collecting... life

 

I adore collections and a little collection under glass is a wonderful thing.  I am hesitating on my holiday decor this year.  We have a trip planned and between that and the work I have to complete before the holiday is enough to keep me busy for 2 months really!  I have a cloche in my living room that I need to reset, change up with new little mementos from the year that is about to be complete.  It is a fun chore but still a chore that gets pushed to the side in this holiday craziness!  

How about you are you holding out on the holiday madness or are you taking it all in with all of the magic all around you?  I promise when I do get to the decorations I will post some photos here for everyone to see again this year.  This is what we have done in years past.... 2010 and 2011. 

 

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Besotted Brand {giveaway}

For our third giveaway in the Holiday Giving Series here on greige we have an amazing gift set from Besotted Brand.  They are offering one of their Ultimate Stationary Gift Sets, which is full of beautiful things!  It satisfies the stationary and stamp lover alike! 

 

When we say ultimate we mean ultimate! This is our largest most luxe stationery gift set and is sure to delight any paper lover. The gift set is a virtual treasure trove of Besotted Brand goodies all housed in a large natural wood box with individual compartments.

 

The Ultimate Stationery Gift Set includes:
1-Large hinged wood box with nine individual compartments (approx 12" x12")
1-Full mini alphabet set (26 letters) crimson rubber cling back stamps with a lucite base in round mini hat box
1-'Kindly deliver to' crimson rubber cling back stamp, attached to lucite base
1-16th century 'fig.1' crimson rubber cling back stamp, attached to lucite base
1-calligraphy 'hello' crimson rubber cling back stamp, attached to lucite base
1-calligraphy 'thank you' crimson rubber cling back stamp, attached to lucite base
9-Archive labels
9-small shipping tags
-3 small ink pads (black, white, platinum).
-10 4 bar imported deckled edged fold-over cards w/matching envelope
1-organic cotton drawstring bag

 

 

For your chance to win The Ultimate Stationary Gift Set please visit Besotted Brand and leave a comment below telling us about your favorite item or items, for an additional chances to win you can tweet (easy to tweet just hit retweet at the bottom of the post), follow us here on the blog or on twitter or blog about our giveaway.  The winner will be chosen at random on December 7th, 2012 .  

 

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

  **Don't forget I have to be able to contact you...  Please leave your name and some type of contact information if you are not able to be contacted with your profile**

 

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Happy Holidays!

 

Wishing you a wonderful start to this holiday month!  Are you ready?  Have you ironed out all of the details yet?  We have an exciting month here on the blog!  We will continue our holiday giveaways and gift guide ideas.

Wishing you a dreamy December!

image via

 

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Vintage by Nina Christmas

 

 We are so excited to carry the Vintage by Nina Christmas book in the shop.  Just a wonderful as the original Vintage by Nina book but full of beautiful Christmas inspiration.  

Pre order your copy today as supply is limited!

 

 

photography by 

 

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Merry Christmas!

 

image via pinterest

 

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Holiday wishes!

 

With only a few days until Christmas I am ready to finish up getting ready and get down to enjoying.  I think that the rush of shipping packages and orders is almost finished up... now time to do a little baking with the kids and wrap up all of the Christmas joy!

I want to say thank you to everyone who reads the blog and shops with us as well as all of my clients and advertisers!  You make it all possible and I truly appreciate your business and support as well as your great inspiration throughout the year and into the next.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

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Holiday magic..

Ahh.. it's Friday.. This weekend we will be attending a small holiday party (I hope they are serving that yummy little appetizer) and just trying to relax and enjoy the holiday magic!  

There has been so so much going on and I truly need a break (until Monday comes and the kids are home and the shipping of orders begins once again).  

I want to say Merry Christmas to all of you wonderful readers and wish you the very best weekend ever!

What are you up to this weekend??

 

I am hoping to have this kind of smile by Saturday morning...

images via bippity boppity boo

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Dressed up for Christmas..

We had some freinds over on Saturday night for a holiday dinner party so I spent most of the morning with my daughter decorating the tree and the rest of the house.  We are ready now.. bring on the Christmas.  I just have to wrap up some gifts and finish a bit of shopping before I can completely relax and kick my feet up (as if that will ever happen).    I changed things up a little this year but it is generally the same as the last..

Wishing you a lovely start to a very busy week!

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Greige Christmas

 

I love the dining space above so wonderfully simple and festive with candle light and vintage grey finishes!  How is the holiday decorating going?  Are you all done?  Or are you like me and have not quite started yet?

Don't miss your chance to enter our giveaway!

images via source found via belgian pearls

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Getting ready to add a little green

 

 It's time for some, so I thought we could see some very clean simple Christmas decorating ideas.  I like to keep it pretty simple around our house for Christmas.  We always have 2 trees though, one for the kids one for the mom!

Happy decorating!

Images via

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Holiday Rejuvenation

We're sure you've been busy shopping and baking and holiday partying - time to take some time for you! Curl up with your favorite holiday movie or cd and some treats.

