Gingerbread Cookies: A Perfect Christmas Gift

Every year my friend Juliet makes these incredible gingerbread cookies. This time around she created them in shapes of forest creatures: a squirrel, a hedgehog, a snail and a bear. I did not get a chance to photograph them all, as they were so delicious! They were eaten very quickly. The bear is the only one I snapped a picture of right before I ate it with my coffee this morning. Yum!

Bird Pin Keeper

I received this pretty bird pin keeper for my birthday this year and cannot stop admiring it for its smart design and functionality. Everything, including the cozy wool tweed, the stitched wings with buttons, the wooden pedestal, and even the tag.., is simply adorable and brilliant!

Best Gifts For Your Besties, Under $50-

I am in love with these Multitude Hair Ties in Neutral from Anthropologie. They are very comfortable and add that special sparkle to your bestie's hair for the holidays.

Home Made Winter by Yvette Van Boven is simply amazing. It has tons of delicious + easy recipes that are very appropriate for the season. I especially love the hand-made feel to it: it is filled with hand-drawings and hand-written notes. Plus the photos are amazing and make you feel part of the book.

Your bestie would be thrilled to get this beautiful Mistletoe General Store Candle. Its vintage-mirror finish will add a great sparkle to any decor and I can see the jar being reused for years after the candle is done.

The light vanilla-scented lip gloss and the gold-glitter nailpolish duo, West End Wonderland by Butter London, will make you feel festive let you glow though the holidays. Click here to see my favorite ideas of makeup and nails.

Seaberry Restorative Body Cream by Fresh is the best moisturizer out there. It is light-scented and long-lasting.

Thursday Shopping: Love Hook

If you appreciate Robert Indiana's Love Sculpture as much as I do, you would really enjoy the look and functionality of this awesome Love Hook. Use it at the entryway to hang your umbrellas & purses, or in the bathroom to hold your towels and robes. It could even become a spot to hang your necklaces or ties. Most importantly, it will bring a splash of color and spread the word: LOVE.

Thursday Shopping: Call Me!

I could not help myself but smile when I saw these awesome handsets by Native Union. Even though our technology is developing with the speed of light, at moments like this we must admit old-fashioned inventions are simply better. An old telephone handle is hands down so much more comfortable to hold than any of the latest cell phones. The handset is fitted with a high quality microphone & speaker along with noise reduction technology. Plus, you can take it anywhere! And what a great gift idea 'for her' or 'for him' for upcoming Valentine's Day!
'Pop Phone' handsets in Red or Blue, $29.00 each

Monday Style: 150 Years Of Fashion

I wanted to start this new week with the incredible book, Fashion: 150 Years of Couturiers, Designers, Labels, by Charlotte Seeling, which I received this past holiday season as a gift. A perfect coffee table book and an excellent reference for history of fashion and style, it keeps on giving endless inspirations.

When my friend Rhea Calpeno of Photosynthesis brought me a beautiful bouquet of White Irises, I immediately decided to include one flower in the collage. Its intricate shape is so reminiscent of many elements in fashion!

Photo of Gilbert Adrian (middle), the American couturier who designed for Hollywood during the fist half of XX century. Famous for his big-shouldered styles, he adapted the 'long white dress' which looked so much more glamorous on screen than the 'little black dress'. He also designed the legendary ruby slippers Dorothy wore in Wizard Of Oz. Joan Crawford (left) and Jean Harlow (right) both wearing his stunning designs.

Friday Arts & Crafts: You Are My Valentine

Valentine's Day Ornament

Woodland Valentine Birds

Felted Hearts Slippers

Love Birds

Mabel Hedgehogs

Eames Love

Brand New Week: Button Up!

I love when simple everyday objects become inspiration for beautiful jewelry. Jennifer Jones of Australian company Have You Met Miss Jones nails it down: both design & scale of each piece are just right to make bold statement. Miss Jones ships to the US, so hurry, there is still time left before Christmas to purchase that perfect gift!

Dress Button Necklace & Dress Button Ring

Brand New Week: Affordable Stylish Gift Ideas

You know you have great taste and you want to select the best gift for your family and friends, but you want to stick to your budget. I assure you, you do not need to spend a lot of money to give a sophisticated and memorable gift. Whether you choose the bright yellow Postalco Notebook ($12) for taking notes and doodling, or the Antler Hook ($14) to replace that ugly old one your relatives have at their entryway, it will be used and loved for a long time. The Mini Chandelier Ornament ($12) will be up on that Christmas tree every year reminding them of you. Giving a good book is always a smart choice: Design*Sponge At Home book by Grace Bonney ($35) will be a go to book for design ideas for your best friend who will refer to it every time she needs to get inspired. It will also serve as a perfect coffee-table-book. And while the Monogrammed Hammam Stripe Hand Towel ($17) will dress up any powder room, the Bamboo Doily Clock ($34) will remind everyone it's time to get together for a reunion.

All Wrapped And Tied

I am finally done with wrapping all the gifts!
One of the gifts I give out every year is preppy socks from JCrew. Everybody loves them and awaits for a new pattern to come out of the box. This year instead of using JCrew's signature boxes I made little baggies out of brown paper lunch bags. I used white and red yarn to tie them and painted snowflakes with white acrylic paint.

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Happy Holidays!!!

Silhouettes, Silhouettes

There is something so delicate and elegant about silhouettes...
Last Sunday browsing through the Anthropologie store I discovered these awesome Silhouette Specter Votives:

Besides being used as candle holders they could work beautifully as a bathroom accessory and hold toothbrushes or your collection of eyeliners.
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Inspired I search for more items with silhouettes.
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These Silhouette Cufflinks as well as many other items such as stationery, pillows and totes from Le Papier Studio can be customized per order and become a thoughtful gift for many occasions:

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Joe Bagley is a full-time papercutting artist who creates one-of-a-kind silhouettes like this Stiletto:

Check out his shop for some intricate designs: Papercuts by Joe
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I also see the Decorum Dishtowel as an elegant addition to many kitchens:

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Last but not least, Your Silhouette Plate can be custom-made to showcase your profile: