Tag Archives: Christmas

DIY or Buy: Cozy Kindling Mini Tree

Posted in Inspiration by

I know it’s still November and Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet, but if you’re gonna start DIYing the Christmas decor, then you have to get started now so it’ll be ready to put up the weekend after Thanksgiving, right?  Right.

I love love love the look of this little tree for an entryway or desk, or even kitchen table! but at $88, it’s a little pricey for a stack of twigs and colored thread. How about an easy DIY?! I think it’d be fairly simple to wrap the twigs with cotton (sort of like batting cushion for the thread), wrap with colored thread, yarn, twine – whatever you choose!), and then stack and glue the sticks on top of each other. You may need to use supports to get them highly stacked. Or just really strong glue. I wonder if it’d be easy to drill a small hole through the sticks and use a dowel? Worth a try, right?

diy or buy cozy kindling mini tree via Anthropologie

I have some left over eucalyptus branches from Declan’s Lumberjack Lunch that are pretty big (too big to stack like this) but they’d be really cute and festive wrapped in fun colors laying in our unused fireplace!  I just may give it a go.

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What were your favorite gifts?

Posted in Thoughts & Stories by

I’m still obsessing over all the fantastic gifts I received for Christmas and so thankful for all the thoughtful, generous, wonderful people in my life. I’ll surely be thinking of them when I wear and use my gifts throughout the year.

What’s the best gift you received (or gave) this year and why do you love it so much?

Steve Madden Troopa Boots.jpg

                     one of my favorite gifts this year:              Steve Madden Troopa Boots

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Christmas!

Posted in Music & Songs by

Hi, friends! I hope you’re enjoying this Christmas and celebrating with special people in your life.  I’ve been listening to this Christmas Party Playlist from last year on repeat so thought I’d share it again in case you’re looking for some last-minute Christmas music.  Don’t forget my new favorite Christmas tune from Grace Potter and take a few moments to watch the incredible stomp-style performance of Little Drummer Boy below — it’s one of my absolute favorites!

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Christmas Party Playlist

  1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas She & Him
  2. No Christmas for Me Zee Avi
  3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Jack Johnson
  4. Santa Baby Kellie Pickler
  5. All I Want for Christmas Matt Costa
  6. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Brenda Lee
  7. Let It Be Christmas Alan Jackson
  8. All I Want for Christmas Is You Mariah Carey
  9. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Dean Martin
  10. How Great Thou Art Carrie Underwood

Also, I really wanted to share this video from Saddleback Church.  Mumbles and I saw this performed live at church a few years ago – it gave me chills to watch and hear and sing and I feel the same way everytime I watch it now (which is often).  I love the stillness and innocence of the song paired with the stomp-style dramatic rhythym.  Please enjoy Little Drummer Boy:

From my family to yours: Merry Christmas!

The Scent of the Season

Posted in For the Home by

Dear Fellow Christmas Lovers,

Today I’m writing to tell you about the most splendid scent of the season: Frasier Fir from Thymes.  I tried it a few years ago and have been obsessed ever since.  It smells like a Christmas tree is in your hands when you use this soap or lotion and it’s just divine.  Every year Mumbles and I join his family to go Christmas tree hunting at a local Christmas Tree Farm (by the way, how cool are Christmas Tree Farms?  If I was a farmer, that’s what I’d want to grow!) and the smell of the damp leaves, the cold air and fresh cut wood is all around.  I swear this scent is just like that — crisp and woodsy but also warm and a bit floral to lighten it up.  Perfect. For those of you looking to savor the scent of the season (or stretch it out a little longer), be sure to stock up.  Here are a few of my favorite products from this fantastic line — I just love the faux bois caddy for the soap and lotion set and I think the decorative sachets would make a perfect compliment to brown paper packages tied up with strings!

clockwise:  Votive $12.50  |  Sink Set $36  |  Reed Diffuser $60  |  Decorative Sachet $3.75


Do you have a holiday scent that you love?

