Color Day: Red, Black, and Khaki

December is finally here and that means today is the first day of our 12 Days of Christmas promotion!  Please start commenting and you'll be entered into our random drawing to win a great little prize from a local artist or crafter.  We have things to give away from cards to candles to prints, soaps, jewelry and more! 

Now, in the meantime, to get us into the holiday spirit here is a color board that says Christmas with style.  One look at this color board will leave you longing for a snow day where you snuggle up with a warm blanket and sip cocoa by the fireplace. Red is a signature shade of the holidays and it very vibrant, but here it is toned down with the neutral khaki, black, and white to create a rustic, country look with a level of sophistication that we think even the people over at Burberry would be pleased with.

Khaki, Red, Black, and White Inspiration Board

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Images from: designandink, ootch, hankandtillie, cottonbirddesigns, lovegrowsbygiving, sewnnatural, anniewhere, pattisprimitives, boopteylu, inburberry, with this ring, modcloth     

May your days be merry and bright!

XOXO

Jen & Saira       

Daily wear: An ode to my new winter coat

Dear coat,

Thank you for finding your way to the French Connection outlet and being so resilient: it must have been difficult being sent to a second-rate shop and hanging there for so long, knowing that noone wanted you. It must have really hurt to have only badly fitting dresses and odd leather goods for company, knowing you didn't deserve to be there.

I'm so glad I found you: I knew as soon as I saw you sitting alongside the mustard coat I thought I wanted that I would make you mine: I knew I could make you happy. I'll take you out and show you the world (well, North London, anyway) i'll play with you in the snow. I'll look after you and repair you if you ever get hurt.

I love that you're so versatile: I can style you with tan vintage accessories at the weekend and get a fab retro look, but you also look smart and sleek with black accessories for meetings and trips to the office.

Today I teamed you in vintage style with a big belt, a couple of old brooches, a patterned scarf and my cozt fur hat. You've protected me from the snow and you look great. Thank you!

Love, Tor xx

Christmas wishlist: Stella McCarney hat

Today's Christmas wishlist item is in honour of the snow falling over almost the whole country, leaving everyone with the day off chirpy and everyone who had to trudge into work (like me!) a bit grumpy. It's also in honour of Stella McCartney, who announced the birth of her fourth child today: it's a Stella McCartney hat.

I love it's slouchy oversized shape and its subtle leopard print. I like grey as an alternative to black in the winter (where it's black coats and hats everywhere you turn) so this would be a nice wearable alternative that you could still wear everyday. It costs £155 from Net-a-porter.

Love, Tor xx

On the first day of Christmas PDR gave to me...

...some earrings?  some coasters? a print? a candle?  

You'll just have to wait and see!!

Paper Doll Romance is pleased to announce our very first gift give-away promotion, The 12 Days of Christmas. We have a handful of lovely items, donated to us from some local Philly/New York/New Jersey crafters and artisans, that we're very excited to give away this holiday season. We will randomly select one winner per day for 12 days and the lucky winners will receive prizes that could be anywhere from $5-$40 in value.

So, how can you get in on all this holiday fun?  It's easy!  Just comment on any of our December posts from 12/1/10 until Christmas Eve (December 24th, 2010).  In your comment, be sure to tell us what you like about that post, what you like about our blog in general, or what you'd like to see us write about in the future and you'll be automatically entered in a random drawing to win a prize. 

We will start drawing winners once a day starting on December 13th and finishing up on December 24th so be sure to leave your comments early for the best chance at winning some great prizes.  

RULES: Yea yea, we know, rules are not fun, but we have to have a few. Only comments on posts from 12/1-12/24 will be considered for prizes. Only one comment per person per day will be eligible but you can certainly comment once a day, every day, if you'd like (we love to hear from you!). Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you if you win!  Entries submitted by email will not be considered.

First chance to enter starts tomorrow, 12/1, so be sure to check back and get commenting!

Best of Luck and Happy Holidays!

