Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#1) “The King’s Speech”
Mar.1
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate this year’s Academy Awards, we’ve been exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: THE KING’S SPEECH
Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter.
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.”
Odds of Winning*: 2:1
Best Wall Decal Match: Peel and Stick Whiteboard and Chalkboard Tiles.
Regrettably, we’re a bit behind with this post, but we are delighted to have predicted the winner of the Best Picture Oscar. When in doubt, go for the period piece with the British accents and Helena Bonham Carter in a hat.
We were naive and thought it was the industrious American factory worker that helped give Allied soldiers the extra boost they needed to beat the Nazis. Apparently, a rich guy’s stuttering problem was really the “X-factor” on the battlefield.
When King George VI was practicing his speech, it would have been extremely helpful if he had erasable removable whiteboard sticker panels in the bunker. Ditto for the cast of “The King’s Speech,” who may have found them to be a more affordable and renewable alternative to cue cards.
As for writing down ideas about how to defend London from the Luftwaffe’s bombardment, these chalkboard wall decals would have been equally practical.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and were chosen a week before the Academy Awards.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#2) – “The Fighter”
Feb.28
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards last night, we explored what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: THE FIGHTER
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo.
One-Sentence Summary: Two boxing brothers, Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund, overcome the odds to go from their drug-ravaged neighborhood to the world stage.
Odds of Winning*: 3:1 – Far better odds than “Irish” Micky Ward had to win the championship belt.
Best Wall Decal Match: Forest Friends
Chipmunks and squirrels are generally considered peaceful creatures who frolic in the wilderness, but their moods can turn in an instant. Try to take away their acorns and you’ll find they can be as ferocious as any fighter in “The Fighter.”
One area that forest animals can’t match, however, is physical fitness. They just don’t have access to the same Cybex machines and protein shakes as Hollywood stars. Be honest, now. Who has better abs: Mark Wahlberg or the Forest Friends rabbit?
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#3) – “The Social Network”
Feb.27
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake.
One-Sentence Summary: Harvard University dropout Mark Zuckerberg founds Facebook, gets filthy rich and is accused of backstabbing the people who helped get him there.
Odds of Winning*: 3:1 – Some of Zuckerberg’s 500 million friends are Academy voters.
Best Wall Decal Match: Chalkboard Heart
Aside from revelations about lawsuits over the ownership rights to Facebook and the portrayal of Harvard University as a shallow place, The Social Network also sheds light on Mark Zuckerberg’s original motivation. He wanted to use it to hook himself up with dates.
A key “aha moment” comes when Zuckerberg wonders how the dating scene would be different if there was a way to instantly know if a prospective crush already had a boyfriend or girlfriend. Enter the “Relationship Status” that indicates if you are single, in a relationship, engaged, married, divorced, separated or “it’s complicated.”
This month, Facebook just added two more options to choose as your status: “In a Civil Union,” and “In a Domestic Partnership.”
That’s all well and good, but how do you know if that special someone is in a relationship if you are not currently wired in to Facebook? The solution: WallCandy’s Chalkboard Heart.
Now your co-workers can slap up their relationship statuses on their office doors. Ditto for college students in their dorm rooms.
And when it comes time to erase your status and introduce the latest social life update, rest assured that it comes with dustless, allergy-free chalk that contains no traces of latex, dairy and casein, egg, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts or soy.
In case you missed it, TIME Magazine recently did an entertaining photo essay on the corporate headquarters of Facebook and noted it had plenty of empty wall space — and we recently noted that Zuckerberg has plenty of options if he decides to impress the social media world with stylish removable wall decals.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#4) “The Kids Are All Right”
Feb.25
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo.
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “Two children conceived by artificial insemination bring their birth father into their family life.”
Odds of Winning*: 4:1 – Lots of chemistry here.
Best Wall Decal Match: Deerly Beloved
Love triangles come in all combinations. This one features lesbian couple Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) with the biological father (Mark Ruffalo) of their children. How does a family stay together under such circumstances?
I’m not going to ruin the movie for you. But I will say this. Love is something special that you shouldn’t mess with once you have it. Nothing in our removable wall decal gallery expresses this better than the Deerly Beloved sticker set.
