Spring Mantle Take 3!

It was just a couple weeks ago when I started fiddling with our Spring Mantle, and I've changed it yet again! I explained that I wasn't crazy about our big, wooden mirror because I thought it looked too heavy for the feel I was going for, especially because it's hanging over a wooden console.  Too much wood on wood.

Home Goods to the rescue! On Saturday, I popped in and found a large pewterish mirror for just $29.99!  It's an instantly lighter, brighter look.  The wooden mirror was larger overall, but the actual mirror was smaller.  I couldn't even really see my reflection in it.  The new mirror also reflects so much more light from the dining room.

For accessories, I kept the Target runner, and green jug vase with branches, and then added a couple metallic Williams Sonoma cookbooks, the Hobby Lobby bird I spray painted gold, and a vase we got as a wedding gift.  It's filled with wine corks.

I think this Spring mantle will be around awhile:) 

Should Ohio Taxpayers assure that Ohio State students assume less debt?

The New York Times had a story yesterday about a "generation hobbled by the soaring cost of college."

The piece featured some disturbing stories--particularly about a student who had $120,000 in debt as the result of attending a college that I had never heard of before.  On the other hand, I also read that, "Three out of five undergraduates at Ohio State take out loans, and the average debt is $24,840."


Ohio State is a world class research university.  I am quite sure that graduates of Ohio State earn much higher lifetime incomes than the average Ohioan.  So higher subsidies to Ohio State students from Ohio taxpayers would effectively be a regressive transfer.  


Should the state subsidize the University?  Almost surely, because its research and its college graduates produce positive externalities.  But does an average debt load of $24,840 keep large numbers of students away from Ohio State?  Enough that it diminishes the positive externalities created by their attendance?  That would be a much tougher argument to make.  My guess is that almost everyone who goes to Ohio State would go to some college, one way or another (just as it is the case that nearly every homeowner who takes the mortgage interest deduction would be a homeowner in its absence).


In order to stimulate upward mobility, there must be financial aid (in the form of grants, not loans) to students coming from low-income households.  But for everyone else, well, it seems like $25K in debt in exchange for an Ohio State education is a very good financial proposition.

Dowell Myers: Those born in California stay in California. Nevadans, not so much.

From Dowell's piece in Zocalo Public Square:

Do Californians really care how many New Yorkers move back to New York or on to Las Vegas? For the most part, no. What local residents care about is how many of our own friends, especially our children, leave the state. If native Californians start fleeing, then we know we are in trouble. So what do the data tell us on this?

California, in fact, holds its own. When it comes to retaining native sons and daughters, California has the fifth-strongest attraction of all 50 states. Among California-born adults who were at least 25 years of age and old enough to have moved away, fully 66.9 percent were still choosing to reside in the Golden State in 2007, the last year of high migration before the recession held people down. Texas, with 75.1 percent of native Texans still living in the state, has the strongest loyalty, and the other three rounding out the top five are Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Georgia. California’s top-five ranking is all the more impressive when you take into account the state’s high living costs and other negatives. We must have something going for us.

Nevada, as you can see here, ranks in the bottom five of states’ retention of native-born population, despite being touted as a beacon for those fleeing California. If you can’t hold your own, you’re not worth the chips you’re built on. On this key measure, California is a full house, Nevada a busted inside straight. And yet you’d never know how enticing California is for its native-born residents from the overwrought narratives.

This is indeed cheering news for those of us who live in California.  It is also striking how good Texas looks..again.

My Office Turned Sewing Room

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend.  Ours was pretty relaxing, we headed to the beach with my sis-n-law and her family on Sunday, and it was such a fun time.



When we cleaned out the guest room, one random piece of furniture that needed to be relocated was the black writing desk.  I figured it was perfect for sewing, so I made a place for it in my office.  Now that I've got a specific place for sewing (and I've organized all my fabric and sewing supplies- I'll have to show you soon), I've been sewing more.  Just pillows, but it's a start.

The writing desk (Crate & Barrel) is now where the tall black jewelry stand (that keeps craft supplies) originally was.  You can see I had to move that stand to beside the Expedit bookshelf.  Luckily, it fit perfect. 

I don't have a fancy sewing chair- I'm currently just using a plastic folding chair from WalMart that goes with our party table and chairs.  A ghost chair might be nice there in the future. 

