2011 Calendars, Part 6 {final set}

And now... the fun, the cute, the interesting, the unique calendars.

2011 Bunny Calendar, from The Paper Thieves

2011 Critter Calendar, from Night Owl Paper Goods

For the hipster: 2011 Printable Calendar, Mid-Century Chairs, from Blue Tricycle

2011 Letterpress Coaster Calendar, from Meadowlark Creative

2011 Calendar Plate, from Le Papier Studio

2011 Adventures Calendar, from Sadly Harmless

Harbor Scene 2011 Tear-Away Calendar, from YeeHaw

Have you seen this last one around lately? It seems to be gaining popularity, and I believe Urban Outfitters has carried it in previous years. I can't say I would hang it in my home, but I like it just the same!

Nice Jewish Guys Calendar, available at Kitson

That's all the calendars for this year! Hopefully you now have a wide enough array of choices so as to choose the ones you would like to hang in your home.

Happy New Year!

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2011 Calendars, Part 5 {print and pattern}

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas day!

We are getting closer to the new year, and closer to legitimately needing a new calendar... or calendars.

Today's round-up features a selection of print and pattern calendars.

2011 Calendar- Pattern Garden, from Pearenthetical Press

2011 Calendar, from Pikake Press

2011 Small Calendar, from Jessica Swift

2011 Poster Calendar, from Paper Squid

2011 "Places I Have Never Been", by J. Hill

2011 Franklin Gothic Typography Calendar, from theRasilisk

One more round-up to come! It's part 6, the less conventional calendars.

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2011 Calendars, Part 4 {photography}

Merry Christmas Eve!

Today I have a handful of photography calendars for you.

I have to say that I gravitate more towards the illustrated and letterpress calendars, but I do enjoy and appreciate these photography selections.

These calendars are definitely full of images to frame and hang when the year is over... or when each month is over, if you can't wait til next January!

Enjoy!

"Eye Poetry", from Irene Suchocki

"Surreal Dreams", from Soma Venus

2011 Calendar, from Labokoff

2011 Flower Calendar, from bomobob

Limited Edition 14 Page Calendar 2011, from W.H. Photography

Do you have a favorite amongst these? Do you prefer photography calendars or illustrated/letterpress calendars?


More to come in part 5!

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Christmas Baking: Candycane Cookies

My mom is the queen of Christmas baking. Every year since I can remember, starting right after Thanksgiving, the kitchen has overflowed with holiday treats, from homemade Almond Roca, to melt-in-your-mouth Russian Teacakes, to chocolatey peanut butter balls.

This year, I decided to tackle one of the recipes I grew up with: Candy Cane Cookies. And I am here today to share them with you!

I'll be fair and forewarn you that this recipe requires some time and dedication, but in the end, they're worth it! (As most Christmas cookies are).

Recipe #1: Candy Cane Cookies

Time: 1 hr. 30 min. 
Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 3 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 c. butter
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 egg (plus one more for brushing over cookies)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• red food coloring

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 
2. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract (Don't skip the almond extract! It gives the cookies a subtle, delicious flavor).
3. Mix in salt and flour.
4. Divide dough in half, and add red food coloring to half of the dough. Go with more color rather than less, as the color lightens after the cookies are baked. 
5. Now here's where the dedication comes in: Forming the cookies.
   
   


Divide each set of dough into 36 balls, giving you a total of 72 red and white
balls of dough.



For each cookie, roll out one red and one white as shown in the picture.



Gently twine the two pieces together.



Once they are twined together fully, gently shape the dough into a candycane shape.



You're almost done! Gently arrange candycanes onto a greased baking sheet. Beat one egg and use a pastry brush to lightly coat each candycane. You can arrange them pretty close together because the cookies will not rise or spread out in the oven.
6. Bake the cookies at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool before gently removing them from the pan with a spatula. Don't be discouraged if a few cookies break while you're doing this.
7. Arrange the cookies on a pretty plate and watch them disappear!
Let me know if you try them, or if you have any questions about the recipe!
Merry Christmas!

