The Key to Holiday Cheer

New ornaments updated in the store ... vintage and skeleton keys!

Fall in love with ... Fall

(Some of my favorite fall things: bright yellow leaves against an urban backdrop)

I've heard a lot of "seasonal effective disorder" complaints lately. Personally, I love fall. I love the crispy leaves that crunch underfoot, I love the smell of roasting foods that hang in the air when you walk into a friend's home and I especially love all the great decorating and fashion finds of the season. 

For me, inspiration is everywhere.

(Fountains, fall foliage and just the right amount of color in festive accessories. Kanibal Home Lights Out Scarf pictured.)

Handmade for the Holidays

Owls, birds and zebras! Oh my!

You bet the tree isn't the only thing that's green this season at Kanibal Home.

Ice cream for the brain

Sometimes there's just too much information out there and it's easy to get overwhelmed. Email bings, cell phone chirps, Black Berry beeps, internet pop up flashes ... newspapers, magazines, e-zines ... TV and radio static. Grrr.

Most days I just need to tune out the noise for a few minutes. How? By visiting my favorite blogs. Counterintuitive? Kinda. But even if I grabbed a cup of tea and sat on the porch, the chance that my brain would shut down is slim. It's like little kinetic marbles bouncing around in there at all times. 

So, I force the noise out with more noise. And I look forward to this daily reading period. Following are my go-to brain stopper blogs and web pages:

First stop: Design*sponge (www.designspongeonline.com)

(Image from Domino magazine's website, which is another great site)

Domino magazine just did a great feature on Grace and her design blog, but I've been following this talented lady way before Kanibal Home had any roots. With bright and cheery photography, my favorite features are the home sneak peeks and the product spotlights.

Next stop: Decor8 (www.decor8blog.com)

On this blog Holly gives a more personal look into her design world with insightful topics that encourage reader participation and focus on handmade products and artisans. I especially love when she discusses small businesses and her shop girl features are terrific. And, as a bonus, she is in the process of redecorating a home in Germany. Her product finds from abroad are striking (and she's detailed enough to give sources for everything).

Final stop: Musingsinstyle.blogspot.com

More fashion than furniture, this blog is an easy read to clean the mental palette. Filled with inspiring images and thoughts, this blogger has some serious styling creds: word on the web is she worked for Martha once upon a time.

She recently posted about Susana Monaco and I fell in love with this shot:

And the smokey eye makeup in this image caught my attention at first, but I wouldn't mind wrapping myself in the sweater either.

So I'm interested: What gets you through the day? Is it looking at something visually pleasing, sipping that warm cup of mint tea, going for a reinvigorating jog or just slipping into a coma on the couch while watching reality TV (but flipping on National Geographic when anyone comes in the room)?

Kanibal Home Updates

And there's even more to come at Kanibal Home ...

Write me a letter

Nature or nurture? Well, when it comes to typography Kanibal Home has our friends to blame for that obsession. Blessed (and sometimes bored) by our group of talented graphic designer friends, I've been listening for years -- but not contributing -- to the back and forth discussions detailing everything from the values of white space to all the "posers" in the web design field. Mind you, this is a very opinionated bunch. And, for better or worse, I think all these informal typography lessons have finally imbedded themselves in my brain.

Antipasto Platter

Wooden Letter A

I've always had an appreciation for the way the correct usage of font can express an emotion (squiggly writing is girly, blocky is industrial and modern -- somewhere my friends are reading this blog and cringing while screaming at their monitors "Helvetica! What does she mean by squiggly?!") Now I'm semi-obsessed with finding vintage home products that give a nod to the art that is typography.

I have my terrific graphic designer friends to thank (and blame) for this newest obsession.

Successful Saturday

Despite the nasty weather, today was still brilliant. We did some serious hunting and dragged home some great treasures to update the shop.

Keep an eye out for tons of new glassware, chairs, stools and really interesting Found Objects.

