Design & Decor Blog

Image by: GAP Photos/Mark Scott

I know, I know — it’s early. But I’m starting to feel Christmas fever. For me, it truly is the most wonderful time of year. It’s not the gifts, the shopping or anything to do with the chaos that Christmas has (sadly) become synonymous with. It’s about family and friends and the joy and peace of the season.

But — that doesn’t mean that the holidays aren’t a lot of work, as you prepare to throw the doors of your home open to welcome your nearest and dearest. But don’t stress. We’ve compiled a 50-day Holiday Countdown to help you get through with ease and elegance. Our no-muss, no-fuss approach means you can be the consummate host or hostess without losing your cool.

Check out:
50-day holiday countdown
For 50 days, we’re revealing an article a day to inspire you with decorating ideas and recipes — all with an eye to keeping things simple.

50-day gift guide
Each day for 50 days, we’ll offer you a new gift suggestion to help simplify gift buying. Whether you’re completely stuck  or just looking for an I-hadn’t-thought-of-that idea, we’re here to help.

Holiday countdown contest
So, how do you simplify the holidays? Enter our contest and share your best holiday decorating, organizing and entertaining tips. Psst! We’re giving away some fabulous prizes, too!

September is a deliciously in-between time of year. It’s kind of warm, it’s kind of cool. You could just as easily get away with wearing a summer dress with a cardigan or your favourite pair of jeans with a t-shirt. Depending on the day, you may find yourself entertaining guests indoors or enjoying one of the year’s final al fresco meals. You just never know in September. Each day is like a little surprise. As we welcome the month, full of optimism and resolutions (there’s something about the back-to-school season that really feels like a new year, even more so than January 1, don’t you think?), check out our list of 10 things to do in September. What are you going to tackle? Me, I’m going to cut that clutter!
Image courtesy of Gap Interiors.

Every day, it’s inevitable. Around 3pm in the afternoon, I start to crave sugar. I just seem to need an extra jolt to push me through to the end of the day. And today, the perfect match for my sweet tooth would most certainly be these lemon cupcakes.

Excerpted from Cupcake Kit: Recipes, Liners, and Decorating Tools for Making the Best Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans, this recipe is easy and makes a delightfully delicious sweet treat.

“Lemons are always in season and these lemon cupcakes are ready to party, to picnic, to lunch, or to take part in any happy occasion.

The yellow part of the lemon peel has a strong lemon flavor and is used to flavor the cupcake batter and frosting. Be sure to wash and dry lemons before grating the peel, and to grate only the colored part of the rind (the white pith under the rind is bitter). The cake flour used here adds an especially tender texture to these cupcakes. It can be found in the baking section of supermarkets.”

Get the entire lemon cupcake recipe! Plus, check out our food section for more easy recipes.

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I’m sitting at my desk daydreaming about summer (ssh! don’t tell anyone; I’m supposed to be working) and I’m thinking about those long, lazy weekend days and evenings spent out on the backyard deck during summer. What could be better? The warmth of that summer sun; conversation with friends and family; good food; and of course, a refreshing drink in hand. This tableware from Canadian Tire certainly puts me in the mood for some good summer livin’! I love the geometric shape of these high-quality melamine dishes and acrylic glasses and the pretty pattern is cheery and sophisticated. Good to know: All these pieces are top-rack dishwasher safe. You know what that means! Clean up is going to be a breeze!

Prices:
Pitcher: $16.99
Highball: $3.99/glass
Blossom double old-fashioned glass: $3.99
Wine glass: $4.49
Tray: $14.99
Square side plate: $3.99
Square side bowl: $3.99
Square dinner plate: $4.99

Visit Canadian Tire for more information.

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This blog post is designed specifically to make you salivate. These Rice Krispie treats (pictured left) from The Crispery are available for order only in the U.S. (boo!) but they look so yummy, I had to share! They come in a variety of individual flavours like: Caramel and Marshmallow, Peanut Butter, Coconut and Chocolate Dipped Crispy to name a few. Mmmm! It’s not like my hometown of Toronto doesn’t have its own fair share of bakeries that make mouthwatering treats. This blogto.com blog post lists the best cupcakes in Toronto, for example. And Rice Krispie squares are easy enough to make at home (though The Crispery certainly adds an original twist to an old favourite!) If you’re interested in making your own squares at home, here are a few recipes from Canadian Living: Cocoa frosted Rice Krispies peanut squares, Rice Krispies fruit and nut granola bars.

Anyway, I’m just feeling mighty hungry now. If you’ve got an insatiable sweet tooth and are looking for more ideas, check out our Food & Entertaining section, full of easy recipes for delicious desserts! The weekend is the perfect time to try your hand at a new recipe.

Here are a few of my faves (pictured right):

Chocolate dream scone with mascarpone spread
Cranberry pistachio biscotti
Baby butter and jam sandwiches

One of the great things about Facebook, besides reconnecting with long lost friends (and maybe a few you’d rather have remained estranged from), is being able to check out your friends’ latest and greatest pictures. Thanks to Facebook, I’m able to stay in touch with friends in a way that we just didn’t seem to have time for before the rise of social networking. I can get instant updates on their travel plans, see every angle of their newborn’s smile and check out what they were up to on the weekend. It’s great fun and while nothing replaces the necessity of face-to-face contact over drinks, it’s a pretty decent alternative when you’re busy. Anyhow … all of this is by way of explanation for how I stumbled upon this fab new find! Whilst snooping, I mean … casually perusing a friend’s photos of a baby shower she’d recently attended, I spied the loveliest, cupcake-shaped cake adorning the buffet table. Love at first sight! Where, oh where did she get the pan to make this, I wondered? But I wondered only momentarily because, in perfect Facebook fashion, everything I needed to know was right there in the comments section with a list of retailers for curious gals like myself. So I hunted it down at Williams-Sonoma and now I’m sharing it with you. Drum roll, please! I give you … The Great Cupcake Pan!

Available at: Williams-Sonoma
Price: $36

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

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.

Nothing says rest and relaxation more to me than cozying up with a hot cup of tea and as the weekend approaches, I welcome the chance to sit down and unwind. Wrapping my hands around a hot cuppa and inhaling the fresh aroma of a perfectly brewed cup of tea seems to melt my stress away. This tea set from Mighty Leaf is a sweet treat for the tea lover and comes with an assortment of tasty teas to try: Breakfast Americana, Organic Earl Grey, Bombay Chai, Orange Dulce and Vanilla Bean. Mmm! I can just feel myself starting relax! Once you’ve got your mug in hand, start a new tradition with styleathome.com’s guide to teatime etiquette, plus find tips for brewing the perfect cup of tea.

Available online at: mightyleaf.ca