From the monthly archives:

November 2011

It’s time for Giveaway #3! Once again, my hope is that you’ll be delighted and surprised by all the goodness up for grabs. You’ll find prizes from Brinca Dada, Kayce Hughes, My Sweet Muffin, Darlybird and Paper Coterie. As you’re probably aware by now, WINNER TAKES ALL. So fun! One winner will win everything described below. Take a peek. I hope you love what you see.

From Brinca Dada, the winner will receive a high-end dollhouse, called The Edward House, worth $349! Brinca Dada dollhouses are stunning — they are playthings that adults will be drawn to as often as kids. The Edward House was inspired by Neutra’s Kaufmann House and features glass corners, a minimalist fireplace and hardwood floors. It’s made with eco-friendly materials and lead-free paints. (Is it okay if I want to move in myself?) The materials and design are so gorgeous, you’ll want to leave this toy on display. Guess what else? Brinca Dada also sells great-looking modern dollhouse furniture. So cool!

From Kayce Hughes, the winner will receive a $250 gift card to be used for anything on their site. Yay for shopping sprees! I’m a big Kayce Hughes fan. She designs clothes that women can really wear, and really look good in. No big surprise considering she’s a mother of 7! I think I would wear the Brooke Dress all year round. Plus, her children’s clothing line is classic and charming (can you imagine your little toddler in this red suit!). If Kayce Hughes is new to you, I’m betting you’re about to fall in love with her wares.

From My Sweet Muffin, the winner will receive a $200 gift certificate good for items throughout the store. My Sweet Muffin is an exclusive online shop specializing in modern and luxurious baby items like unusual toys, hipster clothing and charming backpacks. They only offer the highest quality, most creative and stylish products from Euro brands like Moulin Roty and Bla Bla Kids. If you’re looking for something really special to put under the tree, definitely check out their Holiday Gift Guide for lots of great ideas.

Extra Fun: Get 20% off on items throughout the store with the code MOMSAVE20 till December 3rd.

From Darlybird, the winner will receive a super fun prize package worth $241 — including an Earring of the Month Subscription + $100 Darlybird bucks to spend on anything you like + a Goody Bag too! I love everything about this prize. I adore the idea of an Earring of the Month club — a new pair arriving in the mail every month? Yes please! And I know I would have such a good time spending my $100. Prices at Darlybird are so reasonable, that $100 goes a long, long way. Gifts for the kids, gifts for my girlfriends and a maybe a few party supplies too!

From Paper Coterie, the winner will receive ‘One Year of Documenting’ worth $500! — choose any item on Paper Coterie’s site, each month, for one full year. Paper Coterie is passionate about documenting the beauty of life well lived. They offer adorable photo books and journals to help you capture memories. They’ve recently added custom calendars. And they also offer photo canvases so you can get those images off your hard drive and on to your wall. If you win, you could create a calendar in January, a memory book for Mother’s Day in May, and a Back-to-School photo book in September.

All right. Day number 3 is pretty remarkable, no? With prizes totaling over $1500! Want to win it all? Please visit Brinca Dada, Kayce Hughes, My Sweet Muffin, Darlybird and Paper Coterie, and leave a comment below. You only have 24 hours to enter — tell your friends so they don’t miss out. The winner will be posted tomorrow (Thursday). Good luck!

——

Amy is the lucky winner. Thanks for playing!

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Berries

November 30, 2011


I spent this morning decking the halls with boughs of holly. For reals! And for the first time ever. La Cressonnière happens to have a huge holly bush (of course it does), so I harvested some branches and I’m using them to fill in the double-decker mantle over the living room fireplace. I have never had access to fresh holly before, but it is gorgeous and Christmas-y. And poky. (Use gloves.)

I’m not going to lie, the mantel is looking awesome. And while I was installing the holly, I kept looking at Ben Blair and saying, “Is this place for real?” And, “How in the world are we going to live somewhere else after this?

