Dear Santa... Part 5 - Home

My list for the home is pretty short compared to the other wishlists. I guess my focus is more on cooking and crafting these days and I haven't dedicated much time to decorating or fixing up the apartment. I'm actually pretty content with how things are in our home (for now). But more importantly - unless we start throwing things away, we really don't have much space for anything else.

So here are a couple of things that I have been admiring from afar.

Emma Jeffs' films offer a beautiful and practical solution for windows, offering privacy but not sacrificing the natural light. I love this curtain alternative. Just peel and stick!



Love love love this Jorg & Olif bike. If I only had room to store it and about $800 to spare...



I will eventually get around to repainting the apartment and when I do, I would love to color one of the rooms in this color...



Happy Friday! The dinner party went well - more on that later.

See crafting, food & cooking, clothing and makeup wishlists.

Dear Santa... Part 4 - Makeup

I don't wear a ton of makeup on a daily basis but when I do, I like to focus on the eyes.

1. This lightweight brush-on undereye brightening cream has been featured before. Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, $18

2. Paula Dorf's Transformer is something I can't live without. It turns any eyeshadow to liquid liner ($18.00). I just ran out of this stuff. Unfortunately, both Sephora and Bloomingdales no longer carry the brand. I've wasted money on other "similar" options (e.g. Benefit's She Laq and Bare Escentuals' Weather Everything) that just don't work as well with my Bobbi Brown eyeshadows.

3. Laura Mercier's Secret brightening pen ($30) brightens dark circles, reduces shadows and minimizes discolouration.

Want the smoky eye look? Check out these affordable Sephora-brand eye shadows and liners:

4. Colorful Mat Mono Eyeshadow, Mat No. 07 - matte deep burgundy ($10) and
Colorful Duo Eyeshadow, Grey Harmony 09 pale silver gray cream & pewter shimmer powder $16

These liners are deeply pigmented and waterproof!
5. Keep Kohl! Waterproof Liner Sephora ($8) and Sephora Flashy Liner Waterproof ($8)

See Crafting Wishlist , Food & Cooking Wishlist, Clothes Wishlist

Dear Santa... Part 3 - Clothes

Dresses are my favorite item of clothing. If I could, I would wear them everyday.



And of course, they're all from Anthropologie!
1. Textile study shift, $238
Mod dressing by Saja. Love this shift.
2. Yacht Club Dress, $178
"A nautical pairing of navy and cream takes a very ladylike turn on this scoopneck dress. A waist-cinching sash, mesh and lace accents, and a full skirt will make you the darling of the boating set and landlubbers alike." By Viola.
3. Imprint dress, $188.00
"Silk jacquard in shades of watermelon and pine gives way to a black cotton-dobby hem." By Moulinette Soeurs.
4. Star Grass Dress, $158
"Embroidered yellow buds line the rippling hem of this sleeveless voile vision by Lithe."



Realistically, I really should focus on sweaters since it's starting to get really cold.
1. Cashmere Anna jacket, $198
2. New Dream shawl-collar sweater, $98
3. Cropped Cardi, $88
A diagonal row of buttons cinches this toasty wool-nylon blend from Charlie & Robin. Zandra was wearing this sweater a couple of weeks ago and it's definitely cute!
4. Salt Fleet Jumper, $178
Love this sweater dress.
5. Quaint Sweater Shrug, $88
I question the functionality of short sleeve sweaters, but this one is too cute to pass on. By Knitted & Knotted.

I featured these coats a while ago and they're still the best coats I've seen this season... (unfortunately, I still can't afford them)



Izzy Lane Shetland Coats
£330.00 - £465.00 (Approx. 698.00 Euros / 791.00 US Dollars)

See Crafting Wishlist or Food & Cooking Wishlist

Dear Santa... Part 2 - Food & Cooking

If only you could see the size of my kitchen, you'd understand that I really don't have the space for one more kitchen appliance or even a pan. My cabinets are like booby traps - you never know what will fall on your head when opened.

So here's my If I had more cabinets and counter space wishlist!



COOKBOOKS
Every time I see a book sale, I can't resist getting at least one more cookbook...
1. Lidia's Italy: 140 Simple and Delicious Recipes from the Ten Places in Italy Lidia Loves Most, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Tanya Bastianich Manuali $23.10
2. Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen, Clotilde Dusoulier $12.89
3. Falling Cloudberries, Tessa Kiros $30.26
4. Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen, Gina DePalma $23.10
5. Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth, Jill O'Connor $15.61
6. Pure Dessert, Alice Medrich $23.10
7. (not pictured) Basics: The Foundations of Modern Cooking, Filip Verheyden $19.77



KITCHEN TOOLS
The following tools are great stocking stuffers, with the exception of the Food Processor.
1. KitchenAid KFP750CR 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processor, Chrome $199.95
2. I'm not sure how I'm living without one of these - Mario Batali Slotted Fish Turner $7.95
3. or this Typhoon Professional Cook's Wire Skimmer $9.99
4. I can't cook without my Tongs and would love a flat one just like this one Chef'n Tongo 12-Inch Stainless Steel and Silicone Tong Huckleberry $14.95
5. I haven't had an urgent need for a hand blender, so I'm really not sure why I'm obsessed with owning one. I might have seen it being used on Top Chef for soup-making Cuisinart CSB-76 Smart Stick Hand Blender $29.95
6. I hear that "Y" shaped peelers are easier to use than the more traditional shape - Zyliss Y-Peeler $6.99
7. Another item that I don't have and wonder how I do without Mario Batali 0-49307 13" Pasta Server, Solid Beechwood $6.95
8. (not pictured) Anything from Le Creuset. My batali dutch oven gets most of the abuse in my kitchen and I would love for it to have a few friends. These oval dishes would be perfect for both cooking and serving. Oh and these cute Petite Au Gratin dishes! If you're looking for a set, the 6 piece classic set would probably be my top choice.



