Archive for October, 2009
Email Answer: Inspiration Wrangling?
Q: I am wondering how you keep all your decorating ideas and images organized. Do you keep all the magazines and catalogs with good design ideas (if so how do you organize them?). Do you cut out images? Do you keep everything electronic or scan in images? Just wondering because I always want to keep lots of inspiring decorating ideas but then never know how to organize them or find them again without allowing the clutter to get overwhelming. Love the blog! -Lindsay
A: Good question! Of course I used to have piles and piles of torn out pages from glossy shelter magazines sitting around waiting to be filed or flipped through. But a few years ago I grabbed a 3-inch binder and some clear sleeves and literally created “the ultimate magazine” by adding all of my favorite inspiration pictures. It’s super easy to flip through (a lot less cumbersome than a folder of loose tear-sheets), and I even organized it by category (interior inspiration, curb appeal ideas, holiday stuff, art I love, etc). Life changing, I tell ya.
We also keep an inspiration folder on our computer desktop (with many of the same categories as the binder) for all of the virtual rooms and projects we love (blogger tip: we rename them with the source so if we ever want to use them on the blog we can properly credit them). And we also keep full issues of the glossies that we just can’t bear to part with (we’re the proud owners of every single Domino issue, seen here stacked proudly out in the open on the fireplace hearth in the den)…
… and we keep all of our favorite House Beautiful issues stacked on the pedestal table in the den…
…and we stash a bunch of Cottage Living mags that we covet in various leather and woven baskets near little reading zones in the sunroom and the den (see the little basket next to the white armchair?).
So that’s how we keep the stream of never ending inspiration in check around these parts. We can’t fully claim that our binder is always perfectly sorted (sometimes we shove pages in with the promise of organizing them later) but it’s a pretty simple system to keep up with for the most part. How do you guys organize your ideas from magazines and the interweb? We’d love to know what methods you have in place to keep things, well, in their place.
Wondering which magazines we list as our favorites? Check them out right here. And speaking of mags, check out the hysterical vintage glossies that John and I discovered at a garage sale. Too entertaining for words. And speaking of entertaining, don’t forget to drop in on Burger’s blog to see what he’s chatting about today. That’s a whole lotta links for you on this Monday morning. Enjoy!
A Yard Sale, A Small World, & An Open Marriage
Isn’t it a small world? Especially with the World Wide Interweb at the center of it all. So we thought you guys might enjoy this funny story about where this crazy blogging train takes us sometimes.
The Backstory: Last spring I went to a local writing seminar because our friend Noah (who’s also a published author, award-winning blogger, and all-around-good-guy) was speaking and we wanted to show our support. Sadly Sherry missed out because she had a conflicting “make-up party” to go to with my sister. No lie. Anyways, on the panel was another Richmond-born author named Jenny Block. She was very funny and the story about getting her book published was very interesting indeed. Naturally it made me curious to read her book, so I made a mental note and headed back to pick up a sure-to-be-heavily made up Sherry from her party (she did not disappoint).
The Yard Sale: Fast-forward to June and I spot Jenny’s book, Open, at a local yard sale. Sherry seemed a bit worried when she saw me grabbing for a book subtitled “Love, Sex and Life in an Open Marriage” but I reassured her that my sole interest was in seeing how this witty speaker’s voice translated on to the page, NOT in opening our marriage to others (and I realize this sounds like a typical guy duping his wife, but trust me here – I’ve seen enough episodes of Big Love to nix that idea).
The Blog Post: After the yard sale we blogged about our finds in this post. Along with the post, we shared the picture above, where you can clearly see the titles that we purchased. The small worry that someone would recognize the title and start wondering if Sherry and I were becoming, um, “adventurous” did actually cross our minds…
The Email: Well, someone did recognize the book. A friend of the author’s emailed her the link which prompted an email back to us from Jenny herself: “It looks as if you bought my book at a yard sale! I’m not sure if I should be happy or sad since that means the original owner no longer wanted it. LOL. But I’m glad someone scooped it up! If you want to drop it in the mail to me, I’d be happy to sign it to you and send it back.”
So we did. And she did. And now we’ve got this:
Oh, and I’m about halfway through the book and it has been a very interesting read. And I can say with the utmost confidence that I’m more than happy to keep my marriage closed! So that’s our latest small world story. Do you guys have one to share? Or any other good reads that we should put on our list?
