Today, I have a little visual distraction to break up your busy week.
I don't know about your family, but we only plan to do some very modest gift giving this year. Times are tough and it doesn't seem appropriate to so lots of lavish spending, when there are so many hard-pressed families out there this year. I want to make sure there is enough money left over to donate to local, charitable food and toy drives after our own shopping is all said and done.
Still, it is fun sometimes to do a little wishful thinking and look at nice things.
So, that's just what I have here for you today. A wish list of pretty things, many of them garden or nature inspired items.
Wire Terrarium at Pottery Barn
Wooden Terrarium at Pottery Barn
Farmers Market Baskets at Anthropologie
Handmade, Rustic Porcelain Pedestals at Herriott Grace.
Nikole Herriott is a Canadian blogger who has a small online shop where she sells unique, one of a kind handmade items, many of them made by her own father.
Check out her blog here: www.fortysixthatgrace.blogspot.com Check out her shop here: Herriott Grace.
I love her father's wooden creations like this Red Cedar Candy Dish. All the shop's wooden products are hand-carved or hand-turned and finished with corn oil. This particular item is sold out at the moment, but you can sign up to be on their mailing list by clicking the link: Herroitt Grace
How about the Rolls Royce of watering cans? Haws watering can at Lee Valley
Canada's Garden Therapy has handmade floral pillows are created from flowers grown in their home garden, photographed and printed on linen-cotton canvas. Check out the Garden Therapy blog by clicking the link or purchase a pillow at their Etsy shop here: Garden Therapy Handmade Store.
Martha Sturdy Shallow Resin Bowl in Shimmer Red from Provide Home. I have always wanted one of these exquisite and pricy bowls by Canadian Designer extraordinary Martha Sturdy.
From the top left :Ehrman Tapestry Gatherings by Margaret Murton Fire Flowers by Kaffe Fassett Fleurs by Raymond Honeyman India Garden by Raymond Honeyman
These are not pillows, but rather are needlepoint kits from the English company Ehrman (they have distributors worldwide). If you have often wished you had something to do while watching television other than nibbling, then this may be the hobby for you. The needlepoint stitch is basic and dead easy to learn.
So what's one your wish list this holiday season?
I am being more practical this year than usual and am asking Santa Claus for a very basic sewing machine. I am sure there will also be something pretty and maybe even a few books under the tree for me as well.
My son is the hardest person on my list to shop for. Why are men so darn hard to buy for?
Hello Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous things you are showing. It's always difficult to buy somebody a christmaspresent. And to buy a man something? It's even more difficult! I agree.
Greatings from
Marijke
Oh, I had to play catch-up and read your older post, too. I'm so sorry to hear about all the 'excitement' at your house. Being a homeowner certainly does have it's not so great moments, I can heartily agree with that. I'm glad it was only a fuse, but what a lot of hoopla they put you through! And then to have a toilet run over...oh, yuck. And to have a little puppy in the house is really fun, but REALLY a lot of work too, along with everything else.
ReplyDeleteNow, on to the Christmas gifts, I loved those trees, how cool they are! There are so many great ideas out there, and I have so little time, but I love to dream. And I really don't have anything on my wish list, except to 'someday ' add on a mudroom so the rest of the house could be mud-free!
Very lovely things here! :-)
ReplyDeleteI loved the terrariums! And the various cushions caught my attention, too. Our family is very small and we opted, by mutual consent, to stop exchanging Christmas gifts a couple of years ago. Someone always tends to break the rule by handing out very small gifts, but we have recommitted to sticking with the arrangement this year. We also won't be doing any decorating or preparing lavish meals. In our climate, light, easy cold platters in an unfussy, casual setting just seem so much better than the alternative. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I lived in a Northern hemisphere country and had to see out long, dark winters.
ReplyDeleteHope little Madon is doing great and that the dramas have abated on the home front :)
Oops! MADOR!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments. Here is an update on our family disasters. The toilet blockage was fixed with a good plunging. Fortunately, the toilet overflowed on the refill and so the water that flooded over the top was as clean as water from a toilet can get.
ReplyDeleteWe were able to mop up the water fairly quickly. Then we ran a space heater to help dry out the wood floor in the bathroom. Sadly, a portion of the kitchen ceiling will need to be replaced.
