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.)
Invaluable Advice for Storing Your Removable Wall Decals
Feb.2
Any guess what this is?
Perhaps a futuristic barcode? Some kind of post-modern art?
Once you pan a little over to the right, you’ll get a few more clues!
The elongated rectangles are the light beams and the identical lemon wedges are the sun from WallCandy’s vibrantly upbeat “My Sunshine” removable wall stickers.
I foolishly threw away the slick paper backing from my “My Sunshine” kit and so when it came time to take advantage of the removable and reusable features of the wall decals, I was up the creek without a paddle.
My solution: Find a blank hallway wall and use it as a temporary storage canvas. So far there have been no complaints from family members about the unorthodox decoration style, but at some point I will have to figure out another way to salvage the sun.
Moral of the story: SAVE YOUR STICKER SHEETS!
In a pinch, you can also stick the reusable decals on your refrigerator. I’m a fan of displaying WallCandy’s Polaroid-style Frames on the fridge. You can put photos or kids’ drawings in there for a slick retro presentation.
But back to the mysterious barcode at the top of this post. Maybe scrambling up the pieces of WallCandy sticker sets could be the basis for a new game show. Stay tuned!
WallCandy® Arts Inspiration for the New Year: Dreaming of Starting Your Own Family-Friendly Business?
Jan.3
If launching your own business — or turning your passion into a part-time income — is one of your New Year’s Resolutions, check out the latest issue of Star Lee Magazine.
The business publication, which features inspiring entrepreneurs, takes us for a tour inside the psyche of WallCandy CEO Allison Krongard.
Allison took the daring step of quitting her furniture design job to pursue her dream of catering to the most fickle clients of all — children. And much like the stories of many entrepreneurs, she jumped in the deep end and never stopped swimming.
Of course, bringing new removable wall stickers and wall decals to the market was not as simple as organizing her sticker collection when she was a kid. Insisting that her products be made in the USA, Allison traveled across the country to find the best printers and materials to meet her standards.
She immersed herself in the most meticulous details, participating in adhesive conferences. Yes, there is such a thing!
Star Lee Magazine notes the ups and downs of running your own business, particularly the unpleasant realization that there are cheaters in the world:
“One of the most painful issues is watching WallCandy’s ideas and products unscrupulously copied and sold by others for their own profit.
Allison has a patent and business attorney who help her protect her intellectual property in these cases, but often she has to make the very hard decision to not do anything.
“I have to choose between spending my money litigating or innovating,” she said. “Am I going to come up with new designs and products, which is what my customers want to see, or am I going to go after these people? I just can’t do both, and that is what is really painful.”
And Allison is also a role model for achieving work-life balance, seeking out other working mothers to be part of her business team:
“Probably if we all moved to an office and had that face time together, we would be more productive, but I am willing to give that up in exchange for getting that balance I want, which is what I have now.”
“I think that having balance doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be equal balance all the time. Sometimes I need to work more, and sometimes I need to put it all aside or delegate and spend more time with the kids and play hooky.”
The joys of making a living while still watching your children grow up cannot be understated. To learn more insights into starting and running your dream business from home, check out the full Star Lee Magazine feature.
In the spirit of those New Year’s resolutions to pursue any business dream, here are Allison’s tips:
Are you also a mom entrepreneur? We’d love to hear some of your tips for success without sacrificing your home life! Please drop us a line at our customer feedback page.
Christmas Lights That Won’t Break the Bank (Surprise… They’re Removable Wall Stickers!)
Dec.11
Anyone who loves wall stickers or wall decals usually appreciates the nuances of layout and design. After all, the fun of stickers is based on the limitless creative options for where and how to stick them.
One of the Golden Rules of Layout is that clutter stinks up the joint. Take a look at this house. There’s WAY too much going on. The paper chains confining Frosty, Santa and the Gingerbread Men make it look like they’re all behind the velvet rope waiting to get into a posh Manhattan nightclub.
Whoever set up this house-canvas should go work for the bomb squad — there’s no way he or she will get any wires crossed after this project!
Design sensibilities aside, there’s something fun about this house. It’s like a little kid just peeled off her entire sticker collection and randomly stuck them everywhere. I love seeing the extremes of holiday decorations and just stumbled across the most wonderful resource for finding outrageously whimsical displays near your hometown.
The Website is called The Tacky Light Tour and you can plan your own nighttime trek by either plugging in your zip code or using their interactive state maps. The site offers photo previews of what to expect, tallies the number of individual bulbs, counts inflatable decorations, and issues a “Most Likely To Be Seen From Space” award.
According to BusinessWeek magazine, an estimated 80 million homes in the United States string up Christmas lights each year — with hefty electricity bills shrugged off as the price of spreading joy.
But there’s a more economical, ecological and inexpensive way to bask in the glow of holiday lights this year. It requires no electricity and it won’t anger the uptight members of your condo association.
Check out WallCandy’s glow in the dark reusable wall decals.
No plugs. No batteries. No electric shocks or electric bills.
Granted, carloads of strangers won’t flock to your house to see these lights. But they will be appreciated by a special few!
