For Your Favortite Stargazer

Happy Friday, everyone. We're shooting today for one of our very favorite clients, and can't wait to tell you more about that project soon. I don't know what it is about springtime, but every year it rolls around, and I get really into stars. Not like "ooh, who wore what to the Oscars" really into stars, but like astronomy really into stars. Maybe it's the memories of going backpacking over spring breaks in middle and high school, or the anticipation of being able to actually enjoy going outside again. Whatever it is, here are some gift ideas if you have a stargazer in your life.

(Ana Montiel Cosmic Mantra Print; Little Paper Planes)

(Christopher Kane Mystic scarf; Opening Ceremony)

(Astrological Cuff Bracelet, Orion; Julie Nolan)

Also, here's a total aside: have you ever looked at Google Sky? It's incredible. You can explore the universe from your desktop, and you can overlay different information. Really. Go see it. 

That's all for now, chickadees. We hope you have a lovely weekend full of stargazing, even if it's just from your desktop. 

Thank You Gifts

(Hey, look, it's us on City Sage!) 

Whew, Friday! It's been a veeery long week. You, too? We are right in the midst of picking up some very exciting projects with some very exciting people. (A bride who is wearing the sari that her fiancé's mom wore? Another bride who is getting married at our all-time favorite East Coast venue? Could we be any happier? No.) And did you see us on City Sage? It's one of our all-time favorite blogs, and the editor, Anne Sage is one of our very favorite people, so it's a huge honor.

We owe so many thank-yous to so many people this week, so here are some gift suggestions, with cards thrown in, because our mommas taught us right.  

(Driving Scarf, J.Crew; Ava Thank You, Rifle Paper Co.)

(Mast Brothers Chocolate; Spade Correspondence Card, Kate Spade)

 (Music Posters Book, The Small Stakes; Thanks (headphones), Near Modern Disaster on Etsy)

(Starlette Sparkler, Giant Dwarf on Etsy; Cloud Cards, Tokketok)

Darlings, we hope you have a lovely, lovely weekend. We'll be back on Monday, and we can't wait to see you then.

Wink!

Hi friends, I hope that you had a fun weekend! We had such a wonderful week last week, which seemed to officially kick of the 2011 wedding season (we got to meet the BEST. BRIDES. EVER.), and all of a sudden, we're in for a month chock-full of bright and sparkly projects. Plus Valentine's day is right around the corner! Could February get any better (let's just ignore the 3 feet of dirty snow where there should be grass when we think about that, okay)? With everything looking so rosy and Valentine's day right around the corner, I thought I'd round up just a few of my favorite little happy & romantic things right now.

(wink necklace, kate spade)

Loving this necklace, and loving Kate Spade's new logo/branding. Any brand that can pull off cheeky and sophisticated is a-ok in my book.

(Pixie's Tweety Mini, Nadinoo on Etsy)

Let's just stop it with the geometric patterns, perfect sleeves, and spot-on colorway before someone gets hurt, shall we?

(Doll, RGB)

This is a perfect pink. Not so pink as to skew bubble gum, not so beige as to skew nursing home; I went a bit more daring with my manicure this week, but you can be sure that this is on deck for next week.

Okay, lovelies, Elisabeth and I are off to spend a lovely morning with our esteemed collaborator Trent, and then off to the Rue party this evening. If you see us there, please do say hello. We love meeting new people! The ladies at Jackalope will be taking good care of you tomorrow, and Meg let me peek into her kitchen whilst she was coming up with her recipe for Thursday, and I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed. We've got lots of other stuff up our sleeves, too, so be sure to check in early and often!

Party Favors for a Crafty Affair

Happy Friday, friends! Did you happen to catch us in the new issue of Rue Magazine that came out yesterday? If not, pop on over and tell us what you think. Since Fridays are gift day over here on YOU + ME* Equals, we thought we'd give you some party favor inspiration from our ridiculously fun Skill Sharing Jamboree featured in the magazine.

Let's say you're getting some of your besties together for a crafty affair. What can you send them home with as a thank you for being ever inspiring that also doubles as table decor?

The answer is a bevy of goodies no creative person should be without, but personalized so each guest feels special. This assortment includes:

Pencil cases handmade by (if I said us, it would be a lie--they were all Miya) Miya and customized with zippers to match each guest's color profile. You can't see it, but they have the cutest stripey lining ever. If you asked her, I bet she'd tell you how to make them because she's nice like that.

Personalized pencils! For this event, we happened to be partial to the white pencils from Oriental Trading Company because they have white instead of orange erasers, but their silver pencils or their bargain mega pencil collection in assorted colors could fit your party perfectly.

A large moleskine notebook! All creative people should carry around a moleskine notebook, so they always have a place to jot their musings when inspiration strikes. You can make it extra special by adding a library card pocket to the front cover (these are pretty intuitive to make, but you can also download a free template from Mirkwood Designs). It's the perfect place to keep business cards to give or those received. We personalized the contact information exchange cards with a customizable stamp like this.

