Hello, my name is Megan and I’ve had the site Not Martha for 11 years. I create DIY projects and collect links to things all over the place. I have a background in theater design, so of course my favorite holiday is Halloween.
Each Halloween I find myself seeking out skull objects that are life-sized (or almost). Here is what I am currently a bit obsessed with.
A 3-D printed sculpture by Joshua Harker that was the number one most funded sculpture project on Kickstarter, you can read more about how these came to be in this Etsy Short Story.
Life sized chocolate skulls cast from a real human skull. Each one is unique and comes in dark chocolate or her own Bone Chocolate, a mixture of white and milk chocolates.
I’m not exactly sure how to define farmhouse except that I know one when I see it. They’ll often have a pitched roof, and are usually located on rural farmland, but not always. To me, the word farmhouse evokes nostalgia for an era and lifestyle I’ve only ever dreamed of (my “Dream House” board on Pinterest is nothing but variations on the classic farmhouse), but it’s certainly not a term limited to vintage buildings. Here, some modern takes on the traditional farmhouse, from barn conversions to new construction to sleek additions.
Kathryn Storke Grady is the founder and editor of Snippet & Ink, where she brings together two of her favorite things: love stories and pretty parties. She is known for her inspiration boards, her editorial eye, and her buttermilk chocolate chip scones. She lives near San Francisco with her handsome husband, a sassy kitty, and a wiggly puppy dog.
Hi friends, I’m Casey from K.I.D. Collective. I’m an interior designer and maker based in Portland, Oregon. When Kelly asked me to put together a mix, I thought I would share a little of what I’ve been listening to as of late. I hope you enjoy. And thanks, Kelly, I hope you enjoy your travels.
Hello! My name is Jen and I write the blog, Honey Kennedy. I’m happy to be here while my pal Kelly is immersing herself in Italian design and culture (read: I wish I was with her! Ha.). Magnifico! Brava!
I’ve been pinning a lot of design inspiration lately and thought I’d share some of the lovely things I’ve pinned. I love this season most of all! It’s all so good — the cozy fashion, yummy recipes and, of course, nestling in at home always rules. Have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for hanging out with me today. Come visit me on Honey Kennedy sometime!
1. I love this pink clouds print by Debbie Carlos. I bought one — it’s gorgeous!
After a long summer vacation to Europe, complete with gelato, pastries and wine at every meal, my husband and I decided to go on a strict paleo detox upon our return home. These days I continue to try and keep sweets to a minimum but when I do crave a little treat these gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free truffles, with no added sugar, are the perfect answer. They’re so tasty I almost forget that they’re actually good for me.
These cacao balls (am I the only one who can’t say “cacao” without thinking of Portlandia?) were originally inspired by Oh, Ladycakes’ Raw Cacao Truffles. I modified the recipe a little to include coconut, followed up with a sexy bite of cayenne. If you’re dubious let me reassure you that sweet and spicy is a perfect combination. In food and in life.
Here’s the recipe:
2 cups raw almonds 1/4 cup cacao powder, plus more for coating 1 cup coconut flakes, divided 1/4 tsp fine sea salt 1/4 – 1/2 tsp cayenne, depending on how badass you are 12 medjool dates, pitted and soaked for 15 minutes 1/4 cup coconut milk, full fat and from a can OR water
In a food processor fitted with the S blade, blend the coconut flakes until they’re in small enough flakes to work for coating the truffles. Set aside 1/2 cup for coating – leave the rest in the processor. Add the almonds, cacao powder and salt to the blended coconut chips. Blend into a fine meal. Add the dates and pulse until combined. Add the water and pulse until a batter starts to form. Using a small cookie scoop, drop the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 25-30 minutes. Remove from freezer and roll into round balls, then coat half the truffles with cacao powder and the other half with the ground up coconut chips – you can sprinkle additional cayenne on top if you can handle it. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or the freezer for long-term – or eat all of them immediately, if you so desire. Serve chilled.
Yield: approximately 24 truffles
Kathleen Shannon is an art director turned free-spirited champion for the small creative entrepreneur through her business show co-owns with her sister, Braid Creative & Consulting. Her don’t-just-dream-it-do-it style pervades everything from her clothes, to her home, to her food. She’ll follow a whim from painting larger-than-life stripes in her living room hallway, to trekking the foothills of Mount Everest – just to have a good story to tell.
hi there! this is Alyson from Unruly Things, happily filling in while Kelly is off in Milan. like Kelly, I’m also a graphic designer and a huge fan of color. lately, I’ve been curating a color series on my blog. I asked Kelly what her favorite color was so I could share one of my Color Stories with you today. she said bright poppy red, one of my faves too, so here are a few things I’m loving in different tones of poppy red.
Hi friends! Erin from Apartment 34 here and I’m thrilled to help keep Design Crush warm while Miss Kelly is away. And since she’s in one of my very favorite places in the world – Italia – probably unearthing amazing design, I decided to take a crack at something similar. Only from the comforts of my couch (I begged her to take me in her suitcase but va’ bene (so it goes!).
So I give you Four Design Crush-worthy Finds. I do hope you all agree! Bon Viaggio Kelly, and thanks again for having me.
Hello Design Crush Readers! I’m Victoria of sfgirlbybay, stepping in for Kelly today. Nice to be here! I thought I’d share one of my favorite decor magazines from the North. Covet Garden is a Canadian online publication you can subscribe to for free, and each time they publish they share just one beautiful home tour. I love Covet Garden‘s concept because it really hones in on the decor details of each of the wonderful homes they feature. This month is no exception – they’re sharing a West Queen West, Toronto-based rustic inner city home – polished but with some lovely rough edges and lots of natural elements. I hope you enjoy it! Drop by Covet Garden for the whole tour!
Hi, Design Crush readers! I’m Jessie from Style & Pepper and I’m happy to be the mouse that’s come to play while my kitten Kelly is away. Thanks for indulging me while I share a little bit of fall fashion with you in her absence. I wanted to keep design at the forefront of my guest post, so I picked a recent pin of mine that has made me feel particularly inspired, and sort of went with my gut from there. Enjoy, and feel free to pop over to visit me anytime!
Starry skies have been twinkling their way onto the style scene recently, and as a nature lover who also happens to be a full-blown addict of all things glittery, I think that it’s a complete match made in heaven. First I fell in love with the astronomical art, and then the dreamy dress followed closely behind… Naturally, my next move (being the good little style blogger that I am) was so see what shoppable goodies I could find that would go along with the aesthetic, and I was happy to discover that the results are out-of-this-world.
Being a freelance consultant living in the walker’s city of Manhattan, it feels like I’m forever on the hunt for the right laptop bag. One that feels professional, artistic and practical for downpours, cafe work sessions and corporate meetings.
For anyone’s who’s looked, the market’s a rough one. Elegance and affordability rarely go hand in hand and for some reason, and it seems like clunky male styles dominate. I recently stumbled across this neutral, geometric beauty by Oroton and am a big fan, particularly of the repeating rope pattern. What do you think?
As the brainchild of New York based designer and brand strategist, Shayna Kulik, Pattern Pulp serves as a forum dedicated to tracking emerging concepts in print and pattern design. Shayna pulls from her experience as a fashion-focused textile and product designer — where she began to “see life in patterns” — to deliver insights in design communication.
