Toys and candy may top most lists to Santa but a lifetime love of reading is truly a gift that will last forever. For the fifth year, Chronicle Books is asking shoppers to pledge to Give Books for the holidays and share their love of reading with family and friends.
Take the pledge by clicking the photo above or by using the hashtag #GiveBooks on your social platforms. For every pledge, Chronicle Books will donate a book to a child in need, up to 30,000 books this holiday season! Use the hashtag #GiveBooks as many times as you want— each use counts as a new book in the hands of a child, and a testimonial to the magic of reading.
This year, the Give Books campaign is giving holiday shoppers a new way to share the love of reading: every Chronicle website order will be matched with a donation to First Book. As an extra incentive, they are offering 35% off orders placed on chroniclebooks.com with code GIVEBOOKS.
Let’s give books this holiday—to our family, our friends, and those that need them most.
Everyone has that one friend. The daredevil who laughs in the face of danger, chugs the hottest salsa and takes on all challengers to eat the fieriest chile peppers. You may have gotten married to one of these guys and perhaps even borne children who may or may not yet possess the penchant for spices that singe the palate and whet their appetite for adventure. There is a perfect gift for these lead-bellied loves of our lives: introducing Fuego Box, a hot sauce delivery service designed to pack the heat.
With Fuego Box, you choose monthly or quarterly deliveries that include your choice of 1 or 3 bottles of expertly curated, hard-to-find small batch sauces and spices that will break a sweat fast. Not in the mood to commit? Fuego Box also offers a la carte bottles of subscriber favorites in their Hot Sauce Shop, as well as seasonal special delivery boxes like the limited edition Father's Day Fuego Box we received for review. Dad's Spicy Box of Awesome came in a seriously awesome wooden crate with the Fuego Box logo burned into its sliding lid:
Nestled inside Dad's Spicy Box of Awesome were five generous full-sized bottles of burning hot deliciousness:
Bee Local Hot Honey
Purple Panda Chili Oil
Hoff Sauce
Laguna Salt Smoke Ghost Pepper Salt
World's 1st Dry Hot Sauce by Vesta
Now, I don't know if it's because I am super special or something, but our Fuego Box came with an extra little bottle of Marie Sharp's BEWARE Habanero Pepper Sauce, seen in the photo above at bottom left. It is reassuringly labelled "Comatose Heat Level" and "XXXXX." It is actually the only brand in the box that we have tried before because Annie, our favorite dental hygienist, is from Belize and brings it back by the caseload. She and Bob trade seeds and cuttings from the garden and she gave him a bottle of Marie Sharp's last year. Anyway, the stuff is good and HOOOOOOT.
Another thing that is clear about the Fuego Box curatorial mission is that the stuff they include looks pretty darned cool. I mean, hot. Or at least very well-designed. I know "artisanal" has become a bit of a hipster cliche but everything in this box looks as good as it tastes. It's obvious that the individual makers put as much effort into packaging as they do to making their sauces, which warms the little cockles of my BFA-in-graphic-design snob heart.
Locally produced, small batch goodies that look great in your pantry? Win!
I also love the variety in this Fuego Box. The Purple Panda Chili Oil is a nice version of the Asian home classic that I had run out of and the Hoff Sauce is a great replacement for your "basic" hot sauce but the Laguna Smoked Ghost Salt and Benny T's Vesta Dry Hot Sauce offer a totally new way to add spice with a little finishing flourish. And the Bee Local Hot Honey infused with Scorpion Chili Peppers is just totally off the wall good for everything from livening up your Greek yogurt and granola to dipping fried chicken or making a hot (literally!) toddy.
All in all, Fuego Box made a great Father's Day gift but one that fire-loving foodies of all genders and generations can agree on.
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.
What happens when four staffers from The Onion start a product company? You get Prank Pack, a gift box that will make everyone on your holiday list think you're regifting from the greatest office Secret Santa list, ever.
