Presents for my friends: Edition for K

Here's another little collection of Christmas goodies, this time inspired by another dear friend. She is a talented musician who lives in snowy Minneapolis. She's an amazing Mum to a very charming blonde headed girl, she often wears black, only rocks skinny jeans, is rarely seen without makeup, loves scary movies and is known for her sarcasm. Here are some things I've picked out just for her.

This bag has as many dimensions as her life- it's roomy enough to stash an emergency juice box and granola bar for the little one, plus it can convert into a briefcase for work files and then into a tiny clutch for a show. That's multitasking for you.

A fantastic edgy bauble that no one will miss while she's on stage. Bold and never too sweet.

These amazing pillows could add a bit of sparkle and rock star glamour to her bedroom.

These boots will work hard for her all winter long- no small thing in Minneapolis! (And the patent leather toes and heels will keep the salt and slush at bay too.)

I love the texture of this crocheted cap and it already goes with everything in her wardrobe!
A snakeskin bangle to add a hint of rock 'n roll to any outfit.

Who is your favorite person to Christmas shop for this year?

Presents for my friends: Edition for S

Here is another collection of Christmas gift ideas from Etsy, this time inspired by my dear friend S. She lives in Eugene Oregon, where she is studying to be a nurse. She is a new mom to an adorable apple cheeked girl and she and her husband to be have recently bought their first home! She loves to be outdoors, cross country skiing or hiking in the beautiful northwestern hills and forests. You'll always find her surrounded by friends and she's known for her infectious smile and easy going nature. Her well mannered dog Bishop is never far behind her.

This gorgeous photograph has the sort of straightforward wholesome simplicity she employs in the kitchen. Fresh, seasonal and local. Why not hang it on the wall?

A beautiful handmade mug to fill with every new mom's greatest ally: piping hot java.

A sweet handmade birdie pendant that finds beauty in imperfection.

Some decadent organic bath products for a little mom and baby pampering.

Gorgeous felted slippers to keep her toes cozy on Christmas morning!

A beautiful scarf to add some panache to her cross country skiing ensemble, or taking baby and pup for a stroll in the cool winter air.

How is your Christmas shopping coming? I do all of mine online nowadays and it's MUCH more pleasant than fighting crowds. What's your technique for managing the madness?

Presents for my friends: Edition for G

My wonderful Mum is a hard woman to pigeonhole- (aren't all Mums?) but she has wonderful taste. She LOVES clothes of all sorts and always has. Never afraid to make a statement, She'll wear an red silk Chinese jacket or a coat covered in leather scales and look amazing in both. She is an amazing Tango dancer and instructor, (the basement is a dance studio!) and loves all things Argentine. She loves the clean, spare aesthetic and bold colors of Swedish design and mid century modernism. Hot yoga gets her through the cold Midwestern winters. She is a wonderful cook- some of my fondest memories are of watching and helping her prepare incredible meals. Here are some goodies I've picked out just for her.

A beautiful woolen shrug in a bold color to bundle up against the cold Minnesota winter.

A set of hand carved nesting cups to fill with fresh cracked pepper, sea salt, olives, or nuts and scatter across her Christmas table.

Some beautiful candlesticks to cast a warm glow across her holiday table.
A fantastic knotted scarf to add texture and depth to her winter wardrobe.

This versatile garment can go from yoga class to a milonga in no time flat.

A bread knife and cutting board for serving cheese and bread. (Isn't that what Santa really wants after all those cookies and milk?)

Presents for my friends: Edition for J

Have you begun thinking about Christmas yet? I love buying gifts (there is nothing like the satisfaction of finding the PERFECT thing for someone you love!) and I find myself storing up ideas all year long. Since in the end, I have to choose just one, I thought it would be fun to share the whole list with all of you- perhaps you have friends like mine!

This friend is a poet who grew up in New Mexico, loves drinking hot tea and eating soups of all varieties. She has a beloved cat named after Joni Mitchel. She favors bohemian 70's inspired clothes and decor in shades of rust, mustard and burnt sienna.

Here is a little portrait of her via Etsy!

These handmade ceramic trees hold up her ever growing collection of treasured books and give subtle reference to the Tree of Knowledge.

A pretty dustpan like this one makes chores prettier and therefore, less drudgery.
Some pressed flowers from The Land of Enchantment.

A handmade straw talisman to hang above her desk to invite creativity and clarity.
A tea set in warm shades of orange is sure to ward off fall's chill. (With an extra cup to share with a friend, of course!)

These cheerful Russian folk dancers would be perfect hung above a favorite reading nook.

A beautiful collection of spices to add depth and flavour to those delectable smells wafting in from the kitchen.

What gift ideas have you collected this year?

On the Road Again...

We’re on the road again…driving to Lawrence Kansas for an interview with Elizabeth Asiedu at University of Kansas. We bought a GPS system and a lighter converter so I can type from the passenger seat. Pretty fun since my new computer is so tiny it could be called a “thigh top”.

Driving through this great big country is pretty inspiring. It presents a striking juxtaposition to what we saw in Africa. We have this perfect highway system dotted here and there with sections of construction (which I will never again complain about…without it the interstate roads would be as utterly useless as they are in Uganda) and acres and acres and acres of perfectly groomed farmland with the occasional red barn or grain silo.

I’ve always had fantasies about living on a little farm, most likely because I’m zooming by at 75 miles per hour. Anything looks romantic when you are moving by at top speed and only imagining that life for 15 seconds. Someday we will have a little cottage with a big garden and orchard and a little pony pasture, and that will be close enough I think. I wouldn’t want to milk cows or collect chicken eggs or anything like that. Just like that scene in “Marie Antoinette” where the servant comes along and collects the real egg covered in mud and excrement and replaces it with a freshly washed white one for the queen to collect in a fit of naturalistic ecstasy with her toddler. I have a feeling the fantasy is a lot easier to live with than the reality.

We had a great visit in Chicago. We stayed with Nick and Dave in our old apartment at 1819 and did all our favorite Chicago things; Deep dish at Giordano's, Cubs game, Dilly Lily, Splendor, a double doozie at Sweet Mandie B’s, a facial at Aveda Institute, a wild night of Polka and German Beer at the Glunz Bavarian Haus, lots of fort making and rough housing with Gabriel and Samara, good cheap Thai food with Chris, his lady Sophia, Maggie and Katie. We saw old friends, visited our favorite old haunts and felt ready to leave again. We can visit again anytime but now we are making a life somewhere else...on the road.