“David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee” commercial // Directed by David Lynch, 2012

Last year, I posted about the first commercial for David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee, and boy, was it a doozy. I’m not one to get overly excited about advertisements, but that ad made me not only want to buy David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee for drinking purposes, but also for bathing, tooth-brushing, and as an eyedrop substitute. It was that good.

So here’s the new one. Oh yeah.

p.s. Have you ever watched David Lynch cook quinoa for 20 minutes?

Is it just me, or it next to impossible to snap back into work mode this year? Maybe it’s because I took two weeks in a row off in December, but I just don’t feel like I’m fully present and engaged in what I need to be doing every day. I think the weather might be partly to blame—it’s been unseasonably mild in lower New York this year, and I constantly feel like it’s either late fall or early spring. I’m just sort of floating from one day to the next.

I did just have a really great weekend, though. Jen from Honey Kennedy came to stay at my house in Newburgh for three whole days, and we had a wonderful time. Jen is terribly sweet and funny and really, really nice to be around (just ask Fritz and Bruno, who fell deeply and madly in love with her), and I’m happy to have finally met her in person.

Aside from holding the very first semester of Anna’s School for Unicorns (a.k.a Photoshop classes), I also made us some very very thick and rich and spicy and almost too delicious hot cocoa using Vosges Aztec Elixer. And tofu scramble. And burnt kale chips. And reheated pizza. I’m pretty sure it was like going away to a fancy resort for Jen! (Or, um, not…)

I got my hair cut again, too. More of the same! I’ve been back to Mariko at Dlala Salon four times now since I got the best haircut ever 8 months ago, and that has to be a record for me in terms of frequency. Can I add that NOT ONCE have I taken a pair of manicure scissors to my bangs in a fit of midnight desperation since I started seeing Mariko? Her cuts look so good growing out that I don’t have to.

It’s pretty neat having LONG hair, too! I haven’t had this much hair since I was a freshman in high school, which was…um…23 years ago. I’m going to just let it keep growing. Now that I know about layers and deep parts and stuff, it’s nice to have waves and partial buzz cuts and long bangs.

On a side note, I just want to put this reminder out there: Much like paint is just paint, HAIR IS JUST HAIR. The great thing about it is that even if you do something stupid and it looks terrible, you can always just cut your hair short and eventually it’ll grow out. As a side bonus, you get to have a million different hairdos as it gets longer. If you want a fun haircut, get a fun haircut. It’s just hair.

Fritz turned four years old a few days ago. I can’t believe he’s four already! It seems like it was just yesterday that were were bringing home this insanely adorable, sleepy lump of fur. He was so cute! (And then he ate our sofa.) Fritzy is so good now. Yes, he has his moments when he does an ultra-annoying Chewbacca/seagull vocal impersonation for seemingly no reason at all and for lengths of time that are highly unnecessary, but he’s a total snuggle bug and just an all-around great dog. He’s also really warm and he likes to sleep under the covers at night, so our heating bill is less with him around. And he’s still really cute.

Oh, clothes! I found that nice triangle-print shirt at Target! The proportions really aren’t as weird as the photo on their website makes it look. It’s quite flattering, actually. And Martha has a the same one of course.

Yeah, that’s a new black + white iPhone case. I ordered one from Society6 because I’ve been thinking about selling some stuff through them and I wanted to know what the quality is like, and I’ll be honest…as cute as the illustration (by Dawn Gardner, whose work I love) on my new case is, the quality is really, really sub-par. I’ve had a capsule case from Uncommon since I got my phone in May (that’s the multicolored one in the top photo, designed by Marco Cibola), and I love it. The plastic is smooth, strong and durable; the edges are smooth and comfortable to hold; and the design is actually embedded in case. The case from Society6 is unbelievably flimsy, and you can literally scratch the printed image off with your fingernail. I fully expect it to look terrible in a couple of months. Both cases were about $40, and while that’s pretty steep for something so small and made out of plastic, it’s definitely way too much for the ones from Society6. Bummer! It’s definitely cute, though, so I’ll keep using it until it breaks.

