Fashion and Happy Things! » Holiday

Gift Guide for Kids, Boy Edition 2013

mana — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 09:00:33 +0000

I decided that instead of doing a children’s gift guide with both genders combined, I’d do gender specific ones. I’m starting off with the boys list, because it’s easier for me since I have a 7 year old boy. I’ve been hearing for months all the things that he wants.

Every year in my family we give each other pajamas to sleep in Christmas Eve night. My favorites are the pajama’s from Disney and these with Olaf from Frozen on them are adorable.
Legos are kinda a classic gift, and my son has gotten some variation of them every year.
Last year he got the movie The Legends of the Guardians, which I totally recommend. I’ve just discovered that movie is based off a book series and I am really excited about it and will definitely be getting The Guardians Box Set and The Sandman books for my son. How perfect are these for Christmas?
Board games are perfect and I highly recommend Apples to Apples and Hedbanz. Perfect for some family time after presents on Christmas morning, or to keep a group of kids entertained after dinner on Christmas Eve.
The hit movies of the year are always good, Monsters University looks adorable and perfect for a little boy.
My son loves Skylanders, it’s his absolute favorite video game. Skylanders Swap Force is the newest version out and I know it will be on the top of his list.
Most little boys love dinosaurs. A few year ago I got my son a science kit and the only thing that he really liked and used out of it was the Dinosaur Dig kit. There are a bunch of different version but the Tyrannosaurus is classic.
For the little artist this My Comic Book Kit is perfect.
My son love Beyblades, and they were really popular with his friends. This Beyblade Samurai Cyclone set is perfect.
Someone gave my son a Dream Lite Dinosaur Pillow Pet for Christmas last year and he loves it. We’ve had to replace the batteries in it twice, he uses it every night.

I’m really excited about Christmas this year, and I think my son definitely is too. I don’t know a little boy that wouldn’t at least love one of the things on this list.

I know I’ve said that this gift guide is aimed a little boys, and I am doing a girls edition tomorrow. However, there are plenty of little girls who would also be thrilled with things off of this list.

Gift Guide for Boys by fashionandhappythings on Polyvore

What To Wear: Thanksgiving

mana — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:00:49 +0000

I actually did a What To Wear Post for Thanksgiving last year, and I was reminded of it a couple days ago when it showed up in the viewed post for that day. I decided to do an updated one for this year.

Since I did a casual look and a Dressy look last year, I decided to do the same this year.

I started the casual outfit off with this Cardigan from Jack Wills (similar) because it just looks so cozy. Then I added this Duofold Plaid Shirt from Gilly Hicks. Keeping in mind that Thanksgiving is a Food Holiday and I, like Dean Winchester, believe pie is everything, decided to copy last year and go with Leggings for my bottoms. I love these tuxedo leggings from Topshop, Only because the Gilly Hicks top is long enough to cover your bum. These Sperry Dylan boots are gorgeous and I want them in my closet right now. And I finished off the outfit with these bow earrings from Kate Spade.

For the Dressy outfit, I once again took inspiration from Blair Waldorf’s Thanksgiving outfit in Season 1. That is of course my favorite episode. I chose this Cream Lace dress from H&M. Then I thought some cranberry colored tights would look amazing with it, so I picked these from Modcloth. For shoes I went with the pointed toe Brogue Bluchers from Zara, which are on my to buy list. I added this coat from Zara because I loved the color and the collar of it. For Jewelry I thought these Amethyst Studs from Kate Spade and this gold necklace with Curved Bar from H&M (similar) rounded out the outfit nicely.

This year I’m probably going to go with something close to the second outfit to wear for Thanksgiving day. At least that’s my idea right now. I do have 28 days to change my mind.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Any Thanksgiving related posts you’d like to see?

Thanksgiving Dinner by fashionandhappythings featuring Sperry Top-Sider

Bonus blogmas: Christmas Day

mana — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 00:52:00 +0000

I know Blogmas was meant to end on Christmas Eve, but since the posts for the past 2 days have been so short, I decided to throw in a bonus post.

I’m typing this out from my new iPad, which I’m super excited about. My husband got it for me so I could FaceTime with a close friend who unfortunately lives super far away (T and I miss you too much O!). Which I did as soon as she alerted me that she was up and about this morning. It was so good to see her, I can’t even tell you how much. Seriously this is the best Christmas present ever. Followed closely with the gift I got from O which is the complete years 1-7 Harry Potter DVDs, and my parents got me a Harry Potter tee shirt which I totally plan to wear with leggings while watching the movies. Lame I know but I adore the movies, the books, and the merchandise.

