Happy zoo year

As you know, I normally love Snow & Graham's desktop calendar designs... However I am just not that enticed by their 2012 version since several of the monthly designs don't seem to have that fresh, modern feel of years past. Hence, I set out to find a great Modern Cottage alternative. These mod white paper animals are so much fun - playful but a little edgy at the same time. Each month is free-standing as you can see.

(Made by good morning inc. and available at Paper Source stores. You can also find them here).

Christmas tree perfection

Every year we set out to find a tree that's nice and tall but not too wide. Unfortunately, they don't seem to exist since generally the taller they are, the wider they are at the base. This year however, we found the exception. Our tree caught my eye from across the tree lot. It was leaning against the trailer with a few of its brethren. I loved it immediately. It had a very quirky, Dr. Seuss vibe. It's about 8 feet tall yet only 38" wide at its widest. Hooray! He's mostly uniform but not quite, and instead of one vertical branch at the very top he has two that stick out a bit sideways like antennae. We dressed him up in some mod white ornaments and frosted white globe lights. We find the larger globe lights give him a fun, playful look and overall feel less busy than the tiny bulb strings. So simple, pretty, and festive!

Hook hook hooray!

It may seem silly to get excited over something as seemingly insignificant as an ornament hook, but over the years I've taken notice of many different styles, none being quite to my liking. Then I discovered these. Joy! They are sturdy, simple, and have a bit of history (they apparently hail from the 40s). No busy scrolls or beads, just pure function - and in my mind, beauty.  Love when the smallest details match our style. These are just right for the Modern Cottage Christmas tree!

Good Gifting: 2011

We ventured out this weekend and there's no doubt the holiday shopping season is in full swing! Like last year, we've put together a fresh list of Modern Cottage gift ideas to help you out with your giving, or even just provide a little inspiration :)

Something celebratory. First up is this mug... I love that these feel festive (hello, it's Santa!) without feeling hokey or tacky. Pure white with soft details and a mod shape make these perfect for a Modern Cottage holiday kitchen. I'd gift a set of four with this amazing hot cocoa mix (note they call it 'drinking chocolate').

2. Something nostalgic. This rustic pillow will surely add character to any space. A conversation piece!

3. Something imaginative. For the little ones on your list, this logging truck is irresistible (even we kind of want to give it a spin).

4. Something cozy. I am coveting this warm and cozy blanket. The color and texture and simple stripe are absolute perfection.

5. Something sculptural. A pleasing combination of metal and high gloss white in this giant pendant light. Why not gift a fixture for the holidays? A gift of home improvement is one of our favorite things :) (Case in point: we finally got around to installing a soap dispenser at our kitchen sink and it's crazy how something so small can bring such joy. Seriously).

6. Something vintage. A little jadite never hurt a Modern Cottage kitchen...the milky-green glass is really beautiful. There are tons of great pieces on Etsy.

Happy shopping! We suggest treating yourself to a gingerbread latte or peppermint mocha now and again to keep your energy up! (Or as I oft prefer: cozy fireplace, hot cocoa and the laptop - gifts delivered to my door! :)

Fun with twill tape

You may recall last year we used chartreuse and green fabric ribbon as part of our holiday decorating theme. This year we toned things down a bit and went with white. We are a bit crazy for white since there are so many wood tones in our house which we've yet to makeover...and we feel the white helps to balance it all and give it more of a Modern Cottage feel. Twill tape (that lovely cotton fabric ribbon) is so clean and utilitarian. We got some in white and some in cream. It almost has a collegiate feel, n'est pas? Also, you can't have enough vintage buckets.... (we might have an addiction).

2011 Christmas decor round up

I can't resist checking out all the new holiday decor each year. This year we're loving lots of white for Christmas. Here's a round up of our top picks this season.

Above, adorable handmade deer and pinecone ornaments. Love.

Next, some simple paper letters on string for the mantel or really anywhere that could use some subtle cheer.

A trio of happy white birds for a great price.

This is technically a card, but it's so beautiful and would look incredible framed with a giant white mat. It's just so winter-wonderland-y!

What graceful creatures... these deer friends would look fresh and modern against a white backdrop (can't resist some white on white :).

What a fun idea for artwork... don't we all love to sing along to the great classic Christmas songs?

We'll be going with lots of white this Christmas, and an overall understated holiday look. We have a few ideas up our sleeves and if we can manage to stay on task, we'll be sure to share them :)

A little glimpse

Excited to post about our Modern Cottage nursery design very soon, just waiting on one more piece of the room to be completed ... the custom chair slipcover! My very sweet and talented seamstress auntie took on the task, and it should be completed soon. For now though, here is a peek at a section of the room.  Since it's not a huge space, we converted the original in-swing French doors to these super cool and loads more functional barn-style doors. We also went white with the millwork and ceilings here (the trim and ceilings in the rest of the home will eventually follow - all part of the master plan). Oh, and that tiny door at the lower left is simply for attic access :)