ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 25

And we're wrapping this advent calendar up with some of the coolest wrapping paper ever (pun was unintentional).
On the left: some vintage papers from Present&Correct, on the right some icy lake skaters and astro cat wraps from Nobrow.

I really really hope you all enjoyed the Advent Calendar (if not, you can vent in the comment box), if you missed out on any, make sure you take a look at the overview here, you can even take a look at last year's as well.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y'ALL



Tune of the day: Super Furry Animals - The Gift That Keeps Giving

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 24

With a little bit of a delay, I give you the last 2 parts of this year's Advent Calendar...
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas, I know I did!

So let me tell you about this Swedish perfume brand Byredo. Some of you might know it, but in case you don't, here's a short intro.
Byredo is the project of Indian/Canadian-Swedish born Ben Gorham, a fine arts graduate who decided he'd rather create fragrances than paintings. What ensued can be seen below: a high-class perfume brand (that in some way reminds me of Le Labo, another one of those high-class perfume brands that doesn't feel that commercial as most perfumes do these days); 16 perfumes so far (17 if you count in the one he created for the Acne AW10 show - yes, 1 perfume, just for that night!); scented candles and body care as well, in short: everything to make your life smell good.

This one in particular, Palermo has top notes of bigarade and sicilian bergamot, a heart of fresh musks and rose absolute and base notes of skin musks and ambrette flower. Sounds divine, doesn't it?



Tune of the day: Perfume - One Room Disco (haha)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 23

Sometimes it's all in the details... Like for instance, where do you put your tissues? Don't tell me you're not looking at its ugly carton box right now... Yeah, thought so. Well here's a $5 solution for you (seriously, 5 bucks!). It'll make your home a little more fun!


Picture via Amazon

Tune of the day: The Juan Maclean - Happy House (propably posted this on here before... but it's such a fun song!)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 22

Teeny tiny Chinese tea cups set? I say YES!


Picture from Etsy


Tune of the day: Oooh, no real tune but this hilarious vintage 'Tea Making Tips' video. L-O-V-E it! :)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 21

Holidays means time to get your bake on! This'll be a great help when you're wondering how on earth your mom made such a wonderful Tarte Tatin and you don't even know where to begin. It's THE encyclopedia of baking everyone should have, master The Art of French Baking right now people!



Book by Phaidon

Tune of the day: Grafton Primary - I can cook

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 20

A little red velvet on Christmas Eve would be nice... Courtesy of Steven Alan


Image from Steven Alan

Tune of the day: Primal Scream (ft. Kate Moss) - Some Velvet Morning

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 19

We're down to the final week people! That means Christmas is very very near.
All right, so what say you about this Clutch made by Phoebe Soup? It comes in 5 different versions, this one's 'The Suede'.
Business in the front, party in the back, something like that? Ooh who am I kidding, this is just 100% party. Comes in 3 sizes (S-M-L) and has a tiny miniature version you can attach to the inside as well.


Pictures from Pick & Made

Tune of the day: Alex Gopher - Party People

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 18

Zig zag, dots or stripes? Which one will it be?

Find them at Hansel from Basel


All pictures from Hansel from Basel



Didn't really know what song to pick to go with these, so a random one today:
Todd Terje - Inspector Norse (LOVE THIS)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 17

Time to get some furniture in here. This is a step from the Seattle based Iacoli & McAllister, but I could've picked any of their products really.

From their 'about' page:
"More than anything else we really want to make beautiful things, things that people want to live with.
It’s about beauty, quality and style"

Hear, hear.

I'm sure you'll agree with me this looks a MILLION times better than that lame old step you've got in the back of your closet, am I right? Loving their coffee table & Panca as well, and... oooh so many pretty things to choose from!
They're still looking for a manufacturer for this particular model though, so if you know of any, be sure to let them know ;)


Picture from Iacoli & McAllister

Tune of the day: Lo-Fi-Fnk - Steppin' Out

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 16

Alright so the first piece of jewelry in this advent calendar is this very sweet necklace by Hug a Porcupine. (they have some really great brooches as well, check them out!)

Which one do you prefer, the polka-dotted pink one or the yellow/blue one?


Picture from The Little Dröm store



Tune of the day: Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go To My Lovely
Don't ask, but somehow these sweet dresses made me think of this song... His hair is pretty hilarious in this video haha.

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 15

I was too busy to post yesterday, so today you get number 15 AND 16. Sweet! Right?! Yes, you're welcome.

Let me tell you about these colourful little notebooks. They are by David David, a brand which I'm sure you all remember me talk about here... Prints are his thing, but this time, in stead of on t-shirts, it's on notebooks! If you like prints, but don't like WEARING them, this might be just the thing for you.



Picture from David David

Tune of the day: The Radio Dept.- David (The Rice Twins Remix)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 14

Olympia Le-Tan's latest Dizzie bag... "Good things to eat". YUM.
My favourite Dizzie bag is still this one though, Love the colours! But heck, ALL Olympia Le-Tan bags are super cool. I mean, she even has Pictures from milk carton bags!


