Merry Christmas!

I can't believe its Christmas Eve already! I feel like I was just trimming my tree yesterday and decorating my house for Christmas. The holidays always pass so quickly that I find myself wondering where they went? I'm hoping to do a better job this year of stopping amidst the hustle and bustle to enjoy the real reason for Christmas and to savor the moments with my family and friends.

So, I'm signing off today until after the holidays (not sure yet if that means Christmas or New Year's too), but I want to leave you with a few of my favorite Christmas links this season...

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I wish I had the patience to wrap gifts as beautiful as this!

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Loving and this inspiration board...and this one...oh and this one too!

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I'm digging the use of a birdcage in this holiday decor.

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This is a great idea for a holiday party favor.

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They say cooking is a way to a man's heart, and this recipe might be just the ticket.

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Oh how I love a Christmas Tree!

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This AMAZING clutch would be the perfect finishing touch to any holiday outfit.

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I can't stop thinking about this festive dessert table.

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Ok, well that wraps up my links for the holidays. I hope Santa finds you tonight...Merry Christmas!!

Holiday Party Inspiration

This fabulous tablescape had me at hello!! I was immediately struck by the dramatic candle display and knew that I just had to design a holiday inspiration board around this gorgeous table.
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And this is what I came up with...
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I love the combination of warm colors, the glow of candlelight and twinkle lights that gives this board a cozy holiday vibe. I hope your Christmas is full of warmth (despite cold winter weather) this season!

Top photo via This is Glamorous, Inspiration Board designed on Style Circle

Greenery Bliss

When I saw this fabulous door on Marianne's blog yesterday, I decided to pop on over to Country Living to see more gorgeous homes (i.e. eye candy) decorated for the holidays. Lately, I've been drawn to all things rustic, so of course I love the simple use of greenery in all these images...especially when its combined with pinecones or wheat.


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How do you decorate for the holidays? Do you keep it simple or go all out???

My Gift Guide...

I really hope you enjoyed my "guest blog" series last week on Christmas gift picks from some of my favorite bloggers. I was so inspired by all their fabulous ideas that I decided to find my own favorite gifts for the season. I found myself falling into the same trap as Marianne...I really wanted to share gift ideas for your family (mom, dad, brother, sister, husband)...BUT I ended up picking things very girly...and mostly what I would want to find under the tree. So for you or the other women in your life, check out these ideas...

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How gorgeous are these dangle earrings from J.Crew? They would be the perfect accessory for your holiday attire (Christmas or New Year's Eve)!

This Linda & Harriett 2010 calendar is oh so beautiful and would look lovely hanging in my office!

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If you have never smelled this AMAZING candle, you MUST go purchase one for yourself as soon as possible. I light this candle every time I have company over and it makes my house so much more inviting!

I have had my eye on La Plates for awhile and even tried to win them in a give-a-way recently without much luck. These plates have me aching for summer so that I can have a backyard cookout. I would LOVE to be eating off these on my back deck this spring/summer....only 5 months or less until warm weather!

I am DYING for this fabulous personal address stamp. Its sooo much more unique and fun than writing your own return address!

Do you have a favorite gift idea for the Christmas season???

Photos via J.Crew, Linda and Harriett, Votivo, La Plates, Lettergirl

Now from Caroline....

I was so excited when Sid asked me to write a post on holiday gifts.
There are so many things on my wish list this season, for myself and others.
Here are a few of my favorites from my holiday little black book.

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...................................................................Custom Pet doodle.

I love this idea.
I am new pet owner and anything having to do with Westies, I now love.
I'm sure it is the same with most pet owners.
Such a creative and unique gift.
Found here (http://www.etsy.com/shop/lmnoprint)
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For little ones in your life, why not this lovely and organic goose!

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He made me smile when I found him here (http://brookfarmgeneralstore.bigcartel.com/product/goose)

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For the vanity in all of us. Indulge in the the Clarisonic Skin Brush

(http://www.clarisonic.com/us/).
I hear it works wonders. I am hoping Ole Saint Nick drops one through my chimney.

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I love paper. And stationary and note cards are great and easy gifts for anyone.
They can be personalized for your mother, girlfriends or mother-in-law.
They can also be an easy gift to give to co-workers or your children's teachers.
I am swooning over Dabney and Lee right now. Swooning.

found here (http://dabneylee.com/)

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And shoes are a must on any wish list of mine.

I adore these and dig the purple.

