FLOR is offering bigger samples...

6"x6" tiles, priced at $5 for any six*.

Do you know what this means?

Cheap custom-designed welcome mats!

I have more Flor sample tiles than I would like to admit.

See?

If the ones I had received before had been larger I probably wouldn't have had to order so many. What can you tell from a 2 inch square when you're looking at an entire living room floor? I though I would come up with some DIY use for them but nothing ever came to me.

But if indecision happens to anyone now, at least the 6"x6" tiles will be a decent enough size that you can bind them together to make a decent 2 x 3 welcome mat for only $20!

Note: I am not advocating that you buy the sample tiles just to make a welcome mat. This is just a suggestion of how to make lemonade from the far too many lemons that you have left over from your incredible bout of indecision about buying a rug. You know, a way to reuse, recycle, and justify!

*This includes the new Martha Stewart-designed ones.

More Martha at Macy's

I stopped by Macy’s yesterday to torture myself looking at shoes. Since I was there, decided to check out the new Martha Stewart Collection. My particular Macy’s seemed to be taking it slow, only half of the department was set up and hand written signs were stating where certain kitchen tools would go.

Some of the basic kitchen utensils like spatulas and slotted spoons were there but I wonder just how different are these from the ones she has at K-Mart? Maybe they have prettier handles?

One thing Martha is definitely doing is trying to grab as much business as she can. Instead of offering just one type of item, she is offering many different styles for different customers. She has five different types of salt and pepper mills ($30-$40) and five distinctly different spice rack systems ($40-$60).

I thought this was very clever and attractive, a collapsible colander, available in blue, red, and lime green for $15.

Good news!

Even though they are still not shown on the Macy’s website (probably scared the website would be jammed) the turquoise and red cast iron pieces are in the store and are also available online through the Wedding Channel’s wedding registry. Best of all, they are on SALE! The 5 and 7-quart Dutch ovens are currently 50% off, from $119 to $59. This is true at the stores too, so you better run rather than walk!

Comparing them to my own Le Creuset, they seem like the real deal. (But what else would you expect from Martha?) The colors are so beautiful in real life that I might buy the red one in the 7-quart size to complement the 5-quart one I have as part of my hunter green Le Creuset group.

These melamine bowls ($30 for 6) are a great deal, but I really loved a miniature set of these that they had for $10. They were meant as prep bowls for those 3 tablespoons of allspice or coriander needed in recipes but I think they would be excellent for condiments at a buffet event. I also think a few would look great in my office holding paperclips and miniature rubberbands.

Martha is also selling cake and cookie mixes too. In cakes, she is selling chocolate, white, and lemon cake mixes for $12 each. However, I prefer the $10 sugar cookie mix because she is selling her decorative colored sugars and sprinkle sets to go with them ($14 now, but regularly $20 each). The sugars also can be used with her new 4-piece birthday cake stencil set for $15. I really should have bought that cookie mix when I was there.

Well, I guess I have to go back and check out the completed store setup, right?