Our version is no longer in beta!

Last August, we ordered an Ork neighborhood poster of Washington DC with the clever intent to put a Google maps-style “pin” on it.  I made the pin by creating the graphic in Illustrator and printing it out on glossy paper.  It looked strange, though, without the shadow of the pin upon the map.  So I cut a shadow shape out of a sheet of dark vellum, which gives the transparency necessary to make the shadow look right.

I took it to Frame of Mine late last summer, and the staff there tried to help me find a suitable frame and mat.  I needed a sizable mat because we wanted to hang it just inside the entrance, over the electrical circuit box.  The box is very tall and the poster itself didn’t cover it.  We had a hard time finding the right frame and mat for the poster, and so I brought it back home unframed.

So much better than the ugly circuit box.

Then, a few weeks ago, I decided to try again.  I took it back to Frame of Mine, and a young woman who worked there put together a great combination of double mats and silver frame.  We hung the print where we intended, over the circuit box, and it makes that wall look so finished.  Plus, it’s basically the first thing people see once they climb the stairs, and so it’s a fun little reminder of exactly where the viewer is located (right here).

The container garden takes over our porch.

My tiny little cherry tomatoes. First ever!

Bad news first:

My broccoli has suffered a good deal at the hands (?) of cabbage loopers. I didn’t realize it at first because, even though I saw the noms in the leaves, I didn’t see any bugs. That’s because they’re the same color green as the leaves themselves – camouflage! I’ve pulled probably 10 of these caterpillars from the plants, and I’ve treated twice now with an organic insecticidal spray (one that’s safe for consumption, since I do intend to eat this broccoli should it survive).  Get well soon, broccoli plants!

And the good news:

• My cherry tomato plants (grown from seed! I’m so proud!) are now starting their fruit. I just noticed it this morning.
• I have three basil seedlings that seem likely to make it into plant adulthood. My basil seeds were old (also I had left them in a windowsill all year so they probably were exposed to a good deal of temperature fluxuation) so I’m surprised that any of them germinated.
• My cutting zinnias have started quickly and continue to grow well. When they’re a bit bigger I will plant them in the bed in front of the house. I just have to remember to water out there because it’s been very hot and dry and I doubt annuals will survive the dry.

Avon, NY in 1872

I decided to give FramesByMail.com a try, since they were very inexpensive. I ordered basic black wooden frames with foam core backing and non-glare plexiglass. The frames themselves arrived assembled, but I had to peel the protective sticker from both sides of the plexiglass before assembling the sandwich of frame, plexi, map, foam core, and hardware. It came with everything I needed except picture hanging wire, which I picked up today at Home Depot. Not counting the wire, the sum total of both frames (including shipping) was less than $56. I think that’s really good considering the size of the prints, which is 17″ x 11″ each.

both maps are now outside our bedroom door

Flash-forward 13 years. Now we have a good deal of tools, and we also have a little storage closet under our stairs which also doubles as our bicycle parking spots. Garrison decided that it made sense to increase our storage capacity and also have a way to keep our multi(tude) of tools closer to hand. So last weekend we went to ye olde Home Depot and bought some shelves and shelving brackets. I was sick with a head cold, so Garrison installed them solo.

before

after

I have to say it’s a great little improvement and now we don’t have to crawl to the back of the closet to dig oft-used tools out of the toolbox. And still lots of room for the bikes. Yay.

Dining room table, en media res

When we ordered our new chairs from Room and Board, we anticipated buying a Parsons table from West Elm.  However, the legs of the Jake chairs are narrow, and would have looked too spindly next to the solid legs of the Parsons table.  So we looked around for something with narrow, shiny metal legs with a walnut finish top, but couldn’t find anything for less than $1,000.

So last weekend we drove to the big blue box in College Park and bought an unfinished pine tabletop (roughly 30″ x 60″) and four of the Vika Moliden table legs.  We brought it home (very carefully) in our Mini Cooper, Heathcliff, and assembled it.

This weekend, we began the staining process.  First we stained the tabletop with a walnut finish.  It only needed one coat.  Once that dried, we applied a coat of satin polyurethane sealant.  Once that dried, Garrison sanded it and applied another coat.  We’re letting it dry overnight and tomorrow evening we’ll apply another coat.  And then it should be finished!

Walnutty goodness

The final result will end up a bit cheaper than the Parsons table, and will definitely look better with our new chairs.

Awesome sauce.

Dining room cuteness for under $90 apiece

We’ve been eyeing these Room & Board “Jake” chairs for months now, and finally ordered them.  We ordered four for now, and maybe we’ll add another two once we get the table.  The Jake chairs come in many colors, including wood veneer, but since the rest of the furniture in the dining room is white melamine, we opted for the walnut wood veneer.  The chairs arrive on Thursday.

Then we’ll get a new table.  I’d like the table to contain some element of walnut woodishness in order match the chairs.  We looked at the Portica table (also from Room & Board) but that would be at least $1000.  Then we saw West Elm’s Parsons table, which conveniently comes in walnut veneer, for only $400.  I would have ordered it already but the shipping is $90, which annoys me, so this weekend we’ll get a zipcar pick-up and drive to McLean VA for to get the table ourselves — for less than $30.  Ha.

¡Pobrecito! He can't even see how chubby he's grown.

Yesterday Garrison and I went into Pixie’s to kill some time, and he pointed out a framed Bolero poster on the wall.  La Corrida: Caballo del Picador is apparently one of many works that Colombian artist Fernando Botero has painted of the horses that play a role in bullfights.  I like it for many reasons, one of which being that I’ve seen a few bullfights (a few of them in Spain’s oldest bull ring) and therefore the picador’s horses, dressed in their mattress-pad-like protective gear.

Apparently too the print is now hard to come by, so today I rushed to Pixie’s just before closing time and purchased the framed poster.  As it fits into our End of Empires theme, we’ll hang it in the dining room.  We’ll probably also (finally) hang my sword from Toledo, España next to it.  Photo to follow when all said is done.

My tiny baby broccoli plants!

I’ve started broccoli, basil, and cherry tomato plants indoors. The tomato seedlings are growing well and starting
to take day trips outdoors. This weekend I intend to sow carrot seeds directly in the soil.