Sometimes, a girl just needs more – more cake, more hugs, more sunshine, more opinions, more coffee, more sleep …. and a whole lot more words! Just when my Mom didn’t think I could do any more talking, I have decided to expand my blog, and empty out more of the words that dance around in my head when I least expect them. Not content to confine my thoughts to decorating, I want to write about everything else that goes on in my head as well. It will be the same as before, but different (and might even include an entire story on why I don’t think the world needs any more broccoli) but mostly it will just be more. More of what we like to talk about, more odd bits and pieces, and more than you ever knew you needed to know. Talking of which, I wish my neighbor’s hadn’t fixed their garage door. I miss seeing them come and go. I miss knowing when they were home for dinner, or seeing them leave early on a Summer’s day – off to enjoy the sunshine, visiting friends and stopping at their favorite diner for lunch. It is all electronic now, and while in the Winter I wish like crazy for my own attached garage and automatic door opener, I realize that I have lost the comfort of feeling people around me. Now, cars slowly approach a house, buttons are pressed, and they all slip in and out of their car home with barely a sound. Unless your nose is permanently pressed to the window, you won’t see this happen, so the outside of a house can remain unchanged for weeks at a time. It is strange not knowing if people are home or not, and I wonder if they feel the same way? Our previous neighbor, Mrs. Hansen, didn’t have a garage at all, so there was a lot of waving through the row of trees, and my daughter and I could easily pop over to say hello when we knew she was home. As my daughter grew older, I could safely send her all by herself to visit, because we could see when Mrs. Hansen was and wasn’t there. It was easy to see by her car. We would wave and complain about the cold during the snow storms, as we both shoveled our driveways and scraped the ice off our cars. Being much older than I, she put me to shame with her energy, and if I saw her outside I knew enough to be embarrassed, and that I had better bundle up and get my backside out there as quickly as possible. In the Springtime, we would find ourselves talking about the weeds, or how on earth she got her Iris’s to grow so tall, and in the Autumn we would both rake leaves, side by side, in an almost magical companionable silence. The car in her driveway was like a welcome sign, and my daughter would run over to tell her about school, or just to say hello and share some cookies; she liked the freedom of being able to go by herself, and I liked the security of knowing that I could see at a glance that Mrs. Hansen was there. Now, the street is becoming a sea of automatic garage door openers. We have no idea who is home, and who is not. We will never know if they are housebound and something is wrong, or if they have a new girlfriend and got married. Which is such a shame, because neighbors create a sense of ordinary, everyday, necessary comfort….and I miss that. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Y’know when we drool over those kitchen makeovers? The one’s where everything looks so neat and organized? Where we wonder if they are even real, and if the owner has ever yelled at their children, or snuck downstairs in the middle of the night to eat a slice of pizza? Do you notice that when they open the pantry we don’t see torn boxes of cereal, and fallen over bags of rice – piled together on a shelf, barely closed with a chip-clip and a dash of hope? Of course, they have to look insanely pretty because it is a photo shoot (and a messy kitchen isn’t going to inspire anyone, or sell the next issue of their magazine) but it’s also because every good, working kitchen has a secret. We sometimes think that only serious cook’s have fabulous kitchen’s, but whether we cook every day of the week, or grab handfuls of cereal on our way to work, we all deserve a space that makes life easier, and is as efficient as it is good looking. A coat of paint will always freshen things up, but the thing that unites these kitchen makeover’s is one simple idea – almost everything that can be eaten, or used to create something delicious, is removed from its package and stored in a clear container. Contrary to what we might think, it’s not about being pretentious (they can be as inexpensive or as fancy as you like) it’s about loving food, and enjoying your kitchen. So, whether your favorite food group is chocolate (yep) or you spend hours making a bouillabaisse in your pajamas, we all need to eat, so here are some reasons why you must make it more pleasurable, and go out today and get some clear containers. 1.  Saves you time. You will always know how much (or how little) you have left of everything. 2.  Keeps things fresh. They will extend the life of your ingredients, and save you a heap of money. 3.  A neater pantry will always make you happier than a cluttered one.    It just will. 4.  No more surprises. Nothing worse than opening a box of cereal on a busy morning, and tipping out three, stale cheerios and some pixie dust. 5.  You can see exactly what you have. Instead of trying to play detective with the small, oddly-shaped, folded-over, rubber-banded, half-eaten packet of something. To buy: The modular containers are from OXO – they cost approximately $10 each, and can be found on their website, as well as Walmart, JCPenney’s, Bed Bath and Beyond etc.  The set in the middle (Flour, Pasta, Rice and Sugar) is from Birch Lane ($30.) Apothecary Jar is from World Market (approximately $25.) For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #containersforyourkitchen #organizingyourkitchen #thesecrettoaperfectpantry

