Roll Out The Welcome Mat

In honor of our new home (well, new to us...) this post is devoted to one of the first pieces of decor your visitors will see: the doormat. Below, a few of my favorites and where to find them.

From top to bottom:
1. Riviera Doormat
2. Roxy Doormat
3. Chilewich Rectangle
4. Ikea Trampa
5. Anthropologie Layered Lace Doormat
6. Zinnia Doormat from Garnet Hill

Sample Sales & The Saga of the Mysterious Bump in the Quilt

Brilliant idea over at Design*Sponge this morning as a part of Kelly Moseley's Sneak Peak. For an inexpensive and beautiful design touch in a room, order wallpaper samples to frame. Graham & Brown offers so many beautiful and contemporary designs in 8 x 10 samples for $2 each! Many of the prints come in various color combinations and can be hung in tandem for an artistic touch without committing to paper an entire room. This is such a great idea for rentals, too. I've already spent way too much time on the Graham & Brown site, but plan to spend much more perusing their beautiful designs. Now to choose patterns for my place! Too much fun.

{photo credit from www.designspongeonline.com}

And now for storytime with perdue:trouvé ...

The Saga of the Mysterious Bump in the Quilt

One day, I laid my quilt out on the bed to begin the basting process...


Then, a mysterious bump appeared!

Hamlet was alarmed when he noticed the mysterious bump.

And so he decided to investigate... and what did he find?!


He found a sneaky Cicero!


THE END!

{and now you've seen the quilt I've been working on ALL SUMMER inspired by the gorgeous quilt shown on Film In the Fridge}

P.S. My computer is cured! I went a little bit picture-crazy...

Rental Therapy

There's a great article on Aparment Therapy on customizing your rental. Being as the hubby and I will be renting for quite awhile, this was a handy little article. Most of the advice consisted of things I have heard of or attempted before, but the pictures really show how you can get creative with a rental property. I'm loving all of the color and art in the kitchen. I'll definitely have to consult this post again after our big move!

{photos from www.apartmenttherapy.com}

So Fresh and So Clean, Clean!

We're moving into a new (new to us, at least) home at the end of this month. I have high hopes for our new dwelling place! I've been hooked on numerous design blogs now for quite awhile and have been drooling over the beautiful homes of the folks that post on Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. There are fantastic ideas on those blogs that I dream of recreating from inexpensive materials salvaged from thrift stores around my city. I have these moments of design epiphany that last only a few precious moments and then fade away into inspiration obscurity. This is why I've created this blog! My memory is horrible, but online is forever. Thank you, internet. Here are some vows I have made to myself for our upcoming move:

1. Petrochemicals in household cleaners are not safe and not renewable. Make your own cleaners from inexpensive and safe ingredients at home. Design*Sponge has some great advice!

2. Hit up the local Goodwill. When I find a project or idea that strikes my fancy, don't head straight to Target or Ikea. The Goodwill is closer to my new house, much cheaper than buying new, and more earth-friendly. Remember.

3. Buy in bulk. I love the smell of the spice rack at my local grocery. Find some empty baby food jars and store spices in bulk. Make creative labels and decorate the lids.

4. Look at clothes that inspire me in a new light. I am currently immersed in a love affair with my sewing machine. I hope that this is a relationship that lasts a long, long time. I can get creative with second hand clothing and add a ruffle here or a pleat there to make the old new and unique.

5. My home is MINE (and my husbands' and my cats'). Don't be afraid to infuse the different personalities of our household into our decor. Design blogs are inspiring and beautiful, but I need to remain true to my crazy self. I need to keep this in mind but also... KEEP IT SIMPLE, SWEETIE!! My hoarding days need to come to an end.

Okay, that's enough to work on for now! These will be nice reminders for me every time I log in (I hope). I've finished day 1, week 2 of my Couch to 5k running plan. Week 2 is harder but I'm feeling more excited about running than I have before. This is a good thing! Couch to 5k can also become my Learn to Love Running (After a Lifetime of Hating It) plan.

I also made some killer zucchini bread this week. I'll have to post pictures when my computer is back from the Mac-ER.

Getting Ready

I just finished my first week of the Couch to 5k workout plan. I'm feeling good and proud of myself for sticking with something for a week... that's a big deal for someone who is a horrible procrastinator. I'll think of just about anything to get out of running. I'm working out with Robert Ullrey's podcast and I'm really liking my nice "coach." I think I'll try Podrunner next week to see which I like better. I'm so tied to the beat of the music while I workout that I get distracted if my feet and the beat don't match. We'll see if Podrunner matches a little better than Ullrey's. I'll miss the kind words of encouragement, but it might be worth it. My computer is still at the Mac doctor receiving a brand new harddrive, so my pictures are gone for now. Until then, here's a nice stock photo of one of my very favorite places in Seattle where I go running:


In the words of a friend, I can't wait until I become a "runner" without the quotation marks. I can do it. I hope I can get hooked before the rain comes...

LIFE, KITTIES, CRAFTS

LIFE: I just completed my first day of the Couch to 5k. Piece of cake! There were gazelle-like runners bounding around me but I kept on track. I'm following a plan now! I do so much better with a coach... especially one that I can pause on my iPod! Go, me!

KITTIES: Best cat discovery ever = Feline Pine kitty litter. I cleaned the poo-barn yesterday and had no ammonia smell ruining my nostrils and making me gasp for fresh air. The pine somehow makes the barn smell much better despite the nastiness contained inside. The pine is natural and we are no longer contributing to clay mining from our environmentally-unfriendly clay cat litter.

CRAFTS: I finished my first quilt top! Unfortunately, my iMac got very sick and I had to take it to the MacStore for some computer care. I'm not going to torture my husband with my quilt pictures all over his computer, so I'll have to wait until my computer comes back to post some pictures of my string quilt. It was so much fun to create and I love paper-piecing! I ordered my backing from Contemporary Cloth and am excited to get another fabric package in the mail. There's nothin' like snail mail "surprises"!

...also, I am terrible at sewing jersey. So far the score is:
jersey dress : 1, me : 0. Sad day, but I will be victorious! I think I'll try making some jersey undies. How can that go wrong?!