2011 Calendars, Part 3 {poster calendars}

Today's round of calendars features a more unique style: the poster calendar. This type is becoming more and more popular as artists of all kinds create their version of the poster calendar. In fact, I had over twenty items to share with you, but I whittled it down to twelve.

We'll start things off with a fantastically lovely calendar from The Wild Unknown. Each year, The Wild Unknown releases a poster calendar (and other calendars) illustrated by the talented Kim Krans. The prints are limited editions of 100, and they typically sell out rather quickly. I can see why they do.

"A Year of Nesting" by The Wild Unknown

Feathers, also by The Wild Unknown

Other artists and styles follow...

 

1. 2011 Wall Calendar, from Michelle Brusegaard
2. 2011 Letterpress Calendar Flower Garden, from 1canoe2
3. 2011 Dahlia Wall Calendar, from Nella Designs
4. Such a Perfect Day 2011 Silkscreen Calendar, from Hero Design Studio
5. 2011 Poster Calendar, Home Sweet Home, from Michelle Smith
6. Calendar for 2011- Coffee and Pancakes, from Stephanie Levy
7. 2011 Calendar Poster, from Never Sleeping
8. 2011 Hand-Printed Calendar, from Nate Duvall
9. Sewing Notions-- 2011 Screenprinted Calendar, from Orange Twist
10. 2011 Calendar Tea Towel, from Claudia Pearson


Don't you think the Coffee and Pancakes print would look darling hanging in the kitchen? I would also love to hang the Sewing Notions print in my imaginary craft room above my imaginary sewing table. I don't think there is a rule against hanging more than one calendar per home, is there?


More to come in part 4...

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2011 Calendars, Part 2 {floral and nature}

Today's roundup of calendars features calendars in the floral/nature genre.

Many pretty choices exist within the floral and nature genre, so I tried to gather several lovely pieces for you. Perhaps one would be just right for your walls? How about a gift for a good friend?

 

1. 2011 Letterpress Wall Calendar, from Albertine Press
2. 2011 Calendar with Botanical Designs, from Sweet Life Paper
3. Floral 2011 Desk Calendar, from J Press Designs
4. 2011 Evolution of a Tree Calendar, from theRasilik
5. Anek Calendar, from Anek
6. 2011 Calendar, from Laura Macchia
7. 2011 Signature Desk Calendar, from Pink Lily Press


If I had to choose a favorite out of this batch? Laura Macchia's 2011 Calendar. I like the bold designs and the simplicity in the one-color prints.

Do you have a favorite of these?


Calendar group number three is on its way!

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2011 Calendars, Part 1

Why buy a generic calendar from a well-known bookstore, when you could support an independent artist in the handmade community?

I don't think I have an answer.

Especially in light of these beauties!

In fact, there are so many lovely calendars out there, that I must divide this post into sections! Hence, this is the 2011 Calendars post, Part 1. My favorite part about buying a calendar from a favorite artist is not only that I get twelve months of gorgeous prints hanging on my wall, but that when the year is over, I can cut off the calendar parts and frame the prints! Need I say more? On to the calendars!

1. 2011 Calendar, Woodland Edition with Case, from Paper Sparrow
2. 2011 Modern Design Calendar, from Lisa Samartino Atelier
3. Stelie Designs 2011 Desk Calendar, from Stelie Designs
4. 2011 CD Case Desk Calendar, from Alex Wijnen
5. 2011 Letterpress Calendar, from Paisley Tree Press
6. 2011 Eclectic Desk Calendar, from J Press Designs
7. Desktop Nature Calendar 2011, from Siska Studio
8. 2011 Hanging Wall Calendar, from Rethink Ink

If I had to choose a favorite from this batch, I would choose Alex Wijnen's CD Case Desk Calendar. I love every print, but especially January's print and November's print.

Which would you choose? Which would you gift to a friend?


Calendars Part 2 coming soon...

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