Holidays

Father’s Day Brunch

by Alexis on June 14, 2013

{Above: Chorizo Breakfast Skillet from A Little Breather}

Father’s Day is this Sunday, and after a busy few weeks, I’m still putting the finishing touches on our plans to celebrate. If you haven’t made plans yet, don’t worry. We’ve pulled together some recipes for a dad-inspired brunch that will satisfy practically any palate. Homemade gifts, especially those made in a kitchen, always score big points. After all, there’s a lot of truth to the old saying about the way to a man’s heart.

Above, a hearty Chorizo Breakfast Skillet would be an ideal start to a day for an adventurous dad who’ll be spending his day hiking or at the park. If he’s the busy type, make a batch of Ultimate Iced Coffee that will keep him going all week. If you happen to have a bourbon-loving father, this Boozy French Toast would be a decadent treat. Or if he’s more health conscious, these Vanilla Cardamom Cake Donuts—which are baked and happen to be gluten-free—would be perfect. If your dad would like to kick off Father’s Day off with a trip to the farmer’s market, try this summery Corn Hash. And because just about every dad loves bacon, a side of Maple Cider Glazed Bacon is probably a good addition to any of the above.

{Above: Ultimate Iced Coffee from Simply Delicious; Bourbon French Toast from Half-Baked Baker}

{Above: Vanilla Cardamom Cake Donuts from Purely Twins}

{Above: Bacon Corn Hash from Smitten Kitchen; Maple Cider Glazed Bacon from A Gilt Nutmeg}

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Cat Seto Mother’s Day Card

by Anh-Minh on May 9, 2013

Despite Joanna’s post a few weeks ago on cool Mother’s Day gift-wrapping ideas, I admit: I’m still unprepared for Mother’s Day. Thankfully, San Francisco designer Cat Seto created this printable card just for us. So at least I—and you!—don’t have to make a trip to the card store between now and Sunday.

You can download a hi-res version of the card here; we recommend printing it out on cardstock. And be sure to check out Cat’s new line of stationery, Ferme à Papier, which we especially love for its painterly quality. The collection officially launches at the National Stationery Show in New York later this month. (Of course, we love that an issue of Anthology makes an appearance on Cat’s desk, shown below.)

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Winter Roundup: Valentine’s Day

by Alexis on February 8, 2013

{Valentine’s Care Package by The House that Lars Built}

It seems like it was just January, but Valentine’s Day is less than a week away! There are so many fun ways to celebrate this festive holiday, and I’ve been saving some of my favorite ideas to share here. So if you haven’t decided how to surprise all the ones you love this year, here are some ideas for you.

Brittany at The House that Lars Built put together a heart-shaped care package to send overseas—and she just put the address right on the outside of the box and shipped it! Wouldn’t it be a fun surprise to find in your mailbox? And while a Valentine’s card is sweet, I’m always a fan of sending a print that you can keep around a bit longer. I love the sentiments of these two from oh my deer. If a digestif is the way to your Valentine’s heart, may I suggest the Botánica cocktail with Cacao Prieto’s chocolate rum and muddled raspberries? Using the signature liquor from Brooklyn-based chocolatier, this recipe sounds decadent and delicious. And finally, there’s one of the most widely loved ways to serve chocolate: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie. Jacques Torres’ recipe has developed quite a reputation, so if you want to bake up a sweet surprise, it’s a sure winner. (Or if baking isn’t your strength, you can have the cookies delivered straight from Jacques to your door.)

P.S. If you are looking for more Valentine’s inspiration, check our edible Valentine’s Round Up from last year!

{Images from top to bottom: oh my deer prints ee cummings & blooming recklessly; Cacao Prieto’s Chocolate Rum; Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies via Crepes of Wrath}

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Holiday Roundup: DIY Decor

by Alexis on December 21, 2012

{Image above via Ambrosia Girl}

With Christmas and Christmas Eve on Monday and Tuesday, this weekend feels like the real kick off for the holidays. And with the busy lead up, it seems like there hasn’t been much time for holiday crafting. So this weekend I’m planning to make a steaming mug of cocoa and work on a few projects I’ve bookmarked over the last month. I’m trying to decide exactly which to dedicate my time to—these five all seem worthy.

I’ve had my eye on the ombre ornaments above since Jenn at AmbrosiaGirl posted them this summer. (She’s clearly ahead of the game!) The instructions are straightforward and the transformation is amazing. Also in the tree decor category, these origami paper cube lights below by Amanda at Wit and Whistle are lovely. All you really need is a stack of typing paper and a holiday movie to watch. With plenty of wrapping still to do, this hand stamped wrapping paper is a timely project. While it seems late in season to attempt something like this greenery swag by Moon Canyon, it’s so pretty it’s still tempting. And last, I love the technique for making the snowflakes on these felt stockings by Purl Bee. I’m thinking the snowflakes could also be repurposed as ornaments. I hope you have some time to unwind and craft this weekend, too!

{Clockwise from top: Origami Paper Lights via Wit & Whistle; Hand Stamped Wrapping Paper via Poppytalk; Greenery Swag via Moon Canyon; Felt Stocking via Purl Bee}

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{Off Shoots} Kari Herer

by Alexis on December 17, 2012

As part of the Holiday Gift Guide, we thought a series of downloadable cards and gift tags would be a perfect holiday token for readers. It didn’t take long to decide who to ask to collaborate with us on this project—photographer Kari Herer was the first name on our list. We’ve been smitten with her work since we first saw her botanical prints and thought they’d translate beautifully for the holidays. Lucky for us, Kari was already hard at work on a series that dovetailed perfectly with what we had in mind.

She was kind enough to put together a free downloadable set of two greeting cards and four gift tags for the Gift Guide. In addition to the cards, we also got a glimpse into Kari’s studio and her process of putting together the combination of botanical arrangements and hand illustrations that define her signature style. If you’re a fan of Kari’s work, you’ll enjoy reading about what inspires her. And if you still need to send out some holiday cards or if you’ve got a gift-wrapping marathon ahead, be sure to check out the download in the guide as well!