Redddddd This!

Lisbeth Zwerger is my favorite illustrator. She. Is. Amazing. Please buy all her books so she never stops. One of my favorites is her Wizard of Oz. There's a full spread of the characters in a field of red poppies that is so beautiful and whimsical and strange. It makes me want to live in her books.



Clockwise from top left
Dress from Alberta Ferretti's Spring 2010 show
Embroidery from Neville Trickett's Flickr
Red Hunter Wellies from Shelba's Flickr
Old Red Hat letterpress pieces
Hoboken Pie Store
Thank You card from Pop + Shorty
Martha Stewart butterfly straw toppers
Living room from stylist/textile designer Marieke van Proosdij
RedruM photo frames
Ulrika May pillows

Take-out Flowers

I loved this photo from a set titled "Take-out flowers" by Jiseon Park and Eunho Kim (on SDesign Unit  via Apartment Therapy). Their clever use of ice cream cones and other everyday objects for transporting and displaying delicate arrangements strikes a fine balance between cutesy and quirky.

My approach to this post was to create a complementary setting for this shot--a room with a wall just begging for a large framed print of waffle cones, brimming with colorful wildflowers.  While embracing the bright palette, I also chose to select some neutral tones and organic materials that mirrored the playful juxtaposition presented above. Cute and quirky, just the way I like 'em.

Clockwise from top left:
Birdcage pendant lamp on Dutch By Design (£45)
Early 20th century industrial cage lights from Rewire 
Miner's bottle in Amber from Anthropologie ($14)
Yellow tuxedo ruffle curtain at Urban Outfitters ($42)
Amethyst votive holder from ABC Home ($75)
Cooled globes lamp by Anthropologie ($298)
Trumpet flowers in Emerald from Love by Amy Butler 
Pillow cover in Pink Coriander by Amy Butler from Lilybethgoodies on Etsy ($14)
Lima alpaca throw in fuschia from Crate and Barrel ($169)
PJÄS basket with base from Ikea ($12.99)
Coming and going coat rack from Urban Outfitters ($68)
Antoinette fainting sofa in Aubergine from Urban Outfitters ($575)
Round parasol rug by Thomas Paul 
David Stark gold flower candle lanterns for West Elm ($12-$34)

Houndstooth and Tweed Prints

My Vintage Vogue is an awesome website with a collection of images that chronicle fashions from the 1920's to 1960's.  I've always loved vintage fashion photography, and this site is a great resource for inspiration! The photo above titled "Race Track Fashions" by Nina Leen is from a 1958 issue of LIFE Magazine.  Check out the My Vintage Vogue blog  for more photos.

I'm totally digging the clothing in this picture. The mixed check, houndstooth and plaid prints are still in style- just check out the modern interpretations of this retro fad below!

Clockwise from top left:

Houndstooth ring from littlebrownbox on Etsy ($7)

Tweed check purse from Topshop ($36)

Alexander McQueen houndstooth check pencil dress on Net-a-porter ($1,845) 

Sequin t-shirt dress by French Connection via Figleaves ($270)

Houndstooth gloves from Michael Kors ($150)

Ashton Michael adjustable bowtie on 80's Purple ($88)

Buffalo check ruffle knit scarf by Arden B. ($19.50)

Moschino houndstooth heels via Shoewawa 

Gumdrop T-strap flats by oh DEER! on Endless ($53.70)

Plaid wool gauze dress from Lark & Wolf by Steven Alan on Urban Outfitters ($78)

Kimchi Blue vintage tweed dress from Urban Outfitters ($68)

Houndstooth ZJN satchel in winter white from Juicy Couture on Urban Minx ($450)

Houndstooth cardigan by Caroline Rose at Neiman Marcus ($395)

Dessert Buffet: Chocolate & Cream

Dessert and candy buffets are all the rage at weddings and events this year. Photos of stylized buffets, like this one above from a Martha Weddings magazine spread, are almost unavoidable when doing party planning research. As someone who likes to bake and decorate, I've yet to come across a buffet of treats that seems difficult to replicate.

This blue, brown and wintery white tablescape is no exception. The linens are simple, the cake stands are plain, candies are in clear glass vases and the display pedastals for bite-sized goodies are clean and modest. This modern style uses enough basic pieces to allow even those with a tight budget to find a perfect match.

Below are some easy recipes for elegant-looking desserts that you can whip up in your own kitchen. For a smaller crowd, downsize your table and swap out some of the tiered cakes shown above for tiered platters with cupcakes or petit fours.

