Shoe Leather: Behind the seams of Shoestring Magazine

DIY Dream: The Fridge Couches

When I was on Martha's Vineyard back in January for Chili Fest, I stopped by Mocha Motts, my favorite coffee shop on the planet, and ran into this too-superlative-for-words couch sitting by the cream and sugar. The Fridge Couch 325e (above), brainchild of Cape Cod-based independent recycling-design furniture maker Adrian Johnson, is made from a "worn-out refrigerator" and the salvaged backseat of a BMW 325i — a uniquely "repurposed" item in the Steve Dodds tradition that we wish we could afford right now.

The only thing better? The appropriately styled Fridge Couch 735i (below), which I can't wait to test drive on my next trip to the Island for Illumination Night in August. If you love the Fridge Couch as much as we do, you can commission a one-of-a-kind piece of your own, or "schedule a 'Fridge Couch Drop' for your retail atmosphere" to put these unique pieces on display, as Adrian is currently doing at Mocha Motts coffee shop and the Sidecar Cafe & Bar in Oak Bluffs.

Check out more of Adrian's work by becoming a fan of Fridge Couch on Facebook, or by bookmarking Adrian's upcoming website, FridgeCouch.com.

Photo credits: Top, Melissa Massello; Bottom, Adrian Johnson/FridgeCouch

Reduce, Reuse: Recycled Coffee Can Organizers

Organizing is one of my least-favorite DIY activities — especially when you factor in all the money it seems you need to do it well. (Read: California Closets, the subject of many a lustful daydream around Shoestring.) Meghan, on the other hand, is a master of meticulousness, even going so far as to create her own closet system that coordinates shoes by not only season, but by fabric and heel height. Before I met the Ginger, I used to spend the time to organize my clothes by occasion and by color, and was a complete neat freak who spent 4 hours each week cleaning the bathroom literally top to bottom, but marriage is a compromise for the greater good and happiness of the couple, not just the individual, so over the past six years clutter has become my keeper, and my "common law husband" has become the Oscar to my Felix.

Which might be partly why I find this anecdote so funny: My Depression-thriving grampa, also named Oscar, schooled me well in the powerful principles of "waste not, want not," and on a recent trip to my family's orchard in Washington wine country, I was reminded of how masterfully he executed these values in even the smallest of ways. Despite his toolshed workbench being the most classically manly of domestic spaces, this tough-as-nails WWII paratrooper and lifelong railroad worker was putting Martha Stewart to the test, keeping his screws organized by width separated from his nails organized by length and so on. And all for the low, low price of free.

Grampa was somewhat brand loyal, and by keeping and reusing his empty coffee canister each week, he created a system for clutter maintenance and efficiency that was not only environmentally friendly but that any student of modern design would find pleasing to the eye. Repetition is really hot right now, and this 3-R solution is fast, free, and utterly fabulous.

Try it at home!

~ Melissa

Billie Jean to Balmain: RIP, One-Gloved Wonder

Photo credit: nitro : licious

By now, everyone reading this blog post has heard the sad news that we've lost not just funnyman Ed McMahon (originally a beer pitchman?) and the fabulous Farrah Fawcett (from Charlie's Angels to anal cancer: need we say more?), but that we also lost enigmatic pop icon Michael Jackson yesterday (from what appears to have been a heart attack).

While everyone was out there expressing their shock and awe in the media, the blogosphere, and on Twitter, trying to get confirmation of the truth of MJ's passing, one of our most uniquely hip friends was on Facebook posting the best status update ever:

"Who's going to buy women's Balmain now?" (See Nitrolicious if you don't get the reference.)

Liana went on to write the perfect eulogy on her blog, New Brahmin, mixing sadness over the loss of such a uniquely talented musician with sadness for such a uniquely sartorial male pop star. (I won't do Liana justice by trying to paraphrase, so just go read her blog post, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough.")

What I will do, however, is grab and purchase a few bargain-priced, MJ and MJ-inspired tunes and trendy items I'm obsessed with today in particular, as my inbox and my screen light up with audible and visual tributes to the man who was — always will be — so much more than Thriller. Stay tuned for the recap of my inevitable Billie Jean and Balmain-inspired bounty... (This is turning out to be one hell of a nostalgic, trip-back-to-the-80s week, to say the least...)

Rest in piece now, MJ, rest in piece. We'll always love you, and hope that now all your pain, confusion, and hopefully misinterpreted good intentions are laid to rest with you. Our thoughts are with your family and close friends right now, and we thank you for all the many years of inspiration and entertainment, as only Michael Jackson ever could provide.

~ Melissa

PS ~ If you feel compelled, like the rest of the world, to download and play Michael Jackson tunes all day today, please consider shopping on Amazon.com through the banner below. A portion of each sale goes to support the snarky and money-saving editorial you love from Shoestring.

