Great Gifts!

Almost everyone I know was taking a budgeted approach to gift-giving this year, our family included. Despite facing Fiscal Responsibility (unlike Congress these days - sheesh!), our families came up with some truly cool selections I just have to share...
Probably my favorite gift - this felted soap my Mom found at Anthropologie. The handmade soap is wrapped in soft, natural wool that can be reused after the soap is dissolved. The verbena scent I received is heavenly-fresh, and the hand-thrown dish is perfect!

Many of us have been re-introduced to the down-to-earth foodie genius that was Julia Child this year with the release of Julie and Julia. My in-laws, however, are old school devotees, and gifted us with a two-DVD set of her original series, The French Chef - I can't wait to watch and learn!

And, finally, a gift I imagine many people across the US received: Kindle, from Amazon. The wireless reading device is perfect for us ex-pats - with its wireless capability, we can download the latest must-reads, bypassing our usual two-week shipping delay for a paper version. I can't say I thought about owning one, as I'm still partial to "real" books, but I'm super-psyched about it!

So, how 'bout you? Any unique goodies, or was it membership to the Cheese of the Month club a la Clark Griswold?!

Our Stockings are hung...

As we patiently await the Child in a Manger (and of course, Santa!)

Merry Christmas, from MLHP!

All-Around Inspiration

Everyone has their special way of getting into the holiday spirit. Early in our dating and married years, Ben and I would look forward each year to seeing The Houston Ballet perform The Nutcracker. Watching Tchaikovsky's classic is one of my all-time favorite ways to experience the splendor of the season. I can't wait for the first time Avery is old enough to see Clara dance with her beloved Nutcracker Prince, and venture through the dreamland of the Sugar Plums and Snowflakes!

I don't imagine there are too many little girls who, after seeing The Nutcracker, don't aspire to be ballerinas. With their lithe limbs, graceful relevés, and beautiful frothy costumes who can resist the allure?

If her imagination is so captured, then maybe I'll have the chance to encourage her with an oh-so-subtle reference via room decor - that doesn't include a plethora of princess-themed gaga!

Wouldn't a collection of costume design sketches be wonderful?

Here, an original costume sketch by Ivan Vsevolozhsky's , dating to 1892.

The Rat Queen, by Inga Borg.

Or, maybe a more modern approach - like these Nutcracker-inspired fashion plates by 19 year-old Emily Wong.

If, additionally, the music enchants her, perhaps we could take a cue from other clever designers and use music sheets from The Nutcracker Suite as impromptu wallpaper - could be rather fabulous!

Inspired by these images...

apartment therapy

amyhanna

highfashionhomeblog

bhg

So, what holiday tradition inspires you beyond The Season?

What To Do This Christmas

Each year, I take a moment to read this "suggestion list," and always think it's worth sharing...

What To Do This Christmas

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Share some treasure. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty with word and deed. Keep a promise. Find the time. Forego a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Listen. Apologize if you were wrong. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Appreciate others. Be kind; be gentle. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Deserve confidence. Take up arms against malice. Decry complacency. Express your gratitude. Go to church. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love. Speak it again. Christmas is celebration, and there is no celebration that compares with the realization of its true meaning - with the sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself toward the core of life. Then, only then, is it possible to grasp the significance of that first Christmas - to savor in the inward ear the sweet music of the angel choir; to envision the star-struck sky, and glimpse, behind the eyelids, the ray of light that fell upon a darkened path and changed the world. - Author Unknown

No SAD for Me!!

It has been overcast, gray, drizzly and cold since we arrived in Texas. Yes, it "feels" more like Christmas than it did in Brazil, but seriously, Where's the Sun???
I'm guessing Seasonal Affective Disorder will be kicking in soon for some people, but I don't imagine the owners of these spaces will be among the afflicted.

via roomlust

via roomlust

Every home needs a perpetually-cheery room, and a south-facing window, no?

Based on a Hot Tip...

I just happened to check High-Heeled Foot in the Door late Saturday afternoon to see that Camila had posted a Hot Tip about there being Chinese garden seats on sale for Twenty Bucks (srsly?) at Big Lots.

