12-7-24
What I Can’t Let Go Of:
(just like the NPR Politics podcast on Fridays- minus the “Politics or otherwise” disclaimer.
This blog is a publicly politics-free zone, so all musings will be “Otherwise“.)
This week is simple:
I continue to be amazed, as well as delighted, of how enriching and liberating I find working with fabric, being creative and then testing my creativity with other medium, in alternative forms.
Your turn:
What do you find enriching and freeing, therapeutic, or just plain enjoyable?
On the Blog This Week
I took part in my first Home Tour blog post.
But I only shared two rooms, because just at that it was getting mighty long
(and truthfully, that’s all I’ve been able to get fully decorated so far).
But they are the most important rooms in our home (and many others that I know of)
After all it’s where we all hang out, where our guests hang out.
It’s where everyone wants to be:
The Kitchen and Dining Area
But because I want you to find value in my posts, I broke it down into
19 Easy and Crazy Inexpensive Ways to Decorate the Kitchen and Dining Room for the Holidays!
I’m confident you will find at least 2 or 3 ideas that will work for you!!!
EXCLUSIVE!
COMING UP NEXT WEEK!
Watch your inbox and FB and IG for
details on a NEVER-BEFORE SPECIAL I am working on!
You won’t believe it —
and I’m not sure how long they will last!
Psst: You know you don’t want to miss out!
It’s just one way I say “Thank you” to all those who support me time after time!
Don’t worry, you too, can become a House Mate!
Sharing Shopping Finds From Around the Web
Last month’s favorite?
It seemed like everyone was longing for gold bangles. These are the ones I recommended:
This one, and this one and this one. All from the same Etsy shop!
The links in this post may include affiliate links, which means if you purchase anything using these links, you pay no extra, but I may receive a small commission that helps keep this blog running. I truly appreciate you using affiliate links whenever possible. Please know that I will never recommend a product I do not believe in!
It’s the first Saturday of the month — the day we take a shopping excursion together, you and me and some of my blogging friends! Let’s see what we found this week.
I Am All About Stocking Stuffers This Week!!!
SIDENOTE: Did you know our family stopped exchanging traditional gifts. This Christmas will be our seventh year of celebrating with our unconventional gift exchange. We will never go back. Read all about it and see if a version of this might work for your family.
So now you know why I enjoy stocking stuffers so much!
I mean, a girl’s gotta get her gift-shopping fix, right?
Car sauce holder! Who knew?
Not that I’m advocating fast food meals eaten on the go. . . .
But sometimes nuggets in fillet sauce are, well required!
These condiment holders clip to car air vents and hold a vast variety of condiment cup sizes!
I KNOW the kids will be loving these. Especially the ones in LA (they spend so much time in their cars!!!).
And for backseats, here is a window mount option.
Every morning, the frustration of wet sleeves makes me think I need to make myself a set of those old sweat wrist bands from the 80’s.
Guess what! They’re back now, but known as Spa Wristbands.
They come in a ton of colors and at $2 per pair, everyone will be get a pair!
Afterall, the fellas wash their faces too!!!
Do your “kids” all have a patronus?
You know, the mythical creature from Harry Potter that protects them. Each person’s patronus often takes on the characteristics of the animal that represents their personality.
An evening of games or movie watching will be such fun with patronus socks for each.
This set of six is a bargain, but here, there are 28 styles to choose from if you want to truly match each person’s personality.
I gave aromatherapy shower bombs last year, but this year every stocking will include a Vapo Shower bomb or two.
Hey, we know cold season is coming!
This takes me back to holding each as young babes late at night in the bathroom filled with shower steam to help them breathe.
(And extras will go in the grandbaby’s stocking)
Everyone needs, and can’t have too many lip balms, especially in the cold winds of winter.
I’m partial to these from Sun Bum mainly because of the 30 SPF — It’s a must for me to avoid cold sores!!!
Whether cocktails, lemonade or a shot of whiskey, large ice cubes are practical and so fun!
I love these cat cubes, but there are also many breeds of dog cubes, even penguin cubes — or you can go the more traditional route with golf ball “cubes”.
I love this portable small watercolor set.
It’s such fun exercise to capture a view, an activity, a feeling in watercolor rather than just our phone pics.
Talk about creating meaningful memories!
Girls love to mix up their outfits without spending a lot of money. And for just about $3 per pair, I think these will be a fun surprise in the girls’ stockings/
I love the idea of these shoe clips on all kinds of flats beyond the predictable heels. There’s also a version without the brass centers.
Of course a treat for munching is always appreciated. My kids aren’t really into the sweets — or try not to be.
So an assortment of flavored Jack Links beef Jerky will be a fun surprise.
But if you have an adventurous crowd, I suggest this assortment of Wild Game Exotic meat jerky. The kids will love sampling and trading!
TIP: Stuffing all those stockings can get expensive! So I look for things I can get in multi-packs and then add in something unique for each person.
