Friday, December 21, 2012

4 Favorites

Holy cow. Where did this week go... and I have only posted once... That is what I thought about last night when I was trying to fall asleep. Which seems to be the usual these days, full-on sugar plums dancing in my head and stuff and no sleep. But, a great, busy week all round.

 
1. Pretty, wrapped Christmas presents for my niece and nephew.
2. My darling hubby being extremely helpful while wrapping Christmas presents last night... Uncle bob is going to be rattled that Dave was wearing his new sweater...
3. A new, and very exciting adventure for me that I hope to share more about with you in the new year. Hint... you can buy things designed by me...
4. Some festive rice krispy treats I made for a holiday celebration.
 
Have a fantastic Friday all- 4 more sleeps until the jolly man visits!
xo
C

 
 

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I'm Loving: Wrapping Essentials

Hi All!
I hope you had a great weekend. Did you finish your Christmas shopping? I am super close... only a few more deadly things to get at Ikea- which will be terrifying right now. I have a table full of exciting presents to wrap and I have to be honest, I think I almost get more excited about wrapping than I do about what is actually in the wrapping paper. I used to watch Martha Stewart when I was little (yes, when I got home after school I would watch TLC's Trading Spaces and Martha Stewart- which probably explains a lot....) and I will never forget the episode when she pulled out her bone folder (basically a plastic tongue depressor) to make her wrapping paper corners crisp... I was hooked. Now I don't use a bone folder (seriously, who has the time?) but I do take my wrapping seriously. A few tips- Use only one or two different papers, bonus marks if they coordinate with each other and one or two types of embellishments. This year I am using white and silver striped paper, and grey and white twine- totes chic. I will take pics this afternoon when I hopefully finish!

A few essentials to make your gifts look awesome regardless of your skill level... (Seriously, even if you wrapped your presents in news paper and topped them off with glittery pom poms, you would impress!)



Divine Twine. This is really a life essential, you can use it to package anything and it will look professional and cute. I used a bunch of the gold and white twine to package my wedding invites and it looked awesome!
Kraft and Red Paper- total go-to not only for Christmas, but for everyday use as well. It's neutral background allows you to do everything from draw on it, to wrap a wedding gift.
Kraft Shipping Tags- perfect for writing a personalized note with your Metallic Sharpies!
Heirloom Scissors... Okay... they don't have to look like this- but I just REALLY want these to have on my desk to look gorgeous and legit. They would obviously be a huge help to cut anything.... Ha...
Amazingly cheap and cheerful string from Ikea. Love you.
Glittery Pom Poms to top presents and make the wrapping look more exciting than the actual present its self... check!
Merry Christmas Washi tape. Make your crappy taping job look like it has purpose with washi tape.

Happy Christmas-is-a-week-today Day!
xo

Friday, December 14, 2012

Four Favorites

What a kick ass week! Anyone? Yes? No? I have to say, this week was beyond productive- but man I am glad its Friday. It has been a long one as well.
Oh- and its official, my new Lumia 920 and I are great friends- I just have to remember that I have it so I take more pictures when I am out and about- the camera is incredible on it!!!

This is a slightly different edition of 4 favorites... it should be called "here are some random things I would like to share with you".

The first:

I have been doing a bunch of work this week in coffee shops with Christmas'y drinks in hand. It's been a nice change from my home office and of course there is nothing wrong with Christmas carols playing in the background...

The Second:

The Wacom Bamboo Create Tablet is at the top of my Christmas wish list this year. It allows you to sketch and design right onto your computer. Find it here, this would be a great last minute gift idea for anyone that loves design.

The Third:

After seeing Emily's DIY Gift Wrapping Station this week on Cupcakes and Cashmere I cant stop thinking about where I could immediately implement this in my own home. I also cant stop thanking about all of the pretty things I want to buy and display in my gift wrapping area... I am pretty sure it supposed to work the other way around (this is supposed to corral all of your stuff.... not make an excuse to buy more of it), but whatever makes you happy! Right?!

The Fourth:

I saw this Peppermint Meringue Cookie recipe in Chatelaine last weekend and fully had the intention of trying it out, but of course the week got away from me and now it is Friday and I have no pretty cookies to show for it. So, I hope to pump these beauties out this weekend and have a full report for you next week!

