What happens when an artist buys out all of the A4 paper in a defunct stationery store? Temporary Tapestry is what. Thomas Voorn then took photos of the paper arranged in interesting ways (actually just thrown out randomly), turning them into patterns allowing you to create your own wallpaper. This particular wallpaper comes in single sheets that when arranged turns into a kaleidoscopic pattern, there are nine patterns to choose from.
It’s been awhile, but about two and a half years ago I shared with you that I’d been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. This past May my numbers finally leveled out where they need to be which was fantastic news, and it felt like something to be celebrated because a lot of hard work and self-control went into getting there. Since that first day I’ve become well-versed in not only the disease but in the ways to support a cure. Hopefully the world will see one in my lifetime, and that hope is owed in no small part to the American Diabetes Association.
This holiday season I’m teaming up with the ADA and their Gift of Hope program, an annual holiday gift catalog whose funds go to support their mission to fund research to prevent, cure, and manage diabetes. The program began in 1971 when several Minneapolis area parents of children with diabetes wanted to do something to fight back against the disease. They started selling holiday cards to raise money and since then the program has raised more than $26 million. No small feat!
This post sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. Please consider shopping with Gift of Hope this holiday season. It’s a cause near and dear to my heart that affects me directly, thank you for supporting the brands that support Design Crush!
The leftover turkey is gone, maybe the tree is up, are the holiday cards written out? I had the best intentions of writing mine out Saturday, but instead spent most of the day working (Whomp, whomp.) I love sitting down at the dining room table with a big selection and picking out the perfect one for each address on my list. Here are fifty holiday cards and makers worth a second glance, with a side note that I’ve only shared one from each so if you like what you see dive deeper!
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ZigZagZurich // first come first serve basis deals – use code BLACK50 for 50 % off everything site wide (50 codes only) or code BLACK25 for 25% off everything store wide (100 codes only).
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you’re spending the day with friends and family, eating lots of good things and enjoying one another’s company far into the evening hours. I’m hosting the holiday at my house for the third year, and luckily the greenery and some of the flowers have held up since last weekend’s party. Check in later for our cyber week deals post and we’ll be back to regularly scheduled content tomorrow! I’m oh so grateful for your readership, friends.
Things move at an exceptionally fast speed during the holiday season, especially when it comes to decorating. Case in point – Saturday my porch was covered in pumpkins for my housewarming party and today it’s nearly ready for Christmas! I’ve teamed up with Boscov’s to share with you how the transition of my place is shaping up.
The necessity of good curb appeal is preached the real estate market over, but it also can be taken as a way to make your home feel welcoming before guests ever step foot inside. I wanted both sides of the semicircular set of stairs leading up to the front door to mimic each other, so I chose pairs of everything. Two 10-inch tall white LED lanterns, two 14-inch tall red LED lanterns with timer, and two 2-foot tall Northampton LifeLike Shrubs. I’m really drawn to the three different types of lighting each piece uses – candle, traditional string of lights, and mini twinkle lights – because they add so much visual interest. And though I’m not normally someone who’s drawn to glitter, I love the touches of silver on those shrubs!
This Camdon Fir diamond shaped Christmas wreath is my favorite touch. You’ve seen other photos of my home and know how I love mixing my own modern pieces with the older charm of the place, so this really couldn’t be a better suited piece of decor. The diamond shape fits just perfectly into the large leaded glass window of the door! I simply added a simple bronze prayer bell to show off the new entry set and give everything a bit of bohemian flair.
Just inside the entryway I did a little something as well. Some miniature Lemax decorative trees lined up on the mirror’s shelf are an unexpected touch of simple decor. I plan on adding to this little collection with a few bottlebrush trees I have in other colors as well.
Did you see this illuminated Bethlehem star?! It was super easy to put together and plugs in right under the bench for the prettiest glow. You can also use it outdoors under cover, which would be a real showstopper. I have a feeling this is one of those pieces that I’ll move around a few times – in the entry, near the fireplace, maybe on the landing of the stairs. Whatever corner could use a little extra glow at any given moment.
