The good, the bad, and the just like everyone else's

The good thing about living in a city with an Ikea (pronounced Ick-ee-a) is that you've got a place to procure affordable (cheap) furniture. You can dog-ear the Pottery Barn catalog, then find matching items at Ikea:







The bad thing about living in a city with an Ikea is that your house will look exactly like everyone else's. At least everyone else who is your same socioeconomic range (poor).

Solution: Ikea Hacker shows you great ideas on how to customize Ikea items to make them your own. I am very excited about the custom Ikea slipcovers by Bemz. They make slipcovers to the specifications of Ikea furniture (no duct tape or ties-backs required!), but out of cool materials. Not that I don’t love our Idemo Beige couch, but it is a little, you know, beige. And the best part is that they are about the same price as the standard Ikea slipcovers!

Ikea Hacker also shows you how to make a skirt out of a pillowcase and how to make a pinhole camera from a plant holder.

Other cool sites: Craftster, Apartment Therapy, Craft, Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, and Make (check out the make-your-own ipod charger).

Every 1st (tomorrow) and 3rd Sunday afternoon The Whistle Stop holds Knittin’ Time (with a DJ, $2 pints and dogs are welcome INSIDE THE BAR!!). I think I’m going to try my hand at crocheting cupcakes.