by Amber Bryant

If I try to picture a classroom, it always looks like the ones I grew up sitting in – rows of lift-top desks, a wall of cubbyholes for stashing backpacks and umbrellas, and the horrible analog clock hanging near the ceiling, just so we could all watch as those precious daylight hours ticked away.

The focal point was always the chalkboard, which stretched from one corner of the room to another and had to be sectioned so the teacher could stay organized between subjects. The capricious teachers would scribble words that ran into each other or suddenly went vertical due to a lack of space.

The systematic teachers drew neat boxes with chicken-scratched labels like “math homework” and “for next week,” but the board still ended up looking like a chalk game of Tetris by the end of the day. Kids who couldn’t handle too much visual stimulation would complain of headaches… or maybe I just wanted to visit the nurse and read her copy of the latest Vogue Living. I’ll never tell.

Now that I’m all grown up, I have the privilege of calling a few great teachers dear friends. When one of their birthdays rolls around, I usually have no problem finding the perfect gift. I like to think this particular skill of mine is sharp because I’ve spent so much of my life staring at one teacher or another, studying the moves and wondering what makes teaching such a one-of-a-kind job. The briefcases and corduroy jackets are just fabulous, but there’s more to it. Adults who are normally shy come to life behind a podium if given a chance to teach others something they feel passionate about. Young or old, seasoned or newly trained, teachers possess their own brand of style. Even Lilly, who will be a kindergartener this fall, appears to recognize teacher chic and has recently shown an interest in helping me browse for gifts to usher in the new school year for my academic pals.

Teachers can always use help staying organized. Some of my favorite teacher helpers to give are laptop sleeves made from recycled wetsuits, stamp-making kits for grading with personal flair, and funky bookends for holding up a collection of inspiring books. Chalkboard decals or whiteboard decals are also great for classroom decorating and eliminating the need to split the main chalkboard into more manageable sections. A space for homework or project deadlines is harder to miss if it’s separated from the regular jumble of instructions, field trip notices, and sentence diagrams. The school nurse’s regulars will just have to find another reason to visit.

Sharing the spotlight with “Hollywood’s Hottest Moms” may be one of the most flattering compliments WallCandy Arts has received this year. Thanks to Pregnancy & Newborn magazine for categorizing our funky Rococo chalkboard decals and our giant ice cream lamp as “Cravings.”

The issue is on newsstands now.

Our 28-inch ice cream lamps, which come in either vanilla or strawberry, were paired with Ben & Jerry’s recipes and pickle-flavored lip balm as items the editors “can’t get enough of.”  Hey, maybe we should branch out into pickle-themed wall decals and furnishings

Lastly, Pregnancy & Newborn gave a shoutout to our Smarts Bees & Trees collection, which was a special “Black and White and Cute All Over” pick. As the mag points out, studies show that simple black-and-white patterns stimulate babies to “learn, develop and grow in an optimal environment.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a newborn’s vision is most attracted to high-contrasted patterns such as checkerboards, bull’s eyes and stripes. And color recognition really doesn’t kick in until about four months. The Smarts collection was designed with this science in mind.

Do you have any decorative pregnancy cravings?  Let us know how your nursery walls are shaping up at hello@wallcandyarts.com. We’d love to share your creativity with other wall decal enthusiasts!

I’ll set aside all the heavy political sentiments about our national trade imbalance and national debt. You know why? Because this is a fun blog about cute stuff that makes us happy.

Nonetheless, what makes me smile about the above photo from the recent Shanghai International CBME trade show is that the girls are enjoying a product that says Made in America. That’s the way it should be. Our country produces stuff. Another country produces stuff. And we sell each other’s stuff in both places.

So it’s always fun to see the kiddos write on our Chalkboard Decals in other languages:

And it also gives you that warm and squishy feeling to see the universal squiggly children’s drawings look the same no matter what part of the world they come from:

Removable chalkboard decals, which come in all sorts of shapes ranging from apples to rhinos, instantly give your rooms personality and variety since the kids can constantly express themselves with art or language. The more traditional geometric shapes are ideal for dorm rooms, too.

According to the Shanghai trade show, there are now 250 million children under age 14 in China.

That’s an enormous amount of chalk! And did I mention that WallCandy chalk is dustless and won’t make a mess in China, America or anywhere else?

That’s something decorating moms and dads can appreciate in any language!

