Paper (Price) Cut

Rejoice! Paper Source is having a post-holiday sale. Not in the mood to think about the holidays? Neither am I. What I'm excited about is SPRING. Lucky for us all, a few bright things are on the discount list. Below, some favorites.

I love labels - I'm also a hyper type A who, as a child, used to organize her playmate's toys. True story. But even if you aren't diagnosably OCD, you still need to know what you put in that box, don't you? Try using these - you'll love being organized again.









If you haven't yet picked up your calendar, first, you are NOT an organized person. You probably need a calendar. Second, you're in luck. There are some great options left:













And finally, no they're not on sale, but I can't stay away from the marvelous patterned papers. I use them to line drawers, in albums, and when economic times are less than ideal (wonder when that would be...) I'll put the same paper in multiple frames and display as a wall hanging. It looks lovely, and costs... as much as the paper. A cheap mini makeover. Wouldn't these be gorgeous on your walls?

Little Dutch Boy

A dear friend is having a baby in a few months, and I helped throw her a little shower this week. The expected is a boy, but the setting was decidedly feminine - the lovely Cafe Promenade at the Mayflower Hotel. I put together a table centerpiece with the dual goal of being appropriate to the surroundings (no little trucks or dinosaurs) without making baby boy feel, well, girly.

The Cafe Promenade has scenic wall murals, a large central chandelier, and a nested arrangement of booths and tables. I chose yellow and white tulips (gender neutral), and loosely arranged them in a group of vases. The vases were accented with blue and white toile pattern ribbon - the effect was dressy, but not prissy:

Flower (Staying) Power

The doorbell rings, you drop whatever you're doing and think: "it's probably the neighbor, the mailman, a salesman." Instead, there's a bouquet of flowers and your day is suddenly that much brighter. I was lucky enough to get a lovely bouquet this week, and almost as soon as I sat it out I thought how nice it would be to have flowers in every room. Why not? I pulled out several color groups from the larger bouquet, and distributed them around. Now my entire apartment looks and smells lovely. Try this yourself if you get a large arrangement and want it to go the extra mile.

The original bouquet:

A smaller floral grouping to brighten up the bathroom (in a drinking glass, no less. I ran out of vases, but a glass will do in a pinch):

Lilies can perfume any room - a bedroom side table is an especially lovely place for an arrangement:

Winter White

If you live in the South, "Winter White" is something you're more likely to see on a clothing tag than on the ground. But it's a beautiful look for decorating, and easily done on the cheap. Like black, a good basic neutral hides a multitude of sins (and scrimping and saving). Go for quantity, not quality.

Here are some examples from my own files. I layered white, cream, silver, and crystal. It's a great look for a bedroom: comfortable and soothing at the same time. The coral is a touch of nature, but the arrangement with silver keeps it basic, not beach-y.

Here's what a few dabs of paint can do. I filled in the amoire doors with the same paint as the walls. It instantly created a cohesive look, and the cost? Nada. The pillows and picture frame are IKEA, the photo I took myself of cherry blossoms in spring:

Spring Fling

“October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February.” - Mark Twain

The economy is as precipitous as the weather; time for some sunshine. Skies gray? Wear yellow. Ground brown? Try some cream and tan - it's just one shade away from summer sand. The best part: with these inexpensive picks, everyone will be too busy basking in your glow to notice that your assets aren't frozen:

New York and Company top, $24.99

















And a great bag: Gap, $49.50

















Anne Klein, via Piperlime, $79

Cheap and Chic Decor? Try Groceries.

Decorating with nature - or in this case the produce aisle. A lovely (and inexpensive) arrangement of lime on an Abigail Adams table in the White House's green room, Christmas 2005.