Sunday, May 30, 2010

Marry an Artist

This is all I'm saying. Marry an Artist. Or at least befriend one and give them things. For artists have the power to make any boring old space into a beautiful one. I've been searching for art for Henry's walls for a while now and my sweet husband has either made or funded almost all of my choices. First, I (yes me, not Wade) made a banner of flags to go over his bed (although Wade may or may not have provided some guidance on the color choices, I'm not telling). And then I found these adorable cardboard deer heads to go in the middle. I bought a tiny one for Henry's room and saved the board with the cut outs so that Wade could make a big one for our living room out of old Rudy's pizza boxes (which reminds me, I should order a pizza for delivery). I La La Love these posters with lyrics from one of my favorite songs. Wade showed me exactly how to make them and then it was just off to Kinkos for a quick color print on poster board. This sweet little elephant was an Etsy find. I love her and I plan to copy the idea to make a peacock and an umbrella to go over Henry's desk. Wade has instructed me on the trials and tribulations of Modge Podge and I feel ready to take this project on.

This whale is another Esty find. I love it, but I'm not in love with it. I think chalkboards are fun but I am thinking Henry needs something bigger, to really show off his mad skillz.
And lastly, there is this panting. Also and Etsy find. Wade tells me we could paint something similar here at home. But I love it and I think I am going to buy it and marry it. This may not go in Henry's room. I might put it in our room. I need a house with less windows and more walls.
So, in conclusion. Marry an artist. He or she can then teach you how to make all the art you have been eyeballing for years. They will make fun of you for not coming up with the idea on your own. But artists are moody and hey, you are the one that decided to marry one.

Cakes

In my dreams I own a cupcake shop. It's tiny, with wood floors and brick walls. I imagine those old glass and wood cases full of layer upon layer of different cakes. There would be frosting shots for icing enthusiasts and naked cakes for weirdos that do not like frosting (like my hubby). So fun!
I have a deep and sincere love of the cupcake. I love it for its built in portion control. I love it for its super handy holder that can also serve as a frosting scraper should one get too much frosting (pfh, as if). I love how it perfectly holds one candle and for its inability to hold 32 candles (going on 33). It is a perfect model, never takes a bad picture. But most of all, I love it because it doesn't hold me down to one option. Make a cake, that's all you've got. Make cupcakes and you may have sprinkles or no sprinkles. Chocolate icing..yes please. Or maybe vanilla. Add a filling, if you like or turn the whole thing upside down and dip it in something rich and prepare to unbutton your jeans. I love cupcakes.Martha Stewart has a cupcake book and it has become my new bedtime story. I daydream about what cupcake coma I will enjoy next. I have to admit I have only made 2 recipes from the cookbook and both of them were okay. Not the best cupcakes I have made, definitely not the worst (so sad to remember those neon-red red velvet cakes I made 2 years ago, sitting so perfectly red in the trash can. Tasted like a wet sponge dipped in cardboard).
My idea is to try one of Martha's cupcakes each week Her cookbook has 175 recipes and I will not do all of them. Ahem, Ginger and Banana....no thanks. But I think I will try any of them with ingredients that do not make me want to hurl. Then I will take a pic and put it on this blog. I do recognize that this is not an original idea and no, I am not trying to create my own baked goods version of Julie and Julia. I don't have that kind of time.
In these pics are MS version of coconut cupcakes. My thoughts: too buttery. They almost tasted like bread. The frosting was good though. I think I'll try it again with less butter and more coconut. Coconut cupcakes are my favorite. Or maybe red velvet. No, german chocolate.

I've realized something

Recently I have discovered that I am not the person to go to for decorating decisions. I base this observation on the fact that I have now painted my dining room chairs 4 different colors, changed my curtains in the living room twice, and have been flip-flopping on the paint colors for my living room and dining room for so long now that Wade refuses to indulge me in any converstation over paint swatches. He says "Do whatever you want babe. Just give me the roller and I'll go."
My front door is also an excellent example. My first thought was to paint it orange because that is my favorite color. I recognize that orange is most people's least favorite color, which really only makes me like it more. Anyway, then I thought black. My sister has a black door and it looks great. Wade gives it a "whant-waaaaa" vote but I dunno, I kinda dig it. Hot pink is obviously the choice of our smallest and most vocal family member. I leaning, umm, away from hot pink, but I am surprised by how good it actually looks. If I could pull it off I would. But I can't. Then there is green, which works in this pic but I think would suck with the green grass (aka weeds that are also green) and the red is nice but red doors are kinda all over all neighborhood, so I am thinking no on that. Blue is Wade's choice, but his vote only half counts because I think he just picked it because he likes to argue with me. Besides, what does he know about design and color choice...wait...scratch that...go back to my previous arguing point and pay no attention to his degree in art or his employment as a designer.
Anyway, my house is brown and it's going to stay brown until I find the time to paint the whole thing orange!!!!! WHOO-HOOO. But until that time the purplish/mate finish door has to go. What say you blog friends?