#adult me supports maya btw

[danrifics]

this used to be a 1D blog, Liam really was my first fave waaay back when i first started getting involved in the fandom. he really was someone i looked up to when i was 14. im so sad for teen me right now

[bigsteeb]

this is gonna be a long post so bear with me, growing pains got a b i g emotional reaction out of me & I need to share my thoughts & feelings about it because jesus fucking christ.

ok first things first, someone hug this boy immediately. he’s sat in his room, still in his pajamas, in day time watching dog copter. this whole scene is just steven going “lol I’m sad, I’m gonna comfort eat & stay in my pajamas & watch a kids show I watched when I wasn’t as sad haha” & it’s not only upsetting, but relatable too fuck. his room is a mess along with him eating ice cream at what I assume is morning… making it his breakfast? geez steven. also idk if it’s just me here but in this shot he looks… bigger? like ignoring his body size shifting later on in the episode he looks a lot wider than he usually does when paul & drew board episodes to me, he’s rivalling etienne & maya’s steven’s wideness. did he… get chubbier from comfort eating? how much time has passed since together forever for him to put on weight if he has? this could literally just be steven slouching or his pajamas making him look bigger but as someone who is an advocate for the body positivity shown in su & suf it has me curious. I want to hug this soft, sad boy. It could also be due to how steven’s design fluctuates through the animation process, it’s never really on model all the time. 

the grunting noise he makes in this scene is very distressing, as are other moments from the episode too. a glimpse at the glow-bracelet he proposed to connie with is enough to physically pain him? fuck me man. is he leaving his room where there’s already ice cream… to get more ice cream? sobs. also the puns in this shot. I cant? slow burn?! you’re evil crewniverse. not to mention his body size changing throughout this scene, god this poor lad.

screams, this was when I started worrying. the boy is now in an environment he has never been in before & is feeling extremely uncomfortable & vulnerable. look at the lines under his eyes, his sad eyebrows & pout I hate it. also don’t even get me started on this part. the slight raise of a voice being enough to send him into panic?! fuck I hate how much I relate to that. 

here’s where I immediately broke, no god damn pun intended. seeing steven’s skeleton, steven’s fucking skull, like this pained me. that crack on his skull is from fucking jasper in jail break. I can’t express all of the visceral emotions that were going through my body at this. there was intense sadness for steven, extreme anger at jasper & the gems for allowing shit like this to happen to him. turns out he’s not as resilient as we thought he was. each hit he takes physically breaks him & then his gem instantly heals his wounds, my heart fucking broke at this. think back to everything that happened to him, everything that physically hurt him. it broke him I can’t deal with it! then there’s what priyanka says to steven next;

“you seem to of made a series of miraculous recoveries, but that doesn't change the fact that you experienced trauma. you’ve recovered physically but, have you recovered mentally?”

this part here along with her reassuring him that there’s nothing wrong with his brain, how childhood trauma can have an impact on how your body responds to stress & how you act in your social life, the usage of the word “cortisol” too. this stuff being in a children's tv show is incredible. the writing for priyanka describes trauma simply enough for kids to understand, but for adults to fully realise too. folks, steven has ptsd. there wasn't one bit of sugarcoating about it or nothing, this is canon fact & it hurts me. for so long have I wanted steven’s emotional issues to be alked about, to not only be brought to steven’s attention but to the audience’s too.

everything that has happened to him has built up to this moment. this moment where his behaviour & coping methods are finally making sense to a large majority of the fandom, & to steven himself. he’s hurting; physically, mentally & emotionally, & he isn’t coping well what so ever about it. his emotional support system is complete garbage, no one regularly checks in on him & folks just take steven at face value like “oh yea glowing pink? he’s fine it’s just steven” but he’s the bad person?! I hope a lot of you out there who genuinely believe steven is a bad person re-think yourselves after this. dealing with trauma is tough as shit. some days you even wonder if that one thing that fucked you up is really worth being labelled as trauma. I still can’t believe this is the route they’re taking, if he doesn’t get some form of therapy by the end of future I’ll be furious.

then things begin to spiral as he remembers what happened with connie. he clutches his chest in pain & begins changing size over intense amounts of stress & it was extremely distressing to watch. steven immediately reassures connie that this isn’t because of her, but because of everything else that happened to him. however. I believe that that’s a slight lie, he wouldn’t of spiralled if he hadn’t of remembered the proposal, steven you fucking himbo. he continues to reassure them both that he’s fine, just that he needs them to leave so he can calm himself enough to control himself.

then this happens.

“I. CAN’T. BE AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW!”

this was fucking intense. he means this literally in 2 ways btw. his body size shifting over the stress he’s feeling is a danger to both connie & priyanka in this moment, but it’s also because of how it started. being around connie hurts him. he’s not mad at her though let me make that very clear, just that thinking about what happened when he tired to propose to her is sending his head in a fritz. he did what he did full of confidence in together forever, for connie to then make him realise how silly he was being. these two are destined for each other, but that advice from ruby & sapphire has really fucked with him. he looks up to those 2, looks up to garnet, their relationship is so strong & stable. for them to give him that advice & to then scream “DO IT!” in his face is incredibly tasteless imo.

then greg gets here. I knew connie was calling for either greg or the gems when she was on her phone as she left the room, fuck yea connie I love you. the breathless, strained “thank you” from steven towards connie for calling his dad? g o d. connie telling him she’ll be there for him when he’s ready?! g o d. these next boards were done by rebecca, I knew immediately when I saw steven’s face. it makes sense that rebecca boarded these, because fuck. 

how do I move on from all of the stuff I’ve been through? how do I live life if it always feels like I’m about to die!?

