kristin made simple

forgive yourself

2009-10-20T22:42:00.002-04:00

Oh, the blog. How I have neglected thee. I got really busy with work, a move, the gym, yoga, friends, new boyfriend, summer, roommates...and the list goes on. And now it's the middle of October, with not a post to be had in months. I feel guilty and annoyed at the missed opportunity to document so many exciting happenings over recent months.

I was recently accepted into a yoga teacher training program at a studio in Savannah, Georgia. It is a nine month program that meets one weekend a month. My first weekend was this past weekend. I can't even begin to describe all of the awesomeness that happened this weekend...just that I am on a journey, and I like where I'm going. Practing yoga this year has fundamentally changed my outlook on life, and for that reason I want to teach so I can help facilitate that experience for others.

The instructor for our program talked a lot about guilt and forgiveness this weekend. She told us to get used to fogiving ourselves for things that we've done and haven't done that we feel guilty about. Life is too short! So, in that vein, I'm going to forgive myself for abandoning the blog for the better part of 2009. I'm going to stop feeling guilty about it. I can only change what is happening NOW. I urge you to heed that advice and apply it to whatever it is that you're feeling guilty about. Learning to do this will make you feel so much lighter.

If you've never been to a yoga class, I invite you to try one. One of the great things about yoga as a form of exercise is that it's really accessible for anyone. Give it a try. I bet that you will love the way it makes you feel afterwards.

kristinmadesimple is shifting away from home decor, DIY projects, etc. and will be a place for me to document my journey in a public forum. Know that I willl be giving my blog the love and attention that it deserves.

Namaste, Kristin

I'm ready, I'm ready

2009-04-23T22:40:00.004-04:00

One week. In one week, I move to a new house on IOP. New house, new roommates. I painted the bathroom this weekend and will be doing a variety of projects around the house this weekend (of course, with a large chunk of beach time allotted for). Will take some photos while I am over there...I am so excited about this house. I need the salt air!!

be inspired, run a 5K

2009-04-19T22:37:00.009-04:00

I had a very special visitor in town this Easter weekend. Katherine was in town and we ate at some great downtown restaurants (Vickery's was one, with Alexis!), went to the beach, ran a 5K, took a day trip to Savannah, and a lot of other fun things. It was weekend jam packed of friends and fun!

The 5K that we participated in was the Run Forrest Run, sponsored by the Riverdogs and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. It was really fun! I enjoyed the race so much (and the sweet t-shirt we got) that I was inspired to look for more upcoming runs in the greater Charleston area. I registered to run in the "Run for the 9" event happening at the Palmetto Islands County Park in Mt. Pleasant. The race is held in memorial of 9 local firefighters who lost their lives battling a furniture warehouse fire 2 years ago.

If you are interested in finding races in your area, search active.com. It is a great resource!

five songs that will get you moving

2009-03-15T20:52:00.003-04:00

Integrate these songs into your usual gym routine and inject some fresh energy into your workout.

Right Round -- flo rida
Like I Love You -- Justin Timberlake (oooh, JT love)
Starstruck -- Lady Gaga
Lose Control -- Missy Eliott
Shake -- ying yang twins

Yeah, I have a preference for pop and hip-hop while in the gym. If you are looking for songs to get you through some interval training, try songs with a good beat to keep you going when it gets tough. I recommend the entire Laga Gaga album for your workout needs, actually. Check it out!

and if you really want to work on your abs...

2009-03-15T12:21:00.003-04:00

Do yoga. By practicing yoga, you are building your core strength way deep down in your abdominal muscles. If you incorporate yoga poses into your weekly routine, you will likely start to notice increased flexibility within eight weeks. It will also lower your blood pressure, make you happier, reduce stress hormones in the body, and may even slow the aging process. I am hooked. To read a brief rundown of yoga's health benefits in detail, click here.

grab a fitness mag, a handful of walnuts and hop to it

2009-03-15T11:56:00.007-04:00

I picked up the latest issue of Shape magazine while grocery shopping at Harris Teeter the other day. They always have great, healthy recipes and easy-to-follow, speedy work-outs that are guaranteed to get you toned up in no time. I am now a firm believer that a commitment to regular exercise is the only way to really get into shape -- any type/level of exercise is beneficial, consistency is the key. I enjoy seeing things in the magazine and incorporating them into my gym routine. If you need an extra push to get into a regular fitness routine, pick up a magazine like this. Even if you don't have a gym membership, Shape offers plenty of things you can do in the privacy of your living room.

There is an article in this issue on how to beat belly fat. For women, the belly is a) a really hard place to lose fat from and b) a pretty dangerous place to have fat as far as your long term health in concerned. A diet with a lot of fiber/other nutrients will make you less likely to have fat around the middle than a diet of less healthy food but with fewer calories. The article recommends adding more grapefruit, melon, whole wheat bread, walnuts, and a glass of wine (surprisingly!) to your diet while avoiding foods like sugar substitutes, canned soup, and partially hydrated oil. Basically, eat more fiber!! We all need more fruits and vegetables in our lives. A good read on this topic is In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan.

v. 2.0 coming soon

2009-03-13T21:27:00.003-04:00

Look for a new version of my blog coming soon. kristin made simple, v. 2.0 if you will. I haven't been inspired to post because I haven't really been doing much to my apartment on the home decor front. I've been in a stalemate, and felt like I had nothing to write about. I'm slowing getting some ideas, and am looking forward to moving into a new house soon with Leigh and maybe my sister. We'll see. Anyway, I'm going to shift my focus and concentrate more on those things that are making my life "simple" and the profound effect they are having on my overall sense of peace and contentment. So a lot of yoga talk, vegetarian talk, gym talk, friend talk, etc coming this way soon. In the meantime:

I am hooked on my Lady Gaga Pandora station. Pandora is like a friend to me at this point after a year of hardcore usage. I guess that is why they have ads on there now. Anyway, her entire album makes me want to dance.
I went to a yoga class with my co-worker Jaime at the studio where she is also an instructor. It was awesome. The studio is called Serenity Now and you can also visit their blog by clicking here.
I saw Ryan Adams perform an incredible show on Wednesday (apparently he married Mandy Moore in Savannah the night before, so it was quite a lovely show) and last night I saw Badfish play at the Music Farm. Upcoming is Slightly Stoopid and Kings of Leon.
Almost halfway through March and I haven't fallen off the gym-hitting resolution that I pledged. At this point, I don't really foresee ever falling out of the routine as it has become so ingrained in my daily schedule. Yay!

Charleston, SC: Notes from the Beaches

2009-03-13T21:20:00.003-04:00

I am excited to announce that our blog is up and running at work! We've been looking forward to having one for a long time, and here it is! I can't wait to post there in the future. To visit our blog, please click here and check out what we have been up to!

2009-02-18T22:06:00.004-05:00

Wow, I haven't posted since January. That's terrible.

I'll admit that my resolution of hitting the gym more has taken precedent over blogging these days. I try to take at least two yoga classes a week (it is the BEST way to de-stress). It is my fun new hobby. The weather is also getting warmer here. Spring is almost here! I'm ready for beach weather and cute bikinis..

Today I toured SCAD with my mom and sister. Savannah is a beautiful city, and SCAD has a really cool, urban campus. Katherine is applying for graduate school there and I think she would really love it there. I was really impressed with their programs and facilities.

I have a new super nice pair of yoga pants. When you buy something from a lululemon store, you get a really cool reusable bag with really inspiring quotes printed all over it. My favorite quote says "Breate deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life." Although a close second is "A daily hit of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions helps you be at peace with yourself and offsets stress." And that pretty much sums up why I am in super gym mode right now.

great looking source of vegetarian slow-cooker recipes

2009-01-26T21:42:00.005-05:00

After several years of being "almost there" when it comes to vegetarianism, I officially declared myself the other day. Not really to anyone other than to myself, scrawled with the date in my journal. "Now is the time", "seize the day", that kind of thing I guess.

Anywho, now I find myself with the ever-challenging question of: what to eat? And tonight it dawned on me. I need to invest in a slow-cooker, stat. I saw a really cute red one at Target the other day, and I remember it being pretty cheap. But what kind of meals can a vegetarian prepare in a slow cooker? I imagined that you could make a lot of things, so I turned to the internets. And look what I found on Amazon! This cookbook is exactly what I need. "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow-Cooker" has some rave reviews from amazon users. I might need to add this one to my cookbook collection. Can 3 books count as a collection?

Has anyone else read this book? Anyone else a vegetarian, and do you have recipes you swear by? Drop a line!

i want to be gorgeously green!

2009-01-25T21:03:00.004-05:00

For Christmas, my sister Nicole gave me this groovy book called "Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life." If you have any interest in learning way to clean up your act (literally) when it comes to the environment, check it out. The book is also full of delicious, nutritious recipes and daily yoga positions to practice. Perfect, as I went to my first yoga class on Wednesday night. Look for eco-friendly shopping and cleaning tips, too! Hope to put some of the things I've learned into practice and share my results here soon.

so I'm still working on my bedroom...

