turquoise for 2010

So in early December, Pantone - the world's expert on color - named turquoise the color for 2010. 

I have mixed emotions about this and wish very much they would have consulted me before making this decision. On the pro side, it confirms my uber-impeccable taste, as turquoise is one of my all time favorite colors

 and I've been using it for years. On the con side, it means now everyone is going to start using it, 

and I will no longer be considered hip before my time, but just another follower of a trend. A trend! I do not want the color turquoise to be lowered to that of a trend. I'm not sure I can live with any of this, Pantone!

Here is an excerpt from Pantone's official press release:

2010 press releases

Pantone Unveils Color of the Year for 2010:

PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise

Turquoise Transports Us to an Exciting, Tropical Paradise While Offering a Sense of Protection and Healing in Stressful Times

CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 8, 2009 –Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.

“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

Whether envisioned as a tranquil ocean surrounding a tropical island or a protective stone warding off evil spirits, Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens."

So there you have it, color fans. I will always be a fan of turquoise. Turquoise, red and yellow. 

BEST. COLORS. EVER. Best combination of colors ever too, hands down. 

And that's according to the Megan Walker official press release, if you need to quote me on that :) 

And then there's pink, of course. Ah, lovely pink, which is the sweetest color of all time. Sigh...

But a color I rarely use because I am the only female living in a male world. But that's another story. 

Christmassy this & that

Just a few more Christmassy pics to wrap things up for the year, starting with...

Killer Rice Krispie Treats made with a carmel topping and dipped in chocolate... OOOH 

(from my blog post last year, remember?)

Peace Mug Baby

What Christmas break would be complete without my 3 disheveled boys playing video games on this couch? 

Here is what my counter top looked like one night after everyone had gone to sleep.

Davy's friends had started returning home from college and they had a movie night here.

But who am I kidding - I love having them over as much as Davy does and it was awesome to see them!

Christmas Eve at the Moore's house (Davy's best friend Liam - back right - whom appears here occasionally!)

Daniel snuck this pic for me of the college kids having a good time in the family room :)

Val, Davy, Liam, Jonny :)

Me and Traci (Liam's mom and my good friend!) - Traci is the BEST! :)

We love hanging out with the Moore family - they are all so much fun!

My beautiful flower arrangement & ornament from my dear friend Jamie,

and the corner of my adorable button picture frame from Traci.

I found the Mouse playing his new video game while wearing his Christmas stocking! LOL!

Our Christmas card wall is awesome this year and they are still coming! We love it! We love all of YOU!

I'll end our Christmas photos this year with Davy's kitty deciding that SHE likes being a present under the tree :)

Laughing All The Way

I know, I know... Christmas is over... but Sketchy Santas is so awfully, horribly, terrible... 

it's almost as good as People of WalMart and Awkward Family Photos put together... 

ALMOST! 

Here are a few repulsive photos for your viewing pleasure (?)

You may have to be like me and look with one eye only

(as if that would even remotely help avoid nightmares)

Some are funny and some are creepy and some are downright frightening!

This little cowboy is obviously very brave, because Santa looks like 

he's recovering from a broken face after a bar fight under all that cotton.

And it's a good thing this sweet little girl doesn't know what's holding her,

because it would probably scar her for life (I know it will me).

Made you look! Sketchy Santas :)

* all photos copyright of the original owners appearing on the Sketchy Santas site

the real reason

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, 

keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, 

I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you: 

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

~ St. Luke 2: 8-14

Merry, Merry Christmas Everyone!  xoxoxoxo

Walker Cheer

Lots of Christmas cheer coming from the Walker house!

I love our cheerful tree and how the front room turned out this year!

Awww, look at my cool freaky Santa, my striped sock monkey, and my sweet jar with pops :)

Vintage tablecloth in the kitchen and hmmm........

.......... apples big???

Oooooh, I am the biggest lover of sitting by a lighted tree at all hours of the night

"as visions of sugarplums danced in their heads"

xoxoxo

holiday interruptus/boy updatus

This is the Mouse's new dirt bike. It's a freaking BEAST. He had to sell TWO dirt bikes to be able to get this one, and he looked for a long time to find just the right one. I'm hoping all his bones will stay in the right place - and intact - and that it will bring him many hours of vibration and bruises and eating dust and losing his hearing.

This was the first time he rode it. Frankly, I was terrified. It's a good thing I wasn't there - 

John took these photos. And what you don't know is, not only did he get several feet of air 

on this jump, but the part where he lands is about 8 feet below him. Yeah. 

But he obviously had no problem getting used to it! SHEESH!

Okay this picture really did make my jaw hit the floor Roger Rabbit style... 

But I have to admit there was a part of me that was like GO MOUSE!!! Gadzooks...

So yeah... the Mouse obviously had a pretty amazing day :)

And now we turn to the 18 year olds and their most recent update which was pretty much the best 4 days of their entire life. Davy and his band mates took their first road trip and it turned out to be the trip of a lifetime. Here they are upon their departure. They were so excited, they were like little giggling girls.

Such an awesome photo!

Their road trip took them up to San Francisco to see the band Against Me. They met up with their buddy Andy

at San Francisco State, stayed with Jimmy's very hospitable relatives, and walked all over the city.

They finally saw Against Me in a tiny venue so intimate, they literally got to be on stage with the band. 

What a terrific group of guys. From left: Ski, Darren, Andy, Davy, John, and Jimmy. Yeah, I kinda like 'em :)

They actually got to chat with lead singer Tom Gable afterwards - who is one of Davy's idols and pretty much the nicest guy ever - and have their pictures taken with him too. By that time I think the boys had pretty much been rendered speechless, and were in such a state of nirvana that they floated the entire way home. What a way to go 

... and so it continues both day and night

Guess what - I'm back! At least I think I am... I sure hope I am! After almost a week of computer woes, it's finally looking good. Except I don't have access to my photos :( But hopefully that will be resolved soon - I have sooo many more Christmas photos to post, it's been killing me to not be able show you! So much more Christmas cheer from the Walker house, all my Nativities, and some cute updates on my crazy boys too. But for now I pulled these 2 photos from one of last year's posts: My very most special teeny tiny angel that I've had since I was little, and a reminder of peace that we could all probably use right about now!

Just since I've been disconnected from everything certainly doesn't mean the world stopped turning - far from it, as the title to my post indicated (a double meaning actually - get it?). Life goes on and on and on, and this holiday season is no exception. Has life been nuts 'round the clock for you? It can be for me, but I've tried really hard to curtail it this year more than ever before. I made a huge effort to be organized from the beginning, take time every day to sip some hot cocoa, enjoy some Christmas carols, think about the people who's names were going on the cards I was addressing, pray for loved ones and the ones who need love the most........ and on and on. It didn't always work - we had illnesses, emergencies, stress, all the annoyances that inevitably creep up, and especially never enough time in the day. But continually waking up every day and making an effort to enjoy the season really has made a difference. Some things have had to slide. Some things will actually be late. I'm going to enjoy everything anyway. I hope and pray you will do the same :)

I'm a weener!

I never win anything! So when I recently received an e-mail from one of my favorite people/bloggers - Cindy from Quaint Handmade - telling me that I had won her stunning handmade butterfly garland, I was ecstatic! Cindy is truly a gem of a person, and if you haven't visited her sweet blog, you simply must. Especially if you love photography. And genius diptychs. Anyway. Look at the adorable package that shortly arrived in the mail!

Even the little box that held the garland was adorable - very nice packaging Cindy! - and you can see her excellent photography skills at work here too! Stick with her blog, because Cindy will be opening an Etsy store.

Butterflies released! I absolutely LOVE the two butterflies on the tiny clothespins!

More photography skills (Cindy's not mine!) and a little bit of butterfly camouflage for fun ;)

Now where would these butterflies be happiest? They look pretty great adorning my bookshelf...

Their pretty colors would look cute against my black & white entry mirror...  

This clock is far too serious... it could really benefit from butterflies fluttering by...

Uh oh. You are viewing a rare glimpse of the cute but outdated Walker kitchen. And what is it we see up above the kitchen sink? Why, it's Cindy's butterfly garland! Oh no - not in that empty, ugly space up there! Really? Way up there all by itself? Are you sure? It doesn't stand out very much... It looks a little lost...

Well... it's cheerful. And... it's giving me some decorating ideas. And... it makes me smile :)

And if it ends up looking hideous in the kitchen, 

I'll have the butterflies flutter back to the Eiffel Tower and my favorite books

and everything will be just right :)

Thank you Cindy, for your beautiful handmade butterfly garland, and especially your friendship xoxo