Here's to a festive, restful, and beautiful holiday.

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

{image via danagraves}

a cappella love

image via NewTimes

We've all got our secret television shames/pleasures, right? Well, my latest has been the a cappella show, Sing-Off. It's everything that "American Idol" is not - fun, incredibly earnest, and full of damn talented people who can actually sing (plus Nick Lachey is kinda amazing in his role as host who goes all out with his wall to wall punning). Anyway, the second season is now over (boo!), but watch on Hulu if you get a chance - it'll totally make your heart sing (was that a good one, Nick?)

P.S.

Since I am in confession mode and have already shared my love for the show in general...

This cover of Coldplay's "Fix You" brought tears to my eyes.

And this group's cover of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" is everything awesome.

And, yeah, I know, I am a dork.

free and pretty printable gift tags

 

 by Eat, Drink, Chic

Because I won't leave the house to go Christmas shopping again and because we've got new ink in the printer - I'm going this route for tagging my gifts. And aren't all free holiday tags great? Just click on the link belonging to the tag(s) that wins your favor and follow instructions to download the printable/PDF format.

Happy printing!

by Blush Printables

by west elm

by Heather Powers

by notion: creative

by Marmalade Moon

by sweet jessie

by Sew, Mama, Sew!

by Paper Crave

Snowflake Kites

Video courtesy of youtube

This holiday ad from Starbucks is so captivating. Those snowflake kites are cheerful, serene, beautiful....I had to search around and see if they were available to regular joes. Since the answer to questions like this are always on the Internet, I was pretty sure I would be able to find out.

Sure enough- http://jordanairkites.com/snowflakes.html.

It seems Dean Jordan has been a kite enthusiast since a young age and he is responsible for these wind powered beauties. His company's site is filled with other incredible designs as well, but I remain partial to the snowflakes. There is just something about their delicate intricacy and how they look right at home in the winter sky....it would be pretty amazing to start a collection of these kites to fly during the holiday season.

oh lovely science!

 "1939 snapshot of orion"

If you need convincing that science can be as striking as a work of art - check out airform's science flickr set. It is such a gorgeous (and informative) collection of images.

Airform's flickr is here and his blog, "Airform Archives," is here.

This hand drawn "Phases of the Moon" was taken from a kid's notebook dated 1910.

 

 "images of mars as seen during different seasons"

"butterfly wings through a microscope"

 "an illustration from an article on telemetry in a 1950 issue of electronics world"

"eyemap from a 1964 issue of scientific american"

 

"images from soap bubbles by c.v.boys, 1911"

Thursday, a Christmas stocking, and Etsy

Image courtesy of TheFloatingWorkshop

When I was little, my favorite part of Christmas morning was going through my stocking. I loved that it was filled with treasures in miniature and chocolate and especially girly trinkets. Of course opening presents was a huge thrill too, but I always grabbed the stocking first....

This Thursday and Etsy comes just in time for the big day- a collection of Christmas stocking stuffers that is sure to brighten the morning!

To start - the stocking itself - there are so many fantastic stockings out there, but I am especially fond of these numbers- the Peekaboo and the Retro Santa. I can just imagine them brimming with treats.

cardinals, blue birds. peekaboo stocking courtesy of smidgebox

Simple Retro Santa Stocking courtesy of nissalynnhome

These finger puppets will be right at home inside any stocking:

Splish Splash Friends -Furry Fingers Finger Puppets courtesy of sweetmellyjane

For the girls - there is something sweetly special about this personalized pendant necklace:

Claire Loves Cherries personalized painted doll pendant courtesy of peanutbutterbandit

Some unique ponytail holders....

little friends ponytail holders courtesy of breadandbuttons

And some stuffed owlies for color-filled play the whole year through:

wee Liberty owlies courtesy of krakracraft

For the boys- what could be better than the superhero version of yourself?

custom superhero peggie courtesy of nakedpeggies

An intimidating and cool way to carry your lunch money....

A Monster Ate My Lunch Money courtesy of TheBurbs

And some fizzy Astro Bathstroids will liven up any tub:

Astro Wild Bathstroid Bath Bombs courtesy of jessicawelch

Everybody is creative in one way or another, so some sidewalk paint and recycled crayons will help them show it to the world:

Sidewalk paint party favors courtesy of SidewalkSensations

Crayon Butterflies-set of 6- courtesy of zeebree

Recycled crayon blocks and men -set of 8- courtesy of zeebree

A little something that is just for you....and your tree:

handmade wooden folk art ornament courtesy of mooshoopork

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Ornament courtesy of artagglomeration

A festive touch to top it all off...

