Hi Folks. It's March Madness here in Kingdom; my birthday, the Count Jr. and Contessa have their b-days (BOTH on St. Patrick's Day!!), just hosted the MIL for a week in from CA, and the Contessa had her big concert on Tuesday. All real good. Today I'm going to clean my house and catch up on laundry in complete silence. This will be truly heavenly, since tomorrow the Royal Family heads off to the Great Wolf Lodge with about 30 pre-pubescent boys from Count Jr.'s cub scout pack for an overnight trip filled with earsplitting fun.
Per standard Friday format I should be showing you some genius in the blogosphere, but I've barely spent any time there over the last week. Instead I'll show you something great from the Internet that will hopefully bring some much needed silliness to your Friday.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Genius in the Blogosphere - Alternate Universe Dream House
If the Countess was a minimalist neat freak with a love of all things modern, she would likely be the talented Anna of the well known blog Door Sixteen.
I am far from a pioneer in my appreciation of what fans know as D16. She is adored far and wide for her uncanny eye for modern design and her unwavering belief that with good taste and elbow grease, anything is possible. To a warm, cozy type like the Countess a visit to Door Sixteen is like trip to a beautiful alternate universe.
And so we arrive at Thursday's Door Sixteen post, Big Fat Work Tables. Reading this post I felt like the universe was smiling at me. See part of the Kingdom's extended absence from the blogosphere involved son. We are back at the doctors, but not for the back, and not because of new tumors. This time it is for some pretty pronounced learning disabilities that can no longer be addressed through warm encouragement and consistent routines. We are at a point where what ails our beloved Count Jr. must be given a noun, a name, not just a bunch of adjectives and anecdotes that leave parents and teachers scratching their heads.
One thing is obvious from the get go; the Count Jr., the Contessa, the Count and the Countess CANNOT share a common work space if the Count Jr. is to be successful. While the Contessa can polish off her homework at the kitchen table, the Count's desk, or burrowed into the comfy couch in the den, the Count Jr. is a horse of a very different color. He responds to such environments like the dog you just waved a small mirror in front of. He needs bare counters clear surfaces, and as few distractions as possible. Since removing the eight year-old Count Jr. from the hub of the house at homework time posed problems, namely that he interpreted it as a banishment of sorts, the Kingdom decided our cozy little jewel box of papers and clutter would need a major overhaul.
Step one is getting the Countess a desk. I know sports fans, how the hell has the Countess not have a desk of her own for eight years? Messily, that's how. Little piles here, little bins there. Organizationally the Countess and the Count couldn't be more different - the Count views the Kingdom as one large storage unit, and needs to be bodily forced to throw things away. The Countess on the other hand, while far from a minimalist works well within boundaries, i.e., one plastic tub of sentimental kids clothes and that's it. But without the neat boundaries created by filing cabinets and desk drawers, the Countess started resorting to the Counts habit of a pile here and a stack there.
Now where to put the desk. In the basement!!! Don't recoil in horror, this actually makes a hell of a lot of sense. But given the cement walls and floors, not to mention the washer, dryer, Nordictrack, and second frig as office mates a foofy office would not work.
Hmmmm. No.
Leave it to Anna to showcase something comfortably industrial, yet bright and functional.
Image from Corkellis House, interior design by Kathryn Tyler + Linea Studio, via Door Sixteen
Perfect, perfect, perfect!!! Best part is it's not Conrans or Herman Miller, it's I-flippin'-KEA!!!!!!!!! Which means it will actually be in the castle before the Count Jr. graduates from High School. Yeah.
I am far from a pioneer in my appreciation of what fans know as D16. She is adored far and wide for her uncanny eye for modern design and her unwavering belief that with good taste and elbow grease, anything is possible. To a warm, cozy type like the Countess a visit to Door Sixteen is like trip to a beautiful alternate universe.
