A Potted-Plant Potluck

Posted by Bluelines

Ideal for city-dwellers and garden neophytes, here's some easy and out-of-the-box (er pot) ideas from our favorite gardener.

Complete Your Magazine Library

Many of you have expressed an interest in back issues of Blueprint magazine.  The issues available for purchase are Summer 2006 (No.1), Fall 2006 (No.2), March/April 2007 (No.3), May/June 2007 (No.4), July/August 2007 (No.5), September/October 2007 (No.6) and November/December (No.7) and January/February 2008 (No.8).

To order, please call toll-free 1-877-747-1050.

Single issues are $3.50 (plus $2 shipping and handling.) To purchase all eight issues, the price is $16 (plus $4 shipping and handling.) Shipping is available to U.S. customers only.

Brand New Blue

Posted by Bluelines

As promised, Bluelines has undergone a facelift (the fun kind). It might seem subtle but we've made some big additions. Here's a rundown of what's new.

If they're not already drawn there immediately, direct your eyes upward and you'll see six cool new banners by the incredibly talented artist Keith Shore. (More about him later.) We'll be rotating the artist behind our banners every month so if you'd like to be considered or want to suggest someone, please email us.

We've got a new list of contributors who'll be blogging about what inspires them, makes them laugh, and generally makes them weak in the knees. There are a few familiar faces, and a couple of new ones sprinkled in. We hope you come to like them all.

On the top left, we've tweaked our navigation, so play around with it and discover the archived treasures that lie within. Here, you'll find all of the previous Bluelines posts archived.

Navigation button No. 10 deserves a paragraph of its own. We've created a source book full of our favorite websites, blogs, artists, and resources. Here you'll also find all of Blueprint's beloved 100 Reasons To...  -- which contain a bevy of links, facts, and inspiration. We'll be adding to that list constantly, so check back often.

You'll also notice that we've created home tours of our favorite Blueprint features. Take a virtual tour of Suzanna Bierwith's Chicago row house, and watch as Sarah Humphreys's tiny Manhattan apartment goes from claustrophobic to chic. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also rife with great decorating tips and ideas to steal. And, of course, we'll be adding more of them.

New ideas, a new look, and new contributors -- we hope that's what you've been hankering for.

Just some of what's to come

Best Of Bluelines

Posted by Blueprint

While we're looking forward to our retooled blog, we've also been looking back at the posts over the past year. Here are just a few of our favorite posts:

120 Days Later

Too Much Of A Cute Thing

A Madman In The Heath

Creative Currents

The Writing's On The Wall

How Swede It Is

Go Ahead Jump

Making My Case

Ottoman Empire

Studio Tour: Binth

Family Trees

The Art Of Reduction

Do you have any favorite posts?

Blueprint's Legacy

Posted by Blueprint

We're so glad to see that you're excited about the new additions to the blog come March. And now we have another announcement: As of Friday February 29th, the Blueprint main page on MarthaStewart.com will cease to exist. It sounds intense, but here's what it means: If you come to Bluelines via blueprintmag.com, or through the Blueprint channel on MarthaStewart.com, please bookmark the blog's main page so you can come back. You can also still get to Bluelines via our Community and Blogs pages. (And all of those nice people's blogs who've linked to us.)

We know it's a little bit rough, so before anyone freaks out, please rest assured that all of your beloved Blueprint content will still be available online -- in fact, we've listed all the ways to find it below.

Home & Decorating

Take a peek at home ideas -- great and small with a Blueprint twist.

Also don't miss our Organizing Tip of the Day

Crafts

You'll find great DIY jewelry (a la Katie),  Page's flat-screen tv cozy, and our Craft of the Day (which includes many Blueprint ideas)

Entertaining

Find all of the Blueprint party menus, to-do lists, playlists and prep stuff here

Food

Blueprint recipes -- from soup to well nuts (...like Blueprint's roasted almonds)

roasted almonds

soup recipes

Health

Need ideas for a healthy & quick breakfast?  Want to take up jogging? Need a new makeup palette? Look no further.

and lastly...

