Out and About ~ Christmas Shopping

Hello on a cold and windy night! Now it is December---Christmas is rushing towards us at the speed of light it seems. It's no secret that I love Christmas. For me, in my family's Anglo/German/ Swiss/ French  tradition, it is a secular holiday of great happiness and excitement, secrets and festivity. Perhaps even velvet will be worn by someone, maybe me?

And though with my parents now passed on and my family small, my kids much older [no Santa!?] , I always have the intention of keeping things simple and plain.

But what's the fun in that!

Yes I buy most gifts online, Amazon and etsy are my best friends right now, but I love a real Christmas shopping expedition, too. My friend L and I had planned our day for this Monday--omigosh, it , what!, it snowed. Couldn't believe my eyes.

Mo was not a happy boy; he hunkered down with his kennel disk, a microwaveable frisbee thing that keeps him toasty warm all winter. I roll it up in his fave fleece blanky.

Tuesday, I pinned on my vintage Christmas brooch and  we headed out.

We are fortunate to have some great stores close by--- stores that have the had the retail sense to let us bypass the mall, and have created shops in local easily accessed strip malls. I was on the hunt for stocking stuffers; stocking gifts are a big deal for us. Not like my mom used to do with an orange and a candy cane, neither of which I'd ever consider eating. One year she did add puzzle balls she got in NYC, near Chinatown---you unroll the crepe paper and find little plastic charms and such. I still have a few from that treat! I cannot recall the shop's name, they sell Valentines and paper Dresdens and so on.
Look at this shop: New---a stand alone Lands End, opens this week.  here







Anyway.

First stop Sephora: You could get a pair of furry boots or a cashmere sweater for what a handful of little stuffers cost here.

But sure pleasers, which is the main idea. I also love spritzing perfume at their tryout counter. I found the most delightful lemony scented perfume. No clue what it was called, the young woman helping there was busy on her phone and I couldn't see a brand name, how odd. Well, on my birthday list, instead.

Across the parking lot is Old Navy, great for little doodads, like velvet scrunchies.

Bath and Bodyworks is a few stores over. Those finds must remain secret, as must the wine shop's contributions.

Always a great place to Christmas shop, our next stop was Trader Joe's.

They have lots of gourmet goodies for foodie friends.

And stocking fillers  like candles, bath salts, body butters, sea salt scrub. Gingerbread doggy treats for Mo.

Nicely affordable pine branches.

Rosemary tiny trees. $$$

Amaryllis bulbs and  as always, beautiful if odd veggies Are we supposed to roast this whole?

And cut flowers.

Sunflowers in Decemebr! Wow.

Their Fearless Flyer was, coincidentally waiting for me on my door mat when I got home. Seems I will need to make a return visit, just look at some of these fun ideas, yum. Yes, I forgot my reusable bags! But I love TJ's brown bags, great last minute gift wrap with twine or a red satin bow.

Back home, the wind practically blew me off to Siberia, this cold is so not normal. I hope Santa brings me long underwear! Inside I found Mo proudly reigning over the mess he'd made of ''his'' sofa, a tantrum for being left alone past sunset [at , like, 3.30, he doesn't like being alone after dark.]

No tree yet here or even red decor--just flannel sheets and fave Christmas quilts
.

A big bowl of cooky cutters and handmade snowball candle from my SIL. I use it sparingly every year.
That's my dad's handmade star cooky cutter, upper left. He made it for me one year out of an aluminum gutter scrap; my mom had sold all our cooky cutters to her antiques dealer girlfriend!

My small stack of Christmas books to read, something sweet each day as I sip my Peach black tea, from Stash.

On a quilty note, I invited myself onto Lori/ Humble Quilts Holiday blog hop. It looks really fun and as it will be posts about each blogger's favorite things, it should be fun for my readers here, quilters or not. First post is Lori's, on, I think, Monday Dec. 9. Be sure to join in. Link on my right sidebar.

Have a great week!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach..............

PS Isn't this just so cute! A decorated Pineapple. You guys know how I love pineapples, don't be surprised if this idea turns up in a bowl somewhere here at the beach...