UPDATE: Society6 contacted me after reading this post, and they have very kindly offered to send me a replacement case as they believe I may have been sent a defect. Fingers crossed that the new one is better. I’ll update this post when I receive it!

(Like I said, RAMBLY.)

The bookshelf-building project has been going well (aside from the fact that the shelves don’t really have many books on them yet), but it’s been at the expense of the rest of the house. You know when you start working on something and you wind up having to make the most giant mess in the world and then you realize you have to actually finish this other project first and that leads to a secondary giant mess on top of the first mess, and you were up until 4AM and it still didn’t make any difference and now you just feel sick but you also don’t want to live in that MEGA-MESS you created?

That’s how I’m feeling right now, and I have approximately 10 hours in which to make things better. Get it done.

TO-DO BEFORE 6PM:

+ PUT AWAY ALL THE STUFF.
+ Cut and mount roller shades in the kitchen.
+ Cut and mount roller shade in the guest bedroom.
+ Bring the records downstairs.
+ Hang the Flentsed mobile.
+ Hang the String light.
+ Clean bathrooms.
+ Clean kitchen.
+ Bring all tools and supplies to the basement.
+ Dust.
+ Vacuum.
+ Mop.
+ Frame stuff and then hang it on the walls.

(You’ll note that several of these items are carried over from my vacation to-do list from a few weeks ago. Sigh…)

When Julie saw that I’d bought this triangle-print day bag from Bookhou, she said, “If you were a bag…” And she’s totally right. Really, “old bag” jokes aside, this is me in bag form. Aside from the perfect print (which I blogged about in tea towel form a while back), the size is ideal. I have a reputation for dragging around huge, heavy bags that make my back feel miserable, so I’ve been looking for a smaller, cotton bag for days when I expect to be walking around a lot but want something fancier than a tote. This is exactly it.

Of course, now I also want the matching loop scarf (thanks to Victoria, who knows an Anna-scarf when she sees one!), and maybe also this beautiful pouch to store the iPad I don’t have…

Speaking of Bookhou, have you seen founders John and Arounna’s Toronto home in the latest issue of Covet Garden? It’s every bit as lovely as you’d imagine it would be.

I spent the last couple of nights of 2011 painting the long side wall in our dining room black, and I’m really happy with how it turned out. The living room and dining room are right in line with each other, railroad-style, so visually it’s just a continuation of the black wall in the living room.

The house is very narrow (20 feet wide, including the entry hallway), and the black wall adds some depth to the room in a nice way. Also, since the dining room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, the dark paint has a richness to it even in the daytime that makes the room feel cozier than it did before…and, as in the living room, it brings in a bit of formality that feels right in a Victorian house. Personally, I think black walls get written off as being cold or depressing far too often! Elvis agrees, as you can see.

As in the living room, the bedroom, and the apartment kitchen, I used Benjamin Moore’s ‘Soot’ with a matte finish. It’s actually the deepest, darkest indigo blue imaginable and not a true black, but that’s what gives it that extra oompf.

(How is this plant still alive?! I always forget about it, and it’s right next to a heater, so it’s been teetering on the edge of death for years.)

Coffee + Music + Painting = My default comfort mode during vacations. Seriously, once I get going with painting stuff, I feel really good. It’s definitely one of those tasks that inevitably takes ten times longer than you imagine it will, but the impact is so worth it in the end. I can’t imagine paying someone else to paint walls for me! The payoff when the work is done is just way too satisfying.

Speaking of painting, if you want to know how I do it and the steps I recommend, shuffle over to Manhattan Nest and read Daniel’s post about the whole process. I prefer Aura over Regal, but other than that, we pretty much do things the same way, right down to the Wooster paintbrushes. What he says about painter’s tape? That’s the truth. Don’t do it. Especially in an old house. Yes, I freehand everything, even black paint that butts right up against white.

I didn’t take any full-length shots of the dining room yet because things are still looking like this, but that’s just because we’re getting ready to build new bookshelves. That’s what all of this fancy plywood is for! Yay.

P.S. There’s an Instagram gallery right here on the blog now. I used a plugin called Instapress to create it. It’s a teeny bit buggy, but good enough!

