- Grace put together a fantastic roundup of decorative hardware. That collection above is just one small sampling.
- I don’t have enough dinner parties to justify them, but I am loving these metallic plates.
- Don’t you just love it when people have a little fun with color in their kitchen?
- Wait, what? Not everyone loves painting? (I do!)
- Halloween is just over a week away, but if you need some decorating ideas these free printable Halloween goodies can help.
- And speaking of Halloween decorations, these paint pen spotted pumpkins are pretty darn cute.
- Have you heard about IKEA’s Life Improvement Project? They’re giving one person a year-long sabbatical (worth $100,000) to advance a project that improves the life of others, and they’re also offering some cool seminars. Check it out.
- It’s not very practical, but this typewriter keyboard looks awesome.
- Someone told me about Caroline’s AT House Tour on Twitter, thinking I’d like it. They were right (and you’ll probably like it too).
Honor Roll
Modern Pumpkin Lanterns for BHG
I crafted three modern pumpkin lanterns for my third Better Homes & Gardens project. I painted them in various metallics, and all three are hot pink on the inside. The pumpkins are cute during the daytime, but because I painted the insides they have an amazing pink glow when they’re lit at night!
Please take a moment to vote for your favorite pumpkin project at bhg.com. And here’s how you can create your own modern pumpkin lanterns:
Supplies
- faux crafter’s pumpkins
- craft paint (I used hot pink, bronze, gold, and silver)
- 1″ foam brush
- small flameless candles
- x-acto knife or heated cutting tool
Instructions
- Cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin large enough to fit your hand inside.
- Carve circles (or desired shapes) into the pumpkin.
- Paint the inside. I used two coats of hot pink paint, which gives the pumpkin a pretty pink glow when lit.
- Paint the outside. Each pumpkin took three coats of metallic paint.
- Place the pumpkin over a flameless candle to illuminate it.
Vote for Your Favorite Pumpkin Project
You can vote every day until Sunday for your favorite pumpkin project at bhg.com. Next week I’ll share the fourth and final BHG project: my front porch, decorated for Halloween!
Hand-Cranked Paper Shredder
I know that one should shred sensitive documents and mail before recycling them, but have you seen most paper shredders? I don’t want a hulking black piece of plastic sitting around. A little pink paper shredder though? I could get behind that.
The Commission Project
Contacting an artist to have a custom painting created for you is such a cool, grown-up thing to do, right? But it’s also usually an expensive thing to do… except in this case. Paul Ferney has unveiled The Commission Project, and he will be creating a series of 100 5×7 paintings for just $200 each.

The painting above is based on this photo of me standing with a purse that I made. I love the way it turned out. Mr. Ferney is quite the talent, so whether you want a portrait of your grandparent, your baby, or your favorite pair of roller skates, I advise you to get in on this while the getting is good.
* Update 10.21.10 * Looks like they’ve already sold out! You can add your name to the waiting list here.
Workshop Cage Lights
You guys! That hanging bare bulb in my office closet isn’t just a safety hazard or code violation… it’s trendy chic! I just need to add a curlicue cage around it.
(via Copy Cat Chic)













