« November 2010 | Main | January 2011 »
It's the time of year for reflection, family, and a little relaxation, so all the (hard-working) writers and editors of Style Lush are taking a little time off.
We hope you'll come back bright and early on January 3rd for a new year, new giveaways, new features, and new content.
You've been such a great support for us in 2010, and we are grateful and lucky to know you and write for you.
Happy holidays. See you next year.
| | |
|
by Christina
My husband and I like to buy "house gifts" for big holidays so for Christmas we are just stuffing each other stockings. I love this, I'd rather have a new couch than a pair of boots, although I do love boots. Anyway, stocking stuffers. He wants a list, wanna see it?
First up, these gorgeous earrings from Stella Bella.
My favorite winter face moisturizer from Lush, Skin Nanny.
A desk calender full of beautiful photography.
A new yoga dvd.
And a new watch band.
Just enough to feel like Christmas.
{Photo credits: stellabella@etsy.com, lush.com, irenesuchocki@etsy.com, amazon.com, fossil.com}
| | |
|
By Megan
During the winter, I have about a two minute window after showering to lotion my whole body before I'm struck with a case of the itchies.
I've been through my fair share of lotions: lotions that make big promises but don't deliver, lotions that smell amazing but leave my skin screaming for relief, and lotions that stay sticky on my skin for far too long. I do believe I've finally found the perfect compromise: Vaseline Aloe Fresh Hydrating Body Lotion.
This lotion absorbs quickly and calms the insane winter dry skin, and the scent is light and pleasant. This combined with a swipe of original Vaseline on my lips provides my perfect dry skin arsenal.
{Photo Credit: drugstore.com}
| | |
|
by Kerri Anne
'Tis the season to buy calendars (fa la la la la, la la la la!).
I'm a little lot obsessed with calendars. I may have already purchased two for my desk at work, with one more on the way for my desk at home (though you can't prove anything).
I probably don't have to tell you that calendars make great! gifts (for someone other than yourself; ahem, Kerri). They're personal and functional and oh so lovely, and buying calendars for family and friends just so happens to be one of my favorite gift-giving pastimes.
Not sure where to start? This week Jennie and I are tag-teaming to bring you a sampling of some of the best calendars you can buy online. She started the Gregorian fun with an awesome desk calendar round-up on Monday, and I'm continuing the organizational artistry today with an excessively long list of some of my favorite ways to count the days.
Ready? Here we go!
Illustrated Owl Calendar by Gingibear {21 USD}
12-Month Calendar by Leah Duncan {28 USD}
Mustache 2011 Desktop Calendar by Ruff House Art {14 USD}
Funny Birds by Modern Pop {21.50}
Perpetual Calendar (in assorted colors) by Orange Beautiful {28 USD}
2011 Wall Calendar by Pawling {25 USD}
2011 Seasonal Garden/Market Calendar by Red Cruiser {24 USD}
Letterpress 2011 Calendar by Lark Press {29 USD}
Things That Are Long, Letterpress Calendar by 1 Canoe 2 {22 USD}
2011 Illustrated Calendar by Teeno Tino {15 USD}
Adventures 2011 Calendar by Sadly Harmless {12 USD}
Black & White 2011 Desk Calendar by JPress Designs {15 USD}
2011 CD Case Calendar by Alex Wijnen {15 USD}
2011 Calendar, Year of the Rabbit by Brooke Woolley {12 USD}
Woodland Friends Calendar 2011 by Fall Down Tree {15 USD}
Minimalist Modern & Forestify 2011 Calendars by Sure As Blue {11.99 each}
2011 Evolution of a Tree Calendar by The Rasilisk {17.50 USD}
2011 Limited Edition Letterpress Calendar by Sarah Parrott 825 {30 USD}
2011 Around the World Calendar by P.S. Paper Goods {15 USD}
2011 Letterpress Boats Calendar by 1 Canoe 2 {22 USD and free shipping!}
Your turn! Any favorite calendars to share with the group?
---------
{Photo credits: Etsy.com}
| | |
|
By Elisabeth
I came across the sweetest blog post recently and thought I would share it with you here. Apron Girls gives us a unique look at a simple candy during this holiday season.
*****
M & Ms
As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, You will see the M becomes a W, an E, and a 3.
They tell the Christmas Story; It's one I'm sure you'll know. It took place in a stable a long, long time ago.
The E is for the East Where the star shone so bright.
The M is for the manger Where Baby Jesus slept that night.
The 3 is for the Wise men bearing gifts; With haste they came.
W is for worship; Angels sang praise to His name.
So as you eat these candies Or share them with a friend, Remember the true spirit of Christmas and never let it end!
This poem could be attached to a snack packet or large bag of M&M's to give to a neighbor, or even a handful of M&M's in small cellophane bag with ribbon tied and poem attached. I hope this helps for anyone looking for Christ-centered Christmas ideas... Great for neighbor gifts, youth groups, teacher gifts, etc.
Enjoy!
******
Thank you Apron Girls for a great idea for holiday gifts this year that have the true meaning of Christmas behind it!
{photo credit: brightideas.com}
| | |
|
By Janet
On Christmas Eve I will be at my in-laws house, participating in the annual holiday pajama party. Every year we mix up a batch of reindeer food and sprinkle it all over the street outside the house. The reindeer can't resist our recipe and make a quick stop to deliver an early bag of gifts--matching pajamas for everyone! What does it take to entice the reindeer to make a stop? Here's the recipe: one part oatmeal, one part of the sparkliest glitter you can find (red and gold are perfect!).
