Blokus! Yes, please!

Slow Wednesday night here at home. Dinner, a little tv, and a bit of reading.

Settling down now to a few games of Blokus (our newest board game!) with Bridget Jones, my best friend.
Have you ever played Blokus? It's already won over 20 international awards and been voted best game of the millenium or something. And it's fun!

My heart lives on Sesame Street

Today we picked up (on the cheap) a little piece of my childhood, Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days.

And now I get to enjoy my favorite clips anytime I want:

A case of the Mondays.

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Undergoing some major changes. Purging my life of anything extraneous.
Have been struggling with getting rid of facebook for a few months now. I've grown to really hate it. But, for the connections that it provides me with people from my past (those I still desire to be in contact with, that is), I'm keeping it. And if you're one of those people, know that you are the only reason it's still around. I did cut back drastically. Got rid of almost all pictures. So if you're looking for any of my pictures, you can check out our Flickr photo stream here.

Here is something you should know about me: almost my entire life I have lived in fear that if I share something that I really love, certain people in my life will like it too. And then it will be ruined for me. I know sharing something with someone should double my joy, but there are those certain people that I have tried my entire life to set myself apart from. And so if they express an interest in something, anything -- a book, a band, a song, a food, an artist, ANYTHING -- I have to cut it out of my life. Completely. And I develop a (perhaps) irrational hatred for said object. That being said, I have held huge parts of myself hidden for fear that those most cherished things will be torn from my fingers. But well, I don't give a damn anymore.

So today's song is by The Weepies. One of my very favorite bands of all times. It's called "Can't Go Back Now" and it is one of the songs that was written just for me. It might as well be called "Can't Go Back Now, Meghan". So listen to it. But if you're one of those people, do NOT like it. Appreciate it. But don't you dare steal it. Or I promise, I will come over there and kick your butt.

The Oatmeal

Today I am completely digging The Oatmeal. Especially this:

So hilarious. So right. I hate improper grammar. 

Check it out here. And take a look at the rest of their stuff too.

You're welcome.

Saturday, I love you.

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Things that make up a great Saturday:

• 70 degree weather
• an afternoon at the park
• a clean dog
• veggie burgers on the grill
• harry potter with my nephew
• arkansas losing against alabama
• dairy queen blizzards
• barry's tea and a good book
• season premiere of SNL

Happy Friday

This video is so sweet but very sad.


Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

Check out these posters. Music lyrics + funky typography = genius.

This is a super fun knitting clock. At the end of the year, you've got a scarf. Brilliant!

I just found the best website for finding cool and quirky hotels.

30 Rock!

I want to go to there!
I can't not even begin to tell you how INCREDIBLY excited I am that the new season of 30 Rock is premiering tonight. It is without a doubt my favorite show. I am in love with it. I would marry it if I could. And after an entire summer of watching entire seasons on repeat, it's finally back and I am OVERJOYED.

You can guarantee that at 7:30 tonight I will be sitting on my couch (hopefully wearing a slanket) watching the amazingness that is Tina Fey and working on my night cheese.

You better not miss it.

Happy First Day of Fall!

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Reasons why I'm glad it's autumn:

• boots
• leggings and tights
• crunching leaves on the sidewalk
• thick comfy socks
• bonfires
• pumpkin everything
• chunky oversized sweaters
• all the good tv shows are back on
• county fairs
• football games
• halloween candy
• snuggling under blankets without getting hot
• harry potter and the deathly hallows pt. 1
• 2010 is almost over (good riddance)
• red, yellow, orange
• approaching holiday season
• coats, scarves, hats

P.S. Head over to design*sponge for this clever market bag makeover that you can totally do yourself.

Happy Season Premiere Week

The Glee season two premiere happened tonight. Shame on you if you didn't catch it. But you can always watch it on http://www.fox.com/.

Taking a look at my calendar, I realized the World Gymnastics Championships is coming up soon -- October 16-24. And its guaranteed to be exciting. There were a ton of new faces at Nationals and they performed beautifully. I'm excited to see what the Worlds team brings to The Netherlands.

On a different note:
I know I have expressed my love for J. Crew on more than one occasion. But if possible, this fall I am more in love with them than ever. I want it all. Especially these:

New Music

Feeling kind of mellow and introspective this evening.