Clockwise from top left:

Whoopie pies from Gourmet magazine via Epicurious 

Chocolate marbled meringue recipe from BBC GoodFood 

Chocolate-dipped pretzels, photo by Schakolad, recipe from Robin Miller via Food Network

Chocolate ganache truffles by Culinate 

Foolproof chocolate fudge recipe on Hubpages  

Mini vanilla cupcakes by Mary Bakes 

Jordan almonds with a bronze candy coating from Patchi 

"Hot" chocolate cake spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper by Country Living 

Hazelnut chocolate linzer cookies from the LA Times 

English buttermints and brown sugar licorice from Fiona's Sweetshoppe 

Boston cream pie recipe from Country Living 

Homemade marshmallows with toasted coconut by recipe by Ina Garten  

A Crazy Week!

Apologies for the lack of posts this past week!

It's been more hectic than usual, but I had the pleasure of working on both the Martha Weddings 15th anniversary party with Matthew Robbins Design and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Kids for Kids Family Carnival with the lovely crew at David Stark Design. 

Tons of fun, but barely any time for sleep, let alone blogging!

We'll be back to our normal posting pace starting tomorrow, so get psyched!

Best,
Anjelica

Origami Folds

I really loved the composition of this photo by Snorkiesnork on Flickr (via oh joy! ). Not sure what the image is from, but the colorful cranes are adorable and seem especially fitting for an outdoor party. I think it's the bright assortment of clothespins that really seals the deal-- regular wooden clothespins wouldn't make half the statement!

I've always loved origami. Cheap decorations, good for killing time in a meeting, and if you happen to get really good at it, you could always try your hand at recreating some of the gorgeous items below. The paper lamp shade and the earrings are my personal favorites, along with the sadly-still-just-a-concept paper crane tea bags. I'd absolutely love to make a quilt out of squares like the ones from Hanna Nyman and Marie Dreiman! Maybe when I retire..

Clockwise from top left: 

Folded "Propellerheads" paper tesselation from EricGjerde's photostream on Flickr 

DIY paper table lanterns by Design*Sponge (simple tutorial)

Origami print tumblers by soule on Etsy via Apartment Therapy 

Large white pendant shade by Claire Norcross for Habitat (£65.00)

Lucky wheel origami earrings in funnysky's Etsy store ($5, hundreds of other origami items!)

Structured origami skirt in purple from Topshop ($80)

Silver origami windmill necklace from Origami Bijou ($60)

Folded fabric for a Bogesunds Vaveri tradebooth by Hanna Nyman and Marie Dreiman 

Hand-folded origami dish from EndemicWorld ($145)

Paper crane origami teabag design by Natalia Ponomareva via Emily Chang 

Origami table design by Matthias Demacker for van Esch

Decorative Stitchery

I saw these old embroidery patterns recently on FFFFOUND! and really adored the fun colors and shapes. These designs are from a vintage French pattern book by DMC for those who aspire to explore the art of 'la broderie.'

I'm a sucker for pixelated patterns and folkart-inspired designs, especially in the context of textiles. The lovely pieces below (embroidered, cross-stitched and needlepoint-adorned) reminded me of the styles featured on this antique pattern sheet.

Clockwise from top left:
Anna Sui embroidered pom pom dress at ShopBop ($406)
Vintage flower top by Lucky Brand ($29.50)
Cross stitch barrettes from Free People ($4.95)
Needlepoint buttons by eclecticselections  on Etsy ($6.50 for 6)
Hand-dyed wool zip pouch by cruzdesigns' Etsy store ($28)
Plenty by Tracy Reese embroidered silk blouse at Nordstorm ($305)
PIXELL flats in cognac by Steve Madden ($69.95)
Silver moccasin flats in yellow suede by Blowfish ($28.64)
Luella Ethel embroidered prom skirt at La Garconne ($218.80)
Folk embroidered red mary janes from Agataga's Etsy Store ($16)
Embroidered geometryart necklace from spinthread on Etsy ($35)

Type Your Life

This photo is both hilarious, endearing, and cool from a featured nursery on Apartment Therapy. By the way, what is that bunny doing there?

Big, decorative letters seem to be a growing trend in interior design. You can get these letters everywhere now. The hardest part is really which letters to buy and what to spell. Suggestions anyone? Or should I just create an homage to this blog, M-I-S-M-A-T-C-H-E-R-I-E?