Once we open the giant bag from Santa (it flies off the roof!), we all change into the matching pajamas and my mother-in-law reads 'Twas The Night Before Christmas while we snuggle up with hot cocoa and cookies.
I can't wait to see what pajamas Santa delivers this year! I don't know how he is able to find 20 matching pairs for all ages and sizes, but I guess that's just part of the North Pole magic.
{Image Credit: Gap}
| | |
|
By Beth
Does anybody else remember those really annoying Hooked on Phonics commercials from at least 20 years ago that ended with some kid saying smugly "Hooked on Phonics worked for me?" Anyone? If you do remember them, and especially if you remember how annoying they were, you will know how much it pains me to say this: Hooked on Phonics worked for me.
Well, not for me, specifically, but for my five year old daughter. Last spring, she became desperate to learn to read, and equally determined not to allow me to teach her anything about reading. So I bought a Hooked on Phonics set and called it her reading game and prepared to go to town. And she wanted nothing to do with it. But towards the end of summer, she agreed to give it a try, and now my kindergartener is more than halfway through the first grade lessons and can read (although not necessarily understand) just about anything you put in front of her.
The sets come with a workbook, some small books that you read after completing the relevant sections of the workbook, flashcards for things like letter sounds and sight words, and a cd that walks you through the lessons (and probably other things too, there are lots of different sets). We abandoned the cd early on, as first they went way too fast and then they went way too slow, but just by working through the workbooks and story books my kid learned lots about phonics very quickly and easily and from there learned to honest to gosh read.
Now, I'm sure this is not for every kid, and I'm sure my kid would have learned to read without it, but she loves to do it, loves what she is learning, and I love being the one teaching her to read and watching it happen.
Here's the real problem, these sets are stupidly expensive. As in hundreds of dollars. But I didn't pay nearly that much for mine because I got a set that was one revision out of date and found a coupon code online and bought when they were offering free shipping so my set of kindergarten through second grade came in at around $50. So if you are interested, I definitely recommend checking the sale section of the website from time to time and maybe you'll score a deal.
(Photo credit: hookedonphonics.com)
| | |
|
By Rachel
Last month I wrote about Christmas Music for the Modern day and now I'm back to share with you some of my favourite Christmas movies.
1. Elf (2003)
2. The Holiday (2006)
3. Love Actually (2004)
And it's not really Christmas if you don't watch either or both of these movies:
5. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
6. A Christmas Story (1983)
There's nothing like curling up on the couch with a nice big cup of hot cocoa and watching a Christmas movie, so what are you doing here? Get going!
| | |
|
By Hillary
I try to keep my crazy puppy lady self in check and refrain from dressing up my dogs (let's not speak of the puppy Snuggie incident) but there's something about the holidays that calls for dogs in costume. This Santa costume from Young Urban Puppy on Etsy melts my heart and would provide an adorable photo opportunity in front of the Christmas tree.
It would definitely be on my Christmas list if I had any hope of my monsterpups sitting still long enough to snap a photo. Judging from what happened last year, I'd say chances of that happening are slim.
{Photo credits: Young Urban Puppy via Etsy and me!}
| | |
|
By Blythe
For the past few years, we've compiled mix CDs as Christmas gifts for my son's cousins and friends. They're special for what they include -- some of our family's favorite tunes from the past year -- and what they exclude -- any song that is designated Kids' Music. We try to choose music with concrete storylines or beats that my three-year-old likes to dance to, and to avoid clear profanity or obvious [ahem] mature storylines (although I'll admit that I don't get too bothered by this myself, and I figure parents are free to exercise the skip feature as they see fit).
The youngsters like to get the CD because the songs are grown-up but still fun, and their parents like it because it means they get a reprieve from The Wiggles.
While I can't share this year's mix just yet (don't want to ruin the surprise for this year's lucky recipients!), here's the playlist from our past couple of discs:
Bamboleo - Gipsy Kings
And She Was - Talking Heads
Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles
Working on the Highway - Bruce Springsteen
If I Had a Million Dollars - Barenaked Ladies
The Tide is High - Blondie
JCB - Nizlopi
Hey Mama - Blackeyed Peas
Let's Go Crazy - Prince
Reach Up for the Sunrise - Duran Duran
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
The Time Warp - Rocky Horror
King of the Road - Roger Miller
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Bicycle Race - Queen
Upside Down - Diana Ross
Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio
The Cup of Life - Ricky Martin
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes - Paul Simon
Modern Love - David Bowie
Shake it Up - The Cars
Centerfield - John Fogerty
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Wind it Up - Gwen Stefani
Conga - Gloria Estefan
Shine - Take That
The Grease Megamix - Original Soundtrack
Stay Up Late - Talking Heads
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - K.T. Tunstall
The Lovecats - The Cure
Lucky Star - Madonna
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon
Mahna Mahna - Cake
So Glad I’m Here - Elizabeth Mitchell
We’re Going to be Friends - The White Stripes
1234 - Feist
The Rainbow Connection - Sarah McLachlan
Calico Skies - Paul McCartney
What are your favorite grown-up songs for kids?
| | |
|