We deliberately only include two lovey-dovey deer in the set so there is no opportunity for extramarital affairs in the woods.
As a total aside, we have a soft spot in our hearts for this movie because Julianne Moore recently shared the spotlight with WallCandy Dottilicious wall stickers in New York Family magazine.
And speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#5) – “True Grit”
Feb.24
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: TRUE GRIT
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer.”
Odds of Winning*: 5:1 — The Oscar conspiracy theory against the Coen Brothers was shattered with their 2007 win for “No Country for Old Men.”
Best Wall Decal Match: Baby Elephant Chalkboard
Vengeance has no age limits. When 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross finds out who killed her father, she naturally wants the murderer dead. But the tough U.S. Marshall she hires doesn’t expect the cute braided girl to insist being part of the manhunt.
To Ross, sticking up for family is the ultimate moral value. And you know who else ferociously fights for loved ones? Elephants, of course. Elephants don’t forget anything and they will hunt you down to the ends of the earth if you dare to harm their kinfolk.
OK, well maybe it is a stretch to toss a pachyderm in the middle of a classic U.S. Western.
But it’s not a stretch to stick one practically anywhere else. The Baby Elephant Chalkboard is a whimsical decoration appropriate for both boys’ and girls’ bedrooms, nurseries, day care centers and classrooms. And unlike the dust clouds popping up on those gunslinging dirt roads in the Old West, the chalk we use is dustless and does not contain any of the following allergens: latex, dairy and casein, egg, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts or soy.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#6) – “Black Swan”
Feb.23
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: BLACK SWAN
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Vincent Cassel
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “A ballet dancer wins the lead in “Swan Lake” and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan – Princess Odette – but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odette’s evil sister, Odile, the Black Swan.”
Odds of Winning*: 5:1 — Kudos for showing the evil side of ballet.
Best Wall Decal Match: Sweet Dreams Fairies, Cupcake Chalkboard
As fellow WallCandy blogger Amber so eloquently put it, who knew there were swans with anger management issues?
Well, I knew. I’ve been attacked by maniacal geese. The second any waterfowl lowers their neck and starts to charge, watch out!
At the risk of discussing serious social issues in a fun wall sticker forum, ballet also has a weight management problem. Professional primadonnas are usually given a somber choice: perform or eat, you can’t do both.
One instant foolproof way for Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis to gain back the weight they lost for these roles is to adopt the Sweet Dreams Fairies Diet. Along with lots of leafy green vegetables and fiber for digestion, mix in a daily dose of lollipops, jelly beans, candy hearts, ice cream pops and macaroons.
Take a look at the fairy decals: See any excessive cellulite on those calves? Of course not, because these snacks are enjoyed in moderation and flying around all day increases your metabolism.
A more hearty version of the cupcakes distributed by the fairies is Wall Candy’s Cupcake Chalkboard. I have a feeling that Natalie Portman is craving one right now.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#7) – “Toy Story 3″
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: TOY STORY 3
Starring: Voices of Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Ned Beatty (Lotso), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), Michael Keaton (Ken Doll), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head).
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it’s up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren’t abandoned and to return home.”
Odds of Winning*: 5:1 — The Oscars are traditionally unkind to animated features in the Best Picture category.
Best Wall Decal Match: Race Me Cars & Watch Me Grow Height Chart
I cried during Toy Story 3. It made me think of how quickly my own children outgrow their favorite toys, but yet how we both share an intense sentimental attachment to them. When my oldest child goes to college, there’s no way I am throwing out his action figures, LEGOs or his stuffed animals, especially Fred the Alligator, who shared the first six years of bedtime stories.
Toy Story 3 will also forever reshape your perception of daycare centers. The prison escape scene from Sunnyside Day Care has all the suspense of any live-action thriller. And the PG-13 bondage scene with Ken and Barbie (she was dominant) is unforgettable kitsch.
When Buzz Lightyear and Woody led their fellow toys to freedom, they could have used a fleet of getaway cars. And a wise choice for speed, style and mileage would have been WallCandy’s “Race Me” hot rods (pictured above).
There’s also that touching scene where college-aged Andy decides to give his favorite toys to a little girl in the neighborhood, Bonnie. In the ultimate act of altruism, Andy realizes his toys would give Bonnie greater joy — and it was better for the mental and emotional health of Buzz and Woody.
