Modern Paint By Numbers

The Tate's online store is offering a modernist paint-by-numbers kit for £25. Sounds like a fun way to keep yourself busy this winter and a cheap way to add a little art to your home.

Via Apartment Therapy

Weekend Sales

Offline:

The Wine Market & More is offering 25 percent off everything in the store. The sale extends until Nov. 19. The shop is also offering a Turkey-and-Wine Tasting this weekend for $12.

Two Turtle Creek Village
3858 Oak Lawn, Suite 165
(214) 219-6758

Up to 50% off winter items at BCBG.

417 Northpark Ctr
Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 363-9292

Up to 50% off select items at West Elm.

1015 Elm St
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 742-5678


Online:

WestElm.com is offering free shipping on all holiday decor as well as 50% off selected final clearance merchandise.

Free shipping on hundreds of items on Crate & Barrel's Web site.

Up to 50% off on bedding and other home decor items at Urban Outfitters.

New savings on old favorites at Design Within Reach, now through 11/27.

A Gift for the Guys?

Sometimes it's hard to come up with good small gifts for guys. I know that most guys want electronics, but I can't wedge that big-screen plasma into the shopping budget. This is especially true of single guys, who tend to be minimalist homemakers and maximalist mess-makers (sorry clean guys, but this has been true for 80% of single guys I know). My solution: something that holds chips. Guys like chips, right?

Set of four card-motif stoneware bowls.
$14.99
Target.com

Gift Giving: Functional Must Haves

Meet Rakku, the future of shoe storage. This almost makes me wish I had a selection of rainbow colored pumps. Regardless, this would go a long way towards cleaning up anyone's cluttered little pre-1950's-era closet.

$65.00 at Rakku Designs
rakku@rakkudesigns.com
800-51-RAKKU or 800-517-2558

West Elm Sale Starts Tomorrow

West Elm will mark down select items up to %50 starting Thursday, November 16th.

Get Crafty and Give Crafty: Make Holiday Bazaar

Shop the Make Urban Bazaar for unique, handmade gifts Saturday and Sunday, December 9th and 10th, at the Dallas Farmer's Market on the Plaza. If you want a sneak peak at the types of goodies you might be stuffing into stockings this season, check out the Urban Street Bazaar site. You can also sign up for crafting classes on the Make site if you want to make your own.

Holiday Gifts: the Lucky Gift Guide

I received my copy of Lucky magazine last week, but just got around to reading it. The December issue has a great gift guide which includes deals on several nice finds. The Lucky editorial staff pulled the list together based on things they've seen and loved this year. The list is a wonderful resource if you are lost on what to give this season. The cakestand shown here is on the list and available at a discounted price with the Lucky Breaks code.

Fusion Lace Cakestand, $65 at 2Jane.com

Perfectly Easy Greek Salad

While in Turkey, we had a fabulous Greek salad at a tiny restaurant on the Mediterranean. I know it seems odd to take a Greek recipe from a Turkish restaurant, but if you talk to a Turk they will inform you that Greek food is Turkish. I don't know who came up with this salad, but it is wonderful, light, and easy to make:

Greek Salad:

1/2 head green or red leaf lettuce, torn, washed and drained
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 large sprig fresh dill large stems removed, chopped
10 to 12 whole cherry or grape tomatoes
1 carrot shredded
4 - 5 ounces crumbled feta (French feta is most like what is served in Turkey, our feta has a stronger flavor.)
Juice of 1/2 lemon, strained
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Serves 2 - 3 people.

Could it get any easier?

Unique Gifts: ModHaus

Design Sponge recently wrote about Modhaus, a mid-century furnishings store in Boston, which happens to have a great Web site. The site features lots of cool art and housewares at reasonable prices.

Portrait of a woman in regalia by Medvecky, ca. 1950s
28"x33"
$275.00

Written on the City

If you occasionally enjoy reading cryptic (or not so cryptic) graffiti, check out this site: www.writtenonthecity.com. Nothing up for Dallas yet.

Via the D Home Blog.

More Unique Gifts

Monograms, monograms, monograms. The iconic letters are popping up everywhere from towels to planters. Not a bad thought for those tough-to-buy for folks on your list this season.

