friday fixations

my globe lamp



Can I just brag about this find for a moment? I was just, like, a few weeks ago swooning over a certain someone's globe lamp and wishing it were mine. Then, a week later, I was wandering around in Value Village when dammit if I didn't come across a friggin' globe lamp! Someone had taken it to the plugs and tried it out and since it was still there, I assumed it didn't work. And it didn't. I suppose the first person decided to move on. But not me! Oh no. I took it apart and found it lacking a light bulb. I decided to chance it because, look here, it was $4 and if anything anything, I'd totally be willing to try rewiring it just for the privilege of owning one.

It took me a week to get it lighted which was again another happenstance situation. It's got bulb specifications on the bottom, but (I assume that) due to its age the correct bulb didn't exist anymore or at least the name of the bulb didn't. So while I found lots of bulbs with the correct wattage, I wasn't sure which of the different screw bottoms would fit. Then, this week, I decided I'd better pack up my storage closet which had one entire shelf dedicated solely to light bulbs (don't even ask me why) and included in that mess was one chandelier bulb. We don't have a chandelier and we never have, so I don't even know where that bulb came from, but I decided to try it since it was the right wattage (and since it was free), and it fit!

So here's the thing that makes me so excited (besides the luck and the price and the chance). There are things printed on the inside of the globe that can only be seen when the light is on. So when I first flipped the switch, I just about had a mini heart/swoon attack at how beautiful it was. Every time it's turned on, I gasp a little. It's so. freaking. beautiful. Gawd. I don't care what anyone thinks, I could literally sit in front of it and stare at all the 1985 geography for hours and not get bored. It's the best Value Village find I've had for about a year, so I'm going to be swooning over this one for a while.

{clusters of chairs} I really loved this photo of a ballroom-turned-living room. But not because it's a ballroom-turned-living room. I loved that cluster of chairs in the living area. It would be really interesting to have a few different chair styles in fabrics that coordinate or go well with each other or maybe neutral fabrics with pillows that all tie into each other. This could be a possible main floor living room idea.

{internet gift idears} First of all, I just wanted to mention sub-studio design blog's 2010 gift guide. They arranged each list according to colour, and I'm such a sucker for things arranged by colour and then arranged by rainbow! In fact, they even compiled a rainbow list! Go enjoy all of it here. I also keep coming across stuff I'd really love, but I'd have to order it off the internet to get it (which is something I still haven't mastered). If you didn't notice, everything in my gift ideas list is stuff (or supplies for stuff) I could easily drive to the store to get. I forgot that there were a ton of things on the internet I also think are super neat and swoon-worthy. Here's my (ever growing) list:

• pee-wee herman plate (hm, the previous antique plate she had for sale was much better)
• christmas sweater t-shirt (I think these are cute and not ugly at all!)
• bird's nest egg cup (I'm finding it really hard to find nice egg cups. These are pretty nifty)
• komforte chockolates (I've been so intrigued by their weird flavours [especially Ramen Noodle] for a couple years at least. It makes me want to try making them myself...almost)
• cats attack! cat scratcher (if I still had a cat)
• donut maker (also a Target being built at South Common instead of a stupid Lowes would be cool)
• wooden watch (I like how simple and cool this is)
• pocket torch (could I use this for creme brulees and indoor s'mores, I wonder)

{pantone colours} Just what I needed, some springy paint inspiration! I always like looking through Pantone's spring fashion report (PDF here). The most interesting thing was that the colour Peapod is almost the exact same colour I have in the living room and dining room of my house now. I'm so ahead of the curve! Except that now I'm very over that colour. My favourite colours in their spring collection are beeswax, lavender, silver peony, and silver cloud.

{fanny packs} If there's one thing that bothers me during the winter it's my purse. I usually switch to a purse that can go across my person, but sometimes it really irritates me to have to carry it. I have to take it off in the car and then put it back on when I get out and then it gets wrapped around my scarf and stuck on the hood of my jacket. Sigh. Also, it sounds weird, but my shoulders get more tired and sore carrying a purse around during the winter months than during the summer months. I think it's because of the added weight from my winter coat, but maybe I'm just being a baby! Anyway, I saw this super cute fanny pack (rainbow zippers!) and I thought, hey! Now that would actually be pretty awesome during the colder months. All I need are my credit cards, some tissue, chapstick, and my camera and then I could tuck it all discretely under my coat. Besides, you're only ever paying for something when you're inside a building, right? So it's not like it would be really terrible to unzip your coat to get your money out, would it? Also why don't girl coats come with interior pockets? Am I the only girl who wishes we had this option? (Idle Husband got a new coat this year with pockets on the inside and I sighed rather jealously.)

{long johns} or long janes as I like to refer to them now. I came across a display of microfibre shirts and long johns for guys at Superstore and, at first, I only noticed microfibre shirts for women. After some furious digging, I found the long janes. I've been wearing them all this week and it honestly pains me to take them off. They're so comfortable and nice, I can't even explain it. I could only find them in cream for women which kind of bums me out (another instance where guys get all the good stuff). I'd love to have a pair in black and then I could wear them with skirts, too. They'd be so great in the spring and fall! I'm going to get a second pair of the cream (because I don't think I could be without them between washings!) and maybe I'll try a smaller sized pair of the long johns. They don't have an open crotch, so I'm really hoping they'll fit about the same as the women's. I want them in black too much not to at least try!