Have a HAPPY WEEKEND team!
xo
C

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Loving: Heath Ceramics

Heath.






Gorgeous right? I agree with your good taste, I think they are stunning too.
Second Question of the day: How is it December 11th?
I am not asking because I'm mad; it makes me giddy to even say it. I am quite excited about this, except that I feel like the festive season is slipping away SO quickly and I am missing it! You heard it here first: I am going to make a better effort to bake and do holiday activities starting now! Speaking of which... if you aren't done your Christmas shopping (I haven't started...AGH, and I LOVE shopping- it is basically my job for crying out loud!), maybe something from Heath Ceramics will fit the bill? I am crazy-in-love with their designs. They have the warmth of country charm with the lines of something clean and modern- totally my style these days.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

Amazing. Just love them all.
Have a great Tuesday.
xo
C



Monday, December 10, 2012

Weekend Screening

A few quick snippets from this weekend today! I had my highly anticipated silk screening workshop yesterday and it was SO SO SO fun. Fun and great. And exciting... I am totally pumped about exciting things happening over here at Design + Doughnuts, and I can't wait to share them with you in the next week or so!

This super awesome workshop was at Model Citizen in Kensington Market. It was taught by the owner, Julian, who is a total rock star and very talented to boot. That's him in number 3. I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone remotely interested in printing and/or textile design. It was totally user friendly and you will leave knowing how to create just about anything your heart desires.




























 
  1. That's Kirsten- she's a gem, showing off her stapling skills. We first had to stretch the screen across a wooden frame- you can buy these premade- but clearly it is WAY cooler to say you know how to make your own!
  2. I am concentrating very hard here... cutting off excess screen after the stapling extravaganza.
  3. I just realized these are out of order... this was Julian showing us how to make our images see-through with his secret ingredient... Before this step we covered the screens in a light sensitive glaze and had to put them in a dark room to dry for 20 minutes. That was when we went to...
  4. The Grilled Cheese which might possibly be one of my favorite lunch spots in the city. I had the Hamlet, which was as good as it looks.  
 

5. When we returned from lunch we "shot" the screens on a light table, rinsed them off and...
6. Started printing!!!
 
An amazing course with endless possibilities...
And guys, so sorry for the late post today... 1/4 was written in my office this morning, 1/4 in a Starbucks in Barrie, 1/4 in a parking lot in Barrie and now the last 1/4 at home. Cray Cray day.
xo
C

Friday, December 07, 2012

4 Favorites

We made it. I am still alive. I can't believe it. What a week of highs and lows. I am really looking forward to my silk screening workshop on Sunday, a little bit of chill time and getting a head start on next weeks work load (in that order...). A few favorites from this week:


  1. Our Christmas tree is up, compete with the tack-o-riphic star on top that Dave refuses to let me switch out... Pick your battles right... like a new couch... that would be a better battle. And secretly I kind of like the touch of tacky...
  2. I have created a Christmas Card Wall of Honor this year. I was getting a little overwhelmed with cards covering every surface of our house last year, so I decided the front entry hall with some tacks, string and clothespins would do the trick. TAADAA.
  3. My new, beautiful phone (Lumia 920)... that I still can't get activated (got it last night... so it's not like I have aggressively tried). We aren't besties yet... but I think it will happen.
  4. An awesome "Partay" print by Laura Ruth. I am feeling very strongly about needing it somewhere in my house to make me smile. I would feel like someone was blowing sparkles in my face every time I looked at it- and I am into that.
Happy FRIDAY. WOOP
xo
C

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Our Kitchen Was Smitten

Two weeks ago Dave and I went up to Collingwood to visit with my mom and spend a little time getting ready for ski season. It was beyond festive with a crazy snow storm and tons of baking. My mom had just bought the new Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and was obsessed, not only with the recipes, but the writing as well. Deb has a knack for making anyone feel like they can cook out of her book and laugh along with her, just as if you were standing beside her. So obviously I felt we needed to take this book for a serious test drive and make a whole dinner from it, complete with Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies for dessert (SO good).