And so we arrive at Thursday's Door Sixteen post, Big Fat Work Tables. Reading this post I felt like the universe was smiling at me. See part of the Kingdom's extended absence from the blogosphere involved son. We are back at the doctors, but not for the back, and not because of new tumors. This time it is for some pretty pronounced learning disabilities that can no longer be addressed through warm encouragement and consistent routines. We are at a point where what ails our beloved Count Jr. must be given a noun, a name, not just a bunch of adjectives and anecdotes that leave parents and teachers scratching their heads.
One thing is obvious from the get go; the Count Jr., the Contessa, the Count and the Countess CANNOT share a common work space if the Count Jr. is to be successful. While the Contessa can polish off her homework at the kitchen table, the Count's desk, or burrowed into the comfy couch in the den, the Count Jr. is a horse of a very different color. He responds to such environments like the dog you just waved a small mirror in front of. He needs bare counters clear surfaces, and as few distractions as possible. Since removing the eight year-old Count Jr. from the hub of the house at homework time posed problems, namely that he interpreted it as a banishment of sorts, the Kingdom decided our cozy little jewel box of papers and clutter would need a major overhaul.
Step one is getting the Countess a desk. I know sports fans, how the hell has the Countess not have a desk of her own for eight years? Messily, that's how. Little piles here, little bins there. Organizationally the Countess and the Count couldn't be more different - the Count views the Kingdom as one large storage unit, and needs to be bodily forced to throw things away. The Countess on the other hand, while far from a minimalist works well within boundaries, i.e., one plastic tub of sentimental kids clothes and that's it. But without the neat boundaries created by filing cabinets and desk drawers, the Countess started resorting to the Counts habit of a pile here and a stack there.
Now where to put the desk. In the basement!!! Don't recoil in horror, this actually makes a hell of a lot of sense. But given the cement walls and floors, not to mention the washer, dryer, Nordictrack, and second frig as office mates a foofy office would not work.
Image via Lonnymag.com
Hmmmm. No.
Leave it to Anna to showcase something comfortably industrial, yet bright and functional.
Perfect, perfect, perfect!!! Best part is it's not Conrans or Herman Miller, it's I-flippin'-KEA!!!!!!!!! Which means it will actually be in the castle before the Count Jr. graduates from High School. Yeah.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Royal Family - The Perfect Rubber Glove
Rubber gloves, really? A whole post dedicated to rubber gloves.
YES.
Since the Countess has both soft nails and dry cuticles rubber gloves are a must when doing the Royal Dishes or cleaning the Royal Toilet. The Kingdom was going through the cheap, supermarket variety of rubber gloves at an alarming rate, but simply accepted this as one of life's little annoyances.
Then one day while their children whipped themselves into a sweaty frenzy Pump it Up in Cedarhurst, the Countess and some of her ladies in waiting snuck into the Williams Sonoma Outlet in Cedarhurst (RIP, sniff, sniff) to ferret out a few bargains. It was there the Countess discovered what she considers the perfect rubber glove.
These fabric lined wonders are SO FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER GLOVE the Kingdom has ever worn that we simply had to share. No more hot hands, no more gloves shredded by rings. The Kingdom has two pairs one for dishes and one for cleaning. They can often be found on sale at the retail stores, so they will set you back between $7.50 and $15.00. Oddly the Countess has not been able to find them on the Williams Sonoma website, by they are available at both the Williams Sonoma retail stores and the Williams Sonoma outlet stores. Buy. A pair. Immediately.
YES.
Since the Countess has both soft nails and dry cuticles rubber gloves are a must when doing the Royal Dishes or cleaning the Royal Toilet. The Kingdom was going through the cheap, supermarket variety of rubber gloves at an alarming rate, but simply accepted this as one of life's little annoyances.
Then one day while their children whipped themselves into a sweaty frenzy Pump it Up in Cedarhurst, the Countess and some of her ladies in waiting snuck into the Williams Sonoma Outlet in Cedarhurst (RIP, sniff, sniff) to ferret out a few bargains. It was there the Countess discovered what she considers the perfect rubber glove.
