CasaSugar

The Card Shop: Maple Leaf/Thanksgiving Boxed Notes

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:00:04 -0800

No, it's not tradition to send cards at Thanksgiving. But, take one look at the Dingbat Press Maple Leaf/Thanksgiving Boxed Notes ($24), and you'll be convinced. This gorgeous boxed set of six notes features soft-red maple leaves in varying sizes falling from a vivid-orange maple tree. The notes arrive tied with a ruby-red ribbon, and enclosed in a sturdy chocolate box. So, whether you'll be sending these autumnal notes or just gifting them, you'll be sure to impress.

The Card Shop: Linda & Harriett Thank-You Note Box Sets

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0700

The expression, "A simple thank you would have been nice," has always baffled me. To me, there is nothing straightforward about saying thank you. When I'm genuine, I want my expression of gratitude to be as tastefully embellished as possible - like a letterpress card.Luckily, stationer Linda & Harriett has made the gesture simple for me, by unveiling some new box sets of thank-you notes in elegant scallop, lace, and swirl prints. Each card is letterpressed with soy-based ink and features the calligraphy of Brooklyn-based Jenna Hein. I'm thinking the swirl pattern is my favorite; I can just see the personality oozing off the 30 percent postconsumer waste paper. A set of six retails for $14.

How-To: House Backyard Chickens in Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:24 -0700

My friend Beth, who I've known since high school, recently started a blog to update her friends and family on her latest domestic adventure - raising backyard chickens. Since Beth never does anything halfway, she and her husband Craig built a chicken coop that is super cute and matches their 1922 Craftsman home.

She writes, "I paid my way through college 10 years ago raising and killing chickens and also had laying hens. I wanted to get another batch of layers, but was resigned because a) we have a teeny tiny backyard; and b) my husband isn't much of a farmer."

However, all was not lost. Beth notes, "This spring, I convinced the man who drank a case of Diet Mountain Dew each week when we met (he has thankfully kicked the habit since) to build raised beds and start an organic garden. I gave up on the idea of having chickens, but he took up the cause and was convinced we could fit a small coop next to the garden."

To find out more about Beth and Craig's chicken-raising adventure, and to see how well their chicken coop matches their home, read more.

"We bought our chicks on July 9th and went on Seattle Tilth's coop tour the following weekend," reports Beth. "Craig took lots of photos and took all the best ideas from the coops we saw for his own design. Some materials were recycled: he salvaged the window and built the window box out of scraps we had from this and other projects. The coop is painted to match our house, white trim and all. Craig thinks the finished product took about 100 hours to build. It's a little over the top, but that's my husband. (By the way, not only has he stopped drinking Mountain Dew, but he's off all high fructose corn syrup and is quite the label reader. Weird. Now he's all about organic veggies and can't wait for the hens to start laying.)"

I have total chicken coop envy now, and I'm also envious of Beth's hubby's building skills. What a great coop! You can keep up with Beth and Craig's chicken adventures on Beth's blog. In the meantime, check out the gallery to see images of the decoupaged interior of the coop, as well as the coop's perfect match to their Craftsman.

View 0 Photos ›

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:14 -0700

I'm completely drawn into these gorgeous spaces shot by Kathryn Russell.- Desire to Inspire
I heart this sweet, hip poster that's oh-so appropriate for the upcoming holiday.- 2Modern
This NYC pad is no stark white box.- AT:NY
This FedEx wine box is so modern, fresh, and eco-friendly!- Craftzine
Rest in peace Kodachrome.- UnBeige
Fruit-shaped sticky notes! Yummy.- MoCoLoco
Learn to build a pergola.- Shelterrific
I've never seen a toolbox so downright gorgeous.- Swiss Miss

Casa Beta: Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:30:21 -0700

I recently received the Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection ($65) in the mail. The set contains six cream-colored, soy wax candles in six different fragrances. Each candle comes in a clear glass vessel, which is individually wrapped in cellophane and tied with a satin ribbon. I was excited to try all of the scents, but since I knew that it would take me a long time to get through all of them, I enlisted some help from my Sugar friends.