We made a few substitutions here and there based on what we had in the fridge, but everything worked out perfectly. We made the Fig Challah, and substituted the fig filling for a spicy asiago cheese filling... what could be bad about that right!? I loved that the switch-up worked, and the bread was buttery and light. The Leek Fritters were just as crispy and tasty as they look- we added some zucchini as well, to stretch the recipe for 6 of us and it worked perfectly- the lemon dipping sauce was a must with it too.






















The Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are a must-make (I did cut the cookies a little thick, but they were still totally decedent). Hungry yet? We also made the Wild Rice and Kale Gratin, which was cheesy and delish- its behind the multiple bottles of wine in the picture, and a little Pork Tendy for the non-veggies in the group. On the right is my super cute mom, brushing egg wash on our crazy-beautiful challah. She will hate this picture, because she is in the kitchen- every photo I have of her she is in the kitchen, minus my wedding. Seriously though, I hope I am that cute when I am her age!
 
Cooking by the fire is always fun!
 
So Deb, well done. The Smitten Kitchen cookbook is awesome and I would highly recommend it for everyone on your Christmas List this year!
 
Happy Hump Day Team!
xo
C

Monday, December 03, 2012

A 90th Reminder



Yesterday was my Nana's 90th Birthday party. I know. N-I-N-E-T-Y. Pretty incredible. Not only is sweet Edith ninety, she looks like she is 75, still drives around in her burgundy beast and is the sweetest person I know. Some amazing things were said at her party last night that made me reflect on how incredibly lucky I am to have such an amazing family. She had 30 of her closest friends (yes, 30, they must all have a secret well in their building), her 2 children, 7 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren all in one room last night. With the holiday season upon us, I think it is always important to step back and remember how lucky we all are to have such amazing supportive people around us. I am already looking forward to her chocolate covered noodle cookies in a couple of weeks and possibly one of her favorites- a holiday G&T!
Here's to another 10 Nana!
xo

Friday, November 30, 2012

4 Favorites: This Weekend

Hi Team!
How was your week?
Needless to say, mine was slightly insane- but great. I am totally pumped for this weekend because Dave and I will be getting into full-on festive mode. This is a real thing, it includes the fireplace channel, Christmas carols and getting the Christmas tree- YAY.

A | I am hitting up the Christmas One of a Kind show today with my mom- they always have great, unique ideas for everyone on your list. Get your ticket for this weekend here- and do it, they will be gone Sunday!
B | I signed up for a silk screening workshop. I know, ridiculous right? I am SO excited though, I have big, big, BIG, plans for silk screening... wish me luck! (It is next weekend)
C | Christmas Tree!!! Need I say more? Actually, yes I do- it is from Ikea and it is an amazing deal- I am also convinced that no matter how much you spend on a tree, it will be a large, crispy, fireball waiting to happen in January, so go to IKEA.
D | This is a random one to throw in there- but Beemster Cheese is this weeks fourth favorite. If you like grilled cheese, you MUST buy this cheese and make a grilled cheese with it on good multigrain or sourdough and then come talk to me. I promise it will hands-down, be the best grilled cheese you have in your life. This information came from a very trusted source at Dags and Willow in Collingwood (5 years ago) and I have never looked back to my old cheddar friend.

Have an amazingly festive weekend,
xo
C

photo credits: | A | B | C | D |

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Festive Decorating Year Round

 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
 
Don't you wish all of these pieces were scattered about your home, and placed with every bit of design sense that you have always hoped to possess? OMG. Me too!
 
Every single one of these items would be a great addition to your home not only for the holidays, but year-round! Buying pieces that you love, and when grouped together can act as a holiday display (maybe mixed amongst pine boughs) is smart decorating. This mix of white and brass is a warm combination that still feels festive without it screaming Christmas.
 
Maybe there should be 9 days of Christmas, and each day you could have one of these beauties. Yes please!
 
Happy Tuesday Team,
xo
C

Monday, November 26, 2012

Caramelized Apple Waffles




It's Monday- so why not reminisce about the weekend? As mentioned here we went up to Collingwood to visit with my mom and my youngest sister who was home for American Thanksgiving (she goes to an American school). Man, it was awesome. My moms chalet has the best kitchen for laying everything out and making 5 different things at once. It also has a ton of windows and natural light which translates into awesome picture-taking-opportunities. What's not to love!? I wish I was back there right now...

