I wish this was real!

I love this editorial! It's featured in the December issue of French Vogue, by far the best Vogue of the Vogues when it comes to creative fashion editorials, imho. I'm assuming these dolls are meant to be barbies, but it reminds me of the pleasant company catalogue that always came around christmastime when I was a kid. "Valentino" looks just like my dining room! Which one would you choose?!

via trendland

giving the gift of holiday spirit

Now that cyber monday is over, its important to be aware of smart, affordable gifts for one and all. Usually, I just think about all the things that I've wanted to buy all year, for myself and for others.  But now that I have my own home I really love the idea of gifting holiday items. It's fun and jolly!

The first thing I want to mention is the lovely advent calendar, pictured above, that my mum sent for Felix. She got it at the National Gallery in London, and each door opens to a different painting that hangs in the gallery. So sweet! It's nice to have special things you only put out during the holidays. It also makes sense to me that seasonal housewares and decorations make perfect host gifts. Things like this:

nativity nesting dolls $29

felted wool radish ornaments $10 for set of 3

noel, by crabtree and evelyn: the perfect seasonal combination of cedar and spice  (the incense is the best, but they don't even make it anymore)

rim cookie cutter $6.50 for 3

glass oyster ornament $8.99 

striped taper candles--similar here, $24 a pair

the classiest of all christmas albums, about $15 on vinyl

midcentury paper ornaments $8 for set of 2

the most delicious tin of biscuits  

I'm working on some more of these, but it's also coming up on finals week.
In the meantime, here are some gift guides from last christmas past:

the gift of gold
the gift of organization
gifts for the little ones
gifts for the kitchen
gifts for the gentleman 
gifts for the special lady