Burning Question: The Finish Line
This week we’re wondering about your dream kitchen appliances. Namely the finish. Do you lust for sleek stainless steel or prefer the more finger-print-resistant white or black options? And while we’re on the subject, what’s your idea of the perfect fridge design? Is it a side-by-side model or one of those freezer-drawer-on-the-bottom dealies? Do tell.
And we can’t talk about amazing kitchens without sharing the easiest way to spiff up a tired or dated one. Painting those old cabinets will have your kitch looking like new in no time (and contrary to popular belief, it’s not rocket science).
Images courtesy of Lowe’s.
Psst- Don’t forget to drop in on Hamburger’s House to see what Burger’s blogging about today…
Ask Almost-Doctor Dan: Getting The Green Light?
It’s October 15th and that means we’re back to share some earth friendly info courtesy of Almost-Doctor Dan for Blog Action Day 2009 (click here for more details on the big event). Since we consistently cover ways to live greener and give back to the planet (we have an entire section devoted to Eco Living on our How To page) this little online event seemed to fit right in, but we really wanted to go beyond ever-present eco encouragement like “use CFLs!” and “don’t forget to recycle!” (which are both great suggestions, they’re just a bit tried and true). So we looked no further than my brainy scientist brother to see what sorts of things came to mind on the subject of energy and how to conserve it (along with your hard-earned cash of course).
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the genius that is my brother (growing up in his shadow was tough but I survived), here’s a brief synopsis of his brain power: we introduced him here (and revisited his giant brain here and here), basically he went to Cornell and graduated with the highest GPA of his entire graduating class (a 4.21 if you’re wondering). Yup, out of all of the kids in Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, he was the Valedictorian. Yeah, he’s brainy. Now he’s a graduate student at Columbia with a Master’s degree under his belt, steadily working his way up to his Doctorate in chemistry with a full scholarship from the National Science Foundation. Not only do they pay for his education but they actually pay him a stipend for rent and food- all in return for wearing a lab coat almost 24/7 and messing around with molecules and polymers all day. Sweet deal huh? Serious Einstein stuff going on.
So we thought he was definitely up for the task of bringing something new to the table when it comes to saving energy and explaining the science behind his suggestions. And he didn’t let us down! In fact a lot of his save-energy strategies will also simplify your life and save your moolah. What’s not to love? Here’s what Almost-Doctor Dan had to say on the subject:
Tip #1: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius, regardless of how fast it is boiling (changes in altitude or substances like salts or sugar dissolved in the water have a slight impact on this, but it’s really quite small). Every time you make pasta, hard-boiled eggs, corn on the cob or anything that requires boiling water, the food cooks at exactly the same rate whether the water is at a rapid, rolling boil or just a simmering boil. Most people aren’t aware of this and waste a lot of gas/electricity converting water to steam without cooking their food any faster (in fact, here’s a usatoday.com article that agrees once water begins to boil, all of the energy being added by the stove goes into turning water into vapor, not into heating the water). In short: a simmering boil should be the goal since you can save substantial gas/electricity by keeping your water from boiling too rapidly (which doesn’t change the time that it takes to cook things at all).
Tip #2: Along a similar vein, the hottest part of a flame is right at its tip. When using gas burners, if your flame has a larger diameter than the pot you are heating, you are wasting most of the heat produced by the flame, since it’s just going around the pot. A smaller flame that is completely under the pot will heat it faster and more efficiently than a larger one that protrudes from underneath. In short: make sure the pot you’re heating doesn’t have flames licking out around it or you can be sure you’re wasting gas and producing unnecessary heat that isn’t doing a thing to whatever’s in the pot.
Tip #3: A lot of people make a big deal about using less AC in the summer to save electricity. In the northeast, anyway, about 5-10 times more energy goes into heating homes in the winter than cooling them in the summer. Think about it – if an average summer day in NYC is 80 degrees and you use your AC to make it 70, you are using enough energy to maintain a ten degree differential between inside and outside. If an average winter night is 30 degrees and you use your heat to make it 70, you are using enough energy to maintain a forty degree differential between the air inside and the air outside (this is actually way more than four times as much energy, since the energy transfer is faster when the differential is larger so you are using exponentially more energy). In short: setting thermostats a few degrees lower in the winter can save a lot of energy/money, and raising it in the summer isn’t a bad idea either.