Okay- Caramelized Apple Waffles. Yes. We made these on Saturday for brunch and oh.my.god. they were good. I just made up the apple recipe as I went and it turned out perfect! Here is how to make it your self... Ps. pleeeeease don't use toaster waffles, I know they are amazing with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on them and chocolate chips placed in every square (oh.. was that just me?), but these apples need the heft of homemade waffles. You can even use a thick pancake batter- throw in some quick cooking oats and cornmeal to give them a bit of texture and you will be off to the races.


Ingredients:
  • 2 large honeycrisp apples (or granny smith)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp real maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Method:
  1. Slice your apples, keeping them just shy of 1/4" thick.
  2. In a non-stick sautee pan on medium-low heat add the butter, brown sugar, syrup and spices. Stir until melted and combined.
  3. Add the sliced apples to the pan and stir. The cool apples will harden the sauce- don't worry, keep stirring and once they warm up, the sauce will become liquid again.
  4. Sautee for about 7 minutes on medium heat, until the apples soften and the sauce bubbles and thickens. Don't allow the sauce to get too deep in colour, turn the heat down if it is bubbling too aggressively!
  5. Serve over freshly made waffles with a little extra maple syrup on the side!
  6. I topped the apples with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and freshly grated nutmeg- you could use whipped cream of course...
Have a great Monday,
xo
C

Friday, November 23, 2012

4 Favorites: Festive Gold

I am heading up to Collingwood this weekend and it's getting me in the festive spirit. We have Christmas up there every year and I always look forward to seeing the outrageously large, real, Christmas tree my mom buys. Inevitably we always need a ladder to decorate the top and she injures herself or furniture as she drags it out of the house in the middle of January. I am loving the festive gold accents for this holiday season popping up everywhere... here are a few of my favorites!



| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
 
 
Happy Friday!
xo
C

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

DIY MOvember Stamps



MOvember is in full swing here in Toronto and I find myself momentarily forgetting, and getting totally creeped out by the mass amount of guys walking around downtown with handlebar mustaches. But then I remember it's all for a great cause and mentally give them a month long pass to look like creepsters.

The mustache has not only taken over peoples faces, but it is popping up in graphic design, art and other mediums as a result. So naturally, I decided to join in. If you took art in high school you may have done some print making, you would have used a little, crazy-sharp tool that carved away linoleum or rubber into a giant stamp. I loveeeed this part of art, and totally forgot how much freedom it gives you to create your own designs. I made a little trip to curry's art supplies and picked up a basic cutter (linozip or safty cutter) and some small pieces of rubber and linoleum to play around with.



I started by sketching out designs until I found a shape that I liked and decided wouldn't be too hard to cut out. Sketch your design onto the linoleum, or print off a design and trace around it with a dark lead pencil, turn it over and rub over the design to transfer the pencil outline to the linoleum.

I cut the excess linoleum away [Side note: I keep saying linoleum... but I used soft rubber and I wouldn't recommend it because it was too soft and made getting sharp edges almost impossible- so use linoleum!] from the edges to reduce the amount of cutting. Start with the outter edges until you get comfortable with your cutter and cut away any part of the stamp that you don't want to show up on a print. Whatever is left raised will should up on your print.

Using paint, stamp ink or print making ink spread it on the stamp and press your stamp onto your desired medium.

I whipped up a MOvember invitation that would be great for any last minute fundraising that needs to happen this weekend!

There are endless possibilities with this carving tool... I think a stag head on napkins might be my next project! What do you think?

Have a great hump day all,
xo
C

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

cocoCoconut Granola Bars


I am a total on-the-go eater. Before I leave the house in the morning I grab either an apple, granola bar, or both to keep my tummy happy until I am home in the afternoon. I wanted to try making my own granola bars with what I like in them. There are a million recipes out there, so based on the rough outline of them I came up with my own. These have toasted coconut, cocoa, pecans, and dates- I mean, yum! They are slightly crisp on the edges and chewy in the centre- just perfect!

























