I love books. I have a master’s degree in library science, spent eight years at the New York Public Library before joining Design*Sponge and have a relatively large collection of books at home. So each fall, I anxiously await the moment I can begin work on this guide. This year while traveling around the country,…
Even nature fiends happily succumb to commercialized holiday commemorations. Since I launched my flower business this year and started writing a flower column for the site, I’ve got nothing but blooms on the brain. From a classic book by flower gods to rubber galoshes for morning garden runs and tongue-in-cheek gilded lily stationery, this list…
Early on during our 10 weeks on the road this fall, Amy and I started joking about starting a beauty blog. We both became obsessive about eye creams and face masks on the book tour in an attempt to cover up our lack of sleep and over-consumption of caffeine and sugar. Sadly this was nothing…
The time has come for the last of my gift guides, and I’m ending with something a little fancy, extra special and on the “splurge” end of things. But I’ll be honest — I don’t plan on doing much splurge buying or receiving this year. With all that’s going on with the economy and the…
Every year when the Christmas decorations start to roll out in droves, I find myself overwhelmed with all the options. But when I talk to my Jewish friends, they often lament the lack of decoration options for Hanukkah. So this year I decided to turn on a marathon of The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon!) and…
Like Santa, I’ve listened closely all year to friends and acquaintances as they spoke passionately about objects and experiences they really loved. What struck me most about their stories was that many of them never expected to derive such enjoyment, personal enrichment, and/or utility from the items/experiences they spoke about, such as a beautiful platter, a…
I adore the holiday season. From candlelit nights and spiked eggnog to evergreen boughs on the mantel and solstice soirees, the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve is one of my most-beloved times of the year. I can’t get enough of sitting beside the wood stove in my flannel PJs, mug of hot cocoa…
Today is my final budget-friendly gift guide (there are still more guides to come), and I’m wrapping things up with gifts on the higher end of the price spectrum: $100 and under. For those with a little extra to spend this year, I’ve rounded up some great options, from jewelry and accessories to tabletop goods,…
DIY lovers are some of my favorite people to shop for, and it’s not just because they sometimes give me the things they make :) It’s because most of the avid DIYers I know are always looking to learn a new skill, try a new craft or experiment with a new tool, and this makes them…
I’ve finally started to make my Christmas list and begin shopping for friends and family. I far prefer figuring out gifts for other people, so sometimes making these gift guides is fun because I like to imagine who I’d buy what for out of each one. This guide was one of my favorites because there…
This year instead of trimming the tree and hanging stockings, my husband and I have been labeling moving boxes and lovingly wrapping our knickknacks. We are in the process of buying our first home, and all I want for this holiday season is to feel settled in a place where I can plant my roots….
After hours of internet window shopping this weekend I ended up with a desktop folder overflowing with over 400 gift ideas. On Sunday night I cozied into the couch, turned on my favorite weekend shows and started creating this year’s budget-friendly gift guides. I arranged the gifts according to price, with tons of options $25…
Music fans are a tricky bunch to buy gifts for. I’ve learned this firsthand, mostly by shopping for a few in my own life every December, but also by being one myself. You’ve probably run into trouble with this, too. It likely won’t do to buy the music fans on your list any old record…
Our family loves a gift theme. We have given knitting, crafts, cooking, sewing and even butcher shop-inspired gifts in years past. This year we are excited by the multitude of handcrafted, naturally sourced and locally focused gifts available (many of which come from our hometown of Portland, OR!). “Natural” is a rather broad, all-encompassing term…
I’m cuckoo for animals (and pet products)! Having rescued my first puppy this year, I have had a blast finding out and learning about new dog products. From beds and collars to toys and home decor, I have come across some incredible animal swag. I wanted to share a few of my fave finds with…
I have always thought that photography is the gift that keeps on giving. After the party is over or the moment has passed, it’s great to have a photograph to remember it by, and photo gadgets are pretty fun, too! So give the photophiles in your life a gift that keeps their passion alive. Here…
After yesterday’s post on no-buy gift ideas, I thought it would be nice to ease into the season with a little decoration. I love holiday decorations more than gifts sometimes, so I decided to focus today’s roundup on ornaments and trimming (I’m looking for some modern Judaica today, so stay tuned for that). I got…
I spent all weekend dreading today because this morning I was supposed to finish up my first gift guide for this week. Every year I write gift guides based on price (they’re still coming tomorrow) but I started to feel less and less excited about them today because they didn’t feel like they really fit…
It’s getting rather chilly in my apartment, and that means two things: 1. My cat is about to plop himself inches away from the space heater and remain there for the better part of four months, and 2. I need to start preparing for the impending holiday season! I must admit that gift shopping has…
Father’s Day is right around the corner and if your Dad is like mine, tech gifts are an essential. My biggest problem each year is finding out how to get something cool that he hasn’t already gotten for himself. Shopping for early-adopters can be incredibly tough. But Kate is coming to my rescue this year…
