My DIY Buche de Noel

Maybe because I was just back from a fabulous trip to Paris and all things French were on my mind. I decided to attempt a Buche de Noel for our Christmas festivities.

This choice of dessert was not out of the blue. I have had an obsession with Buche de Noel cakes at Christmas for a while now. But it had always been something I ordered, not created.

 

For the past few years I had been splurging on the Buche de Noel from one or another of our local bakers in search of the perfect cake. The French pastry shop came closest to heavenly, but the more recent past log cakes from the specialty bakers were tasting more like, well- logs.

So, it was with a little giddiness and much trepidation, that I convinced myself it could probably be made in-house at 973.
I'll be honest, the cake was indeed a lot of work. And, it didn't really look as artful as I would have wished for, but it was devoured by our appreciative Christmas gathering. And isn't that what counts most of all?

Who could politely resist a chocolate genoise cake rolled up in buttercream and covered in chocolate ganache, with meringue mushrooms on the side, in a spirited effort to resemble a yule log?
Happy New Year!

DIY Heart Shaped Rings

Jumping right ahead to Valentine's season, here's a project you'll definitely want to try. This red wire heart ring would be a very fun and romantic gift for your Valentine, or a sweet gift for your Mom.

Thanks to Cut Out and Keep for posting the step-by-step here.


Like fiddling with twist ties? Here is an even simpler ring idea, you can make and share with your brown-bag lunch-mates. Or tie them on your friends as a reminder that you love them!


Thanks to YellowGoat for the tutorial here.

DIY Ornaments with Washi Tape

This season, create your own fabulous and easy ornaments with washi tape and a little imagination.



To make beautiful ornaments like these 4 from Zakka life, just follow their instructions:

Cut or rip the tape and apply it to the ornaments anyway you wish. One of the wonderful qualities of washi tape is that it's semi translucent which creates a wonderful overlapping effect. You can kind of see what I'm talking about with the Christmas tree ornament. I experimented with shapes, monograms and just random ripped squares. If you don't like what you make the first time, just peel the tape off and start again. Washi tape is low tack so it won't leave a sticky residue.

Many thanks for sharing with us at 973.

It's Halloween - What's for Lunch?

Happy Halloween! It's a day of mummies, goblins, ghosties, spiders, and lots more of spooky and scary. So go ahead - eat it, if you dare!







Lunch food images (and other inspiring brown bag ideas) from Another Lunch (top 2), Just Bento & Lunchville

Letterpress Printing - an intro

Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

This nicely made video provides a great overview of letterpress printing in less than two minutes.

If anachronistic and custom small press printing designs appeal to you, check out this site for inspiration and free downloads.

July 4th Idea to Recycle

July 4th - I admired the hostess's clever party decorations and her use of red, white and blue on the holiday buffet table. The striped grosgrain ribbons tied casually around the cutlery rolled in napkins was an idea I am definitely going to recycle and reuse for my next party.

Thank you GM, it was a fabulous celebration, as always!

Red Velvet Valentine Treats

Make a delicious gift this week for Valentine's Day. Here are some beautiful inspirations. Click on the images for more info, recipes, and ideas.

Ikea Bookcases as Built-ins

If Ikea style may seem a little too much like grad student furnishings or first apartment hand-me -downs, take a look at the clever things Ikea Hackers have done. You'll be inspired to head to Ikea this weekend.




Click on each photo for more info.

Crochet Covered Smart Car

What do you get in Rome, when you cross a smart car with a crochet hook? Fabulous.

Happy New Year from 973 Third!

Easy Peasy Holiday Decorations

These are frantic days at 973, as Christmas is less than 4 days away, and I am scrambling to finish putting on the holiday touches.

Still to be done: (admittedly last-minute) green, minimalist decorations


I consider this the antithesis of the NYT article in last week's Home" section, "Even the Tree Has a Stylist." If you missed the article and you are the type who can manage your own holiday decorations, don't fret. Consider yourself fortunate enough to have the creativity, vision and leadership to do what some others seeking to find beauty and comfort at home at Christmas must pay dearly for.