Each Prank Pack is designed to elicit squeals of confusion and disappointment. The faux products they show seem *almost* shelf-ready, so your giftee will think you took the time to order something special you saw on late-night TV. My personal favorite is the Crib Dribbler, which is essentially the human baby equivalent of a hamster feeder:
Imagine the fake smiles and thank yous this one will elicit at baby showers! Helicopter parents will not get the joke until they open the box and realize they've been Pranked! Genius. We also received the iArm forearm device mount, the automated Pet Petter ("Never touch your pets again!") and the the Obe'ir Bathe & Brew shower coffee maker. Finally, something to make you look forward to gift giving again!
Rumor has it that you will see Prank Pack displays in Walmarts this holiday season. They might look a little like this:
It should be noted that along with the excellent selection of Prank Packs, I received some Someecards goodies, including some lovely greeting cards ("Sorry you're feeling like such a pussy.") and handy pint glasses like this one:
I'm not clear on the particulars but my internet stalking leads me to believe the companies are related, under the 30Watt masthead. Those funny folks always stick together. And oddly, out of spitball distance…
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received product samples to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.
I already told you about my experience with the California Wine Club but my December shipment arrived, so I wanted to write about those, too. This month's selected vineyard is Daniel Gehrs Wines, hailing from Los Olivos in California's Santa Ynez Valley. The bottles came festively adorned in holiday foil, 2011 Chenin Blanc in silver and 2009 Merlot in red.
The Daniel Gehrs Merlot was really, really easy to drink, so I am not surprised that it has won multiple gold medals. It was fruity and smooth and paired well with beef and even turkey. The Daniel Gehrs Chenin Blanc has a crisp tartness that I enjoyed. It was great with spicy Thai food. It was interesting to read Daniel Gehr's history in the issue of Uncorked that came with my subscription. He has been working in the wine industry since 1974, up and down the central coast region. He claims the Chenin Blanc as one of his personal favorites. Gehr says that the Chenin Blanc is unusually long-lived for a white wine, since they usually have relatively short life spans.
If there are still some names with question marks next to them on your shopping list, visit www.cawineclub.com for fun and unique holiday gift wine subscriptions starting at just $49.95, including shipping. You can also buy wines by the case and save substantially on the per-bottle retail price. Note: Ground Shipping Deadline is December 12th. Any orders placed after Dec 12 incur expedited air charges for Christmas deliveries.
The California Wine Club is holding a special holiday contest for blog readers. You could win some fabulous prizes, including:
One of four, Three Month Wine Club memberships (A $150 value you can give as a gift, or keep for yourself)
One of 50 handy Two Bottle Wine Totes ($25 value)
One of 50 Red Tulip Music wine country CD's ($15 value)
During the holiday season with the constant onslaught of visitors and houseguests, gourmet offerings like food and wine are always welcomed with glee but you're a bit of a wine novice. How do you choose the perfect bottle to bring along?
Now is the perfect time to educate yourself with a Premier Club subscription from www.cawineclub.com. Each month you'll receive two award-winning bottles– one red and one white– from California's best independent wineries for less than $50, including shipping. You'll also receive Uncorked, their excellent full-color magazine that gives behind-the-vines details about the wines you are tasting and the family vineyards that produce them. It also includes pairing recipes and plenty of wine country trivia, news and profiles.
Bruce and Pam Boring created the California Wine Club as a way for people to find out about wines from a network of friends instead of blindly looking at labels on the shelf. I've always been a beer girl, so choosing wine is sort of daunting to me. I really appreciate learning about different varietals in a non-judgmental setting like, say, the privacy of my own home.
For November, I received two bottles from Sonoma's Robledo Family Winery. I enjoyed reading about Reynaldo Robledo four decade journey from migrant worker to vineyard manager and, finally, winery proprietor. And I enjoyed drinking his wines even more!
The Robledo 2009 Tempranillo is rich, sweet and easy to drink. The Robledo 2009 Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing. I'm excited to see what's in store for December!
Look for my CWC review next month– it will include a great holiday giveaway, you won't want to miss it.
This would be an awesome bachelorette gift, an eyebrow-raising present for a makeup-loving girlfriend or something naughty for a pal who travels a lot for work. Or you could stow a piece or two in your purse just in case. I'd never tell.
