The hip girl's guide to homemaking : decorating, dining, and the gratifying pleasures of self-sufficiency--on a budget!

With The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking , it's possible and even convenient to create an inviting space for living and entertaining on a budget. From unique decor ideas to growing strawberries on your fire escape, Kate Payne shares fun, low-cost (and often free!) creative solutions that will make anyone feel more accomplished in minutes. Inside this savvy motivational guide filled to the brim with small-scale creative home projects, Kate's tongue-in-cheek tone will keep you tuned in to her much-needed advice. In three easy sections, you'll learn how to create a comfortable space while being time- and budget-conscious. Section One, Home-ify Your Pad, features quick, convenient ways to make your place cozier with low-cost, special touches to help you tap into and show off your inner artist. Section Two, Impressive Acts of Domesticity, teaches how to impress others (and yourself) with the gratifying pleasures of self-sufficiency—a first-time guide to cleaning, sewing, repairing, and other previously out-of-the-question tasks. Section Three, Life After Restaurants, frees you to release the take-out menu, avoid pricey bar tabs, and entertain others in the space you've so thoughtfully and gorgeously created. User-friendly "how-to" sidebars, illustrations, and tips and tricks throughout the book offer easy-to-follow recipes and do-it-yourself craft suggestions for making your home hip, comfortable, and inviting. Keep in mind that this is not your grandmother's handbook and it's not the kind of wisdom your mom knows how to impart. Modern women need a modern approach to domestic pleasures—a guide to doing household things on our own terms, because most of this stuff isn't as hard as we've been led to believe. Don't worry, she's not asking you to host Tupperware parties or iron your underwear. But as all beginning home keepers know, a sure fire way to feel bad about ourselves is to consult Martha Stewart. So ditch that 2-inch thick handbook, dust off your pots and pans, and join Kate on this journey to incorporating creativity and self-sufficiency on the home front. “I am a hugefan! Kate Payne has nailed it in this humorous and creative guide for fabulous,chic and easy-on-the-wallet ideas for your home. . . . another must have for mygirlfriends.” —Kim Barnouin,co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Skinny Bitch “Anencouraging, non-perfectionist, step-by-step guide for creating a pleasurablehome without killing yourself (or the planet).” —Sally Schneider, Founder of TheImprovisedLife.com,and author of The Improvisational Cook Artist, creator,and self described “half-assed domestic goddess” KatePayne delivers a savvy and resourceful guide to creative home living. With aknowledgeable, encouraging, and no-nonsense tone, the Brooklyn-bred, Austin-baseddomestic guru dispenses her need-to-know advice on thrift stores, flea markets,Craigslist, interior design, decorating, cooking, crafting, and the best waysto embrace an artistic lifestyle. Demonstrates that it is not only possible, but also convenient to employ low-cost (and sometimes free!) creative solutions to produce an inviting space for living and entertaining. This title features easy ways to make your place cozier with low-cost, special touches to help you tap into and show off your inner artist. Payne provides easy-to-follow, low-cost solutions to make your home an inviting space for living and entertaining