Notes from the Kitchen Counter

I’ve noticed that magazine articles are really jumping on the bandwagon with recession tips. I’m sure it started as well-meaning advice: gardening tips, whole-food meal ideas, no more cable TV. But now all the advice about saving money has turned into advice about what products to buy to help you save money. As if Americans needed help spending money. If I took the advice to heart, I would be rushing out to buy…

new kitchen supplies because I’m cooking at home instead of dining out.
manicure and pedicure products so I can avoid the spa.
cute tote bags for walking to the store.
and a whole lot of exercise equipment so I can quit the gym.

Chances are you already have everything you need to make some great lifestyle changes. So what are you waiting for?

We drink a lot of tea around my house. Dan recently found out that I heat my mug of water in the microwave for 88 seconds. It didn’t seem strange to me, but the length of time was mind-boggling to him. I calmly explained that it had evolved from one minute thirty seconds, to 90 seconds, to 88 seconds. Each change becoming simpler and faster to punch in to the keypad. Efficiency! Isn’t this how everyone thinks?

Apparently not. But I remembered reading Cheaper by the Dozen in high school and being enamored with the Gilbreth household. This was a home that I longed to be a part of. I read the book again last week to see if I still wanted to be an efficiency expert, and I realized that I already am. There are lots of things I do around the house, things that I have been doing so long that they are second nature, that make the most of my time and organizational skills. This is not to say that I get more done than the average person because I can fritter away time with the best of them. But when it comes down to finding the odd scrap of paper, or tax return, or anything, I’m on it.

Holly Goulet and I have teamed up to create some cool blank cards with photos of her paintings on the front. Here’s Holly at home with one of her most recently completed pieces. As residents of the same town, this was truly a Made in Michigan project. (Holly and I are both committed to keeping things local!) The cards are sold in boxed set of 10, and there are 5 different paintings from which to choose.

I plan to continue the Featured Artist program by working with other artists, so watch for my next installment this summer.

Thank you, Connor, for taking your mom’s photo!