Category Archives: gifts

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Entertaining Take-Away

Some of the best parts of having a party— a clean house, good company…and, if you are lucky, a hostess gift.

We recently moved into our apartment and are slowly making it ours {even while we wait for the rest of our items that were shipped to make it}. We got some nice, fluffy white towels and a sleek metal organizer for our rock rain shower, but were still using grocery store soap. It didn’t fit into our modern spa atmosphere. Thankfully, a gorgeous hand wash and lotion were in my future. 

These friends were right on with what we needed to warm our house and it was so kind of them to say thank you.

 

{Sorry for the iphone pictures. I was tired tonight…}

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Last Minute Christmas Decorations

Need some last minute holiday cheer? Or does your study or bathroom or other small space need a some decoration? Is it Christmas Eve and you thought you could do without a tree but with the holiday upon us, did you realize it doesn’t feel right without it?

If any of that sounds like you, here are some quick, small space ideas for adding a Christmas tree to your life this year. Most of these things you probably already have around the house– all you need is bare wall. 

1: Add some sparkly ribbon around a cone 

2: Draw a tree on chalkboard

3: Cut some fringe to give your tree some texture

4: Fold up some newspaper and give it a little pop with green paint 

5: Cut a few strips of paper and attach with washi tape 

6: Put up some pictures in the shape of a tree

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A Get Well Kit

We are taking a little break from the holidays today, with a little TLC– for others.

Do you know a ton of people who are sick or getting sick? I do. I don’t know if it’s the change in weather, or all the running around and socializing we do this time of year, but it seems like people are dropping like flies. So I loved this idea from Creature Comforts of putting together a little get-well-soon care package.

This simple but thoughtful collection would warm anyones heart– and throat. You can find a downloadable printable on her site for a lemon and honey mixture, but feel free to include any little goodies that you think would help the recipient. Some tea, an airplane sized whiskey, orange juice, nose spray, a magazine or dvd, a fuzzy bear to cuddle– I’m sure anything would be appreciated.

Remember to take care of yourself this holiday season!

 

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Free {Cute} Gift Tags!

Somehow I always down play the importance of gift tags until I start wrapping. Then I have this “oh crap” moment where I try to remember the contents as each box starts to look eerily similar.

If you are anything like me, have no fear! I have rounded up some of the cutest– and best yet– free printable gift tags for you. So all you have you do it is pull up this post, print and cut. All the better if you remember to print them on a full sheet sized label paper.

Find and print these labels: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

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Red + Gold Wrapping

Can you take 2 days of wrapping in a row?? Well, it’s the season, right?

As I mentioned we will be moving soon– right before Christmas, in fact, so I didn’t want to gather lots of paper and things, carry them up 5 flights of stairs, just to move them again. But, of course, I still want it to be pretty and match my Christmas tree. What’s a crafty girl to do?

Use what’s on hand, of course!

I had a brown paper bag, pulled out my washi tape and scissors and cut that bad boy up. 

I wrapped the gifts in brown paper, then went to work with washi tape that matched my tree (polka dots, of course).

I started with a simple weave pattern on the boxier one. {I kind of dig how the gold over the red gives it a 3-D look.}

But for the envelope shaped one, I really wanted a bow. So I wound the washi tape into a circle, connecting it just on the bottom, until it was the desired size. 

It turned out a bit like a rosette, but I’m ok with that. And the gold really adds some sparkle. 

I’ve got a few more to wrap, but I’m really liking this theme!

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Gorgeous Wrap + Cards for the Holidays

I’m a bit obsessed with blue and green together right now {not to mention polka dots!}, so I’m loving this holiday look that isn’t too jolly looking by Creature Comforts. The hints of red remind you of the season, but without it, much of this could be used for Hanukkah, birthdays {as Capricorns hate getting gifts wrapped in Christmas paper}, or  even year round for anniversaries or just because gifts. {If blue/green isn’t your thing, she’s got other color combos on her blog}

Tomorrow– my wrapping look to match my tree!

1. Kate & Birdie Holiday Gift Wrap ($7) | 2. Large Letterpress From Santa Tag ($12) | 3.Mint Dots Round Tin ($5) | 4. Ocean Glitter Double-sided Satin Ribbon ($9) | 5. Kingfisher Herringbone Ribbon ($7) | 6. Mint Stripe Parchment Paper Sheets ($3) | 7. Baker’s Twine in Caribbean and Denim ($14 each) | 8. Mountain Cabin Small Gift Bag ($4) | 9. Mountain Cabin Gift Wrap ($9) | 10. Pool Dots Wrapping Paper ($8) | 11. Lake Dots Wrapping Paper($) | 12. Mini Red Suitcase / 3 sizes available ($11-$16)

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Dramatic Impact

If  anything can equal my love of bright, saturated colors it’s stark modern black and white. Both palettes leave a statement, and the bolder the better, in my book. The only question left is: which one to chose?

Images: black and white balloons/two tone balloons

                cookies and milk/disposable bakeware (!)

                black confetti garland/polka dot garland

 

 

 

 

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My Favorite Scent

If you follow me on Instagram, you know one of my favorite ways to relax is to light a Lokum candle. To be honest, it hasn’t always been this way— often I find candle scents too strong or the scent too gross. I can’t go in stores like Yankee Candle, and I skip the candle aisle at Target. I’d joke that if you gave me a candle as a gift you probably don’t know me very well. But that all changed with these candles.

We visited the Lokum store this spring while in Istanbul. Our guidebook told us it was a stationery store– which I believe they offer custom paper services as well, but I noticed– and fixated on–  how good everything smelled, and the attention to detail in their tiny but glamourous shop. With scents like Sumela’s Tea Rain and Myndos Breeze, they were sophisticated and light, not overly flowery and heady. I had a hard time limiting myself to just 2 candles and soap.

The candles themselves are beautiful, but then they wrapped up them up and I almost lost it. The attention to detail, the bow, the candles, the linen bag! It was so pretty!

{This doesn’t even do it justice— I had to take it apart to travel home and tried to reassemble it as the store clerk had.}

Wouldn’t this be a great gift? Like a hostess gift or a birthday gift?  {for those that like candles and those that aren’t so sure!}

One of my favorite parts of the trip!

Do you have a candle that is your favorite? Or one that changed your mind about candles?

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Whales Are The New Birds

Do you watch Portlandia? I’ve only watch a few episodes, but I laugh hysterical through them. They have a skit about the popularity of the hipster use of birds called “Put A Bird On It.”

Well, Whales are the new birds. Expect to see these gentle giants everywhere.

Top row: Whales at a party: card/tray/mobile/straw/salad tongs

Bottom row: Whales at home: tissue box/book ends/pillow/box/vase 

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