I need this in my life.

Or I just need to lay off the booze. Can I blame it on the holidays? 

Buy it.

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Black Magic Woman

Nail polish, $8 (etsy.com)
Lucifurr top, $25 (etsy.com)
The Wild Unknown tarot deck, $40 (bonadrag.com)
Ouija board, $9.99 (amazon.com)
Dark side of the moon earrings, $44 (catbirdnyc.com)
Tarot deck candle $32 (shop-summerland.com)
Rendij lunar calender 2013, $15 (shopanaise.com)
Chanel eyeliner, $45 (nordstrom.com)
Constellation notebooks, $22 (curiosityshoppeonline.com)
Torrynorhina flammea, $100 (theevolutionstore.com)
Black beeswax candles, $33 (hudsonmadeny.com)
With Hearts In My Eyes shapewear, $50 (bonadrag.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Tent Dweller

Moonrise Kingdom retro print, $19 (etsy.com)
Olivewood tea scoop, $6 (leifshop.com)
Flannel hottie cover, $39 (toast.co.uk)
Ambrase hat, $31 (aubinandwills.com)
Scout Soap Set, $20 (curiosityshoppeonline.com)
Heritage water bottle, $22 (woodlandsshop.com)
Fleece-lined lodge moccasins, $60 (jcrew.com)
Wool shawl, $65 (annmashburn.com)
Log cabin building set, $12 (shopterrain.com)
Outscent, $50 (brookfarmgeneralstore.com)
Forest Dream soy candle, $15 (etsy.com)
Gray two-tone mug, $20 (shopterrain.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Bookworm

The Beekeeper's Bible by Richard Jones
The French Cat by Rachael Hale
Lunch In Paris: A Love Story, With Recipes by Elizabeth Bard
Weird Al: The Book by Nathan Rabin and Al Yankovic
Angela Carter's Book of Wayward Girls and Wicked Women by Angela Carter
New York Diaries 1609 to 2009 edited by Teresa Carpenter
Fairy Tales From the Brothers Grimm by Philip Pullman
The Sartorialist: Closer by Scott Schuman
Obsessive Consumption by Kate Bingman-Burt
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine by Steve Rinella
When Marina Abramovic Dies by James Westcott

DIY Christmas Gifts

CONFETTI TABLECLOTH

SPICY SUGAR SCRUB

ROSEWATER SPRAY

CLAY POTS

PAINTED GLASS TUMBLERS

LACE FLOWER POTS

SCOUT BOW TIE

PINK LIP BALM

MINIATURE BOOK

INFUSED VODKA

(I made this last year for my friends, and it was super easy!)

Holiday Gift Guide: Two-Toned

Blue silk shirt, $142 (etsy.com)
Loveramics pastel dipped porcelain Miix teaspoon set, $24 (leifshop.com)
Wool shawl, $60 (etsy.com)
Large lavender watercolor, $140 (etsy.com)
Crochet hat in toast/apple, $60 (shoppourporter.com)
Gold and pink journal, $20 (ameliaspresents.com)
White and dark brown tumbler, $25 (etsy.com)

Leather handbag, $68 (etsy.com)
Hot pink necklace, $40 (etsy.com)
Cable knit sweater, $38 (chicnova.com)
Brass geometric necklace, $30 (etsy.com)
Leather wallet, $23 (jcrew.com)
Dipped wood box, $16 (urbanoutfitters.com)

Mrs. Claus

...But then, hooray, it's every girl's dream: a month of milk farts.

Holiday Party Dress Round-Up

[ROSE QUARTZ GLITTERING PARTY DRESS, SPOOL NO. 72]

[VINTAGE 1960S DRESS, ADORED VINTAGE]

[SEQUIN SHIMMY DRESS, NEED SUPPLY]

[RED 1950S DRESS, DEAR GOLDEN]

[MODCLOTH SUNRISE AT SUNSET DRESS]

[ASOS TULIP DRESS WITH JEWEL TOP]

[LULA'S PEAR DRESS, ANTHROPOLOGIE]

[J. CREW WINDOWPANE SEQUIN SHIFT]

[H&M BEADED DRESS]

My dream-dress? This Matthew Williamson embroidered long-sleeve. Only $3,995. 

When in doubt, go with a little black dress. That's what I'm doing tonight for a holiday party I'm singing at. Might add a glittery hair accessory or statement necklace to spice it up.

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Tomboy

Tomboy Style, $21.45 (amazon.com)
Absinthe Man Soap, $10 (luvocracy.com)
Golden thyme candle, $35 (izola.com)
Penfield beanie hat, $32 (asos.com)
Handyman In-Your-Pocket, $8.99 (restorationhardware.com)
Stripe shirt, $50 (madewell.com)
Goonies mug, $12 (urbanoutfitters.com)
The Lewis pocket, $49 (kletterwerks.com)
Burt's Bees lip care, $2.99 (drugstore.com)
Paisley bandana, $1.40 (gojane.com)
Set of 4 embroidered badges, $12 (etsy.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Banana bottle stopper $8 (urbanoutfitters.com)
Bow ring, $15 (madewell.com)
Mast Brothers chocolate almond and sea salt chocolate bar, $9 (shopbird.com)
Multitude hair ties, $15 (anthropologie.com)
Butter London nail polish, $19 (harveynichols.com)
Lump of coal, $10 (thecheeky.com)
Candy cane Pop Rocks, $1.25 (patinastores.com)
Opening Ceremony x Starks floral shoelaces $8 (openingceremony.us)
Zodiac incense, $4.95 (shop-summerland.com)
Lucky Cat Figurine, $5.98 (worldmarket.com)
Best Made Company playing cards, $8 (bestmadeco.com)
Lip brooch, $30 (shopbando.com)
Choward's violet mints, $0.89 (oldtimecandy.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: Go-Go Gadget

