jamie of all trades

his + hers tequila shots

tequila might be my least favorite type of booze.  but for my girl margie it's her favorite.  when it came time to stock her bar i knew my gift needed to involve tequila.  at first i thought a bottle and some shot glasses so she could go shot for shot with her soon-to-be husband. :)  but then as i was looking for the perfect shot glasses it game to me to create little packages of his + her shots. 

here's what you need to make:

- glasses like these old fashion ones from crate & barrel
- airplane shots of tequila
- limes
- mini travel containers
- salt

place the lime in bottom of the glass, then the tequila shots and the salt.  wrap with cellophane and tie with a bow!

favorite things :: courtney from the good eater

today's favorite things comes from one of my oldest and dearest friends courtney.  court and i have been friends for years.  she has impecable taste, is well-traveled and one of the best eaters i know!  she's such a good eater, my mom dubbed her 'the good eater', hence the name of her blog! 

Kitchen Item: Greek Pepper Mill  Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this pepper mill.  Being Greek I had my eye on this pepper mill for a long time and when our old one broke I decided to splurge and boy am I glad I did.  It's such great quality and grinds the pepper so finely not to mention the brass design makes it good looking...I love it!  Anyone who loves to cook would really appreciate this.

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Beauty Product: Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve  This stuff is a must in our home during the winter.  When your hands are dry and chapped, this hand salve is a savior.  It's nice and thick with the most amazing Eucalyptus smell.  I keep one in my car, by the kitchen sink and by my bedside table.

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For your best girlfriend: I love these Kate Spade silver ring cocktail gloves.  When it's cold outside and you have to hide your jewelry, these gloves help add a little bling to your bundled up outfit.  They come in pink (with a ruby ring) or grey and are the perfect gift for a great friend.

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Charity/organization: International Rescue Committee - Tsunami Relief in Japan Having been there this past March 11th during the 9.0 earthquake, it's hard for me not to give something to this devastated country.  That day will forever be in my mind and seeing what it's done to those people just breaks my heart.  

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thanks, court!  i love those gloves, too cute.  and till december 31st if you donate to the international rescue committee they are matching donations!

favorite things :: colleen from things colleen wants to do

next up in favorite things, colleen from things colleen wants to do and one half of coco & leroy.  colleen and i have been friends since high school and she has always had fantastic taste!  although i don't get to see her that often since she's in new york, i love keeping up with her via her blogs.  here are colleen's favorite things of 2011:

- for the food lover - morris kitchen ginger syrup is a perfect gift for any food lover. it's beautifully packaged, and has a million and one creative uses: homemade ginger ale, a delicious cocktail ingredient, glaze on vegetables and meats, in salad dressings, etc. added bonus: it's made in small batches by some superfabulous folks right here in brooklyn. ginger syrup's new sister, boiled apple cider syrup, is pretty sweet too. info on where to purchase ginger syrup can be found here.

- for the crafter - hudson colored chalkboard paint is the perfect gift for the crafty lady or gent in your life! there are endless projects to tackle with this wondrous product- chalkboard walls, mirrors, tabletops, picture frames, etc. and hudson paint offers the most amazing array of colors. hot kolor and bakery green are my current faves. 

- for your best girlfriend - i love the kate spade sparkler "gia" pouch because it adds just the right amount of holiday zhuzh without being fussy. it can be used as a wallet, a cocktail party clutch, a makeup case or an extra place to store your smaller bits and bobbles. plus, its' namesake is one of my all-time favorite little ladies. 

favorite charity/organization: I regularly volunteer with an elderly woman through the Stanley Isaacs Senior Center in Manhattan. I meet with her every few weeks, keep her company, take her out to lunch or go for walks with her. I first met her almost 5 years ago when I moved to New York, and I know I get as much out of our little friendship as she does, if not more. I think it's awesome that so many people make efforts to donate to charities and to those in need during the holiday season, but I also feel strongly that this should be a consideration year-round. There are so many ways we can each help in our own way, all year long, whether it involves sharing our skills, clothing, books, money or time with others who may not be able to afford basic privileges otherwise. Volunteer Match is a great place to start researching opportunities in your area. And this is a great article listing specific charities that make particularly good use of your financial donations. 

thanks colleen!  i love that clutch and it is such a fantastic thing that you volunteer on a regular basis.  i know you are making wonderful difference in someone's life.

up next...courtney from the good eater!

favorite things :: courtney from no day but today

up next for favorite things, one of my favorite dolls - courtney from no day but today.  court and i have been friends for over 10 years now {blows my mind!}  not only is courtney one of my very best friends and writes the sweetest blog, she is the biggest christmas-lover i know.  she sports a 'ms. christmas eve' t-shirt during the holidays.  here are court's favorite things of 2011:

For the Music Lover:  We draw names in Nick's family and this year I drew a certain music lover who happened to follow Pearl Jam around the country this fall during their concert tour.  This "Pearl Jam Twenty" commemorative coffee table book would make a great addition to any music lovers library...particularly if he/she has an affinity for all things Eddie Vedder. 

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For the Food Lover: There's nothing cozier in the winter than coming home to a house filled with scents of dinner that's been cooking all day in a slow cooker. I'm a huge fan of America's Test Kitchen anything, so I knew when I found this cookbook designated to slow cooker recipes put out by them, it would be a hit. I'm thinking I may have to copy some of the recipes before I give this one away!