I’m tearing up as I type this. when I first heard the leak of this audio I so badly wanted to believe it, but to also believe it was fake too. I was an emotional mess off & on for about 3 days over it because I couldn't stop thinking about how fucking distressing it was. like… shit steven. he seriously feels this. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain he felt just saying this in front of his fucking dad. he is hurting badly. this boy, this sweet sweet boy we’ve watched grow & develop into the person he is today is distraught about his future & life. it is… soul crushing to watch this. a group of friends of mine have found joking about the episode as a form of coping with the intensity of it & as much as that’s valid as fuck, any joke coming from this episode feels morally wrong to me. I can’t bring myself to join in it feels terrible even thinking about laughing at it to cope. I love them all, but I can’t bare myself to join them. this moment ending with greg comforting steven, telling him he’s here for him & all of his struggles, got me weeping. greg is possible the best father figure I’ve seen on tv, let alone a kids tv show. he’s amazing.

the final scene right here is lovely. greg making steven a hot chocolate & listening to him vent, reassuring him over his worry for his future. this right here is exactly what steven needs. someone to talk to, someone he could trust to talk about his feelings to. this the start of his support system, tag on peri from in dreams, bis in bismuth casual as well as connie from the past few episodes & it’s already looking great! even when greg eased him about being there for him steven still feels guilty about him leaving his tour, leaving his tour because he got a phone call from connie about his son being in need & steven feels guilty about it. fucking hell man. I did enjoy how the episode ended though, with that little moment between the both of them;

“just get some rest kiddo. you don’t have to solve all of your problems in one night.”

“yea. thanks dad.”

it’s a great message too, all of your struggles can’t be dealt with all at once. I’ve used a similar analogy before but it’s like removing a dead tree. you have to deal with all of the little things surround this issue first before you get to the deep, harder stuff. along side the message about trauma they’re both very important messages, I’m glad they exist in the show.

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one more thing before I end my thoughts & feelings over growing pains.

this ending shot;

as soon as I saw the frog mug my mind raced back to the promo for this scene, & this whole moment to come entirely. if you remember this moment has the first set of leaked audio within it, the audio of the gems basically cornering steven about him not opening up to them. christ pearl even gets mad at him for his gem building a wall behind him, protecting him from them. it’s common knowledge, I hope, that steven’s gem reacts to his emotional state. pearl herself has said this;

“I think your gem is reacting to your state of mind.”

his gem building this wall? it felt like steven was being threatened by them. this scene now has awful connotations with it. because since we now know what the pink mode is doing to steven, how actually painful it is, think back to these;

yea. fuck the gems. I’ll let it slide if steven, greg or priyanka haven’t told them about what happened at the hospital. but if they do know, if they know how much it hurts steven being in his pink mode & still press into him about it I’ll see red. with steven’s trauma & now ptsd being cemented into the show I fucking hope garnet, amethyst & pearl get held accountable for what they put on him as a kid. that shit will not slide with me if they don’t. do not condone what the gems put him through. do not condone the gems for making steven feel like he had to be his mum for them. just… don’t. please.

[robron-til-the-end-of-time]

Just speculating from the Big night out video- Leyla kills/injures Maya & then has to stand trial? Billy stabs/attacks Ellis? I know Robron are not in focus here. But I am praying for 2 or 3 good scenes of Robert & Aaron supporting Victoria

I don’t think Maya’s dying, or not any time soon. There’s more (imo) fall out if she’s still there, saying “Jacob’s 16! He knows his own mind!” (please) and all her other brilliant manipulations. She’s just so evil, and I feel that she could die, but not right when it’s coming out. Needs time for the characters to really take in the enormity of it.

I have no interest in Billy v Ellis, because (at the moment) there’s nothing solid behind it besides childhood pettiness. Like… you want me to believe these two adults hate each other, give me something tangible. I also think it’s highly questionable that they continue to give Billy anger issues at the same time as trying to do the racial stereotypes story line, because that makes no sense to me? Like “here’s a bigot at the playground and why it’s unacceptable and completely wrong, and horrible.” Followed by “Billy lashes out, punches his brother and shouts at a 9 year old repetitively” is a bit of a weird one to me if they’re concerned with rep. It’s like they’re saying it’s wrong, but then he’s a violent ex con at the same time? That’s a weird set up for a black character in their only black family, but given that they HAVE ALREADY done that, I’d just take him all the way to pure evil. It’s the better braver story (I just don’t think Emmerdale have the balls to commit atm).

I think it would feel weird without a few robron-Vic scenes in some description?? In the aftermath at least. 

I do wonder if they continue to make Vic far more connected than she’s ever been (so isolated in 2017) to make this have more impact. Amy, Matty, Ellis, Billy (depending) they’re all people she didn’t have a year ago so could be a support.

