The vibrant teal and pink watercolors feel like the moment spring hints at summer. The blue reminds me of the summertime sky at the Lake (Lake Michigan for non-Michiganders).
Screenshot of my desktop.
I love the teal watercolor as my desktop background. Thank you ladies for creating such lovely backgrounds!
In 2009, 26-year-old Berliner Jan Vormann used legos to reconstruct buildings damaged during WWII. The result was colorful and organic artwork which he named "Dispatchwork".
The juxtaposition of brick and plastic is fascinating. More images can be found here.
I've been organizing the files on my computer. I have a ways to go, but I already feel more creative, focused, and inspired now that my computer is cleaner.
At some high schools they are called "band geeks." In Eaton Rapids they were called "band nerds" (and don't you forget it).
When I moved to Eaton Rapids halfway through eighth grade, I thought it was the worst place on Earth. Little did I know, the last few weeks of eighth grade would bring two awesome things into my life: my friend Wondra (of Wondra's World) asked me to hang out and my band director asked me to play trumpet in marching band the next year.
The following fall brought friendship and music. I am still proud of the hard work we put into The Blue Show. Although band members did not always get along, no outsider got away with making fun of one. We worked together, we played together, but most importantly we made music together.
Recently, Wondra put her time and money into sharing videos of the 1996-97 Eaton Rapids Greyhound Marching Band with the world. A warm thank you to her!
I will never forget the sense of pride our director instilled in the band. To this day I am early everywhere I go because he insisted "to be early is to be on time and to be on time is to be late."
Our band director pushed us to strive for excellence. On the way home from one performance he stopped the buses, pulled everyone outside and called the band to attention. What followed was one of the fiercest lectures of decorum I have ever heard. Yet rather than laughing him off, we strove to achieve the goals he placed before us.
The band gave me confidence in myself. It was about discipline. It was about entertaining the crowd. But most of all, it was about being a part of something greater than ourselves.
Now that Matt and I are about to close on our house, I am once again thinking about bookshelves. When I curated Etsy Finds: Vintage Bookends it was difficult to choose which ones to feature, so I separated my finds into modern and vintage.
Artist Jillian Tamaki was commissioned by Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley to sketch and hand stitch illustrations for three classic novels. The stitches were sculpt embossed to create detailed, tactile covers for the Penguin Threads series.
Her accessories are made out of recycled license plates. For as long as I have known Amanda she has been into thrifting and Detroit, and her combination of these loves is unique and perfect.
I am honored that Amanda mentioned that I encouraged her to look into selling on Etsy! I am so excited she is doing well; I love her talent and diy aesthetic.
It is a convenient and readily accessible map. The only other state that comes close is Louisiana, but they have to either lift a leg or stoop to the floor to access their map.
I cannot tell you how many books I own; over half of my collection is in storage, and I cannot seem to stop purchasing them. As Matt and I get closer to buying a house, bookshelves are on my mind.
And with bookshelves come bookends. Etsy is a treasure trove of vintage finds; any of these sets would enhance our library.
Although I have not listened to Ok Go's newer music, my inner band geek (concert clarinet and marching trumpet) loves their video for This Too Shall Pass:
One of my favorite summer activities is reading outside. I have a childhood memory of my mother finding me reading on the couch. She told me to “go outside and play,” so I took an afghan under a tree so I could finish my book. My mother took a picture, and I wish I could find it so I could share it.
I still read outside, although not as often as I would like. Books are comforting; I often spend my lunch at the bookstore browsing titles (and finding additions for my library).
My nostalgia has a purpose. When I was at Schuler's Book on Tuesday these geeky buttons caught my eye. It reminds me of the Pizza Hut Book It! button (and free personal pan pizza!) I earned in elementary school.
So whether you are a chick novel fiend; an elitist who only reads classic literature; a nerd who reads sci-fi and fantasy; a sleuth looking for clues in mysteries; or read a little bit of everything (like me), keep reading this post for giveaway details.
In literature, important plot development usually happens in threes, so here are three ways to enter:
1. Leave a relevant comment in this post. Ex: I am reading __. My favorite book is __. I read your blog because __.
3. Follow my twitter account jmtooleand retweet the contest to your followers. Both steps must be fulfilled for entry.
The giveaway ends on Monday, July 18, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern). I will draw the three winners using Random.org. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 19.
Entry does not guarantee a prize. This contest is open to all contestants; however; if a winner does not respond to notification of winning by the July 31, 2011 he or she forfeits the prize.
This is the official a Shimmering Star blog giveaway kickoff. Watch this blog for more fun contests and giveaways.
If you are looking for a gift for the book or tech geek in your life, look no further. BookBooks look like vintage literature, but they protect the MacBook Pro from everyday scuffs and transport.
Made of distressed leather, these hard cases are handcrafted and one-of-a-kind.
When closed, the case looks like a book; the zippers are the bookmark. It reminds me of hidden stairs and secret passageways. No one will find your laptop!
BookBooks are designed by TwelveSouth. Their motto is: "We're not just Mac friendly--we're Mac only."
This natural gas commercial featuring knitting has been floating around the internet, but I think it's worth sharing to those who may not have seen it.
In her own words, Wondra is "an American living in Wales with [her] husband, [their] two kittens, two dogs and three dragons."
Kronish Kraftwerks is currently offering free shipping on jewelry during the month of June, an incredible bargain considering she is shipping from the United Kingdom. Also, Wondra is open to "fair trades, reservations, personal orders and good ole fashioned bribery."
To learn more about Wondra and her adventures as an American living in Wales, check out Wondra's Journal, her twitter Witchybelle4u2 and her website Wondra's World (UK), which she has maintained since 1999.
Edit: Since the time of this feature, Wondra has divided her shop. Her vintage shop is Vanian Vintage.
