Books: They've got character.

A recent trip to Half Price Books inspired me to finally write about this topic. I love books! But probably not in the same way that one might think. I am the first to admit that I am a movie buff first and foremost. But I will say that books without a doubt are much more physically interesting than any DVD case will ever be. Books look warm and inviting, even if it is a book about something dark, it is still more physically appealing than a DVD case (or even a VHS case...old school). Think about it, a stack of books looks so much better than a stack of DVD cases! Thats why, in my future home I will have either a library or a wall of bookshelves (even though I love movies more than books).



I could sit in a bookstore for HOURS and look at old books, wonder who their previous owners were, wonder where that book had been, did it sit out for guests to see or was it tucked under a pillow for a late night read?

At the end of the day movies will come and go, but old books will always have a special place in my heart :)

Mirrors-They're so vain, they probably think this post is about them... ;)

One of my favorite HGTV shows is Divine Design with Candice Olson. I end up loving all of her designs show after show. As an addict I have seen enough shows to notice a certain trend of hers. Mirrors. I feel like I see a mirror feature in almost all of her designs! Of course they always look classy when she designs them in the room (they are usually featured like the picture to the right), but still, it got me thinking. Mirrors are so beautiful and are a GREAT way to reflect light as well as making the room look larger.  So why am I just now realizing this simple design fix?

Think about it. Whether large or small, they are in almost every room in a house. Bedroom, bathroom, dinning room, living room, hall ways, entryways, etc. (and of course TV's can act as mirrors for family rooms too!) They are such a natural part of design, but usually people notice them only when they notice themselves in one... Mirrors are such simple and understated design tools.

So here's a special tribute to my favorite mirror designs and decor!

            

 Broken mirrors are just as beautiful as whole mirrors!

Hope something here has inspired you to actually look at mirrors instead of yourself in them. But no worries, a quick hair and make up check is still ok. ;)










I do not own these photos

Life is A Gag Reel

I'm going to be honest with ya'll, if I am watching something on YouTube I almost always end up spending extra time watching bloopers and gag reels. Seriously. It does not matter what show or movie, they ALWAYS makes me laugh! My friends can attest to this, I love special features on DVD's. But out of all the amazing bonus features I have seen, gag reels and bloopers are easily my favorite. It is impossible for me not to smile and laugh while watching them.

So I got to thinking, why are they so funny? They aren't written jokes or slapstick comedy routines. So what can possibly make us laugh that much? People confidently messing up.

Think about it. These actors and actresses mess up and are able to laugh out loud at themselves. They fumble their words, drop stuff, have prop malfunctions, trip over themselves, and make funny faces when they aren't supposed to. It makes the celebrities we idolize seem more human. When they mess up, their friends (costars) laugh with them. The people we look up to and admire can say "Hakuna Matata" and laugh it off; they don't take moments so seriously. The actors and actresses we love aren't perfect and they know it. The difference is, they are able to laugh at their imperfections. And laughs are contagious.

So really, take a second and reflect. Life is like a gag reel. The people you look up to and admire fumble their words, drop things and have them malfunction, trip and fall, and make goofy faces. Family and friends (your idols) mess up, they are human too.

So how can we make our lives more like a gag reel? When you mess up, have confidence and laugh at yourself. When your family or friends have a blooper, laugh with them not at them. The difference between ourselves and celebrities is that they know they're not perfect and don't try to be. So if we stop trying to be perfect all the time, realize we have goofball moments, and don't take life too seriously, then we too can laugh at ourselves with confidence. Actors and actresses always get the job (the show or movie) done. But they have laughs along the way too. You will get your job done, but it is ok to laugh at yourself.

It's as simple as that! The only thing different is that our life gag reels aren't recorded and put on YouTube :)


But here IS a great gag reel you can find on YouTube:

Enjoy :)

"Show me that smile again"...Favorite TV shows from my childhood :)

Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I LOVE television shows. I could literally watch shows all day long. I don't think I have ever uttered the phrase: "There's nothing on TV" because there's always something on that I love!! 

