@SecondHandClementine

So clearly my First Communion dress dilemma got everyone fired up because I heard from people I didn't even know read the blog! What surprised me the most though was everyone's surprise that I would consider spending $800 on a First Communion dress. This really shouldn't surprise anyone I think about buying super expensive stuff all the time and then scheme up ways to make it happen, I just rarely follow through.

Moving on, in an attempt to pay for my internship this summer I've opened up an Instagram account for all the kids' clothes I need to sell off. Check out my account @secondhandclementine and then hook a sister up! Consider buying something from me. I am short about $500 for my class and the payment deadline is soon.

Lilly Pulitzer
Size 6-12 months

Happy Thursday!

-Grace

Heads Up!

We are thinking of cobbling together a headboard for our bed. I attempted this a few years ago, as a first anniversary gift to Micky, to lackluster results (above). Well, he said HE liked it. Basically I bought a square of unfinished wooden lattice from Home Depot that I had them cut down to size. Then I painstakingly sanded and painted every crevice of the thing a high gloss white. It was nice to look at, but very wobbly and a little bit short for the bed. And all of those crevices collected dust like WHAT.

Our new bedroom doesn't have a ton of options for furniture layout, so the head of the bed is unfortunately pressed slightly off center up against a window. I thought hanging curtains wide over the window to frame the bed would work, but come morning time, our pillows and nighttime tossing have pushed them up and pulled them taut. So really, a headboard of some sort is in order. 

But they are surprisingly expensive---even just the headboard, without the side- and footboard action. And since it's going to be in front of a window, we'd like it to be high enough to provide some bedtime reading support, but not so high that it blocks all of the natural light. So I've been looking for a DIY option online and I may have found a few decent contenders. What do you guys think? 

I like the look of these wide boards, but she's got it mounted to the wall. I'd rather attach it directly to bed frame for more stability.  

(DIY $25 Rustic Headboard via www.radicalpossibility.com)

This one screws into the bed frame, but isn't quite aesthetically what I'm looking for. Also, too tall.

(DIY Headboard for Under $40 via www.echoesoflaughter.ca)

This is one that I'd LOVE to have---no more Graham grabbing my glasses and swiping books off the nightside table! But it seems a bit too complicated for a novice woodworker. Plus, I can't find the original source. (So this one will have to do for now.)

I'll update you guys when we decide!  

- Cathleen 

Wonderful Whistling

I love to whistle.  A day doesn't go by without some sort of tune being whistled by me.  Could be in the car, at work, or at home---and it has rubbed off on my kids.  They whistle the tune from The Great Escape all the time because it's one that is always in my head.

Finding a song with a whistle always makes me happy.  Here is a compilation of several great whistling songs.  If you can think of any I missed, please post it in the comments.


The Rooster in Disney's Robin Hood is the ultimate whistling song.  He is definitely the coolest rooster to ever appear on the screen and everyone should aspire to be more like him.


I would argue the whistling march from Bridge on the River Kwai is the most memorable whistling tune of all time.



One can't talk about whistling without mentioning "Always Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide."


I love Mary Poppins and the animatronic robin in "Spoonful of Sugar" is great whistler....he IS a bird after all.

Now onto slightly more modern music and songs that were not necessarily in movies.



Mumford covering one of the Robin Hood Rooster's songs with a fine whistling part.


"Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard"


Jack Johnson has a very clean and inviting whistle and I wish he would do it in more songs.


Alexander - Truth.  This is a single by the lead singer of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros.


Andrew Bird is known for his whistling and this one is a great example


 The Black Keys.  Not a strong whistle, but still appreciate it.


 G & R has one of the most classic whistling tunes in rock n roll history.


Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home.  This has a great whistling part and even though the song has been overused in commercials, I still love it.


You can hear this song on the radio occasionally and it has a basic but memorable whistle.

Let me know if there are any others I have missed cause I am always interested in any song with a good whistle....no matter the genre.

-Brian

Artwork of the Week: Telmo

An illustration by Patricia Metola from Telmo

I thought I'd post this sweet illustration in honor of Mother's Day yesterday. I had a great time with my two guys; a deliciously greasy breakfast at The Waffle House following by a walk around the neighborhood with surprise gifts from Ash that "fell" out of the stroller canopy when the sun was getting too bright. I also did some solo shopping for new patio chair cushions. That part was sort of thrilling, not having to buckle a kid in and out of the car over and over again. All in all, it was a really wonderful day. 

You can see more drawings from Telmo, a children's book by Carlo Frabetti and Patricia Metola, here.  

