WALLFLOWERS

To say I was a nerd in Junior High School is being kind. I was the kid that made the horrible mistake of getting a perm (only on the top portion of my head, of course), wore braces and headgear and hung out with two Thai boys named Twan and Gong. To break out of my high-water wearing world I decided to go to the fall dance...ALONE. So, I rented a tuxedo with hard earned allowance money, convinced my brother to drive me and walked in the door to find my fellow classmates in jeans, flip flops and baseball caps. Needless to say, this didn't become my welcoming party into the cool crowd. Instead, I grabbed a glass of punch, leaned up against the wall and fantasized about a world far, far away from the gymnasium at Cope Junior High School in Redlands, California. Anxious to jazz up a few boring corners in our home, I headed to another world yesterday to find the solution....the planet of New Jersey and the Ikea I frequent more than I like to admit. For less than $10 I found a solution for my sad corners; a bundle of sticks! I infused a hip edge by adding these sleek, cool, visually appealing sticks to empty corners and blank walls (the bundle I purchased was enough to fill four vases). So, next time you're standing in a corner think about what you can do to make it a little more exciting!

TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Ten minutes

COST: Bundle of sticks at Ikea stores in the plant department: $9

STRESS LEVEL: Making my house in the sticks a home: LOW