XOXO

Jen & Saira

Holiday Greetings

Black Friday has come and gone and it's almost December, so let the Christmas countdown begin! In a week or so you'll start collecting holiday cards from friends, family, and the dentist's office, which means that you'll need to reciprocate with cards of your own. Now, we're not huge fans of the typical "matching sweaters in front of the tree" theme (or really any photo card unless it's an adorable child or pet dressed in people clothes), so we decided to pick out a few cards that are stylish, fun, cheerful, or otherwise solid choices that will save you from being mocked at the next holiday gathering.

Celebrate Christmas this year with this layered holiday card available at Target. It's sure to make your card stand out from the rows upon rows of greeting cards lining your friends and family's fireplace, and a little texture goes a long way.

For a traditional look featuring Santa and his reindeer, try this letterpress set by Kirtland House.  Maybe it's the vintage design or the ornate font, but something about these cards just remind us of "A Miracle on 34th Street" (the original one, not the one with the little girl from Mrs. Doubtfire). We can just picture writing out these cards in front of the fireplace with a mug of of hot cocoa... how wonderful!

Even though red and green are the traditional colors of the holiday season, we're partial to blue and silver. It tends to stand out a little more from all the other cards, and looks a bit more chic. Share visions of a winter wonderland with this set of cards from Papyrus. It's simple, pretty, and a little bit glitzy, which is just the way we like it.

A partridge in a pear tree in metallic gold? Yes, please!  We love these screen printed cards by treasurydesigns.  They are whimsical, fun, and sure to stand out with their beautiful metallic ink and simple white silouhettes. And they are printed on recycled paper, which is always a plus.

Too much tinsel can be a headache, so be low key this holiday season with these printed cards by Etsy seller thecraftpantry. We love the earthy feel to these cards, and think it's a lovely, understated way to say "Season's  Greetings."

Celebrating Hannukah?  We found the cutest card to wish your friends and family a Happy Hannukah this year.  We love this handmade card from cutiepiecompany for it's totally mod, bright, and fun menorah design.  Send your wishes with this card and you're sure to make their holiday cheerful.

Saira longs to be back in Brooklyn, so we had to share this Brooklyn Bridge holiday card by Moon Tree Press. Perfect for New Yorkers, this card adds a nice personal touch, especially if you have friends and family across the country.

These cards by desTroy are simply charming.  We love their simple design, bright colors, and the beautiful layered look that the screen printing creates.  This cards definitely make a statement and is sure to be a favorite this holiday season.

 While the holiday season is all about peace and love... it also makes spending hours at the mall a selfless act. We at PDR are all about peace, love, and shopping, which is why we love these sassy retro holiday cards by Anne Taintor. They are fun and fabulous, just like you!

Feel good this holiday season with this holiday card from UNICEF. Every year UNICEF produces a series of holiday cards representing all the children that UNICEF helps support.  This years design is just as sweet, and proceeds from the sale help children all around the world, so not only will you feel good, but you'll also do good this holiday season.

Seasons greetings, dolls!  

Be sure to check us out tomorrow for a special holiday announcement!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Fall Fashion: Leaf Jewelry

Autumn in NJ is known for brightly colored, falling leaves.  We love fall and we love accessories, so, why not combine the two? Leaf jewelry makes it easy to add some fall flair to your wardrobe and with the kick off of the holiday season we think some of these items would be great gifts!  Here are a few great styles we've come across:

Dainty and delicate, this leaf necklace by JewelryDeli is a great find for those elegant special occasions or for your classic, everyday, work attire.

This modern style leaf bracelet by Juliesadorabowls is certainly something to swoon over.  It's got just the right gold tone and it's clean lines and modern shapes make it easily wearable all year long.

For a slightly more statement like necklace you can choose this one by Mystic Moon Studio.  The bold leaves will certainly draw some attention and update your fall or winter wardrobe. 

