Author Archives: Megan

Gifts for Someone Special

Posted in Christmas, Holiday Gift Guides by

Every year my husband and I have the same conversation that goes something like this:

Me: “So what do you want for Christmas?”
Him: “A good wife.”
Me: “Good luck with that. What do you really want?”
Him: “I don’t know. Nothing. You?”
Me: “I don’t know. Nothing.”
Him: “Okay, it’s settled. We’re getting nothing.”

Which inevitably turns into something. I’m sure that most couples have a similar conversation. Trying to find something meaningful is like pulling teeth – you’re probably at the age where you don’t really need anything because you have everything. But I usually look at it as an opportunity to buy something nice that the person would not normally splurge on for themselves. This year we have actually agreed to stick with the nothing gift as we’re going to put the money we would normally spend towards buying new appliances (how exciting! Can you detect the sarcasm?). Regardless, I thought it would be fun to put together the things that I would love to receive from my special man or things that I would love to treat him with:

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1. Mast Brothers Chocolate $11.95 , Old Faithful Shop – We love good quality chocolate in our house, especially dark chocolate. Mast Brothers has some unbelievably good chocolate and the packaging is amazing (I’m a sucker for great packaging).

2. Mushroom foraging knife and case $75.00, Mjolk – My husband and I joined our local Mycological Society this last year and really enjoyed going out to forage for morel mushrooms in the spring. We’ve often joked about getting the special mushroom foraging knife and I think this is the perfect time of year to splurge on it.

3. Cedarwood soap $9.95 , Old Faithful Shop – We love tree scented artisan soaps (that sounds comical), but don’t buy them very often because they are usually pretty pricey. A few bars of this would be great in a stocking.

4. Leather & brass keychain $55.00 , Makr – Classy and functional. My favorite part of these key chains (or any leather & brass keychain) is the way that they age – they really do only get better in time and will last forever.

5. Wings & Horns Robe $150.00 , Ace Hotel Store – My husband loves Wings & Horns and fell in love with this robe when we stayed at the Ace Portland a few years ago. These robes really are the most comfortable things ever.

6. Horse Cuff $80.00 , Steven Alan – I’ve been coveting this bracelet for awhile now, it’s so simple and pretty. And horses.

7. Bath Soaks $34.00, Fig & Yarrow – I’m a big supporter of natural beauty products and these look wonderful, plus the packaging is so attractive.

8. Earrings $118.00, Leif Shop – I love the combination of black stones and gold, it is so simple and classy but with a little sophisticated goth thrown in. I’ll take a pair of these, please!

What are some of your gift ideas for that special someone? I’d love to hear them. Maybe you don’t exchange gifts – tell me about what you do instead!

As with all of my gift guides, the items are carefully selected by myself and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for any of these products – I just love them!

Gifts For Kids

Posted in Christmas, Holiday Gift Guides by

Many people don’t know this about me, but I actually started off my adult life training to be a preschool teacher. That’s right – the awkward-around-children person actually wanted to spend every day around the tiny humans. And then I realized that wasn’t my path in life (for various reasons, but mainly because those people who take care of your kids make less money than the folks serving you at Starbucks). Regardless of my career path and contrary to popular belief, I do like kids. I think they’re weird and funny and generally honest (unless they’re lying, but you can usually tell and it’s usually hilarious). Anyhow, one of the best parts of gift giving to kids is the endless possibilities of adorable things you can buy for them. It was pretty hard for me not to make this whole gift guide cat-themed, but I somehow got through it only including one cat item.

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1. Books are one of my favorite items to gift kids. I loved books as a kid and I could probably even recite a few of them. I especially like books for younger kids because it is an activity that they can do with their parents. I chose “Manners Can Be Fun” because it looks like a total passive-aggressive approach and no one likes a rude kid (luckily all the kids in my life are well mannered, most likely because they already own this book).

2. Tin duck on a bike wind-up toy $14.98 – Tin Toy Arcade. I love vintage replica tin toys – they are so neat and remind me of the toys we played with when we visited Grandma & Grandpa’s house.

3. Arborist Onesie $32.00 – Drake General Store. So adorable! I know so many people who have the tradition of getting pajamas on Christmas Eve. THIS ALSO COMES IN ADULT SIZE! You could get matching onesies for the whole family!

4. Paper Puppets $34.93 – Furze Chan. I just love these! Build a cardboard puppet stage and let the imagination run wild!

5. Wooden Dog $40.75 – Friendly Toys. I love wooden toys and you can personalize this one with any name you want. This one reminds me of the plastic version everyone born in the 80’s had with the flapping ears.

