Design.... Monday? Something like that.

If I could do anything, I would do this.... but finding a way to keep all the character. I bet it can be done. On a related note, everyone should be greenifying their homes. You get tax credit, and stop destroying our planet. I'm pretty sure that's win-win.

Doing things out of order this week...

Halloween weekend is crazy, obviously... but I wasn't about to wait til tomorrow to share (especially when I've essentially taken the weekend off the blog)

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE!!!!!!!

Thanks to the person that dropped this, I'm not going to re-up, but the links should stay live for at least a few days... get it while you can!

Ceremonials

Pink Fridays

Belated, cause I was contemplating a rant about females and halloween costumes, but you already know how that goes... instead for our Pink Friday installment, I bring you a list of stores offering layway. Start thinking about your holiday shopping!

Babies R Us

Best Buy

Burlington Coat Factory

Hallmark

Kmart

Marshalls

Sears

TJ Maxx

Toys R Us

Walmart

Or check out E-Layaway for layaway with stores like the Apple Store, Disney, Ultra Diamonds & Sally Beauty Supply.

Food & Drink Thursdays

Today's beverage of choice is a Sweet Island... again, one of those crazy things I made up.

Similar to a Long Island Iced Tea, you'll need 1 part tequila, 1 part Rum, skip the Gin and Vodka and add 2 parts Sweet Tea Vodka, add 1 Part Triple Sec, 1 and a half parts Sour Mix, Splash of Coke (you can also substitute lemonade). Sweet, and just as deadly as a traditional LI Tea.

Try it with some homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits... this recipe is a pretty good facsimile of the ones from Red Lobster.

Enjoy!

Link Wednesdays

If you're crafty, today's link is for you. The lost art of embroidery is back... with fun designs and even glow in the dark thread at Sublime Stitching. I happen to be a huge Kurt Halsey fan, and they have his designs available to stitch onto whatever you like, along with designs for Pinups, Tattoo themed, Roller Derby, Sushi, Zombies and many other fun, bizarre choices. Pretty much everything you need to get started on your new hobby is available from this side. Get to stitching!

Truth Tuesdays

How To Not Waste Your Life

Timing is everything, right? Sometimes. But more often, it's what you choose to do with your time that really counts. Here, we'll examine how to make the most of your limited time.

First and foremost, make an impact. Somewhere, anywhere. Create a legacy for yourself. Use your talents to the best of your ability and find a way to better the world for yourself and others. Remember, if your ambitions are only selfish, you will not be remembered. Those who make it a point to positively impact the planet will be rewarded.

Know when it's time to work, and when it's time to play. Rest is deserved, but only after you've made progress. Every moment you waste is one you can't get back. The world will not wait for you to get your shit together. The sooner you figure out where your time is best spent, the better off you will be.

With the exception of things you have to, don't do things you don't want to. The only exception to this is those of you that are content doing nothing - you're doing it wrong. But you should never embark on something expecting it to be a waste of your time, find something worthy of your effort instead. Trust your gut, you know what's right for you.

While it's important to find love, don't make that your sole goal in life. Love will find you when it's right. And the old adage holds true here, when you stop looking it will find you.

If you're intelligent, it is your obligation to breed. All of the stupid people crank out babies and enjoy their welfare. Darwin would be pissed if the smarter portion of the population doesn't make it a point to balance out the numbers.

Help others. A life without some self sacrifice for the greater good is a wasted one. Your time might mean more to someone else than it would to yourself. Everyone needs a helping hand sometime, don't be the person that never did anything for someone other than yourself.

Remember, all we're given is time, and it's never a finite amount that we're guaranteed. Don't procrastinate. Don't wait for life to hand you the life you think you deserve. Don't forget that nothing is promised. Make the best of what you have, and your life will be worthwhile.

New Music Mondays

Alone - Kelly Clarkson

Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers) - Patrick Stump

You only get 2 today, until I figure out how to properly not get sued in the process... but they're so much fun you should probably forgive me :)

Design Sundays

Most people think of a hallway as a narrow designless passageway, but maybe these design ideas will remind you that the journey is as important as the destination.

If you're gonna keep it simple, go monochromatic.

Add some storage, and make the walk useful.

Maybe not the best plan if you're easily carsick...

Or seasick, for that matter.

Fully graffiti the walls? Love.

Remember not to have pool sex when you have house guests, or set up a video camera under...

Awesome lighting = way to make an impact.

Throwback Video Saturdays

I know I'm late with this... so you get a super montage!