Clockwise from left:
Letter A light from Perch! Design
Personalized G napkins from Envelop
Letter D from Daily Dropcap
F pendant from Ariel Gordon
Initial ring from MAstyle
Typographic fashion E and A from TypeNeue
Letter P from Briar Press
Letter Lights Balls from Perch! Design
Letter B from Daily Dropcap
Laser Cut Scarfs from LittleFactory
Austin Press calling card from Snippet and Ink
NB from Wohnbedarf
Fail Harder Pushpin Board from W+K
Cut paper Q from Grayhood
Hand Lettering from Joel Holland

Fowl Friends

Even though the fall is creeping in and the mornings are freezing in my apartment, an (seemingly) invisible bird outside my window insists on waking me up instead of letting my usual alarm clock do its job. Don't birds migrate south in cold weather? What happened to this guy and why did he get left behind? Maybe I'll try to catch him and domesticate him. OR I'll just look at these lovely curiosities on boxes from Lyndie Dourthe! Amazing!


Clockwise from left
Rotulos Roura company owl in Barcelona via Whorange
Paper mobile from Sandra Juto
Owl Plushie from Night Owl Papergoods
Birdhouse dolls from Tamar Morgendorff
Owl painting from Andrew Holder
Owl Book End from Chatchada
Godzilla Grows Feathers matte print from Charmine Olivia's Etsy
WAWAYA owls from Gnip
Bird Sketches paper print from dolangeiman's Etsy
Owl candlesticks from Laura Walls Taylor's Etsy
Cardinal garden bell from The Gardener
Bird Mobile from Grayhood
Lacy Bird bowls from Prince Design UK's Etsy
Amma maternity stationary from Beastpieces
A Simple Bird from BROOKLYNrehab's Etsy

DIY: Jam Cookies

I have a thing for packaging, and these vintage Polish jam labels from pan tu nie stal (via Made In England) caught my eye.  The bold colors and cute, simple graphics on were likely a fitting match for their original contents.

More importantly, coming across these labels reminded me that I had a couple of jars of jam in my kitchen just waiting to be eaten! What better way to use up different flavors of jam than to bake these guys? Definitely one of my favorite types of cookies, especially when you don't skimp on the fruity preserves.

I followed this Jam Thumbprint Cookie recipe by Ina Garten, and it was surprisingly easy! I  do bake often, but this was an exceptionally successful batch of cookies. Delicious, too!


Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I did 3/4 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract)
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry and/or apricot jam (I did both, plus strawberry)

1. Toss all of that decadent butter into your mixer! Cream together with one cup of sugar until light and fluffy.




2. Measure out your extracts! I incorporated a bit of almond extract because I just can't get enough of it in my baking. Add these into your butter and sugar.



3. Add flour and salt slowly but surely, at a low speed. No need to create flour clouds in your kitchen.



4. Mix until a moist dough forms. This happened pretty quickly for me, and the dough was a perfect consistency. Wonder if it was those 3 sticks of butter...?



5.  Shape your dough into a nice flat disk, wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.



6.  In the meantime, beat together one egg with one tablespoon water to create an egg wash. Spread some of the coconut out on a plate for easy rolling access.



7. Once the dough is chilled, unwrap and begin rolling into 1 1/4" balls. I was able to get 30 cookies out of my dough--not too shabby!



8. Dip the dough balls into your egg wash, then roll on plate to lightly coat with coconut. I found that one bag of coconut was just enough to cover them all.

9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees



9. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to make indentations in your cookies. You could make them shallow or deep--I preferred to make them a bit deep to hold more jam.



10. Step back and admire your work. Place your cookie sheets in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until coconut begins to turn golden brown.  After 25 minutes, my coconut still wasn't completely toasted, but I didn't want to risk overcooking them.  I removed them and they turned out just fine.



Ta-da!



Strawberry, raspberry and apricot jam in amazing little buttery cookies. I'm really glad this recipe yields just over 2 dozen. Plenty to share and plenty to eat all by myself!

Dia de Los Muertos

When I saw this print from super-cool illustrator, Andrew Bannecker, I was immediately inspired.  One of his recent blog posts offers a peek into his studio, and it's definitely worth checking out. This design, along with several other of his works, appear throughout the space with other eclectic pieces that any artist could admire.

The above print reminded me of a colorful Mexican fiesta. With El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) coming up on November 1st, I thought it was the perfect time to share some ideas for hosting your own party. Perfect excuse for sugar skulls and Mexican food with friends. Don't forget the guac ! 

