Posts Tagged ‘kitchen’

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Junk Food

This odd little illustration by Jared Stumpenhorst, originally dreamed up as a t-shirt design for Woot, caught my eye mostly because of the interesting selection of snacks. I’ve seen the burger/fries combo on t-shirts, the cupcakes and candy combo, even a family of fruits with faces–but I’d yet to come across such a fine sampling of junk food. 

The nervous smiles on their faces make me wonder, are they self-conscious about the way some might look down on them? Or are they about to get eaten by someone more like me?

Let’s face it, these snacks may not be the best for your diet, but there are some benefits to cooking them in your own kitchen. Healthy recipes and fresh ingredients can take out a lot of the yuck-factor from these usually mass-produced treats. Alternatively, making a conscious decision to buy all-natural alternatives to your old favorites can help satisfy a craving without doing any real damage. Everything in moderation, right? Ahh, junk food..

Clockwise from top left:
Really simple homemade pizza from (one of my favorites!) Smitten Kitchen 
Copycat Oreo cookie recipe by Cupcake Project 
Soft pretzel recipe from Cooking Light via My Recipes 
Healthy microwave potato chips from Fat Free Vegan 
100% natural GuS (Grown-up soda) available in a variety of flavors
Fried chicken photo from Sweet Tea with Lemon , recipe by Alton Brown 
Homemade peanut butter cups from Genesis of a Cook 
Glazed donut holes recipe by Diana’s Desserts 
Greek lamb burgers with spinach, red onion and Feta from Bon Appétit
Fresh fruit roll-ups recipe by Sugarlaws 

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Potted Plants


Loving the palette on this pillow! This herb garden pattern from swedish textile company Almedahls, and is a reproduction of a classic 1955 design by Astrid Sampe. Chartreuse has a special place in my heart, and although it may sometimes be hard to place with other bold colors, the red and navy complement it very well.  I love the idea of having fresh herbs in a home, and planting them in these modern stoneware apothecary jars is a great way to tie them in with your décor. 

I got to thinking about how this theme could be carried out in other ways, and I came up with the items below. For small spaces or studios, this palette can easily flow from one area or room to the next. Highlighting one color in each room and incorporating plants or leaf-like patterns throughout your space is a great way to balance your need for a home that is simple and clean, yet interesting and cheerful.
Clockwise from top-left:
Chartreuse kitchen cabinets featured on KitchenBathIdeas
Navy blue retro-style refrigerator by Smeg featured on Alkemie
Kiwi dinnerware set by Waechtersbach from CSN (sale: $21.99 for 4-pc set or these and other items sold separately)
Sky Planter inverted hanging pots for indoor plants on Rockett St. George (from £19.99 up)
Fern wall graphic in cut vinyl in ellynelly’s Etsy store (5 ferns for $32, available in other colors)
Vintage apothecary jar terrariums on ethanollie’s Flickr (plus a how-to video from Design*Sponge)
Branches with hand-sewn fabric leaves in janejoss’s Etsy store ($21.50 for 3, available in other colors/patterns)
Le Creuset stoneware kitchen jars in Cherry and Cobalt from CSN ($17.95 for 8 oz – $59.95 for 5 qt)
Red Eames molded plywood lounge chair from Design Within Reach ($679-1,229)
Black Rider table lamp from CB2′s 2008 collection (originally $39.50)