These fabric lined wonders are SO FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER GLOVE the Kingdom has ever worn that we simply had to share. No more hot hands, no more gloves shredded by rings. The Kingdom has two pairs one for dishes and one for cleaning. They can often be found on sale at the retail stores, so they will set you back between $7.50 and $15.00. Oddly the Countess has not been able to find them on the Williams Sonoma website, by they are available at both the Williams Sonoma retail stores and the Williams Sonoma outlet stores. Buy. A pair. Immediately.
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Sunday Stunner - The Women Rule the Day
After the week long winter break the kiddos are back at school today, and the Countess has much catching up to do in all things home and work related. So we'll be brief today.
The Countess is pleased to report that she laughed an awful lot during last nights Academy Awards presentation. Definitely the funniest show in years.
Biggest laughs;
1) Billy Crystal's "what are they thinking game". Nick Nolte was priceless!!
2) SCORSESE!!!!!
Other perplexing and/or mind blowing moments;
1) The size of Tina Faye's bun.
2) Those strange stripes on J. Lo's arms. Guesses anyone?
3) Realizing that Janet McTeer's date once dated one of my BFF's while we were in college. WTH!!!!!
Favorite outfits. The fact that my two favorites were worn by women over the age of 21 and who appear to have eaten bread at some point during the last decade made me happy.
The Countess is pleased to report that she laughed an awful lot during last nights Academy Awards presentation. Definitely the funniest show in years.
Biggest laughs;
1) Billy Crystal's "what are they thinking game". Nick Nolte was priceless!!
2) SCORSESE!!!!!
Other perplexing and/or mind blowing moments;
1) The size of Tina Faye's bun.
via Just Jared
2) Those strange stripes on J. Lo's arms. Guesses anyone?
3) Realizing that Janet McTeer's date once dated one of my BFF's while we were in college. WTH!!!!!
The squinty guy. Trust me, he's so very dreamy. Plus the handsome bastard apparently stopped aging 15 years ago.
Favorite outfits. The fact that my two favorites were worn by women over the age of 21 and who appear to have eaten bread at some point during the last decade made me happy.
Glenn Close ROCKING her some Zac Posen. Flawless.
Virgina Madsen in a dress made for her by angels. I could not find any credits on who she's wearing. I honestly don't think anyone wore a dress that was as totally flattering as this one is on her. AMAZEBALLS.
Now it's your turn. Thoughts overall. Surprises and disapointments on the winners and losers. Favorite outfits. Do tell.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday Decor Porn. Pinterest Favorites.
The Countess grew up in a house full of fashion and decor magazines. The youngest of four girls, by the age of thirteen she could easily tell a Halston from a LaCroix from a Bill Blass. When it was time to do her back to school shopping, a simple list of items wouldn't do. The Queen Mother would be presented with a home-made lookbook of collages. The Countess painstakingly created each scene using pictures torn out of her elder sisters issues of Vogue, Mademoiselle, Glamour, and Seventeen magazines.
So it should come as no surprise that the Countess is madly, deeply in love with Pinterest. One of the greatest things about Pinterest is that you not only get to collect and organize your favorite images, you get to see how other people respond to them.
The most repinned (the act of taking an image from another board and placing it on one of your boards) image from her Kitchen board is this;
So it should come as no surprise that the Countess is madly, deeply in love with Pinterest. One of the greatest things about Pinterest is that you not only get to collect and organize your favorite images, you get to see how other people respond to them.
The most repinned (the act of taking an image from another board and placing it on one of your boards) image from her Kitchen board is this;
Pinterest via Apartment Therapy
I know right, kinda boring. Yet out of 44 images this is the runaway favorite, people started repinning it the second it was put on the board. Below is the second most popular repin on the Kitchen board.
