i hope to write more soon after some rest, but in the meantime, i just wanted to say a quick thanks for supporting our little shop in deep cove. it’s hard to believe we’re headed into our eighth year in 2012! the shelves are bare and the cupboards are empty and i can’t wait to begin the search for new special things-thanks so much for making 2011 such an amazing year. the shop will be closed through january 2nd, back to regular hours on january 3rd. hope you have a lovely holiday! xox

i asked internet santa for these two books (the new terrarium & terrarium craft) for christmas and hope to spend some time during the holidays making more terrariums and thrifting for tiny critters to put in them.

image and recipe here

one of my goals* in the new year is to combine my love of dogs and photography to help out a local shelter/s. it seems like having great pictures of the dogs can really increase the chances that our furry canine friends will find their forever homes. i discovered this dog rescue in portland today (thanks to a link my darling husband sent) and all the photography is donated by Porland-based photographer Bob Libby, isn’t it beautiful? i hope to visit the shelter the next time we’re down south. local shelters and organizations are always in need of donations, please help if you can. mike and auggie say, WOOF!

here are some organizations i’ve supported over the years-they’re all doing amazing things and the world is a better place because of people like them. thank you.

angels animal rescue (april rain now lives in deep cove!)
saints senior animal rescue
langley animal protection society (our sweet biggie came from LAPS)
hugabull
big heart dog rescue
hood river adopt a dog (mikey came from this shelter)
critter care wildlife society

*geez, it’s hard to actually write down a goal. but now that i’ve done it, it seems one step closer to happening. keep on me, would ya?

images by Bob Libby

yesterday we received a new shipment of adorable felt ornaments, cheerful robins and mistletoe, these goodies flew off the shelves this season so i’m happy to have more just in the nick of time. ps: we’re serving cookies in the shop today, come visit!

here are some our top picks for guys!

no.1: donna wilson beardy man egg cup, 20.
no.2: the latest and greatest tee from identity called “the plains“, 38.
no.3: the boyfriend cuff from julie rofman, 88.
no.4: avoca niamh throw, 184.
no.5: ahhh…the fresh smell of pine in a shea butter soap….10.

emilie and her blog are magic. i’m so inspired by her photography-and not just the quality of the pics (which is gorgeous) but the time, love and imagination that goes into every shoot. if you haven’t visited griottes lately, i suggest you get lost in it for a little while today.

image here

a few years back, my mom sent my brother and me a box each of special christmas things we’d has since we were kids. i’ve had this angel that plays “silent night” since i can remember. i’d actually like to ask my mom exactly how long i’ve had it, but she’s cruising around the panama canal right now. anyhoo…unpacking this angel year after year takes me right back to my childhood. also, she tells me she sent my brother and me the stockings my great-grandmother crocheted for us when we were born. year after year, my brother and i debated if mine was the red/green/white one or the blue/red/green/white one. i always wanted the one with the blue. i wonder which one i’m going to get…

lovely throws, warm hotties and cosy toes from avoca. i was lucky enough to visit the mill in avoca, ireland where the blankets are woven and the colours were almost too much to handle (in a good way.) they’ve been making blankets there since the 1700′s and they’re woven to last a lifetime. the colours are truly amazing. please don’t ask to me to pick my favorite, it changes every day.

no. 1: avoca joyce throw, 184.
no. 2: avoca hibernate bed socks, 40.
no. 3: avoca hibernate hottie, 84

between maileg mice, pretty mugs from scotland and cosy mittens, i think you could cross just about everyone off your nice list. we’ve had lots of grown-ups buying the mice for other grown-ups which brings me joy. there’s just something about these mice that brings out the kid in us.