Someone asked me the other day where they could buy a new dining room set. It confused me for a moment, because we were sitting at theirs while we talked, and although it seemed perfectly nice to me, it turns out that this was the first time she had used it in almost a year. As we thought of what to do, it got me thinking about the way that we live now, and how the dining room is becoming obsolete for many of us. So often, I meet people who just use theirs for special occasions; it is left feeling unloved and outdated, stale and abandoned until the next Thanksgiving. Rooms shouldn’t feel this way, and while we are quick to complain about not having enough space, sometimes all we have to do is bring ourselves up-to-date, and find ways to re-use the space that we have. 1. Why not hand it over to the children while they are little? The dining room is usually near the kitchen and television area, so you can happily let them play in their own space while you get to keep a watchful eye on them.  p.s. Keep the chandelier – it adds a touch of glam, lights up the room without worrying about lamps being knocked over, and gives you (or the next owner) the option to return it to it’s former life. 2. How gorgeous is this room as a Home Office/Library?  I admit, that most of us don’t have gorgeous brick on our dining room floors, but if you add a rug, bring in your favorite books, pens, pencils and a laptop, you’ll soon have a space that everyone will want to spend time in.  p.s. If you have the energy, paint your china cabinet a fab color before you bring all your bits and pieces in. 3. Why not forget the dining table altogether, and buy a pool table?  Did you know, that taking a few moments to match the fabric and style of a pool table to your home actually costs no more than using the traditional green felt we see down at the local pub? p.s. Decorate around it the way that you would any other room, with a nice pendant lamp, some art on the walls, and a few comfy chairs. 4. Paint your china cabinet (and use it for anything other than china.  Many cabinets are not made of quality wood anyway, and some of them, no matter how hard we try, just can’t escape the uglies. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and if you’re nervous, go for something classic like black or white, or, just paint the inside back panel and see where it takes you. p.s. After you’re done, fill it with endless craft supplies, childhood souvenirs, favorite books, plants, beautiful shoes etc. 5. Turn it into a Music Room. Storing musical instruments can be difficult at the best of times, but not if you use them as decorations. If you have the space, why not indulge in the luxury of a music room; paint it a gorgeous color, invest in a few organizers to help you hang guitars, LP’s, posters etc on the wall, and I bet it will quickly become your favorite hang-out room. p.s. A few non-musical decorations will add a bit of interest and sophistication. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #convertingdiningroomtosomethingelse #howmultifunctionaldiningrooms #Newusesforolddiningrooms

I remember reading a meditation once, where it said we should consciously uncurl our hands before we go to sleep, leaving them (and us) open to all sorts of good energy that wants to flow through us while we dream. Unfortunately, I found that it was almost impossible to do this without looking (and feeling) like my fingers were sticking up in some sort of awkward, unnatural puppet show, so I decided to sleep with my palms open, lying smooshed flat against the sheets instead. Recently, I painted my bedroom. Before, it was a dark, brown suede color, but after nearly ten years of sunshine it had softened down to a very unfortunate shade of tan, and was starting to really bother me. If I don’t like a room, it is amazing how quickly I am motivated, so I went with my gut, and I quickly found a color that was the inky black of a clear night – one that provoked thoughts of old fashioned poetry and childhood dreams. By day, the room takes on a hint of gray, like the lead in a sharpened pencil, but at night it is black with a splash of navy, which I love. Because it is small, and has a really large window, it isn’t as shocking as you would imagine; with high gloss paint on the ceiling, and an old exposed radiator, it suddenly feels like a cozy, yet sunny and warm attic nook – happily accidental in its design. Although it was quite minimally furnished to begin with, emptying the room was the perfect excuse for me to live with the black paint for a few days. For almost a week, I lived in a room that just had a bed; at night, I would look at the dark walls, and wonder what I wanted them to be. Such a lot of thought for a tiny room, but it felt important, and shouldn’t it be as much as I wanted it to be? As the days wore on, my perspective grew, and the quiet beauty of the empty room made me acutely aware of how much I had, and did I really want to fill up my room with what was there before. I decided to put back only what I truly loved – it had to feel incredibly comfortable, minimal in design, slightly grown-up, and I had to be able to keep it tidy (which meant that everything had to have a purpose or a place – no random bits of miscellany, and not a convenient spot for who-knows-what on its way to who-knows-where). It’s been a few months now, and despite my random inclination towards Mr. Bean, sloths and mermaids, it has quite possibly become the dog’s most favorite room in the house … p.s. the main photograph is a composite of the zen tree frog and the princess and the pea, and the paint I used was Graphic Charcoal by Behr. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

