Thursday Things

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Here are this week’s Thursday Things:

1. Fishs Eddy. Don’t click on that link unless you want to be tempted to buy copious amounts of adorable stuff for your kitchen that you probably don’t really need.

Fishs Eddy front page

But it’s all super cute and very reasonable. Sort of like the Ikea or H & M of kitchenware so it’s virtually guilt-free. How’s that for rationalization.

2. Nut bowls are totally practical, right? They’re an ounce each, perfect for this ‘n that’s.

Nut bowlsI mixed ‘n matched some colors for my this’es and that’s. At only $2.95 each, it’s cheap thrills.

3. Moucharabieh Coasters from Harabu House.

“TFrom Lebanese designer Peggy Raphael Dabar for Images d’Orient, these heat resistant coasters keep your counter or table surfaces safe while adding an intriguing accent. The moucharabieh is a screen generally built out of small wooden elements turned and assembled according to a complex geometrical scheme. It allowed the viewer to observe without being seen, thus its nickname, Jealousy Windows. This meticulous technique was used on windows, balconies, ceilings and vaults as well as furniture. These coasters are waterproof, heat resistant and dishwasher safe. It is also handmade with small variations, characteristic to its uniqueness..”

Intricate designs

4. I went to Discount Fabrics and like kitchenware and housewares stores, I had to exercise massive restraint not to buy a yard or two of this ‘n that.

Discount fabrics spread

5. This was my stash. Florescent lighting and iPhone photography are not a match made in true-color-translation-heaven, but so far the items from my stash I’ve used, have been photographing nicely.

Stack of fabrics

6. I came across this New York Times article about a 12 year old who wrote a book, with a little help from his mom, called Portion Size Me: A Kid-Driven Plan for a Healthier Family. I think many adults could use a little kid-friendly advice on portion sizes.

It’s interesting because I get asked very frequently how I make and bake all the desserts that I do, yet not weigh 900 pounds. My answer is always the same: moderation and portion control. I don’t eat two dozen cookies, a 9-by-13 inch pan of Nutella brownies, and Cinnamon Bun Pie in their entirety, all on the same day.

I have a bite, a taste, a piece or two, and then I move on. After that initial few bites of anything, my craving is satisfied and eating three more cookies isn’t going to taste any better than the first one, and in fact, things go from the this is great to the what was I thinking state pretty quickly.

Portion Size Me A Kid-Driven plan to a healthier family by Marshall Reid and Alexandra Reid

The authors, Marshall and Alexandra Reid, are going to be on the Today Show on Monday, May 14 at possibly 8am and definitely at 10am, on ABC’s Revolution on Tuesday, May 15 and on CNN on May 15.

7. Have you seen Don’t Be Tardy for the Wedding? I happen to think Kim is quite hilarious and I laugh out loud at some of the things she says.

Kim from Don't be Tardy to the Wedding

Nut bowls, fabric remnants, and some trashy reality tv.

I keep it classy like that.

8. When I’ve got my DVR cued up with Kim or the Bravo Housewives, a bowl of White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow (GF) makes life a little better. I love popcorn like Kim loves her wigs.

White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow

9. The charity bake sale I participated in last weekend raised $2469.43 at the sale itself (including the donations brought in cash by bakers from their friends/families/coworkers) and $495 in web-based donations/payments.

Our grand total was $2964.43

Goods from charity bake sale

That total is just for the San Diego chapter alone and there were 40+ chapters across the country hosting sales. I suspect lots of money was raised and every little bit counts especially when the money goes to hungry kids.

Thank you to everyone who came out to the sale and showed your support; either in San Diego or in any of the bake sales in your areas.

10. Thanks for the Kitchen Knives Giveaway entries

What are your Thursday Things? Have you made anything delicious or done something fun? (links welcome)

How are you at portion control?

Could you spend hours and hours in a fabric store, thrift shopping for antique dishes, furniture shopping, or housewares shopping?

