{a handwritten note ... }

{easy last minute christmas cookies}

YAY for Friday! My last day at work before Christmas - I am ready for this much needed break!!

I've got dinner guests tonight - and a slew of other events in the next few days, and seeing as I've been super short on time I needed a quick and easy cookie recipe for guests, friends, family & our neighbours. Here's what I whipped up {literally!}:

These are the easiest and most delicious little shortbread cookies you can make! Great thing is you only need 3 ingredients - and I'll bet you have them at home already ...

WHIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES:

- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened - either leave at room temp a few hrs or warm in a microwave for approx. 30 seconds)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup icing sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat for 10 minutes. And when I say 10 minutes, I mean TEN MINUTES. If you have a hand mixer like me, you'll get a good bicep workout in ;) It's this step that makes these cookies soft, whipped, melt-in-your-mouth amazing.

Drop from a teaspoon onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 mintues at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or until edges are just golden). This recipe makes 3 dozen cookies, so if you double it, you've got enough to feed the whole block! Hope this comes in handy if you needed a quick last minute recipe with ingredients already around the house.

YUM! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

{oh christmas tree ...}

Happy Thursday! Did all of my fellow Vancouverites make it ok in the crazy snow yesterday?? Gosh, my commute home - which is supposed to take a total of 45 minutes - took me 3 entire hours! Any one with winter weather conditions please be careful out there!!

Needless to say, the snow itself is so beautiful. And it sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Here's a little look at my Christmas decor & tree this year:

Turquoise and shades of copper:

Also, today you can find me guest contributing over at La Dolce Vita - dissecting the makings of a Windsor Smith kitchen. The kitchen is the perfect family gathering spot during the holidays, don't you think? Hop over to check out my post, here's a peek:

Thanks for all of your support, and have a great day!

{designer profile: kerrisdale design inc}

Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a great weekend! I'm starting your week off with a heavy dose of delicious decor. I love to share my favorite designer's portfolios with you, and today I'm sharing the work of Vancouver-based designer Karla Amadatsu of Kerrisdale Design Inc. Not only am I a huge fan of her work, but I'm also honored to call her a dear friend. She is beyond talented, with numerous projects published in House & Home, Style at Home, and BC Home to name a few {you can find her work most recently on the cover of the September issue of Style at Home!}.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you dying? I know, me too! This is one designer I truly admire; her aesthetic, her eye for fabrics, colors, and stand out classic pieces is impeccable. Keep your eyes peeled, there's no doubt you will be seeing more & more from Kerrisdale Design Inc. You can also check out more from her delicious portfolio, and on her blog, where she shares plans on renovating her own home!

{idswest & blend 2012}

Happy Monday friends! Can you believe we are exactly mid-month today?? Crazy! Well it's been two weeks since the IDSwest show here in Vancouver, and I've finally put together a recap post for you. A bit of a warning that this post is heavy on the {iPhone} pictures!

The show itself was fantastic, it truly showcased Vancouver's finest; from the well-established design companies to the up-and-coming Future Master's! I'll give you a little list of what caught my eye, starting off with my favorite exhibit, Da Vinci's Home booth:

via Nicole Scott Designs

 

Crazy amounts of eye candy, the pictures can't do justice! I loved that they carry new and vintage pieces and did a wonderful job of showcasing the mix of both. There is only one pair of these vintage lucite chairs below, NEED!

 

A pair of brass étagères! I was swooning. Ok, I had to wipe off the drool and move along ...

 

 

GE Cafe had a lovely kitchen display, I adored that they placed 2 French Bistro tables lengthwise against each other to create what looked like one VERY long center table.

 

 

The table is this one below from Crate & Barrel. It's pretty much my favorite thing from that store, I'd love to own one. Crate & Barrel is finally coming to Vancouver {Oakridge Center}! Maybe there's hope for me ;)

 

A little Canadiana over at Identity Apparel, much of their goods are made from recycled military blankets!

 

 

And speaking of Canadiana, I loved the YVR pillows at Nicole Tarasick ...

 

via Nicole Scott Designs

 

You may have already seen my post on Kelly Deck's kitchen for AyA Kitchens; MAJOR highlight of the show for me:

 

 

Loved the pretty pillows by Phaulet; the patterns are created in photoshop then transfered digitally to fabric. Smart!

 

 

By the looks of things, the trend of mixing metals isn't going anywhere soon ...

 

 

And lucite was everywhere too {Mint Interiors pictured below}. Funny how we see trends for quite a long while before they finally trickle down to being available to the average consumer ...

 

 

Urban Barn had the cutest armchair inspired by a vintage blazer, I love the elbow patches!!

 

 

This sculptural plant at Once a Tree really caught my eye:

 

 

Wouldn't these little cuties be perfect in a playroom?

 

 

The elephant trend is still going strong, the bowls by Gabrielle Burke were darling:

 

 

And of course, a huge highlight of the show for me was getting to attend one of my all time favorite Canadian designer's seminar, Tommy Smythe! A shout out to IDS event manager Leonie and show director Jason for arranging VIP seating at the talks for us bloggers, and the VIP tour beforehand! Tommy was as sharp and witty as I knew he would be, covering every topic from boxers vs. briefs, to the Real Housewives of Vancouver, to how to create a home in a small space. And I'd count him as an expert on small spaces, did you know that he once lived in only 180 square feet? And you thought your home was small!!

 

 

You can actually click on the image below to watch an episode of H&H where Tommy gives a tour of his small yet stunning space.

 

 

And last but definitely not least, I had the pleasure to help organize our West Coast blogger event, BLEND 2012 again this year. It was a wonderful night filled with fabulous bloggers, designers, photographers, and industry experts. We were thrilled to work with IKEA Canada again, they sponsored our event at the fabulous St. Regis boutique hotel. We felt insanely spoiled! A big thank you goes to Madeleine and her colleagues at IKEA who really made our event happen.

 

via Christine of Just Bella

 

We had the chance to literally rub elbows with Canada's finest; from left to right, House & Home VP of Communications Mark Challen, House & Home Editor in Chief Suzanne Dimma, me, Barbara, and Tommy Smythe.

 

 

 

The swag bags from IKEA were filled to the brim with goodies!

 

 

via Sheila of SZinteriors

 

All in all it was a great night to connect with old friends and make new friends that share the same passion for design and decor. I already can't wait to get planning for BLEND 2013!

 

Danielle, Erica, me, & Stephanie