Sarah's Holiday Gift Guide

I did some browsing on etsy and amazon, and here are some fantastic things I stumbled upon....

Some jewelry gift ideas:

1. $40 + $4 shipping -Blossom with bronze stamens Ring
2. $30 + $1 shipping - Custom Hand Stamped Mother's Necklace with Birthstones - Two Names (I purchased one of these for my mother-in-law from this seller and she has been so great - wonderful communication, quick-turnaround, fast shipping ... couldn't recommend her enough!)
3. $24 + $3 shipping - Linked Square Necklace

4. $18 + $2 shipping - Sterling Silver Earrings with Cobalt Blue Glass Tube Beads

5. $9 + $2 shipping - Origami Paper Leaf Earrings
6. $19 + $7 shipping - Sterling Silver Initial Ring

7. $12.50 + $4 shipping - Intricate vintage metal necklace (I love this seller!)
8. $16 + $1.50 shipping - Silver Wiredflower Earrings

For the home:

1. $8 + $1.75 shipping - Stuffed Ornament - Matryoshka Doll

2. $45 + $9 shipping - Set of 4 Square Black and White Bowls

3. $22 + $3 shipping - "Sunshine" 8x10 Print by virginiakraljevic

4. $17.50 + $4.50 shipping - Black and White Floral Pillow Cover

5. $35 + $7 shipping - mod pot with porcelain flowers

6. $36 + $19 shipping - Vintage Window Door Shabby Chic

7. $25 + $4 shipping - Black & White Flora - napkin set
8. $20 + $4 shipping - Set of 4 Collecting Clouds sized 4x6 Without Frames (SevenOlives is such a lovely seller - if you don't like these, check out her custom dog portraits, they are TOO cute!)
9. [for $89 + $9 shipping, I would never buy this but I think it's fantastic and you could make a cheap replica!]

10. $21.50 + $5 shipping - Sweet Leaves - Red and Teal Fabric Branches (set of 3)

11. $35 + $9.90 - "The Woodland" Limited Edition11.5 x 8 Giclee print

12. $12 + $3 shipping - Pair Of Mid Century Bud Vases

I LOVE giving books as gifts, and here are some of my favorites that I've read in the past year. I am a major memoir junkie, so a lot of these are memoirs, and yes some are sad, but they're so good!
1. "Three Cups of Tea" By David Relin and Greg Mortenson - a true story about a man who builds schools in Pakistan - unbelievable.
2. "Lucky" by Alice Sebold - this is a major, heavy memoir - about Sebold's rape. While it's a serious topic, the writing is beyond beautiful and the story will compel you to appreciate your life all the more.
3. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen - such a well-written and fascinating novel!
4. "Swallow the Ocean" by Laura Flynn - among the top 5 memoirs I've ever read, the story of a pair of sisters raised by a schizophrenic mother. So interesting and beautiful.
5. "Blackbird" (and also "Still Waters"!) by Jennifer Lauck - uhm, unbelievable childhood story here. Brilliant writing.
6. "Lopsided: How Having Breast Cancer Can Be Really Distracting" by Meredith Norton - hands down the funniest book I've read all year. This is a true gem.
7. "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls - this memoir is in my top 3 favorite books of all time, and undeniably my favorite memoir. I laughed, I teared up, I fell in love with the brilliant writing!
8. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggars - hilarious, heart-wrenching, so smart!

And book ideas for those who love decor, DIY, or crafts:

1. "The Big-Ass Boook of Crafts" :)
2. "Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens"
3. "One-Yard Wonders"
4. "Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts"
5. "Lotta Prints: How to Print with Anything, from Potatoes to Linoleum"
6. "4000 Flower and Plant Motifs" - I have another book in this series, and for anyone who draws or designs, these books are insanely helpful, 384 pages of pure inspiration!!
7. "[The Nest] Home Design" - I own this book and it's just beautiful to look at.
8. "Sew Everything Workshop"
9. "Black and Decker's The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair"

Happy shopping! And in my next post, I'll show you how I've decorated for the holidays.