time to return presents? the answer is yes if you got any of these under your tree.

well, today will be another photo heavy post.  i hope everyone is fat & happy after the big day.  we've gorged ourselves & ripped open those carefully chosen gifts & now it is time to take inventory- right?  the hughes christmas was a kinder, gentler affair again this year.  the excesses of years past  have moved aside to make way for less conspicuous consumption.  highlights this year included gigi (as we call my mother) receiving a diamond from dad.  she never had an engagement ring- she said they didn't have a lot of money & it just wasn't "practical" (i am sadly not familiar with that word- at least not when i want something!).  as she said, it only took her 59 years (they were married 12.30.1950).  interestingly enough, when my father bought the ring for my mother, he also decided that after all this time, he wanted a wedding band, so he bought himself a wedding band.  which actually isn't a bad idea, if you are familiar the demographics of the over 85 crowd-  men are at a premium!  mom was quite taken aback by dad's romantic gift.

my big score this year was a gift certificate for a solo dive in west point.  it is called an accelerated free fall & includes a 6 hour course & then the skydive.  i am most excited as i think it should be pretty awesome to do the dive without being attached to someone else- no matter how much eye candy he is supplying.

we enjoyed a movie night last night & watched up- what a fun movie.  it was a crowd pleaser for all ages.  i do find myself seized with an uncontrollable desire to yell "squirrel" at sadiedog all day today, though!  & we're off to see "avatar" tonight with my nephew.  hope it's good.  i lunched with a friend today who said it lived up to all its hype- we'll see.

now let's get to the topic at hand.  i've searched far & wide to identify some of the worst christmas gifts ever- there had to be photographic evidence, so that eliminated a lot of entries.  you will definitely be beating a path to the store to return if you were the lucky recipient of any of these thoughtful little presents.

our first is the decapitated teddy bear lamp. this can be had for 119.  a bargain, don't you think? especially appropriate for a nursery. of course, you can get the shade in different colors. this treasure can be purchased at www.suck.uk.com.

got a man who has everything you needed to buy for?  undoubtedly, he is standing in line as i write to return the gift below.  this is a "willy" cover for those fantasy nights together.  kind of changes the meaning of holiday cheer, doesn't it?  this can be purchased at www.zavvi.com for $6.30.

next is an item we all should recognize & i don't think any more needs to be said.  i will add that when my sister had her first-born, her husband proudly presented her with one of these as a gift for bearing their child.  even my sister's male pediatrician got it & was like "he got you WHAT?".  repeat after me-  "i will never buy my wife one of these for christmas, unless she specifically asks for it & tells me the specific brand she wants."

                                    

our next entry is known to us all- the ubiquitous christmas sweater.  i understand that a new party theme (which means it has been going on for some years by the time i identify as a new trend) is the ugly christmas sweater party.  a friend called me the other day & left this message "let me start by saying asking you this favor in no way is intended to suggest that you have bad taste."  she was looking for a tacky christmas sweater for her daughter to wear to an ugly christmas sweater party & wondered if i had one.  for the record, i did not.  if these beauties below had been under my tree this year, we'd be standing in the return line right now.

   

& just in case you're planning ahead, here's that must have gift for that friend that has everything.  it's doubtful that they've received this from others.  this is available from www.amazon.com.uk for 5.51USD (at today's exchange rate).

a big old gift of nothing.  just a plastic bulb.  it is truly the best gift for them that has everything.

actually, i take that back.  are you looking for the gift for someone that has everything?  you want to give a memorable gift to the love of your life who just bore you a heir?  & you made the decision to forego the vacuum cleaner (good decision, by the way!).  you want to give a gift that there is no way the recipient will get a duplicate of?  well- here it is-  drum roll please......

have your child's umbilical bronzed & hang it on a necklace!  can i get a collective ewwwww?

i hope that some of you are taking notes for next christmas because you can start your shopping early.  DVDs were a big item at our house this year.  movies & tv shows were included in the pile.  as i mentioned earlier, we watched up last night- a crowd pleaser.  the younger set (meaning sans parents) watched the hangover - some great lines from that movie.  tonight we watched julie & julia.  my sister & my mother are definitely foodies- cute movie. my sister scored big bang theory- season one & the first season of glee.  what we didn't get though was this......

 definitely one of the worst xmas gifts ever. i don't think i actually know anyone who ever watched that show- it was definitely a pretty stupid premise.

okay - only  a couple more.  here is the perfectly awful yard ornament.

