod, Flower Child, and other antique and retro shops, and even, if you’re very lucky, thrift stores.
Reading- Of course, reading is pleasure year round. Reading in the winter, however, is a requirement for sanity. Columbus has the best library in the country (not hyperbole- it’s really true); for buying books of your own to keep, The Book Loft has everything, and Cover to Cover has a great selection of children’s books. You have my permission to get back under the covers now.
Music- When you have to get out of bed, it helps to have something to listen to. Lost Weekend always has a fantastic vinyl selection, and Used Kids and Magnolia’s have plenty of things to browse through. Support your local radio stations, too- 90.5, 102.5, and 89.7.
If that’s all not enough, there’s always whiskey.
{images from Yourself on Fire, Countess de Vintage, Nan Lawson}
This week a fellow blogger invited me to a luncheon held at the delightful Alana’s to hear a presentation about a new program AEP is developing called gridSMART. Being a girl who can’t say no to a chance at eating amazing food for 2 solid hours, I cheerfully accepted, but worried that the price- writing about something that I might have some disagreement with- would prove unacceptable. It turns out I needn’t have worried- here’s the deal:
gridSmart gives consumers the option of having a digital meter installed in their home. The primary benefit the new meter offers, to me at least, is the ability to see how much energy your home is using in real time; for example, when my daughter opens the refrigerator 20 times in 15 minutes to confirm that there really isn’t anything there that she wants, I can say to her, Look darling, you have just wasted __ cents- it will be coming out of your allowance (probably I wouldn’t do that, but sometimes threats work…). Why does AEP want people to use less electricity, you say? Largely because they are trying to delay the inevitable switch to greener power plants, which will, of course, cost them dearly. So brainy people everywhere are trying to figure out how to help people use less energy, and one idea is giving people more information about how much they are really consuming so they can be radicalized into making more efficient choices. Other states have just sort of presented the new meters as a fait accomplie, which apparently didn’t go so well, as some people felt that their privacy was being compromised, or that that there were security concerns (neither seem to have any legitimacy, but change is scary for some)- AEP has decided to make the program voluntary, so there will be early adapters- I will certainly be one- to help lead the way for people still feeling a little angsty.
Because I am both frugal and resource conscious, the appeal of gridSmart for me is an increased capacity for managing my consumption, but for people who don’t feel concerned about that, the new meters will help AEP deal more quickly with power outages, both because the meters will be able to communicate faster than the current technology allows, and because the new equipment will allow for remote troubleshooting for connection and voltage issues. I also like the idea of no longer having to answer the door in my robe to the the meter reader and having them tromp through my house, but that’s just me.
Here is the crazy making thing- we can’t have it yet. For, like, a while- possibly even a few years. I got you all excited about it and you didn’t even get any pumpkin bisque! But when it comes, I will be the first to sign up- please hurry, gridSmart.
Official disclosure:
“I wrote this post after attending an informational luncheon on behalf of Silver Spring Networks and Mom Central Consulting and received a gift bag and gift card as a thank you for taking the time to participate.”
I cannot overstate my love for Maira Kalman and her delightful, cheerfully poignant illustrations and writings about everything from philosophy to colonial interiors to historical people of interest. Everything she does is so rich with joy and humanity I can barely speak after I’ve read and seen one of her pieces. She has an occasional blog at the NYT, and has a new book that is about, among other things, the cultural workings of democracy, biographies of the writers of the constitution, and food. Also, shoes. She is 10 kinds of fantastic.
Even when we are mindful of what we choose to bring into our homes, the sheer volume of both unchosen detritus and our every day accouterments threatens to overwhelm. Here are few ways of managing the stuff that comes inside.
Mail- Deal with it as soon as it comes. Toss what you don’t care about (which is most of it, really) into the recycling RIGHT AWAY. Truly, don’t let what you don’t want even hit the table. What you want to keep can go into the predetermined place on or in your desk. As for the seemingly endless newspapers and fliers that arrive uninvited at your door- this makes me crazy, by the way- try to speak to the delivery person and tell them to skip your house, or leave a small sign where someone will see it stating your preferences (my experience with this has been unsatisfying, but it’s worth a shot).
So much of the mail we get is genuinely wasteful and unnecessary- to stop the flow of junk mail and catalogs, go here.
Accessories- Instead of walking in the door and throwing your coat on a chair, just take a second to put it, and whatever other things (bag, shoes, etc) that come off when you come home, away. This sounds so simple, but it will save you time in the end and keep things where they should be.
Groceries- Put everything away immediately, of course, but also, make sure you buy only what you have space for have the space for what you’re bringing home, and have containers ready for things to go in to save space and give a more uniform look to your pantry items.
Periodicals- With beloved shelter magazines dropping like flies (Oh, Domino, I think of you fondly, and often. And Blueprint, and Budget Living…), my monthly magazine load is smaller than ever, but there are a few that still come weekly (you will pry my New Yorker out of my cold, dead hands). As soon as the new issue comes, take your critical eye to last week/month’s and decide if it’s worth keeping. It probably isn’t, so take it to the recycling bin, or Half-Price books (where, yes, there will give you a hot .25 for it, but someone else will get to read it, and that’s a good thing), or pass it on to a friend who will appreciate it. If it’s an issue that you think you will want to read or look at again and again, dedicate a space for magazines somewhere in your home- I will admit to hoarding all of the aforementioned Dominos that I ever received, and they have a prominent home in my dining room bookshelves. As for newspapers, just toss them as soon as your finished; if there’s an article you found compelling, clip it and file it away, just like your grandmother did.
Things left behind- This may not be a universal problem, but we entertain somewhat frequently, and people are always leaving things behind. The first thing to do is to let the person know you have their ___, and give them the chance to come grab it. The likelihood is that this well be met with a well-intentioned promise of a retrieval, but often people’s lives get in the way of this sort of thing, so you have to decide how to proceed. It would be lovely of you to just return the item to its owner, but certainly you can hang on to it for a little bit, keeping it in a dedicated, intentional place that isn’t in your line of vision. If sundry items begin to collect and it’s driving you crazy, you can let people know a little more forcefully that their things will be waiting for them to pick up at a certain time or place. Offer to take the things to the thrift store for them- unless you think that’s a little passive aggressive…
As in everything in life that matters, a little bit of regular maintenance and paying attention in your home pays off.
{images loveisnoise, inhabitat, realsimple, workmajj, urbanfarmhouse}
Donewaiting, a Columbus site for people part of and interested in the Central Ohio music scene, is releasing a Christmas album this year, featuring songs by a number of notable local musicians. The discs are $10, with profits going to Gracehaven. The Moviola, Bird and Flower, and Megan Palmer songs are particularly lovely.
This is the holiday shopping event that I am easily most excited for. HolidayVille, December 4, from 10- 6, is being tried for the first time this year, but I think it’s a safe bet to say that it will become a neighborhood tradition. My daughter’s head will explode when I tell her there will be a trolley running up and down High St through Clintonville and Beechwold. A ton of local shops are playing along, including Wholly Craft, Cover to Cover, Lost Weekend Records, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Sew to Speak, and many others; nearly all will be offering special deals, discounts, workshops, and sweet nothings. I am proud to say that my very own street’s newest shopkeepers, Graffiti Dog, will be offering Pet Psychic services for a modest $15 for 15 minutes. More details here and here.
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