Give & Tell with Badder Homes & Gardens

As we begin to brine our brilliantly basted turkeys, spoon splendid stuffings and gather gorgeous gourds for our centerpieces, how about a break from the fancy finer things? In fact, let’s do the opposite of that.

If you’re easily offended and/or have zero sense of humor, stop reading and get back to that pie crust. But if you love a good laugh and girls who tell it like it is, then I’ve got a treat for you.

Say hello to the unMartha’s of Texas, Krista, Sarah, and Nikki. They’re smart, funny, sarcastic, and they swear a lot. They’re the authors of Badder Homes & Gardens—”the bad girls guide to good housekeeping”—and they’re sharing their gifting wisdom and woes with us today. Nikki even threw in a little tutorial for you.

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Give & Tell

Give & Tell with Emily Fitzhugh from Sodapopgirl

Emily is a design loving, coffee-drinking, bike-riding, Portland gal with amazing curly black hair. She’s a social media consultant with an interior design background and stays connected to the creative world through her blog Sodapopgirl.net. Her finds there are inspiring, beautiful, and just plain fun—hence her tagline, “shake it”.

After admiring others’ creative masterpieces for years, Emily started to make jewelry and just recently launched her new Etsy shop Sodapopgirlshop. Such lovelies. I’ve got my heart set on these!

Tell us about a gift-giving ah-ha moment you recall.

Choosing a gift for my Dad is the biggest challenge. He is a Boston businessman who seems to have everything. For as long as I can remember, there has been a collection of helicopters on the top of the bookshelves in his office—wood, metal, toy and pieces of art. Okay, Helicopters. He also is a self-proclaimed “foodie”. Well, a little known fact is that if you type “helicopter/cooking” into the Etsy search you will find a very handsome, handmade, men’s apron with helicopters on the front, made in Italy. It even says in the description “for helicopter fans to enjoy while cooking.” SOLD!

Could you share a wrapping secret with us?

My grandparents taught me a great wrapping secret. Save all your Christmas cards from year to year and then cut them into pretty pieces to create a little Christmas collage on the top of special packages. With a little snipit of a card, you can create a mixed media work of art. Using plain craft paper, a simple ribbon and a glue stick, let your upcycled Christmas card art shine!
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Emily Fitzhugh's Gift Picks form Wantist

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Apple & Cherry & Pumpkin – OH MY – It’s the Holidays, Let’s Make Pie!

Pies made with the Breville Personal Pie Maker

Ever hear the term “all the rage?” It’s often used to refer to current trending items or topics. Lucky for us, pies are “all the rage” every year. Fall is in full swing, and winter is creeping just around the corner and what better way to ward off those harsh cold nights than with pie? Particularly with the holidays in full swing, pies are more popular than ever this time of year and whether you’re a natural Martha Stewart in the kitchen or deathly afraid of baking, we’ve got you covered!

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Give & Tell

Give & Tell with TV Show Girl, Maggie Furlong

Maggie is an L.A.-based writer, TV critic and lover of all things pop culture (you can see her stuff at AOL TV and The Huffington Post or follow her on Twitter). She’s got more energy than a bumblebee and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. As you’ll read, her husband’s quite the sweet guy too.

When she’s not interviewing celebrities or scooping a story, her favorite multi-tasking hobby while keeping up with bad TV is online shopping—and she’s a big fan of Wantist. In all her adorableness, here she is. Thanks, Maggie!

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The best gift I’ve ever received is a sun deck that my husband (and a few friends he bribed with tacos and beer) built for me for my 30th birthday. We’d lived in our house for a year, and it was so close to perfect, but my prized chaise lounges — once my grandmother’s — were always in the shade. The sun deck is a fabulous place to “work from home,” watch the sunset with a cocktail or get some quiet time with a great view.

What’s the best food to give as a gift?

The best food to give is anything homemade. From an assortment of pickled veggies your giftee can set out with dips at a party, to cookies or brownies straight from a package, food is always a gift that’s made with love. My new favorite that a lot of people will be seeing in their stockings come Christmas? Our house-made bitters in an assortment of flavors, suited to each recipient’s taste.
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Gobble, Gobble. 11 Essentials to Cook Up a Perfect Thanksgiving!

Willie Bird Fresh Pre-Brined Turkey

Willie Bird Fresh Pre-Brined Turkey from Williams Sonoma

Happy November everyone! Or Movember to some… Either way, Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Held in the golden warmth of fall, the trees filled with deep red and orange, the cool crisp air bringing in the scents of autumn combined with warm turkey roasting in the oven… People gather, laugh and enjoy a day where the only expectation is to be thankful.

But, let’s be honest, Thanksgiving is also kind of about food. Massive, enormous quantities of delicious, comforting, coma-inducing food. It’s the holiday where the majority of people let go of their inhibitions (diets) for a day of sheer gluttony. Roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, biscuits, pumpkin pie – these are only a few of the traditional holiday meal dishes. We want to help make your Thanksgiving one to remember. Whether you’re in charge of the feast or want to treat the person who is, here are 11 essential pieces for making the holiday meal everyone will be talking about!

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Calphalon Nonstick Roaster with Lifters and Baster

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Tea-rrific! 19 Gifts for Tea Lovers

Some Like It Hot Print by Jan Skácelík

Like me, you may know people who live for their next cup of tea but may not be an avid tea-drinker yourself. This can make for a terrible time picking out tea for a very particular tea-loving friend. Here’s a list of sure-to-please tea-related gifts that won’t leave you feeling out of the loop.
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It’s Mustache Season! 50 Gifts to Celebrate Movember all Month Long

Movember (or the month formerly known as November) is an annual moustache growing event that raises money and awareness for men’s health issues, particularly prostate and other cancers affecting men. From Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, Movember has grown into an enormous global movement since its humble Australian beginnings in 2003. Over 1 million people have gotten involved, helping to raise over $175 million so far.

The rules for participating are quite simple: with a clean-shaven face, men register at Movember.com on the 1st day of ~~November~~ Movember. For the next 30 days, these men (known as Mo Bros) grow, groom, trim and wax their way into fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives (the Mo Sistas), Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the entire month, raising funds by soliciting sponsors for their Mo-growing efforts. At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate the culmination of their efforts with a Movember party.

There are plenty of events you can attend at the end of Movember, from local ones in your home (yes, YOUR home) or town, to Gala Partes all over the world. But who wants to wait until the end of the month? Certainly not me! Here are a number of ways to help you celebrate Movember all month long.

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It’s True What They Say – Anyone CAN Cook!

Shake_it_Like_a_Polaroid_Picture_Print

Shake it like a polaroid picture from lollieland

I’m thankful everyday that my mama taught me how to cook. For other people, however, even boiling water is a challenge. We’ve all got to start somewhere though and sometimes all it takes a little push and a little luck. Okay, yeah, and maybe the right tools. Here are some essential pieces for mastering the kitchen to get your aspiring chef up and running!

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