Watercolor prints are seen in everything from high fashion, accessories, to home fashion.

When used in fashion, watercolor patterns have a fresh, young and feminine feel. No wonder Hollywood A-listers are embracing this trend.

When used in bedding, throws and other home goods, watercolor prints provide an understated and soothing elegance, and add a chic effortless feel. Bold, graphic textiles can easily go from sophisticated to kitschy. Balance their bright colors and soft lines with modern pieces to transform a space. Just be careful not to go overboard. As with all trends, use in moderation; a little goes a long way

If your style is modern or contemporary, try a watercolor patterned chair or pillows to add a bit of fluidity to soften up the hard lines of contemporary furnishings, and bring out a daring yet feminine sensibility in your space

Even if your style is traditional, a watercolor pattern used in an unexpected way brings in an element of fun, ease of use and comfort to a space.  Of course, you can use this trend in the more classic, familiar way…..a watercolor painting. Or bring out the design dare-devil in you by doing a bold and graphic wall treatment

Why not give this trend a try and give your space a warm, homey feel that will be absolutely elegant. What are your thoughts on the watercolor pattern trend? Leave me a comment.

Now go forth and decorate .

Be Inspired!

Bermuda Shorts

While we are still seeing short shorts this season, 2013 is also bringing back the longer shorts. You can dress either casual or fancy with bermuda shorts this spring.  Check out these slouchy, floral shorts by SUNO. You can’t go wrong with these chic shorts that are flattering on all body types. If you are looking for something that will go with just about anything, you will love these denim cutoff shorts by Citizens of Humanity.

Black and White

When you think of spring trends, you probably think of flowers and pastels. However, this spring, black and white is making its appearance in everything from bold checkered patterns to color blocking. You can never go wrong with black and white. Make sure to pick up a sporty black and white dress this spring, like this Herve Leger Graphic Bandage Dress. You also can’t go wrong with this classy Halston Heritage colorblock strapless dress. It’s perfect for that special event!

Bold Stripes

We love stripes! Both black and colorful stripes are making their appearance everywhere this season. Go bold with this colorful top by Dolce & Gabbana or go for a more conservative look with this nautical fit and flare dress by Kate Spade. You can wear stripes year round and they aren’t a style that is going anywhere soon, so make sure you have plenty of this must have style in your closet!

Short Suits

Are you looking for something chic enough for work yet still casual enough for a night out on the town? Short suits are the answer. If you only add one thing to your wardrobe this spring, let this be it! They are both sophisticated and fun. Try this Michael Kors black and white striped short suit. It is the perfect piece to add to your wardrobe this spring.

Sheer

Sheer fashion is making a statement this spring. If you are looking for a bold and daring piece to add to your wardrobe, this is it. Check out this sleek sheer stripe top by Jean Paul Gaultier.  However, for those of you who aren’t ready to bare everything, sheer fashion also looks great layered. We love this sheer vest by Patterson J. Kincaid.

Oversized Ruffles

Add a little femininity to your collection this season with oversized ruffles. Ruffles are making a come back and we aren’t talking about the “princessy” kind of ruffles we saw in the 1980’s.  Today’s ruffles are sculpted, modern, and fresh, like this white pierrot top by Alexander McQueen. You will also see ruffles as a single wave on a structured silhouette, like this pale pinkDiane von Furstenberg bobbie ruffle top.

Now you know what is sizzling for spring, but how can you update your wardrobe without blowing your time and money? Try Shopscotch, a free online service that notifies you when things go on sale. Just install the Shopscotch button in your web browser. Then you can use it to watch products from your favorite retailers. Shopscotch will notify you when the price drops!

 With the release of their fifth book, Hullabaloo! The Life and (Mis)Adventures of L.A. Radio Legend Dave Hull, the writing-editing team of Bill Hayes and Jennifer Thomas have created a titillating textbook on an important part of pop culture history and the pedigree of rock ’n’ roll.

Hullabaloo! is both Dave’s wild personal ride as he worked “up and down the dial,” as well as a crazed chronicle of the evolution of commercial radio from the 1940s to the present—all presented with a soundtrack-in-words that ranges from Tennessee Ernie Ford to the Beatles and beyond.

