AmandaDT's Profile

Display Name: AmandaDT
Personal URL: http://www.touchpointretail.com
Member Since: 3/2/10

Latest Comments...

I can hardly wait to step into the Javits on Monday!


ICFF 2011 Preview: Focus On Pacific Northwest Designers
5/13/11 11:49 PM

I can hardly wait for the Cure. I'll have a whole new place to work with!


Bedside Beauties: Oriental Rugs and Kilims in the Bedroom
3/16/11 12:15 AM

I just came off a 60 hour work week and can hardly wait to catch up this weekend! It's been the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm also looking forward to watching the videos.

Hope everyone enjoyed the last 20 and will continue for 20 more!


Day 20: Empty Outbox
The 20/20 Home Cure
11/12/10 9:32 PM

Dear AT 20/20 Cure,

I think of you everyday and make some of effort to put away, discard, wipe up, etc. (More so than I did before the Cure) Unfortunately, when it comes to interacting with you, I am busy interacting with professional duties in other people's space. The commercial design world is too demanding sometimes.

What happens when you create wonderful spaces for others and find it challenging to maintain your own?

Signed,
Back to Work

P.S. On day 1 on donated a stack of books. I'm glad I did.


Day 10: Make List of Top 6 Home Needs
The 20/20 Home Cure
11/3/10 9:29 PM

What a whirlwind of a week! My awake time spent at home was approximately 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening. I managed to put everything away that came through the door, but that's all.

Today, I have completed days 8,9 and 10. I also went back to my bedroom and surface cleaned, grocery shopped, and went for a run.

My list of 6 which became 7 is:

1) curtains for the bedroom
2) curtains for the bedroom make-shift closet
3) new entry door knob
4) scan my g-ma's photos and take them back to her at Christmas (they’ve been here 2 years)
5) touch up paint near the trash can (buy the paint)
6) patch and paint the wall at my bedroom window (I was on the phone and picked a bubbled portion of paint and plaster)
7) paint interior porch door


Day 10: Make List of Top 6 Home Needs
The 20/20 Home Cure
10/30/10 7:40 PM

The sound could be browser compatibility.

AP, are there any browser preferences that your site and video are better designed for?

I bought a mini-flowering plant today. Hope I don't forget to water it. Also, the flowers from last week still have a couple days in them.

Regarding the new format:
It seems that there is significantly less activity from the followers. Maybe because there are less visually impactful tasks to post pictures of?

I do like this format because it is more relaxing. The 20 minutes are very in-the-moment and allow me to unwind from my day vs. 'having more to do.' As a follower, I like this format for fall and a more active format for the spring.


Day 7: Buy Flowers & Sit for 10
The 20/20 Home Cure
10/26/10 8:27 PM

I worked an very full day yesterday and had to come home and go to bed. My husband was so kind to do the 20 minutes.:) He took care of the bathroom and did a full clean. Yay!

I did make an effort to put everything in its place when I walked through the door. This effort alone saves on clutter and eventual disaster. Looking forward to cleaning up the landing strip on its assignment day.


Day 6: Clean One Room
The 20/20 Home Cure
10/26/10 8:12 PM

It looks homemade. Small plant stand, VHS rack, or toilet paper holder.


What Is This Thriftstore Find?
Good Questions
10/26/10 6:48 PM

Has anyone tried Soap Nuts for their laundry? The co-op I belong to sells it now. Once my detergent is gone I will try it and let you know.

Last week I had a moment with the peppermint oil and used half a bottle, undiluted. I heard it kept mice away and REALLY wanted it to work. It did!

Peppermint was the first item replaced. I then proceeded to replenish the Bon Ami and splurged on a 7gen surface cleaner.

Looking forward to testing some of the recommendations for a soft scrub alternative.


Day 5: Buy or Replenish One Eco Cleaner
The 20/20 Home Cure
10/22/10 10:58 PM

I'm the first to admit that as a designer I used to find neon ghastly. 2 years ago this mind set began to shift when Louis Vuitton used it in the window displays with black light and neon paint. It was remarkable! Now that LED rope is making the look more feasible, it makes sense to consider it in a design solution. Thanks for the fresh and inspiring examples.

...And I can hardly wait to see TRON.


Neon Lit Furniture
10/22/10 10:38 PM

Sometimes it's better to focus on the problem in lieu of changing everything around it. Listen to your gut! If you are doubting this solution, it isn't right.

I went back and looked at Amy's kitchen. It seems that the tiles worked because the appliances are stainless. Take a look back at it and imagine if the appliance white, black, or even pink. ;)

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the final result.


