Of Hearth and Home...

Chilly winter nights make you want to curl up next to a crackling fireplace, but what to do with the visual centerpiece in the warmer seasons?? Whether its simply out of season or you have a faux or non-working fireplace, one of my favorite interior inspirations is the idea of filling a fireplace with stacks of gorgeous logs! Indeed logs. Wood logs have an understated beauty as one explores the many different types of natural timbers that exist. Pick whatever fits best for your aesthetic.. dark, white, knotted, grainy... the options are literally limitless as no two pieces are the same. Okay, enough of me babbling. I'll let the images speak for themselves.

 But why limit it to just the fireplace!? Why not fill up an entire wall!

 

 

 ** Images via Architects for Life, House to Home, Design Sponge, Get to Fixin, 

Lona De Anna, This is Colossal, Brown Turtleneck Sweater, Pleasant House**

13 days until the Spring Equinox!

X,

Ray

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies!!.. Oh my!

 What else to do on a dreary snowy/rainy day during a Chicago winter... why bake of course. Today's choice endeavour... Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies!! With a crunchy oatmeal exterior and a soft decadent interior, the white choco chips melt in your mouth meanwhile Craisins® give them a tang factor.  So easy... so sumptuous.... so dangerous!

Here's what you need:

2/3 cups butter or margarine softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups Craisins® Dried Cranberries

2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

 

What makes these little ones so tasty!

Tangy & Sweet

The favorite ingredient of such greats as Julia Child & Paula Deen

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a mixer, beat together butter/ margarine & sugar in a medium bowl until it is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda & salt in a separate bowl. Add dry mix to butter mixture in several divisions, mix well after each. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate. 

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet covered with parchment (prevents sticking and burning!) Bake for 10-12 minutes; until golden brown.

Hint: For uniform size cookies use a mellon baller or 1.5 inch ice cream scoop when placing dough on cookie sheets.

In the oven and ready to bake!

Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire rack. Then ENJOY!
Recipe yields approx 2 .5 dozen cookies.

Dress them up however you like and give them as gifts or keep them for yourself!

Extreme Close Up

YUM!!!

**All images by me. Recipe by Ocean Spray Craisins®**

Have a great weekend!!

X, 

Ray

Trickle Trickle Trickle Down

Wedding dresses will now be sold at COSTCO. 

Yes, you heard me right. I did in fact say Costco. From Alexander McQueen & Rodarte for Target to Jimmy Choo for H&M--  design houses collaborating with conglomerate reseller chains is all the rage. The idea of mixing high with low and bringing once only fathomable pieces to a more budget friendly setting is old hat, but the newest collaboration is.. well... ODD (or ingenious. You decide). California based wedding dress designer, Kirstie Kelly will be designing a collection of six gowns, sized 2-24, and will range from $650- $1400 (the designer's other collection can range up to $4000). In an industry which last year produced a revenue of $2 billion, perhaps it's not such a far fetched idea to have an already popular retail chain jump into the wedding game. Having shopped at a Costco before and seen the table of clothes in the middle of a vast warehouse with no mirrors or dressing rooms. One is left to think... wouldn't shopping for a wedding gown in a bulk store detract from the intimate nature of the act. Au contraire mon ami, apparently they have thought of everything. The selected Costco stores will be erecting temporary enclosed salons complete with changing rooms, lounge areas and bridal consultants. What is that you say... you would like to see this spectacle?! Sadly, for now only those of us in Southern California will get to partake. But who knows... if all goes well perhaps bridal salons will hit all mainstream Costcos throughout the states.

And now.. a sneak peek the Kirstie Kelly Signature Collection for Costco:

*** All images via Kirstie Kelly Couture***

Happy Almost Friday!
X,
Ray

Let's Go To The Movies... Let's Go See The Stars...

Award Season is here again and the pinnacle of Hollywood Glamour is at the Academy Awards. For the most part, last evening's gowns were spectacular! From the simple sophisticate to feminine frill the ladies of the red carpet looked stunning (and best of all age- appropriate). Here are a few of my top picks from the night.

Best Dressed 

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein Colleciton

Gwyenth Paltrow in Calvin Klein

 

Jennifer Hudson in Atelier Versace

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Haute Couture

Best Hair

Reese Witherspoon in Armani Privé

Best Accessory

Annette Bening's Emerald Earrings (in Naeem Khan gown)

 Most Dapper Man

The one and only Mark Darcy.. Ahem... I mean Colin Firth

Best Post Awards Party Pic

My favorite funny people @ the Vanity Fair Party

**Photos via Celebuzz, TV Guide, Vanity Fair , In Style, Saucy Sprinkles, Small Screen Scoop**
Happy Monday!
X,
Ray

I put some new shoes on and suddenly everything was right

"Hello Lover!"  

The vision of beautiful shoes gleaming and whispering sweet nothings evokes the memory of Carrie Bradshaw in SATC cooing to a pair of pink Louboutins.

I'm loving the idea of displaying clutches and shoes as art using library cases, vintage armoires, book shelves, intricate moldings... the idea is so beautiful and simple. This is definitely a way to make you streamline your prettiest and most adored shoes so that you can have a daily affair with your loves...

**images via This is Glamorous, Inside the Loop, Elle Decor**

"The fact is, sometimes it's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun." ~Sex and the City 

Happy Oscar Sunday!!
X, Ray