there's a method to my madness

 

I've been a fan of method home care products for just about as long as they've been cranking them out. In fact, I'm one of their official "people against dirty." Yo, check me. Right there on the website! Don't get me wrong, not every single cleaning product in my house is method brand (shhhhh...) but my current personal method arsenal is pictured above and I'd say that it's not too shabby. If I worked for method, I'd be pretty darn happy with this customer's commitment to their products. 

Why am I so loyal? It's not like there's any shortage of other good and safe "green" products out there these days. I'm occasionally swayed by other options, especially when there's an awesome sale I can't resist but in my heart, I'm still a method girl. And what I've realized is that they not only perform well but I'm totally addicted to their sensual scents! True confession: I've actually been known to mop my hardwoods because I just want to linger in the presence of that amazing almond aroma. Sick. Or, even if my kitchen counters aren't dirty, the intoxicating citrus-y fragrance of the daily granite allures me so I give 'em a good wipe. Somebody call Betty Ford. STAT!! I need an intervention. 

And then there's the product packaging. I mean, come ON! Could it be any more perfect for someone like me who describes their personal style as "modern whimsy?" (See my previous post, "style matters.") I like the way method LOOKS in my house! Ridiculous. There's some sort of a match-made-in-heaven thing going on here.

method sends out free stuff to their "people against dirty" from time to time. Yet another reason to love them. This time, it was a box with 4 bottles of their wood for good wood cleaner. (What I'd give for a scratch 'n sniff blog right about now.) They asked us PADs to keep one and give the other 3 away to those we knew (or even suspected) were not yet method converts. They encouraged us to creatively document what we did and submit it to them. How brilliant. In fact, I think there's even some sort of contest with some sort of prize but I just did it because it was fun.

So check out my submission below. And then go out and get you some method products to smell up your own house! It's a healthy addiction. It's certainly cheaper than your 2-pack-a-day cigg-y habit and it might even add a year to your life. Okay, let's not get carried away.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

wood for good. 

last whereabouts: in the hands of 3 soon-to-be converts

kathi graves here, agent against dirty. special grimy crimes unit.

box of good. arrival confirmed.

assignment accepted. here's how i plan to carry it out.

 she certainly appears to be excited about her new license to clean. 

it didn't take her long to figure it out! can you say "trigger happy!?!

badass crossfit babes and soon-to-be new method people against dirty. killer combination. watch out, world!

mission accomplished, baby. over and out.

 

open and closure.

 

My mama died 10 days ago. It was no surprise, really, as I've been losing pieces of her for years to Alzheimer's, the disease appropriately dubbed "the long goodbye." She lived here with us on this side of Providence for some 12 years until we could no longer care for her adequately. And without losing our own minds in the process.When we knew her passing was imminent we realized very quickly that, even with this cognitive awareness, there really is no way to be completely prepared emotionally when the time comes. We are very sad for our loss.

About a year ago I decided it was time for us to leave this house. After she moved out and we completed our beautiful remodel project, the darn thing just seemed too big. There are too many rooms and, quite honestly, I felt it had served out it's purpose to our family. Alongside the 15+ years of magical moments there lived painful memories of near nervous breakdown months and years, where I struggled to cope with my role of daughter-as-caregiver, sometimes feeling like a prisoner in my own home.

So I am letting go. The door to this home that was literally opened to us almost 16 years ago will close on the day that someone else chooses to call it their own. We will cross Providence to begin a new chapter in our brand new modern abode. Lucille loved all things new. New cars and new houses always made her happy. She didn't need fancy, but she really liked new. I can picture her reading this blog post from HER new home today, standing up to do her excited little happy dance for me.

Mama, I know you don't want to live with me anymore, but I wouldn't mind if you paid me a little visit sometime...;-)

"As you open your hands to release the crushing anxieties that you've been carrying, leave your hands open to receive."

D E C U M U L A T I O N I S T A

My friend, John, is a master in the craft of wordsmithery. Basically, that means he makes up words. It's clever and witty. I'm a huge fan of both. In fact, he's also the guy who coined the phrase, "Stereotyping is a real time saver," which has absolutely NOTHING to do with anything in this post, except that I love it and I want you to love it too. At first glance, it's a bit put-offish but I cannot tell you how many times that phrase has come to mind over the years when I've been (rightly) put in my place following moments of hasty pre-judgement. Ouch.

Back to the matters at hand. So, we're hoping to stick the "FOR SALE" sign back in the yard soon. In preparation, I'm spending loads of time "de-crapping" closets and such, hoping to give the illusion of "the-perfect-life-that-you-also-will-have-if-you-purchase-this-lovely-home." I do this on a fairly regular basis, to be honest, but stuff just seems to multiply. It's weird how that happens but I think it must be due to one of those crazy laws of physics, and who am I to override that? 

Recently, a Facebook friend posted this quote by organizational expert Peter Walsh: "That our homes are overwhelmed with stuff and [our] lives littered with the empty promises that the stuff didn't fulfill.... In buying what we want, we hope to acquire the life we desire.... [But] chasing the life you want by accumulating more stuff is a dead-end street." Right on, brother. And, to some extent, "I resemble that remark." It's the American way, though, isn't it?  And I do love my country so perhaps I can rationalize all those stupid impulsive purchases by insisting that I'm just being patriotic. It's what we DO here, right???


But then the problem remains: I have all this STUFF that's cluttering my house and, therefore, my brain! (Insert deep cleansing breath.) So, again following Mr. Walsh's expert advice, I divide the piles into "KEEP-SELL-TOSS (or as my dad loved to say, 'SC it!')."


