that's sharp...

on our last trip to the pdx, we stumbled upon a small letterpress fair... and it was there that i was smitten by denise sharp's pretty, little, paper-pressed products. 


with the holidays coming up, i thought you might need a little boom in a box.

mouse-ksy

always good for a secret find (for yourself or for a gift) eden & eden is a great go-to.


...their new mice collection gave me a chuckle.

entertain-tip #10... the white elephant in the room

thanksgiving has passed and wherever you look, trees are being decorated, holiday music is playing 24 hours a day, lights are being strung, and day by day it's beginning to look a lot more like christmas...


i love and look forward to getting together with friends and creating a festivus among us.  a cozy fire, christmas songs, the smell of mulled spices mixed with a spattering of cookies and peppermint martinis...it screams merry merry!


if you're looking to host a holiday soiree, i highly recommend a white elephant exchange of some sort. it's the perfect mix of surprise, fun, and always ends up with some friendly holiday haggling.


it's easy, you pick a theme or a price limit. anything will do... ornaments, to stuffed stockings, different cookies to different bottles of wine, beer or alcohol, funny hats to winter scarfs, just think of something fun and have your guests get shopping.


rules are:

• everyone who comes brings a gift
• draw numbers. one for every person 
• #1 goes first. they pick from the pile
• #2 goes and has the choice of stealing from #1 or picking from the pile... so on an so forth until everyone has gone
• once every # has pulled or stolen a gift, #1 gets to decide whether he/she wants to steal or keep the gift that's in their lap
• only other rule is that a gift cannot be stolen more than 2x's after it's been open

after a few holiday cocktails this game is sure to bring your guests together and leaves everyone feeling warm, cozy and a wee bit merrier when they head back into the cold.

**some of you might be wondering about the pickle ornament... let's just say it was quite the conversation piece at last year's ornament exchange. it can be found here and actually is part of a cute german tradition: An age-old German good luck tradition, this realistic, handpainted glass ornament adds a touch of pickle personality to holiday decorating. The last ornament placed on the tree, whoever finds it first gets an extra gift from St. Nick

you know that moment during thanksgiving dinner when you go around the table and ask what everyone is thankful for?

yeah, well i'm the girl, without fail, who gets all choked up and can barely spit out whatever heartfelt sentiment i am trying to get out. 

i try to keep it together every year, but there is just so much that i am grateful for that i get emotionally overwhelmed trying to decide on just one thing... so, in an attempt to try and keep my composure tomorrow afternoon, i thought i'd use this post to capture my stream of thankfulness and then pick just one thing to say clearly & without tears.

here. we. go...

i'm thankful for who i am and who i'm growing up to be. i'm thankful to have married my best friend and that we're able to grow stronger together each day and more in love with each minute. i'm thankful that i know what it's like to have carried and given birth to a baby. i'm beyond grateful for being a mom and for being taught such important life lessons by such a little person. i'm thankful that curren chose keith and i as his parents. i'm thankful for my parents, for how they raised me and for the unconditional love and support that they give. i'm thankful that i can call my mom and dad my friends, and that i can appreciate them for the people they are and who they strive to be. i'm thankful for my little sister who inspires me with the guts, risk, and determination that it takes to follow ones dream. i'm thankful that we know each other so well that sometimes we don't even need words to express how we feel. i'm grateful to have the most amazing group of girlfriends to laugh, smile, cry and share my innermost secrets with. i'm grateful for the minutes, hours (or if i'm lucky) a whole weekend when i can be with one or all of them and just relish in the conversations and closeness we share. i'm grateful for learning to be independent and having self-confidence. i'm thankful for having guy friends who serve as the older brothers i never had. i'm thankful for the adventures, challenges, and endless opportunities that life puts in front of us, and for the lessons that go with each. i'm grateful that things always work out as they should. i'm thankful for the universe and it's way of unfolding. i'm thankful for karma. i'm thankful for the ability to laugh at myself, to enjoy each day, and not take life too seriously. i'm grateful for yoga, the lessons learned on the mat and practiced off. i'm thankful for my job. i'm thankful i can afford to splurge on myself and others. i'm thankful for the ability to help. i'm grateful for those who teach me more about who i want to become. i'm thankful for aspiration. i'm thankful for the circle of life and for the silver lining tucked within. i'm thankful for the ability to forgive. i'm thankful i've been forgiven. i'm thankful for living with no regrets. i'm grateful for creativity. i'm thankful for change. i'm thankful for music. i'm thankful for life's indulgences. i'm grateful for belief...and i'm thankful for each new day.

ahhhh... there.

now go.

enjoy your day and be thankful for all the abundance that surrounds you...and for pete's sake, EAT!!

spritz me ineke...

i'm a sucker for a good scent..


they can spark a memory, inspire a day dream, conjure up many a emotion or remind you of someone or something you hold near and dear to your heart.


i commend people who can stay true to just one scent. me...i i have a few go-to scents, and then special ones that i save for certain occasions or times of year. 


...and of course, because i feel pretty passionately about what i scent stands for, i am very picky when in comes to choosing which bottle of loveliness makes it way onto my tray.  


enter, balmy days & sundays by local san francisco perfumer, ineke. 
...fresh with floral tones, but subtle enough not to startle. 


...and since it's cloudy today, i just might pick this baby up to add a lil' sunshine into my day.

slip into...

dear santa...

i've been good this year.

please stuff my stocking with these... 

p.s.- i've got a feeling that this may be the 1st of many dear santa posts. i hope you're reading up there in the north pole!

2'fer...

here's how you justify this one... $169 doesn't just get you ONE fabulous looking clutch, it gets you TWO'fer the price of one!!


yes, please!!


if you like the looks of this, you'll love the bold, graphic-ness of the entire hammocks & high tea line! 


...could be a great place to find a gift for the holidays!