Dave first took to the airwaves on Armed Forces Radio in the early 1950s. From there, his on-air insanity took him from Roswell, New Mexico, to Ohio to Michigan to Florida and finally to the mass-market of Los Angeles. In L.A., “the Hullabalooer” rose to number one in the ratings and even higher than that in the hearts of young listeners.

His zany tales of broadcasting bedlam make for an amazing, entertaining, and just plain fun book!

I had the privilege of sitting down with Bill and Jennifer to dig into the marvelous mayhem of creating 600 pages of hullabaloo!

Q: How did you meet Dave Hull and how did the book project take off?

J: We met Dave through a mutual friend, the completely psycho J.J. Solari. J.J. was a writer for Easyriders magazine, as was Bill. J.J. was also one of the featured “characters” on Dave’s Lovelines show on KGBS and KMPC years ago. J.J. told us that Dave’s story simply had to be told—and he was right!

Q: It sounds like Dave is pretty much surrounded by humor and wackiness.

B: Absolutely! Humor and wackiness are his trademark! They are what made him so successful. He is so proud of the fact that he never had to slide into the “shock-jock” category to maintain an audience—although his Lovelines show did get “hotsy-totsy” from time to time!

Q: There are some comments at the beginning of the book that indicate this was definitely a labor of love for you two, not just another book.

B: There is definitely a lot of love in this book. I was there when Dave was number one in L.A. I listened to him on my old AM car radios—we all did! It was that humor and the wackiness and the fun. It was the Beatles and the Stones and the rock ’n’ roll that not only changed the emotions and attitudes of American youth but in many ways it changed the world. And Dave Hull was right in the middle of it!

Q: The book contains many rare photos and graphics. Evidently Dave kept everything!

J: He sure did; and that made designing the book a lot of fun—and of course, a lot of work! We went through boxes of archival material. We came across original menus from his Hullabaloo night club, copies of the KRLA Beat newspaper, every issue of his fan club newsletter, autographed Beatles pictures, a script from The Monkees television show that Dave appeared on, tapes of his old shows, and so much more. It was like the storage areas at the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame! His fan club president, Linda Thor, also entrusted us with her original old-timey construction-paper scrapbook that she created for the fan club. We put as much of everything that we could into the book! Of course, if we had put everything, it would have been twelve hundred pages instead of just six hundred!

Q: Talking about the Beatles, Dave was called the “Fifth Beatle,” right? Why?

B: Well, he was a part of them here on the West Coast. KRLA management made him the president of their fan club, and he constantly broadcast “inside information” about them on his shows—like their personal addresses and phone numbers!

J: Yes, he had a top-secret insider (you have to read the book to find out who!) who always gave him the inside scoop. The Beatles never figured out how he knew so much!

B: Dave did spent time with the Beatles in person too. He spent a few weeks with them in the Bahamas while they were filming the movie, Help! And one time, he stowed away on their jet to Denver. Way back at the beginning, he helped Bob Eubanks to bring them to L.A. for their first West Coast concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium. He truly was the Fifth Beatle!

Q: And the Beatles and their legacy is still so popular and vital…

B: Absolutely! Just the other day a copy of the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band signed by all four Beatles sold for nearly three hundred thousand dollars at an auction in Texas. Beatlemania lives on!

Q: And so does Dave Hull…

J: So does Dave Hull! Dave finally retired from radio in 2010, but the buzz caused by this book resulted in him coming back! He returned to the airwaves with “Dave Hull & Mandy,” on Saturday, March 30 on CRN Digital Talk radio. The show, which airs from 2 to 4 p.m. Pacific each Saturday, features Dave teamed with popular radio personality Mandy Armstrong. Both worked at KWXY-FM in Palm Springs. And our old pal, J.J. Solari, will also be on the show! After a nearly sixty-year career, “the Hullabalooer” is back, and his wild life story has finally been written!

