holiday gift guide: nancy pants

dear nancy, you sure do like a lot of shiz.  

i could barely fit it all- doh!

 worship you and adore your precious alice and bat cave recipients, too.  obvi.

enjoy another adorbs gift guide from nancy-pants, everyone!

ho ho ho!

word! here are some of my ideas.... this was a toughie this year!

LH: what's the best gift you've ever gotten?

NP: It's hard to say.... aside from my surprise engagement ring, Jeremy gave me an Eames rocking chair when I was pregnant with May. At first I thought.... "um, I can't wear this.... why would you get it for me?" But now I love it. I rocked both of my babies to sleep in it. 

He also gave me the most amazing stocking filled with Tattler magazines, a  generous gift card to a florist, my favorite beauty products and much more... Beyond amazing!

LH: best gift you've ever given?

NP: I honestly never give anything that I wouldn't want to receive myself so I like everything I've given. Nothing really stands out. Maybe a Barbour jacket?!?

LH: what gift are you most excited to give this year?

My tomboy daughter is DYING for this crappy Batman Batcave doll house thing. I can't wait to see her face when she opens it.

I also can't tell what I'm giving my husband because it's a surprise but I'm excited!

LH: what's number 1 on your wishlist this year?

Anything I can wear. It's been forever since I've bought myself anything. I need a wallet desperatly. Mine is resembling George Costanza's (a rubber band keeps it together). I like this one in spice.

I'd also LOVE this statement necklace from Lauren Elan... BUT it's sold out. Boo!

I ask for this every year:

I need a new bag and dig this one in moss.

and of course, what would Christmas be without my yearly wish of a Cartier love bracelet and Goyard bag!

LH: fave holiday tradition?

NP: I am an elf... I love it all! 24 hrs of Christmas tunes on Oldies 103.3, advent calenders, elf on a shelf, making German spritz cookies, our SECOND ANNUAL Christmas Eve beach breakfast, Christmas movies ("Year Without a Santa Claus" and "Love Actually" especially). Trimming the tree, retrimming the parts that Jeremy and May did...

Now on to the tricky part....

sister: I'm probably going to get my sister earrings similar to these.

mom: worship my mom and worship these Roberta Roller Rabbit pajamas.

Also love scarves.

little girls: as I said before, my older girl is not so femme but she does love her bla bla dolls. Getting Alice for the baby. 

little boys: my friend Wink makes AMAZING handmade shirts for kids. 

friend: I'm getting some of my favorite girls (including myself) these.

hostess: can't go wrong with Mr. Adler.

This bee serving board or ANYTHING from C Wonder. 

Inlaws: tervis tumblers are a favorite gift to give anyone! We have three sets!

teacher: I am a teacher. We LOVE gift cards. Especially for visa, calypso, jcrew and spa services!! And a homemade ornament yadda yadda yadda...

stocking stuffer: my favorite candle 

A sleep mask... Very breakfast at tiffany's

And... beauty products, magazine subscriptions and cheap, fun jewelry. 

thanks for your fab suggestions, nancy-pants and here's hoping jeremy gets you that damn sweater so you can stop posting it on my gift guides.  

adore you, jer, CHIT and Lolli.  see you for some beach bacon on Christmas eve - now one of OUR fave traditions!  merry merry xo

holiday gift guide: becca of petal floral design

i haven't had the pleasure of meeting becca of petal floral design in boston . . .  yet.  i just admire her gorge work from a distance.  cannot wait to collaborate with her in the future.  gal's got heart . . . and it shows.

Best gifts for...

 

In laws: a night out to their favorite local restaurant.

 

Little Girls: I'm adoring these wall decals of paper dolls, so cute: http://shop.lovemae.com/product/dress-up-doll

 

Sister: Some gorgeous platters are always a thoughtful gift if your sister happens to be a 'hostess with the mostest,' like mine.  Here's one of my faves: http://www.katespade.com/home-decor/tableware/charcoal-floral-oval-platter/L820831,default,pd.html

 

Neighbor: cookies go a long way.  Try these from Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewart.com/313989/johns-pecan-lace-cookies?czone=food/holiday-cookies-center/holiday-cookies-recipes.  Just add a little tissue, tinsel and ribbon and you'll be good to go!