 

this is modern interpretation of a gnome & it glows in the dark.  this will assist in parting you from 340 of your dollars.  don't say it- i know, i know.  i want something like this in my yard- it reminds me of ......

when my sister's kids were little, i often had dinner with them.  my sister is a great cook & that was one of my pleasures when she lived in richmond.  i was, however; frequently admonished at the table because i would encourage the kids in their potty talk.  i am afflicted with arrested development when it comes to body parts & body humor.  i've never grown out of the latency age stage of laughing & finding every & any body function hilarious.  too bad this deck of cards wasn't around then.  think how well informed i would have been & how much i could have taught my niece & nephew.  these cards provide information about the elimination products of many different animals- both domestic & exotic.  these babies are available at www.firebox.com.

i've been into experience gifts for some time now.  we've given dad a hot air balloon ride, a day of fishing with us.  when the star trek exhibit came to the smithsonian, i took dad up for the day & he sat in captain kirk's chair.  i took my mother to fallingwater for her birthday one year.  my niece & i went to new york city when she was 16 years old.  i brought her into tiffany & company & up the 4th floor, where she was presented with the much coveted robin egg blue box, which held tiffany coins (their equivalent of a gift card) so that she could pick out her first elsa peretti piece (she chose the teardrop).  i love experience gifts!  they don't clutter your home, they last forever, they don't break & they are often so very special.  choosing to spend our time with someone is sharing our most precious resource.  so how could you go wrong with a gift of experience?  well, here is an example-  celeb for a day!  this comes complete with screaming reporters, paparazzi, bodyguards, limos-  you name it.  for the cool price ranging from $250 to 1500, this little package could be yours.  interested-  you can find it www.celeb4aday.com.

well i'll end on that note.  i had a couple more in mind, but i think i've pretty well covered it.  i'd love to hear about worst christmas presents from anyone (if anyone does) who's reading this.  & we all know what mine was....

TAMMMY!!!!! (that big-headed, big-hipped wreck of a doll when barbie had been the desired object).

merry everything & happy always!

6 (or so) days of christmas

well, just about a week away.  i've been busy scouring the web seeing what goodies i could find that might make shopping a bit easier.  the choices abound!  here are some ideas for the person who has everything (& i mean everything)!

what a fun game this could be!  are you a foodie or do you know someone who is?  this is a trivial pursuit-type game with trivia questions about food & chefs.  available at www.uncommongoods.com for 18.

in this day & age, more & more people are focused on practical gifts & gifts that are useful & not just clutter.  here are some band-aids-  who doesn't have a need for those from time to time?

you knew i'd work bacon into this post, didn't you?

here's a nice gift for the person who has everything- a special wine glass with a diamond or two- for a cool 3700.

i suspect it is not dishwasher-safe.

how about that crafty, creative friend of yours?  the one who loves to work with her/his hands & be creative.  here is a kit to make a lamp from those pesky beer bottles that are just hanging around the house.  you certainly will own a unique piece.  this can be purchased for 40. at www.homewetbar.com.  it just screams class!

know anyone who has a thing for clowns?  well they won't after a peek at this baby!  it's always intrigued me that my sister hates clowns-  they really bug her.  we had a friend who collected clown stuff & she got kind of creeped out when we went to his house- all those clowns, all those eyes.......  now that i think about it, this might be just the decoration for the front door of her traditional midwest home.  hope you're not reading this, kathy, & ruining the surprise.....

 here's another item that you won't have to worry about duplicates when you give this gift.  this hair clip (?) is clearly handcrafted.  this was found on www.regretsy.com.  if you haven't discovered regretsy yet, take a peek.  it's a really fun site.  the clown wreath was also unearthed from regretsy.

this is for that environmentally conscious recipient- a michelle tote bag for shopping.  this is by Blue Q-  they make great reusable totes for your grocery (& other) shopping.

how about those iphone users you know?  here is holster/sleeve for your iphone- just slip it in the wristlet sleeve & you have your phone on you at all times with little fuss.  this would be convenient for many folks who can't bear to be away from their mobile phones or feel compelled to answer their phone whenever it rings.  this is available from www.beltoutlet.com.

here is a large box of retro candy-  bit'o honey, clark bars, necco wafers to name a few. have a candy you miss & haven't seen for a while?  it may be in this assortment.  this is available from www.findagift.com for 28.  another great place to find stuff they don't seem to make any more is at the www.vermontcountrylstore.com.  the vermont general store holds a wealth of products that you thought you'd never see again.  some brands/products available include gee your hair smells terrific shampoo, black jack gum, fizzies (remember those?  they were the best when you put them on your tongue!) & the originial gumby & pokey figures.  lots of stocking stuffer ideas.....

