hint, hint

This year's nautical craze continues, and I am constantly bombarded with things which make me drool.  The fact that my birthday is just over a month away isn't helping, and the beautiful Daytrip Society website makes me want to (a) go to Maine (like NOW), and (b) buy everything and write it off as a birthday treat.

Goodies, clockwise from top left:
Thomas Paul Scrimshaw Tray
Seascape Rubber Stamp Set
Thomas Paul Scrimshaw Coasters
Book of Whale Insults
Saturn Press The Sea Card

o, macarons!

Oh, yes.  I have the best friends ever.  "Expect a courier," she says.  "It's a surprise," she says.  "I think I made one heck of a good choice of friends back in kindergarten," says I.

gimme, day 30

1966 Fiat 600

Wait a minute.  Wasn't this list supposed to include unbelievably extravagant stuff, too?  It was!  Let's get back to that and end this little project on a bang, shall we?

This is my dream car.  I'll have to learn stick to drive it, but just look at it.  That's a car I'd sell my soul for.  Metaphorically speaking.

And so ends my absurdly long Christmas list!  To be honest, if I got all of the things on this list, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.  I wasn't actually expecting to get any of the things on it, but I've heard from some elves that I may be after all.  Which makes me a little bit happy.

Have a merry, merry Christmas, all!

gimme, day 29

vintage classroom pull-down map

I know this may seem overly specific, but I have always loved those pull-down maps.  Which is ironic, considering that most pull-down things (shades, projection screens) make me very angry.  First, they are usually higher than I can reach, and second, they all seem to hate me.  Still, as with all things, I make exceptions for maps.  And look at that blue color.  Can you beat it?  I say no.

gimme, day 28

dog lover edition

clockwise from top left:

treat canister from Harry Barker, rope leash from Found My Animal, red argyle collar from Big Dog Boutique, squirrel hanging feeder from these creatures, stripe dog bed from Harry Barker

I do not come from a family that buys gifts for dogs at Christmas.  Yes, they have stockings, but those get filled with treats we already have and maybe a big rawhide bone.  Our dogs get treated at Christmas to having the people they love down on the floor with them and all the paper they could possibly rip up.  When you buy pet gifts, you're basically buying them for the owners.  Which is totally a-ok with me!

gimme, day 27

recipe cards

Right now I'm keeping all of my recipes in the fantastic folder Anne made me last year, but I would love to put them all on note cards and keep them in a pretty little box.  Yes, I can easily use index cards, but why would I want to when Rifle Paper Co. makes such beautiful alternatives?

gimme, day 26

stocking stuffer sunday!

Lomolito camera, $9.99

Republic of Tea traveler's tin, $3.99 (for full leaf tea, try a sampler for $2.75)

Mini Naploletane Italian Regional Playing Cards, $3.49 (for use in Scopa--try here)

And so ends my the last installation of my stocking stuffer list.  Whether or not any of these makes it into my sock remains to be seen, but I can guarantee you that there will be a clementine in the toe and chocolate bells throughout.  Because that's how Santa rolls in our house.

gimme, day 25

smartfish handmade red flats

I can't get enough of 'em.

gimme, day 24

this t-shirt

I love this shirt, by Moniker.  The whale, the sentiment, it's perfect.

gimme, day 23

mod measuring set

I'm not sure quite when this devolved into the list of things Kelly plans to put in her future kitchen, but so be it (let's just add Fiestaware to that list and get it out of the way, hm?).  I was drawn to these little spoons for two reasons: 1. they are colorful, and 2. there is a spoon for the "dash" quantity.  I am the kind of person who needs strict definitions in my cooking.  Telling me to add a pinch of salt or a dash of sugar is a sure-fire way to send me into a panic attack.  Little spoon, I think you were made for me.

Edit: The colored spoons have become unavailable since I originally wrote this post. They are still available in plain, however.

gimme, day 22

analog boyfriend watch

While I love the my swatch watch, I also appreciate a watch with some weight.  I love Fossil watches in general, and specifically enjoy the masculine simplicity of this one.

gimme, day 21

stockholm floral apron

If I am doing anything in the kitchen, even just dishes, chances are I am covering myself in suds and flour.  Aprons are just a really good idea in general.  Their inherent adorableness is total coincidence, I assure you.  I adore the sunny yellow, large print, and jaunty button on this apron.  I also love this oilcloth apron, from LAMA, but it's tragically sold out.

gimme, day 20

beantown charlie handbag

I am truly terrible at picking out handbags.  I do okay during the summer, when light fabrics and bright colors are acceptable, but as soon as the winter months roll in I freeze up.  I'm not a huge fan of leather (bags or jackets), which makes things even more difficult.  I am actually still toting around the blue & white flowered cotton bag I bought in April.  See?  Horrid.  Luckily, this beauty, by Kate Spade, speaks my language perfectly.

gimme, day 19

stocking stuffer sunday!

Fun Capsules (I don't care how old you are, these are never not fun), $1.99

whale book plates, $4.50 for six

Marvel Hero Pez Dispenser, $1.79

gimme, day 18

photography classes

I have a Canon DSLR I bought on Craigs List a year or so ago, and I love it but am sadly ignorant about it, cameras in general, and many, many aspects of digital photography.  Like post-processing, for one.  So I basically want to take classes until I've mastered everything.  Will you pay for that, internet? It would make me ever so happy!

The Smithsonian Associates has classes in photography (I want to do this one), as well as digital media (I want to do these three).  This guy's programs seem pretty rad (and are a lot less expensive), too!

The photo is from Andrea's Through the Viewfinder class at Squam this past fall, another one I would have fallen over myself to take.

gimme, day 17

pretty pjs

So here's a secret: I love pajamas.  I love it when they're soft, I love it when they match, I just adore them.  However, since my dogs don't much care what I look like when I climb under the covers, I usually just opt for t-shirts and sweat pants.  And I dream of a day when my PJ drawer will be full of pretty, pretty things.  Like these.

gimme, day 16

cooking classes

photo by clumsy bird

I'm the kind of person who needs step-by-step instructions.  I do not experiment.  I do not deviate.  I'm trying to do more cooking, but feel very limited by my inexperience and fear of the unknown.  Ergo, cooking classes.  I would especially love to learn more about whipping up quick, easy, healthy meals.  I am very bad at eating healthy things (basically because eating non-healthy things is easier, and man do I love easy).  I just know my mom's heart is goin' pitty-pat as she reads this, too.

gimme, day 15

spa day

photo by danske

Because sometimes the body needs a good solid reboot, you know?  The last time I visited a spa was on my 22nd birthday, so yeah, it's been awhile.  We went to the Serenity Day Spa in Herndon, VA, and it was loveliness, pure and simple.  I think this time I'll go for, hmmm, a complexion facial and a hot stone massage (Marley's testimony is positively drool-inducing), as well as the classic mani/pedi.  And you know what I've never done?  A body wrap.  Let's throw one of those in there, too.  Thanks, internet!  You're the best internet a girl could have.

gimme, day 14

a new frock (or two)

I am terrible at wearing dresses as casual pieces.  I love the way they look, but it never occurs to me to buy them, or wear them, at that.  I think if I had this beauty, I would hang it on my wall to remind me.  And when the weather gets warmer, maybe I'd switch it out for this one.

gimme, day 13

jamie oliver's food revolution

In my recent forays into cooking, I've used Jamie Oliver recipes a few times.  I've fumbled a lot (and made horrible messes), but the end results are always delicious.  I was wandering around in a bookstore when this caught my eye, and the next thing I knew I was sitting cross-legged on the ground, lost in the salad chapter.  Yum!