Unique and Beatiful Gifts

Gifts On a Budget

Just because you're on a tight budget, doesn't mean you can't procure a nice gift for that special someone. The gifts bellow are literally dirt cheap, but so cute! As you might have noticed all these are feminine gifts. I didn't put up any gift ideas for men because, quite frankly, I never know what men like/want/need. Every time I ask my husband what he wants the answer is always the same - Intangibles.



Leather Nature Coin Purse - $10 (Comes in other colors)

Tatto Etched ID Case - $12, Urban Outfitters


Girly Girl Hipster - $18


Tapestry Compact Mirror - $10 from UrbanOutfitters.com

A Gift of Art from Belle & Boo

Lets Hug - $30


Found - $30


Summer Woolly - $30

Mid-Range Gifts

Chantilly Slip - $39.95 (sale price), Anthropologie

Textile Museum Drops - $68 from Anthropologie



Belle & Boo's Lovely Day - $50, limited edition signed and numbered screen print,
only 30 in existence!


If You're Feeling Really Generous


Embroidered Sterling Silver Potpourri Pendant - $179, Embroidered floral cameos, framed in handcrafted sterling, on braided leather cords from Peruvian Connection



Magnolia Drops - $248, Anthropologie



Take Wing Ring - $750, Hand hammered of 18kt gold with white and
champaign diamonds from Sundancecatalog.com




Harmony Ring - $220, Sundancecatalog.com

My Mad Tea Party

"Well, I've often seen a cat without a grin, but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing!"

-Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

I was so excited when I found these ceramic Alice in Wonderland dishes at Urban Outfitters.com, I just had to share them with you. Each one is printed with a reproduction of an original John Tenniel Illustration. Being a huge Alice in Wonderland fan, these dishes are a major treat to me. They also make nice gifts (I hope you're reading this, Hubby).

9 Inch Platter - $16

Wonderland Glasses - $5


The White Rabbit Platter - $18

Alice Mug - $8

J.Crew's Got Some Nerve

Ok, as you can tell by the title, this will be a venting post. If you are a loyal J.Crew customer, this might be an offensive venting post, but vent I must and vent I will. I've never actually bought anything from J.Crew. The clothes are decent, but not so out of the ordinary that I would go ahead and pay outrageously expensive J. Crew prices. If I would spend $145 on a sweater it would most likely be an Anthropologie sweater. However, this winter I became obsessed with pencil skirts. They go with virtually any top in my closet and are so retro-feminine. They also happen to bring out my bum nicely, which gets rather lost in puffy skirts. I've been looking for a brown wool pencil skirt for the longest time and have finally found just the right one on J.Crew website. The skirt is on sale for $79.99. It doesn't seem like too good of a sale price, but since I couldn't find a similar skirt anywhere else, I was willing to buy it by telling myself that hopefully I'll get a lot of wear out of it. And here is where the venting begins. J. Crew has this ridiculous policy of not allowing exchanges or returns on sale items. All sales are final! Can you believe the nerve? Who do they think they are? I'm buying something over the Internet, not knowing whether it will fit me and I don't have the option of exchanging the item? I could understand a policy like this for something that costs $5, but and $80 skirt?


Addendum: I feel just a little bit guilty about my above venting and have something to say about J.Crew's good customer service. After putting up this post I called J.Crew and asked them if I understood the final sale policy correctly. Really? Truly? No exchanges? They told me "Yes", final sale means just that, but they also offered to provide me with the skirt's measurements so that I can buy it with confidence. The measurements did help in choosing a size, but I still was not convinced and so the friendly customer service rep agreed to waive the final sale policy for this one purchase. She also gave me a one time free shipping promotion. I know they're just trying to get me hooked on their brand, which is fine with me as long as I'm getting what I want. It seems I'm a retail whore.

Boden Spring Catalog

Bodenusa.com is currently running a 10 % off all orders plus FREE shipping and FREE returns promotion. Here are some of my picks from the spring catalog.

Chic Textured Cardigan - This cardigan comes in four colors, and looks very cozy and playful. I love the oversize plush buttons.

Ruffle Cotton Dress - Also comes in white, coral and mole (a sort of dark brown). What I like about this dress is that it's not "loud", if you know what I mean, but at the same time it does not lack interest. The raised spots and the pintucks are a nice touch. I can think of many occasions when I might want to wear a feminine dress like this.

Every season Boden comes out with a variety of four Fun Skirts. I always look forward to these, as they are fun indeed.

Boden also has very cute kids and baby clothes, which I'm too lazy to put up right now. You can check them out at Bodenusa.com. Happy Spring shopping!

Anthropologie February 2008 Catalog

I like the look of rain boots with a mini-dress.

I don't know about the clothes, but I like the props in this one, reminds me of Gris Grimly . Love the cabbages!

"Mary" by Gris Grimly

I love the feel and the lighting in this page. It's magical! If only I can rock gently in this hammock all day long, kissed by sunlight streaming through the trees. The only problem is there are no trees in my backyard (or rather my Landlord's backyard, I like to call it mine) and there's not much sunlight in NY in February. I'm seriously considering planting some mushrooms in the backyard to compensate for all the other missing components. Can mushrooms be planted, or do they just sprout in wooded areas? I guess fake mushrooms would do just as well. Of course this cozy nook would not be complete without the curtains, but being, as I mentioned above, there are no trees to hang the curtains from , or the hammock come to think of it, all I'm left with are the soon to be planted mushrooms.

I like this Kissing Pleat bedding, but honestly I would never pay $248 for a queen duvet cover. Sadly, I don't fit the financial profile of an average Anthropologie shopper. I found very similar bedding at PotteryBarn.com for a fraction of the price. Next to Anthrthropologie, even Pottery Barn prices seem like a bargain.
Contrast Tofted Quilt from Pottery Barn - $159 (Queen). I actually like it better than the the Anthropologie version. The multi-color tufts add a bit of whimsy to the white cotton voile.

Puffy Voile Quilt - $159

Butterflies Everywhere

Butterflies are everywhere! I don't know about you, but frankly I'm starting to OD on butterflies. I'm curious, are there crowds of women out there, going about their daily business clad in butterflies? I'd love to know (Ok, I confess, I don't get out much).

Butterflies in Spring Oilily Collection


I have to admit I like this skirt. Out of all the butterfly fashion I've seen so far it's the least offensive.

Butterflies in Anthropologie

I don't dig maternity clothes. I hated them when I was pregnant and I positively refuse to wear them when I'm not.




Decorating with Butterflies

Butterfly art prints from Pottery Barn.

Butterfly Shadow Boxes from Anthropologie


Butterfly Mirrors from PBkids.com. I wish I was a kid again so I can live in this room.

Butterfly trays from Pottery Barn



Butterflies on the Runway. What have these designers been smoking?



Alexander McQueen buterfly flats



When you're feeling trully deranged, something to help you dress for the part. By Luly Yang.