Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Decor to die for: Propaganda posters!


(We wish we could tell you where to get this, we would buy one for sure!) 

One form of art we really heart are vintage and vintage inspired propaganda prints. 

Extremely graphic and clean, these prints make bold statements that can either make you shiver or bring a smile to your face. 

(We warn you now.. This post is VERY picture heavy) 

Propaganda is communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to providing impartial information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience.

Propaganda is generally an appeal to emotion, not intellect.

Some of the same methods are used in advertising and public relations. 

These images are made to appeal to something inside you that you almost can't put into words... They should make you feel something, and in turn you are to believe that feeling is truth. 



During World War 2 every country had their own propaganda campaign going on regarding the war. 
This vintage print shows that gossiping between enlisted men is not a good idea... You never know when Hitler is listening. 

If this WW2 print doesn't scare the hell out of you then we don't know what will. 
SPOOKY!

You can't get much more straight-up then this... See how influential and frightening these campaigns must have been at that time? Now they just seems like relics from the not-so-distant past. 

But Propaganda is alive and well dear readers... Remember the hope and promise you felt when you first saw this Shepard Fairey Obama Hope poster? 
Just being caught up in that moment in history and all the emotions that were going along with it... Miss Me fell hard and this print now hangs right above her babies Lego table.

Finding actual vintage prints is not as easy as we wish it were. But you can find great reproductions of some of the more famous propaganda prints. 

Maybe one of the most popular pieces of propaganda ever, it can still inspire women to achieve great things.  

But, good luck finding this one showing what went down when Rosie went to lunch! 

This one must have been to convince the men who were stuck at home in the 
factories to be nice to the ladies who were now filling in the empty jobs.

Would you die for this picture of happy little Russian boys with bombers flying overhead? How weird is that?? 
AMAZING! 

Giant fist crushing little men in this Chinese poster. 
 
Any one of these prints would look amazing hanging in your home and would be an instant conversation starter.

But maybe none so much as if you had this one hanging in your guest bathroom... 

Imagine having one of the first posters to ever use the peace sign? Well we can dream right? 


We fell very much in heart with this reproduction print of a 1968 french poster. 

Produced anonymously by art students and striking workers, the posters were distributed for free. The bold graphic messages appeared on the barricades, were carried in demonstrations and plastered on walls across France. 

If they were not sold out, you could get yours at the Keep Calm Gallery
But don't be sad... They have a vast selection of prints from 1968. 

The Keep Calm Gallery, also has, of course, the Keep Calm poster that has become so insanely popular in the past few years. 

You can select from a ton of colors, although red is the O.G. 
These posters originated in Europe during WW2 and were hung up in tube stations around London. 

We have to add in this t-shirt from the super sexy Swedish band The Sounds, 

Because 
A. It is a play on the popular poster
B. We super heart them
You can get your t-shirt here
I wear mine to sleep, I think that may be a contradiction, but oh well. 

As far as new art in the style or with inspiration from the old propaganda posters, these are some that we adore. 

Such a delicious statement. You can get this at The Keep Calm Gallery
along with these other fabulous prints. 

We 

Heart

We also heart these funny prints from John w. Golden
These are what we like to call Mommy propaganda... 
And you know who's Christmas list these will be on this year! Miss Me is always looking for fun ways to lay down the law. 

Like this, So cute for any kitchen! 
Just heard from a friend who said her apt. (that means apartment) was sooo teeny tiny... Well, you can still spice up your kitchen with this cute print! It is teeny tiny too! 
Get yours here

We hope you have gotten some ideas for feathering your nest, we think art should be easy and fun. Lets bring smiles to every face that walks in your door! 

XOXO- Things-We-Heart

Random hearts: We super heart Early Fall Movies!!!!


Soooooo many movies...soooooo little time!!!
We nearly finished watching (almost) our entire Summer list of movies...except for Extract...(anyone???) and boy were we totally and utterly happy?
YES!


D9, Inglorious Basterds, The Hangover, Up, Bruno....the list goes on and on...and every minute was glorious and fun and very very fantastical.

Although we hate to say goodbye to Summer, Fall welcomes us in with the warm fires, cashmere sweaters and unbelievable movies.

Yay for hearting Fall Movies!!!!!


We got Vampires....OMFG!!!!!!!!!


We got Chanel and Fashion...YES PLEASE!


We got Liars...Ricky Gervais...We'll take it!

and last but not least...


Wild Things!!!!!!
Can you believe it? Right? We can't either!!!

Ugghhh...this is sooo exciting we can hardly type (so please excuse if there are any typos)!

Let's go in order so in our coo coo crazy excitement haze we can still keep some form of "order"...HERE WE GO!

Weeee


Oh Edward (and Jacob) how we love thee. Let us count the ways...there are soo many we can't even begin to explain...oh wait...maybe this will...and this! Oh and Bella we super heart you!
New Moon is book #2 in the 4 book Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer and it's gonna be good.
It seems as if New Moon had a much higher budget and got a shiny new (well new for Twilight) director for this one.


If you haven't seen #1 or read Twilight please do before you see this (you have about 42 days to do so) you will thank us later...Oh and so will your BF or husband ..hee hee.