To see what we thought of the set, read more.

I loved the gift box that the candles arrived in, which features a beautiful tree motif. It's sturdy enough to re-use for another craft project or gift-giving opportunity in the future. However, one problem with it was that some of the oil from each candle was pooled in the cellophane of every packaged candle. This may have been due to the fact that the box was sitting on its side, and the problem could've been remedied by storing the box upright.

Green Bamboo Jasmine: PetSugar reported some pros and cons with her candle. She says, "The candle seemed to burn very slowly - I only had it lit for about an hour and there was barely any noticeable difference in melt rate, so it’d last for a while. When I woke up, I could still smell the effects from the night before. However, when removing from the packaging, this candle was wet/sticky and my hands smelled of strong fragrance even after I washed them. While burning, it still smelled very strong and distracting . . . but part of that could have been the residual scent from the liquid/ packaging on my hands. I think if I loved the scent, or loved smelly candles, I would have loved this. Its potency was but a bit too much for me to handle every day. "

Tonka Bean Fig: This candle was tested by FabSugar, who reports, "I lit the Tonka Bean Fig candle this past weekend and I loved it. It permeated through the house, smelled sweet, and reminded me of men’s cologne. It also burned great and didn’t leave a smoky residue in my house."

Amber Vanilla Hazelnut: Unfortunately, geeksugar's candle didn't live up to her expectations. "The candle was oily inside its packaging, which made it a pain to hold, and to light (it took me several tries and a burnt thumb). When I did finally get it lit, the smell - which was lovely to sniff cold - was very subtle. Too subtle, in fact. Not only did it not waft around the room with its smell, it didn't waft at all. The only way I could smell a scent at all is if I put my nose directly over the candle (far enough away that I didn't burn my nose hairs off, of course). I extinguished it after an hour since it wasn't smelling up my home like I'd wanted it to."

Sheer White Musk: I'm not normally drawn to musky scents, so I was surprised to enjoy this one. It was light, clean, and very earthy with some subtle notes of jasmine and violet. I used it in a room that was smelling a bit musty, and it definitely freshened up the room. But, it didn't really seem to waft well - my go-to candles can normally be smelled throughout the house.

Lily Orange Blossom: I love the smell of citrus blossoms, so I was excited to light this candle. While I loved the scent when it was unlit, once I struck a match to its wick, I had a hard time discerning the blossomy scent. I let it burn for about an hour, and while the scent was definitely there, it was very subtle, unless I was very close to the candle. I'm not a fan of overwhelming scents, but I would've enjoyed a more robust scent here.

Honey Lemon Crème: This candle has a lovely, rich scent that reminds me of sugar (or should I say honey?) cookies. Its scent, too, was quite subtle, but added a lovely, cozy smell to my home. Who needs to bake when you can simply light one of these candles?

How-To: Register For Your Wedding

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:00:15 -0700

Planning your wedding can be stressful, but the fun part is registering for gifts! Unfortunately, some people get carried away at the thought of all the presents coming their way and register spontaneously, not methodically. You have to remember that you're going to live with these gifts, and your friends and family are spending real money on them, so you better like them! Beyond that, you should think about what you need, not what you want, so you can really "set up house" - that's kind of the point. I have a few tips that will make it all easy for you. To hear them, read more.