I will definitely share some pictures when I finish up, but right now, berries are on my mind. In addition to the holly, there are all sorts of varieties of gorgeous berries that grow along the roads here in the countryside.


During one of our blackberry picking sessions, I snapped these photos of unknown-to-me berries. Obviously, I would never consume any unknown fruits, but some of them definitely looked good enough to eat. It makes me long for a field guide to edible plants, and makes me wonder how humans and other animals figured out which berries were thumbs up and which ones were poisonous. Was it really just trial and error? (Yikes!)

I know. Pretty random thoughts for a Wednesday. : )

Have you ever come upon berries in the wild and wanted to eat them? Have you ever tried a non-edible berry by mistake?

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Still reeling from yesterday’s giveaway? Well, here’s to more reeling! Today’s giveaway is going to amaze you once again. You’ll find prizes from Terrain, DownEast Basics, Malouf Fine Linens, Anne Conroy-Baiter, and Toto Knits. Just like yesterday: WINNER TAKES ALL. One winner will win everything I describe below. I’m pretty sure you’re going to go nuts over today’s prizes. Take a look.

From Terrain — the garden & homegoods store created by the Anthropologie people — the winner will receive a $200 gift card. Which is perfect for doing some holiday gift shopping, because Terrain has gift ideas in spades. Look at this zinc thermometer. And this lavendar salve. And the prettiest rake I’ve ever seen. Or maybe you need some holiday decor? Take a look at their Gorgeous Garlands and Northern Lights. I find the products, photography and styling at Terrain very inspiring. You too?

From DownEast Basics, the winner will receive $200 in gift cards that can be used online or in stores. Maybe you’ll pick out a cute sweater to give to your best friend. Or maybe you’ll stock up on scarves — it’s cold out there! Whatever you choose, $200 is sure to go a long way because DownEast Basics is all about great looking clothes at reasonable prices. It’s the perfect place to try on a new trend without breaking the bank.

From Malouf Fine Linens, the winner will receive a set of 600 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets worth $200.00! Any size. Any color. Winner gets to pick! Don’t you just love new sheets? They make crawling into bed even more heavenly after a long day. This set from Malouf is generously sized to fit even the deepest mattresses. And the colors are so sophisticated — I personally favor silver sage. Malouf also makes mattress protectors, pillows and bedframes. Their dedication to quality is impressive!

From artist, Anne Conroy-Baiter, the winner will receive a $200 gift certificate good for paintings, prints, cards, or even toward a commission! Original art is one of my favorite things to give and receive as gifts. And Anne’s watercolor work is beautiful! Wouldn’t this cookie print be fun to display at Christmas? Or, you could purchase it as cards and send it out as your holiday greeting. So fun! I think it would be neat to pick several of Anne’s prints and frame them as a series. Or hire Anne to paint a custom holiday card!

From Toto Knits, the winner will receive a $200 certificate for their web shop. Do you know Toto Knits? They are based in Kenya and help Kenyan women gain financial independence. Their knit wares are cozy and adorable, made from super soft organic cotton from Uganda. Plus, they also have the coolest design-your-own sweater option! You can pick the shape, colors and design — even adding stripes or little accents. And get this: the price for the custom sweater is only $35. Such a bargain!

Extra fun: Get 20% off at Toto Knits with the coupon code: BABY.

Well. What do you think of day number two? Prizes for Mom. Prizes for the home. Prizes for the kids. Want to win it all? Check out Terrain, DownEast Basics, Malouf Fine Linens, Anne Conroy-Baiter, and Toto Knits and leave a comment below. You only have 24 hours to enter — tell your friends so they don’t miss out. The winner will be posted tomorrow (Wednesday). Good luck!

——-

Emily Price is the lucky winner. Thanks for playing!

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Macro Kingdom

November 29, 2011

Oh man. I could watch this sort of footage all day long. I love the idea of worlds within worlds. Makes me happy just typing that. What’s your favorite sort of exploration? Great big outer space? Deep dark under the sea? Life in a drop of pond water? Or all of the above?

