Becolorful

Reviews and Recommendations - Summer Televison

 

 

Summer and TV, it is always a uniquely trying time. Right after the cliff hangers of May, it is almost as if my best friends took off together on a long summer vacation and left me behind wondering who I am supposed to hang out with.   

Thank goodness for the Olympics but a girl can't live on women's gymnastics and men's swimming alone.

I suspect that summer programming is probably why so many people use this time of year to catch up on their reading. 

I was reading right along with the rest of you. If you want to know more about the books I was devouring click here.

After last week's book review I thought I would share some of the better television shows I've been keeping up with over the past twelve weeks.

So what was I watching the summer of 2012?

Drum roll please ...

 

 

Design Star 2012

This show started early in the season. If you watched it too I would love to hear how you felt about it. If you missed it, you can catch it in reruns or download it from Netflix.

***Spoiler Alert if you don't want to know who won Design Star 2012.

 

For those of you that already know or don't want to be kept in suspense, Danielle Colding, on the right, was this year's winning designer.

 Britany Simon, even though she was the runner up, was voted the designer that the viewers most wanted to watch. 

I liked Danielle from the the very first episode but I would have been happy with any of the final three competitors.

In the finale Danielle had what I thought was the tougher assignment. 

This was her resulting look.

She did a great job pulling the home owner's art work into the design and I thought her direction with the fireplace was impressive. That said, this was not my favorite example of her work. Is it just me or is there a bit of a Pee Wee's Playhouse vibe going on here?

Britany Simon was the runner up. Her design style is graphic and glam - a look that is near and dear to my heart.

Even though Britany had difficulty in front of the camera in the episodes leading up to the finale I really thought she had found her voice and her footing when she created her pilot for this Design Star Finale. Apparently, though, it wasn't enough for the judges to give her their vote of confidence.

 

I will be watching again next year and I look forward to seeing more from both of these women.

I would rate Design Star 3 palates.

 

 

Then there are

 The Real Housewives of NYC. Where do I begin with these ladies?

Everybody needs a bit of trash television. Don't you agree?

:D

 

 

This show is one of the guilty pleasures that I allow myself while I am working out on the eliptical.

These women make me feel better about my life.

I have to say, though, that I miss the days of Bethanny, Jill, and Alex.

As for this year's mix well  the Pinot Grigio guzzling Ramoner (Ramona) is back. She is obviously off the meds, and  is as bat sh^^ crazy as ever. 

Sonja, the Frick to Ramoner's Frack, but who is looking particularly gorge this season isn't much better.

The recent episode where she ranted about her  "Young uterus" verified for me that  she isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Maybe all those hats and headbands she has been wearing are a bit too tight. I have to give her credit though. She is a woman that is truly sworn to fun and loyal to whom ever she is with at the moment. She will tell one person the one thing they want to hear and then turn around and tell the next person the exact opposite story. 

 

Then there is the "Dah-ling" Countess, also known as LuAnn. Now this is one evil B. She is a master of stirring up conflict and pitting one housewife against another while making herself appear like the picture of integrity and reason. Does she forget that we and  dare I say her co-stars? will see her manipulative shenanigans unfold as the season progresses?

LuAnn's ability to "one up" the others is a talent that she has perfected into a fine art. She's  the worst kind of "friend" - she will hug and kiss you on both cheeks but throw you to the carnivores the first time she thinks it will benefit her.

The new housewives are Aviva, Carole and Heather.

Carole Radziwill, of the Kennedy Radziwill's, is probably the sanest and most normal housewife.

Cool Carole as she is called, was widowed a number of years ago and doesn't have any children. This makes it difficult to really see her as a housewife. Perhaps what Alex said about Bravo just wanting someone with a title is true. She does, though, have an open relationship with her musician boyfriend. Maybe that classifies her as housewife material. Because she is so much less psychotic than the others she is also less "crazy time" entertaining but sometimes we just need her for contrast and a dash of normalcy.