Pinterest via The Kitchn
Completely different. But it's surprising how many people respond to this, given that it is such a departure from what we are typically shown in magazines and kitchen show rooms. It's really warm and inviting, especially with the nice looking lady making something tasty with her Kitchenaid mixer.
A visit to the Countess on Pinterest will reveal boards for a great many things related to decor including bedrooms, living rooms, dens, and even creative spaces. Go checkout her on-line stash of internet decor porn.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Countess Tackles a Blank Canvas
Count Jr. is off at Nature Camp for the day with all his cub scout buddies, the Contessa isn't even stirring from her Royal Slumber, and the Count is off getting new blinds for the den.
That leaves the Countess free to tackle this little project. If one had to guess, these Billy bookshelves have been part of the Kingdom for nearly 20 years. Their wood finish worked great with the warm wood floors of the Kingdoms NYC digs, but didn't quite work in the den.
The dutiful Count finished painting them yesterday. Now it is time to style them.
Nice, but alas the Royal Library is not so color coordinated.
Better, like the mix of vertacle and horzitonal stacks.
Sleek, but we have more books and fewer objects.
Love.
The favorite.
That leaves the Countess free to tackle this little project. If one had to guess, these Billy bookshelves have been part of the Kingdom for nearly 20 years. Their wood finish worked great with the warm wood floors of the Kingdoms NYC digs, but didn't quite work in the den.
The dutiful Count finished painting them yesterday. Now it is time to style them.
Sorry guys, no credit.
Nice, but alas the Royal Library is not so color coordinated.
Likewise, saved this on my computer ages ago with no credit.
Sleek, but we have more books and fewer objects.
Love.
More love, not sure about the hanging picture though. BTW this picture accompanies a great post on styling white bookshelves.
The favorite.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Royal Family. Plastic Crap.
January wasn't exactly a care-free month for the Kingdom, hence the prolonged exile, but it did have it's high points. One of them was without a doubt an evening with this woman.
It was the end of a horrid week, the Queen Mother had been ill, the Count Jr. had been ill, and another freelance client revealed themselves to be demonically possessed. As the Countess and the Royal BFF Andrea drove to the appointed home the Countess sighed, "I so flippin need to buy some Tupperware from a man dressed as a woman". And there he was standing in the doorway in his mu mu, reaching about 6' 9" in platform heels and wig. AWESOME.
It turns out that Aunt Barbara as he is known is the top selling Tupperware lady in North America. Aunt Barbara makes six-figures selling "plastic crap". There is something kinda great about someone who rides happily off into the sunset by taking a path many have traveled, yet few have taken seriously. Tupperware? Tupperware in drag?? A reminder that work can be fun.
The Countess and about 40 other ladies laughed until we cried at Aunt Barbara's raunchy humor. Then just as Aunt Barbara told us, we brought plastic crap, lots and lots of plastic crap.
Go visit Aunt Barbara and book a party...soon.
It was the end of a horrid week, the Queen Mother had been ill, the Count Jr. had been ill, and another freelance client revealed themselves to be demonically possessed. As the Countess and the Royal BFF Andrea drove to the appointed home the Countess sighed, "I so flippin need to buy some Tupperware from a man dressed as a woman". And there he was standing in the doorway in his mu mu, reaching about 6' 9" in platform heels and wig. AWESOME.
It turns out that Aunt Barbara as he is known is the top selling Tupperware lady in North America. Aunt Barbara makes six-figures selling "plastic crap". There is something kinda great about someone who rides happily off into the sunset by taking a path many have traveled, yet few have taken seriously. Tupperware? Tupperware in drag?? A reminder that work can be fun.
The Countess and about 40 other ladies laughed until we cried at Aunt Barbara's raunchy humor. Then just as Aunt Barbara told us, we brought plastic crap, lots and lots of plastic crap.
Go visit Aunt Barbara and book a party...soon.
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