Enstrom’s Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee is delicious.
Organization is for Squares
In my whirlwind post prior, I mentioned that I went out to IKEA to pick up some wire baskets. I bought them after seeing the way my friend Emily uses them in her studio.
They were only $4 each, and they’re meant to hang from a shelf. I intended to hang them, but ran into trouble with the items on the shelves above not being able to sit flat. I decided to just set them on top of my card-catalog style boxes instead.
IKEA GORM clip-on basket and KASSETT drawers
Now I’m able to store my cards, stationery, pins, magnets, etc. in the drawers, and place a few of each in the baskets above to grab quickly. It’s a nice system, and I’m pretty excited about it! Sometimes I don’t realize how much time can be saved and how much better my things can be organized until I start using a new system.
I also realized that I have a penchant for organizing with squares. I love to see how other people have used squares, cubes, and grids to organize their belongings too. That, coupled with my love for flickr, led me to create my first flickr group: Organizing is for Squares.
Please feel free to join, and if you have any photos that would fit in well… please include them!
Whew!
I have been a very busy lady.
Thursday
The guest room was finished up as well as it could be. I’m going to order the Marimekko Lumimarja fabric for the windows. The friendly people over at Finnstyle are offering me (and you) 15% off until Friday! Just enter “makingitlovely” when you check out.
Here’s the way the room turned out for now:
This was all in preparation for the arrival of my friend Lili, of course.
We went to the Design*Sponge Biz Ladies Meet-Up, which was great. I saw some friends (like Donovan and Grace), met some new people, was recognized (yay!), and ate yummy snacks.
Friday
Lili and I walked around Oak Park, checking out some of the shops (Flybird, Fitzgerald’s Fine Stationery, Paper Source, Barbara’s Bookstore, etc.).
I also hired a second employee! Yes, again. Did I ever write about Sarah? She didn’t work out, but I digress. My friend Pat had just quit at the bookstore, so he’ll be helping me for the holidays. Hooray!
Later, we went to Emily’s open house at her studio. Gorgeous! She has an amazing space with wood floors, huge windows, tall ceilings, and space. Sigh.
Oh, and I met Jess from How About Orange there, so that was a nice surprise!
Saturday
Saturday was my last day with Lili, so we stopped by the DIY Trunk Show before I brought her to the airport. I was recognized again, and it completely made my day (and made me blush!). I bought a poster for The Fiery Furnaces from David R. Head Jr., and we both bought an Implements of Craft poster from Handmade Nation.
After I had dropped Lili off, I went directly to meet up with my sister and my dad. My sister’s car died, and she decided that she needed a new one OHMYGODRIGHTNOW. Uh huh. There was no way I could talk her out of it (believe me, I tried), so I figured I could at least help her get a good deal. She and my dad were ready to sign off on a car for $247 / month for six years. I got them down to $225 / month for five years. Still crazy, but less so.
I rushed home after car shopping and started cooking because Brandon and I had a pot luck dinner to go to. I made a sweet glazed bell pepper salad: roasted red and yellow peppers and red onions (coated in olive oil), then mixed with balsamic vinegar, honey, and chopped kalamata olives. We hopped on the el with our big bowl of food and headed over to Amy and Anthony’s place. It was a really nice evening with other crafty people, and lots of yummy food.
Sunday
My friends Bekah and Lisa just finished grad school (such smarties), and they rented out Timber Lanes to celebrate. Um, I bowled a 53. I haven’t done that badly since I was 8. Brandon bowled a 133, and we were all very impressed. Much shouting and excitement commenced whenever anyone broke 100, so…
After bowling, I drove out to IKEA. I thought they were open until 9 o’clock on Sundays, but they’re only open until 8. I arrived at 7:55. Luckily, I knew exactly what I was there for: the wire baskets I had spied in Emily’s studio. I grabbed 15 of them, hit the self-checkout lanes, and was out of there pretty quickly.
Lastly, I got home and finalized a deal with T.G.I.Friday’s for a custom button order (550 buttons for the Chicagoland area). I’m bringing in a new button machine for it, so I’ll also have 2.25″ mirrors available in the future over at the shop.
Whew! A busy end to a busy week.
Guest Room, Me, Pink Loves Brown
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20 Comments
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November 18, 2007
The Guest Room Won’t Be Finished.
Yep. I’ve been sick, and I wasn’t able to do much with the guest room. Brandon and I did get all of the junk out that had accumulated in there, so at least it will be clean. The daybed will be delivered tomorrow, which is when Lili will be arriving. She will have a place to sleep, hurrah!
Even though the room won’t be finished in time for our first guest, I’m still thinking about how to decorate it. I haven’t picked a paint color yet, but I think I’d like to go with either a light creamy beige or a silvery gray color. I need to find curtains before I decide.
I like the scroll flocked curtains from west elm. Nice, right?
I’m also pretty keen on the Lumimarja Natural fabric from Marimekko. Swoon.
At first I thought the Marimekko fabric was too spendy, but I just realized that it would be about the same price as the west elm curtains. Hmmm.
Oh, and I also bought a little side table from Target.
Back to fabric… I’m thinking more and more about plunking down the money for the Marimekko design. Any other suggestions before I purchase? I’d like there to be a bit of orange in the pattern.
'F' for Fabric, Guest Room
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22 Comments
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November 14, 2007
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