I am interested, and I’m NOT HAPPY that I’m going to miss the hype of three episodes in two weeks time btw. Who knew Robert’s birthday would come up?!

[sometimesrosy]

The 100 Girl Chronicles season2

I asked her who her favorite characters are. “Still Clarke and Raven.” You said Octavia last time. “I did? Clarke and Raven.” Guy characters? “Bellamy or Finn-- wait, no, Jasper and Monty.” lol. Not surprised, they are very much more ‘kids’ than Finn or Bellamy.

She is shocked, SHOCKED at Mount Weather. “What the heck is going on here?” The dinner part confused her.

“Bellamy!” He’s alive.

“Where’s too much bronzer girl?” lol. She says she’ll never remember her name. “you chuckle every time I call her that.”

Raven shoots the grounder, “good job Raven!” She laughs when Murphy says, “I woulda shot me too.”

Dante gives Clarke the fancy clothes and Ivy goes, “Ew.” You don’t like the fancy clothes? “Too fancy.” Clarke picks up the heels. “She don’t know how to walk in those.” Clarke breaks the heels. “OH! Lol. She’s so smart!” Sees her in the jogging clothes instead. “See, that’s her.”

On Mount Weather, “Don’t trust it. Don’t trust it for a second. Too good to be true. And she knows that.”

Ivy does NOT believe in MW. “They’re NOT looking for survivors.”

Jasper eating chocolate cake. Ivy, “Me! Me!”

She is totally with Clarke. “Definitely not a prisoner.

(why does everyone think Maya is a wimp? She figured out Clarke’s game and went after her and pulled a gun on her. Maya is not given enough credit.)

Oh. Raven and Murphy, let’s see if Ivy’s opinion on him changes. She has said nothing.

“Oh Bellamy,” now captured. Monroe and Sterling rush the warrior and he get shot. “Bwahaha” she just SCREAMED, “KANE!” now she stood up and yelled KOWABUNGA!. “Where’s Abby?”

Who’s your favorite adult? “Abby.”

Bellamy attacks Murphy. “BELLAMY!” she yells. Kane places him under arrest. “WHAT?”

She just saw the Lincoln memorial and figured out that this is in DC.

“Clarke don’t eat it. Clarke. I wouldn’t eat it. My guard would not let down. She’s still going to try to escape.”

next episode

Kane tells Bellamy that he’s not trained. Ivy, offended, “He’s not trained?! HE’S NOT TRAINED?!!” She fully supports Clarke’s suspicions of MW. Also she’s reaffirmed her favorites. “Monty, Jasper, Clarke and Raven and maybe Octavia.” So the boys are too dumb. “Yeah.” lol. Your honor, Rosy is leading the witness.

She likes the new opener with the landscapes. “Oh. Ooh. I like this.”

She thinks Jaha is imagining the baby.

She begs a question. Does Raven end up walking again? I give her that. Yes. Does she end up in a wheelchair? There’s no wheelchair. She’s not asking the right questions.

(dudes Dante’s gaslighting Clarke. She did see a bullet wound. they go so far as to stab a dead body with an arrow. Make her doubt her own judgement. But she’s right. Ivy was angry at the arrow Tsing showed Clarke, so I explained gaslighting to her.)

“Is Jaha going to go down in a little space pod?”

“Is that a real baby?” blink blink blink. “MOOM. How about this. I get one question about the plot per season.”

You just asked about Raven’s legs. “I know. I hate myself.”

Octavia threatens Nyko to save Lincoln. “SNAP! Good job Octavia.” My daughter yells a lot.

Jasper is telling Clarke to stop being a troublemaker so they don’t get kicked out and she is ranting about how they’re prisoners. I ask, still like Jasper? “yeah. But he’s stupid right now.”

Thelonious floating through space and his helmet cracks. “Me not worried,” helmet visor cracks open.”Never mind. THE BABY! AHH.” “Wait. There is no baby. Where is the baby? Is he hallucinating. He’s hallucinating.” Wells shows up. “I thought he was hallucinating the first time.” She did.

“I wasted my one question on that little thing” you have more questions? “So many more.”

Clarke rips her stitches out and we’re all like I can’t watch that. “CLARKE! CLARKE!” “Why is she doing that?” btw, i’m the one that can’t watch it.

I just told her that Indra survives, and she’s like “so she’s not the worst ever. is she a good or bad. SHOOT.”

Ivy sang a little song about Clarke. “She’s smarter and stronger than you think. She’ll punch you in the face with a spike heel.”

how do you get my daughter to stop talking through a show? Show her grounders hanging upside down being bled.

GASP! “Too much bronzer girl!!!! I mean Anya. I know her name. I’m joking with you.”

Abby let the prisoners out. Ivy thinks Bellamy was doing the right thing. Because they were taught to fight. Bellamy was just getting his revenge. (Is that the right thing? I ask her) YEP, and Bellamy has changed.

Murphy-Finn rescue mission. “Do I get a gun?” Murphy asks. Ivy says. “You get a stick.” two seconds later, he’s got rocks. “click click click, lol.”

“Want Monty should do is think, ‘what would Clarke do?’”

Kane sentences Abby to lashes, and Ivy goes, “I though you said he was  GUD.” aka good. “This is not how you run a place.”