And then we have the nagging issue of "responsible disposal," which leads me back to the photo posted above. My process of decumulation has left me with a pile of stuff I simply cannot, in good conscience, mindlessly toss into my local landfill. Like everyone else, I used to do it because that's all we knew. But now, with knowledge comes responsibility. So, I embark on my journey of waste-disposal-with-a-conscience, hoping to heck I can figure out what to do with this pile. Fortunately, I discovered that Goodwill accepts much of what I have pictured here, so that's easy one-stop-dumping. And now, I carry around a small bag in my car containing a few old CDs that BestBuy will take the next time I am near a store, printer cartridges for Office Depot and a light bulb that I can drop off at Lowe's or Home Depot.

I am in no way claiming to be the poster child for great purchasing habits. I am making a conscious effort to purchase in a more purposeful way, whatever the heck that means. Every little bit helps, and that's my challenge/encouragement to you. Surely, Kermit was just having a particularly bad day when he so boldly proclaimed, "it's not easy being green."


Here's your biggest takeaway from this post: Did you know that you can recycle your cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls? Oh yeah, baby. This discovery rocked my world. Think about the implications. "Saving the earth, one roll at a time." Aren't you glad your read all the way to the end? I am, because it took me a long time to write this, so it's the least you can do......;-)


Yes, at least, do SOMETHING....

style matters.

"To combat overstimulation, overconsumption, and overwhelment, you have to be ruthlessly committed to who you really are. Unwaveringly devoted. Loyally, royally you." 

Last year, a friend told me about a book she had received called Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design, by Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte. I was intrigued so I bought my own copy.  This pretty-to-look-at workbook guides the reader through a series of exercises in self-discovery which (hopefully) will enable the us to define our personal style in two words. It applies both to how we dress ourselves and how we choose to fashion our homes. They describe their "80/20 Style Statement Principle" like this: "If we find ourselves or our desires in conflict or off-kilter, the 80/20 SSP can help create balance and integration. This is the magic formula that makes your Style Statement a truly useful tool. The first word of your Style Statement reflects your inner foundation, your 80%. The second word is your creative edge, your 20%. This combination of energy, ideals and aesthetics is a powerful equation for creating ease and results in life."

What is MY style? Modern whimsy. I like lots of crisp, clean lines and not a lot of clutter. I love to feel organized and "in control" of my surroundings, so to speak (but that's another discussion for another time, perhaps in the presence of a therapist). Modern is sexy and sophisticated but, taken to the extreme, it leaves me feeling a little cold. So I love to display the things that remind me I am not just in ANY pretty home but I am in MY home. I love colors, words and shapes that inspire me. Objects that remind me of special times, perhaps something that was purchased on a trip I took with my husband. Or a piece of art for a special birthday. Or maybe even a favorite object from our childhood. Or a thoughtful gift from a friend. Some are quirky, and quirky makes me smile. As I look around my house, I realize that many (if not most) of the items we possess come with a story.

So as I begin this journey, I remember to let these two words be my guide and my inspiration. The vast array of choices can be downright dizzying. Focus, Kathi. Focus. 

Modern. Clean, bright and functional.

Whimsy. Some of my friends find this lithograph by artist Joe Sorren kind of creepy. Not me. He's a bully, but he's a lovable bully.

Modern. The simple curves of the Eero Sarineen tulip table are simple and simply irresistible.

Whimsy. On the wall: A collage by me. A collage made for me by my husband before he was my husband. Two original works by artist and friend, Charlotte Foust. On the mantle: Original sculpture gift from a Colombian co-worker of my husband. Two handmade, original vases from Orient & Flume Art Glass Co. in Chico, CA (my husband's hometown), given to us by his mother. And a favorite silver vase, a flea market find many years ago, filled with dried Japanese lanterns. And then there's that crazy vintage 60's brass floor lamp. Jonathan Adler would be proud.

Whimsy. When my husband was a boy, his Sunday night ritual was to dump "all the money" from this clown bank on to the floor in front of the TV and count it. The total rarely changed, but it was important for him to KNOW. And so it is today.....:-)

from the inside out...

I have a head full of ideas about this new house-to-be of ours. Pre-pre-pre-planning meetings and emails with our old friend and future architect are already happening (more on that in upcoming posts) and other well-meaning and well-educated friends are submitting their ideas for us too. It takes a village, people!

Call me a gun-jumper, but I'm already dreaming about the inside of this house that hasn't yet happened. It's just what I do. So sue me.

Check out these interior spaces by Charleston designer, Angie Hranowsky: http://www.angiehranowsky.com/interior/1-Interior-Design/33-lakeshore-drive 
Ooh la la! She must have had me in mind when she designed it.

Take a tour and tell me what inspires YOU about this mid-century modern masterpiece!

why would a chicken like me cross the road?

Sometimes I wonder what a modern girl like me is doing in a city so proudly built on southern tradition and style. Our 1949 brick 2-story is a dream for some but can never completely reflect the modern aesthetic that truly makes my heart sing. And after 16 years of renovations we’ve gone about as far as we can go, frankly.

Being the project people that we are, it seems the time is ripe to (insert Southern accent here) “go start us new one!” As of July, there’s a plot of land on the other side of Providence Road with our names on it.  Once we’ve successfully handed this house over to some lucky new owner, we’re going to build our modern masterpiece, praying all the while that our new neighbors won’t hate us!

I invite you to follow along with me as I plan, plot, dream and design.  It’s my way of keeping the vision alive while we wait for this current chapter to close. I’m excited to share what I discover, hoping that maybe something you see here will inspire you in your own journey! That truly would be the icing on my cupcake...:-)