2009-01-19T21:49:00.006-05:00

Look what I found at Barnes and Noble! Not only is it a superb collection of Flannery O'Connor's stories (I love her writing), but it goes perfectly with my peacock-inspired duvet! Score one for me...or actually that was Leigh, she pulled it off the shelf at Barnes and Noble. I haven't been buying new books recently (trying to frequent great places like this one) but I couldn't pass this one up. Now just to find the bedside table I am picturing in my mind...

2009-01-19T21:13:00.013-05:00

I know, I know. I've totally destroyed my resolution to blog more, two of my sisters were quick to point out to me. So far, 2009 has consisted largely of contemplation and reflection on 2008. 2008 was my first full year as a college graduate and a lot of stuff happened, some really good and some really bad. And now here I am, freshly 24 and suddenly feeling like an adult with an unexpected/unplanned new car and a new perspective on my big girl job.

A day in my life: 7:00 wake up 7:15 feed the cat, shower, get ready 8:00 leave my house *8:16 dunkies for iced coffee 8:30-5 but mostly after 5:30 WORRRKKKK. My manager is on maternity leave. As I am her assistant, I've had a lot more responsibility over the last few months. I'm "the boss". I have been throwing myself into my job full force since August and haven't slowed down. But I love it. 5:30-7:00 gym And then I have nothing to do. I don't watch television. I don't really like cooking elaborate dinners for myself. It always goes to waste. I read, I clean, I do laundry, watch Teddy be crazy, etc. My life is boring. I feel like I have a lot of time to do cool stuff but really I don't do anything. Result? I've felt uninspired. Blah.

However, I feel like I'm out of this little slump. Along with all the reflecting I've done, I've also thought about the future and I feel good and excited about what's ahead. I'm feeling more optimistic and creative. Maybe because some days here already feel like spring is coming? Maybe. Anywho -- enough rambling. Look for more activity here in coming days!

*this doesn't quite happen every day...but almost.

happy 2009!

2009-01-01T20:34:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!! I couldn't be happier about the onset of 2009 (after all, it is my golden year of being 24). After sleeping in and a delicious scrambled egg breakfast, we participated in the polar bear plunge, sponsored by Dunleavy's Pub on Sullivans Island. It certainly was an invigorating way to be baptized into the new year! The water was only about 58 degrees, but I think the high temperature was only about 51 degrees? There was thousands of people there -- observing and running in. It was freaking cold coming out of the water, let me tell you! I've made a few resolutions for 2009, too. Some are as follows:

To be more positive, more smiley, and less worried about things.
To NOT start biting my nails again, and to have officially left that nasty habit in 2008. (I read that Britney Spears has the same resolution...)
To blog more!
To be better at finishing projects once I start them.
etc.

I hope the new year brings you all health, happiness, and blessings! Yay 2009!

I'm 24!!!

2008-12-24T13:05:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to me!! I'm enjoying the day with my family, but I'll be back in a bit with photos of the peppermint bark I made the other day, and maybe some other fun things...I just received a blank passport application, along with $ to pay for the application fee from my parents. Yay! Maybe my 24th year can be my first year of international travel...we'll see! There are so many places I want to visit...perhaps my lifelong dream of going to London will finally be realized. Merry Christmas Eve to all.

need help with finishing my bedroom!

2008-12-23T19:53:00.005-05:00

Upon my return to Charleston, I need to finish painting my bedroom. I'm looking forward to blowing through the things I've been working on in my apartment so I can just relax and enjoy it. I've been living with old sheets tacked up over my street-front windows since I moved in in mid-May. I know, I know. The hold-up was finding curtains that I liked that weren't too ridiculously expensive. Additionally, I didn't want to buy curtains until I knew what the rest of the room was going to look like. My quest to find a duvet cover was also a process, but I finally found this one, and received it from my mom for my early birthday present. What do y'all think about these curtains? I think they would look quite nice against the ice blue walls.

Also, I'm not usually one to buy furniture new. I inherited my sweet desk from my mom when she bought a new one, and I'm "babysitting" couches for one of my good friends who moved back in with her parents. I found a sweet bookshelf on the street a little while ago...anyway, I digress. I need a bedside table, and this one is on clearance from Pottery Barn (I told you, I've been spending a ton of time there these days). It is marked down from $379 to $149. I think that is such a good deal! And it would look darling in my bedroom, I think. Should I bite the bullet and order it? Let me also say that I have absolutely zero skill in assembling things...I unfortunately did not inherit this skill from my super handy, speedy father. I'd need to recruit someone to put it together for me. Anyway, what do you think? Do I buy the curtains, or the bedside table, or both? Or neither?

a lowcountry christmas

2008-12-23T16:26:00.007-05:00

Despite the winter wonderland I am enjoying here @ home, I can't help but miss the temperate lowcountry climate and Charleston in general, really. I can't wait to own my own home there someday and decorate it for Christmas. I'll be sure to draw inspiration from this lovely lowcountry home (featured in Southern Living) in Santee, South Carolina (which is pretty close to Charleston). I love their use of the palmetto fronds, pineapples, and magnolia. So authentically lowcountry. I also love that the homeowners create all these wonderful decorations themselves, and all the greenery comes from their property. Enjoy! See more pictures @ Southern Living here.

remember these? look what's now on sale @ Pottery Barn

2008-12-23T13:24:00.005-05:00

Do you remember when I wrote about these blue vases from Pottery Barn way back when? They are now super discounted, selling for $7.99-19.99 compared to the original price of $29.99-59.99. This look can be easily recreated using vintage vases from resale stores/yard sales/etc as I did. However, if you were diggin' these particular vases in particular, you really can't beat this price. Although scrounging resale stores for the perfect vintage vase is more challenging and rewarding and thus, more fun...at least for me. To see more items on sale from Pottery Barn (and there are a ton right now), please click here.

happy birthday to me (tomorrow)!

2008-12-23T11:24:00.008-05:00

Tomorrow, I turn the ripe old age of 24. Hurray! I'm actually pretty excited to enter into my 24th year, and am especially amped about turning 24 on the 24th. It's my golden birthday, you know. I am certain that it will be a great year. In celebration of my birthday, I wanted to share a few gorgeous cake recipes with you, courtesy of the domestic queen herself, Martha Stewart. She offers a plethora of gorgeous birthday cake ideas. There may be a homemade cake in my future, baked by very talented sister, Sarah. Yay for birthday cakes!

For the recipe, please click the photo.

adorable aprons by Carolyn's Kitchen!

2008-12-22T16:12:00.005-05:00

I've been doing quite a lot of baking this afternoon (stay tuned for a peppermint bark tutorial!) and ended up with chocolate all over me by the end of it. It'd be helpful if I had a little apron to wear. How ADORABLE are these aprons, designed by Carolyn's Kitchen? Feel domestic, vintage-inspired, and sexy all at the same time! You can even buy matching garter belts if you are feeling truly scandalous. These fantastic aprons were even featured on E's The Girls Next Door (figures). I would feel totally adorable baking and cooking while wearing one of these. Granted, I cook for myself 99% of the time, but still. To browse more of these adorable aprons, click here. These would make a super cute gift for the little Susie Homemaker in your life!

it's icy outside!!

2008-12-22T08:46:00.004-05:00

A brief rainstorm yesterday has caused a thick layer of ice to cover all the roads and sidewalks here -- still snowed in! My mom, all three of my sisters, and I did brave the elements yesterday to finish up some Christmas shopping at the mall. There were barely any lines, and super discounts were everywhere. I'm tempted to go back sometime before Christmas festivities to buy myself some more new threads. Anyway, I'm off to enjoy a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs paired with a delicious yogurt treat. In a little bit, I'm going to walk to get my daily Dunkin' Donuts coffee, and then stop at the store to get ingredients to either make some chocolaty Christmas cookies or peppermint bark...and I'll probably use the browning bananas here to make some delicious banana bread for everyone to enjoy. Watch out for the icy patch!!

more cutesy salt and pepper shakers for your viewing pleasure

2008-12-21T20:00:00.004-05:00

I am so excited about the adorable cupcake salt and pepper shakers that I received in our secret Santa that I had to find more to share with y'all, as the cupcake ones are no longer available at Urban Outfitters. Luckily, ModCloth has a few super cute ones available right now. And they are inexpensive! I looove the sparrows, they are darling. The honey bears are equally darling. Is there a shaker collection in my future? Perhaps.

For more info and pricing, please click photo.

buy local @ farmers markets!

2008-12-21T09:47:00.003-05:00

I'm happy to report that this year, several of my Christmas gifts came from the Charleston Farmers Market, held every seasonally every Saturday in Marion Square Park, downtown Charleston. It is such a good feeling to know that some of my hard-earned dollars went back into the local economy instead of huge retail chains. I'd love to write about some of the neat things I purchased for people, but it'll have to wait until after Christmas.

The Farmers Market is my favorite place to buy fresh, locally grown produce. Unfortunately, the market is over until April. To find a farmers market near you, please click here.

super discounted bath accessories from PB

2008-12-21T09:04:00.006-05:00

I'm up early this Sunday morning and it is STILL snowing. I can't believe I left 77 degree weather for quickly-approaching two feet of snow! Anyway, I'm spending some time perusing sale items from Pottery Barn. If you're in need of any accessories/hardware for your bathroom, they have some great items for pretty cheap right now. These are the kind of items I'd like to have in my own bathroom, but would never want to spend the $ to actually own them. However, with bathroom accessories going for $5.99-12.99, there are deals to be had, for sure. I'm loving the soap dish and the cora ripple bath accessories...the monogramed ones aren't too shabby, either!

