Fun Fact Friday: What is Pantone?

Pantone Inc. is a corporation headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey. They are best known for their Pantone Matching System (PMS), a color system used in a variety of industries, primarily printing.

 

Pantone colors are described by their allocated number (for example, "PMS 130"). PMS colors are almost always used in branding and have even found their way into government and military standards (to describe the colors of flags and seals). In January 2003, the Scottish Parliament refer to the "saltire" blue in the Scottish flag, as "Pantone 300".

 

 

The color reference numbers in this system contain two digits followed by a dash and four digits with either a TPX or TCX suffix. The six-digit number refers to the hue, chroma, and lightness which identifies each Pantone color. TPX: reference was printed on paper and TCX: indicates that it’s a dyed cotton.

 

 

I mainly use the Pantone TPX system.

This is what the TPX book looks like.

 

 

 

 

 

My colorist, Carol Casella, and I review each pattern and make slight and sometimes dramatic color changes to make it "bathroom friendly”.

 

See the small blocks at the bottom of this artwork.

This is how we communicate the colors in the pattern, to the printer.

 

 

 

Bacon (need I say more)

In my 47 years on this earth, I have yet to find a single food that can rival it. 
So indisputably delicious. 
It should be its own food group and we should need to eat it daily! 

 

2 weeks ago up at the cabin I prepared my traditional weekend breakfast of bacon & eggs.  I fried up a full pound of Oscars thick sliced bacon for the family.    

At the conclusion of breakfast, the boys asked if there was any left.  My reply, sadly, was no.  They went on the explain that they just needed one more small piece to make their "tummies happy".  


I swear, it’s like a drug, you always want just one more piece.  Oscar’s Smoke House in Warrensburg NY. (www.oscarsadksmokehouse.com) may have the best bacon I’ve had the pleasure of frying up. 

 

I’ve been trying to eat healthier (who isn’t??), and to make my 3 egg white omelet taste a little more like real food, I sprinkle in generous pinch of Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon. At only 25 calories per tablespoon, it’s a LOT of flavor, for not a lot of calories (or points if you’re in to that).


I also add it to a host of other dishes like soups, stews, and pasta sauces to add a burst of salty smokey flavor.

 

One of my Holiday Favorites!

From the classic "The year without a Santa Claus"

Here's Mr.Snow Miser/Mr.Heat Miser Song.  Can't wait for the boys to see it this year.

 

 

 

 

Fun Fact Friday: Ikat

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye. 

The word ikat derives from the Indonesian word mengikat 'to tie'.  Bindings, which resist dye penetration, are applied to the threads in the desired patterns and the threads are dyed. Alteration of the bindings and the dyeing of more than one color produce elaborate, multicolored patterns.

When all of the dyeing is finished the bindings are removed and the threads are ready to be woven into cloth.

 

Ikat spice - in store and on-line now

 

Ikat plume coffee - on-line February 2013

 

 

Ikat plume teal - on-line March 2013

  

 



Buy Big - Keep it Neat

Buying & Keeping Your Bulk Buys

what a clever way to store all that mayo I KNEW I had to have! 

(photo and copy - Martha Stewart Living, November 2004) 
    
It seems like a busy person's dream. One trip to a warehouse club -- a store where products are available in bulk to anyone with a membership card -- yields months' worth of food and household supplies. But there can be drawbacks. Basic annual fees average about $40, and not every item is a bargain, so comparison shopping is a must. Then there's the question of storage. Do you have room for two dozen rolls of paper towels? Here are tips for getting good deals, as well as for stashing your purchases -- all you need to be a savvy and satisfied bulk buyer.

Know Your Needs. 
Bulk items are only worth buying if you can use them before they expire. Consider shopping with a friend and splitting perishables such as meat and dairy products. 

Pay Attention to Prices
Warehouse price labels usually contain the purchase price as well as a unit price (for a product that may contain multiple items packaged together), which tells you how much you pay for a standard quantity (per ounce of oil, hundred-count aspirin, and so on). Both numbers might be prominently displayed; read the tag carefully so you aren't surprised at the register. For products you buy often, make a note of the unit price; you can compare it with prices at other stores in order to find the best deals.

Don't Buy on Impulse
Whether it's a jumbo container of your favorite snack or a rack of discounted DVDs, temptation can be found at every turn in warehouse clubs. You should always know what you're looking for before going in. Take stock of what you need in advance, make a list, and stick to it.

My First Post.

Hello World. 

Thanks for stopping by!  This is my blog.  I think it looks pretty spiffy.  I had a lot of terrific help and support creating it. I’ll share  my company, m.style, my family (me and the 3 men in my life), and all the stuff that comes with it.