Design Inspiration | La Iglesia

I'm doing a series on my San Miguel Collection prints and am collaborating with interior stylist Mylene Raspado. I'm hoping to make it easier for you to picture these fine art photographs in your home by giving you two mood boards and color palettes. 

The week I'm featuring: La Iglesia. The Spanish conquest brought two major legacies to Mexico: The Spanish language, and Catholicism. There are many Catholic churches in Mexico which are some of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. This particular church is located in San Miguel de Allende and is one that can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. 

 
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For such an iconic picture, this framed print would be a great statement piece for a living room. The green and blue is so vibrant that you want it to be the pop and really draw the eye. Pairing this with neutral accessories will do just that. I love all of these accents to really make this photo a focal point. 

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You can also draw from the greens in the photo to add more greenery to your room. In the mood board for this bedroom, I love how the deep colors in the photo, are being drawn into other items in the room. I mean that orange bed is everything, and that golden chandelier. Yes and YES! I love how the room has light whites and grays with a few bold pops of color that accent the photo. Mylene, you've done it again both of these mood boards are perfection!

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This week only (until Sunday), I'm offering free framing on all orders of the "La Iglesia" print. Let me know if you have any questions about this design mood board, or this specific print. Send me an e-mail or leave a comment below. 

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Design InspirationKarina Metts
Coco Inspired Birthday Party
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My son Elias turned 5 years old on April 11th. Every year for my kid's birthdays I let them pick a theme, which is usually what they're really into that year, and I plan a big party around it. They LOVE looking at pinterest boards with me, and brainstorming ideas. 

This year, I was especially excited when Elias wanted to have a "Coco" themed birthday party. We saw Coco in theaters in November and I was actually surprised by how much he loved it. I was surprised because he was the kid who refused to speak Spanish at Spanish camp last year. He also doesn't like any Mexican food other than quesadillas and chips.

So, when he himself decided on a Mexican birthday party I was like ok, I'm running with it, and going all out...within reason, of course. 

 
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Elias had also asked for ONE specific thing for the party; a Coco cake. I usually make the dessert, but he really wanted one after seeing it on pinterest (thanks a lot pinterest) I knew I couldn't pull it off, so I ordered one from Pastel! Cakes and More and was blown away by how it turned out. Elias screamed with such joy when he saw it.

I also asked my friend Veronica to make cake pops for favors. I just want to say these are the best cake pops I've ever had. I usually don't like cake pops, but these were amazing...and a perfect cake topper for the cake. 

The rest of the menu:

Guacamole, agua de horchata, arroz, beans, quesadillas, barbacoa & carnitas from a local grocery store, and Palomas that Michael mixed toward the end of the evening.

Everything was delicious.  

 
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I worked hard to transform our living room to a space that felt like Mexico. I displayed some of my pieces on the wall, and hung papel picado across our ceiling. Elena helped me decorate one wall with the quote from one of the songs in the movie; "Our love for each other will live on forever" It was great.

I also made a mural as the backdrop of the bridge from the movie between the land of the living and the land of the dead. It took me a few days, but with the help of my friend I think it came together nicely. At least Elias was impressed, which made it worth it. 

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We had his friends over to break a pinata, and watch the movie Coco of course. They had a nice time hanging out and eating all the sweets they could get. We celebrated with family in the evening too, so it really was a day full of good food, celebration, and lots of love for Elias. 

This birthday was so great that Elias is already asking for a Coco birthday party for next year. 

 

 

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Family LifestyleKarina Metts
Traditions | Papel Picado

If you've seen the movie Coco you've seen the decoration known as "Papel Picado" or "pecked paper". These paper banners are most commonly displayed for holidays or religious occasions like Easter, Christmas, Day of the Dead, quinceñeras, baptisms, weddings. It was breathtaking to see the whole Day of the Dead land in the movie Coco to be so vibrantly decorated with papel picado. It's not usual that I see something like that in the US.

Papel picado came about during the 19th century. It was typically made by hand using a chisel. First, an intricate design is drawn on paper and covered with plastic to protect the original drawing. To make several copies at once they stack many thin tissue paper sheets together and chisel the design out. The stack is then picked apart and hung on a string with other papers that have different designs. This is similar to the Chinese paper cutting, but rather than being cut with scissors, in Mexico they use chisel.

