25 Cookie Swap Recipes

Cookie-Swap-Design-Crush

My Grandma turned 90 this year and has finally agreed to relinquish cookie making duties to me this Christmas. (She’ll still be making her famous-among-hundreds nut rolls, however.) I’ve done a few cookie swaps over the years, and I have to admit they make the cookie task much more interesting. I love trying other peoples’ tried and true family recipes, and I love the variety that comes with a good ‘ol fashioned swap. Do you have a go-to?

 

mandarin orange tea cookies

 

Mandarin orange Tea Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Mint Slice Cookies

Frosted Spiced Persimmon Cookies with Cranberries and Walnuts

Nutella and Hazelnut Palmiers

 

Frosted Eggnog Cookies

 

Frosted Eggnog Cookies

Orange Ricotta Cookies

Peppermint Butter Cookies

Whipped Shortbread with Molasses Glaze

Brown Sugar Cookies

 

peppermint pattie cookies

 

Peppermint Pattie Cookies

Rum and Eggnog Cookies

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies with Vanilla Salt

Cherry Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

 

Cranberry Marzipan Cookies

 

Cherry Marzipan Cookies

Gingerbread Donut Cookies

Chai Cookies

French Toast Sugar Cookies

Flourless Hot Cocoa Cookies

 

PUMPKIN PIE COOKIES

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Citrus Sugar Cookies

Brownie Cookies Dipped in Chocolate and Pretzels

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Allsorts Sugar Cookies

2

20 Favorite Ornaments

Ornaments-0-Design-Crush

 

I’m not feeling very in the holiday spirit this year, but I’m hoping the tree I’ll be putting up soon will kick in like some sort of Christmas upper and get me there fast. I’ve upgraded from a 6-foot tall tree to a 9-foot since my ceilings in this new place are higher. The curved staircase has this perfect little nook that seems tailor-made for a tree (I’ll be sure and Instagram a photo or ten once it’s decked out). I’ve picked up a few new ornaments to make sure I have enough, and I’m wishing these shiny things below were on that list.

 

Ornaments-1-Design-Crush

Agate Slice Ornament // Gold Balloon Letter Ornament // Geo Drop Ornament //
DIY Ombre Ornaments // Painted Ball Ornaments

 

Ornaments-2-Design-Crush

Mid-Century Paper Ornaments // VINTERMYS Ornaments // Magic Wishbone Ornament //
Marbled Glass Ornament // Raw Crystal Snowflake Ornament

 

Ornaments-3-Design-Crush

DIY Wooden Christmas Ornaments // Ceramic Feather Ornaments //
DIY Modern Colorblock Ornaments // Woody Wagon House Ornament // Glass Honeycomb Ornament

 

Ornaments-4-Design-Crush

Gold-Flecked Feather Ornament // Painted Mirror Ornament Set //
Geological Geode Ornament // Brass Christmas Ornaments // Set of 4 Himmeli Ornaments 

1

Happy Weekend

1-Design Crush

2-Design Crush

3-Design Crush

4-Design Crush

5-Design Crush

6-Design Crush

7-Design Crush

8-Design Crush

9-Design Crush

10-Design Crush

01/ Go minimals this December with a nativity set of wooden blocks.
02/ Spy on classic authors’ American homes on Google Maps.
03/ Here’s what a tattoo looks like really, really close up.
04/ Move over ugly Christmas sweaters, it’s time for the ugly Christmas suit.
05/ The plans for Pier 55, a floating park over the Hudson River, look beautiful.
06/ Food Ministry’s Cake in a Can… for cake eating emergencies.
07/ Gumhead is a sculpture in Vancouver made to be covered in chewing gum.
08/ Dried scotch turns into interstellar landscapes in Vanishing Spirits.
09/ Stephen Orlando captured the motions of kayaking and canoeing in light paintings.
10/ Need some alone time? Meet the Nutshell.

This week on Design Crush:
Are you following along with 24 Merry Days? Twenty-four bloggers are doing giveaways for 24 days this month.
Drake General Store x Design Crush is giving away a cherry-picked prize pack worth a whopping $1,000!
Check out eight art prints I’ve got my eye on this month.
Crushing on the ceramic work of RedRaven Studios.
Time to start fresh with some clean stockings this Christmas?
The wall hangings of artist Heather Levine are stunning.
More holiday cards, just in case you have yet to pick yours out!
This monthly art subscription – Papirmass – is perfect for the art lover on your list.
Showstopping hand-painted wallpaper from Voutsa.
2015 calendars, part 5 to get you ready for January!
Sharing the last room on the first floor of my home, the kitchen.
A bevy of drinks for holiday entertaining and coping – Happy Alcoholidays!

Design Crush elsewhere:
Shiny brass accents are where it’s at!

0

Clean Stockings

Are stockings a holiday tradition in your family? In my home growing up I had one that I swear was nearly as tall as I was. I could stand in the thing. It always hung in the same spot (on a closet door) and was one of the best parts of Christmas morning. We also had them at my grandparents’ house until several years ago when the whole lot just disappeared. Stockings are still one of my favorite traditions during the holidays, so I rounded up a few that I’d love to hang on my mantle this December.