Simply type "Blueprint" in our SEARCH box on MarthaStewart.com or any page to be directed to those great blue ideas in the sky.

*But most importantly, come here for your daily "blue" content.

Presidents' Day Fun!

Posted by Blueprint

How could you manage to learn the names of all the presidents of the United States, and the years they held office?

That's the question that this website proposes, and frankly we like their laissez-faire attitude. However they go on to show you just how you could manage to learn all of the presidents' names by changing "each name into an interesting visual image."

This sort of incredibly elaborate and confusing memory device seems harder to us than just plain 'ol memorizing -- which is why it's the perfect fodder for a drinking game. When you dishonor a president by misremembering the memory device, you drink.

Would fighting your way through the mall for some holiday sales be more in keeping with the spirit of the day? We think Chester Alan Arthur (the 22nd president) would prefer our way of celebrating.

Spelling Out Hidden Desires

Posted by Blueprint

If you're going the traditional boxed chocolates route for V-day, consider putting a personal spin on the gesture by making a customized candy box. It's a quick project that does double duty as a gift and a card rolled into one.

Chocolate = eternal love

How-to instructions after the jump>>

Make It A Really, Really Super Tuesday

Posted by Blueprint

We know that sometimes it feels like your little voice can't be heard over the roar of the crowd, but we firmly believe that everyone should speak up for what they believe in. If you're eligible please get to the polls and encourage everyone around you to do the same. Vote!

Hang-Up Job

Posted by Blueprint

If you're at all like us, you're a hotel toiletry kleptomaniac who can't resist slipping every mini bottle of suds into your carry-on. When you arrive home, you carefully add the new additions to your arsenal of bath products (cleanser/scrub/lotion/miracle-in-a-bottles that are picked up every week), which dutifully line your sink, toilet tank, and bathtub like little soldiers. Just us? Well, we came up with a quick, easy way to keep all of your potions at hand while keeping them out of the way.

Wire hanging basket organizer

Keep reading for instructions.

January Jumpstart: Extended!

Posted by Blueprint

The deadline for the January Jumpstart contest has been extended to today! So you’ve still got time (today to be exact) to tackle a small project. Here are some more ideas from the Blueprint archives.

Chain Suspended Shelf
Conjure the stylish illusion of a space-saving suspended shelf.

Chain suspended shelf (Jan/Feb 2007)

Pot Holders

Posted by Blueprint

When Erika Knight’s latest book Classic Knits At Home (released earlier this month) entered our office the weather was frigid and Christmas poinsettias were the only flowers in sight. So when we cast our wind burnt eyes on this...

Reprinted from Classic Knits at Home by Erika Knight Copyright © 2008.  Published by Potter Craft, a division of Random House, Inc.

Reprinted from Classic Knits at Home by Erika Knight Copyright © 2008.  Published by Potter Craft, a division of Random House, Inc.

...we became inspired. The choice of flowers and their arrangement is exquisite – yet casual – which struck us as very Blueprint. Not only are these knitted plant pot covers a wonderful way to turn your trusty terracotta standbys into something infinitely more interesting, they’re also fairly easy to make. Slip one around a store bought plant and you’ve got a personal, handmade housewarming gift.

Ottoman Empire: How To Make An Ottoman

Posted by Blueprint

Ottomans -- those lumpy footstools most often associated with the title sequence of The Dick Van Dyke Show (he trips over one) -- have become a sort of decorating punch line. They just can't seem to shake their fusty, '70s living room set reputation. The first step to overcoming their burnt sienna corduroy roots is to choose a modern graphic pattern. The second step is to make them versatile. So we created an easy-to-make ottoman from two floor cushions (which can still be used on their own), and then added wheels for mobility.

Our thoroughly modern ottoman

January Jumpstart: Inspiration & Ideas

Posted by Blueprint

In gearing up for the January Jumpstart contest we’re holding with Apartment Therapy, we'd like to point out some great resources straight from the pages of Blueprint. If you're thinking about wallpapering a small space, a piece of furniture, or using it as a decorative motif, you’ll want to bone up on the techniques and refreshing ideas from our July/August story, The Cutting Room. Our How To Install Wallpaper guide is a must-read if you’re looking for stellar tips and exciting sources for waking up your walls – or anything else you want to plaster with graphic paper.

