Tahir Mahmood’s mortar and pestle collection is more than kitchen instruments, it’s straight up art. I love this contemporary take on such a century’s old instrument. Both parts are made of Dalbergia Sissoo wood and shaped with a lathe, then Mahmood creates the vibrant colors with a sap-based resin and applies them with palm leaves.
(via Better Living Through Design)
Posted In create, house and home, kitchen, woodAfter the craziness of Thanksgiving and Christmas I like to make New Year’s Eve more low-key. A come as you are get together with good friends and family is just what the doctor ordered for a great start to a new year! Want to dress up? Go for it. Prefer pajamas? That’s cool, too. We’ll decorate some with metallics and pinks and call it a day. Everyone can bring an appetizer or dessert and I’ll provide the cocktails – sound good? Mix and mingle as you please, and if you can’t stay awake until the ball drops? No judgement. Now that’s my kinda party.
THE DECOR
Confetti Triangle Invitations – Oh Happy Day
DIY Confetti Wreath – A Subtle Revelry
Handmade Paper Bunting – Toast UK
Recycled Honeycomb Tissue Paper Pouf – Zipper Teeth
Happy New Year Garland – Anthropologie
Porcelain Hurricanes – West Elm
Silver + Gold New Year Tiara – Party 411
Black + Silver New Year Top Hat – Amol’s Fiesta Party Supplies
New Years Surprise Confetti – Anthropologie
THE TABLE
‘Larabee Dor Fete Mini Champagne Saucer – Kate Spade
DIY Happy New Year Cake Topper – Style Me Pretty
Floating Blocks Table Runner – LEIF
Glittering Flatware – Anthropologie
Gold Confetti Paper Napkins – Anthropologie
Mercury Glass Octagonal Hurricanes – West Elm
Metallic Print Glassware Set – West Elm
Pink Pop Side Plate – Burke Decor
Pink Dot Tablecloth – Hay
THE COCKTAILS
Black Rose – Kelley Moore
Cinnamon Maple Bourbon Sour – So… Let’s Hang Out
Cranberry Pear Mulled Wine – Couldn’t Be Parve
Cranberry-Orange Sparkler – Martha Stewart
Cucumber Gin Salt + Pepper Cups – Joy the Baker
Hot Buttered Rum – Not Without Salt
Sparkling Raspberry Cocktail – Apartment34
Sugar and Spice Russian – Waiting On Martha
Winter Punch – 101 Cookbooks
01/ A placemat set that features engineering blueprints for different foods.
02/ Bookhive is an interactive library display full of 400 “moving” books!
03/ Transfer, a project where partially painted hands blend into the landscape.
04/ A printable Letter to Santa if anyone in your house still needs to write theirs.
05/ In Variable Face a 22-year-old hides behind ordinary objects in a beautiful way.
06/ A quirky outdoor embroidery project that I looove!
07/ A beautiful photo series of the Texas tradition of homecoming mums entitled Mum.
08/ It’s late for holiday cards, but here are 14 cards to wish someone a Happy New Year!
09/ This marks 24 years of Sweden’s Ice Hotel and it’s inspired by Frankenstein.
10/ Create your own (virtual) snowflakes!
This week on Design Crush:
Have a listen to this month’s Mix #31: Everybody’s Got a Secret to Hide.
The December edition of eight art prints I can’t get out of my head.
This Cranberry Eggnog Bread is just the thing for Christmas morning!
Ten of my favorite December DIYs.
You’re invited to my (imaginary) holiday appetizer party!
Incredible hyper-real paintings of poorly wrapped packages by Yrjö Edelmann.
The only party clutch you’re ever need.
Our last round – part 7 – of holiday card covering.
The biggest giveaway we’ve ever hosted – $500 worth of dinnerware from Mud Australia!!!
I’ve hope you’ve all been following along with 24 Merry Days because my day is finally here and I couldn’t be more excited! There have already been 19 incredible giveaways, but I have to say mine is definitely, absolutely, without a doubt THE BEST.
