Jennifer from Meals, Squared's Profile

This isn't my bag, but herb oils are a pantry (well, fridge) staple for us. I make herb oil every week with whatever unused soft herbs are leftover from other projects (tarragon, cilantro, parsley, sometimes a mix). Then I use it on eggs, as the base for salad dressing, pesto, etc. I don't strain out the solids, though. Anyway, I would highly recommend herb oil! Just don't know that you need to buy it.

MCM can indeed be neutral. I got my first piece in the early 1990s, so if it's a trend, it's been going for an awfully long time. Maybe it's popping up more since the reproduction market took off, but depending on one's aesthetic (and maybe location? It's always been somewhat popular in southern California, where I'm from), it's pretty timeless.

More generally, I love this idea. As we replace outgrown or worn out pieces, we are trying to only replace them with items that will withstand the test of time—solid materials, shapes we're truly excited about, etc. Over time, it will be more cost effective (not to mention less wasteful) than getting cheaply built furniture. So we bought our two boys Webster twin beds in natural steel from Room & Board. They're made in the USA, sturdy enough to last, not easily stained/marked up, and can be refinished if necessary. My hope is that after they're gone from the house, the beds could be used in a guest room. The kid elements are in the accessories—dinosaur sheets (they're 2 and 4), bright walls, and fun posters.

Gilit, I'm loving your posts about the January Cure! Thanks for linking to your blog.

Here in Chicago, we have a kind of communal food event called Soup and Bread: http://soupandbread.net/about-soup-and-bread/

This year (shortly after finishing the cure!), I'm also hosting an alumni dinner event at my house for several strangers. I've always wanted to host one—it's called Dinner for 12 Strangers, and it's something many universities organize/offer—but this year just decided to stop wondering and go for it.

That said, I think we connect with people through a variety of ways (if not flashmobs... yet)—via sites like this one, cooking blogs, at food swaps and at chili cook-offs, and in the backyards of extended families and friend groups.

Catching up on: the bedroom deep clean (the closet is half-emptied but I have to finish + change linens) and general housework (my poor neglected bathrooms!). I'm in the home stretch of my goal project. This month has been a real learning experience for me. So glad I joined the cure.

It looks like a new room! I love the layout.

Oh, dear. They look like potties to me, too. But I still think it's a great idea—if one were to cut off the back rests, they'd just look like custom food and drink tables. You'd lose the graphic element, but I think that's a fair trade-off for getting rid of bedpan/potty associations.

Papers, oy. That's got to be our number one source of clutter around here.

If anyone is interested, I made a Flickr set this morning with my AT Cure progress. I'm not all that disciplined about taking before and after shots, but it's fun to see how things are shaping up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeep/sets/72157632578098642/

I can't wait to see the bathroom with that great print and a new mirror!

We were sidetracked with sick kids over the weekend, so today I finished the kitchen deep clean. The landing strip is, as of right now, just a list of ideas. But in the meantime I am trying to standardize where I put my keys/wallet.

My goal project is to mount my bookcases to the wall—I failed to do this when moving in and one came toppling down not long ago! Got the hardware from Crate & Barrel today, but it'll likely be a project for the weekend. Maybe I'll clean my bedroom on media clutter day!

I can't express enough how good this has been for me. After much hand-wringing and a year of trying to make a cross-country move, we pulled our house off the market just before Christmas. The cure has been a wonderful way to move back in, mentally. After a year of intense stress related to the house, it's been great to center ourselves and focus on the present. Thanks, AT. Truly.