Create the illusion of a chair rail by applying two differently patterned wallpapers

Hanging Art With Ellen Hanson

Posted by Blueprint

Don't call Ellen Hanson an interior designer -- she prefers the "old-fashioned" ring of 'decorator.' Excluding her preferred title, there's nothing antiquated about her decorating. We've admired Ellen's work for a long time and are particularly awed by her beautifully unexpected compositions of art for her clients, and herself. Hanging art is a great way to add color and unity to a room, but when done haphazardly it can be distracting, disjointed, and a plain ol eyesore. (No surprise then, that it’s what home experts cite as one of the biggest decorating mistakes they see.) So we asked Ellen how she composes an arrangement and what her tips are for hanging art.

Ellen's living room composition

January Jumpstart: Making Pillows

Posted by Blueprint

Well, the first project for the January Jumpstart contest has been announced on Apartment Therapy. AT's own Laure is going to make pillows for her Danish modern sofa. We can't wait to see what fabric she chooses -- we're sure it will give the sofa a dramatic face-lift.

Laure's project

In her post, Laure mentioned two fabric websites she's been eyeing for the makeover and we couldn't resist chiming in with some of our favorite sources.
Marimekko (Which is where you can find the fabric swatch posted on Blueprint's main page.)
Reprodepot Fabrics
Mood Fabrics
Of the Young and the Restless
John Robshaw
Hable Construction
Virginia Johnson
Madeline Weinrib
Denyse Schmidt
Just Scandinavian
Julia Rothman

Also, be sure to check out the newly posted January Jumpstart schedule which also outlines the categories in which we will be judging each entry. Have you entered yet?

Collecting: Vintage Spoons

Posted by Blueprint

It's a given that Blueprint's contributing style editor, Scott Horne, has impeccable taste. (He also has a wicked sense of humor.) His discerning eye (along with those of our incredibly talented home department) was a large part of what made the pages of Blueprint frame-worthy. So when Scott endorses something, we listen.

One day Scott brought in a tiny silver spoon that he found at a flea market to add to his collection. We found it surprising that such an aesthetically evolved person would have a collection of silverwear, especially since most spoon collections seem to consist of kitschy commemorative spoons found in gift shops. Scott's spoons are art objects in and of themselves -- all unique, handmade, and slightly bent from use -- and laid on a stack of papers, one tiny spoon would make an unusually handsome paperweight. But of course, Scott had already styled the spoons in a more interesting way. He arranged the spoons in vintage bowls, put them in a wooden box that sits on his coffee table, and added a fork and simple metal objects -- a horn, ring, etc. -- to complete the arrangement. We thought it looked too beautiful not to share.

Scott's spoon collection sits artfully arranged on his coffee table

Collecting is a passion of many Blueprint-ers and Martha Stewart staffers. We find collecting to be a very personal hobby -- learning what objects someone obsesses over can be very revealing. What do you collect?

A Tale of 12 Kitchens

Posted by Erin, Staff Writer

Beard on Books, is a wonderful series of lunch time talks (free for students, donations recommended for working stiffs) with James Beard-endorsed authors and two weeks ago I slipped out of the office to attend. The speaker I went to see was Jake Tilson, an artist, culinary explorer, and -- since October 2006 -- cookbook author. His book A Tale of 12 Kitchens (available through Amazon) is more of a gastronimical and visual exploration than a cooking directive. As an artist and graphic designer, Tilson photographed and designed the book himself and it has the look of a personal diary. While there are recipes, the book is a photographic celebration of food and family -- as Tilson said at the talk, "The graphic landscape of food has always fascinated me." Here are a few ideas from the book that I particularly loved.

Since Tilson was young, he has been making food diaries with his family that include pictures of meals (what's on the plate and who's gathered at the table), food wrappers and packaging, cards from restaurants, and recipes. It's an inventive approach to a travel diary (and also includes the normal things like ticket stubs, fliers, etc), and I'm planning on making one for the next trip I take.