As for Heather, she is the housewife with the obnoxiously contrived, nose crinkling  smile that she seems to flash when she has something to gain or to flagrantly send the message, "I really hate you" - a technique she has perfected and frequently employs on Ramoner to successfully push all of Ms.R's psychotic buttons. 

I can't really put my finger on it, but for me Heather is just incredibly annoying.  I just plain old don't like her. It isn't right but somehow I expect the women on these shows to be physically attractive. There. I said it and I'll say this too. She isn't. Add to that the fact that she is  mind numbingly boring and for me she is a non-starter. I hope she feigns a busy schedule and doesn't return next season.

To be fair, she does have a flair for marketing but Heather is one of those women that thinks she is much smarter and more pulled together than she really is. I am sympathetic to her being the mom of a chronically sick child but that whole thing of inviting everybody BUT Ramoner was deliberate and mean. I wouldn't want Ramona either but own up to it Heather.

 

Finally there is the best dressed Aviva.

With those svelt arms and most likely augmented perky girls of hers, she looks amazing in whatever she puts on.

I'm not even going to mention her prosthesis. There has already been too much said. Enough already. I do want to give her a shout out though for her One Step Ahead charity. That is really pretty cool.

As this season began I had the feeling Aviva had watched reruns of all the previous seasons and was practicing what not to do, namely don't rock the Ramoner boat. This only served to make Aviva an attractive simp. She is starting to show truer colors now though and I believe that underneath  those long blond extensions is a tightly wound bobcat just getting ready to pounce. I, for one, will be watching.

This show is a wonderful mental escape for me while I am working out but these ladies  still don't hold a candle to the originals.

For being what it is I give this season of Real Housewives of NYC three palates.

 Bunheads

 

From the creators of Gilmore Girls this is a smart and wholesome newcomer to the ABC lineup. With rapid firing dialog and frequent references to pop culture this program has the mix of humor, drama, and wit that will keep you on your toes. (Pun intended)

:D

The show casts two time Tony winning Broadway star Sutton Foster as the over thirty Vegas girl that reluctantly agrees to marry the aging but kind hearted Hubbell (Alan Ruck) and follow him to a small town in northern California. When she arrives in California she discovers that Hubbell shares his home and the attached ballet school with his eccentric mother (Kelly Bishop).

Hubbell is killed in the first episode setting up the push/pull relationship between the newly acquainted and mutually financially strapped widow and mother-in-law. The dynamics between these two strong but vulnerable characters and their common love of dance create a great foundation for what I expect will be another fan favorite for quite some time.

BeColorful gives Bunheads four palates.

 

Political Animals

 

Political Animals has been billed as a six episode limited series but I would love for it to be picked up for a second season. After googling the show and its ratings I can see that although the show didn't set any market share records those viewers that did see it were as passionate about it as I am.

 In what appears to be a thinly disguised nod to Hilary Clinton, Sigourney Weaver stars as Elaine Barrish, a divorced, determined and smart Secretary of State. Elaine is the more experienced right arm for an inept president that she unsuccessfully ran against in the last election. Hmmmm. :D   Her ex husband, Bud Hammond, is a philandering former president (remind you of anyone else?) 

The premise of the show is to peek behind the curtain of a politically driven family and the resulting collateral damage to their personal lives and relationships  from such focused ambition. Every character seemed to draw me in. From the willful and competent Elaine to her charismatic if occasionally bumbling ex husband. I wanted to see more of them. Women were definitely the stronger characters in this show and my very favorite was that of Margaret Barrish, Elaine's mother, played by Ellen Burstyn.

I would tune in for her alone. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous at seventy eight but her martini guzzling, pot smoking, compassionate, perceptive and grounded character with the good heart and raunchy mouth deserves an Emmy. 

I really really really hope to see more of Political Animals but I am reading that the ratings were rather soft. 

Come on America. Let's let them know that we want to see more like this.

I give Political Animals four and 1/2 palates.

