07/30/13

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A Blank Canvas - Decorating Tips

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Create a blank canvas - so you can add your personal style.

Create personality with colour and accessories

When faced with the task of decorating a beach house - the easiest way to start is by creating a black canvas. Work out a budget, then invest the most money in your core pieces like sofas, armchairs, dining setting, coffee table, etc - keep these in whites, neutrals and timber tones as part of the neutral canvas. Once you have these in place, then it's time to have fun with accessories and styling! It's safest to limit each room to one or two key accent colours. Work out the look and mood you are trying to create - flick through magazines or coastal blogs if you need some inspiration. Then starting layering away ~ building a story with artwork, scatter cushions, occasional lighting and decorator accessories. Always remember to add a couple of vintage or eclectic pieces into the mix to get it interesting and exciting - you don't want to end up with a room that looks like it has come straight from a showroom floor! You want it to reflect your personality and sense of style.

Melissah xox

Images Country Living via Vicky's Home

Check out my other blogs Scrapbook and Country Style Chic

We'd love for you to meet Kitty of Fritzi Marie! ( and a GIVEAWAY!)

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What is your name and what do you do?

Hi, my name is Kitty, aka Fritzi Marie. I'm a girl from Southern California who married a fellow from Seattle. We live in the South where my husband writes poetry and teaches English literature at Auburn University. I love to make things pretty. My passions are my son Roscoe and our 11 year old chihuahua Bono Baby. I sell vintage and handmade items (currently sock monkeys and Doo Nanny flower crowns) in our Etsy shop, Fritzi Marie. I also blog about fashion, treasure hunting, my family, wishes, decorating, and adventures.

How do you go about doing what you do...and how did you get your start?

My husband Daniel, son Roscoe, and 11 year old puppy Bono Baby treasure hunt for vintage goodies and I make things pretty. I have been collecting vintage hats, purses, and clothing since high school. I had dreams of being a fashion designer but I studied Anthropology and Art History instead. I sell vintage pretties on Etsy in my shop, Fritzi Marie and recently as I said above I have been featuring customized sock monkeys that I trim with collected vintage patches and doilies and Doo Nanny flower crown / headbands.

What/Who are you inspired by?

Primarily my inspiration comes from Pin-up, burlesque and 50s vintage style. Although, recently, within the past few years I have also been taken by early 20th Century circus and carnival images.

Where do you create? home studio? kitchen table? sofa?

Since the birth of Roscoe, I haven't truly had a creative space to call my own. So, it depends on my mood and where I am in the house. My little man sure has been turning my life upside down. In the very best way, of course.

What are some of your fave movies/shows/bands/music?

Some of my favorite movies are Amelie, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset and Gene Kelly classics. I was a Rude Girl in high school and I still love SKA music. Social Distortion and Tom Waits are my go to favorites. I also love Sleater Kinney and 80's alternative.

Do you collect anything?

I collect black swans, vintage valentines and valentine hankies, and vintage sewing ephemera for projects.

Favorite art/craft supplies?

I love vintage feedsack fabric and velvet millinery supplies

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to be living on the west coast again (closer to family) and maybe have another baby. I would also like to open a small boutique with my sister.

Favorite websites/blogs/shops...etc?

One of my dearest friends is Amanda of Amanda Atkins in a Canary Forest.

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*GIVEAWAY *

And now the super sweet, talented, and generous Fritzi Marie will give one lucky Everyday is a Holiday blog reader their very own (red) Doo Nanny Floral Crown!

"Inspired by Frida Kahlo, burlesque dancers, circus performers and pin up girls. My sister and I started making them to wear to the Doo Nanny festival (an outsider art show in Seale, Alabama). I feel so festive and beautiful when I wear mine. Here's hoping that this Doo Nanny crown takes you on many adventures and makes you feel beautiful."

All you have to do to enter is follow both Everyday is a Holiday blog & Fritzi Marie blog, and leave a comment below. Be sure to leave an email address so that we can give you the good news! :)

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Thanks so very much to Kitty for sharing a glimpse into her world and for offering such a fab giveaway! Every time I giggle or oooh and ahh when looking on Instagram, Aaron will say "what...are you looking at a pic of Roscoe?...or Bono Baby?" And 99% of the time he's right. How adorbs are both of those mini guys?! Me and Aaron are thrilled to introduce you guys to one of the sweetest gals around! Love her style and her little family!

You can also find Fritzi Marie on facebook, and Instagram!

xo, Jenny & Aaron

How TRANS FATS Are Sneaking Into Your Diet

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Picture source: http://askrocco.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-are-makers-of-skippy-peanut-butter.html

You have probably heard of trans fats and know that they are bad for you, but maybe you’re not sure why, and you don’t know where they come from. You may think you’re eating a diet free of trans fat, but if you’re like most Americans, you definitely are not. Trans fats do occur in small amounts in nature, but most are artificially created fats which have an added hydrogen to the fatty acid chain (in a process that makes them “hydrogenated”). Manufacturers do this because hydrogenation allows foods to have a longer shelf life, have a better taste and texture, and the oils can be used several times in deep fat frying, which saves restaurants money.

Trans fats are bad for you because they have shown to increase bad cholesterol (LDLs) and lower good cholesterol (HDLs). In fact, artificial trans fats were “banned” from restaurant chains in NYC a few years back, making these restaurants reformulate their recipes to contain <0.5 g trans fat/ serving. On food labels, a food can be considered “trans fat free” if it contains <0.5 g trans fat/serving. That being said, a food can have 0.45 g and be considered trans fat free. Eat 2 servings of that product, and you will be consuming close to 1 gram of trans fat. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1% of calories from trans fat, so on an 1800 calorie diet, that would be less than 2 grams. Furthermore, if a food is trans fat free, that doesn’t mean it is fat free nor healthy- the food still may contain loads of fat and saturated fat.

Trans fats are still omnipresent in the typical American diet, and surprisingly, manufacturers are still using them in foods. Some examples I have come across are Special K Chocolately Delight [in the 4^th ingredient! Serving size= ¾ c], Coffeemate powdered and liquid coffee creamers [2^nd & 3^rdingredients respectively- serving size 4 tsp dry, 1 tbsp liquid], JIF and Skippy regular and reduced fat peanut butters [3^rd ingredient, serving size= 2 tbsp], and a ton of other foods you may be consuming.

My Recommendation: ALWAYS look for the words “hydrogenated ____ oil” on a food’s ingredient label and avoid eating that product if it contains a hydrogenated oil. Even foods like bakery Irish soda breads, which are low in fat, oftentimes contain these oils to help keep them from staling and to give them the texture people crave. There is no need to consume trans fat, and there is no positive research on it. So best to avoid it, and always read the ingredient label… that is always more telling than the basic nutrition information.