You don't need to be a Greek goddess to rock a bracelet like this one, by BeadsbyEvelyn.  Show the world you're a winner in this bracelet that we think is reminiscent of Greek laurel wreaths, a symbol a victory.

Hello, modern!  This is not you typical fall inspired jewelry.  Paper Demon Jewelry's necklace is a crisp, modern, and romantic take on fall with an icy blue color that can seamlessly transition to winter.

How this is done we cannot comprehend, but lauralidesigns uses real leaves, hand painting and gold plating them, to create these lovely little works of art.  The detail is amazing and they are real leaves so each pair is slightly different from the next, making them as unique as you are!

This necklace by FreshyFig has a classic leaf  pattern with modern varying sizes, but the antique brass gives it overall vintage charm.  We think this would look stunning on some fall wedding bridesmaids in strapless navy gowns!

Sometimes simpler is better and, when it comes to jewelry, it's nice to have pieces that are versatile.  These earrings by roundabout are so simple that they can go with pretty much any outfit, for any season.  

Express your love for fall in this casual, understated bracelet by Silkstone Designs.  The thin suede wrap-around band and tiny leaf charm make this bracelet the perfect one to accompany your weekend jeans and t-shirt look.

An acquaintance of ours, a best friend of a friend, has recently started selling jewelry through her company, Gypsy Warrior!  We want to help her spread the word because not only is her stuff lovely, it's unique and therefor right up the PDR ally.  Check out these fun, dangly leaf earrings and other accessories on her etsy shop!

Hammered metal makes a statement and this handmade bracelet is no exception.  Be bold and show your your edgy side this Fall with a metal leaf shaped cuff like this one by birdforbread.





XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Sample Sale alert: Twenty8Twelve and Monsoon/Accessorize

Hi guys,

I seem to be obsessed with discount shopping this week: first a post about Bicester village and now i'm talking about sample sales! Still, it's the clever way to do your Christmas shopping, and you end up with much more for your money than you would if you hit the high street.

Here are two sample sales i'm really excited about that are starting this week:

Twenty6Twelve sample sale

Wednesday 1st December 2-6pm

Thursday 2nd December 12-7pm

Friday 3rd December 12-7pm

Saturday 4th December 10-6pm

Address: 99c Talbot road, London, W11 2AT Cash and credit card only.

Monsoon/Accessorize sample sale

Friday 3rd December 8.30-7pm

Address: The American Church in London, 79a Tottenham Court Road, W1T 4TD

This is a cash and cheque only sale. £1 admission, which goes to the Monsoon/Accessorize charity trust.

At this rate i'm going to have a wardrobe full of party frocks, and no money left to spend on partying! Still, who isn't a sucker for a bargain-a-licous pretty dress?

Love, Tor xx

Christmas wishlist: French Connection coat

Hi guys,

In honour of my lovely new coat (which I picked up yesterday from the French Connection outlet and am completely in love with!) today's wishlist item is this fab coat from French Connection.

I love it's 80s style shape and slight bat wing sleeves. Personally, i'm too heavy busted to wear a double breasted coat, but on someone smaller up top, I think this coat would look amazing: it's a versatile piece that would look rock-chicky teamed with jeans and ankle boots, but really sleek over a little black dress.

At £190 it definitely isn't the cheapest coat on the highstreet, but it is a great shape and classic colour that means it will last you winter after winter: after a couple of heavy snows the cost-per-wear of this coat means it will practically pay for itself!

Love, Tor xx

Day out: Christmas shopping at Bicester Village

Hi guys,

Today my sister and I went Christmas shopping to Bicester village (although we ended up buying a few treats for ourselves whilst we were there!) This is my third trip to Bicester, and I really like shopping there; it's an outlet village just outside of Oxford. According to their website they are just a 60 minute drive from London, but from my part of London it is more like an hour and a half. Still, we just popped the radio on and enjoyed the ride: it was worth it! Here's what I picked up:

The Cath Kidson outlet was one of my favourite shops. I picked up a pair of Christmas mugs for someone's stocking for £8, a much-needed Oyster card holder for £3.50 and refreshed my kitchen with new tea towels and a replacement oven glove. This shop had everything: the bed linen, the sewing kits, the crockery... I had to be held back from blowing my savings on the lot! And all of the staff were so helpful and friendly too: that always makes a shopping experience so much nicer!

