I'm Diggin' Jonathan Adler

The newest Jonathan Adler catalog came in the mail today & it ROCKS. He's got all these cool brass home decor items & my favorite (by far) is this Etagere from the Jacques Collection. Unreal. If I had the BIG bucks, I'd probably buy it now...


Anyway, truth be told, GOLD is still VERY MUCH in. 
 






So, have you seen the Spring 2013 catalog yet? Which is your favorite Jonathan Adler item?




-images via jonathan adler




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Design: Snakeskin + Magenta

Hi MadebyGirl readers!  Sam here, with another home decor post.  Lately I have been crushing on a new chic combo for the home- bold magenta and snakeskin.  I have always felt that animal prints can serve as neutral tones, and work well mixed in with bold colors.
 
I've been on the hunt lately for fun ways to incorporate this combo in to the home.  Here are a few of my recent finds:
 

1.) Faux Python Tray $55

2.) Agate Coaster Set $64
3.) Homesense Snakeskin Frame $12.99
4.) Arianna Belle Magenta Velvet Throw Pillow $75
5.) Pink Ikat Cocktail Napkins $12
6.) Pink Gem Lamp $165
7.) Jayson Home Faux Snakeskin X-Bench $476



One thing's for sure- a mix of bold magenta and snakeskin makes quite an impact.  Would you incorporate the look in to your own home?

 



-post by samantha penner




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Fashion: Black + White Trend

Hi everyone!  It's Kat from With Love From Kat.  I hope you're all enjoying my fashion posts!  This week I wanted to get back to basics and talk about wearing black and white.  This color combo is classic, flattering, and chic.  

If you're ever stumped on what to wear - resort to a simple black and white ensemble.  I love how style icon Poppy Delevigne added a bright pink clutch to her outfit - such a fun pop of color.  Get their look and update your wardrobe with these versatile pieces.



1.  Zara coat
4.  Maje cuff 
or similar here.
5.  Pour La Victoire booties



-post by kat tanita

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Totally Cute Jewelry by Jill Golden

For all you girls who love jewelry, you have to check out Jill Golden if you haven't heard of her yet. All of her pieces are handmade right here in New York City, and are inspired by her travels around the world. 

Below are a few of my favorite pieces, aren't these all so unique and beautifully made?  



What jewelry designers are you wearing lately?




-images via Jill Golden




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Food: Spring Tarts

I love the official start of Spring was a couple days ago, but I'm usually ready much earlier, like around March 1st--how about you? Lauren here, and today I'm back with a recipe that looks and tastes like spring. Light and flaky pastry dough, lemon- and thyme-flavored ricotta, asparagus, peas, and mint all come together (quite quickly) to make pretty tarts.

 I know this recipe has me eager to plan a girls' brunch or lunch soon, and I hope you'll be adding it to your to-make list too. Keep reading for the details! 

spring tarts

These asparagus and pea tarts are made easy with store-bought puff pastry (from the frozen section) and made delicious with creamy ricotta, fresh herbs, and generous amounts of lemon zest. I love the flavor of lemon paired with spring vegetables, but you can always scale back on the zest a bit if you prefer.

spring tartsspring tarts

There's really not much to it...just a bit of layering of this and that, and baking in between. I love a recipe that yields impressive-looking results but isn't complicated to whip up, and this one falls right into that bucket. 

spring tartsspring tarts

Ingredients
1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry, thawed
A handful of thin asparagus, chopped into 2-3-inch long pieces with stems
3/4 cup ricotta
4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stems
Juice of half a lemon
Zest of one lemon
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Olive oil and white balsamic vinegar
About 10 mint leaves
Fresh parmesan, grated

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Place the pastry sheet onto the parchment and cut into 4 squares. Score a 1-inch border around the edge of each square and prick once in the middle with a fork.

3. Mix the ricotta with lemon juice, half the zest, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly inside the border of each square. Note that you may not use it all. Top each square with a few pieces of asparagus on the diagonal. Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and season with freshly ground pepper. 

4. Brush the borders of each tart with the beaten egg, then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

5. Place peas in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic; toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Top the cooked tarts with the peas, then finish with mint leaves, a bit of grated Parmesan, and additional lemon zest if desired. 