Now Let’s See What the Other Gals Found For Us
Lynn – Living Large in a Small House
I really like to shop at Target. Having always been a Joanna Gaines fan, it’s a plus that you can get some reasonable priced home items that have her stamp of approval. It’s also a plus that you can get many of the things you need in one spot.
All of these items are from Target and each one is something that I would love to get as a gift. Bonus: They are all $20 or less.
- While I’m not a baker, I aspire to be one. Having fun equipment like a rolling pin with a tree imprint and cookie stamps would make baking around the holidays really fun.
- A new set of kitchen towels would make my heart go pitter patter! This is something I don’t really buy and I’m in desperate need of something not stained.
- I’m always losing one of my gloves so a new set of gloves each winter season would be a very special gift for me.
- I love a great home decor book. “The Art of Home” by Shea McGee, the Interior Designer who created Studio McGee would be a book I would love to have in my collection.
Cindy – Reinvented Delaware
- I’m hooked on double-sided velvet ribbon for my Christmas decorating and gift wrapping. So far I have 1″ Navy Blue, Antique Gold, and Ivory/Camel. I also have 1/2″ in Antique Gold and Light Blue. I’m seriously hooked on these gorgeous ribbons!
- Cleaning has been on my mind as I get ready for the holidays. The White Green Cloths are amazing. No need for detergents or cleaning solutions. My glass windows, kitchen counters, oven and stove top, fridge and sink have never been so clean! The are pricey at about $4 each but worth every penny!
- The O Cedar Easy Wring and Spin Mop has been around awhile and I finally got one! Woohoo! I used it last night on my kitchen floors and I am sold! My hands never touched the water and that’s a win in my book!
- Now if I could just drop the hint to a certain someone that I would love to have a Dyson Cordless Vac, well then my life would be just about perfect! Just kidding. But I do want the vac!
Anna – Sky Lark House
If you are like me, there are always those few last minute gifts you need for friends, neighbors, coworkers and siblings. Here are some of my favorite reasonably priced gifts to give people.
- Kate Spade always has a great selection of stylish yet affordable earrings. My favorite are these star earrings which are offered in multiple colors. They can be worn all year long.
- These bracelets by Bauble Bar are charming and can be personalized to the individual you are gifting them to. There are so many styles and options to choose from. At the moment, they are a fabulous price at $10 each but the sale won’t last long. I like to buy them in sets of three.
- Do you have a friend who loves to bake? If so this white marble rolling pin is an affordable and tasteful gift that will be appreciated.
- Similarly, this Le Creuset stoneware batter bowl , complete with handle and pour spout, is a classic design and always useful for cooking. I like to use it to make pancakes and pour the batter directly into the pan.
- I fell in love with this ceramic Christmas tree nightlight! It’s so cheerful with the multicolored lights and has an “on-off” switch. This would make a darling last minute gift for many people.
- This customized Christmas ornament can be created from the photo of any pet. I love this idea for someone who is difficult to shop for.
Lora – Lora Bloomquist
- This pair of brass LED table lamps can be used anywhere you don’t have easy access to a plug. They turn on with a touch of your finger and can be dimmed by holding the button. I love their classic look, and have been enjoying them on our Christmas mantel. Great gift idea, or to give yourself! Find them HERE.
- If you or a loved one enjoys history and nostalgia, you’ll love paging through these charming Christmas coffee table books. There are a few different versions, depending on what decades you enjoy the most. My parents loved reminiscing as they paged through these. Find a couple different versions HERE.
- I hadn’t purchased new pillow covers for Christmas in quite a few years. This year I was focusing on red and ordered these adorable red and white stripe ones. They have rick rack trim and wooden buttons; so cute! You can find them HERE. If you’re a poinsettia lover, you’ll appreciate these needlepoint pillow covers for the season, too; so classic, and a great value! Find them HERE.
- Tis’ the season of light, and I like to have all different kinds of lighting filling every nook and cranny to celebrate. Last year I bought adorable battery powered wax pincone candles and loved tucking them here and there. (Find them HERE) This year I got these little trees that are slightly bigger. They are so fun to tuck in cabinet displays for Christmas. Great gift, or for yourself. (Find them HERE)
- When I’m out and about running errands, I don’t like to wear a big coat, because I get too hot in the store. A long vest is just perfect. It can keep my bum warm when I get in the car, but I don’t get too hot when I’m inside. I looked at several different styles and am really liking the cute details on the one I ordered. You can find it HERE.
- I’ve got a wonderful stack of vintage Christmas linens and I love their happy patterns. Last year I totally forgot to get them out. This year I want to use them, but am trying to come up with ideas so I can enjoy them. I’m going to whip up some cute kitchen cafe curtains, so I can pull them out each year. You can find similar versions HERE.
I hope you enjoy your weekend!!! Thanks for hanging out with me a bit,
I’m getting those car dispensers for “Handy” my fast food junkie! I’m also stocking up on the Vicks show steamers. I’m thinking it will not only help a cough and cold but take me back to when I was a kid. How I love shopping with you!
Those socks are hysterical Diane! I know of a few peeps in my life who would love them. Once my son was gifted bacon socks – he wore them everywhere!