 

Ingredients:
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped pitted dates
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
  1. Toss together your oats, coconut and chopped pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 10-12 minutes at 35o degrees, stirring every couple of minutes until they are browned evenly.
  2. In a saucepan, add your butter, vanilla, brown sugar, honey, salt and sift in the cocoa powder. Bring this mixture to a low boil and turn to low.
  3. Meanwhile transfer your oat mixture to a large bowl, grease a large rectangular cake pan and line it with parchment paper- turn the oven to 300 degrees.
  4. Pour your hot mixture over the oats and stir to coat everything, pour into your greased, parchment lined baking dish and using a spatula press the mixture down into the corners of the pan and smooth the top.
  5. Bake at 300 degrees for 26 minutes.
  6. Allow bars to cool for 2-3 hours before cutting.
  7. Keep in an air tight container, or wrap in parchment paper for up to a week.
Enjoy and have a great Tuesday all!
xo
C

Friday, November 16, 2012

4 Favorites

 
I just noticed this 4 Favorites has a bit of a theme... We are half way through November though people- it is time to start feeling festive!
 
1- What I am currently drinking- Nonfat Decaf Peppermint Mocha, with a touch of whipped cream please!
2- Some fabulous and festive ornaments I picked up at Ikea for $4.99! I can't turn down polka dots...
3- Awesome Countdown Glasses from Indigo. These are on my holiday wish list... (hint...)
4- A super easy DIY I posted here, that would be a great gift this holiday season!
 
Happy FRIDAY everyone. Have great weekends.
xo
C

Thursday, November 15, 2012

DIY: Geo Necklace
























 
Pretty amazing right? I honestly didn't think this would turn out as well as it did, and it was easy! I promise, if you can bake cookies, you can make this necklace.
 
 
You don't need many materials for this project, some basic necklace making supplies that you can find at any craft store, needle nose pliers, wire cutters and bake-able clay such as Fimo or Sculpey. I chose a deep burgundy colour and mixed in some antique gold for a little variation...
 
A few notes before you start: I used a cutting mat that has a grid on it- I found this super helpful to make even shapes and keep lines straight. I covered my mat with parchment paper so I could cut the shapes and transfer the paper right onto a baking sheet and into the oven. You could easily use graph paper with parchment paper on top as well.
 
  1. For the whole necklace I used only half a block of the burgundy clay and 1/8th of a block of gold. Start with the main colour and work it in your hands until it starts to soften, then add in your secondary colour (gold). Twist it around and work it into a ball.
  2. Once you have a pattern that you like stop working the clay.
  3. Flatten out the ball into a rectangle-ish shape.
  4. Roll flat with a clean rolling pin until its about 1/8th-1/16th of an inch thick.
  5. Using your grid lines, cut your design out with a kitchen knife.
  6. The large geo shape is about an inch wide, and 1 1/2" long. The two geo shapes on either side of the center piece are each about 3/4" wide x 1" long.
  7. Gentley poke the Eye Pins through the top of your shapes, twisting your shapes around the eye pins to ensure the hole is large enough. Remove the eye pins and lay on a baking tray. (If you need to reshape, do it with a knife while the eye pin is still in place, then remove.) 
  8. The larger rectangles are simply cut out of a strip of clay, they don't have to be perfect, just try to make them slightly smaller than the two geo shapes.
  9. Lay out all of your shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove your shapes, and while they are still warm, poke the eye pins through your shapes so they are ready for necklace making.
  11. Cut the excess pin until there is slightly more than 1/4" remaining- you will coil this side into another 'eye' to attach all of your pieces.
  12. Continue cutting...
  13. Lay out your design until you are happy with it. [I had to make more little triangles, about 1/2" x 1/2" because it wasn't long enough]
  14. Start attaching the shapes to each other.
  15. To keep your necklace laying flat, you will have to twist the eye pins on every-other shape... vertical eye, horizontal eye, vertical, horizontal... this will make more sense when you are doing it.
  16. Hold your necklace up to your neck- when you are happy with the length attach a couple of jump rings on one side and a claw clip on the other. Lay your necklace out flat and twist any eye pins that need to be adjusted to allow your necklace to lay flat. [This is important- otherwise it won't lay flat on you!]
Once you get the hang of it, the whole process goes pretty quickly- and you will have it done in an hour or two.
I am pretty happy with it considering it cost me about 10 bucks to make! WOOT!
 