For more info and pricing, please click on the photo.

more christmas cookie recipes!

2008-12-20T22:32:00.006-05:00

If this snow ever stops and I can hit up the grocery store, I will attempt to bake some delicious Christmas cookies. I prefer cookies that are super chocolaty, so I was excited when I stumbled onto these delicious recipes over @ Better Homes and Gardens. Maybe I'll walk up to the Fruit Center tomorrow...the snow won't stop my baking plans!

In order: mint cocoa fudge sandwich cookies, chocolate peppermint meringue kisses (holy cow, these look AWESOME), and mocha meringue kisses (I must be on a meringue kick or something). For individual recipes, please click photo.

loving this before/after from design*sponge

2008-12-20T17:44:00.004-05:00

Ever since I helped Leigh and Mary recover their mom's dining room chairs over Thanksgiving, I've been obsessed with rescuing some beat up old chairs and refurbishing them in a beautiful color with matching fabric. While catching up on design*sponge this evening, I came across this wonderful before and after of exactly the kind of chair I envision refurbishing myself. How inspiring! Maybe I'll get lucky and find some chairs upon my return to Charleston and attempt a similar project for myself.

in need of a stylish pet bed?

2008-12-20T16:53:00.008-05:00

It can be kinda tricky to find things for your pet that fit in with the rest of your home decor. Teddy is still in super kitten mode and falls asleep just about anywhere, but I've been looking at different pet beds for him for future use. Everything I've seen so far is tacky, boring, and would not match anything in my apartment. However, check out these stylin' options that I found on Design Public! I think each of these pet beds are simple, stylish, and would definitely add to the look of any living room or bedroom. Some are pricier than others...this might be an item that requires saving up some dough before purchasing.

For product info and pricing, please click on the photo. For more delightful pet items from Design Public, click here.

yay for my cupcake salt and pepper shakers!

2008-12-20T16:12:00.005-05:00

Do you remember the delightful cupcake salt and pepper shakers I blogged about wayyyy back on 9/30?? They are now sitting on my kitchen table! The fabulous Heidi B. drew my name for our annual Secret Santa at work. Funny story -- she saw them @ Urban Outfitters and thought they would be right up my alley. She went through my wishlist here for more gift ideas, and freaked out when she saw that I had written about my love for these delightful shakers. She called Leigh in a panic because she was convinced that I had purchased them for myself already. What a super special gift! They look wonderful on my kitchen table, and I'll post pictures of just how wonderful they look upon my return to Charleston. Thank you Heidi! (Alexis, you would looooove these!)

further lamp love

2008-12-20T15:45:00.005-05:00

I'm snowed-in in Boston and using this opportunity to give my blog some much needed love and attention. Post Christmas, I'm still planning on buying some table lamps for my apartment...the overhead lighting makes everything look kind of drab and I'm ready to soften things up a bit.

Check out these sweet table lamps on sale from Urban Outfitters! The desk lamp and the white spindle lamp are each $19.99, while the genie bottle lamp is still a good buy @ $24.99. Hmm...which ones to buy, and where to put them? The desk lamp would look great on my desk, but where could/should the other two go? My bedroom...or the living room. Not like there are too many choices, but once an indecisive person, always an indecisive person.

For further product info and pricing, please click on the photo. For more sweet things on sale from Urban, click here.

i love lamp

2008-12-14T21:53:00.005-05:00

Now that it's winter, my living room is pretty dark these days. I am in major need of lamps. I can't stop drooling over these pretty table lamps that I found on Design Public, designed by Peter Stathis for Pablo. Clearly I have an obsession with color...why not add something else to my crayola crayon-looking living room? Actually, all of these colors can be found somewhere in that room, mostly because of the geometric-looking Ikea pillows I have. Am I really at the age where I would contemplate purchasing a $110 lamp? Apparently. For further product info, please click photo.

i swear i've been busy...

2008-12-13T22:24:00.006-05:00

So, I haven't been posting much recently...nothing for 10 days! Unacceptable. I've been house/dog sitting with Leigh on Isle of Palms since the day before Thanksgiving. It was fabulously relaxing to live so close to the ocean for almost three weeks. This little reprieve from downtown Charleston has made me determined to find a house to rent on IOP once my lease is up @ this apartment.

We did some Christmas shopping today. We went to the Farmers Market in Marion Square and purchased some really neat things from different local artisans. I want to spill the beans about some cool presents I bought, but can't give away too much on the blog before Christmas! However, Leigh got me a fabulous gift that I can share. These gorgeous cards are for me to frame and hang in my living room. They are colorful prints of traditional lowcountry Gullah women. On the back of each card is a uniquely-Charleston recipe, like pineapple bake. New recipes to try and new art!

We really enjoyed talking to the artist, Marina Cantlon. The prints are reproductions of her original artwork, and each comes with a recipe and background information about the subject. View more of her delighful cards here.

loving these letter paintings by elizabeth

2008-12-02T20:14:00.002-05:00

Elizabeth of quest twenty eight (a fabulous blog that I can't get enough of!) has recent opened an Etsy shop! I am totally loving these letter paintings she recently listed in the shop. These would love fantastic put together to spell out a word, initials, or just one displayed by itself atop of bookcase or something. How lovely! Available in any letter/color. And she ships to the US! Read more about her pretty letters here @ her blog.

a holiday cookie recipe a day @ marthastewart.com

2008-12-02T19:48:00.005-05:00

I've been inspired to make different kinds of holiday cookies and distributing throughout the yuletide season. Real Simple had some yummy sounding recipes in this months issue. I headed to the trusty standby, marthastewart.com to find additional inspiration, only to find that they are posting a delicious holiday cookie recipe for each day in December. Click here to check it out. Today's jam-stripe cookies look both festive and scrumptious. Click here for the recipe.

creative uses for thanksgiving leftovers

2008-11-30T16:44:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful and satisfying Thanksgiving holiday! I enjoyed my time in Chapel Hill and Leigh and her family, but still missed being home with my family in Boston. Are you stuck with a fridge full of leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast? Click here for some inventive recipes (courtesy of the domestic goddess herself, Martha Stewart) that will make your leftovers disappear, lickity-split. I think this turkey quesadilla with chutney and brie looks delicious, myself. Enjoy!

mmmm hot coffee weather

2008-11-29T23:27:00.006-05:00

Before heading back to Charleston yesterday, I picked up a bag of freshly ground gingerbread spice coffee from A Southern Season (if you are ever in Chapel Hill, you need to go to this store. I am obsessed, I swear). I think it's time to stop giving Dunkin' Donuts so much of my hard-earned cash and start brewing coffee at home.

I'm digging these vintage coffee mugs I found on Etsy. Perfect for enjoying a warm caffeinated beverage. For further product info and pricing, click photo.

head over to design*sponge to see this pretty sneak peek!

2008-11-24T22:01:00.004-05:00

Speaking of inspiration, seeing this sneak peek today on design*sponge really knocked my socks off. Go check it out and see the rest of the photos of d*s reader Susan's (owner of paper, scissors, oranges -- a kids art studio in CT) beautiful home. I love all the brilliant colors set against the bright white. Someday when I have my own home, I want it to look like this! So happy and cheerful. And I love these bedside lamps, by the way. They would look lovely in my bedroom!

i want a patio with lots of potted plants and these chairs

2008-11-24T21:23:00.004-05:00

I am already so over this "cold weather" we're having in Charleston. April and beach weather can't come soon enough, and it's not even "winter" here yet! Although I did have to put my heat on for the first time the other day...for like an hour though...I digress.

Anyway, I am already looking towards warm patio weather. I might be feeling this way due to these lovely outdoor arm chairs from the Crate and Barrel online outlet store. I did not know this existed until a few days ago (thanks Nic :) ) and now I am totally hooked. I imagine these with a very vibrant, beautiful green spring day behind it. And what a huge discount! For product info and pricing, please click chair.

i heart domino magazine's book of decorating

2008-11-24T20:51:00.006-05:00

After eagerly anticipating its "available pick-up date", I picked up a copy of Domino Magazine's Book of Decorating from the CCPL on Sunday. I LOVE this book already even though I haven't had enough time to sit down and pore over each and every beautiful page. Just from flipping through it gave me some fresh, new ideas for finishing off my apartment. I love the "small-space solutions"! I've been gazing at pages 96-97 for quite some time now. Gorgeous! Yay for inspiration.

Read an intro to the book here by editor-in-chief of Domino, Deborah Needleman. I love what she wrote -- she is fantastic!

whew! weekends.

2008-11-23T22:46:00.003-05:00

Whew! I am exhausted after a pretty eventful past few days. On Thursday, I enjoyed a day off during the work week. Leigh and I took a two hour bike ride on Isle of Palms. We were lucky because Thursday was the warmest, sun-shiniest day we had this week. We even took bikes down to the beach and didn't freeze!