Bicester is mostly high end stores, but there are a number of high street favourites too, and these are much more in my price range! I got this great bangle for £2 and these flip flops for my honeymoon for £2.40 from Accessorize! The Accessorize is attached to a Monsoon store which would be the perfect place to go if you're looking for a party frock: they had a massive selection of dresses with up to 70% off RRP.

Finally, I got myself a new coat for £65 from the French Connection outlet. I was surprised they had so many coats with such great discounts at this time of year: The original price on this was £150, and I think it's classic enough that it will last a good few years. I'll show you what it looks like in a daily wear post in the week!

I also picked up a few Christmas presents that I can't write about - the blog has ears! Bicester is such a lovely place to walk around, and has such a great atmosphere. If I wasn't busy buying presents for everyone else (and paying for a wedding!) then I would have picked up a gorgeous Vivienne Westwood bag, some lovely bits from Crabtree and Evelyn, an Alexander McQueen scarf.... the list goes on. And the discounts are incredible: lil sis fell in love with a pair of gold Jimmy Choo shoes that had been reduced to £99.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? If not, when do you start? I've never understood people that can leave it until Christmas eve, so i'd love to know your present-buying rituals!

Love, Tor xx

Food Coma

Hi, dolls! We hope you all had a great thanksgiving. We ate a little too much stuffing and, due to food induced comas and crazy black Friday madness, we were unable to post this morning! Keep an eye out for our post later today or tomorrow.



While you wait, be sure to check out some of the great deals today online or in the stores if you're brave enough to venture out.



Modcloth is offering 25% off some items and The Limited and Ann Taylor are having a "40% off you entire purchase" sale!





Today's the day for low prices and leftovers! Enjoy!



Xoxo,

Jen & Saira

Christmas wishlist: Union Jack tea cosy

When I think of Christmas, or any other special present-buying occasion, the delights of etsy are never far from my mind. So when I saw this gorgeous Union Jack tea cosy, I knew it would have to make it on the list: my house is full of this kind of kitsch, and it's patriotic to boot! Some may say it's a little tacky - I say it's cool.

With the Royal Wedding never far from anyone's lips I predict this kind of thing will be really popular this Christmas, and a great thing to have as a conversation piece when the wedding does finally arrive next year. And besides, what's more English than a nice cup of tea?
This is from lovely Etsy seller, Diane Tubb Designs and comes in at $25 (approx £16)

Merry Christmas!
Love, Tor xx

Previous wishlist items:
Topshop beaded collar
Sam Edelman boots

Christmas wishlist: Sam Edelman boots

See shoes, want shoes, lust! Today's wishlist item is these Sam Edelman boots. They're exclusively available in Harvey Nichols (and on their website) and these babies have just about every detail a rock chick boot could feature: a concealed heel, zip fastenings, contrasting quilted leather panel with buckle fastenings and a branded sole.
They come in at £176.

Merry Christmas!
Love, Tor xx

Previous wishlist items:
Topshop beaded collar

Mint Velvet press day for S/S11

Hi guys,
Earlier today I popped over to the Mint Velvet press day to check out their new collection for next year. It seems weird to be writing about Christmas one minute and next summer in the next, but it's exciting to look at sheer silks and floaty fabrics when you're wearing your drab winter coat. And seeing what everyone will be wearing next summer also gives me some ideas of how I can inject those trends into my look now.