 

Boss 

 

This is a show that I watch with the hubs. If it weren't for him I probably wouldn't have ever watched this. I'm not even sure I would continue to watch it if he didn't enjoy it so much. That is not to say it isn't good, it is. In fact, this is probably one of the better programs on air right now. It is, though, quite dark. 

Kelsey Grammer plays the role of Tom Kane and the mayor of Chicago. Thus the title, Boss.

Chicago is portrayed as the cliche corrupt political machine that it is but what moves this storyline beyond the predictable Chicago political drama is the fact that Tom Kane is secretly suffering from Lewy Body Disease, an insidious and rapidly progressing degenerative neurological disorder that leads to hallucinations, seizures and loss of muscle control. Like I said, this is dark but still definitely worth watching.

Impressive acting, artistic direction, compelling writing, and supreme cinematography, that is Boss.

It really shouldn't be missed

Here is a trailer that can showcase the artful dynamics of this show much better than my words can portray it.

 

Boss just started its second season.

To see this season's first episode for free click  here.

You will be hooked.

:D

The BeColorful rating for Boss is four and a half palates.

 

There were other shows like News Room that I would like to see but haven't and others like Craft Wars that were so painfully ridiculous that I wasn't able to stomach even one entire episode.

 

Now I am looking forward to the start of the fall viewing season but it is good to know that the producers and advertisers are learning that there is a summer market waiting and watching out here too. 

So now I will be watching the convention. Hopefully Issac will veer off into some uninhabited part of the gulf.

After that I will be anxiously waiting to find out what happened to everybody on that plane in Grey's Anatomy and geering up for the the ladies of Beverly Hills.

:D

By the way, does anyone know when Million Dollar Decorator returns.

Add that to my watch list too.

xoxo,

p

 

 

Motivated Monday August 27th

 

Welcome to the August 27th Motivated Monday here at BeColorful.

These were some of the posts that were linked up here last week that I wanted to share with you.

 I feel so out of the loop but I guess that these magnetic makeup organizers are all over Pinterest. Somehow I have missed them but I was very stoked to see this one here on BeColorful's Motivated Monday last week.  Maybe this is new to some of you too. 

Embellishments by SLR

It has me totally inspired. I love that basket thing for holding brushes.

 

 

hello.lj

Shared with us a

distressed chalk painted dresser in a gorgeous turquoise.

 

Love her choice of hardware too.

 

Then there were these

 Truffula Tree Cake Pops inspired by The Lorax

via

Jodi Fitz

Such fun.

 

 You wouldn't want to miss this

 upcycled curbside find from

21 Rosemary Lane either.

(yes, I do love her stuff)

Also not to be missed was this mosaic treatment on a recycled table. She even included a tutorial if this is something you would like to try too.

It was shared 

via

N Your Dreams

 

Summer Reviews and Recommendations - Books

 

Tomorrow the school buses will start rolling again and psychologically that is kind of the end of summer for me. That, and when they close the pools. 

I wonder why I am surprised that the summer went by so fast. Doesn't it always?

I started thinking back over the past few months and what I have accomplished lately. Among other things I've done a bit of summer reading. I've also watched some mindless  drivel on TV along with some noteworthy progaming. It has been a summer of healthier eating, and regular workouts.  I've tried some new recipes and  and cocktails and I've experimented with a few new products and projects with varying success.

I always think it is interesting to see what others are reading, watching eating, and creating so I thought maybe you would like to know what summer recommendations I have for all of you. Later this week I hope to share some recipes, work out hints, and TV viewing suggestions. For today, though, I will concentrate on the books.

So what did I read this summer?

Well, I started the summer with 50 Shades of Grey

 

 

Yes, 50 Shades of Grey, it has been "Dominating" book conversations everywhere.

:D

(I just couldn't resist the pun).

I wasn't really sure what I was getting in to when I decided to read it but I didn't want to be left out of the loop so I downloaded it onto my iPad. 