Please check out Dave Hull’s website at www.davehullthehullabalooer.com!
Purchase Hullabaloo!: The Life and (Mis)Adventures of L.A. Radio Legend Dave Hull from Amazon

Rodericks Tip - Emerald Green is a very rich color so use it smartly. Use it in more subtle ways. For instance as an accent color for one wall rather than all the walls

2. Style - The 1920’s are making a comeback. Popular shows like Boardwalk Empire are fueling    resurgence in the Art Deco Style. Use it for walls ,accessories, furniture and lighting.

3. Feathers - Feathers will be the hot new motif this year. You will see the pattern on pillows and other accessories; peacock feathers especially

Hollywood Luxe Pillow , Sold by InStyle Decor

Feather Sculpture, Sold by Target

Roderick’s Tip – Go to your local petting zoo and grab a few Peacock feathers put them in a flower vase on your dining table!

4. Furniture- Deep seats with well-proportioned arms and heights are vital. Strong solid colors for the body of the upholstery. Accessorize with strong, over-scaled exotic pillows.

5. Color Combination- Black and White were trending at the High Point Furniture Market for 2013. This color combo has timeless style.

Possessing this knowledge will help in your understanding of wines as a whole, as based on the name of a wine, numerous things can be surmised from that. Things such as the region it is normally produced, the style of the wine, the aromas it emits, how the wine feels in the mouth, and the acidity that is normally associated with certain wines. So without further ado, lets get into it.

Red Wine

Red wine is made from red grapes, which are grown in certain regions of the world. This means then that certain regions specialize in producing certain types of wine. Red wines often have bold flavors that resonate in your mouth for some time after drinking. These flavors also become better and enhance with age.

Barbera: Produced in Italy, Argentina, and California. This is quite popular as a table wine and often pairs well with Italian food. It normally has a high acidity and smooth feel. Aromas commonly include Blackberry, Black Cherry, Raspberry and Plum.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Produced in France, Italy, Australia, and California. The wine comes form the Sauvignon grape that is found in the Bordeaux region of France. It normally has a high acidity and smooth feel with a course finish. Aromas commonly include Dark Berries, Cassis, and Cedarwood.

Malbec: Produced in France and Argentina. It normally has medium acidity with a rich and full feel. This is a dry wine that is respected for its dark and deep color. Aromas commonly include Plum, Black Pepper, and Blackberry.

Merlot: Produced in France, Italy, California, Washington, and Chile. It has medium acidity and a soft feel to it. The wine comes from the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has very soft flavors, with aromas including Plum, Cherry, and at times various flowers.

Syrah/Shiraz: Produced in France, Italy, Australia, California, Washington, and South Africa. It has a medium to high acidity, and smooth and full feel. The wine has a bold flavor that often bites at the end. Common aromas include Black Pepper, and Blackberry.

Pinot Noir: Produced in France, Oregon, California, New Zealand, and Australia. It has a high acidity with a smooth and refreshing feel. The grapes for this wine can only be grown in cool climates, and are generally done in small batches. This makes it generally a bit more expensive. It has very earthy flavors with common aromas including Baked Cherry, Plum, and damp or wetted earth.

Zinfandel: Produced primarily in California with its origins in Europe. It has medium acidity and a smooth feel. Common aromas include Blackberry, Boysenberry, and Plum.

White Wine

White wine is not exactly white, but is more of a gold or yellow color. Compared to its red counterpart, white wine is often lighter and more refreshing. White wine compliments heavier meals better than reds do, as it sits with less weight in the stomach. It doesn’t make you feel sluggish, but rather more nimble if anything.

Chardonnay: Produced in France, California, Washington, Oregon, New York, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It has a high acidity and smooth feel. It is made from the Chardonnay grape, which is well known for making some of the best white wines in the world. It is generally a little dry, with aromas that include Tropical Fruit, Pineapple, Apple, Lemon, and Oak.

Gewurztraminar: Produced in France, Germany, Washington, California, and New York. It has low to medium acidity with an extremely smooth feel. This wine is generally consumed before eating a meal; it is mildly sweet tasting with aromas of Tropical Fruit and Spice.

Muscat/Muscato: Produced in France, California, Washington, Oregon, New York, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It has a high acidity with a smoothly full bodied and creamy feel. This wine is often made from Asti Spumante grapes that create a sweet and fruity flavor with aromas consisting of Peach, Pear, and Citrus.