Pink Fridays

As much as I love and fully support vintage and handmade, (Etsy & Artfire) I also have a weakness for some specific designers. For those of us still actively moderating our wallets, check out ShopStyle, you can search by brand or browse by category and find results from all the major department stores and other retailers, enabling you to find the best price for your coveted item. You can also save your favorite brands and get customized alerts and suggestions, or design an outfit in a their very Clueless-esque software.

So whether your favorite splurge is Betsey Johnson, Juicy Couture, Disney Couture, Noir Jewelry, Coach or Tarina Tarantino, you can find awesome sale deals and almost sold out items, without checking 15 different sites to find what you want.

Food & Drink Thursdays

It's that time again!

Today's drink of choice comes to us in the form of a kit, an absinthe making kit that is. Available from Green Devil, you can get started making your own absinthe for $35. Maybe try with some Feta Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Prosciutto Burgers?

Don't feel like cooking? Check out Flavor Town USA, a resource for all the places featured on Diners, Drive-In's & Dives.

Link Wednesdays

If you have a bucket list, you quite possibly have 'learn a second language' on it... and that can be easier than spending really silly amounts of money on Rosetta Stone. BBC has free online audio and video courses in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, and Chinese... as well as "essential phrases" in over 40 languages.

If you don't have time to learn at home, learn on the go. There's free Android apps- I personally like the Survive! Lite series, which offers Spanish, Italian, & Japanese lessons in the form of a game, with sound assistance for proper pronunciation.

If you're an Apple user, this list has 50 apps for assistance in language learning.

Stop slacking on those life goals, there's no time like the present!

Truth Tuesdays

False information is one of those things that can cause a chain reaction of events, based on fiction. While in some cases, such as say- the Tea Party - it can be more destructive than others. Today, we cover some common misconceptions that people seem to have, that in reality are anything but fact.

You do not have to wait 24 hours to file a missing persons report, and a cop does not have to identify himself as one if undercover.

10-25% of alcohol remains in food after being cooked, so that chicken marsala you're eating technically qualifies you as off the wagon.

Swallowing gum absolutely does not take 7 years to digest.

You can't see the Great Wall of China from space, only city lights.

Goldfish remember for longer than seconds, and houseflies don't live for only a day- it's closer to 3 weeks.

There's no scientific evidence to back up that a bee should not be able to fly, some 1930's scientist got it wrong and spread the rumor.

A mother will not reject a baby bird if you touch it.

Just so we're clear, Dinosaurs and Humans never coexisted, despite that only 59% of people know that.

Waking a sleepwalker will not harm them.

It doesn't matter how long you eat before swimming, it won't cause cramps.

Humans use more than 10% of their brains, the expression began as a metaphor for accomplishments.

A penny dropped from the Empire State building will not kill a person or crack the sidewalk.

Hopefully you learned something today :)

New Music Mondays

Make Me Proud - Drake Ft Nicki Minaj

5'Oclock - T-Pain Ft Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen

Video Games - Lana Del Rey

Hard - Will.I.Am Ft Jennifer Lopez & Mick Jagger

Like A Robot - Aqua

Kill Myself - Aqua

Release Me - Jack's Mannequin

These tracks are property of their respective owners, and intended for promotional use only. All media should be deleted or purchased within 24 hours to avoid copyright infringement. SUPPORT MUSIC ARTISTS AND BUY THE ALBUMS.

Design Sundays

Your bed is the place you expect to always be there for you, waiting and inviting. Why not consider having it take a form other than a rectangle in a room? Some ideas on how to make where you lay your head more inspirational to wake up to.

Built in beds offer the advantage of customizing with your own personal flair, from what shape you pick to climb into, to lighting design and whether you add a flat screen or bookcases.

Because the circle bed can be done classy, not trashy.

For those of us that can't stop working, even when we're sleeping.

All you voyeurs can rest easy, knowing someone can be watching.

Not for sleepwalkers.

Throwback Video Saturdays

Pink Fridays

Today is our day for fashion and beauty!

One of my favorite brands right now is IRON FIST CLOTHING, a punk and tattoo art influenced company that offers mens, womens, and childrens clothing, in addition to fantastic shoes and accessories. Reasonably priced, and definitely worth checking out!

Food & Drink Thursdays

Feel like you're back on the beach with this drink recipe, one of my own invented cocktails:

KILLER B

(build over ice)

1.5 oz Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

1 oz Malibu Coconut Rum

1 oz Skyy Pineapple Vodka

2.5 oz Pineapple Juice

Stir, and garnish with a cherry.

try with the Cilantro Wrapped Prawns with Spicy Pickle Pineapple recipe by Guy Fieri.

