My childhood home was covered in wall-to-wall wallpaper. My bedroom in particular had a border depicting frolicking unicorns and castles far past the age of appropriateness. In recent years my mother has torn down nearly all the wall paper in the house and replaced it with paint, and vowed to never go back to paper. But I think I’ve found a company that makes such beautiful designs, it’s worth the hassle.

Flavor Paper’s designs range from riffs on classic damask patterns,  to modern geometric patterns, to crazy digital murals and photographic patterns.They have a variety of substrates that the designs can be printed on, so you can get your favorite pattern printed silver foil if you want. You also have the option to customize the wallpaper even further by choosing the colors. Or, if you have an entirely original idea of your own, Flavor Paper will print it for you.

Below are some sample patterns, but be sure to check out the “Installations” page to see some of the products actually used in the real world.

I may be the last person on earth to notice this, but Mod Cloth has a home accessories section! Mod Cloth Apartment is full of fun, quirky items that are just as cute and retro as their dresses. Just in case you’ve missed it as well, below are some of the items I’d like to see in my home:

Bubby’s Matryoshki Food Containers

Extra Soar-age Shower Caddy

Fairest Friend Picture Frame Set

Sweet Simpli-city Doormat

Soft Spoken Style Laptop Bag

What is Summer to you folks?  What does it make you think of? What makes up your dreams of it when a long winter has wearied its welcome that was never there in the first place? It’s never been my favorite season.  My least favorite to be sure, but if I must make the best of it…

Summer = boats, dirt ‘n dust, christmas lights, mason jars, iced tea, iced coffee, classic rock station, cold bean salads, morose southern novels, frizzball hair up in scarf always, cheep bear, country music.

“And it’s two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love and an old Ford
Cheap shades and a tattoo
And a Yoo-Hoo bottle on the floorboard”

Ain’t nothin’ clean and fancy about my summers.  And the country is the only place I wish to spend it in.

When summer settles in the true Hoosier rises up- the one that  makes brief sporadic appearances in cooler seasons.  And I enjoy the hot hell out of it.

And now in picture of course:

Pinterest

Modern Hepburn

Brightly Wound

ok so this is not so much summer specifically but i just love it

the country fu**er

Modern Hepburn

source

The Country Fu**er

How Sweet It Is

*header picture snapped from my iphone – using Instagram – last boat trip on the Ohio River

In fact – I would like to make one of my own someday.

Here’s an appetizing one launching in July.  They look like they got their s*&@ together too.

A facebook friend recently brought Modern Handmade Child to my attention, and I’m so thankful! MHC is an online publication, but their blog is delightful, full of adorable handmade child and baby items, how-to crafts, recipes, gift ideas, and the personal stories of their staff.

I especially love the “Friday Finds,” where the author picks a theme and shows items that fit into that theme and where to find them. Below are the themes of “Sunshine” and “Blooms.” So beautiful and inspiring!

To read the latest issue of of “Modern Handmade Child,” click here.

Last night- here in our small city- before the news reports triumphantly crested the air waves, before the whooping victory cries of proud patriots rang out, a very fine much-loved servant quietly passed from this earth with his family by his side.  Simple yet powerful words were spoken confirming the sorrow-free peace, rest, and glory he was to soon enter.

As they seem to often do, these events are inspiring my thoughts toward the brevity of life and the reality of what awaits.  I never want to gloss over the suffering and sadness that accompanies this world but I firmly believe in the beauty behind the veil.  I believe that Good has already defeated Evil and that we can reap the rewards of that victory

This video explains it better than I can.  It speaks of the reality of suffering and darkness and wrestling with it all.  It also speaks of hope. A mans words 300 years ago come out of our aching wounds as if they were our own.

I would hope that any preconceived ideas you have about “religion” and “church” –as well as any hurtful things done in the name of those oft-abused titles–can be put aside simply in consideration of the most significant things any of us have to think about…Life and Death.  What we believe about that shapes everything.

