Happy New Year!

Sorry for the extended silence here, friends. My hard drive failed on the flight home for Christmas, so I spent most of the break unplugged, so to speak. But I wanted to pop back in briefly to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I have a feeling 2013 is going to be just lovely.

Cheers!

Photo by Alea Lovely for Style Me Pretty

On Repeat

Do you have one holiday album you play over and over? It seems to change every year for me. For a long time it was Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas album, last year it was She & Him. But this year, I've been leaning into quieter holiday music, better suited to sleepily wrapping presents at midnight. So this year's go-to album has been A Very Rosie Christmas by Rosie Thomas. It's mostly quiet and a little melancholy, like this version of Christmas Don't Be Late.

What are you listening to on repeat these days?

The Shop Around The Corner

Have you ever seen The Shop Around The Corner? It might sound familiar because it's the name of Kathleen Kelly's store in You've Got Mail. In fact, You've Got Mail is a modern adaptation of The Shop Around The Corner, so the stories are similar. Except instead of exchanging emails, the characters are pen pals. Pen pals!!

Anyway, Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan play shop clerks who can't stand each other. Meanwhile, they each have a pen pal that they're writing to and falling for...if you've seen You've Got Mail, I'm sure you know where the story is headed. Anyway, it's funny, delightful and Christmas-y. It's available to watch online through Amazon, and would be perfect with a mug of tea or cocoa tonight. Especially if you, like me, renew your crush on Jimmy Stewart every December :)

(A December) Weekend in Pictures

{euphoria is you for me}

{attempting to pretty up an aluminum pan for a housewarming present}

{taking my pal wren out on a stroll so her mama could unpack their new place}

{brooklyn christmas snowflakes}

{red & green outside the nutcracker}

{rain & taxi cabs}

{lights in stripes}

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: Just for Fun

One last gift idea today, a fun snowball maker ($16) to keep your hands warm and help you make snowballs at turbo speed like Buddy the Elf. Happy weekend! I wish I were having a snowball fight.

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: For the Home

As we're winding down the 12 Days of Christmas Gifts (I hope you got some good ideas!), I wanted to share a few gifts for the home. They'd be perfect for newlyweds, new home owners, or anyone who likes their home to be lovely.


Reclaimed wood board, for prettier cheese platters, $32


Spotted coasters, $18


Union Jack throw, for the ultimate anglophile. $120


It's a little awkward to have a Christmas tree up in February, but tree-smelling soap is totally acceptable. $26


Bookshelf bling in the form of gold & agate book ends, $58


A fun serving platter, the type you might not buy for yourself but you secretly want. $58

Top photo by Amy Merrick.

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: For The Kiddos

Do you have any kiddos on your Christmas list? I don't really, this year, but I might have to go find some to give these cute gifts! So, if you have nieces and nephews, friend's kids, or still need ideas for your own family, here are some of my favorite gifts for kids.


Vintage-y custom bookplates, $25. They have cute ones with kid's faces too.


A snowman building kit! He'd look so chic. $13


A wooden card that would look really cute framed, $10. Ok, this is more of a present for the parent :)


Personalized wooden bowling set, $27


A tent for playing pretend, $75.


Clip on wolf ears, $38 (they have bunny and cat ears too!). For next year's Halloween costume, or to be that awesome kid in the grocery store wearing a costume on some random Thursday.


Ninjabread men! For action-packed snack time.

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: For Your Best Pal

I love the concept of a modern, grown up friendship bracelet. This one is sweet, mixing thread with gold links. $9

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: DIY

This list could easily be called "best of Pinterest" or "I combed Pinterest so you don't have to." There's so many great DIY gift ideas out there, but these are some of my favorites. It's so fun to receive something that someone took the time to make for you!


Infused booze, like this habanero tequila to be mixed with grapefruit juice. Or, try it with fruit!


Gild the lily by topping your infused booze with a geode bottle stopper. Or, give it on it's own - wouldn't you like one in your stocking?


To-die-for salted caramel sauce. Tie a cute ribbon around the jar & you're done!


Add a tiny bottle of your favorite winter spirit to give with homemade hot cocoa mix & mini marshmallows. (Think: Bailey's, peppermint schnapps, dark rum.)


Winter circus pull toys for your favorite kiddo. This one looks time consuming, but oh-so-cute!

Top photo by evajuliet.

(Lots of Lights) Weekend in Pictures

{bulbs}

{christmas tree in gramercy park...stuck my hand through the gate!}

{garland & lights & bows}

{murph making classy party snacks - who doesn't like pb&j?}

{marshmallow making + coffee}

This weekend was a quite one. Some Christmas lights, some Christmas singing, and making a 200 page dent in Les Miserables (I want to finish before the movie comes out!) Hope your weekend was equally restful :)

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: Silver & Gold

When you saw "silver & gold" in the post title, did you immediately think of this very version of this song? I did, and I've been singing it while putting this post together. So, sing this song while you shop for some silver & gold gifts for your metallic-loving friends :)


Gold coffee spoon, $11. And those white & gold bowls are available here, $25-34


Silver poppy pod vase, $28


Brass paperweight, $76 $60


Mirrored tray, $39


Vintage brass animal, price varies. There are lots of these on Etsy, this little camel sells for $19


Silver ampersand bottle opener, $11.85


The Katniss cuff, $14


A favorite photograph in a silver frame, $29.99

Top photo by Chelsea Victoria.

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: The Best Holiday Rug

The best holiday rug ever. For that friend who changes out the decor of her whole house for the holidays, $110

12 Days of Christmas Gifts: For the Dudes

Today's gifts are for the dudes: boyfriends, husbands, dads, brothers and dude friends. It always seems harder to buy for guys than girls, so I've enlisted help from my friend Trae again, who did a killer job with last year's gift guides. Trae's become a father and a temporary Sandy refugee in the time since last year's gift guides, so I'm super grateful he was able to give me a few hints on this one. Thanks, Trae!


A leather wine rack for his bike, $29


This sleek, nearly wire-free (it just plugs into the wall) quality speaker, $199


A shirt to commemorate his favorite show (or his home, if you're one of my many friends who have married a Texan), $20


A portable bonfire log, because it's super manly to be able to start a fire, $28


This super cool tripod & charger in one, $30


A modern-meets-classic pipe (it's not available for sale yet, but a vintage one would be cool, too).


This classy striped bow-tie (that our very own gift-guide consultant is modeling!) from my friend Dara's shop, Preston & Olivia. $50


A beautiful wooden map of his city, $78 (The keychains would be a great stocking stuffer!)


Whiskey aftershave, $18


Awesome wooden key covers, $45


A practical vintage book, like these Little Blue Book reproductions from Bush Smarts. $15