This is one of those rare books that left me feeling rather ambiguous. I don't know that I would say I liked the book but then again, it isn't that I didn't like it either. Not very helpful am I? I will say that it definitely had its moments.

:D

You probably already know that this is an erotic novel that delves into the world of bondage, discipline, masochism and sadism.

It is absolutely like nothing I have ever read before.  I'm not going to lie, it is hot but after a bit I became desensitized to the sex scenes. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of substance or plot in between them.

There are those that would argue that the book glorifies abusive behavior towards women and others that feel that it celebrates sexual exploration and confidence. I couldn't say where I fall.

I do believe that rape is to be abhorred always. l wonder though if for some women, the kind of women that have been taught to believe that sex is shameful and base, that this sort of role playing allows them to fantasize that their participation is against their will and  therefore it frees them to enjoy the act without guilt. 

The book isn't especially well written. Some of the dialog between the college roommates is unnaturally wordy and formal and I was constantly having to stop and Google things like genital clamps. Really??? I have apparently led a seriously sheltered life, but if you want to know what everyone else is talking about  I would say pick this one up. It is an easy and steamy read. I will also warn you that your husband or significant other will probably ask you to read it out loud.

:D

I would rate it two BeColorful paint palates out of a possible five.

 

The second book I read this summer was  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I went from erotica to more of a who-done-it type read. 

I reveiwed this book earlier in the summer and you can read about it here.

The BeColorful rating for Gone Girl was a 4 out of 5.

 

To change things up yet again I followed that book up with a political read. I was ready for something non-fiction and I chose The Amateur.

As you would expect, this book is a less than flattering look at Obama and his administration. Written by Edward Klein who considers Obama an inept ideologue this work steps the reader through the past four years of the campaign and the Obama White House. 

It was released in May of 2012 so it is quite current and despite that it has been largely ignored by the liberal media it has been on the New York Times best seller's list for the past thirteen weeks.

Klein is a conservative writer and there were times when I found it would take a huge leap of faith to concur with his obviously biased conclusions.

That being said, this is a book that looks not just at the man but the entire administration and I found myself agreeing that even though Obama's closest campaign advisers ran an admirable campaign, campaign advisers do not necessarily know how to govern. Yet this is exactly what they have attempted to do in the Obama White House and with less than stellar results. 

 I was also convinced after reading this book that his inexperience and arrogance have been contributing factors to his lower poll numbers.There were times when I felt that the book was so obviously pandering to the right but there are also some insightful elements such as the fractures between Obama and Oprah Winfrey,  Caroline Kennedy, the Jewish sector and the Clintons. 

The media and the campaign presented us with a much different Obama during 2008  than  the subsequent reality of this White House. This book revisits some of the rhetoric and the events of the last four years and in looking back it is frequently easier to see things more clearly and to pinpoint those things we seemed to have missed.

I found the book intriguing despite its bias.

I give this book 3 palates.

My most recent read was also a work of non-fiction and it too was of the political persuasion.

Mrs. Kennedy and Me

 

This is the story of the Camelot years of the Kennedy White House. It is written by Clint Hill, one of Jackie Kennedy's secret service agents and the one that we have seen  climbing up on the trunk of the car in photos the day the president was shot

This is not a salacious tell- all kind of book. Instead it is a very private but respectful glimpse into what life was like as a Secret Service agent and a unique vista into the early 1960's White House. The book begins as John Kennedy is elected and carries us through  the inauguration, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the birth and death of baby Patrick, Jackie's first encounter with Aristotle Onassis and the  president's assassination. It is a story we have all heard but never quite like this.

One of the things that amazed me was how little time Jackie actually spent in Washington during those three and a half years that her husband was president. She truly was a reluctant First Lady.