I’ll probably do a what I got for Christmas post soon, but I won’t promise it before the new year. I’m definitely going to be taking a few days off, and just hang out playing games and watching movies. Of course now that I said that, I’ll probably be back with a lengthy post soon.

Today was pretty perfect. since we did both family parties yesterday, we stayed in our christmas pjs all day (mine are of course Victoria’s Secret), had chili for dinner, and now were going to watch some Christmas specials. I hope you are all having a happy Christmas and that you spent these past few days with the people you love.

Blogmas Day 24: Happy Christmas

mana — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 05:01:00 +0000

This post is just barely making it up but it counts because it’s still christmas eve for 3 more hours in California.

I’m wearing my Christmas Eve PJ’s. and am heading off to bed! Goodnight, I hope Santa brings you wonderful things

Blogmas Day 23: It’s Christmas Eve Eve

mana — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:38:00 +0000

You know you’ve reached Christmas overload when you’re family is fine with you blaring Call Me Maybe just because it’s not Christmas Music.

Personally I’m very excited for Christmas. We have 2 parties to go to, with a wardrobe change in between and then a relaxed Christmas Day at home. I’m not sure when tomorrow’s post will go up, but there will be one.

I finished my wrapping last night, and I only have a couple pies to make, so I’m going to spend the day being lazy and watching Christmas movies with my family.

Blogmas Day 21: Favorite Christmas Songs

mana — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:53:00 +0000

For Blogmas Day 21 I’m going to post my favorite songs for Christmas Time. Not only do I have favorites but since the songs tend to get redone I have favorite versions. These aren’t in any particular order, just as I thought of them

1) I’m getting nothin’ for Christmas – Stan Freberg
2) Christmas Don’t Be Late – The Chipmunks
3) All I want for Christmas is you – Mariah Carey
4) My Only Wish This Year – Britney Spears
5) Christmas Means To Me – Hanson
6) The 12 Pains of Christmas – Bob Rivers
7) Rockin Around The Christmas Tree – Miley Cyrus
8) Santa Baby – Madonna
9) You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch
10) Sleigh Ride – Hilary Duff

It’s 3 days til Christmas Eve and I’m all ready, all my gifts are bought, and I’m wrapping up in chunks each night, and I’m super excited! These songs definitely have me in the Holiday Spirit and I’m going to be so sad when New Years Eve Passes and the Holiday Season is officially over.

We finally got some snow last night but while we were promised snow all night, it only ended up being less than an inch which I don’t think will stick around long enough for Christmas. The last white Christmas I can remember having was 4 years ago when my son was 2.

Either way I’m super excited for Christmas and Family and Present exchanges. I think tomorrow’s post might be about wrapping

Blogmas Day 20: Favorite Winter Polishes

mana — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Yay! It’s Blogmas Day 20, 4 days until Christmas and it’s meant to snow tonight! I can only hope it snows enough to stay til Monday.

For today’s post I decided to show my favorite winter polishes. I know most people change their nails seasonally, but I tend to change mine by holiday. Pinks and purples for Valentines, Pastels for Easter, Blues and Red’s for Patriotic Holidays, Murky dark colors for Halloween, Red and Green and Gold for Christmas, and Blues and Silvers for New Years.

This post is focusing on my favorite polishes that I wear from the Holiday Season until it’s time for me to start wearing my Valentines Polishes. Which I admittedly make a bigger deal out of Valentines than I should but what can I say I love, love.

First Up are the Reds:

From Left to Right: China Glaze – Ruby Deer, OPI – An Affair In Red Square, OPI – Vodka and Caviar, OPI – Malaga Wine
These are my absolute favorite reds and all of them are blue toned, and work well with anything. They all sort of fall in the classic red’s category.

Next are the Blues:

From Left to Right: OPI – Into The Night, China Glaze – Blue Years Eve, Sephora by OPI – Opening Night, Essie – Midnight Cami

These are all dark blues, and really similar in color. Blue Years Eve is the brightest though, and Midnight Cami can look Black on the nails in bad lighting.

The next pictures are all sort of mixed because I only had a few of each color.

So we have gold tones and purples:

Left to Right: OPI – Golden Eye, OPI – Warm and Fozzie, China Glaze – Sugarplums, OPI – Lincoln Park After Dark

Warm and Fozzie which was in the Muppets collection is my favorite of this grouping, it’s a solid fine glittery color that’s a bit of a chameleon, not really a duochrome but definitely reflective. Sugerplums is my close second because it has holo glitter in it that just seems to twinkle in the light.