A collage from a trip to New York

Tilson and I share a lust for food packaging. I have bottles of balsamic vinegars, spices, and canned goods that I'll never use because I was interested in the packaging rather than the product. Tilson has pages of his favorite food packaging in the book (we share many in common) and he takes it a step further by filling suitcases full of food when he travels. (This has become more problematic since the new flight restrictions were put in place.)

Musings on the beauty of food packaging

In addition to taking all the photos in the book, and laying it out himself, Tilson specially created some of his own fonts -- how very Blueprint! For a chapter on Tuscany he created a font from the script on a can of tomatoes, and for a chapter about Scotland he took pictures of street signs and created an alphabet from them.

A collage from a trip to Scotland

Personally, I'm not big on travel gifts for everyone I know but I loved Tilson's gift to friends after his annual summer visit to Tuscany. He trims herbs -- bay, rosemary, thyme -- wraps them nicely in a sheet of La Repubblica and mails them as soon as he returns home. I'd prefer fresh herbs over a postcard any day!

Guest Appearances

Posted by Elizabeth, Beauty, Health & Fitness Editor

Before I blog on, I want to thank all the loyal Blueprint and Bluelines readers. The outpouring of support here and elsewhere is amazing.

Times are changing: the dollar may be tanking, Britney isn't "well," and, well, enough of that end of the year speculation -- let's talk about partying instead! After all, 'tis the season of revelry, and that means parties, which means hostess gifts -- hopefully good ones. Here are some hostess gifts that I've given, and a few that I've been very happy to receive.

Fresh Petit soap

Fresh's Petit soaps always make a nice hostess gift. They're beautiful on their own, but Fresh also makes great ceramic accessories. A soap presented on one of their dishes (and simply wrapped with a ribbon) feels special and costs no more than a decent bottle of wine. Another idea: A friend of mine, an avid antique collector, once gave me a vintage hand-held mirror with two linen hand towels. It was really thoughtful, and she said she "always just keeps things like that on hand for this reason."€ I wish I had half her planning skills.

Origins Organics organic cotton tote

And then there are hostess gifts that are fun to assemble and give. As Sarah Humphreys recently mentioned on the MARTHA show, I once gave her a hostess "day after" kit. I used a basic white canvas bag (inexpensive and ubitquitous these days), but check out this new one from Origins Organics: On one side it reads, "I'm Re-User Friendly" while the other reads, "I don't get wasted" (a nice paradox for the hostess of a cocktail party). I filled the bag with fresh bagels, good spreads, orange juice, and some sweets -- all the elements of a good breakfast -- as well as a few hangover cures. The trick is to keep the refrigerated offerings small, so they fit neatly in a party food-filled fridge. Offer to place those items in the fridge yourself -- the hostess will already have her hands full.

All that remains of my caviar

The last gift is something that was given to me, and not holiday specific, but it stays in my mind after several years. When I moved into my own apartment in NYC, my godmother and a friend came over bearing a tin of caviar, blinis, crème fraiche, and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. It was such an over-the-top treat for a not-so-over-the-top setting: My new place was cute (postage-stamp tiny) and charming (nice moldings coated in 75 years of paint). But we had the best time eating and drinking while surrounded by unpacked boxes. We talked about all the grand possibilities of the place. And let's face it, drinking pricey champagne has a funny way of making you believe anything is possible. Today, I still have the caviar tin, which I now store earrings in.

Do you have a good hostess gift idea that you've given or received?

We're So Gifted: Part II

 

   Posted by Johannah, Associate Fashion Editor

I have a small -- okay huge -- obsession with Bob Dylan. Something about the harmonica in his songs really appeals to me, so much so that I am now teaching myself how to play: I bought a beginners' book and harmonica a few months ago and am working my way through it.

Dylan and his mouth harp

I’ve enjoyed it so much that I plan on giving my brother, who is an enormous music fan, the same thing in his stocking. It’s a small, unexpected, fun gift, and it’s never too late to learn something new.

