Doormat - DIY

How is that for a post title?  I think obsess about a lot of things and doormats can, on occasion, be one of those things.  I have been searching for the perfect one ever since we moved into our house almost two years ago.  Last week the H&M Spring 2011 Home catalog arrived in my mailbox and this is what I found on page 2.

Cute, right?  I have been looking for something with a print and I like the chevron pattern. Our entry is somewhat exposed to the elements so the typical doormat just becomes a soggy mess on a rainy day.  Coconut fiber should do fine, I hope.

Unfortunately, it only comes in 50 x 80 cm and that is too big for our entry.  My first thought was to buy one and cut it down.  Then while writing this post I had an idea.... Make, or should I say paint, my own.  Plain coconut fiber ones are widely available and so is paint. :)  I have plenty of masking tape. No idea if this will work (well), but I figure if Anna can renovate her house, Benita can paint her house, and Dan can upholster his bed  then I can paint a doormat.  We will see.

(image: h&m)

10-10 2nd Day

Instead of going outside, I decided to take a walk around our house for this 10-10 and before I knew I ended up with a theme.  So, lights please.

8 more days to go and I am so off to read the book about our camera.

Zzzoolights

Last week I ran across Zzzoolights,  the work of kirigami artist Ramin Razani for Officina Crea.  Aren't they just too cute and in a good way?  Modern lines with just the right amount of whimsy.

I just wish that I would have discovered them about 3 or 4 years ago. Tomorrow I am going to ask Sam, but I can guess he would prefer a dinosaur or a shark version.

(images: officina crea)

More of Less.

Hi!  How was your weekend?  Despite the gray in gray weather mine was good.  In fact, this type of weather is perfect for cleaning and organizing. Who wants to be indoors doing that during a beautiful spring or summer day? Not me.  So, continuing with my search for a more organized home I went through several boxes of correspondence. Some dating back to my junior year in high school. Yes, high school and yes I keep paper. 

I couldn't get rid of everything, but I did go from these (very hideous boxes, although the two on the right might be referred to as vintage IKEA).

I ended up with one not so vintage IKEA KASSETT box.  Emma is looking very, well very Emma.  I am in the mood to do some more organizing so I will definitely be taking advantage of that this week.

10-10 (-10) 1st Day

Sherri at Little House in Paradise has been taking part in the 10-10-10 Photo challenge (10 pictures -10 minutes -10 days). I loved the idea and so a few days ago when frost was covering everything I gave it a go.

The idea behind the challenge is to do this for 10 consecutive days.  Knowing myself I will strive for two sets a week.  I need all the practice I can get.

Pay it Forward Crafting 2011 - I am in

This morning I was going through my reader with a nice cup of coffee at my side and found an interesting post by Juliette of Zuhause in Germany: Pay it Forward Crafting 2011!: I will send you something.

Here is the deal:

I promise to send something handmade (by me) to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this on their blog and send something handmade to the first 5 people who comment on their blog.

In the past I haven't done much crafting, but since it is the beginning of the year I am thinking what the heck.  Not sure what I would be sending out, perhaps something knitted.  Anyway,  I am officially throwing my hat in the ring.  So, scarf anyone?

Guest Bathroom

We have lived in our house just two weeks short of two years and there are still some things left to complete both in the house and out in the garden.  That doesn't stop me from reworking some things that were considered done.  In this case, it was just adding a shelf in the guest bathroom.

Before

After

I just had our carpenter move the panel hiding the u-bend further back and add a shelf in front.  It is just a small change, but it has makes me happy.

Chair love

Just a quick post to spread some chair love.  Have you seen these?

Eye Exam

Alphabet Color

Both of these prints are from Blue Art Studio.   I discovered them on [room] by sofie who was featured with Benita in a Swedish magazine.  Wouldn't these prints look fabulous, well just about anywhere? Especially in my house.  :)

(images: blue art studio)

3(.3)@12

There is an important member of our household that I have neglected to mention (hanging head in shame).  Meet Emma, our cat.

She is from KittyKind located in the Petco store at Union Square.  Hard to believe, but we have had her she has put up with us for almost 12 years.  Which means that she will turn 13 sometime this fall.  To me, she will always remain my 9 year old cat.

A cat that is looking a little miffed that I haven't mentioned her until now.  Sorry, Emma.

Less of this

New Year's resolution anyone?  I don't have a long list written out, but generally I would like this year to be a little less of this

and a little more of this.

I know, I know the drawer will probably never end up always looking like this, but it is a goal.  Speaking of goals did you see the shot of Benita's storage room in this morning's post? A thing of beauty.  Some of you might know what my basement looks like.  I definitely want less of that and so I am going to tackle it one drawer, box, or shelf at a time.

Brownie Improv

On Friday I tried a new brownie recipe. Actually, probably my first that didn't come out of a box.  I made the double recipe and I didn't have two pans that were the size suggested.  So I came up with this improv.

 

I folded the parchment paper into a triangle at the end and used a silicone potholder to hold it in place.  Violà, it worked!

The brownies were for dessert on New Year's Eve and were a hit.  I received several comments along the line of how typically American they were.  Had to laugh to myself because the recipe was from an English bloke.