Then we have Green’s and some Glitters:

Left to Right: China Glaze – Snow Globe, China Glaze – Tinsel Town, China Glaze – Mistletoe Kisses, China Glaze – Jolly Holly

Honestly these are my least worn of my winter colors, they do get some love but not as much as they should. I’ll be coming back to these though.

My favorite Winter Glitters:

Left to Right: China Glaze – Party Hearty, Sephora by OPI – Only Gold For Me, Deborah Lippmann – Across The Universe, Deborah Lippmann – Happy Birthday

These are my absolute favorite glitters, and Happy Birthday may actually be my favorite Glitter ever. I am so glad I bought this it deserves all of the hype that it gets. The only one of these polishes I wear on it’s own is Across The Universe, though sometimes I just use one coat over the blues. The rest of them get layered with the other polishes in some sort of design.

Finally I have two polishes that are sort of one offs and I couldn’t really fit them into any groups:

Left to Right: Essie – Turquoise and Caicos and Lancome Vernis In Love Noir Caviar.

I love the Essie polish because it’s a Tiffany Blue and come winter time I always think of Tiffany’s, who doesn’t love those little blue boxes with the pretty bows on top. I don’t wear it often during the holdiays but when I need a brighter color to perk me up, this is usually the polish I reach for. It still feels wintry to me, but it plenty bright to chase away my winter blues, and spring and summer. I think the only time I don’t wear this polish is in the Fall.

The Lancome polish is just an absolute dream, I adore it. You can get away with just coat, and it’s a smooth creamy dark grey with amazing staying power.

I mentioned yesterday that I’d show you how I do a crescent of glitter at the bottom of my nails, and said I’d probably use red. I didn’t, I decided to use Jolly Holly with Mistletoe Kisses and I really love the tonal look. This may be my new favorite way of wearing them.

What are your favorite winter polishes?

Blogmas Day 19: Hot Cocoa and Nail Polish

mana — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:29:00 +0000

It’s Blogmas Day 19 and I’m still sick! Which is terrible because according to Norad, Santa leaves the North Pole in 4 Days. For those of you doing the math on that one if you’ll remember the international date line and that China is a full day ahead of us then the math is correct. Anyways I’ve been spending a lot of time curled up with Cocoa, watching Christmas movies, and whining about how awful I feel.

Isn’t my cocoa so pretty? I topped it with Cool Whip and a ton of mini marshmellows. I thought it was so pretty sitting there that I had to take a picture.

I also took a picture of what I had on my nails the other day when I did my lip swatches for day 17

Normally I’m not a big fan of pastel’s for winter, but I’ve had some variation of Red and glitter or dark grey on my nails since Thanksgiving. Since I wanted to shake things up a bit I went for Mint and Glitter, and as you can see there is Red Glitter in that bottle. I know I was trying to branch out, but it is the Christmas Season. I used 2 coats of Essie’s Mint Candy Apple and then I did a crescent moon of the glitter and then used what was left on the brush to dot glitter all over the nail. I plan to do my nails this way for my family’s Christmas Party but most likely with An Affair in Red Square by OPI instead of mint.

I had hoped to get Lancome’s Flirty Red to wear for Christmas, but when I went to get it they were sold out or something because I didn’t get it. I do love an Affair in Red Square though and I bought it last year with Sephora by OPI’s Only Gold For Me when Red nails with Gold Glitter tips was the thing that everyone loved.

I haven’t done that combo yet this year and I might but I quite like doing the crescent of glitter instead of the tips. I’ll paint my nails that tonight and if I can get a good picture I’ll add into tomorrow’s post.

Tomorrow’s post may actually be on all my favorite winter polish’s since I haven’t done one yet, and I do have a lot of polishes.

Blogmas Day 13: Soup and a Ramble

mana — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:18:00 +0000

I’ve been really sick for the past few days with various symptoms that have made me feel generally yucky, but today it’s culminated into a full on cold. So I’ve mostly spent the day drifting in and out of sleep on my couch and reading Aunt Dimity books on my nook. Now I’m curled up in my favorite pink blanket, and about to have my favorite soup.

That soup is Campbell’s 100% Natural New England Style Beef Pot Roast. That’s an exceptionally long name for soup, but it’s my absolute favorite. Whenever it’s in stock I buy as many cans of it as I can to keep stocked up on it. I’m also pretty found of that bowl, it sort of makes me exceptionally happy. A bit silly yes, but when you’re sick it’s the little things. And yes that is sitting on a Glossybox box, I’ve had the glossybox I won for a while and haven’t gotten around to taking pictures and doing a review on it yet. I will soon, hopefully.

