Happy Memorial Day, etc.

by Sarah

image via TheHouseThatLarsBuilt

Mondays become the best day of the week when they are a holiday, don't you think? Even Sunday night becomes that much sweeter. So, Happy Memorial Day, everyone! If you are interested in the origins of a certain Memorial Day tradition, see my post from last year. Speaking of poppies (and you'll know what I'm talking about if you do click on the link), I'm thinking of making some paper poppies á la Brittany Jepsen. My girls would love to have a whole bouquet to tote around all day long and maybe I could teach them about all those who should be memorialized today.

It's Friday!

by Brooke

This weekend Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom comes out—I'm hoping to get out and see it. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last week and has been getting great reviews. Plus, that stellar cast!

This video of a slinky on a treadmill is so mesmerizing, we've watched it a couple times and laughed so hard at the fact that watching a video of this is actually entertaining. 

Have you heard of Quarterly Co. yet? "A devoted cheerleader of the United States Postal Service", Quarterly Co. is rounding up some of the web's top creatives to send packages to subscribers. Check out their current list of who is involved and sign up—once every three months, you'll get a package delivered from them to you! I love the idea. My favorites are Jason Kottke, the gals at Food52, Tina from SwissMiss Studio, and Bobby Solomon.

A few weeks ago I came across the blog Pirouette, written by French-Swiss fashion designer Florence Rolando. It's definitely European in it's feel—which I guess is a given since she's French-Swiss and lives in London now. Anyhow, it's a really fun blog and one of my favorite things about it is the parent + child interviews they post. It's a breath of fresh air in what sometimes gets to be the same old thing when it comes to American-written parent/child blogs, I think.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! We'll be back next week!

DIY SUMMER PARTY TREATS

by Megan

Summer is in full swing as far as I am concerned and I am excited for the heat, beach days and BBQ's. I associate summer with being outdoors, throwing parties and getting together with friends and family.

I have been on the hunt for some new summer treat ideas and compiled a small list of things I want to try. Here is my DIY treat list...

(01) Cuisipro makes the cutest mini ice cream sandwish maker. Think of all the yummy cookie and ice cream combinations. This would be a fun activity for both an adult or children's party. 

(02) They also have this adorable pop mold that I would love to have. Nothing is better on a hot day than a popsicle, and a homemade one at that. My kiddos would love it!

(03) I have been eyeing these push up pop containers that I have seen on pinterest. I am into the idea of putting some frozen yogurt in it to have for an on-the-go treat or to serve at a party. I will be searching for some recipes...

(04) Zoku makes an amazing frozen pop maker that I am dying to get my hands on. They also sell a character kit that would take any party or get together over the top. How cute are these personalized characters?

Let us know if you have any homemade icre cream, popsicle or frozen yogurt recipes that you love. Let's get this party started!

Elements of Style: The Skinny Belt

by Brooke

THE HISTORY

Belts have always been a staple in a wardrobe, and according to Wikipedia, they have been in use since the Bronze Age. So it's safe to say that adding a good, solid belt or two to your wardrobe is a safe bet if you haven't already. By the last half of the 19th century, belts were worn for both decorative and utilitarian reasons. 

Over the past couple years, the skinny belt has taken the fashion world by storm and now you can walk into almost any big-box clothing chain and find scores of options. While other, wider belts are worn more for function (i.e. keeping your pants around your waist), skinny belts are an accessory and should be treated as such. Skinny belts can reign in a flowy shirt or dress, be loose or wrapped and knotted, or even provide a pop of color to balance out a monochromatic outfit. 

Of course, many of the same rules that apply to finding a good fitting normal-width belt also apply to skinny belts—black or other dark colors will obviously draw less attention to your waist (or wherever your belt is located) and will look more slimming. But because skinny belts are accessories, you can find them for great prices. Plus, it also means you can accent your wardrobe with a couple of colorful, high-quality well-made belts that will last you for years to come. 

Photo illustration by Brooke Rane for The Thirteenth. Original photograph of Skinny Leather Belt via J.Crew. Click for link.

HOW TO WEAR IT

(1) Street style via Free New Fashion Design (2) J.Crew via Beauty & Syle (3) Paul & Joe runway style by Style.com via Chick Advisor (4) Eva Mendes (5) Bottega Veneta runway style by Vogue.com via Local Fashionista (6) Bright skinny belt via Fashion Phoenix (7) 40's runway style via Fashion Feen

MAKE IT YOURS

(1) Another Line 'Updated' Skinny Patent Belt at Nordstrom (2) Suede Skinny Belt by Madewell (3) Thin Braided Leather Belt by Banana Republic (4) Skinny Plaque Belt by J.Crew (5) Ecote Studded Skinny Belt by Urban Outiftters (6) Patent Skinny Belt by Banana Republic (7) Exotic Skinny Belt by Ann Taylor (8) Gold + Silver Skinny Belt Duo by Delia*s (9) Bow Skinny Belt by Delia*s

For art's sake: bug artists

by Sarah

Steven Kutcher loves bugs---and by bugs I literally do mean insects. He has devoted his career, in part, to the world of creepy crawling things. First, he pursued a degree in Entomology, then a Master's in Biology. Now Kutcher currently teaches, works as a biological consultant for various industries, and (the most fascinating of all) is an artist who uses bugs as his paint brushes. 

From a Washington Post article written about him, Kutcher explains his method:

"I'll take a bug in my hand and, leg by leg, load the paint onto each leg," says Kutcher, 63, from his Los Angeles home. The bugs -- flies, cockroaches and beetles -- are then let loose on a prepared canvas to scratch out their "masterpieces."

Some of his "masterpieces" can be seen below:

"Amblyn" painted by a Darkling Beetle/ click for image source

"Untitled" done by a Mealworm Beetle/ click for image source

Although I may not want to hang one of those pieces on my wall, I do appreciate Kutcher's original idea. I also think it's so great that he found a way to fuse two of his passions: art and insects. I would imagine (actually I am certain) this artistic medium would appeal to kids. Now, if only you could do this sort of thing at home without harming the bugs...