The Skirted Roundtable chats with the one and only Kathryn M. Ireland!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qGRNrAkljQQdjE3weSCwXztFnH1Gz8U2nJ08yEq49zPw-u0dooTISwNziANUH_5KOiz2vwGzc0g-wTOB9gnw3TNYokbNclfAZsUUN6SRxEWclmqGIxLXaxzMyqim2VaemfAByDac49GF/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-44-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qGRNrAkljQQdjE3weSCwXztFnH1Gz8U2nJ08yEq49zPw-u0dooTISwNziANUH_5KOiz2vwGzc0g-wTOB9gnw3TNYokbNclfAZsUUN6SRxEWclmqGIxLXaxzMyqim2VaemfAByDac49GF/s400/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-44-10.png" width="338" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Interiors and Textile Designer Kathryn Ireland took time out from the "crazy life" (3 boys, a busy design practice, textiles to design and sell, books, and MORE!) to chat with Joni, Megan and me at <a href="http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/2010/12/kathryn-m-ireland-visits-skirted.html">The Skirted Roundtable. Have a listen</a> to the voice behind these gorgeous designs! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YLrNSrPuUL4j_-m7Q_ffa_k8b3HjvzrIaGyf3pzKwPagGhvyvRGE8szuZ6hY8m8qfSN6ykvC14iHo5BNViaWnx3spQGO3isoFCnSF2kDBeFVQOpFK_AUkaINLdS8iw0RaLTkizhGnjov/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-33-08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YLrNSrPuUL4j_-m7Q_ffa_k8b3HjvzrIaGyf3pzKwPagGhvyvRGE8szuZ6hY8m8qfSN6ykvC14iHo5BNViaWnx3spQGO3isoFCnSF2kDBeFVQOpFK_AUkaINLdS8iw0RaLTkizhGnjov/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-33-08.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGAC2qnl3Sd5MICLVKFUJgdVbxpYAMA4DPS2P86btsd4ZK2FQbah8rfiu15xe_bFNlnCtP4QHklLGIxVUJjG47I4iyVdarUUgsvf4qwYar1kWqsx8pF7M3jklPCL2O9-1MBAQjAYh0g_s/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-33-47.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGAC2qnl3Sd5MICLVKFUJgdVbxpYAMA4DPS2P86btsd4ZK2FQbah8rfiu15xe_bFNlnCtP4QHklLGIxVUJjG47I4iyVdarUUgsvf4qwYar1kWqsx8pF7M3jklPCL2O9-1MBAQjAYh0g_s/s400/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-33-47.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI08aOnIAbcBlq_vhAnLjhj0pdLqGtfo0YFFrYxSLbYQjy8o5owA-2JrYzFtEUlBQFySfnddWbOM8774YIG5M3Ta4sj0eB7qbwAZi96WKk_GLm5dLzYDIfzdH4o41BU0tq4xKkAWcwfqlQ/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-35-51.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI08aOnIAbcBlq_vhAnLjhj0pdLqGtfo0YFFrYxSLbYQjy8o5owA-2JrYzFtEUlBQFySfnddWbOM8774YIG5M3Ta4sj0eB7qbwAZi96WKk_GLm5dLzYDIfzdH4o41BU0tq4xKkAWcwfqlQ/s640/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-35-51.png" width="508" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtDbHi4jAXnAF0wiEArT66unp6rSa2Vm3qZpX3IULbowLzGSRT8RhyphenhyphenF4DbSEbuigYkydyH9BlhpqcLb5lVP9y0Gx3g6Jg2TS8PgPWeCgqWK-5FVntnn2AnNFIL-hfpoD69frIc4SHS2Vw/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-42-16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtDbHi4jAXnAF0wiEArT66unp6rSa2Vm3qZpX3IULbowLzGSRT8RhyphenhyphenF4DbSEbuigYkydyH9BlhpqcLb5lVP9y0Gx3g6Jg2TS8PgPWeCgqWK-5FVntnn2AnNFIL-hfpoD69frIc4SHS2Vw/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-42-16.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheraLjlxVJysW3lp6Np1h6rfcRiRgzSkbcwcGnuFmhvAjFDGHbQAmj9QYJH1h3mmlU1G8hiGqx988zsQmS6wFjiQPdadCtFuQ5AK24tzgwl_z8-5uWjsjuOXNu0In70OFoBjy9qRtuBrV4/s1600/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-42-56.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheraLjlxVJysW3lp6Np1h6rfcRiRgzSkbcwcGnuFmhvAjFDGHbQAmj9QYJH1h3mmlU1G8hiGqx988zsQmS6wFjiQPdadCtFuQ5AK24tzgwl_z8-5uWjsjuOXNu0In70OFoBjy9qRtuBrV4/s400/Snapshot+2010-12-07+19-42-56.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

The Skirted Roundtable chats with the one and only Kathryn M. Ireland!

  Interiors and Textile Designer Kathryn Ireland took time out from the "crazy life" (3 boys, a busy design practice, textiles to ...

