I’m signing off for a few days so that I can enjoy the holidays, family and the snow! I hope that you all have a lovely time, whatever you do.
In the meantime, here’s a picture of some presents I’ve wrapped – I always have a ton of fun wrapping presents, pairing awesome paper with outrageous ribbons. A big ribbon really does the trick, in my mind.
See you all next year!
The holidays are a great excuse to dress up your house, if even for a short while. No other event throughout the year calls for such fun in staging decorations. For me, fairy lights are the best part! I look for any excuse to put them up. Growing up the Christmas decorations always came out on November 2nd so I got a little overwhelmed with Santas. Now, I like to decorate in a bit more laid-back and less obviously Christmasy way. However, that won’t stop me from adding a little bit of sparkle!
Mercury glass and pine boughs are a festive way to decorate for a decidedly secular holiday season. And you can keep them up for a while after your holiday celebrations have ceased. I like the little bit of shine without being too over the top. It’s like a winter wonderland, only indoors!
My mom does one decoration that she’s really known for (in addition to all the rest of her wonderful holiday decorations) and that is her Christmas trunk.
It’s a beautiful old steamer trunk that she fills with baubles and lights. For me, the holiday season could be wrapped up in this little package. I could imagine just living in this glass house covered with sparkles and dainty little lights. You’d step outside your door into a forest of pine branches. Oh, what a life!
What do you usually do for holiday decorations?
It’s my birthday today, so I apologize if I’m not posting! Having a little birthday adventure later at an awesome Denver establishment called Casa Bonita – don’t worry, pictures to follow. :)
Yeah, that’s me. Don’t even ask.
Most men think that just because there’s a lot of women on etsy there’s nothing for them. I think that’s dead wrong. There’s all sorts of goodies for man of every age, style and persuasion. Here are a few of my favorites, just in time for last-minute holiday shopping (if you’re in need of some ideas).
1. I’m not going to lie, I kind of want these glasses for myself. Real vintage tortoiseshell frames aren’t for everyone – they’re definitely a statement. Wear them just as the frames or get them filled with your prescription, and no one will ever accuse you of not having style. These and more at Vintage 50′s Eyewear.
2. This handy little device from Innovation Workshop makes it easy to open a beer while making sure the caps aren’t scattered all over your kitchen. A hardwood base and a solid steel bottle opener make this a gift that will last for a lifetime.
3. I have an unhealthy obsession with moleskine notebooks, but sometimes I get frustrated because they all look the same. That won’t be the case if you have engraved leather notebook cover from Engrave. Different artists create the covers, so there’s sure to be something that fits your personal taste.
4. For the computer nerd among us (and really, at this point, who isn’t) a USB flash drive encased in solid teak from Wood Venture. I think that these are too stylish for words, and you’ll never get it confused with anyone else’s.
5. If you’re not into the simple minimalistic lines of the teak USB drive, why not go for something flashy and steampunk instead? This lovely number from QA Create will definitely stand out in the office crowd.
6. Last but not least, the scarf. Most men feel that they can’t wear scarves, branding them as too feminine, but I think that’s simply ridiculous. As long as you stick with simple, masculine colors and designs, a scarf looks fantastic on any man. This plaid number from A and V Designs is a perfect example of the right kind of scarf for any man.
Thanks to this week’s great sellers!
So in my mind, it’s one thing to embed a photojournalist with a bunch of troops fighting a war, and it’s quite another to see pictures that the troops have taken themselves. Felix has been able to upload a bunch of pictures and I’ve been really impressed, both with the subject matter and the quality of the pictures themselves. You might accuse me of being biased (which is possible) but I’m not always very nice and from a completely objective viewpoint, I think that these are great.
My only concern is that he’s going out of his way to get some great shots, which may or may not be very safe.
I know that war and fighting aren’t something most of us think about in our daily lives (or at least I’m guessing that based on the typical subjet matter of my blog here) but unfortunately it is a huge part of a lot of people’s lives. For me, Felix’s blog is interesting because both his photography and writing show that beauty can be captured in something so horrible.
Do you all know someone out fighting? I would love to hear about it.
I’m lucky enough to have a ton of southern-facing windows where my computer is, so I get great light all winter long. Thankfully, it’s meant the preservation of my bougainvillea and orange tree through the cold Colorado winter. My sister’s cat has discovered the big table full of plants and the animal in her came out. Since it is the internet, I thought I’d share some cute pictures of the jungle cat.
I’m afraid to turn my back lest she pounce.
Not quite a houseboat, but not quite a house – wouldn’t it be nice to live in the middle of a lake? It’s like your own private island!
via Please Sir.
Amaryllis are a perfect flower for the holiday/winter season. A bright, cheery dash of color and they are so easy to grow, even indoors. Individual bulbs make great gifts, especially if you get them started first! Why not plant them in an unusual container, like a teapot or a gravy boat, so your recipient gets two gifts in one? They come in all sorts of colors – red, white, pink, and orange, but my favorite is definitely the striped variety, something you don’t see too often in flowers.
It’s been really cold outside, and Colorado is pretty dreary during the winter when there’s no snow on the ground. Everything is brown, dead and dirty. The wind is howling and the sun seems barely able to muster the energy to poke its head through the crowds. As much as I love this state, it’s not my favorite time to be here. The one highlight is the deer that hang out just outside my window. I think that the yard is on some sort of deer interstate system – 10 or 12 of them go bounding by every morning. Sometimes they sit still just long enough for me to snap a picture.
How’s the weather where you are? What is your most/least favorite part of winter?
These prints by JHill Design are amazing to me. Fantastic patterns created to reflect a variety of exotic (and domestic) locales, with some sweet information about the place. Aside from being a great concept, the execution is just amazing. I think that these would make a great gift for the traveler in your life, real or imagined.
There are also monogrammed animal prints using many of the city patterns, as well as calendars, cards and more! Make sure to check out the shop here.