Coco Before Chanel is just that. It's the story of Coco when she was just Gabrielle Chanel, from an orphanage who was a seamstress and a singer. Her back story is as amazing as her rise to fame and fortune with the House of Chanel.


And if you are not sure what Chanel is...please... please... please do yourself a favor a click here...NOW! (yes it's that important).




And speaking of fashion and Chanel...The September Issue is fantastical!
It's the behind the scenes documentary about the mystique and power of the Queen of fashion...Anna Wintour.


P.S. Remember the book and movie The Devil Wears Prada? Yeah...that "Devil" was Anna.
The power she wields in the top fashion houses and the world of style, trends and beauty is on another level.


Anna actually consults and gives her opinion to people like Karl Lagerfeld, Thakoon, Oscar De La Renta... Yup this skinny, English, Chanel Tweed Suit wearing lady is the most powerful figure fashion has ever seen.
TSI follows her daily life of fashion and well fashion...and how she is one of the greatest magazine editors of one ot the best fashion magazines of all time...Vogue.





OK, imagine living in a world where no one lies...crazy right? No more, "What's bothering you?"..."Oh nothing"..."Do I look fat in this?" ..."No, you look great". Yeah those days are over.
Until a man learns he can lie...


The Invention of Lying is a funny romantic comedy showing the good and bad side of lying, directed by and starring the incredibly hilarious Ricky Gervais and super cute Jennifer Garner...not to mention our fav...Jonah Hill. Done and done!


Deep breath...in....out.....in.....out.


Spike Jones brings us a movie sooooo great the trailer alone brought us to sobbing tears.


Since 1963 people have been waiting for someone to make this award winning book by Maurice Sendak, into a movie but no one had the balls...

Thank you Mr. Jones...we know it will be worth the 46 year wait.

Now if you don't own or have never read Where the Wild Things Are...please stop reading this, close your silly computer, smack yourself in the face and GET THIS BOOK!


It's the story of a little boy, Max, who was sent to bed with out supper because he was naughty.
So what's a boy to do but create his own magical mischievous land filled with monstrous creatures where he is King.
And the movie tagline says it all..."There is one in all of us"...A-mazing.


Get out there...take a night off...kick your tootsies up...and spend an hour and a half to get lost in another world...the magical world of movies...you deserve it!




P.S. We suuuper heart Late Fall and Winter movies too but...well....stay tuned for those too!!!



xoxo t.w.h.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Yummies: An apple a day!


The crisp fall air will always bring apples to mind... OK, so we live in California and the crisp air is more like insanely hot air, but it is still the end of September and you can still enjoy the bounty of the Fall... Even while wearing your sundress. 

Delicious and sweet or sour and tangy, it is apple season. 
Remember the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? 
Well, their may be some truth to that. 

French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

A Cornell University study found that rats who ate one apple per day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. Rats fed three apples per day reduced their risk by 39 percent and those fed six apples per day reduced their risk by 44 percent.

And also, A Brazilian study found that women who ate three apples or pears per day lost more weight while dieting than women who did not eat fruit while dieting.
And we all know that Brazilian women are HOT! 

So maybe Eve was on to something when she ate that famous apple! 

Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy those delicious apples. 
From the queen of all things perfectly perfect.. Martha Stewart comes this insane and indulgent looking Apple Pie... Well, more like deep dish bowl of yummy apple filling blanketed with flakey crust... Getting super hungry just looking at it. 

Miss Me's mom used to bake apples with brown sugar... SO GOOD! 
Here is another recipe for baked apple goodness. 

Baked Apple


1 apple, peeled and cored

1-2 tsp butter

1-2 tbsp almonds, chopped

2-3 tsp spice sugar (or use a mix of cinnamon and sugar if you don't have any spice sugar at hand. But you *should* make some!)


Place the apple in a small oven-proof dish. (I use ramekins from Le Creuset.) Push butter and almonds into the hole. Top with the rest of the almonds, if you like me can't fit them all inside. Sprinkle with spice sugar. Bake at 175°C for about 30 minutes, or until the apple is soft.


We heart apple slices with peanut butter!! 
It is so easy and so yummy and pretty good for you right? 

Plus, it makes you feel like a kid again, and that has GOT to be good for you. 

When you get home from a chilly autumn day (It will happen Angelinos, we just have to believe) of running errands and your ears are cold and the tip of your nose is a cute shade of flushed pink... Grab a cup of yummy warm apple cider! 
If you are entertaining this Fall, weather it is a dinner party or just having some friends over... Put a pot of this on the stove and your house will smell like a dream come true! 
Then you can add a little rum and get toasty. 
  • 6 cups apple cider
  • 1/4 cup real maple syrup
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 6 whole allspice berries
  • 1 orange peel, cut into strips
  • 1 lemon peel, cut into strips
Don't forget the caramel apples! 
How could anyone resist these amazingly sweet little green apple cupcakes? 
We had to post them just because they made us smile! 
If only their was the time in a day to make these... Ok well, Martha would find the time... But not us. 

See all of these yummy things to heart about the fall? Now we just have to wait for the temperature to drop and we can pull out the pretty sweaters and scarves! 
Until then... 


XOXO- Things-We-Heart