Noora Niinikoski’s Tivoli knitware line for Marimekko’s Fall 2011 line was pretty spectacular. And also pretty wacky. When I look at the composed outfits, my first thought is that I want to wear all of it, including the red clogs, immediately. I’m pretty sure I’d literally look like a clown, but you only go around once, right? I tend to be extremely subdued in my dress (though contrary to popular belief, I don’t only wear black), mainly because I prefer to blend in to my environment rather than stand out. For some reason, the opposite extreme is also appealing to me!

I’m pretty sure the last time I ventured into the world of “funky” (OH, HOW I LOATHE THAT WORD) legware was a good 20 or so years ago (as evidenced here), but maybe it’s time to go down that road again. Am I old enough to have reached that point where I can look like an idiot but have it get written off as eccentricity? I hope so, because I’ve always wanted to wear a pom-pom scarf around my head like a turban. There is always the fear that I’d wind up looking like a giant infant, of course.

A few pieces from the Tivoli line are on sale right now at Kiitos Marimekko, and I am seriously tempted. Maybe just the knee socks…

You know, it’s funny—a year ago today, we spent New Year’s Eve at home, eating nachos, drinking wine and painting the living room black. And also watching Lifetime movies, even though I didn’t mention that in my post. This year we’re at home, we’re eating cookies, drinking coffee (me) and vegan white Russians (Evan), and painting the dining room black. And watching Saturday Night Fever. Progress!

Our stove has been busted for a while (the top burners were usable, but not the oven) so roasting and baking stuff has been impossible lately. This morning the repair guy came ($130 for what literally took about 5 seconds and involved tapping a knob with the back of a screwdriver…ugh), so tonight I made the most of the restored service and made a really good dinner to send off 2011.

For the main dish, I made Hottie Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens (SO GOOD…but then every recipe Isa writes is awesome) and a side of roasted carrots. I’m usually not big on cooked carrots, but seriously, these were AMAZING. The key is cutting them thinly enough and roasting them long enough that they get tender (not mushy!) and caramelized and crispy at the edges.

ROASTED CARROTS (vegan)
Make however much you want!

You need: Carrots, olive oil, garlic, coarse salt.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Peel some carrots. Cut them into strips that are roughly 1/2″ thick and 2–3″ long.
Step 3. Put the carrots in a mixing bowl.
Step 4. Add a few glugs of olive oil (how much depends on the amount of carrots you’re making) and some coarse salt. Toss to coat!
Step 5: Slice a few cloves of garlic in half lengthwise. Toss into the mix.
Step 6: Spread everything out on the cookie sheet and roast for 40—50 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. You want nicely shriveled and maybe even a little charred here and there, but not burnt to a crisp.
Step 7: YUM.

For dessert, I made Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles. OMG. Like I said, everything Isa comes up with is magic, and these are no exception. They’re nice and soft and chewy, chocolatey, and just the right amount of spicy. Mine didn’t get all crackly on top like hers did (maybe because I used coconut oil instead of canola oil), but ooooooohhhhh. So good.

Alright, it’s time for me to get back to my paintbrush. Happy New Year, everybody! Best wishes for a happy and healthy and productive 2012.

Yes, I redesigned! It’s been more than a year since the last D16 makeover, which much longer than I like to leave things alone. I’m a bad client, though—I kind of want everything to stay the same at the same as I want it to change. Kind of like how I feel about my house, my clothes, my food…

I’m sure there are going to be some bugs (I’m way less fastidious about cross-browser happiness when it comes to my own stuff than I am with other people’s sites), so if you happen to discover anything weird, please do let me know what operating system and browser/version you’re using so I can address the problem! Oh, and there’s a new FAQ page. The link page is taking a nap right now, but it’ll be back soon enough.

On to more important things…

IT’S THE BLANKET!!! IN MY HOUSE AND ON MY BED!!! YAYYYYYY!!!!!

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while then you know I am completely obsessed with Pia Wallén’s Crux blanket. I dream about it. I refer to it for proportional guidance when painting medicine cabinets and cord cozies. Basically, I talk about the Crux blanket incessantly to anyone who will listen.

