Pony and Poppy

Friends, I am in love with Pony and Poppy - an Etsy shop out of North Carolina.  Isn't everything in her shop just lovely?  I'm obsessed with the rain cloud linen tea towels and the matryoshka ones as well.  Everything shop owner Amy makes, I am smitten with.  What do you think?  I think you might love her and the shop even more after you read her delightful shop profile.

Gift guide :: For her, pt II

I fully endorse everything on this list as a gift I would personally love to receive (if you're reading...)

1.  Luxurious leather and virgin wool shoulder bag
2.  Bailey's Home and Garden cozy organic cotton bathrobe  - heaven
3.  Lomography Diana + Dreamer Camera
4.  Pickles Cashmerino - Soft Coral but any color would be lovely
5.  A present for a little girl - it would be so neat hanging above the bed, you don't have to be a baby to enjoy a mobile!
6.  Nate Berkus Durrie Rug
7.  Mod Cloth Light Ride Sweater
8.  Intelligentsia In Season gift box - you can never have too many coffee mugs and their coffee is deeelish.
9.  Papercraft - so she can learn a new hobby which leaves you with more time to play video games...
10. Primary Confection measuring spoons - she'll bake you great stuff with such cute spoons
11. Misty Flower posts - because the sparkle will match her eyes
12. For Me, For You Brass Drops Necklace
13. Pigeon Toe Ceramics Airplant Wall Tile

What's on your Christmas list this year?

Gift guide :: For Mom

Well it's December, which means that everyone is in full Christmas mode right?  We're getting our tree today (hopefully, seriously we're both still under the weather which is no good because tomorrow my best friend and her husband are coming to town for the weekend and we have lots of plans!) and all of our decorations go up tonight! I can't hardly wait!

Anyway, I've put together a gift guide for that special woman in your life who always took care of you when you were sick, always gave the best Christmas gifts (even if she forgot where she hid them and then forgot all about them until after Christmas) and supported all of your decisions 100% among many other things.

1.  West Elm Chunky Tassle Throw - what woman wouldn't love a chunky throw?

2.  Terrain Wood Grain Dish - it's simple and cute

3.  West Elm Mosaic Mirror Boxes - because she likes everything sparkly and organized

4.  A Common Thread Petrified Wood Necklace - it's chic, rustic and the man in her life will adore it

5.  White House/Black Market Cotton/Cashmere Cardigan - so she'll be warm and stunning all at once

6.  Jayson Home & Garden Abalone Shell Mirror - another sparkly gem to hang on the wall

Gift guide :: For Him

It's not easy for me to shop for the men in my life.  My brother and stepdad were always super hard for me and I am never quite sure what their true feelings about the gifts were based on their reactions.  It's even harder for me to shop for the husband, who never really wants anything so he usually gets some whiskey/bourbon.  Or clothes.  Clothes that I like.  So this guide wasn't very easy to me and if you're a guy and think I'm crazy, then go ahead and laugh.  But if you laugh then you must help me think of something better.  

1. Gran Turismo 5 - my husband is literally counting down the days until this is released.

2. Urban Outfitters Spiewak Truman Jacket - every man would look handsome in this.

3. A+R Store Slow Cooker - for the city dweller who doesn't have a yard

4. Pendelton's Chief Joseph Muchacho Blanket - it's a cool print, cool name and very manly.

5. Leatherman Wave - so he'll be able to fix almost anything

6. Gap single-flap pocket red plaid flannel shirt - you can't go wrong with a man in a plaid shirt 

7. Records - because a man's record collection is a big deal

8. Deer Antler Bourbon rack - it looks cool, right?  Or you could just get him some bourbon.

Gift Guide :: For Her, Part 1

 

I thought I would join in the festive fun and create my own gift guides again this year.  It's so much fun to create and shop around for things.  Plus, it's never too early to start Christmas shopping.  Here are a few things from around the web that make my heart flutter and probably many other female hearts too!

1.  Hand woven loop scarf from Secret Pocket - it's scarves like these that inspired me to learn to knit.  With 5 different colors to choose from and adorable liners to boot, you can't go wrong with a gift this nice.

2.  Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish in Black Russian. It screams holidays and sexiness all at once.  This color would look great on any feminine hand.  In fact, any of their shades would be a perfect gift.

3. The Gap cable knit sweater.  The design is unique and on trend, plus a cable knit sweater is a winter staple. 

4. Dolan Geiman artwork.  I'm just a sucker for his style.  Art work of any kind should do the trick though!

Stay tuned for more!

Loving it

I love design*sponge for all the wonderful ideas, DIY projects and inspirational posts.  Earlier this week, I saw a post about brew love and was immediately intrigued.  I LOVE BEER and I love cute ways to present things, so this was a match made in heaven for me!

Staci, the blogger behind Sunlight Nights designed the labels and box herself and presented them to her boyfriend on Valentine's day.  What man wouldn't love a handmade gift like this!  I just had to share. 

I heart my mum

The annual Christmas package has arrived from Blighty - thank you so much, Mum :-)

I know better than to open it until Christmas morning, but I opened the box and just checked that everything was safe (so spills, breaks, smushes). On top, I found these beautifully wrapped little parcels, which I have put under my tree. So thoughtful and pretty *sniffle* :-)

xx oo <3 xx

Any ideas?

I've had some good ideas for albums to give as gifts this year (see here and here for some suggestions), but I'm leaning towards buying them as mp3s because:

1. it's greener, and

2. no one listens to CDs any more. Also,

3. it's so near christmas, I don't trust they'll arrive on time

4. plus it's cheaper, so I can buy everyone more music!

So for all those great reasons, I don't think it's a faux pas to give people music this way.

But: how do you present someone with a gift like this? Can anyone think of any cool creative ways to actually "give" these albums to people on the day? Idears, please.

So many reasons to love etsy!

In the midst of my blog voyaging throughout the day, I stumbled upon this lovely etsy store called HELICOPTERstudios.  All of the stuff for sale in this store is all so darn cute! 

It's all handmade, and it folds up into a cute little tote.  What lucky kids to have such a creative, crafty mother.

The gift ideas continue...

Can somebody please send me this holiday card? I will display it all year round, I promise. 

Or how about these canvas bags.  So adorably awesome. So useful.  Yes, please.

So I don't have much use for notebooks these days, but why does that matter?  I would find a use for these!

Via Darling Clementine, one of the most adorable stores ever.

Gifts for Wee People

Gifts for wee people are so much fun. I just noticed a super-cute FB ad for American Apparel kids' clothes - indulge your mini-hipster!


I'm a sucker for these kiddos with tights where the legs are each a different color, and to be honest, I kinda wanted to see if I could squeeze into a pair of these myself...


I also got pretty excited to see these books for kids. I especially liked This is London (of course) and This is the Way to the Moon.


All adorable, wouldn't you agree?