Here are some tasty recipes for you to enjoy along with

some down-time - don't forget to relax!

~Cocktail Hour~

Candy Cane Martini

1 candy cane, crushed for garnish

2 ounces strawberry vodka

4 dashes white creme de menthe

2-1/2 ounces cranberry juice

ice cubes

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Coat rim of glass with crushed candy.

2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass and enjoy immediately. Makes 1 cocktail.

~Warm & Cozy~

Spiked Hot Chocolate

4 cups milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup Frangelico
whipped cream

In a saucpan, combine the milk, the chocolate, the sugar, and the cinnamon and heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the chocolate is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add the rum and the Frangelico and heat the mixture, stirring, until it is hot. Divide the mixture among heated mugs and top each drink with some of the whipped cream. Makes 6 drinks.

~Sweet & Chewy~

Gingersnaps with pumpkin dip

Cookie dough:

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 cup butter

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup shortening (don't substitute butter!)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp all spice

1/4 cup molasses

Pumpkin dip:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tsp maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Beat sugar, butter, shortening, egg and molasses. Add sifted dry ingredients all at once, mixing well. Use a teaspoon to measure dough for each cookie, roll into balls and drop onto plate of extra sugar. Place sugared balls 2-1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes or until tops of cookies have cracked (do not over bake). Cool. Blend all pumpkin dip ingredients together. Spread dip onto cookies and enjoy! Makes approximately 3 dozen.

These cookies are a favorite, and loved by Santa too.

1 more blog until Christmas!

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Pretty Packages

We find that people always notice a unique and beautifully wrapped gift, so here are some fun ways to jazz up your packages!

Little snippets of greenery are always festive, but what we really love is the addition of the green and white accent paper on this present. This is a great way to add to brown craft paper...

For small gifts, we love how these holiday cards are taken apart and glued to plain boxes...

Yarn is a fantastic way to add crafty detail to your otherwise simple boxed packages. The fuzziness adds great texture and a warm, cozy feel...

Adorable for kids packages, this is easy peasy and inexpensive! Just use a sharp knife to cut out one side of a Christmas tree and fold over the paper to create the other...

We've been noticing lots of decorative tapes out there. This white lace tape on the red box looks fancy and time-consuming, but it really takes a second...

And lastly, here are some innovative ways to protect your gifts from shaking around in their boxes. Much nicer than styrofoam peanuts or bubble wrap...

2 more blogs until Christmas!

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Gifts They'll LOVE

Christmas is just about two weeks away - time to finish your shopping! If someone has got you stumped, here is a collection of well designed - functional & stylish - gifts for everyone on your list. I personally own - and LOVE - everything on this list!

~For Hostess~

These initial notecards from Anthropologie are a thoughtful gift for any host. We love the crafty, homemade look of the stamped design and the scalloped brown envelopes...

~For Home~

For that difficult to buy for couple, how about this Alvar Aalto vase. This famed design is sleek, beautiful and will always be in style...

~For Her~

Hinu's custom jewelry is a perfect gift for any woman, of any age. Have the front designed with an initial/name and the back with a date - she can wear her own initial/name or that of her baby or loved one. It's thoughtful and timeless...

~For Him~

Wildhagen makes handmade, AMAZING hats. We love their modern versions of traditional designs. Their winter (and summer!) hats are functional and look great...

~For Kids~

A perfect gift for boys and girls - the Charley Harper memory game. Harper's famous illustrations are stunning and interesting for young eyes...

~For Babes~

Fully reversible, these modern bonnets are adorable on any baby (I've purchased two!). UB2's winter and summer bonnets are perfect for stroller rides because of the flat back (bucket style hats tend to lift off when the back brim pushes on the stroller seat), the brim folds forward to block the sun, and they come in adorable color/fabric combinations...

3 more blogs until Christmas!

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Holiday Decor With A (small) Twist

If you haven't already, it's time to design, decorate and outfit your nest for the holidays that are creeping up on us! Creep away holidays, we love you!

Here are a few unique and easy ways to add the Christmas spirit to your homes - little twists on the traditional.

Ask your party guests to write a holiday note or wish for the new year and then add them to a plain grapevine wreath. What a warm reminder of your friends and family once the party is over, thanks Real Simple!

Instead of the traditional garland strung banister, we like the idea of hanging some of your extra tree ornaments from a ribbon. Festive with a modern, clean touch!

Another way to display your Christmas bulbs, these chandelier-like clusters are beautiful and can be hung over a table or in a window. We think a group of 5 varying height clusters would look fabulous in a picture window - enjoyable from the living room and street!

Ah, the white Christmas tree - while not for everyone it can be fun. We love the muted tones of this modern tree, not to mention the fact that it was put into a simple white vase instead of being displayed on the ugly stand it came with. No tree skirt needed and the fresh look is continued!

4 more blogs until Christmas!

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