Not really much to say. I'm just finding it hard to get out of my own head.

Enjoy this song, "Walk in the Park" by Oh No! Oh My!

 

Today's faves

Here are few of my favorite things today (and sometimes other days as well):

• Jane Austen
• bathrooms that work (finally)
• blackberry cobbler
• snuggly puppies

And here are a list of things that I would pass up if I could:

• sore throats
• family dinners
• chapped lips
• grogginess from medication
• cold feet

On another note, I have decided to start listening to all of my music on vinyl from now on. Well, I know its not possible when I'm in the car or traveling, but anytime I am home all music will be played in the form of an LP. I've found the perfect player on amazon and until then I have stolen my dad's old one. I am convinced that this is the best way to truly enjoy music. I love the rawness of it.

Read this great article about the joy of vinyl records.

Elle Fanning is my favorite Fanning

This movie looks really great. It comes out in December. Not that we'd go pay to see it or anything. I hate going to the theater. Its overpriced and makes me feel like I need to go home and take a shower. Not to mention it conflicts with my whole hatred of large crowds/people talking during movies. But we will watch it when it comes out on DVD courtesy of Netflix.



Elle Fanning is so fun. I like her much more than her older sister. I think she chooses better roles and she's more believable in them. And she's only twelve. We saw Phoebe in Wonderland and we loved it. Its really great and she does a fantastic job. You should check it out if you haven't already.



"At a certain part in your life, probably when too much of it has gone by, you will open your eyes and see yourself for who you are - especially for everything that made you so different from all the awful normals. And you will say to yourself, "But I am this person." And in that statement, that correction, there will be a kind of love."

friday night is good for cruising the internet in your pajamas

I can't believe this new trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been out for two months already and I missed it. Doesn't it look fantastic? I can't wait.



Also, I'm dying for these bensimon shoes since last summer:

I'm thinking I should just suck it up and get them.

I think I'll make these delicious pieces of heaven this weekend.

P.S. I may have applied for a job with the secret service today.

Antiques

I love antiques. Even as a kid, I've almost always preferred beautiful wooden antiques.There's just something about them, I dunno, the craftsmenship, the smell, the story of where they've been and what they've seen.

This is a great article from apartmenttherapy.com about the value of antiques. Check it out and then go hunting for some this weekend.

Type "antique" into dictionary.com and some pretty unflattering synonyms pop up: aged, elderly, obsolete and out-of-date. I beg to differ! Maybe it's because I grew up in a home filled with antiques from around the world. Maybe I am just getting old (aged, elderly, obsolete and out-of-date…). But I can't imagine decorating a room without a single piece of antique furniture. Why?

1. Antiques tell a story. Antiques are relics of the past: they carry the weight of bygone conversations, obsolete customs and etiquette. They are a reminder of the extravagances — and the hardships — of another era. And antiques that are inherited from your ancestors provide a tangible link to your own heritage.
2. Antiques are green! Antiquing is the ultimate in eco-friendly shopping. Antiques are inherently recycled and reused. And by buying an old piece, likely constructed before our dependence on oil, you are extending an already impressive life cycle! Very few products can claim such longevity.
3. Antique furniture is generally very well made — and made by hand. If it has lasted this long it will likely withstand the daily grind of modern life. Of course, antiques can break and they do carry their own set of rules for maintenance and cleaning. But a table that has lasted through 200 year's worth of meals is probably pretty well made. Moreover, scuffs and imperfections are often celebrated in antique furniture not dreaded.

4. Antiques are trendproof. While antique pieces are less likely to be super trendy they are also less likely to ever be completely untrendy. If you buy a piece with beautiful lines, curves and construction it is unlikely to offend even the trendiest of trendoids.
5. Constrast is good. Antiques can add texture, energy and personality to even the most modern or contemporary decor. In fact, it is the contemporary room that benefits most from a few antiques. The old pieces cast a new light on the newer pieces — and vice versa. If your living room is chock full of mid century modern, adding an ornate Rococo console table or Gustavian barrel back chair turns a monochromatic (albeit stylish) setting into something truly original and fun.
6. Antiques retain or increase in value. Well-cared for antiques go up in value over time. While prices rise and fall (many experts say that now is the best time to invest in antiques, by the way), antiques are a good investment over the long haul. In some ways a new piece of furniture is like a new car: the new models plummet in value the minute you drive them off the lot.