6. Veggie Rattles $20.00 – Anthropologie. I’m dying from cuteness overload here.

7. Cat Dolls $34.00 – My Sweet Muffin. These are so adorable in a weird sort of way, I especially love their neckerchiefs!

If you’re on the prowl for non-material objects to give to a kid this Christmas, consider an annual pass to your local science centre or museum (I loved the museum as a kid – mainly the taxidermy section. Yes, I was always weird), a coupon book of IOUs (For example “IOU one trip to the ice cream shop” or “IOU one movie night”), or if your kid is an animal lover, make a donation to your local shelter to sponsor an animal and create some art for your sponsored animal’s crate.

As with all of my gift guides, the items are carefully selected by myself and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for any of these products – I just love them!

Gifts for Pets & Their People

Posted in Christmas, Holiday Gift Guides by

If you’re anything like me, buying a holiday gift for your pet is essential. I have three cats of my own which are treated like little kitty children – spoiled rotten and allowed to do basically whatever they want (this is how I imagine I would parent a non-feline child so it is probably for the best that I don’t have any human children). I am partial to cats since a little clowder of them live in my house but I am an admirer of all animals – anyone who knows me knows that I dream of having a couple of dogs, some chickens, ducks, goats, horses, cows, etc. – and of course a few more cats. The first half of this gift guide focuses primarily on the pets, but the second half includes some ideas for those people in your life who are general animal lovers. Here are a few gift ideas for your little cat or dog pals:

 

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1. Custom family pet & people portrait $77, Lili Di Prima – This is more of a gift for the humans, but I think there is something really special about custom pet portraits. Also, I love how this artist has done the portraits – I find a lot of the custom pet portraits to be a bit cheesy or “funeral programmy” if that makes sense, but these are a bit quirky and would look very lovely in a black oval frame with a cream colored mat.

2. Da Bird cat toy $12.01, amazon.ca – These are my cats favorite toy by far – they have gone through a few of them and our current one is being held together by electrical tape in order to squeeze the last ounces of life from it. They are actually decent quality, but one of my cats is very rough on all toys, so I’m pretty positive this toy would hold up much longer with a non-psychotic cat.

3. Cardboard kitty scratcher $19.99, Target – My cats love scratching cardboard the most. They don’t really go for carpet or sisal rope scratchers (the couch is another story). They especially love cardboard structures that they can go on top of or sleep inside of. Cats are weird.

4. Sponsor an animal or make a donation to your local shelter in your recipient’s name. Our local no-kill animal shelter, The Meow Foundation, offers a sponsorship program during the holiday season for $25 per cat. While I love to receive material gifts, this is one of my favorite things to receive because I want all the cats to be living as comfortable lives as mine do.

5. Leather & rope dog collar $50 and rope dog leash $60 , Old Faithful Shop – If I had a dog, I would buy this set. It reminds me of horse tack which is probably why I am so attracted to it.

6. Kitty basket bed $112.00, Mungo & Maud – This cat bed is a little on the pricey side, but I love that it is so simple looking and my cats do love to sleep in baskets.

7. Pet tent $114 , Urban Outfitters – Every pet needs a tent, right?

And of course you can’t forget those people who are just general animal lovers!

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1. Alpaca socks $15.00 – Anthropologie – I’ve been into knitting socks this last year but it does not stop me from buying socks with critters on them. Alpacas!

2. Knit Your Own Dog kit $14.99 – This would be the perfect gift for the dog-loving knitter!

3. Cat dishtowel $18.00 – Anthropologie – Adorable, enough said.

4. Moose string lights $28.00 – Urban Outfitters – My sister loves moose and has a moose room so I know she would love these. But I kind of want them for myself too!

5. Horse Backpack $55.00 – Little Burgundy – I’ve been coveting this pattern for several months and I’ve been waiting for this to go on sale so I can buy it for myself.

6. Cat & yarn salt & pepper shakers $12.99 – Modcloth – I have had a strange spinster lady desire to go out and start a novelty salt & pepper shaker collection but unfortunately have not taken that plunge yet. Perhaps buying this set will give me the motivation to go out and finally do it.

7. Swans iPhone case $36.00 – Rifle Paper Co. – I’ve had to limit myself to only one iPhone cover BUT if that one decides to die, I will be getting this one!

8. DIY racoon embroidery kit $20.99 – Kiriki Press – I think I’m going to have to treat myself to this, it is just too adorable to pass up. And lucky for me, my favorite local knitting store carries Kiriki Press kits!

As with all of my gift guides, the items are carefully selected by myself and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for any of these products – I just love them!