I also found it disconcerting how we have changed as a nation over the past fifty years. The Kennedy family was obviously extremely wealthy. What fascinated me was that during the Kennedy era their wealth was something that seemed to bring them prestige and respect from the public. They were admired for what they had accomplished and achieved. Dare I say for what they had built themselves? Yet today, Romney's wealth is denounced, demeaned, and scrutinized. Have we really changed that much or is all of this envy, divisiveness and class warfare ultimately altering how we view success?

I absolutely loved this book for so many reasons. One element of the book that intrigued me was the lifestyle of the author during his years as a Secret Service agent. A friend of ours has a son who is with the Secret Service today and has been on the Obama detail when the first family was in Hawaii. I couldn't help comparing the wages, benefits and working conditions of the agents then to the Secret Service today. It is a shame that recent events have somewhat tarnished the reputation of what has been such an esteemed agency.

There are also a number of photos interspersed throughout the book. Some of them were familiar but most of them I had never seen before and they give such insight into the woman, the fashions, and the lifestyle that signified Jacqueline Kennedy.

I hope to get another book read before the summer is really over but if not, this one was a good way to end the season.

 

I gave Mrs. Kennedy and Me 5 palates.

I would love to hear what books were on your reading list and any suggestions you have to pass along my way.

Happy reading.

xoxo,

p

 

Motivated Monday August 20th

 

Welcome to the August 20th Motivated Monday.

Thank you to everyone who linked up last week.

I would like to vent just a bit though and ask that if you have a verification requirement on your blog for comments that you consider turning it off.

Every week I visit every blog post that is linked up here and attempt to leave a comment. When I get slowed down by the verification process it is a bit irritating. Do you really get that many spam comments? I will try once but it seems that the verification codes are getting longer, more complex and much more difficult to read.

If you want to encourage comments from BeColorful and others,

PLEASE CONSIDER TURNING OFF YOUR CAPTCHA VERIFICATION.

Okay, I feel better.

Highlights from last week's Motivated Monday...

 

Fair and Fickle

Festive party balloon wreath.

Musebootsi

Giving embroidery that modern twist.

 

The Thrifty Rebel

A glammed up pearl edged passion pink mirror update.

 

High Heels & Grills

A Tasty Chipotle Burrito Recipe 

 

Living A Redeemed Life

Creating a weathered look in blue.

 

21 Rosemary Lane

A kitchen remodel.

 

My Turn (for us)

Bloody Mary Recipe. Yes please.

 

Love and Laundry

Ten Tips for traveling with kids.

 

 

Frugal in Florida

Chicken with blackened redfish seasoning in a salad. 

Color of The Week - Chartreuse

 

It began with this photo. I saved the image to my desktop and now I don't remember where I first saw it but it totally pulls me in. 

 The white sofas on that black rug are truly stunning and I am crazy for the explosions of raspberry pink and yellow. The white floors and walls, though are what I think make it work. They lend a calming element and allow the more shocking snaps of color to pull together and balance out one another so beautifully.

The drama of this look, I am obsessed.

Two years ago if you had told me that I would be such a fan of chartreuse I never would have believed you. I didn't even know what to call it. Is is yellow? Is it green. To explain myself I usually referred to it as tennis ball yellow.

 

Then I started seeing it in more places. It has even filtered down to Target. Eventually I found it the sight of it was no longer so jarring to me. In fact, I started to find myself drawn to it and now I embrace it. Remember these shoes I bought back in May to speed shop in Vegas?

 

 

I like to think the US Olympic team copied me. 

:D

 

This color teams up beautifully with browns, navy, orange, turquoise, and even greens, and hot pink.

Which pairing is your favorite?

Chartreuse and brown,

Coco and Kelley

 

 

Chartreuse and silver.

 

 

Chartreuse and raspberry pink.

 

Eclectic Revisited

 

 Chartreuse and turquoise.

 

Finding Fabulous

 

 Chartreuse and red.

 

Home Portfolio 

 

Chartreuse and black.

 

House Beautiful

 

 Chartreuse and neutrals.