Found here (www.toryburch.com)

Bloggers Gift Guide: Caroline from Through Rose Colored Glasses

Today wraps up my favorite bloggers gift guide for the Christmas season! I have one last (but definitely not least) blogger sharing her picks today...Caroline from Through Rose Colored Glasses. If we can get over a few technical difficulties, I promise her post will be up shortly! In the meantime, you must go check out her blog! She has been posting over the past couple of weeks some fabulous and fun gift ideas, so I asked her to compile her favorites in a post for me. I'm always hopping over to Caroline's blog to get fashion advice or to get a good laugh in for the day. Caroline and I used to work together and she always kept me smiling. I miss you Caroline!!

Stay tuned.....

Bloggers Gift Guide: Marianne from Haven and Home

I hope you all have been enjoying all the guest posts this week from my favorite bloggers out in the blogosphere! I've definitely gotten some great ideas for Christmas gifts this season. Today, Marianne from Haven and Home is sharing her favorite picks. Her blog is one of my daily reads and I'm so thankful that I know and am friends with Marianne in and outside of the blog world! She is a fabulous interior decorator who has given me many helpful tips for my home, which I am ever so grateful for!


Thank you Sidney for having me on so.chic! I am thrilled to be here. When Sidney asked me to do a gift post I told her, "I think I am going to pick gifts for my family so I will have something to follow." Wellllllll, somehow this turned into gifts for me, oops! So here are some things I would love to find under the tree this year.
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I love calendars, I love flipping to the next month and seeing the new image. This one from Night Owl Paper Goods, printed on wood sheets is so cool. It is a must have.

Ever walk out of a store to the panicky feeling you don't know where you left your car or is that just me? This device can be set to a certain place(like your cars location) and help you find your way back whenever needed.
A Garmin is on my list because it is one of the best gifts I have received. While I wasn't thrilled when I got it, it has been my new best friend ever since. I honestly can't remember what I did before I had one. Oh wait, yes I can, I would call my husband at work and ask him to Mapquest places for me because I was on the road. (can you guess who gave me this?)
Okay, I did pick out something for family, these cute bands from Etsy I would give to my adorable nieces.
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I love mascara and I love choices, I think that sums up why this gift set from Sephora is on my list.
There are several boots on my list but these by Frye particularly call my name.

If you know me, you know I love dresses, they are basically my uniform. In the winter I am always looking for long sleeve dresses which can be hard to find. This one from Ann Taylor has a great fit and ruffles (which is always a plus in my book).
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Thanks again Sidney!

Bloggers Gift Guide: Kathryn from Snippet and Ink

I am SO thrilled to have Kathryn from Snippet and Ink guest blogging today on her favorite gift ideas for the season! I fell in love with Kathryn's blog awhile ago...and even though I am not planning a wedding, I still sneak a peak every day at her AMAZING inspiration boards! You have got to go check them out....as soon as you finish reading her holiday shopping tips here....

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I'm so excited to be here on so.chic today - thank you so much to Sidney for inviting me! I always think it's nice to have a range of options and prices, and I think gift giving is so much more fun when it's something delightfully unexpected. So, with that in mind, here are some of my picks for this year's holiday gifts...

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beverages:

L: Golden Star Tea is a non-alcoholic sparkling tea, and it's a great (read: sophisticated) alternative to Martinelli's. At $13, it would make a great hostess gift.
R: A unique liquor with a great story, Root is perfect for the men in your life. Or the incredibly cool women.

jewels:

L: Who doesn't love to receive jewelry! Especially unique vintage pieces like these enamel pansies from Doyle & Doyle have been on my wish list for months.
R: For new jewelry, I'm not sure you can beat Sarah Perlis. I especially love these rose cut diamond studs. (Plus, you can get 25% off everything at the Sarah Perlis online shop until the end of December! Just enter code Joy2009 at checkout.)

glass:

Top: Juliska makes wonderfully whimsical glassware, like this pretty bedside carafe. Who wouldn't love one of these!
Bottom: Topping out at $5, these modern glass candle holders from CB2 are both stylish and budget friendly.

surprises:

Anandamayi Arnold is an incredibly talented woman who makes the most beautiful surprise balls from crepe paper, in various shapes like flowers and fruit, that she sells at Tail of the Yak in Berkeley. These are an utterly charming gift idea, and even if you're not in the Bay Area, I imagine you could give the shop a call and have them send one to you.

letter sets:

Top: My only resolution for 2010 is to write more letters, and I'm hoping to convince others to join me by giving beautiful correspondence sets, like these pieces by Alice Gabb.
Bottom: Yellow Owl Workshop has several fun letter writing sets to choose from.