Gifts for Crafters, Knitters & DIYers

Posted in Christmas, Holiday Gift Guides by

I think that everyone has one friend who is always adorning one of their own handmade creations or constantly saying “I could make that!” in public. The handmade revolution is taking over like crazy and I love it – there are thousands of blogs dedicated to DIY crafting, knitting, sewing, carpentry, cooking, and anything you can think of. Sometimes those things can get to be a bit much. Sometimes I get really great ideas and other times I’m left thinking “So how much is this going to end up costing me?”. So I decided to put together a few of my favorite easy DIY kits and supplies for those special crafters & DIYers in your life and since I am a knitter myself, I made a special all knitting gift guide below!

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1. Merchant & Mills Sewing Kit $75.00, Purl Soho – I love the simple and beautiful designs of Merchant & Mills and having this little kit on hand would be so handy.

2. Mushroom Farm $19.95, Back To The Roots – I’ve been wanting one of these for quite awhile so I can grow my own oyster mushrooms at home. Apparently these kits are multiple use as well!

3. Mead Making Kit $59.95, Williams Sonoma – I’m not a huge fan of homemade wine because I don’t exactly live in a climate that is able to grow grapes but I think mead would be very good because you could use local honey. Mmmm mead.

4. MT washi tape $19.09, The Lovely Desk – I’m not sure if the washi tape craze is over yet or not but I still love this product because of its versatity and also because it comes in so many colors and patterns.

5. Constellation embroidery set $21.00, Purl Soho – This looks like such a simple and beautiful project that could easily be done in an afternoon – which is sometimes my favorite type of project!

6. Liberty of London fabric bundle $55.00, Purl Soho – Liberty fabrics are some of my absolute favorite because of their beautiful patterns but also because the fabric itself feels amazing – so light and soft. I made a pillow cover out of one of their fabrics, as well as used one of their prints in a quilt I made and they are by far my favorite handmade items. The fabrics themselves are pretty pricey for yardage but a bundle makes a bit more sense for small projects – I think any sewer & lover of Liberty would love to receive something like this.

7. San Fransisco Sourdough Starter Kit $29.95, Williams Sonoma – Sourdough bread is a big guilty pleasure of mine and although I do not indulge in it often, when I do I want to make sure it is the best sourdough possible. This would be a welcome addition to any beginner bread baker!

8. Needle felting animal kit $21.92, Maker Magpie – I’ve had my eye on these kits at my local yarn store for a number of months but just haven’t taken the plunge to buy one yet. They look fairly simple and come with all of the tools and supplies required to make an adorable little animal.

And now for all of those special knitters!

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1. Clover Measuring Tape $7.40 – Purl Soho – I own a few of these and they are my favorite because they are attractive and also good quality. For some reason, tape measures are a hot commodity around my house and go missing often, so having an inventory of multiple devices is essential – can anyone else relate to this?

2. Ebony Crochet Hooks $23.10 – Lantern Moon. I love a good quality, beautiful crochet hook for a provisional cast-on (which I just recently learned and am in love with). Also, ebony is one of the hardest woods in the world which makes these hooks virtually indestructible.

3. Pom Pom Quarterly Subscription $30GBP – One of my favorite quarterly publications – it includes great patterns for things you would actually make. I’m sure most knitters can relate: I’ve got a backlog of things I would like to make – most of those things are from issues of Pom Pom because their projects are so great. Digital subscriptions are also available!

4. Woodland Cabin Yarn Sampler $37.69USD – Knit Picks – I’ve made a few projects with this line of yarn and I really like the quality for price, plus the color selection is unbelievable. Knit Picks also has lots of free patterns, so you could pick out a project that you would like your knitter to make for you and include it in with the yarn as a subtle hint.

5. Needle Gauge Ruler $10.00 – Church Mouse Yarns – I’ve been on the lookout for a non-plastic gauge ruler ever since I started knitting so I think I am going to need this one for myself.

6. Stork Scissors $19.99 – Joann – I have a pair of these and they are my favorite for knitting, embroidery and cross-stitch – the narrow ends make it really easy to get in to small spaces, plus they are very sharp. Mine didn’t come with a pretty case like this pair does, so I think I’m going to have to make myself one.

7. Indigo Dye Kit $13.99 – Knit Picks – I’ve been wanting to experiment with yarn dying for several months now and I’ve been considering taking a class, but this kit looks so easy that I would try it on my own. Also, my husband and I are obsessed with indigo dyed anything, so this would be a welcome gift in our household.

8. Leather & Brass Stitch Markers Set $28.00 – Fringe Supply Co. – I have plastic stitch markers, and I’m sure most knitters have the same thing, but I would love this set because they are so adorable!

