11 Mos. Down: The Year of No New Threads

Eleven months down, Smallers. And believe it or not, no new threads graced the teeny house in November. Boring, right?

Well, I’ll tell ya: it was easy this month, given my major bout of fed-upness with the state of my closet, and, by extension, my goiterous wardrobe. This weekend, I planned to lance the thing and drain it of all the excess, but when I opened the closet to put away the teetering pile of clothes I’d left overnight on the ironing board, I lost my steam. Hadn’t I already tried this (like, last weekend)? Hadn’t I already been so overcome with emotion over giving up one of my two red trenchcoats (yes, two red trenchcoats) that I’d scurried away to inhale caramels and page through back issues of domino?

Feeling at a standstill. What should I do?

Note to the women I know personally: Please take the clothes and jewels I may bring to you, even if you don’t like them or they don’t fit, because if I know they are going to “a good home” (i.e., your Goodwill box), it’ll be easier. For you. For me. For everyone.

The Rest of The Year of No New Threads.

The Pledge • 1 Mo. Down • 2 Mos. Down • 3 Mos. Down • 4 Mos. Down • 5 Mos. Down • 6 Mos. Down • 7 Mos. Down • 8 Mos. Down • 9 Mos. Down • 10 Mos. Down

This ain’t your Nana’s decoupage.

Cast out those visions of barfy Botticelli-embossed trinket boxes and Victorian Valentine-covered end tables. Time to take a walk on the wild (decoupage) side with Mr. Peacock, who upped the ante on this old-school art by decoupaging his ceiling. Voila!

Mr. P’s upside aviary makes for a grand statement — and it’s a fairly easy achievement, too, given the medium. What an eye-catching way to show off tall ceilings, or, to add visual interest to low ones.

What would you stick to your ceiling?

Via Design*Sponge.

Thank you.

Warning: Sappy Post Ahead.

It’s Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S. — a feast day to rival no other in focus (all you gotta do is eat, people, and then eat some more) and in sheer volume (so. much. food.), like this, our apple pie:

In my family, both biological and in-law, it’s a day for being grateful for community, good fortune, health, happiness — you know, the Small things that tie us together.

So, on this day of thank-yous, I offer my gratitude to you, Living Smallers, for your comments, your advice, and your stories. ‘Cause really, you help me strive for the next Small thing. You’re the top. And for that, I am ever-thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.

Wine bottles to candlesticks in 1, 2, 3

I love Design*Sponge, especially on DIY Wednesdays. Hot doggies, guys! Does she have some sweet crafty projects to share.

And, given that I’m a well-mannered wino, my eyes got googly when I saw this great DIY idea: wine bottles to candlesticks.

And they’re easy to make, too, no foolsies. All you need is a glass cutting kit (okay, specialty tools don’t equal utter simplicity), some matches (also great for lighting the candles), an ice cube or two, sandpaper, and the vessels from last night’s vin. Follow the post’s instructions, and you’ve got yourself some recycled candle-rests. What’s more, you can use the other half as a vase or a big ol’ drinking glass.

Jack Frost is hiding in my backyard.

So I’m giving up some Small summery cheer: flowers frozen in a snapshot.

While they aren’t quite as satisfying as the real deal, I’m set knowing that they didn’t require extra energy to be grown out of season. Of course, we’re using electricity to look at them. So six of one…

Have a nice Friday, peeps.