The DÔEN Scrapbook
Sparkle & Shine
The winter season is a truly special and all-too-fleeting time, full of communal traditions, joyous celebrations, and candlelit evenings that we look forward to and cherish year after year. See below for a few of the ways that we are savoring each and every moment of festive magic
A Festive Feeling
Songs of warmth to enliven festive gatherings. {Listen here}
A Playful Pop
From a glittery eye inspired by a disco ball to a dash of crismon—two easy ways to enliven holiday attire.
Red Tights
A bright pop of color that adds a festive and playful allure to any holiday outfit. We love these.
Glitter Eyeshadow
One of our favorite hair and makeup artists, Erin Lee Smith, curates the most creative assortment of makeup for By George in Austin. The glitter that they carry in a range of colors, including one exclusive color, is pure festive fun.
Traditions, New & Old
Ringing in the holiday season with passed-down family traditions and favorite new discoveries.
Decoupage Ornaments
We recently spent an evening making decoupage ornaments with cuttings from our favorite magazines (we used World of Interiors and National Geographic). Easy to make, and endlessly customizable —these charming creations make for the best gifts, and the most personal decoration. All you need is some plain wooden ornaments, Modge Podge, and paper cuttings of your choosing.
Homemade Hot Sauce
Last year, Margaret’s son Julian started a tradition of making and packaging homemade hot sauce - his so called “Sauce of Sass”, complete with a custom label. A spicy, festive, and long-lasting gift that we plan to repeat year after year.
Pasta Night
Inspired by a night at the Garibaldina Society, we love the idea of hosting a dress-up pasta night complete with negronis, martinis, shared bowls of Pomodoro pasta, and an Italian disco playlist.
At Home
Making a house a home with charming details to accent the holiday table.
Jess Wheeler Designs
We recently discovered Jess Wheeler’s designs through our friend Lottie, who photographed her in some pieces from our Fall collection. We can’t wait to deck our halls with her gilded creations, we especially adore the mistletoe, the napkin rings, and the golden garlands.
Paper Whites
We adore the tradition of growing our own indoor paperwhites from bulbs—the wonder of watching them bloom never ceases to delight us. These also make lovely gifts for those with a green thumb.
Mulling Spices
Simmering a big pot of mulling spices on the stove is one of our favorite way to add an instant touch of festivity to any holiday gathering. Our friend Amy Blessing makes her own blend by combining a couple of cinnamon sticks, a tablespoon of whole cloves, a tablespoon of whole allspice berries, a tablespoon of star anise, a few dried orange slices or some dried orange rind.
In the Kitchen
We always find time spent in the kitchen with loved ones lends itself to the sweetest memories.
Vintage Nut Cracker
We love buying fresh nuts at the farmers market this time of year (K&K Ranch at the Hollywood farmers market has the best selection!) and keeping them in a bowl for guests to enjoy! Search on Etsy for vintage nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes.
Whipped Butter
An impossibly decadent and cloud-like confection, whipped butter is an almost effortless and endlessly delightful addition to any table. We love this recipe from our friend Caroline Gelen.
Marzipan
These sweet almond-paste delicacies, so often molded into whimsical shapes, have forever hold a place in our hearts. We recently discovered how easy and fun it is to make your own marzipan at home, coloring with creative ingredients (matcha, beet powder etc! Or with natural food coloring)— a fantastic activity for kids and adults alike.
Image Credits
{“The Garden of the Tuileries on a Winter Afternoon” by Camille Pissaro (1899) // “Snowflake Study” by Wilson A. Bentley (1890) // “Summer Afternoon” by Asher Brown Durand (1865) // “Gray Weather, Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat (c. 1886-88) // Image from pg. 4 of The Aiken Nurseries Putney, Vermont (1950) // "Winter view in Stockholm City, Sweden" by Carl Curman (1900) // "The Boulevard of Montmarte on a Winter Morning" by Camille Pissarro (1897) // “A Typical Example of ‘Spirit Writing’”, by Willis M. Cleaveland (“Mrs. Smead”), reproduced in Fremont Rider's “Are the Dead Alive?” (1909) // “Child looking up chimney at the Tallahassee Jr. Museum during Christmas” // “Still Life with Cake” by Raphaelle Peale (1818) // Image from the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Commons by William Buelow Gould (c. 1803-1853) // “Still Life with Roses and Fruit” by Henri Fantin-Latour (1863) // “View on the New Turnpike Road, on the Margin of the Juniata, with a Distant View of the Warrior Mountain" by Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1820) // “Roses and Lilies by Henri Fantin-Latour (1888)}
