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Six Household DIY Projects I’ll Probably Never Do

Maris Callahan — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 19:06:47 +0000

This month, Brad and I moved from our respective homes into the rear apartment in a big, beautiful old house in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Before this, I lived in a convertible studio in a downtown high rise (translation: beautiful apartment, minimal space) and Brad in a smaller apartment in a different big beautiful old house with his roommate of the better part of the last decade. Suffice to say, we have more space than we do stuff, so we don’t know what to do with a lot of the extra square footage. What we do know, is that both of us are filled with grandiose DIY ideas for how we’d like to fill said space. I love to buy pretty things and Brad loves woodworking and is excited about all of the different projects we’ve been scheming. It’s pretty much perfect. The thing is, we have some limitations. And I’m going to be blunt here: I’m one of those limitations. My creative ability and vision is decent, but my executional abilities are, well, lacking. As we’ve been crawling every corner of the web to look for ideas and inspiration, I keep finding things that, well, we’ll just never do. Now, I know, […]

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How-To: Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Maris Callahan — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 02:53:21 +0000

We’ve talked before about decorating your home for a holiday party, but once you’ve decked the halls, what do you do to prepare your home for guests? Though I don’t often host overnight guests, I do entertain frequently for dinner parties, birthdays, festive brunches and holiday dinners. At any dinner party, there are two rooms where your guests are guaranteed to be: the kitchen and the bathroom. Even if your living space is decorated to the nines, people tend to gravitate to the room where the food is and at some point, will pay a visit to the washroom — especially if spirited beverages are flowing. To ensure that your holiday celebration goes off without a hitch, Cottonelle, Kleenex, Scott and Viva products, available at Walmart via the Ibotta app, will help you prepare your home for any celebration, while letting family and friends feel the togetherness that comes with this time of year. Cottonelle, Kleenex, Scott and Viva have your household needs covered this holiday season and you can find these brands at Walmart, a one-stop shop for all your holiday preparation and entertaining needs. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party for holiday guests or planning to take the entertaining reins this year with […]

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Three Ways to Decorate Your Holiday Mantel

Maris Callahan — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 06:00:22 +0000

So you’ve hung your stockings by the chimney with care…but then what? If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, be it wood-burning or gas, take advantage of the festive focal point and let a mantel arrangements transform your fireplace into an eye-catching holiday sight. Many people opt to display Christmas cards on their holiday mantel, which is fun, but ’tis the season to be creative. Instead of sticking with the same old routine as you always do, make the focal point of your living room special this season. Go Glam Instead of using your mantel as a catch-all for everything Christmas related, like holiday cards from your neighbors back in 1992, pick a few of your favorite holiday decorations and use them to spruce up the space. If you love the sight and scent of fresh pine, drape the mantel in garland and scatter scented candles on each end. If Santa fills your stockings each year, let the family tradition complement your creative arrangement. Be Rustic If you’re planning on doing any holiday cookie baking, chances are you’ll have a surplus of cookie cutters to store until next year. Give your cookie cutters a little more shelf life and do as […]

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Decorating Your Home for a Holiday Party

Maris Callahan — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 06:00:08 +0000

Once you’ve decorated your holiday mantel, created your holiday centerpiece and created your holiday place settings for the dinner table, all you need to do is add a few simple touches to tie your home together in a festive way. Prepare your home for a holiday party, however simple or festive, with a few short steps. Deck the Powder Room. “Add holiday fingertip towels to the powder room along with pine scented candles,” said David Yates, interior designer and a member of the HomeAdvisor network. These small changes will make even the smallest spaces in your home feel cozy and festive. Add Seasonal Scents Add warm, seasonal scents to the home with candles, cinnamon sticks and fresh pine. If you’re in the artificial Christmas tree club, you can still make your home smell authentic. Take cue from our friends at First Home Love Life and boil in a medium sized pot: vanilla, apple cider, oranges, lemon, cranberries, cloves, cinnamon, rosemary and fresh Christmas tree or wreath stems (which you can pick up at a Christmas tree lot or craft shop). Go for Garland and Lights Two of the most inexpensive, low-effort ways to make your house festive and fun for the season are available at your local […]

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Mouth & Trousers: Vintage Inspired Posters

Maris Callahan — Sat, 23 May 2015 16:08:31 +0000

There are few things more depressing than blank, white walls. Sadly, when you rent a home, as is common in most big cities, painting is generally a no-go unless you agree to paint your walls back when you move. And when you’re about to move, painting a wall you’ll never see again is probably the absolute last thing you’ll want to do. When you can’t decide how to brighten up those naked, empty walls, that’s where Mouth & Trousers comes in. Created by our talented graphic designer Kristin Miaso and her equally talented copywriter Jenn Boston, Mouth & Trousers is a rad line of vintage inspired prints that will not only make you smile wide, but will really tie your room together. All posters are 24 inches by 36 inches, which is a standard poster size perfect for framing in your kitchen, den or dining room. Posters arrive flat and folded for authenticity, a throwback to how vintage posters were traditionally shipped. Says the company’s website: “it’s like you plucked them straight from the store windows, but better because you won’t be arrested for shoplifting.” Kristin and Jenn chatted with us about about their latest venture, Mouth & Trousers and what inspired them to launch […]

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