Updates will post as soon as tonight ... 

:)

KH Updates

New updates in the store. Fall in love ...

Cooking with Kanibal: Stuffed Cornish Hens

What does Kanibal Home love as much as fabric? Food! So here's to another installment of Cooking with Kanibal. We rarely follow a recipe and most of our dishes are just new takes on preparing some of our favorite ingredients. The following is an easy way to make stuffed cornish hens. We used wild rice, asparagus and prosciutto, but you can substitute any kind of rice and a mix of vegetables and it would come out equally as delicious. Next time we are going to try wild mushrooms and risotto. Enjoy!

Take two cornish hens and brine them for at least two hours before preparing the meal. A brine is basically a salt bath that tenderizes and flavors the meat. Fill a pot with water and dissolve a nice amount of salt then add in other herbs. This brine has peppercorns, thyme and a little rosemary.

To prepare part of the stuffing for the cornish hens saute 2 clove of chopped garlic, one white onion and a little extra virgin olive oil in a pan.  

Once the onion becomes translucent and has softened, add in the cubed prosciutto. Lightly brown the prosciutto and then incorporate in the rinsed and chopped asparagus. Saute until the asparagus has softened, but is still firm.

In a separate pot, boil water and add in the rice. Wild or long grain rice give the dish some texture, but brown or white rice can also be used. Prepare the rice as directed on the box. Remember, the cavity of the cornish hens are not that big, so 1 cup of uncooked rice should be more than enough.

As the rice cooks, take the cornish hens out of the brine and rinse them off. Place in a roasting pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the vegetable mixture with the rice. There might be extra rice, so don't add it in all at once -- you want there to be an even amount of vegetable and starch.

Using a tablespoon, fill the cornish hens with the stuffing. To the bottom of the roasting pan add in 1/2 cup of water and enough chicken stock to line the bottom of the pan (about one to two inches up the side of the pan).

Preheat a barbecue or oven. If using an oven, roast for about one hour (depending on the size of the cornish hens) on 350 degrees. The pan should be covered with aluminum foil to avoid burning. Check and baste halfway through cooking. For the last 15 minutes remove the foil and allow the skin to crisp. We barbecued the cornish hens and wrapped the outside in thinly cut prosciutto for extra flavor. 

Serve the cornish hens on a bed of any of the extra stuffing that didn't make it in the bird drizzled with the juice from the bottom of the roasting pan. 

Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipe

2 cornish hens

1 bunch of asparagus, small variety (rinsed and chopped)

1 cup wild or long grain rice

1 slices of prosciutto, 1/2 inch thick (cubed)

1 medium white onion

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

herbs, to taste (pepper, paprika, rosemary and thyme compliment the ingredients used in this version)

*note that the recipe does not need a lot of extra salt because the brine bath and prosciutto lend the dish salt during cooking

KH Updates

Kanibal Home has added new products to almost every category!

Check out a sampling of what we've got to offer:

KH Guest Blog

Want to know the history behind Kanibal Home? Then head on over to Ofifteen (ofifteenblog.blogspot.com) where we were lucky enough to share our story. 

The site features a wonderful collection of design objects and personalities and we were thrilled to have the chance to guest blog yesterday. And there's more to come. In a few days we will be sharing some of our decorating secrets.

Check out the first installment at: http://ofifteenblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/visiting-blogger-kanibal-home.html

KH Updates

Kanibal Home is growing  ... and there's more to come. 

KH in the News

We all have our daily habits. It's become a reflex that I make coffee, sit down at my desk to start the day and log on to the Design Sponge blog. Again, around noon, I grab my lunch, sit down at my desk (yes, I eat glued to my work area) and log in to Design Sponge again.

Well, those of you that follow this blog, know that it was Kanibal Home's birthday this month so I was thrilled to see a small feature on my favorite blog today. A big thanks to Grace for all her support (Design Sponge was also the first media to write about KH when we launched, so it was extremely fitting that they were kind enough to post about us again). Check out designspongeonline.com to view what they posted about us today.

