love it...

Old Shutters

I love the look of old shutters... they are a great embellishment to any room and can be used in many wonderful ways.

Three old shutters hinged together make a rustic room screen. Simply replace the original hardware with new hinges. Casters can be added to the bottom for easy mobility. For a sleek look, buy new shutters, and hinge them together. Paint them or leave the wood natural.

...antique shutters also make a great headboard!

another year...

That's all I have to say about that :P''

destination... frederick maryland

Looking to get out of the city this weekend? Take a short drive to Frederick, Maryland and check out Great Stuff By Paul...

Need inexpensive school chairs from the 1950s to go around your new dining-room table? Want a stack of vintage suitcases for your guest room? How about a dozen sap buckets for centerpieces at your next party?

Great Stuff By Paul Antiques in Frederick, Md., has them all--and more. Owners Paul and Joan Berkowitz scour North America, Europe, England, and Asia in search of reasonably priced treasures.

Can't make it to Maryland? No problem. They ship worldwide; greatstuffbypaul.com.

back to the basics, with a twist...

Grilled Cheese

Update this old-time sandwich with a variety of breads, cheeses, and new flavors..

Cuban Sandwiches: Start with a loaf of Cuban bread, ciabatta, or narrow French bread. For each sandwich, use a 4- to 6-inch piece of bread cut in half horizontally. Butter outsides of each half. Spread insides of bread with yellow mustard. Layer bottom half with thinly sliced ham and pork, sliced Swiss cheese, and sliced dill pickle. Add top half of bread.

Butter the outsides of bread slices and cook on a medium-hot panini grill or griddle pan until golden and cheese is melted (flip halfway through if not using a press that heats on both sides).

Grilled Cheese with Seeds and Veggies: Fill a split bagel, pita bread half (totally go with the pita), or 2 bread slices (buttered on outsides) with sliced Havarti with dill, Colby Jack, or smoked Gouda cheese; thin slices avocado; thin strips sweet red pepper (fresh or roasted); sprouts or broccoli slaw; and sunflower seeds (love the crunch!!) in thin layers. Cook as directed for Cuban Sandwich. Hey, why not serve up with a side of ranch dressing for dipping?

Okay, so I'm reluctant to post this one (not a tuna salad fan - AT ALL), but a friend swears by it. So, have at it...

Tuna Melt: Make a batch of tuna salad with mayonnaise, chopped onion, and celery. Season with curry powder (careful here), salt, and pepper to taste. Spread a layer (not too thick) of tuna salad onto a piece of whole-grain or seed bread. Top with a piece of cheddar or Colby cheese and another slice of bread. Cook as directed for Cuban Sandwich.

Tips... A cast-iron skillet works fine, especially when bread is weighted down with a grill press. If you have it, try it... grill these sandwiches is with an electric sandwich press, or a panini grill.

My personal hometown fav... Grilled Cheese w/ Swiss on Rye and a side of diner fries!

sippin' on summer...

Fresh-squeezed lemonade and sun-tea are excellent, thirst-quenching choices for an outdoor summer ....

Your favorite summer drinks will look as good as they taste this summer in these fun glass jars by Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Viva Terra, Uncommongoods.com, and Infused-Vodka.com

A family affair... try whipping up an Arnold Palmer. This refreshing beverage consists of half iced tea (either sweetened or unsweetened) and half lemonade named for golfer Arnold Palmer.

After hours... This melon ball lemonade won't disappoint and looks great with lemon wheels and balled melon. Sure to impress.

2 quarts lemonade
1 honeydew or cantaloupe (deseeded and balled)
4 -5 lemons (cut into wheels)
3 cups of Bacardi Gran Melon

Combine all ingredients in a large container and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve over ice. Serves about 10.

Cheers everyone!

try this...

Pressed for time?

Very Victorian and a nice embellishment to an empty wall. Select a variety of different fronds, or sample from just one plant, and press them between heavy books for a few weeks. Mount them in collectible coin or shadow boxes - the kind found at crafts stores and flea markets - that have been spruced up with paint and canvas lining. Use dots of hot glue to secure the dry fronds.

This look would also be purty with dried wild flowers...


Want the botanical look but don't want to do it yourself?

Check out prints from Panteek.

be outside this weekend...

Grab a blanket and get going!

Did you know the know that these fully loaded carryalls were once a built in feature in the Rolls - Royce? They are no longer an upper crust affair! So, why not go barefoot and picnic this weekend?

These baskets range in price and are available in service for two and four. Check out Picnic & Beyond, Inc, Picnic Fun and Cath Kidston for some for classic and bargain options.

Also fun... antique lithographed tins.

Made from the late 1930s through the ’50s these tins were originally cookie containers... most are rectangular and boxy with movable wood or metal handles, but you can also find oval, oblong, and octagonal pieces. Designs are as varied as the shapes; the most common patterns include basket and blanket motifs, plaids, and florals.

Looking for something more elaborate (and more collectible)? Tins falso feature seaside scenes, playing children, nursery-rhyme characters, and kitchen utensils.

tut-tut, looks like rain...

Vintage Umbrellas

Umbrellas are making a storm as a must have fashion accessory. You're wearing great clothes, fabulous shoes, a gorgeous handbag - and carrying a dumpy old umbrella. What's wrong with this picture??

The umbrella comes from the Parasol which was created as protection against the sun and has been used for centuries as a religious symbol, status symbol and erotic symbol as well as to keep the rain and sun away. Origins of the umbrella can be traced back as far as 3000 years. Many improvements have been made in material and design throughout its history. Originally English umbrellas consisted of oiled silk and heavy wood with poor and clumsy mechanical operation.

These days you can find one as cheap as a few dollars or of higher quality and cost, from a big umbrella to a small umbrella in a multitude of colors from a green umbrella to a black umbrella, all of which offer you protection from the rain and if you choose your rain umbrella right, fashionable rain accessory.

Here is my happy!! This new Pagoda umbrella was designed in Seattle where umbrellas are an essential outdoor accessory. These umbrellas are fun, flirty and customizable.

be there...

Spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner. That means the time has come to get out!

The 2009 Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival rewinds to relive the 80s! A great summer picnic and a movie event.

In other news...

Sadly, HBO will not be sponsoring Screen on the Green on the National Mall this summer. Screen on the Green has been a Washington, DC favorite for many years. Hopefully a new sponsor will step in to run the popular event (fingers crossed).

collect this... vintage matchbooks

Have a collection of matchbooks that are collecting dust in random junk drawers? This colorful creation can be striking piece of art when framed.

I know what your thinking... all the restaurants are non-smoking and matchbooks are harder to come by. You can buy old matchbooks in bulk online to start your collection. To create your own display arrange them by color, size, or design. They're also fun to display in glass containers.