We’re heading into the holiday home stretch here, friends. Tonight is the midway point of Hanukkah, the winter solstice is a week from Friday and, as they say, there are just 12 shopping/cooking/crafting/making days before Christmas. The gifting season is upon us. If you’re still stumped for ideas, here are a few more things I like (I’ll have a fresh good gifting recipe up tomorrow as well).
Since first discovering them, I’ve been entirely charmed by these mugs. The one with the knit print is double walled, so that you can hold it even when its filled with steaming liquid. The one on the right is from a line called Mugtails and is available in rabbit, cat, and fawn styles in addition to the squirrel one pictured above. They’re sold by Korin.
For morning caffeination efforts, I regular turn towards two tools. A hand-cranked coffee grinder that fits onto a wide mouth mason jar (I like having to work a little for coffee) and a Teastick (fill with loose leaf tea and swish through a mug of hot water. It’s perfect for a quick cup). My particular model is currently sold out, but I hear good things about this one
I’ve long been obsessed with wooden tools and since last year, Earlywood Design has been my favorite purveyor of all things useful, handmade, and satisfyingly tactile. I particularly like their slant-edged scraper, but I’m slowly amassing a well-rounded collection of their utensils (next on my personal list of wants from Earlywood is their short server). They also have awesome customer service. One of the scrapers I bought started to split along the grain and they were happy to replace it. Many thanks to Nici of Dig This Chick for turning me on to them.
You’re all familiar with my inability to resist any mason jar accessory. Well, from the moment I saw the Mason Shaker, I knew I had to have it. I’m not a huge cocktail drinker (simply because I have a lousy tolerance for booze), but I love this shaker lid for batches of homemade lemonade. Must like the Teastick above, it appears to be sold out. However, I spotted a bunch at my local West Elm about a week ago, so check your bricks and mortar stores if you want to get one before the holidays.
Last February I visited Korin, a store in New York that specializes in fine knives and tableware and they gave me a Petty knife to use and review. I rapidly shot up my list of favorite kitchen tools. Having a knife that exists in the space between a small paring knife and a larger chef’s knife is a boon for tasks like quartering apples, cutting carrots into sticks, and opening avocados (things I do a whole heck of a lot). It would make a really great gift for a cutlery lover.
All good gift guides come with a giveaway and this one is no different. Thanks for Korin, I have the mugs pictured at the top of this post and the petty knife pictured just above to give away to one lucky winner.
Here’s how to get in on the giveaway:
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me one thing you’re hoping to get done before the new year
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- Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Saturday, December 15, 2012. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday.
- Giveaway open US residents only.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post. I cannot accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Korin has provided the mugs and knife for this giveaway. They did not pay for placement. All opinions remain mine.
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I have a walk-in pantry with beautiful counters and drawers that line one wall. Before the new year, I want to get it cleaned and cleared (of “stuff”) so to display: clear jars of spices and other homemade edibles, juicer, dehydrator and other kitchen equipment. Everything in its place and a place for everything.
I want to get a batch of chicken stock made and canned!
I have trees bursting with 3 different types of oranges. So I am going to attempt to make a metric ton of marmalade, a favorite of mine and my very British step dad. After making and canning tasty Bananas Foster jam, I keep looking at the trees needing motivation to start. I believe this weekend will be a canning weekend. Love the blog, I found it two days ago and am hooked.
Before the new year I would like to get all the kids’ summer clothes off the floor and put away.
Why is this question so hard for me?! I’ll say organize my coupons – I am so behind.
I’d like to wrap all my gifts in immaginative ways that don’t use commercial wrapping paper. Thanks for the chance to win.
I really just want to finish decluttering and organizing all my christmas decorations.
I am slowly getting there, and hope I can finish.
Packing up my house before I move in a couple of weeks…
I love those mugs!
I want to have the time to finish season 2 of Downton Abbey before season 3 starts in January!
the ONE thing i’m hoping to get done is to bake 12 DOZEN (different) cookies. before christmas, not even new year. i fly home late tomorrow night, so i’ve got my work cut out for me.
I still need to finish my baking, so that is on my to do list.
I have some serious knitting to get done and quickly! Here’s hoping I win the knit mug. It’s perfect for me.