Christmas Tradition Pinwheels-set of 12- courtesy of ElizabethSt

And no stocking would be complete without, at least a few, holiday sweets:

Large round Christmas themed chocolate lollipops courtesy of Candycassions

Peppermint Bark- Snowflake shaped - courtesy of cakesandmorewi

Fingers crossed that I find a stocking even half as cool on my mantel this Christmas!

"One of the great ironies of my life is that...I am a writer for illiterates." - Mo Willems

image via guardian.co.uk

The quote which titles this post was spoken by Mo Willems, a children's book writer and illustrator, in a documentary about children's literature that's working the festival circuit right now called "Library of the Early Mind." It hasn't made it to NC quite yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will because it looks like it could be really interesting (see the trailer below and, fyi, don't get too put off by the somber music. I don't know if it creates the right mood for the movie, but here's hoping that the movie makers will still tweak with that element of the film).

Anyway, while I wait for this movie to come to me - if you are in LA or MA know that screenings are headed your way (lucky ducks!). For the rest of us there is the documentary's blog (http://childrenslitproject.wordpress.com/) to poke around in and find pleasure in the mini interviews excepted from the film with the likes of everyone from Jane Yolen to Daniel Handler (yep, that's the man who is also known as "Lemony Snicket").

via YouTube

Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas

There are so many holiday specials out there. I can definitely take or leave most of them , but my very favorite is actually kind of hard to find in most line-ups. Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas is based on a Russell Hoban/Lillian Hoban (of "Frances the Badger" fame) story and has all the sweet natured charm and humor of the classic Muppets.
Jim Henson developed this " 'Gift of the Magi' with a twist" tale of Emmet Otter and his Ma and it should be a staple of the season. With all of the junky holiday television programming out there these days, it is just nice to see a production with some Christmas spirit....the furry Mupppets are a bonus!

Christmas is approaching in Frogtown Hollow, and Emmet Otter and his Ma hope to buy gifts for each other. Unfortunately, Emmet doesn't make enough from the odd jobs he does, and Ma doesn't make enough as a laundress. They decide to compete in the Frog Town Hollow Talent Contest in order to win money, but Ma will have to hock Emmet's tool chest to buy a costume, and Emmet will have to put a hole in Ma's washtub for his band!

Image courtesy of Google

sequin animals

I saw these fancified woodland animals over on The Soho and just had to share...

Not only are these animals from West Elm both cozy cute and cool metallic -- they are also on sale for $14.99 each (talk about a unique and affordable gift) AND $5 bucks of the purchase goes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Sounds like an all around great gift to me!

UPDATE:
Now these lovelies are marked down to $9.97. Now you can go and get one for yourself too!

images via West Elm

snoozing in a winter wonderland

I would love to spend the month of December tucking in to this bedroom each night- festive, cozy and bright!

Image courtesy of countryliving

Thursday, a paper town, and Etsy

via 1canoe2

I say why bother getting a pre-made, pre-set, or perfectly matched paper village when you put together your own by filling it with the unique and beautiful paper structures found on that lovely Etsy site.

To begin, as a city girl I would surely need at least one skyscraper in my paper town (via seasprayblue):

And who doesn't want a historic cottage? I like this one, which is based on a design by S.B. Reed, an architect who was popular during the period following the Civil War (via CatalogHouses):

Every town also needs needs an adorable little home that doubles as (why not?) a super cute gift box (via chia83):

And "yes please" do put a very cool Scottish tenement in my village of paper too (via finchandfouracre):

And maybe my town will be on an island so I'll need this sweet harbor island house as well (via seasprayblue):

And I seriously adore this letterhouse paper house so much that I'd have to have a street full of 'em (via 1canoe2):

And because my town would surely be oh so cultured - I would definitely need to add this paper model of the Globe Theatre to my downtown (via Paperlandmarks):

And because every town needs a "haunted" house - why not make that house be a replica of "The Bewitched" house? (via cinderellamoments):

And because this is no paper town without at least one Vintage Putz style Christmas home, let's just narrow it down to three...

Like this yellow and ruby red abode (via myattictreasures):

Or this mini and pink Christmas castle (via 5gardenias):

Or the coziest Christmas home ever (via carolfysher):