So I decided to share with you a few of my favorite shows from my childhood. Hopefully you can reminisce along with me! I mean lets be honest, there is no shame in singing the theme songs we all know and love :)

Growing Pains (1985-1992)

This show...oh man, I can hardly describe how much I LOVED this show. I know the theme song by heart. I recently watched an episode while cleaning up my room and as soon as the theme song came on, I immediately started dancing around the room singing the song word for word. Not ashamed to admit it, I seriously loved this show. I loved the family and all their relationships and how they grew throughout the years. I mean, even Leo DiCaprio was in this show!! On top of that, I found this show hilarious as a kid. I never missed an episode. 

And I can't mention Growing Pains without mentioning my HUGE crush on Kirk Cameron. Mike Seaver was the coolest kid in school plus he was a great guy/brother/son. I mean that's the dream guy right there :)

7th Heaven (1996-2007)

I had a picture of the cast of 7th Heaven taped onto my nightstand as a kid...yeah a little embarrassing but I loved this show a lot! I still remember running around my house singing the theme song at the top of my lungs. I used to want a family exactly like the Camdens': A wonderful big brother like Matt, then two daughters (Mary and Lucy), another boy (Simon) and then a little Ruthie. I can remember the drama of every episode along with the tight family love seen in every member of the Camden family. This show taught me a lot about life and about seeing the best in new people. Yes, needless to say, I was obsessed with this show:)

Boy Meets World (1993-2000)

Probably one of my all time favorite shows I have ever seen. A friend of mine recently gave my roommates and I season 1 and 2 of Boy Meets World. As I watched the first few seasons every episode quickly came back to me. It was a funny show that had good family morals at the root. Cory, Shawn, Topanga, Eric, and Mr. Feeney.... Feeney.... Fee-eee-eny..... Feeney!!!!!!!!! I followed this show from start to finish. Every show from the first time Feeney taught Cory a lesson over the fence, to the episode in Disney World where Cory confessed his love for Topanga, to the Halloween episode, to the wedding, to the finale. Every episode, I remember. All 7 amazing seasons, I remember. Boy Meets World...my childhood in a nutshell.

Hope you've loved your trip down TV memory lane :) 

Latest obsession: Chalkboard paint!

Looking for a fun vintage way to spice things up? Chalkboard paint is your answer. You can paint anything and everything. And best of all, it's easy to do!

Recently my roommate had a great idea of a way to spice up our apartment. We got a large board at Home Depot and painted it with chalkboard paint. Now it sits above our couch and definitely adds fun to the room. We put wall sconces on the side of the board, but instead of flowers we filled them with chalk!

Another fun thing to do is chalkboard an entire wall! It looks unique and, unlike regular paint, if you get tired of it you can erase it for a new doodle! Here are some of my favorite chalkboard walls :)

This is a scene from the movie 500 Days of Summer. The entire wall behind his bed was chalkboard! 

This otherwise boring and small kitchen is 10 times cooler because of the chalkboard wall.

Such a neat idea to fix an awkward space!

This would make any bathroom more fun!

 If you don't want to paint an entire wall, what about a door, dresser, or even a refrigerator?

CHALKBOARD REFRIGERATORS!

This is from one of my favorite kitchen sets in a movie... Because I Said So

This is such a neat way to use chalkboard paint!

How fun is this??

 If any of these projects are too big, there is always the simple and creative framed chalkboards!

 If you don't have a frame handy...draw one out of chalk!

 Perfect in a wall collage of frames!

These are display plates with the center painted with chalkboard! Such a clever and creative way to spice up a kitchen!

Now, I have to include something that is 2 of my favorite things...

A CHALKBOARD COFFEE MUG!! 

All these ideas are simple and fun. They are great weekend projects for you to do by yourself or invite friends to have a chalkboard craft day! The beauty of chalkboard is you can create anything on it. Draw a picture, display photos, write your favorite quotes, create grocery lists, etc. And once your tired of it? Erase it and create a brand new masterpiece! I hope you saw something that inspired you!