I hope your holiday season is off to a fantastic start! We’ll be sharing plenty of inspiration, projects, and recipes over the coming month so stay tuned.
This post sponsored by Boscov’s. I received product and compensation in exchange, though all words and opinions are my own as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!
Cornmeal is one of those ingredients that gets pushed to the back of the pantry when the opposite should be true, because it’s just so versatile. Sweet, savory, crispy, moist – it can be all of those things and more. Here are twelve recipes that show the full breadth of the chameleon that is cornmeal!
Click on each image to go to the recipe. All photos copyright of their respective sites unless otherwise noted.
Hello, my name is Kelly and it took me just over two years to have a housewarming party. It’s a ridiculous thing and maybe I should have called the party I had last Saturday an open house, but a housewarming is what it was. Aside from my immediate family and friends there haven’t been a ton of guests and plenty of people were curious, or so the past 26-months would lead me to believe. So last month I decided I was ready to entertain on a larger scale and invited fifty people over for November 19th. Not only would everyone get to mix and mingle, but the timing also meant my place would be clean and ready to host Thanksgiving Thursday! Two birds, one stone.
I knew I wanted to do as little cooking as possible, which meant it was going to be heavy snacks and appetizers. Everyone knows those are the best parts anyway. But the thing I was most excited about it, aside from seeing everyone, was getting to use all of the serving pieces I’ve collected with World Market generously filling in the gaps (source links following the post). In fact, I pulled out all of the Type A stops by laying everything out a few days before and labeling them with Post-Its so I knew where all of the food was going to go.
I made up a delicious apple cider sangria and infused water with citrus fruits, both were set out in decanters in serve yourself fashion. There was also a selection of Italian sodas for underage guests, a variety of beer, and so many bottles of wine! Let’s just say I’m set for the entirety of the holiday season thanks to my guests and their generosity.
A non-negotiable for hosting any party is the presence of cheese. Well, at least it is in my book. I picked up six fancy varieties as well as plenty of sharp cheddar, gouda, swiss, and pepper jack to go on crackers and mini toasts. Oh, and there was a parmesan spread as well because cheese is delicious.
Minted, one of my favorite ongoing partners, is currently running a promotion where all of their digital invitations are free though December 31st, so I was fast to hop on the train and email out this type heavy invitation. My timeline was a little too tight to order their fabric table linens, so I went with the prettiest gold foil-pressed table runners for both the dining room table and buffet instead. Not only did they protect the wood, I was also able to roll them up for later use since there were no spills! I also customized some of Minted’s Inkblot foil-pressed place cards with foods that might need some explainging, like my Mom’s addictive cracker candy. All it took to use them in a new way was some toothpicks and tape!
My stepdad made his famous poppyseed cake that’s actually a recipe from my Mom’s grandmother. At the end of the night there were only three pieces left, which made him plenty happy. I’ll be sharing the recipe here in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
I picked up the florals here and there throughout the prior week and kept them well watered until I was ready to put together the arrangements Friday night. If your table is longer than 96-inches I recommend going with two slightly smaller, yet equally tall bouquets for more of an impact. Some empty places on the table were filled in with produce – apples, acorn squash, oranges, and persimmons. It’s a great trick, just use whatever is seasonal.
Recently I had picked up some lavender extract paste that I was anxious to try, so I baked up a batch of lavender cakes with lavender-honey cream cheese icing in some cute paper cups. I’m not sharing the recipe because I think they forgot an ingredient or two, but they looked so pretty!
The party got started around 4:30 and I think the last guests rolled out around midnight. I had such a great time playing hostess that I basically forgot to eat and the only thing I drank was coffee, but I’d call it a success! My house was filled with so much love and laughter, and just maybe the first snow of the year that happened during the party was a sign of good to things to come.
A special thank you to Minted and World Market for providing product to help turn my party into a reality! And thanks to you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content.
Some things never change, like the fact that advent calendars are one of my favorite Christmas traditions! My Mom still buys me one every November in anticipation of December 1st. I love that they come in any number of forms (paper, garland, wall hanging, display) and serve any number of purposes (countdown, gifts, candy, activities) – but in the end it’s all about the building of anticipation!