Finn beating the grounder who tells them where their friends are. “no they aren’t.” Now Byrne is holding a grounder at gunpoint. “He isn’t going to answer. He’s just like Lincoln and Anya.”

Maya tells Jasper and Monty about Clarke being in psych ward and Monty doesn’t buy it. “There he goes. Monty has hit his inner Clarke.”

“THEY  JUST CALLED HER A PRISONER.” They did. The mountain men caught her in the tunnels. Anya saved her. That dam. “That doesn’t look good. Jump Clarke. Jump Clarke! Jump. Clarke. Clarke! Jump! There she goes. Wait. She can’t swim! I totally forgot that.”

Bellamy and Murphy are discussing killing the grounder/execution, “what’s happened to you?” murphy asks Bellamy then Finn executes him. “FINN!”

Tsing has the grounders under the mountain. “LINCOLN!”

Many Happy Returns (I’m trying to get her to take a break. she won’t. we’re waiting for guests who will probably be late. so she’s banking on them not being here until after this episode.) But this is one of my favorite episodes.

“Careful whatever your name is,” as he climbs over the cliff. Sterling. “Careful Sterling. How long does Sterling live?” won’t tell her. “Grab the rope. Oh. Bye Sterling.” That’s why I didn’t tell her. “I figured.”

Anya bites the tracker out of her arm. Ivy hides. My uncle has joined us. “That’ll do,” he says. My mom told him how she can’t watch this show because it’s too intense all the time. He sits down to watch. lol.

omg it’s the bellamy over the cliff scene. one of the best. Murphy “don’t worry Bellamy I won’t drop ya.”

Ivy laughs every time Raven says something sarcastic. Mocking Wick for his damn brace. She loves Raven. “What is she doing? Is she gonna climb that with one leg? Raven’s being du-umb. god Raven.”

Bellamy is falling. “I knew that was going to break.” The grounders. The warning horn. “Lincoln! Anya! is there fog or no fog. They know what that is.” Stop talking and watch. “It was Octavia. Octavia took Lincoln’s horn!”

(Jaha, “It’s the black knight. It’s a game that teaches long term strategy.” All the chess metaphors. The narrative. Long term strategies. Damn you JR.)

Bellamy gives Murphy a gun. “Uh... i don’t trust him.”

Anya and Clarke fight. “What did she do?” stuck her finger in her wound, hit her in the head with a skull, punched the daylights out of her. “that’s what Anya would have done.” helium beacon. “It’s Raven!”

“We fell from space in a football stadium, I think they know we’re here.” repeating favorite lines.

Anya gets shot. She JUST now thinks to ask when Anya dies. “watch the show.” This show. You don’t like a character until they are about to kill them. Then they kill them and you’re like Nooooooooooooo.

Clarke sees Abby. She thought Abby was dead. Ivy says she thought Finn and Bellamy was dead. Clarke tells Abby she thought they were dead. “Told ya.”

Here comes the Bellarke hug. Watching like  hawk. Clarke runs up and hugs Bellamy and Ivy gasps and smiles. “Where’s Finn.” But no commentary otherwise. “Nobody cares about Murphy.” (guests are here. I DON”T WANT TO TURN OFF THE 100!!! I had to warn the guests, who have all seen The 100, not to give her spoilers, because I don’t trust her not to weasel hints out of other people.) We stop right before the TonDC massacre. ouch.

[fibonacciflower6]

Reminded today of a car accident I had on valentine’s day in 2016. Shortly after I began praying to the demigod Ganesh and asked him to remove all obstacles in the way of me experiencing true love. Super interesting dynamics which I am reflecting on and making sense of again today, all showing me how this crazy life is just a reflection of God’s master plan for us. I can somewhat see how I have been lead since I surrendered, and the incredibly masterful and creative way that Krsna directs our lives and brought me to his Lotus feet. Because there is no higher love than love of God.

I wanted to be an artist, and that was more self-serving and immature. I would have been leading people into spaces full of sinful and de-spiritualised activity in this way. The people in the Fine Art world are mostly indulging in sense enjoyment and material exploitation in a way that is not useful to the world or spiritual life. This was the path I was going down when I was in Maya, before I became awakened to a higher truth and began to live a spiritual life.  In Maya we live a life for sensory pleasures, a life of illusion and suffering.

In spiritual life we find a deeper truth, and deeper bliss - that of the soul, and we can see through illusion, and live to serve a higher purpose in creating positive change through service to spiritual life and spiritual people. Now I want to be an art teacher, which is more natural - serving, and more selfless.I can remember God in this work everyday, and really help people everyday. I will be working in purer energies, children are such good and pure clean energy, and have a platform to ACTUALLY make positive change by guiding the youth to become better adults - not pretend to be making change in a space that is actually just full of false ego and still within demonic sense enjoyment (art galleries & the art scene - where you think you are doing something important but it never even really leaves the gallery, or truly changes anyone for the better.)

