All I want for Christmas (the abridged version)

This year my family decided to forgo exchanging gifts for the holidays since everyone traveled home for Thanksgiving. And while it's nice on the pocketbook, I'll admit I miss the shopping. I love to seek out the perfect gift and watch with satisfaction as the recipient falls to the floor and faints with gratitude. OK, maybe it doesn't happen quite like that. But I miss it all the same.

In case you're still on the hunt for some fabulous gift ideas, I thought I'd share my personal wish list. In no specific order or category. Just stuff I want that might be fitting for the people on your shopping lists.  

a) Finial ornaments (OMG, check out the prices) $.95 – $2.95 right here.

I would use these suckers all year long. For what, I'm not sure of yet. 

b) Utopia Teapot, $95.00 right here.

For Jonathan Adler fans or teapot collectors.

c) iPod Nano, starting at $149.00 right here.

Hi, Steve Jobs? Everything you make, I want. So cut it out. I could have just made an "Apple Gift Guide", but you're not paying me. So there.

d) Magno Radio, $178.00 right here. 

Small and stylish with an iPod adapter. Boys will like this, too.

e) Tenjin Shrine Puzzle, $148.00 at Anthropologie stores

The individual pieces are insane and I heart Japanese Woodblock prints. Good alternative to a Sudoku book.

f) The Office Trivia Board Game, $24.99 right here. 

What, you thought my personal wish list wouldn't include something from The Office?

g) Mad Men, Season One, $27.49 right here. 

Everyone keeps telling me I have to watch this. I get the feeling this would be a good gift for just about anyone. With the exception of a three year old.

h) Sprig Market Tote, $39.00 right here. 

So flipping cute. I want one of each in her shop.

i) Domino: The Book of Decorating, $21.12 right here.

I can't wait to get my hands on this decorating bible. Perfect as a housewarming gift or those looking for some design inspiration.

j) Vintage Iron Jewelry Holder, $49.00 right here. 

I have wanted this forever and just haven't gotten around to ordering it. Great for girls, big and small. 

k) Large NYC Print, $60.00 right here.

I would literally take anything from Matte Stephens' Etsy shop. 

Happy Hunting!

How to get what you want from Santa...

I'm pretty sure if you leave this out for Santa (in lieu of a plate of cookies) he will get you a Mercedes instead of the usual tube socks. Mainly because this is a CAKE. A white butter cake layered with chocolate fudge and homemade butter toffee chunks, covered in Italian white chocolate butter cream to be exact. Oh, and it's $130. 

I will eat the whole thing myself if anyone wants to send me one. Thanks.

An Asian Inspired Christmas

Just got done working on some Christmas cards for one of my all-time favorite clients! Her only requirement was to incorporate the color red somehow, so we used this insane red floral Japanese paper as the focal point. I love how it looks with the metallic paper and shimmery satin ribbon band. And now I need to figure out how to hang this stuff as wallpaper because it is just that cool.

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 5.5

This ties in perfectly a Recessionista Christmas – Jim over at Sweet Juniper! is giving away one of his lovely photographs (pictured below). All you have to do is leave him a comment with your first name and email address. And if you haven't read Sweet Juniper! before, now is a great time to start.

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 5

If you are a fan of Seinfeld, you may recall George Costanza lamenting a childhood sans mantle.

I believe the exact quote (confirmed by Wikipedia) was, "If my parents had a mantle, I might be a completely different person."

I grew up without a mantle as well. And while I'm not sure I would have turned out any differently, it would sure be a heck of a lot easier to display Christmas cards!

Behold Domino's clever and chic Christmas card display. Notice there isn't a mantle in sight. 

They even say it's OK to use cards from Christmas' past. They do, however, suggest you spend $129 on a fabric bulletin board. I say to nix this silliness. Buy a cheapo cork board from an Office supply store, wrap in some leftover wrapping paper and go to town.

Click here to see how they did it.

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 4

I normally shy away from any of Martha Stewart's recipes. The ingredients can be hard to find and they tend to be very time consuming. Oh, and did I mention I'm not much of a cook? My dad still likes to tease me about the time in college he called to find me settling down to a dinner of toast and skittles. But I digress.

This is a great solution for a Recessionista Christmas – make 1 dough to create 4 different cookies. And it's easy, I promise. The orange spritz cookies are particularly divine.

{ image from marthastewart.com, recipes right here. }

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 3

I saw this idea for paper chains in the latest issue of Good Housekeeping and it's definitely worth sharing. They suggest double-sided scrapbook paper, but you can use just about anything. Drape it on your tree, wrap it around your banister or hang it from your doorways for a cool take on the retro beaded door. It looks pretty cool as they show it here -- piled in a pretty glass bowl.

Get the directions right here.

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 2

Every year Pottery Barn comes out with the most gorgeous tree skirts. And every year I ask, "if I'm not willing to pay $100 on a skirt for myself, what makes them think I'm willing to spend that kind of money on a skirt for my tree?" 

I figured there must be something in my closet to do the trick, and I was right. I have a wide variety of wraps and shawls that just collect dust for 95% of the year. They are PERFECT. One will work for a smaller tree, you might need a few for something larger. I felt like Linus wrapping his blanket around Charlie Brown's sad little tree. And I got a warm fuzzy.

{ $12.99 right here. }

A Recessionista Christmas, Pt. 1

It seems like everyone is talking about cutting back for the holidays, and for good reason -- the news headlines aren't exactly merry and bright. But that doesn't mean you have to forgo a stylishly decorated home for the holidays. This week I'm featuring fun tips and projects for those of us on a tight holiday budget. Enjoy!

I've been reluctant to purchase any new ornaments or other tree trimmings this year, and it occurred to me that I could create a fresh new twist on last years' tree simply by raiding my jewelry box. This works best with a smaller tree to get the most visual impact. Grab several pairs of drop earrings (those chandelier earrings that have been collecting dust --- perfect for this!)

You won't even need a hook - it's built right into the earring! Check it out -- my favorite earrings now grace my tree. Super easy and brimming with style! 

Survival of the geekiest

Remember in Napoleon Dynamite when Uncle Rico is trying to sell the 24 piece set of Tupperware and the lady sees the "incentive prize" and leans over to her husband and says, "I want that." That's exactly what I did when I saw this:

Now when I'm out being outdoorsy somewhere, I can also carry my plans for world domination in the nifty USB port. What could be better, I ask?

From $49.99 right here. 

Now if I could just find my Bedazzler...

Although Michael's has smelled like a pine forest baked in cinnamon for the past 3-ish months, I don't feel it's really Christmastime until the calendar turns to December 1. (I know, crazy!)

I'm pretty sure I could make this myself with the proper motivation (caffeine) and some of Martha's glitter. A more likely scenario will probably involve visiting Pottery Barn on December 26th and buying it on sale. Either way, it's $99 right here.

If you go, save me one, OK?