Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday from our family! We are certainly enjoying baby's first Christmas. Cheers!

Maybe this is along the Star Wars theme; could be an inverse of the Death Star. In any case, check out this really neat gallery located in Korea. It was designed by Moon Hoon architecture firm to be an art gallery and cultural centre. Lots more at Contemporist.

From the designers:
Sometimes, clients bring in a clear idea or a name of a place they envision. This time, a movie named two moon junction surfaced when we first met. He talked about building a private cultural center centered around a coffee shop and a gallery.

A free spirited space, somewhat erotically charged like the movie, a place full of festivity and relaxed atmosphere. The other important criteria included providing two separate buildings, one for the client, and the other for his younger brother. The budget was extremely low, so from the start we decided to build simple boxes with some impact points.

I've been doing lots of baking over this past week, and then Jeff and I had lots of decorating our moose and stars over the weekend. Baking is one of my favourite Christmas activities to do each year. I put on some Christmas music, make some tea, and get baking. Of course, this year baking was done in stages as a certain baby needed tending to, but it was still lots of fun. For the gingerbread moose I used this recipe from when we made gingerbread houses.  The star cookies are from this recipe, Chocolate Blackberry Sandwiches, some of which are plain this year and some were made with icing in the middle. We are certainly enjoying all the treats!

We had almost finished this project, and then we let it sit for a long long time. We just never found the time to fix up the lines. Every time one of us would use that bathroom we would have a moment of "oh yeah, this needs to be finished". And then promptly forget about it again after leaving the bathroom. Well, no longer! It is finished! 

We had originally thought to add some yellow/orange lines to match the drawing of the scooter on the opposite wall, but then I had the brilliant idea to just buy a hand towel in that colour to give it an extra pop of orange. It was hard to find one that matched exactly, this one is a bit more yellow, but it still has the same effect.

A big thanks to my mother, who helped make the finishing of this project happen! She painstakingly fix up the lines that had bled under the tape with a fine paint brush. 

Everyone who uses the bathroom seem to be excited by the pattern on the wall. It is unexpected, and unseen until you are inside the room, which adds to the dramatic effect. I'm quite happy with it, and it is so original compared to using generic wallpaper. ​

This home is so much fun! It's a bunch of small buildings connected by glass bridges to create one house.  Alric Galindez Arquitectos have designed this home in Argentina. Lots more at Contemporist.  

From the designer: 
The house is located in the Patagonia región in Argentina in a site with a subtle slope and views towards the Gutierrez Lake and the Catedral, Ventana and Otto Hills.

On the first approach, two interrogations arise: what is the relation between the project and the landscape and how does one live in a spacious home. We are looking for a building in which the human presence is manifested by the abstract geometry, which in juxtaposition with the surrounding landscape, enhances nature. This dichotomy, extends throughout the whole execution of the project.

This holiday home is just amazing, like living in a tree house. It was designed by architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe. It's so much fun, and definitely invites you to be a part of nature. Lots more photos at Contemporist. 

From the architect:
The Floating House, designed by award-winning Costa Rican architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe, offers a unique living experience floating above the canopy of the jungle. It combines expansive ocean views, luxury interiors and an infinity swimming pool, within walking distance of the beach.

We have been having lots of fun over the last couple of weekends doing Christmasy things. After all, this is baby's first Christmas! Everything is new for her, so everything is double the fun. A couple of weekends ago we spent an evening at the Toronto Distillery District Christmas Market. This is always so special, wandering around with a hot chocolate in hand, looking at all the shops and enjoying the Christmas atmosphere. Elara even had a great time (after a brief meltdown due to hunger at the beginning). We ended up stopping to feed her (and ourselves) at the Mill Street Beer Hall. Not the most child friendly spot, but Elara won everyone over that walked by, and equally she loved the attention. And we got to have a beer! Win win for everyone!

This past weekend we cut down our Christmas tree. We had a lovely afternoon with some good friends looking for the perfect tree (and getting some Christmas photos in as well). We ended up picking a small tree this year, as Elara is into everything, and placing it up on the coffee table. It might deter her a little more then if it was on the floor. We shall see! Can't wait to keep this tradition going each year as Elara gets older. Lots of fun!

I love December! Everything is so magical, from softly falling snow (before we get sick of it) and all the twinkling lights. Most people seem to be happier during this month too, with lots of visits from friends and family. This is my inspiration for this holiday month!

Sources: 

• ​Hot Chocolate - Easy Holiday Treats
• Stockings - Christmas Stockings
• Twinkling Lights - Rebloggy 
• Gifts - North Dallas Gazette 

A child sized chair for hiding away from the noise of the house. It looks so comfy and cozy to curl up in and ponder a book. New Zealand based designers, Think & Shift, created the Hideaway Chair for a daycare centre.  Lots more photos and information here.  What a great place for kids to get away from the outside world, and take a quiet moment for themselves. 

From the designers:
Design led childcare company New Shoots, approached Think & Shift to design a product that provides children a comforting sense of enclosure in their childcare centres; a chair that serves as a space for children to get away from the noise and busyness of their surrounding environment.
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The chair was required to be aesthetically on brand, safe, comfortable, user friendly for children and carers alike, extremely hard wearing and be produced in New Zealand with natural materials and a sustainable approach.