It’s Valentine’s Day, and the supermarket was filled with men  – most of them trying to decide between the red roses, which he thought she said yesterday were cliche, or the heart-shaped box of chocolates with Snoopy on the front. I loved seeing them stand so seriously by the flower display, rushing over to grab a card, then streaming across the parking lot with romantic intentions during their lunch hour. Pink and Red balloons were all over the place, and everyone seem a little bit happier today. Maybe we should have Valentine’s Day more often? Color (and a box of chocolates) cheers everyone up, so here are some fun (sugar free) ways  to sweeten up your own home. Sources: Main Photograph by Richard Avedon via Pinterest Coat in Entranceway Vintage Clock  Keep Calm Rug Flowers Paint Red Cart Sofa Pink Lamp Bird Plate Bathtub Front Door Egg Cup Sweater Pillow Laundry Room Bedroom For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

Remember when I wrote about my obsession with Smeg appliances the other week? Well, I was drinking a cup of tea with a friend yesterday, and my daughter went to get the mail. On the doorstep was a package. Despite my (still recovering) addiction to Ebay, I knew I wasn’t expecting anything, so we all crowded around this box, wondering what it was. Inside, was another box, then another, holding a brand new Smeg tea kettle. With no note saying who had sent it. To say I didn’t know what to do is an understatement. I nearly passed out with shock at my own surprise birthday party a few years ago, and while this wasn’t quite on that level, I don’t like attention, and I am easily overwhelmed by the generosity and love of the people that surround me. Refusing to open it, I didn’t know whether to cry or smile, so we just kept drinking our tea, glancing over at the box every now and again, waiting for me to say or do something. Eventually, about an hour later, my gratitude (and my friend and daughter) talked me down from the ledge, and I opened the box. Inside was the most beautiful, cream colored tea kettle I have ever seen…. We all oohed and aahed like children on Christmas morning, while we tried to guess where it had come from. Several hours later, we decided that it truly was a thing of beauty, a gift to be accepted ……. and it made the most delicious cup of tea in the entire world… Thank you! For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/

With the Winter, comes my slight addiction to Ebay shopping. It arrives in the form of clothes, and I can easily justify buying several tops, or a cute dress, if I am paying no more than the price of a cup of coffee and a muffin for each. Never mind that I don’t usually buy a cup of coffee and a muffin, but if I wanted to, I would imagine that it would cost no more than paying for an inexpensive dress on Ebay – which means that I am actually saving money, and is completely justified for some reason that I am not quite sure of. But, if I bought a cup of coffee and a muffin, they wouldn’t need space in my closet, and, considering I only have 53 hangers in my closet, when my Ebay purchase takes me to number 54, I have a problem. You see, we can’t organize and declutter if we don’t have a place to put everything. So, no matter how much I stare at number 54, a new coat hanger doesn’t materialize, and I still have nowhere to put that delicious, pre-loved, silky top. I can’t buy just one coat hanger at the shops, and even if I could, there is absolutely no more room in my closet. This is the sort of thing that gets us into a pickle. Before we know it, we have too many clothes, too much mail, or too many widgets, and nowhere to put them. It’s not that we don’t have the space, it’s just that our space is already full. So, what do we do? Me? Because I don’t want to spend my life staring at number 54 sitting on my chair (and I am not buying any more coat hangers) I decided to go through my closet and donate at least one thing (I ended up donating seven, so that was good, which also means (if my math is right) I can buy six more things on Ebay…..). You? Find homes for what you already have, don’t use your floor as a storage unit, count your coat hangers, and try buying a cup of coffee and a muffin instead of a new widget. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #DeclutteringSecrettoorganizing #Findingplacesforeverything #Howtoorganizeyourhome #organizing

