The Theoretical Shopaholic

As a child (and a fan of Katy Keene comics) I always assumed that I’d own a dress like this (only $140! from Mercy Vintage Now). In every colour.

Really digging this upcycled cigar/jewelry box ($22) from Etsy vendor Innocent Witch. Debating whether or not simply being upcycled is enough to qualify for a post on The Greater Goods. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll start donating a portion of proceeds to  a lung cancer charity. Or impoverished Wiccans.

Got back from the market this weekend and realized that, although I’d brought reusable bags I still ended up with tons of plastic. Why? Because I still had to bag smaller items like peas and cherry tomatoes.

So of course I am all over these recycled mesh produce bags ($9 for two) from Bag the Habit. But while I’m being eco-minded I might as well be economical, too, and ask: Do they weigh more?

Okay, this one went from theory to reality in under five minutes. A total impulse buy at last weekend’s Puces Pop. This one-of-a-kind flower pot was made by PMO Design, inspired by old Chinese wooden buckets, and cost *cough* somethingsomething dollars *cough*.

Oh, forget the guilt! The money I spent on a local craftperson’s work could have just been sunk into more Ikea smoked salmon or patterned napkins, anyway. Plus it looks great holding the vines I propagated (for free) from clippings. Also, I should be commended for restraining myself and only getting the pot, and not the pot and a dozen of these wonderfully misshapen mugs.

Okay, I am waaay too excited about the peas and beans that I’m growing on the balcony. They’re all cool heirloom varieties from Azure Dandelion, who even threw in an extra packet of beans even though I only spent like $10. Etsy is definitely an exercize in customer service and cute little extras.

Yep, it’s definitely spring fever. Not only am I chomping at the bit to garden and visit the market, I’m already imagining that perfect point in the summer when crops are so plentiful I can bring a $20 to Jean Talon Market and get so many bags of fruit and veg I can barely stagger home.

Also, I really wish I knew how to can and preserve (isn’t that book design cute? Via Design Sponge), and that I lived in Toronto (ha, no I don’t) so I could attend Canadian balcony garden blogger YouGrowGirl’s workshop. I can only freeze so much tomato sauce. Plus, you know, the impending zombie apocalypse.

I’ve got a neighbour who spends about six hours a day tending to his tiny, urban front lawn. It’s a bit of a waste of space, time and water, if you ask me (though he’s got tomatoes growing in a thin strip by the fence), but gosh does he look proud.

A nice compromise between pure golf course green and wild brush is Fleur de Lawn – a seed mix that contains Ryegrass along with Strawberry Clover, Alyssum, Yarrow, Wild English Daisy and Baby Blue Eyes.

Okay, so it’s definitely spring fever. The non-sexy kind, at least.

Don’t ask me why, but I’ve always had a thing for apiaries. No idea why. I don’t even particularly like honey. I guess it’s ‘cause the beekeeping suits are cool, and bees are fuzzy and cute and have been anthropomorphized by Hollywood…

Anyway, if my SO weren’t so scared of bees, I’d seriously consider this urban beehive from Omlet, the same people who make iMac-ish chicken coops. Does this mean I have spring fever or something?

(via Urban Gardens)

I’ve been wanting to make tin can planters forever, like these ones from Design*Sponge. I like the idea of little jade plants or herbs growing in cans with vintage labels, plain silver or even plain silver painted glossy white. So DIY and affordable! Okay, so I spent $2 on a can opener (the ‘bad’ kind that leaves a sharp top). Ooh, maybe I can even grow cherry tomatoes in an industrial-sized can of tomatoes. How meta!

I really have the worst timing. The sun came out the other day, briefly (now we’re back to snow, big shocker) and I started thinking about my urban garden, repainting metal pots and deciding how to make the most of the balcony (last year I planted basil – ver successful, some other random herbs – so-so successful, and some pathetic cherry tomatoes). So I started dreaming of stripey, green, alien-looking and oh-so-delicious heirloom tomatoes and decided to find a seed source close to home. Only to find out that I just missed Montreal’s 10th Annual Seed Fair at the Botanical Gardens.

On the plus side, I discovered the cute garden blog You Grow Girl (photo above c/o of blogger Gayla Trail).