Worked Saturday and after did some heavy shopping at the outlet mall in North Charleston with Nicole and Leigh. If you are looking for some deals on clothes, hit your nearest outlet mall. The majority of anchor stores were offering hefty discounts: 30-40% off storewide, buy one item get one 50% off, etc. I got two pairs of Lucky jeans for $90. And I will also say that no one is shopping. The mall was pretty desolate.

This morning before babysitting at the nursery, I dropped Teddy off at Pet Helpers on James Island for the "Tom Cat Blitz". What a great event they put on, although little Ted is slightly traumatized now.

It was a productive, fun weekend overall. I'm excited that I'm going to Chapel Hill for Thanksgiving...and then it's time to get into the holiday spirit! I'm feeling really inspired again, and I'll bringing my laptop with me so I can post some photos and other notes while I'm out of town. I'm going to set the bar at 11+ posts this week. Check back with me!

2008-11-21T23:03:00.001-05:00

I haven't really posted anything remotely exciting/interesting this week. I'm feeling really uninspired all of a sudden.

brrrr---it's freezing!!

2008-11-18T20:22:00.003-05:00

Current temperature in Charleston = 44 degrees. There is a freeze warning tonight! I always forget how much I hate the cold. And yes, I realize 44 degrees is nothing compared to November temperatures in different places. But after living in Charleston for five years, I've become cold-blooded or something. I always want it to be at least 70 degrees and sunny! I ate some of the soup I made the other night tonight for dinner. Its spiciness was the only thing that warmed me up today!

super sweet pottery barn dining room table--way discounted

2008-11-17T20:55:00.009-05:00

I remember loving this table while paging through Pottery Barn's summer catalog. And although I especially loved the sunken centerpiece (keep your wine or beers cold in the stainless-steel ice bucket OR fill with water and have some sort of fabulous floating centerpiece ), I was not so much a fan of the $799 price tag. Imagine my reverse sticker shock when I saw it today in the clearance section for $299! What a great deal. And I think I got some of the inspiration for my green living room walls from this kitchen scene.

read a good book recently? holler at me.

2008-11-16T22:27:00.003-05:00

I feel like I haven't gotten really into a book in a long, long time. Has anyone read anything fantastic recently? I would love your suggestions. Seeking any and all recommendations! I need to give my library card a workout.

quick, easy and cheap black bean soup recipe

2008-11-16T21:35:00.006-05:00

The air has changed in Charleston, and last night I was craving something warm and spicy to make me feel a little less chilly. Also, I was wanted something that a) had a quick cook time because I was starving and b) was relatively inexpensive to prepare. I thumbed through the awesome Better Homes and Gardens Anyone Can Cook cookbook that Alexis left here for me to use during her absence. This Cuban Black Bean Soup recipe fit the bill. It was delicious, and the way I made it was fantastically spicy. For the salsa, I purchased Cilantro "smokin' hot" H.T. Trader brand. I only used 1 can of beans per the recipe, but I recommend using an extra can to make it a little more hearty. I like my food to have a lot of kick to it, so I added jalapeño to mine. If your taste buds aren't as strong as mine, definitely skip the jalapeño. Enjoy my variation on this really simple recipe below.

1 16-ounce jar mild, medium, or hot thick and chunky salsa
2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can chicken OR vegetable broth
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups frozen peppers and onion stir-fry vegetables
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeded (or not if you like it SPICY like I do)
1/2 onion

optional: shredded Jalapeño Jack cheese OR 1/2 cup sour cream OR avocado OR 1/4 cup bottled green salsa

1. In saucepan, combine salsa, beans, broth, water, cumin, and vegetables. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 2. To serve, top with any of the above optional toppings.

do you need some decorative switchplates to spice up your home?

2008-11-16T21:00:00.012-05:00

Leigh and I were talking about finding fun switchplates to replace the boring beige ones currently in my apartment. As I put a few of them back onto the wall after painting today, I seriously considered how bland they looked next to the gorgeous blue walls. I headed to Etsy to see what I could find.

Check out these lovelies from Funky Chicken Design. What a peppy, affordable way to dress up a room. This is just a very tiny sampling of the many different covers to choose from at this delightful shop. They have switchplates for any kind of decor you've got going on. Check out Funky Chicken Design's Etsy store here to see their full inventory. For further product information and pricing, please click directly on the photo.

i'm painting my bedroom "ice sculpture" blue!

2008-11-16T20:37:00.003-05:00

I just finished some painting in my bedroom. This color looks really pretty with my duvet! It is still drying but it already looks fantastic. Seeing the happy blue paint has made me smile each time I've walked in there. I have some touching up to do at some point this week as there are random blue spots in places. I can't wait for my room to be done!! So close.

peacock inspired bedroom decor

2008-11-15T22:07:00.009-05:00

Since the arrival of my duvet cover, I've been seriously inspired to incorporate peacock imagery into the decor of my bedroom. This is most likely because the official Pottery Barn name of the duvet is "Kylie Peacock Duvet cover" and its beautiful, vibrant colors truly do mimic that of a peacock. I didn't have any idea what to put on my walls until I had the duvet, so now I'm thinking peacocks! When decorating, I feel like it is important to use one object in a room as an inspiration springboard for everything else that goes in the room. I feel like treating decorating like strategic planning leads to a more cohesive looking end result.

Anyways, here are some peacock-ish things I've seen on Etsy so far, ranging from art prints to paper ephemera. For pricing, product information and to visit each's home on Etsy, please click directly on the photo.

I love the grocery store on Saturday evening

2008-11-15T21:34:00.008-05:00

I've taken to doing a weekly grocery store run on Saturday nights (I'm so exciting these days). My grocer of choice is Harris Teeter, which recently was ranked by six leading health experts as one of the healthiest chain grocery stores in the US. Saturday is a perfect time to go as it's not very crowded, and I've found an incredible number of things on sale through their VIC card program.

As a general rule, I only buy things that are on sale, unless it is a staple that I absolutely need, like eggs or milk. I am constantly surprised by the deals I get just by being hyper aware of what is on sale. Specials this week include raspberries at 4/$6. Tonight I spent $30 and saved $10 by using my VIC card! $40 for of groceries for $30? I'll take it!

The past several weeks, I've been commenting on how pricey food has been. The specific example of string cheese being discounted at 2 for $9 really sticks out. Who would pay almost $10 for string cheese?? But today, finally, discounts were plentiful. Have you noticed any rise or fall in prices at your preferred grocery store? I'm curious to know what people are experiencing in other parts of the country. To see if your store made the healthiest chain link, read the full story via CNN here.

i can't stop thinking about these teacup candles

2008-11-13T23:26:00.005-05:00

Ever since I saw this post on design*sponge last week, I have not been able to stop thinking about this lovely DIY project. Kate Pruitt (visit her Etsy profile here) is guest blogging over at d*s this month and submitted this charming project for repurposing old teacups into candles. And how pretty do they look?? To read the full d*s post, including full project details and directions, click here. I might have to attempt this myself this weekend!

introducing young Theodore!

2008-11-12T19:44:00.005-05:00

Here are some photos from Teddy's first shoot. I had a gnarly stomach bug today (it's apparently going around--watch out, y'all!) and was incapacitated until five pm. Luckily, Teddy entertained himself until then...and did snuggle with me during my fitful naps. What a cute boy!

alpha dog omega cat -- visit their online store

2008-11-11T23:15:00.005-05:00

So my new little kitten wore himself out by chasing his tail around endlessly. Now he is asleep, and not quite ready for a photo shoot. He has had a rather eventful, perhaps traumatizing evening. I felt bad taking him away from the mama cat! Photos tomorrow after work, I promise.

In honor of today being kitten Tuesday, I'm sharing some wonderful items from a great store here in Charleston called Alpha Dog Omega Cat. They have an adorable little shop in downtown Charleston, and they have a very stocked online store, as well! They describe themselves as "the store for people who like to indulge their pets and themselves."

I think this giraffe rope toy is an adorable fix for any slobbery pooch with a chewing problem. And the catnip sea creatures are precious. There are several different food bowl options for both cats and dogs, but this one was my personal favorite. And finally, these ceramic jars are described as treat jars on the site, but I think they'd make stylish dry food containers, no?

There are so many other fun things to look at in their store. To visit Alpha Dog Omega Cat's online store, click here.

(For product info and pricing, please click directly on photo.)

(and yes, I realized I promised more non-cat related posts tonight...my bad. stayed tuned tomorrow!)

today is kitten Tuesday!

2008-11-11T16:52:00.002-05:00

I'm heading out in a few to pick up my new little kitten! Will be back later tonight with some photos, and other non-cat related posts!

Eggplant Parm Pie recipe, courtesty of Boston Globe!

2008-11-10T20:30:00.009-05:00

While reading the election headlines last Wednesday on 11/5, I noticed that this recipe was the number one most emailed story on boston.com, the online home to my former hometown newspaper, the Boston Globe. I guess I wasn't the only one who thought this eggplant Parm pie sounded delicious!