Krsna has been so merciful to intensely purify me over this time while I have been practicing yoga - the purest healing art. It’s like when I was younger, studying sound engineering, and I wanted to be a DJ. The false ego would dictate that by putting some few lyrics with spiritual suggestions into my mixes, that I am doing something good for people and for the world, but it is completely Maya - illusion. False. Actually, by not being lazy and making some effort, I should have continued to make my own live music, with my own lyrics speaking and sharing truth, on a much more mature and effective platform to use music to bring change. I could then create those platforms, specific events, specific representations of myself and my work and choosing where I feature. Even teaching music to children and teaching them some good moral values, which I have learned from a good moral teaching that is verified and not made up by some arrogant buffoon or false Guru.

If I was thinking I would be making a change in a nightclub or trance party, I would still be deep in illusion and demonic behaviour - since these are the spaces where people are being lead far out of spiritual life into Maya behaviour - selfish sense gratification, intoxication and drug abuse, cultural appropriation, and misleading and lowly forms of ‘spiritual’ behaviour which is not true or effective and more false ego and self-serving. I would be leading people into spaces full of dark and selfish energies and habits of abuse and addiction. This is not helping anyone or the world. I would take the bad karma for facilitating that.

Osho used to be my Guru when I was deep in a stage of ignorance and finding ways to justify my selfish ways of sense gratification. He began to lead me down a good-ish path by encouraging mediation, but his teachings are not pure and not everything he says is verified and true - I can vouch for learning that the hard way. For example, his teachings led me to exploit and not respect my body as a woman, by encouraging open sex, he is unaware of the violent representations of women and rape culture in today’s society.

He commercialised the sacred practice of Guru and disciple relationship, polluting the pure lineage of spiritual knowledge and stopping many people from actually discovering this path and the incredible magic there is behind it.

I was fortunate enough to come along a line of disciplic succession which is actually bonafide, verified and true - so you know what the Guru gives is legit information, from the sacred texts and will ACTUALLY guide you to a higher path and not lead you back into Maya, or give you the lowest kind of realisation in which you think you are God, you think you are liberated, but you are not - and waste your life away behaving just like everyone else who is the problem with the world, selfish and unnatural. I am actually healing, I am actually coming closer to Krsna, and blessed enough to be experiencing the miracles that higher love and real spiritual life brings. It’s sad to see so many people lost in false versions of this, when the real thing is so accessible and loving.

I am grateful to have moved on and up in my life, to have found an actual real spiritual family and organisation that is giving the best pure love and knowledge and am on my way to continue growing and improving in this life, and living balanced, healthy and good spiritual life in the company of ACTUAL good and beautiful souls, not a bunch of selfish false ego people. I am so grateful for the love and support and tolerance I receive on a daily basis here. It is so amazing to have found people who are actually creating something good and care and work to help each other. I am so grateful to once again be able to look forward to a brighter future.

I am so grateful for my realisations and growth. I am so grateful for my spiritual life and deepening bliss and capacity for love. I am so grateful for being able to learn how to balance spiritual and material life, grow in positive independance, learn true self-empowerment and have the wisest helping hands when necessary. I was going to live a much lower life before I came home! Onward & Upward <3

I am so grateful to be learning the tools to actually effectively and really help others in life and be the change for a more positive world. Even though it’s Kali yug, and the world is quite a fucking mess, I am being equipped with the tools to be protected, create positive change where I can, and be a vessel of pure light and love.

I wish everyone I have loved could experience and trust this movement, but many think it is a crazy cult and I totally get that from the outside - I even thought it for long while inside. My family, my friends, past lovers, it would give them everything they need to be themselves in the best possible way. One doesn’t need to stay inside or follow it completely striclty, but everyone should go through the phase of purifying and building a solid foundation with what is taught here, sacrificing some things and time to refine oneself to become the best possible version of themselves. Temple life is the easiest way to do it, as everything is provided for you. Even traveling through India by myself for 5 months couldn’t do what the knowledge and devotees in this temple have done for me, it’s the real deal!

<3

All glories to my Guru’s (now btw Kadamba Kanana Swami and bhakti Charu Swami) and Srila Prabhupad

[endlessarchite]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

[amplepower]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) posted first on findqueenslandelectricians.blogspot.com

[truereviewpage]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) published first on http://ift.tt/2qCHnUt

[interiorstarweb]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) published first on http://ift.tt/2uiWrIt

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Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) http://ift.tt/2uT4nDS

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

[lukerhill]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Curious, who's your favorite Persona MC?

(sorry for taking so long with this too ;w;) Including spinoffs, manga, and anime (not dramaCDs cause I haven’t listened to all of them tho I should note I do like the P3P one, both male and female side, nor novels cause....they haven’t been translated....tho that’d really only apply to P1MC’s novel form aka “Jihei”). I also don’t know where to put Anime!Ren, probably after P1MC if “Ren is kind of just their” fan’s testament is anything to go by.

Hamuko/P4MC/Souji/Maya>Naoya/Tatsuya/Moive!Makoto>Spinoff!Yu/Spinoff!Makoto>P3MC/Minato/Akira>Raito!Ren/Daybreakers!P5MC>P1MC>>>>Anime Golden!Yu>>>>>>Anime!Yu>>>>>>>>P5MC

Under the cut for explanation

I should note main games (P1-5), I like all MCs except for P5MC. And Hamuko includes P3P and PQ2 tbh. Btw I think Maya and Tatsuya are equally great, at that point it’s just preference I like playing as Maya more, but I still love Tatsuya.

