Sequin + Blazer

Gift Idea # 5

Nothing says "I spent time, money AND thought on your gift" better than a DIY project. And they don't come any easier than this one, from A Pair and a Spare.

SEQUIN BLAZER DIY:

all you need is this:

 and VOILA you get this:

ok ok real instructions here.

Scouting + Styling

Gift Idea #4

Just stumbled upon this little gem called "Sara Kate Studios: Scoting and Styling". Full of wonderful vintage and modern finds.

Sara Kate is a "Stylist who loves art, history, and travel. I'm brimming with curiosity for the world, and consider myself a lover of places and pieces."

French Velvet Ribbon.

$30

Set of Three Vintage Pharmacy Boxes.

$66

Sustainable Bamboo Guest Toothbrushes.

$12.50

Vintage Chemistry Set.

$48

and of course.... 

German Glass Glitter- GOLD

$15

Check out her blog Sara Kate Studios.

Spotted on Note to Self.

Colouring + Books

Gift Idea #3

Holiday Gift of the Year:

A Parks and Rec Colouring Book by teamart.

It doesn't get any better than this, folks.

also check out:

 John Hamm A Colouring Book

Voldemort, The Dark Lord A Coloring Book

90's Pop Divas A Colouring Book

Spotted on Miss Moss.

Beard + Book

Gift Idea #2

A Book of Beards.

This book not only exhibits the natural beauty of beards but the proceeds from the first pressing will go towards helping a friend fight testicular cancer.

 Additional Proceeds will go towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Here is a lovely entry from the book:

TIME

by Mike Cummings

If the age of a tree can be determined by the rings it contains within, consider a man's whiskers his own measuring stick. They come in all shapes and sizes. And the eventually will all turn grey at some point. Long or short, thick or thin, unkempt or cropped, the hair on a man's chin can say a lot about the time he has spent on this planet.

Growing a beard is not something that can be rushed. It's a slow process, staring at you in the mirror everyday. It is the epitome of the word "time". And time can do a lot of things to a man. It can build him memories, friendships, and loves. It can take those very things away.

The question I am inevitably asked when meeting someone is "I wish I could grow a beard like that. How do you do it?" To which I respond with the only truthful answer there is...time.

Spotted on Size too Small.

New + Year

Gift Idea #1

The approaching new year means one thing: Calender Shopping! 

There's literally no better time to do it.

Here's a fun one from Anthropologie called "Globe Trotter"

also this one from yumalum made me chuckle:

Spotted on Miss Moss.

Gift+ Guide (Part VI)

And, by special request from my dear friend Louis, the final gift guide of the season:

For your gorgeous girlfriend who looks good in anything, brings you soup when you are sick, glistens when she works out and somehow manages to teach you something new everyday:

because god forbid Glitterature seem, and I quote, "heteronormative".

Literary Note Card set from Out of Print. With cover art from all of her favorite classics. Bonus: proceeds send books to communities in need. boom, double whammy.

This super sexy sleepwear set from Free People. You just can't go wrong with red lace.

Crack Me Hidden Note by LitteOkins. These adorable customizable eggs show up at your girlfriends door, and she cracks it open to find a message from you! Bizarre but sweet! Below are some other cute designs. Lovin' the gold elk one. duh. 

GOLD PLAYING CARDS. I kid you not. She'll love them and wouldn't they be perfect for a rainy-day in? I'm full of good ideas. By A+R.

The concept behind this scarf might be even cooler than the scarf itself. A bunch of ex-pats living in  Peru's Andean Highlands with a passion for knitting have created an online marketplace for their dozens of knitting creations, along with DIY ideas and tons more. Check it out: Wool and the Gang.

What are her thoughts on Ireland? How about owning property? Because for only $49.99, you can purchase her a square foot of rural Ireland from BuyIreland. Kind of like that whole "naming a star" circa A Walk to Remember, but this one you could actually potentially go visit. and it won't make you cry like a baby.

 Hey, it's different.

So as we all know, buying perfumes for a girl can be difficult because we all have different tastes. There's the clean, "linen" girl, there's the sweet, floral girl, and then there's the rich, musky, amber-y girl (that's me). The best way around all of this confusion? Get her Sephora's Scent Sampler. She'll receive 12 sampler fragrances of Sephora's top selling perfumes, and once she chooses her favorite, she gets to switch it out for a full size bottle of her choice. I got this for Christmas one year and not only got a super sophisticated bottle of Prada out of it, but also kept, and still use, all the mini samplers. You can't go wrong with this one.  

Tattly Temporary "Besties" Tattoo. 

Because nothing says true love like a good temporary tattoo. 

Yoshitomo Nara: The Complete Works. 

To satisfy the artiste in her because this legendary Japanese Pop artist is to die for.

NARS lipstick in Heat Wave. 

The lipstick that claims to look good on everyone. So no worries, it will flatter her skin tone. Because I know you were worried about that.

A bouquet of flowers. It's simple, inexpensive and right around the corner. Its worked for the last couple hundred of centuries and, last I checked, it still woos. Go get 'em, tiger.

Gift+Guide (Part V)

For your best friends who are the loudest scene-causing people you know, people-watch in the library with you, agree on who to consider evil, can sit with you in a cafe for hours doing nothing and, most importantly, like to rumpus.

For the forgetful- a chalkboard skull by IamHome

This sexy gold leather turban by ban.do

Wood Earbud holder for the music obsessed by Acoustic Creations.

Honey Almond Milk Pure Organic Foaming Shower Gel from American Apparel. Heavenly

Potentially tasty...? 10 Maple Bacon Breakfast Lollipops by Custom Candy Creations. I'll let the recipient be the judge of this one... 

Tarte for True Blood Limited Edition natural cheek stain. Now they can pretend to be a victim of the immortals they know and love.

Personalizable Beer Holster for your fratastic friends. Their dream come true.

To share and compare.

I know and architecture student or two who might find this useful. Eraser/brush combo. Pretty nifty, eh? By Present&Correct.

Lomography La Sardina DXL Analogue Camera from Urban Outfitters. Heck, I want this. 

This to-die-for knitted gold sequin jacket from TopShop cause what girl wouldn't fall in love with it?

Black and gray bearded lumberjack hat from beardbeanie. For your boyos with a sense of humor and a cold face.

NARS Body Glow. Because it looks good on everyone.

Gift + Guide (Part IV)

For your boyfriend who is a hipster lumberjack, plays chess, welds, speaks 3 languages and always has a wittier comeback:

"Coming in what is perhaps the most masculine perfume bottle ever designed, Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather Perfume is rich in leather, black suede and amber wood notes."

mmm mmm good.

U-Lock holster. So convenient. So manly.

Kurt Geiger's Isla Mittens to keep his hands toasty warm.

Dante's Divine Comedy.

What he tells people his favorite book is.

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

What you know his favorite book actually is.

(Hardcover Classics Covers designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith with Penguin)

Grey Chambray utility shirt from J. Crew.

"The Shrine."

To organize all of his LP's while simultaneously playing that new M83 album.

Clubmaster Ray Ban's. Channel his inner James Dean.

The Perfect grey V-Neck from GAP.

Forage Bow Ties to match his eyes from STAG.

Men's blue long socks by Muza, because the wooden cabin you live in together can get chilly in the winter.

The Camper Satchel in Grey Waxed Canvas by Sketchbook. To carry pine cones around in, apparently.

This lovely handcrafted driftwood mirror on Etsy, so that he can look at his reflection (mirror not shown).