Moving to a campus dorm room can feel like going to jail, minus the bars and bedside metal toilet. Each new resident is given a few standard issues – a bed, a chest of drawers, some sparse closet space, a desk, and two out of four blank, ugly walls (the other two belong to your roommate, who will probably also be in limbo between excitement and homesickness). If you’re willing to pay extra to snag a suite, you could get some low-traffic bathroom space to inhabit. Don’t worry – the most successful people on earth have showered in flip-flops at some point, whether they were in jail or just away at college.

If Doc Brown’s method of time travel were real, I’d go back to my first Campus Moving Day, get some Andy Capp’s Hot Fries from that wonderful vending machine in the lobby, and meet my terrified former self outside my dorm room.

“Before you go in,” I’d say, “you should know that you’re about to perceive this room as a barren jail cell. This is merely an illusion brought on by a sudden life change. In jail, you wouldn’t be able to eat cereal between study sessions held at ungodly hours. In jail, you wouldn’t experience the fun of an all-doors-open Saturday night. In jail, you wouldn’t have such a cute new bedspread.”

I would then put on some music and help myself decorate, and I’d have a ton more fun the second time around.

The key to dorm room decor is personalization. Don’t spend much on the standard items back-to-college aisles have to offer the hoards of students who will all end up with the same stuff. The majority of your hard-earned money should go toward quality accessories that will ease the stress of your new schedule and lure you back to your comfy space after a long day of classes and campus activities. Move in with furnishings that will help you build your own happy, independent life.

I wish there’d been such a thing as dorm decals when I lived on campus. The residence life czars decreed that students weren’t allowed to hang things on the walls unless we used that blue poster putty. My calendar, family photos, and prized Olivia Newton-John poster wouldn’t stay up for more than five minutes if anyone in the building even thought about humidity. Because I feared peeled paint and a negative room inspection, I avoided the tape temptation and compensated for sad, undecorated walls with a patterned papasan chair and throw pillows. So I guess you could say I did my time.

Unless you possess super monk-like qualities and can go years without spending money on anything other than absolute necessities, you’re probably one of the many, many people who find it challenging to balance feeding the hungry shopping bug and feeding your savings account. Sure, it’s easy to avoid dropping big bucks on sprees that end with nothing in particular, but what about those moments when your inner consumer leaps at the thought that you could own something you love, adore, and simply must have? If your mid-year resolution is to spend a bit less and save a bit more, here are a few honest statements you should be able to make before splurging on an expensive item that has captured your heart.

1.    I’ve been thinking about this particular item for at least two weeks. This one’s easy – if you’ve forgotten about it, you definitely don’t need to spend money on it. Consider putting it on your holiday wish list and move on. Of course, there are those tempting tag sales and one-day events that require a much quicker decision and some serious willpower…

2.    The last time I impulsively spent more than $100 on a single item was at least three months ago. Rewarding yourself for good saving vs. spending behavior is easy when you truly deserve it. If you’ve been defeating your devil-may-care urges for three months, you have the money, and you’re sure you’ve come across a fantastic deal you could never replicate once you walk away, go for it.

3.    I have researched this item and know that I’m getting the best price and the best quality. You’re a professional now, so do some homework. Reading reviews is a start, but keep in mind that reviews can be biased and riddled with circumstantial evidence. A better idea is asking someone whose opinion you trust to be generally close to your own. Channel your inner scientist and do some research to find out what makes this particular product worth the money. What materials and processes were used to make it? Is it one of a kind, or could you write down the UPC (universal product code) and compare prices online?

4.     This item will last a long time. Spending on trends is tempting, but fruitless in the long run. It’s painful to see something expensive in your Goodwill pile after only one or two seasons. It’s even more painful to watch the fruits of your labor fade, yellow, or crumble as each day passes. If it will bring years of good use and pride, you’ll be able to look at it without feeling the awful pinch of dissatisfaction.

5.     Purchasing this item is the best way to fulfill a true need or solve a problem. This one could be true on it’s own every time you’re licking relationship wounds or feeling just plain bored, but dropping big bucks on anything but therapy isn’t usually the best way to deal with personal snafus. A $10 trip to your favorite dessert or manicure spot is a much cheaper way to self-soothe.

Patience is your best asset when deciding to part with your assets. Avoid big-ticket buyer’s remorse by cultivating better shopping habits and you’ll eventually find that you’ve accumulated more cash flow, fewer regrets, and an impressive shopping portfolio.