Clockwise from top left:
Turquoise papel picado banners from Casa Bonampak ($12.50 for 18 ft)
Black floral oilcloth from Denver Fabrics ($6.45/yard)
Seafoam dot oilcloth from Denver Fabrics ($6.45/yard)
Orange Icelandic poppies featured on Brides.com 
Metal wire votive holders from Target ($4.98)
Poblano risotto with garlic shrimp by What's Cooking  
Roasted pork taco with Mole, recipe from FoodNetwork , photo by What's Cooking 
Orange Vinyl Lace Placemat from Dream in Plastic ($1.49)
Laminated fabric trays from Simrin's Surya collection 
Surya printed glassware in Ocean from Simrin  
Capri blue candle in a jar from Anthropologie ($25)
Lace strewn knob in sky blue from Anthropologie ($10)
Ceramic melon knob with antique brass from Anthropologie ($8)
Blackberry sugar skulls handpainted and sold by ArtofSkulls 

Happy Rainbows

I am obsessed with these found objects put together by artists Gilles Cenazandotti and Thierry Lede with their Clear Art Planet project which aims to clean the world beaches. Once I had an interview at a super-cool design firm and someone had a huge wall of found objects just like this. Instantly jealous! It would take me a lifetime to put something together like this.



Clockwise from top left:
Colored masking tape from Sandra Juto
Rainbow Lollipop Tutu from Lily Jill Bowtique
Embroidered Circles from Anu Tuominen's portfolio
Tomato Rainbow from Sycamore Street's Flickr
Rainbow Village Card from Fred Flare
Hervé Léger Rainbow Bandage dress by Hervé Léger
Rainbow Travel bag by Le Sportsac
28-Layer Rainbow Cake from Serious Eats
Kitty Egg Crayons from KittyBBLove
Rainbow Heart Necklace from Fred Flare
Color Wheel Quilt from The Purl Bee
Colored Yarn from Purl Soho
Color Wheel Quilt from The Purl Bee
Color Block Crewneck from Fred Flare
Fall Pumpkin photo by Sang An

Catcher of the Dreams

Oh, dreamcatcher. A proud tradition of the Ojibwe (Chippewa) tribe, a symbol of Native American unity in the 60's and 70's, and a kitschy piece of south-western memorabilia today.  I remember having one as a child--it didn't fit with the style of my room, but it served its purpose by regularly ensuring a monster and demon-free slumber.

The image above is from A Print A Day, a neat blog and resource for downloading free graphics--from stationery and gift tags to embroidery templates and photoshop brushes. I love this modern interpretation of a dreamcatcher, with bright colors and an unexpected floral pattern where the web would usually appear.  The style reminded me of bohemian-meets-dance-hall-chic, translated below:

Clockwise from top left:

Beaded feather necklace by Urban Outfitters ($58)

Watercolor feathers V-neck tee from Urban Outfitters ($28)

Minnetonka calf high 3-in-one moccassin boot on Piperlime ($80)
Orange feather chain necklace by Charlotte Russe via Stylecaster

Single-sided pink feathered headband by Laura Kranitz on 80's Purple 

Pheonix striped cuff, part of Alex and Ani's Free Bird collection

Purple feathered headband from Nordstrom ($38)

Feather print gray top from Forever 21 ($19.80)

Beaded feather-trim black top from Forever 21 ($19.80)

Patterson J. Kincaid Greenwich feather tank at Bloomingdales ($88)

Enamel peacock feathered brooch in backintimejewelry's Etsy shop

Salvatore Ferragamo ostrich feather clutch via Polyvore
Chalcedony dreamcatcher necklace from Layla Grace ($37)

Blue and purple angel feather earrings from MountainManCreations on Etsy($10)

Gadgets I Need

I may love super girly things like Anjelica's post about that pink cake, but I love electronics too. I am always looking for new headphones, an interesting clock for my living room, a robot friend etc. So when I saw this concept for the new PS3 system and I went kind of google-eyed. I think a nicely designed product that is both functional and beautiful is hard to find. Often when I do stumble on the perfect thing, its a 'concept' piece, which just means it hasn't been put into production just yet. But one can dream, right?


