Balue/Co.

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My January has consisted of colorful fabrics, cute pups, pretty new makeup, sparkles, slow breakfasts, bows in my hair, and rare sunny Seattle winter days.

p.s. Do you use Instagram? Find me @balue_co. :)

try this: sparkling chewy molasses cookies

Molasses cookies and I must have been lovers in a past life.

That's really the only explanation I have for the immediate sense of comfort and 'Oh hi, I know you...' recognition every time I rediscover them. For some reason, I tend to forget about these cookies all too often, woo'd away by the lure of the perfect chocolate chip cookie, or some fancy peanut butter concoction. But maybe that's for the best... what's that they say about absence making the heart grow fonder?

Anyways, past lives or not, these cookies are heavenly. They come together quickly, perfuming the house with the warm scents of molasses, cinnamon and nutmeg while crisping up slightly around the edges when baked–just enough to put up a tiny fight before surrendering their soft, chewy centers.

Don't fight it cookies, just accept your fate.

SPARKLING CHEWY MOLASSES COOKIES
via Not Martha, adapted from Martha Stewart

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, or 10 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses, blackstrap works well here
• about 1/2 cup chunky sanding sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
3. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until combined. Beat in the egg, and then the molasses until just combined. Put mixer on low and slowly add the flour mixture just until dough forms.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into a ball between your palms, then roll in sanding sugar (I used demerara, but white sanding sugar would work well as well) to cover all sides.
5. Place on cookie sheets spaced three inches apart (cookies will spread a little while baking).
6. Bake one sheet at a time until edges of cookies are just firming up, 10 to 15 minutes. I found 11 minutes to be perfect in my oven.
7. Update:If you freeze the balls you can bake them by taking them out of the freezer and putting them right in the oven. It’ll take about 15 minutes at 350. The cookies will spread a little less, and crack a bit.
8. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a moment then transfer cookies to racks to cool down.
9. Will keep for four days in an airtight container.

Makes approximately three dozen cookies.

LUCAS MAASSEN & SONS

Dutch industrial designer Lucas Maassen has been working in conceptual design since 2003 and recently as an ideal father figure he decided to introduce his three Sons to the value of work. For this reason, he has employed Thijme (9 years-old), Julian (7 years-old) and Maris (also 7 years-old) to hand paint the pine wood handmade furniture built in the factory on the occasion of his new project called “Furniture Factory”. All of them are paid 1 euro per piece as agreed in the official professional contract that they have signed with their father, but due to Dutch child labour laws, it is only possible for Thijme, Julian and Maris to work for 3 hours a week. So, the production speed has became a crucial factor in the process and as you can see yourself, the lack of time contributes to the general aesthetics of each LM & S furniture piece where the results are ”incompletely beautiful!" –via Yatzer

I find myself being drawn more and more towards the 'unfinished' and 'undone' in art and life lately. I really have no interest in perfected, flawless things at the moment. When I saw this collection by Dutch designer Lucas Maassen it totally blew me away... it's imperfect perfection.

Have a happy weekend, love.

Tried + true: my must haves

One of my biggest passions in life and something that I've always found a lot of inspiration in is makeup – both in doing my own and seeing other's. Since I was a little girl I can remember loving to look through fashion magazines and pore over the features with the closeup photos of crushed eyeshadows and cut up lipsticks... something about seeing the makeup so up close, and really seeing the consistency and texture of the pigments, has such an artistic appeal.

Over the years I've played with a lot of fun makeup trends, but lately I've found myself slowly editing down my must haves to a handful of really well-made, consistent products that can be used for a natural 'you but better' everyday look, as well as being buildable for a bit more drama when you want it.

My favorite, must-have products:

1. L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Mascara in Waterproof Blackest Black. I only use waterproof, dark black mascara. I can't really understand the appeal of non-waterproof mascara considering how easily they run, but to each their own. This one takes literally one good swipe to create long, fluttery, dark lashes that hold all day.
2. Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Birthday Suit. This cream shadow is a light taupe that gives really great natural definition to the eye area. I apply it simply with my finger and blend it out into the crease to give the eye subtle shape and depth.
3. Benefit 10 highlighter and bronzer. I hope Benefit never discontinues this, because it really does have the best finish and pigmentation level for very fair skin such as my own. Half lightly shimmery pearlescent pink highlighter and half tawny bronzer, I use this to contour my face. It has the perfect amount of finely-milled shimmer that melds with your skin and creates a gorgeous glow. It's crazy how much better your face looks overall after you've swept this on.
4. BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 2.0 in The Perfect Storm. The newest addition to my must haves, this eyeshadow duo features a lightly shimmery white, and a matte gray/taupe slate color that reminds me a lot of the much more expensive Burberry Taupe Brown. BareMinerals has created some exceptional pressed eyeshadows in this line – the color goes on smoothly, and is very blendable. For a quick contoured eye, this duo is really all you need (sorry for the closed compact photo!).
5. Wet n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow trio in Silent Treatment. As a slightly warmer-toned drugstore alternative to the BareMinerals duo, this set from the Color Icon line by Wet n' Wild can't really be beat. The pigments are really dense and smooth, and the colors are versatile. I particularly like the sheer peach shade on top for it's sheeny, glowy quality. Oh, and the price is amazing.
6. BareMinerals Original SPF15 Mineral Foundation. Good for my skin, SPF built in, looks natural, has amazing coverage (my skin has some serious pink undertones, tinted moisturizer ain't cuttin' it for me!)... I can't stray from this stuff. It feels like you have nothing on, and your skin can breathe. Also, I stopped breaking out when I started wearing BareMinerals, which in itself is enough to keep me a loyal customer.
7. Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten. If I don't want to bother with an eyeshadow primer, this shimmery gold champagne cream shadow can pull double duty to lock down any powder shadows or liner layered on top. It gives the eye a pretty allover wash of shimmer, and can also be built up to a foiled metallic finish for nighttime. 
8. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original. There's a reason this stuff is a cult favorite – because it really works. A thin coat of this blended around the entire eye (and even around the mouth and creases around the nose) makes any ensuing makeup go on smoother, more evenly, and last all day. Serious.

If I have time, I love to also darken my brows (Benefit BrowZings) and use some good dark black eyeliner lined closely to the lashes and winged out a tiny bit (Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion). These eight products are the ones I use no matter what I'm getting ready for. Over a clean, well-moisturized face, they leave you looking fresh and awake, like you... but better.

I read somewhere once that women are attracted to not so much the act of applying makeup, but the pleasure in seeing the final finished product, and the change in emotion and confidence that being 'made up' can foster. I think though, for me, it is kind of the opposite. It's about the tactile element, seeing the shimmer and the colors and the pigments, and then seeing how they apply to your skin, and how you can manipulate them to create the effects you want. It's a tactile, transformative thing, doing your makeup.

It's just another form of creativity and art, really.

pattern peek

A little peek at some patterns I've been working on for a new venture in the shop. (More on that later) I don't know if it's the gray, dreary winter weather outside, but I find myself wanting to paint really bright, happy little things. (Bob Ross would understand.)

etsy finds: kim westad

I love the simplicity and use of color and form in Kim Westad's work. Watching her take a block of unformed clay and seamlessly work it into something beautiful on the wheel is so amazing to watch.