Not-So-Tough Cookies

   Posted by Sarah, Editor In Chief

My friend Gigi was visiting from Boston the other weekend and the only thing she wanted to do while in NYC was make the holiday cookies in our November/December issue. OK, I exaggerate. That’s the only thing either of us wanted to do. It was a two-part plan: First we hit up the fabulous New York Cake Supplies store in Chelsea, where we each left with $150 worth of sanding sugar, cookie spritzes, silpat silicone mats, and tiny offset spatulas. Then we headed to my apartment and set up shop.

No, you do not need all of these supplies to make the cookies -- we just went crazy.

Four hours and lots of dough-rolling later, we had dozens of bite-size confections. While not as impeccable as those made by Jodi Levine, the very talented Martha Stewart Living editor who cooked up the ideas for our issue, they were pretty cute. All thanks to Gigi, who is the epitome of Diligence and Determination. (I myself sunk into the role of sous chef.)

Yum!

The sugar-cookie recipe was spot-on and the techniques are truly doable -- especially if you heed the advice of two weekend bakers who had to make a few mistakes before we got them right.

1. Read the cookie-spritz package carefully. We mistakenly bought $30 battery-operated models, and they didn’t work. At all. Old-fashioned manual is the way to go.
2. To prevent the stained-glass cookies from bleeding (you’ll see a few bloody first attempts above), place pebble-size chunks of Jolly Ranchers in the center of the cookie opening. After 90 seconds -- no more! -- they’ll melt and pool outward. (Smaller bits of candy burn too quickly.)

3. Silpat is a lifesaver, because the dough doesn’t stick to it, but the silpat sticks to the countertop. I will never again roll out dough without it.
4. Gel food coloring is intense. You need only one drop to tint a small ball of dough. Otherwise you’ll end up with Play-Doh dough (see above). My fault!

Petal Power

Posted by Milano, Editorial Assistant

Five years ago, I wouldn’t haven been caught dead in anything lower than a 3.3-inch heel. I walked/ran/danced/lived in them. Any discomfort was deemed “necessary” (à la eyebrow tweezing and bikini waxing) -- strutting on stilts was just the way it was going to be. Well, times have changed. These days, I’m lucky if I can hobble in and out of a taxi on wimpy 2.5 inchers -- which, I might add, I reserve for cocktail parties, weddings, and the rare no-holds-barred night on the town. Even in those mini heels, I can only stand for a half-hour before I begin whining and scanning the room for a leaning post. Which is why it was a magical day when Foot Petals, cushion inserts that (sort of) resemble flower petals, entered my life (and my party shoes). There’s a style for the heel (to keep it from slipping off with every step), for the balls of the feet (where those sad callouses have formed), for the areas where unforgiving straps cut into your skin, and for the entire foot (ball-to-heel relief). Now hours can go by before I even remember that I’m wearing heels. Whoever said “No pain, no gain” needs to put some foot petals in their dancing shoes.

Tiger Tip Toes

Pop It Like It’s Hot

Posted by Shira, Editorial Assistant, Art

When I wake up, most of the Eastern Seaboard is still sound asleep in their cozy beds. So when I'm ready to ship out and start my two-hour commute, I don't want to think about, well, anything. I used to worry that the lid of my coffee container (holding precious Tazo Chai with vanilla creamer) would flip off and leave me either scalded or stained, but I’ve discovered a spill-proof holder for my bevy: OXO Good Grips LiquiSeal Travel Mug. One click of a button and my coffee is suctioned shut; another click and I'm tossing back my java. I can fill up this bad boy, toss it in my bag, and not worry about which way it lands. I do miss having a handle and the option of cleaning the mug in the dishwasher, but I think it’s a small price to pay since I’m no longer nursing minor burns or washing out my bag. Plus, it comes in an array of great colors.

 

Shira-tested, we're not sure if it's mother-approved

Doodles, Revealed

Posted by Milano, Editorial Assistant

Doodlers, pay attention! We received your mid-meeting/lecture/conference scribbles and passed them on to handwriting expert Michelle Dresbold, as promised. Here are her comments (listed below each submission), along with our doodlers' identities.

