DIY: Modern Bookcase

I needed a bookcase in the "library" to hold my magazines. I didn't want to spend a lot and I also don't have room in my car to fit a large unit. So, I found these instructions for a 60-Minute Bookcase on Instructables.com. (It took me way longer than 60 minutes by the way).

My dad helped me pick out the lumber and cut it all for me. He also used his math brain to figure out the dimensions. Then I brought the lumber home and stained it all (still needs another coat and protective finish, but I'll deal with that later).

My unit was a little wider so it started to come apart when I loaded on the magazines. Luckily, I had some 1" dowels in the basement that I was able to cut and use as extra support. I also used brackets to brace it to the wall.



And here it is fully loaded:




I'm pretty happy with it! Looks exactly how I imagined. Thanks, Dad!

Preparing for the Future

Abe and I are having a few friends over tomorrow to celebrate New Year's Eve. I'm kinda freaking out cause the house is a disaster and there is so much to prepare. Ugh, I wish we painted before moving in...not that that was even an option.

I am pulling most of the recipes for tomorrow out of the current Real Simple magazine. There are like 20 recipes for appetizers that can be prepared ahead of time. I was trying to write out a grocery list, but my magazine and paper seemed to get in the way of Paws' bath. He requested I instead write out directions on how to take a bath.

What? I was here first.



You just work it from elbow to paw in one, nice lick.



No photos, please - ha, j/k.



Oops, missed a little spot on the paw.



Oh yes, stretch it out. Gotta get those armpits.



And then just settle in, there is no need to move anytime soon...unless the lady moves the magazine, in which case you move to wherever it goes.



Have a Happy New Year's Eve! I'll see you in 2010 a.k.a The Future.

Christmas Weekend 2009

Hope everyone celebrating Christmas had a wonderful weekend! Mine seemed to last forever, which was awesome.

Santa brought me a ton of presents including a food processor, new Dansko shoes, earrings, and a Home Depot gift card, Abe made me a spice rack, my sister gave me a cake stand that converts into a punch bowl, and Allyson gave me a framed print for my future Enchanted Forest Room. There was much more, but I don't want to seem like a spoiled brat.



On Christmas morning it is family tradition to torture the pups. Phoebe and Zeke are scared to death of the camera. Phoebe will take off and hide, but Zeke is such a good boy that he'll sit and tolerate a few shots.



Phoebe was forced out of hiding by Jaime so she could show off her antlers. Zeke's face is stuck inside his Santa hat.



Later in the day I went to Allyson's house to exchange gifts with her mom and visit with the family. I am obsessed with Adam (her brother) and Carolyn's dog. Chris (her other brother) is holding up one of his famous designer cards.



Then we head to Chelmsford to hang with family. This year we had 19 people in the Yankee Swap. Abe got #2 and Jaime got #3...the worst numbers you can get...I got #17 woo hoo!



I love when it snows on Christmas Day.



The day after Christmas brought more celebration. We had dinner and Yankee Swap with family in Shrewsbury, and then we went over Dave and Brittany's for a party and got to see lots of friends.


Four out of six Green cousins. We're getting too big for this couch.


We spiced up the Yankee Swap this year by putting everything in brown paper bags.

Santa Paws

It's Curtains for Me

Abe and I realized that we need to change something in the bedroom because the wall color (dark gray and painted by previous owner) is the same color as the flowers in our curtains. As Abe described: "It's too matchy-matchy."

I made these curtains for our Brooklyn apartment bedroom in 2007. I'm ready to move on, but will probably use them in the guest room since they're still nice....or maybe I'll just recycle the fabric into a new project.



Some people may wonder why we don't just paint the walls a different color. Abe and I agree that painting SUCKS. It has taken us a week to paint the upstairs bathroom. Since we like the color of the bedroom walls we decided to change the curtains instead.


photo taken from first week - we don't keep tools on the bed anymore

Side note: you know what I've learned in the last month? Curtains and lamp shades are crazy expensive.