For the first quadrant (P2 I’ll just say Maya/Tatsuya are both well written with clear character as both silent MCs and side characters, but their MC form allows a bit of choice....not a whole lot cause they are pretty solidified characters, but their characters are great regardless): The reason I like Hamuko and P4MC is....because....they have a lot of personality and a lot of choice. Like....you can really form them any which way you want, make them consistent or contradictory, a good person or an asshole. Each dialogue voice is clear, they are also the two MCs that can effect their story the most (at least with their SLs). It’s a joy playing as them. As for Souji, I just really like the manga a lot, like he starts off pretty there but slowly he opens up and we see his past and he uses it to relate to people around him (and what little establishing perspective in the early chapters show something similar to an Adachi mindset and it’s just really nice to see that his character really DOES show how Adachi’s life could’ve turned out if he had a support system, it really does a good job just.....establishing just that parallel). Is the P4 manga perfect? Nah, nothing is, but I think it’s the better of the two Sogabe works.

For the 2nd quadrant (already talked about P2 above):  Naoya? Great, really good character, really gave him a lot of personality! P1 manga feels like it lacks in developing/completing arcs outside of Naoya and Maki, but Naoya and Maki? Great! Makoto Yuki? I really liked his character, while the movies can be a bit shaky in the middle (and I wish he was still a little more stoic in the 2nd one), I really like how he went from emotionless asshole to actually caring about his friends and his own well being!

3rd Quadrant: Spinoff Yu and Makoto, I think they are pretty solid, not super amazing (might put Makoto above Yu tbh but ehhhh I’m pretty even), but they are consistent. And when I mean spinoffs I mean where they talk not their silent forms in PQ1 (cause man they have two gears, nice and asshole....but then again PQ1 everyone is kind of an asshole for some reason 8U at least it’s consistent). Yu’s a bit of an airhead, but he feels like a capable leader and tbh feels very similar to Souji (not 100% Souji, but much closer to Souji than Anime!Yu is to Game!Yu, plus tbh Souji has some silly moments too so I can’t say he got it only from Anime!Yu).

4th Quadrant: So like I like Minato’s name more, but his manga is a bit all over the place. His personality is....hmmmm kinda just their? I mean I still believe him to be a capable leader, but he feels more just their (possibly commentary that...like....plot’s happening all around the P3MC off screen? which I’ll give some points for). That being said he does have some funny moments, and I do get a sense of “not really caring to caring about friends and his surroundings” journey from him (it’s not as apparent or drastic or interesting as Makoto Yuki but it’s there). As for Akira.....at least for the first two dungeons, I actually really like him? Like it took a bit to look past the.....expression....struggle art (it’s not great with facial expressions ok? I dunno what to call it), but after looking past it I saw something. He’s really a 100% just a giant freaking n00b. They all are! And.....I LOVE IT! I hate how P5 it feels like “oh yeah we’re so freaking cool! look at how freaking cool they are! gawd we just instantly get cool!” And like, P5 manga has it’s cool moments of course, but after the initial summoning it’s like “oh shit they actually are just winging it and they are owning the fact they don’t know what they are doing and aren’t really trying to act like they are hot shit” (cause PT aren’t hot shit but act like they are in every interpretation except for this one, and it’s endearing because of it). I mean I don’t like his name, I prefer Ren’s name, but I prefer Akira’s interpretation the most. As for P3MC, I do like him, and in all honesty I dunno if I should be putting Minato/Akira on the same level, nor P3MC/Minato on the same level. While I value P3MC, he is a bit boring to play as, mostly in part due to his SLs. He does have some funny moments, and I think while he might not be a total jokester, he def is a lot more fluid in interpretation than I feel a lot of people will allow him to be. I think he can be fairly open, maybe not as bombastic as FeMC might take it, or as extroverted as P4MC, but I don’t think he’s 100% grim dark emo boi everyone makes him out to be. But compared to FeMC/P4MC, he doesn’t have as much variety as them, on top of his lines being pretty generic (I mean he has a voice tho, but the dialogue isn’t all that crazy a lot of the times......well unless you went 100% asshole route, but you don’t want to go that route, you will screw yourself if you go that route cause of how his SLs work 8U)

5th Quadrant: Raito does a good job with Ren in both Mementos Missions and his anthology chapter in the first anthology book (tho he wasn’t called Ren or anything in that chapter I don’t think). Raito  gives him character, gives us some background regarding his issues with adults (not canon, and mostly in the anthology comic, but it’s something), and tbh it’s just all around better than the game. That being said.....he’s.....I like Raito, and I’m having fun, and I like their art, but I still just don’t.....really care about Raito!Ren.....I’m just not super into him. As for Daybreakers!P5MC, he has a bit of a different personality, a bit more of a “I don’t really care” personality....which I’d probably wouldn’t like considering how I feel about P5MC proper, but his “I don’t care” is more of a “Rip to me, cross that burning bridge when I get to it I guess. XP” than “I’m confessing to you but I’m like super checked out and don’t really look like I care” feel the P5MC game gives me. We don’t really spend a whole lot of time with him sadly, but what we do see is fun (in a similar vein to Mementos’ Missions). Him and his team are.....weird in personality tho, I mean I can’t say I hate it, but it’s not like the game or any other adaptation, and I wish we could see more of it expanded on. It’s just a weird dynamic and personality that I can’t just outright say I dislike cause it’s not really developed enough.....

