Warm Merry Merry Gifts

For as long as I can remember, giving the perfect gift has been one of my favorite hobbies. Last year after having recently having babykins, I realized how capturing the right moment is one of the greatest gifts...that's when I started making the lockets.

This year I am experimenting with something that I think I will be offering from cSd Art& Design next holiday season, the photo ornament. This year my closest friends will be getting a 2011 cSd photo ornament.

I'd love your feedback. Do you like them? Would you want one on your tree?

Music Monday: Christmas Time is Here

As the song says, "It's that time of year, when the world falls in love, everyone song you hear seems to say, Merry Christmas may your new year's dreams come true..."
And it is! I love this song...and there are a few other slightly not too traditional songs that I love that only get played this time of year...
Here is my list of fun Christmas tunes...
1. The Chairman of the Board would like to serenade you this Christmas. Frank Sinatra's rendition of the "Christmas Waltz" is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever. His voice is amazing...one of my other favorite voices, Johnny Mathis.

2.

Amy Grant's "Grown Up Christmas List" is such a pretty song. I turn up the radio every time it comes on. It's a nice reminder that the holiday season is about the well being of others and spending it among the people who love you.

3.

Who doesn't like to belt out along with George Michael on this 80's classic of a Christmas Tune? Wham's "Last Christmas" is a staple at our holiday gatherings. It's hands down one of my favorites!

4.

Last but most certainly not least is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" . I like to refer to this as to when "Mimi had a voice"...doesn't her voice sound a little wispy and airy these days compared to her Tony Matola days? Anyhow--- I love this song! It's fun and lively...just a great hit!

So there you have it. Some of my favorite (and poppier) Christmas songs. I hope you are in a good Christmas mood and enjoy this (as Frank would say) "most wonderful time of the year". Any favorites on your list?

Feliz Navidad xoxo Los Slesnick

From our little family...to yours!

Pretty in Pink

Come on over to the Florida Room for a view of my baby's beautiful slide show of pictures! She's the cutest in these yummers pics!

Have a great weekend!!

xoxo

Thursday Threads: Guest Blogger Sheffield from Back-In-Style

Today we are fortunate to have one of my good friends, the extremely stylish Sheffield M. from BackInStyle, guest blogging for us. BackInStyle is a wonderful vintage boutique who has outfitted the likes of Julia Roberts on the red carpet.

Sheff is going to focus on one of the easiest things to give...a vintage handbag. With so many affordable options, you can get one for all the ladies in your life. Here are a few suggestions from Sheffield on how to choose a unique and special gift with out busting your budget! (Here is a picture of the two of us at a recent event at Henri Bendel in Miami).

A vintage clutch is a cute gift for a co-worker or friend who you go out with after work. Just attach a little tag that says "To friends, to fun, and to happy hour. Happy Holidays!"
Do you have plans with friends for New Year's Eve? Get her an evening bag for Christmas with a note that says, "Looking forward to celebrating with you!"
Totes make a great gift for lots of people.A friend who just had a baby and is looking for a stylish way to schlep around all that baby stuff. "To keep you looking stylish, (even when you have baby drool on your shoulder)."
A niece who is in school. “A stylish school bag probably won't help your grades, but at least it will make the other girls jealous.”
Someone who's New Year's Resolution is to go to the gym. "Here's to feeling good, and looking good!"
For your co-worker who always bring you your latte in the morning, a cross body bag. "It's easier to carry two coffees when your hands are free. Thanks for making my mornings a little easier!"
For your chic and sophisticated friends, there is the classic 1960s black Jackie O purse. "To Camelot! When I think of style and sophistication, I think of Jackie Kennedy, and you. Merry Christmas!"

No matter who it is, there is definitely an appropriate vintage handbag that would be a thoughtful and affordable gift for anyone of your friends, family, or colleagues.
Now where do you get a vintage handbag? If you are shopping for someone who lives out of town, shopping online is efficient, both in terms of ease of shopping, and ease of shipping. Vintage e-stores, like BackInStyle.com, and PoshVintage.com, as well as vintage marketplaces like ebay and etsy, all have a plethora of affordable and unique options. You can search for exactly what you want, a snake skin clutch, a retro tote, a vintage cross body bag, which can save you a lot of time going from shop to shop. Another bonus of shopping on line is that you don't have to worry about wrapping and shipping. Just have the vintage handbag sent straight to them. If its for someone local, try shopping your local thrift stores, and vintage stores. Be sure to choose stores in wealthy neighborhoods for the best merchandise selection. Oh, and one last vintage gift giving tip, take a little extra care when you wrap a vintage gift by adding a hand made gift tag, or using recycled wrapping paper, so it comes across as a personal and environmentally friendly gift, rather than a used bag.

Be on the look out next Wednesday when our Wednesday Wardrobe will again feature fashionable fashions from Back-In-Style. Until then please visit the BackInStyle.com website which now also has a showroom in Miami, Florida!

Book Soundtrack

I'm back! I hope you are all well and getting through yet another week...the year is coming to an end and the Holidays are knocking at on our doors!

Well... Chicago was great! I love that city-- gorgeous architecture, amazing museums, friendly hearty people (you know with substance) and the weather was fantastic! Cold, sunny and one day with snow! The stuff that tropical dreams are made of!

Anyhow--- I bought a book to read on the plane (have I mentioned I am the world's slowest reader?). I started it on Wednesday on the plane to Chicago, by the time we landed I was nearly half way through--- read here and there while in Chicago and then the entire flight home to finally finish it up yesterday!

Folks---if you have not read The Hunger Games, I highly recommend it. It's book 1 of a trilogy. A friend of mine told me after we saw Breaking Dawn Part 1, that she liked the Hunger Games trilogy more than the Twilight Saga. I can understand why---and so can Hollywood as the Hunger Games movie is coming out in March 2012. Here is the trailer. It looks so good, I can't wait for the movie! The story is set in the future and is about a girl who is called up to participate in an annual fight to the death put on by her nations capitol. Her district in the country is known to be the poorest and has only had one winner in the Hunger Games in their 74 years. The story is engaging and fast paced---definitely glad I had book 2, Catching Fire, ready to go when I was done with The Hunger Games.

There is a bit of a love triangle and I've already found myself rooting for one of the characters over the other...and have fallen in love with him, just like I did Edward. Seriously Team Peeta all the way! Look at him!

I've also decided that these two (Peeta and Katniss) should have a theme song--- a soundtrack, and this morning while driving into work I heard Rhianna's "We Found Love in a Hopeless Place" and immediately thought of their story. I've linked up the video there.

So have you ever read a book and applied your own soundtrack to it?

Table Settings

We just moved a bunch of furniture around in our house to make our dinning room less crowded. The end result is great--- but we also had to move around some of our art. There is now one wall that is still not 100% to my liking...so on Sunday night as we were sitting there having dinner for the first time in the space, I thought to myself... why not paint something fun and practical for the space?
This is what I am thinking. A table setting. It's fun, it's useful and I grew up helping set the table---so I know that our daughter will too---which means that the painting would be an educational tool as well.
What do you think?