This is a guest blog post written by Amber Bryant.

My friend Laura owns a lot of couture for someone with a fledgling home therapy business. When anyone asks her, “Where did you get that belt/hat/dress/top?” she usually replies, “I got it on eBay.” I once asked her how on earth she manages to come out on top in that situation and she explained that she spends a ridiculous (her word, not mine) amount of time discussing the item with the seller via e-mail, asking for additional photos of the item in very specific lighting conditions, and haggling until she can get a money-back guarantee.

I took a lazier approach when I bid on and won what I thought would be the perfect Max Azria dress for a summer cocktail party. I’ll sum up that sordid experience with three words – knockoff turquoise feathers. I couldn’t believe it. The online photos I’d happily trusted were reminiscent of the actual dress, but only the front and barely that.

Relying on photographs can be tricky, especially considering how many photo-doctoring programs exist across multiple software platforms, and that’s before I start wondering if my monitor is working properly. If I ever dared to shop with my old 1993-ish Apple computer (which was truly just a glorified way to play Oregon Trail), I’d never be brave enough to buy shoes or anything else without a solid free returns policy. But what about stores that only exist online? How can the savvy online shopper avoid knockoffs and, in turn, frenzied last-minute closet purges?

I kept these questions in mind as I was shopping for decal designers and printers for WallCandy. I wanted to emulate the quality of my favorite coffee table art books, because a photo is just as important as the art itself – how can you appreciate beauty when the pixels are rebellious and the color calls to mind those plastic tablecloths only dollar stores seem to carry?

After some research, I learned that quality printing was more than an aesthetic goal. Once the ink has been laid on our latest design, each decal gets an ultraviolet coating and becomes colorfast and cleanable. Quality ink and UV coating are to wall decals as Italian cashmere is to the summer cardigan. WallCandy is thin, yet durable. It won’t fade or yellow. And it won’t end up in the dumpster like a horrible turquoise feather knockoff.

Every Friday we pick up our share of the weekly harvest at the organic CSA we joined called Amber Waves Farm in Amagansett. The two farmer ladies who run it are so cool, incredibly knowledgeable about organic farming and really care deeply about nourishing our community. They don’t just dump 50 radishes in your basket and send you on your way, you get a gorgeous selection of fresh picked produce, two loaves of Eli’s bread and a recipe that’s usually to complicated for me.

This week between Amber Waves and my own bumper crop of zucchini, I had to get creative. I had weekend guests as usual and I wanted to make a nice presentation to go with what my husband was masterfully creating on the bbq. I decided to make a zucchini, squash, tomato and fresh mozzarella terrine, plain baked zucchini with herbamare and a touch of butter (not worth photographing) and a few loaves of zucchini bread.

What I learned is that first of all, one can make a delicious terrine with just about anything and its even better the second day.  The secret is in the crust of breadcrumbs, shaved parm and butter and draining the tomato slices on a tray before layering them in so the terrine doesn’t get soupy.  (I apologize for not photographing it out of the oven, it was magnificent but everyone was hungry and impatient…that won’t happen again. I ‘ll have the camera ready next time.)

Second, and perhaps more important, is that zucchini bread doesn’t just happen because you’re feeling farm-y and want to impress your guests. Grating several large zucchini by hand is a serious workout and should be treated as such. Furthermore, if you run out of cinnamon, just stop.  Don’t throw in pumpkin pie spice plus a handful of chocolate chips and think you’re back on track.  You’re not, ginger is a powerful spice and doesn’t try to hide. This loaf looks better than it tastes but I did my best. This isn’t a cooking blog for good reason.

If anyone would be kind enough to share some of their zucchini recipes, I’d be most grateful.

Allison

I’m old enough to remember shaking blank Polaroid photos to try to speed up their developing, which was like watching a picture fade in reverse. Shaking them was as effective as tapping your feet to make a long line move faster.

And I’m delighted to discover that old-style Polaroid film has been brought back from the dead in the Digital Age by some photography enthusiasts in the Netherlands!  Appropriately, they call themselves The Impossible Project.

The genre is super hot. Lady Gaga, recently signed on as Polaroid’s Creative Director, just posed for a giant Polaroid portrait. You’ll find it at the MIT Museum, which houses iconic photography memorabilia dating back to inventor Dr. Edwin Land.

