bk_in_VA's Profile

I just found out that Starbucks will give you their used coffee grounds, you just have to ask for "grounds for the garden". They are free but you should call in advance and ask for them, if they're busy (which they usually are) they just throw them away, but they'll bag them up for you if you request them. I pick up a bag every couple of weeks and add it to my compost bin.

The ants help the tight bud open up ... once the peony begins to bloom you shouldn't have the ants anymore. I just cut them, give a shake, and bring them in ... I've never had an ant problem inside afterwards.

Ok for those people with stocked pantries (to include food) at work, WHERE do you work?!?!?! We don't even get free coffee and paper napkins here in DC, geez! Oh well. Like many others, I brown bag it every day and I work a long day so I usually bring lunch and dinner. In one of my desk drawers I keep snack boxes of raisins, a package each of craisins and dried apricots, a container of kashi (to top my greek yogurt, yum!), a jar of local honey (also for my greek yogurt), and usually a container of almonds or cashews - these are my mid-day snacks. Then I just bring to work lunch, dinner, and fresh fruit/veggies.

Has anyone tried the solar string lights? I've seen them at a few stores (Target, etc) but was curious if they last as long, brightness, etc.

I've been trying to figure out what type of artwork to hang on the wall above my headboard in the bedroom and am thinking this might be the way to go. I've always been drawn to antique and vintage mirrors in second hand shops, but have never purchased them because I wasn't sure what I'd do with them or where to put them ...this could be the solution. Someone posted too many mirrors are bad luck? Is that feng shui?

I have a large master bedroom so space isn't an issue, but I use two small dressers (mismatched but similar to the style in the photo) for my bedside tables. I love that they're slightly larger than a typical nightstand, and the drawers are perfect for all the things that tend to clutter up the top of a nightstand.

of course now I can't find the example I'm thinking of (from my earlier post) but Pottery Barn Kids has some good examples of using bold colors in kids rooms - I would paint the beadboard and go from there

oh I likey!

In our family the Christmas tree always went up the weekend after Thanksgiving and stayed up until the first weekend in the New Year. Same goes for the outdoor lights and other decorations. (I agree though, the stores having Halloween and Christmas decorations out at the same time is just rushing the seasons, I hate that.)

omg I remember growing up in the 70's we had that same glass-topped coffee table pictured here. As I got older and had houscleaning chores in my teens I remember complaining to my mom about the fingerprints on the glass table top and how hard it was to keep clean. She told me to get over it (always good advice for a complaining teenager) and that it was an expensive living room set that they'd gotten for a great deal when a furniture store went out of business. I have no idea what ever happened to that living room set but it had the coffee table, two end tables of the same style (wood cross braces with glass tops) and an orange modern sofa. Wish those items were still with us!