Gift Idea: Stocking Stuffers

Posted in Beauty & Fashion, Food, For the Home by

For those who like to try new beauty products:

left to right:
The Lip Slip by Sara Happ — I first found out about this little treasure pot via Daily Candy (I think. They’ve got great gift roundups and product highlights so check ’em out when you can) and ordered through Bath & Body Works, however they no longer carry it. Not to worry, though, because many more have caught onto its wonderfulness — you can order via Nordstrom or Beauty Sage and other online beauty shops too.  Plus, it comes in a super chic little box! Be sure to check out the convenient new tube which I’m dying to try! $18-24

Ambre Blends — a little sampler pack of all four essences is only $9.  If you want something a bit more substantial, I love the Solace Essence as it has a vanilla note to it and Mumbles prefers the original Ambre (for himself). $44 for 10ml roll-on pure essence oil.

Makeup Remover Face Wipes — I came across these Preserve Skin Care Wipes and you can snag them online from Anthropologie ($38 for 45 pads), one of my favorite bloggers recommends these Say Yes to Cucumber Face Wipes ($5.99 for 30 wipes), and I recently picked these up from Whole Foods.  A simple, thoughtful gift for a beauty product/makeup lover.

For the iphone user:

left to right:
iTunes gift card — this is the perfect, thoughtful gift to swoop in with if you know someone else is hefting a larger bill to gift another someone you love an Apple product.  This way they can dive right into downloading music and apps on Christmas morning! Like when you were a kid and you got a new toy but no one thought to have batteries on hand?  Yeah, go for it. Save the day! It’s also great for music lovers, movie lovers, and the all-around Apple dependent.

Earbud Headphones — Mumbles is always misplacing his headphones so he uses mine and I fret that he’ll lose mine too so the gift that ultimately benefits me (the best kind!) for Mumbles is a masculine wood pair like these.  I picked some up whilst in the checkout line at Home Goods recently for like $12.

Tortoiseshell Case for iPhone — this one’s finally back in stock and had been on my wish list for months because it’s a pretty penny at $40 for a phone case.  But since I’ve been coveting it for so long, I used a Cyber Monday code and shipped it to my mom so she could gift it to me. She’s super thoughtful like that. Here are some other ideas for iphone cases.

For the foodie:

clockwise:
Crack Caramels — the packaging and cheeky descriptions alone make me want to bite into these delicious-looking small-batch caramels. Order by noon Wednesday for overnight shipping by Friday.  $12-55

Bacon Mayonnaise by Empire Mayonnaise is a great gift for a guy who likes to barbecue and anyone who likes Bacon. Which is a lot of people.  $9 for a 4oz jar.

Hazelnut Whisky Cookies — I saw these on the Creature Comforts Holiday Gift Guide: Tasty roundup and seeing as these are the Editor’s Pick, I’m sure they’re just as delicious as they sound. $9.50 for six.

A can of Sofia Sparkling Wine – so pretty it doesnt need wrapping and even comes with a straw so if you put it on top the recipient can sip and savor while opening each gift!

Cookie Butter from Trader Joe’s might seem like a random (and heavy) gift…but it’s worth it.  While you’re at it, throw in a spoon so the lucky recipient can dig right in! (not pictured)

For anyone:

clockwise:
I always have a little journal in my purse in case an idea for a blog post or craft pops into my head.  This Lies I Told and Liked Journal by Archie Grand is the one I’d like next and I also wouldn’t mind one of the Spies I Met and Liked Journals to fulfil my dream of being a Bond girl. $11 each

K. Hall Designs Milk Hand & Body Cream — this soothing scent of vanilla, cream and coconut is soft and cozy. $20

Archipelago Fiji tin candle — smells like vacation! $7.50

SwissCard Pocket Knife — I have this handy, credit-card sized Swiss Army knife and it’s super convenient to keep in your wallet or purse so you always have little things you may need like scissors or a nail file without taking up lots of space or being so small you can never find it in your bag. (Just don’t forget these aren’t allowed as carry-ons on a plane…yeah…oops.) They come in red, pink, black or blue. $35

Do you have any great stocking stuffer gift ideas?