IT MATTERS

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Man, I hate having so much space...if only I could live in a teeny tiny house!" Maybe you are suffering from the recent downturn in our country's economy...or maybe you are really wanting to go Green and minimize your carbon footprint...OR maybe you have a secret fascination with turtles and want to carry YOUR home around with you wherever you go- for whatever the reason, check out this website and see why people are deciding to go small to go home.

Jay Shafer, the mastermind behind the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, is just one of the many people who have decided bigger is NOT better. He lives in one of his own creations which includes all the amenities a larger and far more expensive house would have without all that 'extra space'...or extra cost. These little buggars sell for around $15,000 and cost a mere $15 a month in utilities. Sounds pretty good, right? Well...don't get too excited yet. Jay may be able to live out his dream in his teeny tiny home...but there's not enough space for his wife. I guess every great deal has it's hidden cost, although for some of you, that might be an added bonus...

There is this little television show that the women in my family invariably flip to whenever we get to be 'Masters of the Remote Control' - The Home & Garden Television channel. It is to us what ESPN is to the average male...and yes, we get decidedly giddy over Candice Olson's aptitude for designing just like a guy gets excited over Tom Brady...and all his uber-hott girlfriends. It's an entire network dedicated to making things beautiful...and functional...and sellable - who wouldn't love it?!?!

The other day I managed to commandeer the remote control and was in the throes of a kitchen remodel, bemoaning the fact that I couldn't make custom furniture, when I decided all I wanted this Christmas was my very own carpenter. Preferably one that looked as good as the guy on the show.

And that's when it hit me.

The guy on the show wasn't just passably handsome...he was downright doggone gorgeous! Dark hair...blue eyes...charming smile...WHY!?! Why would they do that to me?! Why would HGTV lure me in with their arts and craftiness and then dangle some dimple-flashing wavy-haired handy man in front of me like that? Has no one else noticed this? And so...I did what any lover of HGTV would do...

I compiled a list of my top favorite men on the crew at HGTV.

What!?! Somebody had to do it...

So, I've decided that I will be posting a HGTV Crewman of the Week each week until I run out of men...or weeks...starting with:

Aaron Foster, designer and host on FreeStyle. Apparently he's kind of a Jack of All Trades - majored in history in college, avid cyclist, artist, renovater, writer, producer, director, actor, guitar player...

The list probably goes on. After a copious lack of offers to become a professional cyclist, Aaron got into designing while working with artists and home furnishing designers in the company he co-founded in Atlanta called Relish.

As for style, he says it best himself: "I don't think there is such a thing as rules when it comes to designing a home, or the things in it. If something works, then it is right, no matter what convention might say."

Aaron Foster, you are my HGTV Crewman of the Week!

So, I've had this little tickle at the back of my mind about perfume...and how I don't really wear it. I've never found that 'perfect scent' that just makes me feel well dressed - you know what I mean? I usually just splash on some generic vanilla bodywash that claims it's from Tahiti and hope it doesn't clash with whatever deodorant I happen to find. Boring. Boring. Boring.
And the thing is, I LOVE scents. I love the smell of christmas and clean baby and long summer days (yes...they have a smell). And that last one is what I'd like to bottle. Somehow, I would love to be able to bottle up the smell of warm earth and cut grass and honeysuckle - which, I've decided, is what a long summer day smells like. (Do you think it would be too much if I threw in chocolate chip cookies too?)
Apparently, making your own fragrance isn't impossible...at this site there are even a few recipes to get you started! So go ahead and grab your essential oils and vodka...