New York City is all atwitter as it readys itself for the famous ball drop tonight... Here are some vintage snaps of this classic New York tradition!

All images via Pinterest.

Have a lovely New Year's Eve!

We adore winter in NYC - the misty snow, faux fur coats, knitted caps, ice skating and sipping warm cocktails! Here are some of our favorite NYC winter moments...

(Image via Flickr.)

A Hot Toddy by the fire at the Bowery Hotel is our favorite cold-weather remedy.

(Image via B/Eats.)

Nothing beats ice skating in central park.

(Image via Blog.)

The stunning Swarovski snowflake above 5th Avenue.

And the holiday windows, of course!

We love the amazing public art installations throughout the city like Madison Square Park's Buckyball, a towering 30-foot tall, illuminated sculpture.

What are your favorite things about NYC in the winter? We would love to know!

Wishing you holiday happiness from all of us at DwellStudio!

Last week we all zipped around the corner to Merc Bar for our annual holiday party. The whole DwellStudio team felt right at home sipping cocktails at this cozy SoHo bar - we love Merc's dimly lit interior, rustic banquettes, quirky antlers and festive plaid. Here's a peek at some of our favorite snaps from the night...

Happy Holidays!

Christiane was in London last week for the launch of Living by DwellStudio at the House of Fraser. We'd love to show you some of her intagram snaps from her trip...

P.S. check out our London City Guide to see our favorite hot spots!

I teamed up HP to design these chic holiday garlands that I made at home in an afternoon using my new HP printer. Last week my kids and I had a great time making these bright and festive garlands using my favorite DwellStudio patterns. My son William especially loved stringing all the pieces together. For more easy DIY holiday decorating ideas, I've been browsing HP's Holiday Headquarters. I spotted these cool 3D Snowflake Ornaments and this sweet Angel Tree Topper—that I can't wait to make with my kids this weekend. Check out my How-To video and step-by-step instructions below to see just how easy these projects are with the printer. Plus, I would love to see your projects! Send them to me via Twitter and Instragram using hashtag #HipHoliday and I'll share my favorites here on the Studio blog... Enjoy!

How-To Guide: DwellStudio Hip Holiday Garlands

1. Print pattern or image on both sides of paper.

2. Cut into strips that are around .5" wide.

3. Attach strips with colorful tape to a string about 1" or 2" apart.

Our founder Christiane is London this week launching Living by DwellStudio at House of Fraser (more on that later). So we decided it was time for another city guide... this time we're revealing our favorite London hot spots!

(Image via London2012.)

See: Pre-Raphaelites exhibit at Tate Britain

Our design team is loving the Victorian era right now. Tate Britain is putting a spotlight on some of the artistic radicals of the 1800s with its stunning show. The exhibition is full of luminous Victorian Avant Garde paintings, sculptures and photography by champions of the movement, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais.

Shop: James Smith & Sons

If you're obsessed with quality and craftsmanship (like we are) then you must stop by this Victorian-era umbrella shop. Founded in 1830 and still owned and run as a family business, the master craftsmen here still construct umbrellas and walking sticks right in the basement of the New Oxford Street location—where attention to detail is of the utmost importance. Plus, we're pretty sure that every dashing haberdasher in London carries one of James Smith's well-crafted parapluies!

Imbibe: The Bar at the Dorchester

We adore this elegantly furnished watering hole, with its lacquered mahogany walls and Dale Chihuly-like glass installations. We suggest sticking to the classics here like the house specialty, the Martinez, which is made with Old Tom gin and recreated from an early 18th-century recipe.

Eat: Portrait Restaurant in the National Portrait Gallery

(Image via Telegraph.)

This rooftop resto may seem like an unlikely spot, but the views of London are breath-taking at this little known British gem. Anything but stuffy, we suggest noshing on Butternut squash soup and the Duck Breast while gazing at the London Eye, Big Ben and Nelson's Column.

Sleep: One Aldwych

(Image via Hotel Traveler.)

Sometimes sleeping in high-style is a must, and One Aldwych tops the haute list. We love this tradition-with-a-twist hotel—Edwardian style architecture with sleek modern updates. Central located in Covet Square, the building was actually constructed in 1907 by the same architects who designed The Ritz in Paris.

Stay tuned to Christiane's Twitter for live updates from London.

We had a great time at last night's Q & A and party with Miles Redd! Here's a peek at some of the scenes from the soiree...

And thanks to Assouline Publishing and Housing Works! We can't wait to see everyone at our next design event at 77 Wooster.

I partnered up the HP to create a few chic and easy holiday crafts at home using my new HP printer. The printer makes the design process so easy I was able to make them with my whole family. Because I love hosting dinner parties, I designed a cool place-setting card based on our modern Deco Border print. I'm also loving this cool 3D Photo Cube and these festive Thank You Cards that I spotted in HP's Holiday Headquarters! Check out our How-To video and step-by-step instructions below to see just how easy these projects are. Plus, I would love to see your projects! Send them to me via Twitter and Instragram using hashtag #HipHoliday and I'll share my favorites here on the Studio blog... Enjoy!

How-To Guide: DwellStudio Place-setting Cards

1. Print pattern or image. Print image on both sides of paper.

2. Trim paper to 5.5"x10.5" and fold in half.

3. Punch holes around the border of paper.

4. Insert fasteners and cut 3.5"x3.75" rectangles out of contrasting paper, tape to top of place setting.

5. Personalize with name or menu.

Last week Christiane visited the Robert Allen Design showroom in Toronto to speak to interior designers about how she uses social media. Here's a peek at some of the photos from the event...

P.S. Check out our Toronto City Guide to see some of our favorite places!