“This doodler is female because her eye has lot of long, full lashes -- a sure sign of feminine flirtation and appreciation of glamour and beauty. The cloud here reveals that this person has an inner self and an outer self that are not always on the same page (so to speak!). For example, the cloud is smiling, but the tear like raindrops make it look like it’s crying. This person, therefore, is probably a combination of happy and sad—putting on a happy face, perhaps, but harboring sadness within.”

Deanna Lagunas, of Austin, TX, says: "She’s definitely correct. Reading the analysis made me choke up a little bit."

“From the unicorn, the stars, and what looks like Saturn, I can see that this doodler (who could be male or female) is a nonconformist with a vivid imagination and an appetite for fantasy. (S)he doesn’t really 'fit in' but enjoys not being mainstream.”

Sami Kelsh, of Ontario, Canada, says: "That is pretty spot on. If I'm any judge of my
own character, it fits me to a T!"

“This doodler is female. She is very artistic—might even be a designer. She loves to dream and doesn’t like to be confined, which his why she responds to nature and spending time in the outdoors. Even though there are flowers, this person loves animals, I just know it. Most of all, this individual has quite a positive outlook on life and strives to spread happiness and joy.”

"Wow: I am a graphic designer who enjoys being in nature. And every time I see a dog on the street, I stop to say hello. I do my best to keep a positive outlook," says Tiffany Powell of Los Angeles.

“Either male or female, this person keeps a lot hidden. The mirror suggests the act of looking in the mirror, but normally when you look in the mirror you see your face. There’s no face here -- just a dress, shoes, a pot (of gold?), a heart, a skull, and a crown -- so what exactly is the image in the mirror? We don’t know, and neither does the doodler. This is someone who is looking in a mirror and questioning what the reflection staring back is: Good? Bad? Beautiful? Ugly? This person is very secretive even with him or herself.”

"The expert is dead on. I didn’t even realize my issues came out in my doodling. I am totally impressed!" says Jamie Nichols of Houston, TX.

Tried & True

Posted by Valerie, Senior Editor

There's little that's more gratifying than hearing about how people pull ideas from Blueprint and adapt them to fit their own homes, lifestyles, and dinner tables. (Well, there's also payday, but still, sometimes this is better.) Here are a few outstanding examples of our readers' creative reuse.

The first comes to us from Maria at Port2Port Press. She took inspiration from the beaker-turned-water-decanter in "Company Perks," our office-organizing story from the September/October 2007 issue, and set up her own stylish rehydration station in her letterpress studio.

 

Maria and her new Erlenmeyer flask for water

(Maria happily reports that all her workday dry spells have subsequently been doused.)

Then we heard from Lori Cannava of New York City: "I wanted to thank Blueprint for the awesome "100 Reasons to Hit the Road" July/August suggestion for staying at the Shady Dell in Bisbee, AZ. I went on a cross-country trip from Orlando, FL, to Los Angeles, CA, and made a detour to stay at the Shady Dell, and I could not have been happier! The owner is lovely, the site is precious, and the town of Bisbee could not have been cuter. My friend and I had way too much fun taking pictures in front of our tiny 1952 Airstream trailer."

 

"Other places that we found and love: The Austin Motel is a vintage motel with themed rooms and a great pool. Hotel Brunswick, in Kingman, AZ, off Route 66, offers a $35 cowgirl room that has no frills, but is a major deal on a legendary road. Supposedly, the restaurant inside the hotel is terrific -- it's just not open on Saturdays! However, Mr. D's diner is open, and only one block away. It's a classic throwback with Elvis and Marilyn strewn over every surface. They serve great eggs and even whip up a mean chocolate shake at 9 in the morning."

Meanwhile, in Baltimore, Anne Ditmeyer went back to our Fall 2006 wine-tasting party story for ideas on throwing her own. She dished about the bash on her blog, Pret A Voyager: "Last year Blueprint magazine had a great article on throwing your own wine-tasting party -- it's really much easier than it looks. The article had lots of great suggestions (like using a craft paper tablecloth and making wine-stain place markers) and provided wonderful inspiration for my very own wine tasting -- with a twist. I'm a travel nut, so my well-traveled guests were assigned to bring a bottle from a country or region they had visited, instead of a particular type of wine. And besides the hodgepodge of thrift store glassware, most of the other dishes I used had been picked up on various travels. We found that it's possible to travel vicariously through wine."

