marnea's Profile

Display Name: marnea
Member Since: 9/30/10

Latest Comments...

I have one from black sheep (white light) and it's gorgeous. Their skins are really large and the hair is really long, so they aren't suitable for putting on a chair or anything like that. I use mine as a rug next to my bed. Over time it does start to look kind of ratty, but that's when it's time to brush it out. They have washing instructions on their site, but I've never done more than shake it and brush it.


How To Shop For a Sheepskin Rug? Good Questions
11/28/12 11:07 AM

Is cureeo.com trolling?


DIY Idea: Gorgeous Original Graphic Prints for Under Five Dollars Design Editor
9/5/12 10:52 PM

I just lived through a heat wave in Montreal, and I discovered an important truth: leaving the windows open at night is essential, no matter how hot and humid is. For two nights I refused to open the windows because I thought I would just let the humidity in, as there was absolutely no breeze. My apartment was an oven, and I was losing my mind. Coming home after leaving my windows open for a few hours one late afternoon (when the sun was already on the other side of my building) made me realize that hot, "fresh" air is better than hot, stale apartment air. It wasn't cool by any means, but it made the difference between tolerating the temperature and hyperventilating.

Having a quick, cool shower right when I come home makes a big difference too. I also put a flexible ice pack in a pair of leggings and sling it around the back of my neck. I have two, so one is always ready in the freezer.

But the best thing I did was buy a tower fan. I'm sure someone here can explain what makes them different from standard pedestal fans, but it's really cooling without being as aggressive as my other fans, which means I can put it behind me while I'm working at my desk and it DOESN'T BLOW MY PAPERS AROUND. This is so, so essential to staying productive during the summer months.


Here Comes Summer: How to Keep Your Cool No Matter How Hot it Gets Reader Intelligence Report
6/23/12 10:04 PM

Kris Klein and SF Chris:

I use OmniFocus on my MacBook Pro/iPhone, and it works great for majority of my life/work. But I also have a part-time administrative job in a Windows environment, so I'd love to be able to manage that job's tasks within my already-established system without looking like I'm texting on my iPhone at my desk (which is exactly what it looks like). So yes, the desktop and mobile versions were definitely worth the price, and the mobile was essential -- but a web version would make it perfect.


Need Help Getting Things Done? Productivity Apps to Try
Tablet App Recomendations

6/23/12 9:51 PM

Omnifocus is expensive (almost $200 to get versions for desktop, iPad and iPhone) and does not have a web-based platform. I can use it at home/on the go for school and my freelance work, but I have to establish another GTD system for my Windows-environment part-time job. Given its cost, it's annoying that there isn't a solution for every platform.


Need Help Getting Things Done? Productivity Apps to Try
Tablet App Recomendations

6/15/12 10:41 AM

Wow. For some reason it never occurred to me to just use incandescents, despite my hatred for CFLs. All 18 bulbs in my smallish apartment were CFLs when I moved in -- I bought more CFLs for two desk lamps, and finally got around to ordering LED bulbs for the desks since that's where we need the best light the most. It seriously never occurred to me to just get some incandescents for where I want the best light (kitchen and bathroom).


Incandescent Bulbs: Hoard Now or Get Left in The Dark?
12/6/11 8:20 PM

I'm with username26! With the exception of the HBC blanket, these are all cliched anglo-Canadian stereotypes. And truthfully... an argument could be made against the HBC blanket.


Oh Canada! Gift Guide for the Canada Lover
11/7/11 5:32 PM

Taking shoes off indoors is not a "Canadian" thing. I'm Canadian and while I lived with my mother we only removed our shoes at the door if they were covered in snow or especially wet/muddy. The rest of the time, I removed my shoes in my bedroom whenever I decided to change.

Now that I have my own place, I remove my shoes because they tend to be loud and I try to be mindful of the people who live below us. Otherwise I probably wouldn't remove them until I got to the bedroom.

When guests come over, they tend to automatically remove their shoes but I insist they leave them on. I've seen what my socks look like a mere three hours after I vacuum and mop, and I would hate for my guests to go home and imagine what a slob I am, when I really am not.

If guests want to remove their shoes they're welcome to, but it's completely unnecessary in my home.