Image: From Thomas O'Briens beautiful book, American Modern, that features rooms with great mixes of antiques and contemporary pieces.

2 shirts in 1 DIY

I hate those 2-in-one shirts. You know, a collared shirt/vest combo that looks like two shirts but in reality its just sewn together to make one shirt. I have one of those and I hate it. So today I decided to take it apart and make it two different wearable pieces. This is what it looked like before I started:

So, to do this, its really easy. Just take the shirt and rip out the sections of the seams where the vest is attached to the shirt. Then remove the vest, pin the shirt seams back together, and sew.

Then just pin the seams on the vest back together and sew.

And then bam! You've doubled your wearable pieces.

New bathroom floor

We went to the gym this afternoon and when we got home, this was going down in our bathroom. That's right, the remodel has officially begun. The new floor is the first step, followed by new tile in the shower, and hopefully a new (double) vanity.

On A String

I am in love with the Walker family. In love. So much so that I like to think of myself as part of it. And so nothing makes me prouder when I get to see their awesome creativity at work. Here is the film they produced for the 2010 Little Rock 48 Hour Film Festival.


On a String from Brent M on Vimeo.

I know I'm biased, but I thought it was the best one. Without question. They were nominated for several awards and ended up winning Best Writing (yay Lauren!). They should have won best cinematography as well cause it was so beautifully shot (yay Brent!)

You all are incredible. Keep it up.

Sunday Night Football

Tillie geared up for the first Cowboys' game of the new season and was really excited by all the food present during the pregame show but by the time the game actually rolled around, she didn't find it very interesting. And I can't even talk about how upset I am about how it all went down. Freaking Redskins.

So I started working on this new quilt a few days ago but really messed up on the seam allowances and had to rip it apart and start over. I finally started putting it back together this afternoon and I'm glad I took the time to do all that because it looks so much better. And yes, Maggie, those are the same fabrics that I used for your quilt. I just really love the look of them together.

I am reading Beginner's Greek by James Collins. Its good so far but I'm only a few pages into it so I can't form much of an opinion. Here's a brief summary:

"When 27-year-old Peter Russell boards a cross-country flight to Los Angeles, he fully expects to sit next to the love of his life. As luck would have it, he sits next to Holly Edwards, with whom he falls in love instantly. A lost phone number leads to years of wondering "what if," until Peter's best friend Jonathan introduces him to his new girlfriend, who is of course the same Holly of Peter's dreams. After Jonathan and Holly marry, Peter settles down with Charlotte, a Francophile who Peter tries to tolerate, but mostly just evokes feelings of pity and hatred. Of course, as with any fairy tale, the possibility for a happy ending is never truly out of reach, and Beginner's Greek is chock full of twists and turns to keep the action going."

I'll let you know how it goes.

Mommy and Daddy song

Andrew showed me this video last week and I can't get it out of my head. These guys turned this conversation between a little girl and her parents into a song. Its hilarious. And contagious. Be prepared to be singing it to yourself all week.

happy friday.

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So glad its the weekend. What's on your agenda tonight? We are playing cards and contemplating baking chocolate chip cookies.

Take a look at this bike. The more I look at it, the more I can't seem to stop laughing. It's actually an accessory that attaches to your bike. But oh man I wish someone around here rode a bike like this.

IKEA 2011

I got the 2011 IKEA catalog in the mail yesterday. Now, I like IKEA, don't get me wrong, but I can't stand those people whose entire house looks like it jumped out of the pages of an IKEA catalog. Or any catalog. Gross. But I think that a few pieces, used sparingly, can be tasteful. And really, its hard to beat their prices, even if it does require self-assembly.

That being said, I've gone on a virtual shopping spree and here is my bounty:

Head on over to their website and take a look at what they've got going on. And then maybe we can road trip to our nearest store to load up?

