Lily Crowned Tea Cosy
I survive on tea and must always have a cup of tea on hand. It can sometimes take me a fair bit to get through a cup so that when I go for my second (or third!), the tea in the pot has usually cooled off. I’ve searched for years for the perfect tea cosy but since I didn’t want one that had cats, pom poms or was crocheted I seemed to out of luck.
Whilst browsing on Etsy I came across the Lily Crowned Tea Cosy which suited my aesthetics’s and tea warming purposes perfectly!
Our tea cosy is lined with an insulating layer of batting and decorated with a vintage image. So put the kettle on - it’s tea time.
Made from French vintage linen sheets and stamped on image, these hand made cosy’s are insulated, pretty and oh so charming. I loved tea before but having this to put on makes it even better (Tip: I put warm water in the tea pot whilst brewing water and put the tea cosy on top so that the pot stays extra warm).
The cosy’s come in a couple of sizes so check the measurements and buy the one that’ll fit your pot the best.
BUY AT: Gloaming Designs Etsy Shop
CD Packaging Kit by Chronicle Books
One of my favourite things to give is mixed tapes (I am from olden times so I still refer to them as “mixed tapes”). The only thing, however, is that they’ve never really been the prettiest gift to give. Those label printing products never really turned out right on my computer and the CD cases were always ugly and the paper never really fit. Despite putting together fun, fitting music, the packaging of it often left me frustrated and wanting something more.
Luckily, this pretty little CD Packaging Kit from Chronicle Books makes packaging your CD’s as quick & simple as making them! And pretty? With 25 CD decorated labels in 5 different charming patterns, 25 CD sleeves in two designs, 3 pages of stickers to help put it all together, let’s just say you and your friends will be playing and petting them.
Now I must make my next CD “Shake That Ass Volume 1″ and put it in the pretty white bird with heart sleeve. That seems to match, no?
BUY AT: Amazon
Color of Love
I’m actually not one to celebrate Valentines Day but when I saw this book I thought that perhaps this year I’ll get myself a Valentine if only to give them this book.First of all, The Color of Love is a wonderfully large hardcover book that’s tucked into a beautiful hard case. It’s also an extraordinarily beautiful book because of the warm, colourful pages that were once hand made and silk-screened. The poems (from writers such as Porter, Shakespeare and Rumi) are handwritten and range from sonnets to odes to haiku’s.
Not only is the book beautiful, but also it’s unique which is what I think a Valentine ought to be.
BUY AT: Amazon & Anthropologie
Recycled 50’s style hand-bound journals
BUY AT: Ex Libris Anonymous
What do you do with old 50’s style hard cover books? If you’re Jasmine Deatherage you turn them into journals! Using the front and back cover of various old-school books along with very weighty, acid free blank paper (perfect for journaling/collaging), Jasmine create a wonderfully unique, personal (and often cheeky) hand bound spiral journal book that’s the perfect gift for the person who has everything.
My favourite bits about the books are the found objects and notes on pages from the original book that are included randomly throughout the newly created journal (you with me on following that?) Basically, pages from the original book that might have things such as library cards, inscriptions, doodles, and funny pictures are incorporated into the new blank journal, creating a place for new pages whilst retaining some of the old.
And I can’t think of a better way to make something old new again.
Mi Amore Skincare
It was a stressful time when I first moved to Los Angeles and it showed on my face; it was blotchy, red, terribly dry with not so nice pimples here and there. So I booked myself a spa package at the Ole Henriksen Spa for an afternoon of relaxation and pampering. I knew that a massage and scrub would help but had my suspicions about the facial since most facials always made my sensitive skin worse, not better.
But other spas did not have Maki.
In one hour she literally transformed my skin from blah to wow. Not only did she make my skin wonderful from the outside, but gave me so many tips about how to keep myself and skin healthy from the inside with vitamins and relaxation ideas. With her help, my skin has never looked better and that’s why I’ve been a devoted client for over two years.
So when she told me she was working on her own organic skincare line, I was thrilled; her passion for natural, organic, simple skincare was finally coming to fruition. And for me, it came at the perfect time.