Paper Smith 

 

Chartreuse and slate.

 via lesueur interiors

 

 

Chartreuse and orange.

HGTV

 

Chartreuse and aqua.

 

Chartreuse and navy.

 

Life in Yellow

 

I had no idea that this was such a versatile neutral.

I've inspired myself and can't wait to bring it into our home.

xoxo,

p

 

Motivated Monday August 13th.

It's party time here on BeColorful and I'm so glad you are here.

Here are the features from last week's event.

 

 

Stained glass earrings

via

Jewelry Making Journal

Scrabble coasters

shared by

Shabby Gals

 

 

 

London Olympic Totes 

via

Happy in Red

 

 

And since we are talking Olympics, for a fun read you might want to stop by

Ciao! Newport Beach

and read all about Kate Middleton's Olympic fashions.

She is stunning but I wish she would go eat a cheeseburger. Then again, this motivates me to get stay with the healthier eating choices I am trying to stick to.

 

Getting back to motivating projects, these inexpensive and whimsical

solo cup wine glasses just made me smile

shared by 

Make It Easy Crafts

 

 I am so going to try these

painted curtains

via

Turquoise Piano

 

 and this

frozen hot chocolate for those hot summer days

from

Love and Laundry

 

 

I enjoyed reading about this chair redo and redone yet again 

via

Just Tryin to Make Cents of It

 

 

along with this organized paper/ribbon wrapping center via

Turtles and Tails

The whole dowel thing for storing ribbon really doesn't work. I know, that is what I have now.

I like her option so much better.

 

What I Love Today

Are you looking for a personalized gift or perhaps a way to sass up your own work space? Then this Clairebella monogrammed mouse pad could be just the ticket.

There are countless color and monogram options to make it uniquely yours and to coordinate it with any decor. In an on trend Ikat design it is quick and at $24 it is an inexpensive way to update your desk.

This fun and functional accessory is available through Layla Grace. The Clairebella mouse pad, it is what I love today

The Wine Cabinet Reveal

Yes, it seems like I have been working on this piece forever but I think I can now say that I can put a big bold check next to the  finish wine cabinet line of my to do list. 

In my defense there was a lot of wood burning on this piece. I like to do the burning out in the garage because of the lingering smell. Plus it has been ungodly hot this summer and some days it was just too beastly to be out there in the heat with a hot burner.

When my friend first brought me her cabinet it looked like this.

 

She likes a colorful folk art style and to give me a bit of direction she gave me this inspiration image. 

 

 

... and this is what I came up with for her.

 

 

 

She wanted to incorporate some wine themed words and phrases into the piece so I added them by burning them into the edges of the front and top of the cabinet.

 

The word Slainte means Cheers in Irish and is a nod to her heritage.

 

 

These are the two sides

 

 

 

 

Even though the back will most likely seldom be seen, I couldn't leave it bare so I added a simple design here too.

 

 

Finally, I always like to add some fun to the interior of a piece like this. This time I  dressed it up with some metalic stripes and  polka dots, a couple bottles of wine and a cork screw and a cork.

 

 

 

I haven't done any trompe L'oeil for awhile. It was fun to revisit this technique.

 

Now it's ready to hold all the cabernet, pinot, malbec and saugvignon blanc she can fit in here.

This piece was beginning to feel like a permanent fixture in my painting garage. I will be just a little bit sad to see it leave.

Looking at the pictures makes me think I deserve a glass of wine.

Cheers to that!

:D

xoxo,

p

 

LInking up my wine cabinet creation here:

 

 

 

 

 

Motivated Monday August 6th

 

I can hardly believe we are already into August.

Before long the posts here will be about fall decor and great recipes for chilly nights.

It has been so hot and dry this summer that I am actually looking forward to September.

In the meantime these were some of the notable posts from this past week.

 

Vixen Made

 shared with us her updated patio furniture. Instead of buying new cushions she found a handsome fabric and created her own.