Anne's picture-perfect party spread.

Next, Adelaide Fives of New York's In Good Company used a trick from our May/June cover story, "It Takes 2", in her office. She says: "My partner and I recently launched a flexible workspace for women business owners in New York. We had never decorated an office before, but knew how important the décor and feel of the space would be for our clients. We really wanted to have an open work space, but also give people some sense of privacy. We looked forever and hated every cube/traditional desk that we saw. Then you published the issue of Blueprint with the white desks and plexiglas divider, and my partner and I instantly thought, 'That's it!'"

The desks in situ at In Good Company

"Everyone who comes through the space asks who our interior designer was and tells us how gorgeous it all looks! The plexiglas is turning out to be the perfect look and solution," Fives says.

Also in New York, Gabrielle at DesignMom took on an extensive porch makeover inspired by our May/June version, and the results are breathtaking.

The porch, before

The porch, after

With the help of her husband, Ben, she -- deep breath! -- removed the screen; painted the door green and the handle and knocker silver; replaced the overgrown shrubs with plants from other parts of the yard that needed more room to breathe; swapped the old porch light for a modern fixture from Ikea ("It hangs lower and adds more welcoming light as you approach the house," she says); bought a shiny, red Swedish mailbox to add a little more pop; installed a new doorbell and house numbers; and added some terra cotta pots with warm, colorful flowers. Nice work, Gabrielle!

Finally, we picked our favorite submission from the "What's the most inventive thing you've ever framed?" contest, and here's the winner:

Caroline Duke of Oklahoma City used a wire in her frame to clip up some images, and rested other objects on the frame's ledge. She says: "I've got a tendency to snatch up old frames from my grandma's garage but never know quite what to do with them. I figured this was a nice alternative to a bulletin board and a pretty way to display the things that inspire me. I just tacked some wire to the back and used alligator clips to hang the pretty stuff."

Caroline's frame

Thanks, Caroline! And thanks to all the others who sent in beautiful framing ideas!

If you've been inspired by Blueprint, don't be shy! Please share your tips, travels, and projects by e-mailing us. 

I Love Lamp

Posted by Erin, Staff Writer

The overhead lights in my place are so garish that I prefer never, ever to switch them on. I’ve got a pretty good assortment of low-watt mood lighting that keeps my garden apartment (affectionately nicknamed 'the hobbit hole') in a perpetual state of cozy. It's the sort of light in which everyone looks good, but no one can read, and this is the opposite of my priorities. When attempts to score a cool lamp on eBay proved futile, I decided to call up my friend John Babcock. John is a collector at heart: He can't let anything -- especially something that can be made functional -- go to waste. He and his girlfriend, Kirsten, have transformed their apartment with stuff they've found digging through estate sales in Pennsylvania and on the city streets, which they then fix up.

John has a huge stockpile of parts pulled from old lamps, as well as an incredible eye for what has lamp potential; He's made stunning lamps out of a 1970s acrylic ice bucket, and an old crock pot. Next up is an industrial space heater.

John's 'ice cube' lamp, fashioned from a '70s ice bucket

 

When I came over for my lamp-making lesson, John pulled out a bunch of bases for me to choose from. He also showed me a metal canister -- purchased for $1 -- that he thought might make a nice shade. Kirsten suggested lining some leftover radiator sheeting with rice paper as an alternative. I promptly became overwhelmed. Fortunately, John did most of the work, Kirsten played style consultant, and I took notes. Here are the basic steps:

1. Choose a base. It must be heavy enough to support the weight of the neck and shade. When my lamp started toppling over, we nixed the idea of a heavier base which looked too clunky. Instead, we loaded up the bolt on the inside of the base with heavy washers to weigh it down. John strongly suggests using purchased or found lamp parts to make things easier, especially if you're a first-time lamper.

John's collection of old bases

2. Choose a neck. This connects the base to the shade, and you run the wire through it, so it should be hollow. We chose an awesome old metal neck that was flexible -- important in a reading lamp.