Strolling the aisles of Bed Bath & Beyond or the housewares section of TJ Maxx is one of my favorite pastimes. It’s a good thing I have almost no storage space which reduces the temptation to load up a little bit.

Have a great (almost) weekend!

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Comments

  1. OMG I could hug you for sharing that site!!!!! I’m moving in a couple of weeks and need to stock an apt…and lets be real, my $50 Bed, bath, & beyond gift card won’t last too long when I need everything from dish towels to coasters to pots and pans! *dances*

  2. I looooooove Fishes Eddy! I bought a few things there when I was in NY, and have a few more on my wish list. I could go crazy in that store.

  3. Great list, lots of tempting goodies, especially the nut bowls and coasters. Not too many this for me lately except surfing funny pics on Reddit and working on a budget to save more money.

  4. I have never even heard of Fishs Eddy! Looks like a cool place to shop! I love Home Goods and completely furnished my entire wellness center from there for super cheap, but it is gorgeous stuff! A lot of my home decor is from Cost Plus and Home Goods combined. I love looking, but don’t have an eye for decorating so my sister always comes along and picks everything out and I just buy it! :-)

    I have always been a huge eater. My portions are very large, but I eat mostly raw food so it’s all good. I only weigh like 103 pounds and eat more than most people do!

    As for fabric stores, I don’t really go. It’s hard for me to sew on buttons! LOL! :-)

    Happy Thursday, Averie!

    1. You are so petite, but somehow I think I knew that already from pics. And big portions of broccoli are different than big portions of nutella brownies :)

      And fabric stores and sewing buttons, well, it’s the photography backdrop aspect I love. I don’t sew either, but my mom does like crazy. Maybe one day…

  5. so…a few weeks ago my dad took me out to the farmer’s market in union square, which is a block away from Fish’s Eddy. I am nothing if not my father’s daughter and we literally had to talk ourselves into leaving the store. It doesn’t help that it’s smack in the middle of my walk from my yoga studio to One Lucky Duck (which is another wallet draining addiction I won’t get into here, much easier to deal with my hoarding). Let me just say that if I ever make a million bucks I’ll take my dad there and tell him to go crazy.

    1. The fact that you walk past O.L.D. and Fish’s Eddy and you still have any money left is pretty amazing. Funny how many people in this post have told me that yes, in person, it’s every bit as fabulous as it looks online. One day…

  6. Those coasters really caught my eye and the little nut bowls are so cute! Congratulations on a successful bake sale–sounds like a satisfying event to participate in! I love looking at housewares and generally need to exercise restraint in buying them because otherwise my cabinets would be overflowing. My real weakness is buying stones and tools for my jewelry/silversmithing hobby. I can’t walk away from a pretty stone, even if I don’t immediately know how I’ll use it.

    1. Oh I bet your jewelry-making hobby can really eat up the funds$$ if you’re not careful. But hey, it’s good to live a little. Or, a lot :)

  7. Those coasters are simply beautiful! I love them.
    Ah, portion control…..I need to work on that! I’m lucky to have a fairly fast metabolism and a 1 1/2 year old who still nurses :) so I can get away with eating a lot, but I probably do need to be more mindful of how much I eat, at least of certain foods.

    1. I never had such a voracious appetite as I did when I was nursing. I say go with it and milk it as long as you can. Pun intended.

  8. Portion control — I used to struggle with that until I had my baby. Suddenly, and inexplicably, I ate when I was hungry. . . and then, was done! I think what happened was a light went on in my mind and heart that gave me something that was SO MUCH BETTER than food. . . that (even though I still love to eat!) I just didn’t need to use food for my pleasure source., and I focus on something else. I think what happened was I suddenly found something that was so much better than the 2nd or 3rd cookie (it beat out the “diminished return”, if you want the economic viewpoint).

    Today has been about purchasing mother’s day cards for all the Mom’s in our lives. Purchasing cards is probably one of my favorite activities.

    1. “diminished return” — yes, totally agree with that! And what an interesting point of view re having a child and no longer need food for pleasure; your had something much better :)