And now, WallCandy Arts adds its stylish tribute. These removable wall decal Frames turn any wall into a nostalgic scrapbook. They look just as fashionable with 8 x 10 color enlargements taken 10 minutes ago as they do with vintage black and whites from your grandparents’ wedding album. If you are feeling extra creative, we recommend running your photos through editing software or free Web editing apps, such as Rollip.com, to give them a subdued Instamatic look.

Completing the scrapbook or bulletin board theme are pieces of yellowed Scotch tape and push-pins. The blank white area underneath the photos are meant for your witty captions with Dry-Erase markers — the same ones you use for your office whiteboard.

Some WallCandy Arts designs are clearly targeted toward specific ages and genders. For example, unless your hubby still wears Batman underwear, it is unlikely he’d be choosing these RACE ME race cars for his Man Cave.

The beauty of Frames is that they appeal to every  demographic.  Here are a few occasions and locations where decorating with them would be a huge hit:

WAYS TO USE WALLCANDY FRAMES

1. Dorm Room Decor: While your roommate sticks up the same cliched shots of James Dean, John Belushi’s Animal House college spoof, or (yuck) trendy guerrilla icon Che Guevara, you can show off the fun places you’ve traveled or hope to visit one day.

2. Birthday Parties: Doesn’t matter if the guest of honor is 1 or 100, frame the cutest moments of his or her life in wall decals.

3. Graduation Parties: These are going on all summer long! Kindergarten class photos will make your grad’s friends smile.

4. Wedding Anniversaries: We hardly open up our wedding albums any more, let alone share them with new friends. Make them the central focal point!

5. Bridal Showers: Decorate the house with action shots of the honored couple!

6. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs/First Communions: Any “This is Your Life” is an excuse to line the walls with a Time Machine tribute.

7. Adult Halloween Parties: Put blank frames up on the wall with categories for a costume contest: Funniest Costume, Sexiest Costume, Funniest Couple, Scariest Couple, etc.  Take digital shots and print out 8 x 10s on your printer and have people vote for the winners.  Give out WallCandy Arts decals as prizes

8. Going Away Parties: When a friend or family member moves, it’s another “This is Your Life” moment.

9. Childhood Bedrooms: Great place to showcase favorite family vacation pictures.

10. Office Decor: Show off the kids to your co-workers or your family vacation pics.

11. Playroom Decor: Kids are fickle. One day they love the Wiggles or Teletubbies. The next day they are “too old” for those characters and are Sesame Street sophisticates. Frames are ideal for displaying magazine pictures and children’s artwork, too.

As with all WallCandy Arts decals, there are no limits to where your imagination can take you.

We’d love to see how you’ve used WallCandy Frames. Please send us your photos and stories about your favorite decoration projects!  Share them on Facebook or drop us a line here.

We’ve sponsored a contest at Design Hole. Head on over for a chance to win! http://designholeonline.com/2010/design-hole-giveaway-enter-to-win-a-wallcandy-decal/

Contest expires on Friday July 23, 2010 at midnight. Good luck!

July 4^th is a big holiday in our house.   My dear cousin Dana came out with her husband Seth and daughter Olivia.  The weather was incredible and we swam, ate, swam, ate, different friends came by, evening cocktails under the stars, more cooking…you get the idea.  This went on for three perfect days.  I always try to make this weekend special for my family and our guests.

Last Thursday I saw this amazing flag cake on the blog So Wonderful So Marvelous (http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2010/06/fourth-of-july-let-them-eat-flag-cake.html) and I was mesmerized.  I had to express my awe to the blog owner Michelle, and was surprised that first of all, she wrote me back encouraging me to try it and second that she recognized my email address and is a big fan of WallCandy Arts!  Flattered and inspired, I bought the ingredients and Lilly, Brandon and I got to work.

Then we baked the 5 cakes per Michelle’s instructions, before slicing them into thinner half slices (tricky).

Next we layered the colors of the flags red, white, red, white…then blue and red and white in the center. Michelle gave me a tip about keeping the blue part on the thick side for a better effect.

I lost one red stripe entirely because it stuck to the bottom of the pan.  I made a well received treat for my co-chefs from the pile of broken cake.

Finally our masterpiece was complete.

After dinner we cut it open  and served it with vanilla ice cream to my impressed guests.   

I’m no Michelle but I was proud of my creation and we had a lot of fun making her cake.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend.

Allison