Paper, neon, and Molly McGrath – an intoxicating combination to be sure. San Francisco-based McGrath’s former training as an architect is evident within her precise laser cut pieces. You can purchase Anemone or Sekar at LEIF. Now excuse me while I grab my Xacto knife and some paper!
Yesterday we talked food gifts, and today we’re talking handmade DIY presents. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather receive something small with lots of thought put into it than something pricey that was an afterthought. It just means more knowing someone spent their time rather than their money. Here are fifteen gifts that would be perfect alone or partnered with one of our suggestions!
Pair with: a boot brush, a small rosemary bush for the porch.
Pair with: simple earrings, a pair of bangles.
Pair with: a pretty brass bell, bottle brush trees.
Pair with: a few vintage ornaments, homemade pomanders.
Pair with: a soft pair of gloves or mittens, a silk scarf.
Pair with: hot toddy ingredients, a set of mason jars.
Pair with: a set of mugs, mulling spices.
Pair with: soup mix, a vintage pot.
Pair with: gourmet hot chocolate, homemade cookies.
Pair with: crackers and cheese, pretty cocktail plates.
Pair with: letterpress place cards, a set of linen napkins.
Pair with: a candle snuffer, a nice box of matches.
Pair with: a bottle of nail polish, a pair of sunglasses.
Pair with: a cozy scarf or blanket, a favorite board game.
Pair with: an iTunes gift card, screen cleaner.
Click on each image to go to the project.
All photos copyright of their respective sites unless otherwise noted.
There’s not much better than a super soft, great fitting tee that goes with everything. If you haven’t already, meet Pickwick & Weller. Purveyor of affordable boutique-quality tees for men and women that are made right here in the USA, Los Angeles in fact. Friends Ashton Kutcher, Ryan Donahue, and Matt Rowe created the line in 2012, with a name inspired by Charles Dickens’ first novel – The Pickwick Papers. Pickwick & Weller has tees for him and tees for her, great basics to layer under winter clothes or wear alone.
I picked my favorite tee for girls and guys and chose a few gifts I think would be great go-withs! And get this – a discount of 25% off an order of $50 or more when you visit Pickwick & Weller through this link! You’ll take a brief survey about your shirt preferences, and then receive a discount code to use during checkout.
Clockwise from center: The Harlan by Pickwick & Weller // Classic Canadian Mittens // Marble Clutch // Open Scarecrow Ring // Plus Blanket // Pepper Mill and Salt Grinder // Organic and Fair Trade Chocolate Set // Short Arc Earrings // Totem Necklace
Clockwise from center: The Christian by Pickwick & Weller // Dopp Kit // Brass Money Clip // Antiqued Brass Bottle Openers // Alarm Dock // Waterproof Bluetooth Shower Speaker // Great Expectations Flask // Twig Wall Hooks // Push Pencil
This is a sponsored post and I was compensated for my participation. The opinions expressed are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush going!
Posted In gifts, sponsored post, wear it
1. Holiday Beer by Snow & Graham 2. All is Calm, All is Bright by Thimblepress 3. Vintage Glass Baubles by Banquet Atelier & Workshop 4. Merry and Bright by An Open Sketchbook Design Studio 5. Little Lotte & Bear by Imogen Owen 6. Merry Christmas by Ecojot 7. Golden Snowflakes by Moorea Seal 8. Warm Wishes by Moorea Seal 9. Holiday Cheer by Dan Cassaro 10. Holiday Kaleidoscope by UnderConsideration
Posted In cards, christmas, holidays, paper goods, round upWrapping paper is awesome, ribbons and bows are grand, but for me the gift tag is where it’s really at. It’s the icing on the cake. That special, personalized touch that takes a gift above and beyond in my opinion. I used a variety of metallics, kraft paper, and label-shaped stickers this holiday and I find myself wishing I’d spied some of these sooner! (Psst… there are a few free download gems in there!)