About six months ago, I found out that the original wool version of the Crux blanket is no longer being produced—once the current stock is gone, it’s gone. Despite the fact that the wool blanket is prohibitively expensive (the price being the sole reason I haven’t upholstered my entire house with them), I did get a little mopey…until I learned that it had been replaced by a far more affordable (but still spendy, let’s be real here) cotton flannel version.

Blah, blah, blah, months of waiting and pondering and bribing of toothy Chihuahuas…and then I thought the blanket sure would be a nice birthday present from Evan (he agreed)…followed by more months of me agonizing over committing to the actual purchase. A couple of weeks ago, though, I finally went ahead and ordered my very own Crux blanket from the superfabulous Juli and John at Mjölk in Toronto. Their service could not have been faster or kinder, and they even tweeted a photo of my blanket being packed for shipping!

And yes, I do realize I’m talking about a blanket here. Humor me, OK? It’s just sooooo soft and thick and luxe and perfect…and it’s reversible, so it’s really like two blankets in one. And did I mention it’s soft? As much as I would have loved to have put it on the living room sofa and made it available for snuggling at all times, I am all too aware of Fritz’s reputation when it comes to blankets, so the bedroom it is. Totally fine with me.

!!!!BLANKET!!!! !!!!BLOG!!!!

I’m not going back to work until January 3rd, and I have a TON of stuff I want to get done around the house between now and then. The last few (six?!) months have been so hectic, and nothing around here feels complete or organized. There are little piles of stuff all over the place—papers needing to be sorted, recycling that has to go out, tools that either need to be put to use or put away, out-of-season clothes…ugh.

WINTER VACATION TO-DO:

+ Laundry.
+ Vacuum.
+ PUT AWAY ALL THE STUFF.
+ Organize kitchen pantry.
+ Clean out kitchen cabinets.
+ Clean the refrigerator.
+ Cut and mount roller shades in the kitchen.
+ Screw down the threshold in the vestibule (this has been on my to-do list for almost two years!).
+ Figure out what frame sizes we need, and maybe even buy frames.
+ Refinish that dresser, already. OK, this isn’t going to happen.
+ Paint the dining room.
+ Figure out the materials list for built-in bookcases.
+ Put the new slipcover on the sofa.
+ Put the new blankets on the beds.
+ Hang the Flensted mobile (thank you, Mommy!).
+ Figure out where to put the String light.
+ Wash Bruno.
+ Bring out all recycling on Friday. DON’T FORGET.
+ Shred everything in the shred pile.
+ Moisturize. (ongoing)
+ Take pictures.
+ Write real blog posts with real pictures in them.
+ Redesign this blog.
+ Get the oven repaired.
+ Bake something.

OK, so I have nine days to get things done. I hope I can cross off most of these items, but honestly, if I just get as far as putting away the bottle of Pepto-Bismol that’s been sitting on the dining room sideboard since August, I’ll be feeling pretty proud of myself.

Sure, it’s 60° and sunny and the spirea in the garden are budding out of confusion, but we’re still pretending it’s winter and going along with the usual end-of-year merriment with family. The City of Newburgh continues to be beautiful against all odds, and even after six years here I still can’t get over my clouds, my mountains, and my river. Happy, happy.

I swore I wouldn’t do it, but I did it—Door Sixteen is now on Facebook. I’ve had a personal Facebook account for years, but I really only use it to stay in touch with my family and a few friends. I am a huge (probably too huge) fan of Twitter, and, if you follow me there, you already know I’m quite prolific throughout the day! I love to reply to discuss and share, and it’s all good fun. I know not everyone is a Twitter-lover, though, so I thought I’d set up a little Facebook page for those of you who prefer that environment.

My Tweets will feed through automatically to Facebook (not all of my Tweet-replies, though—that would make everyone insane!), so now you’ll be able to find out fascinating news about my life as it breaks! For example, previously the information that “my hands feel like paper” would only have been available to those following me on Twitter, but now Facebook users will be kept abreast of these developments as they happen as well! (I’m really selling this well, aren’t I?)

The other nice thing is that my Instagram photos will also appear automagically on Facebook. Neat!

And for those of you who prefer to stay away from Twitter and Facebook altogether, well…you’ll just have to remain in the dark about the condition of my cuticles and photos of the coffees I’ve consumed. Hee!