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Under $10: This year at our annual Bake Off Girls Weekend, we did a $5 gift exchange. I was the lucky recipient of this Glade "Spruce it Up" holiday candle. Delish! These little babies make any room smell like a fresh cut tree and you just can't beat the price. I think I'll be picking up a few more of these in the coming weeks.

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Giving Back: This year we each picked an individual from our giving tree at church. I have them hanging on some branches in our living room to remind us throughout the season how very much we have to be thankful for.

thanks, court!  great list.  i wonder who was so smart to get you that glade candle? :)

up next - colleen from things colleen wants to do and coco & leroy.

favorite things 2011

i am a huge fan of lists of favorite things.  i love favorite things lists so much i'm sharing mine and then for the rest of the month some of my friends and favorite bloggers will share theirs.  each list will have three favorite things and one favorite charity too.  so without further adieu...here are some of my favorite things from 2011.

for the kitchen: nesting bowls.  these were on my christmas list last year and i can easily say they have been well-used.  i love them for cooking, storing food, displaying food.  one of the best things in my kitchen.  if you don't have a set, get one.  it will change your life!

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favorite beauty product:  fresh sugar lip polish.  i love this product.  i didn't think i would really use it but in the winter when your lips get chapped and flakey this is a life-saver.  i love using it post shower and then slathering my favorite lip balm on.  amazing!

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for the card/stationary lover: the 2012 dabney lee calendar.  i look forward to getting a new calendar every december.  this year i'm roching the dabney lee calendar.  bring on 2012!

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favorite charity/organization:  this year i'm giving to the it gets better project.  i truely believe teaching and telling childrem 'it gets better' is something that's not done enough and they need to know they can reach out to anyone in their life if they need someone to talk to.  it truely does get better!

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stay tuned for more lists of favorite things!  next up...jaime from la vie...j'aime.

holiday food gift class at the pantry at delancey

last night i took a holiday food gift class at the pantry at delancey.  

it was such a fun class and we made some great food gifts - holiday bark, peanut butter meringues, cheese straws and my favorite bourbon butterscotch sauce.

amazing!  i'll share the sauce recipe next week.  it's one you'll want to save, so good.

i'll be away tomorrow with my girls for our annual bake off.  see previous years here, here and here!  this weekend is one of my favorites.  we always have such an amazing time.  this year we're taking it to the next level with spa day on friday.  we need to be good and relaxed for all the baking, crafting and girl time we'll be having! 

holiday candle :: thymes frasier fir

last year i bought a small thymes frasier fir candle and loved it so much i knew i'd make it my main candle for this holiday season.  it has a great, not overpowering pine tree scent.  but i'm loving it so much i know i'll burn through it before christmas is here.  any suggestions on another holiday candle?  what are your favorites?

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rosanna's ladies night out :: seattle shopping!

if you like jewelry, beauty and tablewares {and who doesn't?!} you definitely want to check out rosanna's ladies night out this friday, november 18th from 4-7 p.m.  rosanna's warehouse outlet store will host potluck paris jewelry, the pearl lady, and butter london. expect great deals on jewelry, nail polish, and rosanna products.

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i've been to rosanna and potluck sales before and scored some great finds!  this sale will be amazing and butter london will make it even more fablulous!  happy shopping!

rosanna warehouse outlet [emphasis on the warehouse so dress warmly!}
6755 East Marginal Way
friday, november 17th, 4 - 7 p.m.

west elm in seattle!

i am so, so, so excited to be able to say there is a west elm in seattle!  i have been a huge fan for years - i love their modern aesthetic, use of recycled materials and affordable prices.  They make good design attainable and I'm so happy they are now in my city.  {fyi friends + family, your gifts for the next year...okay beyond a year, will all be from west elm.} 

the store is opening today and the west elmers were kind enough to give me a sneak peek of the new store.  here are photos of spots in the store that really jumped out at me.

love this sofa.

the kitchen section - lots of color and patterns.

of course i loved the red + orange.

the design center.  the west elm staff will help you with your vision, come to your house and work with items you already have.  they know your taste and pieces go beyond just theirs!

the bath section.  i can see lots of gifts coming from here.

beautiful blankets made from old saris.  no two are the same!

some thanksgiving table inspiration.

the mug project shelves. $10 mugs and $5 dollars goes to a different charity for each mug.

and the piece de resistance - the green wall.  gorgeous.  stop in just to see this!

west elm seattle is located in south lake union, across from whole foods at 2201 westlake avenue.

** here's a little bonus - west elm is having a dining sale and all tables, chairs and dining storage is 15% off! **

dabney lee

 when we were in nashville we headed over to franklin, tennessee to wonder around, check out their cute main street and gawk the country music star's large homes {seriously amazing!}  along their cutie main street we stumbled upon a great paper and card store - rock paper scissors.

i was swooning over all the cute dabney lee items rps carried!  i love the lucite tray.  hello, wedding gift!

or the cute notepads!

i ended up purchasing her calendar for 2012.  it's on pre-order so i couldn't find a photo but we did get a photo of dabney holding her calendar and spry holding up a virtual sample of avery's handwriting because they are penmanship twins!