Holidays | Design Happens

ALL POSTS TAGGED "[Holidays]"

HGTV Pinning Party Highlights!

by Sarah Herron November 19, 2012 4 Comments

Our HGTV Pinning Party on Pinterest was a blast last night!

Pinners mixed and mingled with editors, bloggers and specials guests Meg Caswell, Sabrina Soto, Britany Simon and Tyler Wisler, along with HGTVRemodels House Counselor Laurie March and DIYNetwork blogger Emily Winters.

We shared some of our best ideas for holiday decorating and entertaining. Here’s a digital album of highlights from the pinning party:

It was full of wonderful surprises, like a visit from HGTV celebrity Sabrina Soto.

More Highlights

Summer’s Bounty on Your Thanksgiving Table

by Marianne Canada November 19, 2012 8 Comments

I don’t know about you, but at the end of every summer I am working overtime, trying to hold on to the harvest at my local Farmer’s Market. September finds me frantically freezing peaches and berries, and this year I made my first forays into canning and pickling.

RELATED: How to Freeze Peaches

Peaches

Click Here for More

Holiday Cocktails: Pumpkin Pie Martini

by Abbi McCollum November 16, 2012 2 Comments

Thanksgiving is a time when families come together. Inevitably, at some point during the big day, one of your relatives might bring up a debate point that could cause some contention – pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Don’t worry, the entertaining experts at HGTV.com are here to help. You can have the best of both worlds by cutting a big slice of pecan pie and pouring a Pumpkin Pie Martini. Recreate the classic pie in a martini glass with vanilla vodka, pumpkin spice liqueur, Kahlua, butterscotch schnapps and half-and-half.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Want more festive cocktails? From Sake Sangria to a Warm Apple Pie Cocktail, keep your guests entertained with spirited holiday cocktails and party drinks.

Featured

Daily Delight: Mod Seder Plate for Passover

by Briana Mowrey April 6, 2012 5 Comments

Time to break out the matzoh — sundown marks the beginning of Passover. Are you hosting a Seder? I’ve seen some pretty table setting ideas on Pinterest, but one thing that really caught my eye was this mod, minimalist Seder plate on Etsy.

seder plate

You’d never know it, but this was made with a recycled oak wine barrel head. The elegant little ceramic bowls sit in grooves atop it for the six traditional, symbolic foods to retell the Passover story. Even if you don’t celebrate Passover, this would be a beautiful serving dish. But if you do, what a lovely centerpiece this would be. I may even be more excited about this plate than brisket and flourless chocolate cake. (Okay, not really, but it’s close.)

Featured

Daily Delight: Nine Ladies Dancing

by Briana Mowrey December 20, 2011 3 Comments

On the ninth day of Christmas Daily Delights, I give to thee…NINE LADIES DANCING! (And: EIGHT MAIDS-A-MILKING, SEVEN SWANS-A-SWIMMING, SIX GEESE-A-LAYING, FIIIIIIVVVEEEEE GOOLLLDEENNNNN RIIIIINNNGSSSS, FOUR CALLING BIRDS, THREE FRENCH HENS, TWO TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREEEEE!)

nine ladies dancing

Left column, top to bottom: Single Ladies, Ballerina Cookie Cutter, Art Deco Fashion Illustration, Folkdance Shopping Tote. Large image: Art Deco Dancing Flapper Ceramic Sculpture. Middle column, top to bottom: “Gladys” Hand-Stitched Pin-Up Art, Ballerina Wire Wall Sculpture. Right column, top to bottom: The Ballet of Mustache, Mark Shaw Editioned Photo “Chicken Ballerina”-ca. 1950.

It was tempting to post some Degas sculptures and posters and call it a day (I need extra time to find LORDS-A-LEAPING!), but since I’m sure you were expecting that, I found some more unusual choices. Maybe it’s not the most topical print anymore, but I was thrilled to see Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” dance moves immortalized on archival & acid-free paper. And how can the appeal of ballerinas with moustache tutus be denied? All these picks make me want to turn on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and shake a tailfeather…is that wrong?

Featured

Daily Delight: Eight Maids-a-Milking

by Briana Mowrey December 19, 2011 5 Comments

On the eighth day of Christmas Daily Delights, I give to thee…EIGHT MAIDS-A-MILKING! (And: SEVEN SWANS-A-SWIMMING, SIX GEESE-A-LAYING, FIIIIIIVVVEEEEE GOOLLLDEENNNNN RIIIIINNNGSSSS, FOUR CALLING BIRDS, THREE FRENCH HENS, TWO TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREEEEE!)

eight maids a milking

Clockwise from top left: Spode Blue Room Traditions Dinner Plate(s) Milkmaid, Milking Stool, ixxi Contemporary Pixel Illustration of the ‘Milkmaid’, Handstamped Cow on Milk Ad Knob, Cowhide Pillow Black & White, Blue Cow Soap, Harold Import 82-234 Porcelain Cow Creamer 6 Oz, Diner White Cow Milk Bottle 12 oz.