Pinot Grigio: Produced in Northern Italy, Spain, France, and California. It has a high acidity with a bright and smooth feel. The wine is made from the Pinot Gris Grape, which descends from the famous Pinot Noir grape. The taste can sometimes vary from the light and crisp flavor to the deep and full type depending on where the grape is grown. Common aromas include grape and pear.

Reisling: Produced in France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Idaho, Oregon, New York, California, Washington, and New Zealand. It ranges from low to very high in acidity and contain a light and round feel. Made from the Reisling grape, this wine has a softer, fuller, and fruitier taste. Aromas commonly include Peach, Apple, and Citrus.

Sauvignon Blanc: Produced in France, Oregon, Wahsington, New York, California, New Zealand, and Australia. It has a high acidity and simply crisp feel. The wine is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grapes mixed with Semillon grapes to decrease the intensity. Aromas include Fruit, Herbs, Grass, Gooseberry, and Asparagus.

Semillon: Produced in France, Washington, and Australia. The wine has medium acidity and a smooth feel. It is often used as a dessert wine that is itself very dry and sweet. Aromas include ripe Fruits, Nuts, Honey, and Orange peel.

Viognier: Produced in France, Oregon, and California. It has a low acidity with a smooth lasting feel. The wine is made from rare grapes grown in the Rhone region, and is generally enjoyed with dinner. Common aromas include Apricot, Fruit, Floral, and Spice.

This article was written by Damien S. Wilhelmi. If you enjoyed this piece, you can follow me on twitter @COSportsZealot. I am writing on behalf of liquormart.com where you can buy wine online.

A lot of the mystique has disappeared out of the world of cooking in recent years. Personally I’d blame celebrity chefs, but then they are an easy target for many modern gripes when it comes to culinary issues.

There was once a time when you would eat in a restaurant and simply fall in love with the sauce that was presented with your steak, roast lamb, or pasta, and want to go back there to try it again. Now, a lot of the soul has been stripped away from modern cooking, because you can buy everything at the supermarket.

If you are a passionate foodie, you probably like cooking from scratch and making your own sauces. The advantages of this are massive, however the biggest is probably that you get to add or take away whatever ingredients you want to make the perfect sauce for your tastes.

We looked at the top sauces and spreads you can make at home without needing to buy the mass produced version.

1. Carbonara

This is a pasta favourite, fun to make and easy to customise in whichever way you want to – widely available to buy but there really isn’t any need to!

2. Salsa

The annoying thing when buying salsa is that you will often find them too hot or not hot enough. Make your own and always get it just right.

3. Peri Peri

You don’t need to buy Nando’s branded Peri-Peri sauce, it is simple and easy enough to make your own.

4. Sweet Chilli

Blue Dragon must make a fortune out of lazy shoppers who don’t want to make their own simple sauce, this is one of the easiest to do at home.

5. Ketchup

Homemade ketchup tastes so good that you will never buy a branded bottle again, trust us, and try it out.

6. Hummus

Onto the spreads now, it is amazing how many people know that hummus is crushed chick peas, yet continue to buy it and complain that it’s boring!

7. Chocolate

This is perhaps the most infuriating – just melt some chocolate yourself! How easy can it get?

8. Stir Fry

Stir fry sauces are often the most popular, however by simply marinating ingredients beforehand in your own concoction, there is no need for it.

9. Curry

Again, the simple nature of making a sauce to accompany a curry leaves us amazed that the famous brands continue to do so well out of it!

10. Jams and Marmalades

Finishing with a spread, there are fewer things easier to make at home than a jam or marmalade – why buy it when you can have the enjoyment of making it yourself?

Videojug is an online website that has a wide range of videos regarding food such as pizza, butter chicken and carbonara recipe among others.

The first time that denim was ever used dates back to a time in the 17th century when it was used as work wear and in fabrics. The word denim is believed to be and English version of the French ‘serge de Nimes’ – a fabric made in Nimes.

During the 18th century the material was developed further and denim cloth was made purely from cotton. It was used to make men’s clothing and was widely regarded as a favourite due to it being strong, durable and being able to last many washes.

