Design & Decor Blog

Flipping through the pages of Canadian Living’s Holiday Celebrations 2009, I realized I had started to drool. Just, you know, a little. Sure, it’s a little early to get into the holiday spirit but I admit, I like getting ideas early. And anyway, isn’t a Coconut Lime Pie Martini suitable anytime of year?

Canadian Living’s Holiday Celebrations 2009 hit newsstands on Monday (and is available for purchase online, too) and I thought you might want to take a sneak peek. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

Cool features:
A Dessert Martini Bar with 8 not-to-miss sweet martini recipes
Tastefully elegant tiny hors d’oeuvres: Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Cool vegetarian section: A sensational pan-global assortment of meatless morsels
AND a tasteful cocktail party menu on a budget

Holiday Celebrations 2009
Price: $5.95

The recipes that caught my eye:

I spent this weekend enjoying holiday cheer with my family. We put on some Christmas music (some of my favourites are Elvis Christmas Duets, Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong,  and Celine Dion’s These are Special Times) and set to the task of decorating the tree. It was a lovely festive afternoon of family and fun.

We also enjoyed a glass each of fresh and frothy homemade eggnog. I recently spent a weekend at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, just outside of San Francisco (you can read a bit more about it here) and I visited the cooking school, where Kelsie Kerr, Cooking School Director, was whipping up delicious, delectable holiday eggnog.

I was inspired. While I didn’t get my hands on Kelsie’s recipe, I did find a few online and I whipped up a batch of this sweet treat for my family. Mmm! Here are a few for you to try, courtesy of eggnogrecipe.net.

Easy Eggnog
Diamond Eggnog Recipe
Traditional Eggnog Recipe
Coconut Eggnog Recipe
Chocolate Eggnog Recipe
Low Fat Eggnog

Kate Spade sells gorgeous Christmas ornaments, too! Shocking! My sister is pining over a gorgeous Kate Spade bag (she likes the white; I like the black) and while I was checking out its specs online, I came across these pretty ornaments. The candy-coloured ceramic ornaments come packaged in a beautiful hatbox and will look stunning on your tree. Or, if you’re hosting a dinner party, put one on each guest’s plate with their name and let them keep it. (This means, of course, that you’ll have to buy extra for yourself!)

Price: $75 for a set of 5
For more information: visit katespade.com

I don’t know about you but it can be tough to be original year after year, holiday after holiday. I mean, I’m buying gifts for the same people every year (you know, minus maybe an ex-boyfriend or plus a new colleague I really like) … but for the most part, the list of family and friends remains the same. So each year I, like you I’m sure, am faced with the challenge of coming up with something new and special. Same goes for the Christmas cards I send out each year. Who wants to send out the same cards year after year after year? That’s why I was so excited when I came across the Canadian company Jonesy. Not only are their stationery designs super-cute, fresh and original, according to the website: “Jonesy is dedicated to supporting the highest social and environmental standards. All products are printed with soy based inks on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper.”

Cards can be purchased individually or in boxed sets and you can also buy gift tags. Plus, I love that you can also purchase select boxed sets of cards from which 100% of the net proceeds are donated to the Sick Kids Foundation.

For more information:
Shop online at jonesy.ca. Customers won’t pay more than $5 for shipments within Canada, and for orders of $75 or more, orders will be shipped for free!

There are just 20 days left til Christmas! Have you started your decorating? Holiday decor doesn’t have to be just about crystal ornaments, window wreaths and tinsel-trimmed trees.  I love these linen pillows that express the simple message of the season in metallic embroidery. Clean and classic, they’ll suit most any decor.

Price: $34 each
Available at: Pottery Barn

Fresh, contemporary and fun, these colourful ceramic bowls are the perfect thing to put you in the holiday spirit. The multi-sized bowls will dress up any table with a burst of Christmas colour and are not only practical but left out on the table, make a lovely decoration for the season. The bowls are dishwasher safe and stack neatly when it’s time to put them away until next year.
Available at: patinastores.com
Price: 19.95 for the set

Are you getting excited for Christmas? I am! If you’re expecting guests and want to impress, adorn your holiday table with the festive colour of red. I love this centerpiece idea.

Available at: Restoration Hardware
Price: $62.99

Delight your guests with a table that looks perfectly pulled together. It’s really not that hard. Pretty placemats, tablecloths and table runners instantly dress up a table and at trendexhome.com, you’ll find a huge assortment of styles, colours and patterns to choose from. The simple gesture of dressing your table will let your guests know that you care enough to go to a bit of trouble for them (though it’s really no trouble at all!).  Or if you’re dining solo, it’s nice to do something special for yourself and set a pretty table before you sit down to eat. Boldly patterned pieces, like the ones pictured here, are a whimsical way to liven up stark white dishware. If your crockery is bold enough on its own, choose from simple but elegant solid colours – trendexhome.com has a wide assortment; you’re sure to find something that’ll suit your table just right!

These products also make a great Christmas present. Order by December 1 for delivery by December 22 in Canada and the United States.

For more information, visit trendexhome.com. For inspiring ideas for dressing your table in style, check out Style at Home’s tabletop section.

You just can’t go wrong with the gift of food. Well … okay, maybe that’s not true. I mean, I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled if someone showed up at my house with a cabbage casserole. They say it’s the thought that counts but I’d just be thinking, Wow. This person really doesn’t like me. So let me rephrase. You just can’t go wrong with the gift of baked goodies. And if you don’t have time to whip up some tasty treats yourself, then just leave it to the professionals. Frostineedibles.com is an online Canadian bakery that makes a vast assortment of cookies and other baked treats and offers overnight shipping to anywhere in Canada and the United States. So next time you’re looking for a hostess gift or housewarming present, a birthday gift or just something to satisfy your own sweet tooth, then consider Frostines Edibles. My favourite part is how they’re packaged – beautiful, re-useable boxes that come in a variety of colours and truly look like something special. Here at my office, we sampled the cookies and here’s what my colleagues had to say:

“Soft and crumbly. It dissolves in your mouth - delicious!”
Alaina Chapman

“These yummy cookies were truly delightful, melting away in my mouth. The butterscotch ripple was my fave — a simply sweet treat to cap off my lunch. If this is the way the cookie crumbles, I want more!”
Lauren McPhillips

“I had the chocolate brownie cookie … very chocolate brownie like! It was really rich and quite tasty, but somewhat dry. Would be perfect with a cold glass of milk. I imagine a serious chocolate lover would be very grateful to receive some of these to feed their craving.”
Daniela Payne

“This cookie makes a valiant effort to be all things to all people - it’s got shortbread, it has a modest filling, it has cranberries and who knows what else. That said, the holiday hubris pays off: In several sweetly satisfying bites, you get an essential taste of Christmases past, updated for the present. The verdict:  A-. The minus is for leaving out the chocolate. Now, can I have another one?”
John Kuipers

Good to know: All flavours of Frostines Edibles cookies are nut- and peanut-free.

For more information, visit: frostinesedibles.com