Marc by Marc Jacobs headphones, $42 (net-a-porter.com)

Powermate Plus, $40 (jcrew.com)
Duo deck digital conversion turntable, $80 (urbanoutfitters.com)
Dialed bamboo radio, $90 (anthropologie.com)
Colorful wide angle camera, $35 (poketo.com)
iPhone case, $19 (madewell.com)
Protective stylish silicone iPad case, $17 (heyfair.com)
Analog synthesizer SX-150 Mark II, $100 (thinkgeek.com)
Double stripe collective cable, $17.95 (easterncollective.com)
Crust Be Dreaming USB drive, $25 (modcloth.com)
Ceramic bear speaker, $49 (westelm.com)
Native Union pop phone, $35 (annmashburn.com)

Trim That Tree!

Josh and I will be getting a tree this weekend! So stoked. I've built up a nice little collection of ornaments... But here are a few cute ones from around the shops...

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Cool Kids

Colored pencils, $29 (brookfarmgeneralstore.com)
Oeuf® baby apple pillow, $68 (jcrew.com)
Old time sling shot, $21 (hickorees.com)
Storymatic kids game, $30 (uncommongoods.com)
Mad Libs (set of 5), $19 (restorationhardware.com)
Doodles At Lunch placemats, $11 (anthropologie.com)
Glow Wonder Stars, $8 (urbanoutfitters.com)
Gumby and Pokey, $4.99 (worldmarket.com)
Star Wars R2-D2 inflatable R/C, $50 (thinkgeek.com)
The Snowy Day, $10 (barnesandnoble.com)
Twister, $13.49 (toysrus.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Foodie Guru

Cheese board, $55 (shop.craftvic.org.au)

Le Creuset stoneware mini cocotte, $25 (amazon.com)

Sea salt chocolate bar, $12 (oldfaithfulshop.com)

Four seasons towels, $48 (uncommongoods.com)
Salt cellar, $15 (bestmadeco.com)

Salad servers, $32 (brookfarmgeneralstore.com)

Edible Selby by Todd Selby, $35 (urbanoutfitters.com)

Just picked recipe cards, $14 (anthropologie.com)

Opinel kitchen set, $49 (westelm.com)

White truffle oil, $32 (shopterrain.com)

Rule pitcher, $15 (jaysonhome.com)

Hamburger kitchen timer, $6 (curiosityshoppeonline.com)

Mariage Freres tea candy, $14 (deandeluca.com)

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Brainy Beauty

Malin+Goetz peppermint bar soap, $10 (blackbirdballard.com)

Savon de Marseille shower gel, $16 (anthropologie.com)
RGB metallic nail polish, $16 (beauty.com)
Gal Collection vanilla lip balm, $7 (ameliapresents.com)
Fresh sugar lip polish, $23 (sephora.com)

Face Stockholm lipstick, $20 (jcrew.com)
Rain Africa Savannah Mist, $24 (shopterrain.com)
Tea Tree face mask, $9.35 (thebodyshop.com)

CB I hate perfume "In the Library" water perfume, $75 (blackbirdballard.com)

RMS mineral lip makeup, $36 (spiritbeautylounge.com)

Cosmetic pouch, $24 (madewell.com)

Pearl

Hello from Santa Barbara!

Here I am, sitting on my mom's bed, drinking a glass of white wine after a jaunt down State Street. I bought a gold Ganesh ring from a store that had prayer beads and peace flags and flouncy pants and all that sort of stuff and it made me think that if I lived here, I would turn into that kind of person... who makes art out of driftwood and does pilates on the beach and has both icons of Catholic saints and statues of Hindu gods all around her house... That's Santa Barbara for you... Founded by Franciscan monks and Spanish conquistadors, currently populated by upper middle class hippies. It's magical.

One of my favorite gifts I received for Christmas was an edor pearl necklace. I am loving simple and delicate jewelry right now. Less is more. Aside from my Ganesh ring of course. I also bought a thin, gold band from a boutique of State Street. I like wearing it on my left ring finger, even though I'm not engaged... Think of it as a "I'm taken" ring.

On Christmas Eve, my mom and I attended her church's candlelight service and it was really beautiful, singing all the classic Christmas songs and talking to old family friends... Then we had the traditional Mexican food feast at my grandma's. I made sure everyone had a margarita in their hand. My poor grandma is losing her memory, so that is hard to deal with. Patience is a necessity.

Tomorrow I head back to Seattle. Back to the horribly dreary weather. That's the compromise I make. There's always a struggle when one essentially has two homes. But I'm excited to see my boyfriend. And my cat. And have a few more days of vacation. So that's where I am currently.

Holiday Beauty Ideas

Glittery nail tips
I will definitely be trying this.

Red lips/clean face
So classic. Just remember to put Vaseline on your teeth!!

Gold eyeliner
A little wild, but I like it!

Vive la France!

HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

A few of my favorite French things:

Giverny
The word "pamplemousse"
Melanie Laurent
Berthillon ice cream
Gaspard Ulliel
The Seine
Eva Green
La Belle Epoque
Marie Antoinette
Warm, buttery pastries
Degas' ballerinas
"The Red Balloon"
Sacre Coeur
French kissing :)
Edith Piaf