Bits and bobs

I used to have a sheet of paper that listed out everything that popped into my head and could potentially be made into a post. I've lost it (both literally and figuratively), so here are the three thoughts that I'm managing to put down before they go bye-bye just like my to-post list and so many socks in the dryer...

1. I am desperate to get to Ikea (I guess because normal seething holiday shopping crowds in Chicago aren't enough for me. X-TREME SHOPPING, GUYS! We need our own deodorant and Mountain Dew flavor). Here's what I want to eyeball/buy:

Maskros for the bedroom? Maybe?

Dinera plate. Yeah boring. But this is a just a list for me because I can't seem to keep track of paper scraps. We have four of these. 10 would be nicer.

Just a thought: this Kotte wreath. I don't think we'll be doing a tree this year since the living room has already been overtaken by plants. Plus, the cats from hell will take it down within 24 hours of its purchase and loving, painstaking (ok, OCD addled) decoration.

This simple wreath in the wheat color could be nice and low key.

Maybe pick up some fairly cute, non-denominational gift wrap while I'm there.

So ok, four things in all. This should only take about five hours, two helpings of Sweedish meatballs, one drawn-out trip through the rug section and may result in a bickering match in the as-is section and me spending about $2,433.99, plus tax. Let's go! On a weekend! (Which, incidentally, is not going to happen until at least Dec. 12. So maybe scrap the wreath.)

2. Every day on the train to work, I listen to the automated speaker man tell me, "Next stop is Library and Van Buren. Doors open on the right at Library and Van Buren."

He quite clearly pronounces "library" as a three-syllable word: li-bra-ry. BUT, as the train rounds the corner from Adams and Wabash he starts up again: "Transfer to Blue and Red lines at Li-ber-ra-ry and Van Buren." Four syllables. I've been counting them on my fingers for a week now.

Why is this? And who is the man in the speaker? This means he's real and not a robot, right?

3. I finally moved some favorite blogs from my bookmarks to the sidebar over there ------->.
They are:
Designers' Brew
Get to Fixin'
Homebug
I Suwanee
Little Green Notebook
Pony Boy Press
Saffron and Genevieve
The Design Files
and, of course, my friend Leah at Thx thx thx.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

5. Phew, getting all of that off my mind freed up some space, I think! I hope to have some painting projects to share with you soon...

P.S. Pat on the back to me for just spellchecking and not getting anything wrong (except for those damn Ikea names) this time.

UPDATE: Erm, maybe not on the brain clearing. It took me hours to notice that I skipped right from three to five in that little list up there. Crap.

Quinks (especially quick links)

Yep, still running around like a chicken without a head over here. Here are some evil things that are stealing some of the time I can't seem to find:

- One (goooooorgeous) home styled for three different shoots.

- You say faux fireplace. I say barf. Except when it comes to this one. Here's how to do it.

- Would this be a cute wedding gift? Or should it be added to the barf pile?

- Vanity Fair's Hitchcock shots compared to the originals.

- All sorts of retro hair video tutorials.

- Make your own Astrid sweater. Then make me one. And send it to me.

- Murder me Rachel. Everything from New House Textiles is retro-dorable.


Ok, I have to go study for a quiz now.

That's definitely one for the barf bucket.