Pictures from Olympia Le-Tan

Tune of the day: not a tune, but an entire short film! (No worries, it's only 6 minutes long). This is "Mourir auprès de toi" (To die by your side), a collaboration between Olympia Le-Tan and genius Spike Jonze (easily one of my favourite directors).

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 13

That's a Christmas edition Comme des Garçons coin holder you're looking at, people. Pretty neat, right? It feels like you're looking at 100 christmas balls all at once or having your own decorated Christmas tree right in your pocket. Awesome!


Pictures from Oki-Ni

Tune of the day: Yelle - à cause des garçons
I'll have to admit though, I stopped listening to Yelle after this album (Pop-up), probably à cause de that horrible, horrible Crookers song she did.
But... this song, still fun. (absolute favourite of that Pop-Up album is still Tristesse/Joie though!)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 12

The scenario: long day at work. Cold outside. Stress.

You get home.

Throw your work papers on your desk (don't look at them again). Get seated in your Eames Lounge chair. Kick off your shoes. Shout: "Doggy! get me my slippers". Doggy (BY THE WAY: this is your dog - click!) fetches you these:

Relax.

The End.


Slippers: Litha men's wool room shoes, via LN-CC

Tune of the day: Towa Tei - I want to relax please

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 11

Ribbons, ribbons, more ribbons!

These are pretty amazing, right? Now wrap up your christmas gifts and get one of these Ribbonesia animals on there!
Left to right, top to bottom: Frosty Night Fow, Patient Dog, Nero The Cat and Golden Crest.


Pictures from Ribbonesia

Tune of the day: Róisín Murphy - Scarlet Ribbons

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 10

Say 'CHEEESE!' *Click*

I love cameras and I would LOVE a closet filled with different types of cameras (big, small, vintage, analog, digital,...) but that would be one hell of a hobby - expensive. BUT, I do think a camera is one of those crucial things everyone should have. It's such a joy to look back to old pictures, remembering that day when you had so much fun with your friends, or when you went on that perfect holiday... A day is not complete if you haven't shot a picture, right? (yup, I'm one of *those* people. Hit me up on instagram -@stefanieloes- or Flickr if you care!).

Let me tell you a secret though, if you, like me, love photography, but don't have a big money tree in your yard, get an old model! Technology these days changes so fast you can't ever keep up. If you're eyeing a model, wait a few months for its successor to be released and get your hands on that now discounted model! #bigwin

So, what's the latest and greatest one on my imaginary (the one that says "You definitely don't have the money to buy this in the next few years") wishlist? The Fujifilm X10 - little bro' of the X100, which I'm sure is even better, but is so far out of my price range it's ridiculous. The X10 is another one of those Micro Four Thirds cameras: not quite an SLR, definitely not a compact, just... a small camera with interchangeable lenses you'll love to death.

(and in case you were wondering: my dear dear camera is an Olympus PEN E-PL1, a micro four thirds camera as well and SO worth the investement)



Tune of the day: Junior Boys - Sneak a picture

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 9

Getting Christmas cards is FUN. Sending them is even more fun. And, apparently, easy as well.

All you need is a personalised stamp from the Butter, cards and ink. Done & done! Get stamping! (I forgot how I landed on their site, maybe through twitter? But to the one who linked it, THANKS! I'd be lying if I said I didn't spend more than an hour on their website.)


Image from the Butter

Tune of the day: Mayer Hawthorne - Christmas Time Is Here (well, it is! Two more weeks!)

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 8

I've lost count of how many times I've featured Freunde von Freunden up here, but how could I not feature them in my Advent Calendar, especialy now that they have their own book out! HOORAY!

If you're not into the whole spend-your-afternoon-on-the-internet-going-through-pictures-of-peoples-awesome-homes-you-wish-you-lived-in thing, you might like this. It's their website, but in book-form. Would make an AWESOME gift for anyone who's into design/homes/art/etc.


Picture from Freunde von Freunden

Tune of the day: Hannulelauri - Zombie Tropicana, just because they're awesome.

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 7

Does the name Dion Lee ring a bell? Well if it doesn't, shame on you, you're missing out.

His designs are always so well built (you can see a lot of thought is put into them), they're almost architectural: think laser cut patterns, incredible shapes, cut-outs and lines and... You get the point.
Catch up on his work here (seriously, do it) and then go pick out a piece you'd like santa to bring you this Christmas. I'll take this one Mister Claus:



Image from Maximillia

And for today's tune, something Australian seemed fitting (since today's designer is Australian...!). That's Cut Copy - Need You Now (from their Zonoscope album, yes, that's ANOTHER album you need to check out).

ADVENT CALENDAR - DAY 6

Guess what day it is today... Yup, Sinterklaas! I'm guessing not many of you know who he is, but since we don't really celebrate Halloween over here, you could say this is kind of the equivalent for Halloween in the low countries.
In short: chocolate is involved. So how could I not pick chocolate for today's advent calendar? This one's a collaboration between Refinery 29 x Chocolate Bar. I really do hope these taste as delicious as they look!


Images via Refinery 29

Tune of the day: Brother Louie - Hot Chocolate