 

stocking stuffer: Ornaments are always a hit!  Who doesn't love to add to their collection? I love the options fromAnthropologie:http://www.anthropologie.comanthro/catalog/category.jsppageName=Holiday+D%E9cor&popId=HOME&navAction=topnavCount=12&pushId=HOMEHOLIDAYDECOR&id=HOME-HOLIDAYDECOR 

what's the best gift you've ever gotten? 

That's easy. The best gift I ever got was from my husband.  A few years ago he took one of my favorite pieces of lavender sea glass (it was very smooth, small and round) and had it bezeled in gold as a charm for my charm bracelet.  Every time I look down at the charm, I'm not only reminded of his thoughtfulness, but of the calm I feel when walking the rocky New England coasts searching for sea glass and pottery. 

 

what gift are you most excited to give this year?

My nephew's gift.  We'll be getting him some cool musical instruments from the fabulous Land of Nod.  

 

what's number 1 on your wish-list this year?

No one on my wish-list? I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend getaway in Vermont and some bulky blue sky alpaca yarn.

 

best gift you've ever given?

fave holiday tradition?

My favorite holiday tradition and gift I've given are both wrapped in the same package.  Mike and I exchange one ornament each year as a symbol of something significant from that past year.  My favorite is from our first dinner date in 2005 when I saved the cork, wrote out the menu, and saved a bead from a necklace that had broke that night and sewed it altogether and added a string for hanging. I'm kind of a sucker for hand made things.

 

awwwww, becca!  way to make us all look bad.  thanks for reminding us the bestest gifts come from the heart not from a store.  you're as beauteous as your work.  happy holidays to YOU and yours.

holiday gift guide: julie from shelter

i worship my friend julie's style.  she rocks- it's no wonder she has an amazebalz interior design company {shelter} and blog. 

she also happens to be a ridiculously lovely lady in many ways.  thanks julie for sharing your gift guide!  

For Her:

1. J.Crew Puffer vest: I'm loving red this holiday season and I tend to layer everything I wear, so I love vests. This one from J.Crew is on my wish list.

3. Emily Elizabeth Bangle: Stacking bracelets is all the rage, this gorgeous piece would look great solo or in multiples.

6. Iomoi tote: Navy and monogrammed? You can't go wrong with this versatile leather tote.

7. Ikat Mug from C Wonder: I'm looking forward to browsing the new C. Wonder shop when I'm in NYC. This ikat mug would brighten anyone's morning!

8. Loren Hope Designs: A little bling, bling at a great price! These earrings are a classic staple!

11. Umbrella: I've been eyeing this Scalamandre designed fabric umbrella for a while now! It's gorgeous!

For Anyone:

2. NYC paper weights: These glass paper weights would make a fabulous gift for anyone with an affinity for the "big apple"!

4. Vintage Impala Bookends: I LOVE vintage pieces. These impala bookends from High Street Market would make a unique, one of a kind gift, as would a number

of the items in her shop. Estate Eclectic also has a great selection of vintage finds.

5. Herringbone blanket: tired of herringbone? No, surprisingly I'm not either. This beautiful, navy (yes I'm loving navy too) throw would add the perfect amount of zip to any space.

10. Loveless Cafe cookbook: A northern yes, but I love southern hospitality and cooking! The yummy desserts featured in this book look amazing. It would be the perfect gift for your favorite foodies.

For the Kiddies:

Racing Car: Both of my children ( a girl and boy) adore race cars. These little cuties are well designed and look good too, a bonus in my book!

