Holiday Guide

oooh’s and ahhh’s: valentine’s gifts for guys

That’s right. Valentine’s Day. It’s coming up in 10 short days, ya’ll. Love it or hate it, we all participate in it in some way or another, so we’ve decided to do another edition of our:ooohsandahhhs2The male edition.

Boyfriend, Fiance, Partner, Husband or just a friend. Sometimes they are hard to buy for aren’t they? Well, I’m here to help. I’ve been married for 15 years, so my list of gifts for my husband, Andy, that have gone over like tickets to the superbowl, is well, short.

My list of gifts that have never seen the light of day–something comparable to the Nile, but I’m willing to share my success!

Personalized Collar Stays

collar staysAs simple as it sounds, these things were a hit. Andy was constantly losing the collar stays that came with all of his dress shirts. Whether it was the dry cleaner or they just fell out, he could never find them. These babies are silver plated, so a bit heavier than the plastic ones that come with dress shirts, and then you can add personal messages onto each! Notes of encouragement, love or even flirty, these are thoughtful and practical. They arrive in a black velvet box for safe keeping too!

Dollar Shave Club

razorI have to admit, I really just fell in love with the genius marketing and advertising behind this company, so using Andy as an excuse, I jumped on board. Pick a razor and blades, pick the frequency of shipment, plug in your payment information and finito, done! Depending on your shipment frequency, your guy will receive a nice, manly branded box of brand new razors to last him until the next shipment. Plus, they throw in samples of their cool products. Pre-shave treatment, shave cream, post shave healer–you name it. If he likes something and wants the actual product next time, it’s just a simple click away. The marketing pieces included are always laugh worthy too.

The Fathead

patriotsI can’t talk about gifts for men without mentioning Fathead. Even if your guy doesn’t have an official “man cave” this is a great gift. If you don’t know, Fatheads are giant wall decals of just about anything your guy would want. The majority of the products are sports related of course, but there are superheros and other characters too! You can even create a custom one! Bonus–they are removable and transferable!

Love Book Online

love bookYes, newly married or newly engaged folks, we are still squishy romantic after 15 years of marriage. This is a paperback book that is completely personalized for whatever story or thoughts you want to tell to each other. Cute stick people represent the two of you and you can then tell your guy all the things you love about him. They have messages and sample drawings already created or you can create your own. The end product is always preciously cute! [Insert cheesy love sounds.]

There you go folks! The list is short but sweet and hopefully helpful in your last minute hunt for a gift!

Enjoy your shopping!

windy-sig

the ooohs and ahhhs: quick gift guide

We’ve all been there–running around frantically trying to find a last minute hostess gift for a cocktail party that evening or realizing you forgot a gift for your work gift exchange the next day. I’ve put together some full-proof, always appreciated, fantastic gifts for the last minute Lucy’s out there, all while supporting things local in RVA!

ooohsandahhhs2giftguide collage

{804ork cookbook, dish towels, virginia cutting board, coffee mugs from anthropologie,rva blanchards coffee,west 30 candles}

Need some wrapping or packaging ideas? Take your dish or tea towel, lay it flat on a surface, place a bottle of wine in the center, wrap upwards on the bottle and tie with a ribbon. Ta da! Pop a cellophane bag with hot cocoa and marshmallows inside a coffee mug!

There are many local Richmond gift shops that source cute, last minute gift ideas. My favorites are Tweed in Short Pump, Mongrel in Carytown and Southern Season in the near West End. Kroger even carries the Blanchard’s coffee!

What are your go-to gift ideas? Any particular places you like to shop for gift items? We want to hear from you!

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the ooohs and aaahs: holiday entertaining

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the decorating and entertaining. I love a house full of people, good food, good wine and noise. Lots and lots of noise. I host Christmas Day with my husband’s family in the morning and then my own family in the evening. There are people in and out all day, and I absolutely love it. It gives me the chance to find new pops of decor to use for every meal and cocktail!

Since Sophia and Aboudi’s wedding this past Fall, I’ve been obsessed with all things GOLD. Naturally, this got me thinking about Holiday decor, of course! It’s so easy to stick with the traditional red, green, silver or white. They are beautiful in their own way, but this year I wanted to spice things up! And give you the same idea! Pairing a warm, sparkly gold with a rich, jewel tone brings a whole new dimension to Holiday decor. Plus you can push this versatile design all the way to New Year’s!

So without further adieu – I give you my favorite colors and things for this season’s entertaining!

 

ooohsandahhhs2entertaining blog{Gold Stemless Wine Glass from World Market, Flag Bunting from Etsy, Cake from Styles Sweet, Mirrored Serving Tray from World Market, Mercury Glass Balls from World Market, Place Setting, Reindeer Pillow from Pier 1}

Trying anything new for your decor or when entertaining your guests this year? Changing out some old holiday decorations for a new and fresh look? We want to see!

Enjoy!

windy-sig

the ooohs and aaahs: holiday party attire

‘Tis the season, y’all! I know everyone says this, but this is truly, really my favorite time of the year. My birthday falls right after Thanksgiving and the only thing I ever want is to decorate for Christmas. I’m serious!

Because of this, Windy and I have put together a ‘Holiday Gift Guide-slash-Our Favorite Things’ for you! We’re hoping to continue this throughout not only the Holiday season, but into next year as well. We always find ourselves lusting after a gorgeous pair of shoes or a set of gold-rimmed stemware. So without further adieu, we introduce:

ooohsandahhhs2cocktailfashioncollage{daphne pearl necklace from stella and dot, secret garden studs from kate spade, Maybelline’s SuperStay Lipstick in color Wine and Forever, skinny gold bangles DesignSea via Etsy, ASOS Peace of Mind gold heels, black chiffon jumpsuit from Target, gold feather comb from Anthropologie, Essie’s lacy-not-racy}

This jumpsuit is insane. It’s so comfy and a perfect transition outfit. Pair it with simple earrings and flats for a walk around town and glam it up using the above suggestions for a cocktail party or two! I only wish I had purchased this sooner! Currently strutting this nail polish as well–perfect for this time of year! And while I know everyone is splurging this season on gifts, dinners, and decor, each of these items is under $100! You can thank me later!

What are you donning this Holiday season? Any special function you are particularly looking forward to? We’d love to hear your styles and favorite things! Send them our way!

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