Herb Garden

  Sam and I have been trying to incorporate more plants into our living space. We have a lovely pot of daisies and an aloe plant, but I thought it would be a good idea to have plants that are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. Conclusion: herbs. Any suggestions for growing herbs in an apartment are more than welcome (I'd also love to hear some recipes!)

RRR Spotlight: How to Get Free Furniture

     Sounds too good to be true, but it really isn't. Last week I got a nice, clean, beautiful wooden bookcase for $5. Even at the cheapest retail locations (ie Target or Christmas Tree Shop) this peice of furniture would still be $40-$50, so how did I score furniture for 90% off the original price? Its surprisingly easy...and green! Besides curbside giveaways and springtime yard sales, there are two major online sources for free or outrageously cheap furniture.

1) Freecycle Freecycle is a yahoo group in which 10,000 boston residents e-mail about items they are giving away. Each e-mail comes with the neighborhood in which the item is located so pick-up can be easily arranged.
2) Craigslist This is the more obvious choice, but still, there are some great things on there. When people need to move, and have to get rid of their stuff fast, craigslist is the easiest way to do it! In fact, I just bought this huge mirror off craigslist for $10, and get this, I have to walk less than a quarter of a mile to get it!

Lets face it, craigslist may be the world's easiest way to REDUCE, REUSE, & RECYCLE!

So Dansk

While blog surfing, I came across two photos that look eerily similar to my host family's house in Denmark.

Typical of a Scandinavian kitchen, this photo shoes clean simple, yet modern lines emphasized by white with chrome detailing.

My Danish house looked JUST like this. Brick, cape style home with wooden shutters and thatch-like roofing. With a separate garage and barn, and stone driveway!

Easy Eco-Fashion

Stewart & Brown is a California based clothing designer that makes all eco-friendly and socially responsible clothing. In the "shop" section of their website, the exact materials of the clothes are listed as well as a description of what makes each item green or organic. Many of the clothes are also fair trade! Plus --- their dresses are super cute.

Mission: Headboard

     In my never-ending quest to beautify my room, I decided that my bed is kind of a weak spot. I love my bed because the frame has wooden drawers underneath that create extra storage, which is perfect since my roommate and I are a bit cramped for closet space. However, the problem is that with a bedskirt and comforter, the bedframe is completely invisible, leaving my bed to look like a mattress simply floating in the middle of the room. But since I love my storage, I do NOT want an entirely new bedframe (plus I live on the 5th floor of a very old apartment building, and getting a bedframe up the stairs would be a challenge). Solution: Headboard!!!! I am going to start my quest to find a head board to attach to the wall behind my bed.

Tinsley's Headboard in her midtown apartment

Inspired by the Mughal Empire

      I frequently read other interior decor blogs for inspiration. Sites like Chinoiserie Chic and Habitually Chic get me excited to learn more about design. I recently came across a few posts that featured photos of contemporary homes that reminded me of the Taj Mahal. As some may know, I am OBSESSED with the Taj Mahal.

Below are photos of the Taj Mahal's Jalis. Jalis are intricately carved stone screens that let light into a dark space (before electricity was easily accessible).

And here are some contemporary versions of Jali screens. I would love to do something like this in my future home:

What is Art?

An intriguing question. We often discussed our opinions of art's definition in my Fine Arts classes at St. Lawrence. Specifically in the History of Modern Art and European Art of the 20th Century. My opinion is that anything ---- ANYTHING--- can be art given the right context.

Here is a slashed canvas. Its still beautiful though isn't it?

Latest Articles

Just to keep you up to date with all the writing I've been doing lately, check out my latest articles for the MeridaHome Blog and for Examiner.com:

on MeridaHome:

A New Room for an Inspirational Blogger

Green Building Education in Boston

Earth Day 2010

Factory Scrap Furniture


on Examiner:

Have a Green Cinco de Mayo in 2010

Boston University Receives International Sustainability Award

Water Crisis Continues and Affects Area Businesses

This Green Life

Gorgeous Eco-Friendly Area Rugs

Green Style Tips for Coffee Lovers

How to Green Your Dorm Room

3 Ways to Reuse Glass Bottles

Earth Day 2010 Events in Boston

Green Transportation in the North End

Learning About Green Building

She's Trash

In a good way! Check out these gorgeous..and a little bit crazy...dresses made out of unusual materials.

Newspaper

Old Puma Sneakers.  This dress was designed by Chilean design students as part of the Remade in Chile recycle+design program. This program has sparked hundreds of innovative ways to reuse materials.

Trash. wow!