Favorite Things

Well, turn off the carols and take down the stockings, there's a huge void in this holiday season - Oprah's favorite things show.  I think in all the years that she hosted this screaming greed fest (yet we all tuned in), I only could afford or purchased a small handful of the items.  But somehow watching it became a tradition,  like Rudolph and Frosty.  We knew that Rudolph would start with the gliding snowman with the pocket watch and we knew Oprah's favorite things show would start with a blah stage set and launch with a snow storm and giant presents wheeled in by elves.    I noticed on the news stand that her magazine cover entices us with the promise of favorite things inside, but what can I say, I didn't even open it.  It wasn't the same without the pageantry.  And speaking of the magazine, remember how she always ended the favorite things show with giving away subscriptions?  As if the magazine was as exciting as the limited edition VW Beetles or the cashmere in every color.  It always seemed like a splash in the face back to reality, like when a roller coaster screeches to a halt back in the start house.

Just as I was secretly missing this show, I discovered that I am not alone!  It seems that many in the blog community are dreaming of sugarplums interrupted by memories of "flat screen tvs for evvvvvvvvveryone"

Anyway, check out the cute party idea at  thenester.com

Here are a few of my favorite things.   Would love to hear about some of yours!

The Latte bowls from Anthropologie  We all love Anthropologie.  They take merchandising to a whole new level.  The store is always beautiful - the prices, not so much.  But treat yourself to a $5 Latte bowl at each visit, and you are on your way to building a happy stack on your counter top.  Its the go-to bowl in our kitchen.

Candles from Bath and Body Works.  This is my favorite right now.  I have just switched from my favorite fall scent, Leaves.  The 3-wicks are $20 but you would be so silly to pay full price.  They are ALWAYS on sale.  I also like that the scents sold change with the season so it puts a little skip in my step when an old favorite reappears.  I know there are many candle parties in living rooms everywhere - but these are my fav.   One candle will make one entire floor of your house smell delightful.

Anything made by the company,  Coton Colors.  You'll find them on my side-bar-----------> 

They make my favorite Happy Everything Plate. Their goodies are sold in boutiques nationwide and on their website.  They have the cutest ornaments, including a wide variety of southern colleges.  I really hope this set of holiday casseroles goes on sale after the holidays, because they would match my house year-round!

Next favorite things: chalkboards.  I don't know why I love them, but they make me happy.  We have three chalkboards in our house.  The big kitchen chalkboard that serves as our weekly calendar:

The dinner menu chalkboard behind the stove:

and the stick-on chalkboard on our garage door:

The great thing about chalkboards is that they're cheap!  Our big wall calendar is just painted on (with molding), the dinner menu is written on a $3 chalkboard from the teacher supply store and the sticker on the door is from Hobby Lobby (I think about $14 when it was 50%).  We all know how Hobby Lobby's sales work so don't ever pay full price for anything!

Something for your little people-Lalaloopsies.  Also sold in large and medium dolls, these $6 minis are Caroline's favorite.  With cardboard houses, wee plastic pets and names like Pepper Pots and Pans and Crumbs Sugar Cookie- why wouldn't any girl want to collect them?!  Even my boys have Sir Battlescarred and Patch Treasure Chest.  Perfect size for stuffing the stockings and toting about.

And to end today's favorite things episode:  two yummies

My favorite blogging snack - a wedge of Light Laughing Cow cheese.  The light is only 35 calories per wedge and tastes the same as its caloric counterpart.  So so yummy on a cracker or pretzel.  Oh my gosh, I just noticed the cow's earrings.  So fashion forward - too bad the copyright symbol is tattooed on her neck!

And last, but not least, Vanilla Syrup.  I had this week, the best drink of my life - a Vanilla Coke from Johnny Rockets.  I had forgotten how much I love Vanilla Syrup.  Makes me wonder what else you could put it in - add that to January's to do list!

That's it for tonight my friends.  So sorry that I won't be sending you home with all of these goodies like Oprah- but this is a low budget blog.  I will however give you a free subscription to this blog and shout "you get a hug, you get a hug, EVE-RY-BOD-Y gets a hug!"