It’s a little scary, my tiny new air plant, isn’t it? I hung it by the window in my office, and I keep glancing back over my shoulder to see if it’s creeping any closer while I’m not looking.

I have some kind of weird phobia that’s sort of like trypophobia, but not really. I feel sick when I look at clusters of things like certain kinds of plant roots (leeks are horrifying!) or rice stuck in a sink strainer. It’s impossible to explain to someone who doesn’t feel the same way, but trust me, it’s real—and my air plant is doing weird things to my mind. I can’t stop looking at it, but I also want to look away…

My air plant comes from Air Plant Supply Co., and it’s held in place by its roots and doesn’t need any soil. Every week, I have to give it a bath. In other words, I’ll probably kill it in no time! Heh. No, I’m really going to try to keep this thing alive.

The hanging pod it’s in comes from ceramacist Michael McDowell’s company Mudpuppy, who I wrote about previously in relation to one of my other nightmares, the one where all of my teeth fall out. This guy has quite a knack for honing right in on the things that make me feel uncomfortable, and I like it!

Photos from Mudpuppy

I can’t decide if putting the air plant in a ceramic baby head makes it more or less terrifying! Displaying it alongside a ceramic skull definitely adds something, but then you know how I feel about decorative skulls. The more the merrier!

OH, HEY! I just noticed that the Mudpuppy plant pods are actually on sale at Fab.com right now for 30% off regular price. Full disclosure: If you use this link to sign up for a Fab.com account, I will get a credit if you buy something within a month of joining. Ordinarily that’s not something I’d put here on the blog, but there’s no way to buy stuff from Fab.com without making an account first. It’s an invitation-based, design-focused shopping site, and quite honestly I’m a little addicted.

Did you know that Ice Cube studied architectural drafting before getting into rap? Yeah, me neither, but apparently he did, and now he’d like to tell you why he loves Los Angeles…and why he loves Charles and Ray Eames.

I like this a lot. I enjoy when my interests fold in on each other in unexpected ways.

Update: I missed this yesterday, but the New York Times also has an interview with Ice Cube about making this video. Best quote: “You don’t want to live in nothing I draw. I got a certificate. For a year. In ’88. I don’t think I picked up a T-square since.” (Thanks, Catherine!)

Speaking of which, have you seen Eames: The Architect and the Painter yet? Evan and I went to see it at the IFC Center a couple of weeks ago, and we really enjoyed it. The movie (narrated by James Franco, yay!) more about their lives, motivations and work processes than it is an exhaustive look at their output, and that’s what makes it so interesting. If you have the chance to see it in the theater, GO. It’s a fun hour and twenty minutes.

If you can’t see the movie in the theater, you can catch it on December 19th at 10:00pm on the PBS series “American Masters,” and after that on PBS on demand.

This is a reposting of a guest blog post I did for Dos Family two years ago. I regularly receive emails asking for the link to download the Swedish Christmas record, so I will repost it here yearly!

In the United States, it’s not uncommon to hear Christmas music wafting from shop speakers as early as the beginning of November, but it’s not “Here Comes Santa Claus” or “Jingle Bell Rock” that puts me in the holiday spirit. For me, it’s not Christmastime until I put on the recording of Swedish Christmas music that I grew up listening to each and every year: Christmas in Sweden, recorded in 1962 by Åke Jelving and a chorus of parents and children.

This is jovial, happy music, sung with energy and enthusiasm…and with audible gasping and stomping!

Our mother may be Swedish, but my siblings and I haven’t got a clue what the lyrics mean. I suspect that they, like me, sing along phonetically (and badly) in the privacy of their own homes. On Christmas day, we put the record on and leave the singing to Mommy as we all hold hands and dance in a circle, usually around the spread of snacks and glögg on the kitchen island.

My gift to you is a download of Christmas in Sweden. Evan made the MP3s directly from the record, so you’ll hear all the same snaps and crackles that I do when I listen to the original. I think that just adds to the appeal! Unless you’re a Swede, this may not sound like Christmas music to you at first, but give it time. (And maybe enjoy it with a little glögg.)