                               

okay- just a few more......  have a need for multi-tasking?  think this would make it through the TSA at airport security?

i am in love with this jonathon adler butter dish.  kind of an unexpected piece on the table, don't you think?  this little pretty is available from www.fredflare.com.

                                                      

well that's the roundup for today.  i have a few more tucked away to be revealed in the next couple of days.

happy shopping!

decorating for christmas

well we got the tree up.

danny's done the lights.

of course i had to fix them.

then i decided why go to all that trouble?

meanwhile, i came across this advent calendar. now that's the true spirit of christmas!

finally, a reflection of our current troubled times.

12 (or so) days of christmas

well, let's take a look at some of the goodies i've come across that can help with that last minute shopping.  first we'll start with my favorite category- jewelry.  that's always very easy for me because i love jewelry.  i love looking at the design, how it's made, the use of dissimilar or unexpected materials & the architecture.  i like all kinds- silver, gold, rose gold, stainless steel.  i've seen some jewelry that integrates rubber & my friend cate turned me on to a guy that uses hardware items.

i sometimes imagine my jewelry has special energy & powers.  one of my favorite pieces is a bracelet that danny bought me at harrod's in london a good number of years ago.  he was over there with my brother-in-law (we call mr. armand sometimes- he has the best taste in clothing for women- he always knows what looks best on someone).  danny knew i would probably want something from harrod's.  he looked at alot of different things & found a bangle bracelet of interlocked bangles in yellow gold, white gold & rose gold.  first off, he did the exchange rate incorrectly & ended paying way more than he wanted, but was too embarrassed to say so after the sale was rung.  he agonized over it the next few days, bringing it back & then keeping it.  when he finally decided to return, he went to harrod's & they were closed.  so it was his as they left the next morning.  this bracelet was simple & elegant in its simplicity- at that time, this was not my taste.  what i loved, though, was the energy, though & care that went into the purchase- the fact that he kept wondering if it was right.  since it is a simple & elegant piece, it is also timeless.  i have never flown without it on my wrist.  i have worn when i ran my two marathons.  i wore it when i did my skydive.  whenever i feel that i need to be reminded of the love my husband has for me, i make sure i have that bracelet on my wrist.  i know he believes in me.  any time i have given a presentation, that puppy has been on my wrist. i wil probably leave it to my niece (who has simple & understated taste) upon my demise & i want her to know the story.  the fact that it is simple & unobtrusive means it has been easy to wear with all my different jewelry over the years.  i can't remember the exact year they went- i think it was 1988-  i still have the box the bracelet came in after all this time.  i don't keep it in the box because i wear it so much.  here is the bracelet.

so enough about that.  on to some pretty potential christmas trinkets.  here are some rings that caught my fancy.

i like the pearls-  very simple- they would look nice stacked.  i don't know the source of the two pearl rings (bad blogger) other than they were from etsy. i love the middle ring.  i've been seeing a lot of oxidized silver in my meanderings.  i loved the juxtaposition of the oxidized silver with the whiteness & purity of the pearl.  this ring came from www.etsy.com/shop/senayakin. finally, the last ring by carla coruso (sadly no longer available) is a raw diamond on a thin gold band.  i've had a thing for raw diamonds.  first of all, they are much more affordable & i think they are interesting.  the ring above sold for 180. at katy beh in new orleans (www.katybeh.com).  it's a great gallery with wonderful artists.

for those unfamiliar with etsy - www.etsy.com- & i have discovered there are still some who are uninitiated, i have found lots of wonderful trinkets at etsy, a virtual shopper's delight of all things handmade.  i have always liked the use of stones in jewelry & this bracelet appealed to me.

 this can be found at www.etsy.com/shop/stonz. it is selling for 55.  the stones move around the bracelet.  i also find that i like jewelry i can play with.

one of my favorite artists that works with river stones is terry logan.  her work can be found in galleries nationwide.  here is an example of her work.  she's quite a bit more than the etsy folks- that is one of the advantages of etsy.  you can find some great bargains.