Spotted on Notcot.

P.S. — Have you already started wrapping gifts?

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Welcome to the 2011 Design Mom Holiday Giveaway Week. Today’s giveaway is going to amaze you. You’ll find prizes from Balsam Hill, Minted, House & Hold, Planet Gear, and Julian & Co. Take note, friends: WINNER TAKES ALL. I’m not even kidding. One winner will win everything I describe below. There are so many fun prizes, it’s like a giant early Christmas! If you win, you can share with friends or keep every last item for yourself (I won’t tell a soul, I promise). Take a look. But you might want to sit down first. : )

From Balsam Hill, the winner will receive a gorgeous artificial Christmas tree worth $899.00! It’s a 7 1/2 foot Balsam Hill Frasier Fir with Clear Lights. Have you seen one of these before? They look so real! If you’ve ever wanted to be done with the cut trees and the tree stands and the watering, this is the replacement tree you will fall in love with. Balsam Hill offers dozens of different tree styles — blue spruce, silver fir, Rocky Mountain pine — but they say that the Frasier Fir is widely considered the very best Christmas tree species. I can see why!

From Minted, the winner will receive a $250 credit to spend on Holiday Cards. I adore Minted’s cards! They source their designs from fantastic graphic design shops across the country, and all their custom work is professionally type-set — which means they’ll make sure the words you request don’t look wonky. I think Minted has the best collection of designs out there! (Also, have you seen their charming lined envelopes? So happy!) When you place your order from Minted, have high expectations, because they are ready to impress you.

From House & Hold, the winner will recieve a DwellStudio Draper Stripe Throw, worth $150. Plus. This DwellStudio Chinoiserie Pillow, worth $68! Friends, I am already jealous of whoever ends up with these stylish goodies. Everyone knows a stash of throw blankets is the best way to make it through a chilly winter. And that pillow! Wouldn’t that look great on your bed? Or your sofa? House & Hold has a carefully curated collection of amazing home goods. It’s a wonderful place to find a housewarming gift or a handsome new accessory for your mantle.

 

From Planet Gear, the winner will receive a $200 shopping spree. Join Planet Gear (it’s free) and you’ll get access to exclusive deals on all the outdoor and travel gear a girl could want. Need a new ski parka? A sporty watch to time your runs? The perfect weekender bag? Planet Gear will hook you up with the coolest products and the biggest discounts. They post new sales every week. Also, (and this is so great!), through December 15th, Planet Gear is donating a can of food for every new member and facebook fan. Nice!

From Julian & Co., the winner will receive a Cable Charm Bracelet plus a Monogram Insignia, which is the very first custom charm you’ll want to add to the bracelet — a $208 value! Julian & Co. makes custom pieces that become instant heirlooms when they arrive on your doorstep. In fact, everything they make has your loved ones in mind. Confession: if the charm bracelet arrived at my house, I can guarantee it would end up tucked into my own stocking — I don’t think I could give it up. Too pretty! : )

Well now, did I wow you with these prizes totaling almost $2000? Want to win it all? Visit Balsam Hill, Minted, House & Hold, Planet Gear, and Julian & Co. and leave a comment below. You only have 24 hours to enter — tell your friends so they don’t miss out. The winner will be posted tomorrow (Tuesday). Good luck!

——-

Tracy Potter is the lucky winner. Thanks for playing!

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Mr. Turkey

November 28, 2011

Hello, Friends! Did you know whole turkeys aren’t sold in France until December 15th? If you go to the supermarket or the butcher, you can buy turkey parts, but not whole turkeys. Because whole turkeys are only cooked up at Christmas time. Period.

But. We didn’t realize this until Monday of last week. And we needed to cook a turkey on Thursday morning. And the butchers aren’t open on Mondays. So. On Tuesday we visited every butcher in town, crossing our fingers one might have access to a whole turkey. Nope, nope and nope. At the 4th place, the butcher was in a really helpful mood. When Ben Blair explained about American Thanksgiving, he nodded and said he’d call a farmer and then let us know. We went on with our errands and the butcher called a few minutes later.