My sister and I made a mad dash to our local "BL," and sure enough - tucked into a back corner were these... Not the most inspiring color palette, but for such a steal, totally workable. Now...if I could just get free shipping to South America, I'd be set!

Better

Three reasons today is better than yesterday:

1) This was the scene last night

2) Your incredibly warm and supportive comments stemming from my post yesterday ( a virtual group-hug, no?). Thank You.

3) My new camera came in, and I'm positively giddy with how cool it is!

Good Grief!

It's tough to blog about pretty, "designerly" things when you're in a funky, non-festive mood - as I am today. I love being Home for the Holidays, but it doesn't change the fact that we're out of our home, out of our routine, and sort of just bobbing around in our family's daily activities.
Avery has gotten to an age where she misses her friends and "normal" schedule when we're away from Brazil, and it shows in her behavior - she's bored. It makes me feel like a less-than-stellar Mommy when I fail to fill her non-preschool days with fun play and activities. It also makes me fearful of what our lives hold in the upcoming months...
Since we have elected for this baby to be born here, rather than in Brazil, we (Mother and dependents - no Daddy-O) are mandated to be firmly planted on Stateside ground a minimum of six weeks before, and six weeks after Due Date. Needless to say, as much as I'm excited about the new baby, the thought of our family being split up for at least twelve weeks is daunting.
This is not to say I don't recognize the huge amount of blessings my family and I have been bestowed. I think about military families - Dads who have never seen their newborn child, or Mothers making huge sacrifices to Serve, and realize I need to eat a little Humble Pie...

I don't mean to be today's Debbie Downer. I'd love to present a glossy, design-heavy blog that never wanders into the realm of my Real Life, but then, would all you truly wonderful and supportive peeps hang around?

A front has just blown through, and the Sun is showing her face again. Nice.

...All tied up with string

Do you plan your gift wrap? I'm a bit of a packaging snob, myself. I certainly feel that the effort to put together an interesting wrap ensemble constitutes part of the gift. I tend to go with gift "themes," but the last few years have stuck with a classic, solid glossy red paper with white, wide, double-faced satin ribbon that is easily reusable. Until today, I really hadn't thought about what sort of gift packaging "look" I'd go for, but since I forgot my stash of ribbon in Brazil, I'll be changing things up a bit. I must be in a no-fuss kind of mood this year, because this brown parcel paper/red baker's string combo is striking a chord...

However, going simple doesn't necessarily mean going lame. There's always gift tags to help dress up a package. I could spend hours perusing paper goods... Found every look you can imagine on Etsy - some faves I'm considering (and, clearly, need to get a move on ordering!) Simple, elegant from paperandinkling

Charming, from lynchgirl
... and js design
and whimsical. From PrettySmitten
PSPapergoods
...and HenriHopper (my frenchie-owning sister needs these!)
But I really don't know if I can turn down one of these clever creations from EveryJotandTittle


























Eeenie, Meenie Miney MO!!

Switching Gears

We survived - barely. Let's just say there was vomit, and a three-hour delay. A 2:30 a.m. departure, and a 10 hour flight. You get the idea.
BUT, we arrived safely, and that's about all I could ask for.

I'm finally ready to switch gears and get into the Christmas spirit. It's been slow-coming for me this year. I think primarily because I can't believe it's already the holidays. I know it's cliché, but I really feel like it was just January!

In the 48 hours we've been Home, I've seen the earliest snow in South Texas, and have gotten some much "needed" shopping done.

So glad to be joining the festive ranks! Be back soon!

Spotted! Jenny and RPatz!

Appears Birthday wishes DO come true for our fave blogstress, Jenny (My Favorite and My Best). Girlfriend, share the love, why don'tcha, but more importantly, HAVE AN AMAZING BIRTHDAY!!!

We love ya!

Big Girl Room: Revealed

I had hoped to get every little detail in place before I revealed Avery's Big Girl Room, but time has really crept up on me. So, without further ado...

I have some thoughts on the finished project, but first, I'd like to hear your (honest) take. I'll be back next week with all the deets, but in the meantime, let the comments fly!

Speaking of flying...We take to the friendly skies tonight for Texas, and I know it'll be a few days before I get back into my blogging groove - getting settled in, adjusting to time changes, and just enjoying being Home. I can't wait to jump into the Christmas spirit!