I’m cheating a little on this one, since I only featured two actual maids (the plate and the pixel wall art of Vermeer’s “The Milkmaid”), but hey, you try finding some attractive milkmaid products! It’s a little ironic that I’m showcasing milk-centric items, considering I’m deathly allergic to milk in real life, but I suffer for my art. At least I am not allergic to those playful milking stools, thank goodness.

Featured

Daily Delight: Seven Swans-a-Swimming

by Briana Mowrey December 18, 2011 6 Comments

On the seventh day of Christmas Daily Delights, I give to thee…SEVEN SWANS-A-SWIMMING! (And: SIX GEESE-A-LAYING, FIIIIIIVVVEEEEE GOOLLLDEENNNNN RIIIIINNNGSSSS, FOUR CALLING BIRDS, THREE FRENCH HENS, TWO TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREEEEE!)

seven swans a swimming image

Clockwise from top left: Swan Pedal Boat, Swans Black Bowl, A is For Art Nouveau Pillow with Double Swans, Black Swan Watering Bucket, Swan Egg Cup, Black Swan Decoration.

Swans are iconic in mythology and even on film, from Black Swan to Bella Swan — and who could forget this Billy Madison shout-out? In many cases, they’re both beautiful and tragic (see also: Bjork’s infamous red-carpet swan song), but these design picks only emphasize their grace. I almost went with the classic Swan Chair, but because I wanted a nod to the “a-swimming” in the lyric, I included a swan-shaped pedal boat instead. I may be just an Ugly Duckling without $2,754 and a private lake to tool around on, but far be it from me to deny you, dear readers. ;-P

Featured

Daily Delight: Five Golden Rings

by Briana Mowrey December 16, 2011 5 Comments

On the fifth day of Christmas Daily Delights, I give to thee…FIIIIIIVVVEEEEE GOOLLLDEENNNNN RIIIIINNNGSSSS!!!!! (And: FOUR CALLING BIRDS, THREE FRENCH HENS, TWO TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREEEEE!) This is my very favorite part of the song, because even people who weren’t singing the carol before jump in just for this line. (On some VH1 “I Love the 80s” special, a comedian cracked that the whole point of R.E.M.’s “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” is so that groups of frat boys can sing “LEONARD BERNSTEIN!” in unison, and that’s kind of how I feel about this part of the 12 Days. It’s the fun “LEONARD BERNSTEIN!” part.)

five golden rings final Clockwise from top left: Sun Brass Trivet, Aura Shower Curtain Rings, Golden Light Cyclos Wallpaper, Gold Leaf Convex Wall Mirror Set, “Golden Circles” Fireplace Screen

I read that the five golden rings lyric actually refers to birds again (like ring-necked pheasants), but we’ve already covered birds exhaustively I feel, so let’s move on, shall we? I’ve gathered a little assortment of ringed wonders here that are sure to be more well-received than any feathered creature, and while I’m not-so-secretly hoping for a golden ring that I can wear on my finger from my true love soon, I’d also take the gorgeous trivet in the top left corner. Which “ring” is your favorite? Tell me in the comments!

Featured

Daily Delight: Four Calling (Colly?) Birds

by Briana Mowrey December 15, 2011 6 Comments

On the fourth day of Christmas Daily Delights, I give to thee…FOUR CALLING BIRDS! (Also: THREE FRENCH HENS, TWO TURTLE DOVES AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREEEE!) Birds, birds and more birds! I don’t think I ever noticed how obsessed this song is with all things avian. Was that some kind of fad back in the day? I mean, didn’t they have any jewelry then? Forget a pear tree! How about a pear-cut diamond? But, I digress.

pie birds

Photo: Kana Okada/Country Living

There’s some head-scratching over this lyric, because some people sing “four calling birds” though it’s believed that it’s a “phonetic misunderstanding” of the phrase “four colly birds” — colly birds being a term for blackbirds in old-timey England. You learn something new every day on this blog, I tell ya. So, I think four of these pie birds would be a perfect gift on all fronts. They’re adorable, affordable, reference another rhyme (“four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie”) and with their mouths open, they even look like they’re “calling” if you prefer that interpretation. That’s actually a practical feature for fruit pies with pastry tops; the mouths act like a steam vent so that the pie juices don’t boil over. The birds featured in this Country Living snap are vintage, but you can pretty up your pie with a modern option, like this bird from Amazon.com.

Featured

Daily Delight: Easy Christmas Card Holder Craft

by Briana Mowrey December 8, 2011 3 Comments

I’m terrible about sending Christmas cards, and it turns out I’m not much better at receiving them. I get these beautiful cards — mini works of art, really — and have no place to display them. Oh, there’s the fridge, of course, but anything less than my DREAM FRIDGE just seems too everyday for the good tidings. Fortunately, I stumbled upon this clever solution from Jen of Tatertots & Jello.

Jen made her own ladder and painted it blue to match her decor. She then dressed it with twine and clothespins, and ta-da! Now she can show off those Christmas cards in style. What’s more, Jen points out that the ladder can also be used to string up an advent calendar, or you could even use it to put up some stockings (especially handy for those of us without fireplaces). Check out her tutorial for all the steps. You may have to take down your Christmas tree after the holidays, but this is one attractive craft you can leave up year-round.

Get more festive holiday craft and homemade gift ideas here!

[Via: Houzz]