The day has finally come... iPad 3! :)

So after a few months of speculation, the iPad 3 has finally came out. Was it worth the wait? Yeah, I'd say so! If you own an iPad 2, I'd stick with it until next year when the iPad 4 is released, but if you don't own an iPad, I would say you better pick this bad boy up. Now without further ado, I now present my review of one of Apple's greatest products to date, the iPad 3. :D

iPad 3 (Image found here)

So if you're an average tech geek like myself, you'll find yourself saying, "Well, it looks like the iPad 2. What could apple have possibly done to outdo its predecessor?" Let me start off by stating that this "beastly" 9.7 inch tablet has the best resolution of any handheld device. Ever.

For all you non-tech peeps, I will give you an example of the resolution.

(You can find this image here)



As you can see from this picture above , the iPad 3 has the best resolution of all time. The resolution is 2048-by-1536, and has 3.1 million pixels. To put that into perspective, that's four times the amount of pixels in iPad 2, and one million more than an HDTV. Wowzers!

Comparison of HDTV and iPad 3 (Image can be found here)



Not only does the gorgeous display give everyone the goosebumps, but just imagine playing Angry Birds on that... Amazing. Nuff said. But with the gaming comes a huge boost in the GPU area. The iPad 3 now comes with A5X chip with quad core graphic drives. Surprisingly, Apple didn't jump ship yet to the A6 quad core chip, but this A5X souped up version will do just fine! Also, for all you other tablet users, this A5X chip is four times more powerful than Nvida's Tegra 3 chip. Boom! :)

The two things that disappointed me about this year's model was the fact that they still have the same Apple home button as previous models have. The second thing that disappointed me was the fact that the front camera is still .3 MP. Shake my head, come on Apple, upgrade this to facetime HD!

To wrap things up, the iPad also comes standard with 4G LTE, the first for Apple products, now hopefully they integrate that with the iPhone 5. Also, the iPad 3 now comes with a 5MP camera on the back of it. Lastly, if you plan on taking a long road trip or flight, or just want to go to the bedroom and watch a movie, this new model lasts up to 10 hours.

I sure can't wait to get my hands on one of these. They are released on March 16. My birthday's the 17th, anyone willing to buy me one? :)


-JRad

Swoooooon.....

Please, Jared?  Can I have?

I'm not sure what I would do with this little beauty.

Actually, I'm completely sure what I'd do with it.  I'd drape it with necklaces, the occasional scarf, and a whole lottttta love!  I'd also sit in front of it and stare at it...all. day.  long.

(from urban outfitters)

Thank you, Lord.  Just...thank you for putting me in a world where this exists.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen.



This too, Lord.  Thank you for this.  Yowza.

xoxochelsea

Drooling Over...Pretty Fonts!!

I apologize in advance for the length of this post.  I have kind of an abnormal obsession for pretty fonts/typography, and the amount of art out there based around letters is pretty huge!  My etsy "heart it" list alone yielded probably over 20 results, and it was difficult to narrow it down to my favorites.  Perhaps there will be a "part two" sometime in the future :)

This picture, featuring a stunner of a headboard, came from here.  I love the idea of having an unconventional headboard on my bed, and this is a great idea.

Holly's bedroom is incredibly inspiring:  I love the charcoal paint, and she even includes a detailed tutorial on how to make your own graphic sign like this one!

I found Patrick and his shop through this article on Design Sponge; he paints lyrics on old records and sells them on etsy.  I would think you could do this yourself as well, but this is so beautiful - these are some of my favorite Beatles lyrics.  He also customizes them if you have any particular lyrics in mind!  Check out his shop!

love, Love, LOVE this advertisement for Kiss Radio featuring bands with "food" names!  (from here, but found through bubby and bean)

Here is another piece of song lyric art:  one of my favorite songs by The Smiths!  I am amazed by these graphic posters; I could hang every single one on my wall.  Check the site out - they have the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and many more.  (found through black eiffel)

Okay, these AMAZING children's story posters rely much more on the graphic art than they do on typography.  But I added them anyway because I think they're adorable.  The link above has a poster for cherished childhood tales like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Pinocchio, and Red Riding Hood, and each print is unique and colorful.  If I had a child, I would fill their room with these beauties!  (found via a cup of jo) 



Elsie at A Beautiful Mess bought a vintage paint-by-numbers print for next to nothing...and painted over it, creating this unique and cute song lyric piece.  She shares the DIY over at her blog.  Jared and I just bought the supplies to create a huge version of one of these ourselves - the color scheme?  Grey and orange.  Yikes.  We'll see!

