Domino Subscribers: Here's the 4-1-1

Like many of you I was devastated when Conde Nast announced that they were putting the kabosh on Domino magazine. Since I hadn't heard or seen anything from Conde Nast since the announcement in January, I decided to call them directly to get the 4-1-1.


According to the operator, Conde Nast is issuing post cards to all subscribers within the next couple of weeks to let us know we will receive Glamour by default for a full year (April 2009-March 2010).


However, we may choose from any Conde Nast publication if we're not interested in receiving Glamour. Options include: Vogue, Allure, Details, Conde Nast Traveler, Conde Nast Portfolio, Cookie, Lucky, and more. I opted to receive Vogue for a year, with the first issue scheduled to arrive in 4-6 weeks.


If you're interested in making your selection now, rather than waiting for the post card, call Conde Nast at 877-366-4665 to do so. Make sure to let them know you are a Domino subscriber with issues left on your subscription.

Here's hoping the former editors at Domino get together again to publish a new publication some day, or Conde Nast realizes what a HUGE mistake it was to terminate this beloved publication. (Seriously? Does anyone actually read/buy/subscribe to Portfolio? And, they totally could have combined Glamour and Allure into one.)

Before & After: Clock

This clock is kind of a joke in my family. We call it, "the Loudest Clock" because it is just that, loud. When Jared and I were dating he was required to stay in the guest room at my parents house. That's how the clock got it's name. The first time he stayed over I woke up in the morning and opened my bedroom door to find this clock on the floor in the hallway. When Jared got up and explained that it was, "the Loudest Clock" he'd ever heard and it kept him up all night until he decided to relocate it into the hallway.



Well, after we got married my parents decided it would be funny to wrap this clock up and give it to Jared as a Christmas present. (Don't worry, they arent that cruel, he also got some real gifts!) So the "Loudest Clock" found it's way into our home and we, of course, put it in our guest room as well. The room is green and white and the gold didn't exactly match but I figured it's a nice enough looking clock and since we rarely have guests we'd just keep it for now.



The other day I decided to give the "Loudest Clock" a little makeover. Three coats of white spray paint later and I think it's looking quite lovely now:
It's amazing what a can of spray paint can do. I've already used it on several quick-fix projects including my dog food storage bin and a bunch of branches last Christmas.

Dogs & Containers

As you can see I am a little more than puppy-obsessed lately, and how could I NOT be with this darling face looking at me all the time:

A few weeks ago I posted the making's of a DIY dog food storage bin and I hadn't gotten very far at the time. Well, as it turns out, one of Erin's very creative friends offered me a few suggestions to get the ball rolling on the project. Here is her much appreciated suggestion:

Hi Erica, I was checking out the blog and saw the doggy tin post and have a couple ideas. I think it could be cute to put paw prints in the sectioned off space between bone and lid, either in black or a stand out color like red, pink or even yellow. Another idea that came to mind was filling in the bone with color and then accenting the rest of the tin with the same color, in polka dots or another design. Oh, it could be cute to put some sort of grosgrain ribbon in the sectioned off space and the very bottom for balance. That might be a bit girly though! A combo idea that just came to mind was filling bone with color and then putting the ribbon (with some sort of polka dot or other graphic design) around the top and bottom Good luck with your project! Cheers, Lindsay

All of Lindsay's ideas were super cute and also super easy. So I decided to try adding a series of black polka dots around the tin. I would have done a color, but I had a black Sharpee and was actually too lazy to run to the store to find a cute color. But the black turned out really cute, and I am addicted to all things black and white so it works. Next I added the name, Kasey, to the inside of the bone. Finally, I drew a big paw print on the lid and still left room around it in case another flood of creative energy hits me. (Unlikely.) And.... as you can see, that is as far is I got:

I was thinking about adding polka dotted grosgrain ribbon around the side of the lid. However, it's a good thing I didn't get around to it because I think Kasey would have ripped it off immediately. She's into biting anything and everything. Including the dog food bin, already!

On a side note, I was at the Pottery Barn Outlet last week and picked up this huge glass jar to contain dog treats. It was a $30 jar (seriously, who wants to spend that much on a jar?) that I snagged for $10 (which is still a bit much if you ask me, but I saw similar jars at Target that were at least $15 and I know this one is better quality). I think it looks a little more decor friendly than your typical dog treat container and it's easier to access than the resealable treat bag.

Two more things: First, yes, I realize I need to stock up on more dog treats, the jar is running a bit low. Second, yes, I realize I need to work on my photography skills because I have none! Any suggestions on how to take better pictures? I'm using a Canon Power Shot SD750 with 7.1 mega pixels... so I'm guessing it's not the camera's fault.

Coffee Table Storage

While working on the hubs' "man cave," I realized I needed a a container of sorts to corral his remote controls and a few coasters for the coffee table. Low and behold, while searching through Wisteria.com, I found a fun little "domino" box, whose measurements appeared to be perfect for storing these items.

I ordered the box when a 15% off promo code came through my email inbox a few weeks later (helped with shipping costs, at least), and it worked out perfectly!


