Happy Holidays to ALL!

NEW :: Jess Brown Snowflake Dolls!

I managed to get FOUR more Jess Brown Snowflake dolls just in time for the Holidays... If you live in NYC, CT, MASS, we can get them to you if you place your order TODAY! but don't delay... email me and we can do it quickly.. we are putting them online asap, but it may take awhile...

sorry to make this such a panic but at least we got them in time!!

love - carina

link to jess brown page

pssst... I just marked down Makie (!!)

pssst... I just marked down Makié - it's 20% off.. visit the website - prices as marked!

shop makie at nonchalantmom

love - carina

Jess Brown - snowflake dolls

jess brown snowflake doll

I am HOPING to get a few more of the snowflake dolls in time for christmas... I am HOPING they come TODAY (Wednesday, December 19th)... so if you are interested - email me! and we can fast track your transaction.

Remember each doll is completely unique, this is from my last batch.. the new ones will be slightly different but they WILL but white! (or white on white!)

email me ASAP if you want one!
(carinanonchalantmomcom)

last minute croud pleasers (as in... ANYONE would like these!)

There are just some gifts that you know ANYONE will like... and as we get down to the last minutes here -- these are some last minute easy ideas:

a little stress relief scent anyone? this one is AMAZING! ($22)

BEST and most BEAUtiFUL cook book ever - well really it's more visual than just any plain old cook book ($35)

This is the book on the Amazing restaurant in the countryside of Sweden - if you have a meat eater... they will love this!

Faviken dish

inside the restaurant! (wow!)

fresh Spanish inspired cooking!

shadow print neckie scarf - at nonchalantmom $17

gold baggu bag - easy and shimmery, what else!? $120

 

Clare Vivier - la pochette ($120)

Happy Last Minute Shopping!

Our Hearts are with Everyone

Our hearts are with the families of the tragedy, I would like to take a moment to explain that I tend to keep quiet after something like this, I don't find it easy to write anything and I don't really feel like it's my place to say anything. Everyone is grieving and I feel like giving this town silence is the best gift we can give them, time to be with their families and their community. When the time comes and we find a way to contribute to the community we, as a company, will do so in our own thoughtful and quiet way. If we find a way that we can pass on the information on any contributions that can be made we will share them on this blog.

The families are in our daily thoughts and our prayers and we know that things will never be the same.

Thank you for understanding.

Love - Carina

oh, and one MORE thing...

I think that one of the best gifts for the Holidays is a dog! If your family is ready for it that is.. and just watch out, it may just turn into YOUR responsibility, no matter WHAT the good intentions are... But I have to say a dog is really always your best friend (just make sure you get a smart one!). They will get you outside exercising just about every day! They are always there for you (as long as you are there for HIM or HER). They are just filled with LOVE!

Marley!

No pressure.. just an idea!

WOMENS :: gift guide 2012

This gift guide follows in the footsteps of my kids gift guide. Lot's of good things that are made well and by hand... and really... this is just the things I want so take note people in my family! So I guess I might just be sharing with you my personal list, it seems wrong but oh so right at the same time!

clockwise from top left: tassels by Fredricks & Mae, Clare Vivier natural leather tote, Clare Vivier Grande Pochette gold, Margaret Solow large wabi sabi necklace, Lem Lem didi square scarf, Donna Wilson Nos Da pillow, Iittala stacking glasses

It's a GREAT list of things isn't it!

click on the items in the description for shopping information

KIDS :: Gift Guide 2012

This years gift guide is short but sweet... I have a passion for getting each person not really the biggest thing but the RIGHT thing... It's like a mission for me and it's one of my favorite things to do, I take my time and throughout the year I might find something, hide it and save it for Christmas. The only problem is remembering where I put it... (I'll just have to chalk that up to part of the fun). In the past I have found ALL my gifts at flea markets and second hand shops, cleaned them up, dusted them off and found just the perfect thing for; my sister, my mom, my husband... I wonder if they still have those things. Today I have so many talented friends and successful designers that I always go to them for my gifts, it makes them all the more special.

clockwise from top left: Creme Anglaise kids room accessories, Harry Allen chrome pig bank, Jess Brown dolls, kimmel kids stencil set, bobo choses blanket backpack, Fredricks & Mae handmade arrows, twoolies (the bulls are my favorite! what's yours?), MillerGoodman's painted blocks, Kalon Studios hut hut in resin (or walnut.. amazing!)

I actually don't know the people at Creme Anglaise but I love their cute things for kids rooms - they are all nice pastel colors and always look cute! I have to say that the Harry Allen pig has been around for a LONG time but somehow it's just caught my eye and now I'm obsessed with it! The Jess Brown dolls are just the most wonderful, Franny could just as well get rid of all her other dolls and stuffed animals (well, I suppose Jess's dolls NEED some animals to play with!) The Kimmel kids stencils are a rainy day's godsend! Hours of magical stenciling that you want to KEEP when they are done! These arrows by Fredricks & Mae are like a work of art really... they would make any kids room look a whole lot COOLER (period). Our shelves are so much more delightfully happy now that twoolies are running them! The MillerGoodman blocks are glorious - we received them as a gift and let me tell you they look EVEN better now that they are worn and used! Just take a look at what Kalon studios has to offer.. we love it ALL!

JUST CLICK ON THE LINKS IN THE CAPTION FOR A LINK TO WHERE YOU CAN GET THEM.

FAVORITE THING of the WEEK! 12/08/12

This week we have again TWO favorite things of the week.. one for kids and one for YOU! Both are particular favorites with me..