Try out this DIY and send me pics of your creations- have fun with it! What do you think....!?
 
Have a great Thursday,
C  
 
 
 
 



Wednesday, November 14, 2012

One of Those Mornings.

You know when you just have one of those mornings. You know, you burned 4 pieces of really good tomato-basil toast, and then you are about to send drawings to a client and you realize (thank god) the manufacturers fireplace dimensions on their website are WRONG. Therefore, your drawings and mill work sizing is WRONG. GAH. And all you really want to do is the 3 DIY's that have been sitting on your dining room table for a week. It was one of those mornings...

Okay.

I feel better now. Kind of.

I scraped the black stuff off the 5th piece of toast I burned, and fixed the drawings and sent them off. I am going to make time for one of those DIY's as my reward for having a crap morning. I am going to go to yoga, and work hard this afternoon.

Here's to turning the day around.

It WILL get better. It's already better- now that I have shared it with you!!


We got our wedding pictures and this one makes me smile. 5ive15ifteen Photography is amazing.


See you tomorrow,
xo

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Three Towels. Three Ideas.

Hi,
How was your Monday? Mine was good, you know, did some work, went to yoga, made dinner, went to bed. By the way.... dinner was awesome, and so speedy- spaghetti squash with pesto, sauteed spinach and mushrooms topped with goat cheese and an egg... because I had one. You are probably thinking, that is not easy or fast you crazy woman- but I promise! It was- I'll blog a recipe soon and you will see.

So these ideas. I have a lot of them, and it sucks- I am short on time to do them all. So I figured, why don't I just share them with you in the idea stage and you can get all creative on me and show me what you come up with? I like it, I think its a good plan.

Oh, a little disclaimer... these are Christmas ideas. HA. Yes, it is time. I am so excited. Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and I can't wait to share many more ideas with you (that I actually try my self).

All of these ideas have one thing in common- a festive dish towel. I doubt I will ever say that sentence again in my life. But yes, a dish towel- and great ones at that. I was perusing etsy.com yesterday and came across a couple. I couldn't stop thinking of fun ways to use them- that didn't include dishes! I have found a couple that I totally love, mostly because they are so simple, but you could use anyone that you love.


 | Towel 1 | Towel 2 | Towel 3 |

Now that you have an amazing towel- start creating!












| frame | pillow insert |  tray |

1. Frame it with a simple white frame- use it as a backdrop to your holiday bar set up or buffet- why not over the couch!?
2. Break out the Mod Podge, cut the towel to fit the base of your tray, put a thick coat of mod podge on the tray, layer on your antler towel, and then top with another thick coat of mod podge and allow to dry for 24 hours. You will have a shiny, water proof antler tray for the holidays! (Don't worry- the mod podge dries clear!)
3. If you are a sewer, pull out that sewing machine and whip up a holiday cover for any pillow inserts you might have already in existing pillows- then switch them back after the holidays.

I am kind of loving all of these... maybe this weekend I will work on creating one of these towels my self!? Aggressive... I know.

Try these out and send me a pic.

Happy Tuesday All!
xo
C

Monday, November 12, 2012

Apple Pie Scones

Mmm. Don't those sound good? They are. I will show you how to make them below...

After a late night Friday spent with my second favorite man, Bond, James BOND, I spent a lazy Saturday morning looking through the Anna Olson cookbook my Mom bought me, Back to Baking. I wanted to do some baking on Sunday and decided on cookies and scones. Her scone recipes looked yummy, but they inspired an idea- Scones that taste like Apple Pie. Why not? Also- Go see Skyfall- it was AWESOME. I think it is my favorite Bond movie yet.