To download the album, you’ll need to visit this link. If you don’t have an account, that’s okay—just wait for the countdown to finish, then click the “regular download” button. Easy!

God Jul!

Every two years, right when the weather starts to tip into I-wish-I’d-worn-my-heavier-coat-today temperatures, I like to repost my chili recipe. It’s old news for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, but I think it’s nice to have a reminder every now and then anyway! And if you’ve never tried my chili recipe before, well…you really don’t know what you’re missing. It seriously is the best chili ever.

ANNA’S VEGETARIAN CHILI (vegan, actually)
Makes 6–8 portions

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder*
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil**
14 oz can black beans**
14 oz can kidney beans**
1 cup corn kernels
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add yellow pepper, jalapenos, celery and chili powder; cook another 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans (with liquid), corn, salt and spices. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in bulgur wheat. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes (I usually let everything simmer for a couple of hours to let the flavors really develop, but it’s okay to take it off when the veggies and bulgur are soft), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Just as you’re taking the chili off the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar. I know it might seem weird to put it in, but trust me—it really does make the chili taste extra amazing.

*What we call “chili powder” in the US is actually a blend of several spices. Please don’t use 2tbsp of straight cayenne pepper! If blended chili powder is not available in your part of the world, you can add an extra tbsp of cumin, and then just add your cayenne a pinch at a time to taste.

**I take the easy route and use canned beans and tomatoes. You can soak dried beans and use fresh tomatoes if you prefer, of course, but you will want to add water to make up for the liquid in the cans.

As always, I’d love to hear what kinds of modifications and variations you’ve made to this recipe, since it is really flexible. I’ve subbed chickpeas and edamame in place of kidney beans plenty of times, and I often use farro instead of bulgur wheat depending on what I have in the house. I’m really partial to Muir Glen’s fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and using ancho chili powder in place of regular changes the flavor of the whole thing completely. Sometimes I sprinkle a little Daiya on top if I have it, but it’s definitely not essential.

This chili freezes really nicely, by the way. One pot will yield six very generous portions, so after you’ve gobbled down dinner, you can divvy up the rest into containers to heat up for lunches during the week.

Directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp
Written by Dean Fleischer-Camp + Jenny Slate
Starring Jenny Slate as “Marcel”

There’s also a Marcel picture book available. Yes, and an iPhone app. And also Daniel’s Halloween costume from last year.

MARCEL FOREVER!!!

My love for neon-hot pink continues to abound. I’ve noticed it creeping into my Instagram photos a lot over the past couple of weeks.

ONE ♡ I finally ordered a THERE IS THUNDER IN OUR HEARTS tote bag from Fieldguided, and of course I opted for the fluoro pink version. I lovelovelove Kate Bush, by the way. Her new album, 50 Words For Snow, is out next week—but it’s streaming now on NPR.

TWO ♡ Why exactly did I buy neon pink duct tape? You got me, but I was at Target and there it was, so home with me it went. I’m presently hoping for something to require duct-taping in the near future. I keep thinking about Bertjan Pot’s duct tape rug, too…

THREE ♡ I used neon orange ink for the hardcover edition of this book, but for the paperback (out next June), I went with Pantone 806—my favorite chip in the book, and the hottest neon pink imaginable. It’s not a color I get to use often in printed work, so I seized the opportunity!

FOUR ♡ I’ve been working my way through the same bulk package of neon pink highlighters for about 10 years now, and as of yesterday, I’m down to my last one. As Charlie pointed out, the classic Sanford Pocket Accent doesn’t even look like this anymore—in fact, they’ve dropped the Sanford name completely, and are now just branded as Sharpies. Apparently I’ve been doing a highlighter time-warp for the past decade.

FIVE ♡ Is there anything that doesn’t look better with neon pink washi tape on it? If there is, I haven’t discovered it yet. Lately I’ve been using it to wrap around packages in lieu of ribbon or string, and as decoration on top of utilitarian packing tape when putting something wrapped in brown paper in the mail.