Consider your timeline. If you're having any sort of engagement party, try to register by the time the invitations for that party go out, making sure you've covered all the price points. Many of your friends and family will want to buy your engagement and wedding gifts as soon as they hear about the engagement and get it out of the way. Don't feel rushed; you can always go back and add more items later on. If you're not having an engagement party, about nine months before your wedding day is a good time to register; it doesn't make you seem as if you're either rushing or procrastinating.
Do your Spring cleaning, and take note of what you already have and what you need for your home.
Then, get together and make a list of things you both want for your home.
Before you start checking boxes, cruise around to a bunch of stores and decide which one or which few suit your tastes the most. Stick to three stores or fewer to keep things uncomplicated, and make sure one of them is a national department store like Bloomingdale's or Macy's.
Most major stores have some sort of registry system, if not an online one. However, if you love a certain boutique or specialty store, they may not. But most will be more than willing to work something out with you, so just ask!
Go through all the questions. Figure out what kind of return policy each store has, how shipping works, whether they take phone orders, whether they have an online database to track orders, etc. Your older generation of friends and family may only want to shop by phone or in store, so there should be something available for them. And it's ideal to be able to track the orders as they come in, so you can add more items at different price points, or remove items if need be.
Use our downloadable registry guide to make sure you've covered all the bases for your housewares, and go ahead and register with each store, giving as much detail as possible to make it easy on guests. Choose size, color, brand, etc.
You can also use MyRegistry to register online from a variety of sources, giving your friends and family a central place to shop for you.
OK, so let's say you already have all the table runners and Le Creuset pans you could ever want. What then? Nowadays it's not uncommon to have an alternative registry. If you'd like, you can register with a charity or even to pay for your honeymoon. Although it's not the most proper of moves, if you really need help with your finances, you can even register for stocks or cash for big ticket items you may need.
Once you're registered, there's some etiquette you should follow for getting the word out. It's a bit taboo to send your registry information out with your invitation. If you have a website for your wedding, you can post it discreetly there. It's also common to have your maid of honor send out the details with the invitations for your bridal shower, and the same for the bachelor party. You can ask your family members to pass the word along to the guests as well. And, if your guests ask you up front where you are registered, go ahead! If you are sending out a package to your guests with other details about the wedding (maps, hotel information, etc.) apart from the invitation, you can slip in a printed card with the registry information.
Most registries remain active for at least a year after the big day so guests can make purchases after the fact. And many stores will give you a discount on the items that weren't purchased, so that you can buy them for yourself.

Source

Casa Shops: Beehive Kitchenware Company

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:30:47 -0700

While Beehive Kitchenware Company does make measuring cups and lemon juicers, their range of fanciful metal accents ensures that you can use them in any room of your home. I have my eyes on Beehive's Paisley Hooks ($27) myself, though there are plenty of other pieces that have enchanted me. The company, which is located in Massachusetts, is owned and operated by Jim Dowd and Sandra Bonazoli. The metalworkers' collaborative work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts & Design.

Jim and Sandra's work has been featured everywhere from Gourmet to Architectural Digest. They were first influenced to create their metal home accents after seeing how beautiful antique kitchen items were. With the goal of melding form with function, they started their line of products. Birds and bees are a repeating motif in the company's metalwork, as are delicate petaled flowers. You can order these products online, or find them at a local retailer.

To see images of the products, and to hear about the company's environmental commitment, read more.

Beehive notes that, as part of their environmental policy,

We use only recycled paper in our office and recycle all our paper, junk mail, and cardboard (no small feat!). Our packing peanuts are made from bio-degradable material. Our products come in boxes that are made from recycled, unbleached paper, and are most often nestled in a natural, compostable material. There is very little in the manufacture of our products that creates waste: any reject castings get re-melted, and we recycle every bit of our scrap metals. And of course all of our pewter is lead-free, without any electroplating, to protect the health of our water.

The company also only works with local and national suppliers to cut down on their carbon footprint. While these items are definitely not "needs" for a home, they will complete a home's look and add a whimsical, beautiful touch to any room. I like to think of Beehive's products as things that you might not necessarily buy for yourself, but would be on the top of your list for thank-you gifts for your favorite friends and family.

View 14 Photos ›

Source

The Card Shop: First Press Note Cards

CasaSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:19 -0700

Candy-colored butterflies and girl-y medallions are the sort of thing that I love in small doses like the First Press Note Cards ($15-$18). I wouldn't wallpaper my walls with the fluttering creatures, tattoo my butt cleavage with them, or name an album after them, but I'd certainly send a note to a girlfriend with these debossed, lushly designed notecards in their matching envelopes, and I'd be delighted to receive one. And, when all 10 of them have been signed, sealed, and delivered, I can use the decorated box to "wrap" my next eco-chic gift.