Overall I was impressed with the new collections, and saw lots of great, versatile pieces. I was left immediately wishing it was a bit warmer, so I could pop on one of their leather jackets straight away; for me the leather pieces were absolutely the stand out ones! Before I rabbit on more, lets check out some of the looks:



It was a very grown up collection, but then, Mint Velvet is a very grown up brand, and that's why I like them: their pieces are great for forming good quality bases, then building up more fashion forward pieces around them. The colours were pretty neutral, apart from the tangerine, which really stood out and looked great next to all the tan leather.

My favourite pieces were the seventies ones: I am ready for the return of indigo denim teamed with tan leather, and oversized floppy hats. There were also lots of trousers: pajama-style ones in silk, peg legs in black and brown and tons of denim. I'm not really a trouser-wearer, but i've seen so many variations for next year that I might have to start easing myself in gently. Mostly though, I just want to team all my favourite floaty dresses with that tan leather jacket.....

Love, Tor xx

Christmas wishlist: Topshop beaded collar

Hi guys,
Now that we're just a month away from Christmas, and everyone is starting to feel festive, I thought I would bring you an extra mini-blog post every day (as well as my usual rambling ones!) The extra post will be a suggestion for your Christmas wishlist, which will probably be something I saw and fell in love with, and put on my Christmas wishlist! Either way, it will be a Christmas wishlist, and it will feature things that are fashion-y, cool, and because i'm putting it together, some stuff that is just plain weird!

Today on the list is this cream antique embellished collar from Topshop: it is one of the five "online exclusives" pieces Topshop just added to their site, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it had to be mine! Apparently numbers are limited, and some of the other five pieces already have sizes sold out, so if you're fancying this, send it to your santas and their elves sooner rather than later. It costs £32, which is expensive for Topshop jewellery, but when you consider how it will change the look of all the tops and dresses in your wardrobe, it's definitely worth it!

Merry Christmas!
Love, Tor xx

Color Day Themes: Turkey Day Delight

Since 1863, Thanksgiving has been celebrated each year in the United States.  Often overshadowed by Christmas, Thanksgiving doesn't typically get enough credit and many might look at it as the day they can finally start playing their Mariah Carey X-mas CD.  While we do love Christmas, we think Thanksgiving is just wonderful and deserves equal celebration.  Tell the people in your life you're thankful for them and go ahead and gobble up some yummy food.  Traditional thanksgiving day foods like turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce that is shaped like the can, delicious pies -- these are things we look forward to all year!  Don't forget to wear your stretchy leggings so you have plenty of room for that extra helping of stuffing!

Thanksgiving Inspiration Board

Images from: The Sweet Occasion, Manolo Brides, Our Wedding Plus, Raina Dawn Events, The Allan House, The Budget Minded Bride, Inspiredbythis, RitzyBee, Le Bride, Weddingbee, Social Couture, West Elm, Sophie's Favors



Have a Happy Turkey Day!



XOXO,

Jen & Saira

One for the bloggers: On sponsored posts

Hi guys,

I often get asked whether blogging is my full time job, and how I make money from it. Well the answer is that blogging isn't my full time job, and although I'd love to make my living from it, I don't (well not yet, but a girl can dream!) But I do make some money from it (a little bit!) and I do that in a couple of ways: the first is the advertising you see all around the site, the second is occasional sponsored links, and the third is in sponsored posts (yup, like this one!)

I was reluctant to get involved in writing sponsored posts for ages: they have a really bad reputation! I had concerns about legitimacy, relevance, and transparency: even though there aren't as strict rules about blog advertising in the UK as there are in the States I didn't want anyone to feel tricked, or not realise what they were reading was sponsored And frankly, I didn't want you to get bored of reading about stuff that isn't relevant to my usual fashion-y goodness and go away! So when I did decide to go down the sponsored post route (initially as an experiment) I decided to do it with ebuzzing. Ebuzzing have a really strict code of ethics, and always require full disclosure, which was exactly the kind of company I was looking for. You can also say exactly what you want, and unlike other companies they never give you the text you have to post. You can choose which campaigns you want to get involved in (so I only choose fashion or lifestyle ones) and they work with some great brands. My dream brands to work with would be ASOS or Topshop: I write about them so often that those are the kinds of sponsored posts that write themselves- more a girl can dream moments!

