A song, a quote and some sassy old people.

I have really been liking this song the last year.

It has only been on YouTube until now. I actually think I like the unfinished YouTube version a little better but I am sure the final product will grow on me with time. Check it out on Bandcamp!


And I get to see Sufjan play in October! Can't wait.





On an unrelated note.



I have read "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs twice this year and started skimming it again today. At the beginning of the copy I have there is this quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr...




"Until lately the best thing that I was able to think of in favor of civilization, apart from blind acceptance of the order of the universe, was that it made possible the artist, the poet, the philosopher, and the man of science. But I think that is not the greatest thing. Now I believe that the greatest thing is a matter that comes directly home to us all. When it is said that we are too much occupied with the means of living to live, I answer that the chief worth of civilization is just that it makes the means of living more complex: that it calls for great and combined intellectual efforts, instead of simple, uncoordinated ones, in order that the crowd may be fed and clothed and housed and moved from place to place. Because more complex and intense intellectual efforts mean a fuller and richer life. They mean more life. Life is an end in itself, and the only question as to whether it is worth living is whether you have enough of it."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.




Detroit is slowly becoming the perfect city.

Us watching Detroit 187 being filmed across the street!

Cute Recycling Bins, Birthday Cupcakes and a video.

Our recycling pile was getting out of hand. So I made the two bottom shelves of our pantry a recycling organizer. These were made completely from crap we had laying around the house.

I used pink construction paper and a Sharpie to write out the words and decorate. Then I "laminated" them with clear packing tape and made hole punches.

I tied the tags to the milk crates with this green scrap yarn I had.

Super easy.

And cute. And now our recycling isn't piling up in the kitchen!

These are the adorable cupcakes Stephenie made for Amber's Birthday. So cute.

Last week I went to a conference and heard the guys from First+Main speak. I thought this video was really well done.

Studio - the beginning.

Our office/studio is coming along nicely. The evil yellow paint is essentially gone. We keep finding little specks of it in the corners. :) The goal is to have it all done by the time Amber gets home. She is in Italy getting inspired. Beautiful things will be made in this room.

Our inspiration.

Before

1/2 way done!

This harsh angle really bothered us. Such a geometric shape does not belong in a house build in the late 1800s. Solution. The most beautiful, girly fabric the world has ever produced. Thank you Haberman Fabric.

The fabric pools up on the floor exactly like I had imagined!

Etsy find! Really adorable light switch plate covers.

Our early John Azoni pieces. Perfect!

Getting organized, next step lighting.

We've cleaned, we've painted and now it's time to get organized.
Angela had this cute mail organizer thing.
I found some of that old paper for teaching kids how to write.
I pulled out my best cursive for the event.

With all the new paint I can't stop looking at how bad ALL the light fixtures are in this home. I think tomorrow I will post a few of the worst! Here are some of my favorite fixtures. I can't wait to find/make cheaper versions of them.

I am also kind of thinking about painting our living room ceiling black/dark, dark gray and hanging strings of lights across the top.
I need to think about that a little longer but wouldn't that be awesome!?

Just cute

I just really like this picture.
I can't remember where I found it but I want to blow it up to
put up in the living room.

Maker Faire Detroit

There were some phenomenal artists at Maker Faire yesterday.
I just showed up to support them and help at
the sales table but I was inspired.
Can't wait to get our studio up and running.

Check this girl out. Pattern's by Figgys.
She designs and sells her own original children's clothing sewing patterns.





Here is a cute shelf I actually found in our basement. Cleaned out the cobwebs and voila. Perfect for the bathroom.




This is why I peruse the Anthropologie sale
tables a couple times a month.
These drawer knobs were $1-2 each. Usually $6-8 each.
Love them. Especially mismatched.