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

Uncovered Cover Art is a blog by children’s book editor Heidi Kellenberger, and is dedicated to the art of the children’s book illustration. It features beautiful submissions of reimagined book covers.

Another section of the site displays the actual published variations of books.

The site currently has about two pages of submissions, but hopefully that number will grow with more beautiful art work.

Drop everything.

And tell me…

How does one do this to their hair? This swoopy, swirly thing?  I need to know!

photos from Ruche’s Latest Lookbook

Hope you all had a fantastic long 4th of July weekend!

I enjoyed picking blueberries, family, burgers, the river, camping, lots and lots of karaoke, Flannery O’Conner (for book club tomorrow) and some Friday Night Lights episodes.

I’ve got a crafty project tutorial coming up for ya soon.  Stay Tuned…

This is a brilliant concept to me.  Imagine the possibilities – Icecream, Tacos, Healthy Stuff… Yes, I know this is nothing new but our city’s market is not very saturated so just sayin’…  Maybe I could do it out of my camper-slash- home!

People – especially office people – really do just EAT THIS STUFF UP!

Caprese, Fried Bologna, Brie and Walnuts… so many different cheezzzzzzes!  And for dessert- a s’more sandwich!

They even offer a curry ketchup.  Which makes me want to puke up my kidneys ’cause ketchup is the grossest thing to ever exist but you may be into it.

As much as I rave though- that is not what i had for lunch.  This is:

Oh i know i know.  I had to threaten my jealous office-mates with asparagus spears.

But speaking of healthy deliciousness– and spears actually — the other day i had some farmers market veggies lying around with some italian chicken sausage.  Beings as it’s summer and all, I put a sharp-ended skewer through those SOBs and made daddy fire up the grill.

They marinated overnight in olive oil, fresh rosemary and some salt and were quite delicious if not exactly the most filling.

What are your favorite things to grill?  I also love asparagus, butter and parmesan! mmmmm

Back to Alton for the weekend for more camping and boating and…..

FIREWORKS!!

Have a great Fourth everybody!

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

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The Country Fu**er

How Sweet It Is

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

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about saving money.  I’ve also been painfully longing for the country and nostalgia has been hunting me like a dog on a rabbit.  So the thought of making a home in a well-equipped camper and taking it out to my old Indiana homeland is downright near irresistible.

This gal’s post had something to do with it too.  I know there are major downsides but it still seems like the greatest idea ever.  I dream of being more tied to the land and community my family’s been in for generations and this would be a non-permanent way to test those waters ( and perfect timing as i wouldn’t want to do it with kids and family responsibility). So… anybody wanna sell me a trailer?

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Glad I came across this site - all about the camper/RV lifestyle and those that love it.

(header picture courtesy of my iphone capturing my family’s “weekend home”–the campgrounds in Alton, Indiana  on the Ohio River)

This song. I like it. (would make a sweet wedding first dance song eh?)

I finished Season 1 of One Tree Hill the other day and I kinda got a little too into it.

Besides being dramatic with emotion-evoking songs in the background (no matter how bad they are they get you dangit) it makes me nostalgic.  And I’m addicted to nostalgia.  I’m addicted to bittersweet.  Even though my high school days looked nothing like that.

Plus Peyton Sawyer is the antithetical punk/indie-rockster cheerleader and maybe I relate to that a bit.  Wish my curls could relate to hers a little more.

(I’m a little jealous.  But she has no boobs so there.)

My less semi-shameful viewing habits include this gem.

Emily Henderson is not only a skilled designer but she wears great outfits and has a charming wit as well.

I recommend tuning in and reading her blog.  For a second opinion- and slightly more detailed review, read here (But why don’t you believe me?)

Now- There are only a couple of things that push me out of doors in this heat and those are a boat, a campground and a tennis court.  Ok, maybe that’s three.

And beer and burgers.

Ok, that’s four.

Anyways- the tennis courts…  I would like to play in these unexpected spots.

What a flippin’ fantastic use of urban space!

I admit- this makes my stomach a little queasy.  And what happens if you hit one off the side? Can it bonk someone on the head and kill them?

Plenty of perfect spots for these’ns in Indiana

I am also –like many others– LOVING this book.

And making some plans for money-saving, health-boosting and life-planning.  More to come on that.

And as for the boats and campgrounds… fit a bit of that in this past weekend.  Storms and Tornado Warnings put up a lousy fight.