We also dropped our friend Kristin a line (she’s another Almost-Doctor who’s getting her degree in Germany, first mentioned here) to see what she suggests since this is also something she has studied. Here’s what she had to say on the subject:
At my department, we’re trying to make blue-green algae produce hydrogen by sunlight energy – which would be a great future energy source if we could get it working (no major breakthrough yet, but we’re doing our best). But of course, there are many small things that anyone can do in their everyday life to make a difference without breaking out their lab coats and beakers.
First there are some tips that are quite well-known, just as a little reminder:
- Keep your windows closed and well sealed in the winter
- Consider using a clothesline instead of a dryer (or air drying just a few things a week to cut down)
- Compost kitchen scraps to reduce waste and the need to buy fertilizer
- Install a programmable thermostat to save money and energy
- Plant fruits and vegetables in your garden instead of just flowers
Then there are a few more tips that are directly connected to climate change and greenhouse gas:
- Use furniture from local wood (try to avoid tropical wood such as teak when you can)
- Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farmers
- Eat less meat (cattle produces methane gas when digesting their food, which is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide)
- When it comes time to replace your heating or water system, get informed about energy-saving possibilities which can actually save you money in the long run (you can install a heat exchanger, insulation or solar panels which can be hugely efficient)
And then there are some things that are advertised as eco-friendly but are not – or at least, they’re less earth-conscious than you might think:
- Local (but unseasonal) fruits and vegetables - surprisingly they are not always better than imported ones- I can only speak for Germany, but here scientists calculated that cooling local apples for three months or more actually calls for more energy and thus produces more carbon dioxide than transporting fresh apples from Chile or New Zealand (which don’t have to be cooled for three months). Only when your local vegetables are seasonal can you can be sure they produce as little carbon dioxide as possible.
- Bioethanol, biodiesel or any “biofuel” for your car - many rainforests are cut down to create farmland for corn, oil palm etc. Good future energy sources for cars might be electricity or hydrogen, as both of them can be produced using fossil as well as renewable energy sources, so the same car with the same engine can be used before and after the switch (which means less waste).
- E-recycling - thinking about recycling your computer is a good thing since the metals (aluminum, copper etc) are released from the hardware and reused, reducing energy consumption and thus global warming. However, most e-recycling takes place in India, where millions of people do this work for little money with little or no protection (meaning they literally cook the hardware, releasing not only the metals but also arsenic, lead and other toxic components which poison the workers there as well as the air). I don’t know of an alternative for broken computers, but try to use yours as long as possible (and sell or donate them to people who cannot afford a new one for a much more beneficial take on “recycling”).
In short: Kristin isn’t suggesting that no one eat meat and that everyone get solar panels. But if each of us took one or two tips and subtly worked them into our lives (like enjoying a “meatless Monday dinner of pasta or pizza for example, or letting large items like comforters air-dry instead of running the dryer for hours) we really could save money, live better, and help make a difference. Even remembering to do something as simple as using craigslist or freecycle to give our old electronics a second life or choosing to enjoy the most seasonal fruits and veggies that they have at the store (or the farmer’s market) will make us feel good and do the world some good at the same time. Remember: every little bit counts! And we’d love to know if you guys are doing anything else to help save money and the planet while you’re at it. Do tell!
Psst- if you’re looking to really make a dramatic change, check out this video and take on the no-impact challenge right here. It’s not for everyone, but it certainly is inspiring to hear about how living so simply can be so rewarding!
Last three images found here, here and here.
Skulloween Freebie Winner!
You guys certainly got us in the trick-or-treating spirit with all of your Halloween costume stories in our latest giveaway – definitely some good ideas in there for this year! And we can’t wait to get one of you deeper into the creepy spirit of h-a-double-hockey-sticks-o-ween with this skulltacular prize from Cardboard Safari and Skull-A-Day. The gruesome twosome are dishing out a foursome of prizes: Skull-A-Day’s United Skull of America and Ornamental Skull prints and Cardboard Safari’s skull wreath and puzzle skull.
So who’s the lucky boy or ghoul (sorry, couldn’t resist)? We spent some quality time with random.org and learned that our winner is… Nicole (who married Flava Flav – er, well, a man dressed up as him). Congrats! Are you feeling skully already?
And if this week’s prize gave you nightmares, we think next week’s will have you sleeping like a baby (yes, that’s a hint). Stay tuned…
Learn more about our freebies on our Giveaway FAQs page. Images courtesy of Cardboard Safari and Skull-A-Day.