The art of Papel Picado is officially recognized by the ministry of Tourism and culture in Mexico. San Salvador Huixcolotla in Puebla is known as the center of papel picado, but in the 1930s the art spread to other parts in Mexico. It was in the 1960s that papel picado made it's way to the United States and Europe. Now you'll see this decoration made out of different materials like plastic of thicker paper so that it can withstand the outdoors, or be a more permanent and sturdy decoration. 

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I have a new print called Papel Picado that I'll offer this summer in a new collection. Here's a sneak peek of it. I'll be announcing a launch date soon, but until then, be thinking and planning where in your home this print would be perfect to hang.

If you're not on my e-mail list yet, sign up so you can be one of the first to know when the new collection launches. I'll also share when new events are happening, new blog posts are shared, and give exclusive promotions. So go ahead, enter your email. :-)

History & TraditionsKarina Metts
Design Inspiration | Nopalitos

I'm doing a series on my San Miguel Collection prints and am collaborating with interior stylist Mylene Raspado. I'm hoping to make it easier for you to picture these fine art photographs in your home by giving you two mood boards for two different spaces in your home. 

The week I'm featuring: Nopalitos. The Spanish word for cactus is nopal. "Nopalitos" means little cactuses.  Mexico has many plants like the cactus that can survive hot temperatures, which often leads to them being common decorative plants in homes. 

 

 
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We actually have this photo hanging in our living room/dining room space. It's neutral colors really leaves the door open for bolder color choices in your decor.  I love the dark grays, purples, and greens to tie your space together. We have this print in a 24x36 size on one of our side walls in our living room, as a statement piece. Usually Mexico is known for vibrant colors, but I think this photo still represents Mexico using neutral warm tones. 

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A bathroom can be a hard space to decorate. At least for me it's the last room in the house to get some love. I especially love how Mylene pulled the rose gold color from this photos to use as accents with the towel holder and toilet paper holder. Genius!

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This week only (until Sunday), I'm offering free framing on all orders of this Nopalitos print. Let me know if you have any questions about this design mood board, or this specific print. Send me an e-mail or leave a comment below. 

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Design InspirationKarina Metts
Nachos | Recipe

My father has made making nachos into an art form. He always gets so excited to serve up a plate when people come over. 

DID YOU KNOW, that my father used to own restaurants? Two to be exact. He owned a small little place in Chicago when I was young so I don't remember much of being a part of that. But, when I was in college, he opened up an amazing restaurant in the suburbs and I was lucky enough to help launch it. I remember learning the computer systems and helping train the employees, working from 7am to 7pm doing all of the jobs. It was invigorating, and the food was the best (maybe I'm biased, but he had great chefs).

He has since sold it, but it's still up and running, and I'm so proud to have been a part of that. 

His nachos are a great appetizer to make if you're having people over. I'm sure it will be a hit, and will look like you're serving something from a restaurant. It's definitely something a little more authentic than a nachos and cheese dip.

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Gather your ingredients 

Nacho chips

1 can Beans (Black or Pinto are good)

Crema (this is Mexican sour cream, it's not as thick and is a perfect consistency for spreading.

Avocado (one half/plate)

Chihuahua Cheese

Chorizo (half a link/plate)

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Now what?

1. Heat your beans and use a masher to mash them. 

2. Heat your chorizo. Use a spatula to break it up like ground beef.

3. Assemble the nacho chips on your plate.

4. Once beans are mashed and heated pour onto chips. Add chihuahua cheese.

5. Put plate in the microwave and heat for 60 seconds so the cheese can melt.

6. Add chorizo

7. Use a spoon to scoop out avocado in slices. This technique will help cover the nachos better than if you were just to cut the avocado in squares.

8. Lastly top with the crema. 

Michael LOVES making nachos and usually finds any excuse to have them for dinner. Yes... he'll have this as his meal... usually when I'm not going to be home for dinner. Needless to say, he wasn't at all upset that he got to eat this plate of nachos after I was done shooting. 

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

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FoodKarina Metts