Shirt DIY

So I've had this shirt for a while. It may have been a dress when I bought it but one day I may have accidentally shrunk it in the dryer. So after all that, it's been hanging out in the back of my closet. I've never really known how to wear it because its not long enough for a dress anymore, but too long for a shirt. And I've never been crazy about the sleeves. The elastic got on my nerves. So I changed it. And yes, that is us standing in front of A's old dorm, Twin Towers, before it was blown up.

It was really simple. All I did was add some trim to the neckline to give it some color. And to get rid of those gross puffy sleeves, I just ripped the elastic out, cut about 1-2 inches off the bottom, cut a triangle of fabric out of the middle to reduce their fullness, and then used the excess fabric from the bottom to create a tab and button closure over that triangle in the sleeve. And then cinching with a belt gives the waist definition and draws it up enough so that I can finally pass it off as a shirt. I can wear it with shorts and it doesn't look pajamas.

You should try doing this an old shirt. Or a dress. Its a great way to breathe new life into old clothes, its easy, and it only takes an hour at most.

And speaking of clothes, the new season of America's Next Top Model is premiering tonight.

EmersonMade

I've been obsessed with this site for a while now. The clothes are beautiful and beautifully made. I am on my way to making pieces this incredible, but until then, there's emersonmade. Look how pretty:

Take a look at the website. There's tons of amazing things there, including men's clothing, gifts, and textiles for the home.

Happy Labor Day!

Monday Music Moment: Neon Indian -- Deadbeat Summer



I hope everyone got to do at least one fun thing on this day off from life.
We slept in, played video games, read books, and made homemade french fries.

So let this song play and enjoy the last fleeting moments of this deadbeat summer.

5-Minute Southwest Layered Salad

This past week, I made this salad for dinner and it was a huge hit (even with those that aren't typical enjoyers of salad). Its quick, its easy, and its delicious. Try it.

5-Minute Southwest Layered Salad

[http://www.kraftfoods.com/]

Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

6 c. torn romaine lettuce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed, drained
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
3/4 c. salsa
1/2 c. shredded cheddar jack cheese
1/4 c. ranch dressing
1 c. tortilla chips, broken

Arrange lettuce  in bottom of serving bowl.
Layer beans, corn, salsa, and cheese evenly over top.
Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with chips.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 c. each

I substituted iceberg lettuce, canned corn, and a Mexican cheese mix and it was still really good. Feel free to experiment. Its pretty much impossible to screw up.

This is my favorite. ever.

Sadly, I missed the the Emmys this past weekend (tragic!) but from everything I've seen, this is what I am most depressed about missing:



It combines my two favorite things: Glee and Tina Fey

Hilarious.

Katherine Grant Salon & Spa

If you've got a free moment, go check out http://www.katherinegrant.com/. Its newly rennovated and completely fabulous. And if you live in the area, you should make an appointment immediately.

If you're wondering why my hair always looks incredible, its because Katherine has been working her magic on me for years. I'd be a hot mess without her. Plus, she's 1/4 of the Order so that makes her completely cool by default. The fact that she's insanely talented is just icing on the cake.

Mason Jar DIY

Today I bring you a great way to reuse mason jars or any jars, really. Spaghetti sauce, jam, pickles, etc.
It's good for the environment and it helps keep you organized. We used ours to hold A's lunch utensils but you can use them for anything -- kitchen storage, craft storage, closet storage, garage storage, sewing storage (I use old spice bottles to hold buttons, needles, pins, etc).

What you'll need:

• glass jar with lid, cleaned and label removed
• sandpaper
• chalkboard spray paint
• newspaper
• chalk

This is really easy to do. Just sand the lid down so its a little rough (this will help prevent the paint from chipping) and wash and dry it. Then spread out the newspaper in an open area with plenty of air circulation (we like to do this part outside).

Lay the lid on the newspaper and spray on one to two light coats, overlapping slightly. You should wait a minute or two between each coat. After an hour or so it will be dry enough to handle but wait a full 24 hours before attempting any writing. Then just rub the whole surface with the side of a piece of chalk, erase, and you're ready to go.

I've been saving up some huge pickle jars to use this project on. I'm thinking they'll make great containers for pasta, flour, sugar, etc.