Monday’s Pick: Kula Trivet by Bryndis Bolladottir

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Visit bonluxat.com

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Can I borrow your brain?

In typical Amy fashion, I recently bought something that I didn't really need but just had to have because it was such a bargain.

Our company had a "swag sale" last Friday, which came at the end of a two-week promotion encouraging employees to clean out their offices and then donate the stuff they didn't want to the sale (a "your trash could be somebody's treasure" sort of idea--a good thing, if you ask me). Proceeds went to charity.

I got some of the normal goodies you can occasionally get for a steal when you work at a big media company: DVDs, books, decent beauty products. But my sweetest score was the above two rolls of wallpaper. (Ain't they lover-ly?)

Now, I do not own my apartment, so there is no way I can hang this paper anywhere in my home. Ditto for the office, natch. And I have no idea who made it or where it came from; but, from my limited wallpaper knowledge, it seems to be some good stuff.

At first I thought I could use it as funky-fun gift-wrapping paper. But then I decided that, no! I shall post it to M-Dashing and see if you guys could brainstorm with me to figure out a better alternative! So help a sister out. What the heck would you do with two rando rolls of wallpaper?

Hit me up. I'm open-minded...

Friday’s Pick: Handbag Manhattan

— Could only be cuter if it was Handbag Brooklyn. —

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Visit Svenskt Tenn

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M-Dashing is 1! M-Dashing is 1!

Throughout my life, the date October 15 has always signaled to me that change is in the air.

The first October 15 I can remember happened 32 years ago today, when someone dressed me in a tiny "I'm the Big Sister" t-shirt and sent me with my dad to the hospital to meet my first little brother (happy birthday, sweet D!).

On this same date 10 years ago, I used a one-way airline ticket to move to New York City to start a job at the now-defunct "Expedia Travels" magazine (RIP, good buddy).

And one year ago today, I started M-Dashing with this post about Mast Brothers Chocolate.

What a year it's been! So much has changed in my world since October 15, 2009. Obviously, there's the blog. But there's also the Herman Miller gig that sprang from my work here. There's the Twitter handle. Plus, there's all the readers and bloggers and small business owners and designers and other amazing, inspiring people I've connected with because of my little one-year-old neck of the woods.

And here's a bit of a secret: I promised myself that I'd put one year into a blog, and now that we're here, I am wondering what I should do next. So as a birthday gift to ole M-Dashing, I'd like for you to do me a solid: Since it's October 15th--and therefore a time of change--I need some feedback. What would you want changed on this blog? What DON'T you want changed? Any and all comments will be considered. I'd dig it if you could hit me up with some honest, raw info. (I can take it. I'm a year old, for chrissake.)

Thanks so much for a memorable year. If I could feed you all cake and ice cream and make you wear funny pointy party hats, I'd totally do it.

Happy weekend!

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