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Product Review: Kenmore Intuition Vacuum

As I mentioned last week, the folks at <a href="http://bit.ly/fQwaqq">Sears</a> asked me if they could send me a vacuum cleaner to review. Well,  a vacuum is obviously bigger than, say, a candle or other small item that is regularly offered for review.  Since I never want to feel obligated to give a good review just because I was sent something, I am very careful what products I accept.  My criteria for larger items is that the offering company be reputable and if I hated it, would either take it back, or could live with some criticisms. Sears is a big boy company, so I said yes, figuring they could take it. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/02031810000-1?hei=400&wid=400&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/02031810000-1?hei=400&wid=400&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Luckily, I don't have to be that critical, it's a very nice vacuum cleaner. <br /><br /><b>Here are the details:</b><br />Product: <a href="http://bit.ly/fQwaqq">Kenmore Intuition upright vacuum 31810</a><br />Features:<br /><ul><li>Beltless Direct Drive agitator, which means no more replacing those pain-in-the-a belts. </li><li>HEPA  (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration that includes a cloth bag and dust cloud free bag changing. As someone who has dust allergies, this is a nice feature. </li><li>Reach out wand and HandiMate Pet and stair cleaner attachment gets into the hard to reach areas. </li><li>Shift on the fly (thumb operated on handle)  floor to carpet adjustment feature. Foot button to adjust height for different rug piles. </li><li>Infrared dirt sensor. </li></ul><br /><b>The good news:</b> This is a powerful machine that cleans beautifully and I love being able to shift from floor to carpet cleaning with a thumb switch. Much easier than the vacuum I've been using for years which required you to stop the machine and wait for it to stop rotating, then move the lever on the base from floor to carpet. The reach out wand is much easier to use than the classic wand attachment which needed to be attached to use. This wand is already attached, kind of like a gun in a holster.  The bag is very easy to insert - unlike my old vacuum cleaner which had to be tucked in sideways and then prodded and pushed (in a sideways motion) onto the hole. This unit has a front door loader. Much easier. <br /><br /><b>The bad news:</b> The unit requires a little assembly and there were no instructions for this. There is some information printed on the inside of the box, but it was hard to read. There are some instructions on the unit, but again, a little hard to understand. Perhaps it was missing from my box, but a nice handy assembly chart would be a good thing. That said, assembly was very minor and easy once you figured it out.  Because of it's power and on-board attachments, this vacuum is fairly heavy. Lugging it up and downstairs is not pleasant. The power cord is very long (which is a good thing), but is so long that it gets in the way too. However, in my small condo, I can vacuum the entire floor and never have to move the cord to a different outlet, so that's convenient. The placement of the reach out wand is a little awkward and I found it easily tangled with the power cord. <br /><br />All in all, for the price ($222.99 on the <a href="http://bit.ly/fQwaqq">Sears website</a>) I think it's a fantastic vacuum and am looking forward to it doing a bang-up job after Christmas cleaning up after my Christmas tree is finally dragged out of the house, needles flying in its wake.<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Product Review: Kenmore Intuition Vacuum

As I mentioned last week, the folks at Sears asked me if they could send me a vacuum cleaner to review. Well,  a vacuum is obviously bigger...

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Where did the week go?? Friday Previews...

Every week I think I'm going to post about this and that, and then the week gets away from me!  I guess it's the craziness of the season and increased work - which is always good! This week at <a href="http://www.skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/">The Skirted Roundtable</a>, we chatted with design great <a href="http://www.kathrynireland.com/">Kathryn Ireland</a> and the podcast will be up as soon as I get it edited! Kathryn was fun to chat with - she lives a totally crazy life which is why it took us FOUR tries to get the conversation on tape! As soon as I get the podcast up we'll also be pulling the name for the winner of the One King's Lane Giveaway from last week. So, you still have time to enter!  Meanwhile, next week, we're chatting with author Vicki Archer of the blog and book <a href="http://www.frenchessence.blogspot.com/">French Essence</a>. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/02031810000-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/02031810000-1" width="400" /></a></div>The nice folks at Sears sent me this <a href="http://www.mysears.com/Kenmore-Intuition-31810-Upright-bagged-Silver-reviews?tab=details">Kenmore Intuition Vacuum cleaner</a> to review and I have to say, it's pretty great. I'll have real review coming with more details, but wanted to give them a shout out. I keep waiting to see if UPS will deliver a manservant to go with it. Not looking promising but you'll hear the whooping if it does happen.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bgantiquesandinteriordesign.1stdibs.com/archivesE/upload/8866/540/XXX_8866_1289921927_1_768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://bgantiquesandinteriordesign.1stdibs.com/archivesE/upload/8866/540/XXX_8866_1289921927_1_768.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Last weekend I visiting a great shop in Hingham, MA called <a href="http://www.beyondgorgeosity.com/">Beyond Gorgeosity</a>. They specialize in mid-century furnishings and accessories (like the amazing Paolo Buffa 1940's cabinet above) and have quite an amazing collection. I took a bunch of photos and have a post planned (in my head!). All I have to do is download the pics from the camera, edit them, upload them and write the post. <br /><br />Most bloggers do a Friday wrap up of the posts they DID do - and here I am doing one of the posts I planned on doing. Call it Previews.<br /><br />Meanwhile, what I AM doing this weekend (aside from getting caught up) is performing in a Christmas Concert in Needham, MA (outside of Boston). I'm playing Three Carols for Christmas for Flute and Piano. Below is a little snippet of last nights rehearsal with some festive photos I've taken over time. Enjoy your weekend! <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-28eb1cc329b0d133-11181" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyKAJyqpxBgfPiDxzMbi1KzGkVBACk8Z39r1yeR2KOKqZQ78J4nJKtSdWYwC-F1yeQVDbawaj9ELAEatHukQIOnrxbpp3u1cSg_F4Qt239xjClzGNzj2okYGgfXz21I8HLHF73Q&origin=chameleohomeinterior.blogspot.com" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Where did the week go?? Friday Previews...

Every week I think I'm going to post about this and that, and then the week gets away from me!  I guess it's the craziness of the se...

Read more »