Some people get embarrassed talking about sex and sexiness. For this week's Live A Little, I'd like to respectfully suggest that everyone grow up and enjoy something bawdy. Tell a dirty joke. Go see Magic Mike. Buy a sexy nightie. Bring some color to your cheeks. It makes life a lot more fun.
Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received a sample of the products shown above to facilitate this review. All opinions, however, are my own.
Getting a box full of goodies designed specifically for you is a great to brighten your day. There's nothing better than a good care package, whether you're making one for a friend or receiving one yourself. I've always loved grab bags and remnant racks, so the recent surge in subscription-based curated sites has been fun to watch. I see spending a few dollars for a monthly surprise as an investment in happiness. For this week's Live a Little Monday, I thought I'd spotlight some of my favorite, in the hopes of inspiring you to make one or gift one to yourself.
And I'm finally going to mail the care package that I've been meaning to ship to my friend Kathleen before her younger son was born. Which means it's been sitting in my office for almost a year. Part of my new Live a Little attitude is to own up to and deal with my shortcomings. Like excessive tardiness, for starters.
Hands-down, my favorite care package to date has been The Box from EcoSalon. While on the higher range of the price spectrum ($99, plus a $30 s/h fee), it is impeccably curated and filled with eco-friendly products that are also full-sized. Plus you know in advance what you'll be getting, which might seem like cheating a bit, but it is also reassuring to know the basic contents are things you will love. There are several different varieties available to suit your interests, including Conscious Food, Mom/Baby, Travel, Entertainment and Health/Beauty. I ordered the Fashion Box with some holiday money I received this year and believe me when I tell you, I was not remotely disappointed with my purchase. There was not a stinker in that box! Here's a photo of the goods, unpacked:
I will definitely order the next Fashion Box when it's released. I wish I had some extra cash this month, I'd scoop up another one- there's a special deal right now when you buy the Health/Beauty Box, they'll throw in the Entertainment Box free! I'm dying to try the Kahina Skincare Eye Serum from the former and watch the 23 Feet DVD from the latter…
What do you like to give or receive?
Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco community every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.
A few months ago, I wrote about fair trade and the Heart of Haiti project. Macy's sells lovely artisan-made gifts from Haiti through a collaboration with Fair Winds Trading, and their partnership also distributes gorgeous baskets woven by women in Rwanda via Rwanda Path to Peace.
Rwanda Path to Peace was founded in July 2005 as a way to promote lasting economic security to the women of Rwanda. The country's volatile political history has been divisive, to say the least, and the project gives women a way to use their traditional crafts as a sustainable way to take care of their families. It is strengthening the sense of community by allowing women who were once on opposite sides of the conflict to work together. The steady income provides confidence and independence, as well as more tangible necessities such as food, clothing, healthcare and education. Mothers are providing for their children's brighter future.
Did I mention how beautiful these baskets are? They are stunning, especially when grouped, as in the photo below. I want to live there.
The pattern, woven of sisal and sweetgrass, represents the life-giving rain.
Baskets woven by the women, exported to the US and sold exclusively at Macy’s Department Stores are the number one export out of Rwanda under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Here are just some of the ways Rwanda Path to Peace has impacted the basket weavers.
Strengthening Families
The Rwanda basket weaving project is strengthening families. Domestic violence in Rwanda is not uncommon, but now that women are bringing income into the home husbands are showing increased respect for their wives and in many cases domestic violence has ceased. Husbands now offer to tend the children while their wives weave, which helps create stronger family bonds. The men are also assisting by harvesting and transporting raw materials and finished baskets, creating another income stream. Earning a steady income eases much of the stress of domestic life, and we have heard many stories of homes that are now more peaceful because there is an income from sales of baskets.
Impact on HIV/AIDS
The project has greatly improved conditions for HIV positive weavers. They can now afford good nutrition, so their medications are much more effective. Weavers with HIV no longer feel hopeless and stigmatized, but instead are respected for earning an income, like anyone else. They have their pride back, and are no longer ashamed. Instead of being resigned to hopelessness, as they often were in the past, they are now making plans for life.
