New Year's Countdown

5!

Hand-blown Frosted Dot Coupes

$68 for a set of 2 from BHLDN

{Featuring sweet tiny bubbles, with or without champagne inside.}

4!

Firecracker Stemless Flutes

$60 for a set of 6 from BHLDN

{Stemless glasses are certainly easier to wield at parties, but if you don't drink fast enough, 

your sweaty hands will heat your toddies to an unpalatable degree.}

3!

Edge Flute 

$12.95 each from Crate & Barrel

{A classic but modern twist for those who like to drink on the edge.}

2!

Etched Night Sky Toasting Glasses 

$48 for a set of 2 from BHLDN

{Yes, you're seeing stars. And no, it's not because of the alcohol.}

1!

Govino Stemless Plastic Flutes

$12.95 for a set of 4 from CB2

{In case the celebration gets a little bit cray-zay.}

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! 

- Cathleen 

Artist of the Week: Aimee Baldwin

Scarlet Ibis -- Eudocimus ruber 2011

Aimee Baldwin is the wonder woman responsible for these fine feathered friends. Sculpted from white pellet foam, paper clay, crepe paper, paint, wire, resin, and glass taxidermy eyes, every bird is individually hand-crafted and unique. She creates lovely framed botany specimens as well. You can read more about her construction technique and see photos of all of her work on her website vegantaxidermy.com, where no plants or animals are harmed in the making of her beautiful art. Brava!

Belted Kingfisher -- Megaceryle alcyon 2011

Detail of Acorn Woodpecker -- Melanerpes formicivorus 2010

Detail of Cedar Waxwing -- Bombycilla cedrorum 2010

- Cathleen


[All photos courtesy of the artist's website & Etsy shop]

A Great Gift

I have a passion for children's books; more particularly I have a passion for the art within children's books. For Christmas I purchased for Clementine the Wizard of Oz Commemorative Pop-Up book with art by Robert Sabuda. I had never actually opened the book before and was amazed on Christmas day at the actual beauty of the book. 

The cover. 

When Dorothy meets the Scarecrow. 

This is when the pictures get out of order because my dear daughter Clementine, the most delicate flower, was screaming in my face about her American Girl Doll. 

Intricate details are what make this book so special. 

A Pop-up within a pop-up page. 

When Dorothy comes face-to-face with Glinda at the end of the story. 

Another pop-up within a pop-up page. 

The tornado, which spins around as you open and close the page. 

Dorothy flying around in her bed. 

When the crew meets the Cowardly Lion. 

The Slippers need to be clicked three times. 

The Emerald City! 

Meeting the Tin Man. 

Come in to Oz! 

This book is such a great gift! And it's affordable on top of that. Priced at $20, this book can easily be given to a class friend on her birthday! 

Sabuda has several other pop-ups including Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Cinderella. On his website you can purchase signed copies for next to nothing. 

I'm in love! 

- Grace

It's Snowing!

Is it snowing where you are? Do you wish it were? Here are a TON of snowflake patterns (just click to enlarge) to keep little hands busy today. Tape them to all of your windows, hang them from the ceiling with string, and you'll have a beautiful indoor blizzard in no time.


- Cathleen


[Image courtesy of www.joybx.com]

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

- Grace

Our Christmas Tree

Since Micky and I planned extended visits with our families for Christmas this year, we decided to forgo the real 4-foot needle shedder we usually get and try something different this time around. Three-and-a-half rolls of dark and lime green wrapping paper later, this is the understated tree-ish-shaped beauty that stands before us. I spent a leisurely three or four nights covering the tallest of our book collection while watching White Christmas, Sleepless in Seattle and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation---so really, it took practically no time at all to transform our ordinary bookcase into a festive holiday display. Full disclosure: I started to run low on paper towards the end and only covered the spines of some of the smaller books, but figured as long as you couldn't see any of the cover peaking out, no one would be the wiser. Except for the people I told this to. I'm thinking of adding a string of white Christmas lights and a paper snowflake at the top, but packing for our trip and wrapping actual presents in paper has suddenly taken precedence. The only adornment that now stands is a pickle ornament I got for my birthday from Micky's mom. Whoever finds it first gets a special Christmas surprise! 

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

- Cathleen 

The Best Christmas Spirit

Photo courtesy of Bon Appetit 

Every year my friend Ellen and I co-host an ornament swap---it's the highlight of my year.

This year Ellen made a delicious cocktail that was so tasty I have to pass it along.

Pomegranate - Champagne Punch

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
(2) 750 ml bottles chilled brut Champagne
1 1/2 cup white rum
1 1/4 Pomegranate juice
1 large lemon sliced
Pomegranate seeds (slice one pomegranate in half and gently remove the seeds over the punch.)
Fresh mint leaves
1 ice block

Prep: 
Bring half cup water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Combine Champagne, rum, and pomegranate juice in punch bowl (Ellen just used a pitcher and it worked fine). Add enough syrup to sweeten to taste. Mix in lemon slices, pomegranate seeds, and mint leaves.

