I dropped some of these Mexican punched tin cactus ornaments off at Indie South's Prince Avenue shop here in Athens, and kept a set for myself. I might hang them somewhere in my office year-round! For friends who live outside of Athens, I rounded up some of my favorite cactus ornaments below. Enjoy!
I love Halloween. I really *really* love it. Both my mom and I love to go ham on some post-Halloween clearance sales, and I'm pretty sure every room in my house has some kind of repurposed Halloween decor, from a ceramic skull cookie jar to old Halloween fake skulls I've spray-painted gold. There is some really good stuff out there this year, and some stores like Wayfair already have their Halloween decor at 70% off! Some of my favorites are above. I'm going to have to get to Target soon for that snake-wrapped hourglass! And look at that metal vampire bat door-knocker! Eeeeeeeee!!!
That time Oprah helped me get into the holiday spirit.
I have so much love and respect for Oprah and the empire she built, and I get pretty, prettaaaayyy, excited when she shares her Oprah's favorite things each year:
This year, I decided to do a favorite things post of my own. In the past calendar year, it feels like I've had to replace every expensive thing I own: car, tv, laptop, mattress, tablet, phone... they all reached the end of the line. I spent a lot of time researching and replacing these things, and too much time shopping online in general, so maybe some of you can benefit from my wealth of knowledge re: buying stuff, or at least enjoy these very technical FaceInHole-generated images.
L-R:
Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 Instant Film Camera - $107 - Now that Polaroid film is harder and more expensive than ever to find, I switched over to this camera. The film is readily available, and the colors are dreamy. Has two focus zones + light and dark control.
Laurel Hill necklace - $286 - I lucked into a deep discount during Laurel Hill's Good Karma sale, so this hunk of goodness is going to be my Christmas present from my folks!
Harney & Sons Green Tea with Coconut - $8.50 - Working from home can make a gal real snacky, so I've been drinking tea when the snacking urge strikes.
Nike Women Rosherun - $135 - call me an old lady, but I started to have bunion pain this year. I tried so many pairs of athletic shoes both for the gym and running errands, and these were the winners.
TONYMOLY sheet face masks - $13.85 for 11 - sheet masks are great for looking like a monster on a girls night in. I first found them at Korean beauty stores. They make your skin feel fresh and moisturized.
Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit - $16 - These make a great gift for any woman who travels frequently. I wish I could give these to every one of my music industry ladies every festival season.
Coconut Oil - $9.99 - Hello! It's me, your hippie friend who thinks coconut oil is the answer to everything! It's in my smoothies, on my dry elbows, I'm washing my face with it... it's everywhere, and I hope we don't someday learn that it's actually bad for us, because I'd be screwed.
Kim Kim Korean Hot Sauce - $14.99 - Made in Richmond, a Virginia friend brought me a bottle, and it became my favorite hot sauce. I could go through a bottle per week if I wasn't trying to ration it. Think miso hot sauce. It's an all natural hot sauce made from fermented bean paste and red chili paste, and i want to put it on everything. Put it on a kimchi quesadilla.
Lodge enameled cast iron dutch oven - $59.99 - The Le Creuset version is $299.99, and we've already established that it's soup season. One of this will last you forever. And then you'll pass it down to your kids, who won't appreciate it, because they'll have a food machine straight out of the Jetsons.
Lodge cast iron skillet - $14.95 - I can't remember the last time we used any other skillet. It's oven proof, gets super-hot evenly, and becomes better and better seasoned over time. This is another item you'll have forever, and then pass on to your kids, who will think it's a cute thing to hang on the wall because it reminds them of a time before 3D printed food.
Nutri-Ninja Pro - $99.50 - For a while I was so good about making smoothies ever morning in this. Next year I need to get back on the green smoothie train. It's just hard to get off the pimento-cheese-toast-for-breakfast-every-morning train. I bought my parents one too, since adulthood is this weird role-reversal where you start pestering your parents to eat their vegetables.
Cuppow drinking lids, set of two - $19 - Cuppow is a socially acceptable sippy-cup for your adult life. It turns mason jars into hot or cold travel mugs. Pretty sure everyone on your holiday list drinks stuff sometimes. I still don't always remember to bring my own cup to coffee shops, but at least I feel really guilty now when I forget it.
Tuft & Needle Mattress - $600 - I replaced my mattress this year with one of those fancy new made-in-America mattresses. It's supposed to sleep cooler than memory foam with the same sort of support, and comes with a 30 day trial. I should have done this long ago instead of sleeping on a caved-in pillow top. In arrived rolled up in a box, and poofed out when it hit the air. (Watch Dean unpack it here.) It's super comfy, and works just fine without a box spring on this inexpensive frame, and then I have under-bed storage drawers. New bed, new TV, bye bye social life.