A simpler, yet equally delectable alternative to homemade eggplant Parm, this recipe is not only do-able on the cheap, but it is a healthier interpretation of eggplant Parm. This is because the eggplant is roasted, not fried. To check out the recipe, click here. Leigh made this for me last Thursday after work, and it was incredible! What a nice friend I have. She suggests adding some onions for additional flair. Prep + cook time = 55 minutes. Easy as pie!

recession savings are everywhere

2008-11-10T19:51:00.007-05:00

I was out and about in American strip-mall land this weekend, hitting up not one, not two, but three outdoor malls. Specifically, I was out looking for a great deal on a down comforter at Kohl's. I saw online that down/down alternative comforters were on sale for 50% off. Because of additional Veterans Day savings (who knew Veterans Day was a holiday that mega stores deemed discount worthy? Like I said, I was in American strip-mall land, after all...). I ended up scoring a down comforter that was originally 169.99 for 53.99! And it is the coziest thing under which I've ever slept! I just checked the Kohl's site, and while down/down alternative comforters are still on sale, the inventory has dwindled tremendously. If you are in the market for a new down comforter, click here to see what they have!

Seriously though, I traipsed through several different stores during this three mall trek. If you are looking for standard items like coffee pots, sheets, comforters, flat screen televisions, digital cameras, etc., definitely shop around. With consumer spending down, EVERYONE is going to want your dollars. Prices seem to be slashed EVERYWHERE. Be a smart shopper in these troubled times, there are some great deals to be had!

a few notes...

2008-11-10T19:33:00.004-05:00

I've been pretty terrible at posting lately. I have a lot of things to catch up on, so I'll be working on that tonight. There are lots of ideas swirling around in my mind, both for my blog and for the redecorating I'm doing in my apartment. This weekend, I had a great time @ the Civil War re-enactment I went to with Nicole and Leigh. On Sunday, I started my new weekly babysitting job @ a church nursery. Very fun! After that, I moved furniture around in my bedroom, put lovely new bedding on my bed, and dove into organizing my closet. My room looks 100x better, will post photos soon! Now I need a bedside table...perhaps I'll find one this weekend. Leigh and I may go on a furniture hunt.

So I've set the lofty goal for myself this week of 15 posts. For the past few weeks I've been hovering at around 7-8. Come back to visit and check on my progress! I've also added two new categories for your browsing pleasure: uniquely charleston and misc. Look for posts about Charleston artists, galleries, events, and other lovely things about this fair city that I feel compelled to share. Under misc, find everything that's leftover and kind of random...like this post :) thanks for reading!

--Kristin

A Cat on a Bike -- a print by Nate Duval

2008-11-08T23:47:00.004-05:00

I HAD to post this adorable orange kitten on a bicycle print by Nate Duval. I should be getting my new kitten this week, finally! I've been waiting for him for several weeks now and I'm really excited that I will have a cat again. I might need to purchase this to hang in the kitchen somewhere in honor of new kitty. To see more of Nate's delightful prints, visit his Etsy shop here.

The Yankees are coming!

2008-11-08T20:00:00.012-05:00

Today I found myself at Boone Hall Plantation to watch a re-enactment of The Battle of Secessionville with Nicole and Leigh. I've never seen a military re-enactment of any sort. I figured I've lived in the south for five years, might as well check one out. It was really interesting, to say the least. The participants get really into it!

If you've seen the movie The Notebook, you would recognize Boone Hall Plantation. The main house at Boone Hall served as the summer home for Rachel McAdams' character + family in the movie. Today, the main avenue leading up to the house was full of white tents, soldiers, and women walking around in period clothing. And then there were the spectators, most of them there to urge on the rebels during the actual battle re-enactment. We sat down on the federal side...most of the observers were crowded around the rebel encampment. Watching it reminded me of watching a soccer game, only with guns and cannon fire. The cannons were startling each time they went off. I felt terrible for all the little doggies there who were scared of the loud noises! Stupidly, I didn't have my camera on me so I couldn't take any photos (photo below from Boone Hall website).

Incidentally, the battle was won by the Confederacy. I read in my little event guide that if the Union troops had won this battle, Charleston would have been captured and the war likely would have ended two years earlier. If you are in Charleston with me, click here for a coupon to Day Two of the re-enactment. It is definitely worth it!

the Lime Blue art gallery --online and downtown Charleston

2008-11-05T20:24:00.011-05:00

So I now have a collection of Buddha statues. Two of them were purchased at Target for a very low price, and the other is on loan from Alexis until she decides where her next permanent residence will be. She calls him the "raise the roof" Buddha.

Anyway, I was reading her post today and realized she purchased this awesome Buddha statue from the Lime Blue gallery in downtown Charleston. This is one of my mom's favorite places to pop into when she is in town. If you are in the Charleston area, stop in and check it out: it's a small little store full of lots of whimsical things. My mom bought a few of these adorable fan pulls on a previous visit. I love the salt cellar, also. Adorable! And you can pick you own color combinations for everything. There is some pretty cool art in the gallery section of their website, as well. Loving these Charleston scenes by Chuck Keppler (to see more of his fabulous, beautiful, challenging artowork visit his website). Check out Lime Blue on the internets, and if you're in the Charleston area, visit their shop @ 62-B Queen Street.

(to purchase any of these items, click the picture to order online @ Lime Blue)

loving these prints by Scott Garrette

2008-11-04T21:36:00.011-05:00

While doing some poking around on Holly from decor8's guide on Domino to her favorite Etsy sellers, I came to discover the work of Scott Garrette. I am totally digging his square the circles series and his tree and circles series. The square the circles series is inspired by a form of visual expression called Mandalas. Squaring the circles refers to a stage of intense growth/heightened awareness of ourselves, during which time we focus on the things in our lives that enhances our lives AND the lives of others. Confused? I think I just explained that terribly. Click to read it in Scott's own words here. I love this interpretation of squares and circles...I feel like the juxtaposition of the two is a common theme that is emerging in my decorating. For more of Scott's fabulous work, visit his Etsy store.

(for pricing and product information, please click on the respective picture)

new Etsy love -- A Collectible Cachet

2008-11-03T14:23:00.005-05:00

While doing some surfing on Etsy last night, I came across another fantastic Etsy shop called A Collectible Cachet. Featuring a wide assortment of vintage collectibles and some repurposed items, the store manages to be very affordable for today's discerning shopper. Expect shipping discounts on combined purchaes and an extensive sale section for this holiday season! Some of my favorites are pictures below. Check out the store for more fabulous finds and great deals!

(For product information and prices, please click directly on the respective photo)

found the perfect duvet cover--on sale!!

2008-11-02T22:03:00.007-05:00

My quest for a duvet cover has been a long, arduous one. From my Target comforter letdown to realizing that I missed out on a great, cheap duvet cover from Ikea, I've met frustration at every turn so far. I really want my bedroom to be put together. It is the only room in my apartment that I have not changed since I moved in here in May.

During my adventure tonight through Pottery Barn's sale section, I think I finally found what I am looking for! I love the greens and blues in this duvet. Although I originally wanted a black and white patterned duvet, this one incorporates that with the pairing of the black and white patterned bed skirt, which I also would need to buy if I get the duvet. I desperately need a bed skirt to cover up my boxspring. I'm drawn to the Hollywood Regency style of this duvet, which is the look I wanted to go for in my bedroom. This just appeared on Pottery Barn's sale section...I should just go ahead and get it now that I've found it, right?

get this pottery barn look, for cheap!

2008-11-02T19:28:00.007-05:00

I came across these very pretty blue glass bottles and jars while diving into the sale section of Pottery Barn's website. They have lots of great new things on sale! It must be because their merchandise is changing over from fall to winter stuff. I love the way the glass is displayed on the desk. What a lovely looking home office!

It reminds me of the blue and green glass vases I've recently accumulated. Each one cost about 75 cents, purchased at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the recent Whale of a Sale. You can find similar glass vases/bottles/jars at any antique/resale/consignment store. If you like the look of the desk (I love love love it), find an old desk with potential and refurbish it! You can find some gems, like the bookshelf I found across the street from my apartment. Show some love to old, worn out looking furniture. This could be a very easy, simple yet stylish look to pull off, for cheap!

living room decorating---in progress

2008-10-29T21:42:00.006-04:00

I have so much stuff going on, decorating-wise and project-wise, in my apartment that it's kind of overwhelming. I was doing my daily puttering around here after work, picking things up, putting things away, etc., and decided to store some of the art that I need to hang and the books that are overflowing from my original stuffed bookshelf onto the new piece of furniture that we dragged across the street the other day. It's just sitting here until we move it to Leigh's garage to work on, so putting stuff on it for now is better than clutter all over the floor.

Putting all this stuff on the new piece of furniture confirmed that I think it will look AWESOME when it is all refinished! I loveeeeeee this piece...

I bought the green couch pillows @ Pier One a few weekends ago with Leigh and Alexis. I saw them there for the first time on the day that I painted my living room green. I passed on them because they were priced at $28 a piece! Way too much money. Leigh found them on our second trip marked down to $7 a piece. Totally worth it. They look great next to the walls.

On the bottom shelf of the bookshelf, you can see the National Geographic map of the Alps that I am going to cut into four pieces, and then frame individually. I'm not sure where they will be displayed once that is complete, but for now the map is chillin' on the new bookshelf.