 

Worthing Court

 showed us how to make these super simple pillows out of napkins. Like she says, if you can sew a straight line you can make these little lovelies but for more info be sure and stop by her blog.

 

Happiest Mom on the Blog

must be thinking ahead to fall too or maybe like me she has eaten a lot of salads lately. Whatever the reason I thought these stuffed turkey rolls looked easy and delish. I might skip the gravy because I am not a huge fan and it would cut the calorie count but I will be adding this to my recipe board for sure.

 

 

Turtles and Tails

posted this footstool that she recovered and then transferred a graphic pattern she found on the internet onto the fabric to create this fabulous shabby chic look. Her post has a great tutorial to show you how to create one of your own.

 

Smart Mama

needed a place to hang some of her necklaces so she created this jewelry hanger out of an old moving box and a dress that she was taking to the Goodwill. I am always looking for jewelry storage ideas and thought this might be an issue for some of you too. 

 If you are looking for a lower calorie and healthier option brownie to satisfy your sweet tooth then this 190 calorie option from

Life On Walnut Street

is just for you

 

 

 

Then again, sometimes you just want that full on brownie. During those times this brownie recipe from 

I'm Not a Trophy Wife

with its melted marshmallows and chocolate frosting is probably what you are looking for.

 

 

Faux Animal Heads - I Think I Need One

It all started a couple of months ago. I was in a Z Gallerie store in Las Vegas and I was oohing and awing over so many of their glammed up and Hollywood Regency vibed accessories.  I was flying home though so I had to restrain myself. I shop the "Z" website often but sometimes it really helps to see things in person to really grasp the size and finish.

White I am actually in the store I usually take some pictures with  my phone so I can remember what it was that I liked when I get back home. I asked the sales associate if the things I was drawn to would be available on line and most of them were, except for this guy. He was out of stock so I took the one they had in the store and had him shipped.

He had a little chip in his nose and cheek but I didn't care, especially since they discounted him for me. I loved him and now he feels right at home in one of our bookcases.

AfterI had been home a couple of days I scanned through some of the other items I had photographed and my mental list of things I was drawn to, especially these large white ceramic animal heads.

Z'Gallerie

 

I loved how dramatic and modern looking they were but I wondered if my friends and family would think I was crazy.

I do live in the middle of conservative America.

Boo.

Still, I haven't been able to quit thinking about them and I have been seeing more of these faux animal heads repeatedly throughout the internet. The more I see them the more I think I "need" one.

:D

 

Dwell

 

Anthropologie

 

Brian Patrick Flynn

 

 

Chronicle Books

 

Country Living

 

Restoration Hardware

 

Megan Delorme

 

 

Unknown

 

 

The Nesting Place

 

Craft Foxes

 

 

Apartment Therapy

 

 

 

The Barron

 

So after I admitted to myself that I wanted one I had to decide on a style. I find the less realistic heads the most appealing. I find the more realistic ones a bit creepy. The whimsical and colorful heads are a lot of fun but ultimately I think this is the look I would go for.

 

HGTV Design Star

 

Now, where to put it???

:D

Have a great weekend.

xoxo,

p

What I Love Today { Rhythm Raw Kale Chips}

 

On the first Wednesday of each month I hit a local compound pharmacy because on the first Wednesday their vitamins are 25% off. I am trying to treat my body better so this has become a monthly stop for me. They have a nice selection of gluten free and vegan products that are new to me and I am enjoying trying some new things.

I have been reading a lot about kale chips lately and I've seen numerous recipes for them but it has been too hot to turn the oven on in my part of the world. Okay, really? Who are we kidding? It wouldn't matter what the temperature outside is. It is highly unlikely that I would ever try to create these on my own. When I saw them today at the pharmacy though I decided to throw them in my basket.

They are really really good and apparently they are good for me too. I love it when that happens.

I grabbed this Zesty Nacho option but I can't wait to go back and try some of the other flavors too.

Raw kale chips from Rhythym. This is what I love today.

xoxo,

p