SUPERFIGHT - $30 - If you like Cards Against Humanity, you'll love Superfight. You're dealt a character card and attribute cards, and then argue why your fighter would destroy. A few beers can really enhance the logical, impassioned arguing.
LED Edison bulbs - $12.99 - They're long-lasting, don't draw much power, and look like tiny chandeliers inside light bulbs.
Gifts for Good:
Clockwise:
She Crew Pits Against Patriarchy tank - $25 - All profits go to {she crew} to assist with operation costs & programming. {she crew} is an arts empowerment program in Chicago for girls ages 12-14.
Umano Cactus Tee - $36 - Our hometown heroes Umano recently went on Shark Tank! Kids draw the art and with every product you purchase, Umano will give a backpack full of school supplies.
Femme International - packages vary - For schoolgirls, having a menstrual cup allows them to attend school -- every day of the month. Girls in Kenya will miss an average of 4.9 days of school each month because of her periods, adding up to around 20 per cent of the school year. Giving a schoolgirl a menstrual cup means she no longer needs to leave school to find a latrine during the day. She is no longer afraid of leaking, and being mocked by her classmates. I think this organization is so vital to improving the health and education of women around the world.
If loving the blanket scarf trend makes me basic, I don't want to be deluxe.
(Yeah, I have no idea how to make a collage of electronics look nice.)
L-R
Kindle Fire - $49.99 - When I'm at the gym, I try to forget I'm running on the elliptical by watching Netflix and SkillShare classes. I ordered a Fire because... well.. it was pretty cheap, and it's the same Netflix regardless of what you watch it on.
TCL Roku TV - $189.99 - When my TV broke, I replaced it with a smart TV, and went from that friend who goes "oh, I don't watch much TV. I kind of forget that watching TV is even an option!" to "thanks for the invite, but X-Files is on Netflix, so..."
Lifeproof waterproof iPhone case - $45.85 - Did you drop your phone in a toilet this summer and zap it instantly? ME TOO! I learned my lesson, and sprung for the waterproof case.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community,Laurel Hill, Dear Hearts, Seed and Plate, Treehouse, Recipe for Press, Morgangster, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts! Today, the last guest post in this project comes from Dana from Athens Street Style.
The holiday season is a perfect time to stock up on accessories, support the artists in my life, reflect and reorganize. Here are a few of my picks! - Dana
1. I love how this case is reminiscent of Audrey's Funny Face dance number.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community,Laurel Hill, Dear Hearts, Seed and Plate, Treehouse, Recipe for Press, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
Today's guest post comes from one of the first people I met in Athens, GA (Russell Hall dorm buds!), Morgan Cogswell of Morgangster. Morgan is one of only a handful real-life Tina Fey's in my life, which you should know is one of the highest compliments I could give.
Morgan works in Athens as a graphic designer and loves shirley temples, bike riding, breakfast foods, and Netflix. She dislikes olives and writing about herself in the 3rd person. She writes regularly about living in Normaltown and other such things over at her personal blog, Morgangster and is the music columnist for The Lovely Project. Follow along with her Normaltown Instagram project at #normaltownproject
"The holidays always stir up a certain amount of nostalgia for me: the traditional decorations, the songs, the unspoken gift-giving rivalry amongst my siblings...
Though I try to outdo them by coming up with the best, coolest gifts for the best, coolest people I know... mostly I love the look on their faces when they open their gifts. The saying stands... it IS better to give than to receive! Here are some gifts that are on my radar for the many best/cool people in my life." - Morgan
1. evo Haze Styling Powder: If you or someone you love suffers from "baby-hair-mopville" (as the bottle suggests) this stuff is your new best friend. // You can find it here or, if you live in Athens, at Model Citizen Salon. // $29.95
2. Stainless steel wine glasses: The Great Outdoors + Wine. Nothing more needs to be said. // Find them here // $13.52
3. Crosley Cruiser Turntable: Not only will this cool little guy play your records, but also there's a jack for your iPod. // online here // $99.95
4. Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: I received this beautiful book last year for my birthday, and I have enjoyed thumbing through the pages a little at a time ever since. It's exactly what it says it is: "Cleverly illustrated, Encyclopedia of the Exquisite is an ode to life’s plenty, from the extravagant to the eccentric. It is a celebration of luxury that doesn’t necessarily require money." // online here // $21.83
5. Artifact Uprising Books: This may be one of the things I'm most excited about this year. I take a lot of photos (Instagram and otherwise) but never really know what to do with all the pictures. These beautiful little books are just perfect for storing all your memories. // online here and via their app // $16.99
6. Glory Glory Prints: I'm a designer here in Athens and have been selling these Georgia themed prints for a while now. I've just recently moved to having them printed here in town, so this is an exciting new development for my tiny Glory Glory shop. For the holidays, I'm currently offering free shipping on these guys! 11x14 and available in both gray and black. // online here // $18.00
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community,Laurel Hill, Dear Hearts, Seed and Plate, Treehouse, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts! Today's gift guide comes to use from Recipe for Press. Recipe for Press is the brainchild of Amy Flurry, also of paper-cut-project. Her book, workshops, and products offer DIY PR education to entrepreneurs in the Athens community and beyond.
