This week on Design Crush:
Have you entered our EPICfail giveaway? You could win the prettiest Slope Ring to keep or gift.
We created a tasty Friendsgiving with the help of the Mealtime Movement.
A second giveaway! Enter to win something special for both you and a friend from Lamps Plus! Antoine Cordet‘s portraits and moody and perfect for November. You’re invited to my imaginary Thanksgiving! And trust me, it’s the best ever.
Take a virtual vacation with Stacie Green‘s mixed media art.
I gave my bar cabinet a little makeover with the help of some removable wallpaper and Walls Need Love.
Don’t you love Ben Skinner‘s Same Same series?!
Because this time of year is about picking your battles – Make or Buy: Advent Calendars.
Lately I feel like I’m being pulled in about ten different directions, and it’s really become the norm. Aside from needing to work on my work/life balance and learning to say no more often, I’ve also come to value what little free time I have. With that thought in mind and the idealisms of the holidays nearly upon us, I’ve tracked down twelve DIY advent calendars and twelve to buy. Because it’s really all about picking and choosing our battles, right?
Vancouver-based artist Ben Skinner is having fun with mixed media art. In his Same Same series Skinner creates bricks made from plaster and acrylic paint with classic sayings that use the same word twice. Think womp womp, oui oui, etc.
This Depression era kitchen cabinet has played a big role in my home as a bar cabinet. I love having a dedicated place to house all of my favorite barware and spirits, but the piece was in need of a little refresh since I first painted it glossy black a few years ago.
When Walls Need Love reached out about checking out their products I knew just what to experiment on. I’d toyed with the idea of wallpapering the interior of the cabinet ever since painting it, but to be honest I was nervous the pieces within might not pop as much if up against a pattern.
Walls Need Love has a fantastic selection of removable wallpaper, just the level of commitment I was looking for (RE: low). If I didn’t like the end result I could simply remove it and call it a day. To start I ordered samples of four designs – Vintage Nautical, Watercolor Cactus, Crazy Pineapples, and Retro Nouveau – and after much deliberation decided to go with the Retro Nouveau. While I thought I wanted something bright and large in scale, it turned out that the best fit for both the cabinet and my style was the smallest and most neutral.
The removable wallpaper itself was really easy to install. I measured and cut a length off of the roll (with a little extra for unforeseen errors), then removing about a foot of the backing paper at a time started at the top and made my way down. I used a wooden ruler to smooth out any bubbles as I went. Lining up a smaller pattern like this isn’t the easiest when it comes to other adding other pieces of paper, but I made my way slowly and used a razor blade to trim off any excess. Overall I’m really pleased with how easy this little makeover was, and with the impact it makes in my dining room. Removable wallpaper is so versatile, I can’t wait to try out some other home projects of different scale with it.
This post sponsored by Walls Need Love. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Design Crush create fresh content!
By looking at Stacie Green‘s mixed media art you can tell she finds great peace and meditation within each one as it’s created. Her love of textiles and Southeast Asia is evident as is her wanderlust. And now Stacie has a shop full of art up for the buying – do you think those properties might transport over? I hope so.
I look forward to these imaginary holiday dinners every single year, and this Thanksgiving feast is no exception. This year, in reality, I’ll be hosting ten for the big day and am looking forward to pulling out the serving pieces that aren’t used nearly often enough as well as my trusty white dinnerware that goes with everything. However, this is how the day would look if I set the table and cooked every single thing I want to make!
The moment guests set foot in my home I want to pass them a beverage or cocktail to set a tone of jovial relaxation. I find that having the makings of between three and six cocktails on hand is a good amount, that along with the usual bar staples should have you set for the day’s events.
Next I want them to take a second and notice some of the more subtle touches I’ve thought about. The muted palette, the mentions of togetherness and being thankful, the scents in the air. I don’t want to overdo it, because we all know Thanksgiving is all about the food and the table.
No one wants to wait around until dinnertime to start eating, so making sure there are plenty of appetizers sitting around to snack on is a big deal. Again, I like to stick with the three to six rule. This Thanksgiving I decided to keep things seasonal by sticking to recipes that include staples like turkey, cranberry, and sweet potatoes.
This year I’ve put a lot of emphasis on the table, with plenty of ceramics, woods, and metals covering it from end to end. I’m reality I’d need a pretty big spread to fit everything I’m dreaming of!
The main event! I’m forever hoping for one of those lingering meals in the movies, when in reality we spend an entire day preparing a feast and everyone’s pushed away from the table in less than thirty minutes. I think I’d like to serve this spread a few dishes at a time, almost forcing everyone to slow down and enjoy the smaller things – like each bite and every word.
In my opinion nothing tops the day like a slice of dessert. Any dessert. Again, I like that three to six rule of thumb. The beauty here is that whenever someone asks if they can bring anything, well, there can never be too many deserts. Have some boxes on hand so people can take home some of whatever they didn’t get a chance to try at the table.
Antoine Cordet‘s mixed media portraits seem just about perfect for the overcast days of mid-November. The acrylic paintings with marker on canvas feel moody and emotional, kind of how I feel getting geared up for the holidays.