Shoestring Reader Survey: Built by You

We asked, and you answered: the results of last week's first-ever reader survey are in, and we are so impressed by the passionate responses — thank you from the bottom of our "soles."

One thing that became clearer to us as we were sifting through the survey responses, however, was that most of you (67%!) are only getting your Shoestring fix through our newsletter or by reading this blog. While I love writing our newsletter each week and sharing with you a few of my favorite new stories and happening events, and our daily blog is a fantastic way to keep tabs on what's happening "behind the seams" here at Shoestring, we have SO much more in store for you online on our website, on our Facebook page, and especially on our Twitter stream. Please check 'em out -- we think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Speaking of surprises, we also asked you what you thought of our newly redesigned website, in which we completely redesigned our top tabbed departments — like Travel and Eat & Drink — to look more like our home page. We also created new landing pages for special topics, like Weddings, driven by the tag cloud found on the right hand side of every page on our site.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking it even further by launching totally redesigned tabs and editorial departments, making it easier than ever for you to find the content you love the most from Shoestring staff writers each and every week, including our new monthly columnists: Romi Lassally of TruuConfessions.com, writing our Recession Confessions column; Christine Koh of BostonMamas.com, writing our Minimalist Mama column; Mandi Gerth of ShoestringHome.com, writing our DIY Home Decorating column; and so many more new columnists to come in the weeks and months ahead.

We loved that, overall, all of you (minus one naysayer) love the way Shoestring’s been going and frequently share Shoestring with your friends (98% of you said you would recommend us! Did I mention how much we love our readers?) We hope that you'll continue to spread the word by emailing stories and links, especially later this summer, as we wean off of our syndicated articles from the wires and publishing partners, going to all Shoestring, all the time.

Here are the top 10 types of articles that you wanted to see more of, some of which we already had in the works for later this summer and fall and can't wait to share with you:

1. Frugality (63%)
2. Travel (61%)
3. "The Look for Less" (59%)
4. Food & Wine (59%)
5. Home Decorating (57%)
6. DIY & Crafting (57%)
7. Freebies & Coupons (57%)
8. Health & Fitness (53% — watch out for a big story in July!)
9. “Eco Cheap” & Green (53%)
10. Entertainment & Events (49%)

Expect some great issues covering these and more exciting topics between now and the end of the year, and make sure to read our newsletter and follow us on Twitter for exciting updates on new local blogs and Shoestring events coming to a city near you soon. :)

If you didn't have a chance to answer our reader survey but have ideas and feedback for improving Shoestring, please leave us a comment below — we want to hear from you!

The Look for Less: Cage Heels

As a woman whose style icons during her formative years were Debbie Harry and Joan Jett, I love anything in black leather. Which is why I particularly love the punky, cagey black leather heels and sandals prevalent on the runways and in mainstream fashion these past few seasons, even if I can't afford them. I don't have thousands of dollars to plunk down on a pair of statement shoes like the celebrities and socialites of fashion spreads and red carpet coverage, and I doubt many of you do, either. But as any good recessionista knows, a shoestring budget isn't going to sate or curb your shoe obsession, it's just going to make you more resourceful.

Which is why I need you to run — no time for walking — to your nearest Payless to pick up your own pair of these "look for less" Jordana cage heels by alice + olivia for Payless (on me, above). Ginger was my wingman at Payless last night while I checked out satin colors for the Lela Rose for Payless T-straps and ballet flats I've chosen for my bridesmaids, and I shrieked with joy when I saw that these alice + olivia cage heels were still available in store. (They've been sold out online for weeks, if not months.) At a mere $38, they majorly trump the $120 YSL knockoffs I saw and salivated over last week at DSW, if a bit different in style. But I think they're more my style, anyway.

Stacy Bendet, the founder of and rock star behind the alice + olivia brand, is a lovable vintage vixen whose punk rock aesthetic (one might say inspired by none other than the famous Blondies frontwoman), irreverent attitude, and obsession with denim I find irresistible, and think that you will, too.

Shop at Payless or on Payless.com now through June 30th and take advantage of their buy one pair, get one pair half off ("BOGO") promotion. I did, and brought home the "Brinley" striped grosgrain peep-toes by Lela Rose, too, (above, at right) all for a whopping total splurge of $57. Not too shabby, especially considering I've otherwise been practicing "freeganism" for the past two weeks (but more on that later...)

What's more, it's a sound investment: according to yesterday's edition of the LA Times, cage heels and statement shoes are here to stay.

"When cage heels appeared on the runways in fall 2008, they took off, launching a now-ubiquitous style that doesn't show any signs of going away soon. With strong, sexy lines, the cage does for the foot what a bandage dress does for the body, and the newest generation adds interest with more cutouts, pastel colors and peep toes," writes LA Times reporter Melissa Magsaysa.

We say take that one to the bank, and with ample change to spare.

~ Melissa