crafty cook-ups

Ruche: Fall Lookbook

2010-09-13T21:38:00.003-04:00

I love fall and am so happy that it has finally arrived (minus the NYC rain). Ruche always has really adorable lookbooks and the Fall 2010 is just as great as the last. I love the layering and especially the graphic textures used in the actual lookbook. Enjoy it here.

Feeling Hot Pink Today

2010-08-10T23:22:00.007-04:00

Today when I got my nails done I decided to pick the most neon pink they had and I'm really loving it. In honor of such an amazing shade of pink (Essie's Pink Parka), here are a few other things that are just as beautiful.
1. Pink Scooter £649 | 2. Jonathan Adler Nixon Throw $295
3. Essie's Pink Parka Nail Polish $8 | 4. Holga 35mm Camera $48
5. Kate Spade Camelia Avenue Posey Vase $25 | 6. Need Supply Neon Sunglasses $18 | 7. Anthropologie Del Sol Clutch $39.95
8. Maloles Lea Studs $169

L.A. Burdick: Walpole, NH

2010-08-06T00:24:00.002-04:00

Last weekend while in New Hampshire I visited a little town called Walpole. It was so adorable with local grocery stores, restaurants, boutiques, flea markets... the list goes on. The reason for the visit was to eat at L.A. Burdick and it was delicious! If you're ever in the area you should definitely stop by. The restaurant was cozy, had a friendly staff and amazing chocolates. They are famous for those little chocolate mice that you receive while staying at the Waldorf Astoria. Check more of it out here.

Material Girl Launch

2010-08-03T23:05:00.004-04:00

Iconix Brand Group launched Material Girl at Macy's today and the event was a huge success! I must say that although the Madonna impersonators, performance by Taylor Momsen and beautiful pink carpet were great, I loved the Material Girl cupcakes by Cupcake Stop. They were adorable and very fitting for the brand and event. Great job to everyone who was a part of the launch!

(photos courtesy of Material Girl)

Flea Market Find: Juan Cabeza Necklace

2010-07-28T01:24:00.016-04:00

Object:
Necklace with head pendant

Found at:
The Garage, Chelsea Flea Market

Price: $5

{photo by Kathryn Bain}

Twice Upon a Time: Vermont

2010-07-28T01:10:00.008-04:00

A place I really love going when I'm in Vermont is the vintage store, Twice Upon a Time. They always have some of the craziest mannequin displays, great home goods and vintage fashion. It's located in downtown Brattleboro, VT surrounded by lots of other local shops. Last time I was there I purchased these striped juice glasses for so cheap.

{images via yelp.com, marlboro.edu and Kathryn Bain}

Creative, Inc.

2010-07-28T00:41:00.003-04:00

As soon as I heard about Creative, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco & Joy Jeandeeglert Cho I back-ordered the book so that I would have it as soon as it came out. After a long wait, it finally came in the mail 2 weeks ago and I'm about half way through. I love when designers, freelancers, business owners, etc. share with the world their secrets to success. But this book isn't just a brief overview, it gives details, real-life examples and digs deep into the freelance world. After reading the first book by Meg Mateo Ilasco, Craft, Inc. I knew I had to buy this one. If you haven't gotten it and you are interested in learning about freelancing or starting a business this is a must read.

{photos by Kathryn Bain}

Shrimp Skewers

2010-07-27T23:54:00.004-04:00

A lot of cooking has been going on in my tiny kitchen lately and I must say that we are getting quite good. One of my favorite things that we've made are these shrimp skewers from the August issue of Real Simple. I love feta, dill and shrimp so it was an tasty light dish.

{photos by Kathryn Bain and James Wojcik}

Trip to the Orchard: Westmoreland, NH

2010-07-27T23:35:00.012-04:00

My boyfriend and I decided to go berry picking while in New Hampshire a few weeks ago. It was tons of fun and something that we rarely get to enjoy because of living in New York City. The blueberries and raspberries were ripe and delicious. We visited High Hopes Orchard in Westmoreland, NH. It was a great little farm with very friendly people. If you're ever in the area you should check it out.

Afterward, we made a delicious blueberry buckle from a recipe I will need to type up for you later since it came from a family cookbook.
And raspberry jam from a Martha recipe. They were both so simple and taste great!
{photos by Kathryn Bain}

Tone On Tone Flower Arrangement

2010-07-20T23:27:00.008-04:00

I got the urge to make a flower arrangement the other day so I went to my local deli and bought some cheap flowers, carnations $5 and sweet williams $5. I just bundled them together (not completely effortlessly), then tied the stems up with some simple string and voila. It's always a nice treat to have fresh flowers around the apartment.

{photos by Kathryn Bain}

Paella Night

2010-07-20T17:54:00.005-04:00

My boyfriend and I have been trying out a lot of new recipes lately. He really wanted to give paella a go and here are the delicious results. I was in charge of the starter salad, which was much easier than his; just tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil. The meal was really simple and would be great for a large group (as you can see we will be eating paella for days).

{photos by Kathryn Bain}

Button Cookies

2010-07-09T12:16:00.004-04:00

OK, I know it's the summer, blazing hot out and no one wants to bake BUT these are way to cute to pass up. Seriously, button cookies? Adorable! I will be making a batch of these this weekend.