First for the KIDS:

MAKIE katty vest - unisex in grey or blue was $108 now $80

You know I love vests.. but not just for great they look on kids but how they keep kids just warm enough, without overheating them with a sweater or a jacket! A vest is great for inside and out. This particular vest by Makié is always my favorite, She makes these reversible and easy for kids to wear. They are unisex and work for BOYS and GIRLS! This not only makes them great gifts they are a perfect hand me down! (my kids have been wearing Makié vests ALWAYS!)

For ADULTS:

Pashmina by Sadhu :: 100% cashmere :: was $220-$298 now $220-$165

And our FAVORITE THING of the WEEK for women (and MEN!!) are these amazing Pashmina Scarves. I found these amazing scarves through a friend and I am so happy that I have met them. They are completely family run, and in an industry that is moving towards machines, Sadhu is moving in another direction. He is nurturing traditional craft techniques and keeping everything woven by hand. It shows with his amazing scarves which are handwoven and hand dyed.

Pashmina by Sadhu - Favorite thing of the WEEk!
Makie katty vests for kids - favorite thing of the WEEk!

STUFF @ PS321 TOMORROW!

Stuff you should buy at PS321 Holiday Shop in Brooklyn

when: Saturday, December 8th
time: 10am - 5pm
where: PS 321, 180 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (btw 1st and 2nd Streets)

What to do: SHOP or an oh so wonderful team from UrbanSitter along with 321 volunteers will be providing an array of fun kids’ activities to keep the little ones entertained while you shop!

•   origami ornaments

•   pasta necklaces

•   paper shape owls

•   face painting

•   paper puppets

•   fancy wrist bands

•   yarn ornaments

•   nail painting

•   hair braiding

here are just a few of the shopping you will find at ps321 this Saturday!

click here for more information

just getting started... holiday gift guide 2012

One of my favorite jobs as a blogger is to write HOLIDAY shopping guides, and to get into the mood I took a look at last years and  W o W  it was good! You can see it by clicking here I did a really good job of finding some unique items... *blush* They are timeless so take a look!

This year with the proliferation of handmade it's become even easier AND harder... to find those unique items. But I have to say, there are a couple of big retailers that did a great job of looking out for unique items and I have to say that my favorite is West Elm.. I'm not sure what happened this last year with West Elm but as I understand it a certain 'someone' took charge and gave it a little change UP. So if you think you know West Elm, take a look now.. They have a terrific West Elm Market for the holidays and I think it's terrific! These are a few of my favorites:

This hose is what I asked Santa for this year! (orange please!)

Swedish sea salt soap - sound nice right!?

just the idea of this seems nice!

Love these... and at $14 PERFECT!

bento boxes for kids lunches

habachi! better than a grill.. WAY better!

cotton napkins.. nice and you can choose your colors! (AND monogram is available!)

bakeware.. my mom just told me that it's not good to use dark color bakeware.. who knew!?

Just to get you started... looking back it's not such a gift list but anyway... love this stuff!

And while you are at West Elm take a look at their furniture and accessories collections.. NICE! (and I promise you I don't work for West Elm and I'm NOT getting a sofa for this blog! :)

happy shopping!

shop West Elm Market here

Remembering Oscar Niemeyer, 1908-2012

Oscar Niemeyer 1908 - 2012

Oscar Niemeyer died today at the age of 104, a life well lived and a man who worked through to his last days in life. "You may like my buildings or you may not, but you'll never be able to say you've seen anything similar before." So says one of the greatest modern Architects of this century and who's masterpiece Brasilia is an entire city carved out of the Brazilian interior 700 miles from the beaches of Rio.

exterior of the National Cathedral in Brasilia

The beautiful interior of the National Cathedral

Brasilia includes, among an entire city of buildings he designed, the National Cathedral - a crown-shaped structure of glass suspended between concrete struts which sweep upwards and inwards and then reach out to the heavens. Rather than dark and forbidding like the interiors of older cathedrals, the inside is awash with light.

Brasilia

Niemeyer was a lifelong Comunist, when a military dictatorship came to power in Brazil in 1964, he was forced to move to France. He did not return to his native Brazil until the 1980's. But he worked throughout his lifetime, he was one of the most innovative and daring architects of the last 60 years. He accepted that great buildings were often the reserve of the rich - but he hoped that he could provide joy and amazement for ordinary people. In that, he must surely have succeeded.

Such a beautiful visionary will surely be missed, he has inspired so many Architects but none so bold as himself. I once had a young neighbor, while living in NYC, who grew up in Brasilia. He was so greatly inspired that he was on his way to be an architect himself. It's amazing to imagine how many, many, people were inspired by Oscar's work. A life well lived I am sure!

read more on Oscar Niemeyer here
just google 'Brasilia' and click on 'images' to see more of Brazilia!

inspiration: Pure Vegetarian by Lakshmi

pumpkin & rosemary soup

As the end of the year begins to approach, I start to think about what is up in the coming year. What changes do I want to make in our home, in our exercising, in our food and in our play (oh yes, and WORK too.. but that is for another blog). Throughout this year I have been following a blog called Pure Vegetarian by Lakshmi, it is inspiring, beautiful and it not only gives me ideas on food but life as well (as she speaks about her lifestyle). It is one of the most beautiful blogs I know and distinctly without commercialism, which is so refreshing!

sourdough pan bread with butterbean filling by Lakshmi

In each of her recipes and descriptions Lakshmi talks about the food, it's energy and usually a bit about it's history. It is a quiet blog, it's nice to take time and read through her recipes and text and slowly take in her beautiful images. My favorite posts are the ones which talk about her life, her devotion which many times go beyond the food.

I have only made a few of her recipes, I read through most of them and although they may sound difficult or some of the ingredients difficult to find, I think that you can work each recipe to your own taste. The point for me is to take in the reading, open my mind to a new source of cooking and baking, and learn.

click here to visit: Pure Vegetarian by Lakshmi

apple tart by Lakshmi