On the 24th day of December my best friend sent to me...

This hilarious video of the muppets whom I absolutely adore. For serious. Jim Henson is my hero for creating them. I'm just glad they're still living on!

-XO

On the 23rd day of December because it's really cold!

These cute accessories (trapper hat and hand muff) from one of my favorite online shops, Ruche, look really, really warm as I'm packing for my trip up to the frozen North! (i.e. - Washington, well it's really not that frozen!)

-XO

PS! - This necklace may not look warm, but it definitely looks amazing!

On the 22nd day of December, in the tiny cute woods...

Adorable, wood-veneer Christmas decorations from Paige Russel!

-XO

On the 21st day of December....

These really adorable paper dolls by Amy Earles are so rad. It makes me want to try making my own! I used to be obsessed with paper dolls as a kid - my mom would let me cut out models from JCPenney catalogues and cut out their shape in cardboard and then glue the photo to the cardboard - et voila! a really ghetto paperdoll! These are much classier than JCPenney models.

-XO

On the 20th day of December who doesn't like some ginger?

For my birthday, my fantastic boyfriend bought me a KitchenAid standing mixer. I have to say it was one of the sweetest gifts I've ever received because he knows how much I love to bake, and I have memories of baking in the kitchen with my mom using her mustard yellow KitchenAid mixer.

So now with my beautiful mixer, I can bake everything much more quickly and efficiently and nostalgically! One of the next things I want to try is this delicious looking gingerbread cake from a Bulgarian blog, In the Kitchen of My Family (according to Chrome translator). And judging from the photos, it looks delectable.

-XO

On the 19th day of December...

Why don't you do right like some other men do? Get outta here and get me some money too.

...pretty please? Okay well at least watch and listen to this old filming of Peggy Lee singing with the Benny Goodman orchestra to Do Right, the song made immortal by Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, though I have to say I think I love Peggy's version a little bit more.

-XO

Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee - Why Don't You Do Right from Hikikomori on Vimeo.

On the 18th day of December from across the northern border...

Shopping at the Old Faithful store new online store! I'm so excited that now instead of just oogling over the rad things they sell and post about on their blog, I can now buy online. Seriously. I'm giddy over these cute log-pencils, rosewood cheese knife and savon de marseilles soap.

-XO

On the 17th day of December, in a world made of paper...

Gorgeous paper-made short film by Mandy Smith inspired by her moving into a place in Amsterdam. I can't believe someone could make anything like this out of paper. Too friggin' awesome.

-XO

The Move, Paper Animation from Mandy Smith on Vimeo.

On the 16th day of December to carry all your gifts...

Girlie and boyish bags from Alternative Apparel.... I really like the idea of the girlie one, because I absolutely hate having to think about my bag while I'm walking - i.e. - carrying it on my shoulder or elbow.

-XO

On the 15th day of December...

...Awesome art by Dreamworks storyboard artist Rad Sechrist.

I love, love, love how he converts his line art to colors. You'd almost never guess he had lines in the first place.

-XO

On the 14th day of December...

Some shit-kickers. I love this design, and I hate calf-high boots right now, because every other girl that I see on the street is wearing brown calf-high boots like it's going out of style (which it is). I have big eyes set on these shorter boots because let's face it, they're way more freaking awesome.

-XO

And then on the 13th day of December!

by Bailey Doesn't Bark

by taragilchrist

by Blossom Stamps

Ants in your pants... or at least on your mug and on your cuffs and on your roommate's face.

Trying to find crafty things for boys sometimes seems like a fruitless quest, but I think all of these, (if you put the right spin on the stamp at least), would be perfect for the "snakes and snails, and puppy dog tails" part of them that still has a grip in their hearts.

-XO

On the 12th day of December... (yikes! gotta catch up!)

Wooden wings on metal chain strings. From Lauren Haupt's jewelry collection. I found these from surfing around a link at Joanna Goddard's lovely blog, A Cup of Jo!

-XO

On the 11th Day of December... (more to come!)

I love ceramics and stoneware that is done tastefully (i.e. - not looking like it was made in someone's 1st pottery class or like it used to belong to your 3rd grade teacher who wore African print mumus!) And I think these three from sellers stepanka, PigeonToeCeramics, and catherinereece from Etsy did an amazing job not doing anything like that.

-XO

On the 10th day of December....

A twilight occultation via astronomy picture of the day!

-XO

On the ninth day of December...

...A weird orange little box... and I threw it back because it was creepy. But this animation by Kevin Perry is amazing!

-XO

The Arctic Circle from Kevin Parry on Vimeo.

On the eighth and most important day of December!

So it's my birthday and I would really, really, really love to buy myself a pair of Ben Simons because the vans that I have are not cutting it. They were fine for a while, but now there is a hole in the heel of the right one and if I'm to go up to Washington for Christmas with a holey shoe, I know it will only end in soggy socks.

Hmmm... I think I just convinced myself to buy them.

-XO

PS! - These cute photos of the Ben Simons are from the awesome Japanese site Rakuten!

On the seventh day of December, in the cold of winter...

I recently (earlier this year) learned about a crazy part of the world called Svalbard, which is an archipelago that is part of Norway. It's so far north, it's nearly uninhabitable, with only a population barely above 2,000 people, there isn't much in prospects there except coal, tourism and research.

From the film Far North, I learned of this gorgeous land, and just recently came across the photography portfolio of Kevin Cooley who shot amazing pictures there, and I just had to share...

-XO

On the sixth day of December an ancient god gave to me...

...these freaking awesome, winged sandals! Though I think I would only be able to get away with them on holidays, I would love to wear these all the time. Oh Vivienne Westwood, you're so awesome.

-XO

On the fifth day of December (belated yet again!)

A fuzzy, felt wildberryman!

From Elizabeth Ito's Etsy shop!

-XO

On the 4th day of December...

Okay, back-tracking again, but I'm determined to fill up all the days until Christmas!

Christmas cookies for all your traditional winter-time party needs! (Thank you Sunset!)

-XO

On the third day of December:

...a pretty little, town print!

From Kate Pugsley's Etsy shop!

-XO

On the (belated!) second day of December...

...some Swedish knitted awesomeness from Maska!

-XO

On the first day of December my true love gave to me....

....a cabin from Fantastic Norweeeeeeeey(way!)

I love good Scandinavian design, especially when it involves black. For some reason, adding a black roof, door, or siding seems to make anything look classier and bolder without jumping the shark as with a more intense color might.

-XO

I wish I could knit...

...because these yarns from Spincycle Yarns in Washington are freaking gorgeous.

-XO