The furnace repair is somewhat unresolved still, but at least we have heat and hot water!
Desiree, Don't worry, I get Hanna's puppy's name wrong too! Apparently, I misspelled it in my post. It is "Mator" not "Mador". He is named after a truck in the animated movie Disney "Cars".
I am glad to report that he is doing just fine. No accidents yesterday or today! Good boy! This morning he ran around like a little speed demon (driving me mad in the process).
Presently, a tuckered Mator is sound asleep laying on his side, round belly exposed. He looks as sweet and innocent as a little lamb.
Hey, now I want them, too!
ReplyDeleteReally, that is a neat idea you have.
You have such an eye for exquisite style! I saw those colorful market baskets at Anthropologie and had to have them!
ReplyDeleteThere is an Ehrman needlepoint kit wrapped up for my stepdaughter this Christmas (but one caution, they are incredibly expensive and you have to sign a homeland security form to accept them from the shipper. I'm not kidding, they won't deliver without a signature. I think they are shipped from a middle east exporter or something) Aren't they beautiful!
Jennifer, you have picked some of my favorite shops to show what they have so special. The needlepoint designs are just lovely.
ReplyDeleteEileen
So much to drool for! Loved your post!
ReplyDeleteI really like those Garden Therapy pillows. Those are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful selections to dream over! I found a link sometime back for a company that will use your photographs and print them on pillows...I need to dig that out...You're always reminding me of little things I should do!
ReplyDeleteBtw, Mador is ADORABLE and totally worth the effort just for the precious photo ops!
I agree men are hard to buy for. I always get my husband house shoes for Christmas. He loves them, and it's expected now! I've really enjoyed this 'window shopping'! I love the terrariums!
ReplyDeleteAll of them will make a wonderful Christmas gift.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Christmas eye candy! I love the wooden trees; and, terrarium (until I saw the price!). I agree men are so hard to buy for! The "men" in my life want Legos, books, dehydrator, and gift cards (a bit impersonal) but for younger adults they can buy what they want. Etsy is great, isn't it! I love how many creative people there are out there!
ReplyDeleteThe terrarium definitely caught my eye! Yes, it's always hard to buy gifts for men and even boys. Hubby and son just bought a pair of binoculars. They have been telling me how beautiful the moon is. Is that a suitable idea?
ReplyDeleteWest Elm and Etsy are two stores my daughter recently introduced me to. Great finds there.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are buying each other dry wall for Xmas.... we are mid garage conversion! I'm mores excited to have that than lingerie!!
I have the exact same issue with hubby. This time of year is torture as I have christmas, followed by anniversary, followed by his birthday and I have the hardest time thinking of even one gift for him. Those needlepoint pillows remind me of ones we used to have in our house when I was little. Happy memories there.
ReplyDeleteLove love love those blue earrings!! What a great assortment of ideas.
ReplyDeleteI agree, men are hard to buy for. We buy our male relatives cookbooks and the females get tools. :-)
I absolutely love the wooden cutout trees, and those beautiful blue earrings.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing almost all homemade gifts of my photography this year for Christmas. Adds a nice personalized touch I think.
For the several last years, I've been suggesting to my husband to skip gifts giving. But, old habits are difficult to break. I still don't have anything for him. A framed family picture is my usual gift for him when nothing else is found. My boys will have the best gift ever - a new puppy.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays to you! I'll check the sites which you recommended.
I hear ya on the gift giving! We went through some of our toys already to make donations and are concentrating on creating family traditions through making, baking, and hanging! Love the trees from West Elm! Merry Merry!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, hope you have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE the terrarium.
like :)
ReplyDeleteFor once a list where I am left thinking - oh - I want it all. With you I'll imagine. I've been a Kaffe Fassett fan for decades. Have knitted lots of his patterns!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful items!! My husband and I aren't exchanging gifts at all this year. We ripped out our carpet to install hard wood over the summer and told each other Merry Christmas then. Besides, when I told him no more gift cards, he looked slightly terrified and was relieved at not exchanging gifts. I do really love those earrings, though!!
ReplyDeleteIf a post at Blotanical has lots of picks I will read, maybe comment, but not pick. I try to encourage new blogs instead. But I get frustrated by the list and leave, so I'm taking it very quietly there for now.
ReplyDeleteDo delete this - just BTW for you.