eclectic aesthetic's Profile

Very cool

I have the dough chilling in the fridge for these right now; I had no problem getting them to come together without a food processor--just stuck my hands in there and mixed it! And I used lemon juice instead of the water. The dough tastes delicious; hopefully the final version is just as good!

What a great transformation! I can't imagine looking at that space before and thinking about putting a baby in it, but the after is perfect!

To echo what everyone else said, I definitely think a green thumb can be learned. You just have to be a little bit obsessive about your plants. If you have a plant that's not doing well, google the problem (eg. yellowing or droopy leaves) and make one change at a time to see what works. If you're trying to fix a plant problem but you forget to check on it for a week at a time, your plants are probably going to die. Once you get to know your plants you can be a little more relaxed. You can't forget they're there, though; you should be checking on them at least every couple of days, depending on the plant, and sticking your fingers in the soil to see if they need to be watered.
That said, I've only grown houseplants and am just starting my first outdoor garden, so hopefully the skills carry over!

I think the issue with the cabinets before was how they were laid out--the after picture offers more space for storage at a reasonable height on the top.

I think the issue with the cabinets before was how they were laid out--the after picture offers more space for storage at a reasonable height on the top.

Vegetable oil is fine in a pinch but can go rancid over time; mineral oil is available very inexpensively at CVS and probably any other drug store. They sell it as a treatment for constipation.

Wow, I'm surprised at how quickly people have been jumping to the conclusion that the downstairs neighbors are being unreasonable jerks. Even if you are trying your best to be quiet, it's probable and frankly likely that their complaints are valid. I have lived in an apartment on a lower floor in an older building, and the noise from people walking upstairs was often loud enough that it was difficult to do any work or sleep. Some people walk more lightly than others, but you have to bear in mind that the sounds that you hear when you're walking on the floor are not what your downstairs neighbors hear. Try inviting one of them to walk on your floor in a normal way while the other one listens, and to listen from downstairs as your partner walks on the floor. Ultimately I agree that this is the landlord's problem and it would help if both you and your neighbors contacted him/ her to request some soundproofing solution, but having both parties hear what it sounds like from the other apartment might help ease the tension. The poor soundproofing is not something that the other family could reasonably have expected before moving in, since many buildings have great soundproofing where only the most egregious activities disturb the neighbors below (that may be what's adding to their frustration--they don't realize that the pounding sounds they hear are actually light steps from above and instead think that it's an intentional disregard of their need for peace and quiet). Obviously you have no obligation to do anything, but I think the best thing to do would be to treat it as a joint problem and have a frank conversation with your neighbors about how to solve it (whether that be avoiding walking in certain areas at night or during certain limited working hours or contacting your landlord).

Why is everyone so cranky? (1) No one is asking professional designers to give away their work for free and (2) it's not as if AT is having a contest to avoid employing a professional designer--if he weren't having the contest, Maxwell would be drawing the logo as he has done for the past four years. Although I understand how upsetting it is to be expected to give away work for free (see unpaid internships!!), this is an informal online contest to allow fans of the blog to participate in it. Let the amateurs have their day!

A lot of these look like fire hazards. The first one is my favorite--I'm a sucker for traditional decorations at Christmas!