i'm looking at Desserts for Breakfast

Rose and basil dark chocolate macarons

It's never to early for dessert! I came across a delectable recipe site today by Stephanie Shih called Desserts for Breakfast. Need I say more?!

Blackest forest gateau

Rose and basil dark chocolate macarons

Stephanie not only shares her recipes with us but she does so with her amazing and drool-worthy photography.

Persimmon Oat Crumble with Coconut Cinnamon Sorbet

You can see an index of her recipes here and see more of her photo work here.

art with a pencil - not as obvious as it sounds

Well, I'm back after a long little holiday I gave myself. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.

Today, I'm sharing the work of Dalton Ghetti, a Brazilian sculptor living in Connecticut. He carves amazing miniature art from pencil tips! See for yourself:

Isn't he amazing? He doesn't even use a magnifying glass, just a razor, needle and a sculpting knife. You can find out more and see other work here and here.

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girl power

Love these great Amanda Visell posters. The illustrations depict girls in unconventional, kickass roles— a relief from the ubiquitous images of distressed maidens, powerless princesses and "proper" ladies.

The "Posters for Girls" are available individually or as a set of 4. A perfect gift for any girl, young or old! You can get them here. TGIF!!

(via notcot)

books + crafts = fab

I love books and I love crafts, so there is absolutely no reason why I don't ♥ these great items found on etsy. AND they are all upcycled which is one great, big plus!

Word up Cuff links (via)

Unisex Vintage Book Spine Cuff Bracelet (via)

upcycled paper garland from vintage book (via)

Jumbo Topsy-Turvy Paper Ornament (via)

Won't this last one make your Christmas tree just spectacular? I think I'm going to make the kiddies make their own version for the tree. They are always "bored".... And look at this next one. It has an owl so it's an automatic WANT.

Owl Print from Vintage French Dictionary (via)

Have a great day! xox

wednesday wonders

Some random, happy stuff...

pile o' kids and stones. Livingstones from Smarin

Fab girl dress made from vintage fabrics. kinchi.nl

Love these! Giant knitting needles, oh my! (via)

Blue hair beauty. I wish I could rock this look! (via)

Yummy! Dunk Mug. Perfect. (via)

iPhone cupcakes. key-ute! (via)

Have a great hump day! And a very Happy Birthday to Z. Love you tons! xo

recreate: what's old is new again

Katie Thompson loves creating functional art from discarded junk. She recreates one-of-a-kind accessories and furniture out of antique or vintage finds!

The Hoover Lamp

Garden Sieve Pin Board

The Milk Pail Stools

The Suitcase Chair

This chair is my fav! The colors would totally work in my house. Kudos to Katie from REcreate in South Africa for upcycling and creating fun, new wares!

amy atlas: dessert table queen

I think I don't have to say anything about Amy Atlas. One look at this NYC event planner's work and you'll know what makes her awesome. Take a look:

So what do you think? Great or great? It's all in the details. And just in time for Thanksgiving, check out this cute table she made for her blog readers' delight:

Are you inspired? You can see much more of her work in full detail on her site here.
Happy Monday xo

owl lover 2011 calendar

I am so happy about this. You know how much I like owl stuff. Shivani from My Owl Barn is sharing this wonderful project. She has featured many owl artists on her blog and now they're sharing their work so you can make your own calendar from their images.

pick and choose which image for each month

Then you can print out the calendar and voilà, you've got a great holiday gift! Thanks to the artists and Shivani for putting this together :) Check it out here.

tea for thursday

I've upped my tea intake lately. Could be the chill in the air or because I need some comfort food (beverage)! Never the less, I do indulge in daily 'tea time'. I loves it. Today, I'm sharing some innovative tea bags I've come across. None of which I've personally enjoyed, I must say...

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Won't you like to indulge in some tea now? It's tea time! Enjoy. xoxo

craft room ideas

This is how my craft closet looks when it has exploded onto my dining table. Not pretty.
And here are some 'after' shots... Kidding. Only in my dreams! I need help.

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Ahhhh... aren't these amazing. This last one is my favorite. I like the tall table and stools. Though the pink nook above is best when you don't have a whole room to dedicate to your craftiness. These rooms are truly inspiring and perhaps, something to look forward to. :)

Do you have a craft space? Got any tips? Do tell.

beautiful bookstores

I love bookstores and, as I've mentioned before, I want to one day have one of my own :) In the meantime, I collect images. Today, I'll share some of the most architecturally beautiful...

Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal

Bookàbar, in Rome

Bookstore Selexyz Dominicanen, in Maastricht, Netherlands

Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, in Buenos Aires, Argentina

These are all so lovely. Maybe a bit too grand and orderly for my dream store, but beautiful nonetheless...

(via bookstoreguide.org)