What can you win, you ask? Only the biggest haul in Design Crush giveaway history – $500 worth of Mud Australia dishware!!! The haul includes a square large platter in ash, a square medium platter in citrus, a one tier cake stand in plum, a dipping bowl in pink, a vase round medium in milk, a beaker cup in pink, jug small in pink, and two espresso cups in pistachio. (Whew. I got a little tired just typing all of that.)
Mud Australia is an incredible Sydney-based company that I’ve been following for years. They’ve created a beautiful, minimalistic line of porcelain that combines hand made processes, clean lines, color palette and functionality since their founding in 1994. Mud has an inspiring small business history that you can (and should) read about.
This giveaway is a bit different than others on Design Crush because you have up to 30 entries using the Rafflecopter below. Yes, THIRTY. The more tasks you complete the more times you’re entered to win! The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only and ends December 27, 2013 at 11:59pm PST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email, so please be sure to provide a valid email address. Best of luck!
Posted In house and home, kitchen, win it
1.‘Tis the Season by Bottle Stock 2.For the Tree by Red Cap Cards 3.Scandinavian Christmas Postcards by Baba Souk 4. Season’s Greetings by LEIF 5.Fox in the Snow by Moorea Seal 6. Happiest Holidays by Lindsay Letters 7.Keep Drinking by W+K Studio Goodness 8.Every Last Santa by Imaginary Animal 9.Days of Yore Postcards by The Great Lakes 10.Reindeer Card Set by Scout’s Honor Co.
Posted In cards, christmas, holidays, paper goods, round upBrought to you by Samsung. Click here to learn more about Samsung Home Appliances.
I’ve always wanted to throw a party that’s strictly about appetizers. Think about it, they’re one of the best parts of any special meal and you can typically fill up on them alone. Oh, and my definition of an “appetizer” is basically anything that can be eaten in three bites or less, which leaves plenty of room for interpretation and inspiration. The good news? You’re invited to my imaginary holiday appetizer party! (All links and sources at the end of the post.)
First let’s set the mood with plenty of simple touches. Ice lanterns lining the front walk and a tinseled wreath on the front door. Rustic vases full of berried branches. A festive backdrop for photos and plenty of white paper pendants suspended from the ceiling. Even miniature handmade wreaths for party favors!
The best hostesses always offer a beverage as soon as you’ve walked in the door and they’ve taken your coat! I like to offer a selection of hot and cold, boozy and non-boozy, that way you’re sure to have something for everyone. Most of the beverages above can be made in large batches, making it super easy to use pitchers and allow your guests to refill at their leisure. And of course allowing you to actually enjoy your own party!
When entertaining during the holidays, I like to purchase one or two special pieces for the occasion and rely on everyday pieces for the rest. In this case the purchases are small wooden appetizer forks, napkins and a festive cheese board. Otherwise it’s easy to stick to basics in our white, black, gold, and wood palette.
Last (but definitely not least) are the appetizers themselves. I think the rule of one plate of apps to every two people invited is a good rule to go by. Again, here I like to have a good mix of savory/sweet, soft/crispy, hot/cold, etc. Lots of these recipes can be prepped a day or two ahead of time and popped in the refrigerator until you’re ready to either warm them, assemble them, or set them out for guests. That equals less stress for you and a get together you can not only enjoy, but participate in. Happy Holidays!