Ingredients:
  • 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 6 tbsp cold butter
  • 1/3 cup cold milk plus more for brushing
  • turbinado sugar
  • 1 medium sized ambrosia or granny smith apple (I left the skin on, but you can peel it if you prefer)
Method:
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, spices and cold butter together with your fingers until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients and then add the butter mixture, stirring with you hand or a wooden spoon until combined.
  4. Thoroughly wash your apple and grate on the large side of a box grater. Add the shredded apple to the dry mixture and stir to coat the apple.
  5. Add the 1/3 cup of milk and stir together- the dough will be ragged and dry.
  6. Pour the mixture onto a floured surface and shape the dough into a square, about 1 1/2" thick.
  7. Cut the square into 9 equal pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush each of scones with milk and sprinkle with turbanado sugar.
  8. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16 minutes.
Enjoy warm out of the oven. These scones are best the day of and can be warmed up in a low oven the next day.

Recipe adapted from Anna Olson, Back to Baking, Apple Cheddar Walnut Scones Scones.

Enjoy and have a happy Monday,
xo
C

Friday, November 09, 2012

4 Favorites

 
What a crazy week. I have to say, I am pretty pumped that it's Friday. Dave surprised me with [1] last night for our 2 month anniversary of being married- seriously, can you get anymore thoughtful!? (I didn't remember... crap wife ovah here). [2] I dog sat (like babysat- I didn't sit on my dog) last weekend for my mom and she thanked me with the new Anna Olson cookbook, Back to Baking. I can't wait to get baking this weekend! [3] My SodaStream is my new obsession, it was a gift from our wedding and I can't get enough of it. If you love bubbly water- this is a must for Christmas. [4] My dino DIY, that I shared this week. I am seriously in love with my Golden Jurassic Park.
 
What are you up to this weekend.... Dave and I are headed to the new Bond movie tonight- SKYFALL. I can't even tell you how excited I am, and we have assigned seats- so no waiting in line. I love Bond movies, not too scary, totally exciting and Daniel Craig... what's not to love. Oh, and movie theater popcorn- clearly! We went to the opening night of the last Bond movie and I got motion sickness from the opening chase scene... we were 2 rows from the front- barf. I don't understand why they even put seats up there- redic!
Have great weekends, and happy Friday team!
xo
C 

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Not Just For Kids

I have a bulletin board in my office that collects fabrics I really like, papers I don't want to forget about, a yoga schedule, etc. Currently there are a few fabrics that have morphed into a full on design scheme... but with nowhere specific in mind to put it. I think it would be great in a little boys bedroom, or a superrrr cool girls bedroom. (It is actually this scheme I blogged about a while ago.... yep, It's still up there!) It pretty much started because of a piece of art I saw, that I didn't want to forget about- so, I printed it off and started pinning fabrics beside it... sometimes these things just have a life of their own.
Anyways- this art, is SO cool. Christian (we almost have the same name... so clearly he is awesome) Jackson creates super minimalistic posters of children's story books we all grew up with.

Check them out...

Little Red Riding Hood
Source
The Princess and the Pea
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Source
Mary Poppins
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The Three Little Pigs
Source






I think these are total scheme starters, or a great addition to any kids room. I hope you think they are as neat as I do! Which one is your fave? I really like the Marry Poppins one... even though I thought the movie was totally creepy- singing and flying around, forcing medicine down kids throats- terrifying! But I could deal with the poster....

Have a great Almost-Friday-Day!
xo
C

Ps. Thanks Ash for the great Post Name ideas!

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Stick it to the Dino



So, this DIY may be all about dinosaurs... Actually, it is. Which I kind of love. It made my day, I hope it makes yours. You will get to play with little plastic animals. When was the last time you played with little plastic animals!? In all seriousness, I don't think I ever played with little plastic animals. So I can now say I have had my chance and it was awesome.


I saw a DIY recently over on Harpers Happenings and I loveeed the idea. I think something like this would look awesome in a kids room or kids craft area. I wanted to do something similar, but turn them into magnets. Why shouldn't you see these on your fridge everyday and smile at how ridiculous they are!? 
Source: Harpers Happenings

I just Googled "Gold Animal Magnets" and "Gold Dinosaur Magnets" and sadly I am not the first to do this, but regardless they are super easy to make and fun to look at! I found my animals and dinos at the dollar store as well as the perfect sized magnets and Krazy glue- it's a one-stop-shop people! (Minus the spray paint...) Start by lining up your animals so you can have a really good look at them... okay, you don't have to do this... but I really wanted Dave to come home and find 20 dinosaurs in a "V" formation on the table and wonder what the hell I had been doing all day. Working, clearly!




