-Recipe & images by Lauren Craig


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Pants Trend

I'm really loving this black & white pants trend. Have you seen it? Today's Goop email had Gwyneth Paltrow in this super cute outfit with my favorite Rag & Bone pants - so I decided to create my own look based on her outfit.  

I thought a more casual, but similar style would be best suited for me....& not as bright...what do you think??



Are you loving this black & white pants trend or not?


1. anine bing leather jacket
2. tshirt zara
3. kelly wearstler ring
4. alexander wang ipad case
5. sass & bride pants
6. zara ankle boot




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Design: Brass + Beige

Hi lovely MBG readers! Amanda here today, with a look into two of this year's home decor trends - brass and beige. As we know that emerald green has made its statement in home decor, the beige trend predicted by Elle Decor was a surprise as beige can be bland and boring. But it is in for the Spring and far from boring when paired with bolder hues (perfect with emerald!) and mixed with textures.

The resurgence of brass metal on the other hand is the hot finish for lighting fixtures, furniture and hardware. But it's not the brass we hated. Whether it's polished, antiqued, or hammered, brass is back more refined and with a different kind of finish.






1. Dipped Vase
2. Charles Brass Mirror Tray
3. Gold Leaf Agate Bookends
4. Mineral Pillow
5. Horn Vases
6. Brass Rivet Table Lamp
7. Harry 3-seater sofa
8. Antique Brass Chair
9. Table


-post by amanda dietz


 
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ShoeMint Giveaway

Hi everyone! Today I have an amazing giveaway for my readers*! ShoeMint has contacted me and wanted to give away a pair of shoes to 3 of my readers!! Haven't heard of ShoeMint before? It's a free, member's-only website with personalized style recommendations with new styles added every month based on the newest trends! 

Behind ShoeMint is a collaboration between Rachel Bilson and stylist Nicole Chavez, while all manufactured by Steve Madden! So you're getting high quality shoes at an affordable price of $79.98 each! They're also made of real leather and suede... amazing, no?!?

Okay, now onto the giveaway...


THE PRIZE:

A pair of shoes from ShoeMint of your choice! (There will be 3 winners!!)

*Giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only


HOW TO ENTER:

Head on over & sign up for ShoeMint for FREE by clicking HERE. Find your favorite pair, and come back to this post, and let me know in the comments which is your favorite pair!!!!!!!! Don't forget to leave your email!!!

WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON: 

March 26th here on my blog! 

Easy, right?! Good luck to everyone entering!!

Below are the shoes my assistant and I chose from ShoeMint! It was a tough decision with all their new styles for spring!


         The pair I'm wearing are called: Jordane





jeans are helmut lang / tshirt by Zara/ shoes by ShoeMint /Jewelry via MadeByGirl









WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN, GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. THANKS!

 

-image by jen ramos



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TEMPAPER DESIGN

Welcome back! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend. 

Have you ever heard of Tempaper Design? How amazing are these REMOVABLE wallpapers?! I think when most people hear "wallpaper" they think of grandma's house.. but these are the total opposite! They're trendy & makes any space look chic! I already have my two favorites, the Honeycomb Deep blue & the Zee Gold!

I think these would be a great option for those who live in a smaller space such as an apartment in NYC ha! For many of us we aren't allowed to paint a wall or if we do, we have to re-paint it to the original color prior to moving! That sucks. But with these, you can just remove them when your lease is up, and your wall will be as good as new! Sounds good to me! 

 
Remember Shay's office , with her beautiful white/gold chevron wall?? Well, you can get that look too with the "Zee Gold" wallpaper!! Pretty cool don't you think?

 


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FOOD: SWEET PEA SOUP WITH TARRAGON

Hi Everyone!  Alison here from Heart of Gold Luxury this weekend & I'm very excited to share with you a recipe that will make you crave spring! Plus, it's perfect to try for today on St. Patrick's Day!


During the cold winter months, I crave hearty soups and stews -  meals that will warm you from the inside out; however, come spring, when the temperatures begin to rise and the sun shines just a bit longer, I still love soup, but in lighter versions that include fresh spring vegetables.  This recipe for Sweet Pea Soup with Tarragon is healthy, vegetarian and it comes together in about thirty minutes.   