Dry skin has always plagued me and, when I began to spend a lot of time in air conditioning, I couldn’t find anything that would help. Most body moisturisers were thick, goopy and greasy. They always seemed to have harsh, fake scents added that I just didn’t like. However, her Moisture Me After Shower Body Oil, with it’s amazing smell of orange and lavender, quickly absorbed into my skin leaving it super soft without being greasy or shiny looking. Just natural and hydrated.
The same was to be said of her Natural Glow face complex; my dehydrated skin lacked that little “oomph” and this product put it back in. With sensitive reactive skin, I was nervous to try this but had no cause. It plumped up my skin, calmed it down, and made it glow. No breakouts, no redness, just healthy looking skin.
I love that her line is natural and works with the skin and not against it. I also like supporting a woman-owned business especially when she makes great products. Her Orange Blossom soy candle is even natural; nothing worse than lighting a candle that pollutes the air and ruins the whole purpose of trying to create a feeling of well-being.
If you can’t visit Maki in person in LA these products are the next best thing. Her passion for helping people to feel and look better really comes through in this line. She glows and, with a few little products, so can you.
PS: Her “Mommy Care Packs” are the perfect Holiday present for a pregnant woman because they include the Oh Baby! Belly Butter which, not being pregnant, I didn’t try but did give to a pregnant girlfriend who is swearing by it.
BUY AT: Mi Amore
The Book of Myself
BUY AT: Amazon
I was immediately drawn to The Book of Myself when I saw it sitting on the bookstore shelf; it was beautiful, small and hardcover with a title that intrigued me. Opening it I discovered a charming book written by a man who was 96 and his grandson and was filled with 201 questions followed by blank pages for answers.
As I read these questions, I thought about my family and how I would love for so many of them to fill it out so that I could know answers to questions such as:
“This is the profession that I often mentioned when people asked me what I was going to be when I grew up:
I admired this friend because of the following talents:
In the afternoons after school I used to:
The present I got from my parents really stick in my memory:
A habit I picked up during my early years was:
One of Dads traits I admired was:
Some of the things I loved doing with my family were:
This is the part of my parenting I am particularily proud of:
The subjects I always wanted to learn more about as an adult but never did were:
The strengths and characteristics of each of my children are:
If my vision had been 20/20 throughout my life I would have done this differently:
And oh, about 191 more!
When the holidays hit so many of us turn to gadgets to fill up stockings or certificates because we don’t have time to put in much thought or preperation. I’ve long been an advocate of giving the gift of time or personal experience instead of an actual thing. I think that the gift of this book covers both bases (object + experience) and is one of those gifts that really gives - for both the writer and the reader.
And if you know all the dish on your parent, give it to your child, your spouse a sister. The holidays are about connecting through the heart so perhaps this would be a way to help with that rather than a cuisinart!
Cucina Hand Care Duo in Ginger
It’s passe to bring wine and flowers as a hostess gift (learned after hearing “I’m a recovering alcoholic one too many times or “i have allergies”) so instead, bring something useful, beautiful and unique - and this wonderful hand washing and cream seems to be perfect.
Using a moisturising infusion of olive oil, both the cleansing liquid and cream leave the hands both clean and moisturised. And I should add well scented. My favourite? The ginger because it’s just the right amount of scent without being overpowering. And it works well in both the kitchen and washroom.
So next time you need a little gift, think of this - even if it’s for yourself.
Stich-it: Classic to Cool Embroidery Projects by Jenny Hart
Buy at Amazon
I met Jenny a couple of years ago when and was blown away by her fabulously cool stitching projects. I have to confess, however, that her work intimidated me. First, was I cool enough to have patterned tea towels and secondly could I stitch them? I’m not a crafty girl at all so I was thrilled when I received a copy of her new kit. The how-to guide is not only informative, but entertaining (Jenny has a wicked way with words and humour). The patterns? So perfect! It’s the cutest little kit, coming packaged perfectly. Yes, even I can do this now. Finally!
Capri Blue Jar Candle #6 Volcano
BUY AT: Anthropologie
This candle is my all-time favourite (very seldom do I repurchase the same candle). It’s a sexy, soothing, subtle scent that both men and women seem to love.
The large, glass candle is both attractive and useful; helping to keep the scent going longer and really filling up your home. Light it and your home will glow and smell good. Plus, it’s just beautiful and makes a really wonderful gift!