Philadelphia Murals: A Love Letter for You

2010-06-29T00:16:00.004-04:00

After hearing the exciting news on Looks Good to Me about her engagement, I got sucked into these fun murals that she posted about. A Love Letter for You is a program by Stephen Powers and City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program which essentially paints enormous love letters in urban settings. I wish New York had these.

Retro-Inspired Appliances

2010-06-27T21:19:00.009-04:00

I love retro-inspired appliances. If it were up to me, my whole kitchen would be decked out in Smeg. Here are a few of the many appliances out there that seem as though they're from another era. I mean, who doesn't need a snow cone machine, milkshake maker and polka-dotted toaster?

1. KitchenAid Stand Mixer $500 | 2. Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt Maker $50 | 3. Nostalgia Electronics Snow Cone Maker $28.95 | 4. Prestige Deco Kettle £60 | 5. John Lewis Dotty Toaster £19 | 6. Dualit Dab Kitchen Radio £179 | 7. KitchenAid Pitch Blender $99.99 | 8. Waring Drink Mixer $149 | 9. Kenwood Hand Mixer £39.95

Favela Painting

2010-06-26T09:55:00.003-04:00

I know that these have already hit the blogs but I love them so much and haven't been able to stop thinking about what a great idea this is. Favela Painting is a group who goes around to different favelas, which are Brazilian slums, and paint the buildings with bright colors and patterns. They aim "to bring outrageous art to unexpected places." Check out more of their projects here.

Manhattan Garden

2010-06-24T16:31:00.005-04:00

If you live or have ever lived in Manhattan you know that a private "garden" is very hard to come by. We got very lucky when finding this apartment because it has amazing outdoor space. We planted flowers this year (which is still growing), painted the walls, and painted the fence. We still have a few things that need to be worked on but it's coming together.

My Finished Bedroom

2010-06-24T15:58:00.010-04:00

It's been awhile since I've posted... been very busy! I finally finished sewing my curtains and pillows so I decided to post some pictures of my small, yet cozy, bedroom.

And we can't forget the lavender ceiling (ahhh what a pain to paint) and the light fixture (I had some help with that too).

::Wishlist:: Patio Umbrellas

2010-06-11T11:23:00.003-04:00

There are so many fun patio umbrellas out right now. It was hard to limit it down to just 6. Remember this one I posted about earlier? It's still on the list of favorites too.
1. Z Gallerie Venezia $199 | 2. Lowes Garden Treasures Living Aqua $79 | 3. Santa Barbara Lillypond | 4. Pottery Barn Three-Tiered Round Market $159| 5. Warp Weft Flamenco$1,250| 6. Santa Barbara Double Decker

Amy Henry: Set Designer

2010-06-11T11:01:00.003-04:00

I stumbled upon this really great beach set design by Amy Henry. This idea could be transformed for so many different campaigns or projects. Check out more of her work here.

Floral Headdresses

2010-06-08T15:36:00.003-04:00

There has been quite a trend/obsession going around with floral headdresses. They have been in magazines, catalogs, advertisements, store windows... pretty much any and everywhere. I have to say that I'm a fan and having them everywhere makes me happy. I love flowers and hats so why not combine the two? Here are some of my favs.

J.Crew Spring 2010 | Livia Cetti for Anthropologie | Livia Cetti for Kate Spade | Eloise Corr Danch for Macy's | Anthropologie Spring 2010

::Wishlist:: Summer Wedges

2010-06-04T12:20:00.005-04:00

There are so many fun wedges out for this summer. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Oak NYC Stripe Wedge $138 | 2. Tom's Calypso Canvas Wedge $69 | 3. Castaner Geo Print Wedge $120 | 4. Cynthia Rowley Multi-colored Pier Wedges $79 | 5. Kate Spade Metro Wedge $225 | 6. Bettye Muller Herb Wedge $226

Camilla Akrans for Harper's Bazaar

2010-06-04T10:38:00.004-04:00

The colors in the June/July Harper's Bazaar story shot by Camilla Akrans couldn't be more amazingly vibrant! I'm obsessed. In a dreamland my world would be full of these amazing color combinations.

Images via Fasion Gone Rogue

Watercolors Everywhere

2010-06-04T10:22:00.004-04:00

I've been seeing watercolors in a lot of places lately, fashion, photography, home goods, paper, etc. I love the softness it adds to even a bold image. I'm dying to do a project which incorporates this technique.

Stina Persson photo illustration | Jordan Ferney Business Cards | Harvey Faircloth fabric by Paulina Reyes | Anthropologie Bathing Suit | Kate Spade Organizer by Bella Foster | Under.linge Lookbook

Girl Crush: Janelle Monáe

2010-05-28T13:00:00.004-04:00

How amazing is Janelle Monáe?! Her music is awesome and not to mention her amazing style and fun hair! If you don't know who she is already, check her out here!

::Spotlight:: Kate Powers

2010-05-27T14:20:00.004-04:00

I've always like photographer Kate Powers' work but when I was browsing through her recent photos I fell even more in love. There's an amazing sense of sophistication with the lighting, styling and mood. Check out more of her work here.