Happy Holidays! 

holiday gift guide: MOI!

so i am lucky enough to be friends with the gorgeous {inside and out} julie from shelter interior design. she's the bomb and i was thrilled to give her some of my fave gift ideas this year.

head on over to shelter to read the deets!  {and yes, i seriously heart scrabble.  don't judge.}
happy weekend!

holiday gift guide: julie o

i am blessed with a fab group of local galfriends.  this particular gal and i share a portuguese heritage, ridic NYC past,  and love of all things awesome.

check out julie o's gift guide.  {case and point.}

julie's gift ideas for . . .

sister, friend or mom:

love the jcrew monogram shop.  always feel like a monogram makes gifts feel a little more personal.  this season, loving the cashmere scarf in orange. lots of cute cardigans that can be monogrammed as well!

one of my go-to gifts, marye-kelley frames.  i like to give one that has personal meaning and when possible to include a picture in the frame.

faux fur blanket from restoration hardware...how cozy for cold winter night!! (could be for hubby too!)

 kate spade 'no sleep till brooklyn' idiom bracelet...to remind us of the old days in nyc!

little girls:

blabla dolls! my favorite gift to give (and get!)

love, love the pottery barn pink retro kitchen set...

also love all of the melissa and doug food sets- some favorites here are ice cream set, sushi. . .

the alex arts and crafts sets are fab (for boys and girls)- paper bag puppets, and cupcake crafts are some of our faves. also love the 'my giant busy box' kit that has a all sorts of crafts in one spot.

LEAPPAD!! If you can find one! Send one my way if you come across one! A is dying for one!

little boys:

superhero capes on etsy...thinking c may be in his every day! :) oh no, look out seaside!

balance bikes (for inbetween tricycle and 2 wheeler)

of course, the star wars sneakers...which i think i am going to live to regret!

stocking stuffers:

Lump of Kohl soap- kind of funny? never used it!

"Lump of Kohl is a skin detox treatment that uses bamboo charcoal to remove impurities and chemicals from the skin and pure goat milk from Beekman Farm to moisturize the skin and keep skin pH balanced."

My Quotable Kid Journal- perfect for any parent to have on hand!

can't go wrong with some jewelry in your stocking (hint, hint mike!)

hostess:

yummy bottle of champagne?

peppermint dipped spoons and hot chocolate from crate and barrel...with some fun mugs or hot chocolate!

LH: what's the best gift you've ever gotten?

JO: hmmm...gold jimmy choo's from my daughter avery (when she was 4!) who loves to share my shoes! :)

LH: what's the best gift i've ever given?

JO: to mike, 3 years ago.  connor was only a few months old, avery was 2.  we were stressed, sleep deprived, adjusting to life with 2 babies.  i thought that what mike and i really "needed" was some time together.  i gave him "the 12 DATES of christmas" (get it, like days...).  i wrapped 12 gifts that went with a date night.  they ranged in price, and types of dates.  1 was a rubber ducky= duck tour in boston (something I had always wanted to do), 1 was ipod with download of 'walking tour of marblehead'...and of course a list of all so we didn't forget! :)

LH: what are you most excited to give this year?

JO: still have lots of shopping left to do! :)

LH: what are your favorite holiday traditions?

JO: so many!! love starting traditions with my kids that we had when i was little- we have the advent calendar that my mom made when i was 1 (and we used every christmas until my bro went to college!), reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve, french toast casserole on Christmas morning, giving a and c an ornament every year that is a reminder of something that happened, somewehere we went, or something they were into that year...

tradition for mike and i of going 'away' at christmas time to take a break from the craziness, and enjoy shopping, eating, drinking, celebrating getting ready for the holidays- started with nantucket christmas stroll, past few years has been staying in boston- but, doesn't really matter where it is! :) 

thanks, julie for always giving me the best gift of all- laughter!  merry Christmas to you and yours!  bring on the champers!

holiday gift guide: jayme marie designs

it's hard to believe i haven't even known jayme of jayme marie designs for a year- and even harder to believe i've never spoken to her in person! but i know enough about jayme to know she has a wonderfully creative style and her gift guide proves just that.

jayme's fab gift ideas for . . .

sister/mom:


Personalized mugs (also great for hostess gift)

little girls:

I'm in love with the hair accessories at poppy row!

little boys:

I bought two Rody's for my boys this year in two different colors so they can bounce/race through the house together!

My little boys also love going on adventures and finding bugs and things in nature so I love this nature bag that I found on etsy (can be personalized with child's name!