And more examples of the illustrator's work on her blog: 

patriciametola.blogspot.com

- Cathleen 

First Communion Issues

Tomorrow is Alissa's daughter's First Communion and Alissa and I have spent the last YEAR agonizing over finding the perfect dress for her daughter. This might seem weird since it's Alissa'a daughter making her First Communion and not mine BUT Clementine makes her First Communion next year and I like to be prepared. Anyway let me just put it this way, there are NO good First Communion dress options on the market. They're all either too shiny, or too pedestrian. I brought up my problem to a mom at the school I teach at who has impeccable taste and she recommended looking at Oscar de la Renta's Special Occasion line for girls. HOLY MOLY! Finally a little inspiration on the First Communion dress front. Check out the two I found that Alissa and I both love:

Snowflake Flower Girl Dress
Oscar de la Renta
$790

Yep, that's right, $790. OUCH! I just heard my wallet scream.

Swiss Dot Dress with Lace Trim
Oscar de la Renta
$690

My wallet is still screaming. This picture doesn't do the second dress justice. It's swiss dot and has a delicate lace trim. Check out Oscar de la Renta's website for close ups. 

Hear me out though! When I made my First Communion in 1989 my mom borrowed a dress from a friend that I HATED and I felt ugly. And even though my mom died 20 years ago I am still a little resentful of that dress. I think it would be worth spending the money on a dress this special. Also, I could sell the dress on Ebay right after and make at least half of my money back so say I spent $800, after I sold it I'd really have only spent $400.... are you with me people? 

Great! It's settled then!

And even though I'm not much of a Throwback Thursday kinda gal I had to post them gems from my youth:

Me, May 1989 at home after my First Communion. Thanks mom, still pissed 25 years later. 

And even better! My sister after her First Communion. This wasn't her actual First Communion this was like the weekend after. My mom made us get dressed up again to take photos. My sister had an ear ache and this picture is just too perfect. The rest of the series are actually better because my sister looks even more pissed. And yes, I'm the one with the huge mop of brown hair on the left. 

Happy Friday!

-Grace

Happy Birthday, Colonel Tapioca!

My dear ol dad is turning the big 7-0 today (I hope he doesn't mind me outing him on national internet like this) so I wanted to wish him a very happy birthday on the ol blog!

Unfortunately, I won't be able to celebrate with him in person this year, as much as I would have really loved to make that happen. And what do you get the man who could pretty much get anything he wants for himself anyway? Well, after thinking HARD for quite awhile, I decided to have a sentimental photo framed (that was delayed at the framers...GRRR!) and I sent him a card with the promise of an experience: we have pledged to take him to the Lantern, a local multi-award-winning restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC, the next time he gets down to our neck of the woods. We're going to get a babysitter for the occasion and everything! He's mentioned wanting to try it before, and I once read somewhere that experiences are the best gifts because they enrich your life and your memories more than any physical thing usually does. I wanted to make this birthday especially special because of it's nice round number significance, but also because he has always been so generous with me---with everyone I know---and he deserves to be treated for a change. I hope he likes it. And doesn't sneakily try to pay the bill before the end of dinner. And doesn't think that the "gift of spending time with me" is actually really lame. 

Happy Birthday, Colonel Tapioca! 

You are the best father I could have ever asked for, and an even greater man who means so much to so many people. I look forward to reminding you of that fact (because you forget it way too often) and celebrating your life with you for many more years to come. 

Love, 

Cathleen

Movie Posters

Metropolis

I have slowly been ripping my dvd collection onto an external hard drive and converting all other movie files into .mp4s so I can assemble everything onto my iTunes.  From there I have been able to home share the computer with my Apple TV then search and watch anything from my collection easily.  Because it is now through my Apple TV, it almost looks like Netflix or the iTunes store.  This means each movie or show has "album artwork" that goes along with it.  Sometimes ripping the DVD would save the original artwork as well and other times I would have to download new images for certain movies.  Through this process I have been finding a lot of cool movie posters...classic ones and newly designed ones for both old and new movies, so I thought I would share some cool ones with you.

It is definitely an art most people don't even think about, but we see it everywhere.  Some movies have iconic shots and that's all it needs, but other times someone has come up with a very creative way to capture the feel of a film and attract the viewer just in this one still image.

Here are some of the ones I have found.

Then, of course, you have all of Wes Anderson's movies.  They are perfect for interesting and unique posters since his films have such bold cinematography and purposeful, unrealistic sets.

And if you want to read about how many movie posters look essentially the same, here is an interesting story: http://www.thewrap.com/movies/blog-post/why-movie-posters-all-look-same-75846+

Oh yeah... And always avoid movies with the Bold Red Uppercase Fonts:

-Brian