Cooking with Kanibal: Faked Beans

In addition to crafts, Kanibal Home loves to cook. Last weekend we put our little garden to work and whipped up a fresh tomato sauce with basil, prosciutto, peas and ricotta for some guests. We also decided to go for the gold and make homemade fettucine. Four cups of flour, four eggs, olive oil, salt and 15 minutes of arm numbing kneading later and we had a meal fit for a Sunday summer dinner.

But it isn't all homemade in this house. Sometimes we just want some warm weather comfort food. As it usually happens, I had some leftover turkey kielbasa and sauerkraut, but was craving baked beans. Too busy (lazy) to run to the corner store, I faked my way through a recipe with what I had in the house, which is usually little more than condiments.

The self-professed queen of "throwing a little something together", these Faked Beans hit the spot.

Faked Beans

1 can of pink kidney beans, drained but not rinsed

1 tsp granulated garlic

chili powder, to taste

3 shakes of Frank's Red Hot sauce (or to taste)

1/2 cup ketchup

* all measurements are estimates

Combine all the ingredients and simmer in a small sauce pan on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency. Serve with your favorite grilled meats and veggies.

This is so fast and easy that the ingredients can be adjusted to reflect your personal preference. Personally, I like it with more hot sauce and chili powder for extra heat. Enjoy!

KH gets dressed

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Kanibal Home! We're celebrating our one year anniversary with some great new changes to the site. Kanibal Home now features:

- This blog, where you can read about what Kanibal Home has been up to, where we're going and what we're checking out;

- An updated homepage with added toolbar items such as the Press page;

- The new Women's Apparel and Well Read categories;

- And a flashy new introduction.

We're always evolving so there's even more to come in the next few weeks. And, because a birthday wouldn't be a birthday without presents, Kanibal Home is giving away free KH tote bags with the first 50 orders.

A a big THANK YOU to all of our friends, family and fans for making Kanibal Home's first year such a success.

Kanibal Home Updates

Kanibal Home has been rapidly expanding with new offerings, new online functions and new web design. To stay up to date -- and to learn about exclusive sales -- sign up for a Kanibal Home account. Located on the site's home page, it will only take a moment to log in, but you will be the first to know when something exciting arrives in the store. And KH will NEVER sell your email personal information or spam you with unnecessary information, just the latest and greatest. If you have any questions, shoot us a line at kanibal@kanibalhome.com or check out our Terms of Use page.

KH in the News

Kanibal Home loves the blog All that & a ...

And they featured another item from our shop -- this time the Owl Watercolor print. You can check out the post here: http://allthatanda.com/?s=kanibal

All in the Bag

As promised, the first wave of new offerings are posting to Kanibal Home. We've just updated the site with a new category -- Women's Apparel -- and are thrilled to introduce a great line of bags by Eyes of Ruth. The canvas totes are manufactured locally in Los Angeles are made from the highest quality fabrics and trim. Kanibal Home is proud to support artists and small businesses and these totes are a luxe addition to the store.

Out of Office Reply

We took a much needed brainstorming session by the beach for a few days and returned refreshed, relaxed and refocused. Kanibal Home is getting some new product updates along with a whole new look and we wanted to be ready for the launch.

The mini break also helped us prioritize. Yea we've all heard it before -- you can't work, work, work without making time for play -- but sometimes it's tough to break away.


Just look at the shell necklace we made for a friend while resting up. That wouldn't have happened if we didn't clear out some of the webs clogging up our head.


But we couldn't wait to come home and finish some upholstering for Kanibal Home ... check the store to see what we've done with an old 1960's cathedral-style chair. We also squeezed in some scrapbooking, cleaning, bill sorting ... okay, it's hard work for us to rest sometimes. At least our garden didn't fry up in the sun while unattended.

