1) I hate washing out paint brushes! Don't you? It just gets paint splatter everywhere and the base never really gets clean. I recently discovered this brush cleaning comb at the hardware store and I have a feeling my Purdy's will be lasting a lot longer! I wouldn't go as far as saying I love to clean my brushes now, but it's sort of, kind of fun. Like brushing Barbie's hair.
2) Speaking of the hardware store, as much as I love Home Depot/Lowes I'm just crazy over local hardware stores. I feel like I can always come home with a new brass treasure. The hardware store down the street from us has these solid brass house numbers in a couple different sizes (this is the smallest). I'm trying to think of a worthwhile project for the little ones, but I also like the idea of buying a big size for a paper weight/coffe table book topper or just a styling accessory. Like a lucky number sort of thing. Brass is so cool.
3) My hardware store also sells the brass key chain parts that I used for my leather tassel DIY. My friend Jenna had a Bachelor finale party on Monday (she sent us all home with a rose ;) PS Admittedly I haven't really watched much of the Bachelor in years past, but I didn't love Ben from the get go. Did you watch? Isn't it amazingly sad how catty girls can be to each other! yikes!!) Anyway, another friend was in town and wanted to make tassels at the party. We experimented with a thicker tassel and I love it. Navy strap, gray fringe and orange patent banding.
4) I saw this striped kilim ottoman at Pier 1 in the city a couple months ago, but recently I was in Jersey and saw it on MAJOR clearance (I think it was $99?). If you need a big, cute ottoman it might be worth a trip.
5) These two small pieces of art are hanging right next to our front door. The top one is a mountain near where I grew up (Paul Ferney painted this one for his Commission Project). And the bottom piece is an etching of our neighborhood from the 1800s. I found it at a junk shop in the burbs. The craziest thing is there is a sticker on the back from the 1930s framer who was only one block away from our building at the time on our exact same street!
These make me smile every time I walk by and remember to really see them. I like thinking about the permanence of mountains and old buildings. The crazy world changing all around them, constantly and year after year. And they hardly change at all. I can think of people in my life who are just like that, and thank goodness for them.