The Levi Strauss Company – the most famous company in the denim industry – was created in 1873. They had realised that miners needed clothes that were strong and long lasting, whilst also being comfortable. Originally they were called waist overalls and were designed by Levi and his partner, Jacob Davis. After the success of the waist overalls, the partners started to produce jackets and other outerwear in the famous denim material.

As the years passed, the demand for denim products became far higher than production rates so they had to find somewhere bigger to take up production as, by now they had a lot of competition. After this came the 1920s and by this time Levi’s were top of their game and the chosen product as men’s work trousers across America.

The introduction of western films to Hollywood in the 1930s meant that the Levi Empire rose again; jeans were no longer only desired because they were strong and durable but because they were a high profile fashion item and advertising spread America’s love for the denim trouser overseas.

As the Second World War came about many American soldiers took their favorite jeans overseas with them in order to keep them safe. At the end of the war jeans were associated with the leisure activities of Americans and then with rebellious teenagers. At this time the company started to ship its products around the world and pretty soon they were a fashion statement across Europe and Asia.

Jeans in the sixties were seen as a symbol of youth and individuality and in the 70s flared jeans were the new thing. By the time the 80s came around ripped, bleached, personalized  skin tight drainpipes were the thing.

Nowadays everyone wears jeans, whether they are worn as casual wear, work wear or even evening wear jeans are credible in all walks of life.  Jeans are present at the world’s biggest fashion shows and worn by the world’s biggest celebs. The development of the ‘jean’ as we know them today was a revelation for the fashion world that happened in the 1800s.

Buy clothes online Ireland from www.freshmilkclothing.com, recommended by article author James Dunlop.

It is fairly easy to grow a wide range of plants in a rock garden, especially if it was built to provide a variety of different conditions from dry and sunny to moist and shady.

When building a rock garden for the sole purpose of decoration, try to make it south facing as many plants will thrive in these types of conditions. Also create some north facing terraces to provide suitable sites for plants that prefer shade, such as ferns, mossy saxifrages and ramondas. Some plants prefer partial shade of west and east facing slopes. Many plants such as Phlox douglasii, P. subulata, helianthemums and Pulsatilla Vulgaris are adaptable to different conditions.

Crevices and Walls

Plants that grow in vertical rock crevices in the wild can be planted in a similar way on a rock garden by wedging them into small gaps between rocks. This is most easily done during construction of the rock garden.

On north facing rocks lewisias, ramondas and haberleas thrive. For other aspects use androsaces, encrusted saxifrages, campanulas, erodiums, and alyssums.

High exposed terraces are likely to be especially well drained, so reserve these for plants that prefer such conditions such as sedums, Acantholimon, Edraianthus, helichrysums and tulips. In the lower, moist areas and especially beside water, plant small moisture lovers such as Primula Rosea, P. frondosa, Trollius pumilus , Saxifragafortune and Mimulus cupreus.

Scree

The particularly good drainage associated with this feature suits plants from dry climates, as well as those adapted to scree conditions in the wild, further increasing the range of plants that can be grown, suitable candidates include many saxifrages, androsaces, drabas, cyclamen, sempervivums, Phlox nana, Juno irises and Ranunculus species.

Planting

Make up a compost mix for rock gardens according to the needs and lime-tolerance of plants. A neutral mix will grow the widest range of plants. Most plants get away to a good start if they are planted in spring. Plant bulbs while they are dormant, except for snowdrops which are best planted after flowering when in full leaf.

Choose plants that will suit the size of the rock garden and group plants of an appropriate size together, if large plants are planted next to smaller ones they are likely to take the moisture from the soil, leaving the smaller plant suffering.

For more great gardening advice and tips visit http://www.gardenhealth.com/

Your wine must be poured in a suitable wine glass. Once you have your wine in your glass, you will need to look at the color. Look past the red or white wine color. Take a piece of paper and or put your glass against a white wall, and tilt your wine towards the rim of the glass. Check the color of your wine based off the wine left behind on your glass.

Is your wine watery, translucent,dark, opaque, dull, cloudy or clear? Are there dark sediments on your glass?You can tell if you are drinking an older bottle of red wine, if your wine color consists of an orange tinge. Older white wines are much darker in color compared to lighter wines. which are considered to be young.

