egoscribo's Profile

I love the wrapping paper tip! The outside of the roll always gets so ratty!

For those of us who will never remember next year what "green holly with reindeer" or any other label might mean, I suggest taping a little scrap of the wrapping paper to the outside of the tube---then you can just look at the tube ends to see what's in them. Store with the labeled ends all pointing one way.

(Maybe a note like "most of roll" or "nearly gone" would be helpful too.)

Woodsmoke is highly irritating, especially when it lies close to the ground. It can trigger respiratory ailments and, yes, the particles aren't healthy to breathe. It's one thing for someone in an isolated location to have a wood fire---it's quite a different matter when half the houses in a dense urban neighborhood do it. Thus, as dkeastbay points out, it's regulated. Your first step is to know the laws governing fireplace use.

Instead of a fire, you could use candles (particularly since it's likely not to be terribly cold). Many people use elaborate tiered arrangements of pillar candles and keep the fireplace flue closed, just lighting the candles instead. You can buy metal racks (staircase-looking things) with places for candles, or make your own with various sizes and heights of pillars and supports. It's pretty, it's flickery and flamey, and it's better than a wood fire for the atmosphere and your body.

For a long-term and more costly solution, consider a gas insert (if you own). But the pillar candles are nice, affordable, and festive.

Finally, you don't have to have a fire if you don't want one, and you don't need to justify or excuse that decision. If you have misgivings, if you don't want the lingering odor or mess, or the trouble of having the flue checked and cleaned (and you really ought, for safety's sake, have that done before you light a fire in this new-to-you fireplace), then don't do it. Your holidays will be beautiful with or without it.

"Mid Century Modern, Small Perforated Metal Bench M. Mategot Style" is...

...a used shower chair.

My grandmother had one exactly like that.

@m'elizabeth: The show was Making Things Grow; no final "e" in Cruso. She demystified plants the way Julia Child demystified cooking. In wondering whether the show ever made it onto the web, I looked around and found this article, which links to a page where you can see the only available episode.

@LucyMcflea, when a container is closed (as in the terrariums shown above), mold spores are sealed in with the rest of the materials. It it important in preparing this kind of planter to use sterilized soil, rocks, etc., as clean as possible, and to shake as much soil from the roots of your plants as possible when you are installing them. Inspect carefully for signs of pests or disease and keep those plants out! A layer of activated charcoal in the planter will help also.

In an open terrarium container, you should not get mold, but your plants are vulnerable to dust, mites, drying out, and other annoyances. Covering the top with a fine mesh, like window screen or cheesecloth or gauze, can help a little. You can fasten it on with a colorful ribbon or band, extra decorative.

Different shapes of containers are suitable for different plants. Many plants can't take a lot of dripping; they'll get slimy. It's best to look for a container with a conical top that will encourage condensation to flow to the sides and down, to avoid drips. There are a bunch of old candy jars around that are pretty and inexpensive and if you get really ambitious the antique apothecary jars can be spectacular gardens.

If a constant sheen of condensation inside the container hides your view of the plants, it is too wet inside, so prop the lid open for a little while and let it dry out. You may have to do a few adjustments to get it just right. When you do, you can leave your container sealed for months or even years.

Hope you see this, the site wouldn't let me log in all yesterday... :(

This is such a bad idea as executed...breathtaking! Still, the herd does need thinning sometimes.

You can probably find a safe, fire-rated chimenea on sale at this time of year, or even (at big-box stores) a returned or clearance fire pit. Or, just use a hibachi. Or light a few candles on a tray.

Taking a bungalow and making it look like a pop-up camper certainly is an... achievement.

I have nothing against Expedit, but this post looks like an Ikea ad. There are other bookcases being used as room dividers. The writer should have done more research to find other styles.

Yes, each use of Expedit is an individual event (if there is such a thing in mass consumerism). But this is supposed to be an edited selection showing multiple aspects of a theme. If it's an Expedit showcase, there's no point.

Yes, beadboard is a stinker to clean. It's funny that AT characterizes the red walls as overpowering; usually the editors of the blog are gung-ho for an intense color like that!

The big problem with the before picture is that the cabinets just seem to be hung there in space, as though clipped from a catalog and pasted. They have no relation to anything around them and the looong continuation of wall above to the ducting, empty of art or anything to relieve the eye, makes it all look stark and unbalanced. I do think that the red walls could have worked with a little thought about why they seem overwhelming.

As for the remodel, are there cabinets with doors somewhere? The high open shelves with pottery on them are not the most practical thing to have in a quake zone, even with museum wax (which prevents you from easily using the objects, of course).

"Comes with tufted orange pillow..."

Yes, so it does...

rosenatti, Crate and Barrel has one that may suit you; Williams Sonoma usually has a bunch of plain white mugs also. I think Dansk used to make a very nice heavy one, not sure whether they still do. Another good place to look for things like this would be a restaurant supply store, like Economy Restaurant Fixtures on 7th St. in San Francisco.