Please do comment on the video and the stories told and your own thoughts on life and purpose even if they are not in agreement.  I only encourage you to keep thinking and considering and conversing.  It is of the utmost importance.

Oh yeah– and enjoy some great music too!!

Just in time for Derby, the Royal Wedding was a runway of hats and fascinators fit for a future queen (and the racetrack.) Some of the highlights:

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice

Zara Phillips

The Queen herself, in a design by her personal assistant Angela Kelly

Princess Mathilde of Belgium

Princess Letizia of Spain

David and Victoria Beckham (my pick for best-dressed!)

Lady Frederick Windsor

Tara Parker-Tomkinson (in blue)

Miriam Gonzalez

Frances Osborne

Many of the hats seen at the wedding were designed by London-based milliner Philip Treacy.

(All photos from People.com)

MonkeySaidBear loves Tina Fey.  And I know I can’t wait to read her new book.

In the meantime- and because she can do it so much better than us- here is An Ode to Tina Fey by Tina Fey

p.s.  And how great is it we can look forward to some more little Tinas in the world… or TinOs (???)

Kate Spade New York has a new website, and some tempting new arrivals. A quick preview:

Also, it seems that Bryce Dallas Howard is the new face for Kate Spade.

Gorgeous!

(photo)

There are a few things I love: fried runny eggs, spearmint gum, old pick-up trucks with seats that nearly burn your bottom and….. College Basketball!  (high school’s pretty great too but a gal nearing 30 is better off to avoid any affectionate talk towards anything to do with high school boys)

To me there’s nothing that captures the glory, the sweat, the thrill, the incessant male to male butt-slapping quite like a good game of hoops.

(photo)

I was lucky enough to be raised in the capital state of basketball – Indiana (Hoosiers!)–  and spent many of my formative years watching all of the boys in my family play. I cheered in humid gyms, on those hardwood courts (i still get a thrill when I hear the opening bells of Jock Jams);  cried over wins and losses; crushed (hard) on the players; and weekly vowed silence towards my best friend when she rooted for our greatest rival.

My pappaw coached all his life and was recently inducted to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

(very small part of my family’s memorabilia)

In my childhood neighborhood, we coordinated street ball tournaments (the boys would play and the girls would hold cheerleading tryouts).  I have a feeling these were very different from what goes on in say… Harlem.  But I’d love to watch a good city pick-up game.

This gal says “The Cage is a public basketball court on West 4th street in NYC and it’s a renowned scouting ground for the NBA. Hopefuls players from all over the country travel to the cage for a chance to be seen and professional players often show up and play to keep up their street cred.”

The emotion that goes on during a basketball game is unrivaled.  It’s always so hard to watch the forlorn faces of those who have worked so hard while they watch the season slip away on the scoreboard.  But oh the joy of the victor…

(photos by Chitwood and Hobbs… a great site!)

And the dunks!  I mean- what the C is that?  Superhuman, that’s what.  We love it because it’s impossible; because it makes heroes out of humans.  Like in that documentary, R. Kelly told Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny to  believe they could fly and then they could.

(Remember Teen Wolf? Gosh I loved that movie.)

He may not win any awards for best human being but uncle Bobby will always be the greatest coach ever!  Interesting read- this article from 1985.  He wouldn’t get away with a lick of it these days.

In a sport boasting the ugliest shoes ever created, you pretty much gotta go vintage to find somethin’ pretty.  I would love to have one of these old leather basketballs on display and I would put this sweater on my kid.  Or my right arm.

And now for you unsporty gals who might (im)patiently still be with me – No one can deny that a chick in sports gear is hot!  The right sports gear that is.  Luckily- quite a few retailers are offering some cute and loyal team gear these days.  Victoria’s Secret and Old Navy are two options.

And finally- if this entire post has bored you to death- here’s some celebrity eye candy in thanks for your patience.  Although i will never understand why in the world anyone- celebrity or not- would put themselves through so many much-inferior NBA games. Yawn.

P. Diddy & Snoop

Jack and Leo

Vanessa & Nick

Lil’ Wayne

Best for Last: Marky Mark