If you’re an ambitious gift giver, I put together a post of some homemade gift ideas here.

As with all of my gift guides, the items are carefully selected by myself and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for any of these products – I just love them!

Gifts for Kitchen Dwellers & An Easy DIY Gift

Posted in Christmas, Holiday Gift Guides by

I don’t think it is any secret that I love food. I also love to be in my kitchen cooking – and sometimes baking. And having amazing kitchen tools is essential for me. I’m definitely not one of those home cooks who has to have every gadget – there are a few deciding factors when it comes to bringing tools into my kitchen: 1) They need to be totally functional. Multipurpose is a plus. 2) They need to be really good quality and most likely last forever. 3) They need to be beautiful.

So with all of that said, I put together a round-up of my favorite kitchen must-haves that meet all of my high kitchen standards:

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1. Rolling Pin $105.00, Herriott Grace – I absolutely love everything that Herriott Grace does – they are truly one of a kind pieces. I’ve been pining over one of these rolling pins for quite awhile as a replacement to my Ikea one (which has served me just fine, but the handmade ones are just swoon-worthy!).

2. Beeswax Wrap $21.31, Kaufmann Merchantile – I love the idea of this re-usable wrap and I’m a sucker for anything made in part by busy bees!

3. Iron Utility Scissors $18.00, Anthropologie – I splurged on a pair of these scissors last year for my birthday and I do not regret it one bit. I used to have a pair of kitchen specific scissors but they were awful (Cuisinart – their products keep failing me). I love this pair so much. Plus they are one of the prettiest pairs that I own (I have a bit of a thing for beautiful scissors).

4. Callebaut Dark Chocolate Pepins $6.00, Duchess Provisions – This is some of the best baking chocolate on the market, in my opinion. Did you know you’re not supposed to store chocolate in the fridge or feezer? Store it in a dark, cool location away from the elements, it will keep the true flavor preserved and prevent the chocolate from discoloring.

5. Marble & Wood Boards $54.00, Drake General Store – These are some true beauties! They would look beautiful hung on a pretty hook in the kitchen when not in use.

6. Fancy Olive Oil $29.95, Old Faithful Shop – I usually select my olive oil based on the most attractive packaging (yes, I am one of those people), but I’ve found that anyone who puts effort into an attractive package usually has an equally good quality product. I’m sure it isn’t true for everything, but it has seemed to work for me so far. Feel free to present arguments against me on this one, it is stupid logic, I know!

7. Heirloom Recipe Box $145, Rifle Paper Co – My husband bought this recipe box for me for Christmas several years ago and it is so, so beautiful and good quality.

8. Noble Bourbon Maple Syrup $34.95, Old Faithful Shop – I bought one of the small sampler bottles initially because I didn’t want to shell out for the big size before trying the product, but that little one got me hooked. This syrup is so good in cooking and baking or just poured over top of some fluffy waffles.

9. Little Deer Wooden Spoon $29.95, Williams-Sonoma – We were gifted a couple of Little Deer wooden spoons for our wedding from some foodie friends and I used the gift card that they’d also given us for the Cookbook Co. to buy more of these spoons since I loved them so much. They get used daily in our house and are probably near the top on my 10 favorite kitchen tools list. Even after over 6 years of heavy usage and abuse they have only gotten better within time.

And if you’re looking for an easy DIY that any cook or baker is sure to love, here is my favorite simple and fairly inexpensive gift idea:

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Left: Freshly made extract which needs to steep for a couple of months. Right: My supply that is very well steeped, smelling and tasting amazing.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Ingredients

– 3 whole vanilla bean pods (Shop around for these – some places seem to charge an arm & a leg but I was able to purchase mine for $2 each from Planet Organic)
– Vodka (I use Prairie Vodka but you can use any type of plain vodka you want)

Instructions

– Use a sharp knife to cut the vanilla pods open to release more flavor.
– Put the vanilla pods (every part) in a clean sterilized jar with a lid.
– Fill the jar with vodka, seal the jar and shake
– Store the jar in a cupboard at room temperature, shaking daily, until you are ready to gift the extract (vanilla extract needs about 3 months to “steep” before it is ready to be used, so just make sure to instruct the recipient of this).

You can fancy up your jar with a pretty label and some baker’s twine.

Homemade vanilla extract will last a really long time – I’ve been using mine for about 3 years. You can add extra vodka and replace the vanilla pods as your supply begins to diminish.

As with all of my gift guides, the items are carefully selected by myself and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving compensation for any of these products – I just love them!