The owl print was a housewarming gift from Lex, and was also an Urban sale item. I'm telling you, you can get sweet stuff from there on sale.

I bought the two matching Buddha statues from Target. They were on sale, and were around $2 total for both of them...I don't remember the exact price. Target is another great place to find things on the cheap.

There is a ton more that I want to post about...but I want to work more on my decoupage project tonight before I go to sleep. I'm exhausted from the baby shower festivities from yesterday. More about that tomorrow!

more cheap finds @ urban outfitters

2008-10-29T19:37:00.005-04:00

So, in addition to the darling tea towels I got @ Urban Outfitters for super cheap a few weeks, I got all this stuff on my Sunday trip there with Alexis (I miss you already, Lexi!). The notebook, Lord of the Flies, How to Travel Practically Anywhere, and the delicious-smelling lemon rind scented candle were each $1.90. The Good Kitchen Magic cookbook was $4.90. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the recipes! All originally were priced for way more than what I paid for them! You can never have too many books and candles, especially if you get them on the CHEAP. I need to get working on refinishing the sweet old dresser/bookshelf so I have room for all these books I've accumulated!

2nd refinishing project

2008-10-27T23:11:00.004-04:00

I found our next furniture refinishing project literally across the street from my house. It was with big piles of trash. Very dirty, but it seemed very sturdy so Alexis and I carried it across the street. I cleaned it off, and I think it has a ton of potential! It is in great condition and would cheer right up with a little TLC and a fresh coat of paint. A bookshelf, a dresser...I'm not sure what it will be used for yet. Click here for a great how-to guide for refinishing furniture, found on Domino Magazine's website. I think it's a very handy resource. More photos once the project is underway!

check out Alexis' photos

2008-10-26T21:43:00.008-04:00

Last week between work, the gym, and working on my project I haven't been able to update as much as I've wanted to. But, it was a really great week nonetheless. I feel like I need to catch up reporting things that have already happened!

Check out Alexis' blog for some more sweet graffiti photos and Angel Oak photos (it's a tree that's over 1,000 years old here in Charleston) from our adventure there last weekend with Leigh and Mary. The graffiti is located behind this bar called Buffalo South on James Island. Angel Oak is just over the bridge on John's Island. I'm thinking about asking her if I can buy some of the graffiti prints from her. They would look fun on my walls.

simply delicious banana bread

2008-10-26T21:31:00.003-04:00

My banana bread from this morning was delicious. In fact, just writing that caused me to get up and break off a hunk of it. It takes about twenty minutes to prepare, and cooks for one hour. The recipe is really easy, and can be found here. Definitely try substituting 1/3 cup yougurt + 1/4 cup vegetable oil for 1 stick of butter. It makes it way better for you. I'm looking forward to enjoying some for breakfast tomorrow! These pictures do not do it justice.

cheaps finds @ the Whale of a Sale

2008-10-26T21:04:00.005-04:00

After a flood-filled Friday night, I went to the Charleston Junior League's annual Whale of a Sale on Saturday with Alexis and Jolie to scout for some cheap finds. The event began at 8 a.m. and we made it there at about noon. I think if I had gotten there any earlier, my head would have exploded in bewilderment. There was STILL so much stuff when we got there that I couldn't even imagine how much stuff I had missed out on from the morning. We arrived just in time for $2 bags. Anything you could fit into a brown paper bag cost $2. So, I snatched up several things for my apartment.

5 books! Including one 1960s textbook about the Supreme Court. After my finds at the book sale, I've nearly doubled my book collection in weeks!
2 vases to match the other blue and green ones I on the weird kitchen/living room ledge
ceramic sugar bowl? I'm not sure what it is supposed to be used for, I'm thinking to hold cotton balls in my bathroom
vintage school bus mug. I want to plant a little house plant in this.
tea light sconce? I'm going to spray paint it a lacquered black color and display on my bedroom window with some candles in it

More fun books to read and exciting projects to attempt!

sunday morning - easy banana bread, round two

2008-10-26T11:55:00.004-04:00

It is another beautiful Sunday morning in Charleston (ok, morning is almost over, I slept in this a.m.) so I decided to bake some more delicious banana bread for Alexis and I to enjoy. Here is the very easy, delicious recipe that I use. Maybe this time I will take some pictures before we devour it.

map decoupage project 1

2008-10-24T19:18:00.006-04:00

So I started an art project yesterday that I hope to have finished by Sunday. I need a brush though before I can start using the modge podge to secure everything down. I used: 1970s National Geographic map of the Deep South (found at the library's book sale), chopped up letters, images cut out from the NG Our Fifty States atlas (also found at the book sale), and other random images from 1970s random NG maps. The letters are going to be laid out to look like a cartoon style thought bubble.

Doing an art project is really exciting...I forgot how much I enjoyed creating in this way. I had no use for all the random maps when I found them at the book sale, but bought them hoping that I'd be inspired to use them for something fun. I'm looking forward to making more art after this project is complete! Decoupage is so fun! More pictures soon.

lululemon love

2008-10-22T19:18:00.008-04:00

So, my love of healthy eating has recently become realigned with healthy living. This means in addition to healthy eating, I've also largely eliminated alcohol from my diet and am really into going to the gym. While at the gym, I've been noticing some really cute gym clothes donned by some fellow members! It inspired me to perhaps revamp my gym wardrobe.

Ladies and gentlemen, lululemon (once again, my baby sister/mom surpass me on the coolness level for things like this) is the perfect source for all your gym needs. Their products feature, among many things, flat seaming and reverse stitch lining to reduce irritation, and credit card/key pockets so you can avoid bringing a wallet into the gym! I feel like I'd be inspired to work out even harder wearing such cute gym clothes. I feel like such a schmuck in old tee-shirts.

For product information, click the picture. And for those of you with me in Charleston, lululemon is opening a showroom in Charleston! Look for their complimentary yoga classes soon in Marion Square Park, Saturdays @ 10am.

magazine subscription day

2008-10-20T21:32:00.007-04:00

After reading this exciting, bargain promising post on design*sponge earlier, I spent a good amount of time surfing the Domino magazine website. It made me realize how much I would love to get their magazine in the mail, and how much I hope that the library orders their new design book. Impulsively, I decided to get myself a subscription. A year subscription is only $10! So worth it! I've also been meaning to subscribe to Real Simple for awhile now. It's a little pricier at $23.88 for a year subscription, but that is still cheaper than buying it in stores like I have. I proclaimed today to be magazine day and went ahead to subscribe to Real Simple, too. If you would like subscription information for either magazine, click on its respective picture.

guide to refinishing furniture--as seen on Domino

2008-10-20T20:24:00.006-04:00

I've developed quite the interest in refinishing furniture after seeing how fabulous Elizabeth's telephone table turned out. Buying used, wooden furniture and refinishing it is a great way to furnish an apartment or home on the cheap. Like the elusive bookcase I've been searching for. It will look fabulous once I find it, paint it, and display it in my living room.

The only experiences I've had with refinishing furniture include a) as a child, watching my mom painstakingly refinish an antique table that once belonged to my great-grandmother, and b) when Leigh and I attempted her telephone table recently. Clearly, I need some guidance for when I start bringing home those old finds that call out to me to be rescued. For when I do, here is great guide to refinishing wooden furniture that I found on Domino magazine's website. It is very well-written, concise, and really breaks down the basics of refinishing furniture in a reader-friendly, easy to follow kind of way. If you have any interest in refinishing furniture like I do, be sure to check it out!

in the spirit of my 50th post

2008-10-19T22:49:00.005-04:00

I can't believe this is already post number 50. It feels like I just started this blog! Since I've become a lot more confident in my cooking ability, I want to have people over more often for dinner and wine. I only have two wine glasses! Totally insufficient if I want to be a good hostess. I browsed Etsy for vintage wine glasses and found a lot of cool glasses that I like a lot. I'd like to start a collection of vintage bar ware. Click pictures to view more information in their respective Etsy stores.

more vintage chalkboard love

2008-10-19T22:10:00.005-04:00

So, yes. I know I've been thinking about those vintage chalkboard mirrors a lot. So much so that I tried to find similar items on Etsy. I know, I know...I said I was going to attempt it myself this weekend, but my unexpected visitors altered my plans...in the best kind of way! Anyway, I found my way into Arte Bella's Etsy shop. I love their concept of vintage chalkboards! And the fabric bulletin board is adorable. They have some really good stuff. Check it out!

new Urban sale items

2008-10-19T21:46:00.009-04:00

Urban Outfitters must be having a huge fall sale or something. A ton of merchandise is now discounted in their apartment section. 11 pages of deals! There are a lot of cute items, ranging from wall art to bedspreads, that are in the sale section. Here are some of my favorites. I predicted that this cute potholder would end up on sale! Can you tell I still have vintage looking mirrors on the brain? Also, since I got myself a similar little key hook, I have not lost my keys once! Who would have thought...

cleaning the bathroom-simplified

2008-10-19T20:49:00.008-04:00

So I've become a bit compulsive about cleaning my bathroom. I have to clean it every Sunday, or else I can't really think about doing anything other than cleaning it. I've perfected my Sunday bathroom cleaning routine to a pretty simple sequence of events. My bathroom looks so sparkling and white currently that I had to share!