This Just In: More Interiors from Project Runway

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:00:33 -0700

Did you catch the first episode of Project Runway season 5 on Wednesday? While I was initially afraid that I couldn't put season 4 behind me, luckily, I was hooked on the new cast of designers within the first 10 minutes. (I was definitely lured in by Blayne and his insane tanning obsession, as well as his leotard creation).

I recently found even more photos of the contestants' living quarters. You were split about the first photo, which many of you found too Ikea-heavy.

To hear my thoughts on the other interiors, read more.

The other bedrooms reveal an Ikea emphasis as well, and I'm assuming that the box store is one of Project Runway's sponsors. What I'm really surprised by, though, is the retro look to these rooms. What with the checkerboard carpeting and the patterned wall stickers, it's definitely eye-catching, though not necessarily in a good way. What do you think? Have you taken note of Project Runway's interiors in the past? Do you think these are underwhelming in comparison?

View 9 Photos ›

Source

How-To: Organize Your Desk

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:19 -0700

Although Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman's book A Perfect Mess claims that there are hidden benefits to being unorganized and cluttered, I'm not sure I'm a believer, and I stand by the aesthetic reasons for being organized. So, I thought I'd give you a few tips on streamlining your workspace that seem to have helped me out. I know that many of you are super organized already, so this is for the rest of you!

First and foremost, rely on a computer filing system. Save your documents on your hard drive and back them up. Keep your computer organized as one would a filing cabinet. Scan your paper documents and save them to your hard drive, then recycle them.

Say no to paper. Only print out paperwork if it's completely necessary. If you do print something out, recycle it once you've completed the task you used it for.

Ditch the pens. You shouldn't have more than three pens, a pencil, and if needed, a marker, at all times. Once you have them, don't be tempted to add to the collection by stealing from your hotel or office supply closet. Leave your writing utensils at your desk; don't carry them away with you in your purse.

To hear more of these organization tips, read more.

Kick Post-Its to the curb. Post-its look messy and are easy to lose track of. Keep a notebook on your desk, next to your keyboard instead, and get in the habit of using it. If you use it every day, you're bound to see your reminders written down.

Build a system to manage your paper. If everything has a place, you won't need to search for it. Whether you use file folders, letter trays, accordion files, or L.L. Bean tote bags, delegate a location for each type of paperwork you have. That means, an inbox, an outbox, an on-hold box, a reference file, files for active projects, files for finished projects, and of course, have a recycling bin or shredder on hand.

Maintain a time frame. Find a way to categorize your inbox by day, week, and month. That way, your work each day will have a better shot of getting done, and you'll have a sense of how productive you are. If you're not ready to handle your paperwork, or not sure how to deal with it, put it in your on-hold box.

Keep books on your bookshelf. Bookcases, not desks, were invented for the sole purpose of storing your books. So, use them! Keep your books off of your desk unless you are actually, physically reading them. Read my how-to on organizing your books for more tips.

Your desk is not a dining table. Don't eat at your desk. Ever. And keep your lunch, silverware, etc. off of it as well. You can keep one glass of water or coffee, etc. there, but only one.

Display your photos on your computer. Nix the family photo frames, and opt instead for a rotating slideshow of personal photographs on your computer, or choose your favorite photo to use on your desktop background. Frames just add clutter, which we're trying to lose here.

Schedule digitally. Use your computer calendar or PDA to schedule meetings, etc. Ditch your ratty planner. Set alarms to remind you of important dates.

Tidy up. Take five or 10 minutes at the end of each day to tidy up your work space, making sure all of your papers are in the appropriate files, and then everything is set up for the next day. Wipe down your desk at the end of each week with a damp cloth to keep dust from accumulating. Jot down reminder notes in your notebook if you have any.

Source