ROW 1: Critter Gift Tag Set // Printable Accordion Gift Tags // Bubbly Cheers Gift Tags ROW 2: Chalkboard Wreath Gift Tags // Cream and Gold Gift Tags // Deco Gold Foil Gift Tags ROW 3: Floral Be Merry Tags // A Gift For You Letterpress Gift Tags // Holiday Tags
\ROW 1: Gold Foil Gift Tags // Gold Foil Holiday Gift Tags // Holiday Cheer Gift Tags ROW 2: Merry Christmas Gift Tags // Holiday Wonderland Gift Labels // Letterpress Gift Tags ROW 3: Letterpress Gift Tags // Merry Christmas Gift Tags // Mitten Gift Tags
ROW 1: Modern Pine Gift Tags // Plaid Holiday Printable Gift Tags // Red Bayberry Handmade Gift Tags ROW 2: Printable Reindeer Express Gift Tags // Ornament Gift Tags // Seasonal Shimmer Gift Tags ROW 3: Sled Gift Tags // Stripes Gift Tags // Wood Veneer Gift Tags
Posted In christmas, holidays, paper goods, round upEvery year I plan on making some sort of homemade goodies for friends and family who aren’t quite of full-on gift giving caliber, just a little something to say I appreciate you. And every year December goes by way too quickly and my good intentions are dashed. As of now I still have a few weeks to make it happen this holiday and my fingers are crossed! I’ve narrowed it down to these sweet treats, savory bites, and spirits that can be packaged up all nice like and handed out.
ROW 1: Candied Grapefruit Zest – Blogging Over Thyme // Chocolate Caramel Truffles – Donna Hay // Chocolate Truffles – Maldon Sea Salt Company ROW 2: Cinnamon Pecan Brittle – Elana’s Pantry // Honey Chai Roasted Almonds – Joy the Baker // Hot Cocoa Popcorn – Shutterbean ROW 3: Peanut Butter Fudge – Donna Hay // Peanut Butter Pretzel Candy – Martha Stewart Living ROW 4: Pumpkin Spice Glazed Almonds – delicious by dre // Salted Maple Honeycomb Candy – Food52 // S’mores Mini Dippers – Kevin & Amandas Recipes ROW 5: Spiced Chai Honey Roasted Cashews – Leaf Parade // Spiced Holiday Pralines – The New York Times // Torrone – Food52
ROW 1: Apple Cider & Cheddar Soft Pretzels – Wallflower Girl // Black Tea Mini Crackers – Gourmet Persuasian // Cheddar and Asiago Poppyseed Crackers – PDXfoodlove ROW 2: Chex Party Mix – raisin&fig // Crispy Parmesan Wasabi Soybeans – Brooklyn Farm Girl // Curry-Lime Roasted Peanuts – So hungry i could blog ROW 3: Five Spice Maple Pumpkin Seeds – GI 365 // Fried Herbed Almonds – Cook Like a Champion ROW 4: Herb Roasted Almonds – a house in the hills // Oven Dried Cranberry and Orange Peel Salt – The Chef’s Wife // Roasted Potato Chips – Mia Loves Pretty ROW 5: Rosemary Garlic Popcorn – My Food Diary // Salt and Pepper Bagel Chips – plentytude // Salt Roasted Chestnuts – my blue&white kitchen
ROW 1: Cranberry Vanilla Vodka – Baking Bites // Bloody Mary Gift Set – almost makes perfect // Ginger Citrus Infused Rum – Vegetarian Ventures ROW 2: Ginger Beer – Beantown Baker // Cocktail Bitters – How Sweet It Is // Sweet and Sour Mix – She Knows ROW 3: Irish Cream – Design*Sponge // Kahlua – Liv Life ROW 4: Limoncello – Desserts With Benefits // Amaretto – cooking ala mel // Peppermint Schnapps – The Boys Club ROW 5: Pomegranate Tequila – Family Spice // Spiced Rum – One Martini at a Time // Spiced Pear Vodka – One Martini at a Time
Posted In cocktails, recipes, round up
01/ Dirds. Dog heads, bird bodies, lots of awesome.
02/ A vending machine for the art lover on a budget.
03/ Maybe, probably, the world’s first ever selfie.