6th/7th Quadrant: P1MC.....nothing really bad about him tbh, but from what I’ve played and remember from P1.....he is the most true and 100% blank slate MC out there. I think that’s the point of him tho (cause even the ending is “you come up with what happens to him”). And I can’t/don’t hate on it, but it’s not exactly super duper fun to play as him cause he doesn’t have a variety of options like FeMC/P4MC (or even P3/5MC), but he also doesn’t have a super duper defined personality like Maya/Tatsuya. I don’t hate him tho! Just.....eh I’ll stick to the manga or any other adaptation. Golden Anime!Yu.....From what I remember and seen of the anime, he was generally a good guy, uber goofy but nice. That’s....all..... I mean I can’t hate on him too much, his anime doesn’t allow him to do a lot of things cause it’s just a string of OVAs tbh.

8th/9th Quadrant: Sigh......oh.......Geez.....I really hate first anime!Yu....a lot, I mean the anime and Anime!Yu have....their good moments, they have some REALLY GOOD moments.....but they also have some REALLY BAD “this wasn’t in the game, this is totally conflicting with the game what are you doing????” Moments. The biggest is his personality, he’s an asshole. They have him choose a lot of asshole comments but instead of.....being treated as an asshole for saying it, everyone is like “Oh ok :P Lol you da best dude!” and moves on (and this is reflected in how they mishandle A LOT of the what should be serious moments in the anime, and I say should because they were serious in the game, sure characters might’ve been uncomfortable but they didn’t risk the lives of people to make jokes and such). I think he’s an asshole, I do not like him, I really hate this adaptation a lot. As for P5MC? I ranked him lower but tbh they could just be tied for all I care, the issue is I have to spend more time with this jerk than Anime!Yu (and at least Anime!Yu has a freaking voice and has some good moments). But I’ve already gone over my issues with P5MC.

I basically prioritize either freedom of a silent MC, or the quality of their personality if their personality is more solidified (both points are more aimed at the games, specifically silent MCs). And then how I like the character as a character in adaptations (aka if I think they are an asshole, and the context of that universe allows them to get away with it or they’re just really unlikeable.....then yeah I won’t like them....I bring up the extra explanation on this cause I DO like some asshole characters, but that’s usually cause they are 1) acknowledged as an asshole, and 2) there’s some other world building factor at play, maybe everyone in that world is an asshole ala MPGIS/Panty and thus equal and Stocking, or they get their just deserts for being an asshole ala Victoria in Life is Strange, still can’t explain why I’m fascinated with this jerk but I am, but Yu and P5MC don’t fit under those two exceptions and thus I do not like them), there can be other reasons I don’t like a character, it’s a case by case basis tbh. 8U

So there’s my essay, maybe it’ll change when I re-read the mangas or re-watch the animes.

Oh wait...I forgot Shin and Kazumi (PTS and P2 manga MCs)....uhhhh put them with Spinoff!Yu/Makoto, they’re solid from what I remember. Might move them later.

[vincentbnaughton]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it��s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

[woodcraftor]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) posted first on http://ift.tt/2qOPBf9

[statusreview]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) published first on http://ift.tt/2r6hzQy

[truereviewpage]

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING)

When we were visiting the Bowers this weekend, we shared some fleeting photos of a super adorable kids bookstore on Instagram stories. Then we got a barrage of messages and comments to the tune of: PLEASE DO A POST ABOUT THIS STORE SO IT WON’T BE GONE IN 24 HOURS! So here we are, with those photos (and some more we didn’t share on IG) for anyone who’s looking for some fun kids room ideas. Or adult room ideas. We all LOVED this place so much. It’s in Monroe, Georgia and it’s called The Story Shop – and it’s the cutest bookstore we’ve ever seen. You think I’m exaggerating with that description but in the words of Hamilton: just you wait.

See that grand bookcase, library ladder, and globe collection? It’s like all of the elements of a cool old library executed in a fresh and playful way. And we loved that happy aqua accent wall (try Benjamin Moore’s Misty Teal for a similar look – just on one wall, a door, or a piece of furniture to avoid overwhelming a room). But my favorite part of this store’s entry was that little old TV under the pink side table. Written on it in white were the words “read instead.”

The other thing that caught my eye right away was this wallpaper which is Wild by Chasing Paper (yes, I asked a million questions while walking around with my mouth open). It’s peel & stick, so it’s removable and they said it was really easy to hang. It’d be so cute in a kids room on the wall behind the bed. I also loved those colorful animal heads (this one and this one) that they painted in bright colors and then added funny things (glasses! a crown! a mustache!). And of course the handmade sign with literary locales was just one of many clever book references throughout the store.

Speaking of magical book references, look at this armoire, er, wardrobe that LEADS TO A HIDDEN ROOM! Kids could climb right through it and it was SUCH A HIT. Let the record state that grown ups were doing it too. Fun for the whole family. Also – we’ve actually seen an armoire like this in a grown up bedroom space that led to a secret closet and it was equally mesmerizing. Just a really fun and unexpected idea for a home or a shop.