Changing lives of children
The Rwanda Path to Peace project has directly impacted the lives of thousands of children. Income from the weaving project provides food, clothing, healthcare, school uniforms, shoes, and school supplies. We heard that before our project many of the children had only one set of clothing. Their clothes could not be washed during the week because they didn’t have another set to wear. Now many children have two sets of clothing, so they can wear clean clothes all the time. Their mothers can also afford to send them to school with a biscuit so they can eat during the day. They are drinking clean water because the mothers can afford water-purification tablets. As in many African nations, adolescent and teen girls would often drop out of school due to difficulties based on the lack of feminine hygiene products. This problem has been solved so girls remain in school – free to learn and engage in sports activities. The children have paper and pencils so they can learn to write. The weavers’ children are very proud of their parents’ ability to provide them with these life-changing luxuries.
Public Health
Weavers are now able to afford mosquito netting, greatly reducing the incidence of malaria. Many families now have clean water because they can purchase water purification tablets.
Reconciliation
The Rwanda Path to Peace Project is helping Rwanda in the process of healing and reconciliation. Weavers, organizers, suppliers, and government officials are working closely together to insure the success of this important project. Where there had been conflict and separation Rwandans are now working together for their common good. Weavers whose families had been at odds now work side by side making baskets and providing an income that helps improve their families and communities
One criticism: Fluffy says they should make the baskets much, muchbigger…
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received the bowl shown above to facilitate this review. All opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, which is either delightful or vexing depending on your point of view. I'm wishy washy on the subject, being someone who loves chocolate and pretty tchotkes but thinks that you should be celebrating all the love in your life year-round.
Anyway, if you haven't managed to procure any VD goodies but will be forlorn without 'em, I have some last-minute ideas for you. First and foremost: STALL. Say "you know, Valentine's Day is so special, I really think we should wait and do something really opulent next weekend…" Perhaps your valentine will be duped, perhaps not, but it does give you a few extra days to plot and scheme. Otherwise, you might try overnight delivery on an online item or from a local business. If you're going to resort to showy flowers delivered to the workplace, at least try to use a local florist instead of a big box chain. And seriously, a handwritten note trumps a bunch of wilty roses from the grocery store. Trust me on that.
I'll be posting some of my favorite Valentine gifts for procrastinators today and tomorrow, keep your eyes peeled and your wallet out.
The kids have been out of school since last week and are already underfoot. They take after me and are reluctant to head outside when the temperature dips, unlike their stalwart father. Also, I'm a bit under the weather, a fact which is particularly inconvenient since I am a procrastinator and still have unwrapped gifts, un-sent cards (sorry far-flung relatives, look for 'em around New Year's…) and a messy house to deal with. Blargh.
The holidays are in full swing already, being the third day of Hanukkah. Roo is incredibly interested in all things Jewish this year, so we've been lighting the menorah and I've been reciting the prayers in Hebrew school dropout mode, much to her delight.
I got a bunch of fabulous and timely craft ideas from the Pottery Barn Kids Design Studio via email, yay! Now if they would only send us new bedroom furniture so I could replace Roo's evil green bunkbed of doom…obviously my fever is making me delusional.
Here are a couple of their great ideas to help your family share the joy of Hanukkah! This crafty Menorah is easy to assemble – and best of all, kids can "light" the candles on their own to celebrate each night of Hanukkah.
Bring a little sparkle to Hanukkah celebrations with creative Glittery Dreidel Place Cards. They're simple for kids to make and add a fun element of festivity to the table – plus, they make great party favors. Jasper loves to sing "Dreidel, Dreidel" over and over again, even though he only remembers the one line. Heh.