Now that three remote controls and four coasters are stored, the coffee table looks much more organized.
What do you like to use to store your coffee table necessities?

Solar Pathway Lights?

It could be that Solar Pathway lights have been around for years and I've never noticed them because I had zero interest in landscaping a home, but this spring I have been noticing them everywhere! Are these a new modern marvel, or are they old news? Do they even work?



(HomeBrite Solar Lights, Home Depot)

Ever since Jared and I got our puppy a few weeks ago we've been spending a ton of time in the back yard. (After every meal if you catch my drift.) And we realized that it is impossible to see the dog, who has a shiny black coat, at night. I'd love to add some pathway lighting to our boring back yard, even though we have no landscaping to spotlight. It would make those late night potty confirmations that much easier.

So I decided to start small and test out a solar pathway light to see if it could answer our dark dilemma. I found a $5 stick light at Target in the home and garden aisle and bought two of them. I couldn't find the online product so unfortunately I can't share a link but they look pretty much like any of these. And I noticed they were available in a few different finishes; oil rubbed bronze, black, and stainless steel.





(HomeBrite Solar Lights, Home Depot)

The key is to place the lights in an area of your yard that actually gets sunlight throughout the day. Obviously no sun = no solar power = no light, duh. So I found a few sunny spots and stuck the lights into the grass. That night when we took the dog out after dark we were greeting with a faint glow. There's a reason why these lights were only $5 a piece, you get what you pay for. They provide a subtle glow but it's actually just enough for us to see the dog. And by morning the light really needs more sun to soak up enough power to light it again the next night.

The pro's:

• No wiring required; just plop it down and your ready to go
• Cost effective; I saw a 10 pack for $45 at Home Depot this weekend
• Eco-friendly; they are self powered thanks to the solar technology on top
• Convenient; they provide 10 hours of illumination

The con's:

• Not as bright as an ordinary light; but you might enjoy the softer glow
• Sunshine required; pretty self explanatory

I can't really think of too many con's because I actually like these as an outdoor lighting solution. Can you offer any reviews? I'm sure there's something I am missing and I'd love to hear what other people are saying about these lights. Now that I've discovered the solar lights, I can't wait to spruce up the backyard with some landscaping that's worthy of being in the spotlight. I better start practicing my persuasive speech to get the husband on board!

DwellStudio - Pillows from Target

I just picked up two of the Lattice decorative throw pillow by Dwell Studio for Target and I am loving them! The calming blue offset by the chocolate brown embroidery really sold me on these.
Or was it the crisp white and the chocolate brown? I can't decide because this baby is double sided!

As of today, these throw pillows have no where to be thrown, so I'll just keep them safe until I'm able to a) reupholster my plaid armchairs, or b) upgrade to the Arlington armchair from Pottery Barn. But since I can't help but picture what these gems are going to look like on my soon-to-be-new or re-newed, chairs, I polyvore'd my way to a mock up:

Chair + Pillow by coffee22 on Polyvore.com'

And I like what I see... the pillows will anchor the chairs on my dark brown area rug and tie my whole color scheme together. I have been staring at my room design for months now, so hopefully a few new purchases will find their way to our humble abode so my "room off of the kitchen" can finally be made over!

Here's the "to do" list:

• Donate the "monster"/armoire
• Replace said monster with console table (which is just begging to be moved out of it's temporary resting place in the kitchen)
• Update or replace armchairs
• Buy new overhead light to replace ceiling fan
• Buy new flat panel TV to replace the also monstrous TV residing in the "monster"
• AND FINALE!

So as you can see, we have a lot to spend...uhhh I mean... do. I have tasked the husband with finding a deal on a TV of his choice. He has been faithfully stalking his favorites on Amazon and other retailers in the hopes of finding a bargain. As for my job... well the rest is up to me.

Pleasing Pleats

I'm beginning to think I have a serious addiction to pleats. I love them in fashion (especially fashion) and now in home decor. I love the structured yet feminine look they add to any piece, from a jacket to a chair to a quilt.

And I think I finally realized why I love it so much: Dentil molding -- the small tooth-shaped block that is used in a repeating pattern as ornamentation on cornices -- is one of my favorite architectural elements, and the pleated ruffle reminds me of it.


Below are a couple of my favorite pleats right now:

PB Savannah chair: I want to fall into this chair every time I look at it. So pretty!



J. Crew Atelier Jacket: This jacket reminds me of my wedding gown, which had a silk satin pleated ruffle all along the hem. I could also see one of my idols, Grace Kelly, wearing this today...of course Grace would have worn it with pearls and an Hermes Kelly bag...{sigh}, some day...



Ballard Upholstered Couture Chair Slipcover: I realize this could be over the top, but imagine six of these (with dark legs) in an all-white room with a dark farmhouse table, and vases of gorgeous white tulips.


PB Matine Toile Quilt: I actually own this one in espresso. I loved the toile but as soon as I saw the pleated ruffle, I had to make it mine.


So what architectural elements are your favorites? Have you noticed a repeating pattern of sorts in your purchases?