Images for inspiration: plain glass ornaments filled with simple compositions, from Country Living, burlap (or other recycled household textile) makes a charmingly provincial stocking, from Better Homes & Gardens.

Fun and Easy Outdoor Lighting

Here's a great idea from Martha's magazine years ago. Start with a wide drinking glass, at least 2 colors of colored sand, a votive candle and its holder. Add some sand first in the larger glass to set the votive holder with the candle centered inside the outer glass. Then continue with a funnel adding sand in layers of color to fill the space between the containers. The outer glass also serves as a hurricane shade.

This works well with a concealed vase for flowers, too. Easy and fun!

Click on the photos for Martha's directions.

Baskets to Inspire Spring

With Easter almost upon us, here are a few baskets to enjoy. Cheery daffodils and moss are joined by little chicks for a sunny tabletop landscape above, while the monochromatic greens of the basket below offer a more sophisticated take. At the bottom, the paper basket crafted from a lunch bag offers the simple elegance of nature and resourcefulness.


All images are from Martha. See more beautiful ideas here or click on the images.

Green Wrapping from Japan

Ms. Yuriko Koike, former Japanese Minister of the Environment, recommends the Japanese practice of wrapping things in a furoshiki, a large piece of fabric, to transport purchases and gifts and help reduce waste from plastic bags and wrapping papers.

"It would be wonderful if the furoshiki, as a symbol of traditional Japanese culture, could provide an opportunity for us to reconsider the possibilities of a sound-material cycle society. As my sincere wish, I would like to disseminate the culture of the furoshiki to the entire world."

The furoshiki can be used to wrap purchases and gifts of almost any shape and size. Here are some traditional folding and wrapping styles. Click here and here for more instructions.

Personal Art Gallery

Need a quick decorating fix or just want to bring some of your favorite drawings, photos or clippings out of boxes and into view? Here is a great idea for hanging your choice of two-dimensional art on the wall. With inexpensive and cool looking bullnose clips, you can put together a gallery in little or no time. Start with a handful of clips and make your choices, then hang the art with relatively uniform space between them. For a small collection, try hanging them in a row - horizontally or vertically.

Make Your Own Pipe Cleaner Wreath

Feeling the pinch this holiday season? Here's a beautiful art project to easily craft. With a lot of pipe cleaners, a pair of scissors and a little patience, you can create your own masterpiece of lightness and design.

Make a wreath of green and red to hang on your door, or in front of a mirror. Try a silver design near a dark painted wall. Or maybe a graphic statement in black pipe cleaners on a white wall.

Many thanks to Kate Pruitt and her DIY projects at Design Sponge.

Happy Thanksgiving

If you need a few extra turkeys to put around the table this Thursday, here's a quick and charming idea for DIY place cards.

Thank you for being our guest at 973 Third Avenue. Have a wonderful holiday!

Make Your Own Embroidered Tote

There is no reason not to have a beautiful tote bag to carry your groceries or library books. Here are the instructions to embellish an ordinary looking store bag with a little color and style. Thanks to favorite crafter, Perri Lewis for another fabulous idea to brighten the day.

Click over for more help deciphering the necessary needlework and links for a refresher with your chain stitch(1), French knots (2), fern stitch (3), or lazy daisy (6). I especially like the addition of the various buttons.

Red, White and Blue

Have a safe and relaxing 4th of July holiday weekend.

Click here to make your own star medallions and for more holiday decorating ideas from Martha.

Make Your Own Pearl Necklace

Abby Larson at Style Me Pretty has featured a beautiful and talented bride wearing this fabulous multi-strand pearl necklace. The bride, Stephanie, made it herself with beads and claspy parts she got at Michael's. Click here to get all the info and be inspired to create your own.

Before and After - Garden Bench

How long can pleasing decay pass as a theme in my seating options? I have tried to be comfortable with the whole shabby chic approach to neglected metal garden furniture. But, it's not for everyone. Some friends look uncomfortable sitting back against a rusting, flaking settee in a strapless summer dress on a humid afternoon.

This year my list of warm weather projects was topped with a plan to refurbish the garden furniture and spiff it up a little. I am hesitantly sharing my first attempts to do just this.