And PS, for those of you worried about what you're tracking into your house with shoes -- any immunologist will tell you that germs are good for you. And if you're so worried about them, I can't imagine how you justify ever leaving your home!


Etiquette at Home: Solutions to The Great Shoe Debate
10/21/11 10:44 AM

"ex-sponge"? Is that supposed to be punny?


8 Things In Your House That Don't React Well To Heat
7/27/11 12:22 PM

Unless you are a collector, I see no reason to not simply do what you'd prefer in order to enjoy living with a piece. Wood is beautiful, but I don't think any object constructed out of it is so precious that it would be "ruined" by paint.


Refinish Or Repaint: The Great Wood Makeover Debate
6/3/11 10:31 PM

That corner shower is an abomination! Are there two full-length mirrors in there??


Renovation Motivation: Resale Value or Personal Style?
5/10/11 5:25 PM

I have an alpaca-shaped, terra cotta ocarina. To play it you have to blow into its ass.


What's the Weirdest Thing in Your Home?
4/19/11 11:35 PM

I meant to add that they're even more energy efficient than CFLs so it pays off, unlike incandescents. So even though there's a big upfront cost, your savings are in your energy bill.


Recommend The Best Incandescent Light Bulbs?
Good Questions

3/24/11 8:54 AM

Try LED bulbs. CFLs are actually bad for your health and I personally hate being in a room with them (though our apartment has over 18 of them somehow). I've been wanting to get LED bulbs for a while now but they're expensive -- about $50 a pop. But they will literally last you for the rest of your life. Literally. You will probably be able to pass them down to your children. Try getting one or two for your most-used rooms maybe, if the price is daunting. They come in lots of different temperatures. Try here: http://www.kuuala.com/


Recommend The Best Incandescent Light Bulbs?
Good Questions

3/24/11 8:52 AM

I bought the CB2 carafe but honestly, I don't see the point and after a couple of days of novelty use, it's on display on a bookshelf. Do you drink so much water in the night that you need to fill up a whole carafe? Also, unless you drink the whole glass, you can't put the lid back on (seems obvious but I didn't think of it when I made my purchase!) and at least with the filtered water I drink, it gets stale if it's not covered.

It makes sense for overnight guests -- I think it's hospitable even if it isn't practical.

I don't regret buying it, but I never use it.


Suggestions For A Decent And Affordable Glass Carafe?
Good Questions

3/18/11 8:37 AM

Hmm, yeah. Cost of fabric + effort it takes to stretch and prime a canvas properly is way more than buying a readymade canvas. Heck, I've even seen stretched canvas at Dollarama.

Yes, some canvas is expensive. But if you're going to make something decorative, I'm sure you can make do with cheap craft store versions. Just today I saw a set of 5, 3/4-thick, 16x20 stretched and primed canvases for $20 CAD.


Before & After: Thrift Store Painting Transformed
Under The Table and Dreaming

2/9/11 10:04 PM

The room didn't get smaller -- there just isn't anything in the Before picture to indicate scale. Because the shelves appear to reach the ceiling, you assume it has a standard 8' height. The After picture just reveals that the wall is actually shorter and that the old bookshelves are smaller than they appear.


Before & After: Multi-purpose Loft Space
2/8/11 12:06 PM

I am obsessed with "storage solutions," but one thing I'm starting to notice about my own habits is that I actually have quite enough storage space -- I'm just not using it properly. There are corners of my apartment that I want to fill with small shelves or chairs or what have you... but every time I find myself online window shopping I wonder what I would even put in them. When I really think about it, I need a better system of compartments, but not furnishings to put them on. (I'm learning to love the empty corners.)


Rethinking The Need For Storage
1/23/11 11:53 AM

THANK YOU, @anamimi!! My sentiments exactly (except that I don't have kids. But that's not really a sentiment, is it.)


When Kids Are Coming To Your House
11/9/10 8:20 PM

EVERYTHING goes with green. Even though people don't normally think so, green is actually a very neutral colour. I had a bedroom painted in a bright yellowy green before (I think it was Benjamin Moore "Bermuda Grass"), and I used so many different accent colours that complemented the walls very well. Everything from orange and red to chocolate brown. As long as you find something in the same 'tone' as the green on your wall, you'll be all set.


Duvet Cover Suggestions for Earthy Green Bedroom?
Good Questions

9/30/10 10:25 AM