Snow and Graham

pretty pink dessert spread

Ebony — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:29:03 +0000

With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away, I thought I’d share this pretty (and pink!) dessert spread I made with our Garden Roses paper and store bought pastries. While I love to bake and have a number of tried and true recipes that rarely fail, time is not always on my side. This is a pretty presentation of sweets that takes a little effort but doesn’t require a sink full of dishes.

I used our Garden Roses paper to line simple white plates, make a table runner and fashion a few cupcake liners using our template and instructions found here. Buying the spray roses a few days ahead will allow them to become full and lush for presentation, just be sure to wash and dry them throughly the night before topping the cupcakes with them. This collection of white cake plates is one I have been working on for years, but you could achieve a similar effect by placing dinner plates on paper wrapped vases like I did here one Holiday.

New York Gift Fair 2012

Ebony — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:18:09 +0000

The New York International Gift Fair is happening this week and Snow & Graham is exhibiting in what might be our happiest booth ever. Inspired by our new Meadow pattern and my deep love of tissue paper decorations, we decided to realize one of our designs in this larger than life scale. I am so sad to be missing it in person, but so grateful for the photo updates I have been getting from my awesome team.

a room for baby: BOY

Ebony — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:23:37 +0000

As I mentioned earlier, we do not know the sex of baby #3. This means that our friends and family are going crazy with their predictions and that we have not done a thing to our existing nursery. Should baby #3 be boy #3 I feel an overwhelming desire to give him things of his own…..while also making good use of the many, many boy things we already have. I love the idea of layering patterns and textures in this incarnation of the nursery, while also keeping it clean and unfussy. Since we already have the foundation pieces, it will be a treat to bring in a few things that will make the space unique for the newest little either way.

1. Kidsonroof Farm Bedding
2. Themis Trio Mobile
3. Womb Chair
4. Uusi Moderne Farm horse & pig
5. Winter Water Factory Romper
6. J. Schatz Egg Night Light
7. Striped nursery from Project Nursery (found on Pinterest)

a room for baby: GIRL

Ebony — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:59:08 +0000

With each of my pregnancies we have chosen to wait to find out what we were having until the birth. Waiting allows lots of room to imagine who is on their way and leaves the door open to more “what if….?” fantasies. In the end you have no idea who is headed your way and your children will surprise you every single day no matter what. We have two rambunctious and creative boy-type-boys, so should we find ourselves with a little girl this time it will be fun to go a little overboard with the girl stuff.

Not knowing means that the nursery is in a holding pattern until baby #3 arrives. We have a nice foundation of things from the previous occupant and a few things we can switch out if we like. There is no question for me that if we are graced with a baby girl, I am going to bring pink into the room one way or another. I just love pink and like the idea of using metallic and black accents to keep it from being overly sweet.

1. Wovenplay for inspiration
2. Tord Bootje Garland Lamp
3. Jess Brown Doll
4. Inspiration found on Pinterest
5. Uusi Make Believe Print
6. Rattle from Acorn
7. Madeline Wienrib Rug
8. Gold Wing Boots

{into the weekend} Uusi

Ebony — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:50:11 +0000

I couldn’t think of a better way to end the week than with this beautiful new print series by my dear friend Linnea Gits. With baby #3 making his or her arrival in a few short weeks, I have been hemming and hawing over which one (or two) I will choose for the nursery. We already have a few of the Uusi Moderne Wood animals for the room to insure that good design is a part of baby’s earliest memories.

images via Uusi

hello instagram

Ebony — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:56:52 +0000

I have been somewhat of a social media holdout the past couple of years. You won’t find me on facebook and I only started tweeting last year. A friend pointed out that my tweets were almost always of pictures and wondered why I wasn’t using Instagram. Good question. So I dipped my toe into this new (to me) photo sharing tool and have to say it is a lot of fun!

nicely paired with Swanson Vineyards

Ebony — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:09:02 +0000

I love an unexpected pairing. The Alexis Bon Bons from Swanson Vineyards pair dark chocolate with Cabernet Sauvignon and a dusting of curry powder. And while it sounds striking, the result is sophisticated, subtle and a little romantic. Equally striking, sophisticated and romantic are the black, white and red of Swanson Vineyards graphics, which pair quite nicely with a few S&G items in the same bold colors.

P.S. If you are lucky enough to be visiting the Napa Valley anytime soon, be sure to visit Alexis’ Blog for an insiders guide to that magical place.

a SWEET start to 2012

Ebony — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:30:07 +0000

A few weeks ago one of our amazing printers arrived with this; a spectacular replica of the 2012 Wall Calendar made in fondant, buttercream and rich chocolatey cake. Working with great people that you trust and can rely on is a gift in and of itself. Our calendar series is one of the biggest jobs we send to print each year, and insuring that the color and craftsmanship is topnotch from the very first print to the very last is not work you can give to just anyone. This incredibly thoughtful (and delicious) representation of that work that could not have been a nicer way for us to welcome 2012.

If you have chosen to count down the days of 2012 with one of our calendars, we hope you enjoy each beautifully printed page. Happiest New Year to you!

Bottega Louie

Ebony — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:55:52 +0000

At the suggestion of Bonnie Tsang, foodie goddess of the West, I paid a visit to Bottega Louie while I was visiting Los Angeles last month. It was sensational. A feast for the eyes and the belly. Each and every detail of the space, the food, the pastries, everything was just right. And when the display cases filled with little pastry gems made it too overwhelming to choose, I could rest my eyes on the serene space that was just so perfectly appointed.

I ate a lovely breakfast and picked up a bundle of the pretty boxes of candies as Christmas gifts. Their packaging is as yummy as the treats inside. Even the flowers in the powder room were perfection. It is safe to say that if I lived in the greater Los Angeles area, Bottega Louie would be the place I headed when I needed a good dose of design and a cream puff. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in LA anytime soon, I would put this at the top of your list.

Erickson Beamon

Ebony — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:34:44 +0000

I was reminded of how much I love and covet the irresistibly decadent jewelry of Erickson Beamon when I was at M Flynn in Boston this past November. The designers have collaborated with every amazing designer you can think of and are natives of the great midwest, Detroit to be exact. I’d be thrilled to find any one of these baubles sitting under the tree, along with the perfect occasion to wear them. Got that, Santa? xo

Photos via Barneys, M Flynn and the “environmental” ones are by Ebony