Is This Backsplash Makeover Worth the Effort?
10/22/10 10:15 PM

Studio On Fire in Minneapolis and Boxpress in Syracuse are 'the' premier letterpress studios in the country. SOF's calendars are a MUST HAVE.
They commission local artists to create the illustrations. Typically they are comprised of a multi-color overlay and the depth of the press is incredible! I also love when they incorporate varnish for a bit of curated sheen. After working with them, all other press seems cute vs. crafted.

Calendars: http://www.studioonfire.com/category/shop/

Blog (where it all posts out): www.beastpieces.com


Best Letterpress Cards 2010
10/22/10 12:20 AM

labchick, for a second I thought the iPhone 4 as well. The edge of it reads hard in the video but then the front face was flashed.

Nothing like creating a little buzz with a sensational give-a-way. I imagine that most will question more items than usual from this example.

Everyone! Please recycle your electronics if you're trashing them. For US folks, finding free electronic recycling can be difficult. Best Buy is one retailer that recycles electronics and batteries without requiring a purchase. There are stores in much of the US, a few in the UK, Mexico, and China. Please don't put them in the trash. In addition to the obvious electronics, others include irons, power cords, toasters, coffee makers, phone and calculators. Their website has guidelines for any potential expenses and what isn't accepted.

Thanks!


Day 4: Remove One Item and Set Up Outbox
The 20/20 Home Cure
10/21/10 9:57 AM

Fabulous! Modern yet intimate.


Antoine's French Outpost in NYC
House Tour
10/21/10 1:00 AM

Living Etc

I also like Frame. It is geared toward retail, visual merchandising and installation art but I have gotten some ideas for the home.


What Is Your Go To Foreign Shelter Magazine?
10/20/10 9:57 PM

If you create something on your own, you may want to test how your bath products interact with the material. Metal screen may rust or maybe soap will stick in the openings of a non-metal screen. Plexiglass may etch.


Does a Portable Shower Curtain Exist?
Good Questions
10/20/10 2:08 PM

The use of toile with the other patterns is fabulous! An elegant and sophisticated example of combining color and pattern.


Melanie's "The Chinoiserie Incident" Bedroom
10/20/10 2:02 PM

First and foremost, what an awesome and bittersweet story! The photo alone of the ostrich and vintage Mickey Mouse is an art piece in itself. Today's senior generation has so much to share. Just imagine this woman's eccentric stories from wartime through present day.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
_
We have 2 things that could be worth a decent sum in 70 years, a Robert Motherwell litho which is #10 of a 50 edition run and a set of 80 illustrated letters known as the The Taylor Morse Collection. Similar to the feature story, these illustrations were found in a Palm Springs self-storage unit along with a 1930s Louis Vuitton travel trunk, sets of china, art, and scrapbooks of Avonne Taylor's days in the Ziegfeld Follies.

If you're interested, check out the collection at www.taylormorsecollection.com


Design Time Capsule: Rediscovered Paris Apartment
10/20/10 1:57 PM

This is somewhat off topic but does discuss white from a building manager's perspective.
Our building manager uses Ben. Moore Dove White because it is the same color as the spackle. If a patch is missed, no one will see it. What he fails to see is that the walls are textured. The grayness of the Dove White and the shadow from the texture makes the place look dingy.

We painted our place Ben. Moore Province Blue even though we'll have to repaint when we leave. Completely worth it.


The Right White for an Art Collection
ColorTherapy
10/19/10 6:06 PM

Hey renters! What do you think of all this?

My rent and utility bills is 16% of our take home pay. It used to be around 12% before my husband was laid off. We rent in an awesome neighborhood, are on the major bus line, 2 blocks from grocery store, car share (we ditched the vehicles) etc. It takes 10 minutes to get to work by bike, 15 by bus. We looked at buying in another neighborhood with the same conveniences. (the hood we're currently in is extremely expensive to buy). I did the math on a 160,000 home with insurance, utilities, longer commutes, saving for repairs. Our percentage was more than double than our current situation. Really! More work, more money, less play. As much as I have the American Dream, I value a carefree lifestyle and some $ to retire on.

I believe I'd be less secure owning than renting and think the housing market is smoke and mirrors. And to those who believe I'm throwing my money into someone else hands, isn't that what happens with a mortgage? The other 20% + of the recommended 36% is going into a savings account instead of paying down interest.

Simply put:
- know what the full big picture is
- know what your values are
- decipher how you feel from what popular culture is telling you
- have someone who to review your figures that will in not benefit from your home purchase.


Finding a New Home: Determining What You Can Afford
8/28/10 11:59 AM