Left picture:  found via abeautifulmess, originally from here

Right picture:  from here

And now for some Etsy lovin'...if only they had a wedding registry:

("Love is too weak a word" print; Sandlot quote print, Stepbrothers quote print; all from the same WONDERFUL seller...Jared is obsessed with the last one and I think he wants to hang it over his bed.)

("Let's stay home" print - my anthem - from here; "keep breathing" print from here; "happy" print from here)  I cannot wait to purchase the "keep breathing" one in the middle; I used to get pretty severe anxiety attacks, and I think this would be a beautiful reminder of what I need to do.

("alright" print from here; "sunshine" print from here; alphabet from here)  Jared and I are excited to order the alphabet decals, highlighted with the initial of our last name.  Such a cute idea!





("grateful" print - a necessary reminder - from here; Where the Wild Things Are print from here; "Begin" print from here)

(dictionary art - great DIY idea! - from here; "some like it hot" print - cute for a retro kitchen - from here; "modern" wood sign from here)  Jared is all excited to get the "modern" wood sign just because it says the word modern, since that's what he fancies himself.  But it's totally in a retro font, style, AND color.  He's not a modern kinda guy at all, he just thinks he is. ;)

Phew.  Sorry, guys.  I went a little overboard.  But that was so fun!  And here's one more wedding sneak-peek that is typography-inspired...and from etsy!:

We are ordering this banner to hang on the dessert table!  Same color, except it will read "Love is Sweet" instead.  I also am hoping to get some to hang on the back of our chairs that say "Mr." and "Mrs." (in blue and pink, respectively, of course)!  These fringed banners are too cute!

Hope you enjoyed!

xoxochelsea



Inspired by...String Quartets and Unique Floral Displays

While reading back issues of Brides magazine checked out from the library, I came across a blurb talking about a string quartet that covered Lady Gaga songs, called Vitamin String Quartet.  And my heart stopped.  I immediately tore the page out (yes, I totally rip pages out of library magazines.  I'm guilty.) and took it to my laptop to do some iTunes research.  I am a sucker for violins in the first place, and when added to the gloriousness that is Lady Gaga?  Perfect combination right there.  I couldn't resist.  After hearing the admittedly badass cover of "Bad Romance," I was hooked and couldn't stop clicking.  Each one was more amazing than the next:  Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton, Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones, Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, even Yellow by Coldplay...and the list goes on.  For some reason, those violins just tug at my heartstrings, always have!  Say what you will, but...once I got to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol, I may or may not have been....crying.  Yes.  I found the most overplayed Snow Patrol song to be unbearably touching simply because it was played by a few violins instead of sung by mediocre indie rockers.  My Lord.  I need the Vitamin String Quartet to be played at my wedding, obviously.  Even if that means walking down the aisle to the strings version of Wonderwall, because, oh yes, they cover it.  Check them out!  (Just try not to cry when you can hear the lyrics in your head: "Will you lie with me and just forget the world?"  It'll be tough, I know.)

In keeping with the simultaneously quirky and formal feel of the string quartet, here are some photos I've been particularly inspired by lately of traditional flowers in nontraditional containers.  I'm not really a vase kinda girl:  give me a mason jar or vintage thermos any day to display a pretty bouquet in! :)  We are using several of these ideas in our wedding/centerpieces. 

This bride chose to display a single bloom in each tiny jar, and I think the effect is gorgeous!  (from elizabethannedesigns)

These are actually flowers made of frosting (the best kind!), but the same thing could be done with real blooms, I would think.  Beautiful!  (from here)

Single succulents and roses displayed in miniature round vases...in colored water!  So cute and creative!  (from stylemepretty) 

If you look closely, you can see the single blooms sitting at the bottom of these round bulbs, which are suspended from trees at a gorgeous outdoor wedding!  (from stylemepretty)

I totally and completely covet everything in this picture!  Fiance and I have been looking for some beat-up wooden doors to put up behind the dessert table, and these old frames are adorable.  I love the idea of hanging flowers in vases from hooks as well!  (from here)

This colorful daisy bouquet (found at a cute picnic-themed wedding over at ruffled), is actually displayed in a watermelon half - how creative is that?!

Other than these pictures, I'm inspired by many other ways to display florals:  floating blooms, wearing them in my hair, and so on...and we've also got quite the collection of things to show them off in:  birdcages, lanterns, little metal buckets, old watering cans, various mismatched bottles/soda bottles, vintage thermoses, and, of course, the ubiquitous mason jar.  So many ideas...and only one wedding.  :)

xoxochelsea

Best Books of this Week!

