the next best ring
These
wood veneer napkins rings by Sarah Finn are really great. They look delicate, although they're quite sturdy. Finn uses very thin veneer in mahogany or white maple, and laser cuts them into two patterns of stars or small "s" incisions. I love the way they look wrapped around a while or cream napkin. For Thanksgiving dinner, perhaps?
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bloom service
I love instant, give-them-as-they-are presents. That's why I love these
Bloemox gift boxes. Each mini hatbox comes with strips of biodegradable, plantable seed ribbons to grow your own flower garden. The silk flowers atop the box are replicas of the blooms that will grow from those seeds. They are also available in bulb and satchel kits. Not ready to start a garden in the middle of winter? No problem— the seeds will last until the season is right for planting.
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feather weight
I love the intricate and rich designs of Tiffani Taylor's ceramic pieces—the
table lamp and
tea set are quite striking. Taylor, a former student at the Savannah School of Art and Design, paints scenes of flowers and nature and intermingles it with her poetry. And since each piece is made to order and hand-painted by Taylor, it's like getting an original, one-of-a-kind work of art. Her collection is sold through the
SCAD shop.
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hanging around
Hable Construction's holiday wool
felt holiday boxes and
stockings are really adorable. I'm always a fan of their Hable-esque floral patterns, but I also think their winter character designs of snowmen and reindeer are cute too. (They even have pet stockings so you won't have to leave Fido out of the design fun!)
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colin home
I have to say, I'm really impressed with
Colin Cowie's new gift line at Wal-Mart. (Yes! Wal-Mart!) Not only are the pieces chic and sleek, but also amazingly priced. Most of the items are below $25, but look far more expensive. The collection includes everything from silver ice buckets and hammered metal serving platters to 12-piece cheese sets and acrylic napkin rings. It'll be interesting to see how Wal-Mart shoppers respond to this line—hopefully really well. Fingers crossed!
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dry goods
These Language face and hand towels from
Kate's Paperie are so cute—perfect for the guest bathroom or as a gift for the foreign language student. They come in French, Spanish and English sets for $48.
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knit knacks
I don't know why, but I'm totally smitten with these
cable-knit pillows and throws from Williams-Sonoma Home. Maybe it's the cute buttons on the front, the soft silk/cashmere blend or just the cozy, cuddly feeling it gives me. Either way, I'm a fan!
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letter perfect
It's like the Where's Waldo of monograms. If you look closely, you'll see the subtlest of letters adorning these trays, pen cup holder, journal and cards from
Superdeluxe. (From top: "R", "K", "T", "C" and "A.") I love the cool, graphic effect of the manipulated letters—perfect for the gal like me that's obsessed with anything personalized. You can pick from over 18 monogram designs and letters. (Sorry to all you, Frank's and Olivia's. Looks like "F" and "O" didn't make the cut.)
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tray chic
These
decoupage rectangular trays by John Derian are truly lovely. He hand-paints borders over really old ledgers and letters, combines them into collages, and reprints them under layers under glass. They're each 10" x 13" and about $180 each. Stunning!
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