K-Mart never does any advertising that I see and has closed all of their nearby locations, so sometimes I forget that they carry Martha Stewart’s “Everyday” line of home decor. She can skew a little traditional for my taste, but her stuff is worth browsing.

For example, today I found these sleek bookend sets - Black Petal and White Egg - each for just $9 a pair.

Yet another amazing wooden toy set on Etsy. This one, from WoodMarvel would make just as good of a toy for your kids as it would a neat thing to display in your home.

I recently discovered a furniture store here in Dallas that I had no idea existed. It’s called IO Metro and has some very reasonable prices. They’re sort of like a Pier One, selling imports from around the world.

Not everything is a home run. But, they’ve got some really stylish pieces that are totally affordable. So, how can we complain?

Sadly, IO Metro doesn’t sell online. But they’ve got locations across running through the Bible Belt. Hopefully one near you.

Madison Key West chair, $599

Seagrass Coffee Table, $199

Via Another Shade of Grey

Even though I think it would take me all of 5 seconds to break one of these, I really, really want a set of these elegant, eco-friendly glass straws. If you’re not a klutz, they could be the last straws you’ll ever need.

They’re handmade by Etsy seller, Straws by Carl. Some are beautifully decorated and all are dishwasher and microwave safe. They would be the perfect way to sip some summer lemonade. Until I drop them, of course.

From The Nest:

Transform a drab wall into a fab (and practical) entryway. Apply a coat of magnetic chalkboard paint to the wall and draw a supersized calendar. Bonus: It can double as a fun “to-dos” board or a great menu space for dinner parties.

What a great idea! It’ll look cool and also save time and money on buying one of those big, ugly calendars. For more great ideas, take a look right here.

I recently attended the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash where I discovered some wonderful photographs (many taken in Texas) from husband and wife team, Karl and Kathleen.

Their store is called Seen Studios. Each image they sell is roughly 8″x10″ and printed on a 13″x19″ sheet with a white border ($35 each). But custom sizes are available upon request.

Usually when one thinks 1930s, they think Great Depression. What good design could come from that? Oh, yeah, the Empire State Building is one of those. The 1930s was a time period of great drama, design being one of those dramatic steps. Want to capture some of the 1930s drama in your own design? Here are some tips.

The three day weekend is finally here. And after an extra day to sleep in, I am most excited about trying this Watermelon Lemonade recipe I found on Allrecipes.com.

I have a watermelon left over from a BBQ and it’s way too big for me to eat by myself. So, I did an ingredient search to find a creative way to, well, not waste it. Not only does this lemonade sound delicious, the chef says it also makes a great Martini.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
• 2 cups lemon juice
• 12 cups cubed seeded watermelon
• 8 cups ice cubes

Directions:

1. Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rosemary, and set aside to steep for 1 hour.
2. Place half of the lemon juice, and half of the watermelon into a blender. Strain the rosemary syrup through a mesh strainer into the blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Strain into a pitcher, then puree the remaining lemon juice and watermelon. Stir the lemonade before serving over ice.

Happy Memorial Day!

What a great idea; a Victorian-style garden table in an updated - and recycled - aluminum finish. This end table from Pottery Barn is on sale now for $249, but you can only get it online.

I love this Eames-esque patio chair from West Elm. It’s on sale right now for $296 (about $50 off regular price). It has a matching lounge chair, but, in my opinion, the star of the set is this simple side table.

The side table is slightly more affordable than the chair and lounge, just $152 on sale. It might be a nice way to dress up some of those simple wooden folding chairs.