krl2876's Profile

Good luck on getting the buy-in on the kids' side of things... we still haven't figured out how to keep parents from showering nieces & nephews with gifts! However, for the adults in the family, we set up an exchange where everyone makes handmade Christmas ornaments. (We figured that these can be packed away after the holidays, that it's OK to have extra things out at Christmas time, and that it's nice to be reminded of family at that time of the year... hence deciding on that gift.)

The really nice thing about this exchange is that we set it up so everyone rotates from year to year. The first year, Mom & Dad had me & my fiance, since I'm the oldest... I had my next brother & SIL, and on down. Each year, everyone takes the next family down on the age chart--so you know you're going to get a turn exchanging with everyone!

I admit, I +1'd this just for these two sentences: "Plus, you kind of get to feel like McGyver and that's always awesome. Unless you don't like McGyver and then we can't be friends."

But... the rest of the info was great, too! :)

While I theoretically understand the "save up for the real thing" idea... what I really want from Missoni is an awesome knit dress. But even if I had the extra $1500, I simply would not spend that much money on a single outfit for myself. And so, my "infinity" scarf from Missoni for Target makes me incredibly happy. While not as loose/poofy or boldly colored as their $200 scarves at Neiman-Marcus, it is soft, pretty and of good quality in both look and feel.

That said, I completely passed on all of the picture frames and melamine kitchenware that I saw left at Target. I also tried on a few returned items that really disappointed me. The dresses seemed rather shapeless, and the black and white chevron blouse that they had in my size was made such that the chevrons were mismatched in the front after you buttoned it up. (To be fair, they also had an XL there, and it pattern-matched perfectly.)

I did, however, buy a hair barrette... less because it was M for T, and more because I'm always looking for barrettes with some kind pattern that isn't too bizarre. I use them to keep my hair out of my face at work, and I get tired of the classic metal ones.

I agree that it makes a difference. I love going to art shows that require the artist to be in attendance, so I can ask questions and meet the person behind the work.

(Note: Sometimes meeting the artist works in his/her favor... and sometimes, it has the opposite effect!)

The color is also often a clue to the taste. The yellows, pinks and oranges are usually sweeter and less acidic. The green ones (not unripe green, but green-when-ripe, like 'Green Zebra') are a little zestier. My favorites are the deep purple/brown/black ones... I swear that they taste richier, almost smokier, than a regular tomato. In fact, I'm drooling right now at the thought... :)

I'm pretty sure that I've seen photos like that before the show Design Star made its debut, too... :)

No matter who originated the idea, I think that this example is a great one. I love the faux wood grain look here, too. Nice job!

Agree with pippigirl! But if you really have "too much" for your space, how about simply rotating it? I have a lot of little ceramic and milkglass pieces from my grandma that I move around (including back and forth between the house and a few boxes in the attic) throughout the year to give things a little bit of a new look.

I inherited a simple but effective "clothesline" when I moved into this house. It's an older house, and the 1st floor beams are exposed in the basement ceiling. A previous owner screwed a bunch of eye hooks at various places in the beams, and strung sturdy cord around/through them for clothes drying. Instead of bothering with clothes pins, I just hang them up on hangers and hook the hangers onto the line. (I was afraid initially that the hangers might all slide down into a clump in the middle of the line, but they don't.) I usually just do this in the winter when the nearby furnace keeps the basement very dry, though. The basement is never really musty, but since I can hang clothes on door knobs and such upstairs in the summertime, I figure that I shouldn't chance it.

Also, add me to the list of people who use the bathroom to air dry... only, I have shower doors so I simply toss my bras over the top bar on the open side. They almost always dry overnight. I also have a couple of hangers that are wide enough to go over that bar, too, and I sometimes hang lighter shirts from the bar using those.

Cancoi, I was going to mention Indigo Imp, too! Love them. They made a special beer last year for the Ripe! festival at the Cleveland Botanical Garden that might be my favorite beer of all time. It was basically their Blonde Bombshell with a bunch of "harvest spices" and once I finished the first bottle, it left me wishing I had bought more. I'm actually thinking of heading to Ripe! this year just to see if they do it again...

As far as Great Lakes goes, Blackout Stout (so named for the timing of a big batch of it, and the big blackout in 2003ish) and Nosferatu are my two seasonal faves. But when you go to the brewery, you can get a bunch of other great beers--their oatmeal stout is delicious.

Not my style, either, but still very impressive!

By the way... can we have more about that chair? LOVE it!