Even non-Jews will agree that holiday treats are extra sweet when shared in homemade containers. Part party favor and part accessory, these Personalized Take-Out Containers, Glass Cookie Jarsand Cookie Boxes are fun for kids to customize and then fill with delicious cookies and candies! A craft and a gift, all in one adorable package…
Last-minute wrapping to do? Give your presents that extra little flourish of hand-crafted care, and try one of our creative approaches to gift wrapping. Make your presents even more magical this season with Starry Wrap, Keepsake Footprint Paper and Rudolph’s Nose Wrap. My cats would go nuts for that yarn "nose"
For more holiday ideas or for inspiration and advice year-round, visit the Pottery Barn Kids Design Studio. I was not compensated for this post, just thought my readers might like some busywork with attractive results for their kiddos, too.
Bob made me this necklace for my birthday, isn't it amazing? Hand-forged steel, double-linked.
Our friend Collin let me pick one of his very cool leather bracelets. I was debating between a couple and Roo decided that I needed this one, probably because she digs purple:
I also bought some shoes for myself on eBay (thanks, Dad!):
We took the kids to see Puss in Boots as a little after-school surprise on my birthday. Good stuff.
Okay. Father's Day is one week away but you slackers still have time to make something personal and meaningful, even if your DIY skills are sorely lacking. I'm not talking macaroni necklaces or neckties, either. PhotoJewelryMaking.com, the Michigan-based family-owned and operated photo jewelry supply superstore offers a variety of elegant gift ideas that you can customize at home using your own printer.
We tried the Father's Day Easy Change Photo Cufflinks Kit. It comes with everything you need to make a pair of heavy weight silver cufflinks with your choice of images, including EZ Photo Resizer software (Mac and PC compatible) and a sheet of photo paper. All you have to do is resize your images to 15mm circles, print and cut them out. Then simply unscrew the cufflink and insert your photo with the protective plastic over it, then rescrew it and you're good to go.
My stepfather is the only man I know who wears tuxedos on a regular basis so I think these will make a great Father's Day gift for him, with a picture of Roo and Jasper on either cufflink. I like how easy it is to change to photos out, so you could conceivably update the pictures as the kids get older. (Or fall out of favor…) You could also use pictures from favorite teams or pets, or even a pretty patterned paper or thin fabric. There are lots of possibilities! If you have need of several pairs, like for a wedding party, there's a multi-pack available.
In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I received the item featured in order to facilitate this review, which was made possible by Mom Spark Media.
When Bob and I were first dating, we decided it would be fun to drive to one of his art openings. We lived in Memphis at the time, and the opening was in San Diego. It was a loooong drive but it was also a lot of fun. Sadly, we don't have much evidence of the awesomeness of a trip that included Albuquerque flea markets, Hoover Dam, the nasty old part of Las Vegas, and the overwhelming crush of people in tights that is Comic Con, because we didn't have a digital camera back then. Or social media to broadcast our adventures to the world. Hmm, maybe that's a good thing for some segments of the road trip…
Meet the Samsung SH100, a new compact WiFi-enabled point and shoot camera that lets you share high quality photos with your friends and families easily and instantly, via your favorite social networks. It gets around, just like you!
Samsung is taking the SH100 on a month-long road trip across the US, from LA to NYC, during the month of May to show what a great camera this is for movers and shakers, homebodies and travelers alike. The Coast to Coast Photo Post team is recording all the places they go and people they meet along the way with the SH100, and the best photos and videos will be shared on the Samsung USA Facebook page. Follow Samsung on Twitter to find out when they'll be rolling through your town… if you take the best photo on their road trip, you could win a trip to NYC!
The Samsung SH100 would make a great gift for dads and grads, or anyone planning a trip this summer. You can always un-tag…
I was stuck at the airport in Atlanta for seven hours before my flight was ultimately cancelled on Wednesday night. Yes, it was a gigantic pain in the butt, however it was the day that the new digital issue of Martha Stewart Living was released for iPad, so at least that kept me entertained. If only it could shoot food out, too, it would be perfect…
Check this video out for a sample of the awesomeness.
Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I didn't receive anything in exchange for this post. I just thought you would get a kick out of watching a Martha Stewart craft being assembled to the strains of Warrant's "Cherry Pie." Right?! I should also disclose that I would totally whore myself out for Martha: anytime, anywhere. Just FYI.