This customized planter from Ballard Designs is 16" x 16.25" square and costs $149.

Via Shop Better Here.

PS - Not a bad house-warming gift either.

Thoughts on the Holidays: Unique Gifts

I love the idea of receiving a unique gift that I would never buy for myself, and I'm hoping that everyone on my list feels the same way. There is nothing more luxurious than that fabulous thing you ran across but would never treat yourself to. The only problem is figuring out what that item is for someone else. For the next two months, I will try to post anything I run across that seems to fit the bill.

To start, I saw this book, simply called "book," on Design Sponge. The sketch book was passed back and forth at random between four artists for 36 weeks. Each artist had 5 days to prepare a spread in response to the spread before it. You can view the book and order a copy for $55 here.

New Central Market in Southlake

A new Central Market is set to open in Southlake December, 6th of this year. The new store will be located at 1425 E. Southlake Blvd.

Sorry for the skimpy posting. It's been a busy week.

Holiday Decor: More Great Finds at Target

Thomas O'Brien Modern Glass Centerpiece. $39.99 online and in stores.


Isaac Mizrahi Porcelain Pedestal Bowl. $14.99 online and in stores.

Thoughts on Fall: Pickin' Apples

I love the fall season, with one, and only one exception: the dwindling choice of ripe fruits and veggies in my local supermarket. Once September hits, it's hard to find a decent strawberry or cantaloupe, but you can count on apples.

In past years, I'd avoided the apple. I've never been a fan of the Red Delicious and I often found my beloved Granny Smith's to be mushy and flavorless by the time they reach Dallas. Luckily, with the arrival of Central Market, all grocery stores have had to up their produce game to stay competitive. I can now select from dozens of varieties of apples, and I have found more than a few new favorites.

With all the selection, you will probably see a few apples you don't know. Luckily, the Apple Journal has a comprehensive apple guide available online. The guide lists the fruit varieties alphabetically and gives a description of origin, color, flavor and texture. I myself am partial to the oh-so-dainty sounding Pink Lady.

The Apple Journal also has pages of apple recipes ranging from salads to puddings to fritters.

Decorating Resources

The D Home blog posted a note about discount decorations, paper, bags, and ribbon at Nowlin Trading. If you are already thinking about the holidays, it might be worth a visit.

Nowlin Trading

2448 Walnut Ridge
Dallas, Texas 75229
214-914-1331 or 972-243-8717 Tues - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Need a House-warming Gift?

I always fret over what to buy a new home owner whenever I'm invited to a house-warming party. I usually haven't seen the space, so I'm hesitant to guess about what they might need or like. I typically end up with a good bottle of wine, but here is a more personal alternative: a return address stamp. It's pretty and thoughtful and you are guaranteed to know the address of the house if you're heading over for the party. The stamp is available at the Horchow Web site for $48.00.

Cool Site: Emery & Cie

Overall, I'd have to say that Emery and Cie is one of the weirder sites I've visited, though I found their wares, which include this 48 Euro Gazelle Tap, totally engrossing. If you're interested in the strangest way ever to sell a room divider, click here.

The site features some interesting metal work, ranging from cast faucets to mirrors and furniture. Not all of the links are active right now, but the few minutes it will take you to look around will be well worth it.

Hypnotically Eerie Paintings by Marci Washington

Design Sponge recently featured a few of these fascinatingly strange paintings by California artist, Marci Washington. Her site is definitely worth a glance if you like that "Royal Tenenbaums" brand of comforting creepiness.

Urban Reserve

Dallas has always been a little short on modern architecture, but an interesting new project is being developed along White Rock Creek near I75 and Royal Lane. Dubbed Urban Reserve, this new neighborhood will consist of modern, single-family homes created by a select group of nationally recognized architects. The Web site is a little rough, though it includes some details on the project, the location, and participants. The only pricing available is for the lots, which start in the mid 100s.

Community amenities include drought tolerant and rain-filtering gardens along the main street, ponds, which will collect rainwater for front-yard irrigation; and lights designed to minimize sky glow and light intrusion.