#asoundesign

1) make a banner hanging from a piece of driftwood or mini flags saying 'give thanks', 'grateful' or 'happy thanksgiving' for the mantle or wall. using anything from brown paper bags to fabric or burlap along with some stencils and paint for a creative greeting for your guests. 2) bring the outside in with your centerpiece by combining lots of fresh greens, flowers and vegetables like squash, beets, artichokes, or eggplant. give plain wine glasses a new look with gold paint for festive glassware. 3) make a give thanks wall by painting leaves, either the whole leaf or dip part of them for an ombre look, then take a sharpie and write what you're thankful for. 4) using twigs and sticks from your own backyard, take glue that adheres to glass such as Uhu Twist & Glue and place the twigs all around the outside of the votive holder and/or tie with twine. 5) create one of a kind candles by carving out apples or pumpkins and placing a votive inside. with larger sized pumpkins you can carve out the bottom half of the pumpkin and fill it with ice for a DIY ice bucket to keep beverages cold. 6) use chalkboard paint to create a serving board to serve an array of cheese and crackers. 7) make place cards for each of your guests by using a pinecone and a name card or take the give thanks wall idea and use a single painted leaf and write their name on it. even fresh rosemary tied with twine and a tag adds to the look of the place setting. 8) wrap your utensils with twine and sprigs of rosemary, leaves or berries for a real organic, harvest feel. 9) cut a portion of a toliet paper roll and cover with your favorite colored or printed paper for napkin rings that reflect your style. 10) change it up by making mini fruit pies in short mini mason jars. put a name on them or create a fun take home box with a label on it for them. love this free printable "I'll see you at midnight" pie box label! whatever your plans are for Thanksgiving, think outside the box with your holiday decorating by using nature and items you already own and elevating them. let your creativity flow to make for a memorable holiday! recipe for mini mason jar pies

Electro-pop track, "You're The One For Me" from Brooklyn duo, Great Good Fine Ok is the perfect song to represent lots of colors and lots of choices. As synths wash over falsetto vocals it flashes to memories of summer and everything that goes along with it. I'll definitely take that in the middle of November and all year 'round. Now, i just hope I can paint a straight line while I'm dancing around the room to this track!

Here's and excerpt from "Psychotropical / Psychoerotic" c30 + c50 double cassette box released 2009 by 905 Tapes

RE-MIX + RE-INVENT In music we have so many different genres popping up from folktronica, electropop, neo-psychedelia to chillwave. The same goes for home design. Rustic glam, modern vintage, industrial, retro surf. The list, like for music goes on and on. The best part of this is the eclectic, unique, personalized look that comes with it. It's just like listening to your favorite song as a re-mix or that band with the perfect blend of genres that make up all your favorites. To obtain this, it takes a little out of the box, creative kind of thinking along with leaving the fear of messing up at the door. This may take some moving around here and there, changing this or that, but when you're done it will be a space that reflects your style. Take a chance on pairing not so ordinary color combos such as green + pink, violet + gold or sky blue + deep red. And it doesn't just stop with color! Mix patterns with pillows, throws and rugs. Use patterns of different scale and with colors that don't compete against one another. To ensure it doesn't get too overloaded, throw in a little white or neutral shade for some breathing room. Take metal accessories or chairs and mix in wood pieces, chunky ones with streamlined, edgy accessories against a soft hue on the walls. It's all about creating a little juxtaposition in the space. Your space is your own remix song, make it one that you will want to have on repeat!

Soundscape: "Don't Give Up"- Washed Out Since it's Tuesday release, Paracosm, from Washed Out has been on some serious repeat. Ernest Greene has stepped slightly away from chillwave to a more organic sound on this record. He gives us layered, textured melodic sounds worthy of a summer adventure from mountain tops to sandy beaches. Whatever you have planned this weekend, playing this record will take it to a new level. Ones with birds chirping and harps playing in the background. A perfect summer soundtrack.

Soundscape: "Keep You"- Wild Belle Not only do siblings Elliot and Natalie Bergman of indie band, Wild Belle originally hail from my city of Chicago, but their debut album, Isles, has been on repeat and couldn't be more patio perfect. So many times bands try to combine genres that are as long as some of my grocery lists and it doesn't always work, but Wild Belle's addictive combo is a perfect, breezy summer blend. A fusion of calypso, jazz, reggae, and pop with Bergman's vocals worthy of soundtracking a Mad Men episode, it is sure to make your patio party mix and be playing all summer long.

Soundscape: "Compliment Your Soul" - Dan Croll As you go layer by layer putting the components to your new(ish) bed together, a once mundane task now becomes exciting. As you anticipate your retreat to it, put on this song. Then put it on again when you wake up and make the bed. If making your bed doesn't give you enough good vibes to get your day started right, this song definitely will!

If you're like me, music does more than just provide background sound. If you're lucky you really feel it. You connect with it and it connects you with others. A song can change your mood in an instant and in a live setting take it to a new level. The warm, full sound of an acoustic guitar or the pounding of a bassline, along with the energy from the artist and crowd is truly contagious. A certain song can motivate you to get out for that run, or can offer up images as if it's meant to soundtrack your life. It can even be a language spoken between two individuals that takes them to a place never thought possible. There were so many artists that released amazing music in 2012, and I am truly captivated and in awe of their work. It was hard to narrow down to my goal of just twenty songs. There is a top 20, but a total of 35 since I just couldn't help myself. Some of these artists I was lucky to see live and it made the love affair with their music even stronger. There are songs that while I listen I will always remember the person who gave me the recommendation, the ones that brought a tear to my eye, ones that made a bad day go to great because I couldn't help but dance to it, ones that made me feel strong like I could conquer the world, and songs that will always be attached to wonderful memories and I hope will provide new ones. These artists made songs that provided a soundscape for my work and shaped an image I snapped by giving it a story. Here are to the talented artists who made my 2012 a memorable and inspirational one. You are more than just music to my ears, but to my soul. 1. "Henrietta"- Yeasayer 2. "Close"- Sun Airway 3. "Time to Run"- Lord Huron 4. "Jigsaws Under the Clouds"- The Townhouses 5. "Nocturne"- Wild Nothing 6. "I'm Writing a Novel"- Father John Misty 7. "Tessellate"- Alt-J 8. "You Were Afraid"- Night Beds 9. "It's a War"- Blackbird Blackbird 10. "Leading Me Now"- The Tallest Man on Earth 11. "Til the Stars Burn Out"- The Candlepark Stars 12. "Dreams Today"- Efterklang 13. "Crest"- The Antlers 14. "Myth"- Beach House 15. "Kiss Me Crazy"- Bear In Heaven 16. "Warrior"- Kimbra 17. "Real Life"- Tanlines 18. "Unless You Speak From the Heart"- Porcelain Raft 19. "Palace Garden, 4AM"- Beat Connection 20. "Miracle" (Ghost Beach Cover)- TRAILS and WAYS "Rembihnutur"- Sigur Ros "Tides"- The XX "Chills"- Yellow Ostrich "Open Letter"- The Helio Sequence "Candles"- Daughter "Speak in Rounds"- Grizzly Bear "How Long Have You Known"- DIIV "Can't You See"- Steffaloo "Wildest Moments"- Jessie Ware "Hornets Nest"- Jonti "Real Boy"- La Sera "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"- Tame Impala "Goooo"- TNGHT "Thinkin Bout You"- Frank Ocean "Putty Boy Strut"- Flying Lotus