3. Connect the base to the neck with a series of interlocking nuts. This is where using old lamp parts really helps, since they can generally screw together. John recommends taking the neck to a hardware store to size it correctly for nuts and washers.

We screwed the neck to the base and used a domed metal piece to hide any unsightly construction

4. Make a shade. Because the canister had a pattern that could be read in only one direction, we couldn't just turn it upside-down and use the top as the opening for the light to shine through. To cut out the bottom of the can, we (okay: John) drilled a hole through the center. (Be sure to use a drill bit that can go through metal.) Then, using tin snips, John cut the remaining metal out of the bottom and, using a very coarse sandpaper, I sanded down the edge so that we could install the wiring and light bulb without shredding our hands on a ragged metal edge. The shade is where you get to be the most creative, so take your time with it. There are some very creative ideas -- along with instructions -- on instructables.com.

The $1 canister

Snipping the bottom out of the can

5. Wire the shade. Because John is a genius, he wired the lamp himself. He already had all of the separate components on hand -- wire, a socket, a plug, and a (very cool) switch. Wiring is perhaps too involved to explain here, so I would recommend buying a socket (the thing you screw the light bulb into) that is already wired, or has a kit with instructions.  You can get them from most hardware and craft stores; check out Lowe's for parts, instructions, and expertise. {Please be very careful and keep in mind that wiring electrical circuits carries some risk if done incorrectly. If you are not entirely confident, take it to an expert!} From there you'll need to run the wire from the shade through to the neck and base. Connect the plug after running the wire through the neck, unless your neck is wide enough to accommodate the plug. (By the way, we drilled a hole through the side of the canister to screw it to the neck and run the wire through.)

The socket wired to the switch (on top of the lid)

6. Screw in a light bulb, plug it in, and let there be light!

My reading nook, illuminated

Not only does my lamp look really cool, but it allows me to sit on my couch and read into the wee hours. Thanks, John!

If you have a question for John, please contact him directly.

All Wound Up

 

   Posted by Valerie, Senior Editor

When we began developing the office decorating story that appears in our September/October issue, a conversation began regarding what to do with all the outdated business cards left over when you change jobs (or, lucky you, get a promotion). After tossing out a number of go-nowhere plans (disposable shot-glass coasters, lightweight travel dominoes -- some sketching required) and a few mediocre ones (travel organizers for stud earrings), I hit upon one idea that actually filled a need beyond “getting rid of these old business cards”: embroidery thread holders.

I’ve already mentioned that my current Farrah Fawcett project is not only way too elaborate but has also been under way for, literally, years; I don’t think I noted the DOZENS of floss colors that are required for this photorealistic piece. Fortunately, converting old business cards into embroidery floss spools provides instant, eyestrain-free gratification. I just trimmed narrow strips from the center of each long edge of the card (to keep the thread in place), slit each short end to hold the thread’s loose ends, and jotted down the color. I imagine you could even store these in some kind of Rolodex, although I haven’t tried it yet.

Have you come up with any interesting uses for old business cards? Tell us in the comments!

Doodle Do's

Posted by Milano, Editorial Assistant

While the smell of freshly sharpened pencils continues to thrill some people well into adulthood, for many just a whiff of a leaded number two is redolent with back-to-school dread. Severe sufferers of ISTSO (It Sucks That Summer is Over) Syndrome may even experience the following symptoms: dry-mouth, depression, excessive sweating, and uncontrollable doodling.  Doodling is a more creative way of saying, YeahYeah, I'm listening, in a sarcastic Ferris Bueller voice.  It's also a stellar way to make meetings and other work situations more bearable.  (I suggested drinking as an alternate boredom/stress reliever, but that didn't fly in the office.) Not even Blueprint staffers are above scribbling their way through meetings: you might remember the doodle decoder in our September/October issue. If not, click here for a recap.

Before speaking with Michelle Dresbold, co-author of Sex, Lies, and Handwriting: A Top Expert Reveals the Secrets Hidden in Your Handwriting (Free Press, 2006) for our Perimeter piece, I thought doodling was naughty and shameful -- a way of avoiding something potentially important. But Dresbold insists that the stars, house