Summer is here and it is the perfect time to have a meal alfresco. There are some great picnic items out there and I have put together some of my favorites here, some old and some new.
Oh the Scout bag...where do I start? I purchased my first scout bag at the Container Store in Little Rock, AR quite a few years back. Since then I have purchased an even larger tote and storage box for the back of my SUV. They are cute, extremely durable and so unbelievably useful.
Here is a cut & paste of their back story. As you will see over time, if I can just cut and paste the "about us" stuff I will. No need to reinvent the wheel.
When telling the SCOUT story, it’s best to start with the inspiration
behind our name. Our Creative Director Deb loved the name “Scout” ever
since she was a kid and read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Years
later when Demi Moore and Bruce Willis named their own daughter after
Lee’s narrator, Deb decided instead that “Scout” would be the perfect
name for the Johns family’s wire-haired Dachshund.
It was with Scout and Deb’s mother’s words (“We know God has a sense of
humor because he invented the Dachshund”) that Bungalow brought the
name ‘SCOUT’ into its brands, with the tail-wagging Dachshund as its
icon. Just as Scout suggests in our logo, the brand centers on the idea
of an ‘on the go’ lifestyle… Wherever you’re headed – be it on vacation,
to a game, to a party – SCOUT’s right there to support your busy life.
The original idea for SCOUT bags came from the plaid polywoven
‘commodity’ shopping bag used by street vendors to transport their
merchandise; we then located a version of the same plaid polywoven bag
in a high-end boutique in Milan that, in comparison, had that
‘high-fashion’ finish of a leather bottom and handles – this was the
inspiration behind the Original Deano tote! We’d found our niche for
functional, fashionable, affordable totes, and SCOUT was born. Presently
we feature 400+ new products throughout the year, with a smaller
collection of gift items available in the winter.
Here are some of my favorite offerings from Scout:
Shouldah Bin - $35
Great for the back of and SUV or trunk of a car.
I have this and love it.
Four Boys Bag - $52
In a word...enormous. You might actually fit four boys in this thing.
Like many things, wallpaper has made the circle back around again. People seem to be embracing this design medium that has graced walls for hundreds of years. If you use it correctly and get paper with a great design, it can be fabulous. Although, it really does falls under the phrase beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you are happy with how it looks, that is all that really matters. I saw a great segment on CBS Sunday Morning with some great custom wallpaper companies/designers and from there I did a little searching and found some others.
Their "about us" explanation is more interesting than one I could think up:
"Founded on the Oregon coast by a guy named Ted, this small handscreened wallpaper company flourished in the Age of Aquarius.Many years later, some young designers seeking striking
wallcoverings discovered Ted's greatness- just days before the designs
and equipment were to be destroyed. Knowing what had to be done, these
young designers headed west to save Ted's legacy.
Relocated to the Bywater District of New Orleans, Flavor Paper
continued to print using Ted's traditional printing methods and vacuum
table, but with greatly increased accuracy and detail."
Flat Vernacular is a Brooklyn-based design company that specializes in
original hand-drawn, hand-printed, and one of a kind wallpapers.
Graham & Brown has some great prints as well including the ever popular frames paper. I don't know much about the company because I couldn't find any "about us" information.
Schumacher has many more traditional prints including one used in a design by Sarah Richardson on Sarah's House 4. In it's 5th generation of family ownership,
Schumacher has been in business since 1889.
Seabrook began as a paint supply store in 1910 and has since grown into one of the nation's largest independently owned wallcovering distributors.
Famille Summerbelle was started just four years ago by Simon Summerscales and Julie Marabelle and strives to find that perfect mix on U.K. and and French cultures. Although they don't have much wallpaper to choose from, they are all fabulous. Quality over quantity here!
Less is more a lot of the time when it comes to wallpaper. Try it in a mudroom, half bath, butlers pantry, etc. If you are going to go big, make sure you have the style house and furniture to support your new design adventure.
