WHITE + BLACK + WOOD
I cannot quit these dreamy white, black and wood interiors. These are four of my current favorites. I’ve been taking a breather from home decorating to reassess the areas I haven’t done anything with yet. I would really love at least one room to have this kind of vibe, but I don’t think I could have that going on in every room. I think what most appeals to me is how clean and bright everything looks. I love the artwork and the simple black frames. I have so much stuff to do before I get back to home decorating, but it’s nice to take a breather and daydream with these inspiring images.
CRAYOLA TWISTABLES SLICK STIX
Reading the negative reviews of Crayola Twistables Slick Stix a wave of panic washed over me as I left the big box retailer (hey, they’re not paying me to be specific) where I had just purchased a set. Most acknowledge how vividly the product puts color on the page. Of course that also applies to walls, Berber carpet, hands, faces and anything else expensive or irreplaceable you happen to own.
Granted, they are a little messy to use, but hey, we’re making art here. ART IS MESSY. Especially, if it’s done right. The color payoff is the stuff of crayon legend. To get this kind of color impact with regular crayon usually involves a lighter and neck vein popping determination. And why not save that neck vein popping for something more deserving like a stubborn jar of pickles?
The crayons are encased in durable plastic and the caps correspond to the shade. But that’s about all those caps do. They refuse to stay posted to the end of the crayon and that could be a deal breaker to people into that sort of thing. (I am such a person). I like my pizza greasy and I like my caps posted! The cap posting issue is also notable because the product is marketed to children. You do not want those caps going ghost. Refer to the opening paragraph for a sizzle reel of likely outcomes. The crayons use a simple twisting mechanism to release more of the point and it was definitely designed with curious children in mind. It clicks as it turns and the click is loud enough for parents to hear it from across the room. Which can put a stop to extending the point until it breaks faster than you can say, “What’s all that clicking? Sophie, are you clicking that crayon again? oh no! Nana’s linen tablecloth!!!”
The Deets:
Very excellent color payoff, particular for a crayon marketed to children
depending on the retailer the price ranges from $6 – $9 for the set. I snagged mine for $5 w/a coupon.
Slightly messy and probably needs parental supervision for younger kids.
Caps do not stay posted, but extended periods without the cap causes no harm to the product that I observed.
color selection could be a little more interesting. Gold and Silver aren’t as gold or silvery as one might hope.
Throwback Thursday
Digging through the archives is as easy as clicking on these titles
New Frontiers in Ikea Assembly
“Unless I want to feel badly about myself I avoid perusing the directions accompanying any Ikea product. Instead preferring to view the product fully assembled in the showroom and commit its perfect assembly to memory, which I then refer to as I’m putting the scraps of particleboard I’ve been convinced will magically transform themselves into attractive storage and seating solutions. And frankly, I find Ikea instructions a tad judgey and shaming. Mostly because I can often be observed engaged in the behaviors the instructions have marked through with X’s”
“I spend a lot of time browsing shelter blogs while sipping hateraid in a tacky plastic tumbler. You know the kind I’m talking about: stackable, cheesy and usually 4/$1. Perhaps being more craft aspirational than crafty has made me resent the well styled, impeccably edited spaces I view day after day. Or maybe I’m just tired of feeling marginalized because I don’t worship at the church of mid-century modern (because the mid-century was so great for my people).”
“Every time I peruse the aisles of big box craft stores I encounter Koh-I-noor Hardtmuth Magic Pencils, usually housed with all the legitimate artistic pencils. Since for the most part I don’t have much use for pencils, I would pass them over, even though they looked fun and are quite cheap. But once in awhile I’d pick one up, fall in love with the weird mix of colors, then remember I’d need to score a fat sharpener, feel overwhelmed and bitter about how high maintenance the cheap pencils were and put them back.”
Crayola Glow Station on the Go
“Once the unit is all powered up, you have to find some place dark. I don’t mean Teddy Pendergrass dark; all the way dark. Thus you probably need to make your peace with your higher power as you climb into the trunk of your car or seal yourself off in a panic room or closet. Then you wait. Based on my experience with the product about two or three minutes of sitting in burnt up skillet darkness should get you there. Then you use the magical sheets and begin crafting your masterpiece. Now the product is not really designed with the ambivalent in mind; you only have a couple of minutes before your creation disappears before your eyes, which happened to me twice I as tried to neatly pen, “does this light pen write?”. And forget trying to photograph it. Between the car trunk, the darkness and disappearing drawings there’s no time to be taking snaps.”
LAMY SAFARI 2013 NEON YELLOW
Most days I have the decency not to tear open a highly anticipated package right there in the street, but today was not one of those days! My Neon Lamy Safari from CULT PENS (which was a dream to purchase from: speedy processing, careful packaging and fast shipping) arrived and I am in love.
Here it is in all of its neon glory. When I first found out the 2013 Safari would be highlighter yellow, I was thrilled. Though I was probably the only person. Seems like this is bound to be a polarizing color choice, but trust me, this pen is gorgeous.
Grumblings around the pen world seemed reserved at best and disappointed at worst. Lots of calls for navy, purple and I think I even saw someone asking for brown? Well, I’m sorry, but conservative banker colors were just not going to work for me. Not for the Lamy Safari anyway.
As with all Lamy Safaris the pen is a constructed of sturdy ABS plastic, blah blah blah and yeah, everyone knows all the words to that song.
I wanted to compare the pen to an actual cheapo highlighter, but oddly enough, I don’t actually own ANY. Here’s a comparison to the yellow Lamy. Definitely brighter and less orangey.
Compared to last year’s Safari green the pen looks closer to green than yellow, but it’s probably just my pictures, because, honey, this pen is DEFINITELY highlighter yellow.
Because you’ve waited your whole life for two pics of me wearing neon yellow magic stretch gloves while holding the neon Lamy…
and the writing sample. Same perfect black Lamy ink.