Home Grown

While we might not always like summer rain showers, it sure does help our garden. One of Kanibal Home's big dreams is to open a brick-and-mortar storefront that has a backyard. And a garden is a must. We've been fantasizing about the day when we could have a real plot -- not just a collection of plastic pots on a terrace -- for quite some time. Basil and Italian parsley are easy patio plants along with tomatoes (although we eat more than we could ever grow), but this year we also planted zucchini. And with all the rain New Jersey has been getting lately it looks like our experiment is actually flowering and might produce something edible.

KH in the News

With all the focus on green products, carbon footprints and organic fibers, we sometimes forget that there are items already in the marketplace that are the pioneers of green: vintage goods. That's why Kanibal Home was thrilled to get a heads up form Jennae at GreenYourDecor.com saying that we would be featured in a post today.

Kanibal Home devours old items and gives them a new life -- cutting down on manufacturing waste and repurposing products without unnecessary production. Check out our Found Objects section for some great green items and visit http://www.greenyourdecor.com to read about KH and other eco-friendly products.

Hunting Season

Summer has that mischievous way of slipping right on by and lazily skipping into fall. This year, though, Kanibal Home is taking full advantage of the long days of sunshine. No lazy Sundays sleeping the day away for us. Especially since what we love the most about summer is stumbling upon the great treasures hidden in sidewalk sales, craft fairs and vintage markets. And if you want to get the good stuff you have to get up early. KH will definitely be making an appearance at the following upcoming events (and might even snag a table and sell some of our favorite finds).

Renegade Craft Fair (Brooklyn): June 14th and 15th at McCarren Park Pool from 11am - 7pm. The RCF has some great DIY crafts -- everything from jewelry to silkscreened posters to clothing.

Hamilton Park Flea Market (Jersey City): June 14th at Hamilton Park. This flea market is less DIY than the RCF but still has some great surprises. Kanibal Home has been attending for the last several years and last year we dragged home everything from vintage cameras to WWII era promotional mailers to handmade jewelry. It's worth the trip to Jersey (come on, the PATH train isn't that scary) and the downtown Grove Street area has some delicious restaurants and unique bars to grab a drink and some grub at before heading home.

KH in the News

All that & a ... is a great blog by P. Kim Bui. She says her site is a place "for everything you never knew you wanted." And we have to say we love that mentality. Kim was also nice enough to feature Kanibal Home's milk glass bottles in a post today. Check out the following.

You can also view KH's mention by visiting: http://decorazzi.allthatanda.com/2008/05/20/milk-glass-at-kanibal-home/

Trade Off: ICFF

The weather outside ... was delightful. But for the second Saturday in a row Kanibal Home was traversing the trade show scene. This past weekend: International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).

Javits on a sunny Saturday isn't our favorite spot, but we do love the ICFF. Unfortunately we weren't that impressed. Partnered up with a reporter friend, we wound our way through the booths in record time. At the end of the show, we couldn't pinpoint any clear superstars but we did extract some favorites -- highlighted below.

Undergrowth Design makes these incredible ceramics. The silver lipstick marks on the cups and "coffee rings" on the saucers are right up our alley.

Showpony is based in Glasgow and we love their tongue-in-cheek style. The vintage purse tote bags are all printed on organic fair-trade cotton and screen printed with water-based inks. Just another example of design that is ecologically friendly and fashionable.

Hiding Place purses from Showpony. Some people have design obsessions with owls, we have a thing for insects. And we love the hide-and-seek nature of this purse. The pattern is cute and whimsical when first viewed, but inside the folds are spiders, crickets, beetles, etc.

Hello, have we met? This is a modern take on a vintage form, but we can't help falling in love with it all over again. It's just a chair, sure, but when you sit down, tuck your legs up and recline back it feels more like a cocoon than a piece of furniture. Chair by Barcelona Design.

And to end our posting about ICFF, another chair from Barcelona Design. Can't you just see this is the corner of a study or as a sexy accent chair next to your bed?