I suggest setting up a laptop, ipod dock, anything that can play music, in front of the bathroom door. This allows you to listen to cool tunes while completing the ever annoying chore of having to clean the bathroom. However, listening to good music and dancing while you clean is a good way to a) burn extra calories and b) at least bring a smile to your face while completing a rather joyless chore. Tonight, I listened to the Michael Jackson station on Pandora, and you can bet I was dancing my behind all over the bathroom!

Start with the grossest chore. For me and probably everyone else, that chore is cleaning the toilet. Really, it doesn't matter what you use to clean it. Use something with bleach...anything that kills all of the germs and yuck living in there is all you need. From there, I clean the sink. My preferred product is liquid Soft Scrub with bleach. It really makes any surface sparkle. Wipe your mirror clean. I also take a Lysol wipe and clean off the vanity. Spray the shower with any generic shower cleaning product and let it soak in the a few minutes. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are the key to a clean, white shower! Scrub the shower with the Magic Eraser, and then wipe clean. I think my shower is cleaner now than it was when I moved in.

Finish with mopping the floor. For my tiny bathroom, a Swiffer wet jet is sufficient. I just washed my shower curtain last week, so that wasn't necessary. Before I started, I threw all of my dirty towels into the washer. Cleaning tonight took me about forty minutes, and really was pretty fun given my musical selection. Who wouldn't enjoy cleaning while listening to Chaka Khan?

saturday banana bread

2008-10-18T12:19:00.004-04:00

Katherine, one of my best friends, is unexpectedly in town this weekend with her boyfriend. He is visiting Charleston for the first time. I love when it's someone's first time in Charleston! I've never known anyone who has not fallen in love with the city. They drove all last night from Bloomington, Indiana and arrived in Charleston at approximately nine o'clock. I am so excited that she is here!!! Usually a visit to see each other is well planned out months in advance, so to be able to hang out with her on such last minute notice is so fun.

Alexis and I were up early-ish to greet our visitors. I decided to make banana bread for everyone. I had bananas that were borderline yellow-brown, and eggs I knew I had to use by 10/25. I'm really making an effort not to waste any food that I buy from the grocery store. I used this recipe. Instead of using butter, I substituted 1/3 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup vegetable oil to make it a little bit healthier. If I had had whole wheat flour it would have been even healthier, but alas, I did not have any. I threw in a handful of dark chocolate chips, as well. I didn't exactly have the right sized loaf pan, so we'll see how that worked out. It is cooling now and smells pretty wonderful. More pics later!

Leigh's telephone table

2008-10-16T23:46:00.004-04:00

Tonight, I went over to Leigh's house to help move furniture around in her room. Her telephone table is now out of the garage and into her room! How exciting. She moved her desk down to the living room to make the room feel bigger. She repositioned her bed and bookshelf, and introduced the telephone table into a corner. Her roommate Maggie has a flair for artfully arranging books on shelves....the bookshelf looks fantastic! And woah, after this weekends success at the book sale, and inheriting a lot of great books yesterday from our boss @ work, Leigh has about doubled her book collection. Her room looks very classic beach house...so Charleston-y. Anyway, I didn't have my camera so I couldn't take any pictures. Will post soon! Here's another before picture of the telephone table.

Is it Christmas already?

2008-10-16T22:33:00.006-04:00

Has anyone else noticed that retail stores around the US are already full of Christmas stuff? Let me rephrase: have been full of Christmas stuff for what, like two weeks? When we went to Michael's (craft store) on Sunday, the entire front section was fully stocked of Christmas stuff! Displayed even before the Halloween stuff! Ridiculous. The economy is definitely in a recession if Christmas stuff is being peddled this early. However, people are still broke, but companies will still want people to shop, so there should be a lot of sales? Shop smart this holiday season, I'm sure there will be great deals to be had.

Having all this Christmas stuff thrust in my face has caused me to daydream about how I'll decorate my little apartment for the holiday season. Maybe I'll get a little baby Charlie Brown tree to enjoy before I'm able to fly home to Boston. I'll need some vintage ornaments to hang on it. The pictures below are all items I found listed today on Etsy. To visit the store each item comes from, click on the photo. Enjoy!

another day, another etsy love

2008-10-15T23:43:00.006-04:00

Another day, another new Etsy love. Today, I'm loving Maries Cosy Cushions. If you are looking for some unique, high quality, homemade-with-love throw pillows for your pad, check out her many beautiful options! If I do decide to go with the duvet I want from Ikea, these wall hangings would look very pretty hung up somewhere in my bedroom. You can search throw pillows by color, which is pretty convenient if you are trying to work with a color scheme you already have going. Check out the Etsy store here.

fun project to attempt this weekend!

2008-10-15T23:05:00.004-04:00

These vintage chalkboard mirrors that were featured today on design*sponge almost made me drool a little on my computer. I've been drawn to vintage mirrors recently, and have been outbid on several on ebay. However, I love this concept of refurbishing vintage mirrors into chalkboards! I love that the chalkboard is actually just painted with the always super fun chalkboard paint. I love the chalkboard hung up in the entry way. What a beautiful, different way to leave notes for people! Way cooler than my $1 tablet from Target! Love it. Looks like chalkboards are sold out for now, but keep checking @ Blue Bell Bazaar's Etsy store if you really like them and want to order one. In the meantime, this could be a really fun DIY project to undertake! Leigh and I might hit up the flea market on Saturday, I'll have to scout some vintage frames/mirrors and attempt myself.

apple season is here!

2008-10-15T21:55:00.007-04:00

So I've had desserts on the brain recently, as I've been trying to figure out what I should bring to the upcoming baby shower. I was thinking those wine soaked pears, and I still might make those, the recipe looked easy enough. But it is October, October means fall, and fall means apples. I'm loving that Hostess with the Mostess is providing me with a lot of fabulous ideas for the baby shower! This post features four delectable looking apple dessert recipes. I like the sound of the "simplest apple tart" recipe. I think this would be a really fun dish for me to bring. The night before the baby shower is going to be a really fun night for me of making different tasty treats! I can't wait! Check out the HWTM blog for great ideas, daily!

are you watching the debate?

2008-10-15T21:30:00.007-04:00

In the spirit of tonight's presidential debate, I decided to post this item that I came across in the Obama online store. The Artists for Obama gallery is a collection of artwork that different artists have donated to the Obama campaign. All proceeds from purchased art goes directly to the Obama campaign. I love this typographic poster by Jonathan Hoefler. The text comes directly from Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech. However, I can't tell how big it is! In any case, what a brilliant idea! Cool art and your money goes to a very timely cause!

delicious mexican lasagna

2008-10-15T00:30:00.005-04:00

We had planned to make dinner tonight at my house because Alexis had the night off. As we were leaving work to go to the grocery store, we realized that we didn't know what we were making. When in doubt, you can always call on a Rachel Ray recipe (no matter what your personal Rachel Ray politics are, you can't say that she doesn't have easy, inventive recipes). We decided to make this Mexican Lasagna dish because it looked easy and didn't require that much prep or cook time. The fact that it was the second recipe listed under the "most viewed" column did not hurt. It was a hasty choice on the fly, but a great one nonetheless.

It was extremely savory and tasty. However, this is because Leigh dumped a whole bunch of seasoning on it to give it some flavor (keep this in mind about Rachel Ray recipes...she tends to keep it pretty bland, especially if you love spiciness like I do). I love having leftovers to eat at work the next day. Saves money! I'm looking forward to making it again with a different twist. I'm thinking a vegetarian version with beans, vegetables, and pepper jack cheese. Check out the Rachel version of the recipe here. There are 505 comments for this recipe...people must love this!

shower plans

2008-10-14T21:28:00.004-04:00

Baby shower plans are in motion. The E-vite has gone out, a sign-up sheet for food items has been posted at the office, and Leigh and I bought stuff for decorating during our Michael's trip on Sunday. We were seeking some decorating inspiration the other night, and stumbled onto this fabulous theme from Hostess with the Mostess. Very simple yet very classic looking. We bought very pretty greenish brown marbled looking scrapbook paper so we can make the flower vases. I found some very pretty tea light holders on sale at Pier One that we can use, too. I'm excited! Visit Hostess with the Mostess for more brilliant, easy party theme ideas and tips here.

love of the day

2008-10-13T22:30:00.009-04:00

I've fallen head over heels for Sirkus Vintage like elementary school girls fell for JTT in the nineties. Their Etsy store was recently highlighted by another love of my life, Real Simple, as one of 25 Vintage Housewares Shops on Etsy. How fabulous!