SIX ♡ Despite the fact that my iPhone is basically glued to my side at all times, I still can’t give up my neon Post-it Notes. I always use the pink ones first and hope someone else will take the others! I write everything on Post-Its. I even stick them to my iPhone! And to my wallet. And to the cash inside my wallet. And all over my computer monitor. Like I’ve said before, I’ve gotta write stuff down.

I know, Fritz is absurdly cute. It’s sick, really. The eyebrows, the underbite, the ruff, the fancy ankles…too much. Sigh.

I have to get some stuff done today. This is the first weekend in forever that I haven’t done any freelance work, and as nice as it was to sit around a bit yesterday, now I have to get moving!

TODAY:
• Laundry
• Vacuum
• Clean bathrooms and kitchen
• Rake leaves and clean up outside
• Goodwill (next weekend!)
• Grocery shopping
• Unpack the suitcase filled with random items that’s sitting in the hallway (next weekend!)
• Measure dining room wall to plan new bookshelves

Speaking of people getting stuff done, have you been over to Daniel’s blog lately? I seriously do not understand how he manages to do all of this stuff. I mean…I know Daniel. We hang out often, and never once have I seen him wearing a cape or lifting train cars, so I’m pretty sure he’s not a superhero, but somehow he’s managed to get done in just a few months what would take me a few years. Is it just the wonder of youth that makes him so efficient? Whatever it is, it’s impressive. He’s my power animal.

This is my new affirmation banner from Secret Holiday. I haven’t found the right place to hang it yet, but it’s already making me feel good in its temporary spot. It’s pretty great, yeah? I’m not usually one for inspirational posters (I always think of the “Hang in There!” kitten), but I think this banner is exactly what I need in my life.

The word OK is hugely comforting for me. About a year ago, I wrote a post about body image and self-acceptance called “I’m OK”, and I come back to it all the time when I’m feeling down on myself. There’s a reason it wasn’t called “I’m perfect” or even “I’m fine.” The word OK implies something else—it takes into account a certain amount of shortcoming, I think, and makes it alright. OK.

I had dinner with Jenna the other night, and we talked about the practice of looking at the worst case scenario as a means to bring peace of mind. That might sound counterintuitive, but think about it—if you let yourself look at the worst possible outcome when faced with either a situation that seems beyond your control or with making a decision that feels impossible, where does that outcome actually leave you? Are you still putting one foot in front of the other? Are you still sleeping in a bed at night? Of course horribly tragic things can happen at any time, but for the most part, you’ll probably be alright—and more than likely, you won’t even have to face that worst case scenario. Accept the shortcomings, accept the negatives, and be glad that everything is pretty OK.

OK? OK!

As part of my ongoing effort to make the city apartment feel more home-like, I decided to hang a couple of framed printed in the kitchen. I’ve been holding on to these prints with the intention of framing/hanging them for about 15 years (!!) now, and it feels great to see them out of a storage tube and onto the wall.

Both prints were silkscreened by Robin Hendrickson, who I met while we were in the Art+Design program at Purchase College. Robin was immensely talented, and I do wonder what he’s up to now. (Hey Robin, if you Googled yourself and wound up here, get in touch!) The Lost Highway poster (black ink on yellow plasticized paper) was done for a special screening of the movie in the campus theater, and the “Hockey Fight” print was a personal project he did to document a multi-face type family that he’d hand-drawn. We have an alternate version of this poster in what is now the guest bedroom at our house (yikes, old photo!).

There’s a tendency to think small when it comes to hanging framed stuff on kitchen and bathroom walls, but I love putting big posters in smaller spaces. The room immediate feels cozier, happier, and all-around more comfortable. I don’t worry about heat or moisture, either. I probably wouldn’t put anything valuable right next to the stove or the shower, but I’ve never had a problem with anything getting damaged.

Oh, and speaking of the apartment kitchen, remember that giant hole in the ceiling? Well, it took FORTY-EIGHT DAYS (as well as countless phone calls, certified letters and threats of legal action), but it’s finally fixed. What a huge relief. Not being able to cook (and you know, having a giant hole overhead constantly shedding dirt and concrete) was pretty stressful.

Let this post also stand as a reminded to order your 2012 Stendig calendar! It’s already November, and it’ll be a new year before you know it. And remember, the pages make great wrapping paper when the month is over.