FOOD
I can spend all day in a gourmet food store. I love roaming the aisles and perusing exotic ingredients that I've never heard of or used in the past.

1. Bee Raw Varietal Honeys, Set of 9 $79
I guess I was taken by the packaging. This set includes 9 of America's finest regional honeys - perfect for honey & butter on bread!
2. Artisanal salt sampler $165
I'm obsessed with seasoning my food properly and I've just recently discovered the difference that salt can make in any dish. Not enough - and a perfectly executed recipe can go south. The words "does it need more salt?" always follow Hillsy's first bite of anything. This 24-jar sampler of salts from around the world, from Bali to Peru, offers food-lovers the opportunity to experiment with subtle, exotic flavorings.
3. Dean & Deluca Spice collections
I dream of covering one of my kitchen walls with a huge spice rack. Dean & Deluca has a great selection of herbs and spices. I would be happy to receive any of their collections (Indian, French, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern or Chinese). It would be fun to explore new recipes and concentrate on a new spice per week.
4. White Truffle Butter by D'artagnan $10.99 - this would be perfect for the Odette Fada Raviolo recipe I want to try. Lord knows I won't be buying an actual truffle anytime soon ( $490-$820)!!! The white truffle hails from Italy's Piedmont region. It has an earthy, garlicky aroma and flavor. This decadent treat adds armomatic flavor to any menu. It will jazz up risottos, baked potates, and asparagus.
5. DEAN & DELUCA Salt Essentials $135
D&S's collection includes six artisinal salts from around the world. "Murray River is mild and adds flavor and texture to your meat and chops. Himalayan Pink is harvested from the beds of ancient sea salt with a mild flavor and pale pink color. Alaea has natural purified Alaea clay that imparts a mild earthiness. Mix with herbs to coat meats or fish that seals in moisture while roasting. Fleur de sel is known as the caviar of salts with a delicate flavor and moist texture. Fumee de sel has a savory oak flavor with a hint of sweetness. Cyprus flake is an extremely mild salt used for cooking, baking and garnishing."
6. (not pictured) Exotic Thai or Indian spices from Nirmala's Kitchen (one of Martha's secret sources).

see Dear Santa... Part 1 - Crafting

Dear Santa... Part 1 - Crafting

I'm not a hard person to get a present for because the words "oooh I need.." or "oooh I want..." seem to come out of my mouth at the speed of light. It's crazy that we're already in the second week of December which means crunch time for Christmas gifts. So all week long, I'll be sharing my ultimate wishlist divided into categories - a new one per day (craft, cooking, clothes, makeup and home) and I hope it serves as a useful gift guide.

NOTE: Hillsy, you're not allowed to get anything on this list! Remember - we need to come up with our own ideas!!! Okay... maybe the japanese craft books ;-)



1. I don't really need a new sewing machine, my starter one still works - even if I yell at it once in a while. But if I were to get one, the Singer 7470 Confidence Computerized Sewing Machine ($389.99) would be at the top of my list. Martha keeps touting it on the show, but regardless of what she says, I've checked out the reviews and it's all the rave!

2. Not that I have anymore room to spare on my table, but check out what the Xyron® 900, ($119) can do... Stickers, magnets, labels and even laminates. Simply feed the item in, turn the handle and trim. Just think of the possibilities!

3. I can never have too much fabric!
Check out remakeables, Purl Patchwork and Reprodepot Fabrics for a wide variety of to-die-for prints.

4. I also have a semi-addiction to wool felt and have recently found out about AETNA Felts. They carry 100% wool felt and in just about every color you need.

5. Eventhough I have more embroidery floss than I know how to organize, I would love to get my hands on some hand-dyed Valdani Embroidery Thread - some say it's the best. Available at Purl.

BOOKS
1. I've been going gah-gah over these books from the Chocolateswirl Etsy shop. The cutest Japanese craft books ever:



:: Appliqued Bags and Accessories for Kids - Japanese Craft Book($21.99)
:: Cute Embroidery and Cross Stitch Designs - Japanese Craft Book ($18.99)
:: Design Collection for Kids - Japanese Craft Book ($20.99)
:: Bags for Going Out - Japanese Sewing Craft Pattern Book ($21.99)
:: Stitch Ideas Volume 2 - Japanese Embroidery Design Craft Book ($19.99)

2. I also wouldn't mind owning Jenny Hart's Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To & the Stitch-It Kit (Buy Together Today: $36.52)

3. Although I'm not a child nor have any, I still want See and Sew: A Sewing Book for Children ($20.44)

AND last but certainly not the least...
Check out this dreamy Marina Bautier sewing table/cabinet (unfortunately I don't have pricing info)


It needs no words!

Food & Cooking Wishlist tomorrow!