Everyone needs a designer friend....

Lucky lucky! My designer friend Mary is really bored and looking to practice her interior design skills... Do I have projects for her! Starting in the bedroom. Here are some pictures of awesome bedrooms. What do you think?

So you want to make a hot-dish but you're out of cream soup...

Don't despair... you can make your own. Not as crazy as it sounds if you have some stock around. I have no idea who this Tammy is, and didn't follow the recipe to the letter, but it worked! And the super trick was adding the frozen peas right into the creamy soupy mix before pouring it on the ground beef and then packing it with tots. Still some in the fridge. Nothing wrong with a 9:43 pm snack. Mmmmm 9:43 pm snaaaaack.

Yo! Go to this Show!

If you are looking for something to do after thrifting, check out the last day of this amazing show at Form + Content Gallery by artist Christine Baeumler. She's a genius.

almost free book shelves AND....

They are invisible....
I also like the idea of using something to make something to hold similar somethings!
Image above from this posting about bookshelves.

PARK(ing) Day Twin Cities

Let's face it. sometimes we shop because we are bored, have an extra half an hour and no other good ideas. Here's one: PARK(ing) Day Twin Cities this Friday September 17th. "Originally created by Rebar, San Francisco art and design collective, PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks." And here is a quick video.

Time for a Clothing Swap?

This is not your average clothing swap (which is fantastic in and of itself, more on swaps to come). At this one they have people showing you how to do minor alterations and have the sewing machines, etc. to do it?? Amazing.

You know they are all talking to each other. But what are they saying?

Reusing thrift store finds...

 
For those of you itchin' to thrift here is an article on what to do with what you find.

Have you ever heard of...

Paperback Swap? You post whatever book or audio-book you would like to swap, and when someone requests it you send it out and then take your pick from their titles. Great way to get rid of stuff and get stuff at the same time!

Also take a look at this Smart Money article on how to save on books or this somewhat out of date article on swapping.

no more plastic bins

How many plastic storage container type items have you purchased, at Target or elsewhere, trying to get your proverbial s.h.i.t. in one p.i.l.e. I've bought too many. The reality is you can't organize clutter (where did I hear that?) Time to get rid of some stuff. And then maybe turn my office/dressingroom/husband's office into...... this! I love how the storage is at the sides, and there is a big worktable in the middle. And I want to eat the wallpaper. Or whatever delicious chocolate walls it must surely be covering. This image from Unplggd.

Addicted to before-and-afters...

I'm always thinking about redoing some room at home but too broke and energyless to actually do it. So I look at a lot of before and afters online to get my fix-on. Here is a great, CHEAP, Target-free home office set-up for a small space from Re-Nest.

(written the next morning)... did you notice all of the comforting round shapes, could they be a mental replacement for those nice round signs at the end of the Target aisles?

Make your own cleaning supplies (aka Damn You Mrs. Meyer!)

Yes, I would rather get some of that awesome Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day sh$%t but even before the no-more-Target thing, it was out of my price range. Except for one bottle that I use when I clean off my desk - and at this rate (once every six months) its going to last a while. But what about the filthy kitchen floor? (and why won't it clean itself?) Try some of these non-toxic cheap cleaning recipes.

I'm not dead yet

Well, since I can't sleep because of my Fair Affliction, I thought about making one of these cell phone charging thingys http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/07/22/diy-make-a-cell-phone-charging-station-from-an-old-bottle/... but then realized, even in a near diabetic coma, that I would need a more custom rig to fit my power source location... stay tuned and be AMAZED!

Revenge of the Fair

2 corn dogs, a bag of mini donuts, cheese curds (deep fried), half of a piece of frozen cheesecake (dipped in chocolate), 2 beers, 1 lemonade, a Zantac (thanks Kim), and a white russian assembled near the milk booth and 2 hours later my body is having its own version of Regretsy. The Minnesota State Fair will kill you if you aren't careful. The blood is still pooling around my stomach, along with a whole lot of congealed something something. Did I find inspiration for a new creative project? No, but I did take my own gluttony to surprising and new levels. I'm tempted to draw some kind of parallel between Target withdrawl and packing my gullet full of fried-stick-borne food. Instead I'm just happy we have Tums, a lot of toilet paper, and Fizzy water. Otherwise I'd be thinking about going you know where... (pic of prize wining pig from http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmcnab/)

A totally different strategy...living IN Target instead of without Target...

ok, i don't know if this guy is for real but he does raise the point that for some reason, Target seems like a nice place to be - and it's even better, if, like him, you help yourself to the chips...and apparently some khaki's and a red shirt. Guy's gotta have a uniform if he's going to stay all day.

