happykatie :: katie rocks out the interwebs

Bidding farewell to coin machines

Heavy-Duty, originally uploaded by Hoffmann.

This weekend was very momentous in that 1) I actually got to take a nap on Saturday and 2) we are now the proud recipients of a lovely washer/dryer set.

This second point bears repeating:  washer + dryer = ours!!!

Never mind the fact that our kitchen now looks like a small applicance store, we are thrilled to an unreasonable state that we can launder our own belongings willy-nilly.

No longer are we subjected to closing hour-our-laundry-isn't-dry-yet panic attacks, nervous Chinese laundromat proprietors and bizarre conversations with old Mexican ladies.

I can now eat bowls of Fruity Cheerios and sit around in pajamas while doing the wash, instead of wondering what that sticky stuff is on the bench next to me and glaring at anyone who gets too close to my machines.

Many, many, many Dreft-scented thank you's to my parents for making this happen.  The happykiddo really couldn't be more appreciative (whether or not she realizes it yet...) and we are just as pleased as a fresh basket of towels out of the dryer can make anyone --- which is a LOT!!

In the jungle...

angeLtrumpets, originally uploaded by happykatie.

I love plants.  I really really do.  Sometimes I kill them and sometimes I get to watch them grow into beautiful things.  Lately, we've been pursuing an interesting kind of gardening technique called 'Do Absolutely Nothing and See What Happens'.

We don't weed, we don't water (except for the happy porch and indoor plants), we don't fertilize, we don't cut back.  We just let nature be nature and stay inside to eat popsicles and tell each other fantastically funny jokes instead.

So apparently this method works to some extent (if you don't mind the overgrown Secret Garden Gone Extremely Wild kind of look) and our plants are looking especially dapper today.  See photographic evidence here.

Here's a garden-related blatant product plug:  do yourself a favor and go buy a bar of 'No-Bite-Me' all natural bug protection soap (which can also double as a shampoo bar).  It's not pricey and is a complete and absolute miracle when it comes to bug protection and bite relief.

Take this from two kids who are extraordinarily popular with the buggies - it's one of our most prized possessions this summer and it even smells yummy.  Hooray!

We want to get framed

We've got some pretty cool prints at home, but just don't have the extra cash to get anything framed and matted.  Ideas I've had recently to fix this issue:

*  Ikea has some pretty good deals on cheap-o temporary framing solutions, but we haven't had much luck matching the look we're going for and the sizes that we need from their stock.

*  I think this ReFRAME poster frame is pretty snazzy (and way cheap) for displaying some of our smaller prints.  It's exactly like those cheap black plastic ones that everyone had in college, but made from pretty wood and a little more high tech.

*  Some time back I found a cool company that made 'frame tape' - that is funky thick tape (that doesn't stick to prints, photos or paper) with cool patterns to post your artsy prettiness on your walls without looking like you live in a dorm room -- think cool minimalist.  I can't find them anymore... so drop me a line if you've got the hook-up.

*  This may be the best -- cut your own matting following these solid directions.  I have A to build me some frames, so this may be a weekend project in the making.

*  Go to more garage sales and thrift shops - I've found some pretty great deals, as long as I remember what a little sanding and spray can do for the super ugly-but-cheap finds I make.

Suggestions?  How do you decorate your walls on a budget??

Neo-rococo Heat Wave

Dutch designer Joris Laarman has designed an achingly beautiful radiator unit (who knew those words could be in the same sentence?!) that is simply begging to be hung on your wall and warm your house.

The Heat Wave is a concrete and aluminum curly-scripty art piece that probably works better than the ugly, boring one you have in your house right now (if you're not of the central heating persuasion).

Droog Design will be selling it pretty soon -- so yes, it is most likely completely and totally out of your price range.  I would seriously hang this on my wall even if it didn't actually do anything nice for me... like warm my living room.  Pretty.