I plan to rest. I’ve been doing too much and it’s taking a toll on my body, so it’s time to put my feet up, look at the lights on the Christmas Shrub (free leftover branches from Whole Foods in a galvanized bucket! Woo!), snuggle the kitties, and munch some roasted chex mix while sipping tea. Bliss!
Ooooh I need to pack!! I love everything in this post!
I plan to finish knitting the ridiculously boring cowl that I started back in the beginning of the year that I still really want (alas, having plain taste can sometimes kill). But only the knitting part–I’m not planning on packing the yarn I want for the tassels or the beads I plan to put on said tassels with me, so that’ll wait until I get home after the holidays
I hope to figure out how to fund my continued maternity leave before the new year!
I plan to leave my job and start an online store.
Clean my bedroom! It’s waaay too messy!
I am hoping to make your pickled cranberries. After going to four different stores, finally found the juniper berries, so have all the ingredients. Now, just need the time…
Organize the upstairs and find a better storage solution for all the pickles and jams!
Making enough jam from the fruit in my freezer to last until next winter!
I love this site. Stumbled upon it while trying marmalade for the first time. I can’t wait to get more jars so I can can more.
I still have to watch my daughter enjoy first real “santa” christmas (she’s 3 this year, and I hear it’s absolutely the best santa year)! I can’t wait to see how she reacts to everything. I need to put down the canning tongs and sit with her under the tree!
) (omg am I really still canning in December? Is that a fresh batch of pear vanilla jam and pomegranate jelly on the counter? Yes it is. Seriously I won’t be able to give away or eat all this jam in my lifetime LOL)
I should probably start my Christmas shopping…
I hope to make a few more pickled things for gifts, and most importantly find some time to spend with my loved ones.
Finishing my kitchen re-organization is a major priority. I have already re-claimed lots of drawer space and counter tops by hanging things on the backsplash, but I have to wait for my hubby to put up one more hanging rail and the magnetic knife rack. It’s almost like getting a whole new kitchen – yay for me!
Getting the clutter under control!
I’m really trying to find a real-live librarian job before new years. The holidays are a tough time for job seekers, but I have my fingers crossed!
Camping and perhaps kayaking with some manatees!
knitting a scarf for my niece!
before the new year I’m hoping to get back into my yard and tackle some weeds that thin it belongs to them – time to reclaim the yard (in the subtropics)!!
Render the beeswax from our hives and make hand dipped candles. Can’t seem to get it done!
I really need to get some deep cleaning done before the new year. It’s nice to start out with a clean slate!
I want to get all my pictures hung, and cook up that last batch of gifting jam. Your apple cranberry went fast, so I had to do 2 batches.
I’ve not yet started making cookies to give away, so that’s next on my list.
Im hoping to get my craft nook cleaned out & get it all set up & ready to go for the new year!!
I have a few more boxes to unpack from our move and it would be nice to get it done before the new year, though new years day may also be a good time to finish.
Make peanut brittle & English toffee. And make my house look a little bit festive! But we have two new cats so frankly I’m terrified of what they’ll do to a decorated tree.
I hope to finish knitting this pair of socks I’ve been working on for forever! And perhaps make that scrumptious chestnut butter above!
I am hoping to purge the kiddos toys once Christmas is past, getting rid of anything that is not basic and requiring lots of imagination on their part.
finish knitting myself a pair of long gray mittens!
I am hoping to use a pressure canner for the first time!
I’m hoping to get moved into our new house before the baby comes.
Tell my friends how much I love them.
I will make a few dozen cookies to take as a gift of appreciation to my Buddhist groups New Years world peace meeting.
I would love to conquer my clutter but I say that every year!
This sounds crazy – but I need to get a dining room table before time comes for the new year’s dinner I volunteered to host haha. Ugh, how have we been living without a table for so long and WHY CANT I MAKE A DECISION??
I have a lot of clutter laying around. It’s thing that I think I might need but need to store somewhere…but I just don’t know where. I need to get those things straightened up soon!
looking to get some more knitting done!!! but baking some cookies would be even better
I know, this is fantastically boring….but I NEED to get an editing project done by the end of the year! I’ll take a day off here and there during the holidays, but there will be work days as well! More fun, perhaps – I am planning on trying your pear-cranberry jam next week!