maui-minis.

Behold the maui-mini chair, manufactured of soild cedar by Italian furniture company Riva.

All furniture is carved and made of solid wood from sustainable forests, and

they also use vinyl glue as a substitute for glues higher in toxicity and that can have yucky chemical residue.

So lovely.

And such a fantastic shape and design!

This company also has a great profile that you can read all about how furniture is crafted before you add it as a permanent fixture in your home.

(image via riva)

february recipe and a christmas shoot.

This week I have been baking for next Christmas already…

I have been working on a Christmas photo shoot for Bo Bedre, a Norwegian magazine that focuses on architecturally detailed homes and furniture with a modern twist.

I decided to make one of my favourite cookie recipes for the kitchen photos.

My oven timer was sleeping rather than working,

so needless to say, I was up late baking the second batch!

(of which I changed a little because of my ingredients on hand - but were tasty anyhow…and most importantly not not burned!)

Here is the recipe for the ones that I ruined:

Lemon Butter Biscuits

You will need:

170 g butter 125 g confectioners’ sugar

zest of 1 lemon (finely grated)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence)

220 g, plus 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine 40 g of confectioners’ sugar and butter and beat until fluffy.

Add lemon zest and lemon juice and vanilla bean and mix until fluffy again.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and salt. Add this to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until the ingredients are just combined.

Roll dough into two logs and wrap in baking paper. Refrigerate logs until firm about, one hour. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Unwrap logs and slice into 6 mm thick rounds. Place on baking sheets lined with baking paper. Bake until barely golden, 12-15 minutes. While cookies are still warm, place in a re-sealable bag with remaining confectioners’ sugar and toss to coat.

*Makes 35-40 cookies

Food and Styling: Tara Ballantyne

Photos: Trine Thorsen

Plate: Silje Aune Eriksen at hvitt.no

fawned of these...

I am on the hunt for some new bedding.

1.

Snurk, a dutch company, makes 'Le Clochard' a duvet cover that looks just like cardboard boxes, with benefits to homeless shelters around the globe… Awesome.

2.

They also make a wonderful design with either a shirt, socks, or a bra printed on the bottom corner… I love the humour. (I think perhaps we have a winner here.)

3.

And last but not least, a deer duvet cover by nord

(images via snurk, bynord)

beautiful basics - part 3

I have come across these beautiful and sustainable gardening tools while searching for some spring inspiration!

The team at Bolig Drøm magazine has put me onto groform, a Swedish company that makes beautiful timeless pieces for the garden. groform's philosophy takes local production, thoughtful transportation and environmentally friendly materials into consideration - and creates products that are designed to last from generation to generation.

They also have a blog, and a very nice website.

(images via groform)

new shoes.

I don't think that I have ever been so excited about a brand new pair of running shoes…

grey suede..

embossed..

high-tops…

I am not sure if there is a pair that were more made for me than these!