Now that you've bought all your gifts... (If you still need ideas, check out my gift guides!) Let's move on to wrapping. I believe that receiving a beautifully-wrapped gift is like getting 2 gifts... the style and the substance!
I saw a GREAT wrapping idea on Bugs and Fishes, as printed in Woman's Day. Pom poms! I'm totally going to try this for my wrapping this year. It looks pretty easy, but we'll see!
I find men really hard to shop for. I usually end up going for clothes (which I'm sure they don't really appreciate), experiences (tickets, etc- which are fun) or techie gadgets (which are fun, but can be expensive).
For the men who cook in your life
Adopt an olive tree, $105 at Nudo As seen on the kitchn. You get to choose where the tree is located (in Italy), then you get all the extra virgin olive oil from the tree in the Spring, and 3 infused olive oils in the Fall.
I have just the right amount of room next to my front door for this adorable elf door. Seen on ohdeedoh (via Craft Gossip, originally from Family Fun). Wouldn't it be fun to leave cookies for the elves as wel as Santa? I mean, they do all the work, right?
Here are some gifts for all the ladies in your life!
A spa treatment. Any spa treatment. A facial, a massage, anything. Something with juniper, grapefruit, anything tasty smelling. Seriously, my BFFs gave me a spa weekend for my 30th and I STILL melt whenever I think about it. Thank you again you guys!!!!
Cashmere Sweater, various. I like this one, $168, available at Nordstrom
I really want to try this in red... Looks a little tricky, though.
Easy ways to make small changes with big impact...
... in the kitchen
Put on a pot of cinnamon! Put a TON of cinnamon (buy it in bulk to save yourself some money!). Put it in a pot of water on your stove and simmer. Just don't forget to turn it off at the end of the day or before you leave your house. And check to make sure it doesn't boil down. Your house will smell de-LICOUS.
Still inspired by this post, I decided to make an advent 'calendar' for my boys to open up.
As seen on Ohdeedoh, Kid Made Modern by Todd Oldham is a must buy! It looks amazing with projects inspired by Alexander Girard, Charles & Ray Eames and more! Definitely on my holiday wish list as of right now!! Available at amazon for $15.61.
I took most of last week off to take it easy and enjoy the holiday! Now that I'm back, holiday prep is in full swing. This week's to do list includes:
Finish up shopping (ok, "finish" up is being a little kind to myself. I'm not half way yet, but I'm getting there! And we could all use a little kindness, especially from ourselves)
Turn 32
Take the holiday pic of the kids for our cards (which are addressed and otherwise ready to go!)
Make gifts for coworkers and friends
Meet with roofers about repairing my extensive roof damage :(
Work on preparations for Atticus's fourth birthday party
Look forward this week to posts about gift guides for your favorite people!
Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!
Each Thanksgiving, my mom buys the same ornament for me, my two sisters and herself. She's been doing this since about when I left for college. So now, we have (an undisclosed amount of) ornaments that are all the same/similar. I think it's a really sweet tradition so that our trees all have reminders of "home". I started doing this for Atticus on his second Christmas (hey- give me a break for #1, he was only 11 days old!). I try to pick something meaningful for the year. Year 1 was a seahorse because his favorite book at the time was Secret Seahorse. Year 2 was a really fun/cute metal airplane ornament from Pottery Barn. Last year was a snowman ornament (which was actually perfect since we had a lot of snow around Christmas!). This year I'm on the hunt for a monkey ornament because both of my boys love their stuffed monkeys! I have a separate box that these ornaments go in (the ones that are in my collection go on the tree) and then, when the boys are ready, they'll get their boxes of ornaments, complete with a guide of each ornament, year and any little notes about that year.
As I've hunted around, I've found some great (non-monkey) ones. Check them out! Many are inspired by midcentury design.
These diorama ornaments made by Terri at giddy giddy (via Ohdeedoh) are adorable. I particularly love the ones with the Little People!
Not only is Christmas right around the corner, but I'm lucky enough to also have been born in December! So, I'm sure people will be showering me with gifts the whole month! Here's what they should buy me... (and a great list to start with shopping for all the stylish ladies you know!)