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I hope this gives you some ideas for those tough-to-buy-for friends and family. Happy holidays to you!

Bloggers Gift Guide: Camille from Style Notes

I'm so so excited that Camille from Style Notes is guest blogging today! I've become addicted to her fabulous blog full of chic ideas for entertaining. Camille's blog is bookmarked in my favorites (of course) so its easy to pop on over to Style Notes when I am in need of some party inspiration! XO, Sid

Camille here from Style Notes, & I'm thrilled to share my gift picks of 2009 with the so.chic readers! Since I'm an event planner by day and style blogger by every other waking minute, it should come as no surprise that I'm fairly obsessed with "entertaining-focused" gifts for the chic hostess. In fact, I'd be pretty thrilled to find any of these goodies in my own stocking! So enjoy, & CHEERS to a very festive holiday season!

Bond Street Chocolates (top)

This is one of New York City's most innovative chocolatiers, and one taste of these alcohol-infused bonbons will show you why. Hand molded in-house, each chocolate shell is filled with an intoxicating blend of heavy cream, chocolate and Bourbon, Tequila, Elderflower Liqueur, Vodka, or Armagnac. Yes please!

"Coffee Time" Espresso Set

These Lexon cups are pure genius: see how the saucers double as lids? I love the clean simplicity of polished chrome... very Euro-chic.

Gold Label Monogram Notecards

Every hostess needs a stylish set of monogrammed notecards for jotting down invitations & thank-you notes. These lovelies from sugar paper are the perfect blend of casual+luxe, with letterpress printing in raspberry ink & shimmering gold foil.

Bloggers Gift Guide: Brooke from Blueprint Bliss

There are only 10 shopping days left until Christmas...have you finished or are you just starting? If you are just starting then I hope you will enjoy my bloggers gift guide series this week. I asked a handful of my favorite bloggers to share holiday gifts that they love. Today starts off with Brooke from Blueprint Bliss. Not only is Brooke a dear friend, but she is one of my favorite bloggers on interior design! I hope you enjoy her gift ideas for that special someone in your life...

A special thanks to Sidney for asking me to guest blog about some of my favorite gift ideas for this Christmas season. I've put together a little list of some items that could work for almost anyone on your list!

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For the little one:

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How about a cute appliqued t-shirt from Alphabet Designs? If you supply your item (t-shirt, burp cloth, etc)- Carrie only charges $9 per applique design.

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For Him:

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A favorite of my husband's- luggage by Filson. It's a bit of splurge but worth the money. Here is their travel kit that is $82.50.

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How about a pair of Mountain Khakis? Another one of my husband's favorites.

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For her:

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Possibly a notebook or planner by Sarah Pinto? I saw these recently on Deliciously Organized and just love them. The notebook is only $12 and the planner is $25. Or you can order both for just $30!

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For the book lover... a classic or two with covers designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith. You can now order these from Amazon for less than $14 a piece.

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For your neighbor or teacher or that hard to buy gift:

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Who doesn't love fresh fruit? Order a quarter bushel of grapefruits or oranges for just $19.80. Pittman & Davis also provides free shipping.

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Or perhaps a cookbook? Try the new cookbook put out by Hot and Hot Fish Club of Birmingham.

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I hope this list helps at least one of you find that perfect gift for someone on your Christmas list.

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Merry Christmas!

Brooke at Blueprint Bliss

Santa, Can You Hear Me?

Here are a few items on my Christmas List this year...

I've been wanting a new watch for some time now and came across this lovely little black one at Macy's. It's definitely a bit less traditional than what I typically wear, but I LOVE it!

My friend Brooke has these fabulous glasses, which are great for wine...or juice(depending on time of day, right?) They would be perfect for entertaining!

You may remember this dining room from one of my earlier posts...I just fell in love with the whole design, but especially the lantern used as a chandelier. I REALLY need an updated look in my dining room and this lantern would be just the thing to get me started!

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What do you want Santa to bring you this year???

Photos via Macys, Stonewall Kitchen, My Home Ideas

A Christmas Centerpiece

I've been wanting to decorate my dining room table for Christmas and just haven't had time to think about it with all the parties and Christmas shopping that has distracted me! I'm hoping to get around to it this weekend...or at least figure out the direction I want to go...since I'm having a small Christmas party at my home next weekend. I love these different centerpieces from Better Homes and Gardens that features ornaments. I'm leaning toward the last one...what do you think?

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Its very simple which I like, and I think it would be easy to make. I think a candle or two mixed in might be a nice touch.

Photos via BHG