This soup is delightfully flavored with fresh sweet peas and scented with a bit of licorice flavor thanks to the infusion of tarragon.  I finished it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - it served as a wonderful light lunch on a day that almost felt like spring here in New York.
 

Sweet Pea Soup with Tarragon
2 pounds peas, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 large shallots, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
Non-fat Greek Yogurt

Place chopped shallots into soup pot with olive oil.  Allow to cook down and to slightly carmelize  Add the broth, peas and chopped tarragon.  Allow for soup to come to a boil and to cook until peas are tender.  Once peas are fully cooked, transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Garnish with a scoop of Greek yogurt and drizzle with olive oil. Makes about 4 bowls.  


*Recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appétit
                                                                                                   

-post & photographs by Alison 


 
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Design: Lucite Love

Hello MBG readers! It's Friday - the weekend has come. With that said, let's talk about....

 LUCITE: (lu-cite, /ˈlo͞oËŒsÄ«t/, n.) A solid transparent plastic made of polymethl methacrylate. Who'd have guessed plastic could be so classy? It's Katie here from H2 Design & I don't know about you, but I am a BIG fan of the lucite craze. It is such a versatile material and can be seen working it's magic in interiors of all types, as seen below...

lucitedesk
via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.
lucitechair
via escapade.
lucitecoffeetable
source unknown via Pinterest.
 image via Lonny Mag
I've pulled together some of my favorite lucite pieces. If you don't have lucite included in your home decor just yet, I would highly suggest checking them out! A few of these pieces can get a little pricey, so be sure to additionally check out CB2's Peekaboo series to find some great wallet friendly options.
lucite_H2Design
1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8


What are some of your favorite lucite pieces??


-post by katie hackworth





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Food: Coconut & Peanut Butter Date Truffles

Hey guys! Its Teann from Teann Ingram Photography. Do you ever have days where you need a pick-me-up snack? Those mid afternoon yawns are such a drag. Most turn to coffee or pop to awaken the mind but I find I feel way better when I eat something instead. These Date Truffles are just the snack to keep your mind going till the end of the work day! 

They are super easy to make and you can add any type of flavoring you want, plus they are all natural and made without sugar and with only a few ingredients :) Below are the recipes for Coconut Date Truffles and Peanut Butter Date Truffles. If you're not a date person, not to worry, all you taste is the goodness of coconut and peanut butter. Yum!




Coconut Truffles - (Makes about 6)
2 cup of dates, pitted
1/4 cup of Almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 shredded coconut, unsweetened
1. Start by quickly going through the dates making sure there are no pits left. Even if you buy them already pitted, there are sometimes pieces of the pit hiding. This quick step will save your food processor blade :)

2. Place the dates into the food processor and process until the dates form a large ball. Tear the dates into smaller pieces and add the coconut oil, shredded coconut and almonds. Pulse until combined. You can also use your hands to knead the coconut oil, coconut and almonds together with the dates.
3. Here you can either form truffles or bars. Whichever you prefer :)

Peanut Butter Truffles - (Makes about 6)
2 cup of dates, pitted
1/4 cup of almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup natural peanut butter, crunchy
1. Start by quickly going through the dates making sure there are no pits left. Even if you buy them already pitted, there are sometimes pieces of the pit hiding. This quick step will save your food processor blade :)

2. Place the dates into the food processor and process until the dates form a large ball. Tear the dates into small pieces and add the peanut butter and almonds. Pulse until combined. You can also use your hands to knead the peanut butter and almonds together with the dates.

3. Here you can either form truffles or bars. Whichever you prefer :)



-post by teann ingram




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Challenges of Apartment Living

Renting a New York City apartment has it's ups & downs.  I LOVE living in Manhattan - but renting has 'DECORATING limitations'. It's been strange not being able to do major DIY projects or paint a wall or two - without the thought of having to paint it back when we move. Sometimes the apartment starts to feel stagnant, and new decor is a must! Know what I mean?

What I miss about owning a home is having the freedom to change up your space on a whim!  So, what is one to do?? Well, we can either do very small changes or just go online & live through others.
I do however find myself changing things out with accessories & new art....and you??


Do you live in an apartment?? Do you find yourself facing the same challenges?? What have you done to keep things fresh in your home??



























images via:


architectural digest / francis sultana
/ elle decor/ shoot factory 







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