“Yes,” he said.” The farmer has a turkey. You can pick it up on Thursday morning at 10:30.” So we did. At the pick up, Mr. Turkey was waiting with his head and claws still intact. That’s how whole birds are sold here. There was no pop-up thermometer, no plastic cords holding the feet together and no innards wrapped up in paper waiting in the body cavity. It had never been frozen, and in fact, had been alive the day before.

I’m still not sure why we were so struck by this but we were. The turkey had been killed and prepared specifically for our family. If we hadn’t requested it, Mr. Turkey would still be alive. I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt so connected with a meal before. How about you? What’s the closest connection you’ve had to meat you’ve eaten? Any farmers or hunters in your family?

Our neighbor, Madame Lucienne keeps chickens on her little farm. A few weeks ago she added several turkeys to the mix (I shot these photos through our back window). Now that I think about it, I suppose we could have just bought a turkey from Madame Lucienne. Maybe for Christmas…

So that’s our turkey adventure. I hope you enjoyed it! And now, I need you to prepare yourselves, because the 2011 Design Mom Holiday Giveaway Week starts TODAY!

Watch for it.

P.S. — Mr. Turkey was small (about 6 lbs) and delicious. We ate every bit of meat and made stock from the bones. I hope we were properly thankful for our feast.

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A Few Things

November 25, 2011

Hello, Friends! Did you have pie for breakfast? Me too! I love the day after Thanksgiving.

I snapped the shot above, yesterday, right after we finished cooking. We used every single pot and pan in the house. Hah! I still need to finish up a bit more scrubbing, but before I do, I wanted to share a few things I thought you might like:

- Have you ever bought a live, potted Christmas tree?
- Cute gift for a big brother or sister to make for a toddler.
- The coolest ice cubes ever.
- I know Halloween is long over, but did you see this?
- What a spectacular proposal!
- I want a stamp like this.

I also write for Babble. Here are this week’s posts:
- Here’s a really cute stocking stuffer.
- A deal on letterpress Christmas Cards!
- Wouldn’t it be fun to collect advent calendars?
- Genius. Turn any bag into a camera bag.

I hope you’re having a wonderful, laidback weekend full of steamy bowls of turkey noodle soup. I’ll meet you back here on Monday. I miss you already.

kisses,
Gabrielle

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Happy Thanksgiving!

November 24, 2011

Friends, can I tell you I woke up feeling absolutely thankful for pretty much everything in sight? A good feeling to have on Thanksgiving. : ) I’m sure you’re feeling it too.

Two things. First, I hope today you’re getting to do whatever it is you like to do best on Thanksgiving. (What is it, by the way? Turkeybowl? Making pies? Napping?) Second, I hope that you know how grateful I am for this community. Your thoughtful comments on posts like this and this and this bring me daily joy. Thank you. I mean it. Thank you!

kisses,
Gabrielle

P.S. —  Ralph and Maude collected branches of berries to decorate our table. Aren’t they gorgeous? Also. If I forget, remind me to tell you about our turkey adventure…

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Side Dishes

November 23, 2011

When I’m planning the Thanksgiving menu, I always go back and forth on how many side dishes are enough. Too few risks being boring and a bit of a disappointment, especially if you dropped mashed potatoes, stuffing (Gasp!), or the famed green bean casserole off the list. Too many extras run the risk of being exactly that: too many.

Will you tell me what’s on your must-have Thanksgiving side dish list? Are you a fan of over-preparing or do you keep it pretty simple? Do you make it all yourself or share the chef duties? Is there one side dish that’s always a hit and known family-wide as your specialty? You must share the recipe!

And when it’s all over, do you send leftovers home with your guests or keep it all for yourself? Promise I won’t tell!