A good rule of thumb if you're thinking of writing sponsored posts is to have your own code of ethics:if you know what you are and aren't prepared to do then it makes it much easier to decide whether to accept or decline a campaign. Here are mine:

- I only write about brands I would genuinely endorse.
- I always tell the truth, even if there are negative aspects to the review.
- I am always fair. If I don't have anything positive to say about the brand at all then I don't except their money for the sponsored post.
- I always disclose that the post is sponsored, even if the advertiser doesn't ask me to.
- I write what I want to. It's my blog, and I wouldn't accept a sponsored post where I was told what to say.

Ebuzzing is a brand that works with my code of ethics, because it is very similar to their own! Find out more on ebuzzing.co.uk or register to start using the site.

Do you accept sponsored posts on your blog, and if not, why not? Do you have any rules for sponsorship, and what are they? I'd love to hear your guys thoughts on this!

Love, Tor xx

Sponsored Post

Whats in the window: Diesel

Hi guys,
We all know I love nothing more than a good window display (Maybe in a former life I was a window dresser!) so when I was sent these pictures of Diesel's Christmas window displays, how could I not share?



My immediate reaction was that it was a very pagan and dark take on Christmas: not a Santa Claus or bauble in sight! I loved the climbing trees though, which reminded me of a scene from one of the darker fairy tales: think Little Red Riding Hood. According to the press release, it is "a seething mass of eldritch foliage which imagines a pagan journey to the temple of Diesel Black Gold" These pics are from the New Bond Street store.

I know everyone is talking about the Lanvin collaboration today, not window displays, but sadly I don't have a success story to share. Whilst everyone and his dog was joining the endless queue on Regents street this morning I had to be sat in the office, just a torturous 50 yards away. Do people take time of work to get their hands on these designer collaborations, I wonder, or are they only bought by freelancers, bloggers, and students who don't have somewhere to be at 9am on a Tuesday? If I had been able to get anything I would have liked the Tshirt dress with the ruffled collar, the yellow dress, and some of the jewellry. I'll be popping down later to see what's left over, but I won't be holding my breath!

Love, Tor xx

Coats: A new, old obsession

Hi guys,
As you probably all know, I love coats, but this week everything that could go wrong with my collection has gone wrong! Firstly, I got a bit drunk and tore the lining of my Isabella Oliver coat to shreds. Then I wore my red military coat with an across-body bag over it, and the movement of the bag has ripped half the buttons off (half of them never to be seen again!) My leopard print coat has 1/2 length sleeves, so half of me is toasty warm and half of me is freezing. And my mohair coat from Warehouse is malting so badly that i'm leaving a trail of hair behind me where ever I walk: it's like all my coats decided to give up at the same time!

I can't really afford to replace my coat right now (I hadn't budgeted for needing a new one!) but in fantasy-shopping-land that doesn't matter: in fantasyland, all these designer coats could be mine!

Oh yes, orange Oscar de la Renta with fur trim. Yes! I love this coat with its vintage feel and heritage styling: it's more ladylike than I usually look for, but it could be so versatile. The shaggy Fendi fur is more obviously me, and has a real rock chick edge. I love the green/orange colour combo of the Kinder Aggugini cape/coat and the military detailing: will military coats ever stop being cool!?

In the real world for my replacement coat I will probably turn to trusty ASOS or Topshop. Here are my ASOS picks:

The military and fur trends seem especially easy to replicate on the highstreet: there are lots of great brass button details in almost every store. The fur and wool mix, especially with the vibrant colour too, is much harder to come by. my faves from above are the rich brown shaggy fur and the navy blue double breasted coat with the brown belt detail: I like a coat that draws into my waist.