And I finally invested in a cutting mat so I can lay out fabric and cut it with a roller.  I'm terrible at cutting straight lines with scissors, so this works perfectly for me.  

Am I the only one who likes to watch SATC while sewing?? 

If you're interested, you can read more about my office here.  

More Rugs in Cool Patterns and Colors

Two of my posts this week focused on rugs, and now I'm here with a third post on the same topic.  I found these awesome rugs recently and just wanted to share with you in case you're in the market.



Ballard Designs has a great collection out right now.  I've often admired their merchandise, but have never actually ordered anything from them, have you?



First up is the Saybrook Indoor/Outdoor rug in four different colorways.  I'm partial to the yellow/black and the beige/aqua.  A 2'4 x 6'7 foot runner is only $55.

                  

I think their Merletto Rug is really fun, in that vibrant green shade I've been adoring lately.

Their Chevron Stripe Indoor/Outdoor rug also comes in four colors and is made of sisal.

Pottery Barn also has a chevron rug for sale, the Hayden Zig Zag in porcelain blue or black, made of hand tufted wool.

And finally, Grandin Road has these fun zebra print, animal-shaped rugs in pear, vineyard, gray or lemon.   

These rugs kinda remind me of the one is Kendall's nursery (although she's getting a big girl room soon!)

Have a GREAT weekend!  

And a special Mother's Day to all women, mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers-at-heart, and mothers-in-law.  Hope your day is full of love.

    

Cookbook Obsessed

When I was shooting pictures of my kitchen over the weekend to show you our new rugs, I caught a glimpse of one of the little parts of our kitchen that makes me so happy- the built-in shelves in our island where I keep my most-favorite cookbooks and cooking magazines.



Originally, there were three shelves and I asked our builder to change it to two, so that I could stand my cookbooks upright.  A few months ago, James was really into pulling out the books, and my husband thought we should pull them all out and put them somewhere else if I didn't want him getting into them.  But, I've stuck with repeating, "No touch. Mommy's cookbooks." and he pretty much leaves them alone now.  He's got better things to do anyway, such a busy kid.

Barefoot Contessa got me started with a fondness for cooking so, naturally, all her cookbooks take center stage.  They have beautiful photography and simple recipes with an introduction to each one.  The two white binders to the right are where I store recipes I've printed or torn from magazines- one for desserts and one for meals.

Then, I've got more cookbooks on either side.  I try not to be too picky about how they're displayed since I'm always pulling them out and returning them.  I actually love reading them and looking at the pictures.  I haven't gotten to read "20 Years Younger" and the "Family Vegetarian Cooking" is new, I've yet to try any recipes, but am anxious to soon.

I'm also a fan of The Pioneer Woman and love her show on Food Network and the way her cookbooks help tell the story of her life. 

These wire baskets from The Container Store are the perfect size for my cooking magazines.  I subscribe to Food & Wine and Whole Living, and I like to keep those within arms reach.  I also love my Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen mags, but they are underneath.  

I've been storing the lesser-used cookbooks in our pantry

and keeping some in the media cabinet shelves, see, next to the picture of James? I really do swear by that Cooks Illustrated cookbook- every recipe I've made from it has turned out really well- even the pie crusts. Part of the genius of that cookbook is in the detailed explanations of what works and why.  

So, you can see I may be a little cookbook obsessed, but I actually do read them (and reread them, even just for pleasure).  Are you cookbook obsessed?  What's your favorite? 

Top April Posts and Thank You!

It happens every year, the new year begins and before you know it, April has come and gone and we're in May, looking forward to summer!  Where does the time go?!  Having been blogging since June 2010, I realize my 2nd year anniversary is almost here!  Really?!



If you missed some posts in April, here's a round up of what I was up to.  I like looking back and seeing what's been accomplished- makes me feel good.  Several areas of our home got some love, including the mudroom, under the staircase, kitchen, entryway, and the guest room.  You can click on the pictures below to read more about each project.

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In April, I was also shown some love by two amazing bloggers that I have much respect for.  

Jen at I Heart Organizing was so sweet to feature a few projects in our home.

And after linking up our kitchen with Sarah, Thrifty Decor Chick, at her monthly before & after party, she kindly called our kitchen "beautiful"- so nice!  Did you know I got to meet Sarah?  At Blissdom in January 2011.  She's just like you'd imagine from reading her blog- humble, down-to-earth, and kind.