So now we need to decide on curtains. Any ideas? Keep in mind that my duvet is orange. Here are mine so far. I'm leaning toward the Marimekko Taikamylly Green fabric even though it's expensive (why is the blue a million times more expensive? I love that one, but $132 is out of the question) . Abe said it's too busy, but I'm a sucker for Marimekko fabric so I might have to overrule his vote.

Should this really be occupying so much of my brain? Someone make a decision for me.



[from top down: Tree Garden Curtain $28.00-$34.00, Bacati Window Curtain $34.99, Marimekko Taikamylly Green $52 yd., Marimekko Taikamylly Blue $132, Marimekko Metsanvaki Lime $42 yd.]

Beacon Weekend

Colleen came up for a sleepover this weekend! We did a whole lotta eating, wine drinking, gift tag making, and Christmas movie watching.



Paws and Colleen used to be roommates when we all lived in the Maxxxi Pad (our warehouse loft apartment in Williamsburg circa 2004-2006). They had a lot of catching up to do.



Made the most delicious dinner ever. Roasted, spiced sweet potatoes, apple and melted brie on Portuguese rolls, and an iceberg wedge salad.







Snowstorm!



Paws was not going to help me shovel.



On Sunday we took a walk up Main Street.



I bought these lamps at Lorraine's Place.



Then we had lunch at Max's on Main Street. There was a serious Jets football game thing going on in there, but the food was delish and Bloody Marys were spicy.

Holidays at RDM

My 6th holiday party at RDM and probably the most fun and least stressful to plan.

Fatima catered all of the food with the exception of Don's guacamole, Hillari's brownies, and my cookies. She cooked a gourmet, mega feast that fed us all for two days.





Fatos and Don were the beer pong rookies and destroyed all the other teams. Here is Fatos aiming for the winning shot:





Victory.

Dilemma of the Day

Which one of these bohemian cat prints do I buy for the new home? I think I might have to go with the Grumpy Persian.








[from top down: Grumpy Persian $6.00, A Chess Match with the Count $6.00, Her Ladyship $6.00, An Evening Out with the Boys $6.00]

Ahmad and Erika Get Hitched!

Abe and I drove back from Massachusetts the day after Thanksgiving for Ahmad and Erika's wedding in Staten Island/New Jersey.

The reception was amazzzzing and beautiful and FUN.



Not Jewish, but the chair thing is always fun:







RDM represents:

Necessary Unnecessaries

Or are they unnecessary necessaries? Food for thought.

In either case, these things make my eyes light up and my heart go a-flutter. I can rationalize by saying I will use them to wrap presents.



Washi Paper Masking Tape $25.00, Divine Twine $15.00, Martha Stewart Border Punches $15.00, Stitched grosgrain ribbon $.79-$2.98 per yd, Glitter $1.59-$2.59 per bottle.

Back to a New Reality!

Two days before Thanksgiving I bought my first house! The following week was a blur as Abe and I moved to Beacon, NY and began living in "the country".

Moving was grueling and took 2 full days (I run my business out of my home and have A LOT of stuff - I also have a little bit of a hoarding problem). Once the moving was complete, we started to make our daily trips to Lowes, furniture stores, IKEA, Home Depot, Target...and finally we started to unpack.

At least it's a damn fine looking Home Depot. (Note all the snow - first snowfall of the year!)



My parents came to visit Saturday and Sunday and my mom was a huge help in the painting department while my dad did electrical things in the basement. Thanks, Mom and Dad!! The dining room had been a dark red so getting it to a light gray took forever.



On Sunday three of my gal pals - Colleen, Piper and Brooke - came up for a visit, which was awesome! We went out for brunch at the Yankee Clipper diner and sat next to this guy from the reality show American Chopper.

All in all I'd say the adjustment from Brooklyn hasn't been jarring (yet) and pretty much everything has been super exciting!!

I promise to post photos, but I haven't taken many yet because the house is still filled with boxes and Paws is still trying to figure out how to put together the IKEA office chair.