Did you know that September is National Coupon Month?!

Huh. Well, now that you know, here's where to find information about coupons. Everything you ever wanted to know. Really. Probably more than you wanted to know. I love a coupon but always forget to bring them, or am so proud of myself for having one and then get to the checkout and it's expired.

Check this out...

An article on alternatives to big-box shopping. The article has some helpful ideas suggestions like shopping at Costco, Kmart, dollar stores, CVS...

One of the problems they say is that it takes longer to not shop at big boxes. Is that true?

My theory is that when you have to think about where you can find something that you used to get at Target, you might realize that you either don't need it, or can get it someplace that you were going anyway. All of the other Target merchandise is pretty non-essential - and the time it takes to explore other kinds of stores for clothing and housewares is much more pleasurable and interesting. For example, WTF is this??? From our friends at Regretsy.

The State Fair as an alternative to Target???

Visit the Art Building and the Creative Buildings and get some great ideas for new projects - get your design fix, and be inspired by the amazing detail that goes into something handmade.  DON'T MISS THE CROP ART! Talk about texture and pattern. Mmmmmm seeeeeds.... love this one about the insane Michelle Bachmann by Kimberly Cope.

Do you feel lucky? How are you with crowds?

 

Check out Value Village's Labor Day Sale. Not for the meek. Get there early and maybe bring a tough friend to block for you. I'm crowd averse and will be staying away - plus VV's normal prices and weekly specials are pretty damn good. But it is tempting... very very tempting...

Pic from a Value Village Shopper and Her Dogs... find that pup at a Target!

pic by Bridgett Wagener McNulty

Value Village... so close and yet so far

I love Value Village in Richfield. A good friend introduced me to their lowevenforanonprofitshop prices. The problem is that there is no good way to get to Richfield from St. Paul. Unless you have a helicopter. And that just seems a wasteful way to travel unless you are headed for an Emergency Room.

The White Bear Ave. Value Village is a good alternative but without the amazing collection of clothing. So... it's not a drop by place for me - but a good excuse to tag along with a friend (Ms. S. G.) and spend a couple of hours there.

 

Confessions of a Former Target Shopper

Yes, there were times I found myself at Target and I didn't really need anything. Well, maybe some yogurt or milk or something, but really, did I really need to go to Target for that? I liked seeing the new designery stuff - the Liberty line (love really Liberty fabric but who were they trying to fool with the nylon Target stuff, ick... but the desk items were lovely...) and would breeze past the endsoftheaisles where the super cheap sale stuff was tucked. That's how you wind up spending $40.00 instead of 3$ if you got the yogurt at a (gasp) grocery store... btw: this is the necklace I found for Ms. C.A.C...

New Shoze from Second Debut 2

Who knew not shopping at Target would be so much fun!

Hi All! I'll be blogging about how much fun it is to boycott Target. Two weeks ago I finally decided enough was enough and wanted to share some great Twin Cities alternatives to the ubiquitous bulls-eye.

First stop! Second Debut 2... Goodwill's boutique for higher-end second hand clothes - newly opened in St. Paul on University and Fairview. Helpful staff, great clothes. You will pay more than at Goodwill for sure, but its easy to wander in and wander out  and they have some good sales. Found some comfy back to school shoes and a brown plaid dress that fit (miracle of miracles). Had a great time chatting with one of the "selectors" (person who wades through all of the stuff that comes into Goodwill looking for that random pair of Donald Pliner shoes...) and a clerk and found a great necklace for my good pal Carrie. Stop by this weekend for their "girlfriend sale" - bring in a girlfriend get 20% off. (they said if you don't have one they will find you one...)