Trip to the junk store + dining room pics

Yesterday while being out enjoying Fall, we happened along a little junk store that had a treasure trove of goodness.   We got 8 paint-by-numbers, a new 50’s side chair and two mounted plush animal heads (not shown).   Since we hung the artwork up in the dining room, I thought it would be worth showing pics of the dining room since I’ve not posted anything on it before.  (Oh, and did I mention that we got everything for the low price of $55 total!  Man, I love shopping at thrift stores!)

The new art above the dining room buffet is the “Four Seasons” paint by number series.

The new art is horses, landscape, and collie.  Plus our new chair!!  Love it!  (It’s got a cotton-webbed seat that matches the walls!)  Also, this is the finished corner cabinet that we got at a salvage store and installed into the corner.  (See the original post and pictures about it HERE.)

Update: Apartment Therapy re-posted my dining room pics!  Several people asked what color I used on the walls.  It’s Williamsburg brand paint.  The darker green is CW505 and the lighter green is CW508.  Also, some other people asked about the dining room set.  It was manufactured by Bramin of Denmark in 1965 and designed by H.W. Klein (and yes…it was also purchased at a thrift store too).

A Clean Break: Exhibition of Modern Prefab Architecture & Innovations

Some of my friends over at Minima have curated and organized an event for Design Philadelphia 2008 called “A Clean Break.”  It’s biggest highlight is an ACTUAL prefab Weehouse by Alchemy Architects from St. Paul, MN…which is extremely cool!!  The Weehouse is an interesting design that I’ve actually wondered about in the past, and so I’ll be excited to check it out in person.  (It’s especially interesting because it comes in several different variations and can be customized.)  Here’s a picture of the Weehouse getting installed into the Philadelphia exhibition space on Spruce St.

The show also features high design, low waste “innovations” by artists such as Michael Iannone, Daniel Michalik, In Liquid, Bolle Design, Pie Studio, and SMIT.  (Shown below is one of my favorite items by MIchael Iannone, his cork sideboard.)

The event kicks off on Thursday Oct 16th from 7-10pm, but is open daily from 11-7pm, Oct 17th – 30th.   The exhibition is located at 313 South Broad Street at Spruce, Philadelphia. Go check it out!!

It’s not easy being green…

It seems like a day doesn’t pass that I don’t hear another story about how people are losing their jobs, the economy is tight, gas is getting more expensive everyday, and how Greenland is melting. Somedays it feels overwhelming… I mean, I’m only one person. What can I do? I’m trying to keep my own head above water here. I’m just as worried as everyone else is about the cost of gasoline and how it affects my daily commute and the price of my beloved blueberries.

And yet, I can’t help but acknowledge that something good is coming out of all this. We’re all worried and [at long last] beginning to reconsider our daily habits. How can we get around town without driving? Do we really need those plastic bags or can we bring our own? Maybe we can finally try our hand at planting that vegetable garden…

I think most of us are struggling to figure out just what this all means for us. It’s hard to change your habits overnight. I love reading the blog The Simple Family because that’s exactly what she writes about – how she can keep it simple. I think about that alot too, and often I’m not sure exactly what I can do. What the best practices are…

Likewise, I know that many big companies are having to re-evaluate that as well. Today I was invited to participate to be on a “Green Committee” for my un-corporate corporation. Just like every person, they’re struggling to figure out ways to keep costs low, but acknowledge they need to do more to become more green. I’m excited to be able to meet and discuss the ideas I have with a larger group that is also thinking and sharing ideas. It shocks me to think about how much energy my office building must consume everyday. There are very few CFL’s to be found there…and of course, 70% of the employees leave their computer on 24 hours a day. And don’t even get me started on how we only just started recycling paper and plastics about a year ago…

I know at home (and at work) I try to conscientious about being green by doing things like: 1) not leaving the lights on unnecessarily 2) trying to use CFL’s (not in every light fixture because I don’t like the light quality…but even that is up for discussion). 3) trying to always bring my own shopping bags to the grocery store. 4) not using the air conditioner unless I absolutely have to. 5) biking to the store when possible. And yet, I know that even these things aren’t enough. These little things won’t turn back the tide on years of neglect for our planet. And yet, still we must struggle to do what we can. Figuring out what to do….

As gas prices continue to soar, it is going to only worsen. Maybe instead of being called “House Obsession,” my blog will be called “Gasoline Obsession.” I want to do all I can to not only ensure my future, but the future of everyone else coming up behind me. And yet, I feel just about as lost as a child in how to navigate this new change. And so, I’m going to continue to spend more time at home doing those little things that I think help…and crossing my fingers for the best.
Wishful Kermit I, by bermudafan8 via flickr.

Cement driveway alternative?

Lately, I’ve been contemplating the state of my backyard. My ideal would be to have a lovely brick patio, but alas that’s not in the budget at the moment. However, during the daydreaming phase, I was on the lookout for ideas and while in Maine I saw something at Jordan Pond that I thought was very interesting. It’s a type of block that has holes in it that you can grow grass in. So basically the surface of the ground is level and solid, but it allows drainage and doesn’t look like a solid slab of brick.

I thought this was a cool product. It’s environmentally friendly and probably a cheaper alternative to traditional brick. What’s even more interesting is that I just happened upon an old post at Charles & Hudson about the same thing. (Can I just say again how much I adore Charles & Hudson? They’re my new favorite home blog.) Only in this instance they’re discussing it as an alternative to paving a driveway. I think that’s a brilliant idea…much better than for a patio most likely (since your patio furniture might get stuck in the holes). Anyways…here’s the pic I took at Jordan Pond.