If you combine my love of retro appliances with a made-up swear word from the future, you get a SMEG. Completely besotted with the word since watching Red Dwarf, I couldn’t believe that the simple, curved beauty of an appliance could be permanently etched with a name that I find so amusing. There are many retro appliances that make my heart quicken, but this is my favorite, and I am embarrassed to say it has a lot to do with the name. How can you be sad if you are looking at the word Smeg several times a day? Most names sound utilitarian, and are associated with efficiency and practicality; I am sure that Whirlpool was created because of the shape it made when the water spun around, and that KitchenAid came naturally to someone who felt it was an aid in the kitchen. Others, like Maytag and Black & Decker, are named after the founders, while some are acronyms for something that was considered far too lengthy for the consumer to pronounce (the beloved AGA, originated in Sweden, and is short for Aktiebolaget Gas Accumulator). Do we actually buy appliances because of their name, and does their name really mean anything at all? I think it does. We rely on certain names because of their reputation, some we buy because we are being loyal to the country that it is manufactured in, and others we lean towards just because we grew up seeing them over and over in our parents home. Then, there are the one’s that tug at our hearts; lured by their style and color, they have the ability to cheer us up on a morning, and make the most boring of tasks seem like fun. I purchased a toaster many years ago, that has the word TOAST on each side. I am sure it is not as efficient as it used to be, and it is showing a few signs of age, but I still smile when I see the word toast on my toaster (from a practical perspective, when I also show signs of age, it will be an easy reminder at breakfast time). So, would I get something that wasn’t as well made as another, just because of the name? The logical answer would be “Of course not!”, but my personal, honest answer would be “Yes!”. I would gladly share my life with slightly frivolous Smeg, even if it was for a very short time, than wake up every morning to an efficient, but uninspired kitchen appliance. p.s. The photograph is from West Elm, where you can buy the toaster (and the flamingos). For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #SmegKitchenappliances #WhatisinanameToast

Our January credit card bill is here. We wonder how we managed to spend $423. at the dollar store, what made us buy four identical black sweaters, and is it too soon to ask the postman if he ate that nice box of chocolates that we mailed to our friend across town. This is typically not our favorite time of year, and while we ponder the meaning of life (and wiggle into our too-tight jeans) maybe it’s time to cheer ourselves up with a little bit of inexpensive, but indulgent, decorating. Believe it or not, it’s not always money that makes a home feel rich, so if you’ve got a few hours to play with, and are looking to cheer yourself up (without adding dollars to your credit card bill) why not shop your home, and bring some luxury back into your rooms.     A TOUCH OF BLACK Even if it is your least favorite color, every room needs some touches of black. It visually anchors a room, and adds interest, elegance and mystery to a space. KEEP IT MINIMAL Simple, composed collections, and vast empty spaces are calming, which makes a home feel luxurious. It implies that you are quite confident in your personal style, that you have just enough of what you need, and that no explanation is necessary. Don’t laugh, but this says a lot about who you are, and most importantly, it shows that you also value things that are not necessarily valuable. ONE OVER-SIZED, ORIGINAL PIECE OF ART Have a favorite photograph enlarged to gigantic proportions, paint your own design, or find an affordable piece from a local artist. Be excessive in your choice. Fill a wall. Give it pride of place, and just let it be by itself. It doesn’t have to make sense, or match your decor, you just have to love it! INDULGE IN YOUR BEDROOM Whether you share it, or live alone, your bedroom should be the space you have always dreamed of. Spoil yourself. Make it enviable – a favorite place that you can’t wait to go to at the end of the day, and a room that makes you feel grateful to wake up in first thing in the morning. ADD MIRRORS Use far more than you need! To add decoration, to bring in the light, to reflect something beautiful, and, of course, for looking in before you step out into the world. FAUX FUR Casually draped over a sofa or chair, their lush softness reminds us of a more elegant time; when travelling to far off places was a special occasion – an adventure waiting to happen, filled with leather luggage, coordinated outfits and personal tour guides. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Budgetdecorating #Howtodecorateonabudget #Luxurylivingforless

I sleep with the curtains open. It’s not an invitation to peep (you would have to either dangle from a helicopter, or be a very skilled acrobat to see into the window) but I do like to look outside while lying in my bed. Perhaps it’s from listening to so many of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems as a child, or, much less romantically, the worry of that large tree falling on my house, but whatever the reason, I do find it comforting to curl up so small and warm by the window, imagining all sorts of life happening outside as I fall sleep. I think that maybe the world is divided into two types of people – those who crave sunlight and sky, and those who prefer privacy over exposure. Not to say that sunlight people are exhibitionists, but we tend to compromise a bit more when we need our Vitamin D, and if that means excessive dreaming and the occasional mad dash behind the curtain then so be it. But windows do far more than let in the daylight and shield us from passers-by – they show us the world, and let us watch the changing seasons without wearing a coat, or grabbing for a nearby pair of flip-flops. They make us curious about the world, and let us wonder why the neighbor hasn’t taken down their Christmas Tree yet (little do they know, that after we judge, we secretly enjoy seeing the twinkling lights on a cold, gray day). I think, that if we didn’t have windows, we wouldn’t know that the morning always comes, that time passes whether we want it to or not, and that life without us is not as finite as we thought. We tend to pause at the start of a New Year, and even the most cynical among us gives a passing thought as to how they are doing, and wonder if they could do just a little bit better. We write lists and lists on how we can change, but really, if we just take some time to look out the window, we will see that wonderful things are happening already…. p.s. The above illustration is by Marion H. Matchitt (she illustrated a lot of the childrens books that I have at home. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #NewYearsresolutions #RobertLouisStevensonpoems #Windowsatnight