Not much is cozier than curling up with a great book and a cup of tea, especially around this time of year. Recipe for Press intern Claire has picked out a few of her favorite gift ideas that will thrill any book lover! All of the items featured below are from Recipe for Press DIY PR workshop grads!
DEAL********also, if readers type "thankyou" in the coupon code upon checkout, they will receive 20% off Recipe for Press and the new Pitch Wheel
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. Today's guest post comes from my The Seed & Plate. The Seed & Plate is an independent magazine in Athens, Ga. with a focus on food, farming and community in the Southeast.
The holidays are the perfect time to show support for the local businesses and talented craftspeople in your community. It’s the personal touch that comes with these gifts that always rings true with loved ones. Plus it’s a great way to show pride in the bounty of your hometown. Through our wanderings with The Seed & Plate, we have encountered so many unique products that we’d be thrilled to find in our stockings this year. Here are just a few!
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists.
Today's guest post comes from my North Carolina friends Dear Hearts. Have you ever walked into a store and felt like the buyers reached into your brain and stocked all the things you'd choose for yourself? That's how I feel about Dear Hearts. Their mobile shop, headquarters, and online store are all curated to perfection. They also have a special discount for Arrowhead readers! From now through 12/20/13, you'll receive 10% off with the code ARROWHEAD!
Hi from Dear Hearts in Durham, NC! We're two best buds and we just recently opened our store which started out as a wild daydream for us and now is this awesome part of our everyday life. When we're shopping for each other, holiday gifting is pretty easy. We just buy whatever we want for ourselves and then wrap it up and give it the other person. Of course, it's not always that easy so we've made this handy gift guide for the ladies and dudes in your lives.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community,Laurel Hill, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
Today's gift guide comes from Treehouse Kid & Craft. While Treehouse has lots of great items and classes for kids, I find a lot of gifts for grownups (I use this word loosely :) at there, too. Remember when I took a needle felting class at Treehouse? Owner Kristen Bach is also part of beautyeveryday, who we heard from earlier this month.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
Today's gift guide is from talented jeweler and metal-smith Laurel Hill. We Athenians have known for a long time how talented she is, but this year national retailers like Free People took note as well.
When every woman I know wants Laurel Hill for Christmas (it's impossible to go wrong with anything she makes) I wanted to know: What does Laurel Hill want?
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
Today's guest post comes from Meredith Thornhill, an Athens friend and host of WUOG show Edith on Fashion.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
Today's guest post comes from Community, an Athens boutique that balances style with sustainability.
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, ScoutMob, Community, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
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Today's guest post comes from Beauty Everyday, a group of women in Athens, GA who document their creative lives and the unique Southern places they encounter. Rinne Allen has been my friend and neighbor for years. Her studio is a magical hideaway nestled beneath my house (just look at this gorgeous photo set from Trouve Mag) and just running into her in our shared backyard making sun prints or on a stroll with her cute kids leaves me with a little inspiration every time. Kristen Bach owns one of my favorite shops in Athens, Treehouse Kid & Craft, offering craft supplies, gifts, and creative classes for kids and grown-ups alike. Rebecca Wood is the creative force behind R. Wood Studio Ceramics.
They just released a book together (pick one up in town at Avid Bookshop), and are having a book signing at 5&10 Wednesday, December 11.
Images from Beauty Everyday
These women know Athens inside and out, and have a wide network of local and regional makers, so I'm extra-excited about their gift ideas. If you're outside of Athens, you can still purchase from Beauty Everyday, Treehouse, and R.Wood online stores, and pick up some daily inspiration from the Beauty Everyday blog.
This year we are encouraging folks to support local businesses as much as possible. Our city has so much to offer, it's easy to support our local peeps! For our Arrowhead VIntage gift guide we have made a little gift basket with some of our local favs. Bon Appetit! - Beauty Everyday
This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. So far we've heard from beautyeveryday, Edith on Fashion, Community, and Double Dutch Press. Don't forget to check out the exclusive discount codes many of these shops included in their posts!
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Scoutmob Shoppe is a curated online marketplace that promotes independent makers. We find artists that pique our interest, tell their stories, and drive traffic to them -- all to help them make a living off of their crafts.
I'm an advocate of making my own gifts, but if you're gonna buy online this year -- please buy from Shoppe. The talented makers and my hardworking crew will love ya for it.
Use the promo code "ARROWHEAD15" for 15% off until 12/26!
(buffalo sweatshirt from The Local Branch, Scoutmob $25 gift card, torc bronze bracelet by Laurel Hill, moonshine gift tags from Swim Club)
