labial delights..
girly delights..
aqua windsor delights..
nook delights..
palette delights..
giant painted peony delights..
exotic delights..
shutyourdirtymouthwiththatview delights..
circular delights..
hranowsky delights..(part 1)
part 2..
part 3..
delighting your face off..
images via turquoise LA, elle decor, lonny, world of interiors and H&G
just for today..
the kindergarten end of year picnic needs me for hula hoop duties..
it will not look like any of this...
behold!
shit i feel is worthy of your money:
i have made so far:
no fry fries (a lot of effort for not much reward. my way is better)
sauteed greens with onions and soy sauce (have made this twice and it's delicious)
chicken and dumplings (very easy and delicious if a little too salty. but that i am sure was my fault bc i use a concentrated chicken stock.)
roast chicken, rotisserie style (very good. follow the directions to a T. i will be making my roast chickens this way from now on)
chicken milanese with tomato and avocado salad (meh. if you're new to cooking this might impress your college friends. otherwise it's just pounded and breaded chicken. it's a quick dinner though.)
penne puttanesca (easy and delicious)
there are a lot more in there i am excited to try like the duck ragu and the healthier brownies..
the overall verdict is positive.
also:
ezekial brand cinnamon raisin english muffins.
super delcious dripping with MELTED butter (key to perfection).
they are also high in protein so i don't feel hungry an hour after i eat them.
and:
smoked paprika is awesome.
way better than plain.
add it to everything.
and..
cute, real bamboo frames!!
13$-20$
also cute:
pottery barn classic rattan bedside table- $199
so summery and simple and cute.
you could be that much closer to your beach house dreams:
and lastly:
shit from lands end! (huunh??)
like that throw.
and this throw:
and these sheets:
$149 for a king
and these rugs:
and this bedding:
$119 for a king
and this bedding:
which somehow reminded me of this:
and for sure this:
so i got crazy and did budget friendly versions of each room:
bedding: lands end (duh)
paint: MS home-D enamelware
headboard: urban outfitters
mirror: wisteria
kilim pillow: sukan etsy
palm tree photo: all posters
table: pier 1
lamp: one kings lane (hurry!)
chair: ballard
kilim: ebay
and:
paint: benjamin moore studio finishes chalkboard paint
bedding: duh
sconce: *the one in the image is cb2 but they took it off their website as of yesterday!
so this one will work too: west elm (though it isn't as cheap as the cb2 one)
oil painting: ebay or your local consignment shop/thrift store/craigslist
rug: ikea
cloche: jayson
candlestick: lavender fields
coral hardware: marjorie skouras
APPROVED!!!!!!!!!
thismotherfuckingshowthatiscomingontvjustforus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if you were just born this morning you might need to know that that is MLB.
one of the designers featured on bravo's end of the month debut show "million dollar decorators".
this show was birthed just for us.
and by us i mean all the nerds who read design blogs and shelter mags and would probably rather be stroking fabric than rob pattinson's ding dong.
it's been a while since i recapped a show.
since the design turds are in the middle of filming that show of shit..no recaps there.
(and no, i wasn't chosen to be a golden turd. probably a good thing since i was perfecting my deadly, ball crushing ninja moves for vern)
anyway..
long story short..
i will be recapping the SHIT out of this show.
i promise very few words..
since words are for smart people and are very time consuming.
i promise lots of drawing on pictures though...and cussing.
i wish i could predict what this show is going to be like..
however i can assure you no one will be fashioning a coffee table out of popsicle sticks.
the show airs on bravo, tuesday may 31st at 10PM est.
fart shit butt poo this is going to be awesome.
if someone asked me how to go about commissioning a painting the first thing i would think was that you have to have a lot of money.
but that is actually not necessarily true.
read on...
michelle armas, painter of the prettiest thing i own:
and i worked together on it.
no...i didn't paint it.
but she asked me loads of questions.
easy ones too,
like "what are your favorite colors?"
and
"where is the painting going to go?"
and
"can you send me some inspiration pics of pretty things you love?"
so far commissioning a painting was pretty easy!
there is also a questionnaire with fun questions like,
"what's your favorite movie?"
and
"what would your hogwarts house be"?
ok not the last one, but fun like that.
(btw gryffindor. duh)
anyway..
here are some of the inspiration photos i sent:
once michelle gets all the info she needs she gets to work..
here are her words:
"So all of this info comes to me and this is how it works: I study the inspiration photos, in Jenny's case they were sophisticated spaces that felt light, and grounded at the same time. The composition of the photos, one of the reasons I knew she was drawn to those particular photos, was very balanced and calming, also the colors are clear and true. I take into consideration the conversation we had, and the answers to the questionnaire. It tells me what kind of personality I am dealing with.
First I drew out a composition with graphite right onto the canvas, then I just start mixing paint and layering over and over until I am happy with the way the painting looks. I started with a soft gray to figure out how the eye would move around the painting, then I laid on the thick brown paint and texturized it with a spray bottle. Next the yellow and lavender, and lots of white. I don't think about where each stroke will go, but I stop and stand back from the painting a lot, and stop and sit and look at it for a while, so I can get new ideas all the time as I paint."
you can see this process on her own blog.
it's actually really cool and i highly recommend looking at it.
as far as shipping goes this is what she says about it:
"Turn around time is usually two to four weeks, and shipping for a painting this size would be provided by Craters and Freighters. They are not cheep, but they build a custom crate from wood for your piece (you have to use a drill to get it apart) and then freight it on their own trucks right to your door, inside and anywhere you want it. Your painting will be in perfect condition! It comes signed and dated and titled on the back, as well as wired and ready to hang, and the edges painted any color you like (in this case white).
For international clients, or for anyone who does not want to pay the shipping premium for receiving a stretched canvas, I have another service that many clients are taking advantage of! I will paint your piece (any size!) on a piece of un-stretched canvas. When you get it (it ships in a tube, usually shipping is no more than 50 usd even for large tubes going as far as Australia) you can either stretch it yourself, or have it done at an art shop. Either way, it will be much less expensive than the shipping charge for a large item. Also, stretching the painting yourself is actually very simple, and I have had several clients with no experience handle this on their own, with great results."
and lastly, but probably the thing that most people are wondering, is cost.
and for those of us where budget is an issue,
michelle offers payment installments!!
here is what she says:
"I have many clients who prefer to pay in installments (remember lay away! HA). I let people pay in up to three payments, so it is easier to digest the whole cost. Also, I can make as many changes as you like, I do try very hard to give you exactly what you asked for, but sometimes I don't get it just right the first time. There is no limit to the changes I can make, and if you decide that I am just not giving you what you want, then I can always refund you, and use the painting I created for you in any way I like. This has never happened yet (knock on wood :)."
so, commissioning art isn't so scary after all.
but if commissioning just isn't for you bc you have no idea what you want or you are a recluse and are afraid to use your voice or your email fingers to discuss it then by all means visit her shop and buy something she has already painted.
but i can assure you it won't be as fun or as gratifying as creating a piece WITH the artist.
i gotta tell you, i was blown away when i saw it in person.
i stare at it.
a lot.
she managed to not only deliver the EXACT hues i wanted but she somehow captured my personality.
maybe not literally but my essence is all over that painting. (ew)
"jen'essence".
or
"j'nessence"
so for real.
treat yourself.
you will love it.
you will love the process too.
and read michelle's post on how she starts a painting for you and see the transformation from blank canvas to piece of art.
p.s.
no, i am not profiting off of this post.