I’d usually say “SPOILER ALERT” before revealing the end of the movie, but I’m fairly confident that if you are reading a wall sticker blog, you definitely ran out to see “Toy Story 3″ during opening week like I did!
The only thing that could have made this scene even more heartwarming would be if Andy had tossed in some removable wall stickers for Bonnie to decorate her room with.
One of the best ways to cherish each major landmark in our children’s development is to reminisce about how small they once were — and to marvel at their growth. The “Watch Me Grow” wall sticker growth chart is a perfect way for kids to appreciate this development for themselves. And it’s a great excuse to bring up the cliched parenting line of “If you want to grow up to be big and strong, you have to…. (fill in your own lecture here).
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#8) – “Inception”
Feb.22
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: INCEPTION
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page.
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDb): “In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date.”
Odds of Winning*: 7:1 (Suspense thrillers usually have a tough time beating movies with a heart-warming social cause).
Best Wall Decal Match: Sweet Dreams Fairies
Leonardo DiCaprio extracts people’s deepest secrets from their dreams for nefarious purposes. Here’s the teaser from Warner Brothers’ Pictures:
“Dom Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move.”
These are dark, insidious dreams, the kind we hope don’t exist within our own subconscious. But imagine how different this movie would be with a few strategically placed cameos from the Sweet Dreams Fairies?
WallCandy’s “Confection Protection” trio can transform any scary nightmare into a sugar-coated trip to la-la land. They fill the skies with ice cream, lollipops, jelly beans and macaroons. Just the kind of treatment that DiCaprio’s sour-souled character desperately needs!
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#9) – “127 Hours”
Feb.21
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: 127 HOURS
Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara
One-Sentence Summary (from IMDB): “A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.”
Odds of Winning*: 10:1 (Audiences can’t bear to watch the infamous amputation scene).
Best Wall Decal Match: Forest Friends
While some of us get understandably squeamish about seeing a hiker lose his arm, this kind of thing happens in nature all the time. Take for example, the tragic case of this chipmunk who snapped his arm in half after trying to carry too many acorns:
OK, so this never happened. And I don’t wish any ill-will on any chipmunks or other Forest Friends on the planet. But as durable as Wall Candy Arts removable decals are, they can be sliced with a scissors or torn under extreme duress.
Great thing about the wall stickers is that they can be (almost) seamlessly repaired with careful surgery.
I don’t think that James Franco’s character was so lucky. We wish him well at the Oscars though!
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
Wall Sticker Oscar Countdown: (#10) – “Winter’s Bone”
Feb.20
(Removable wall decals are a visual art, as are Oscar-nominated movies. To celebrate the 83rd annual Academy Awards on February 27, we’re exploring what WallCandy Arts has in common with all 10 nominees for Best Picture. That’s right, we believe some of the best pictures for your walls don’t come from Hollywood!)
Movie: WINTER’S BONE
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt
One-Sentence Summary (IMDb): “An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.”
Odds of Winning*: 10-1 (Make sure to refill your depression medication prescriptions.)
Best Wall Decal Match: Happy Flowers, My Sunshine.
Yes, this won Sundance Film Festival awards and is based on a critically acclaimed book. But when I go to the movies, I want to escape from my problems and the world’s problems.
Rural poverty? Home foreclosure? Crystal meth? No thank you! As an antidote, I am desperately in need of an optimistic cheery infusion. And that’s why I am turning to WallCandy’s Happy Flowers wall stickers with a little My Sunshine wall decal to help process the plants’ chlorophyll.
No child should have to deal with his or her father running from the law. And if you’re fortunate enough to have a happy family, take a moment to appreciate the smiles.
Meanwhile, speaking of awards, WallCandy Arts was just nominated for a coveted Cribsie Award in the “Cutest Nursery Wall Decals” category. The prestigious Cribsies recognize “the best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots.”
We’re proud to be nominated, but we’d appreciate your help to get on the winner’s stage and give our own King’s Speech. Your votes will be accepted through March 18. Just click on the Cribsie below!
(* DISCLAIMER: WallCandy Oscar odds are based on personal whims and should only be used as the basis for intellectual discussion. We do not assume any responsibility for customer gambling debts.)