Link Wednesdays

One of my all time favorite things about the internet is the useful and interesting websites, if you know where to look. Today's favorite goes to FIND YOUR SPOT, an online quiz that asks you a hundred or so questions, and gives you the top 100 cities where you'd like living, along with demographic and cultural info about the cities. If you're thinking about moving, or just trying to decide where you should spend your life, get some guidance there.

Truth Tuesdays

How To Stop Wasting Your Money

Holy recession, Batman! But there are things you can do to combat your own personal financial situation. Remember: every little bit helps.

First, understand where your money is going. Mint.com is a great free service for this, you input your account information, and it helps you see where you have room to trim the fat.

Next, downsize. One of the best ways to accomplish this is limiting your intact of fast food and beverages, which are not only bad for your body but horrendous for your wallet. Say you have an affinity for caffeinated beverages. Instead of assuaging your dependancy with a daily Starbucks visit (up to $6 a drink), switch to buying to the packs of Starbucks drinks (4-6 dollars, for 4). Same method of buying in bulk is effective for everything from 5 hour energy shots to toilet paper. The more you buy in quantity, the more you save. While the start up capital to switch to bulk will be a less than seamless transition, do without this week to put yourself in a better situation next week.

If you're one of those that refuses to give up going out to eat, shop around for deals. Many restaurants these days are offering discounts, take advantage of them! If you have little ones, check out Kids Meal Deals, you can search by area and day of the week to find out where they can eat for free or cheap, usually with the purchase of an adult entree.

Identify your vices. For you smokers and alcoholics, this section is for you. Stress will always be a trigger, at least fall of the wagon in a fiscally responsible way. Save your liquor drinking for home (generally, paying for 4 drinks in a bar or restaurant equals the cost of a bottle- that will yield more than double the number of drinks) and drink beer while you're out, or better yet, find your area's happy hours and open bar nights. Instead of haunting the same spots daily, and overspending, branch out and find deals. You'll not only save money, but most likely make more friends (unless you're an antisocial douchebag) and get some great experiences out of it. For smokers, buy cartons instead of packs, or switch to a cheaper brand than your usual.

Consider getting rid of your TV service. Between Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Redbox and Blockbuster, nearly everything you want to watch is available, without paying for excess channels you don't watch. There's also several great forums for free TV and Movie watching, one of my favorites is Quicksilver Screen.

Let's talk about shopping habits. First of all, STOP BUYING SHIT YOU DON'T NEED. Buying something because it's on sale that you'll never use is just as destructive as splurging on name brand items. Learn to differentiate between want and need, it's the most vital skill you can acquire to save money. Also, for online shoppers, stop paying for shipping. Consider consulting FreeShipping.Org, and avoid paying an extra 5-20 dollars per purchase. If you have to pay shipping, use the standard shipping option and not the expedited versions. You can wait a few days longer for your product, and really, you should be planning far enough in advance with your money to not need to expedite things. Never pay full price for anything, wait for sales or discount offers, or google checkout coupon codes for your favorite shopping websites.

Lastly, if you haven't sat down and made a financial game plan for yourself for at the very least the next 6 months, you're doing it wrong. Plan ahead, and you'll be more equipped to spend smarter and avoid impulse spending.

Hopefully these tips help. If you've followed my suggestions and are still having trouble, it's time to find a new job. Invest in your education and make more money in the long run.

New Music Mondays

Florence + The Machine's first single- Shake It Out off her new album Ceremonials, which will be available October 31st.

Tracklisting:

1 Only If For A Night

2 Shake It Out

3 What The Water Gave Me

4 Never Let Me Go

5 Breaking Down

6 Lover To Lover

7 No Light, No Light

8 Seven Devils

9 Heartlines

10 Spectrum

11 All This And Heaven Too

12 Leave My Body

Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks:

13 Remain Nameless

14 Strangeness & Charm

15 Bedroom Hymns

16 What The Water Gave Me (demo version)

17 Landscape (demo)

18 Heartlines (acoustic)

19 Shake It Out (acoustic)

20 Breaking Down (acoustic)

Once the full album leaks, you'll be able to find it here!

Design Sundays

in honor of halloween, some skull themed design elements to get you inspired:

and of course, some fantastic shopping links:

lace skull embroidered hand towels from EMBROIDERYEVERYWHERE on etsy, $13 each and available in 21 different color combinations.

vinyl wall decal, floral skull, available from Vinyl Wall Accents on etsy, $89 and 28 color choices!

if you have money to blow, this skull candelabra, from ChrisGoresLovespray on etsy is a gorgeous vintage piece. $500.

Throwback Video Saturdays

Watch on Youtube:

Candy Rain - Soul For Real