a pretty place

Loving this little cabin in the snow...

holiday gifting: gals

There's still time! (Yes, I'm talking to you, Procrastinators.)
Just a few ideas for the ladies...



(gloves)



(initial ring; drawer liner; pouch; earrings; bangle)



(calendar)

holiday gifting: guys

Only 10 shopping days left! Some gift ideas for the guys on your lists...



(down sweater)




(Clockwise from left: mug; salts; book; sneakers; bag)




(wooden alarm clock)




(sweater)




(Clockwise from top left: watch; tie; socks; card holder)




(flannel shirt)


Tell me -- are you done with your shopping already? I'm about 80% there. Just looking for a few more things to wrap up my list for the year. Phew... it's exhausting!

xo, Kristin

christmas decorating

My love for the season only grows as I peek around the web...













These are just a small collection of my favorites, and it is without doubt that I could actually get lost for days just looking at all the inspiration there is out there.



(Images from top: glitter deer; peace joy love pillows; wood & wool tree; christmas block letters; felt ball wreath; twinkle tree and fireside chairs; champagne cooler; wish flags.)

holiday gifting: cozy

A few gift ideas for keeping cozy on blustery winter nights...

(Candle Trio; A Very She & Him Christmas; PomPom Beanie)




(Cozy Cup of Chocolate Gift Set; Shea Butter Lotion; Loop Funnel; Dot & Stripe Slippers; Perla Pillow)




(Blanket Throw)

What are some goodies on your holiday lists this year? Anything you're hoping to find under the tree?

holiday gifting: books

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.
~C. S. Lewis

Maybe it's because I love to read so much, but I've always thought that books make good presents. Here's a gaggle of books, some of which might just be under my Christmas tree this year...

For the nightstand -



For the kitchen -


For the playroom -


For the coffee table -





(All books available here.)

merry christmas!

Wishing you the brightest of holidays!
May all the joys of the season be yours.




xo, Kristin


(Image via Tiny White Daisies)

design inspiration: holiday decorating

Only four days 'til Christmas, and I've uttered nary a word about decorating for the holidays. Well wait no longer, Dears.

Behold the merry loveliness...
















(All images via Canadian House & Home)

holiday stationary from papersource

I think these might be my favorites...




(Jolly Holidays and Animals at PaperSource.)

stocking stuffer: for the bookworm

Hand-lettered and illustrated...


Gorgeous!


(Library Book Plates by Mary Kate McDevitt.)

holiday wrapping

I think I just found how I want to wrap my gifts this year...





(Jolly Old St. Nick Labels from The Mini Mart.)

i want it now: knitted advent calendar

I know just where I'd hang this...


To count down the days to Christmas!


And yes, I realize it's probably a titch on the early side to be posting about Christmas. BUT it's an advent calendar, so if you wanted to order one, and wanted it here in time for December 1, you have to start thinking about doing so now! So really, I'm just looking out for you and your decorating needs and am not obsessed with the holidays approaching at all. ;-)


(Tiny Packages Advent Calendar from Garnet Hill.)

gift idea: chocolate "olives"

Yummity yum. Here's a cute gift idea...

They look like black and green olives, but they're actually chocolate covered praline dragees from a famous French factory that started making sweet confections in the late 1800's.

A recipe that old? It's gotta be good!

("Olives" from Quel Objet)

gift idea: cashmere socks

Some stripey cozies for your toe-sies!


Available here.


*UPDATE* I got two pairs of these socks from Dear Hubby for Christmas, and they are even cuter in person. And just as cozy as I suspected...

spotlight: k studio

These customizable Family Series pillows from K. Studio are adorable.

And what a great gift idea, too!




Be sure to check out the rest of the shop for totes, wall art and more!

spotlight: bella cucina

I like to give food gifts for the holidays. I think, because most of us never buy them for ourselves (so impractical!), but we all really enjoy nibbling on fancy treats. Plus, who am I kidding? I love food and therefore have a tendency to think that everyone on my gift list is the same.

Well, I drooled all over this site. It's full of tasty treats...

(Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce, Farmhouse Olives, Savory Salt, Cranberry Applesauce, Tuscan Olive Oil from Bella Cucina)

my resolutions

Joslyn inspired me. I haven’t thought much about resolutions for the New Year, but I decided I should make at least a few. Even if I’m a little late, it’s better than never, right?

These are the things I want to do this year…

Stop procrastinating. (This is a very tall order. I couldn’t even come up with my resolution list on time. From now on - Do it now. Do it now. Do it now.)

Keep bouquets of fresh flowers. (Flowers make me happy. Trader Joe’s has a great selection – for cheap – and in a few months it’ll be farmer’s market time again. This should be an easy one.)

Try a new recipe once a week. (Time to put that stack of cookbooks to use.)

Take more pictures. (What good is a camera sitting in a drawer? Get it out, get out there and snap up as many photos of this life as you can before it passes by. Capture the beauty of the every day.)

Stop swearing. (I don’t look like a truck-driver, so why should I sound like one? Besides, "shut the front door" sounds so much more clever than the alternative.)

Perfect the Ashtanga headstand in yoga class. (Hold it for 20 counts, drop your legs to look like an L for 5 and then raise your legs back up for a count before exiting the pose. Do this with grace. 20 counts feels like an eternity, but I swear I will get this by the end of ’09.)

holiday wishes

There are cookies to bake, presents to wrap and a queue of Christmas movies to watch – so I’m signing off for the next few days. I do hope your holidays are full of all the simple pleasures and little joys that make you happy. And may your dreams – today and always – come true.

Hugs,
Kristin

Christmas Cookies via She Dances on Flickr.

stocking stuffers: glass ornaments

Moo-ve on over to CB2 this weekend to corral these adorable cow ornaments! Those little round bodies just make me smile.

{It says they're no longer available online, but maybe you'll be lucky and snap up a few at the store closest to you. I'm hoping there are a still a few left at the store by my house. Fingers crossed! }

But just in case the cows are gone...

starburst ornaments * trumpets ornaments * finial ornaments

mini holiday cards

From the Inkspot Workshop Holiday '08 Collection...

I {heart} these handmade mini cards and their frosty white envelopes.

From top:
Pinwheel Snowman Cards * Mod Ornament Cards * Tree Bird Cards * Pinwheel Tree Christmas Cards