P.S. I’m thinking about this recipe. Don’t they look yum?

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Olive Juice Giveaway

November 22, 2011

Today’s second giveaway is brought to you by Olive Juice Kids. They’re offering a $100 gift certificate!

I adore Olive Juice clothing! They make wonderful, classic pieces that you will want to keep forever. The boys collection is perfect for your little adventurer. The baby collection is so sweet you’ll be tempted to swallow it whole. And the girls collection captures childhood in the most picturesque way.

Plus, they have legendary sales and closeouts, so you can bargain hunt and stretch your $100 prize twice as far. Right now, I’m in love with their holiday looks. So cute!

Visit Olive Juice Kids and leave a comment below to enter. The winner will be announced on Friday. Good luck!

——

Cindy Sullivan is the lucky winner. Thanks for playing!

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Heart & Stone Giveaway

November 22, 2011

Here’s something fun: Since Thanksgiving is on Thursday and I didn’t want you to miss out on my usual Thursday Giveaways, I’m posting them today instead! I’ve got two great ones. The first is sponsored by Heart & Stone Jewelry. They’re offering a $150 gift certificate! If you’re already a Heart & Stone fan, you [...]

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Living With Kids: Meredith Alexander

November 22, 2011

At first glance, this is not your average ordinary Living With Kids home tour! But look a little more closely. Peeking out from the gorgeous collection of professional realtor photos are a million little marks that this is a family’s haven. I saw scratches in the wood floor and smiled, knowing they were probably made [...]

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Beards

November 21, 2011

Friends, today I’d love to hear your thoughts on beards. Ben Blair is sporting a very handsome, very red one(!) right this minute. And do you know what? It’s his very first beard ever! Probably because my dad almost always wore a beard (and I have fond memories of watching him with his beard trimmer), [...]

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Donating Your Hair

November 21, 2011

This post is brought to you by the American Cancer Society. I’ve been working with them over the past year and I’m so impressed with their programs! Three Decembers ago, Mimi had her hair cut off and donated to make a wig for a child with cancer. It was a really positive experience — the [...]

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Behind Closed Doors

November 21, 2011

Image by Chelsea Fuss. The interior of Chelsea’s refrigerator is as stylish as any space in the glossies. It reads serene and highly-organized with French canning jars for holding leftovers, a ceramic egg carton, and cheesecloth storage bags. And, with a sweet nod to her history in floral design — she once owned her own [...]

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Book of the Week: Symphony City

November 21, 2011

Do you like music? Do you like color? Then add Symphony City to your wishlist right away. It is wonderful! It’s Amy Martin’s first children’s book (she’s both the author and illustrator), and I’d say it’s a tremendous debut. The story follows a little girl, lost in a big city, who finds her way home [...]

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A Few Things

November 18, 2011

Hello, friends! Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week? I’m so excited. I’m looking up recipes and making plans for a centerpiece. Our yard is full of pretty leaves and rose hips and I’d love to come up with something that only uses materials from our garden. Wouldn’t that be lovely? (Also, is it too [...]

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All Made Up, One More Time

November 18, 2011

Two weeks ago, we chatted about make-up. I learned all about who taught you how to wear it, which products you love, and how many of you won’t leave the house without applying at least a little of it. But there was more to our conversation, from concerns about the message wearing make-up sends to [...]

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iPlates

November 18, 2011

Tell the truth: you’ve made a mistake in real life, and found yourself wishing for an edit undo option to make it go away. Me, too. These plates by Todd Borka are both brilliant and amusing. The set includes four different styles: Import Food, Edit Food, Image Size, and Ctrl Z. How wonderful would it [...]

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Public Bikes Giveaway

November 17, 2011

Today’s second giveaway is another fun one. Public Bikes is offering a $150 gift certificate! Are you a bike rider? Do you wish you were? Public Bikes has a vision to get more people on bikes and in doing so hope to create a more civilized society. Isn’t that a great goal? If I won [...]

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