‘Tis the days before Christmas, and all through the town, Credit cards are up, and bank balances are down. With the season of Giving getting into full swing, The Children are wondering what Santa will bring. Shopping malls are filled from morning till night, As Everyone hurries around to find something “just right”. Houses are decorated, Menorah’s are lit, Too many snacks mean our clothes don’t quite fit. People are travelling, Cookies are made, Presents still to be wrapped, and the table to be laid. For some a religion, for many a Belief, For some, when it’s over, a huge relief. The Holidays remind us of who we have lost, Of what we have Done, and was there a cost? We promise to be better, and have more direction, Just give us one more chance, and we’ll try for perfection. Back to Shopping – just in case we haven’t gotten it all, Maybe it’s time to drive back to the Mall? That last minute sale – that Special thing we must get. Are we trying too hard? Are we having Fun yet? Christmas Carols, parties and trees that are faux, We are running out of Time, so we decide not to go. It all seems so much, too many to Please, And dammit, why is it so hard to sting colored lights onto trees? But our intentions are good, And we're sorry for freaking. I guess our Joy got a little lost, And could do with some tweaking. Because holidays should be about just them and us, So forget all the shopping, and forget all the fuss. Spend time with Family and Friends that are dear, Add Kindness to your list, and have a Peaceful New Year!

About eight years ago I found the most deliciously soft comforter cover in the entire world. It was the color of farm fresh cream; the softest, thickest, warmest cotton imaginable, and it was chenille; not that awful, shiny chenille that feels like something you would insulate your attic with, the lovely, old fashioned, grandma kind. The type of chenille that you want to lie on for hours, gently pulling out the short pieces of cotton when your mom isn’t looking, then wondering how to cover up the little holes that were left behind. That type of chenille. You know the one I mean. And then we got a dog. A dog who was never technically allowed on my bed, but would sneak up in the middle of the night when he knew I was asleep (or too tired to yell at him). He wouldn’t move, and he decided that if he avoided eye contact in the morning I wouldn’t see him (kind of like when I take the garbage out in my nightie at 6am not wearing my glasses – if I can’t see properly then I am sure that my neighbor driving by can’t see me in all my disheveled glory). So, eventually the dog and I stopped pretending, and he began to sleep on the bed while I was working in my office. And, he would lick the comforter (not so strange, because he also licks the polyurethane off the floors). After a while, I noticed a bare patch where the chenille used to be, but I didn’t actually twig as to what was happening; I just moved the chenille around, and assumed the washer and dryer had eaten the cotton. Unfortunately, about a year later, I had four giant, empty patches on my comforter where the dog had licked off the chenille, and it had gone from being the most beautiful thing in my bedroom to something extremely sad. Because I loved it so, I kept it for another year, but the licking continued, and after several failed attempts to throw it away, I finally put on my big girl pants and put it in the garbage bin. I looked for ages, but I couldn’t find another one like it (well, I did see one on Ebay for sale, but it was in Australia and the cost was almost as much as an airplane ticket) so I made do with a cheapie that was dog-proof, kind of okay, and sort of went with the color of my room. But it wasn’t cotton – it felt unnaturally smooth, almost unpleasant to the touch, and cold all the time. I have no idea what it was made of, but the dog sure as heck wasn’t interested in licking it. Then, this last weekend, a friend was doing a Spring clean, and asked if I needed a comforter set. A bit adverse to comforter sets (visions of 90’s polyester bed-in-a-bag still haunt me) I was prepared to not like it. And then she showed me the color and pattern; it was simply beautiful, but completely wrong for my small bedroom with the dark brown walls, so I said no thank you. A short while late I was showing my daughter, and we decided to open the package and pull the comforter set out. Inside was the softest, coziest cotton that I had felt in a long time. On the spot, I decided to take the gift, change my bedroom around, and repaint the walls to match my new comforter … p.s. We rescued Toby about five years ago; he is a German Shepherd mix, and loves cuddles, country music and chenille. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/