Book Smarts
It’s Earth Month! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle has been Goodwill’s philosophy for years. Donations to Goodwill keep tons of items out of landfills. So with a salute to Mother Earth, I give you Book Frames!
I started my career as an interior designer when we finished remodeling our home that was built in the 1890s. I loved the space planning, choosing finishes and decorating every little inch. It was trial and error, and we made mistakes, but I learned a lot along the way. Along with being a learning process, working on our home was also a hands-on project. We did everything ourselves (actually, my husband Tom did all the building and heavy work, I did the fun stuff!). I’ve had the decorating bug ever since I was a little girl, but I wanted to know everything about design, so, as a result I returned to college (Mount Mary) for a second degree in Interior Design.
I’ve been collecting antiques and vintage furnishings forever. My favorite shopping places are flea markets, antique stores and of course, Goodwill. I love DIY projects and saving money by taking an object and re-purposing it into something beautiful and useful. I’m also an amateur photographer, love to travel and study French (J’adore tous ce qui est franҫais)!
Although I love to entertain, I’m not much of a cook. My party philosophy is "if the table looks fantastic, it doesn’t matter what you serve."
My weekly column for Amazing Goodwill and my design blog, Design Coach, are about all things design, living a stylish life and entertaining (like setting a great table). I share DIY projects, decorating and design tips, as well as ideas and secrets.
If you have a specific question for Merri, feel free to email her at askmerri@goodwillsew.com.
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Watch Merri on Windy City Live! ... See more videos featuring Merri (and more) on our AmazingGoodwill YouTube channel!
It’s Earth Month! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle has been Goodwill’s philosophy for years. Donations to Goodwill keep tons of items out of landfills. So with a salute to Mother Earth, I give you Book Frames!
You know one of my favorite things is to upcycle, which is to find a new purpose for an old object. Shopping at Goodwill, I often find shelves full of wood accessories. Last week I purchased a wall candle stick holder. They were very popular in the 1980s during the country decorating phase. I immediately knew I could turn it into a paper towel stand.
With Valentine’s Day only a few weeks away, I challenged myself to see how many gifts I could make from a couple of sweaters.
Is your house all decorated for Halloween? I’ve given you lots of ideas during the past several weeks. The last step to planning your party is setting the table.
Are you taking part in Earth Month this April? One simple way you can help Mother Earth is to use fewer plastic bags. I love tote bags and use them every time I have to carry or haul something. By making your own tote, you can help to reduce, reuse and recycle.
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