I’ve teamed up with Lamps Plus to do a fun giveaway of some of my favorite pieces this holiday season! If you have a list as long as your arm to shop for, like me, you know the importance of not breaking the bank as you cross off all of those loved ones’ names. My five favorites are above – Lola Modern Acrylic Lamp, POP Stoneware Teapot, Aeneas Votive Candle Holder, Spectra Tumblers Set, and Turquoise Cloud Glass Vase – are all affordable, and if these don’t strike your fancy there’s bound to be something else in Lamps Plus’ massive offerings that will. They’re also sharing a coupon code, use GiftGuide15 through December 31st for $10 off your order of $150 or more.*
How To Enter:
1. Follow Lamps Plus on Facebook and Instagram.
2. Comment and tag a friend on either social channel, for multiple entries tag additional friends individually. Specify which item you’d like to win and both you and a friend will each win that gift!
Winners will be notified by Lamps Plus on or about November 30th.
This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. By entering, each entrant releases and agrees to hold Facebook and Instagram harmless from any and all claims and liability arising out of the entrants participation in this sweepstakes.
* Redeemable online, or by phone. Not valid at LampsPlusOpenBox.com. Minimum purchase requirement excludes shipping and applicable taxes. Offer valid on regular priced, in-stock merchandise only; not valid on special orders or previous orders, sale items, mark-downs, clearance center items, or with other coupons or discounts. One coupon per customer, one time use only. Offer is non-transferable and not redeemable for cash or gift certificates. In the event of a return that lowers the total purchase amount below the coupon’s minimum purchase requirement, the coupon savings amount may be deducted from your refund. Not valid on all brands. Other restrictions may apply. Call 800-782-1967. Coupon expires: 12/31/15
I used to be the Queen of Communication – I once sent my best friend a letter a day while she was a summer camp counselor in high school – but somewhere along the way of getting older/having more responsibilities/life all of that somehow changed. These days I find myself struggling to mail out birthday cards on time and am 100% guilty of not answering the phone because I can’t bring myself to put down whatever it is I’m doing. This is not the way I want to be living this life, not by a long shot.
Friends and family are important, the spice of life, and deserve the time and effort it takes to maintain and grow those relationships. And when it comes to doing just that I find there’s no better glue than food. Countless many memories of mine are inextricably tied to scents and flavors in the kitchen, and I’m willing to bet it’s the same for you. With the holidays nearly upon us once again it’s the perfect time to combine the two – tasty food and shared experience.
But let’s be real, the holidays are already an uber hectic time for most of us. Take the number of tasks we need to check off on the average day and multiply it by five, right? My friends and I have come to rely on the easiest version of a pre-holiday get together known to man – a potluck. In fact, we’ve made it a tradition, and everyone knows to mark off the Sunday before Thanksgiving for Friendsgiving. I love that because it’s become an annual event getting together doesn’t feel like I’m rearranging my life to accommodate yet another activity. We’re creatures of habit and love predictability, so pre-scheduled time around the table can be something to look forward to rather than an inconvenience.
There’s something special not only about sitting down to a meal together, but also in the ease of a potluck. In this case the hostess is responsible for the main course and cocktails and guests divy up appetizers, side dishes, and desserts. Being able to prep the meal in advance leaves more time for enjoying one another’s company, which really is the point of hanging out together.
This is a celebration of friendship and thankfulness, a get together focused on connections that comes through in the mealtime prep and decor. You won’t find a single pumpkin or turkey here because we’re too focused on mmm-ing over each other’s recipes and laughing until we cry at one another’s stories. The table is kept simple with clean white plates and linen napkins. (Pssst. Buying a set of each are some of the best entertaining dollars you’ll ever spend.) A graphic table runner, a strand of colorful lights, and a row of pillar candles down the center finish off the minimalistic look.
But here’s my favorite part. As we wrap up the soiree each guest says out loud one thing they’re thankful for, then blows out one of the flames. Then they take the candle home and light it whenever they’re feeling a little less than. Creating a tradition that’s interactive and memorable is a lovely way to end a meal, and a sweet reminder of all of the love and support guests are surrounded with throughout the year.
I’m curious, how do you make time for friends and family when life just seems so full?
This post sponsored by the Mealtime Movement. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Design Crush creating fresh content!
I’ve been a fan of Christine Fail’s jewelry since she launched her first line, and only fell more in love with her classic organic pieces after meeting her in New York a few months ago. Christine’s latest line – EPICfail – is a foray into higher end jewelry that launched in September. The collection of 14k gold and sterling silver jewelry is accented with rose-cut diamonds and is intentionally ring-focused, with many of the pieces designed as contemporary ceremony rings. The collection includes six rings in a variety of widths and thicknesses, three pendant necklaces, two pairs of earrings, and a cuff. The line still fits Fail’s minimal aesthetic, but elegant texture is the focal point.
“WithEPICfail, I’m returning to my roots in fine jewelry. I have been excited by the challenge of incorporating some of the more advanced techniques I am mastering, such as wax carving and stone setting, into the collection,” Fail says. “I’ve always been my own muse — creating pieces I would want to wear, knowing there was a customer with my sensibilities — and the same applies to EPICfail.”
We’re giving away one of my favorite pieces – the Slope Ring (above right) – or $495 towards anything else in the EPICfail collection! Christine is also offering readers 20% off with code EPICDESIGN through 11/25.