Clockwise from top left:

Honda Personal Mobility Device from CarPictures
Dream Heart Portable Speaker from ChipChick
Chrysler Peapod Mobility Car from Peapod
Zumreed Rain Drop iPod Bathroom Speaker from PortableGadget
FujiFilm Instax 210 Camera from Fujifilm
Wood Station Weather Display from ThinkGeek
Ora by Alexandros Stasinopoulos Watch from PicoCool
Splitterbot Headphone sharing mini bot from Tesora
Target Clock from DesignBoom
Takaratomy Xiao Instant Digital Camera from AudioCubes
Tengu a USB-powered Lip-Synching Character from Unica Home
Energy Aware Clock from DesignBoom
Black an White Clock from Kibardi Design

Pink Ruffle Cake

Leave it to Martha to feature a simple 3-step "how-to" on the most perfectly iced cake I've ever seen.  Chances are, I wouldn't be able to replicate this gorgeous confectionary marvel with or without a tutorial, but I appreciate their assumption that I could.

Since this cake is obviously deserving of a setting that's comparably girly, I put together a few fantastic finds that would do our ruffles justice. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a pink-loving girly-girl, but there was just something about each of these items and photos that spoke to me!  The colors of the balloons and the pink depression glass are especially appealing.

Clockwise from top left:

Pink pom-pom decoration kit from Baby Favors & Things (7 for $19) or make your own with this tutorial from Martha Stewart
Candy favor bags designed by Amy Atlas

Cherry rock candy swizzle sticks from Oh Nuts! candy store ($.69 a piece)

Balloons from a Pretty in Pink theme party by Your Home Based Mom (tons of cute photos!)

Pink depression glass plates from teaforallreasons on Etsy via mcCalled.com

Swirled meringue puffs from a dessert table by Amy Atlas

Pink depression glass candy dish at Weller Store ($25)

Pink plastic tumblers from Target's Spring '09 collection via Such Pretty Things ($2.49 each)

Screenprinted hydrangea invitations by Parrott Design Studio on Wedding Bee Pro

Mini string lanterns on Hometown Evolution Inc. ($15.95 for set of 10)

Photo of pink peonies via Twirl and Taste 

Pink sweetpea arrangement on tanakawho's photostream (via Flickr)

Animal-style

Not so very long ago, Twitter changed its default avatar from 'anonymous silhouette' to 'perky bird'. I am now a chipper little chick! It got me looking at my walls and jewelry box and realized I have a few of my own wildlife-inspired pieces of my own. Not only that, I been gravitating towards more things beastie in general.

Also, click here to follow Mismatchérie on Twitter!

Clockwise from top left:
Invisible Dogs from Improv Everywhere
Whale Pitcher from Jonathan Adler
Vintage Ram Pin from Purple Daisy Jewelry
Halloween bird masks from Whip Up
Vintage chair from Hazel & Hunter
Porcelain plate from Studio Violet
Autumn Bird barley candy from Fancy Flours
Bulldog print from The Little Friends of Printmaking
Emily Anderson's home and whale pillow on DesignSponge
Autumn Bird barley candy from Fancy Flours
Owls from Matt Pugh Design
Hedgehog cupcake from Martha Stewart
Ark textile pattern from Rilla
Elephant Bank from Cross Design
Modern Wilderness Rhinos from A+R Store
Gold deco Snake bangle from Luxury Vintage
Enchanted forest rings from Soop
Mini Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder from Too Faced

Colorblock

Imagine that this is your office. Impossible? Not if you work for DGI-byen, a popular event venue in Copenhagen. Art studio Hvass & Hannibal put together this design for a conference room renovation, building mobile blocks suitable for dividing the large meeting room into smaller spaces when necessary.

Not only does their design allow for a flexible and changing environment, the colors lend themselves well to an exciting urban/modern atmosphere. The juxtaposition of the tall blocks on the gray background are meant to represent the interaction of cityscape and landscape. To read more about this design and see additional photos of the finished room, visit their site.

The colorblock pieces below reminded me of the bright multicolor palette and geometric patterns from Hvass & Hannibal's design.

Clockwise from top left:

Walk-a-ways dress in orange from Anthropologie ($79.95)

Risky business sunglasses from Fred Flare ($11)

Ella Moss colorblock boyfriend tee at Saks ($78)
Two-tone Bettye Muller wedge at Neiman Marcus ($310)

Pink lantern skirt from Topshop ($65)

BCBGMAXAZRIA Full Needle tube skirt at Bloomingdales ($148)

In Love by 2 AM tank from Urban Outfitters ($14.99)

Silence & Noise silk retro top from Urban Outfitters ($48)

HAWKS by Geren Ford colorblock dress from Urban Outfitters ($69.99)

Silence & Noise crossback tunic from Urban Outfitters ($38)

Vision lace-up canvas shoe by Topshop ($50)

Joe's Jeans amber bowler handbag at Endless.com ($200)