Love me some Sara Bareilles! I saw her at a small venue in Memphis a few
years back and it is one of the best shows I have ever been to. The
words to her new song are absolutely words to live by! Take a listen and
enjoy!
Do you ever nerd it up like I do and make a list of what you would buy if you win Publishers Clearing House, the Lottery, etc? It is actually quite fun. I have done something like that here with all my favorite products. Due to the fact that it adds up to a ridiculous amount quickly, I tend to buy my items one at a time. I unfortunately just had one of those moments where a few things ran out at the same time. Ugh! So this post is twofold. One - a fun list for me to make just in case I DO win PCH $5,000 a week for life and Two - My favorite beauty items that I wanted to share with you.
Hair
Frederick Fekkai
Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner $50
Body Wash
Philosophy Amazing Grace $35
Exfoliant
Kate Somerville Exfolikate $85
Facial Clenser
Darphin Cleansing Milk $40
Eye Cream
La Mer The Eye Balm $180
Day Cream
Estee Lauder Day Wear $48
Night Cream
Creame de la Mer $150 (FOR ONE OUNCE!)
Neck Cream
Oil of Olay, Orinigal $9.40 (for real!)
Hand Lotion
L'Occitane Shae Butter Hand Cream $28
Body Lotion
Still searching for a favorite since Kiehl's discontinued my Deluxe Hand & Body Lotion with Aloe Vera & Oatmeal in Almond scent.
So my grand total - and I haven't even added in make-up - is
I think this great show is on it's way out but just in case the 13 people that regularly look at this blog have any pull with ABC, I must put my love for the show out there. Happy Endings is one of a kind. The humor is dry, it moves fast and the references are hilarious, especially to those of us in our 30s. If ABC would just put it back in it's post-Modern Family spot I think it would be safe but, alas, the sure fire classic and Emmy contender How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life is there. [insert sarcastic eye roll] There isn't much to say other than - the proof is in the pudding. Check out these great clips and get on the Happy Ending bandwagon. Finger crossed it will be back!
If there is one thing I love, it is nostalgia. I love to go "back in the day" whenever possible. Having my first child has me revisiting my own wonderful childhood quite a bit. One of the ways is through my love of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. It still comes on my local PBS station at 5:30am on Saturdays. I DVR it and we (Jack and I) watch it every week. It gives me the warm and fuzzies. Jack laughs and claps every time Mr. Rogers walks through the door. I have some of my original Mr. Rogers records from "back in the day" that we put on the record player on rainy days. My poor son isn't going to realize it isn't 1982 until he starts kindergarten, I am afraid. If you are also a Mr. R fan there are some great items out there and a fun blog all about the Neighborhood. I also hear a biopic is in the works. Not sure how I feel about that though. Sometimes I don't want to pull back the curtain and see the wizard. Although, I do think Fred Rogers was good to the core. People like that are few and far between and that is why they mean so much to us. So for now, enjoy some of these Mister Rogers items, sites and clips. Hope they make you feel as good as do me!
My absolute favorite clip! Mr. R. and Jeff
Here is Mr. Rogers with Jeff years later.
Here is a fun blog by a huge Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fan.
And on to the products. These are available on a hit or miss basis. Due to the fact that everything is primarily on ebay, what is available today might not be available tomorrow. The exceptions are items available through The Fred Rogers Company.
My first item is one I purchased years ago and is just about impossible to find.
My family and I are loud and proud city dwellers. While I am not the least bit hipster or for that matter hip, I do live in the hipster epicenter of my city. Hipsters kind of crack me up so when I saw this article in the New York Times I got a chuckle and had to share (click the image to read the article). I also added a little snippet from my favorite episode of Happy Endings to give you a hipster laugh as well. Enjoy!
Happy Endings - How to be a Hipster
-Just in case you need them-
Max's Rules for being a hipster:
Rule #1: Never try. Never put effort into anything.
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