"The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

(picture from here)

Almost Perfect - Dianne Blacklock

I really liked this book! Anna is a woman who is trying to get pregnant and has been doing IVF for seven years now with no luck, and her husband Mac is suffering the consequences as well. Their marriage isn’t what it used to be, and they no longer want the same things. Single Georgie, on the other hand, has just found Liam, and he seems perfect. But things aren’t always what they seem. What do these two couples have in common with each other? You’ll find out halfway through the book, and the shocking plot twist hit me like a ton of bricks! The changes in plot seemed unexpected to me, but looking back I feel like I should’ve seen them coming. This was a long book but a fast read, and I really enjoyed it and was able to (surprisingly) relate to every one of its characters.

(picture from here)

So Much for my Happy Ending - Kyra Davis

April, the main character and protagonist of this juicy novel, officially has the Worst Husband Ever. There is no contest. Sure, he may or may not have an undiagnosed mental disorder. But that does not excuse what an awful, awful character he is. Tad becomes a completely different person after they marry, and just when you think he couldn’t get any worse (or any crazier), he absolutely does. April tries to stand by her man, even though…God, she shouldn’t. I am totally embarrassed that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It wasn’t really like anything I’ve ever read before - it read like silly chick lit, but the plot points seemed like soap opera storylines. It was dramatic and insane and maybe a teensy bit predictable and far-fetched, and I loved every second of it. Although sometimes I sort of wanted to beat April over the head. I understand wanting to stick with a marriage, but…come on. You’ll understand after you read it. (Sister, I know you’re reading this - you would like this book!)

 

(picture from here)

An Invisible Thread - Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break.” - Ancient Chinese Proverb

I expected for this book to be a little sickening and over the top. Laura Schroff was a successful businesswoman in New York during the 80s and was approached by a young panhandler in the street asking for money. Instead, she took the 11-year-old boy out for lunch, beginning a tradition that would last around 20 years or so and the start of a friendship that is still strong today. Maurice came from a very poor and drug-addicted family; he was impressed by the smallest things in Laura’s life, such as an alarm clock and a full meal. It was a touching memoir, and it really made me grateful for what I have. Such an unusual friendship, but definitely an inspiring one.

Right now I am reading the newest Jodi Picoult book.  I normally adore all of her novels, but I am just not loving this one;  it's about wolves, and I'm not getting into it so far.  We'll see how it goes!

xoxochelsea



Tutorial Thursday: Painter's Tape Art!

I have a large supply of canvases at my house for some reason, and they've been just lying there uselessly for months now.  I did do a few experiments with transferring photos to them, which was fun but got old quickly.   I'm not at all what you would call talented in the art department, so painting something of my own creation wasn't really an option.  My fourth grade teacher once told me that my drawing of a horse looked like it was walking on little boxes instead of hooves, and then she called it garbage.  (She may have been having her period that day, I'm not sure.)  And my skills have not improved since then, apparently.  My two-year-old niece told me to draw a dragon for her a couple weeks ago, and when I attempted it, she pointed at it and said, "Poop!"  Ouch.

So I got desperate...and asked Google what I should do with my canvas.  And it took me to the Casa Sugar blog , where I found a really sweet DIY project involving a canvas, paint, and tape.  Really!  That's it!  I'm sure you could use any masking tape, but painter's tape pretty much ensures no leaking through of the paint.  The painter's tape I used was way too thick for what I wanted, so I had to cut each piece in half.  Basically, you just cut strips of tape and place them across your canvas in whatever artsy pattern you desire.  I chose a crazy, modern looking pattern, but you can do stripes, chevron, whatever!

When your tape is where you want it, you can go as crazy as you'd like with the paint.  I chose a light turquoise color that I found in our basement.  This project is great because it costs next to nothing:  you hardly need any paint at all, depending on the size of your canvas.  If you paint the sides of the canvas, be sure to rest it on something else as it dries so it doesn't stick to whatever you're painting on (I rested it on a paint can).  Once the whole thing is covered in paint, peel your tape off while the paint is still wet - this will reveal the cool strips of white.

I was planning on leaving it all turquoise and white, but it looked a little blah.  So I decided it needed some sparkle!  ...I used gold sparkly nail polish to paint random spots on the canvas.  No, nail polish is not paint, but whatever, it was pretty.  You can use however many paint colors (or nail polishes!) you'd like!  Some people suggest painting over the white strips with acrylic, but I just left it as is.  Fun and SUPER easy!

Happy crafting! 

xoxochelsea