04/ Wet Dog is just what it sounds like, which makes it impossible not to love.
05/ Photographer Jens Lennartsson made 600 action figures of himself for a self-promotion!
06/ Hilarious ad campaign from Harvey Nichols encouraging you to spend more on yourself.
07/ Check out Heritage, a heard of 99 lifelike animals drinking from the same pool.
08/ Hey dudes, if you need some help here’s a 60 second guide to dressing for the holidays.
09/ Lucid Stead, a mirrored cabin in the middle of Joshua Tree.
10/ Mosaics created with 10,000 Play-Doh dots, created by the coolest mom in the world.
This week on Design Crush:
Geometric abstract paintings from Jackalope Heart, plus an awesome discount!
Seventeen planners to get you planning 2014! (Only 25 days left in the year!)
And twelve more calendars for your consideration in part 5 of our roundups.
I played Oprah and shared a few of my favorite things.
Beautiful painterly textiles from Milk Farm Road.
Twenty-five projects full of DIY holiday decor!
A festive drinking glass project from Omar Sosa.
Sent out your holiday cards yet? Here are a few more to consider in part 4.
A pop-up shop full of handcrafted wooden skateboards – Side Project Skateboards.
Check out how we decorated for the holidays at Design Crush HQ!
I love a good end table, here are eleven I’m considering for my living room.
Even though the coffee/cocktail table is the horizontal star of most living rooms, in my experience the end table gets far more everyday use. Right now I only have one – a collapsible metal table with removable tray – and am on the hunt for another. My space is mainly mid-century modern with a twist, so something along the lines of these eleven below would be ideal.
ROW 1: Slim Round End Table // Modern Accent Table with Drawer // Calvin End Table ROW 2: Stamped Metal Accent Table // Bel-Air Side Table ROW 3: Blue Dot End Table // Orly Accent Table // Jules Large Accent Table ROW 4: Swivel End Table with Gold Leaf and Mirrored Top // Safavieh Doreen End Table // Metal Accordion Side Table
Posted In furniture, house and home, round up
In a normal year my Christmas tree goes up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year it went up the Friday before, I had the itch to decorate and scratched. I blame it on the perfectly chilly day full of sleet that that Friday was, but think it had just as much to do with the abbreviated holiday season we’re experiencing in the U.S. this year.
I love pulling out all of the ornaments I’ve collected over the past ten or so years. All pink, blue, silver, and white for the most part. For 2013 I changed things up a bit by adding silver garland to the mix, a first ever for any tree I’ve ever decorated. (If I’m too crazy for you, I totally understand.)
When I decorate for the holidays I don’t like to disrupt everything, but rather add here and there to enhance. A few ceramic faux bois platters on the cocktail table, a bunch of eucalyptus in a hippo vase, and of course some seasonal candies. A metallic snowflake hanging from a lamp, a few pomanders, and a candle on the credenza… we’re getting there!
The fireplace and mantel were strung with Edison bulbs and a banner begging for snow, as well as a few mercury glass and bottle brush trees. A set of silver finials and some woodland creatures help round it all out.
A few bits on the kitchen cabinets and a bauble on the hall closet door, a favorite card over there in the guest bath, and some gold tinsel hanging around a frame. That’s how we do Christmas at Design Crush!
Posted In christmas, holidays, my house
Confession: In 9th and 10th grades I longed to learn how to skateboard. All of my guy friends did it and it looked like so much fun. But I’ve always resided firmly in the lack-of-balance pool (trust that you don’t want to see my do yoga) and showed zero to no promise. Of course that didn’t stop me from dressing the part (eek), decorating the steamer trunk in my room with company’s stickers, or admiring boards.
When Jake from Side Project Skateboards contacted me about his pop-up shop, the images caught me totally off guard. They’re beyond gorgeous. The limited edition of 18 handmade, vintage-inspired boards are crafted entirely from American-made components and materials. In fact most of the wood is actually repurposed, chosen for its beautiful grains and visual appeal. (Is it too late to have another go at skateboarding??)
