Best. Cookies. Ever.

I know, it's a bold statement. But inside each of these slightly-flaky-on-the-outside, a-little-chewy-on-the-inside chocolate delights is a melty caramel Rollo candy. My husband's friend's Polish grandmother used to make these (although I don't know that Rollo cookies could be considered a traditional Polish recipe!) and not only was this his first attempt at making these particular cookies, it was his first time making cookies EVER. We brought the cookies to a holiday party, and they were a huge hit. These are the last three. You set the bar high, babe. Here's a link to the recipe.

Hey Mati

Came across these excellent collage/painting prints by Mati Rose over on PaperNStitch's site today. I love elephants and happen to have quite a few of them around the house, including a pink elephant watering can that I also turned into a painting, so of course these struck a cord with me. I visited Mati's website and learned that we share a love of artists Margaret Kilgallen and Louise Bourgeois. You can see lots more of Mati's work in her blog and etsy shop. Cheers!

Friday Cheer

Fun, modern, with just a touch of kitsch, these excellent compositions by photographer Zee Longenecker are getting me inspired this morning. I know, perhaps they're not seasonally appropriate - more spring-y than wintery - but sometimes on a frigid morning, a bit of brightness is exactly what you need. Plus, these prints would look great in my office! You can find them (and a ton of other gorgeous prints) in Zee's etsy shop, blissful colors. Happy Friday, everyone.

Doorstep Decor

Loving the festive front of Kein Cross' West Village home-slash-boutique, as featured in the New York Times. "To me, Christmas is silver and pink. I just like to have fun and enjoy it." Well said!

We're All Made of Stars

Designer Shabd Simon-Alexander's line of hand-dyed t-shirts, leggings, scarves and bags is inspired by Hubble telescope photos of stars and galaxies. I got to see her work in person recently and everything is super luxurious, taking tie-dye to a whole new level. Perfectly-cut tees and super soft leggings.

Handle & Spout

Another fave from last weekend's MS Holiday Craft Fair, Handle & Spout makes fun, pretty things. I would love to have some of these hair pin flowers to wear to a party. And I could see the leather dot earrings becoming an everyday wardrobe staple. Simple, with a little flash! Note their subtle, clever take on the ubiquitous mustache trend.

Shiny Happy

A perfect holiday party dress, Marc by Marc Jacobs on Gilt Group today.

Won't quite work for the "ugly christmas sweater" I am attending, though...

Magic Crystal

Here's another fave from the MS Holiday Craft Sale. I totally fell for these spun-cotton ornaments by Vintage By Crystal. Made by the same techniques used by old-world German artisans, these quirky creatures have some serious charm and a certain timeless quality that eludes description. And really, who wouldn't be charmed by a spun-cotton narwhal or a dapper bendable giraffe (below)?

They also remind me of the much-beloved 1960s Rankin and Bass holiday specials - i.e. Rudolph - that inspired the cool creatures for Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Crystal also crafts these groovy vintage-inspired bottle brush trees that would make a really cool holiday display. You can find lots more interesting characters in her etsy shop and on her website!

Nice Way to Start the Week

These cheery, Matisse-esque interiors by Brooklyn-based artist Bella Foster are just what the doctor (dentist?) ordered to help me forget my minor tooth-fix this morning, my second dental appointment in as many Mondays.

I spotted Bella's work at the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Sale that took place Saturday over at Martha's offices in Manhattan. It was chock-full of crafty goodness and crazed Martha fans - the line was beginning to stretch outside the building and down the sidewalk when we left! I'll post a few more of my fave vendors from the sale this week.

Crafty Time

I made these sparkly glitter letters for my friend Cheryl's birthday - with such great initials, how could I go wrong? These are about 5 inches high and are backed with some retro patterns from my recently-acquired quilt fabrics. I figure she can hang these on her tree or use them to decorate her new home office down south! I hope you like them, Zibs. We miss you!

My New Obsession

I can't tell you how taken I am with these excellent paper and acrylic collages by New York-based artist Aaron Wexler. Just stunning.

Retro Squares

These excellent quilt squares (just a few of the many now in my possession) came to me by way of my mother-in-law; they are leftover scraps that belonged to my husband's grandmother's friend's great-aunt - got that? The extra fun thing, besides all the great fabric patterns, is that most of them are stitched to newspaper bits dating from the 40's. I definitely have some collage ideas in mind for these babies - anyone else know of any good projects to create with these?