The key to keeping this DIY safe and easy is boiling the animals in water. I know this sounds super odd, but trust me- it really softens the plastic and makes it a million times easier to cut through. Boil the little guys for a few minutes, dry on paper towel and cut in half. You can then attach the magnets with Krazy glue and spray paint. I originally tried acrylic paint and it was a bust, too many brush marks and it didn't cover evenly. I would also suggest a spray paint primer before the gold, which I didn't do- and this resulted in having to do 4 coats of spray paint.

Allow your animals and dinos to dry over night and then stick away! It totally looks like Jurassic Park on my fridge right now and I am loving it....

Happy hump day!
xo
C

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Another Dimension

Hey-
Just a quick snap shot of what I have been working on all day... It's been a while since I have done some 3-D work, but it's SO fun. It totally helps to see things in another dimension eh? This is one of two kitchens I am working on right now, the super exciting part about this will be comparing the 3-D shots to the real deal in a couple of months... stay tuned.

 
 
xo
C


Ornamental Cabbage

I have something to confess. I have a weakness for Ornamental Cabbage. Weird right? I don't know what it is about it, maybe the colours, different textures or that when I see it I know fall/ Christmas is around the corner?! Whatever it is, I was drawn to it yesterday at one of my favorite flower shops on Avenue Road (Toronto). They were so tiny, pale pink and white- I knew I had to have them. And then I saw Fringed Tulips, and it was over- I knew I was going to have to make a full on arrangement. I first saw Fringed Tulips at a wedding show last January and I so badly wanted them at my wedding- but they were not in season so I moved on. This was the first time I have seen them since- wait until they are open, they are crazy-beautiful.

I want to show you the basics of creating your own flower arrangement at home today. It's so worth it, and the pre-made arrangements you can buy are just so nasty and filled with 'filler' (leaves, babies breath, blah). Limit yourself to 3 different flowers, I pulled the cream and the pink out of the cabbage to find my combination. In general, I am SO NOT a pink and white person, but something weird came over yesterday and I went with it.
Start by unwrapping your flowers, remove the packaging and find a vase that you want to work with. Once you have that covered, fill your vase with cold water and mix in the plant food- this is key if you want your flowers to last. I always ask for extra so I have a few lying around the house if a florist forgets.
Now, I know there is a special tool for this (I have seen Martha use it) (...you know, Martha Stewart...duh), but I am not a florist, so I use my hands- peel back any leaves on the flowers stem that will be in the water. This is an important step, the leaves will start to rot in the water and really reduce the life of the fresh water in your vase and the flowers in general.

Once you have removed all the stems, start making your arrangement in your hand- yes, pick up one flower, put it beside another and continue adding- do not put them in the vase (you cant fit as many flowers and the shape is harder to control).

If the arrangement starts to get to large to hold in your hand, you can secure the stems with an elastic which will hold everything together until you are ready to trim the ends. Continue to add until you are happy with the shape and design of your arrangement, secure an elastic around the stems and hold your arrangement up to your vase to decide how much of the stems to cut off. Remember you can always cut more off, but you can't add!

 
 
Once you are happy with the height of the arrangement, cut off the elastic and place the flowers in your vase. I put mine into the vase picture above and they flopped everywhere (the vase was too open at the top) so I had to switch up the vase- no biggy- trial and error people! The arrangement is pretty... but honestly... it is SO not me. I totally wish I didn't buy pink, it looks like a really nice wedding arrangement or baby shower arrangement- not a fall-ish awesome arrangement. Oh well better luck next week!
 
 

I had a few extra tulips that I cut down to fit in a small vase above my kitchen sink. This one is a bit more me, super simple and pretty. I hope this helps with your next arrangement, have fun with it!

Happy Tuesday Peeps.

ps... this may or may not be coming tomorrow...

Totally did that... and it kind of just made my day...
 
xo
C