Make sure to throw in some glitter and a washi tape set in each guest's favorite color. The very best place to get washi tape is from cute tape, but be warned, you'll probably be tempted by the adorable dispensers, wooden stamps, stationary, and other crafty supplies as well.

By the way, aren't the flowers from this event just to die for? Not everyone can hear phrases like "sophisticated color gradient" and "artist's palette" and make it happen without going CRAZY RAINBOW, but Sarah of Blossom and Branch sure can.

All the photos you see here and in our Rue spread were taken by superstar photographer Trent Bailey.

We hope your weekend is full of coziness and creativity!

Valentine's Day!

Okay, I'll admit it. I used to be one of those people who sulked around on Valentine's Day and wore black and protested the whole damn thing. And I'll tell you what. I still am not sure about choosing one day to let your significant other know that you actually like them. But, I am way, whole-heartedly all about love, and no longer feel like Valentine's Day needs to be about romantic love, so it turns out that now it's one of my favorite holidays. Go figure, right? We've got some more Valentine's Day tricks up our sleeves, but I thought I'd kick off the whole push to Feb. 14th with a few ideas of some special little ways to say "I love you!" to folks whom I adore.

(Loving stamp, Paperfinger)

For Meg, an avid blogger, an amazing cook, and a style connoisseur, I would totally get this stamp. Except I think that her monitor would be covered in ink within 15 minutes of her opening it. And when I went over to her house, I would stamp it all over everything she owns.

(I love you necklace, Jess LC)

For Robyn, a brewery owner and staunch New Englander, who almost never says "I love you" and who, after my being part of her family for coming up on 8 years, still recoils when I try to hug her (I, being Californian, totally hug people when I meet them), I would get this necklace. It says "I love you," but in Braille, so that no one has to know that she's wearing a mushy sentiment around her neck.

 

(Kimono style robe, Plum Pretty Sugar)

For me (oh, come ON, I love me!), someone who almost never treats herself to really luxurious things, I would get this robe so that when I have to go change a poopy diaper in the middle of the night, at least I can look (and feel!) good doing it.

And here's a treat for you, dear reader! Our fantastic friends, Sierra and Juliet of the acclaimed Poppies and Posies, are offering 10% off their super special custom Valentine's Day arrangements for our readers. Get one for yourself, get one for your bestie, get one for your super-awesome neighbor who babysits for you in a crunch, or for your UPS delivery person who seeks you out on the street to tell you what time he's coming. It's all about finding love in unexpected places, folks.
We hope you have a lovely weekend, and we can't wait to see you back here on Monday (cross your fingers for an Alt recap from Elisabeth)!

Gifts of Support for a New Endeavor

When you make a list, do you start over if you have to scribble out a word for some reason? Ok, maybe that’s just me, but I love a nice clean list. It’s similar to my fondness for a crisp, unused notebook or a cup full of perfectly sharpened pencils--they just reek of possibility.

My Adventure Ceramic Tile by mrrob

The new year feels the same to me. It’s all shiny and fresh, not yet sullied by dashed expectations or misplaced plans. It’s when you get to decide what your best self looks like and you start to feel giddy with potential.

Your Job Print by mrrob

This year, I seem to know a lot of people who are bravely embarking on new endeavors—moving to completely unfamiliar locales, changing careers, starting businesses, and generally turning their day to day lives upside down in service to a dream. So as I get excited about my own plans for the upcoming year, I want to wish the best of luck to all of you who are taking flying leaps into 2011. Here are gifts for a friend who has big plans for this year.

Make a Wish Gift Card by lineacarta

Golden Possibilities Necklace and Stepping Stones Necklace by shopclementine

Speaking of good fortune for the year, did you hear that the dates for assigning astrological signs have changed and that there is a thirteenth sign called Ophiuchus? No need to panic, this CNN article will reassure you if that sounds like cause for alarm. I had no idea how many people feel an attachment to their sign even if they don't regularly read their horoscope. Wishing you a lovely weekend, no matter what your sign.

Counting the Days!

Happy Friday, everyone! Any great plans for the weekend? I popped in to Giggle, one of my favorite baby stores today, looking for a baby gift for one of my favorite people (I'm looking at you, Elisabeth!). It occurred to me that many of us are at the stage where we're buying lots of baby gifts, and thought that I might give you a few recommendations that will guarantee a happy recipient who will get a lot of miles out of your gift.

(JoyaBaby Diaper Wallet)

This diaper wallet is one of the best gifts I received when I was pregnant with Emi. I used it instead of a diaper bag, and I still tuck it into my purse when we leave the house. It has a mat to make any surface a changing table, and two pockets for diapers and wipes.

(Baby Memory Book, Noveau Designs)

Many baby books hit one of two extremes: super saccharine or bland, bland, bland. These hit just the right balance of sweet and modern. 

 (Little Anchor Teething Toy, Little Sapling Toys )

We met these folks at the Martha Stewart Craft Sale, and they could not have been friendlier. They were also super-humble, considering their toys are selling like hot cakes are in high demand. I love the anchor shape of this teething toy. Just because it spends time the baby's mouth doesn't mean that it has to make the mom want to hide it whenever it's not. 