This other shop sells this stack of nature scavenger hunt cards that I think would be perfect to slip into the personalized bag above. :)

friend:


There are several items that I love at Noonday collection, which is an amazing company that sells jewelry and accessories online and through trunk shows.  The purchase of their items helps give people aid for adoptions and the items made are by artisans in struggling countries.

hostess: 


I love the personalized plates found in this etsy shop, or better yet... they sell attachments to turn the personalized plate into a cake stand!

I also love the journals at Minted.  They can be personalized with the giftee's name and you can customize the inside cover as well... such as a pic of the grandkids for Grandma and Grandpa, etc.  They are a great price too!

LH: what's the best gift you've ever gotten?

JG: One year my husband was sent to Ireland for work and he surprised me with a ticket to go with him and a ticket from Ireland to Paris.
We were on a budget and limited on time so we only stayed in Paris for 3 days but it was amazing and we had such a wonderful time.
Paris around Christmas time is covered in lights and decorations and it's just magical.  I recommend seeing Paris at least once in a lifetime! 

LH: best gift you've ever given?

JM: Every year I write my husband a love note for him to open on Christmas morning.
Sometimes I think the sentimental gestures mean the most.

LH: what gift are you most excited to give this year?

JM: My husband and I (mostly my husband) will be building our 2 year old a tent similar to this one with fabrics to match his room!

We love making gifts for our boys!  If you aren't into making gifts, I have seen some adorable tents and teepees for sale as well, such as here or here...

image via david and caroline parker

LH: what's number 1 on your wish list this year?

JM: Well, I'm still living in the dark ages and I have a pink cell phone that is so old it doesn't even take pictures....booo
So, what I would love for Christmas is an iphone with this adorable Kate spade case. I've dropped several hints to my hubby so we'll see :)...

LH: what's your fave holiday tradition?

JM: We have several but one that I love is that the boys get to open two gifts on Christmas eve, one will be a pair of Christmas pj's (so that look adorable for Christmas morning pics) and the other will be a Christmas book to read before bed Christmas eve night. 

how cute is jayme?! thank you, for the gift ideas {totes buying rodys for c & p!} and personal stories-  as well as working with lil hoot to create a whale of a time, june's sip & see, cloud 9 sip & see, fun paper goodies for HGTV's design star meg caswell -- and my personal fave - C & P's 3rd birthday bash!  {stay tuned for many deets on this one, folks}

holiday gift guide: lindsey foley

lindsey foley is back for more with her holiday gift guide!  {check out lindsey's mother's day gift guide }

and is it any surprise that my fave personal stylist has a shoe theme?

lindsey's gift ideas. . . 

For hub:

Tom is loving these "old school" New Balance sneaks in black with orange "N", because guys can't have too many pairs of sneaks. Also, I think I spotted Ben Affleck wearing them too:))

For my mom:

A cashmere leopard scarf- because every grandma has to be chic!:)

hostess gift:
LOVE these candles, they last forever and even when the tree is gone it can smell like xmas in your house!Tree in a can from Aunt Sadies.
ps- I worked there for a month packing candles while I was in between jobs in my 20s:)


For son:
I just go my 5 year old these sneaks and loves them, coolest kicks among all of his friends!


A friend:
Black and White by Celerie Kemble, love this book because it reminds me of our 

Aesthetic

My mom in law:

iPad she's 80 and just got one she loves it, all generations!

LH: What's your fave holiday tradition?

LF: My new favorite tradition since we are in FL every holiday season is to go to City Place in West Palm Beach, they have fake snow every night of Dec. at 6:30 pm and music!  My son loves it as well as a dancing water fountain!

http://www.cityplace.com/  see pic below:)

LH: What's the best gift you've ever given?

LF: A weekend away for my parents to the Wentworth by the sea, they still have not used it!!


LH: What's number one on your list this year?


LF: well you can always dream:)

shearling coat gorge right??

and/ or this peeptoe classic, chic, and you will have it forever!!

LH: What's the best gift you've ever received?

LF: a poem for my 24th when we first were dating and then Paris for my 30th, pressures on my the big 4-0:)

LH: wowzah - good luck topping that, tom!

have a glorious trip south, sweet lindsey.  you'll no doubt be the most stylish gal in the magic kingdom.  xoxo