Tag...you're it!

I love beautifully wrapped packages, but I usually settle for some simple paper and a great gift tag. If you're of the same mindset, a few ideas...

Darling chalkboard (reusable!) gift tags from etsy seller heart of light, via armelle.

FREE printable mailing labels...or gift labels...or bin labels if your new years rezzy is to get organized...from Oh, Smile.

Jewel-toned mini cards from The Paper Addict. Great prices!

Old favorites...thin wood tags from Bell'ochio.

Also loving their vintage French baggage tags. (psst! they just updated their on-line shop)

Of course, if you're in the do-it-yourself mood, PaperSource is the go-to source for great supplies--stamps, paper, cord etc. Did you know that they have a blog now? It's chock full of great ideas and how-to's. I also have to say, if there is a store anywhere near you, I found the BEST stocking stuffers there this year. Wacky, off the wall stuff you won't find anywhere else.

Cold (part II)

The house continues to come along, though at a slower pace right now with the holiday preparations to keep us busy. It feels so good to finally have a nice spot for our tree though, after eight years of Christmases that involved an attack tree right inside the front door. The only way to get in the old house in December was to climb through the tree limbs, as if running an ornament gauntlet. Forget pet hair...you couldn't leave our house without having a thousand fir needles embedded in your sweater or scarf.

But meanwhile, I keep dreaming of my someday to come kitchen remodel. Our temporary fix with pale turquoise upper cabinets and chocolate milk colored bottoms is a nice make-do kitchen for now. But I left my (albeit tiny) kitchen with custom cabinets with antiqued glass, gorgeous Brazilian cherry handmade counter tops, and a huge farmhouse sink.

It's been well worth the trade off to be closer to the city, have more space and a better floorplan, and have 10x the garden space, but...I can't help but dream. I do know that right now, top on my list, is one of these pretty retro refrigerators from Big Chill. All the modern conveniences in such a pretty package!

On a side note, are any of you other bloggers out there struggling with Blogger all of a sudden? No noticeable changes to the program, but the pictures won't move anymore unless you're in the HTML side of things, which is doable but a bit of a hassle. And...they won't even delete. Seriously, if Google can come up with an Android phone that supposedly is so fantastic it would make me leave my beloved if given the chance, why can't they write a new edition of their blog software? Blogger must be the most awkward, cumbersome, and unreliable program in existence. Google, I've been really nice this year...maybe for Christmas?

Ok, taking a step down off my soapbox to go get ready for the day.

Cold (part I)

Pictures from a family outing on Sunday to see Snoqualmie Falls after days of below freezing temps. WOW! It was breathtaking and wondrous, and I was reminded yet again how beautiful this place where we live is.

It hadn't snowed at all, but the spray from the falls had formed 20'+ long icicles on the right of the falls and deep powdered snow on the left.

The lesson? Don't hesitate to be a tourist in your own habitat--I've never seen so many people at Snoqualmie Falls, snapping pictures and enjoying the view, yet every conversation I overheard was from a local. And everyone was in complete awe.

Go see something this holiday season that will amaze you, even if it's for the second/third/fourth...time.

week in review [12.11.09 edition]

Hey loyal readers out there! I'm still alive, but have been badly neglecting all work this week while trying to work through a little bout with pneumonia. It's so like me...everyone else who is sick gets the trendy and chic h1n1, and I get frumpy old pneumonia. Which is making me REALLY tired!

So, not much creativity or insight out of me, but a few things in the blogging world I liked this week. Short and sweet, because I've mostly been sleeping if I have relaxing time.

Hope you are all staying healthy!

Freezing in cold Seattle, but loving the icy sparkly,

Alexa

A beautiful pinecone themed board on Ritzy Bee...
A spunky little felt wreath on Pickles, found via Simply Grove...

Pretty wildflower and succulent wedding inspiration from Rosehip Flora...

A fancy hat--too bad it's not Kentucky Derby season--seen at Lobster and Swan...

And a gorgeous wedding from JL Designs...pomanders, lanterns, succulents everywhere!

Good Times!

Thanksgiving weekend, 2009. Cooking with the boys, antlers on the dinner table, ice skating to welcome the season.

(#30) Just a glimpse...

of something I wood love to get for Christmas, though it probably will knot be happening.

(Available from Donna Wilson, who is unfortunately across the pond. The Santa at my house would find the prospect of having it shipped OVERSEAS insurmountable.) Via It's (K)not Wood, which must be added to your reader if you love faux bois as I do.

Warm & Fuzzy

I just received a beautiful new scarf from a good friend's mom, and have to do a little raving about it. Karen Young saw them in a little boutique in London on a recent trip, and had to have one because they are so warm, snuggly, soft...the list goes on! She returned home, and realized that they would be treasured by friends and family as well, so she went into serious production mode. As expected, people have gone crazy for them, so she is a regular one-woman sweat shop now. A fact I was very grateful for when I wrapped mine around my neck for the first time!

Karen's scarves are not only made out of the softest and most luxurious feeling faux fur, but they have this great little ingenious stretchy band of something INSIDE the scarf--so the scarf snugs up close around your neck as if IT is trying to cuddle with YOU! Brilliant! She also finishes them off with unique vintage-inspired buttons that are fantastic.

Karen is opening an Etsy shop, but until it is up, you can contact her directly at designgroup5@comcast.net. She's carrying the scarves in five different "furs" right now (all modeled by those cuties above). I have the chocolate mink, but have my eye on the zebra as well... She's also wrapping the scarves in gorgeous wrapping if they're a gift, and will gladly ship! Now go shop!