(Sophie La Girafe)

This is a classic toy; there's something about Sophie that all babies love. And it has a long shelf life; after the baby has stopped using it as a teether, he or she will likely continue to love to use it as a special comfort toy or "pet." 

Hope you all have a very happy day! We're working this weekend on some fun and exciting stuff (raise your hand if you just made a million billion teeny-tiny sugar cookies!), and we can't wait to see you back here on Monday. Have a lovely weekend!

Gifts For Those That Make Your World Go Round

Dear YOU + ME*,

I consider myself pretty on top of my holiday shopping, but I always get stuck when it comes to gifts for some of the people who make my daily life run smoothly. I'm talking about people like my mail carrier, the UPS guy who I know all too well, my doorman, and my hair stylist. I know cash is always appreciated, but it feels a little cold when I actually know most of these people pretty well. Can you help me figure out the right balance between cash and a more thoughtful gift?

Thanks!
D.

Dear D.,

This is such an important question. You sound like the kind of person who makes an effort to be thankful to the people who make your world go round on a daily basis, but it's particularly nice to show them that you're appreciative around the holidays, especially since everyone is probably leaning on them extra hard right around now (you should see the stack of boxes Kenny, our UPS guy, has been wrangling lately). We have a few ideas that will make your tipping and gifting a little easier.

Courtesy of Blueprint Magazine

The first step (and it sounds like you've already started this) is making a list of who you want to thank and whether they typically receive a cash tip or a gift. Make it easy on yourself by turning to this handy guide from the former Blueprint magazine (*sniff).

Do you know anyone who dislikes peppermint bark? Me neither, that's why it's a great gift

Next, determine how much cash you will need and pick up some crisp, large bills from the bank. A wad of crumpled bills from the bottom of your purse just isn't going to feel like a holiday gift. The truth is, even though cash can feel a little cold, it is tremendously appreciated. Our family tends to give cash gifts with a note of thanks written on our holiday card. This is particularly nice if you're not hand delivering the gift since photo cards help the recipient place you.

Coffee from your local roaster and homemade chocolate biscotti

If you feel like your relationship with the giftee has a personal component, you can most certainly give baked goods or a homemade gift too--just don't skip the cash, no matter how good your snickerdoodles are.

A simple, but high quality calendar, like these from The Paper Thieves

For those individuals who can't accept cash tips or for whom a small gift is just more appropriate, we've included a few thoughtful and always appreciated ideas.

A cute tote with something small inside

We hope your holiday season is filled with joy!

xo,
ME*

Do you have a question for us? While we can't promise to answer every question that comes our way, we love to hear from you. Drop us a line at hello[at]gmail[dot]com.

Happy Friday!

Hello friends. Aren't you excited for the weekend? We'll be moving my sister into an apartment a few floors above ours, preparing for visitors arriving on Tuesday, and doing some of the prep work for Thanksgiving. May I suggest laying out your serving dishes with little notes indicating what should go in them and making a cooking schedule?

Toasted Oatmeal and Bruleed Oatmeal from Martha Stewart

 Oh, and make sure you have an easy and wholesome breakfast on hand for Thursday, so you don't pass out before the turkey even makes it out of the oven. I think we'll be going with baked oatmeal (this recipe is similar to how I make it, though I usually use just a smidge of maple syrup instead of sugar and sometimes I throw in a couple whisked eggs for protein).

Are you visiting someone else for Thanksgiving? Even if you're going to your parents' house, we know you'd never show up empty handed. Here are some suggestions for host/hostess gifts that will make you a welcome guest:

 Small, inexpensive gifts

The very best of hostess gifts

  When it's time to meet the parents

Thoughtful goodies and tasty treats are lovely, but the best host/hostess gift you could give on Thanksgiving is a slide show of wonderful memories (though a photo book of past Thanksgivings would be pretty great as well) . It could be filled with photos of the family and friends you're celebrating with from the past year, images of the various things you're thankful for, or pictures from Thanksgivings past. You could even put a call out for multiple slide shows and have a post-dinner viewing party.

Miya posted instructions for how to put a slide show together using iphoto and included a pretty starting and ending image for your downloading pleasure right here. If you send us your slide show before Thanksgiving day, we'll post some that day (because you guys are one of the things we're thankful for!).

And finally, time is running out to sign up for our Spread the Cheer gift exchange. We have some fantastically creative people signed up already, so we can guarantee you'll have fun with this.  

Have an lovely weekend!

Kicking off our Un-Gift Guide!

Happy Friday, Friends! Put on your party hats and head on over to Holiday today--we are kicking off our Un-Gift Guide, and I put together a little un-gift for Thanksgiving that I hope you'll like. It's easy, it's meaningful, and I've even done some of the hard work for you. And you'll get to see lots of previously-unpublished pictures of me, Emi, and Jordy, for those of you who are curious.

Also, just a gentle reminder: don't forget to sign up for our Spread the Cheer gift exchange!
Have a fantastic weekend, everyone! See you on Monday!