I'm going to Bicester Village on Friday, to finish my Christmas shopping. I'm hoping that I might stumble across the perfect coat whilst i'm there!
Love, Tor xx

Thanksgiving Tips and Style

This week we celebrate one of our favorite holidays, Thanksgiving!  The one time a year that we are allowed to stuff ourselves like a turkey and not feel too guilty about it in the end. For our Turkey Day post we're going to channel our inner Martha Stewart once again and share tips on how to make your Thanksgiving extra special. While all the focus is normally on the food (as it should be), we paper dolls certainly have a great number of things to be thankful for this year.  We are thankful for our wonderful families & friends, our health,  our loyal readers, and, of course, finding beauty in simple things like place settings, serving dishes, and decorations, among other things!  So, while you ponder over what you will be thankful for this year, take a look at some things we found that can help make your Thanksgiving even more enjoyable!

While Thanksgiving isn't exactly a five-course meal (more like one neverending course) sometimes it helps to serve "appetizers" first in order to keep your guests satiated while carving that big turkey.  We love serving roasted butternut squash or pumpkin soup before the big meal, and a friend of ours suggested serving it in mini pumpkin bowls. Just scoop out the insides, add in soup, and you have a bowl that is both functional and lovely.

Sticking with the squash theme, be creative when making your table settings! We love this turkey squash, because it's easy to make and very cute.  Just find some well-shaped gourds, fold up a napkin, and voila! This is also a great way to keep the kids busy while you're busy prepping the meal, which is definitely a big help.

Centerpieces certainly help to beautify your dining area.  For Thanksgiving there are many options to choose from such as pumpkins, gourds, bunches of wheat, leaves, candles, a cornocopia, etc.  Any of these things would be perfect for your harvest celebration! We particularly like the charming look of the table above with the simple, colorful maize centerpiece and vintage tablecloth!

And, speaking of tablecloths, we had to steal at least one idea from our girl Martha.  Check out these lovely printed linens!  If you're feeling crafty, and want to really personalize your table, you can hand stamp your own linens for a look that is totally charming!

Pottery Barn always has the cutest plates for Thanksgiving. While these dishes are sold through PB Kids, we wouldn't mind serving all our guests on these colorful turkey plates. Unfortunately, they're all sold out online, so run down to the nearest PB and stock up!

Start your own Thanksgiving tradition  by having your family write down what they're thankful for this year. Have them sign it and mark the year, and slowly you'll get a wonderful collection of Thanksgiving memories. Save it in an album or make a tablecloth by stitching on a new leaf every year and share these memories with your loved ones each Thanksgiving.

Sitting at the kids table shouldn't be a punishment! Cover the kids table with brown paper, throw in some crayons, construction paper, and scissors and let the kids make their own decorations! They can color on the table for once in their life without getting into trouble, and you can give them Thanksgiving themed projects (turkey hands, pilgrim hats, etc.) It will save you a lot of time and energy, and it will keep the kids occupied while the turkey is cooking.

But, the grown ups table can be a little more sophisticated.  We think plates like these by would be lovely for serving your holiday dinner! Not only are they whimsical and charming, but they would also serve as a beautiful conversation starter for your guests to get them sharing what they're thankful for!

If you have a big Thanksgiving, you'll probably have a ton of leftovers.  Bloggers Rex and Regina inspired us with their post about sending leftovers home in style! Rather than fishing for unmatched tupperware, plan ahead with cute cardboard boxes, ribbons, and card tags to provide your guests with their very own Thanksgiving-to-go.

While we look forward to this Thanksgiving with our families, it's important to remember there are many people out there who may not have a Thanksgiving this year.  We may write about our preferences for linens and centerpieces but we are sensitive to the fact that there are plenty families all around us who worry about important things like where they will sleep or where their next meal will come from. We know times are tough, but we ask that you please consider donating some time, some food, or some money to your local food bank or soup kitchen and help makes someone else's holiday special too.  In the end, isn't that what the holidays are all about?



Gobble Gobble!



XOXO

Jen & Saira