THE DECOR
Birchwood Vase – Better Homes & Gardens
DIY Mini Holiday Wreaths – The Sweetest Occasion
Ice Lantern Kit – Terrain
DIY Tinsel Garland Wreath – Creature Comforts
Paper Pendants – Serena & Lily
Snowball Curtain – Cox & Cox
THE DRINKS
Boozy White Hot Chocolate – The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Cranberry Orange Gin Fizz – The Messy Baker Blog
Spiced Sparkling Cider – The Best Remedy
Mocha Coffee Punch – She Wears Many Hats
Peppermint Eggnog Milkshake – The Merrythought
Pink Peppermint Russian – Kleinworth & Co
THE PIECES
Arrow Forks – Sucre Shop
Be Merry! Cheese Board – C. Wonder
Gold Foil Cocktail Napkins – C. Wonder
Heath Serving Platter – Canoe
Hot Drinks Glass – Create & Barrel
Leopold Coupe Glass – Cocktail Kingdom
Mercer Burst Salad Plate – Crate & Barrel
Mingle Bar Glass – Crate & Barrel
Nico Platter – Crate & Barrel
Old Dutch Copper Tray – Overstock
Porcelain Serve Platter – Target
Wood Topped Ice Bucket – West Elm
THE APPETIZERS
Apple, Sweet Potato + Bacon Turnovers – Savory Simple
Baked Brie with Roasted Cranberry Sauce – A Couple Cooks
Cranberry Crostini – Cookie and Kate
Lobster Crostini – What Katie Ate
Mini Caramel Apple Hand Pies – Freutcake
Pumpkin Cheesecake Phyllo Straws – Rachel Cooks
Pomegranate Jeweled White Cheddar Cheeseball – How Sweet It Is
Cranberry Curd Tartlets – Martha Stewart
Zucchini Chips – Food Fanatic
Pumpkin Butter S’mores – Wit & Vinegar
Spinach Hummus + Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Quesadillas – 24 Carrot Life
Spiced Apple Chutney and Cinnamon Swirls – Great British Chefs
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One Friday night a few weeks ago it was snowing and I was hungry. I had a bag of cranberries that were close to their last breath and some eggnog in the same boat. And thus. Cranberry Eggnog Bread was born!
Cranberry Eggnog Bread
• 3 C cranberries
• 1 C sugar, divided
• 3 C flour
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C eggnog (I used light)
• 2/3 C unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Rinse off the cranberries and lightly chop them up if you wish. Place cranberries in a bowl and coat with 1/2 C sugar. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, eggnog, and butter. Add dry ingredients in increments and mix on low until combined. Fold in sugar-coated cranberries. Grease two loaf pans and divide bread mixture between them. Bake 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of each pan and invert. (You can add a glaze of 1/2 C eggnog and 2 C powdered sugar at this point if you’d like! I prefer mine slathered with cold butter.)
Posted In recipes
01/ Be a card-carrying feminist. It’s legit!
02/ Ten ways to dress up plain glass bulb ornaments.
03/ Master pancake artist Nathan Shields (it’s a thing) made reindeer pancakes!
04/ Still mourning in mourning? Here’s Breaking Bad’s wardrobe colors documented by season.
05/ A carpet “woven” out of plastic watches!
06/ Eggnog six ways.
07/ Check out the NYC Taxi Driver 2014 Beefcake Calendar. You know you want to.
08/ Simon Beck walked all day to create these huge snow patterns.
09/ These Romanian salt mines were transformed into and underground museum!
10/ Virtual yule logs re-imagined by artists from around the world.
This week on Design Crush:
A mega-roundup of homemade sweet treats, savory bites, and spirits to give or enjoy yourself.
Twenty-seven gift tags to put the icing on the proverbial gift cake.
Twenty more holiday cards to spread the cheer in part 5 and part 6.
Gifting with Pickwick & Weller‘s super soft tees (and a great discount!).
A bevy of DIY holiday gifts for everyone on your list.
Intricate paper-cut art from Molly McGrath.
Ornaments galore!
Our final roundup for 2014 Calendars – Part 6.
Will you be making an appearance at my (imaginary) Christmas?
Incredible photo manipulated tree trunks from Sally Lundburg.
My favorite candles for chilly winter nights.
1. Happy Holidays by Crane & Co. for J.Crew 2. Holiday Nest by An Open Sketchbook 3. gee whiskers by fancy seeing you here 4. Holiday House by Red Cap Cards 5. Happy Holidays by Swash Letterpress + Design 6. Happy & Delightful by Sugar Paper LA 7. Polar Bear by Alice Potter 8. Happy Hot Chocolate Season by Grey Moggie Press 9. Be Merry Stripes by Hello Lucky Press 10. Warmest Wishes by One Plus One Design 11. Letterpress Christmas Cards by Duet Letterpress 12. Fox in the Snow by Red Cap Cards
Posted In cards, christmas, holidays, paper goods, round up