accesorising with everyday items

on a recent trip to ikea my quite clever husband thought that these long containers would make perfect containers for the bulk grains I tend to cook with. they have great lids the lock tight and have a satisfying "pop" and since we have more height in our cabinets than width I was thrilled with the idea.

Tonight, I filled them and looking at them all lined reminded me how beautiful grains are. Their variation highlighted by sitting them next to each other, their texture highlighted by the narrow vessels. We agreed we may just leave them on the counter.

another idea on this can be found here

Moving ease.

As I'm sure everyone knows: MOVING IS ... so many things.

So here are a few tips from the experts;
1. Start cleaning as soon as you know you are going to move
-It helps relieve stress
-you can see what you have (and whether you want to keep it)
-you have less to do when your stuff is out, so you can be truly DONE
2. Garage sail/ Give away/ Donate
3. When you are stressed out-
-Take a moment to think of the other areas in your life that require a fresh start
-Remind yourself of that "fresh start" or "reinvention"
-If it's a move "up" Get stoked! come up with ideas and goals that reflect this upward move
-If it's a move "over" or even "down"know that it really is "Temporary" and Character building. (yes, become your own cheerleader, even if you feel like vomitting afterward)
-Take a sea salt and Epsom bath, a melatonin, and some comfort food, get plenty of sleep
4. Pick your boxes and carriers carefully.
-I like produce boxes because they are sturdy and easy for friends and movers alike, to lift
-Also have had great experiences with merchant bags (you know, the plaid plastic ones from China-town or street vendor). I had a set of 9 in varying sizes, that lasted 5 moves and when done the fold up and fit into the smallest of the bags. Because of their handles it they were easy to carry. I put books on the bottoms and sides and packed valueables inside clothes stuffed to capacity, my heirloom tea-set, made it from place to place, safe and sound, thank goodness.
5. Sometimes it is about the quick get away
- find a storage unit that will supply a driver and truck www.paylessselfstorage.com
- Also, I have heard of public storage for a dollar for the first month, I personally have not used them, but in a pinch you might check out the deals near you like this one...
www.PsPickUp.com.

6. Always Be as good as you can to yourself , maybe even be a little self indulgent

7. Always bribe friends with food, beer, what ever they like.

8. Remember the help your friends gave you in your time of need, return the favor

9. Take notes when helping friends move on what to do and what NOT to do

10. NEVER WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE if you love your friends and family

a fall flower arrangement

I am not as ready for christmas as Julia is.
so this is my fall decorating idea:

I had folks over for dinner the other night. As I was shopping for flowers, I came across these luscious bright red currant berries. I put them in a square vase with some stones. I was excited about their rich bright color and their scupltural red branches.

speaking of traditions

my mother and I used to make this recipe every year:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/buche-de-noel

well not THIS particular recipe but this cake. it's not that hard. the best part is decorating it. traditionally you make marzipan mushrooms. but we made one once with white chocolate leaves. Edible gold leaves would be amazing.

in fact , you could do an orange flavored frosting outside, chocolate inside. Use food coloring for a cool dark orange tint. and then do chocolate leaves.

Holiday decorations

I like those ideas, Saffron, you feel better just by being near that colour. Don't know about you, but, I have been missing my usual holiday cheer. It came from an early weekend morning, cold as can be, walking through a tree farm only to return to the first tree that caught our eye, chop it down, wrap it in a blanket and cart it home to let the branches relax in the heat of the great indoors. It would fill the house with that smell. And exude, that magickal light. Then Global warming had to through a huge wrench in the things we hold dear! That stupid ozone! (Ha- beleive me when I say that I am just fooling around). So no more trees, lights, at a minimum (maybe we'll just have them as our evening lights for the season) So, I thought. And thought. How about making my own tree? This is what I'm gonna do. Go and gather branches. For the office I'll be spray painting them white and wrapping lights (the white wired kind) all around the limbs. and suspend them from the ceiling, like a chandalier. In my home, I will do a variation of this but paint the limbs with green watercolor and use green wire multi colour lights. If I'm really into it, I may take router and route out 1 in. holes in a "trunk" and do the same with the branches, and then inset ( sounds hard, but is not) dowls of that said size, with a mallet. Don't forget to jiggle the router a tiny bit, so you can insert the dowls in the branches and the trunk. Granted there are no needles to fill the house with that aroma. But hey, that's what simmering herbs , oil warmers, and incense are for right? Maybe even a really good scented candle. Also this year I just may bust out the old ginger bread house idea. Traditions are fun and they start with a yearning for something that takes a little effort, for absolutely no good reason, accept to celebrate something that will happen with you or without you. It makes life a little more friendly and inviting.

ideas from yoga studios, how bay area

i went to pretzels studio last night. I had a revelation about the foyer.

peacefull and natural, a few plants. green colors.

they had a really cool rough hewn but well polished low bench. made of teak I think. i have to acquire one.

also they had an awesome huge fabric parasol in the most amazing saffron shade. need to steal that maybe as a pendant lamp.

what is this?

this is just a place to put the links and ideas we have in the process of decorating our two brand new apartments