I realize this begs the question: what’s behind the wardrobe? It wasn’t lions or witches, but there was a whale involved. It led to their storytelling room, which was ridiculously fun. And it was really smart of them to fill the big space with two identical rugs (I tracked down the exact rugs they used) rather than to have to splurge on (or maneuver) one giant rug for the room.

Speaking of secret spaces, there was also a little round Hobbit hole door that led to a tiny play space for kids to hang out in. I remember a children’s clothing store growing up that had a little hole for kids to enter through instead of the main door and I LOVED GOING (and I hated every other clothing store by comparison). We actually featured a home in our second book with a secret “mousehole” passageway between two kids’ rooms that I’m still thinking about three years after we shot it (it’s on page 302, btw).

Here’s another shot of that hobbit hole in use, and you can also see some other fun touches, like that awesome brick wall they swarmed with butterflies (something we also did in our playroom!) and the felt garland they strung from a piece of driftwood (I think this is the garland they used, but Etsy has tons of other options). Oh and see Peter Pan’s shadow? They didn’t miss a single opportunity to add in little storybook nods wherever they could.

Our kids (there were 6 of ’em between us and the Bowers!) immediately found their way to the swing that the store (bravely) hung in one corner. Everyone managed to take turns, mostly peacefully, and no one knocked over the incredible peaked bookcase village that displayed stories from all over the world – so I’d call that a win. You could easily DIY a little “cityscape” of bookcases like this, or purchase pre-made ones like this and this to recreate it on a smaller scale.

Also… hanging books. Do you see them suspended from the ceiling by strings? They had bent their pages like origami so they stayed fanned open, kind of like these. They were so much fun to look at from below (and they gave me flashbacks to the most recent season of Orange Is The New Black, which was so good you guys). Also those books in the foreground stole my heart. Especially this one about Frida Kahlo and this one about Maya Angelou.

They sold a few little toys, costumes, and t-shirts, so you’d figure they’d have hanging racks or rods or something for the clothing. NOPE. Colorful chairs hung from the wall. With Humpty Dumpty balancing on one of them. Because that’s how they roll.

Also, back to the big bookcase from the first picture. All of the art in the store had some sort of literary reference in it (including these Baby Lit prints they sold) which added to the whole “reading is fun” vibe of the place. And who noticed the rose in the cloche on the bookcase with the ladder? BELLE, right?! I’m telling you, there were so many cute hidden gems like that in here. Also, see the Cheshire Cat disappearing into that chair in the corner? They just ironed a mouth right onto the chair. These people could not have put more thought into this space. I know I’m gushing, but they deserve every last gush.

Here’s a close up of the rainbow books on the shelf. This little lineup of hardcover classic books by Puffin made my heart ache for a collection of my very own. Also, the Penguin ones below them. I might even let the kids read them too ;)

THEY EVEN FRIGGIN’ MADE GIANT PAPER FLOWERS like the queen’s roses that were painted in Alice In Wonderland. I mean. At this point I might have been hyperventilating.

Oh and see that room off to the right in the photo above? That’s the party room. Kids (and grown ups!) can have parties here and let me tell you, THEY DO NOT PHONE IT IN. The one they were prepping for was Peter Pan themed, and the table was full of sweet references, like thimbles in a bowl labeled “Kisses From Wendy” and a ticking clock like the one a certain crocodile swallowed. They also do Alice In Wonderland and other themes. I’m a 35-year-old woman and I want a party there now. “I want a feast! I want a bean feast!” (name that movie… based on a book, of course).

I also loved all of the twinkle lights they hung overhead (who says you can’t do that in a kids room – or your own room?!). Those plus the “grass” on the wall and the string lights made this whole room feel like an outdoor courtyard. Or perhaps a tea party with a certain mad host.

Also, THIS CHAIR. I can’t. I just can’t.

No wait, THIS CHAIR. Nothing makes my heart go pitter patter like a hand-carved bunny (let the record state that ten minutes before seeing this chair I never knew that was my thing).

Even the back of the store was witty and charming. Have you ever seen a more clever way to keep customers out of the employees-only area?

Bonus footage: I did my best Belle impression while Katie stole a chance to rest her feet. I know how to act in public, I swear. “No denying she’s a funny girl that Bellllllle.”

So if you’re ever passing through Monroe, Georgia or if you live nearby I hope you have a chance to see The Story Shop for yourself. Even if you don’t live very close, this place is totally road-trip worthy! And when we shared some pics on Instagram we actually heard from the designer, whose name is Stephanie Cannon, and get this – she reads our blog and listens to our podcast (!!!!!). She was so sweet and actually saw us when we were in Monroe, so it was really funny because she thought she was fangirling us, but you guys, I AM TOTALLY FANGIRLING HER.

PS: John here, and now for a minor public service announcement to end this bookish post – please support your local independent bookstores. They may not be as cheap or easy to shop at as Amazon or B&N, but we’ve all seen a certain documentary called You’ve Got Mail, right? All kidding aside, we try to make it a habit of purchasing from great stores like these so that there can continue to be great stores like these. Okay, off my soapbox!

*This post contains affiliate links*

The post Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) appeared first on Young House Love.

Kids Room Ideas From The Cutest Kids Bookstore Ever (Really, It’s AMAZING) published first on http://ift.tt/2qCHnUt