I promised I’d show you my tea pot and tea cups, I was going to wait until I had more tea cups, but due to Christmas I’m on a bit of a spending ban and it’ll be a while before I buy another. I really do love my little blue tea pot, it makes me super happy and I feel cozy whenever I have a pot of tea brewed.

As I mentioned before the cups are from Anthropologie and the Tea Pot is made by a company called For Life. I usually drink some mixture of Early Grey Creme, Scarlett Cloud or Citrus Lavender Sage from Teavana. The book is also from Anthropologie, I bought it around Valentines Day last year. I thought it looked really cute and it matches the theme of that shelf.

There were flurries the other night, but none of it stuck so we still don’t have any actual snow. Since it was errands night, I did get to see the “hyper drive” snow. I didn’t have any gloves with me and it was really cold so I bought these.

I was a bit inspired by Zoella’s panda mittens when I purchased these, but mostly because my nickname is ManaBear. I’m kinda in love with them because they’re super snuggly and match everything. The tip of the thumb flips back so I can still use my phone. Also I’ve been running around all day with them on making horrible “with my bear hands” jokes. My nails are not black by the way, I have on one coat of Essie’s Midnight Cami and a coat of Deborah Lippmann’s Across The Universe. Fun Fact: when I showed Across The Universe to my Husband he said I had to buy it because it had Universe in the title and it looked like space. He’s a big fan of space and universe-y things.

It’s Taylor Swift’s birthday today and they’re releasing the video for I knew you were trouble on MTV this afternoon so I’m sorta really excited about that. I hop I’m awake for it.

Well that’s about it for today, my soup should be cool enough to eat now, so I’m going to eat that and maybe have another nap.

Blogmas Day 12: Holly Jolly Holiday Tag: Mom and Dad’s answers

mana — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Today’s post is the same tag I did yesterday, but it’s my parents answers. My mom was flipping through my blog book at lunch the other day and answered a few of the questions out loud, so I decided to ask them both all the questions and then post them after I did my answers. They also answered version 2 of this tag, and that will probably be posted in a few days.

I also plan on doing the sibling tag later in the month and if I can get them to answer the questions the best friend tag. Fun fact I actually filmed the best friend tag last year but it accidentally got deleted before I could upload it.

1. Favorite Christmas Movie
Mom: Scrooge the Musical
Dad: All

2. Naughty Or Nice List?
Mom: Nicely Naughty
Dad: The same

3. Show an Embarrassing Christmas Photo.
(Sorry no photo of my parents)

4.Ever had a White Christmas?
Mom:Yes
Dad: Yes

5. Where do you usually spend your holiday?
Mom: At Home
Dad: where ever my family is

6. Play or sing your favorite Christmas Song
Mom: Ballad of the Harp Weaver
Dad: Most of them

7. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
Mom: Some of them
Dad: Same

8. Name all of Santa’s Reindeer.
Mom & Dad: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph

9. What Holiday Traditions are you most looking forward too?
Mom: Putting up the Tree
Dad: All of them

10. Is your tree Real or Fake?
Mom: Fake
Dad: we’re not tree killers

11. Hands Down Favorite Holiday Food or Treat?
Mom: Pumpkin pie without the crust
Dad: Most of them

12. Be honest do you prefer giving or getting
Mom: Giving
Dad: Both

13. What is your Tackiest Christmas Attire?
Mom: a Santa sweater that says “Ho Ho Ho”
Dad: None

14. Dream Place for the Holidays?
Mom: Christmas at home in the completely eco friendly house that we’ve built
Dad: Just with my family, I’ve been to Ireland and it was no different the only thing missing was my family

15. Special Holiday Recipe?
Mom: Date Nut Muffins
Dad: Lasagna

16. Are you a pro present wrapper?
Mom: As long as they’re boxed
Dad: Yes

17. Memorable Holiday Moment?
Mom & Dad: Our Daughter Falling in the Tree (See I told you is was a tradition)

18. Truth about Santa?
Mom: He’s Awesome
Dad: Ditto

19. Any New Years Eve Traditions?
Mom: Not to make any, seriously that’s it
Dad: Same

20. What makes the Holiday Special?
Mom: Family, duh!
Dad: Family

My note on this: After 26 years of marriage they’re the same damn person! Okay not really, I do know that my Dad is big on family, for years his background on his cell was a picture of us kids with the phrase “I love my family” at the top of it. Also he doesn’t like to choose favorites of anything. My parents are huge on the Eco trend and sometimes I wonder how my parents ended up with such a consumerist for their oldest daughter?