Time To Smell

Ever wondered why people swirl their glasses of wine? This is a special technique that vaporizes the alcohol in the wine, making the aroma more robust. Swirling your glass of wine for at least 12 seconds, will bring out the smell and make it’s natural aroma more accessible. Smelling will consist of you to stick your nose into your glass, inhaling in deeply. You will either smell, citrus, oak, flowers, vanilla or berries. Smelling your wine is another way to find out the quality and characteristics.

Taste Tester

Now it’s time to taste. You will go through three different phases during your tasting trial. You will have to investigate the attack phase, evolution stage and finish stage. The attack phase focuses on the intensity of the wine. How does it affect your palate. Take your wine and swish it in your mouth. Was it intense or did you feel a balance? The evolution phase is focused on how the wine tastes. Do all of the flavors come together. Does no one flavor over power the other? The finish is based on the after taste. When you swallowed your wine, was there an after taste? Was the wine a medium bodies wine (consistency like milk) A light bodied wine (consistency like water) or a full bodied wine (consistency like cream.)

Beginning Wine Tasting

Wine tasting is an adventure that many people have yet to conquer. But of course, anyone can learn how to taste wine in the wine tasting room Houston with a little bit of practice. Once you learn how to taste wine, you will find a deeper appreciation for the makers and the pros. Wine tasting will also teach you about your particular tastes and what works for you and what doesn’t. Utilizing your basic senses is the trick to wine tasting. Smell and taste are the two basic senses that you must master before moving on to other wine tasting areas. Your taste is pretty much going to be based around the saltiness, sweetness, sour and or bitter flavors particular wines can have.

WineStyles The Vintage has a large selection of wine to fit any wine drinkers taste. Enjoy live music while you drink a glass of wine with a group of friends.

Well the good news is that you can, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time that you don’t have. Being a fashionable mom is as simple as building a functional but good looking wardrobe.

First Of All; Have A Clear Out

You know when you are going out and you have nothing to wear? Well there’s a good chance that you actually have too much to wear. The choice paradox is something that is discussed in economics but it applies to fashion too.

If you have loads of time (you know, like you did before you were a mom) then spending ages picking an outfit is fine. But when you are busy you need to be able to grab whatever is to hand without having to worry about whether it goes.

So first things first, sort out your clothes and be ruthless, get rid of anything you don’t wear any more – donate them to charity or whatever. Also filter out your out of season and occasional clothes and store them out of the way. From now on your wardrobe should only contain items that you might wear in the next two or three weeks.

Make Sure You Have The Basics Covered

Basic items should not be frowned upon, they are crucial to putting together any outfit and whilst some more unusual items might be fashionable from time to time they are tricky to make many outfits from.

You next step is to make sure you have the right groupings of clothes to make mixing and matching easy. So start by making sure you have all of the essentials in equal measure, that includes things like shirts, blouses, skirts, pants etc…

And they should all be Simple and trend proof, nothing too unusual, just simple styles in simple colors, the things that look good and always will. Also try to match colors with other items in your wardrobe.

Go through your wardrobe and look for types of clothing that you don’t have enough of (and what do you have too many of?), if you have 10 pairs of pants and only 5 nice tops you are probably limiting your outfit options.

Time To Go Shopping!

This part is simple, just make sure that the next time you go shopping for clothes, make sure you only get what you need. If you have too many tops then buy some more bottoms (or vice versa). Make sure you balance out your wardrobe so that you always have something to match.

This might take a little restraint, but you should resist buying anything you don’t really need, no matter how much you like it.

Stick To Your Favourite Colors

You will probably tend to do this to an extent anyway, but try to make a conscious effort to keep all your clothes within a similar color palette (ideally one that suits you well). Avoid clothes that don’t really match the ones you already have.

If you ensure that you only buy things that you know will match at least 3 or 4 of the items you already have, you will never again find yourself wanting to wear a top but not having anything that goes with it.

This guide to fashion was brought to you buy majestic tresses, where you can buy real hair extensions online. Thanks for reading.