Their inventory is full of items that make me smile and say oooooh, look at that! I want! Like this red clutch. I want to give it to Katherine, I think she needs to own it. This vintage trivet made me chuckle. Funny and true. Housework is a necessary evil, so I've chosen to embrace it. And finally, the teapot that made my heart swoon. Sirkus Vintage has so many other fun things in its store, click here to check it out!

best table

2008-10-13T22:14:00.005-04:00

My favorite thing in the apartment is the pink, gorgeous kitchen table. This is the best (and only) craigslist find I've had so far. It inspired the rest of the apartment. Using one standout piece as the springboard, the inspiration, for the rest of your design is possibly the best design related advice I've received so far. Choose one element, whether it's a huge, outrageous piece of art, a neat looking piece of furniture, or an on offbeat color to throw on your walls, and build the rest of your vision off of it.

adventures in book buying, part III

2008-10-13T21:40:00.004-04:00

Leigh, Alexis and I braved a fast moving rainstorm on Sunday to trek all the way from my apartment to the final day of the book sale at the Gaillard. I expected to find some seriously picked over inventory and fewer people than on Saturday. Wrong on all counts! It seemed like there was MORE stuff there on Sunday than my two prior visits. All the bargain shoppers, some with several crates worth of books, were out in full force for the 1/2 price event. I had the most luck on Sunday, and bought the following items for a total of $7.

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger. The movie is terrible, the book is definitely not.
Atonement by Ian McEwan. The movie is fantastic and the book is definitely even better.
Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities. It was $1 and I've always been curious.
Chili Madness: A Passionate Cookbook by Jane Butel. Yes, I love chili.
Four Plays by Sophocles and An Anthology of Roman Drama. The English student in me comes out.
New England Year by Muriel Follett. Vermont farm life, circa 1938.
Hidden Art by Edith Schaeffer. Copyright 1971, the back of the book promises to deliver the author's "personal experience of beauty and order in the simple details of everyday life." Um, this is in essence what I am striving to make this blog about. I thought it was appropriate!

tonight's yummy dinner

2008-10-12T23:19:00.007-04:00

I cooked a late dinner for Alexis tonight after cleaning my kitchen. I was cleaning out my fridge, and saw that I had a full carton of eggs, expiration date 10/25. Looks like I'll be preparing things that require eggs a lot between now and then. An easy egg dish to prepare is huevos a la mexicana. I order this when I go to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Santi's.

Since it was late to begin with, I prepared an abbreviated version of the meal. Scrambled eggs and onion in the saucepan, beans in the pot with a few dashes of hot sauce, and mixed up a perfectly ripened avocado with an enormous tomato. Season with salt, ground pepper, and chili pepper. Delish! Photos courtesy of Alexis, whom I'm going to miss cooking for when she moves away. See more of her photos here.

cheap Target finds

2008-10-12T22:51:00.004-04:00

These three items were all under $1 at Target. I thought the magnets were adorable, and whose fridge couldn't use more cool magnets? We didn't have any sort of notepad on our fridge, either. There have been many a time where I needed to make a grocery list, write a note to my roomie, scribble down a funny quote, etc. and thought to myself, we need a notepad that can be stuck on something. Now I have this fall themed notepad! The flowers? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them yet, but they will come in handy sometime.

I found all three items in the clearance section of Target. Almost every aisle at Target has a clearance section. New arrival items are generally the front display items of an aisle, while the clearance section is the back display. The tip to finding good stuff on clearance there is literally checking out the clearance sections aisle by aisle as you move through the different departments. I've gotten some reed diffusers, towels, and a lot of candles for way cheap when they've been on clearance. You never know what may be on sale.

pink tealights

2008-10-12T00:20:00.007-04:00

Tonight was very rainy and kind of gloomy looking outside, so I decided to brighten things up a little bit with my beautiful pink tealights. These came from our IKEA trip while in Boston. This set of five tealight holders was only $2.99! Photos courtesy of Alexis. Check out more of her gorgeous images here.

shower curtain saturday

2008-10-11T23:16:00.006-04:00

I went over to my sister Nicole's apartment this morning (which is adorable, I need to go over there and take some pictures so I can share). Weirdly, she mentioned that she had washed her shower curtain this morning. It was weird because before I went to her house, I made a mental note to wash mine this afternoon. Must be some crazy sister mind power. Anyway, fabric shower curtains are awesome. Looks nicer than vinyl/plastic shower curtains, and is very easy to keep clean. Plus, it looks so nice fresh out of the dryer...like I had ironed it (and obviously, I do not own an iron). Here are some nice options from Target. See more here.

i love the library and its book sale

2008-10-11T22:02:00.006-04:00

This weekend, Friends of the Charleston County Public Libr ary held their 26th annual fall book sale. Proceeds went to funding and development at all 16 branches of the Charleston County Library System. Leigh and I went on Friday after work. I was overwhelmed when I walked into the Gaillard and saw their space crammed full of 60,000 items. It was a big book sale!!! I scooped up several vintage National Geographic maps. They are in mint condition and were only 25 cents! I am going to frame the Colonization of the New World map and hang it in the living room. I'm also going to cut the Alps map into four separate rectangles, frame them, and display them on the still imaginary bookshelf in the living room. It's pretty sweet, it lists the names and heights of all the different mountains. The colors in it are really vivid, and will look great with the green walls.

Another cool, random find is a National Geographic picture atlas of the United States, circa 1978. Inside, it looks like every social studies book I ever had during elementary school. Cool coffee table book.

My other favorite find is a 1957 copy of Henry Beston's The Outermost House. Beston lived in solitude in a small house on the dunes in Eastham, MA during the late 1920s. How very Thoreau of him. I'm excited to read it!

Of course, one trip couldn't satiate my never ending love for all things literary. I went back for a second visit today with Jonah, and we were sucked into a black hole of books for almost two hours. Despite the rain, there were a ton of people there and inventory definitely diminished during our time there. I'm glad so many people came out to support such a great cause! I was a little dazed when I emerged back out into daylight.

Leigh and I are both off tomorrow, and it is the last day of the book sale. We plan on going back for one final trip, as tomorrow everything is 1/2 off. Hopefully we can find some more gems among everything that has been picked over.

bad case of thrifty pockets remorse

2008-10-08T22:37:00.006-04:00

So I ended up returning the comforter I was waiting on from Target. It was heavy, drab, and boring. Bless you, Target, for having a painless return policy. I printed off my receipt from the website, brought it into the store, and was issued a full refund in a prompt manner.

I'm having buyer's remorse...or rather, thrifty-pockets remorse, for not buying the duvet cover I was eyeballing while Leigh, my mom, and I shopped at Ikea during our trip to Boston. $39.99 is a pretty reasonable price for a duvet, and Leigh loves the one she bought while we were there. Apparently it is very soft and comfy, everything the Target comforter was not. This is the black and white pattern I was envisioning, and it would also pull the colors from the living room/the rest of the apartment into my bedroom. Now my dilemma is, how do I get this duvet? There is not an Ikea in the Charleston area. Pay a fifteen dollar markup plus outrageous shipping and buy it from an Ebay store? Does Charlotte have an Ikea? That could be a fun weekend activity....but a long way to drive for a duvet cover.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free @ Studio Mela

2008-10-08T16:25:00.005-04:00

While spending the better (or worse?) part of this afternoon home sick from work, curled up on my couch with the upset stomach from hell, I found my way onto Studio Mela's Etsy store. Seeing their whimsical, very pretty prints was just about the only thing that eased my discomfort. I was feeling even better when I read that prints are buy two, get one free! With so many beautiful prints to pick from, how will I ever be able to pick just three? This would be a great opportunity to add some original, affordable art to add to your collection while directly supporting the artist. I want the "reading is cool" print to display on my still imaginary bookshelf. But which other two should I go for? See more, equally fantastic prints here.

vintage spoonrests, anyone?

2008-10-07T23:19:00.010-04:00

It drives me crazy when food splatters onto a clean stove top while I am preparing a meal. Solution? Scour Ebay for vintage spoonrests. Obviously. I think these three (ok, maybe with the exception of the cat) are adorable. I love the milk jug! I'm leaning pretty strongly towards it...but the owls would be really fun, too. Decisions, decisions. I think the milk jug would look really great with the new tea towels that are hanging on my stove. Or maybe not, the greens are kind of not the same color. Is it obvious that I am the most indecisive person on the planet?

cool finds via poppytalk

2008-10-07T22:31:00.008-04:00

Poppytalk is another blog that I've been loving these days. Reading this post led me to The Shiny Squirrel. There are several prints available to purchase on their site that I would be proud to own. I think the print of the girl with the video camera is my favorite because it reminds me of Katherine. I like that their pricing is very affordable. I could buy several prints to display in various areas of my apartment...maybe some framed smaller prints to place on the imaginary second bookshelf in my living room. Imaginary just because I haven't found it yet. A print from here would make a great gift, too. Thank you, poppytalk, for sharing this great site with me!

i definitely need pink mixing bowls

2008-10-06T23:36:00.006-04:00

These pink pyrex bowls are fantastic. They would completely contribute to the retro look of my kitchen. I'll be keeping my eye on this set. From what I've seen so far, bidding tends to get pretty high for items like this, but sometimes things have sold for less than $4. It's hit or miss, I guess.

and this is why I love design*sponge

2008-10-06T22:20:00.012-04:00

Because now I know that a book like this exists in the world. Buying this would be a great gift for myself. It would be so inspiring to have. Perhaps I should see if the library plans on ordering it...if not, I can request that they order it! I'm a huge fan of the Charleston County Public Library system.