terry logan does pretty incredible work. i've seen many artists work with river stones, but i think very few do it as well.

finally, for your consideration, one of my favorite artists, gabrielle gould.  garbrielle loves birds. i love her whimsical pins. i first encountered her work at the chicago museum of modern art (where i first came across terry logan, as well- they have a great shop).  she is fanciful & fun.  her pins & necklaces make me want to smile.  here are a couple of her pieces.  she's not easy to find.  you will have to buy her stuff off the internet unless you are somewhere where her stuff is sold, which is too bad, because the pictures don't do it justice. i'm not aware of any galleries nearby that sell her stuff.

she often uses real feathers in her work. pretty fun, don't you think?

so that's it for today.  i could go on & on & will restrain myself.  let me know if you have any very favorite artists/jewelers for me to check out.

on the twilight train

well, i went today to see the second movie of the twilight sage- new moon.  new moon was my least favorite book of the four.  i fell into the whole twilight thing by chance.  i was at barnes & noble one afternoon ordering a coffee & they had twilight displayed on the counter.  i picked it up & read it (because i couldn't just stand in line & wait without a distraction- i wonder sometimes where that ability went).  the twenty-something girl behind the counter asked if i had read it- she said it was pretty good. the third book of the series was being released soon & they were having a release party.  apparently i had missed some sort of cultural event here.  she told me the book was very popular with the young adult crowd.  i decided to give it a read.  i finished it in less than a day & was back to get the second book, which sadly was not yet released in paperback.  it would be released in a couple months.  i could not wait.  then it was the third book.  all finished within two weeks.  all i had to do was wait for the fourth & final book- i can't remember how long the wait was.  i remember going in to buy form my local bookseller- i jokingly asked him to put it in a brown paper bag.  it was such a guilty pleasure.  many of my clients are young women under thirty- they were all seriously into the series.

for those that are uninitiated, the series follows the highly dramatic & romantic relationship of a vampire & bella swan, a mere mortal.  to further complicate the drama, a long-time friend of bella's has been in love with her & it turns out he is a werewolf, the arch enemy of vampires.  it's all very passionate & overdone & i loved every minute of reading it.  although i did skim a lot.  i always say my junk reads are like junk food-  they are great going down, although when you're done, you can't remember what you ate & you're still hungry. there have been many breathless news reports following the romance of the two screen stars, in addition to the whole twilight hoopla. & there were a good number of middle-aged women at the movie this afternoon- this phenomenon is not limited to younger women. many of my friends have whipped through the series. interestingly, the only ones who haven't are the ones who have said "i don't like stories about vampires." so not only have us oldsters infiltrated & contaminated facebook, now we've jumped on the twilight train.  is nothing sacred? & i do so hate being part of a stereotypical trend- it's kind of embarrassing - i always like to imagine myself as being more original than that.

i must confess that the series does bring back for me the agony & the ecstasy of young love. it was so....  intense. actually, at that time, everything was intense, now that i think about it. although torturous at times (actually, quite a bit for me)- when it wasn't....  it was great! things were so immediate & rationality had no place in my world as a adolescent/young adult. i do miss those times a bit.

one of the things i loved about the twilight series was the creation of a whole world with its own rules & paradigms.  how wonderful it would be to be able to create something like that!  i loved t he harry potter series & was so sad when it ended.  this year was the first july in 6 years that the new book didn't arrive for me to savor.  i would so look forward to it. i always pre-ordered (after the first one) so that the arrival would be automatic. i missed my friends annual visit this year. i totally lost myself in the series & just loved the books. i've been reminded of them this weekend b/c they movies have been on all weekend this weekend. i'm captivated by the wizarding world & all the nuances in it. what a wonderful mind to weave for us such a tale.

as a youngster, i liked the narnia series.  i was never much of a fellowship of the ring girl- i liked the hobbit- had difficulty beyond the first book.  i did enjoy the movies though.  other than that, i'm not at all science fiction or fantasy oriented as far as genres go.  those series have always intrigued me because, although an avid reader, i've never really liked fantasy or science fiction.

& so now, here i find myself eagerly awaiting the third movie (release date june 2010). no matter what the age or what the form, it's hard to refuse romance.

the spirit(s) of the season

nothing says christmas like a unique christmas tree celebrating the christmas spirits (groan...)

it's a dog's life

sadiedog on vacation-  living like the dog goddess that she is.....