 

11-stockings-Design-Crush

ROW 1: Vintage Linen Stocking // Hand Knit White & Red Fairytale Stripes Stocking // Snowy White and Grey Felt Christmas Stocking    ROW 2: Sweaterknit Stocking // Swedish Dala Horse Christmas Stocking    ROW 3: Hand Knit White and Red Christmas Stockings // Zigzag Stocking // Cable Knit Christmas Stocking    ROW 4: Monochrome Custom Christmas Stocking // Hand Knit Grey and White Christmas Stockings // Meri ‘Kutoa’ Handmade Stocking

0

Redraven Studios

Red Raven Studios-1-Design Crush

 

I began following Redraven Studios several years before moving back to Pittsburgh, in fact I didn’t even know they were from my hometown at that point. Founder Amy Hamley and her husband Ryan create the prettiest porcelain pieces – I had their Good Luck Porcelain Horseshoe hanging above my front door for several years and it was always complimented. This holiday season I’m eyeballing the Porcelain & Gold Leaf Feather Ornament for my tree (and maybe a few lucky recipients) along with the Canyon Series Dinnerware that is forever on my Wish List.

 

Red Raven Studios-2-Design Crush

 

Red Raven Studios-3-Design Crush

 

Red Raven Studios-4-Design Crush

 

Red Raven Studios-5-Design Crush

1

24 Merry Days Starts Tomorrow!

Merry Days-Design Crush

Image Little White Whale

You guys, IT’S TIME! For the third year in a row 24 Merry Days is here to rock your socks right across the room. Maybe even clear out the front door.

Mastermind Audrey has once again matched up 24 bloggers and 24 prizes. Every day from December 1st through the 14th a different giveaway will be announced on a different blog and revealed on the 24 Merry Days site. I’ll be tweeting the latest one each day (@designcrush) along with hosting one that you’re definitely going to want to enter.

The swag lineup includes a SMEG fridge, a Madsen cargo bike, two Loeffler Randall bags, a PUBLIC adult bike and kid balance bike, a pair of Swedish Hasbeens boots, big ‘ol gift certificates to West Elm and Anthropologie, AND SO MUCH MORE! You can also follow along on the 24 Merry Days Facebook page to make sure you’re notified of each day’s giveaway.

Here’s to a great December!

0

Win It: $300 from Minted

Minted-Xmas14-1-Design-Crush

 

I’m a big fan of Minted, their goods, and what they’re doing for independent artists. I have several pieces of the art they sell in my home, and this is the second year I’ve turned to them for my holiday cards. Minted offers a fantastic collection of both photo and non-photo cards (my preference), and after narrowing them all down to four designs I settled on this one by Phrosene Ras. I love the bright and happy palette and the ability to customize the sentiment.

 

Minted-Xmas14-3-Design-Crush

 

This year I took the time to input all of my addresses on the website so that Minted could print them right on the envelopes. While I’m normally all for hand-addressing my holiday cards this year is extremely busy, so I took the plunge and don’t have one regret. They look so good!

 

Minted-Xmas14-4-Design-Crush

 

Minted also offers the option of a decorative element next to the address that coordinates with your card’s design. I really felt like this additional touch helped make up the difference (in my mind) for not writing things out on my own.

 

Minted-Xmas14-5-Design-Crush

 

Minted will also add your return address on the envelope flap for free. The end result was clean, modern, and just my style.

 

Minted-Xmas14-2-Design-CrushMinted-8

 

I’m happy to team up with Minted to give a lucky reader $300 to spend on holiday cards, art, or whatever else might be calling your name! (They also have some lovely gift tags and wrapping paper.) Take advantage of their addressing service or wow your holiday card list with a design that features their new gold foil. Best of luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

47

Holiday Cards – Part 1

I’ll be sharing my holiday cards for the year with you in a few weeks, but have you started to think about yours? We’ll be picking and choosing our favorites from the absolutely huge selection available out there as the holiday season amps up and kicks off. Check out Part 1 here and now!

 

Holiday-Cards-pt1-1-Design-Crush

Ice Skates by Ferme a Papier // Dial Christmas by Present&Correct // Holiday Cheer by Hooray Today! // Harvest Wreath by Hello! Lucky // Merry Everything by Little Arrow Studio

 

Holiday-Cards-pt1-2-Design-Crush

Thumpety Thump Thump by Have & Hold Design // Tis the Season Postcard by Pei Design // Merry & Bright by Worthwhile Paper // Tree Set by Unique & Unity // Merry Christmas by Ink Meets Paper

1

12 Advent Calendars

Advent calendars are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. My mom started the tradition with me early and I’ve rarely missed a year. The paper variety that have the little door flaps that open to reveal a bit of a larger image or have a tiny piece of chocolate have always been my favorite, but I also love the idea of something more grand. Most of the ones I’ve included here are DIYs with a few for purchase thrown in for good measure. If you’d like to peek at roundups from years past – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

 

ADVENT-CALENDAR-JAR-Design-Crush

 

CHRISTMAS-CANDLE-Design-Crush

 

DIP-DYED-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

DIY-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

DIY-ADVENT-CALENDAR-TREAT-BAGS-Design-Crush

 

DIY-FOREST-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

LUNCH-BAG-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

MODERN-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

PAPER-BAG-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

PAPER-CUBE-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

VILLAGE-TREE-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

 

WOODEN-TREE-ADVENT-CALENDAR-Design-Crush

Click on each image to go to the project.
All photos copyright of their respective sites unless otherwise noted.

0