The Week in Review | December 9-13

December 13, 2013 Julie

Less than two weeks until Christmas! I hope our gift guides helped with some shopping and maybe this Week in Review will help with holiday decorating and festive parties/outings!

Week in Review

Melissa from The Inspired Room created the most beautiful front entryway filled with greenery and twinkle lights and a DIY boxwood wreath chandelier.
Design Mom featured Candice Stringham’s holiday home. All of the photos are stunning but the showstopper has to be her gold branch chandelier with hanging gold stars. Hmm, are we seeing a chandelier theme this WIR?
Kimberly at A Night Owl made some simple ornaments with Martha Stewart Crafts. I think there’s a special place in my heart for log slices!
Definitely stealing this idea from Kathleen from Oh Happy Day. Turn a game night during the holidays into a Reindeer Games Night!
Back in college, all Media Majors completed a final project senior year. A culmination of all our training. I submitted a radio play of the book The Polar Express. In my opinion, it was magical and from then on, I’ve been in love with all things Polar Express. So I’m completely envious of this trip that Danielle from Sometimes Sweet took with her family aboard the Polar Express train! Be sure to read her whole post. What a lovely magical weekend!

Gift Guide 2013 | For Her

December 12, 2013 Julie

I’d be thrilled to receive any of these fabulous gifts for girls but honestly, my favorite gifts are creating memories. A nice dinner out or a weekend away. It’s just so easy to pop on Amazon.com and buy what you need, when you need it. But how often to we treat ourselves to time with the people we love? Not often enough! Especially for us since we’ve spent almost every weekend this year with a paint brush or screw gun in hand. So if I’m really lucky, I hope this Christmas brings me good food, good fun, and good times with loved ones. But let’s look at some pretties anyways…

Gift Guide For Her

The world’s best cupcake delivered to your door? Um, yes please! NYC’s Magnolia Bakery delivers! Personally, I believe their vanilla cupcakes with butter cream frosting in pastel colors is what heaven must feel like. Sincerely.
Nail polish isn’t just nail polish. This year, give her the goods for the perfect mani. A pretty pink or deep red from Chanel never goes out of style.
These Rose Gold Headphones are only for the most posh music lover.
Tis the season to RELAX! She’ll look forward to the new year filled with massages with this Massage Envy gift card. Massage Envy is located all over the U.S. and they are very professional. She’ll be in good hands… literally.
I use pouches to organize makeup, spare office supplies, travel toiletries, or random stuff from getting lost in my purse. You can never have enough pouches and this one from Penguin Books is super cute!
And speaking of books- Coco Chanel’s Biography is on my must read list for next year. Two of her quotes repeat in my head almost daily… “A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous” and “There are people who have money and people who are rich.”
What woman couldn’t use another scarf and this Cashmere Camel Scarf from Nordstrom’s is particularly luxurious.
Diptyque Candles are the best of the best. My favorite scent is Feu de Bois. It makes the whole house smell like a campfire.
This is the gift that will keep on giving. Send a special lady fresh flowers delivered to her home every month! With ProFlowers Flower of the Month Club you can purchase 12 or 6-months of flowers.

Gift Guide 2013 | For Him

1 Comment December 11, 2013 Julie

I know they say men are difficult to shop for but I just love buying gifts for men. It’s a whole other world of shaving products and sports memorabilia and just about anything in wood or leather! So here are some of my picks for those manly men in your lives…

Him Gift Guide

Everyone could use a classic Moleskine Journal. Take notes in a meeting, jot down to do lists, or my favorite- write love songs for that special someone!
Who wouldn’t want to party with Jay Gatsby? There was plenty of Gatsby related merch available after the movie premiered but I like this classic tee from Look Human.
Make sure your man takes care of that beard he’s been growing since Mo-vember with this stylish shave kit from Mr. Porter.
Wool socks are a must for New England winters. I’m a fan of this old-school pair from J. Crew.
Cozy up with your honey under this ultra-soft Caribou Throw from Hudson’s Bay.
Wood watches are all the rage. Keep time with this teak watch from We Wood.
He’ll survive many a long winter with this Collectors Edition set for the truly obsessed Game of Thrones fan.
For the minimalist, this handmade leather pouch holds just the essentials- phone, cash, card.
An authentic MLB game-played bat that can open your beer? What more could you ask for? Red Envelope has a variety of sports memorabilia but this bottle opener is one of my favorites.

Gift Guide 2013 | For Baby

2 Comments December 10, 2013 Julie

Where We Are Blog is following right in line with the rest of the Blogosphere this year and assembling a gift guide series. If you haven’t shopped yet, here’s a sampling of some fabulous finds. I’m starting with the kiddos since after all, they really are the reason for the season! Happy shopping!

Baby Gift Guide

With families spread out all over, this personalized Mini Book of Names & Faces from Pinhole Press will help your little one remember Auntie Jules!
I’m a big fan of wooden toys for kids and these Wooden Blocks from Land of Nod are just classic!
I can think of a couple of cuties that would look sweet and snuggly in this Knit Beanie & Booties from Sevenly.
Who can resist this face fresh from the tubbie? Bundle them in this Nursery Snow Leopard Bath Wrap from Pottery Barn Kids.
I love children’s book quotes for a nursery or playroom and this Where the Wild Things Are print from Etsy is perfect for the wild boys and girls!
When your first nephew is named Noah, you develop a certain sentimental attachment to Noah’s Ark toys. This one from Giggle.com is just beautiful!
Another Giggle.com treasure is this Personalized Bowl & Mug. Perfect for Grammies or Aunties to keep at their houses for when VIP guests come to visit!
And who can resist a cute dolly? The Knit Crowd Dolls from the Land of Nod look like my kind of gals!

Mystical Monday

3 Comments December 9, 2013 Julie

Every year, my college roommates and I try to spend one day catching up and reminiscing. During college and the years that followed we typically spent a fall day in New England enjoying fun on a farm complete with a dizzying corn maze. In the last few years, we’ve taken to Christmastime in Mystic, Connecticut. It’s a good half way point for us with some in Massachusetts and some still in Connecticut. I’ve known these fabulous women for ten years now and this year in particular with husbands and kids in tow, felt like there were so many more years to come!

Mystic

But on to Mystic itself… Christmastime in Mystic Connecticut is magical! It’s a lovely lovely coastal town with a mix of some large homes, old homes, little cottages, and a thriving downtown. We typically eat at Mystic Pizza which was a terrible movie but they make great pizza! Downtown is lovely to walk through but can get pretty crowded and parking is tricky. We usually end up at Olde Mystic Village just next to the Mystic Aquarium.

This little area is filled with cute shops and places to eat/snack. It has a huge parking lot but the paths between shops are closed to traffic so it’s the perfect place to grab a hot cup of coffee and stroll. Back in college, the roomies and I would exchange gifts and then drive around singing carols and looking at Christmas lights. We did this once or twice in Mystic too and I was tempted to stay later and drive around with Jared this year. Maybe when we all have kiddos we can actually spend a weekend at the Whaler’s Inn in Mystic where we have always wanted to stay and spend the evening piled in a car with cocoa and carols.

Thanks for a perfect day roomies! Can’t wait until our next reunion and to see what the next ten years will bring!