Eco-chic

It's been heating up, and we've been firing up the grill and enjoying the early days of summer. To try to curb our utility bill, we've opted for an eco-friendly option to cool down - the Minka Aire Artemis.

Ceiling fans are not longer a faux paus but can add a stylish accent. While a ceiling fan does not lower the room's temperature, the circulatory breeze can make you feel 8 degrees cooler. In the winter months, running the fan a clockwise direction can push the hot air down the walls, gently recirculating warm air through the room.

No More Vino on the Rocks

The weather is warming up, and whites and roses are coming back into style - hooray! I stayed at the Gaige House in Sonoma County where I learned how to keep my whites perfectly chilled throughout a dinner party. The Bodum Kira Wine Chiller is a must-have! The double-walled carafe keeps your wine at the perfect tempature for up two hours - no more buckets of ice and no more tacky labels peeling off!

Save $ on Magazine Subscriptions

How many of you knew that you can get magazine subscriptions on eBay? I thought that this was pretty common knowledge until I wow-ed a good friend of mine recently. Lemme share the good news and warn you, you'll never pay retail again!

Metropolitan Home - 2 Years for $8.89

House & Garden - 2 Years for $6.40

Domino - 2 Years for $7.19

Who's drooling... :) Happy Shopping!

Shakadoo-ilicious

I just stumbled upon Shakadoo - a new site written and created for those who love their home (aka peeps like you & me)! You can visit the various shaks for great advice - Shak In Style, ShakHammer, and Love Shak, Baby. Quite informative posts ... definitely was my candy for the day!

Bye Bye June Cleaver

No matter how careful I am, runaway splashes always end up on my favorite outfit while entertaining. I love how aprons are no longer d-r-a-b. Here are few that have caught my attention (especially for less than $40!):

The Ava is so retro chic!

Oprah (and the rest of us) love Jessie Steele!

The Urban Housewife

Bundling Up

A friend of mine suggested that I should blog on my knowledge of down comforters. I'm certainly not an expert but here are some tips that I used to purchase our new fluffy comforter:

* Feathers vs. Down. Absolutely go for down... white goose down, if you can! Siberian, Hungarian & Polish white goose down fills are top notch and mostly hypo-allergenic.

* Fill Power. Fill power is a measure of the quality & warmth of the down. Higher fill power comforters have larger and stronger clusters of down (translation - more insulation). If you live in warmer climates, you probably don't need more than 550. For those in cooler climates, go for ones with 700 - 800.

* Weight. Fill weight tells you how heavy the comforter will be. This is not positively correlated with the actual quality. I prefer light weight comforters.

* Baffling/ Baffle Box. This is an absolute must since it will help to keep the down in place.

After researching numerous comforters, I ended up selecting Laura Ashley's King Comforter. It features 700 fill power, 40 oz fill (which is lighter than most for a king size), baffling, a 660 threadcount cover, and the cost - only $154! My husband and I have been snug as a bug lately.

Sorting Mail

One of my husband's daily responsibilities is making a trip out to the mailbox. He's great at getting the mail but it usually ends up being my job to sort and open it all up. Alas, I've found his perfect helper...teehee!

A Little More on "Me"

A couple weeks back, kstyle and Eline tagged me for a "me-me". Needless to say I've been procrastinating... but I'm taking the plunge today!

1) In high school I received the not the MVP but the MIP (“most improved player”) in volleyball three times in a row.

2) I’ve watched “Sixteen Candles” over 50 times and typed out the dialogue for my favorite scenes.

3) I love wine almost as much as I love finding a bargain.

4) I’m an aspiring gardener but have killed approximately 40% of my plants.

5) I can’t go to sleep without setting my coffeemaker. I can’t leave the house without making my bed.

6) If I could, I’d quit my day job and become a professional organizer. Labeling, boxing, and clearing away clutter give me a natural high!

Now I tag: Maryam, Nick, Danielle, and Rachelle.

To Water or To Not Water

If you are like me and find it difficult to figure out when to water vs. not water, the Moisture Meter is going to be your new best friend. I have a tendency to over-water ... and unfortunately, it showed (yellow leaves!).

Basically, this has a probe that you stick into the plant's container to measure the soil's moisture level. If it's wet, stay clear from watering. I've been using the tool for the past month, and now my plants look healthier & are thanking me with nice healthy green leaves!

I got mine from Amazon (see Nest Essentials section), but you can get yours at any local hardware/ garden center!

Move Over Dixie...

No need to whip out your fancy china when you have this parade of colors as an option. Absolutely LOVE it!

In the Need for Some Cash?

eBates offers a service where you can get rebates (translation - cash back!) on all your online purchases. If you are like me and you do a majority of your shopping online, then you should check them out! Here's a sampling of some of their rebates: Target (4%), Saks Fifth Avenue (3%), Home Depot (3%), Bluefly (4%), JcPenney (4%), Overstock (3%), and the list goes on...

It's also a great destination to get coupons as well. Happy shopping!

Ecopod

BMW Designworks (yes! - the team that developed the the Ultimate Driving Machine) hits high marks for creating euphoria in the kitchen. The ecopod is a slick receptacle makes recycling a breeze by crunching plastic, glass or recyclable items. It has room for 50 or such products. Saving the planet have never been so easy and fun.

Easy Hang Up

Entryways can collect so much clutter. Umbra's Flip Hook is functional and tucks in nicely when not in use. It would go great with this parking spot for your keys.

Visualization Aid

Whether you are starting with a blank slate or have decided to redecorate an existing one, it always helps to visualize your pieces in the new space. Instead of moving around your furniture from one room to another, you can use this measuring tape to outline the exact dimensions. This can be extremely helpful with large items such as sofas which, more often than not, appear much smaller in your mind's eye. For only $8 a roll for 50 yards, this visualization exercise is worth a try!

Wave Bye-Bye to Dry Cleaning Bills!

I'm a little off topic, but I can't help raving about this product - Dry Cleaner's Secret! I just dry-cleaned 8 cashmere & wool sweaters at home for under $2. This is especially well suited for lightly cleaning and freshening up your clothes. I wouldn't recommend it for heavily stained clothing, but you be judge and read all its great reviews. This is a bargain hunter's dream!

Sprinkling Some B-o-o

How wonderfully unique are these little creatures! You'll undoubtedly grab the attention of your dinner party guests while passing around these playful salt and pepper shakers.

Entryway - Key Holder

I'm always looking for sleek options for stowing away clutter. Here's a key rack that I found on Greener Grass Design. This is the perfect gift for the busy body in your life who's always misplacing his/her keys. No more excuses especially at $24.

Mecca for DIYers

Yay - there's a new site called Curbly. It's a great resource and offers a solid community for DIYers. If you are looking for some design advice and are interested in seeing inspiring before & after pictures you should check it out! Thanks Meghan for the tip!

Platter of Delight

I absolutely love this piece. I found it at Cribcandy and believe it or not it's from Walmart for $12.99. It's elegantly beautiful and awesome! Don't be a snob - go grab yours!

Scavenger Map

Every morning I peruse Craiglist.com for gems. Here's a new service that has saved me countless hours - Listpic. What an awesome idea! It picks up only those listing with photos (which are of course, the most important!) and allows you to scan them all at once! Pure Genius!