Enjoy!

This is like the best Christmas punch ever! I highly recommend it!

See you on Monday!

- Grace

Beautiful!

Found this mug while perusing Terrain online the other day and I thought it was just so perfectly beautiful that it begged to be blogged about. 

Priced at $20, this elegant piece can easily be yours!

- Grace

Best Present Ever

Sorry, friends, family, and loved ones. I hate to break it to you, but Micky's done it. He's officially given me the best present ever. An illustration created from a photo of us by Sadie Solomon (who has such a great name, right?) of EmmieBean. I was taken by complete surprise when he told me to close my eyes and hold out my hands (his patented method for wrapping gifts) on my birthday last week and presented me with the most thoughtful, wonderful gift I've ever received, evidenced by the fact that I burst into tears immediately upon seeing it. I miiight have been a little hormonal at the time, but I'm pretty sure it had more to do with the fact that he's just the best husband ever. I really am the luckiest (and braggiest) girl in the world. Sadie can compose a portrait from pretty much any photograph (check out her website for more examples of her work), making it the perfect gift for anyone you want to make cry on their special day.

We've been framed! 

- Cathleen 

His and Hers Christmas Wish List Part FINAL

In case you've been avoiding your calendar, Christmas is now only 7 days away which also means this is the last installment of the His and Hers Christmas Wish List! I know, I'm sad too. With no further ado, here are my final picks.

Hers Pick #Final: John Derian Decoupaged Plate 

Some Fish

$185

Beached Narwahl

$175

Balais En Blaireau 240

$175

Pasta

$165

I'm slightly obsessed with John Derian. I once went into his shop in NYC with Cashleen and asked the store clerks if he was there. They said he had just left and it took all sorts of restraint to keep me from running through the streets screaming his name! 

Derian's plates come in various sizes with a large collection of images. The prices vary, but a large plate is usually about $200. 

These are always the best gift for a lady who loves anything beautiful! Check out his website for tons of other cool pieces. 

His Pick #Final: Orvis Gold Rush Chronograph

Orvis has hit gold (har har) with their Gold Rush Chronograph watch. Aptly priced at only $149, this watch is smart and affordable.

It's always a challenge to find a nice mens watch that doesn't break the bank, but with its leather strap and brass mounts, this watch achieves perfection. 

Well, everyone, that puts to bed my His and Hers Christmas Wish List Countdown. I hope you enjoyed it! Cathleen is on for tomorrow and I'll be back on Thursday and Friday for fresh musings in art.

-Grace

Artwork of the Week: Budgie Overload

As much as I try and deny it, I love birds. I do! And this bright, beautiful bunch of budgies, all huddled together and jam-packed into the frame, makes me so so happy. I can't find the title for this illustration by Johanna Burai, but I did find her Tumblr page where she posts all of her latest work. Check out johannaburai.tumblr.com for even more hot bird action. 

- Cathleen

My Favorite Shapes

It's week's end and I'm still thinking in shapes—but this time in pairs! Here's another quick round-up of some of my favorites from the internet as of late:  

CIRCLES!

Top: Gold Moon Shirt, $36 from alittlelark

Bottom: Blue Druzy Studs, $36 from diamentdesigns

SQUARES: 

Top: Hemlock Twilight Miniature Painting, $35 from acurryphotography

Bottom: Farmers Market Basket, $14 from Anthropologie

MORE TRIANGLES??

Top: Triangle Necklace, $26.42 from niceniceniceDE

Bottom: Triangle Serving Platter, $37.18 from Asleepfromday

That last one was a double whammy: triangles ON a rectangle! I know, I can barely handle it myself. 

- Cathleen

The Golden One

If there is a brand I love, it's Lego. The Denmark company began manufacturing its interlocking blocks in 1949 and the word "Lego" is Dutch for "Play Well." 

As a gift to employees that had been with the company for 25 years+ Lego gave a 2 x 4 14K gold brick as a token of gratitude. The gold legos were only awarded between the years of 1979-1981 which makes them ultra-rare! 

All photos courtesy of Brick Envy. 

Very, very cool!! I love this gift idea and I love even more that's it's gold, and I love even more than that that it's rare. It's the trifecta of greatness. 

- Grace

Triangle Septet

Mountains / A4 Print, 8"x 11"

$25.23 from oelwein via Etsy

Black Widow Digital Art Print, 6"x 8"

$15 from littletriangles via Etsy

Arrowheads Watercolor Print, 3"x 4.5"

$15 from studiotuesday via Etsy

M17 Prism Inkjet Print, 8"x 10"

$18 from panimalia via Etsy

Kapaahu Linocut Print 8"x 10"

$18 from SchatziBrown via Etsy

Minimal Modern Geometric Print, 8"x 10"

$14 from BatbilekDesign via Etsy

Pyramid Giclee Print, 12"x 15"

$25 from magnapaint via Etsy

- Cathleen