I ended up getting a little more serious and introspective this week than I thought I would. So, Friday seems like the perfect time to lighten things up with some cute finds. Bonus: Everything throughout the day will be under $50.
I love this feminine twirled ribbon drawer knob ($8) from Anthropologie. Anthro is always my first stop when I'm looking for decorative hardware, and they never disappoint. I've used several of their knobs for quick updates: I have really glam ones on the two drawers of our crib and I changed out the vanity door knobs in the first floor bathroom of our old house. Swapping out the originals for something with color and personality makes all the difference, even the tiniest, inexpensive changes. The crib drawer knobs are actually very grown up and they look so good, I can't wait to claim them when we get past the young toddler stage, but they still make me happy each time I see them there.
0 Comments
I probably shouldn't admit that I have a strong love of McDonald's, especially their fries--and especially when the fries are eaten simultaneously with the hot fudge sundae (hold the peanuts). So this nightlight would probably keep me up at night with cravings; good thing it was only a concept in a print ad for the chain. It's also an interesting symbol of the pervasiveness of our consumer culture and the idea of bringing it into the home.
I know this blog and the bulk of my career relates strongly to consumption, so it might come across as disingenuous (I hope not), but I'm actually in favor of a less-is-more approach to consumption. I am troubled by the disposable culture we live in and the impact it has on the environment. I try to look for companies responsibly producing goods with positive impact on the people and resources of the planet, and of course support artisans and handmade products. I want people to choose things for their home and lifestyle in a meaningful way, and not just by trends or what others are doing. I am fascinated by consumer behavior and the motivations behind it: I actually took a psychology class in college specifically on this topic and have several books on the subject. Actually, I should dig those out of the moving boxes and read them again. Although, I'm sure there are also several new books on the topic. Two of the books I read in college that I highly recommend are: Do Americans Shop Too Much by Juliet Schor and Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America by the amazing Barbara Ehrenreich. They impacted so much of my thinking. There was so much discussion around Nickel and Dimed in the past, but it's worth reading if you haven't yet. I also recently downloaded the app Buycott for my phone. You select the causes that you support, then scan items you want to buy or are looking at, and it lets you know if the manufacturer's ideals run parallel to yours or not. It's a bit eye-opening as sometimes (more often than I would have liked) you think a company may support one thing, but through a complicated chain of ownership, is a company you actually may not want to support. Campaigns relate to social causes, food manufacturing, and animal causes. I realize that I will often be sharing products, many which are mass-produced. And I don't want to paint them with a negative brush. I love what I do and the companies I work with. I just think it's important to be a conscious consumer and I do always have a bit of this discussion running through my mind. I'm curious how others feel, especially designers and people whose job it is to make/sell products. How do you shop? image via designyoutrust Xx a I'm really not a good DIY-er, even though I often come up with projects I think I'd like to attempt, which are probably pretty easy in execution. There are a few reasons for this.
A. I am a bit klutzy and I have sometimes questionable hand-eye coordination (I blame my parents for not buying us video games. Not really. Only a little.) 2. I'm a perfectionist. Relating to the klutzy bit, if I tried to do some of these things myself, I would never feel like it was "right," and I would constantly start over until the swearing became too much for others to bear or until someone stopped me. D*. I'm a very impatient person. A perfect storm—all of my quirks (we'll generously call them) make me not a great candidate for doing large projects on my own, or even with my husband. We work really well together, except for when we have to do "work" together. Or navigate, but that's a different story. I fully admit to being a person who would rather pay a professional to handle things like painting, wallpapering, putting in new backsplashes, or reno-ing a bathroom. I have painted several rooms though, so it's not impossible. But, I was very picky about it and after finishing, my eye targeted any visible streaks and I can always spot that stray paint brush bristle that lodges itself defiantly in the middle of the wall and you don't notice it until it's far too late. So needless to say, when someone has done a fantastic DIY project, I'm in awe of their talent, creativity, and patience. While searching for other things, I happened to come across this ikat closet. It looks as though it could be wallpapered, but it's really a stellar DIY paint job. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I wasn't originally going to take a break from posting, but then I decided to give myself the days off, especially since I was in a temporary lull from deadlines for my freelance work. I felt guilty about it, but I'm glad I did. We spent a day at the state fair, cooked out twice, swam, and had a good time. My mom even made homemade funnel cake, yum! But school starts tomorrow and it is already jeans and long-sleeve weather here today, though I hope that doesn't last. Most of you probably know about the brand OXO, and you probably have some of their kitchen and storage solutions in your house right now; I do. Of course, they do more, but one of the best things OXO does is partner with Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a non-profit organization founded by two of their employees, Gretchen and Larry Witt. Many of us in magazines know Gretchen from her PR work for OXO. I was working at O Magazine in 2007 when her then-two-year-old son Liam was diagnosed with a rare cancer. At Traditional Home, we had just months before honored Gretchen (as a Classic Woman Award recipient for her work raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer), when Liam lost his courageous battle in January 2011. When starting the treatment process with their son, the Witts were surprised to learn that despite pediatric cancer being the #1 disease killer of children, there was a significant lack of funding for research and development of safer, more effective treatments. They dedicated themselves to raising money for the cause, and have done so through huge bake sales. The foundation provides the tools and support for fundraising bake sales of all sizes and their own gourmet cookies are for sale at their website. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and OXO is partnering with Cookies for Kids' Cancer for their annual program: for each specially-marked OXO baking product sold, 25 cents goes to Cookies for Kids' Cancer as part of its pledge to donate up to $100,000.
I know it's a little early to think about the holidays, but if you plan on upgrading or replacing any of your baking tools prior to cookie-baking season, please consider the specially-marked OXO Good Grips products.
I am thankful to have two currently healthy daughters, but I know others who are, or have been, where the Witts were, including a friend of mine. I was honored to meet the unfailingly positive Liam, and his parents are a constant inspiration. Each year, in honor of my daughters' birthdays, I make a donation to Cookies for Kids' Cancer. Please be a "Good Cookie" and participate! Click here to buy online. images via OXO Xx a |
#checkout this blog with shop-themed puns
archives
August 2014
categories
All
© 2014 | mrkt
|